《Gunota ga Mahou Sekai ni Tensei Shitara, Gendai Heiki de Guntai Harem o Tsukucchaimashita!?》 Volume 1 - Prologue Prologue Year 20XX, Winter, On A Certain Day in February. I, Hotta Youta, am twenty-seven years old this year. I live alone where my age equals my time without a girlfriend. Also a virgin, high school dropout and a former-hikikomori. Currently working at metalworking factory, in Tokyos metropolitan Oota district. It was a cold day like this, when Tanaka passed away. Having finished work, it was a boring walk home, while, regretfully recalling painful memories. I became a hikikomori in my high school days even though I call it hell, I am by no means exaggerating it. My only back-up plan was taking the entrance exam, in case I failed the enrollment for other private high schools, but I failed to pass the examination for even low level private high school. At that time, my friend, Tanaka Kouji and I, were bullied by three DQN(delinquent) in the same class. I think because we were targeted we both became thin and weak-willed. Then getting beaten up was a common occurrence. Extortion, burning my skin with cigarette buds, masturbating in front of the delinquents, licking and drinking out of a urinal they never stopped. I was scared of getting to know my classmates so I kept thinking that they were of no concern to me. The homeroom teacher, wanting to avoid the situation, pretended not to see most of the fights. Without the courage to oppose them, we just continued to take the bullying silently. I was released from their bullying only when we got to second year. The reason is that our classes changed. It turned out only I was separated from them while Tanaka and the delinquents were in the same classroom. Since theyd need to go out of their way to cross over to my classroom, they didnt bother bullying me. The outcome was, the brunt of it was concentrated on Tanaka. Yet, I didnt even think of helping him. I just breathed a sigh of relief having been released from being bullied. As I expected, Ill only be saved if hes sacrificed. An incident occurred before second years winter break. As a former bullied child, I chose to distance myself from the surroundings; always eating lunch alone. Rather than eat in the toilet in winter, the back of the school building is less popular. Therefore, in those cold days, I always ate lunch outside. Tanaka and the delinquents had gathered there. He was naked in seiza position on the ground while shivering and fully soaked with water. Besides being left with a water bucket, he apparently had dry leaves clinging to his body. The delinquent group seemed to be having fun as they laughed and took pictures with their smartphone. Tanaka recognizing me, faced me with a gaze seeking for help. The three of them also turned around after noticing me. What are you looking at? Skinny midget. Whats with that expression? Huh!? I became frightened by their voice and ran away at full speed Tanakas face went paled in despair after I abandoned him. Even now, I vividly remember it. I definitely wont forget this for my entire life. That very same night, Tanaka committed suicide by hanging himself by the slide at the playground. In his suicide note he accused about the bullying done by those 3. The school dealt with the problem by immediately and indefinitely suspending those the trio. By immediately suspending them, the school had intended to conclude the incident before the situation had become worse. After the school disposed of them according to their plan, it had become a discussion about the perpetrators companions. A settlement to the discussion was met in one month. The perpetrators had to pay fine which was a lot of money to the victims parents when they settled. Tanakas suicide ended up in a small column written on a local newspaper. Since that year, I had stayed inside my home. I felt responsible for Tanakas suicide furthermore, now that he passed away, I became the target of the delinquents bullying while sitting around. And because of my fear of being bullied, I became unable to leave from my room at my home. Im a pessimistic, despicable coward. However, I was unable to leave my room at those days. Eventually, I dropped out of high school. Since then, Id always stayed inside my room engrossed in gaming, manga, anime, model guns, and modern weapon system and the like. I admired modern weapon system especially the model guns. Then, using a real handgun to shoot those three delinquents to death. I really want to have a dream where I board a tank and chase them and stuff. When I approached the age of twenty, my fathers connections in Tokyos Oota district will get me a job in a metalwork factory, or Ill get a million yen and leave my family. 1,000,000 is a lot. But, at best, I dont think Ill have that in only a year. I cant have that option. However, it was good regardless of the outcome. Even though Im sometimes confine myself indoors, aside from taking the responsibility for my younger siblings, I had no future prospects. The teacher gave me his seal of approval by saying Certainly eligible for Tokyo University! to my typical parents, as long as I dont become baggage no matter what to my 4 superior and younger siblings, itll be fine. In reality, after moving to Tokyo University, because this was my first time living alone, I never had gotten into a contact with anyone. The typical me that had been cast away by my parents was carefree and happy. Above all, because I was separated from that mountain town, I will never again meet those delinquent trio. The metal-working factory of my father and the others was strict but it wasnt filled with unreasonable violence. I was even instructed carefully in the job. Compared to my hellish life in the last year of high school, the difference is heaven and earth. Originally, I was confident in my skillful and dextrous fingers. Again and again, since I strived to meet expectations, I had to acquire a lot of skills. If you were to compare me to those who are called craftsman, I may not even hold a foot Thus I immersed myself in my job to forget those hellish high-school days for approximately 7 years but, every time it became cold in winter, I remember Tanaka. If I had been a little brave or something, it might had not ended up in suicide, wouldnt it? At the usual convenience store, I bought my evening bento and tea. Now, even though Im a good person, I still havent recovered. While sighing from melancholy, I walked toward the residential area. There remained 10 meters until I reached my home but I noticed on the way, a suspicious man standing. So that I could avoid the detestable light from the street lights, I had leaned on the concrete wall. Because of the moonlight, I was dimly able to make out his figure. He wore a hooded jacket, and jeans under him. Doesnt he feel cold? Thats not the sort of coat you should wear. Because he was looking down I wasnt able to see his face. I was able to judge him as having a height of 180 centimeters, and a plain physique. If I start retracing my steps for main road and pretend not to see him after such a long time, on the contrary, hell likely give me strange vibes. It did not look like he wanted to fight since he was glancing down, so Ill take as much distance as possible while I try to pass him. Hey, wait sec. !? After he called me, I involuntarily stood still. The man began heading straight to me. As the street light shone on that guys face, I was able to check his face. My goggling eyes did not meet his gaze, he had a bad skin complexion, a unshaven face, gaping nose pierce, and from the nape of the neck there hung a tattoo. Surprisingly, he had changed completely, I understood immediately. It was one of the 3 delinquents that had bullied me, it was their leader. Im sure his name was. Souma Ryouichi Aint It cuz a you that ma lifes in da dumps! Aaaah! Fuck!!! Why me!! Ah, uh, ah. The time came for him to get back at me, I feel nauseous because he reeked of something like garbage. If I remember correctly, I read that theres a legal drug on the internet that if you intake it, you smell like this. The other party is in an unstable state. But right now, Ill just turn around pretend not to notice, and run away when possible. However a flashback of my hellish past made my legs tremble, and kept me from moving. Tanaka-kuun! Hotta-kuun! Ya look like trash! You know he died silently, right!? Damn it! He took out something like a cheap kitchen knife, hed have bought with a hundred yen, from his hoodies pocket. Uwaaaaaaaa! My fear reached its apex as I screamed miserably, I threw the convienience store bag I was holding, turned around and ran with everything I had. The thought of bravely fighting and subduing him didnt come to my mind even once. But, I could do nothing but scream and run. Run, run, run, run, run charging to the park. Even after that, he eventually caught up and shoved me from behind. I ran with as much vigor as I had but fell face first into the sandbox. As soon as he mounted me, without any hesitation, with both hands he swung down the kitchen knife. Gugaaa *choking* I felt the blood erupted on my pierced chest. From pain, the previous stimulating sensation became hot. Die! Damn it! Damn it! Damn iiiiiiiiiiitt!!! He continued, and continued, and continued stabbing me with the kitchen knife, forcefully breaking my ribs while letting out a cry. I could tell that my consciousness was quickly receding to its border a number of times. I heard a womans scream in the distance as if I was underwater. My eyelids were as heavy as lead and had the feeling of falling down into an abyss. The last scene I saw was me bathing in my own pool of blood, and his face looking like a mad man. My consciousness stopped like a frozen TV screen. We are currently looking for translators for this series. If youd like to translate, please hop onto our IRC Channel down at irc.irchighway.net @ #re-translations Volume 1 - CH 1 Slowly appearing from the waters surface, Hotta Youta had regained consciousness and opened his eyes. Is this the hospital? My last memory was burned into my memory; being bullied for being a loner and getting stabbed repeatedly with a kitchen knifeC something like that. I was brought to a hospital, luckily, I expected Id lose my life. But no matter how hard I tried I didnt feel anything. I was put to sleep on top a soft bed with pure white sheets and for some reason the one sleeping next to me was an infant. Sleeping together with a baby, for the wounds to quickly recover or something like that. Is this the latest medical treatment practice at this hospital? For arguments sake, assuming I concede 100 steps, no 10000 steps, for such a treatment to exist. Hmm? Does the baby sleeping next to me have dog ears? To start with, I doubt there is an artificial product such as this. The silver ears that were twitching brought themselves to my attention. They were the real deal before my very eyes. Perhaps a mutation that deforms the human body? And possibly from child birth? After pondering about that matter, a woman came to glance at me. , , -. She did not speak Japanese, nor did she talk in a language I was familiar with. However, not only was her language noticeable, but also her figure. About in her early 20s. In addition to being a tall woman, she also had noticeably big breasts. She was a beautiful girl with slightly droopy eyes. But thanks to that, she had a gentle expression that could make everyone looking at her relieved. Above all, I had noticed that the color of her hair was pink and ears that sprung up similar to rabbits above her head. She was smiling delightfully while her rabbit ears fluttered about. There is no way they could have produced such product, was my initial reaction. She extended her arms and carried me. This has to be a lie! As a typical adult, I may have a small frame. But for a female to easily carry me, there is no way it can be that easy!? Not only she was carrying me so easily, but also swayed me in order to lull me into a sleep. The rabbit-eared person is inhuman so she might not consider carrying me as a big deal I had also suspected that, and soon found out the real truth. Wh, What, Heeeeey! The shape of the rabbit eared woman, that had carried me by herself, was reflected lightly by the window glass There a black haired infant the woman was carrying was also reflected. Waaaa, waaa! Moving my mouth, I tried to speak. The one being reflected there was unmistakably me. For the sake of calming myself down, how many days here had passed?. So many astonishing events came one after another. Calm down, stay cool First of all, let me confirm the situation one at a time. I woke up after being stabbed by that former bully, and I became an infant. I was laid to sleep in a large wooden bed together with another infant. The sleeping baby with silver hair next to me had dog-like ears comparable to the animal characters that appear in anime and manga. Even the ears of the woman who often came to see the situation in the room was not human. She had rabbit ears. Except animal people dont really exist. Besides, her body looks like a foreigner. While I was thinking, a fat oba-chan entered and changed our diapers and fed us milk. The oba-chans were talking to each other but it wasnt in English, Russian, or Chinese. , . C, C. The rabbit-eared woman had entered the room, and she began a conversation in a friendly manner with the oba-chans. She lifted up the dog-eared baby next to me. She put her hand on the babys head. That hand gave out a faint light. C! C, She smiled broadly after she spoke. Next was my turn. She lifted me up the same way, before placing her hand on my head. -. She looked at me with sympathy. Without understanding the reason, I was embarrassed. C, -. -! -. The rabbit-eared woman and the oba-chans were talking when they left the room. Anyway, for the sake of grasping the situation I ended up in, it was necessary to learn the language those women were using. So, I diligently listen to their words. Since regaining my consciousness, 1 year had passed. I could not write or read their alphabet, but I could understand what those women were talking about. Thanks to becoming a baby again, my brains became like a soft sponge. Like a thirsty sponge absorbing water, I memorised what I heard. From the words of those women, I started piecing together my current situation my current location is within an orphanage at a small town called Hod, in the Aljio territory. The total population of the town is less than 1000. It really is a small town. Aljio territory, Hod I havent heard of either place before. I think I was transported to a foreign country, but No matter how far this place is, people putting on rabbit ears and dog ears definitely dont exist. Somehow or another, during that stabbing event, it looked like I was killed, apparently. Being reborn in a different world while still possessing my previous memories that was my conclusion. Otherwise, I wont be able to explain the current situation. The rabbit-eared womans name appears to beEl. She is also the founder of this orphanage. The oba-chans called herEl-sensei. They also liked her. In this parallel world, it doesnt look like its a custom to discriminate just because you have rabbit ears, it seems. From these womens unified conversation; about 2 years ago, soon after being born I was abandoned in a basket in front of this orphanage. On the exact same day, I was put to sleep next to a dog-eared baby. It looked like that baby was also abandoned. 2 years ago, huh Now Im 2 years old On a silk handkerchief in the basket,Lutehad been embroidered. It looks likeLuteis my name. I was struck by a feeling close to resignation. I had looked away from my acquaintance when he was being bullied; I gave him up as a scapegoat for the sake of saving myself. What I did also took part in driving Tanaka into suicide. I had been surrounded by that sin. To be killed by the main perpetrator of that bullying, to be born again and then to be abandoned by my parents becoming an orphan. The very meaning of retribution. For this reason, I was determined. I will become strong in this world with this life. I will have the courage not to flee away from disasters. And if a person needs help, I will absolutely help them out. I will do acts of mercy so that I, who abandoned Tanaka and was killed for it, can atone for those actions Thus I, formerly named Hotta Youta now Lute, decided to live my life this way. We are currently looking for translators for this series. If youd like to translate, please hop onto our IRC Channel down at irc.irchighway.net @ #re-translations Volume 1 - CH 2 I, Hotta Youta, in this parallel world, had become a 3 year oldLute. Also, I finally learned how to walk and talk. I wanted to go outside the town to look around but the orphanage rules prohibited me. That would only be allowed once I turned 7. On the other hand, walking around the orphanage was possible. Every morning, it was decided that I would receive lessons from El-sensei in one of the large rooms at the orphanage. El-sensei gathered the orphanage and towns children and taught them reading and writing, arithmetic, this worlds history, and common etiquette. So thats why the oba-chans adoringly refer to her as teacher. Math aside, living in this world required you to learn reading and writing, and, of course, general knowledge. The children taking the class were of an age around first year primary school students. Since I was quiet, I was the only 3 year old child sitting in the back where I was not punished to stand in hallway. Math I had no problems with the basic four operations. My outward age is 3. But inside, Ill be 30 this year. By the time I became a hikikimori, I had already mastered those four basic mathematical operations. I was able to memorize without any difficulty the alphabet they used in reading and writing. Maybe it was because I was in growing up phase, or was reincarnated, or the combination of those two. From the history lesson, I received details on how this parallel world came to be. Because the entire lesson took a day to end, the rest became summarized. Approximately 100,000 years ago a god, named Tenjin-sama, created both the celestial world and the surface world, and governed in peace. But one day, 6 Dai Maou stole the secret art from Tenjin-sama which was referred to as manipulating belief or Shinpou. The Dai Maous were able to manipulate Shinpou and degrade it into magic. Soon after, they escaped to the surface world. And then, the 6 Dai Maou conquered the surface world using the power of magic. However in the 5 large continents where the 5 races live, heroes had risen; the secret art for magic was taken back from the Dai Maous. And the magic had been restructured in order to deal with them. And because of the emergence of those magical heroes, five of the Dai Maous were defeated and sealed. But the last of the Dai Maous had allegedly gone into hiding while holding his breath at the Demon Continent. However, thanks to the heroes from the five races, peace had finally arrived in the surface world. That was the summary of this worlds history. 100,000 years The history of the previous worlds humanity began about 7 million years ago. Even so, if you were to compare them, isnt there a large time difference? The 5 races that the heroes came from are from the different races in this world. Theyre from Human, Fay, Beast, Dragon and Demon. The Human race looked similar to me. In this world, they were the most populous. The Fay race were referred to elves, dwarfs, fairies and other such creatures. The Beast race had non-human ears similar to El-sensei. They also had noticeable beastly characteristics. On the other hand, the Dragon race resembled the appearance of a human but had a dragon horn on their head. Among the 5 races, they had the most pride in their clan. And lastly, the Demon race. Those who cant be classified from other four races were usually classified from this race. Those heroes are now popularly calledHeroes of the Five Races. They are often used in epic stories and fairy tales. Next is general knowledge. We learned in history that Magic was taken back from the Dai Maous. But in order for me to deal with the inhabitants in this world, Ill become someone who manipulates magic. People that could handle magic in this world are called Magicians. Because of the history on how the Dai Maous were defeated and sealed, the social status of Magicians are quite high. Naturally, Magicians also exist in all sorts of ranks. If the rank is high, then their influence also increases. These are the rankings: SSS rank SS+ rank SS rank SS- rank S+ rank S rank S- rank A+ rank A rank A- rank B+ rank B rank B- rank C+ rank C rank C- rank B+ rank is the limit most common people can reach. A rank is only reached by a handful of people calledProdigies. The existences that reach S rank are referred to asInhumanFiendFreak. The existences that reach SS class are referred to as being in Maou class. Reaching the Gods domain, the SSS rank, is referred to asShinpouor Gods Technique. Fundamentally, children referred to asTalented Magicianswere those that held B- rank magic and above. Their latent magical capacity could be sensed from the outside. An individuals effort and affinity depends on their dedication to spiritual improvement. However, there is no alternative for those holding B rank magical capacity; even those that moved to A-rank and S rank were seemingly like that. However, for those holding C+ rank magical power, they wont reach B- rank even if theyre not capable. Thats why it was still necessary to practice magic in order to go beyond the standard. If one became a rank higher than B-, theyre basically winners; they can choose whichever job they want especially those high-paying ones. From the time they are born, winners are already separated from losers. Furthermore, people that are judged as losers do not become more than B- rank as written in history. In this harsh world, juniors surpassing seniors is basically impossible. For that reason, royals, aristocrats, and old lineages, disliked the tendency of having to marry with the exception of magicians. High-class magicians marry for the sake of increasing the probability of giving birth to more talented children. These is the reason why the magical capacity of the old lineages, nobles and the like are fundamentally high. You can roughly divide magics into four separate categories. 1: Attribute Magic 2: Void Magic 3: Healing Magic 4: Support Magic Attribute magic is, quite literally, manipulating a source of an attribute like changing it into fire. Void magic is offensive magic without attribute magic. It is identified as manipulating magic itself. Healing magic is magic that cures injuries mainly by operating within the body. In certain games its called white magic. Support magic is defense, movement buffs and so on. With the exception of offensive magic, it is everything else lumped together. By the way, El-senseis magicians rank is B+ rank. However, her specialty is healing magic. I approached El-sensei to ask about something after the classes were over. El-sensei, can I ask you something? When there was something you did not understand during class, you immediately would come to ask. Although you are still small, you sure are a hard worker, arent you, Lute? While giving me a smile that made me warm and fuzzy inside, she gently stroked my head. Its not something I dont understand in the lessons. But I want to confirm whether I have talent to be a magician. Ah. Her hand suddenly stopped stroking me. The question was likeWhere do babies come from?when asking your parents; such awkward atmosphere. Ehh? Did she hear it right? That errr right Lute you dont have talent to be a magician. El-sensei, after hesitating, answered resolutely. I already confirmed it when Lute was a baby. Theres no doubt about it. When I was a baby? Hmm Ah, I see! That time when you carried me and placed your hand on my head, you had a seemingly sad expression So that was the reason! The face I showed her after understanding what she said, she misunderstood it as shock. El-sensei gave me a lap pillow, as she matched my gaze and tried to make me understand by talking in a serious tone of voice. Even if you dont have any talent as a magician, dont be sad Becoming a magician isnt the only important thing in this world. Sensei has already seen many people and watched over many children in the orphanage. Like you, Lute, even though they were not talented as magicians, they have become successful traders, craftsmen, and things like that. Those kids still discovered happiness despite not becoming magicians. Although you were not blessed with talent, dont be disheartened and lose your way. Those that failed to come to terms with reality ended up with miserable lives. Lute I know you are a good child, that is why You have to plan your life in a way that properly matches your ability, understood? Because you were not blessed with talent, come to terms with reality, set up a plan for your life that matches your abilityto a 3 year old baby, is that the normal thing to say? No, guys who act reckless will ruin their body even though they know they dont have the talent. Umm Sensei, For the sake of my curiosity What rank is my magical capacity? Ah, thats right About C rank C rank, isnt that the second position from the bottom? El-Sensei, without restraint, told me resolutely. It would be good if you gave up on trying to be a magicianI think that was what she meant. I acted innocently as I responded to her. I guess, I dont have any talent Sensei says so I think I will walk a path that isnt one. Thats a good boy! Well then, because Sensei still has lots of things to do, Ill be going now. Sensei, thank you for answering my question. El-sensei stood up, stroked my head and left the room. I have no talent as a magician Normally, in such reincarnations stories, the main character has talent, training their magical power from the time they were a child and receiving a enormous magical capacity and other benefits. Isnt that the way its supposed to be? In my previous life, I had been killed by the main perpetrator of my bullying. I had been reborn and then abandoned by my parents. Furthermore I was also told that I had no talent. Surely, its an arrow to the knee. For the sake of helping others and also for my own protection, I need to get stronger, after all, not becoming a magician in this world is severe. Also, Ill become something a bit more grand and do fencing and Kenpou and things like that. But, where will I find someone to teach me? It cant be helped. Those without talent will always be jealous and envious. I resolve myself for an alternative plan. However, in class the next day, a ray of hope appeared. In General Knowledge class, lessons concerning magical devices were taught. An ordinary person cant possess magical power But there is a way to utilize magic. And that is by usingMagical Devices. Magical Devices are identified as, all devices endowed with magical energy. A sword with magic energy inside becomes sharper, armor acquires resistance to things like fire, footwear will make you swift like the wind, et cetera magical devices are very diverse. Naturally, magical devices are more expensive than ordinary weapons. Like that, in the explanation of the magical devices, there was a truly interesting subject. Magical Liquid Metal An item obtained by killing a monster called metal slime. Magical Liquid Metal is a special metal having a unique characteristics; distributing magical power while coming into contact with it and having a mental image of the weapon will transform it to that very shape. The advantage of this is that if its in small quantities, its easy to carry. For that reason, its used as a magical tool of choice for assassins. The disadvantage is that once its fixed into a shape it will never again return back to magical liquid metal Its said that unless you picture the image clearly; if you make a sword, it will be blunt; if you make an armor, it will not only be uneven, but also the size would not match. Restricted to use, cumbersome, and expensive. An item that is also referred to as a classic example of an unpopular commodity. Suddenly, a Newtype sound C ran through my mind. A gun using magical liquid metal it is possible to make a handgun, right? This worlds metallurgy technology is not that great, but if its something close to an arquebuses, they might be able to craft it. However, those guns could only shoot one shot per round while usingMuzzle-loading Style. When the day I fight this worlds magician comes, Ill be using modern arms even if they are small like revolvers, it will still be necessary. If I manufacture parts using this magical liquid metal, shouldnt I create handguns with a modern design? I thought in such a way. Its worth a try. I immediately wanted to buy and make some to test it but I dont have money. I dont even have the advantage of studying magic. WhetherFlowing Magic Poweris literally or not, I dont even know. Its not particularly necessary to become a magician, right? But it was necessary to study general knowledge about magic. I, from this day onward, was branded as aMagician without talent. However, I was determined to study magic. We are currently looking for translators for this series. If youd like to translate, please hop onto our IRC Channel down at irc.irchighway.net @ #re-translations Volume 1 - CH 3 Lute, 3-years old. Walking, hearing conversations, and reaching the point of understanding them. The circumstances of this orphanage he was also able to understand a great deal about it. El-sensei, a rabbit from the beast tribe, opened this orphanage for personal reasons. For what reasons she opened this orphanage, I did not understand. As of now, there are 18 children including myself living in this orphanage. Every year, the amount of children increases at a pace of 2-4. In a war that broke out before I was born, it seemed that the pace would increase by many, occasionally by up to 10 people in a year. If that were the case, then one would assume the orphanage would also lack food to eat for each day, and the children would have depressed expressions. The economic conditions were bad, but by no means were the children needy. The reason was that El-sensei was an excellent magician, so they didnt have to go hungry. For the sake of this small town without a doctor. El-sensei acted as a substitute, and with the use of magic cured the townspeople. And also gathered the towns children and taught them reading, writing, arithmetic, history, and common etiquette from the home school she opened. Furthermore, she also instructed children with talent as magicians on the basics. She amassed so many favorable relationships that the townspeople, out of gratitude, would contribute to the orphanage, and often women would take the initiative to help out in the orphanage as volunteers. Thanks to her contributions the children ate without worry. With that said, it doesnt mean the children did nothing. 4 year olds, looked after the younger children, 5~6 year olds during the day, studied the alphabet, reading, arithmetic, history, and general education. And after finishing, with the exception of sweeping, laundry-cooking, were in charge of the chores. When they turn 7 years old, they would receive simple jobs from the townspeople. Weeding the fields, gathering the harvest, transporting the wheat, handling the poultry, sweeping the shops, etcetera. A portion of that went to the orphanage. Those that raised money, when they were 7 years old, left the orphanage. They became merchants apprentices, craftsman disciples, maids-in training for the wealthy, etc. Leaving the orphanage by the time you were 10, and getting a job became an unspoken rule. I was immediately judged as [Having no talent in Magic]. But, Im not particularly pessimistic. [Despite having trouble in this parallel world, and not having the chance to fire off flashy magic due to bad luck.] just that much is fine. Besides, If I use the magical tool, magical liquid metal its likely that I can manufacture guns in this world handguns. So, I plan to study magic to the extent that I am able to produce handguns with the magical liquid metal. Just like when I was practicing the alphabet among other things in class; I had also started openly attending lessons on the basics of magic. Naturally, I could start attending class at the age of 7. Typically, even if you were to practice at an age less than that, the body wouldnt be ready yet, so it will inevitably be a burden- I had those thoughts. Character writing class was in the morning. From midday to afternoon the basic magician class is held in the orphanages back yard. In the afternoon, I watched as the lesson moved toward a corner of the backyard. El-sensei had an expression that seemed to say she wanted to run away, she had the same expression in the character writing and other classes, though it is easy to overlook since she doesnt make a fuss and is quiet about it. In front of El-sensei, students studying the basics of magic are lined up. There is one child from the orphanage, and two from the town - three in total. The orphanages older generation left, to officially be taught magic at a higher-level magic school, those in the class who have talent are rare and few in number. Under El-senseis instructions, first is warm-up exercises. Running around the building. Muscle training. And after a break, we train in hand-to-hand martial arts. The martial arts in this world focuses on strikes and throws. The martial art being taught is similar to wrestling and kickboxing. After another break, fencing is next. Holding a wooden sword, only doing practice swings. After a while a fellow pupil partnered with El-sensei and did randori. According to Sensei, those who have talent as a magician are also first rate fencers and martial artists. Even though there seems to be the possibility of being defeated by a magician without using magic but with their sword or fist, I still didnt give up and earnestly did this training. Seems like the magician is unexpectedly physical. Again, another break. After that, there was even more magic training. First of all,assistance magic (body reinforcement technique). Magic that raises the hidden physical power of the body with magical power. The body reinforcement ended, next was defending against enemy attack magic only through the use of defense processesC the practice of making a defensive stance. These two are required techniques for magicians. Defensive stances are especially dangerous because it is based on instinct, if it cant be deployed in an instant itll be useless in combat. The other pupils are also suffering for the sake of learning defense magic, everyones practicing with all they have. Lastly, more attack magic. I intently inspected them from inside,under senseis guidance the pupils started the beginner attack magic practice. [Burn in my hand weapon of fire! (Flame Lance!)] In accordance to senseis yell, a one metre flame spear was made from thin air. It was still a long way to go, not just in number, but manifestation delay, speed, and power. Everyone practiced attacks to the limits of their magical power. Furthermore, next year we will begin practicing chantless magic. The way to do it isif you clearly imagine the attack, shape, and power; use about twice the magical power than usual; and point your emotions at the enemy, the magic will be invoked. If you compare it to normal magic, chantless magic comes out slower, has less power, and has larger magic power consumption. It is a skill that is full of demerits. However, there are a lot of situations where you cant use normal magic, where you cant use your voice. In those situations, whether or not you can use chantless magic means the difference between life and death. That is why this is a required subject. These are the particulars of a magicians basic training. By listening to the lectures from a corner of the backyard and looking at their way of doing it, I got the general gist of it. A young priest reading unlearned scriptures before the gatesisnt it? While in class, I immediately started practice by myself. First is defense formations. (According to El-sensei, Imagine a wall made with magic. Put in the feeling of rejecting and resisting the enemys attack, that way you can successfully make it, is it?) In other words, an AT ield, right? Got it. *inhale*, *exhale*, *inhale*, *exhale* Breathing repeatedly, I closed my eyes. Concentrating my mind, I recalled the movie Evanlion, and strengthened the image. I opened my eyes, and shouted! AT ield, open! A lightly shining diamond-shaped defense formation appeared before my eyes. Ooh! Yahoo! I did i~~t! I felt a lethargy like having my soul pulled out by a death god. The latter part of my shouts of joy became slow, cracked, and disappeared. Like the time I was killed by the chief bully, my consciousness fell down a dark, bottomless hole. The next time I opened my eyes, I was laid down on a futon in the nursery. According to my silver-haired female childhood friend Snow, I learned to make a defense formation by watching. But not knowing moderation, I used up all the magic inside my body, pooped my pants, and fainted with my eyes turned white. El-sensei who had noticed the accident interrupted her lesson and came running in confusion. It seems a volunteer auntie washed my soiled ass and underwear, then changed my clothes and laid me down on a futon. The childhood friend also got angry at me. That is a no-no! Lute-kun is making trouble for Sensei! Sorry, sorry. Ill be careful next time I already thought up countermeasures. I wont make the same mistake twice. I was called over by El-sensei who had noticed me waking up, and was gently scolded. Failure, failure! On the inside I am an adult, but since the outside is a child I was forgiven right! Even though I got scolded, I participated in magicians basic class without punishment. El-sensei and the students made a difficult face but the other party is a three-year old. Of course, I dont intent to join class without any countermeasures. Based on last times failure, I already emptied the contents of my bowels at the toilet. Even if I run out of magic power, this time nothing will leak out. Perfect. With a resolute expression, I once again joined special training. I watched body strengthening arts practice. Two townspeople joined in lessons with the first years. They were having a light game while doing their body strengthening arts. El-Sensei is in charge of the orphan who had just started joining lessons this year. Cover your body more uniformly with magic power. Being unbalanced only uses up your magic power, itll soon be used up y, yes. Ill do my best The beginner student responded to El-Senseis instruction with great effort. Watching the conversation between the two, with El-Senseis advice as reference I tried doing body strengthening arts. (umm Cover my whole body evenly in magic power, is it) In other words, HuterHuters NenPower right? Got it. Suu~, Haa~, Suu~, Haa~ Cycling my breath, I closed my eyes. Concentrating my mind, I recalled the part in the manga where the protagonist awakened NenPowers, and strengthened the image. I opened my eyes, and shouted! Ha! Magic power like seething steam came pouring out of my body. I tried jumping lightly, and easily flew twice my body height. Ooh! so this is the power of body strengthening arts! It really strengthens the body~~ Once again a lethargy like having my soul being pulled out by a death god. The latter part of my shouts of joy became slow, cracked, and disappeared. Losing strength in my legs, I fell down face up just like that. The next time I opened my eyes, I was laid down on a futon in the nursery. According to my silver-haired female childhood friend Snow, I practiced the body strengthening arts I learned by watching. But not knowing moderation, I used up all the magic power inside my body and fainted, fell on my back, hit my head on the rocks strewn around on the ground, bled spectacularly, became incontinent, puked, and having my throat blocked I collapsed from lack of oxygen. El-sensei who had noticed the accident came running in confusion, and hadnt it been for her aid, I would have died. I was called over by El-sensei who had noticed me waking up, and was scolded in a loud voice by Sensei who raised her rabbit ears. This is the first time Ive seen El-Sensei so angry. Even though on the inside I am over 30 years old, I violently trembled in fear. This is truly the fear of angering someone whos normally quiet, huh. After the second disturbance, El-Sensei directly forbade me from Magicians basic practice. As expected, being disturbed twice is unpleasant. However, Im allowed to join if its reading or writing, since I could do it without disturbance. My magician lessons ran aground on a rock. We are currently looking for translators for this series. If youd like to translate, please hop onto our IRC Channel down at irc.irchighway.net @ #re-translations Volume 1 - CH 4 Lute, 4 years old. Johann Cruyff, former soccer representative of Netherland, said,The foundation of it all is ball control. If I cant control the ball then I will run after the ball in another sport. So rather than using magic, I decided I will start to train to control my Maryoku. But after becoming 4 years old, you needed to look after the younger children. Conversely, it means I was permitted to do what I wanted after that. There were three 2- to 3-year-old boys and girls we had to take care of. And we four 4-year-olds had to take care of them daily. We were expected to keep them company at theNurseryroom where there were 2 to 4 year-old children sleeping. But since all 3, except me, were girls, I let them involuntary take care of the children. Thanks to that, I could devote myself to improve my control technique on my Maryoku. I took up a corner of the nursery and recalled the content of El-sensei general lecture class. El-sensei explained whatMaryokuconcretely was. Maryoku is the energy that enters a person through soul as its vessel. The amount of soul to maintain a bodyand soulhardly changes regardless of race. Maryoku refers to the amount of energy which is contained in the soul except the part that is necessary to maintain the body and soul. The amount of Maryoku also varies widely by race. It may be as large as a lake, a basin, or as small as a cup of glass. And if Maryoku is completely spent, the energy which maintains the body and soul will be insufficient and will cause fainting. I will faint, since I will not be able to maintain the condition within my spirit and body once I spent all my Maryoku. If that was the case, then I would start to grasp the total amount of Maryoku and measure how much of it could be used before reaching the limit. I kept my eyes closed while I focus my consciousness inside. In the center of my chest, I felt a warm clump faintly. I imagined slowly pouring that warm light little by little to my right hand; the light moved from thecenter of my chest to my right hand. There was neither sense of Maryoku consumption, nor fatigue, nor despondency in the body. I tried to release the Maryoku that I collected in my right hand outside. Uoo. About half of the light was released. The body became heavy like after a sleepless night. Is this clump of light itself the useable amount of Maryoku? My expectations were probably rightmy intuition tells me so. The next day. In theNurseryroom, the girls were looking after the younger children. I sat at the side of the corner of the room and started my special control training again on my Maryoku. I closed my eyes and clumsily felt the warm light inside the center of my chest. I imagined channeling my Maryoku little by little to my right hand. Yesterday, I didnt mind it because I only moved it to my right hand but the flow did not go straightforward. The light was distorted like a straight line painted by a mouse. The width of the lane was wavy and not uniform. Is it possible to quickly send a stable amount to the point where I want it? First, I needed to reach the point where I could freely adjust the width and straighten the flow myself. If this became possible, then I could quickly send the necessary amount of Maryoku to the point where it was needed. It would be fair to say that you needed to go that far if you wanted to control Maryoku without interference. Im fired up and rolled up my sleeves. But the training was interrupted by the protests of the 3 girls. Lute-kun, youll get scolded if you dont properly take care of the little kids with us! The young girlcalled Snowsaid that as the representative of the girls. Her characteristics were: a shoulder-long silver hair, pure white skin, dog-ears and -tails. She was also from rare species called White Wolf tribe that was living on the Snowy Mountain of the North Continent. She and I were childhood friends who get along very well. When we were babies, we were left behind in the orphanage at the same time. Surprisingly in this world, there were almost no parents that leave a baby without notice behind. In the orphanage, the children who came here are those whose parents died through illness, accident, war, etc. It was because of Economic reasons that the other orphanage are full. Because there were no relatives that they could rely upon, the two remaining girls in our group were brought over at the age of 3 when their parents died of illness and accident. Snow and I, whose parents left us in front of the orphanage on the same day and were put on the same bed since we were babies, have strong childhood friendship and bonding. Because of that, we often formed a pair of two. While remembering that, I excused myself with a forced smile. I want to help you all very much but the way you you did is so good that I didnt get a turn. Thats why I was sitting in a corner so that I wont get in the way. They were really good at comforting the children. And children were already sleeping comfortably in the bed. Snow came with unyielding big eyes near my face and pose a demand. If thats the case, then you can help playing house. We have roles enough for the four of us. Playing house? When I turned my eyes, the other 2 girls were sitting down in the middle of the room and waited. If Lute-kun does not play, I will tell sensei that you skipped work. Even though I didnt skip it particularly OK! Lets play together. I gave in when El-senseis name came out. I interrupted my special control training on my Maryoku and sluggishly got up. So which role should I take? Father or Master? Lute-kun, youll take the role of a pink slime pet! Is that really necessary? I blurted out my reply. On that day, I continued sayingpurupuruuntil the girls released me. I was made to play house with the girls three days consecutive after doing the role of the pet. During those days, either I took a pet role as a Black and White RabbitLong Bearded WeaselParadise Parrotsetc. One time, I objected the role of a pet. But was bluntly overruled. They play house as noble ladies. Raising a pet was a fashion sense for the wealthy. That was why they insisted the role of a pet was necessary for me. A man cannot win against a woman using his mouth whether in the previous world or in this world. Furthermore, the other party I lost to had three members. Even though my mental age was over 30, there was no way I could win against them. But even though I was obediently following them, it did not mean I was being pushed around by those 4-year-old children. When there was time, I went to the dry river bed near the orphanage and gathered flat stones. I painted one side with black ink and dried it. I took an unneeded wooden board and carved a grid of 88(64 boxes) on it with a knife. The 4th time playing house. The girls requested the usualthe role of a pet. This time, I came up with a certain condition. If any of you manages to defeat me in a game I made using the knowledge from the former world, I will keep the role of the pet. Reversiwas laid before them. Lute-kun? The girls voice were in unison as they tilted their head. Using the board and stone pieces I made, I explained the rules of Reversi to them. Among Japanese people who knew the game Reversi, there was nobody who did not understand the rules. It was simple and easy to memorize. That was the reason why I chose Reversi from the several board games back from the previous world. As planned, the girls were memorizing the rules immediately. The first to challenge me was Snow. Of course, she chose white. Snow, you take the first turn. If I beat Lute-kun, he will be doing the role of a golden MaruMaru today. What the heck is a golden marumaru? Snow is joyfully painting over the black ones. First, I let her change the black stones to white so that she took some credit. Lute-kun, you are we~ak! Even though you made it yourself. Snow got caught up in the moment and was under the assumption that she was winning. The dog ears were twitching proudly. Hahaha. Snow, make it funnier if you are going to tell a joke. Snow still cant do addition and subtraction, how can I lose in this game of intellect? Muuu I have a feeling Im being made fun of Fine! If Lute-kun loses, he has to listen to another order besides being a golden marumaru! As you wish But if I win, Ill touch your fluffy dog ears and tail to my hearts content! Its not dog ears! Its wolf ears! Because Snow is from White Wolf tribe! I know and dont forget the promise. *deep breath*Snow who got angry a while ago regained her composure and focused her look at the surface of the board. As usual, she changed black pieces without thinking. Snow had misunderstood. Those who had the most same colored pieces are the winner in Reversi. Theres no point in boasting in the amount of your pieces in the middle of a game. I had to switch to counter-attack since the white stone were already dominant. A corner was seized by me and the white stones were changed to black. Since a corner was seized, Snow could no longer change the color of the stones at that side anymore. In an instant, black stones dominated the board. Uuuu I lost Yeah, I won! Dont forget the promise, okay?. I know Ill let you touch it when were about to sleep at night O-ok. Snow agreed while she folded her ears down and shyly looked her upturned eyes down. The figure of her in low spirit was so pretty that I felt shy. Hey, Snow! The way you talk feels like you made a lewd promise to me Whats the matter, Lute-kun? Your face is red. Did you catch a cold? N-no its nothing. So whos the next opponent? I shook my head to drop the dirty thoughts and continued to challenge them. Snow sulks with pouting cheeks at the edge of my vision. I did not know the reason to why she was sulking though. Is it because I won too childishly? Then next time, I will go a bit easier on her While I was pondering, I forgot there were two remaining opponents left. Naturally, I won quite easily like against Snow. Snow and the others requested to borrow the Reversi after the match. They had to become strong enough to defeat me so that I could take the role of a pet in their house playing. So that they could have their chance, I tender-heartedly lend them the Reversi. The girls had forgotten playing house and started practicing Reversi. As a matter of fact, Snow and the others challenged me to a Reversi game the next day. As they practiced, their skill rose fairly well but there were no other opponents on their level they could compete with. I dared to choose Reversi among the other games because other thanthe rules were easy to remember, it attracted the crowds rather easily. During my highschool days, I stayed indoors and occasionally absorbed myself in playing casual pc board games to kill time because i had no friends to play with. Among them, Reversi was the only one where the computer opponent would no longer satisfy me and I thought to seriously attend a regular game. In the end, I did not participate because of the fear to meet strangers. Such 4-year-old children, who had little amount of practice, could never win against me. The girls had suffered a crushing defeat against me. Although my appearance was a 4-year-old child as well, my mental age was about to become 31 by the end of this year! Even if that was not the case, I was not weak enough to be beaten by a child! Eh? Why? Is water flowing in my eyes? I was challenged for a few day again but won them all lightly. Snow and the other girls noticed the difference in ability from the games with me, and no longer came to challenge me. They had more fun playing with themselves. After putting the children to sleep, Snow and the others were playing Reversi while alternating themselves. Furthermore, Reversi was even popular among the children older than us. I noticed that the imitated Reversi board and piece were often played with. Even El-sensei and the volunteering oba-chans showed interest; the popularity was well received. Probably because, the rules were easy to remember and was simple enough to do, and anyone could play it. I, who was suddenly been freed from the role of Snow and others pet, could strive again to make an effort for my secret training. And it took about 30 days to learn moving my Maryoku quickly in a straight line like a thread throughout the body. When I got used to it, it was unexpectedly easy. Furthermore, there were things i noticed while training. One thing I noticed was,from the mass of Maryoku, it wont disappear even if a fragment were separated. From the mass of Maryoku, I separated a fragment and moved it to the index finger of my right hand. Then, I moved it to my middle finger, ring finger and little finger. Unless it was released outside the body, Maryoku will not be consumed even if it movesanywhere in the body. This technique would also be handy if I wanted to temporarily strengthen a part of my body. For example, if I wanted to temporarily strengthen my right arm, I needed 3 seconds to cut off a part from the mass of Maryoku and move it to my right arm. Then I would wrap my right arm with Maryoku. Another thing is that,the more strength increases, the more Maryoku is wrapped. However, the Maryoku consumption is high by just doing that. In case you wanted to strengthen it moderately, you only have to use little Maryoku. After magic control training was finished, I started to study and train the resistance formation. What I had understood in my study in the resistance formation was: you can simply release the Maryoku in the air in large qualities like a magician with talent. For example: if the resistance formation was made by pushing the Maryoku out of the right while using the palm as starting point, consumption could be held down rather than draining it out straight in the air. When I found about this fact, I was amazed. The difference in the absolute amount of Maryoku from those people who are B- rank and above were a class on their own. They could use the body strengthening technique and resistance formation without reallyworrying about it all. Furthermore, because they could use attack magic as well, the difference in talent was clear. I remembered during the time I was shocked to hear that Magician based classes were limited. The overwhelming wall called talent was like a different world. One could assume that they are also doing the method to reduce consumption of Maryoku in long duration battles. But because of the difference in the amount of MaryokuI was conserving it like someone who was on tiptoes holding a candle for lighting: they could freely ignore like someone who just found a 100-yen discount at the supermarket earlier. With this, I understand the reason why people that are judged as having no talent would not be able to overcome the magician rank of B-. The amount of Maryoku was fundamentally different. Anyway, by pushing out the smallest amount of Maryoku at my palm, I could release and produce a resistance formation instantly. I ended up using one year to finish this study experiment and training. We are currently looking for translators for this series. If youd like to translate, please hop onto our IRC Channel down at irc.irchighway.net @ #re-translations Volume 1 - CH 5 Lute, 5 years old. This morning, the regular reading, writing, mathematics, general knowledge and history lessons began. However, I had been joining the lessons since I was 3, and was already able to easily do everything. Because of that, I helped Elle-sensei assisting and teaching kids who were falling behind on their studies. One of those who fell behind was, the same age as me, Snow. She was quick at remembering how to read and write, but seemed to be poor at arithmetic calculations. The plate on the left has 5 loaves of bread, the plate on the right has 12 loaves. So all of them together, how many loaves are there? Err Uhm. Bending her tiny white fingers, she started calculating. Fi, fifteen? Wrong. The answer is 17. Uu~ Since she turned 5, she had been tying her long hair in a ponytail. Her dog-ears flopped sorrowfully. It seemed that Snow was still bad at calculating things beyond what her hands allow. While patting her sorrowful head, I consoled her. Dont worry! Ill be with Snow until you can do addition. But since its Snow, you will be able to do it soon! Really? Its a promise so cheer up! So Ill bring out the next question The plate on the left has 3 loaves of bread, the plate on the right has 5. So, all of them together how many loaves of bread are there? Uhh, uhh 8! Correct! Snow is a genius! Excellent, excellent! Ehehehe. According to Yamamoto Isoroku: show them, tell them, have them do it, and then praise them; otherwise, people wont do anything. Making them lose the will to learn is the absolute worst. Lets just leave aside my splendid facade. My real intention in praising Snow was to make her white face clearly redden. Her tail was also happily wagging left and right. It was so cute, I developed a habit of quickly praising her. Well then, Ill bring out the next question. Yeah! Ill do my best so I can do addition properly! Snow said while innocently smiling with her whole heart. Aaaah, so cute! I wonder if I had a little sister or daughter in the previous world they would be this cute. Actually, what I had in the previous world was a little brother. And not to mention marriage, I was killed before I even got a girlfriend Just now, I once again patted Snows head. Not showing any signs of dislike, she narrowed her eyes with a pleasant feeling. After having finished with the lessons, the 5 to 6 year old kids helped with sweeping, laundry, dishwashing, and cleaning the peacock cage in the afternoon. After having finished with the chores, all that remains was free time. During free time, i continued training on how to economize my consumption of magic in the boys room. Tired with practice, I thought about raising money to buy magic liquid metal. The most plausible thing right now, was making mayonnaise. This world doesnt have mayonnaise. If its that seasoning that spawned the wordmayo lover, selling it should certainly become a hit. There are eggs, vinegar, and oil, so making it wouldnt be difficult. The problem was the lack of initial capital. No money with to earn money with thekey to the safe, to speak off. Opening the safe requires a key, and the key is inside the safesomething like that. Should I sell mayonnaise recipes to the restaurants in town? But the age where I was allowed to go to town was 7. The age to start earning money was also 7. It would not be good unless I waited for another two years right? As I worried endlessly about it, money-making talk dropped in from an unexpected place. After lunch, I was called on the way to gather firewood with Snow. Lute you came at the right time. I was just going to call you. What can I do for you, Elle-sensei? To be honest, someone came and wanted to see you Lute. Can you come to the reception office? Umm is it my parents who abandoned me? Or a relative came to pick me up? . Elle-sensei had an unpleasant face. For some reason, Snows face looked like she was about to cry. It might be cold, but i did not particularly want to meet my real parents who gave birth to me in this world. Although I lived only for 5 years, just living in this world is really hard. I think my parents had probably some reasons for it. So, i did not really have a grudge. I merely asked because there was not anyone in particular that came to mind who might wanted to come see me in this world, but Never expecting to receive such an attitude of pity from these two, I was bewildered by their reactions. As an adult, Elle-sensei recovered faster and began to talk. Lute, I didnt mean that the person who came are your parents or relatives. Im sorry for putting in a strange way like that and making it a misunderstanding. Its ok. I was only worried when i heard it. I dont think i particularly wanted to meet my parents now. . For some reasons, Snow sadly hanged her ears and tail down. Im sorry, Lute The one who wanted to meet you is a merchant acquaintance of Sensei. Why did a merchant come to meet me? Ah, right Id probably understand immediately when I meet up and talk with him. But don`t we have to gather firewood after this? Since we still have a little surplus, its good for today. Snow-chan, can you go and help the other children? I understood, Sensei. Snow returned obediently into the orphanage according to Senseis instructions. I parted with Snow and went with Elle-sensei to the reception office. I often went in the reception office for cleaning. There were 4 chairs around a simple table. On a nearby office desk, there were stationeries, such as inkwells, neatly kept. Sometimes, there were also some wild grass flowers that the kids had collected and arranged in the flower vase. The merchant was already seated in a chair drinking tea. For some reasons, there was a Reversi set in front of him. The set belonged to Sensei. The grooves, making up the grid on the wooden board, were all crisp, and the stones were also perfectly formed. A present made with feelings of gratitude for every day by the kids of the orphanage including me; it was definitely well-made. I could recognize it with a glance since it was something I was used to see. These two had already finished one game, the surface of the board was filled with whites victory. I sat with Elle-sensei in front of the merchant. The merchant was a man in his late 20s. Having short cut light brown hair, his moustache was also shaved clean. He gave off a sense of cleanliness. If he was clad in a business suit and sat in a leather sofa, he would look like acapable young IT enterprise company president He offered a handshake. Nice to meet you, Lute-kun. I am a merchant going by the name Malton. My name is Lute. Nice to meet you, Malton-san As Elle-sensei said, your response is reliable beyond your years. Well, that is because my mental age is 32. Probably older than you. Leaving those words unsaid, I replied with a suitably childlike smile. After we exchanged greetings, Elle-sensei proceeded with the discussion. As I said earlier, Malton-san is my acquaintance. Today he happened to be passing through the town so he went over for greetings. But after seeing Lute-kunsReversi, he asked me to have a chat with you. Aah. Not really grasping the meaning, I gave a vague answer. Malton talked details with a smiling face. I really only came to meet with Elle-sensei but I saw the other kids playing Reversi, you see. My merchant instincts shoutedThis will certainly sell well! Then the merchant elaborated on the reasons why he thinks it will sell. In shortwhen people travel in horse-carriages, the driver, who handles the horse, would be busy, but the people inside were not. Only an agonizing spare time is given while being jolted around. But if theres Reversi, they can spend the time playing carefreely. Tentatively, in this world there is a game similar to chess. But since the rules are complicated, it was mainly played by elderly upper-class men who have a taste for culture. But Reversi had a simple rule that anyone curious could easily remember. He declared that it would certainly be well received, even by nobles. Malton-san wanted to buy the rights to Reversi from the developer so he called me out. Ill examine his story on my own while verifying it myself. But because a question sprang out, i asked. May i ask you a question? What is it? I will listen to anything. Why did you ask for permission? You could easily make it in silent and sell it. Copyright does not exist in this world. While it may be true that the idea could be stolen, there was no law to be violated. Malton smiled ironic and opened both hands. Its true that cheating is an everyday occurrence to merchants. But it could be easily understood that if I would steal from a child and make money out of it, i would be struck down by others in the same trade and the trust in me as merchant would receive a huge blow. Losing trust as a merchant is the same as falling to ruin. Malton turned his eyes that were filled with passion toward Elle-sensei. Moreover, Im in El-senseis debt because she saved me with healing magic after i was greatly injured in an accident. I cannot deceive the child of my life savior. Im convinced of that reason. But, this fellow did not just turn a passionate gaze towards Elle-sensei only because of a favor. As man, i understood that. Elle-sensei has beauty and character filled with love so much that she opened an orphanage. Even her chest and style is outstanding. No man exists that would not fall for such wonderful woman. However, I cant stand letting this riajuu (one-sidedly decided) that looks as if he would sayI am not troubled by womentake her as wife. For Sensei, it absolutely has to be someone who is more honest, who doesnt fool around, who has more financial strength, and a trustworthy person whose character is not inclined to violence. Its also inexcusable to do ecchi things immediately after going steady. I wont even allow hand-holding. It has to start with a date, together with me joining in. Then I will confirm senseis and her partners compatibility. If he does not meet my expectations, he is rejected. Once theyve been going out for a year, then Ill allow holding hands. Of course, thats only when Im present. If he does it at any other time, Ill tie him up and separate him from Sensei! Absolutely! That was the conclusion I had gained from thechronicles of when a husband candidate goes out with Senseithat had been going round my head the most in my life 5 years after I was born. It felt as if I was her father. If I refuse him on the matter of Reversi, he would come to the orphanage over and over again to get closer to Elle-sensei With that as an excuse, it would be troubling. I said my conclusion with a bit of hesitation. I understand. Ill sell the rights to Reversi to you. Thanks! Lute, you wont be making a mistake in trusting me. I only sold it to you because youre going to go back and forth over and over again to get closer to Elle-sensei and will be a bother. But of course, I did not say that out loud. Malton continued talking in a good mood. Although you are Reversis developer, youre still 5. Will it be okay to leave the contract confirmation and signing to Elle-sensei? I understand. Certainly, its not right to leave it to a 5 year old child. On my pride as a merchant, I assure you that the royalties for Reversi and the contents of the contract is fair and without falsehood. However, if Sensei has any complaints regarding it please tell me right away. The two of us shall spend time together and work out the details. Yo, do you be thinkin I be bout ta forgive you if yo ass is goin ta be ridin solo wit mah Elle?!? Dont git carried away or I be bout ta punch all up in yo ass ta yo back of yo teeth!!! I yelled an Osakan-Yakuza like lines in my heart. No, Im not worried. I have faith in Malton-san after all. Elle-sensei answered with a soft gentle smile. Well then, by noon I will prepare the money and the contract document. Thentheres one other thing I wanted to talk about, is it all right? Malton asked Elle-sensei for permission. She nodded silently. Dont even think of saying something like lets get married! That will be a declaration of war! Elle-sensei is not so cheap as to be handed over to some nobody who popped out of nowhere like you! If its okay with Lute-kun, would you like to come with me as an apprentice? Eh? Receiving a reply outside my expectation, my mind lagged a bit. Malton seemed to interpret my reaction as surprise at receiving an unexpected fortune. With the composure of an adult, he continued with the explanation. I heard about you while playing Reversi with Elle-sensei. You have shown excellence since you were small, the first genius from this orphanage. At first I thought, youve gained senseis favor, huh, but I felt there was something more than that when I talked with you. If you study under me for ten years, youre going to go places in the mercantile world. So, wont you become my apprentice? Merchant is it? Of course, Im not going to force you. But, you have that talent. Its me who said it so theres no mistake. The merchant declared that with total confidence. Hearing those words, Elle-sensei put on a worried expression like a mother during a parent-teacher meeting. If Im not mistaken, Malton-sans specialty is in magical devices, right? Truthfully Lute-kun has had an interest in magic for a while but no talent in it. With that as trigger, if he starts developing a dangerous admiration for magical devices. Thats all right. I will rein that in myself. Furthermore, I had also wanted to become a mage when I was Lute-kuns age. Excitedly exclaiming that I am going to be like one of the Heroes of the 5 Races. Though, I was immediately discouraged since I had no talent. But I didnt give up and took up work related to magical devices like this. Rather, I consider that frustration as the key to my current business successes. In fact, after hearing that I, wanted to have Lute-kun as my apprentice even more. Malton-san is a specialist in magical devices? Thats right Lute-kun. How about it? Did I awaken some interest to become a merchant in you? If thats the case, do you deal inmagic liquid metal!? A complete change from my unchildlike quiet attitude earlier. I leaned on the table with stars twinkling in my eyes. At my change, Sensei and Malton exchanged glances. Of course I do, but. Can I sell Reversis rights for some of those now? About the amount, how much do you want? As much as you have. Right now, I have a whole barrels in my shop, but to sell that for these rights Malton immediately compared the profits from Reversi with the magic liquid metal and replied. After selling Reversi other people will immediately imitate it. This is a world without copyright after all. So even though he could sell it, it was not going to earn him big money. Then Ill give you ideas for improving my Reversi, and the way to be able to monopolize its sale. Please append the fees for those ideas to the contract. Ideas for improving Reversi a side, is there a way to monopolize sales!? Yes, there is. First, contact some well known noble, royalty of a small country, or some elite member of society. In exchange for a cut of the profits, have them brand an official seal on the Reversi board. Official seal? Having an official seal shows the support of a well-known person. With this, even if someone can make fakes, their numbers will decrease sharply. At any rate, forging an official seal means committing a crime. In comparison to having a criminal record, making forgeries isnt just worth it. Furthermore, theres the danger of being discovered in one shot when prompted to confirm. There are no merchants who wanted to get involved in that, I think. I-I see certainly if its like that. There are other benefits too. Publish the fact that a well-known person uses it. Then, everyone will want to buy Malton-sans Reversi. If a famous person uses it, people will have more faith in it. Above all, its human nature that they will want to own the same thing. In other words, it was a proposal tocreate a brand. According to a certain well-known person,A brand is a tool to aid people who dont understand what is agood thingin making a decision. Although the concept ofbrandis weak in this world, its not hard to propagate. Next, I propose some points of improvement for Reversi. Firstly, if you market it for use when travelling inside a carriage, the board must be made out of cloth so as to not interfere with the luggage. The cloth for the board will have grid lines drawn in black thread, the pieces will be sewn together from black and white cloth with a not-so-sharp slipstitch on the surface. For the rich and well-paying clients: the board must be sturdily made with legs attached. The stones must also be made out of marble flakes while the black and white sides each prepared separately in a single colorthat would make it feel extravagant. For common folks: the board made should be 2~3 centimeters thick while the middle is cut down in half. Attach metal hinges at the bottom side so it can be folded. The reason for this is because it wont be a hindrance in small houses. And dont forget to change the materials for the pieces into wood. Its easier and less expensive to mass produce compared to making it out of stone. Also, if you use wood, you can make the pieces not only in square shapes, but also hearts, clubs, stars and such for special editions and limited editions. Furthermore, there are not only symbol shapes, but also pink slime, black and white rabbit, or other animal shapes. The colors are also not limited to black and white, but you can also make red, pink, or blue and white ones. In addition, wrapping it in a sack so it couldnt be seen, concealing which secret edition is contained inside W-wait! Im putting the ideas together in a memo! Wait a little bit! Malton, without even a shred of his adult composure earlier, took out a memo, pen, and inkwell in confusion. Even though he was in front of Elle-sensei, he put down the ideas raised since a while ago in a memo while breathing roughly in excitement. Different from several minutes ago, the color in his eyes changed as he took out a memo and jotted down on it. I gave off an excellent mature atmosphere waiting for him. As I thought, this guy is no good. Hes not gentlemanly enough to be Elle-senseis partner. When it was good to interrupt him, I called out. Is this still not enough for the magic liquid metal? N-no, its quite enough If the plan goes well, the transfer fee earlier, for the rights to Reversi, can pay for it by itself. And Lute-kun, you need Elle-senseis consent before you can use all the money youve earned, right? Thank you for the pleasure of having business with you. The payment will include the method to monopolize Reversi and ideas for its improvement. What comes after is the scary part of having bad loans to merchants. In that case, theres no problem if the ideas for other the toys, besides Reversi, are put in a separate proposal, right? Are you sure youre really a 5-year-old kid? As if being in the presence of something beyond his knowledge and common sense, Malton asked me timidly. On the other hand, Elle-sensei simply became flustered at my machine-gun speech and Maltons sudden change. Covering for Sensei who became like that, I delightedly arranged the contract contents, money amount, and magic liquid metal delivery time. Volume 1 - CH 6 During the night after I talked with the merchant, Malton. I slept on a futon in the boys room which was spread on the floor with boys of the orphanage sleeping on either side. tekun. *yawn*SFX : Fugaa~ I heard a dim pechi pechi sound near my ear and felt being slapped on my cheeks. What I felt was too realistic for a dream. LuLute,nLute-kun. nga!? Shhh!!! Dont be loud. Everyone will wake up. It was not a dream. Snow looked into my face as i opened my eyes Her hands were covered down on my mouth so that i wont let out a voice. There are some rules in the orphanage. The most serious crime among them is that a boy or a girl sneaks into each others room at night. In case it is violated, one will get one day with no meal. And yet, the honour student Snow broke that rule and trespassed into the boys room! I think about the reason why she trespassed into the boys room to meet me. Could it be that Snow is night crawling!? Im not an insensible anime character. Im a live human being. Ive felt for a certain time that she had been fondly thinking of me occasionally lately. For example, she would be delighted if i gently stroke her head after we did work in the afternoon together. Even though I was attracted to Snow, it was not towards the opposite sex. It would be closer to the love given to a younger sister or daughter. But if we grow up and still yearn for each other in the future, I believe becoming lovers or marriage partners might be possible. However, night crawling was too early at the age of 5! Besides, a girl was attacking a boy! To make me a fait accompli at this ageSnow, what a fearful child! Although my body is that of a 5 year old like her, my mind is that of a 32-year-oldyoung adult. It seems I ought to give her some lecturing. Snow brings her face closer and whispers in my ear. Everybody will wake up, be quiet please? Okay? I nodded twice. When i nodded, Snow slowly lifted her hands from my mouth. Uhm, Snow, your feelings are Shhhh!!! Not here or everybody will wake up Follow me. I sneaked out of the boys room according to Snows instructions. There was no electricity in this world. The infrastructure for gas and water also did not exist. As if the world was as dark as being blindfolded at night. I continued walking while Snow led me by the hand. It turned out that she went towards the dining room. Starlight came from the window. Seeking the light, we sat near the window of the dining room. And I sat on the floor while grasping my knees. It was warm during the day but chilly at night as expected. Our shoulders warmed each other by touching. Though theres also the reason of making it easier for me to listen to her whispers. So, whats the reason why you broke the rule and brought me here? Un you see there is something that I really wanted to ask you. If the voice was this small, the people who were sleeping in the rooms would not be disturbed. However, it is said that girls are growing faster than boys, but she might be curious about my feelings at this age. I understood the rush since there were other girls similar to my age at my side, but at least she could have waited until the sun came up. Its certainly true that popular guys have it hard. I jokingly made an impression of flipping my bangs in my heart. But Snow asked me with a dark expression. Um did Lute-kun ever think of meeting with your mother or father? Eh!? Like I said, do you want to meet the mother and father who abandoned you away? Huh? This was not a confession or a bittersweetI want to know the feelings of Lute-kun that I loveevent? Rather, it was a serious consultation. After giving an apology in my heart for thinking badly of Snow, I switched my emotions and asked her. Snow, why are you asking me this? Today, Lute-kun told senseiits not like I want to meet with them after all this time, right? Casting her eyes down, Snow revealed her feelings bit by bit. Snow wants to meet mom and dad. When we meet, Snow will ask them why they abandoned Snow away. And Snow wants to live with mom and dad Is Snow weird for thinking like this? Snows circumstances were similar to mine. On the same day, we were left together at the orphanage. Then I declared,After all this time, I never thought of meeting my parents. She herself felt,I want to see themI want to live with them if I could, I guess she was worried whether it was wrong to have those feelings. Snow was savoring sadness she would rather not experience. The reason I didnt want to meet my parents was because I was a reincarnated being who had drawn memories from my past life. Wanting to know the reason for being cast away by parents, to make peace with them, and to live together is not a weird thing. Its normal. In fact, Im the one whos weirdI could not possibly explain it to her just like that. Conversely, it would only make her more worried. In that case, I should explain with actions rather than with words. I changed my position from sports sitting to sitting cross-legged. Snow, come over here. Why? Just do it already. Urging her a bit forcefully, I had her sit on my knees. Snow felt a bit cramped given the closeness of our bodies, but I pressed her ears to my left chest. Can you hear the sound of my heart? Yes, I can hear. It goes dokun, dokun, dokun. People get relieved hearing the sound of heartbeats. This is because, as babies, we are raised hearing our mothers heartbeats. Oddly, Snow was now rolled up in a fetal position. She closed her eyes and leaned her body against mine. Wanting to meet your parents is not weird. So, theres no reason to feel worried. Really? Uh-huh, its true. The reason why I never thought of meeting my parents is because I have no way of looking for them. Humans were the race with the most populous among the 5 races. Just one clue: I have a star-shaped birthmark on the back of my right shoulder; I cant just show this to everyone I meet and ask them. Besides, I have no talent as a magician; its hard to think that the parents who casted me out would come back and pick me up. So, its clear that I will never meet with my parents again for as long as I live. I hugged Snow close and continued talking while patting her head. Making no signs of resistance, she listened carefully. But Snow is different. Unlike me, Snow has talent as a magician. Besides, the White Wolf race is a minority that lives in the snowy mountains of the North Continent. If you go north you might find some clues there. Even so, forgive me for sayingafter all this time I never thought of meeting my parentsso insensitively, kay? Throwing away children in silence was unusual. In addition, it was a child that had talent for becoming a magicianseems like there was a good reason for it. This might be an unpleasant way of putting it, but, if she became a magician she could earn them lots of money. Even if theyre poor, there was no reason to let go of the golden egg. If they wanted money quickly at all cost, they should have sent her out to some childless rich and powerful people as an adopted daughter. If for example there was one reason to send a child with talent as a magician away to an orphanage, it was cases like: both parents died, a scramble by the relatives happened, and as a result the childs heart became traumatizedthey were given over to Elle-senseis place to rehabilitate. There were also lots of other children with talent as magicians given over to the orphanage for various reasons. Snow is also sorry. Snow asked such an insensitive question without thinking of Lute-kuns feelings. Theres no reason for you to apologize. I was the one in the wrong, you see. If thats the case, then Snow and Lute-kun are both in the wrong. So its a tie. Thats right. Its a tie. As an apology, Snow will tell Snows dream only to Lute-kun. She slowly started reciting her own dream. You see, when Snow is bigger, Snow will become a magician. Then, Snow will go to the north continent to look for father and mother. Once Snow finds those two, Snow will ask why they abandoned Snow away. If we could make peace, then the three of us will live together in the same house This is Snows dream. Its a good dream. If its you, then it will absolutely come true. I took a breath and continued. But if you couldnt find them or you couldnt make peace with them, Snow still has me, Elle-sensei and the kids at the orphanage. Dont forget that okay? Un, thanks Lute-kun. I hugged her closely in orderto transmit not just by words, but also by the warmthto let her know she was not alone in this world. Is it okay to hear the sound of Lute-kuns chest a little bit more? Uh-huh, you can listen all you like. So as to hear my heartbeat some more, Snow nuzzled her ear against my chest. It was surprisingly ticklish. Bathed in starlight, Snow and I continued to bring together our bodies some more. I wonder how much time had passed. I separated my body from Snow. As I returned to my room with her, I asked. Should we sleep together tonight, after all? Lute-kun is ecchi~~. Eeeh, didnt we sleep together in the same futon just one year ago? She then returned to the girls room without turning back. As I thought, girls sure grow fast, huh? The mutterings of a middle-aged man with a mental age of over 30 disappeared down the dark hallway. Lute, 5 years old. The merchant Malton, who specializes in magic tools, opened a shop in the commercial city Tver. There were several routes going between Tver and the defence city, Tallcas (so named for having tall walls and relics of the great war of old; it is the next most prosperous city after Tver in the region). The most popular one was the central road which had a travel time of up to 10 days. A less popular route was the road that goes through Hoad town in the Aljio region where the orphanage was. Despite being in the exact center point between commercial city, Tver, and defence city, Tallcas, it could not be reached unless one takes a detour through the forests. Furthermore, taking the detour to go to Hoad town means spending an extra 10 days. In other words, going town to town through Hoad required 20 days of travel time. Because going by the central road takes half the time, there are not many people who goes through the Hoad town on purpose. Therefore the towns population is few, and is decreasing. The day I met the merchant Malton, I hurriedly had him write up a contract and signed it. That was because I wanted to have that magic liquid metal as soon as I can. According to him, it would take 10 days from now to get back to shop. Plus 1 day of preparation and 10 days to come here, makes 21 days. Furthermore he asked for an additional 1 or 2 days in case some unexpected situation occurred. This was not like the world in my previous life where an order you made would arrive the next day. I apologized for hurrying him and said my thanks. In the afternoon, 21 days after Malton and I parted ways. His subordinates delivered the magic liquid metal to the orphanage. It was transported inside a cask in the horse cart drawn by 2 horned horses (horses that seems to have a horn growing from their foreheads, because of its strength it could be used to pull carts and such). Nevertheless, just one of those weighed about 250 kg. I truly wanted all the magic liquid metal available, but I still did not really know whether I could make handguns out of it. Because it was so expensive, I only got him to sell me a barrels worth. Nevertheless, it still seemed to have cost 25 gold coins in total. Among Elle-senseis classes there were also lessons about money. Based on my life experiences here, if I were to put it in terms of modern currency it would be something like1 gold coin (100,000) = 10 silver coins = 100 large copper coins = 1,000 copper coins. Intuitively, 1 copper coin is worth 100 Yen. The price of wheat for 1 days needs is 2 copper coins (the amount of wheat for 1 person for 1 day is about 1 kg) 1 kg of wild boar pork is 3 silver coins (30,000 Yen). About 1 liter of cheap wine is 1 large copper coin and 2 copper coins (1,200 Yen). So by intuition, 25 gold coins is about 2,500,000 Yen. 1 liter is about 1 silver coin (10,000 Yen) As expected, even though it was bad, it was still a magic tool. However, because it was not a product that was in circulation much due to being unpopular, bad stock that had been stored for too long seemed to be obtainable for a cheaper price with some negotiation. Being a rare item, the price varied depending on the situation at the time of negotiation. It was just that since what I put on offer was only knowledge, I would turn a blind eye to it. The subordinate took the cask down from the cart and called me. Could you confirm that the contents isnt wrong, just to be sure? The lid was gracefully opened. The cask was filled with a silverish liquid. The mercury-looking-liquid rippled when the cask was struck. So this is magic liquid metal. It really is liquid, huh. No problem. Thank you for bringing this over. No, no. This is work after all. Boss said,here you go. Well then, please tell him, Thank you very much for listening to my selfish request. Understood. Ill be taking my leave. The subordinate took off his cap, bowed, and returned to the cart. Done seeing him off, I raised my body strength using body strengthening arts and carried the cask to the boys room I quickly finished afternoon work with Snow and started experimenting on the long-awaited magic liquid metal. I carried the cask out from the boys room out to the field. The testing ground was a backyard that was vacant after the magicians basic lessons were finished. First, I tried touching the magic liquid metal. It was pleasantly cool to the touch. As I scooped it out with my hands, it dripped out of my palms like water. It felt heavier than water. Perhaps touching mercury also felt like this. Without delay, I experimented. I put my hand inside the cask and called an image in my head. It was a 10 cm flat metal board. Keeping the image in my head, I moved magical power into my hands and released them. A feeling was left in my palms. Ooh, I can really do it. Pulling out my hands, a metal board of about 10 cm was made. But the degree of perfection was bad. The surface was not flat and had holes in it; the thickness was also uneven. It was also not in a rectangular shape but crooked. I struck the board lightly with my fist. It seemed to be as strong as iron. The handling is surely difficult: more vividly image for the texture, material properties, thickness, and strengthseems to be necessary to draw the metal board I wanted to make more clearly that way. Rather than taking the time training for a more definite mental image to make weapons or protectors, buying them with money was faster and easier. I understand why this stuff was unpopular. However, I used to be a factory worker at a metalworking plant for 7 years. Remember the past. Regain the sensation. I put the metal board aside. I took a breath and exhaled, concentrated, and once again filled my hands with magic liquid metal. In the previous life, I was able to detect even a 1m defect on a metal board just by the feeling on my fingertips. Just by hearing the sound, I could distinguish which metal part was defective. All of it was taught to me by the workers working at the plant; techniques that I gained at their annoyance. Even after I died and lost my body, the skill was etched onto my soul. Once again, I imagined a metal board and poured my magic power. I am not making a vague lump. For a moment, I imagined constructing the shape, whittling, arranging, and smoothing the surface. Picturing it strongly, I poured magic power into the metal. I felt metal being created in my hands. I pulled it out from the magic liquid metal. Yeah! Success! A 10 cm metal board was made with a smooth surface, even thickness, and a neat rectangular shape. With magic liquid metal, maybe I can really make handguns! My chest felt the most delighted ever since I had been reincarnated into this world. Volume 1 - CH 7 Lute, 6 years old. Most of the time since the magic liquid metal arrived was consumed in experimenting and inspecting results, by a 5-year-old kid. Magic liquid metal was a special metal; if you imagined armor while touching it and pour in Maryoku, the metal would take on that imagined shapeit had that property. The advantage was that it was easy to carry if you bring only a small amount. For that reason, it seemed to be a tool of choice for assassins. The disadvantage was that once it has been molded into a shape, it could never return to being magic liquid metal. Unless you picture the image clearly; if you make a sword, it will be blunt; if you make an armor, it will not only be uneven, but also the size would not match. On top of having limited use and being hard to handle and being a rare magic tool, the price was expensive. It had become synonymous with the term C unpopular commodity. As a result of my investigation into magic liquid metal, I realized that it was a truly splendid material. First, the strength was proportional to the magic power poured into it. It was possible for a paper-thin sheet of material to be stronger than a plate of iron. When making springs, efforts like wrapping piano wire around a rod and hardening it were totally unnecessary. Just put your hands in the magic liquid metal, and determine the size and strength by regulating the amount of Maryoku you pour in. When you pull your hand out, you will have made a surprisingly high quality spring. If magic liquid metal could be brought to modern society, it would not just end with revolutionizing science materials. It would certainly be at the level of a new material revolution. Given some time, it might even be possible to construct a simple space elevator. Unable to hold back the excitement from the magnificence, I informed Elle-sensei who was a superior magician, but Is that so? I received a reply with aeven if you say something so uninterestingnuance. Just how unpopular is this magic liquid metal? When I turned 6, the days in which I had to do my allotted chores, in addition to assisting with morning classes, continues. By the way, nowadays, one part of the proceeds from Reversi and other toys had been transferred to the orphanage in intervals of 3 months (90 days). At the beginning, Elle-sensei insisted that I should be receiving this money. But currently, I was just satisfied with getting my hands on magic liquid metal. And furthermore, by orphanage rules, I can start earning money when I am 7 years of age. Leaving Reversi as an exception, I slightly forcibly pressed the notion that I wanted to contribute to orphanage management funds. At least, as gratitude for being taken care of. Though I made an amount of contribution to the orphanage, there was no special exemption on my allotted chores. If I mention this I might have gotten some leniency, but of course, I had no intention of skipping work. Neither did I want to be a bad influence on the other kids nor did I want to be talked about in secret so I always did the same amount of workafter finishing up my chores in the afternoons, handgun production began. At first, I tried producing an entire revolver out of magic liquid metal, but it failed. The revolver I took out from the magic liquid metal had a cylinder that would not turn, a thin barrel, and the rifling was also laughably crooked. The parts and internal structure I had to imagine were too numerous. Before I could pour my Maryoku, the image had already faded. As a result, this thing was badly made. So, I gave up making the whole thing all at once and changed my plans into assembling it from parts. In my previous life, I was a military otaku; I had a special admiration towards modern weapons. Also because of having worked in a metalworking plant, before being reincarnated, I often dreamed,will I ever be able to make my own guns? Looking at diagrams of revolvers, automatic firearms, assault rifles and such, comparing them with the machines and technology used in the factory I work at, I felt that making them was possible that time. It was one of my hobbies, grinning while drinking in my single room. Now that I had my hands on magic liquid metal, making handguns was no longer a dream using the knowledge and technology from my previous life. I was carrying the barrel under my arm and brought it to the backyard of the orphanage. Right now, Im trying to make a replica of theS&W M10revolver model. It was the duty pistol of choice for manythe authorized gun used by the Japanese police departments in the previous world. Did you wonder why I did not make a self-loading pistolan automatic gun (which used the recoil of each shot to cycle the weapon)), but a revolver straight out of a western instead? There were reasons for that. The self-loaderautomatic one had a difficult internal structure not suitable to make for the first time. A revolver has fewer parts compared to a semi-automatic pistolThere were fewer revolver parts compared to automatic ones. The revolver was sturdier; Jams were a non-issue and the weapon was easy to maintain, making it suited for the Japanese police forces, who would rarely, if ever, have an opportunity to use their gun.there were no worries about bullet jammings and the maintenance was also easy(therefore it was suited for the japanese police who rarely used a gun). Based on the 3 mentioned points above, it was more suitable first work. However, no matter how much simpler the internal structure of a revolver was than a semi-auto onen automatic one, there were parts that could not be made in 1-2 days even though it had fewer components. If I had to explain why, let me first explain the history of guns. It means to create one gun, I had used the accumulated techniques of the world before I got reincarnated and reproduced these(techniques) with my own hands in this world. First, the gunpowderthe Black Powder. By the way, let me explain the historical background: There are various theories on when and where Black Powder was invented, but the prevailing theory is that it was invented in China in the 6th to 9th centuries. In those days, alchemists carried out research on elixirs of eternal youth, as one of the things produced in the process, the formula for gunpowder was recorded in theZhengzhou miaodao yaolewhich was written around the year 850. Around the middle of the 13th century, their successors developed weapons calledFire Lances, consisting of a short pipe packed with gunpowder affixed to the tip of a piece of wood or bamboo. (These weapons do not shoot bullets, instead they were simple flamethrowers or flash weapons). These were the origins of gun-type firearms. Furthermore, in 14th-century Europe,Touch Hole-styleguns were made. Touch Holeguns were primitive guns that were miniaturized versions of artillery cannons used for taking down castle walls that worked by packing a tube with gunpowder and igniting it from a hole drilled into the tube which would fire a (stone or metal) bullet. It was called Touch Hole because the gunpowder was ignited by pressing a burning metal rod through a hole. Not long after, around the 1400s, personal handheld firearms, Arquebuses, having the basic form of guns was likewise created in Europe. Its features were the fuse with which to ignite the gunpowder. Arquebus came from the German word Hakenbchse which means pipe with hook attached. The Arquebus was further improved by the addition of S-shaped fuse clamp and trigger parts, becoming the oldest type of matchlock, the S-shaped Serpentine. A lit fuse was attached at the top part of the S-shaped metal fittings attached at the back of the gun barrel (the gun barrel is at the center of the S), the bottom part of the S (the trigger) was pulled by hand, as the lit fuse meets the gun barrel, it ignites the powder. Simultaneously, the metal armor worn by knights were rendered meaningless by the increase in power, tactics and strategy had to change as well. As the 15th century dawns, the age of firearms had truly began. Prior to that gun barrels are made by setting up iron a circle and placing bindings around them (the same process as making barrels, which is why theyre called gun barrels even now), but by the 15th century, the process became pouring bronze into a mold and casting the whole barrel at once. Bronze is a copper (and tin) alloy, and compared to iron, it has the advantage of having a lower melting point and being softer, making it easier to cast even with lower technology (its disadvantages are that for the same reason, it becomes worn and crooked easily). But by the 16th century, steel became available, and damascus barrels, made by heating up and forging together steel ribbons with differing carbon content (made by applying stress to the metal by striking), then rolling it around a center stick, and then heating it again and welding it, became widespread. (Through mixing and forging together several types of steel it develops a damascus pattern, or in other words, a unique wood grain-like pattern. Incidentally, the pattern on a Japanese sword is also one kind of damascus pattern.) However, it does have a weakness. Because the gun barrel is made by rolling ribbon-shaped material, compared to molded barrels the strength is weak, and after the invention of smokeless gunpowder production declined. This is because it was unable to endure the pressure, and so the gun barrel becomes prone to breaking. After that, in the year 1856, the Englishman Henry Bessemer made a groundbreaking invention, the converter, and large amounts of molten steel became available. The so-called Bessemer process is a method of making steel by blowing air against molten pig iron (iron produced by melting iron ore in a blast furnace, contains lots of impurities) causing an oxidation reaction, removing impurities. (removing by burning) After that various alloys can be made. The raw materials for handguns C chrome molybdenum steel. (alloy made by adding a little chrome and molybdenum to iron. High strength and also high temperature resistance. It is also used in bicycle frames and aircraft.) And likewise, stainless steel. (steel containing no less than 10.5% chrome in iron. Having workability and endurance, it was called stainless due to corrosion resistance and is widely used) Production of steels that can be adjusted for strength, corrosion resistance, and endurance was now possible. If I were to produce modern weaponshandguns, I wouldnt plan on using black powder, but instead something stronger like smokeless gunpowder. Therefore the strength of ordinary steel is not enough. 21st century gun barrels are almost entirely made of chrome molybdenum steel or stainless steel. For that reason I have to build a converter. To say it plainly, no matter how much I remember my previous life, it is almost impossible for me right now to make it to that extent. Effort, time, funds, talentif I raise those there are no limits. Furthermore, even if I were able to procure the raw materials, I would still need the equipment and technology necessary to make the parts. Having prepared blocks in the rough shapes of the parts I want to make, I need to shape those by whittling them using a milling machine or turret lathe, milling. That is unreasonable, there is also the method of forging them one at a time like a blacksmith but Of course for me who worked in a metalworking plant, I dont have that kind of skill. But all those problems had been settled by the magic liquid metal. It will take shape according to the mental image and the magic power being poured. Moreover, it will also have a strength proportional to the magic power being poured. I think it would be able to withstand the temperature and gas pressure when firing the bullet. There are no other materials in this world more suitable for making handguns. Repenting the fact that I ran away in my previous life, I decided that in this reincarnated world I would never run away, and help anyone who is in trouble. But I dont have talent as a magician. Let alone helping people, I dont even have the power to protect the important people close to me. Therefore as the result of my search for powerbecoming aware of the existence of magic liquid metal I came to think can I make handguns with this? However, even though from my point of view I had noble goalsbeing faced with the fact that I will be making handguns, I became giddy. Starting the gun making that was only a dream in my previous life made me a little excited. In that life, I only read technical books with designs and disassemblies while drinking sake at home after work, and became jealous watching videos of people making model guns from scratch on the internet. It had remained a dream because of the law, funds, and time. But in this reincarnation world there is no such thing as Swords and Firearms Control Law. The best material I could think of is also plentifully available in front of my eyes. My dream is becoming a reality. Dont go around grinning like thatsuch a consultation is unreasonable. There are still a lot of hurdles I have to jump, but rather than worries about my troubles, the joy at being able to start working is far greater. With a smile I cant close I put my hands in the magic liquid metal and stirred. Well then should I immediately start making handguns. I wonder if I should try making the cylinder first as a test I closed my eyes, bided my time, and imagined a cylinder inside my head After starting to make a model revolver of the S&W M10, half a year passed. In the morning I help El-sensei with classes and take the initiative to finish routine duties from the afternoon. I moved to the backyard of the orphanage while carrying the barrel, which inside decreased a lot. Everyday, during free time I make the parts little by little. But the work to carve riflings into the (barrel) encountered troubles. A rifling is a groove carved on the inside of the gun barrel. It is needed in order to give the bullet rotation, to stabilize the flight, and to raise the firing accuracy. There are two representative methods to carve these riflings. Button method, carving the rifling by shaving the material off using a drill-like cutting tool called a broach. Cold hammer method, covering a center stick in the shape of the barrel cavity, which has the rifling applied, with the gun material, then applying pressure from the outside to stamp the form. There are 2 kinds as above mentioned. I used the latter, cold hammer method. Because this method is suited for mass production many major small arms manufacturer are using it. To make the core stick which applies the riflings is hard labor. But if it is finished once with liquid magic metal Im able to give riflings (to gun barrels) in large quantities. Hence the cold hammer method was used even if it is troublesome at first. However I had more trouble making the core stick than Id guessed. I made a great number of versions that I adjusted often, and endlessly looked for the most suitable results for nearly 2 months. But thanks to my understanding of gun barrel riflings I successfully made it. I soaked the core stick in liquid magic metall and imaged that it hangs on it and poured magic power to engrave high quality riflings in the barrel after it stabilized, I was able to make it. Besides that there was much trouble I made light of the revolvers inner structure that was simpler(lol) than an automatic, yet afterwards I noticed the difficulties of adjustments repeated in trial and error, I got mad over the cylinder that stopped rotating at a fixed position, but at last I was able to reproduce the structure. And then the thing I made was prototype #1! A solid-black S&W M10 revolver. I also made the front sight and the rear sight. The grip is made not of wood, but knitted metal anti-slip grips. The trigger guard, ejector rod, and recoil shield are also properly made. Furthermore, although its not needed, I also carved flutes (grooves cut to reduce weight) on the side of the cylinder for show. The metal looks like it is really heavy, but thanks to magic liquid metals property of having strength in proportion to magic power being poured, it is almost as light as a toy S&W M10. When I tried shooting air, the click of the hammer and the sensation of the revolving cylinder felt good. I shot air like this until free time is over. Switching gears, the next challenge begins. Today I was finally doing test firings. The problem now is the bullet. In the reincarnated world, there is no black powder, nor smokeless gunpowder. If I remember correctly, the way to make smokeless gunpowder is mixing nitroglycerin and soaking cotton in it right? Un, the hurdle is too high Then, even if I could make smokeless gunpowder, packing it in bullets and when it fires the bullet comes outits not as simple as that. Because the required combustion rates for handguns and rifles are different. In the case of handguns, they need fast burning propellant that can finish burning before the bullet exits the barrel because the barrel is short. Therefore, modern handgun propellants are in small granules, not fine powder like black powder. If a log of wood and an equal mass of wood chopsticks were simultaneously ignited, which one would burn up more quickly? The answer is obvious, its wood chopsticks. Its because wood chopsticks have a larger surface area. Just like powder, granules burn quickly. But its not something that should simply explode. As I think about it problems pop up one by onebut all those problems are solved in one stroke with magic power. Magicians can convert magic power directly into fire, water, wind, electricity, earth, and so on. Water and earth in particular could be created out of thin air. Even fire and lightning cant possibly come from the energy stored inside the magicians body. It seems to possibly be a violation of the law of conservation of mass, but even though I dont understand the process, matter and energy did certainly appear (I can somewhat deduce that energy was born out of thin air but I dont know whether its correct). However, no matter which system specialization a magician has, imaging is important for the creation of matter or energy. In that case, being able to handle, even if only weakly, the four elements of magic fire, water, air, and earth, and having practical knowledge of gunpowder, I think I can produce a smokeless gunpowder substitute using magic power. With that thought, I repeatedly did trial and error using the magic power control technique Ive learnt. I have the basics under control. Next I should control the combustion speed using the power of imagination. I chose the time when cylinder adjustments had been finished to make prototypes of cartridges unloaded with powder. At first, instead of being so big that they didnt fit in the cartridge, I made ones that do not catch and fell down instead. Right now, having finished documenting minor adjustments, work on the bullets, except the powder, had roughly completed without a problem. I checked the memo containing the adjustment records and put in only my right hand in the magic liquid metal. Parts composing the cartridgethe size is .38 special (929.5mmR). I put magic power inside the case. I released magic power for the powder with the image of detonation, combustion, and explosion, and again compressed and solidified it. Careful magic power control is necessary, but Ive had practice. Having safely finished the solidification, I let out the breath I unintentionally held. In addition, I made a bullet core as the cap. As for the metal properties, I imagined lead. I covered the faux-lead with a thin jacket. I put in a primer at the bottom part with magic power to induce a small explosion, and finally I covered everything and the bullet is finished. I take out my right hand from the magic liquid metal. A cartridge from the memories of my past life was created in the palm of my hand. It looks no different from the real thing. The problem is whether the bullet will come out properly or not I put the cartridge in the revolver at once. It fit in the cylinder without a hitch. I picked up a discarded brick and set it up on a wooden box I found laying around. An impromptu target. I set it up about 9 meters away. I held it with my right hand and jammed it in with all my might. I made a pose of holding the revolver in my right hand and propping it up with my left. The basic standing handgun posture. Though my mind is 30 years old, my body is still 6. In preparation for the recoil, I strengthened my body with body strengthening arts. I thumbed backpulled the hammer and with my breath held, I quietly sqeeuzed the trigger with my index finger.held my breath. I quietly pressed the trigger with my index finger. KABOOM! gukaa!? It was not the sound of a gun being fired. It was a kaboommisfire! The revolver was blown up from the inside. Thanks to body strengthening arts, the fingers on my right hand, which was close to the explosion, were not blown off. My thumb and index finger were barely safe. It hurts so much I want to puke~ Wha, what was that loud noise just now! Hii!? Elle-sensei noticed the sound of the misfire, and came running to the backyard in confusion. Looking at my injuries sensei let out a small shriek. Her face paled as if having lost blood. Soon she ran over looking like she was about to cry and immediately checked my injuries. She checked to make sure that there are no injuries besides my right hand. After judging that it was not a fatal injury, senseis face regained its color. Sensei stopped the kids who appeared, having noticed the sound, in a sharp voice. Everyone, dont come! The older kids please take the young ones inside! On that order, the kids went back inside the orphanage. Lute-kun! Just what did you do that it becomes like this! While scolding me, sensei holds her hand out at me who is holding my hands while cowering. Light that burns in my hand, Heal! Ooo. As expected from a B ranked magician. A warm light springs forth from her hands and went to my blown-off fingers like a magnet. The scars recovered perfectly without a trace. Thank you very much, sensei Dont Thank you me! Just what did you do to get that serious wound! Well, I put too much magic power in this newly developed magic device Explaining the handgun from the beginning would be too long, it would take time to make it understandable. Cutting down on the explanation, I made a suitable cover story. Elle-sensei took a glance at the magic liquid metal inside the cask. I dont understand what Lute-kun is making, but since youre making noise and making everyone worry come along to the office for a scolding. O, okay! Ill go so please dont pull on my ear! Elle-sensei dragged me by the ear just like a Showa-era mother and went back inside the orphanage. Arriving at the office, I sat seiza on the floor. She made me listen to a long long sermon. Of course, I didnt get dinner. After being heavily questioned, I was banned from doing experiments for the next 30 days and ordered to do punishment work for making an uproar. 30 days after that little accidentthe misfire, the ban on experiments was lifted! While I was doing punishment work, I finished enumerating the points for reflection of last time. The revolver misfired, but the rifling was clearly carved on the bullet core that hit the ground. This proves that the bullet travelled through the barrel properly. The problem was perhaps caused by the powder substitute having too much magic power and the image of the explosion being too strong. During the black powder era, the shell casing was filled with powder. But after smokeless gunpowder was invented, the cartridge only needed to be filled with half the amount of powder. The space that remained is called air space. When typical powder is ignited, this space became a buffer to defend the bullet against the sudden increase in pressure and regulate its speed. According to specialists, shell cases were originally supposed to only be filled with the right amount of the right kind of powder. And yet from my amateur judgement, what happens if I do not consider the air space or choose the type and amount of powder when reloading (reusing) the cartridge? The worst casecatastrophic failurea misfire. I had polished and polished my imaging power in order to build the revolver for no less than half a year. Because of that, the strength of the image and the magic power that I put in was too much. When making a new revolver, I should regulate the amount of magic power and the strength of my image, also determine the right amount of powder to put in. From now on the time for trial and error and making notes begins. Volume 1 - CH 8 Lute, age 7. When they turn 7, the quick kids leave the orphanage and began their apprenticeships as merchant apprentices, apprentice workers, or apprentice maids. The kids that dont leave the orphanage earn money by doing simple work in town. Per the rules, one part of their earned money goes to the orphanage, while the rest goes into their savings. Those savings are intended to become their starting funds for when they leave the orphanage at 10 years old. The savings are managed by the person themselves, to speed up the growth of their sense of independence and self-management. When I turned 7, I also intended to work in town for the orphanage and my future, but I was stopped by Elle-sensei. I had already contributed lots of money from reversi and other toys. If on top of that I were to work its possible that the other kids will lose motivation, thinking wouldnt it be fine if we dont work and earn money as well. Regarding my starting funds for when I leave the orphanage, Elle-sensei had been putting one part of the fees for the rights transfer of reversi and other toys to the orphanage as per the rules, and putting the rest into my savings. It seems that since I had too much money for a 5 year old, Elle-sensei made an exception and looked after my funds. When I turned 7, she handed it over to me so I could manage it myself. At first I declined because I was embarrassed to receive back what Id given away, but sensei forced it onto me, saying because its the rules. If you ask what I really think, its actually a godsend. Recently, I had been wanting to have a box for storing cartridges and also a gun belt. I bowed my head, said my thanks, and gratefully received the money. In this reincarnation world, there are about 360 days in 1 year, 30 days in a month. 12 months make 1 year. There are plusses or minuses depending on year, but thats basically it. Furthermore, in the Fairy Human Continent I live in, there are four seasons cycling spring, summer, fall, and winter. There are some points of difference but I dont handle heat well, so Im thankful that it didnt have a tropical climate. The hot summer had passed, its the beginning of fall. My schedule recently is: throughout the mornings helping with Elle-senseis lessons as usual, and in the afternoon practicing with the revolver and making ammunition. Snow has talent in magic so in the mornings she works part-time, and in the afternoon she joins magicians basic training. Lute-kun! On my way to the test firing range through the backyard, she waved at me with a smiling face. The happiest thing that happened to me since I reincarnated is that I got such a cute childhood friend. Snow unpleasantly stared at the revolver hanging from the gun belt wrapped around my waist Lute-kun is going to experiment on magic devices again today? Experiments are mostly finished back in summer. Now its mostly practice After the misfire incident, she seemed to want me to stop with the magic device development. She seems to want me to stop doing dangerous things. But ever since that misfire incident I had been taking proper safety measures so there was never any problem again. Yet Snow doesnt agree and cutely pouted her lips. I halfheartedly evaded her remarks. If you like, I can let you touch it. If you try shooting it you will definitely appreciate this magic devices awesomeness. Its fine. I dont want to touch such a dangerous toy. Lute-kun also, stop carelessly making strange toys Its okay already, that blunder wont happen again. Ive made it nice and safe, see. Snow put her hands on her hips and heaved a long sigh. Anyway, be careful okay. Im fine since I have sensei next to me, but Lute-kun doesnt. Dont do anything reckless. Yeah yeah, I get it. Well then, Snow too, do your best in class When she turned 7, Snow started calling herself me when others are around. But when its just the two of us, she went back to calling herself by name. but its cute so its fine. Then Elle-sensei showed up. Looks like its time. Well then everyone, lets begin magicians basic lessons See you later, Lute-kun. Take care. See you later. My cute childhood friend saw me off. Putting on a lustful look, I headed off to the test firing range alone. I walked from the orphanage backyard for 10 minutes and reached the riverside. On the opposite side of the river there was the entrance to the forests. Basically, children arent allowed to enter the forests alone. Because monsters will come out. Monsters like to eat childrens soft meat and internal organs. But they rarely come outside the forests. Around here there are almost no fierce monsters that come out of the forests and attack people. I walked along the river without crossing over it. Continuing 100 meters, I was at the test firing range. On the side opposite the river. I faced the steep cliffs about 30 meters in front and practiced my firing. The ground is soft, to the extent that if you put your feet on the cliffs, dry earth will come crumbling down, so theres no danger from ricocheting bullets. As target, I drew human shapes using a stick of wood I found. Even if its destroyed by rain or wind I can just draw it again. When the water is not high, the river is not so deep, If I strengthened my body using body strengthening arts and picked a shallow spot, I can quickly go to the opposite side and back. I dont need to make sandbags thanks to the cliffs, with that I saved some labor. I put my luggage in a corner. I took out my S&W M10 revolver from my custom-made gun belt wrapped around my waist. As a safety measure, it was not loaded with any cartridges. I reached out to a metal case I put in the corner. This case is also made from the magic liquid metal. The inside of the case was tightly packed with wooden boxes. Opening the lid, there are 36 rounds of .38 Special929.5mmR bullets with the primers underneath, laid down in a grid of 66. I took 6 rounds from a box and quickly loaded the M10s cylinder.out 6 bullets from a box, and quickly put them inside the cylinder. I took out another 12 and put them in my left pocket. I held the revolver and pointed the muzzle at a human-shaped target 30 meters away. Thumbing back the hammerRaising the hammer, I took a stand up shooting pose, aimed at the head, and shot just one bullet. Kuu. As I thought, the recoil jump of the smokeless gunpowder reproduced by magic power is fit for a 7 year olds body. I took out magic power, faintly covered the necessary parts for the firinglegs, hands, shoulders, back, and used the help of body strengthening arts. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! I fired again and again, manually re-cocking the hammerraising the hammer after each shot. I spent all the bullets remaining in the cylinder shooting at the targets head. There was hardly any shock compared to before. Also thanks to the body strengthening, I could suppress the recoil, and increase my accuracy. I pushed out the empty cartridges out of the cylinder with the ejector rod, and quickly loaded the next set of bullets. The aim is once again the targets head. Next, without cocking the hammer for each shotraising the hammer separately each time, I pulled the trigger. Sounds of firing was heard in succession. Of course, compared to the first time around, the shot grouping was worsethe bullets were more scattered. Once again, I quickly loaded the bullets. Thanks to repeatedly practicing body strengthening arts, I became able to quickly reload the bullets. I released body strengthening arts for a moment. The next practice item was quick draw. I returned the revolver to the gun belt, eased up my body and returned to a natural stance. fu! I instantly applied body strengthening while exhaling at the same time! This time I also poured magic power into my eyes. My eyesight, reflex speed, and kinetic vision was strengthened. I aimed at the human shapes head on the cliffside and fired. Aiming true, the bullet pierced as if it were sucked in. I released my body strengthening. I returned the revolver to the gun belt. Again, I continued practicing my quick draw until the bullets in the cylinder ran out. Now that the bullets I brought had run out, I made ammunition. I gathered the fallen empty cartridges. Holding the empty cartridges, I soaked them in the magic liquid metal I brought. The parts that compose the cartridgesize is 929.5mmR. I put magic inside the case part. Magic power for the powder was released with the image of detonating, burning, exploding smokeless gunpowder, then it was compressed and solidified. In addition, I made a bullet core as the cap. As for the metal properties, I imagined lead. I covered the faux-lead with a thin jacket. I put in a primer at the bottom part with magic power to induce a small explosion, and finally I covered everything and the bullet is finished. If the magic liquid metal runs out, there is still the remaining payment for reversi and other toys, so I can ask Malton the merchant to send me some more. But because it is a rare item, I should scrimp and save where I could. This is why Im reusing the spent cartridges. Making ammunition like this is surprisingly laborious and requires sensitivity. If I do not build the image clearly, it would not make good cartridges. The amount of magic power needed is not much but I cant put too much or too little. If I dont picture the combustion image perfectly it wont have satisfactory power. Troublesome as it is, but if I dont make it now, I cant make it at night in the orphanage later. I certainly cant make cartridges around small kids. If the worst case happens, it would be too late. After finished making the last round, I ended by tidying up. I soaked a towel in water, wrung it out, then wiped my sweat with it. As I wiped my sweat clean from start to finish, I went on my way back, holding down my hungry stomach, while bathed in the light of the setting sun. Should I soon try using it in actual combat instead of just targets? I wanted to confirm how much power and effectiveness it has. In order to do that it is necessary to ask Elle-sensei for permission to go inside the forest. Because there are monsters in the forest. They are suitable opponents for experiments. However, Im spinning my head over how to get senseis permission. Because of the misfire incident, Elle-sensei didnt really think kindly of my magic device development. But combat practice dropped in in an unexpected form. A few days laterin the afternoon, close to nighttime. As usual after revolver practice by the river, I finished making cartridges. After making sure that there are no cartridges left inside the cylinder as a safety measure, I returned the gun to the gun belt. I inserted the filled up wooden box into the metal ammo case snugly, and reached for the lid. Lute-kun! I look back to greet snow who came smilingly while waving her hands and going the river up. I Think she came to inform me that dinner is done. During that time the children of the town were playing in the riverbed behind Snow. I also waved back. I will finish tidying up before she arrives. Kyaaa! My hands that were tidying up were stopped by multiple screams. I looked confused back to the children playing 100m upstream, screamed turned my back to the forest and started running. Goblins are pouring out like an avalanche from the entrance of the forest. 15 of them. They looked like hairless chimpanzees with big heads, wearing rags, and had faces 10 times more evil. They are holding bows and arrows, axes, swords,spears, knives, shields in their hands. Though they are 3 heads tall they are unexpectedly fast. 3 of them have already set foot in the river. Monsters favorite food are childrens soft flesh. I think the excitement makes the speed of the goblins faster. At this rate several children will be caught by them and will be victims before arriving at the orphanage. ..! I immediately support myself with the body strengthening technique. I throw the lid of the wooden box up and load the cylinder with six shots. I pour the rest in my pockets. Preparations are finished and i strengthen my legs and start running. A 3 or 4 year old girl falls down while escaping and hit her head. The whole strength left her body in an instant. Damn it, it seems she fainted. Snow ran to the child and hid her behind her back. It is possible for Snow to carry the fainted girl with the body strengthening technique and escape. But, the goblins will catch up before the kids are starting to run. She shielded the child with her hands, not budging an inch against the flood of goblins. Dance in my hands, sword of ice! Ice Sword! Together with her incantation two 1m long ice swords are born in each hand and fired. Aiming true, the sword pierced two goblins in front of her. But just when she thrusted her sword, one goblin fired an arrow so as to not get hit by the Ice Sword. A small chance after the incantation. The arrow flies straight to her chest. It will hit the child behind her if she evades. There is still no technique to expand the resistance technique by reflex. Through my strengthened vision i saw Snows despaired face. For a moment it overlapped with the expression of my friend in my previous existence. I shake that dark feeling off in order to shout. Snooooow! Sink or swim, I held the revolver. Shooting position. Distance 15m. I aim at the flying arrow. I strengthen my kinetic vision, I practiced until now, the distance is shorter than usual i will do it, i persuaded myself with it. I predict the future position of the arrow and held my breath to restrain the shaking. I raised the hammer, put my finger on the trigger, and quietly pressed. BANG! A firing sound what is unfamiliar in this different world. I made no mistake in the bullets aim and break the arrow. Yosshaa! The acrobatic shooting that im not able to do again was successful and i raised involuntary a shout. It goes without saying that was good luck. The goblins legs stop at the appearance of my firing sound and are staying vigilant. In the meantime, i strengthen my legs again to catch up to Snow and hide her behind my back. Lu, Lute-kun, t, tha Never mind the thanks, Snow you hold her close and absolutely dont move from here! O, okay! A wild animal will instinctively pursue the prey which turns ons back and tries to escape. I want to avoid exciting the goblins a second time and assaulted by the goblins again. I stop the conversation and point the muzzle at the goblins which legs had stopped. I aim at the nearest goblin and fired. Although it is a demon it is a living thing But ,in order to protect Snow and the other girl I dont waver and pull the trigger. The bullet pierces the head of the goblin. The blood sprays not showy like in a movie or drama. It only falls down like the threads of a doll were cut. I cannot defeat the goblins with one shoot when i dont fire at the head with the power of the present revolver. I slaughtered four goblins with the remaining bullets. 8 remained. Regarding the goblins, it means that in an instant 5 of their comrades were killed. Frenzied, they kicked up a splash and attacked once again. Ooooooooooooooooooo! A roar with killing intent strikes my skin. I frantically stopped my shaking body and moved my hands in a daze. I ejected the empty cartridges from the cylinder using the ejector rod and quickly loaded the next set of bullets. In order of priority, I aimed at the nearer goblins and the goblins with bows and arrows capable of long range attack. First, I fired at the nearest goblin, who was holding a worn-out sword and a wooden shield. The goblin promptly hid behind its shield, but it was no use. Against a force that could pierce through car doors, a wooden shield is no obstacle. The bullet easily pierced the shield, and shot the goblin in the head. Their comrade defeated, the goblins instantly stopped moving. Capturing that scene, I pointed the muzzle at the next target. ..su- I took a small breath. Next is the one aiming our way with a bow and arrow. Thanks to my strengthened kinetic vision, the goblins movement looked like it was in slow motion. But my own heart was beating quickly like mayflies buzzing in my ear. Exhaling my breath and calming myself down, I fired the gun as practiced. Before the goblin could shoot an arrow, I shot it between the eyebrows, it fell face-first into the water. Like a precision machine, I proceeded to empty all my rounds on the goblins heads. I shot all 6 rounds. 2 goblins remaining. Becoming aware of their own numerical inferiority, the two turned their backs and scurried back into the forest. I reloaded the cylinder with cartridges, just in case. Only 2 rounds remain in my left pocket. If there had been more than 8 goblins coming Examining the situation for a while, there are no signs of them returning with reinforcements. I released my body strengthening arts, and heaved a deep sigh. Though it should have been only 3 minutes since the battle started, my forehead was already covered in beads of sweat. I felt tired, and not only because I used up more than half my magic power. There was also mental fatigue from experiencing my first battle. I lowered the hammer, and turned around to check up on the state of Snow, who I had been covering for. Snow, are you injured? Does it hurt anywhere! Lute-kun Im scared! Lute-kun! Snow clung to me while calling my name. Because our heights are not that different, her head was buried on the back of my neck, it felt ticklish. Despite being named Snow, her body was entirely soaked in warmth. Seeing her safe, I felt more relieved than Id imagine. I lovingly caressed Snows head over and over again. Snow is admirable. Even when youre scared, you stayed behind so everyone can get away youre really great. In a life-threatening situation, she was able to do what I couldnt do, and at 7 years old, at that. I praised Snow from the bottom of my heart. But while buried in my chest she shook her head, and holding back her tears she clearly said to me. Lute-kun too, thank you, you protected Snow and the kids. Thanks Snows words of gratitude. No matter how much I help her out, it doesnt change what I did in my previous life, that sin will not disappear. But hearing those words I felt the weight in the bottom of my heart lighten just a little bit. Me too thank you Snow. I embraced Snow tightly. Shes warm. Shes alive. Having those feelings, she grasped my fingers. Her tears fell down my cheeks. Afterwards, the kids that fled earlier sought Elle-senseis help, and she rushed over. Until then, Snow and I kept on hugging, as if confirming each others warmth. Volume 1 - CH 9 Lute, age 7. After repelling the goblins, Elle-sensei checked us for injuries. There was only a cut on the little girl when she fainted, so with Elle-senseis healing magic she recovered in the blink of an eye. After that sensei led us back to the orphanage. A party of guards were called from town to serve as lookouts. During that time, Elle-sensei went inside the forest alone and killed the 2 goblins that ran away. Moving easily around the forest, she looked for other monsters that might be a threat, then went back. It seems she didnt find anything besides the goblins. That night, a meeting was convened at the mayors house. The agenda was this evenings Goblin Attack Incident. There are cases where monsters individually attacked towns, but its the first time they did so en masse. To start with, ferocious monsters like goblins had never been found in these forests. Its the first case ever since the town was founded. A villager jokingly said Isnt this the revival of a demon king?. The mayor admonished him for indiscretion, and he went quiet. On the bright side, through my and Snows efforts there are no casualties, though some did get injured. It was a rather fortunate outcome. But we cant expect good luck to happen every time. At the meeting it was decided that once every 30 days, the guard party and Elle-sensei would come together and look around the forest, patrolling to make sure there are no dangerous monsters. Tonight, the guard party will take shifts standing watch on the outskirts of town just in case. Everyones words of thanks to me and Snow kept on coming until the next day. After the goblin attack incident, peoples opinion of me underwent a complete change. Originally among the townspeople I had gained a bad reputationI was the creepy kid who, even though I became the orphanages #1 contributor through my earnings from reversi and other toys, spent the money doing suspicious research with magic liquid metal. As for myself, because I had immersed myself in handgun making, I never noticed that I had a bad reputation. Through this incident, the public opinion of me became that of a Genius who had no talent as a magician, but compensated for it with magic devices. Really, a complete change. The mayors complete change was particularly severe. The girl that Snow and I saved was the mayors daughter, and she was taken at first sight by me. Via the mayor, she pressed to have me as her husband. The mayor also eagerly suggested that I marry her and stay and protect this town. Of course, I declined. I like this town, but protecting this town for the rest of my life is something I could not do. Also, I was happy to be praised, but in terms of actual combat experience, there are a lot of points where I was lacking. I could control my magic power as I wanted during practice, and yet control became sloppy in actual combat. Because of that I spent magic power uselessly. Also, I realized that the revolvers reload speed, number of rounds, and power are insufficient. It turned out okay since the number of opponents was small, but if next time there is more of them, I dont think Ill be able to fully protect Snow and the others. I still get cold sweat now when I think back on it. Before the incident, the S&W M10 was to be the prototype for a S&W M19 Combat Magnum chambered for the more potent .357 Magnum round.that could fire magnum bullets. I woke up to the fact that now its no longer a matter of pursuing a hobby. I postponed the M19 temporarily, and decided to start working on an assault rifle. After finishing lunch, I returned to the boys room. It was in order to prepare the things I need for making an assault rifle at the test firing range. Since the goblin attack incident, by the mayors decree, kids are not to go to the river without adults. But only I was allowed, for the sake of magic device experimenting. Having a somewhat overprotective tendency, Elle-sensei made a sour face, but in the end, it was me who defeated the goblins so she gave her tacit consent. Surely there is no way I was going to be making an assault rifle in the orphanage, even if Elle-sensei thinks its inexcusable, everyday after finishing my chores I went to the test firing range. Today too, I took out the cask containing magic liquid metal from the corner of the room. The revolver for self-defense has also been loaded with ammo, and is hanging from my gun belt. Just in case, I took a wooden box packed full of .38 Special929.5mmR bullets from the metal ammo case in one hand. I put the wooden box on top of the cask, and went to the firing range through the orphanage backyard On the way, as I was passing through the backyard, the students had already gathered for magicians basic class. One of them, Snow, found me and came over, wagging her tail. Lute-kun! She clung to me without hesitation. She made me drop the cask and wooden box in my hands. Snow! That was dangerous, didnt I tell you not to cling to me so suddenly? Okay, got it. Ill be careful next time Thats what you said yesterday hey, stop sniffing me. It tickles. But Lute-kuns smell is so good it made me feel calm. Not listening to my demands for self-control, Snow buried her face in my neck and sniffed. Her dog ears, silky-smooth cheeks, and her breath felt really ticklish. Snow is an abandoned child of the minority tribe called the White Wolf Tribe who lives in the North Continent. As might be expected from a dog species, she seems to like sniffing smells. Recently she had been clinging to me and sniffing like this. I heaved a sigh of resignation, picked up the cask and wooden box, and patted Snows head rather roughly. Far from showing signs of dislike, she seemed to feel good and smiled Ehehehe. Snows attitude also changed drastically since the goblin attack incident. Previously she was at the distance of a best childhood friend, sometimes to the level of Huh, did she just fall for me?. But ever since the incident, shes been actively showing favor like this. Always eating together with me, following me around, never leaving my side whenever theres time. Of course, she gave up when I asked if she wants to follow me to the toilet. The frequency of body contact also increased to an absurd degree. She clings to me like just now, of course, but she also held my hands, linked arms, and when I was doing revolver maintenance in the boys room, she clung to my head from behind. At those times she was sniffing me, of course. Snow likes my scent too muchDI only heard this from the girls in the girls room, but she got her hands on one of my worn out shirts that cant be used anymore, and seems to have been smelling it to sleep ever since. She complained that I was being noisy with the ticklish thing and wanted to do it no matter what. When I persuaded her to stop sniffing my stuff at night, her face looked as if the world was going to end, her ears flopped closed, and her tail hung dejectedly. Not wanting to see her like that, I compromised and said sniff quietly so you dont bother anyone. Im being too sweet to Snow. This is my own convenient guess, but Snow was originally unaware that she was holding favor towards me. Then starting with the incident, she became aware of it. Having this cute, good-natured childhood friend fall for me. I was glad to have been reincarnated into this world. If there are any problems, its that Lute-kun where are you going ? To the test firing range, I want to experiment to see if I can make a new gun Can I come along? You obviously cant, right. Snow has to go to magicians basic classes now. Uuuu, thats right, but If Snow stays with me, then she is simply getting her priorities backwards. Just a little bit more and shell turn into an idiot kid. Ill be at the test firing range until evening, so come over once youre done with classes. . Okay. Once Im there, can I shoot Lute-kuns revolver? Of course. So do your lessons properly, kay? Snow took an interest in the revolver after the incident. In order to dispel her fear of guns, I proactively taught her how to shoot. It was in order to protect herself at the time it would matter the most, like when she runs out of magic power. I was planning on making a gun for Snows own personal defense in the near future. Elle-sensei showed up in the backyard. Well then everyone, now we shall begin magicians basic class Look, Snow. Elle-senseis starting class. A little more, I want to tickle you a little more. You cant be like that, everyones waiting. See, go along. Uuuuu. Lute-kun is mean. She reluctantly let go of me while uttering complaints. Well, see you again then. Dont make trouble for Elle-sensei and the others. Okay, see you later. Snow-kun, your words and actions dont match. Let go of me. Snow pinched the edge of my shirt in futile resistance. Her face went timid when I pointed it out, but in the end she let go of her hands with a smile and ran back towards Elle-sensei. I picked up the cask and went towards the test firing range. I arrived at the test firing range. I held my stuff, except for the cask, under my arms to keep them out of the way. I opened the casks lid, and put my hands in. I felt the cold touch of metal on my skin. Relishing the cold feel, I once again thought of the gun I was going to make. The gun I was going to make now was an AK-47 assault rifle, a masterpiece created in the Soviet Union. Though there are lots of improved variations like AKM, for now lets just call it an AK-47 for convenience. Why did I choose the AK-47 out of the many assault rifles? Its because it had the simplest structure. Moreover, it was, generally speaking, sturdy, being able to pound away perfectly in the freezing cold of the Arctic circle, the deserts of Africa, or the jungles of Southeast Asia, and even without going through maintenance after being soaked in muddy water. Some even think that rusted and dirty AK-47s that had been buried in a wet rice field and dug out again after half a year can be fired without a problem. Such dirt and rust resistance, terrible firepower that can shoot 600 rounds per minute, a structure that made it hard to get jammed, and able to fire even when it hasnt been maintained in decades, it was that kind of tough assault rifle. Because of these advantages, in the world of my previous life, it was often copied and would pop up in all corners of the earth. Appearing in national flags and banknotes of several countries, it was a weapon that redrew the geopolitical map of the world after the cold war, falling in to the hands of guerilla and anti-government forces around the world. It is said that several hundreds of thousands of people each year lost their lives because of this weapon. Because of that it was also called the little WMD. That is the reason why I can say that this is the most appropriate assault rifle for this underdeveloped alternate world. But there are two problems. Number one: although the structure is simple, its still an automatic. It uses what is called a gas-operated system, where the next round is loaded using the gas that is produced when the first round is fired. In the case of the AK-47, it is done by using a gas piston located on top of the barrel. This is called a gas-operated system. Whether I can make something that works by this system or not.. I learned this the hard way while making the revolver, but although I have the know-how, the difference between theory and practice is like heaven and earth. Problem number two: the cartridges. Rifle cartridges are very different in appearance and contents to handgun cartridges. First, the outer shape of the cartridges is long and narrow, with a neck like a wine bottle along the way. The powder inside the rifle bullets burn slower than that of handguns (although only by some 1000ths of a second). Because the combustion speed is slower, the pressure in the airtight compartment inside the case and barrel increases, so it can fire bullets at a higher velocity and energy. To reproduce such a powder, it is necessary to do extraordinary experiments. Well, I know the final form though. Since there is no need to do trial and error to get the answer, its still easy. The design of the bullet is way more complicated than the gun body itself. It even raised heated discussions between ballistics experts. Small changes in the bullets weight, shape of the tip, and powder quantity will make them into entirely different weapons. If I could make it, it seems its going to be a reliable weapon. I exhaled lightly once again, and closed my eyes. I used the power of imagination I cultivated while making the revolver to the utmost. The first part I should make is I gently put my hands into the cold liquid metal. Volume 1 - CH 10 Lute, age 8. An afternoon I spent rather relaxedly, after the summers climax has passed. I was carrying my luggage while going to visit the test firing range. I dropped the luggage at the riverside. The cask of magic liquid metal, the metal ammo case. The assault rifle, AK-47. 2 kinds of wooden boxes are contained in the metal case. One contains .38 Special for the revolver that I hang on my waist. The .38 special (929.5mmR) box is bigger than the exclusive AK47 7.62mm russian short-circuit(experimental bullets) Thanks to spending most time on the AK 47, it is mostly completed and im on the final stage. The appearance is black while the stock(the part applied to the shoulder at the very back of the gun) is no longer the downward-angled solid wooden stock typical for this weapon, but a skeletal metal in-line stock. It is necessary to match the gun barrel with the height of the eyes to aim accurately while shooting with the AK 47. But if the stock is not in-line with the barrel (or even if its straight, it is at an extreme angle) it is hard to point the muzzle straight, so the muzzle jumps up from the recoil. During sustained full-auto fire, the cumilative effects of recoil can quickly force the muzzle off-target, something that is exacerbated with a non in-line stock. In just a few shots in full-auto, the weapon becomes an anti-aircraft gun. So to minimize the jumps because of recoil, with the AKM as a reference I lowered the barrel from eye-height to shoulder-height, used an in-line stock, and added further minor adjustments (basically, I arranged the barrel and stock in a straight line). Also, I reproduced the internal structure precisely, and implemented the automatic system. After firing, one part of the discharged gas enters through the gas port (an opening for gas to enter, as the bullet is fired and advances near the muzzle the inside of the barrel between the bullet and the cartridge becomes an airtight compartment, and because of the high pressure a part of the gas therein enters through the gas port) and pushes a gas piston inside the gas cylinder backwards, pushes back the turn bolt (the part that touches the bullet) and bolt carrier (the part that supports the bolt), and raises the hammer. The bolt carrier that was pushed back is restored by the recoil spring, and the next round is pushed from the banana magazine to the chamber (because the bolt is pushed no less than 1 cartridge length backwards, enough space is created and the next round is pushed up into it). At the end of all the hard work, when the gas operated system ran smoothly, I yelled out in excitement. The other thing that I want to compliment myself on is the included switch that goes between safety, full automatic, and semi automatic modes. When the safety selector is set to on, the selector lever blocks the trigger so it couldnt be moved. In semi-automatic mode, the selector lever doesnt do anything. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer is released, but its movement is hindered by getting stuck on a certain disconnector hook (a part directly connected to the trigger). In that situation, the hook wont come loose unless the trigger is temporarily released to its original position. Lastly, in full-automatic mode, the selector lever holds down the disconnector. With the hook being held down, the hammer will not get caught. Because of that, the hammer will continue to move in a reciprocating motion until the trigger is released. Furthermore, I also added a rate reducer for when using the full-automatic mode. Thanks to this rate reducer, there is a gap between shots when rapid firing, increasing the effectiveness by making it easier to aim even when the gunner is less experienced. It had the appearance of a metal object, but it was made from just magic liquid metal, like the revolver, so its lighter than one would imagine. Though my mental age is no less than 30, my body is that of an 8 year old. When holding the AK-47 (prototype) I look like some middle-eastern child soldier. If I were to think of making an assault rifle other than an AK-47, it would have been an impossible task. In the world of my previous life it could be made even in countries with low technology, that is precisely why it could be made in this alternate world. But its still not complete. The problem is of course the ammunition. Though I started making it by trial and error simultaneously while making the actual gun, it is still far from satisfactory. For now, because of the gas operated system the empty cartridges are ejected. That too is because its an AK-47. The piston operates without causing misfires or jams (because the combination of parts had room to spare) even when shooting cheap non-brand-name cartridges or cartridges whose powder had deteriorated from moisture. But theres no way I can be satisfied with that. In order to perfectly display its power, I spent time looking for the optimal distribution. The thickness of the cartridge, the burning impression in the amount of powder, the properties of the bullet core, et ceteraall of these are still incomplete. Because I had completed the actual gun recently, I had mostly been conducting development on the cartridges. I took out a wooden box with a label on the lid from the metal case. Each box was filled with experimental bullets improved using the results of the test firings. I took out 1 box, and filled the banana magazine with it. I slid the fire selector off Safe and into Semi-Auto I rocked in the magazine, and pulled the charging handle, loading the first round into the chamber. I increased my physical abilities with body strengthening arts. I pointed the muzzle towards the humanoid targets on the cliffside. BANG! It fired. Ku! An empty cartridge danced in the air. Though I only shot 1 round, my shoulder endured a strong thrusting recoil. Its power, recoil, and gunpowder combustion noise. could not be compared to the S&W M10 revolver. While checking the remaining sensation in my hands, I switched to full-automatic mode. Restoring my motivation, I rapid-fired. BANG! BABABABABABABABABANG! The noise was loud, but I also had trouble keeping the muzzle on-target. I unintentionally increased the magic power for body strengthening arts. I shot all bullets and my whole body feels numb. Mmm after all this is no good. The combustion speed is still too fast. The result of that is somehowa bullet hole was unraveled at the target 30 meters away. Among assault rifles, the AK-47 is not particularly accurate (even so, for a 100m distance it is concentrated in a circle 20cm in diameter.) But even considering that, this is not a very good result. I jotted down my detailed thoughts on the experimental bullets, and put them in the wooden box. Of course, I also collected the fallen cartridges and put them back in their wooden box. Next, I took the next box, and stuffed the cartridges into the magazine. Exhausting all the boxes (except the spares) like this, I left behind my detailed impressions. Once I finished shooting all the experimental bullets I prepared, I next started revolver practice. I wont make experimental bullets for the AK-47 here now. Im going to be making them tomorrow. Ill be making them while comparing with my notes in one hand. The reason why I dont make them right awayIf I dont take my time and concentrate, I cant create the improved experimental bullets the way I noted down in my memo. That will take up an entire afternoon. If I can finish the AK-47 soon, I wouldnt be using the revolver so often anymore. But since I dont know when that will happen, I kept on practicing. It is better to have lots of things I can do in order to live in this world. I smoothly put 6 cartridges inside the cylinder, and shot standing. Next I practiced quick drawing with the gun holstered in my gun belt. I used up all but two handgun bullet boxes like this. I gathered up the fallen cartridges for making new bullets. This is my daily life as an 8 year old. Morning, helping Elle-sensei with lessons. Afternoon, test firing experimental AK-47 bullets or making them. Then revolver practicesomething like that. Around the time I finished making .38 Special ammo, Snow came up to the test firing range. Lute-kun, sorry to make you wait! Didnt I tell you already, its dangerous if you suddenly cling to me like that. Also stop sniffing me. I reek of sweat, right? Not at all! You smell really nice! *sniff sniff* Stop sniffing already, it tickles Ehehehe, sorry Before I knew it, it had become our usual conversation. I breathed a sigh of resignation, and patted Snows head. She closed her eyes in happiness, and wagged her white tail. Snow is now 8 years old. In order to save up money to enter a magic school soon, she had started doing part time work since the middle of last year. For example, making magic stones. Magic stones are stones that can store magic power. Infusing magic power into it while picturing fire regularly for about 30 days makes a magic stone with fire attribute. Picturing water makes one with water attribute. Picturing lightning makes one with lightning attribute. Picturing wind makes one with wind attributethat way you can make magic stones with various uses. If a fire magic stone runs out of magic power, it can be recharged by once again picturing fire while infusing it with magic power regularly for 30 days. You can think of it as a magic power battery. Attribute magic stones, and recharged magic stones (lower price than attribute magic stones) can be sold to merchants specializing in magic devices at a high price. Part of that money goes to the orphanage, the rest goes into her savings. The year after next, the savings are meant to be used for enrollment fees for the magic school she wants to enter. In the afternoons was, as usual, magicians practice. After practice, Snow comes over to the test firing range and practiced shooting the revolver with me. The remaining 2 boxes of ammo was for Snow. This is Snows daily life nowadays. Morning, part time work infusing magic in magic stones. Afternoon, magicians practice, revolver practicesomething like that. Snow was already at the same level as me when it comes to revolver reloading, quick draw, and firing precision. She also has talent as a magician. According to Elle-sensei, who teaches magicians basic classes, Snow has very good memory. She unmistakably has aptitude to be a B+ rank magician to begin with. Rather than jealousy, the feelings of wanting to congratulate her were overwhelmingly stronger when I heard that. Because Snow is my closest childhood friend, I felt happy for her being praised as if it was intended for myself. Also, her physical growth recently is amazing. When she clung to me I felt C-cup breasts through her shirt. She is also still in the middle of growing, this time next year I am sure she will have gone over D cup. To the point where I am worried about where my eyes are pointing. Perhaps because she was one of the white wolf tribe of the northern continent, she was weak in summer. Because of that her clothes were rough. Pure white skin yet healthy buttocks, smooth sides without even 1 strand of hair growing from it, a small navel slightly moistened with sweat, and springy breasts peek out from underneath her shirt! I stole glances at her without her noticing many times over! I realized that my body became hot from Snow clinging on to me. The desire to not only pat her head, but also to touch every corner of her tender body became stronger in me. But she was still 8 years old. My own body is the same age as her, but there is a 35 year old adult inside. I dont intend to lose to my desires and hurt my precious childhood friend. Yes lolita! No ecchi! I am a gentleman so I absolutely wont do anything that would hurt Snow! I surely wont! I probably wont. Strengthening my reason, I called out to her to get some distance. W, well then, lets start practice. Hey, Snow let go. I want to hug harder, just a little more. Afuu~! She put more strength into her arms. The feeling of Snows breasts became stronger. Her hips, inversely, drew back. I cursed this young 8 year old body. I started becoming horny. I want to push her down right now and do this and thatbut I came to my senses and resisted the feelings that were about to explode. Were still 8 years old, its still too early no matter what anyone thinks, the stimulus was too strong. I pulled myself apart from Snow while feeling regret for separating from the feeling of those breasts from the bottom of my heart. Th, that should be enough, no? If we cling like this any further well have no time for practice Lute-kun is stingy. Yeah yeah, stingy is fine. Here, the gunbelt. Put the cylinder in yourself. I handed the gunbelt and revolver over to Snow. She fastened the belt and held the revolver with experienced hands. She pushed the cylinder out, and took 6 929.5mmR rounds from a wooden box. Raising her body abilities with body strengthening, she fired at the human shapes on the cliffs. We began practice. When it became evening I finished cleaning up While Snow goes besides the river bank she asks. Lute-kun what will you do when you become 10. In this world there is no concept of birthday; if one becomes 15 they will generally be treated as an adult. 10-years old is an important time to decide ones career. Children of the upper classes are different, but the common folk children become merchants apprentices, craftsmens students, etc. or enroll in school if the house has the leisure to do so. Inside the orphanage including Snow and me there are 4 persons at the same age Snow is going to enter a magic school. The two girls who are Snows friends wish to be maid apprentices and took up a recruitment letter from the towns bulletin board. They sent a letter and are waiting for a answer. In this situation only Im unable to chose a career. Probably, she is worried as a childhood friend. As I thought, youre going to Malton-sans place and run a toy store? No, thats not it. In reality, the discussion comes repeatedly whether or not to learn how to become a merchant from Malton, but I refuse it entirely. If I dont have a goal, I think using the knowledge of my previous life and selling toys wouldnt be bad. But I had already decided on a lifestyle. I didnt intend to keep it a secret, but I havent told this to Snow or Elle-sensei. This is a good chance so Ill tell her. I wanted Snow to know. I was thinking of going on a journey when I turn 10. Then If I can, I want to help people in trouble or in need of help. Why do you want to do that? Atonement for the acquaintance that was cornered to suicide in my previous life of course I cant say that. It hurts to lie, but this is what I said. Last year I helped Snow right? That time, I felt that helping others is something worth doing. If thats so, then Snow will go on a journey with Lute-kun! I thought Snow would say something like that. I gave her the lines that Ive prepared for this. Snow will go to school when you turn 10, right? Then you will become a splendid magician and go to the north continent to look for your parents, that was your dream, right? If Im with Lute-kun, I can go to the north continent the way I am now. Certainly, if Snow holds an AK-47, her fighting power would be doubled. It wouldnt be difficult to face ordinary monsters and enemies. But Snow has talent to become a magician. Furthermore, Elle-sensei acknowledged that shell certainly become B+ rank. If by any chance before that. I dont intend to crush that talent of hers. I let out my honest feelings to Snow. I would be happy to be together with Snow. But, Snow has talent to become a magician. I dont want to be with Snow so much as to eat away Snows talent. I dont want to become a burden for Snow. Lute-kun Snow wiped her rising tears with her finger. She stopped her legs and released her hands, then turned around to face me. Miraculously, that place is exactly where I saved her from goblins. Snows skin became red down to her neck, and not just because of the setting suns light. Her eyes are not filled with sadness, but with hot emotions. Snow clasped her hands together on her chest, mustering courage, she spoke out. There is something Ive always wanted to tell Lute-kun. At the riverside where the sun sets. A trembling, red-faced childhood friend, staring straight ahead. Im not a thick-headed protagonist of some manga or light novel, Im already aware of Snows feelings. The reason I didnt say anything is because shes still an 8 year old child. But now, it seems like that Snow is going to let out her feelings. 8 years after I was born. If you add the memories of my previous life, 35 years. This is the first time a girl confessed to me. Of course, the answer had already been decided. Its Yes!. With the setting sun at her back, Snow mustered her courage with all her might. Putting in her whole feelings, she exclaimed loudly. Snow Please make Snow into Lute-kuns sex slave!. Huuuwwwwhhhaaaattttt!!!? Receiving the most unexpected of unexpected proposals, I unintentionally let out a yell that didnt lose to Snows. Snows idiot kid levels had sped up faster than Id imagined. Volume 1 - CH 11 IDD Snow, am an abandoned child of the rare White Wolf Race who live in the North Continent. Around the time I was 1 year old, I was left before the orphanage that Elle-sensei manages. The name Snow was sewn into the clothes I was wearing. Probably the parents who threw me away sewed it. And a child of the human race of the same age was thrown away too. His name is Lute. At First, in regards to Lute-kun, I didnt like him much. Lute was a strange child, around the time we were 3 years old, while we played with the onee-sans in the childs room, he took Elle-senseis classes at his own convenience. He sat in the back of the classroom and received the lessons more quietly than any of the other students. Furthermore he had an interest in magic and also came to participate in the basic magic classes. However Lute-kun does not have talent as a magician. Elle-sensei already told that to Lute-kun. At the time, he was supposed to have said I will look for a way other than magic, but he still took part in magic lessons. According to Elle-sensei, there seems to be kids who still spend great effort even though they understand that they had no talent as magicians. Such obstinacy was especially common for boys. Among them there are kids that couldnt accept reality, got their hands on dangerous magic tools and lost their lives, said Elle-sensei. I understand Lute-kuns feelings, but its dangerous to use magic as a human with a low amount of magic. Magic power is the spirit thats left over after being used to maintain ones body and mind. In the worst case scenario you would die if you use up more magic power than that surplus. But the other party is still 3 years old. An age where he wont understand even when persuaded. Therefore Elle-sensei did not drive him out and consented to his participation in the class. However a problem occurred immediately. Lute-kun learned how to use magic by watching the others do it and imitating them. Lute-kun who had no talent in magic immediately ran out of magic and fainted. Elle-sensei, whose face changed to panic, rushed over. Once Lute-kun, who was put to sleep in the childs room, woke up, I told him the situation and to be careful. That is a no-no! Lute-kun is making trouble for Sensei! Sorry, sorry. Ill be careful next time. Lute-kun was not sorry at all and took part in the lesson again. And at the next lesson. Lute-kun faints again after using magic. This time he was bleeding from the head, choked on vomit and fainted. He would have died if sensei didnt notice and ran over. The gentle Elle-sensei flew into a rage because of this accident. She forbade Lute-kun from participating in basic magic classes. After forbidding participation in the lessons, Elle-sensei came with hanging rabbit ears to me and asked how Lute-kuns doing. Did Lute-kun do anything strange because he was forbidden from taking part in classes? She asked. It seems that every once in a while there are kids that, when pressed down by their elders, become gloomy, lose their ambition, and became apathetic. Sensei is worried that he would become like that because of this incident. When I answered hes not different from usual, she breathed a sigh of relief. At this time, even as a child I immediately understood that Elle-sensei was troubled because of Lute-kun. It looks like until now Sensei had been looking after many troublesome children. Every once in a while, there would be some kids that dont have any common sense, but Lute-kun stood out even among them. At that time, Sensei grumbled to me, If I were to speak badly of him Id call him abnormal'', she said as if letting the words slip from her mouth. So at that time I disliked Lute-kun. Lute-kun who troubled Elle-sensei, who gathered and raised us without asking anything in return, like a mother. Lute-kun who caused trouble for everyone, but pushes forward like a child. The baby that was left behind on the same day as himand just because of that became the one in charge of looking after Lute-kun, the one at Lute-kuns side, was me. Although I go and complain occasionally. But I thought this everyday life would continue forever. Lute-kun and I, age 4. In the orphanage, once you turn 4 your job is look after the 2-3 year olds in the childrens room. And yet Lute-kun did nothing at all, and only slept in a corner of the room. I was incited to pay attention to Lute-kun by the two 4-year olds who were looking after the kids with me. I had to pay attention because I was the closest childhood friend to Lute-kun, they said. I resented that, even though I was still the one in charge of looking after Lute-kun. On top of that, I unconsciously wished that something bad would happen to Lute-kun, who was always causing trouble for Elle-sensei and everyone at the orphanage. Lute-kun, youll get scolded if you dont properly take care of the little kids with us! I want to help you all very much but the way you did it is so good that I didnt get a turn. Thats why I was sitting in a corner so that I wont get in the way. If thats the case, then you can help playing house. We have roles enough for the four of us. Playing house? If Lute-kun does not play, I will tell sensei that you skipped work. I didnt really mean to skip work but. all right! Lets play together. He obediently did as ordered once I said senseis name. I softly murmured, so youll listen if I mention Elle-sensei, hmph. So which role should I take? The father, or maybe the husband? Lute-kun will be the pet pink slime! Is that really necessary? With a surprised face Lute-kun asked back. I insisted that a pet was necessary and that day I had him play the role as pet until we were finished playing house. If with this he would reflect a little and start looking after the younger ones. If any of you manage to defeat me in a game, I will keep the role of pet. Once again, Lute-kun behaves as if he doesnt intend to help, he pressed his demand to play a self-made game he called reversi. I thought he had been sneakily doing something these few days, to turn out to be making a game. But the rules of this toy, the so called reversi, were very simple and it seemed very interesting. Therefore we got on board with Lute-kuns proposal. Even if the toy was his own making, there were 3 of us. I simply expected that at least one of us can win. I was the first to challenge him. In the opening Lute-kuns black piece were changed to white in a good mood successfully. He deliberately put his black pieces so I can easily turn them all over. I didnt notice that this was a trap, I felt overjoyed and joked around. Lute-kun is we~ak! Even though its a game you made yourself. Hahaha. Snow, make it funnier if you are going to tell a joke. Snow still cant do addition and subtraction, how can I lose in this game of intellect? Looking down on me with sarcastic remarks. But the surface of the board is almost white and there is no more than a few black pieces left. I judged that he was a sore loser. Muuu I have a feeling Im being made fun of Fine! If Lute-kun loses, he has to listen to another order besides being a golden marumaru! As you wish But if I win, Ill touch your fluffy dog ears and tail to my hearts content! Its not dog ears! Its wolf ears! Because Snow is from White Wolf tribe! I know and dont forget the promise. Lute-kun answers lightly while placing a black piece at the edge. huh? The white carpet was cut diagonally by toppling the pieces over and the black ones formed a line. I looked for a way to deal with the rapidly changing situation, but there was no way to change the color of the edge pieces! This was Lute-kuns aim from the start! As I belatedly realized his aim, he put on a smile like a hunter whose prey was caught in a trap. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him! Mortified, I looked for a trick to reverse the situation, but he had gained control of the edges, I was at my wits end and lost. Uuuu I lost Yeah, I won! Dont forget the promise, okay? I know Ill let you touch it when were about to sleep at night O-ok. Lute-kuns triumphant face is suddenly turned red and he turned away. Since his face got red I got worried about his condition. Whats the matter, Lute-kun? Your face is red. Did you catch a cold? N-no its nothing. So whos the next opponent? He turned towards the other two, as if to say Im not interested in an opponent I already beat. Muu and I was worried about you. He happily plays Reversi with the other girls without noticing me sulking. (I know that its more fun to play with the other girls rather than playing with me who was always unkind. But youre being too obvious!) Without noticing me getting angry, Lute-kun continued playing reversi with the other two while talking excitedly. (As I thought, I hate Lute-kun. I HATE him!). In the end not even one of us was able to beat Lute-kun. We borrowed reversi to practice, determined to defeat Lute-kun! That evening, right before bed, Lute-kun came to rub my tail and ears. Several days later, the defeat Lute-kun! plan was easily abandoned. Because no matter how much we practice, none of us could even corner him. We can hope for a close game, but there is just no way to get a solid hit, so it cant be helped. For that reason, we settled with the conclusion that it would be more fun to play among ourselves, whose skills are more balanced. It seems Lute-kun was fine with it. When we finished taking care of the children we played reversi and Lute-kun continued to sit in a corner of the room with closed eyes. Because Lute-kun took care of heavy labor such as clearing up the futons the other 2 stopped complaining. Lute-kun and I, age 5. Once you reach the age of 5 you start having lessons for reading and writing, arithmetics, history, and common knowledge. We 5~6 year old children studied in the biggest room in the orphanage where desks had been lined up. But only Lute-kun was special. He has finished all his studies at the age of 3. Therefore he became Elle-senseis class assistant. His work is mainly to prepare teaching materials, warn children who were noisy, and look after children who fall behind in their studies. The child who is behind in her studies is me. The plate on the left has 5 loaves of bread, the plate on the right has 12 loaves. So all of them together, how many loaves are there? Err, Uhm I bent my fingers and counted. Fi, fifteen? Wrong. The answer is 17. Uu~ I unintentionally fell flat on the desk. Though Im good at learning to read and write, history, and common knowledge, no matter what I do I was weak at arithmetics. I stumbled at the first thing, addition. Other kids my age had already learned subtraction. Lute-kun was teaching me today as well. He patiently accompanied me, who was always unkind to him, without even seeming annoyed. He kindly, gently, cheered me up when I made a mistake in arithmetics. Dont worry! Ill be with Snow until you can do addition. But since its Snow, you will be able to do it soon! Really? Its a promise so cheer up! So Ill bring out the next question The plate on the left has 3 loaves of bread, the plate on the right has 5. So, all of them together how many loaves of bread are there? Uhh, uhh 8! Correct! Snow is a genius! Excellent, excellent! Ehehehe. It was only a simple arithmetic problem but he was delighted and praised me as if it was his own accomplishment. At first I thought he was a selfish child who troubled Elle-senseiDDbut nowadays I dont dislike him. I had come to notice that I was able to look at him without prejudice. Lute-kun is surely clever. His curiosity and his drive are higher than others. Unskillful but intelligent, full of curiosity, and having energy to spare, he puts whatever interests him into practice. Kids like us could not be so proactive, but he was. Because of that he was misunderstood by the people around him. Weird child, odd child, unchildlikeDthey say. Perhaps there is no one in the world who could understand Lute-kun except me, the childhood friend. I decided in my heart I, at least, will be kind to him. Lute kun who is only interested in himself does not notice my sympathy, he innocently continued the arithmetic lessons. Well then, Ill bring out the next question. Yeah! Ill do my best so I can do addition properly! He again pats my head delightedly. The feeling of his hand was so pleasant it became a habit. At that time, I hate Lute-kun who always troubles Elle-sensei had turned into the prideful pity of Hes my childhood comrade who was cast out by his parents like me, so I should take good care of him. Moreover, I embraced my childhood love of Lute-kun shortly afterwards. The cause for that was the day Lute-kun and I were going together to gather firewoodDD Lute-kun you came at the right time. I was just going to call you. Sensei called us out from behind, stopping us. What can I do for you, Elle-sensei? Actually, there is someone who came and wanted to see Lute-kun. Can you come to the reception office? Umm is it my parents who abandoned me? Or a relative came to pick me up? á fu Elle-sensei fell silent, as if her face had been slapped all of a sudden. I guessed from senseis attitude. The one who Lute-kun wants to meet the most didnt come to pick him up. Sensei opens her mouth apologetically. Lute-kun, I didnt mean that the person who came are your parents or relatives. Im sorry for putting in a strange way like that and making it a misunderstanding. Its ok. I was only curious when I heard it. I dont think i particularly wanted to meet my parents now. I look down unintentionally. That was because I couldnt look at Lute-kuns firm behavior. Lute-kun and I were children who were left in front of the orphanage. All orphans should want to see their parents. Elle-sensei often said so. And yet, he did not cast off his confident attitude, conversely, Elle-sensei became worried for him. Having that possibility pass in front of him, I hazily recalled. could it be that he really doesnt want to see his father and mother? I want to meet them! I want to meet them and want to know the reason why I was cast away. If I can I want to live with my parents. And yet he, who was supposed to be in the same situation as me, declared I dont want to see my parents after all this time. Does he have that much of a grudge against the parents who cast him away? But since I never heard of any grudge out of his mouth, that thought never crossed my mind. Is it strange to want to meet mother and father who threw me away? Am I being strange? While I was thinking that, the insides of my head spun around in circles. DDSnow-chan can you go and help the other children? Ok, sensei. I reply to Elle-sensei and went to the children who were cleaning the rooms. Without wondering who called out to Lute-kun, I only kept on thinking of myself. That night. Late at night, after Elle-sensei had gone to sleep, I went and trespassed into the boys room. By the rules of the orphanage boys and girls are not allowed to go to each others rooms at night It was one of the most serious crimes, if you break it you wont get a meal for a day. But even though it was a dangerous crime to commit, I just had to ask Lute-kun. That was what I believed. I looked for Lute-kun in the darkness of the boys room. Luckily Im from the white wolf clan who could see well in the darkness. I found Lute-kun immediately. Lute-kun, Lute-kun *yawn* Because he didnt wake up even when I raised my voice, I slapped his cheeks and shook his shoulders strongly. After I called to him and shook him several times, Lute-kun finally opened his eyes. ngaah!? Shhh!!! Dont be loud. Everyone will wake up. In surprise I clasped his mouth in a hurry. Lute-kun did not seem to get the situation at first and he was confused, after several seconds he made some decision and he furrowed his eyebrows. I approach him further and confirm that he completely regained consciousness. Everybody will wake up, be quiet please? Okay? *nod nod* As Lute-kun nods i slowly part my hands from his mouth. Uhm, Snow, your feelings are Shhhh!!! Everybody will wake up if we talk here. Follow me. I dragged Lute-kun out of his futon and took him out of the boys room. Our destination is underneath the window in the dining hall. Here shines starlight through the window and i can read detailed facial expressions. Its warm here during the day but at night it feels a little chilly. We brought our shoulders together to get each other warm. There is also the advantage that he can easily hear even if I talk in a low voice . Lute-kun asked in a slightly angry voice. His eyes are serious. So, what is the reason why you broke the rule and brought me here? Un you see there is something that I really wanted to ask you. Certainly its late at night and I forcibly woke him up and took him out but he doesnt need to have such an angry look But even if Im afraid there is no other method. I explained the reason why I took him out. Um did Lute-kun ever think of meeting with your mother or father? Eh!? Like I said, do you want to meet the mother and father who abandoned you? He asked me back, looking dumbfounded. Snow, why are you asking me this? Today, Lute-kun told sensei its not like I want to meet with them after all this time, right? Snow wants to meet mom and dad. When we meet, Snow will ask them why they abandoned Snow away. And Snow wants to live with mom and dad Is Snow weird for thinking like this? Lute-kun listened to my story in silence. Then he changed his pose from hugging his knees to a cross-legged sitting position. Snow, come over here. Why? Just do it already. He made me sit on his lap a little bit forcibly. Lute-kun embraces my head gently and holds my ears against his chest. Can you hear the sound of my heart? Yes, I can hear. It goes dokun, dokun, dokun. People get relieved hearing the sound of heartbeats. This is because, as babies, we are raised hearing our mothers heartbeats. Oddly I curled up my body in a fetal position.. I closed my eyes and leaned my body against Lute-kun. Wanting to meet your parents is not weird. So, theres no reason to feel worried. Really? Uh-huh, its true. The reason why I never thought of meeting my parents is because I have no way of looking for them. Lute-kun starts talking in a tone like telling someone younger than him. Just one clue: I have a star-shaped birthmark on the back of my right shoulder; I cant just show this to everyone I meet and ask them. Besides, I have no talent as a magician; its hard to think that the parents who casted me out would come back and pick me up. So, its clear that I will never meet with my parents again for as long as I live. I gasp on Lute-kuns words. But Snow is different. Unlike me, Snow has talent as a magician. Besides, the White Wolf race is a minority that lives in the snowy mountains of the North Continent. If you go north you might find some clues there. Even so, forgive me for saying after all this time I never thought of meeting my parents so insensitively, kay? He apologizes from the bottom of his heart. But I understood. The one who had to apologize was me. Im an abandoned child from a minor clan, the so called White Wolf Clan from the North Continent. If I go to a town of the white wolf clan or head to a village, my parents may be there. There ought to be important clues, even if only a little. Furthermore I have talent as a magician. If I become a magician beyond B- I will not be troubled about employment and have no troubles with money. On the contrary Lute-kun has insufficient clues and no talent as a magician. If you become 10 years old you graduate from the orphanage and leave to work. Only staying alive is hard. It does not mean Lute-kun doesnt want to meet his parents. He understands that it is all but impossible to meet his parents the way he is now and gave up. And yet in my own selfish anxiety, I dug up the emotional scar that he had come to terms with. My chest feels like it had been hit because of my own foolishness. Snow is also sorry. Snow asked such an insensitive question without thinking of Lute-kuns feelings. Theres no reason for you to apologize. I was the one in the wrong, you see. I was the one whos wrong, but he still smiled and forgave me for my sake. If thats the case, then Snow and Lute-kun are both in the wrong. So its a tie. Thats right. Its a tie. As an apology, Snow will tell Snows dream only to Lute-kun. My dream, the one I secretly held and had not told anyone, not even Elle-sensei. You see, when Snow is bigger, Snow will become a magician. Then, Snow will go to the north continent to look for father and mother. Once Snow finds those two, Snow will ask why they abandoned Snow away. If we could make peace, then the three of us will live together in the same house This is Snows dream. Its a good dream. If its you, then it will absolutely come true. Lute-kun took a breath, But if you couldnt find them or you couldnt make peace with them, Snow still has me, Elle-sensei and the kids at the orphanage. Dont forget that okay? Un, thanks Lute-kun. Until the end, I became tearful for him, who was worried for me. I felt the feeling of his and my heartbeats overlap, as if becoming one, and my chest became warm inside. Is it okay to hear the sound of Lute-kuns chest a little bit more? Uh-huh, you can listen all you like. I strengthened my arms and pressed my ear to his chest. Lute-kun smiled wryly, and gently stroked my head, like a father or an older brother. I loosened all the muscles in my arms and legs and let him spoil me with all my heart. At that time I noticed a small light spark inside my chest. When I get bigger Ill become a splendid magician, and take Lute-kun on a journey to see his mom and dad. Then once I found my mom and dad, Ill start an orphanage like Elle-sensei. Then we all can live together, me doing the management like Elle-sensei, and Lute-kun teaching the kids reading, writing, and arithmetics If everyone can get along and stay together, that would be so wonderful. In Lute-kuns warm arms, I drew up a new dream. I undeservedly thought to take care of this childhood friend, whom the adults and other children would not be able to understand. DDReleasing my ear from his chest, we each went back to our rooms. When we parted ways, Lute-kun asked me. Should we sleep together tonight, after all? Lute-kun is ecchi~~. Boys sure say ecchi things right away! We finally had a good mood going, tooDDI thought as I angrily returned to the girls room. but that was a bit of a shame, wasnt it? My face flares up hot and not aware of it, my tail shakes. I slip into my futon In a hurry so that Im not noticed by everyone. The next day, I found out that Lute-kun had sold the rights to reversi and other toys to a merchant and earned a huge amount of money. Volume 1 - CH 12 Lute-kun had sold the rights to reversi and other toys to Malton-san the merchant and was in a daze, having bought some magic device called magic liquid metal from him. Magic liquid metalDDWe had been taught in our lessons that it was an item gained after defeating monsters called metal slimes. Magic liquid metal is metal with a trace of magic power, and it had the properties of taking shape of the image when touching it while imagining armor in ones head. On top of having limited use and being hard to handle, it seems it was expensive for being a magic device. It was something synonymous with the term unpopular item. He bought that kind of thing for a lot of money. The worlds opinion of Lute-kun further fellDDfrom strange kid to creepy kid. Not even noticing that people around him were taking their distance, he gleefully took the magic liquid metal and continuously experimented, saying not like this, not like that. Unskillful but intelligent, full of curiosity, and having lots of energy he put whatever interests him into practice. He was just as I previously thought. I dont understand what hes doing, but I thought, As his only childhood friend, I should look after him. Lute-kun and I, age 6. This year I came to somewhat understand what Lute-kun was making. I saw him making something that looks like a metal tube with a handle?, and when I asked him about it, he cheerfully explained. Lute-kun says that its a magic device called a gun. He had gone and developed his own original magic device! Of course, I was amazed, and my head became dizzy. Certainly, Lute-kun did make toys that everyone enjoys. But toys and magic devices are two entirely different things. Even if they made a house out of toy blocks, there is no one that would think that they made a real castle all by themselves. To make an original magic device, he would need high-grade materials, magic knowledge, lots of money, and plenty of time. There are lots of stories of magicians destroying themselves, and countries depleting their treasuries in order to develop a magic device, and yet Lute-kun who was smarter than me should have known this. Peoples opinion of him changed from creepy kid to pitiful kid who does not have talent for magic but could not face the reality. Lute-kun himself was puzzled that recently, the aunties helping out at the orphanage had been strangely kind, giving me sweets and all, he didnt notice at all. Thickheaded as always, he continued on with the development of magic devices without noticing his surroundings. The part when the gun that Lute-kun made caused a problem, was at the beginning of summer. Early Summer. The day when the suns rays start becoming harsh. I was weak against the hot sun because of my racial traits. I was idling away in the afternoon in the shade of the girls room after having finished all my work. The other girls were playing reversi or having a chat. It was a sight I was so used to seeing. I was falling into a doze, and started to close my eyes. KABOOOM! Just when I was going to fall asleep, I heard a sound like a bolt of thunder. The sleepiness vanished as if it had been a lie. Wha, what was that loud noise just now! Hii!? And then, Elle-senseis shriek. All of us heard the sound and ran to the backyard, Elle-sensei rushed over to the crouching Lute-kun. ã gu!? We all gasped. Lute-kun was holding his hand in pain, but there was a smile on his face. It was a very mismatched scene, with blood all over his face. The kids who were weak of heart started crying, even fainting on the spot. The wreck of the magic device that was the source of the sound was still emitting a faint smoke. Everyone, dont come! The older kids please take the young ones inside! Sensei had noticed us, and gave out her instructions. Everyone immediately obeyed, and the older kids took the younger ones back inside the orphanage. I wanted to stay there because I was worried for Lute-kun, but an older girl forcibly took my hand and led me back inside. That night. There was a little bit of time before bed, the topic of discussion in the girls room was all about Lute-kun. It seems that the cause of the incident was magic power running amok in the middle of magic device development. Lute-kuns injuries were no problem thanks to Elle-senseis healing magic. And as punishment for the uproar this time, he was sentenced to a 30 day ban on experiments and doing punishment work. Ignoring what the other girls say, I recalled the words Sensei once said. There are those who still spend great effort even though they understand that they have no talent as magicians. Especially boys, among them there are those who do not accept reality, and get their hands on dangerous magic devices, then lose their lives Maybe Lute-kun is one of those people. If thats the case, then as a childhood friend, I had to put him back on the right path! With the misdirected worry for Lute-kuns sake!, I vowed to make Lute-kun into a good and honest person. Lute-kun and I, age 7. The hot summer had passed, its the beginning of fall. Ever since I turned 7, I had been joining the magicians basic classes that Elle-sensei opens in the afternoons. At the beginning, rather than magic practice, it was harsh weight training, running to build up strength, hand-to-hand fighting, and swordplay. But after half a year had passed, we got used to it and became able to handle it easily. Today after lunch, we gather in the backyard of the orphanage to move our bodies. The ones taking the class were 2 first years, 1 second year, and me as the only half-year, for a total of 4. All are girls, they received senseis lessons happily. One day before the beginning of class, I looked outside the window. I noticed a person who carried luggage come out of the backyard. Lute-kun! When I called out to him and waved my hand he stopped. Lute-kun was wearing a hard leather belt with the magic device he made himself, hanging from its right hand side. In his hands he holds a little barrel and on top of it is a box made of metal. When the children of the orphanage become 7 they leave for the city to do simple work. One part of that money goes to the orphanage and the remaining will be put aside for the future. Originally, Lute-kun was also supposed to go out to work nowadays, but he alone was stopped from working by Elle-sensei. When Lute-kun was 5 years old, he had sold the rights to reversi and other toys and gained a considerable sum of money and donated it to the orphanage. The reason Lute-kun was prohibited from working was because if he earns any more money the other kids are going to lose their motivation. So in the mornings he would help Elle-sensei with classes, and in the afternoons he would do experiments with that dangerous magic device by the river. I reflexively scowled at the magic device hanging from his waist. Lute-kun is going to experiment on magic devices again today? Experiments were mostly finished back in summer. Now its mostly practice. Ever since the magic device explosion incident, I had been coming over to him to say that I wanted him to stop with the magic device experiments, but he evaded the issue and continued. I had thought of throwing away his magic device without him noticing several times, but. I didnt do it because there is an orphanage rule saying Other peoples belongings are not to be tampered with or thrown away. I was so worried about him, but he just laughed nonchalantly If you like, I can let you touch it. If you try shooting it you will definitely appreciate this magic devices awesomeness. Its fine. I dont want to touch such a dangerous toy. Lute-kun also, stop carelessly making strange toys. Its okay already, that blunder wont happen again. Ive made it nice and safe, see. . without understanding peoples feelings. Anyway, be careful okay. Im fine since I have sensei next to me, but Lute-kun doesnt. Dont do anything reckless. Yeah yeah, I get it. Well then, Snow too, do your best in class With just the right timing, Sensei showed up and called out to everyone. Well then everyone, lets begin magicians basic lessons See you later, Lute-kun. Take care. See you later. Once again Lute-kun walked towards the riverside. I saw him off, looking at his back with an uneasy expression. But my worries and Lute-kuns bad reputation were completely changed when he solved an incident. That incident was Afternoon of that day, evening. Because preparations for dinner were finished I went to call Lute-kun. He was at the so called test firing range, after leaving the backyard of the orphanage and walking 10 minutes along the riverbed you would locate that spot 100m downstream. At the riverbed were several children of the town playing in the water. Its already late, you should soon go home. Yeah! They answered energetically but the children showed no signs of going home. After calling out to Lute-kun I decided in my heart that I would speak to him again. Lute-kun! I called out to him as he was just tidying up and waved my hand. He raised his hand with a smile and returned to tidying up. So that he doesnt let me wait he moves his hand faster than previously. Kyaaa! !? I was surprised at the scream from behind me and looked back, the children who played at the riverbed started running away immediately. On the other side of the river goblins were overflowing out of the forest entrance like an avalanche! 15 of them. Thats! I have never heard about goblins in the forest! But the reality was before my eyes. Its real even if I deny that fact. I start to forcibly rearrange my confused thoughts. The goblins are faster than imagined. At this rate they will catch up with some children. However Im a magician apprentice, I have to protect Lute-kun and the children. I used my magic power to near the limit at the afternoon magic classes, but since I rested, it recovered fairly well. Until Elle-sensei comes I need to hold out. The first fight to kill each otherDD it would be a lie if I would say I was not scared, but more than that I have the strength to protect them all and a sense of duty rises up in me. While I resolved myself, one of the children fell down in the escape and didnt move anymore. In a hurry I rushed over to her. No external wounds except the bruise from falling down. There was faint breathing too. There was no problem. Since there is no time for treating her, I cover her behind my back. I spread out both arms and concentrate magic power in my palms. Dance in my hands, sword of ice! Ice Sword! In both hands appeared a one meter ice sword, conjured through magic. It`s a attack magic of the ice magic system. I threw it at the two closest goblins who were coming near me. The ice sword with the speed of a gale pierces into a goblin who wears tattered armour and holds a knife. The other one stabbed into a goblin who was preparing to shoot an arrowDbut the ice sword just missed the moment when the arrow was let loose. ah The arrow flies straight at my chest. At that moment I couldnt even blinkD It will pierce the child behind me if I dodge. After half a years training Im not able to raise a resistance formation in an instant. I thought in an instant. Together with the arrow, death approaches. I was careless. As I myself can kill the opponent, the opponent can kill me too. Goblins arent targets for practice. DDI dont want to die! I dont want to die! I really dont want to die! I cried desperately in my mind. However the arrow flies straight at my chest as it was connected by a thread. Snooooooow! Even now, Lute-kuns voice sounded far away, as if from the other side of the cloudsD Bang! ӤФ줿R롢„Tʤ Simultaneously the arrow which flew at me was shattered in the middle and was scattered to the day after tomorrow. Yoshaa! I saw how Lute-kun raised his fist and shouted in joy. As they heard the shout and the explosive sound, the assault of the oncoming goblins stopped. As I was released from the danger of death, my hips grew weak and I sat down on the spot. In that interval Lute-kun came running over to face off against the goblins to protect me. I was about to tell gratitude towards his back but, Lu, Lute-kun, t, thaD Never mind the thanks, Snow you hold her close and absolutely dont move from here! O, okay! According to his instructions, I held the fainted child close in order to protect her. Lute-kun turned the magic tool that caused the explosion towards the goblins. Once again, the magic device made the explosive sound like when it broke the arrow. Simultaneously in the nearest goblins head was a small hole. The goblin fell like a puppet whose strings were cut, in the river. Lute-kun let the explosive sound resound again 4 times. In an instant 4 goblins had a similar hole in the head and collapsed. 8 remained. But the goblins still had an overwhelming advantage in numbers. Frenzied, they kicked up a splash and attacked once again. OOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo! A roar with killing intent strikes my skin. Hiii I let a little scream out only I could hear. And yet Lute-kun just like a veteran hero calmly fumbled with his magic tool DD And pointed the magic tool again at the flood of goblins. In a stance like a sculpture, he calmly killed the goblins in an instant. A goblin holding a wooden shield hid behind his shield, but the magic device Lute-kun invented made a hole in his head as if the shield wasnt there. In about 6 seconds from the 8 goblins at the start, 2 remained. The two understood their unfavorable situation and turned their back and flew at full speed to the woods. Lute-kun tampered again with the magic device and carefully watched the goblins flee to the entrance to the forest. I wonder how much time had passed. it doesnt seem like the goblins will be coming back. As the strength left Lute-kuns shoulder he hurriedly turned around. Snow are you injured? Does it hurt anywhere! Without even a shred of his earlier veteran hero-like battle presence, there was only my childhood friend, worrying about me. That was the Lute-kun I knew well. Lute-kun Im scared! Lute-kun! I put the fainted child gently on the ground and instinctively clung to Lute-kun. Because our height isnt different, I buried my face in his neck. Lute-kun didnt mind becoming dirty from my tears and gently stroked my head many, many times. I can really calm down in Lute-kuns arms. Like the night of that day, I listened to the beating of his warmth, and the fear for my life and first battleDall the negative emotions melted away like the snow in spring. aah, so is it DD *thump*, with my feet on the ground, I was convinced. The thing that I, who was thrown away, always wanted. The place I must return to its into Lute-kuns arms. When I realized, my body became hot. My whole self yelled: The reason I was born into this world was to meetDDwith him. This is the feeling of falling in love. With maddening desire boiling up, I muttered that inside of my heart. Snow is admirable. Even when youre scared, you stayed behind so everyone can get away youre really great. Lute-kun comforted me, who was only holding him back. My chest was sweetly strangled by his kindness until it hurts. I cant just stay silent. Lute-kun too, thank you, you protected Snow and the kids. Thanks We said our thanks to each other. For some reason Lute-kun put on a smile as if getting a little bit of peace of mind. Afterwards, the kids that fled earlier sought Elle-senseis help, and she rushed overuntil then, Snow and I kept on hugging, as if confirming each others warmth. After the goblin attack incident, peoples opinion of Lute-kun totally changed. Until now, he was the poor kid who didnt have talent in magic, but couldnt face reality, but because of this incident, it changed to genius who didnt have talent in magic, but compensated for it with magic devices. Not even minding such opinions from people, Lute-kun made a difficult face and started making a new magic device. I unintentionally smiled faintly at his usual carefree attitude. And then, Lute-kun and I turned 8. An afternoon I spent rather relaxedly, after the summers climax has passed. After magicians basic class had ended, I hurriedly ran to the test firing range. My beloved childhood friend was putting his hands in a small cask, he was in the middle of making some cartridges. Without holding back, I clung to his back. Lute-kun, sorry to make you wait! Didnt I tell you already, its dangerous if you suddenly cling to me like that. Also stop sniffing me. I reek of sweat, right? Not at all! You smell really nice! *sniff sniff* Stop sniffing already, it tickles. Ehehehe, sorry. Before I know it, it had become our usual conversation. Lute-kun breathed a sigh of resignation, and gently patted my head. His hand felt really good, and before I realized, my tail was already happily wagging left and right. Again and again, Lute-kuns expression changed back and forth between wanting to hug me close, and not hugging me close. Finally, as if shaking something off, he gripped my shoulders and pushed me off. W, well then, lets start practice. Hey, Snow, let go I want to hug harder, just a little more. Afuu~! I put strength into my arms, and Lute-kun made a weird sound. Th, that should be enough, no? If we cling like this any further well have no time for practice. Lute-kun is stingy. Yeah yeah, stingy is fine. Here, the gunbelt. Put the cylinder in yourself. He bluntly handed me the gunbelt wrapped around his waist. It was on him until just now, so it should be smelling of fresh sweat, but of course, sniffing would be rude, I thought as I received it. While chanting in my heart patience, patience, I skillfully wrapped it around myself. After the goblin incident, I also started practicing how to handle the magic device Lute-kun made. He accepted, saying that I can use it for self-defense when I run out of magic power. I took the revolver, and pushed the cylinder out. I took some 929.5mmR bullets from the remaining wooden boxes, and put them in. Raising my body abilities with body strengthening, I fired at the human shapes on the cliffs. Practice Start. As the evening falls we finished tidying up and went back to the orphanage hand in hand. Just now I stole a glance at Lute-kuns face that was illuminated by the setting sun. All the children in the orphanage have to leave when they turn 10, no exceptions. As for me, I plan on enrolling into a magic school. Lute-kun and I are both 8 years old. Its an age where we should soon think of our careers. I wonder what Lute-kun plans to do. Every once in a while, he looks far away much unlike someone his age. What Lute-kun is thinking, what he is going to do, not even I, the closest childhood friend to him, knows. So I sometimes become afraid. Surely Lute-kun is going to accomplish something. Maybe something even the 5 great race heroes couldnt do, I think hes going to do something amazing like that. The fact that he could make a magic device stronger than magic at 7 years old is proof above all. For an ordinary person like me, its hard to be at his side, I suppose. Even though my feelings of I like him I love him wont lose to anyone. If we leave the orphanage as we are now, the connection between Lute-kun and I will end just like this. After that, I dont think were ever going to cross paths againDeven though Im supposed to return to his arms. As I thought that, my body became cold, as if being suddenly thrown naked to some snowy mountain. I want to stay at his side. In whatever way possible. If I can be selfish, I want to connect Lute-kuns blood with the next generation in my belly. I want to bear his child. Seeking the strongest bonds over all relations, thats the instinct of a white wolf. Im surely going to love that child more than myself. Lute-kun what will you do when you become 10? I resolved myself and asked him about his plans after graduation. As I thought, youre going to Malton-sans place to run a toy store? No, thats not it. Lute-kun said that without wavering. I was thinking of going on a journey when I turn 10. Then If I can, I want to help people in trouble or in need of help. Why do you want to do that? Receiving an unexpected answer, I reflexively asked again. He hesitatedDthen opened his mouth to talk. Last year I helped Snow right? That time, I felt that helping others is something worth doing. If thats so, then Snow will go on a journey with Lute-kun! Snow will go to school when you turn 10, right? Then you will become a splendid magician and go to the north continent to look for your parents, that was your dream, right? If Im with Lute-kun, I can go to the north continent the way I am now. It doesnt matter if I dont enter a magic school, as long as I can be with my beloved Lute-kun. But hearing my remarks, Lute-kun made a very sad face. I would be happy to be together with Snow. But, Snow has talent to become a magician. I dont want to be with Snow so much as to eat away Snows talent. I dont want to become a burden for Snow. Lute-kun Its sad, but what he said was right. No matter how much I say I love him, I dont want to eat away at his talent, I dont want to be holding him back. Just staying together with him against his will, that wouldnt mean anything. I like him I love himDjust that feeling alone doesnt allow me to stay by his side. Of course I had to become stronger, at least so I dont become a burden. Because of that, I have no choice but to go to a magic school. But if I separate from Lute-kun just like that. Once again I was struck by fear. The fear of being separated from Lute-kun just as childhood friends, and not being able to meet him again. I dont want that! I want to always be with Lute-kun! I wiped my rising tears with my finger. I stopped my feet and released my hands, then turned around to face Lute-kun. Miraculously, that place is exactly where I was attacked by goblins, and where he saved me. I summoned my courage, and told him the feelings I always wanted to say. I clasped my hands on my chest, mustered courage and raised my voice. There is something Ive always wanted to tell Lute-kun. He probably had guessed, and faced me with a serious look. I mustered my courage with all my might, putting all my feelings as it is, and shouted. Snow Please make Snow into Lute-kuns sex slave! Huuuwwwwhhhaaaattttt!!!? C Volume 1 - CH 13 Lute, age 8. Snow Please make Snow into Lute-kuns sex slave! Idiot Snow made a most unexpected remark, I was dumbfounded. Holding back a painful expression, I pressed her for an answer. S, Snow, do you understand what sex slave means? Actually, where did you even learn that word? Of course I understand. Some of the merchants that I work making magic stones for also handle slaves, I heard that from them. Sex slaves will absolutely stay by their masters side. Because I want to always be by Lute-kuns side, I want to be a sex slave! Oi, merchant. What the hell are you teaching an 8 year old kid.. Does this world have no concept of decency or sexual harassment? As I cursed the merchant for teaching Snow strange things, I asked her. Im happy about Snows feelings, but were still 8 years old, special relationships like sex slaves are a bit. Arent there more ordinary choices, like lovers or married couples? Lovers married couples Snow frowned and hung her head, but immediately raised it back up and made a firm smile. Its fine, I already understood. Im not a suitable person for Lute-kun. But Ill be happy just staying by Lute-kuns side. So, so, dont worry about me! Sorry, I dont get what you mean. Why is Snow not a suitable person for me? Well, Lute-kun is a genius who can make a magic device more amazing than magic at 7 years old, right? From the beginning, I never thought of becoming lovers or couples with someone amazing like that. I can finally get a glimpse of Snows thoughts. Somehow the me in her mind is an unimaginably amazing person. Theres no way that kind of person will love her. But conflictingly, she wanted to stay by his side. Therefore she came to the conclusion to be a sex slave instead of lovers or spouses. Well, I was spoiled by Snows courtesy, since I didnt properly tell her my feelings. I ran away from telling her my feelings using excuses like, because shes an 8 year old kid or because she has choices. Its my own misunderstanding, but I was afraid of being dumped. Because of that, I even waited until she confesses to me. If its like that DD then I wont get hurt. I understand well the reason why the amount of years I spent without a girlfriend equals my age in my previous life. Even though I should have sworn to not run away from hardship ever again, but once I noticed, I had run from what was in front of me and took the easy path. In order to wipe away Snows uneasiness, I decided to summon courage from within. I put the small cask on the ground and opened the lid. I put my hands in the remaining magic liquid metal and raised the image. A pair of bracelets were made in my hands. The bracelets were merely black loops, without any decorations. Because I didnt have time, this was the limit of what I can do. I held the bracelets in hand, and once again faced Snow. Snow. Y, yes! Her eyes were rooted on the bracelets in my hand. There were legends about the 5 great heroes that saved this world. One of them is: the night before facing the demon king of the Fairy Human Continent together, the Human Hero gifted a bracelet to the Fairy Hero as his lover. The hero proposed to marry her once they defeated the demon king and returned. From then on, this world developed a custom of gifting the partner with a bracelet when marrying. Then, the act of wearing a bracelet had come to mean that one had a marriage partner or someone they plan to marry. Speaking in terms of my previous world, its a wedding ring. With the bracelets in hand, I proposed to Snow for marriage. Were still 8 years old, but, I like Snow, I love Snow. I dont want to give Snow to anyone. So will you marry me? Yyes. Me too I love Lute-kun very much. I love you. She made a smile, and from her large eyes, pearly drops of tears came falling down. I took Snows slender left arm and put the bracelet on. Snow, too, took my arm and put the bracelet on. Then with the setting sun as our witness, Snow and I exchanged our first kisses. Snow-chan and Lute-kun are getting married!? After dinner that night, we asked Elle-sensei for some time and reported our engagement. The two of us sat beside each other in the orphanage reception office, in front of Sensei. Snow was clinging on to my arm the whole time we were in the room. Her tail was wagging so much, I was worried that it might get torn off. Looking at the two of you, I felt that it would happen someday, but marrying at 8 years old. Elle-sensei was confused, she couldnt believe what had happened. There are no age limits on marriage in this world. But even so, getting married at 8 years old is very early. Of course, since were only 8 year old kids, this is not meant to be an official marriage. We still have no way of living together, too. So after all, these bracelets are just for our engagement. I intend to formally buy Snow a proper bracelet once she graduates magic school. At that time, we will be around 15, which is just about the right age. Its usual for nobles of this world to engage in political marriages. For that reason their children would wear simple bracelets on their left arms as proof of the engagement. Then at the time of marriage, it is exchanged for a new bracelet (a splendid one, inlaid with gems). Common people generally dont use engagement bracelets, they just simply finish with marriage bracelets. But if theyre reasonably affluent, there is a custom of seeing their children off with engagement bracelets. In my case, since there is magic liquid metal as material, I can use a pair of self-made ones. I see. Sensei is surprised, you see. I thought, 8 year olds couldnt possibly be getting married. . Though the bracelets Lute-kun made are good enough as wedding bracelets for me. Snow, Im happy you think that way, but these are things made on the spot, after all. Ill get you proper bracelets when we turn 15, so Id like you to wait until then. Un, okay. If its Lute-kun saying it, Ill listen and Ill wait however many years. Snow laughed nihera, seemingly happy from the bottom of her heart. Sensei smiled faintly and asked. Then once Lute-kun turns 10, do you intend to go together with Snow? There is a large city near the magic school. Sensei seems to think that I intend to live there waiting for Snow to graduate, while working. No, until she graduates I am going to go on a journey. Journey is it? Why is that again? I told Sensei the same reason I told Snow. Listening to my story, Sensei clasped her hands on her chest. You want to help people in need with your magic device, is it?. if so, how about becoming an adventurer through the Adventurers Guild and starting a Legion? Legion? Yes, do you know about adventurers? Adventurers are one of the jobs in this world. One can become an adventurer by registering with the Adventurers Guild. They cover a lot of jobsDlike monster extermination, bounty hunting, or ruin exploration. In other words, jacks of all trades. If you become an adventurer and fulfill the requirements, you can receive the rights to start a Legion from the Adventurers Guild. Among Legions, there are ones advertising specialties like Wont defeat anything but dragons, Wont accept members other than noble magicians higher than B rank, Only accepts female adventurers as members. Therefore if you become an adventurer and make a Legion and declare the objective of saving people in trouble, you can save more people compared to just going on a journey alone. If you make a name for yourself, people seeking assistance will directly come to you. After listening to Senseis explanation, I put my hand on my chin. Certainly, starting a Legion seems to have many benefits. By making, organizing, my own LegionDmy own army, and taking action, I can save lots of people. This world is a dangerous place, so rather than moving alone, mobilizing a number of people is a lot safer. Then, once Snow graduates from magic school, Ill have her enter the army, and we can be together forever. Developing stronger weapons, I can protect Snow. Un, making my own army is not a bad thing. If youre interested, Senseis twin younger sister work as an adventurer, I can write her a letter of introduction. Learning the basics of adventuring under her sounds good, no? So Sensei has a younger sister. I never knew. This is the first time I heard of it too. Shes not a magician, but shes a good girl, with a kind personality and full of adventurous spirit. She had a bit of a failure involving money when she was younger, butIm sure that she got over it when she grew up. In the old days, she used to take Sensei, who was always playing inside, along outside. Sensei delightedly talked about her sister. If its under Senseis younger sister, shell be my teacher for learning the ABCs of being an adventurer, I cant think of anything more with that personnel. I think Ill become an adventurer and start my own Legion. So would you please write your sister a letter of introduction? All right, then Ill hand it to you when Snow-chan goes to magic school. Snow and I bowed our heads and said thank you very much. Sensei changed the topic, and warned us with a red face. Congratulations on your engagement, but, you two are still 8. Your bodies still have a lot of growing to do, so never, ever, uh, err dont do that kind of thing. On that point, rather than Snow-chan its Lute-kun who should be careful. Y, yes, understood. Ill be careful. ? Only Snow tilted her head in puzzlement. Other than that, though you two are engaged, please keep it within bounds in front of the other kids. Just do things in moderation. Because its bad for their education. Understood. And another thingD Theres still more!? Of course. Listen well, Lute-kun. Since youre now engaged to Snow-chan, from now on please refrain from stealing glances at other kids breasts or bottoms. Polygamy is a common thing, but please dont do it so casually. I asked back with a serious expression. ..Not at all, Sensei. I dont understand what youre talking about at all. Its useless to try and trick me with that serious face. Lute-kuns ecchi eyes are already exposed. Particularly this year. I think he does it to me on purpose. Even if Lute-kun acts like a gentlemen on the surface, girls are especially sensitive to boys gazes. Please fix your ecchi personality just a little bit, okay. Elle-sensei scolded me, stretching one finger. Uooooooo! That cant be, my stealing glances were exposed!? I reflexively became perplexed. Then finally, Lute-kun, Snow-chan, the two of you, please be happy. Elle-sensei said her honest congratulations. We answered yes in unison. C Volume 1 - CH 14 Lute, age 9. The middle of summerDkids from the orphanage, townspeople and merchants coming and going, were gathered at the town entrance. We were seeing off Snow, who was going to magic school. Besides her, a young girl from town decided to go work in the town near the magic school. The two of them were hitching a ride on a merchants horse cart who was headed for that town. Of course, they paid a suitable compensation. Travelling to their destination town takes about 3 months by horse cart. Also, the magic school was located in the north of the Fairy Human Continent (the continent where the main inhabitants are Humans and Fairies. The orphanage is also in the Fairy Human Continent.) So there is a lot of snow piled up. The reason they set off in summer, is in order to arrive at the magic school before snow falls for real. Lute-kun, are you sure you wont come to the magician school with me? There is an Adventurers Guild at the town near the magic school, I will support us both by earning our living expenses. Support huh I dont want to be a dependent. While feeling shocked, I stroked Snows head that was buried in my chest. This year my body height had grown considerably, the difference to Snows had started to appear. Once I leave town and things calm down, Ill write you a letter, if I have leisure time Ill also come to see you. Snow should study to become a magician properly. . Ill write letters too, Ill make time and come visit. Absolutely. Yeah, lets look forward to that time. Let me sniff you for the last time, because after this I cant sniff you again for some time. Without my acknowledgement, Snow sniffed me in front of people. Because of company, I soon peeled her off me. Doing that in front of people is embarrassing, so stop it. Au, Lute-kun is mean. You can consider this an apology, but heres a present from me. From the bag I brought, I took out a handgun and holster for Snows exclusive use, and handed them over. Its smaller than Lute-kuns revolver? Its a S&W M10 revolver with a shorter 2-inch barrel, in a silver finish The holder the revolver hangs from is brown leather. It was a custom-made article, a shoulder holster that hangs from the shoulder, not the type that hangs from the waist. It was not well suited for quick draws, but in Snows case it was for her self-protection after all. Even when she can use attack magic, the gun is convenient because it doesnt require a spell, and can work in tight spaces. So for her self-defense, I chose the shoulder holster type that was better concealed. Also, recently Snows breasts had grown again. The highlight factor when big-breasted women use shoulder holsters is higher. So because of my own tastes I made that choice as a result. Even though the range and accuracy is lower because of the short barrel, its more convenient to carry, no? But in the end, its for self-protection so dont use it wildly. Regarding the range and accuracy, I thought there was no need to consider it since it wasnt intended for long-range sniping, but I warned her just in case. Also, for the cartridges, I handed over 2 wooden boxes each containing 50 rounds. For a total of 100 rounds. By the way, though I tried to have Snow make cartridges, she didnt succeed even once. Probably its impossible even for Elle-sensei. On top of not being able to imagine the powder, the cartridges thickness, length, balanceDnone of those can be skillfully made. It seems that magicians who only have the knowledge of this world cant make ammunition. Thanks, Lute-kun. Ill use it carefully. Dont catch a cold or get hurt. Also, dont do anything unreasonable. Snow unexpectedly would run swiftly without thinking of the consequences. That was the case during the goblin incident. She smiled faintly with tears in her eyes, saying I get it. Elle-sensei stood in front of Snow, replacing me. Snow has the talent of a magician no less than B-plus rank. However, absolutely dont be haughty and humbly make effort. Okay? Yes, understood. Lastly Snow-san, you are by no means alone. There is Lute-kun, theres also everyone at the orphanage, and also Sensei. So if life doesnt treat you well, dont overdo it, come back to this town. After all, this is Snow-sans hometown, and the orphanage is your home. Ye. hii, understood. Sensei, thank you very much. The tears that Snow resisted, flowed down because of Senseis words. Not minding her surroundings, she clung to Sensei and cried. Elle-sensei hugged her close like her actual mother. After Snow calmed down, Elle-sensei parted with her. Holding the wooden boxes and revolver in her hand, Snow got on the canopied horse cart. Her luggage had already been loaded. From the drivers seat, the merchant roused the horned horses. The two horned horses slowly started walking. Elle-sensei, everyone, thank you! Lute-kun, absolutely write me a letter! Come visit me! With tears flowing down, Snow earnestly waved her hand. Sensei and the orphanage kids, and also myself, kept waving our hands until the horse cart was out of sight. Early in the morning 3 days after I saw Snow off. A horned horse was tied down at the orphanage entrance. Two small casks were tied down, balanced on its back. Besides that some luggage hung there. Its not like you have to go out this early Because Im weak to showy things like that time with Snow. I approached the back of the horned horse I borrowed and fastened the last piece of luggage, which is the AK47. Above the usual clothes I wore a mantle I just bought. On the waist, a gunbelt. All cartridges were already placed in the cylinder. For self protection the revolver is enough. As for the horned horse, I planned to return it at the commercial city Tver, which was a 10-day trip away from town. There is more luggage than Snow`s. But to hire a covered wagon and a driver would be too much of a waste. Hence I borrowed a horned horse to go towards the commercial city Tver. If its a large city like Tver, theres bound to be a horse cart I can ride with. I need to pay an extra charge for the luggage and the trip will take an estimated 2 months The magic school Snow went to is in the north with much snow. On the other hand Im on the exact opposite , southDDI aim at a city near the beastmen continent where Elle-senseis twin younger sister lives. I will learn the ABC of Adventurers under her. And about 5 years after that. I plan to start a Legion for helping people and join with Snow when she graduates from the magic school. Elle-sensei holds one envelope out. Inside is a letter of introduction and the home address of my little sister, never lose it. Thank you! I will put it deep inside my sling bag. I took the bag down from my back, opened it and stored the envelope in it. Elle-sensei watches me and starts talking nostalgically. Ill be frank with you now. To be honest, at the beginning, I disliked Lute kun. eh please dont make such a shocking remark so suddenly. I was disliked by sensei? I finished putting the envelope away and rebuked. She waved her hand with a faint smile. No its not like that. Its not dislike, it was hard. After all just when you were 3 years old you quietly listened to classes, raised problems at the magic lessons next you made the reversi game where you earned a lot of money. Certainly, if I look back on it, I had acted a little too unchildlike because of having some memories of my past life. When I imagined what if my own child was someone like me, my shoulders became heavy. About this time I noticed how much trouble I caused Elle-sensei. But now I think I can be proud of Lute-kun. Being able to make a magic device that could defeat goblins, not being arrogant even when having earned a lot of money, and using that power for the world and for the people in the future, normally you wouldnt think like that. No, that sort of thing Its not something to praise to such extent. No, its truly amazing. Im rooting for your dream from the bottom of my heart Lute-kunDD And then Elle-sensei tightly embraced me like Snow. Just like a real mother. I said it also to Snow-san, Lute -kun is also not in the least alone. There is Snow-san, everyone from the orphanage and Elle-sensei. So if its too hard, please come back to this town. Because this town is Lute-kuns hometown, and the orphanage is your home. Thank you. Elle-sensei. This is the reason for refusing to be sent off by others, except Elle-sensei. My mental age is already over 30 years. However, this is because I had no confidence to endure that hot thing that filled my chest. Be it the previous world or this world, it is embarrassing to show tears in public. I separate my face from Elle-senseis chest and strongly wipe my eyes. Little birds are singing, the early morning air hits my face and in the surrounding floats light mist. The sun begins to rise and the sky is painted in a clear blue. About 9 years and a halfDI think its a good day to be the first time I go out of the town I was raised in. For a long time Ive received Elle-sensei`s favor. Greet my sister for me. Then, when you have settled down, turn up again. Breaking this contact is prohibited. Of course. Besides, once Snow and I have married, we will absolutely come and inform you. Although this is the beginning of a journey, its not like we will never meet again. So I call out to Elle-sensei cheerfully. Well then, Im on my way! Yes, take care. Take care of your health. Yes! I nod and start walking. I mount the horned horse, pull the rains and slowly go forward. When I looked back and waved my hand, Elle-sensei wiped her eyes with a finger and returned it with her best smile. Just like this, I, Lute, formerly Hotta Youta, took my first step to fulfill my dream alone, bathed in the morning sun. First volume end Equipment: S&W M10(revolver) : AK47(assault rifle) C Volume 2 - CH 15 Lute, age 10 Equipment : S&W M10 (Revolver) : AK-47 (Assault Rifle) 2 months after I left the Hod orphanage in the Algio region. I arrived at the maritime town Grey, where Elle-senseis younger sister Alle-san lives. This towns main business is in maritime trade, and is incomparably larger than the town where the orphanage was. Smack in the middle of town there is the elite residential area, the center of which is the place where the nobles that rule the city live, in the east is the harbor, south is the shops, north is the commoners residential area, and west is where the things related to adventurers are. I arrived in town in the evening, I also had lots of luggage. Looking for Alle-san in this state is certainly troublesome. I rented a room for 5 copper coins at an inn at the adventurers quarter in the west of town. When I get up tomorrow, Ill go to Alle-sans place. The room I rented was a simple room, it had louver windows, a lock on the door, a bed, a desk, and a chair. It was something like a business hotel in my previous life. There are cheaper inns, but because I had magic liquid metal (pricey stuff), I chose a place where I can tightly secure the doors. After I finished eating at the bar next to the inn, I quickly returned to the room to sleep. I put the self-defense revolver underneath the pillow and lied down. ..As I thought, underneath the pillow is no good. I was a coward by nature so I thought uselesslyDwhat if it accidentally fires. Even though I was tired there were no signs of me falling asleep. I gave up and took the revolver from underneath the pillow and laid it down on the table. Thanks to that I was able to fall asleep. In the end, I slept until almost noon the next day because of fatigue from the journey. Alle? Ah, that good-for-nothing beast girl? She used to live in this place. If its her, she was sold as a slave as collateral. Because her destination is the demon continent, shes not going to come back alive. I asked about Alle-san at the address written in Senseis letter. The place is actually a back alley. Maybe because the sun doesnt quite reach it, the place felt seriously wet. If wet laundry is left here for a week itll sprout mushrooms. At the roadside there is a drunk waving a beer bottle, a hobo muttering something while leaning on the wall. I can hear a man and womans angry shouting voices, continued by the sound of something falling violently. Then theres a group looking like the mafia from my previous world suspiciously looking my way. . Right now I feel like Im about to get kidnapped. Back alleys,slum quarters, brothelsDDthere was this smell of the underworld atmosphere here. As I found the targeted building I knocked on the door, a sexy human woman turned up who seemed to be sleepy as if she had finished a night shift. She weared a negligee and on top of that something like a thin cardigan. Because it is Elle-senseis little sister shouldnt she be from the beast tribe? When I harboured that question and asked, the previous answer came back. Shes famous around these parts. A problem child who goes drinking, gambling, and shopping usually, also causing trouble by getting into debts with her adventurer buddies. She gets into fights quickly, tough against the weak, and weak against the tough. Seriously, she was awful. Alle-san is such a girl, right? I understand drinking and gambling, but shopping.. She likes girls you know. Theres this one case where she played nice senpai to this new adventurer girl, got close to her, and when theyre in the middle of a quest she attacked her, then bragged about it in a bar. Being a girl and yet liking girls is. She cant borrow money from an adventurer so she got caught up in dangerous business. After all that gambling she went bankrupt. Being unable to pay back, she was transported to the demon continent as a slave. But that fellow claimed I have a sister who manages an orphanage! If I borrow the money from graduated children who send a large amount to the orphanage that debt will be immediately returned. Because if its my sister she will absolutely pay!. Demon Continentthe continent where its said that the Demon King who hadnt been defeated, even by the heroes of the 5 races, lives. Perhaps because of the influence of the Demon King, the quantity and quality of monsters there are much higher than the other continents. Its common knowledge in this world that if you go to the Demon Continent you wont return alive. Then, more importantly, the topic of Elle-senseis existence had come up in conversation. Eee, borrowing money from big sister, Alle-san said something like that!? Everybody knows the story about her sister spending everything she had to run an orphanage. She talks about her a lot when drunk. But of course, even those guys wont collect money from that godlike sister, in fact, they thought this trash shouldnt get close to her or her kids, so they made her a slave and sent her to the Demon Continent. Even those guys call Senseis little sister trash well, shes certainly trash if you believe the stories. There are people in this world that should not be allowed to live, that are better off dead. I dont know why youd want to see her, but you should be glad you didnt. Youre right, I was lucky. I came here because of Elle-senseis introduction, but I was glad I didnt really become her apprentice. If I did, I wouldve been squeezed dry with no future in sight. Youre one of the kids from her big sisters orphanage, right? If you are, then dont tell her any of this, okay. Even if shes trash, shes still her family. Dont even let her know she went to the Demon continent. The world has lots of things youre better off not knowing, anyway. Of course. In fact, Im going to write her a letter and say that her sister went on a journey far far away. Big sis likes kids who catch on quick. The woman smiled wryly and ruffled my hair. Needless to say, I enjoyed the sight of her breasts swaying underneath her nglige. Well then, what should I dothe plans have been greatly derailed. I went back to the main street, folding my arms. There was only the trading district in the main street and there were lots of fairies, beastmen, and humans. I could also see some from the dragon and demon races, though their numbers are overwhelmingly few (They had horns on their heads and bat wings so I thought they were demons). Moreover the stalls and market were teeming with people. The sight of kids holding pocket money, standing in line at the sweets stalls were charming. I should have become Elle-senseis sisters adventurer apprentice, but what to do I had three choices. 1. Chase after Snow, and become an adventurer at the town next to the magic school. 2. Go back to the orphanage. 3. Begin my adventuring in this town. Option 1 is ideal. As I thought, I want to be with the one I love. I did tell Snow Ill go see her once shes graduated, but it could be fate that things became like this, and theres also no use staying here with no one to rely on. But its tough on my mental state to set off again when Ive only just arrived. Compared to cars, trains, or airplanes, travelling in horse carts is really tiresome. For now Ill pick 3 I think. Ill try becoming an adventurer here, Ill go over to Snow when I feel like it. Luckily I had plenty of cash thanks to Reversi. If Im thrifty I had enough to live for a few years. Having decided that, I immediately went to the Adventurers Guild. Right now Im in the district where adventurers gather. If I walk a bit, I can see the Adventurers Guild building. The Adventurers Guild building is a 3-story wooden building. It is about the size of a gymnasium, and adventurer-looking people keep on going in and out of it. There were mainly Humans, Fairies (Elves or Dwarves), and Beastmen. Dragon and Demon races were few and far in between. Because this is a world where the Swords and Firearms Control law obviously doesnt exist, Beastmen with large swords hanging on their backs, Dwarves holding long spears, Magicians clad in robes, and full-armored human-seeming people were intently looking at the notices put up on a bulletin board. I pushed through the crowd and went inside. There was a counter, like in a bank or city hall, marked off at regular intervals. In the space between the marks, there are receptionists talking to adventurers. Welcome. What business do you have today? As I was restlessly looking around like a country bumpkin, a woman, wearing tribal outfit, a triangle bandana on her head, and a white apron wrapped around her waist, called out to me. All the girls working as staff for the Adventurers Guild were wearing the same costume. Seems like shes an information clerk. Id like to apply to be an adventurer. Then please fill in this blank form. Pardon me, but do you need help with reading or writing? Ill be fine. I can read and write. Well then, when the number on this token is called, please go over to the counter. The wooden token was branded with the number 33. The desks she showed to me was, simply put, six sets of two put face to face like in a bank or post officeDfor a total of 12 desks placed with equal spacing. For the sheet of paper, a quill and a inkwell were handed over to be used to fill in the necessary information. Name, age, birthplace, race, religious faith, rank in case you are a magician, previous job, normally used weapons, used language, used letters, and so on. The Adventurers Guild is not involved in any death, accidents or illness, furthermore there is a requirement to pay 1 silver coin as adventurer registration fee. I read it all without problems and wrote a It took about 10 minutes to fill it all in. Just then I was called. Waiting Guest number 33, this way please. The receptionist calls me. The receptionist seems to be from the demon race, with horns resembling sheep horns on her head and a pair of bat-like wings on her back. She is in her early 20. If it is compared to the former world, she looked like she would have graduated junior college and would be an employed office lady. The adventurers guild uniform suited her. I rushed with the paper in the hand in a quick pace over. The paper and the wooden plate with the 33 were shown to the counter and placed there. Please treat me well. Please leave it to us. Lute-kun is it? Are there any questions for todays adventurer registration? No. Firstly, though there are no age limits for membership in the Adventurers Guild, illness, injury, death, and any trouble encountered are the sole responsibility of the adventurers themselves, are you sure you still want to register as an adventurer? Although there is no age limit for registering as an adventurer I would say Im too young. If I look around there is no child around my age. Those Im nearest in age to are 15 years old. Its alright. No problems. So please continue with the procedure. Ok. Then the registration fee will be 1 silver coin. I fetch 1 silver coin from the leatherback, and place it on the wood saucer. Well then let me explain what it means becoming an adventurer. Adventurers are DD The receptionist begins the explanations. To summarize adventurers are jacks of all trades. Then, there are different fields of expertise, depending on the adventurer. Those who specialize in monster extermination Monster Hunters Those who specialize in ruins and dungeons Treasure Hunters Those who specialize in guard duty Guardians Those who specialize in fighting against magicians Magician Killers Those who specialize in fighting against people Mercenaries, Head Hunters Et cetera, et cetera. There are many kinds of specializations. All these are just examples, furthermore they are divided further into several specialities. Adventurers are, in a sense, a gathering of light-footed specialists (of course, there are adventurers who have several specialities). The rankings of adventurers are Level I Level II Level III Level IV Level V divided into 5 grades. Beginners are level I. The highest ones are level V. This is Lute-sans Adventurer Registration Tag. The number I denoted in the tag is your current adventurer level. This thin metal tag is a label showing the adventurers qualifications. It is about the size of a soldiers dog tag in my previous life. The name, adventurer level, magic ability, and religion are magically carved on it. I was also told about what Im not allowed to do regarding the tag. Tags are not to be used by anyone other than the tag holder. Tags are not to be lent out. Tags are not to be bought or sold. Tags are not to be falsified, and its contents are not to be modified. (There is a special prevention magic applied, in order to confirm the tag holders identity, forgery is made impossible.) In case the tag is stolen or misplaced, the Adventurers Guild is to be immediately notified in order to invalidate the tag. In case the tag needs to be reissued, an interview and a reissue fee (5 silver coins) will be required. In cases where the tag holder does not follow the above mentioned procedures, he will have his level demoted. At worst, guild membership will be terminated, and the tag holder will not be able to register again. Furthermore, if a tag is found during a quest, it is to be brought back to the guild for a reward. There are 5 ways to receive jobs. 1. Getting a job request by choosing from the posts on the bulletin boards. 2. Getting a job request by choosing upon consultation with a contact person. 3. Getting a job request directly from the client. 4. Getting a job request directly from the guild. 5. Other methods (like suddenly getting rolled up in a job request) Level I adventurers can not take jobs meant for level V. Higher level adventurers are also not allowed to take a level I adventurer along when undertaking level V quests. Level V quests pay quite a large sum as compensation, but those are mostly situations where their lives are at stake. The prohibition exists so that they wouldnt become a burden and because there are cases where, at worst, the precious level V talents meet their deaths. On the contrary, level V people can take on level I jobs without any problem. No penalties are imposed. But by unspoken agreement, such behavior is frowned upon, and so we recommend you do not do that unless its absolutely necessary. Absolutely necessary, huh how can it be absolutely necessary for a level V adventurer to take on a level I job? Requests from personal relations or so, maybe. I think its extremely rare for level I quests, but if its level III, there are people who take the job for all sorts of reasons like having free time. The levels are raised by the guild in order depending on your efficiency when handling quests. These evaluation criteria are always fair. There are no distinctions based on race whatsoever. I swear by the name of the Heroes of the 5 Races. After the heroes of the 5 races sealed the demon king, they let their pupils exterminate demons who were still rampant in the whole world. That was how the Adventurers Guild began. Because of that, the outlines of the heroes of the 5 races were branded on the Adventurers Guild signboard. Are there any points of the explanation that you dont understand? Its not that I dont understand, but I want to start a Legion in the future. Could you please tell me if there are any requirements to start a Legion. Yes, of course. The receptionist cheerfully responded to the statement about starting a legion, even though it was made by a beginner. Such a friendly woman. For a person like this to become a madonna at her workplace, becoming the object of admiration of adventurers, marrying, and then retiring, surely everyone would give their blessings, albeit begrudgingly. As I consider such things the receptionist explains the conditions to establish a legion. In order to establish a legion the founder needs a level 5 as sponsor and more than two level 4s signatures. In case a legion is raised, every year an amount of money due to proceeds is to be paid as a fixed sum of taxes to the adventurer union guild. Why does a tax needs to be paid? At that unexpected condition I ask spontaneously in return. In return for the taxes paid, you get preferential assignment of good quests or quests that you prefer, and also introductions to talented personnel that you may want. Indeed for that case it is a merit. Naturally in case the amount of taxes is swindled, additional taxes have to be paid or in the worst case, the rights of a legion will be revoked. Lastly it was declared that the troubles of the legion are of no concern to the adventurer union guild. Well then I will introduce the quests. Finally I have become an adventurer! According to the explanation In case of level 1 there are weeding, help moving, searching for lost pets, working as a tutor(this is slightly better paid)DD normally you will get 5 big copper ~ 1 silver coin. If I complete one I will be not troubled about meals and lodging for 1 day. Level 2 are monster extermination in the outskirtsDDnormally you will get 1 silver coin ~ 3 silver coins. For Level 3 its needed to go afar, there are high level monster exterminations, guarding wagons, etc. DD normally you will get 1 silver coin ~ 1 gold coin depending on negotiations. From here on depositing money occurs. It is a system intended to prevent taking on jobs without actually doing them. The money is refunded after the quest. Also this becomes beyond the work of an individual. On Level 4 jobs there are further discussions that are needed. The amount of pay is negotiable. Guarding important people, exterminating magicians with a bounty, etc. Level 5 are 1 stray dragon,1 giant etc. exterminations. Becoming a level IV or V is no longer based on assessment of the individual, but of the team. What is the difference between a team and a legion? Firstly, Legions have Legion names. Teams do not have names and point out the case there random adventurers without acquaintance gather temporarily. EN: ??? The merit of teams is that there is no particular restriction in numbers, no taxes, and so on. The downside is that it is hard for them to get assigned good quests that wouldnt go to the Legions, they also cant complain if their talented personnel get scouted. The plus side of Legions is that its easier to get good quests and being able to maintain a standard level of competence by way of enrollment tests. Also, they can establish terms for leaving the Legion and regulations, inflicting penalties if those are violated. If the violation is intolerable, the violator can at worst be banished from the Adventurers Guild. There are demerits that let you hesitate in many cases, taxes must be paid to the adventurers guild, once entered one cannot easily slip out after the enrollment and so on. For Lute-kun who is a Level 1, you can receive quests like tutoring, pet searching, shopping agent, store helper, assist in public work, medical plant gathering etc. How is it? Is there a quest where it is needed to fight against monsters? Although I dont say it, I want to find out how effective an modern weapon, the AK47, is against the monsters who live in the outskirts. In my situation I could fight, but bullets arent for free. To earn money is human nature. A beginner like Lute-san receives this sort of easy quest to get used to questing and to get proper practice. Getting excessively self-confident in this industry, one could lose his life. I recommend performing from here safely little by little. Of course I understand that. But I want to know to what degree my own strength works from here on. So are there level 1 monster extermination works? I look upwards with tear moist eyes. That posture is made with a childs body. If an ossan of 30 years where to mimic that he cant complain if hes struck down. haa okay. But please escape immediately when you think its dangerous. You have no more than one life. After worrying, the receptionist lady submits. After giving me a warning, a document sheet is taken out. Among the level 1, this job is very dangerous. Please exterminate 1 or more of the four legged demons called garugaru. The quests time frame is indefinitely. When I read the document the garugaru seem to be meat-eating demons who attack livestock and cultivated fields of humans outside the walls. Because of that the reward is 1 silver coin each. Regarding high level adventurers the garugaru isnt a big monster but it seems to take time and effort to bring it down. Additionally to that the reward is low so people with a high level dont get involved with it. As for low levels, especially level 1 adventurers, it is a formidable enemy who moves fast and is difficult to attack. Therefore it seems it has become a standard whether or not one can become a level 2 if you can defeat a garugaru or not. After defeating it, it is necessary to cut the tail from it as proof and bring it to the adventurer guild, whereupon it is converted. One tail is exchanged for 1 silver coin. They appeared along the south, west, north, gates and came out of the forest surrounding the fields. They attack the livestock and the cultivated fields there. Also, I was told that I need to bury or burn the carcasses of the monsters after defeating them. Because if I leave the carcasses as they are, other monsters will come to feed on it and multiply. The recommended way of dealing with them is by using magic potion. Using the magic potion recommended by the Adventurers Guild on the carcass, other monsters will be kept away from eating it by the odor it emits, that is disliked by monsters living around this area. Also, because the carcass decomposes, after three days not even bones will remain. The Adventurers guild support store is on your left hand side if you exit the guild. Its recommended to get the magic potion there. If you show the adventurer tag you get slightly cheaper prices compared to other miscellany stores. Well then, please let me take on this garugaru extermination quest. then, please let me see your tag. The receptionist wrote on the tag with a feather pen that seemed to be a magic device. When I look at the tag that was handed back to me, there was the job details of the quest written underneath the place where my personal info is. Well, please be careful then. Run away immediately if you judge that its impossible, okay. Thank you very much! Ill do my very best. Then I took on my first quest. C Volume 2 - CH 16 After accepting the quest in the adventurer guild, I entered the support tool shop on the left of the adventurer guild to buy the monster clearing potion. The size of the store is that of a convenience store. Alongside the walls are placed red, blue, yellow, purple, and so forth liquids in bottles, bundles of medicinal plants, various differently sized stones, etc. Each price tag had several numbers on it, among them there were stones that couldnt be seen yet had a high prize pasted on it. I looked at everything from start to end, then asked the lady sitting at the counter near the entrance about where the potion is. The lady smiled and took a bottle from the front shelf. It was a blue bottle about 250 ml big. I checked the price, it was 1 silver coin. Expensive!? Too expensive! Isnt this more expensive than magic liquid metal!? I was about to raise my voice, but held back. But the lady explained that only a small dose needs to be applied on carcasses. So this bottle wont run out so quickly. So I paid the price and bought the potion, and asked the tool shop lady where I might buy a knife. I have a gun so I wont be needing a sword, but I still need a knife. She told me that the weapons and armor shop in front was a Magicians guild support store. I said my thanks, then left the store and went into the weapons and armor shop. A knife is priced at 3 silver coins. I mentioned about using one to cut off the tails of defeated garugaru, and chose a somewhat thick knife. While Im there, I also bought a leather bag to put the tails in. This one is 6 large copper coins. Once Im back at the inn, I made my preparations. I put the S&W M10 revolver in my gun belt. Fully loaded. I loaded the AK-47 with a banana magazine, and confirmed that the specially-made leather sling is in place. I put two spare magazines in a specially-made magazine pouch on the left side of the gunbelt. I put two spare magazines, one on each side of my backpack. I also put in a box of ammunition for the revolver. Moreover, I equipped the knife I just bought on the back of my hip. With this I am fully armed. In addition, I put the leather bag, magic potion, a canteen made from magic liquid metal, and a sandwich (crunchy fried meat, tomato-like vegetable, and hard baked egg) in the backpack. I also took a 500 ml portion of magic liquid metal, just in case. The container is made from magic liquid metal. I carefully sealed it and put it down. I bundled the monster clearing potion with cloth and put it on top so it doesnt break. I put the backpack on, slung the AK-47 on my shoulder, and left the inn. Well then, I think I should try going out by the west gate and walking around the forest. I left the west ward, where adventurer-related buildings are, and went out the gate. I showed my tag to the gatekeeper and was immediately allowed to go outside. Like that, I walked and left the fields and ranches, then followed the forests edge. After about 30 minutes of walking. 100 m ahead, some 4-legged creatures came out from the forest. Three of them. They had triangular fox-like ears, pointed fangs, and agile-looking thin bodies, their tails spread out like bamboo brooms, and quite a volume of fur. They look just like stray dogs. So these are garugaru, huh. In the world of my previous life, the father of combat karate, Ooyama Masutatsu, said Once a human holds a sword, they finally became equal to cats Certainly, a beginner would find it to be a hard fight using swords or spears against monsters showing such hostility . Oooooooooooooooo!!! The three garugaru took me for prey and ran while howling. For monsters, a childs meat is a feast. I wasnt even holding a sword, and was lazily walking alone, to them I must look like a duck carrying an onion. But I took the AK-47 down from my shoulder without panicking. I released the safety switch. I set it to full-auto. I pulled the cocking handle, and a bullet entered the firing chamber. I raised my physical abilities with body strengthening. I faced the enemy with a kneeling shot pose, my right knee on the ground, and my left foot on tiptoes. I had the stock on my shoulder. I turned the muzzle towards the garugaru. Of course, the garugaru know nothing of assault rifles. So even with the muzzle pointed at them they did not run, and ran straight towards their prey. In order to bring all three of them down, I drew them in so they dont run away. Only a 30 m distance remained. I took a breathDI held it so it doesnt interfere with my shooting. I pressed the trigger. BANG! BABABABABANG! The rhythmic sound of firing. The three garugaru lining up side-to side shot by 7.62mm Russian Shots in the heads and shoulders instantly died and fell down. The battle ended in less than 10 seconds. I went closer, keeping my body strengthening just in case. I poked them with my foot, but there was no reaction. They are certainly dead. That went quicker than I thought Its thanks to the AK-47. In fact, its way overkill for enemies of this level. I re-enabled the safety on the AK-47 for now, and slung it back on my shoulder. I pulled out the knife from my waist and removed all the tails. Taking out the leather bag from the backpack, I put the tails in and tied up the opening. I sprinkled several drops of the potion I bought at the tool shop on the garugaru carcasses. I tried smelling it, but to my nose it doesnt really have a smell. Maybe its not at a level that can be detected by humans. I packed the potion and the leather bag full of tails back in my backpack. Because I put the severed ends on the bottom, the tips of the tails pop out of my backpack. The fur touches the back of my head. It felt surprisingly good to the touch. Doesnt seem like its going to hinder my battles, too. That was amazing just now. You took down a number of those carnivorous garugaru in an instant. !? A voice called out to me from the forest, I immediately pointed my AK-47 there. Wa, wait a minute! Please wait! Were adventurers! A man held both his hands up, showing me that he was unarmed. Additionally, behind that man, two peopleone man and one woman came out. They didnt seem to be hostile. The man standing at the back had a disappointed expression, but that might just be how his face originally looks. Sorry, sorry for startling you. We hid ourselves and came closer because we heard the garugaru howling. We didnt mean to surprise you. The blonde-haired cat-eared popular-looking man that spoke the first time lightly said his apologies. Its easy to see from the cat ears that hes from the beast race. Two short swords were equipped at his waist. Nah, Im sorry too. I inadvertently pointed my assault riflemy magic device. Youre an adventurer right? Ive never seen your face though, are you a newbie? Ye, yes. I just registered today. The woman standing behind peeked at my face with great interest. Her silver hair was cut short, her chest was covered with leather armor but her navel was left exposed. She had brown skin. She was wearing a pair of low-rise trousers. She was holding a bow, and was carrying arrows on her back. Her golden eyes had vertical pupils. She looked like she was human, but it seems she was of the demon race. Uwaa! Really, a newbie!? Yet you insta-killed these garugaru. We met a guy who easily surpass us again. And hes still a kid, too. What a huge shock, Akent! Being an adventurer has nothing to do with age. Ahahaha, thats certainly true! The man standing at the back rejected the blonde beastmans words. The man called Akent had short-cut hair, a muscular body, and also an 180cm tall stature. The deep cuts carved on his face were silent proof of his experience. His weapon was a crude longsword that he carries on his back. From the looks of him, he seems to be a human like me. He turned his back and returned towards the forest again. Oy! Where are you going! getting back to the job. Im sorry, Akent is not good with people. Its not that hes angry at you or anything. Well, sorry for interrupting you. Good luck on your quest. No, I dont mind. You guys do your best too. Wait, you two dont leave me behind! Cat-ears went after Akent, the brown-skinned oneesan followed up with a wink and went after them. I bowed my head like a newbie adventurer toward these senpais. It seems that normally several people would handle a single quest just like them. Since Ill soon be going to the town near the magic school where Snow is, Ill soon be able to go on quests together with her. Though its only when shes not busy. But in her case, if I called her out shed skip class and go with me anyway Other than that, I was worried that shed be easily tricked by other people as her idiot kid transformation went on. This world is a dangerous place, so it wont be good unless I tell her to be careful. Well, never mind about things past. Whatever happens Im going to be gathering experience as long as Im here Though something unexpected happened, my first fight went with no problem at all. If the monsters are at this level, I can bring them down easily. Well, then I should keep on exterminating monsters before the sun sets. Putting the AK-47 back, I once again continued walking. After that, I continued walking along the forest. I had good luck, and encountered groups of 4-5 garugaru one after the other. Of course, I drew them in until the last moment and annihilated them. Once I had 30 tails, I went back towards town. I arrived back in town before the sun had completely set. Bathed in the evening sun, I stopped by at an Adventurers Guild Exchange Center under the west gate. The area around the exchange center was packed in the afternoon, it felt just like a marketplace. Large quantities of scales put inside wooden boxes, rainbow-colored mushrooms, huge horns that felt like steeland so on, was lined up in large amounts. The monster parts being exchanged can be turned into fine items. For that reason even merchants had gathered, brimming with energy. Because I was small in size, I can get to the counter without a problem. I called out to the old man at the counter. Scuse me, Id like to have garugaru tails assessed. The amount is 31 tails. Hou!? 31 tails is it? All by yourself? Yes, I got lucky and met several groups one after the other. I handed over the leather bag carrying the garugaru tails to the middle-aged human man minding the counter. The man continued, Please show me your adventurer tag why? I have to temporarily record your transaction information on the tag. If you confirm that information at the Adventurers Guild, it will be used to grade you for a level increase. I see, I see. I said my thanks and took out the tag hanging from my neck. The man took out the tails from the bag and counted. He confirmed the number twice, and put 31 tails 1 silver coin = 3 gold coins + 1 silver coin. Then, he recorded the information on the tag with a magic feather pen. Then I confirmed the amount of money and put it in my leather wallet, then received back my tag. Speaking of which, what kind of item are these tails going to become? Garugaru tails are flexible and strong, if I had to explain, there are lots of things it can be used for. Also, it can become high-class dusters. The length of these tails, the softness of the fur, the size, either way it would be fine, right? Now that you mention it, it can certainly be used as dusters. Though I dont think common people will get their hands on one, since he said it was a high class item and therefore expensive. I left the Adventurers Guild Exchange Center and went back to the inn, I temporarily put all my stuff aside and had a meal at the bar next door. Then, I quickly slipped into bed. I was tired after my first quest. I can make my report at the Adventurers Guild tomorrow, right. I closed my eyes, and fell into a deep sleep immediately. C Volume 2 - CH 17 The faint morning sun spilled in from the louver windows and roused my eyes, I woke up. Uu It was a bother to get up by myself, when I was in the orphanage somebody would come wake me up. I took off my thin clothes, and changed them for clothes to go outside. I wore the gunbelt that was lying on top of the table around my waist. Taking the S&W M10 in hand, I popped the cylinder out. I confirmed that it was fully loaded. I also hung the adventurer tag left alongside it on my neck, and put on Snows engagement bracelet on my left arm. I told the old man in charge of the inn that I will be staying for another day, and paid him 5 large copper coins. The bar next door was of course still closed, so I once again bought a sandwich from a cart on the way. Todays sandwich was made of barley bread, with a cut of salmon-like fish and onion-like vegetables inside. It cost me 3 copper coins. I ate while walking in bad manners, and went towards the Adventurers Guild. I arrived just as I had finished eating. Despite being so early in the morning, there are already a large number of people gathered at the Adventurers Guild. As I went inside, I was handed a wooden token from the information desk. The number was 12. I was definitely earlier than yesterday. It had not even been 10 minutes, the number 12 was called. The person in charge was the kind demon race oneesan from yesterday. Good morning, Lute-san. What will your business be today? I finished yesterdays quest, and came here today looking for a new one. Already? Then, let me see your tag please. I handed the tag hanging on my neck to the oneesan. The oneesan received the tag, and confirmed it saying, Ill be taking care of it. Umm, certainly yesterdays quest is you exterminated 1 garugaru more fuee!? She made a sound much unlike a receptionist oneesan. She seems to be surprised with my results. She got strange looks from the other adventurers and coworkers, but remained in confusion without noticing them. Y, you hunted 31 all in one day yesterday!? Thats too amazing! Is it really that amazing? I wanted to raise my level as fast as possible, but I dont know how far garugaru hunting will go towards raising my adventurer level. Because of that I did my best and kept on hunting, but is it that surprising? Of course it is! Listen here, in this Adventurers Guild, the record for the number of garugaru hunted in one day is 10. And at the time, the person was a B+ ranked magician. Well that would certainly be surprising. A child thats not even a magician hunting 31 garugaru. Oneesan continued her talk. The monsters are also not dumb, they would run away if they sense magic power. So even magicians cant hunt this much. So that might be why I could hunt that many monsters. Because the garugaru did not sense magic power, and was faced with a weapon they didnt know of. The oneesan narrowed her eyes in doubt. Did you have someone to help you by any chance? No way, I did it by myself. It was because I had a good weapon. Yeah, youre right. If there is a helper with this kind of hunting ability, theyd have more to gain by hunting on their own Having agreed, oneesan edited the tag using the magic feather pen. In that case I once again congratulate you. With this quest, Lute-sans adventurer level has increased to level II Ooh, it got raised so quickly! It looks like the Adventurers Guild made fair evaluations based on results, even if the adventurer was a child. Will you be taking a level II quest today? Yes. Please make it a monster extermination quest like before. Monster subjugation, is it. Now that youre a level II, you can take quests going inside forests and quests for dealing with stronger monsters. The ordinary subjugation quests posted on the board pay about 1-3 silver coins per monster. She then listed the payments for eliminating each of the subjugation target monsters. Garugaru, 1 silver coin. Goblins, 1 silver coin. Giant spider, 2 silver coins. Man-eating lizard-snakes, 2 silver coins. Orcs, 3 silver coins. These seem to be the general outline of the monsters living in the forests on the outskirts of the maritime town Grey. I have defeated GaruGarus yesterday. And a long time ago I defeated goblins at the age of 8. The great spider is a spider that is about 6 times larger than a common spider and attacks living things in the forest as a group. The man eating lizard-snakes are poisonous, the poisoned prey will be unable to move and eaten by the big snake. Orcs are 2~3m big demons with low intelligence but with strength and theyre resilient. All of them are fairly strong but probably no enemy for the AK47. It seems, at level 2 there are no high grade demons yet. It seems the only one among them i need to be careful about is the poison of the man-eating lizard-snake. But at the tool shop an antidote fruit to that poison is sold and when eaten it immediately neutralizes it. Once I get outside the Adventurers Guild it wont be a problem to buy some. If its as easy as this, I will be able to do level 2 quests as well. If I have the modern weapons S&W M10 and AK47, suppression-like quests dont seem difficult. Its an easy victory even if there is no particular adventurer teacher. Alright, I will keep going till Im level 5 and surprise Snow. DDbecause I easily rose to level 2 I got extremely carried away. At this time, I didnt know that there is a trap that would warp my fate on a grand scale. Are you alone Lute-kun? In case you enter the forest for the first time I recommend to buy a map in the adventurer supported shop. A map? Its for not getting lost in the forest. Unless you are together with a skilled adventurer, its safer to carry one. The price is 3 silver coins. For an instant, I thought 3 silver coins are expensive for a map. But in this world there is no printing technique, everything is handwritten. It is a consenting price, if I think about it. However, even if I have the AK47, its dangerous to get lost inside the forest. I may run out of ammoThe bullets may be used up and there are concerns about food. I will buy it according to the advice. Then since you have become level 2 please return after exterminating at least 2 or more carnivorous garugaru. The quests time frame is indefinitely. I received the tag where the level 2 quest was carved into the back and recalled something in my mind. I tell my thanks the reception lady and leave the adventurer guild. Without delay I will buy the map and antidote fruit, then head towards the adventurer guild supported tool shop. C Volume 2 - CH 18 After undertaking the level 2 quest I leave the adventurer guild. Promptly, I go left towards the adventurer-guild-supported-tool-shop to buy the map and the antidote fruit. As I was about to enter the tool shop I was greeted from behind. You, wait just a minute for me. Can we talk for a moment? ? When I looked behind me, there stood a boy about as tall as me, carrying a backpack. Pickaxe, lanterns, sleeping bags, and bottles hung from the side of the backpack that he was carrying. Nice to meet you, my name is Raachi, of the Dwarf Race. I am a rootless merchant travelling from town to town without stopping at inns. Dwarf Race. One of the fairy races that live in the interior of the Fairy Human Continents west side. Even when full grown, their size is only about that of a human child. Even this Raachi guy only looks like a human child at first glance. If you look closely, he doesnt have a childs charm, but had the air of a little villain in some way. Speaking in terms of my previous life, he is like a certain ghost mouse youngster. Thank you for the courtesy. I am Lute, a human. Lute-bocchan is it? Nice name! Since you were going to enter a miscellany store, that means youre looking for something, right? This might be some kind of fate, if you will. Would you like to look at my goods? I see, a high-pressure salesman. I shouldnt be dealing with the likes of these. I am a Japanese person that can say No!, if only in spirit! I was going to buy them at the Guild support store so Ill have to refuse. Dont say that! Just take a look! Just a look! Even if you say that, you intend to make me buy. Im not going to fall for that trick! Really, I just want you to look! Also, my goods are cheaper than those at other tool shops! So just take a look for a little while! He caught my hand and persisted. But if his stuff is really that cheap, I might even buy something. well then, I guess Ill just take a look. Yes yes, thank you very much! Then, what might you be looking for? Antidote fruits and a map of the surrounding forest. I see! Then I can offer you something cheap! Antidote fruits are 1 large copper coin at miscellany shops, but Ill give it to you for 5 coppers! The map is 3 silvers but Ill sell you for 1 silver! Theyre certainly cheap. Furthermore, the price of the map is just like the oneesan at the counter said earlier, strangely, this guy doesnt lie. If its like this, then I wonder if I should buy something. Youll really sell them for 5 coppers and 1 silver? Really, I will. There are nasty fellas whod sell half a map for 1 silver, then make you buy the other half for 3 silvers, but Im not one to do something like that. You can check the goods before you buy, if you want. Raachi declared, puffing his chest. If he says that much, he might just be telling the truth. Got it. Then, antidote fruits and a map, please. Thanks for the purchase! Raachi puts his backpack down and rummaged in it while humming. Meanwhile, I prepared the money from my wallet. One silver coin, and 5 copper coins. ah, I only have large copper coins, do you have change? Of course. Im not about to make a blunder like that. Dont cheat me on the change, okay. Really, trust me. I wont do that kind of underhanded scheme. Of course, I was joking about the change. Raachi seems to understand, and replied rather theatrically. Oi. A large hand gripped Raachis head. The one holding Raachis head was one of the three adventurers I met at the forest yesterday while I was in the middle of a questDthe man called Akent. Behind Akent, the golden-haired popular-looking cat-eared man and the silver-haired demon-race girl were waving their hands at me while smiling. Raachi looked up at Akent and forced a smile, turning blue in the face. W, well hello there. Ee my luck today is Get lost. E, excuse me! Raachi picked his backpack back up without closing it and ran towards the crowd in panic. Soon, his figure could no longer be seen. *girori*, Akent sent a piercing glance at me. He scolded me with a menacingly low voice. That guy is well-known around here for being a two-bit peddler. He sells trashy tools and maps. I, is that so? Hes a little scoundrel who makes money tricking kids who dont know how the world works, like you. Thank you very much. You saved me there. I gave Akent a polite bow, but his crusty face didnt change at all. For adventurers, our tools are directly related to our lives. While youre a beginner you should buy things at stores with Adventurers Guild marks. Leave the roadside peddlers to your seniors. Beginner kids like you shouldnt do that, even by accident. Im sorry He gave a speech in a disinterested low voice. I hung my head in shame and said my apologies. Stop the halfhearted sermon right there. Doesnt he look completely scared? Didnt he start becoming an adventurer just yesterday? And isnt he still a kid? Getting so mad would have the opposite effect. The demon-race girl stopped Akents speech. Sorry, even though this guy is unsociable he likes children. He just cant leave a little kid like you alone. The cat-eared ikemen followed up in a cheerful tone. Akent turned away in silence, seems like what Cat-ears said is true. Somehow his face turned red. But well, its good that you didnt get tricked. I am Alcedo, of the cat-eared race. I am a level II adventurer. Nice to meet you. Lute-kun of the human race. Level II adventurer. Truly, thank you very much for saving me. I shook hands with the ikemen cat-ears Alcedo, who had presented his hand. It seems that adventurers mention their levels when introducing themselves. Im Misha, of the demon race. Adventurer level is II. But, I think maps wouldnt be a problem for someone as strong as Lute-kun. I also shook hands with the short silver-haired brown-skinned Misha. Then that unsociable one over there is our team leader, Akent. A human just like Lute. Adventurer level is III. Hey, introduce yourself. m Akent. His 2 companions made a shocked face at that unsociable greeting. I gave my thanks to them once again. Thank you very much for saving me from getting tricked. Its fine already. Adventurers are all about give-and-take, see. Alcedo laughed cheerfully. By the way, since you said you needed antidote fruits and a map of the forest, were you going to go into the Grey forest? Yes, I had received a level II quest just a while ago. Then, would you like to go on the quest together? With everyone? Misha explained with an amiable smile. Truthfully, we also received a level II quest yesterday, but the target Orc was nowhere to be found. We even went deep inside the forest, but had no luck whatsoever but it was no use. So, we were talking about going to a far away place where orcs are bound to exist, even if it would take a day to get there. Misha bent her body down from the waist and looked at my face. So, if its alright with Lute-kun, how about going with us? Im uneasy with being the only long-range attack capability. We saw Lute-kuns true strength yesterday, it would be reassuring if you could come with us. The valley between her breasts flitters in front of my eyes. Her healthy brown skin. Burying my head between those silky smooth breasts would feel good, like going to heaven. (Nonono! I already have a fiancee called Snow! Dont get confused!) Temptation attack aside, its a charming proposal if you really think about it. I am still a beginner myself. There are many advantages of joining their experienced team. Alcedo supports Mishas invitation. Its not really a strictly regulated thing like a Legion, just a temporary team, you dont have to think too hard about it. Its okay to leave in the middle if you dont like it. If you join up, well teach you the way to make camp, the lay of the land, and the necessary techniques and knowledge for being an adventurer. Uhh Why do you have to go so far? Toward my obvious question, Misha and Alcedo looked at each other, their expressions changed. Alcedo replied with an over-the-top answer. We saw Lutes power yesterday, we want to pick you up before other teams or Legions could get to you. I see, so in other words, a prior investment, huh. AlsoDMisha added her own reasons. When we were beginners we also had some seniors take care of us, they taught us the basics of adventuring. If Lute-kun feels indebted to us, you can take another beginner under your wing when you grow up. If you put it that way, how can I refuse. I let down my guard and bowed my head. Please let me be in a team with you all. I might be causing you some trouble since I just became an adventurer, but please take care of me. Yahoo! Now youre talking! Well split up the rewards according to what each of us defeated so we wont come to a disagreement. It seems that the preparation of things needed for camp will be left to Akent and the others. They said that I only needed to buy the antidote fruits and map for today. How nice of them. So well meet up again after lunch at the west gate. Understood. See you then. See you later, Lute-kun. I bowed my head at the three who were slipping into the crowd, and once again went into the Adventurers Guild support miscellany shop. Then I bought a map (3 silver coins). And 5 antidote fruits (5 large copper coins). I got out of the shop and went straight back to the inn. I started packing the provisions for my new expedition in my room. AK-47. 6 magazines. S&W M10 revolver. 1 box of bullets. Map, 5 antidote fruits, spare magic liquid metal (1 liter portion), leather bag for monster parts, a change of clothes, thin blanket, raincoat, potion. I also bought a travel cloak when I got to maritime city Grey. With this much preparation I can throw down 100 monsters with room to spare. After finishing all the preparations, I went to the bar next door with the canteen in hand. I finished my lunch, paid the old man at the bar and asked him to fill my canteen with water. Now all the preparation is complete. Just in case, I paid the old man at the inn 3 days worth of inn fees in advance. I walked out toward the west gate with my pack on my back. The trio was already at the gate. Sorry, I was late. No no, we also just got here. We actually came here a bit early, so dont worry about it. Oi, enough talking, lets get going. Alcedo and Misha followed up in succession. But Akent just walked away on his own, blunt as ever. Good grief, he really cant be honest.. Sorry, that guy, hes always like that. Though he really isnt a bad guy. The two was surprised and covered for Akent. I get it already, Im all right. He already saved me once. If I just imagine hes a tsundere bishoujo in my head, this kind of interaction is no problem! I took on a level II quest together with my newly-met companions. C Volume 2 - CH 19 I started becoming an adventurer, and thanks to the AK-47, immediately got to level II. Then I met some nice seniors and went to challenge a quest together. I guess I was lucky. I wonder if this is because of my good behavior. No, maybe my natural charm? Weeell there was a time when I thought like that. Th, the hell is thiiiiiiiiiiss!!! I woke up to find my limbs being tied together. H, how did it get to this point? I was sure I met up with Akent (a quiet human man) and the other 2, then went out the west gate and moved along the forest together. We encountered garugaru several times along the way, but as soon as they saw our numbers and equipment they turned away. Being in a group of 4 sure makes you feel safe, or so I recalled. Without encountering any particular danger, before the sun went down we set out to make camp. Akent and the others skilfully dug the earth and made wooden supports for pots with the branches they used for digging. Then they planted stakes with boxes attached on the ground in all directions as if to surround the camp. The boxes were magic devices to let us know when invaders were to enter the space they surrounded. It seems to be an essential item for adventurers. Thus the camp preparations finished and we ate dinner prepared by Misha (the brown-skinned demon race woman). Barley bread and red soup. Barley bread is half the price of wheat bread. They were hard and not very tasty, but they become softer when put into soup, so its recommended to eat them that way. I did as they said, breaking the barley bread into small pieces, putting them in the soup, and ate them. Despite its red appearance, the soup was creamy and sweet like stew. I didnt know what meat she used, but the stock was used well and it was deliciousI do not remember anything afterwards. Then when I opened my eyes I had been stripped of my cloak and shoes, my limbs had been tied and I was rolled down on the ground. Judging from the wood that was burning, we hadnt moved from that place. It looks like you woke up. Alcedo (the cat-eared blonde-haired beastman) approached me wearing a frivolous smile. He was holding the AK-47 in his hands. Akent and Misha followed behind him. They were each holding the S&W M10, a banana magazine, and 9mm bullets. Alcedo continued his talk, smiling frivolously. Well, Lutes magic device is really something, huh. Bringing down garugaru and goblins so easily like that. But still, you were too hilarious. Going bang bang bang like a kid. What are you, an idiot? Thats all right, wasnt it? It was fun after all. Aint it. The 2 men let out a vulgar laugh, kyahahahaha. I know this feeling all too well. It was just like the feeling of the three dumbasses during the days when I was bullied. While being aware of fear welling up from deep within, I asked the three who seemed to have changed characters. D, dont touch peoples magic devices without permission. Thats thoughtless! Ha? You still dont understand where you stand? Akent crouched down, looking at me who was rolled down on the ground. We dosed up your food and bound you up with rope. Rather, we tricked you, get it already. !? I kind of expected this, but. We are all former adventurers. Were a group of people who broke the guild rules and got banished. We dress ourselves as adventurers like this, and prey on dumb beginners like you. Then yesterday we saw your magic devices power. All we did was see but it was so awesome, we thought it would make us quite a bit of money. We could get our hands on it safely, oneesan is happy. But still, we didnt think that you would believe us and eat the food so easily. Right? So we made lots of traps to catch you in, and yet, all those were for nothing. I would have never thought that simply the first sleeping pill would work. On the contrary I thought it was some kind of trap. Alcedo breathed a sigh, his cat-ears twitching. Then Akent continued. Normally you wouldnt take an offer of food from someone you just met, since you dont know what kind of person they are. Generally when you join a team, first you check the adventurer tag, and see if their level is really what they claim. Thats common sense. Just what kind of country bumpkin are you, to not know something like that. In Hoad town, where the orphanage was, adventurers rarely ever came. In the first place, I almost never had any business to go to town, and immersed myself in experimenting and making my guns, so I dont have any knowledge of that. Of course, now that it had come up, I never even once confirmed or even saw their adventurer tags. Why didnt I realize it, I wonder. I was supposed to understand that this world is a dangerous place. I had told Snow to be careful since she was easy to trick, as if it was other peoples problems. Thanks to that, it became like this. This was because I came to this town and wasnt able to become Elle-senseis sisters student. If its like this, I should have immediately left town and chased after Snow. Then, was that dwarf one of your comrades!? That guy, we employed him. Paid him as bait to make us look reliable. It was hard to suppress our laughter when you look at us like we were good guys after being helped. Misha laughed happily, being reminded of that. Kuu I clenched my teeth in regret, until my molars seem like they would break. Now what, what do you intend to do with me? Kill me? Were going to sell you at the Demon Continent. Human children fetch a high price on the Demon Continent. We can get quite some money out of you. Akent says, the ones being sold to the Demon Continent were mostly adult men who had fallen into debt or went bankrupt. They were used as miners to get coal, gems, magic stones, iron ore, gold, silver, or copper. Its like being in a tuna fishing boat in Japan in my previous life. They mostly meet with accidents there and lose their lives. There were very few people who could save money and buy themselves back. If they sweep up children from villages or towns there is a high chance of being tracked since there were so many witnesses. For child adventurers, however, if they went missing everyone would think they got eaten by monsters because of not enough experience. Lute is going to be a boy toy in the beginning, then once you grow up youll be sent to the coal minesso they declared. If its you, we can sell you for 100 gold coins? Misha admired me, looking happy. Im not happy at all! (Gimme a break! Im still a virgin and you want me to surrender my ass!?) I judged escape was my first priority. So I immediately concentrated magic power in my hands and legs. Its unfortunate about the AK-47 and M10, but going against three armed adventurers was too much for me. I thought, once I could cut this rope, Id concentrate on running away. DDBut that hope was immediately dashed. I could not control my magic power. Its no use. As long as youre wearing that choker that prevents magic, you cant use magic power. Akent coldly further said. Even adventurers without magic talent would try to use body strengthening for a moment once or twice. Thats why its obvious that wed come up with countermeasures like that. Weve been hunting people for so many years, ysee. Goddammit! Theres nothing I could do. I was receiving my just desserts for getting cocky and saying being an adventurer is easy. I never thought of any methods to get out of crises like this. Were going to sell off all of Lutes things, so will you teach us everything about these magic devices? Alcedo waved the AK-47 in his hands. I glared in defiance with all my might. Hey, hey, hurry up and tell us. If we dont know how to use it, itll only sell for cheap. Who would tell you something if he knows youre gonna sell him. Haa? You still dont know where you stand, do you? Alcedo narrowed his cat eyes. He stretched his hand towards my tied-up finger. Eh? *crDDack* DDDDDDDD Without any hesitation, he broke my thumb. Dont get carried away you damn brat. You got too spoiled because we went easy on you. AAAAAAH! He broke my index finger next. Again, I sensed cat-ears hand reaching toward my middle finger. Im sorry! Im sorry! Ill tell, so forgive me! My face that had been glaring up until now was saying sorry while covered in tears and mucus. You went too far, Alcedo. Were gonna sell him after this, what if he gets injured. Hell be fine. If its just this kind of injury, hell be back to normal once he gets healed by a magician at the slave trader. In fact, should I break his legs too so he doesnt run away? Im sorry! Im sorry! Please stop! Tch, so noisy. Shut up. You only got some fingerbones broken. This is why brats are. If you understand, quietly listen to what we say. Being tchd at by Akent, I kept my mouth shut and silently nodded. Alcedo asked the question once again. Tell us how to use these magic devices. Misha, take notes. Got it. Wait a bit. If you lie. you know what happens, right? With tears in my eyes, I nodded several times. Once Misha was ready with the memo, I explained the use of the AK-47 and M10. DD aha its that kind of thing. I answered everything Alcedo asked while bearing the pain in my fingers. So well sell the AK-47 and M10, but what about this? What Akent held in hand was Snows engagement bracelet. Its not like its got gems in it, might be made of magic liquid metal. Nothing more than trash. Just throw it away? Right. Akent nonchalantly threw the engagement bracelet into the fire that was still burning. (Goddammit! Goddammit! Goddammit! Ill kill you! Ill definitely survive and kill you!) With my insides boiling hotter than magma, I carved their three faces into my brain. Ill definitely come back and kill you, I vowed. We should break the tag and bury it somewhere here. We cant cash it in at the guild anyways. Alcedo took one of the two knives at his waist and struck the tag on top of a rock with the handle until it broke. Akent smiled lightly and raised his heel. Well then, go sleep until we sell you to the slave merchant. Or rather, go sleep until you become those perverts toy. He drove his heel to the pit of my stomach. Then I lost consciousness. Like this, I was sold to the Demon Continent as a slave. Volume 2 end. C Volume 3 - CH 20 Authors Note After reading 19 chapters of Gun-ota there are some who were worried of it getting a BL development, depression, dark hero, title fraud, or somesuch, so firstly allow me to say no to that. Please rest assured that I will not develop the story in that way. Chapter 19 was done in preparation of getting new heroines and weapons, but conversely it became a source of worry. That said, I think we will be welcoming the appearance of a new heroine within the next 3 chapters. There are 6 continents in this world. The North Continent, where the White Wolf Clan lives. The Fairy Human Continent, where the Fairy Races (Elves and suchlike) and Humans live. The Beast Continent, where the Beast Races live. Hell Continent, where the Demon Lord is said to still live, sleeping. The Dragon Continent, where the Dragon Race lives. And lastly, the Demon Continent, where the Demon Races live. Putting them roughly, if you put the North Continent at 12 oclock, the Fairy Human Continent will be at 10 oclock. The Beast Continent at 8 oclock. Hell Continent at 6 oclock. The Dragon Continent at 4 oclock. And the Demon Continent at 2 oclock. About 1000 years ago there was a war between the union of the Fairy Races, Beast Races, and Humans against the Demon Races. The cause of the war was discrimination and hatred towards the Demon Races. The customs of the Demon Continent are very different from that of the Fairy Human Continent or the Beast Continent. There are many races that cant be distinguished from monsters, like Two-Legged Lizards, Four-Arms, and Centaurs. The discrimination against the Demon Races (especially against the Demon Races with strange appearances) was deep-rooted at the time, and as a result the war escalated into a worldwide scale. Though there are some lingering resentment, nowadays discrimination against the demon races is not so openly done, and relations between the continents had cooled down enough to do trade. As an example of the goods being traded, From Demon Continent to Fairy Human Continent would be minerals like gold, silver, copper, iron, and magic stones. From Fairy Human Continent to Demon Continent would be foodstuffs like sugar, wheat, and so on. The Fairy Human Continent also exports slaves to work the Demon Continents ore and coal mines. I was sitting, hugging my knees in the hold of a ship, together with those coal mine slaves. There are of course female slaves, but since the male and female quarters are separated there is not much conversation between them. But I had never even in my wildest dreams ever imagined Id be sold as a slave. I was having my just desserts for overly relying in my modern weapons: whatever happens Ill be fineDDDbut this is too much for just one failure. If I could, I want to smack the me that got too cocky that day. But no matter how much I mull over whats past, nothing would change. I stopped moping over the past, and tried to escape from the ship. But the ship left no openings to escape. The ship we were in travelled straight, as if crossing the central sea. The ship went by way of the Beast, Hell, and Dragon continents, dropping off goods for sale at those continents. Then it picked up new goods to fill the empty space, and went on to the next continent. Upon reaching each port and exchanging goods, the ship anchored for up to 20 days, letting the sailors rest. I thought to escape while we were at port, but there was absolutely no chance of that. Magic prevention chokers were well attached to our necks. Thanks to that it became impossible to use body strengthening to slip out, if we try to pick the lock without sufficient skill it will cast a fatal spell on us. It will kill us unless we unlock it with a special key. The entrance to the ships hold was constantly manned by 2 sailors, standing guard in shifts. Even if all the slaves were to tear down the door, the sailors would say the keyword and the chokers would tighten, suffocating all the slaves. Once we were out at sea, we were allowed to go up on deck. In fact, we were recommended to get some sun in order to keep us healthy. Even if we chatted while sunbathing on deck, the sailors wont get abusive or rough us up. On the contrary, we could get friendly with the sailors and get a share of luxuries like tobacco or booze. Basically, slaves are treated well. It seems they dont want our prices to go down because of wounds. For food, we would mainly get bread twice a day, accompanied by salted meat and something like pickled vegetables. At first it was hard for me, because of having gotten used to three meals a day. But once I had gotten used to it, it was no longer distressful. The number one most inconvenient thing was the rationing of fresh water. Though they can conjure up fresh water since theres a magician on board, the slaves basically get no more than a washbasins worth of water a day. That water is for quenching ones thirst and to clean off dirt on the body. There are also slaves who, in their longing for water, looked forward to the day they reached the next port. Especially the female slaves. After several months of being tossed about on board the slaver shipDsomebody called out to me while on deck, out at sea. It was the slave trader who bought me from the three stooges. His head was wrapped in a long sheet, forming a Turban. On his feet, not boots C but sandals. And he wore a red vest. He looked like a merchant from a certain RPG. Those three had lied to himtelling him that I was a child who was caught committing a crime and was then sold. My price was 100 gold coins, as they expected. For that reason I was officially traded off as a slave and if I forcibly break out, I will be chased like a criminal. Even if I told him I was tricked and sold illegally by those three, its already too late. Nobody would believe anything a slave says, anyway, so its not like hell listen. The slave trader held out a textbook about the Demon Continent Language. It was about the size and thickness of an English textbook. It was dirty, worn out, and full of fingerprints, maybe because it had been well-used. The slave trader said, Human kids who know the Demon Continent Language sell for a high price, so learn it. .why should I even make an effort to raise my price when theres nothing in it whatsoever for me. Of course theres a benefit. Are you going to increase my share of fresh water? Or possibly give me better meals? Although Im not particularly interested in either of those. I answered with sharp words and a bad attitude. Im not the kind of person whod be civil towards those whod sell me away as a slave. The slave trader continued, neither getting angry nor laughing. Its not like I need you to learn at all costs. Youd fetch a good price even as you are now. ? Then why did you tell me to learn? Unintentionally, I tilted my head and asked the slave trader back. To summarize what the slave trader saidDD For boys my age, its almost certain that we will be stationed at a male prostitution house intended for the coal mine slaves taken from the Fairy Human Continent or thereabouts. Later, once we grew up, it seems that we will change roles into the coal mine slaves themselves. It would be at least 10 years before I could buy myself back. In reality, I have never heard of children sold off in the same position as me getting liberated from slavery and returning to tell of it. For the most part, they died. Whether it be accidents, suicide, or death by overwork they died in all sorts of ways, but they all ended up the same way. However, those that had learned the language have a high chance of becoming lovers for the wealthy people, in other words, ladies with money and time to spare, of the Demon Continent. Demons have a relatively long lifespan compared to humans. So there are lots of ladies with a mostly young appearance. Theyd get three meals a day, nap time, and beds. There is also a higher chance of them being released from slavery once they get older, compared to coal mine slaves. But if you dont want to study theres nothing I can do about it. Theres no need for the Demon Language book either. What are you talking about, master! Ill do my best to learn the language and fetch a high price! I bowed my back in confusion, grabbing on to the slave traders clothes who had turned back on me. DDWouldnt it have been better if you had just honestly said that from the beginning. Here. The book. Take good care of it. The slave trader sighed and gave me the textbook. I received the book with both hands. Call me once youre finished with the basics. Ill have a sailor who knows the Demon Language help with conversation practice. Yes! Thank you very much! Later C I will give my best efforts to talk! Ever since that day, I frantically started making every effort to learn the Demon Language. Because I absolutely dont want to end up at a male prostitution house. In my previous life, English wasnt really my strong subject, my grades werent that good either. But it seems that humans can really learn when the need comes and they are driven into a corner. I smoothly learned the language, quite like a fish in water. I finished the basics about half a year after I got the Demon Language book from the slave trader. After that I did lots of practice conversations in the Demon Language. Thanks to that I became able to hold a normal conversation without a problem, though my writing was still poor. Then, one year after I departed from maritime city Grey. I was brought along from the Fairy Human Continent to the Demon Continent. Volume 3 - CH 21 We were brought down from the ship for the first time in a year. There were magic prevention chokers on our necks, and chains on our hands and feet. It was night time. The sky was covered in thick clouds. It feels like it was going to rain, but people at the port continued their work without any indication of preparing for rain. I could see the city across from the harbor warehouse, illuminated by a myriad of lights. Get on the wagon in a line. The men get in first. The women get on the wagon thats coming from behind. An iron wagon covered with gratings pulled by 4 healthy horned horses rolled up before me. I was promptly shoved inside the grated wagon, not even given the chance to enjoy the feeling of being on land. We did as we were told without resisting and got in, 20 to a wagon. The door was closed from outside, it was something that wouldnt open from the inside. The carriage does not shake much, considering the open ground its passing over. Looking outside the grated windows, it looks like were headed for the port town. Then we were transported on the wagon for about an hour. Looks like were here. The wagon went around to the back of a 5-floor building. There was a signboard posted on the building, it said Rano Slave House in the Demon Language. As the wagon stopped, the sound of a door being opened was heard from outside. When the door opened, over 10 men came out to see us. They were all wearing leather armor and were armed with swords and spears. But whats more impressive is that all of them are of the Demon Race. Two-legged lizard race, one-eyed race, bird race with wings for armsthese men who could be mistaken for monsters at first glance were standing in line. They were probably the soldiers employed by the Rano Slave House. At the end of the path created between the standing soldiers, there were stairs leading to the buildings basement. Once you get down from the wagon, continue straight down to the basement. One of the private soldiers making the path, a skinhead with twisted horns growing out of his forehead, said so. He seems to be the leader who is managing these private soldiers. The slaves including me went down the stairs toward the basement without any resistance. From behind, the sound of another wagon coming could be heard. Then, new footsteps came down into the basement. The basement is of simple make, but it was wider than I thought, and it felt pleasantly cool to walk on with bare feet. Lamps hung from the ceiling at even intervals. But they were not firelight. It seems that some kind of magic is used to provide light. The first room that we were led to was the bathroom. The horned man who seemed like the soldiers leader caught up with us, and showed us the bathroom. Now clean off all the dirt you got on the journey. The dressing room was about 18 tatami in size. The bathroom was about the size of two classrooms, there was plenty of hot water inside long boxes the size of bathtubs. Three of them had been prepared. Take off your clothes here. Well give you a towel and soap to wash your head and body. Use the hot water as you like. Let us know if youre out of water, well get you some more. Just dont dip inside like nobleman do. The waters for everyones use after all. As instructed, we got a towel, some soap, and a bucket and went into the bathroom. There were 40 people washing, me included. Hot water ran down my head for the first time in about a year. Its unfortunate that I cant get in the tub, but it felt good just to get a bath. I once again filled the bucket with water and got my towel drenched. I foamed the soap prepared for me using the towel, and washed off the dirt I had accumulated during the journey. Soap was supposed to be a valuable commodity in this world. Yet, the Slave House let the slaves use it freely. Once I had gotten out of the bath, I was given new clothes. I wrung the towel and dried my head, then took the clothes. The shirt and trousers werent new, but they were cleanly washed. Those who have gotten out of the bath go to the dining hall. Its at the end of the hall, going inside from the bathroom. Barefooted, I did as indicated and continued inside. At the end of the hall there was a large roomDthe dining hall. It was about the size of four classrooms. A simple but delicious looking meal, consisting of a steaming soup with lots of beans inside, thick cuts of meats, and fried vegetables, was set on long tables roughly made of wood. An old lady spoke out from behind the counter in a halting Fairy Human Language. Bean soup! Free seconds! Eat all you like! It goes without saying, the slaves made an astonished sound. Sitting on the long benches, everyone ate their fill of the long-desired extravagant meal. As we finished our meals, we went out of the dining room, and turned right. There was a large room inside. Beds are spread out inside the room. It seems like were going to sleep here. But once I laid down on it, the futon smelled of sunlight. I had a full belly after so long. When I closed my eyes, wrapped in the futon that smelled of the sun, the weariness from the journey caught up with me and I immediately fell asleep. I heard from the old lady at the dining hall the next day (in the Demon Language, of course)Dgenerally, the people who were sold as slaves were in despair over their own future. The despair of those brought through a long journey from the Fairy Human Continent on the other side of the world from the Demon Continent was particularly severe. So on the day they arrived, they were given hot water baths, food to eat until they were full, and beds to sleep in. By doing that most peoples hearts would calm down. It seems that because of the warm hospitality the slaves received when they arrived at the port, the number of slaves that committed suicide out of despair or made an uproar in an attempt to escape dropped sharply. The next day, we had breakfast in the same dining hall as last nights dinner. Soup filled with beans, bean salad. Why are they all beans? At about noon, the horned guy called all the men except me, and they all went out of the basement one after the other. It was decided that they were to be sold as miners to the mines at the interior of the Demon Continent. Thats why they were immediately taken along the following day. It seems that they were sold at 20~50 gold coins each. I was a human child, and I could hold an ordinary conversation in the Demon Language. I can also use simple magic, so it seems that they got in touch with some rich person so they can sell me at a high price. I was to be sold at about 200~300 gold coins. If I were a girl I could get an even higher priceDso the soldiers leader horned guy explained. Thats about 10 times the price of the miners! A large cask of magic liquid metal was about 100 gold, so thats a considerable amount of money. Other than slaves, the ship also brings in various goods from other continents. When they went to return to the Fairy Human Continent, they bought Demon Continent slaves, and packed the holds with minerals and suchlike and continued to the other continents. It was a business with high return, even though theres a risk of losing their assets due to the ship getting sunk. Lute, your buyer is coming. .. really? It was the fifth night I stayed at the Rano Slave House. When I was having my dinner at the dining hall, the soldier leader horned guy seated across from me.Obukhov, nonchalantly talked to me. He spoke in fluent Fairy Human Continent language and it seems he is the leader of the private army in the Rano Slave Market. Maybe because he had free time because the miners were no longer here and he didnt have to be so vigilant, the horned guy had been calling me out to talk in the Demon Language. Because of my studies, I was able to hold a normal conversation. I learned the horned guys name during one of the conversations. Obukhov continued his talk while scooping up the bean soup with a spoon. It seems theyll come pick you up tomorrow. Err may I ask what kind of person they are? Maybe their gender. Sorry, that was a bad way of putting it. It seems we got hold of a buyer candidate. So, we dont know the details. He swallowed the beans in his mouth without so much as chewing them. Obukhov didnt say any more than that, and went about his meal. Even though just a candidate, a buyers finally here, huh. If the buyer is a perverted guy who likes little boys, Ill kill myself. (DNo, even if I were bought by a perverted guy, even if I wound up at a male brothel, I wont give up, Ill survive and go back to the Fairy Human Continent where Snow is!) Absolutely, whatever it takes! but in the end, rather than getting bought by a guy, its better if it were a beautiful lady! In my previous life, I remained a virgin until I died. If you include my 11 years of life after I was born again, I was over 30 years old. If my first time was with a man, and through my back door, that would be too awful! The next day, in the morningDI was brought from the basement to the top floor, with Obukhov and a private soldier in front and behind me. My hands were bound with a pair of handcuffs. A 1 meter long chain was attached to my feet, so I could not move so quickly. As always, there was a magic prevention choker on my neck. It was impossible to run away with a childs body and no magic. Rano Slave House, 5th floor. I was brought into an extravagant room. It was probably a customer reception room. Leather sofa, table made of insect shells, thick desk. There were no windows, but there were plants arranged, and paintings of scenery hanging on the walls instead. There were also other fine furnishings laid out in a calculated manner. Inside the room, a two-legged frog demon I dont remember seeing stood up from the leather seat behind the desk and offered his hand for a handshake. Youve been having it hard up to now. I am the manager of Rano Slave House, Rano Merumeru, of the Frog Race. Nice to meet you Lute. T, thanks. As I returned his handshake, I was surprised at the lack of moisture on his hand. As you can see from his name, this frog seems to be the head of Rano Slave House. Dont be so stiff. Im not one to eat human children. Rano saw the look on my face, and made his cheeks swell amusingly. It looks like he was mistaken for a monster because of how he looked, and frightened human kids many times. Rano asked me to sit on the sofa. Do you want anything to drink? Theres nothing but scented tea right now, of course children would want fruit juice, I wonder? No, I dont mind. Is that so? Then please sit and wait, the customer who might want to buy Lute is being taken here. Obukhov and the soldier leave the room and wait in front of the door. Yes ! Obukhov and the soldier tagged behind Rano and left the room. I was left alone in the room. I looked around the room once again. There were no windows. Obukhov was waiting in front of the door, which was the only way out of here. (Dont rush. The chance to slip away will surely come!) While inside the Slave House, the defenses were too strong so there was no chance to escape. But there might be one after I was bought. Rather than giving the buyer a cause to be wary, its better to be obedient and look for an opening. The only thing I can do now is to silently pray that my buyer is a woman. Sitting in the sofa, I put my elbows on my knees and pressed my hands together. Dear God, dear Buddha, dear Tenjin! Please let my buyer be a woman, please let my buyer be a woman, please let my buyer be a woman, please let my buyer be a woman, please let my buyer be a womanD While I was making my most earnest prayers, previous life included, I heard the sound of the door being knocked upon. The first one to enter was the frog, Rano. Behind him, my prospective buyer came in. Rano somewhat pridefully introduced me. This is Lute. How is he, unusual, right? A human child with black hair and eyes. He can also speak the Demon Language, though only for normal conversation. We rarely get human children this wonderful, you know. Hahaha! He is certainly rare! Hello Lute-kun! You have a lovely name! The one who entered is aDDDDman. But hes not just any man. He was wearing expensive looking clothes, but he was extremely tall. Easily two and a half meters. Furthermore, he had well developed muscles like a bodybuilder, and black skin. He had a moustache over his thick lips that looked like that of a cod. He also had thick eyebrows, and his blonde hair was hardened in a swept-back do. This muscled monster man standing in front of me looked to be my prospective buyer. The clip of a camellia flower falling down was played in an endless loop inside my head. Volume 3 - CH 22 Lute, age 11. Hello, this is Lute, formerly Hotta Youta. I got carried away and became an adventurer all by myself, then got tricked and was sold as a slave. Tehe~ And now, a man who would be the one to purchase me was right in front of my eyes. But hes not just any man. He was wearing clothes worn by noblemen I saw at the Fairy Human Continent, but he was unusually tall. Easily two and a half meters. Furthermore, he had well-developed muscles like a bodybuilder, also, his skin was black. Even now, his clothes looked like theyre about to burst apart, he had a overflowing beard, lips that were thick like a cod roe, bushy eyebrows and golden hair was combed in a all back manner. This muscled monster man looks to be my potential buyer. I tightened my ass. Ah, my chastity is in danger!? (. Hey!? Now is not the time for escapism! Besides, hes only my potential buyer! Its quite possible hell refuse!) While silently praying refuse, refuse, I observed the conversation between Rano Slave House manager Rano and the muscled daruma. ED: gender is indeterminate when referring to lute for a reason Its become thin after a long journey, but there is no problem whatsoever with its health. The skin certainly looks healthy. I dont think theres any worry about sickness, either! Of course. This company always aims to provide the best of goods. Its age is 11. Its gender. All right, Ill buy it! 350 gold coins, right! (That was fast!) The price is also 50 gold coins higher than expected. Rano probably intended to overcharge, and force a sale by making a discount at the appropriate moment. But, to the one who was making snap decisions, he raised his voice to stop him. U, uhh, there are still things I need to explain. Hahahahaha! Since hes one that you recommended, there shouldnt be a problem! You just take the money from this pouch! The muscled daruma laughed heartily and handed over a leather bag full of gold to Rano. T, thank you very much mlord count. Ive prepared the contract, so please look over it and if there are no problems, please sign at the bottom. Uh huh. The muscled daruma received the contract, sat in a sofa opposite of me, and ran his eyes over the contract. Meanwhile, Rano took 350 gold coins from the pouch handed to him. The muscled daruma finished reading the contract and finally put down his signature. Rano confirmed the contract and gave a deep bow. Thank you very much for your purchase, mlord count As am I, for the excellent goods! Tell me if you come across good slaves again! As you wish, mlord will be notified first whenever I do so. As muscled daruma finished his handshake with Rano, he turned to me and offered his hand. Best regards from now on, Lute! I am Count Dan Gate Vlad! Of the honourable rulers of the night, the Vampire Race! N, nice to meet you. Mlord count I am Lute, a human. Dont be so tense! Hahahahahahaha! Ha, hahahaha My hand was grasped with a strength that made me think it had gotten crushed. It looks like it was normal power for him, even Ranos hand was red. Well then, I will perform a temporary contract. Rano took something that looked like a rectangular seal from his desk. He pressed that thing on my right shoulder. -Ksst!? It felt like I was pricked with countless needles. When the seal was removed, a tattoo-looking magic crest was left on my shoulder. With this, the temporary servant contract is complete. If a proper contract is not made within 5 days, it will be voided and his rights will be transferred over back to us. Please keep in mind that we cannot make a full repayment if that happens. We will give you a backup contract and contract seal together with Lute. Then Ill leave it to you. Since Ill be heading back, you can send him over once the preparations are complete! Certainly. Weve been greatly helped by the Count this time, so well include some goods free of charge. Please look forward to it at your mansion. Hahahahahaha! Ill be looking forward to it! Well then Lute! See you later at my mansion! The Count left with laughter. The pressure in the room immediately dropped. I asked Rano while rubbing my shoulder. U, um, whats a provisional contract? Its a contract temporarily created to prevent claims like They died soon after buying them!, or I was cheated!. You see, sometimes there are slave traders that misrepresent the slaves health or life span. Ordinarily, the curse mark will be affixed on the same day as the contract agreement, so even if I dont worry about it, itll be OK. So a warranty period or cooling off time. These are the service goods for the Count and farewell gifts for Lute from me. You can put it on tonight after the contract is signed. Its important to leave a good impression after all, even if just a little. I was given a paper bag. When I looked insidethere was a black bikini thong, garter belt, and bra inside. As I thought, I was bought for that purpose. With my face turning blue in despair, I thanked Rano for now. Thank you very much. I was currently in the basement. I took a bath and changed for newly-washed clothes. I was taken to the dining hall, where food had been prepared. It takes half a day to get the counts mansion by carriage, so its recommended to depart by noon. Of course, in my despair I had lost all appetite. The bean soup that was usually rather delicious now tasted like drinking muddy water. I said my farewells to the old lady at the dining hall and everyone, then went up the stairs. A coach had already been prepared in front of the basement door, and Obukhov and the soldier that led me up to the 5th floor reception room were already on alert. Ill release your cuffs before you get on the coach. Obukhov took a bunch of keys and released the shackles on my hands and feet. I thought that this might be my chance, but the magic prevention choker was not taken off. The other soldier gripped my shoulder hard, so its impossible to force my way out. I obediently did as they say. The coach, of course, had steel grates. It was a small coach for 4 people. It was locked from outside and cannot be opened from the inside. Obukhov and the soldier rode at the drivers seat, and used a whip on the two horned horses. The coach I was placed on slowly started moving. After being shaken for half a day since before noon, we arrived at the Counts castle. The castle was made of stone, it was rather high but also wide. The castle walls were so high that I needed to look up to see the top, it felt as though ivy had been growing there for many years. There was also this tower that gave off a feeling that a princess was held captive within. It was indeed a castle for vampires to live in. We passed through the gate and went through a long garden. There was a large water fountain right in the middle of the road, water sprayed out beautifully from calculated points. The coach circled around the water fountain and continued. As the coach reached the front door, I was brought down. There were two figures at the front door. One of them was an old man wearing a tailcoat. He was short in stature, about the same as me, who was a child. Two curved horns grew out from underneath his gray hair, and there were hooves like on a goat or a sheep on the tips of his toes that popped out of his trousers. There was an almost 2 meter tall beastman standing beside him. From the looks of him, he was like a wolf that walked on two legs. One of his ears was torn off, His furry body was forged from such intense training, that an intense physique that had all its extraneous fats stripped away from his body, was revealed. His face and body had numerous scars that couldnt be hidden. wheee Obukhov let me down from the coach. We brought the human Lute, a slave bought by Count Dan Gate Vlad from the Rano Slave House. These are the copies of the contract documents and the seal used for the actual contract. Please confirm. Weve been waiting for you. Well then, excuse meDno problem. Thank you for the delivery baa~. The old man wearing tailcoats took the documents and said his thanks. Obukhov and the soldier bowed their heads, boarded the coach, and went back the way we came. I, who was left alone, gazed uneasily at the two. The first one to talk was the old man. Nice to meet you Lute. My name is Merry, from the Demon Race, Sheepman clan, working at the Vlad house as head butler. If theres something you dont understand, dont hesitate to tell me baa~. L, looking forward to working with you. I shook his hand that was presented to me. His name is Merry because hes a sheep, and he attaches baa~ at the end of his sentences so simple. This is the head of the guards in charge of the defense of this castle, Gigi, of the beast race, wolf clan. He was formerly a slave, so if anything troubles you, feel free to consult with him baa~. L, looking forward to working with you. I gave Gigi a bow and he twitched his nose 2, 3 times and silently nodded. He looked just like a wolf walking on two legs, so even when being silent he was intense. Scaaaaaaaryyy! I cant possibly feel free to consult with hiiiiiiiim! This may be sudden, but the master and madam have been expecting you. Please make preparations to meet him right now baa~ Please come this way, he said, and I entered the castle. I walked inside the castle, sandwiched between Merry and Gigi. By the way, Ive been wondering but what is that youre holding in your hand baa~? To please the master, the slave merchant gave me these underwear. The black translucent one is quite erotic. Ahahaha When Merry heard my story, he stopped walking and turned his head. Oh dear, why is a set of black underwear needed to please master? Did you not hear anything from master baa~? Hear what, exactly? From your look, it seems like you havent been told yet baa~ I, Im sorry. No no. Master is someone who doesnt mind the small details, just as he looks, Im sure he just neglected to explain to you. Firstly, Master already has Madam. So, theres no need for Lute to have any strange worries baa~. T, thank goodnessssssssss! It looks like I wasnt bought to become that muscled darumas plaything. Hearing what Merry said, my tension loosened all at once. What a relief! Really, Im relieved! But then. if thats true, then why did he buy me for such a large sum of money, 350 gold coins? Driven by curiosity, I asked Merry. Umm, then why did he buy me? You were bought to take care of and become a blood bag for ojou-sama, whos having her 10th birthday baa~. B, blood bag!? My face paled, once again falling from heaven to hell. (No matter how you think of it, a blood bag is like, food, right?) Vampire food I remembered from the vampire movies I watched on Nichiyou Youga Gekijou in my previous life. Merry corrected the misunderstanding involving splatters in my head. Rest at ease. It wont be something horrible like Lute is imagining right now baa~. Then Merry continued explaining about the vampire family. There is a custom among vampires that they would gain a taste for blood on their 10th birthday. For the rich ones with the means to do so, employing a steward that doubles as a blood bag is a kind of status symbol. But still, for vampires, blood, along with scented tea and black tea are luxury items. They only suck a little blood, they wont suck until you die, so you can relax baa~. I stroked my chest once again. If its only a little bit then Ill be fine. After finishing his explanation, Merry stopped just in front of a room. Well then, a change of clothes had been prepared inside, tell me once youve finished changing. We will first go greet master and madam, then we will go see ojou-sama together with master and madam. So please get changed as quickly as possible baa~. Understood. I went inside the room. The room is a 6-tatami room. There was only the minimum necessary furniture; a simple bed, desk and chair. On the bed, for some reason, a maid uniform was folded and stacked. Why does a guy like me have to wear a maid uniform Merry said that I was going to be ojou-samas caretaker, doubling as a blood bag. Shes a lady. So do I have to wear maid clothes because she couldnt relax with boys around? Then they shouldve bought a girl from the beginning. Or maybe ojou-sama has a hobby of putting boys in maid clothes. In that case, what an interest for someone whos turning 10 years old. But compared to becoming a male prostitute for another man, being made to wear girls clothes is 10 billion times better. I quickly put on the classic maid uniform. Once I finished changing, I went out to the hallway where Merry and Gigi were waiting. With their lead, I went towards the room where the Count and Madam were waiting. Count Dan who I met at the slave house was sitting relaxedly on a sofa, drinking scented tea prepared by a maid with hamster ears. The beautiful-looking lady sitting beside him was probably the madam. Her blonde hair flowed to her hips, going past the sleeves of an expensive looking dress. Her cleavage is plentiful and it felt like it was sucking me into it, and her waist was so thin that one worried whether her organs were there. She had a beautiful appearance, its unthinkable that she had a 10-year old daughter. There was nobody with such a beautiful figure like her even among Hollywood actresses in my previous life. The Count noticed us, and vigorously stood up with a smile. Hahahahaha! It suits you well, Lute! What do you think, Seras? My eyes werent wrong, right! Yes, as expected of darling. You bought such a cute-looking child! Fuwaa! Wai, er.! Madam immediately approached me, and hugged me into her valley without hesitation. Madam had a tall stature, and I was still a child, so my face was buried in the valley between her huge breasts. Ooooooooooooo! Booobs soooooooft! They also smelled sweet in a different way to Snow. I spontaneously brought my hips close. Perhaps misunderstanding a males psychological phenomenon, the madam let go of my hand and released me from the valley. I still wanted my face buried between those huge breasts. Ara, sorry, I put in a bit too much strength because you were so cute. Nice to see you, Lute. I am Seras Gate Vlad, of the Demon Race, Vampire Clan. Nice to meet you madam Seras. I am Lute, human. I shook hands with madam. The Count started talking with a hearty laughter. Hahahahahaha! Lute, you look very good in maid clothes! But is it too tight or too big? No, its just the right size. Really really. But, why do ID. Hahahahahaha! Well then, shall we go see our daughter! My words were interrupted by the Counts laughter. Count Dan started walking on his own while laughing. The head butler Merry was somehow already at the entrance, and opened the door. Thats right, we should soon introduce Lute to her. Madam also happily took my hand and left the room. Madams hand was soft and warm. We headed towards the second floor. In front of a pair of large double doors there were the Count, Madam, me, Merry, Gigi, and the maid who prepared tea, lined up in that order. Were coming in, Chrisse! The Count called out, but opened the door without knocking. The room had heavy curtains inside, blocking the light from the stars. The only source of light was the lamp beside the canopy bed. The Counts and Madams only daughter was sitting on the bed, staring at us. A small stature. Her golden hair was spread out on the white sheets. Her large eyes with long eyelashes seemed frightened like a small animal, and started to become teary. Her skin was white and smooth like marble, but was not unhealthy like a sick person. The fangs that peeked from her red lips seemed slightly longer than humans of her age. But other than that, rather than a vampire, it seemed more proper to call her an angel that had fallen to earth and became frightened. The girl who was to be my master was a feeble, beautiful girl, who strangely roused my protective instincts. Hahahahahahaha! Happy birthday Chrisse! This guy is a birthday present from papa and mama. your blood bag Lute! I was gently pushed by madam, and gave my greetings. Nice to meet you ojou-sama. I am Lute, from now on Ill be taking care of you and doubling as your blood bag. Please treat me well. Hows she, isnt she a very cute and nice girl? Im sure Chrisse will soon grow to like her. Madam, too, started talking to her with a smile. The girl called Chrisse, took out a small blackboard. Ran her fingers over it, and wrote. Then she turned the mini blackboard towards everyone. Thank you for the birthday present, Father, Mother, butD. She erased the words, and once again ran her fingers over it. Why is a boy wearing maid clothes? Everyones eyes simultaneously pointed at me. boys are scary. Chrisse ojou-sama left the last words on the mini blackboard, grabbed the feather quilt and hid herself in its shadows. Volume 3 - CH 23 Count Dans daughter, Chrisse Gate Vlad was a hikikomori. Both her parents were magicians over B+ rank. However, she had no talent as a magician. When they turned 7, the kids of well-to-do Demon Continent families started going to school. There, they learn to read and write, do arithmetic, and learn history. When they turned 10, those with talent went to magic schools. Those without talent went to schools of general education. The bullying began when Chrisse ojou-sama was 9 years old. When they turned 9, the classes for those who would go on to a magic school and those who wont were separated as preparation. Chrisse ojou-sama was put in a separate class from her 3 close childhood friends. She alone was put in a class for general education. Three months laterDshe stopped coming to school because of bullying. The cause of the bullying was. because in spite of both her parents having talent in magic, Chrisse ojou-sama did not inherit that talent. Then, because her three friends had talent, she was separated from them and became alone. The stage for her bullying was set. After that, Chrisse ojou-sama became afraid of light and the world outside, even now when shes 10 years old she hadnt taken one step outside her room. Her room was furnished with a bath, toilet, and kitchen. They were specially constructed after that fact. My head hurt from Master and Madams sweetness. I understood the ojou-samas pain. But why didnt they try to get her outside, and allow her to live inside as a hikikomori But they themselves were of course not okay with how Chrisse ojou-sama was currently shutting herself in. It seems that I was bought as a caretaker and blood bag as one of their efforts. Unlike people in the Fairy Human Continent, those in the Demon Continent celebrate birthdays every year until they were 15. At 15 they were considered adults. Its like a high school kid graduating from getting christmas presents. Then, on the day of her 10th birthday, they thought to start with getting her a blood bag as a present, they met the slave trader and he recommended me. Master liked me at first sight and bought me without hagglingDhe mistook me for a girl. Certainly, after a year on the ship, my hair had grown to my chin, and I was almost always at my cabin so my skin was white. My muscles had weakened and my arms had become slender like a girls. If I had to say it, my looks are young and girly. If that was the case, it probably couldnt be helped if she misunderstood and I didnt say anything. Master, Madam, me, Merry, Gigi, and the maid left Chrisse ojou-samas room and went back to the room where we drank scented tea. Hahahahahaha! You looked so cute, so I thought you were a girl for sure! You got me there! Hahahahaha! Oh you, always such a scatterbrain. Master and Madam laughed cheerfully as if they just went to a comedy show. I endured the aching in my head and asked. But how could Chrisse ojou-sama immediately tell that Im a boy? Even though nobody here did. Madam answered my question. Vampires move and see better in the dark, you see. That girl has good eyesight, even among us. So she probably could judge at a glance that even when wearing maid clothes, you had the body of a boy instead of a girl. The head butler Merry bowed his head and apologized. I checked the documents again, and it was certainly written male in the gender column. It was my fault for not confirming baa~. Hahahahahaha! Its all right, its all right! It was my fault for immediately buying him at the shop without checking in the first place! I could tell from the smell from the start. Eeeeh!? I spontaneously shrieked in surprise. It was the first time I heard Gigi talk. As I feared, he had a low voice like a yakuza. Merry knitted his eyebrows at Gigis late remark. Then why didnt you tell me immediately baa~. Because you didnt ask. So Gigi-san, you couldnt do a job unless you were told to baa~? I dont do jobs outside of my charge. It usually causes problems. Gigi answered Merrys sarcastic remarks without changing his expression. The two glared at each other for a while. The Madam changed the atmosphere that had gotten sour. Merry, Gigi, thats enough of your quarrel. Theres no use fighting over whats past. What we must think about for the time being is what well do with Lute, is it not? Thats right. I have behaved disgracefully in front of Master and Madam, I am very sorry baa~. Merry bowed his head deeply in apology, but Gigi just crossed his arms in silence. Everyones eyes were once again pointed at me because of what Madam said. If I were returned to the slave house, there was a high chance of me being bought as a male prostitute next time. Id rather stay here and become Chrisse ojou-samas caretaker and blood bag, compared to that. My employers the Count and Madam dont seem to be the type to treat slaves coldly. This is such an ideal place for me. That much I can affirm. Because I didnt want to be returned to the slave house, I frantically made my appeal. Please. Let me work here some way or another! Ill do my best as a blood bag to open up ojou-samas heart! I am very sorry but I must object. Having a boy attached to ojou-sama is. Firstly, ojou-sama is afraid of Lute. Its possible that her symptoms will become increasingly worse because of him baa~. Ill approve. In fact, he should be taking care of ojou-sama because hes a boy. Gigi directly opposed Merrys opinion. Merry was surprised and hastily questioned him. Gigi-san, do you really think so!? Did you not see how frightened the ojou-sama was baa~! Thats why I think it needs to be done. Ojou-sama already had female friends her age. It wont mean anything to add another female friend her age. But something might happen if she got a male friend. Gigi-san The unsociable, scary faced Gigi-san with one ear torn off. I was shaking deep inside. But he now looked like an angel with a pair of white wings growing out of his back. Merry calmed down his emotions and coughed once. I understand what Gigi-sans thinking. Its all the more reason we should return Lute for now and look for another slave with the right requirements, is it not? The slave we buy is going to be stationed at the ojou-samas side. We should take utmost care in choosing baa~. The head butler Merry wanted to return me. The head guard Gigi wanted me to stay. I dont know who had jurisdiction here, but I wished that Gigi-sans opinion would be heard. Actually Merry, Im gonna make you into grilled mutton one day so be ready for it! Having finished their quarrel, Merry and Gigis eyes were turned to their master, the Count. Humm, Ill take into mind what you two said. So in that case Ill do both, Ill have Lute take care of Chrisse for 3 days starting tomorrow, if he does well as a blood bag in that time Ill keep him! If not Ill send him back! Will it be alright? It would be difficult to get repayment for goods that were returned just at the end of the provisional period, and not even half the price will be returned baa~. Hahahahahahaha! I dont mind! It was my mistake in the first place! If I dont even give Lute a chance then this gentlemans name will be sullied! Good for you Lute. Do your best and be Chrisses blood bag. T, thank you very much! Master! Madam! I vigorously bowed my head. It had conditions attached, but it looks like I got a chance to stay with the Vlad family. Now Ill do what it takes to please the ojou-sama, Ill let her suck my blood! Still wearing the maid uniform, I became motivated and tightened my hand in a fist. The Count and Madam watched me with a pleasant smile, Merry was dissatisfied, and Gigi and the maid watched with no expression. Thus the fateful three days, that will decide whether or not I could stay at the Vlad house, begins! Volume 3 - CH 24 Chapter 24 Day 1 : Pudding *ya~wn* The first day, morning. I woke up on a soft bed. In a room 10 square meters in size. This is my private room, though only temporarily. What hung on the wall were not maid clothes, but butler clothes. It was given to me yesterday by Merry the sheep. It seems that I had become his subordinate, an apprentice butler attached to ojou-sama. my terms of employment are that I have to get ojou-sama to suck my blood within these 3 days. If I couldnt do that, then I would be returned to the slave house. If I were returned to the slave house, I might be sold as a male prostitute next time. I have to do my best to get friendly with Chrisse ojou-sama so that doesnt happen! I got up from the bed, full of motivation. I changed into the butler clothes, and when I left the basement the hamster-eared maid was already waiting. G, good morning, Merc-san Good morning, Lute. This girl who was expressionless at first glance was the Vlad houses head maid, Merc, from the beast race, hamster clan. Wearing a traditional maid uniform, she had her hands crossed in front of her. She had small breasts, and a slender, tall body. At a glance she looked the part of a capable maid. Sorry, it looks like I kept you waiting. No, I had just gotten here, so please dont mind it. Merc spoke disinterestedly, her expression unchanging. Well then, since Lute is going to be taking care of Chrisse ojou-sama for three days from now on, you will be working with me. Looking forward to working with you. She was the maid who had been looking after ojou-sama until now. Which is why I was working as her helper for taking care of ojou-sama. Also, Merc was positioned as my overseer. The one who decided that was the butler Merry. Merry presented me with a few conditions. Those were the 4 conditions. Because she was going to oversee me, and moreover she hardly showed any facial expressions, I didnt really know how to handle her. She had the air of a demon mother-in-law or an office lady that would run her finger on a window frame and say is this what you call cleaning? once I was done with cleaning. But contrary to my negative image of her, Merc I agree with Gigi-sans opinion. I think something might change if Lute, who is similar in age, stays by her side. So do your best so you can stay. Ill be rooting for you. Thank you very much! Merc-san! Who was I calling a demon mother-in-law or office lady? Merc-san is an angel! At her urging, I started walking. Then lets firstly wake ojou-sama up. Since Ill be helping with ojou-samas morning preparations, please go to the kitchen and fetch her breakfast in the meantime. Do you know where the kitchen is? Yes, I think Ill be alright. If you dont know just ask any servant. Understood. While having that conversation, we finally arrived at ojou-samas room. Merc-san knocked the door. Ojou-sama, excuse us. Excuse us. Without waiting for ojou-samas answer, Merc opened the door and went inside. I followed along timidly behind her. A sweet scent typical of girls tickled my nose. The room was dark. Thick curtains draped the windows. The bedside lamp was put out, the only source of light came from outside the doors. I looked around the room once again. The room was rather spacious, about 2 classrooms in size. It was decorated with plants, thick carpets where your feet would sink down to the ankle, a dresser, desk, table, sofa, clothing rack, plushies, and accessories made out of real glittering gems. Inside the room there were more rooms: a bath, toilet, and a kitchen. It seems that the Count has spent money to make a room perfect for a hikikomori. I shouldnt be saying this as a former hikikomoribut the thought of You shouldve used it to set your daughter on the right path didnt escape my mind. Chrisse ojou-sama, its morning. Please get up. Merc-san called out to ojou-sama in the middle of the canopy bed buried in a thick feather quilt. Her golden hair spread on the bed, the innocent-faced ojou-sama breathed steadily as she slept. Her slightly reddened cheeks seemed soft, I was driven to poke her with my finger. The sight of a child rolled up like a ball on a bed that could fit three adults and then some was rather cute. Ojou-sama, please get up. ?! When Merc-san shook her shoulders, she finally opened her eyes. But when I entered her vision, she widened her drowsy eyes as big as they could be in surprise. She immediately covered her head with her quilt again. Ojou-sama threw an uneasy glance at me, obviously on alert. Merc-san introduced me in order to dispel her wariness. This is the apprentice butler Lute who will be taking care of ojou-sama and also be your blood bag. Lute, greet ojou-sama. Good morning, Chrisse ojou-sama. I am ojou-samas blood bag and caretaker, apprentice butler Lute, of the human race. Pleased to make your acquaintance. I gave her the greeting I learned from Merry last night. I put my right hand, fingers outstretched, to my left shoulder, put my left hand in a fist behind me, and lightly bow my head. This is how a formal greeting is done around this world. For women, they grip the edge of their skirt with their left hand and raise it slightly, otherwise its the same as men. Ojou-sama used her magic devicethe mini blackboard she used yesterday. Boys are scary so Id rather not have a boy take care of me. Then ojou-sama hid herself just like she did yesterday. After that, she wont come out no matter how much we called. 1st day, morning I failed at communication from the very beginning. While I was in the room, Chrisse ojou-sama was afraid and didnt come out. There was nothing I could do, so I brought her breakfast to just outside her room, and left Merc-san to take it inside. Merc-san and I then tidied up ojou-samas breakfast and had a late breakfast at the servants messroom. So long as you dont fix ojou-samas wariness first, its impossible for Lute to stay in the Vlad house. Merc declared while eating her bean soup, bean salad, and thick-sliced bacon. Since I came to the Demon Continent theres strangely been a lot of bean-based cooking. Ive been thinking about it too, but really, what can I do to fix ojou-samas wariness? Thats certainly true. Merc-san stopped her hands from scooping up the bean soup and pondered. Lute, its only been a short while, but it was nice to be working with you. Its still too early to give up! It was a joke. Merc-san delivered her joke in such a deadpan way, it didnt sound like one. While reaching her spoon out towards the bean salad, she proposed. What do you think of making her some snacks? Snacks? According to Merc-sanDDemon races like sweet snacks very much. Ojou-sama was no exception, she was very fond of sweet snacks. During tea parties held at her room in the afternoons, she ate all kinds of cakes that doesnt seem to fit her small body. So I should have Merc-san teach me and make some snacks with my own hands for ojou-sama to eat. If I start now it wouldnt be in time for her afternoon tea party, so I was recommended to make some jelly or cookies for the tea party that is to be held after dinner (this is also held at ojou-samas room). In other words, the plan is to fix ojou-samas wariness and get closer to her through food. I see, its a good idea. By the way.. theres jelly? Dont they have those at the Fairy Human Continent? Its a snack made of slime powder. Its transparent like water and soft, you put fruits and other things inside. Its made of slime..?! If theres jelly, is there any pudding? Pudding? No, Ive never heard of anything with that name. What kind of thing is it? Merc-san cutely tilted her head slightly. Humm, it seems like this world still doesnt know of pudding. Its a soft solid food like jelly. Its a good snack for the evening party. Can you make that pudding, Lute? No problem. Ive made it before. Then after breakfast is done tell me what ingredients you need. Ill prepare them so itll be done just in time for the evening party. Thank you very much! Thus the Grand Snack Operation to get Chrisse ojou-sama to relax her wariness, begins. I was left in charge of the evening tea party by Merc-san, to make the food I intruded on the food preparation area. I entrusted Merc-san to tell ojou-sama that Ill be making pudding for tonights evening party. Next is whether or not the taste of pudding is to ojou-samas liking. The ingredients for pudding are eggs, milk, and sugar. During the time I lived alone in my previous life. Every now and again, there were many times I got engrossed in food and made it. For the eggs, peacock eggs like the ones Id taken care of in the orphanage. Milk from hairy-headed cows. Imported sugar from the Fairy Human Continent. This world unexpectedly had similar spices and seasonings. Thanks to that it took almost no time at all to put the ingredients in order. I uttered my gratitude as soon as I started making the food. I began making pudding immediately. Firstly, I put sugar and water in a small saucepan, then cooked them in a medium fire. There was nothing convenient like gas stoves so I had to regulate the fire by taking burning firewood in and out. Once it had become thick and turned the color of brown sugar, I took it off from the fire and transferred it to a ceramic container. I made pudding batter by mixing eggs, milk, and sugar. I poured the pudding batter into a bowl using a tea strainer. I filled the saucepan with water, and put it on a fire until it boiled. The caramel sauce had already settled in the bottom of the cup, so I carefully poured the pudding batter in. After that, I added hot water, put a lid on it and left it for 10 minutes. I took it off the fire, and waited another 10 minutes. I finished by taking the cup and putting it inside a refrigerator. The refrigerators of this world were the old types that were cooled down by putting ice on top. I made some space in the fridge and cooled it carefully so that the smells of other foodstuffs didnt get on it. Preparation complete. All I have to do now was wait for the evening party. The custom of having tea before going to sleep at night was called evening party in the Demon Continent. Though its called a party, because it happens at night it was not something grand, but was a private affair instead, sometimes master and the others came along, but usually it was just ojou-sama and her retainers. I brought my handmade pudding for todays evening party. Its the third time I went to ojou-samas room. As soon as ojou-sama caught sight of me, she once again covered her head with her quilt and hid behind her bed. I expected as much. At first I wanted to leave it to Merc-san, and just receive her report on whether or not ojou-sama likes it. But Merc-san rejected my proposal. She insisted that it would be better in order to shorten the distance between us if I went into the room and made a direct appeal of making the pudding. Besides, ojou-sama is sure to like such a tasty treat as this. So have some confidence in yourself. To make sure it would suit ojou-sama, I had Merc-san taste it. Merc-san who did not have much in the way of facial expressions blushed in surprise at the taste when she ate a mouthful of the pudding. Having gained a boost of confidence from Merc-sans reaction, I visited ojou-samas room; third times the charm. Ojou-sama, this is the snack I made myself, its called a [Pudding] Ojou-sama reacted to the snack shed never heard of before, the so-called [Pudding], and peeped from behind the feather quilt, showing only her eyes. I turned the cup upside down on the plate with slow movements so I didnt frighten her. When I moved my hands two, three times, the pudding wobbled left and right on the plate. !? Ojou-sama became fixated on the wobbling. I got a response. For me who knew what the real thing looked like, it appeared rather bad because the caramel sauce became somewhat mixed with the pudding batter, but it shouldnt be a problem since its the first time ojou-sama saw it. This is a snack made from eggs, milk, and sugar. Its soft like jelly, so please scoop it up with a spoon and eat it. I put a wooden spoon on the plate and handed it over to Merc-san. Merc-san took it with care, and presented it to ojou-sama who was cowering behind the bed. But ojou-sama made no signs of taking the plate. She was curious, but it seems her fear of the opposite sex won out. (Dammit! Does this mean the Grand Snack Operation failed!?) The moment I thought that, Merc-san scooped up the pudding with the spoon and brought it towards ojou-samas mouth. Ojou-sama, say ah~n. At first she hesitated at the spoon she was presented with, but ojou-sama ate the pudding with a *glomp* sound effect. !!!? Ojou-samas white skin became red like a flower in bloom. Her eyes sparkled like twinkling stars and her lips broke into a smile, looking happy. Without a moments delay, Merc-san presented a second scoop. Ojou-sama, ah~n. She ate the next spoonful without hesitation. Just like that, she ate all the pudding on the plate clean up. Holding on to the scented tea Merc-san had heated up in her small hands, ojou-sama washed down the sweet aftertaste in her mouth and took a long breath. I talked to ojou-sama in a gentle tone in order to not frighten her. Was the pudding I made to ojou-samas liking? It was obvious from looking at the plate that was eaten clean and the expression on her face. Ojou-sama, as expected, took her hand off the scented tea and wrote on her mini blackboard. Its the first time I eat that snack, it was very delicious. If its alright with ojou-sama, will you be fine with having me make more snacks for tomorrows tea party and evening party? Ojou-sama hesitated a bit, but she showed her face from behind the mini blackboard and nodded. I want to have pudding tomorrow too, so please take care of me. Certainly! I made a triumphant pose in my mind, and bowed politely. The first round of the snacks operation was a success! Lets make snacks and open up ojou-samas heart like this. Then whatever happens, Ill be ojou-samas blood bag and caretaker and stay at the blood house! Also, for the sake of my chastity! The rest was a digression. As I left ojou-samas room behind, I was called to stop by the head butler Merry. It looks like the master and madam called for me. With questions in my head, I went to the room where they were andD Hahahahaha! This so-called [Pudding] is really delicious! It was worth buying Lute even just for this! Ah, darling, Lute still hasnt been formally accepted into the house yet. Hahahahahaha! Thats right, thats right! Darling is always so careless. The reason I was called by master and madam was because they wanted to have the pudding ojou-sama ateDso I was ordered to bring them some. The two were having a friendly chat while scrumptiously eating the two puddings I had set aside. The muscular, black-skinned Count with over 2 meters in height was eating the pudding in small bites, it was a rather surreal scene. Madam was eating gracefully like a picture, but. Those puddings were the ones I had set aside so I can enjoy eating them tonight after so long. I certainly cant refuse saying these are for me, so I tearfully handed them over. Uuuuu and I thought I would be having pudding after so long, too. Thus I shortened the distance between me and ojou-sama, and the first day passed. Volume 3 - CH 25 The second day, morning. I went together with the head maid Merc-san to wake ojou-sama up. Merc-san knocked like yesterday, then opened the door without waiting for a reply. Ojou-sama, excuse us. Excuse us. This morning ojou-sama seems to be awake, sitting blankly on the king-size bed. Wearing pajamas made of something like silk, she had her slightly wavy blond hair spread out on the white sheets. Because she was still sleepy, she had a vacant look on her face, yet her lovely cuteness was almost like a princess out of a fairy tale. Good morning ojou-sama. Good morning. As Merc-san and I greeted her, ojou-sama quickly bowed her head. She didnt run and hide anymore even when theres me, a boy, here. Instead, she ran her fingers on her mini blackboard. Ill be looking forward to todays tea party and evening party, was what she conveyed to us. Ill do everything I can and make snacks for ojou-sama. She smiled bashfully as I answered. Crap, shes cute! If I had a daughter like ojou-sama in my previous life, I would have spoiled the hell out of her. With that thought on my mind, I went out the room for a moment to make breakfast. I had a late breakfast with Merc-san again today. Once breakfast is done, I immediately started making snacks for the afternoon tea party. The cakes to be presented to ojou-sama was already being handled by an exclusive chef. I began working on making something else than the pudding I made yesterday. The cake I decided to make today was a crpea mille crpe. It is made by spreading cream and custard in between the crpe dough and piling it up. Crpes were first made in France, but the origin of [Mille Crpe] is Japanese. Firstly, I made the crpe dough, and cooked it in a shallow frying pan while adjusting the fire on the stove. Once Ive made crpes until there was no more dough left, I left them to cool. While that happens, I made custard cream. Custard cream is made from egg yolk, sugar, flour, and milk. I mixed the yolk, sugar, and flour, and evened them out while adding milk. Then I put it on a low fire until it became thick. Once the custard is finished, I cut up fruits to put in the cake. Today Ill be using a fruit similar to strawberries called a rawberry. It tasted just like a strawberry when I tried eating it. I cut the rawberry up into thin slices. After all the preparation was done, all thats left to do is to coat the crpes in custard and put the rawberry slices on top. Repeat that 20 times, and the [Rawberry Mille Crpe] was finished. But in the end, I was still an amateur cook, so I had to show it to the Vlad house head chef afterwards. The head chef, Malcolm of the Demon Race, Lizard Clan, cut off the [Rawberry Mille Crpe] into rectangular shape. In the end, he put a little bit of the leftover custard on top, and set an uncut rawberry on it. Like this, it became presentable, so much that I thought that it could be displayed on a storefront. As expected from the head chef. Ojou-sama would surely be happy with this. This is the cake I made, a [Rawberry Mille Crpe]. It was the afternoon tea party. I brought the [Rawberry Mille Crpe] to her room. Scented tea had already been set on the table with a tablecloth on it. There are other cakes besides my [Mille Crpe] put on the table. But ojou-samas eyes were entirely fixed on the [Rawberry Mille Crpe]. It looks so tasty. Ojou-sama showed her mini blackboard to me, who was standing at the doorway. I lightly bowed at her words. While I was standing by the doorway, Merc-san was helping ojou-sama. Ojou-sama immediately told Merc-san she wanted to eat the [Rawberry Mille Crpe] The head chef Malcolm-san had already cut the cakes up, so all Merc-san had to do was put it on a plate. Ojou-sama stretched a wooden spoon towards the [Rawberry Mille Crpe] in front of her eyes. ??? Ojou-sama happily rested her face on one hand as she took a mouthful. Second mouthful, thirdDonce I noticed, she had already eaten a whole plate of cake. Then ojou-sama asked for a second helping of [Rawberry Mille Crpe] During breakfast and dinner she ate a considerable amount of food, but it seems she had a separate stomach for snacks. As expected from a Demon Race with a sweet tooth. She drank some scented tea to wash down the lingering sweetness, and wrote on her mini blackboard. Yesterdays pudding was really tasty, but todays cake was also really tasty. Can you make me some more? Of course. Ill do my best and make other snacks I can also make for ojou-sama. Im really looking forward to it. Ojou-sama had taken a very friendly attitude compared to the day before yesterday. HoweverD Well then, I shall put the empty plates away. -hi! I approached ojou-sama to take the plates. As I did so, her body stiffened. It seems she was still afraid of the opposite sex. She still hadnt fully opened up her heart. I had closed some distance with the Grand Snack Operation, but she still hadnt fully opened up her heart. (Even if I keep on making snacks like this, I cant make her open up to me huh) I started thinking up other plans to replace the Grand Snack Operation while tidying up the dishes. Well, what should I do now? Certainly, that is troubling After the afternoon tea party, Merc-san and I were sweeping the residence together. In the corridor there was an empty metal armor holding a battleaxe with a broken blade, and a large vase that can easily fit two children inside. There are also paintings and stuffed animals decorating the place. Merc-san and I had our strategy meeting while cleaning each and every one of them. Once again I was relying on Merc-san who had come up with the snacks operation. Merc-san, do you have any other good ideas besides the snacks operation? Thats right. What about giving ojou-sama some kind of present after this? I see. You mean getting intimate by giving her a present. I wonder what ojou-sama would like to receive. How about things that girls likeDbouquets, or jewels? but I dont have any money. If I had the money to give her jewels, I wouldnt be a slave. Merc-sans look became distant when I pointed that out. Lute, its only been a short while but it was nice working with you. That joke again. Im not going to fall for it again. Why did you become silent!? Were you serious just now?! Dont look away! If you cant give her jewels or bouquets, I wonder if ojou-sama would be pleased if you show some special skills. Do you have any special skills you can show her? Skills huh.. I can pull off my thumb like this. !? I put my left thumb and right thumb together and slid it away, it was a practical joke that any Japanese would know. Ive heard that some foreigners get surprised if you show this to them. But when I lightly showed it to Merc-san she stepped back and fell down on her butt. She looks very scared. You look surprised Merc-san! See, I only put my left and right thumbs together and slid them off like this. I knew that from the start, you know. Its just that much. I only got surprised because Lute did something strange all of a shudden. Ah, she bit her tongue. Merc-san stood back up with an unconcerned face and wiped away the dust clinging to her maid clothes. Crap. Shes way more amusing than she looks. Oi. While we were having that conversation, the head of the guards Gigi-san called us out. Gigi-san, good work. good work. Merc-san and I greeted him one after the other. Gigi-san greeted us back with a slight bow of his head. Do you have any business with us? How are you doing with ojou-sama? Can you stay at the Vlad house? Gigi-san answered my question with a question. Looks like he was worried so he came and looked. Because Gigi-san was an ally who wanted me to stay, I frankly told him my situation. This is also because he might come up with a good idea. DI see, you got closer to her with some snacks, huh. Yes. But it gets hard after that. Gigi-san, do you have any ideas? Use this. Gigi-san gave me the thing in his hand. It was a book. Can you read Demon Language? Yes, Ill be alright. I was speaking in the Demon Language even now. Reading was also not a problem, unless the book was too difficult. Personally, Id rather read than talk. The book looks to be a picture book for reading aloud to children. The book was about a princess who was kidnapped by the Demon Lord of the Demon Continent, and the Demon Race hero borrowed the other heroes power and came to her rescue, it was an adventure-action and love story. It seems like this was one of the books ojou-sama likes. Ojou-sama likes books, she used to cage herself inside the school library. Lute can use that to start getting closer to her. Thank you very much, Gigi-san! Gigi-san finished what he came to do and silently went back to his post. While looking at his back, I came up with a plan. If I pull it off I might be able to get closer to ojou-sama. I told the plan I thought up to Merc-san and, It could certainly be a good plan. If you do it well, ojou-sama might come to see Lutes good points. She agreed. Because of that I suddenly became fired up. In preparation for tonights evening party, I called upon my knowledge of my previous life while sweeping. Evening at the 2nd evening party. Yesterday was pudding. Since there was some custard cream left from today I applied it to white bread and put fruits in between. A perfect fruit sandwich. Of course I made it small for the evening party. Ojou-sama thought that there were vegetables and meat between the bread slices so she was a little averse towards the fruit sandwich at the beginning. Do custard cream and bread fit together? However, she remembers how delicious the pudding and mille crpes were so she believed in me and tried it. ??? Ojou-sama immediately smiled broadly. She happily grasped the fruit sandwich with both hands and ate it like a squirrel. Her appearance was very lovely. (gulp) I made eye contact with Merc-san. I nodded and spoke to ojou-sama. Ojou-sama, there is one thing I wanted to ask you, will it be okay? ? Ojou-sama tilted her head, still holding the fruit sandwich, and nodded. She gave the OK sign. I slowly cut in. Actually, I met the head of the guards Gigi-san while sweeping today and I heard that ojou-sama likes to read picture books. If its alright with you, Id like to tell you a story that is well known in my country. Would you like to hear? Ojou-sama nodded, smiling with her whole face. In my heart I made a victory pose. I cleared my throat and immediately told her a story I remembered from my previous life. It seems like its best to tell her stories shed like, like Cinderella Snow White or Romeo and Juliet. I slowly started telling the story of Cinderella as the young lady sipped on her scented tea. Well then. Once upon a time and place, there was a young girl named CinderellaD When I finished telling ojou-sama the story of Cinderella, she clapped her hands, her eyes bright. It seems like she understood it just fine. It was the fairy tales author, not me, that made it enjoyable, but I was still happy that she liked it. Its like the feeling of reading a picture book aloud to a child. I continued, and told her the stories of Snow White and Romeo and Juliet. When I told her Romeo and Juliet, tears welled up in ojou-samas eyes that were bathed in the magic lamps light. Did I fail!?, I panicked, but it seems that she was moved by the story and teared up. She wiped her eyes using a handkerchief Merc-san handed her. I looked at them and silently stroked my chest. Well then, its become late so we should end it here for tonight. If its alright with ojou-sama, would you like me to tell you another story at tomorrows evening party? Cant you tell me just one more story? Ojou-sama wrote on her mini blackboard, stood up from her seat and pressed it right beside me. Merc-san and I looked at each other in surprise despite being in front of ojou-sama because of her actions. Cant you? Ojou-sama took it as a no and her face became gloomy. I hastily denied it. No, theres no problem. Well then, I shall tell ojou-sama one last story. As I said that ojou-samas expression completely changed and became bright. Then she, without returning to her seat, wrapped herself in her quilt and rolled down on the bed. Then she urged me to come beside the bed. I then brought a chair and sat down beside the bed as ordered. Ojou-sama looked up at me with an expression that would fit the term excited. (A story that ojou-sama would like like Cinderella Snow White and Romeo and Juliet huh ) Normally I would gradually run out of story material, but in my old life I had not only that but also anime, light novels, and manga. I still had a lot of story material to use. I folded my arms and pondered a little. I thought of a story ojou-sama would like and turned towards her. Well then, I will finally tell you the best story I saved for last. Im looking forward to it. Ojou-sama skilfully wrote on the mini blackboard while lying down. I cleared my throat, and after introducing one of the most famous stories in my country, I said the title. Then the last story for tonight will beDLata: Castle in the Sky. Volume 3 - CH 26 On the third day, morning. Slipping out of bed, I changed into my butler clothes. It is said that human beings could adapt to any kind of environmentI have surely adapted to acting as a butler recently. Im simply happy that Chrisse ojou-sama is pleased about it. Of course, it is also due to the good environment. Both the Master and his wife are as open hearted and kind as masters go. Head butler Merry still kept his distance from me, although he does not create trouble to chase me out like in shoujo manga. He just keeps an eye on me. Head security Gigi-san and head maid Merc-san gave their cooperation in helping me get closer to ojou-sama, I was really taken care of in the past 2 days. If the 2 of them arent here, ojou-sama would still be afraid of me. Once things have settled down, I would like to express my gratitude to the both of them. Etching this thought into my heart, I check for wrinkles after changing into my butler clothes. Opening my bedroom door, I greeted the waiting Merc. Good Morning. Good Morning, Lute. Then, lets wake up ojou-sama. It is now the promised third day. Need to be fired up. Thus begins a day in the Vlad house. I entered ojou-samas room. Shes still asleep due to listening to my story until late night, yesterday. Theres still plenty of room even if 3 adults were to sleep on the canopy bed. Ojou-samas eyelids are closed, eyelashes quivering. Cheeks flushed in cinnabar red, lips red as rose and moist. Blonde hair spread on the pillow creates an illusion of a divine princess from fairy tales. Even so, her sleeping face is surely on the level where it could be labelled as Angels sleeping face in art galleries. Though I intended to observe longer, Merc-san proceeded to wake her up. Good morning ojou-sama, please wake up, its morning. Merc-san called out, pulling off the futon. Like a cat feeling cold, ojou-sama cutely curled up. However, Merc-san gave pursuit without mercy. Ojou-sama, please wake up quickly. Today is the day your have acquaintances visiting. Waking up so late will cause them to wait for you, is that alright? Ojou-sama reacted to those words and raises her body slowly. Eyes only half open, still noticeably sleepy. Good morning, ojou-sama. Good morning. Ojou-sama seems to be sleepy, and the words on her mini blackboard looked strange. But despite her sleepy state, today she didnt become afraid when I drew near, unlike yesterday or the day before. I felt a great sense of achievement and in my heart, I made a pose of pumping my fist into the air. With sleepy eyes, ojou-sama started writing. Today Karen and the others are coming for afternoon tea party, could you make the crepes cake that we ate yesterday? I dont mind, who are these Karen-sama and the others? They are ojou-samas childhood friends. The 3 of them are girls and of the same age as ojou-sama. Merc-san explained. So they are ojou-samas same-aged childhood friends, huh. Furthermore the words written on ojou-samas mini blackboard. Lute please do attend the tea party too. The story from last night was the most interesting, I want everyone to hear all of it. Yesterdaysah, barusu huh. Yes, barusu? Ojou-sama merrily wrote on the mini blackboard. I introduced these as stories popular in my home town, preemptively substituting trains, guns, cars, and radar to their equivalents in this world, but they still seem pretty interesting. This is the first time I see ojou-sama being so happy. Apparently Studio Ghibli works even in an alternative world. Thats seriously awesome, Ghibli. Caught in the moment, I attempted to open the thick curtain, which was like a dark screen, to have the sunlight shine onto ojou-sama. Ojou-sama whilst happily writing characters noticed my intention and covered her eye. My eye~, My eye~ As expected of ojou-sama. It has been 11 years since I have been reborn into this alternate world. I happily enjoyed exchanging otaku communication after such a long time. Ojou-sama and I laughed at each other while making poses of holding down our eyes. Looking at our figures, Merc-san face hardened with surprise. As I opened the curtain, I caught her expression at the edge of my sight, though I do not understand her surprise, for now Ill just show ojou-sama my smile. Thus please allow me to tell my stories during the afternoon tea party. Ojou-sama smiled happily as she hears my answer. After ojou-samas care is completed with Merc-san, we had breakfast slowly. I headed into the kitchen as soon as I finished eating. Ingredients are lined up in a corner of the kitchen, which is now for my exclusive use. Ojou-sama wanted to have the [Mille Crpe] from yesterday, during her afternoon tea party. Hearing that it is on the childhood friends request, caused me to feel fired up about making the [Mille Crpe]. The crpe from yesterday had rawberries sandwiched between the layers, today I decided to mash and mix them into the batter. The crpe layer was dyed pinkish. I requested the lizardman head chef, sweet-toothed Malcolm-san to light the stove. Even though he is not a magician, hes still able to use simple magic for cooking. The fire is controlled by adding or removing firewood. A few maids offered their help as they worried about me being a child but I declined them gently. Although I am busy with preparation for ojou-samas friends, its not like its so bad that I need their help. I made the crpe the same way as I did yesterday. After I am finished with crpe batter, I left it to cool for a moment. While the batter is left to be cooled, I finished making the custard cream quickly. I had not only taken rawberries out of the refrigerator, but other fruits too. I finished slicing the fruits thinly as they are to be sandwiched between the layers. Next I smeared the custard cream on the crpe, placed the fruit on top, and added another layer of crpe, a process which I repeated. When Im done, I requested head chef Malcolm-san to help me cut the [Mille Crpe] into a heart shape. Finally, Malcolm-san decorated the [Mille Crpe] with the leftover fruit and custard cream. [Heart-shaped Mille Crpe with seasonal fruits] completed! As the batter is pink in color, it would be so wasteful to eat such a cute thing if I do say so myself. To that, I am very grateful to Malcolm-san for the decorations. As ojou-samas friends are all girls, I think this will be received pretty well. I gave my thanks to Malcolm-san, and asked if he could help me create one more snack. I placed a deep pot on the stove, and poured oil inD Ojou-samas friends have arrived. They exchanged simple greetings with the master and madam before proceeding towards ojou-samas room. Normally when guests are invited to tea parties, it would be held in the garden or at the terrace. However due to ojou-sama being unable to leave her room due to the trauma of getting bullied, her parties would normally be held in her room. Her friends knew of the circumstances, and this is not the first time they have done so. Without even a twitch of eyebrows, they were escorted in. Ojou-sama received the guests in her room. As expected of a tea party with guests, she is now in her casual clothes instead of the normal pajamas. The light blue one-piece dress is well matched with her blonde hair and crystal clear skin, making her very lovely. The dark-screen-like curtain stayed down. The room is being illuminated through the power of magic. Merc-san and I participated in the tea party as stewards. Their piercing gazes landed on the human child whom they are not familiar with. Nice to meet you, I am the butler apprentice, Lute from the human race. Glad to make your acquaintance. I placed my right hand on my chest, the left hand behind me, and quickly bowed my head in greeting. Ojou-sama introduced her 3 childhood friends to me. Bunny Bloomfield of the 3-eyed race. At first glance, her physique looked like those of a cute human girl, however there is a visible eye on her forehead. Thats why theyre named the 3-eyed race. Her family is running a currency exchange business. As such she is very proud of her skill in counting money quickly. It is so unexpected that Chrisse-chan employed a human as a butler, and a male one too. The next person belongs to the Lamia race with a lower body of a snake and an upper body of a human, Muir Head. Isnt it alright, he seems like a kind and pleasant person. As always, the Earl has a good eye for character. She gave her opinion leisurely while sticking out her red snake tongue. Muirs family seems to own a mine. Her lower body, which was of a snake was not covered while her upper body wore a simple apparel that can be easily slid on, similar to a kimono. Her breasts are so big that one would not think of her to be of the same age as ojou-sama. The 2 of them seems to be very friendly, but the last girl is showing an unhappy face. Karen Bishop of the Centaur race. She has the lower body of a horse and the upper body of a human girl. Her hairstyle is tied in a long ponytail matching her race. She did not sit on a chair but instead folded her legs on the floor. I dont want to meddle with other families employees, but if you ever lay your hands on Chrisse Ill never let you off easy. Is what she said in a threatening voice. Her tone is like that of a samurai. Her family does the manufacturing and sale of large-sized weapons and armor. Her race also deals with mercenary work, resulting in her (Karen) picking up martial arts from a very young age, which is how she ended up having this tone of voice. Ojou-sama made a follow up after Karen. Lute is a nice person. Hes also good at making snacks, I had him make some for todays tea party on a whim, too.. In response to ojou-samas words, I lined the [Heart-shaped Mille Crpe with seasonal fruits] and [Potato Chips (lightly salted)] on the table. Wow, so cute Bunny of the 3 eyed race lets out in her girly voice. Hm, the looks arent too bad. The looks, says Karen Bishop of the Centaur race. Karen is really. However it is such a cute looking cake. But, this is. is this potato? Muir the Lamia tilted her head in wonder. That is correct. It is a snack called [Potato Chips]. It is made by slicing potato into thin slices before frying it with oil, then adding salt. Though it is not sweet, it has quite an addictive taste. The potatoes here look mostly the same as those in my previous life. I just wanted to try it out, but the potato chips turned out just fine. The flavor was given endorsement by Malcolm-san who tasted it. I was fired up because of the impending arrival of ojou-samas friends and developed a new menu. Swiftly, ojou-sama stretched her hand towards the [Potato Chips] from the new menu. Its crispy, so delicious. She wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief and merrily wrote on her mini blackboard. The other 3 also stretch out their hands, and they unanimously said that it was delicious. In the mean time, Merc-san brewed scented tea for everyone. Next, I cut the heart shaped mille crpe and distributed all of it to ojou-sama and friends. It was performed so brilliantly, it is not an exaggeration to say that its a form of art. Although the [Potato Chips] are delicious, the cake is also tasty. This repetition of sweetness and saltiness is so irresistable. The 3 eyed Bunny exclaimed in delight while eating the cake and potato chips alternatingly. It is just as Bunny-chan said. ojou-sama said as she followed suit. Kuh Karen showed an expression of This is so frustrating, but Ill eat it anyway, as she ate the desserts. (Even though it would have been alright to eat it normally..) Muir the Lamia kept sending me amorous glances as she sipped the scented tea. Were you called Lute-san? Im so envious of Chrisse-san. To be able to eat such delicious food. If possible I would scout Lute-san to our house. Even if Muir-chan asks, it is still impossible. As Lute-san is already the butler of our house. Fufufu, that is so regrettable. Ojou-sama once again moved her fingers over the mini blackboard. Lute-san is not only excellent in cooking, hes also apt in storytelling. Yesterday I listened to many interesting stories that I have never heard before. It is especially recommended to Bunny-chan. It wont be wrong if it is by Chrisse-chans recommendation. The book that I was lent previously was very interesting. Bunny of the three-eyed race seems to be ojou-samas fellow book lover. However, someone poured cold water on the 2 of them. What Chrisse recommended to Bunny is a story where the hero saves the princess, isnt it? If it is me, I will prefer one where the blood gushes and the flesh was rent. Karen shouldnt be one to talk. You only read books that are about heroic tales. Muir rebuked her slightly. Ojou-sama wrote on the mini blackboard. Then, does Lute know of any heroic tales that Karen would enjoy? I was lost in thought at ojou-samas question. A story that a martial artist type girl like Karen would enjoy. Then this should be perfect. I cleared my throat to gain the attention of ojou-sama and friends. Then I introduced it as a well-known story that is often told in my country and continued. It might be presumptuous of me, but allow me to tell you of a story. The title of the story is [Chshingura]. There was a movie that starred Keanu Reeves about it too, labelled as 47 Ronin. C Sarah The weapons and tools are substituted to their equivalents in this alternate world, so that it will be easier for them to imagine. Wonderful! The 47 ronin are the very example of loyal retainers! The martial girl Karen was by the time I finished telling the story worn out from crying. Especially the last part where ishi Kuranosukes group ended their own lives caused an outburst of tears. Her tears flowed continuously without care of being seen by the others. As expected, ojou-sama and the two other girls were creeped out because of Karens crying. After Karen wiped her tears with a handkerchief, she lowered her head towards Lute. Thank you for telling such an amazing story. I would like to have your forgiveness on the rudeness I showed earlier. I was being too stern because I was worried of a male by Chrisses side. Since you can create such delicious cakes and told such a wonderful story, theres no way youre a bad person! With just cake and a story! Shes too easily bought ! Of course, I didnt say that out loud and only replied with a smile. I did not take it to heart, so Karen-sama, please dont fret over it. A bright smile appeared on Karens face upon hearing my reply. After that, it was girls talk until the evening. We ate dinner after her friends returned home. After we ate, ojou-sama went straight for the futon without having a late night party. Im sleepy because I was up late yesterday, so Ill go to bed now. I think the lack of sleep and the noisy conversation with childhood friends made her tired. But if she sleeps as it is I will be returned to the Rano slave market tomorrow! Ojou-sama, to do this before sleep, Im very sorry. But to be honest I have one wish for ojou-sama A wish? Please say it if its something I can do. With a friendly smile ojou-sama runs her finger on the mini blackboard. I think the distance to ojou-sama was closed very much in these 3 days. But if she refused Simply thinking about it makes my stomach hurt. I requested to ojou-sama while suppressing the trembling in my voice. Its already the 3rd day since I became ojou-samas aid. Today is the day of the deadline. Therefore I want ojou-sama to treat me as a blood bag and suck blood from me. Ojou sama was about to write letters on her mini blackboard but her finger stopped. Ojou-sama looked my way. Straight at me. Her eyes color made my heart beat faster. I feel as if Im drawn in by Chrisse ojou-samas moist eyes. Lute, come here. Ojou-sama writes letters on the blackboard. And then sits up and beckons me to sit on the bed. While being beckoned, I move towards her. When right next to her I feel her breath. Its the first time for me as well so I dont know if I can do it well Ojou-samas lips open slightly. I may be still inexperienced but take care of me. She grasps my finger in her small palm. Usually blood is sucked from the neck or arm, I guess she plans to suck it from my finger. Ojou-sama grasps the index finger of my right hand with both her small hands and puts it in her mouth with a *glomp*. Its warm inside her mouth. Her tongue, like a different animal, licks my finger as if caressing it. It seems she looks for a spot where blood can easily be sucked. Ojou-samas pointed teeth tears my skin open. Maybe because of the saliva, or some other reason, there is no pain. Ojou-sama separates my finger from her lips. A thread of saliva which shines between lips and finger forms and extends. Its stretching breaks off midway. Mysteriously there is no wound on my fingertip. All thats there is a red mark like a insect bite. As if ojou-sama had swallowed alcohol her cheeks are flushed and her eyes appear intoxicated and become blurred. She writes on her mini blackboard while she is unsteady as if she were drunk. Though it was the first time, Lute-sans blood was delicious. Im happy you liked it. Merce-san handed a handkerchief over to wipe off ojou-samas saliva which stuck to my finger. After bowing, as I was about to leave the room, ojou-sama pulled on my shirttail. When I turned around, ojou-sama who still was groggy, wrote shyly on the small blackboard. Thanks to Lute-kun everyone could spend an enjoyable time today. Thank you for always making delicious sweets and telling enjoyable stories. Ojou-sama gives her thanks shyly. My facial expression turned loose from looking at her cute and enticing figure. Since Im ojou-samas butler, although I am still an apprentice, its only the natural thing to do. As I answered with a smile, ojou-sama also returned a smile. A warm and happy atmosphere filled the room. The complete change in ojou-samas attitude compared to the first day where I began as butler was impressive. Well then, let me once again say: good night ojou-sama. Good night, Lute-san, Merce-san. I and Merce-san bow and quietly close the rooms door. Merry-san waited for me as we exited to the hallway. Ojou-sama seems to have gone to bed baa~. He regarded my silence as confirmation. Then you were able to achieve the role as a blood bag? Yes, thank you. Merry said nothing and nods quietly several times. Even if I deceive him here, he would still be able to confirm with ojou-sama tomorrow. Telling a lie would be meaningless. Merce, Lute. Master and madam are waiting for you. Please follow me baa~. Merce and I are following behind him according to his words. We arrived in the room where the master and his wife were waiting. Upon entering, Head security Gigi-san awaits. Everyone has gathered, Merry will be moderating while the meeting proceed. Master and madam, I would like to apologise for the trouble. The results of the 3 day examination is out and I would like to make a report baa~. 3 days examination? Was there such a thing? Wa wa hawwa wa wa, isnt it that. The results of the new magic lamp that appeared this time? If its performance is better than the previous one, it would be good to purchase the required amount. Haahahahahahahahaa! No, youre mistaken. It is the matter regarding whether Lute should be allowed to be the blood bag of ojou-sama whilst taking care of her or if he shall be forced to leave the Vlad family baa~. Both the master and madam showed faces indicating that they had forgotten about it. Seriously, this couple The two remembered the conditions upon hearing Merrys input. Merry continued his speech. The conditions that master laid out was, [To act as a blood bag and allow ojou-sama to drink blood within 3 days, otherwise a refund will be requested to the slave house]. Lute has impressively completed this task baa~. Nevertheless Merry cuts off. Wait a minute! Dont tell me that you are going to use your authority as the head butler to send me back to the slave house even though the conditions have been fulfilled!? However, what happened was totally different from what I expected. Even if Lute failed to have his blood sucked, I had intended to propose for him to stay. According to Mercs report: Ojou-sama who has a fear of men is able to openly talk and joke; successfully led ojou-sama, who fears sunlight and venturing out, outside and allowed her to be capable of smiling while being showered by sunlight. To let go of someone capable of such achievements would be a great loss, both for ojou-sama, and the Vlad family baa~. Merry, no, Merry-san turned towards me and very deeply lowered his head. I am extremely sorry for saying terrible words like requesting a refund from the slave house on the first day. I beg for your forgiveness in regards to my diatribe. N, Not at all! Considering the position Merry-san is in, itd be weird if you do not object! I did not hold a grudge against you! Im really grateful if you put it that way baa~. Master who was watching our exchange, lets out a hearty laugh. Hahahahahaha! Is that so! Lute has gone so far to get along with Chrisse! So for meeting the conditions Lute will be received in my Vlad family. Very well Lute. I look forward to the all delicious sweets Lute will make after this. Hahahahahahaaa! Certainly! Even if only considering the confections Lute makes, keeping him makes sense! Ahaahahahahahahaa! Thank you! Master, madam! To my expression of gratitude, master and madam are laughing happily. It seems I can remain in the Vlad house safely. Merry-sans gentle expression abruptly changed and became tense. Well then, after this Lute will be ojou-samas exclusive butler and blood bag. For you to become a butler suitable to the Vlad family, I will guide you strictly baa~. Yes, Merry-san! I will do my best to become a splendid butler! The next day, an official contract marking was stamped above the provisional contract marking, using a little bit of ojou-samas blood. On the next day ojou-sama took a little bit of blood for the official contract marking to overwrite the provisional contract marking. With this, I became an official member of the Vlad family and ojou-samas exclusive apprentice butler and blood bag. Thank you for reading thus far! Impressions, corrections and opinions are very welcome! Update is scheduled on 21hrs, tomorrow, 16th December. ^ Authors Note by the way. :D Volume 3 - CH 27 Lute, age 12. The Demon Continent was in the exact opposite place from the Fairy Human Continent. There were no four seasons, the weather was always cloudy. The soil was so barren it was hard to grow crops. By necessity, legumes that had high nutritional value and can be grown even in barren soil had become the staple crop. Unlike the Fairy Human Continent, they only have 2 meals here: breakfast and dinner. The food was simple, consisting of bean soup, salad, simple meat dishes, and sometimes fish. For seasoning, its mostly just salt. Maybe because the Demon Races didnt have any interest in food, even the high nobles had mostly similar menus to the common rabble. However, they poured their souls into their afternoon tea parties and nightly evening parties. Demon Race people of all ages just love sweet snacks. So almost all of the flour, sugar, and fruits they imported were turned into snacks. They also imported scented tea leaves in large quantities. Rather than baking flour into bread, make cakes! was their national motto. In exchange for importing flour and sugar from the Fairy Human Continent, the Demon Continent exports minerals like iron ore, coal, gold, silver, copper, magic stones, and gems. Their soil is barren, but to make up for that, numerous resources were buried within. This was a land not unlike Arabia in my previous world, that was rich in petroleum. But there were no such things as countries in the Demon Continent. Whenever there was an important matter that needed to be settled, representatives from each family would meet together and decide on a course of action. Even if they wanted to consolidate into a country, the Demon Races themselves were made up of a wider range of clans compared to other races, so it was difficult. Mermen and birdmen cant possibly be expected to adopt the same way of living. It was also impossible to force them into the same way of thinking and doing things. For those reasons they could not come together as a country. In the eyes of the other races, they were uncivilized barbarians. There are even those who look and act similar to monsters. Then perhaps it was inevitable that discrimination progressed into war. About 1000 years ago, a war between the union of the Fairy, Human, and Beast races and the Demon Race broke out. At the start, the Fairy Human Beast alliance dismissed them as disorderly mobs, but when push came to shove, the Demon Race had a higher sense of unity than they imagined. The war finally ended in a draw, but considering the Demon Races high individual skill and magic power, it was possible that the Fairy Human Beast alliance could have lost if the war dragged on. Moreover, the Demon Continent is a country full of resources where minerals like ores, precious metals, magic stones, and gems were buried in great amounts. They were discriminated against because their appearances were similar to monsters, but the Fairy Human Beast alliance came to know that they were a race that should not be made enemies of. After the war, it became bad manners to treat the Demon Race with discrimination. Because there were no countries in the Demon Continent, the title of Count Dan Gate Vlad who bought meDCount was given to him by a small Fairy Human Continent country together with a plot of land for his services there. Right now that land seemed to be under the management of masters acquaintance. Just what kind of services did he do. Count Dan Gate Vlad was born as the third son of a vampire family head. He couldnt hope for an inheritance. But thanks to the magic talent he was born with, he became an A ranked magician. Then once he graduated from magic school, master immediately registered with the Adventurers Guild, brimming with frontier spirit, and rushed out to the Demon Continent. He went around the world, embarking on all sorts of adventuresDlike slaying monsters, hunting robbers, getting into fights with dragons, destroying Legions that made an enemy of him all by himself, and exploring dangerous dungeons. At first people around him took their distance because he was a Demon Race. But because of his sociableness, strength, and gentlemanly conduct, the animosity that was there at the beginning was quickly blown away, and he made many friends and colleagues. That master was going hunting for pirates when he met madam. Mrs. Seras Gate Vlad was well known as the former female captain of a pirate-hunting ship. She was a competent person with a B+ rank in magic. Those two met, and immediately fell in love at first sight. On the same day, master delivered a bracelet to madam and married her. All their friends at the time could not keep up with their speed, and everyone was surprised. Then the two returned to the Demon Continent, and set up a trading company. Thanks to madams sailing skills forged in her pirate-hunting days and Masters knowledge of language and also connections and intermediaries built with his sociable attitude, the company soon reaped huge profits. What earned them a particularly large amount of profit was hiring Dwarves to process raw gemstones, gold, and silver in the Demon Continent and exporting them. The company handled everything from mining the raw materials, processing, and transportation. To that extent, it was possible for them to establish a system that can achieve high quality, implement designs the customers like, and respond to orders no matter how small. Thanks to that they had a good reputation with their customers and orders keep coming in. The other Demon Race people tried to copy master, but they couldnt do what he did, and caused cultural friction with the Dwarves. They also didnt have connections to the upper crust of the Fairy Human continent like master did. Thus they could not sell the goods even if they could make them. If thats the case, then it doesnt matter how much they could produce. That way, contrary to other peoples struggles, masters business kept on growing rapidly. Right now, the two were all but retired. The business was mostly left to their subordinates, and they only came in to check every now and again. What do they do on the days theyre not at workD Madam would throw tea parties, assembling noble wives in similar situations for all kinds of gatherings. She was a person with such tastes. Master would be busy, earnestly training. Generally speaking, he seemed to like building his muscles. When I met master while working in the corridor, he would instantly take of his clothes and pose. Lute! What do you think of my muscles! Strapping, arent they! Y, yes. They are very strapping. I think they are very well trained. That so! Hahahahahahaha! Satisfied with my reply, he vanished behind a corner. Then from behind the corner, the sound of Merc-san saying they are very strapping, magnificent was heard, and once again masters laughter resounded. He didnt have to be so loud that everyone can hear Also, master and madam would go on trips with just the two of them several times a month. They looked to be intimate, cuddly trips, not unlike newlyweds. It was everyones ideal slow life. However, there were those who are jealous of masters success and graceful days, they were the main familys eldest and second sons, in other words, masters older brothers. The main family was an ancient house, they had land, and generally they were also considered the upper crust of society. But the sum total of their assets were totally dwarfed by masters. It seemed that at any rate, they couldnt stand it. Once upon a time, the eldest and second brothers, coming up with a suitable excuse, started a war with master. The enemy was from the vampire clans main house, numbering 1000 people. This includes 50 magicians. On the other hand, the Vlad houses fighting force, including master and madam, comes to under 50 people if you take them together. But it ended in the Vlad houses complete victory. The Vlad houses allies were madams former subordinates and masters adventurer colleagues who were indebted to him. They were heads and shoulders above the main vampire houses subordinates in terms of battle experience and loyalty. And the most critical thing of all is master himself. Masters A rank magician title was not just for show. A rank magician is a title that only a handful of talented magicians can reach after much effort. During the time of the war, master trampled down the main vampire houses subordinates, bathed in all kinds of magic, without even getting a single injury. Yet despite this, there was not a single casualty. It was something he can do precisely because he had overwhelming difference in power. The eldest and second brothers immediately apologized for causing a war out of their own accord. Master just laughed and forgave them. Furthermore master did not demand money or anything besides an apology out of them, for one reason. That reason isDIt was fun to have something make my muscles shake again after a long time! But I couldnt give my muscles the joy of exercise unless you had a little more spine! Hahahahaha! At these remarks of masters, even madam seems to have let out a strange laugh. Not sure if its their caliber as people, or if this couple was just a pair of huge idiots. Master was willing to forgive and forget in good faith, but the eldest and second brothers still held a grudge from this war. It was rumored that they were restrained from asking for a rematch by the people around them. It was for master and madams only child Chrisse Gate Vlads 10th birthday that I was bought to be a blood bag and steward by mistake. For vampires, blood was a luxury good, like coffee, tea, or tobacco. Human blood had an especially good flavor. The concept of birthdays doesnt exist in the Fairy Human Continent. At best, there was only a coming of age celebration when one reaches 15 years of age. But the Demon Continent did have the idea of birthdays. It ends at the age of 10. At age 15, they celebrate their joining the world of adults. After that there were not really any birthday celebrations. On one occasion, I asked master and madam. Concerning ojou-samas being hikikomori. Why didnt master and madam do anything to solve ojou-samas hikikomori problem? Its not like they didnt do anything, that much I understood. They bought and gifted me as a blood bag for her birthday, helping her with a chance to change for the better. But they built a bath and toilet in her room, as if to say its fine if she didnt come out of there, nor were they any signs of them giving her treatment to heal her trauma (though I dont know if such a thing exists in this world). From my point of view, they seemed to have an attitude as if they didnt have an interest in ojou-sama. That sweet, gallant ojou-sama having parents that dont care about herDI dont think that such a thing was possible, but I wont be satisfied unless I asked them. Master and madam exchanged glances and sunk into silence. . Lute, do you know of a bird called a Continental Sea Swallow? Madam suddenly asked me a question I didnt understand. I shook my head. The Continental Sea Swallow are migratory birds, they go back and forth on the Central Sea between the Fairy Human Continent and the Demon Continent. But the Continental Sea Swallow arent always in flight. In my pirate-hunting days, I often saw them stop on masts, resting. Madam took a sip of scented tea. I think of Chrisse right now as like one of those swallows that are taking a rest. Shell take a rest for a while, then some day shell fly again. So in that time, we give her an environment where she can rest to the fullest. .. Madam really believes in ojou-sama. No, thats not it. Its just that I have confidence in my daughter. Hahahahahahaha! Shes my and Seras daughter! Sooner or later, not to mention her room, shell fly off, away from the Demon Continent! Just like you and me long ago, right. It looks like shes really going to be like that. She cant fight whats in her blood. Then the two laughed happily. They had faith in their daughter. I became a hikikomori back in my previous life. Just like ojou-sama, I stayed inside, afraid of being bullied again by the world outside. That time, my parents didnt say anything and let me shut myself inside. Perhaps they believed in me, their son, just like master. They believed that one day I would summon my courage and come out of the room on my own. But in the end, I kept on staying home like that, and finally had to be thrown out by my parents. Either go work at an acquaintances metalworking factory, or receive 1 million and leave the house. At the time they said that, I resented them, saying Some parents they are! Isnt it their job to take care of the son they gave birth to!? But I wonder how my parents felt at that time. I was only thinking of myself, and didnt think of how my parents felt. At best, I sulked and saidDI have a more accomplished younger brother than myself so excuse me if I dont do my job. If I could go back to my previous life, Japan, I want to face my parents and talk to them. Telling each other our feelings while drinking sake. Then I want to know what they were thinking at the time, what they wanted, even if its too late. Then before I realized, one year had passed since the time I met with master, madam, Chrisse ojou-sama, Merry-san, Merc-san, Gigi-sanDwith everyone. Recently Ive been living as Chrisse ojou-samas guard, steward, and blood bag. Now that Ive turned 12, my daily living schedule was like this. The day starts by me firstly getting out of bed and changing into my butler clothes. I would open the windows, and let the fresh morning air into my room. There would sometimes be mice right under the window. They were good guys that would eat bad insects. They looked totally like hamsters. They seemed to like sweets just like any other Demon Continent creature, I would sometimes give them leftover cookies and they would happily eat them. Like I cant help returning the cranes favor, I did it because I wanted to return the mices favor. Once I got out of my room, I would meet up with the demon race, hamster clan head maid Merc-san and head towards ojou-samas room. We went to wake up ojou-sama who would still be sleeping. We would knock and enter the room, but most of the time, ojou-sama would still be sleeping in her large bed even when the suns already up. The figure of little ojou-sama sleeping in a canopy bed where three adults could fit with room to spare was very cute. I wanted to enjoy looking at her sleeping face like this, but I steeled my heart and woke her up. Even being a hikikomori, its bad for her health if her circadian rhythm gets disrupted and she became a night owl. Ojou-sama, its morning already, please wake up. Chrisse ojou-sama would twist her body like a mayfly, turning her back towards me. She usually wouldnt wake up even if I called out to her. So I would open the bulky dark-screen-like curtains covering the windows. It was cloudy as usual today, but it was bright. About a year ago, ojou-sama was bullied and became very afraid of the outside world. Therefore at that time the windows would be kept covered with the bulky dark-screen-like curtains, but its not the case nowadays. She was no longer afraid of the light. But she still couldnt come out of the room. She would become nauseous if she were forced to come out. At worst, she would turn pale as if she were anemic and faint. Ojou-samas heart was wounded with trauma to that extent. But she managed successfully bask in the light. We should keep this up and slowly confront and heal her mental trauma. Luckily the family had money, and a vampires beauty wont tarnish even if they lived a long time. As ojou-sama became bathed in sunlight, she seemed to be dazzled by it and rub her eyes awake. If she still doesnt wake up, Merc-san would take drastic measures: tear her quilt off and shake her shoulders. Ojou-sama, good morning Good morning Good morning. Merc-san, Lute-san. It seemed like the sunlight could wake her today. Sleepy-eyed, she wrote her morning greetings on the mini blackboard. Once ojou-sama had woken up, Merc-san would take her along to the bathroom inside her room. While they get her dressed for the morning, I would go finish preparing breakfast. On the first floor, Malcolm the chief cook from the demon lizard race has finished preparing the breakfast and is placing it on a push cart. Good morning Malcolm-san. I have come to get ojou-samas breakfast. (Gulp) Among the employees, Malcolm is the most silent. His appearance is that of a lizard walking on 2 legs with cooking clothes on and a neatly maintained cooking knife in his hand. He has the look of a fierce bloodthirsty carnivore, but in reality he eats no meat, hes a vegetarian. But he has a sweet tooth and it seems he is taking more pride in making sweets than ordinary food. He came to me and politely bowed his head to learn how to make pudding, custard cream and mille crepe. Of course I wasnt stingy and taught him all the recipes I knew. Because of that, occasionally he shares the remaining sweets from the afternoon tea party and evening party preferentially with me. The cooking is transported by a push cart. I carry it to the second floor with help of the body strengthening art, moving that is heavy work. In ojou-samas room the cooking is lined up on a table and awaits her after finishing dressing. While ojou-sama is having her meal, I and Merc-san are serving her as waiters. After the meal is finished, its cleaning it up. I ask other maids to aid ojou-sama while I finish my late breakfast in the employee dining room. When breakfast is finished Merc-san returns to ojou-sama. I go to head butler Merry-san. In the morning Merry-san holds a study session for demon continent language apart from butler studies. Reading and holding ordinary conversations in the demon continent language is no problem but Im not yet used to writing. Also as a butler Im still too inexperienced. Merry-san taught me everythingDfrom how to bow my head, footwork, speech, posture, how to carry tea, how to deliver letters, to common knowledgeDso I can become a butler that wont embarrass the Vlad house. In the afternoon, I prepared the ojou-samas tea party. Malcolm-san prepared the [Mille Crepe] that ojou-sama liked in high spirits. Every once in seven days, ojou-samas childhood friendsD[Three-eyed Barnie Bloomfield] [Lamia Muir Head] and [Centaur Karen Bishop] came over to play. On those days Malcolm-san became more psyched making the snacks. The girls seem to often come over to play with ojou-sama who had become a hikikomori for years. Not only Malcolm-san, but also Merc-san, Gigi-san, Merry-san, and the other maids, at least as her servants, received them in high spirits as thanks for being ojou-samas friends. They seem to genuinely want to come see ojou-sama. They happily started girls talk during the tea parties. The three-eyed race, Barnie Bloomfield, girlishly talked about things that interest ojou-sama, like cute accessories, interesting books, and snacks she bought from all around town. The Lamia, Muir Head, was so voluptuous and sexy you wouldnt think she was the same age as ojou-sama. She usually had the role of listener and being the groups mediator with the standpoint of a big sister. Ojou-sama, too, when she had something to consult, she would stealthily go talk to Muir. The Centaur, Karen Bishop, was everyones target of affection. She was hotblooded, a military girl who would rather go with swords than accessories. She would often get teased by Muir, and ojou-sama and the others would happily laugh at her reaction. Once the tea party was over, I would have combat training with the head of the guards: Demon Race, Wolf clan, Gigi-san. He was a former slave, 10 years ago he had saved up and bought himself back from master. He could do this because he was a strong person, a magician with B+ rank. Normally, it was all but impossible for slaves to buy themselves back. After buying himself back from being a slave, he stayed with master and become the head of the guards. According to himself, My family died long ago. I dont have a place to come back to so I stayed here. Currently he was working here as an employee, getting paid proper wages. I took off my butler clothes and changed into some rough sportswear. We went to the backyard for training. The reason I did combat training was in order to protect ojou-sama when she needed it the most. The training menu consists of running around the castle walls to build up strength, unarmed combat, and swordsmanship training. For unarmed combat, I sparred with Gigi-san seriously. For swordsmanship, I practiced swings on a wooden sword and exchanged blows with Gigi-san. At night, I carried ojou-samas dinner to her room. After I finished cleaning up her dinner, I switched with the other maids and had my own dinner at the employee messroom with Merc-san. At the evening party, before she sleeps. Recently, ojou-sama had taken a liking for pudding in her evening parties. Malcolm-san put the pudding in the center of the plate, and surrounded it with fruits. It seems that having cold pudding and warm scented tea had become a habit of hers. I stood beside ojou-sama as her waiter and told her simple stories. Ojou-sama delightedly listened to stories I told her from light novels, manga, and anime. Also, every once in 20~30 days, I did my job as a blood bag. Just before she went to bed, I would pull up a chair beside ojou-sama, roll up my sleeve and present my arm. Ojou-sama would bring her rose-red lips to my arm, and lightly nibble my skin with her pearly-white fangs. I felt her teeth sink into my skinDher white throat moving as ojou-sama savored my blood. There was no pain, it actually felt ticklish. Miraculously, when ojou-sama parted her mouth, there was no scar left. There were various theories, but the most prominent one is [is it not not because the vampires magic power unconsciously mixes in with their saliva and produces an effect similar to healing light magic?]. Because the scar was small, it didnt seem to be a problem even for ojou-sama who had no talent in magic. She drank a small amount of blood. A shot glass worth, at most. Once I did my duty as a blood bag, ojou-sama wrapped her small hands around my arm and stroked it to make sure there were no injuries. Then she smiled with her cheeks red, and wrote her thanks on the mini blackboard. My heart raced just a little bit. Then after that, Merc-san attended to ojou-sama and began preparing for bed. I was dismissed from service at this point. Have a good night. [Good night] I gave my greetings to ojou-sama and retired to my room. I return to my room in the evening. When I was bought and taken to the Vlad house I changed into a maid uniform in this room. Head butler Merry-san. Chief guard Gigi-san. Chief cook Malcolm-san. Head maid Merc-san. Normally, servants are not given a room, except those mentioned above. Normally, youd stay in a common room, even if you worked many years youd only get a two-person room at best. Despite being a newcomer, I, who got my own room, had quite the special treatment. But the other employees werent jealous and easily accepted that fact. Thats because Im a human. In the past, it came to a dispute by the difference in the races lifestyle, customs etc. there were discrimination and as a backlash to it, it developed into a war. So for that it is impossible for them to force their lifestyle on me the human newcomer. Through such pride and various circumstances they fussed about it and gave me a room. Editor note: yeah whatever Winter Blues too strong to help out here In my room I take off my butler clothes so that they get no wrinkles and hang them on a hanger and close the wardrobe. After I change into casual clothes I will enjoy my little free time. Eating the snacks from the tea parties and evening parties Malcolm-san left for me, weight training, and doing image training of making the revolver and AK-47 so I dont forget the intuition of making handguns. I also made notes using the memo, pen, and inkwell I bought with the money I got from teaching Malcolm-san snack recipes and tips I got from taking odd jobs from the other servants. I saved up money and sent a letter to Elle-sensei to tell her I was alright. However, I asked her to somehow keep this from Snow. If she knew about me being a butler in the Demon Continent, shed drop out of magic school and come running. I dont want her to throw away her talent like that. So I wrote the letter, asking to somehow deceive her if she ever came and asked because of worry. *ya~wn* I should go to sleep. Ive worked all day today. Fatigue caught up to me, so I slipped into bed. Thus ends one day. Just like that I fell into a deep sleep. Thank you for reading thus far! Impression, mistakes and opinions are very welcome! Update is scheduled on 21hrs, tomorrow, 17th December. Im sorry that guns are currently not in the story development! I really beg your pardon(䣻أ) However, just wait for a little while longer! Since many guns and Snows re-entry will be added after this, your patience will be much appreciated. I have yet to finish reading the feedback. As I am busy in real life, reply will be slightly delayed. I intend to reply after finishing, thank you for your feedback. Volume 3 - CH 28 Lute, age 12. In the afternoon, after the tea party ended, I changed my butler clothes for something more rough. Because from the afternoon I would be doing mock battles with Gigi-san. When I finished changing clothes, I went to the backyard. Once I was done warming up, I did 5 laps around the estate to build up my physical strength. After some rest, I went to have a spar with Gigi-san. There are nearly no schools of fighting in the Demon Continent. So even though I called it training, its mainly just sparring, pretending were in real combat. At the beginningD Lute is too timid to injure the opponent more than necessary. Even if its training. no, because its training, dont lose your way and try to knock your opponent down. Normal injuries can be healed with healing magic anyway. I received the same warnings each time when I initially started training. During my previous life in Japan, I lived in a world completely free from violence. In this parallel world where I was reincarnated, I have killed demons with my revolver and AK47. But, people those with whom I could communicate with using words, Ive neither hit nor shot any. Even though we called it practice, I still had reservations about fighting without using any safety gears such as gloves or headgear. However, after practicing martial arts for a bit more than than a year, I grew accustomed to it and stopped hesitating. Right now, while applying body strengthening on myself, I am repeatedly striking Gigi-san with all my might. Deyaa! Your attacks are too crude. Anticipate the development of the battle, and chain your blows accordingly. You know if its just hitting each other, then even kids could do it. For the second time he turns in my straight right and avoided it easily. His left fist (jab-like punch) drilled into me causing my feet to stop, and break my stance. A side kick with his right was unleashed towards me. I guard myself with both hands and take some distance. Gigi-san is the guard chief of the Blood house and a B+ rank magician. It would be right to say that it is the limit that an ordinary magician could reach. Of course, there is always someone better. Our lord, the master, is A rank. But compared to the me with no magic talent, and my magic quantity, it is like heaven and earth. Having more magic power means there will be an absolute advantage in all the attributes: offensive, defensive, movement speed, reflexes, etc. Thats to be expected because the amount of magic that can be used is different. If I cover my whole body with magic power it would hit rock bottom immediately. Furthermore, Gigi-sans basic athletic ability as a person from the beast race is higher than that of a human. If I lose focus, will be knocked down in 10 seconds. Hence what I should do first will be.to focus magic into my eyes, to avoid critical hits. Reflexes and kinetic vision are simultaneously raised. Thanks to my enhanced senses, I can avoid Gigi-sans left hook by ducking. To return the favor, I bent my knees, pushed my body up and retaliated with an uppercut. Without even trying to dodge, Gigi-san received it with one hand. We spared like that for hours. Next we switched to swordsmanship training. For swordsmanship training I seriously did practice swings and sparred like with unarmed combat. When it comes to unarmed combat, there are some parts where Lute shines, but you have no talent in swords. So for now just strengthen your basics and focus on defense. Blades can kill you in one shot, unlike unarmed combat. Gigi-san says even things that were hard to say straight to the persons face. Furthermore he does so thoroughly, without leaving room for a follow up. But this was probably also Gigi-sans kindness. Rather than awkwardly praising me, it would be better to resolutely identify my weak points and putting more importance on practicing my counters that would be useful in combat. While sparring with swords Gigi-san also put me on nothing but defense. I practiced receiving blows from the wooden sword Gigi-san wielded. He said again and again that in real combat it was more important to not get hit rather than to hit the enemy with a sword. If its with a sword, then being showered with blows, even from just one, would dull ones movements. Even if the wound is shallow, when time passes, the amount of blood loss will increase and performance of the body will drop. Magicians could treat their wounds with recovery magic, but for normal people it would be the end. In order to avoid that, I practice swordsmanship with a high emphasis in defensive training. After our routine practice, we wiped our sweat off with a clean cloth. During that time, Gigi-san also taught me a way to fight against magicians as opponents. At the time you fight a magician you must get close and go into close quarters combat. Spells are still a threat, but its more dangerous to be a distance away and be attacked from a long distance. You will be defeated from a distance if your hands and feet cant reach. But he adds another thing. In case your opponent is A rank magician and above, you need to flee in any case. Dont think about fighting. Fighting is useless. Its no different from committing suicide. Although I have no talent as magician, but isnt Gigi-san of B+ rank. Does that still apply? Yes. A long time ago I fought against one, but I couldnt do anything with my hands and feet. A rank is the domain of a handful of geniuses. There is no chance of victory. Gigi-san narrows his eyes as he remembers his distant past. I can feel a hateful light glimmer in his eyes. I regard that as my imagination and ask a question. At any rate I cant imagine the power of A rank. How strong are they, truly? Even if you say that there is no chance of victory, the enemy is also still a living being. Even against A rank, I feel there should be some way to deal with them. Its faster to personally experience it than to receive an explanation in words. Luckily there is a rumour that an A rank magician is in the mansion. Thats master. Gigi-san comes out with Count Dan Gate Blood as a sparring partner and requests a mock battle. The master accepted cheerfully. Wahahahaha! Lets see, I shall ascertain just how strong Lute is, myself! Master please dont forget to go easy on him. Dont let Lute die or else ojou-sama will not speak to you for a month. Hahahaha! That would be surely troublesome. One month is too long. If I die I will be treated like that? Lute, get ready. Just in case, if you are alive I can heal you with my recovery magic, but if you die instantly there is nothing I can do. Instant death please dont say scary things. I responded peevishly to what Gigi-san laid out. But hes right. I focus once again. I encompassed my body with energy The feeling throughout my body changed. The master takes off his coat and hands it over to Gigi-san. As a subordinate he folds masters clothes carefully and holds them in both hands. Again my eyes turn towards masters body. Not less than 2m big and muscles stuffed into it to the limit. His dark skin feels completely like metal. Even without the body strengthening technique he has probably enough strength to easily destroy a wall. But if its comes to that extent, Im not so weak as to hesitate at that. since it came to that, is it ok to not hold back even if the opponent is the master? At those words Gigi-san looks at like a dragon who looks down on a cocky black and white rabbit before him. No, it must have been my imagination. Master smiles in a good mood. Wahahahahaha! Sure! Boys are no good if they arent energetic like this! Saa, come at me with all you have! Yes! Here I come! Victory goes to the one who moves first! While I keep saving energy in mind, my magic is already near its limit because of todays training. I promised to not hold back even if my opponent is my employer. I put all my power into the first blow. Eyesight and leg strength are strengthened. I run like a bullet and strike with my right at a short distance. The equivalent technique in a japanese martial art would be a direct thrust! The master didnt even react and he didnt put up any resistance. I gathered momentum in to my fist and unleashed it onto the solar plexus which is difficult to strengthen. !? My hit surely connected. But Master didnt stagger nor take a step back. His expression didnt show any pain and his smile didnt change. The strike to the master felt as if hitting against a thick iron plate enveloped with layers of solid and flexible rubber tire. Instead the fist with which I hit was pained and I made an anguished expression. The master lifts his left arm to the height of his face. Fuun! Tsu!? He swings his left arm down as if to sweep a fly away. A single rough blow. And yet I feel a cold shiver of fear in my back. I cross my arms right away. I turned to defense and put all the remaining magic power into a resistance formation. !!!!!!??? When the masters arm hit my guard, my body flew like a rubber ball flipped in a pachinko. Without rebounding, I crash into the tree about 10m to the back. The tree breaks with a merimeri sound. To avoid a fatal wound I deploy a magical resistance formation at my back the moment I crash into it The result was that bones in both of my arms were shattered, while my right shoulder suffered multiple fractures. tsuC!!! I vomited blood as my internal organs were pierced by broken bones. I couldnt muster any strength while intense pain ravaged throughout my body. I could see Gigi-san rushing towards me with an unusual expression, from the edge of my sight, as my vision fades. DDDD! DD! Gigi-sans voice that reached my ears sounds so far away. My eyelids felt as heavy as lead, and I feel as though I am falling into a bottomless pit. As I was losing my consciousness, I finally reached an understanding of the meaning behind Gigi-sans words. [I see, that is what has happened.] The night of the day I had my mock battle with the master. Head maid Merc-san and me are serving as stewards at the evening party. At the evening party, ojou-sama asked to me Lute, do you have any idea regarding the loud commotion at the backyard?. As there is no reason to cover up the mock battle with master, I told her of my defeat in a single strike, with the master not using any skills. Despite being heavily injured when I crashed into the tree trunk, ojou-sama stroked her chest when I mentioned that I was completely healed by Gigi-sans magic. Even though I had heard that the master is strong, I had not expected it to that extent. [But for Lute-san it is incredible to face father, who is an A rank magician, head on.] That is because it is just practice. Though I do not want to fight the master a second time, not even in practice! As expected I do not wish for ojou-sama to hear about my uncool account, I could only give an awkward smile. Merc-san poured into the empty cup. The fragrance of scented tea spreads across the room. Ojou-samas smile from a while ago turned into an unhappy expression. For some unknown reason, she was hesitating and wrote with restraint, on the mini blackboard. [Why does Lute-san work so hard to become stronger? You knew about yourself not having the talent to be a magician right?] She seems to be hesitating about letting another person hear about my potential as a magician. Ojou-sama was bullied as she was also without talent, resulting in her becoming a hikikomori. It must have been hard for her to ask about the topic as it resulted in her trauma, and the topic itself is a landmine for her. As absence of my potential as a magician did not cause any particular frustration which could lead to trauma, I told her my honest opinion without showing an unpleasant face. Even though I certainly do not have any talent in becoming a magician, within me, I still have the desire to protect those who are important to me. Therefore Im doing what I could, and that would be conserving my magic power by honing my swordsmanship and unarmed combat techniques. In the past, there is a river where children played near the village I stayed, and there, a person important to me was about to get hit during a raid by a group of goblins. Thanks to my training, I was able to save the children and my important person without a single casualtyC I omitted mentioning the handgun as it would be troublesome to explain. Due to that past experience, I continue training even now. I worked hard so that I could protect my loved ones, should a similar situation occur. [] Ojou-sama listened to my story with a serious look. I couldnt find any negativity from her expression that could be related to you are a fool for aiming to be a magician despite having no potential. Rather, her eyes seem to be shining in admiration and respect. Ojou-sama wrote on her mini blackboard. [That is such a splendid way of thinking. Lute is such an amazing person.] That is not it, I only did what I could do. Ojou-sama started writing again. If it is not a botherTomorrow, may I observe your training from the window? Not only me, Merc-san was also surprised at her proposal. Taking my attitude as a denial, ojou-samas eyebrows drooped, showing a sad expression and wrote on the mini blackboard. [Am I not allowed?] N, No that is absolutely not the case. As such, I will notify Gigi-san that tomorrows training will be at the courtyard which could be viewed from this window. [If you would, please. I will be looking forward to it very much?] Her mood changed for the better as she delightedly placed pudding into her mouth. Merc-san quietly wiped her eyes so as not to be noticed by ojou-sama. For ojou-sama who is afraid to even venture out of the room, to look at the training from the window To say that she wants to look outside. What a great improvement that is. For Merc-san, an old-timer who has been by ojou-samas side since she was born, she would be very happy at the tiniest improvement. After the evening party had ended, I implored Gigi-san for the training to absolutely be held at the courtyard. He is also one to adore ojou-samathe Vlad house. I think he would gladly raise both hands in agreement. A smile floated on my face as my mouth loosened from imagining Gigi-sans happy expression. Ojou-sama tilted her head when she noticed, but I deceived her appropriately. AUTHORS NOTES Thank you for reading thus far! Impressions, corrections and opinions are very welcome! Update is scheduled on 21hrs, tomorrow, 18th December. Volume 3 - CH 29 ..How did this happen. I muttered in a soft voice so that no one could hear. I placed both hands on my face in denial. I mustered my courage and removed my hands to face reality.. Master is doing shadow boxing with nimble footwork despite his gigantic figure. With all clothing removed from his upper body, sunlight could be seen reflected from his muscles, as though they were made of metal. Between master and me stood Gigi-san who would be acting as referee. On one end of the courtyard, a white table and 2 chairs were placed under a parasol. The madam sat in one of the chairs, while savoring scented tea that was brewed by Merc-san. On the table is a fruit pudding, a masterpiece made by Malcolm-san, to complement the tea. Shes completely in spectator mode. Furthermore, shifting my gaze upwards, ojou-sama could be seen looking down unto the courtyard from the window. (Just because of what I said last night) I was once again hit with pangs of regret. Last night, I invited Gigi-san to my room after the evening party had ended. I wanted to let him know that ojou-sama held interest in observing our training session. Upon hearing the news, Gigi-san Ojou-sama, observing~tsu He covered his eyes with one hand and turned his back on me. In the instant he turned his back, was it just my imagination or was there something shining in his eyes. Gigi-san continued the conversation with his back facing me. Alright. In that case, the training tomorrow will be done in the courtyard which is visible from ojou-samas room. Be there without fail. Understood. It will be performed in ojou-samas presence tomorrow. I intend to carry out training thats more fired up than it has been until now. Prepare yourself. After telling me that, Gigi-san returned to his room. This is the first time I heard his voice so full of spirit. To a large extent, he must have been happy that ojou-sama would be looking outside, even if its just from her window. I shall work hard to make myself even a little more useful; I once again strengthened my resolve. However, Gigi-sanwas more fired up than I had imagined. Now then, we will now conduct a mock battle between master and Lute. As a result of Gigi-san being too fired up, he once again decided to conduct a mock battle against the master as my special training. With the [Me vs. Master] mock battle as a trigger, ojou-sama started taking an interest in my special training. Thats why, in order to secure her interest, Gigi-san arranged this encore revenge match. Of course, itwas not done out of any consideration to me. As I remembered the fear from yesterday, my legs trembled like a newborn goat, as if they had been injected with muscle relaxant. There on one side is the master and company Darling, do your best. Do not forget to go easy though. If darling fights Lute seriously, it would be weird if there are any remains left. Hahahahaha! Dont worry, despite how I may seem, I am quite good at controlling my strength. As proof, Lute is still full of energy after yesterdays mock battle! Hmm, thats true. His contained spirit could be seen from his trembling action. What a reliable child he is. Thats not it, madam. What you see is not a warriors trembling in excitement, but uncontrollable trembling out of fear. Should I just hide myself until the evening? Ever since the master had officially purchased me, the magic prevention choker was removed for the sake of my training. After the purchase, it is on the owners discretion whether the choker would be kept on, and so it was removed. The possibility to escape still exists. However, there is a magic formation in my arm that is set to allow my owner to pinpoint my location (In my case, that would be Chrisse ojou-sama). I might get sold to another place from the bad impression, if I were to try to escape. But, I should be forgiven if I were to hide until the evening, to avoid the mock battle with master Turning my gaze to my current owner, ojou-sama [Father, Lute-san, both of you please do your best. I shall cheer for you!] The mini black board sent words of encouragement from the window. I closed my eyes in embarrassment, while a small hand could be seen waving shyly. Damn! Such cuteness AaAargghhhh! I returned her wave with a smile. As a man, Lute must not run away! Gigi-san raised his voice when explaining the rules so that ojou-sama could also hear him. Then, the mock battle between master and Lute shall begin soon. It will be Lutes victory if he can withstand the masters attack for 10 seconds. Of course, other than evasion, attacks are also allowed. Master wins if Lute is defeated within 10 seconds. Is that alright with both of you? Humu. Yes. After hearing our reply, Gigi-san headed to the side where the madam was at. He raised his right hand up high, and glanced back at us again. And so, mock battleBegin! With Gigi-sans signal, I flew backwards. I used body strengthening magic on my eyes and legs at the same time, this is done to especially put emphasis on evasion. With this, I should be able to hang on for 10 secondshowever, I was too naive. !? Before I noticed, master was there right in front of me, his right hand was swinging towards me. Even though I had strengthened my reflexes, I couldnt react in time. Like the image of a film being suddenly cut off, he was already in front of me. OooooooooO! I gave out a war cry that sounds like a scream as I dodged the right straight with a side step! Masters side is open after his punch missed. Chance. Should I attack? Masters eyes are shut. Impossible! If I dont increase the distance! Where should I flee? To the back, right, left, or should I add an element of surprise and go upwards? With the single desire to increase the distance with master, I poured all my magic into my legs and flew backwards. However, I lost sight of masters figure again. !? When I noticed, a large shadow was blocking out the sunlight from behind me. I burst into cold sweat. My instincts envisioned my death. That was all I could remember. Its impossible, impossible, impossible. To continue evading for 10 seconds with the master as an opponent. The masters strength is on the level where it could be called a cheat. That day, I complained incessantly while doing my duty of waiting on ojou-sama with Merc-san, at the evening party. In the end, I was knocked out by the master in a single hit from behind. I was defeated in the span of 3 seconds. Although I was healed with healing magic, the second half of my training, which was supposed to be in swordsmanship, was cancelled just to be sure. I was told to rest until evening. When it is time for the evening party, I went to serve ojou-sama with Merc-san. The topic of conversation is of the mock battle this afternoon. [But to last 3 seconds with father as an opponent is amazing.] Thank you very much. However, being barely able to avoidHonestly, it is so embarrassing. Moreover, to have special training everyday until I can evade for more than 10 seconds. Gigi-san is being too unreasonable. Drooping her shoulder, ojou-sama looks flustered. She looks so cute. She wrote on the mini blackboard. [How about closing the distance rather than increasing it next time? If you could deal with fathers feints calmly, I think you would surely be able to persevere for 10 seconds.] Was there a feint used? [Yes. After the first strike, he used a feint causing Lute-san to escape backwards, so that he could give pursuit.] In other words, I thought that I was acting on my thoughts, but in reality it was all within masters grasp. (That is like herding fish.) Master seemed to be able to pull off those extreme reactions because he knew of the actions I will take. However, ojou-sama has good judgement. Without even using magic, I blurted out and frantically shut my mouth. I am not sensitive enough and threaded onto her trauma. ? Ojou-sama tilted her head. To smooth over the words I blurted out, I hurriedly requested more advice to improve my condition. Is, is there any other advice? With ojou-samas input, I might be able to break through the 10 second barrier. If there is anything that you noticed, Id appreciate it if you let me know. I do not distrust ojou-sama, I am willing to accept any guidance in order to fix the flaws that are observed in me. In close range combat that is almost to the point of touching each other C arms length C bulging muscles from training will make it hard to throw fast punches. There is certainly great worth in attempting close range combat. I was also taught of the masters minor habits. Thus, the evening party turned into a location for the strategy meeting for the fight against the count tomorrow. After that, I invited Gigi-san to my room just like last night, to inform him that ojou-sama will be observing tomorrows fight again. Incidentally, I also wanted to try asking a doubt that has been bugging me. How could ojou-sama, who couldnt even cast magic to strengthen her body, be able to keep track of the masters smallest movements which even I couldnt do. Gigi-san was amazed as he explained. The vampire race not only has night vision, but also good eyesight and kinetic vision. Ojou-samas eyes seems to be exceptional even amongst them, the madam did explain that on the first day Lute arrived, didnt she. I had forgotten about it. But, that should not be a level that could be described just with good eyes To be capable of capturing the masters every action without the aid of magic, from her bedroom window on the 2nd storey. Ojou-samas eyes are more outstanding than Lute can ever imagine. Gigi-san folded his arms while reminiscing the past. He recounted Before ojou-sama became a hikikomori, she came came across the nest of Giant Bats in the forest behind the castle. Giant bats are 2 meters large, enormous bats that could suck dry the blood of livestock, children, and adults. The forest is situated around 1 kilometer away from the castle. Master decided for their extermination after judging them to be dangerous. At night, they waited for the giant bats to gather at their nest so that they could be eliminated in one fell swoop. The master and madam stopped their smiles as they observed their surroundings, and proceeded on to the extermination. They had taken 2 of their subordinates into the forest. Head of security, Gigi-san was left at the castle as a precaution. The giant bats would undoubtedly lose to master and madam, and a deafening roar that would shake anyone to the core resounded. It was the sound that marks their victory. But unfortunately, a single giant bat managed to escape. It flee in the direction of the castle. Although Gigi-san tried to defeat it with magic The giant bat swooped down at the plains between the forest and castle. The giant bat was blazing towards ojou-sama. Out of nowhere, she took out bow and arrows, and in that windy night, her single arrow pierced through the giant bat that had blended into the darkness of the night sky. She even managed to accurately shoot through its eye socket which was only about 5 cm in size. The forehead of the giant bat is very tough and arrows were unable to pierce through it. Therefore, even though it is common sense for bow users to shoot the eyes, for a child to accurately shoot her arrow without mistake, is reason enough to cause anyone to shudder at such an impossible feat. As I stood in front of the giant bats carcass that was shot, I was convinced. If Chrisse ojou-sama had potential as a magician, she would have dwarfed even her parents already outstanding talent. Gigi-san hung his head solemnly. But, he soon raised his head. Sorry, please forget that last part Anyway, ojou-sama has grown to look forward to observing the training session. This is a once in a lifetime chance. Lute has to break through the 10 second hurdle with ojou-samas advice during training tomorrow. In that way, we can create an opportunity for ojou-sama to renew her confidence by letting her taste a sense of achievement from completing this pseudo-goal. It is a very heavy responsibility. Then please advise the master to go easy on me during the mock battle. I spoke in such a tone to Gigi-san who had placed additional needless pressure on me. However, Gigi-san dismissed it with a In that case, it wouldnt be training anymore. Whew. Really, that is such an exhausting exchange. The next day, afternoon. Another martial trainingThe count arrived when it is time for the mock battle. Just like yesterday, master is half-naked while doing shadow boxing. Under a parasol, madam is sitting on a chair by a white table, while savoring scented tea brewed by Merc-san. The desert that came with the tea today is [Seasonal Fruits Filled Mille Crpe]. Madam is carefreely drinking her tea as her unspirited cheer goes Darling, Lute, each of you do your best. Ojou-samas eyes are shining brightly as she looked here from the window of her 2nd storey bedroom. The cheers for me can be seen, written in large font, on the mini blackboard. Gigi-san stood between master and me, and confirms the rules. The conditions are the same as yesterday. Lute wins if he perseveres from masters attack for 10 seconds. Master wins if Lute is defeated in 10 seconds. Is that acceptable to the both of you? Both of us gave our replies of confirmation. It is the same as yesterday up to now. Why did master request a handshake before the mock combat. Hahahaha! Entertain me today, too, Lute! L,Like wise please be benevolent to me. Master did not release my hands immediately after the handshake, and told me softly with a suppressed tone. I have heard from Gigi. The plan to help Chrisse regain self confidence by having her cooperate and have a pseudo feeling of having completed her objective. The plan is strongly pushed by Gigi-san, although it is not known whether ojou-sama will be able to successfully regain her confidence even if we successfully complete it.. Perhaps, would it be possible if I am given a little more breathing room in todays battle simulation? Fufufu, that is not happening. That is because I enjoy having a battle simulation with Lute. I always take things that are entertaining, seriously. Of course. Even though I knew it. Cant I hold onto a sliver of hope. After breaking the handshake with master, I went back to the starting position. Gigi-san sat beside madam who is drinking tea. I directed my line of sight to ojou-sama who is watching over here, at me, from the 2nd storey bedroom window. Her eyes are shut. She wore a nervous expression with her hand clasped on her chest. A cute girl is devising tactics until late night. I need to be resolute here, or else Im a failure as a man. Facing towards ojou-sama, I clenched my right hand into a fist and pumped it into the air. Ojou-samas white cheeks blushed red. We nodded to each other silently. If all goes according to the plan set by ojou-sama, it will be possible to obtain 10 seconds from master, the A rank magician. I took a long deep breath to circulate the air in my lungs and glared at the overwhelming wall-of-flesh-like master in front of my eyes. Gigi-san raised his right hand up high. Hence, let the battle simulationBEGIN! UoOOOOO!!! !? In contrast to yesterday, I charged straight up towards master. Of course magic is injected to strengthen my eyes and legs. It seemed that master did not anticipate such an action and only managed to dish out a half-baked right straight. The reaction was captured by my enhanced kinetic vision. I lowered my stance to evade! Without stopping I continue to close the distance, then I strengthened my right arm and planted a punch into masters abdomen. Kuh! My fist hurts when it hit the abdominal muscles that are as if they were made from a metal plate layered with rubber. Master wasnt fazed by an attack of this extent, and raised his left arm to catch the advancing me. Compared to yesterday, his attacks were much slower. As ojou-sama had said, his long arms and well developed, bulging muscles are a hindrance in close combat that is on the verge of touching each other, causing his movements to dull. (If its like this, I could dodge it completely!) To hit the persistent me, master swung his left fist down before doing a backhand attack upwards. I had sidestepped to evade the fist before it had reached. Huh! I felt a chill on my back. Master shot me a piercing gaze, my body was filled with pressure. His left hand gave pursuit from above. Even at this frightening distance, I am able to notice feints of this extent by discerning how much power is exerted into masters attack. I am impressed with how good the movement of the feint is. I ignored my bodys orders to retreat backwards. Sound came from my molars as I clench my teeth, I stopped moving as I failed to suppress it. Master noticed my inability to move and switched onto the attack. A left hook was swung to me who was circling around by sidestepping. I bent my spine as the punch passed through in a close shave. Whoops! It was a hook thrown from an unreasonable stance and masters body staggered. Chance! Again concentrate magic power on my right arm! I gave my all into the right straight and swung it inbut, there in my sight is ojou-sama shaking her head! Why!? Master gave me the answer to that. He with nimble movement, he parried my straight punch with his left hand. It is a technique called parrying in boxing. His body staggering is a trick, and I had totally walked into masters trap! Ojou-sama noticed it early and shook her head. It is too late to regret now. After having my punch knocked off, this time it is my bodys turn to stagger. In a flash, masters hard fist assaulted me in the form of a right hook. The sound of wind being pierced is not entirely different from those of a bullet. There is no time to cast body strengthening magic to aid my head. The future scene of my head being cleanly severed from the rest of the body in less than 1 second, floated into my mind. Stop right there! At the same time as Gigi-sans voice rang out, Masters right hook stopped. The distance of the punch to my face is not even 10 cm. As 10 seconds had transpired, the winner of this simulation battle goes to Lute. Hu,hurrraaAAaayyyyy!!! A very narrow win! I unintentionally let out a cry of victory. Master shook his head in disappointment, and I shifted my line of sight onto madam. She was smiling as she looked at the scene. Then I left them alone and voiced out to ojou-sama who was observing from the 2nd storey window. I pumped both hands into the air and joyfully sent her words of gratitude. Ojou-sama! I did it! I managed to last 10 seconds against master! This is all thanks to ojou-sama! Compared to earlier, ojou-samas cheek had blushed and her eyes are moist, she clapped her hands vigorously, as if her life depended on it, while her body leaned out from the window so much that it seemed as if she might fall over. In response to her clapping, I pumped my hands into the air continuously. Both ojou-sama and me are being bound with a sense of accomplishment. Just how long did we stare at each other. It was probably just for a few seconds. After I recovered my sense of reason, it is extremely rude to openly express my joy so excessively over the defeat of my master. Moreover, for a servant and the daughter to stare at each other. I hurriedly apologise after noticing my mistake. I, Im sorry! I apologise for merrymaking! Hahahaha! Never mind! It is the privilege of the victor! Indeed, there is no reason to worry. Actually you should puff your chest out more. You became able to survive 10 seconds in just one day, thats a significant improvement. No, Its all because of what ojou-sama pointed out. I did no more than move according to her advice. I used this chance to increase the hikikomori ojousamas share value. You dont need to be so humble. Its hard even for a B- rank magician to hold out against Masters attack for 10 seconds. Lute-kun should be more proud like Madam said. Gigi-san Gigi-san, who put me through this ordeal, patted my shoulders and praised me. Unusually for him, his expression loosened and he made a smile. Tears spontaneously collected on my eyesbut Gigi-san himself ruined that moving moment. Next you will have special training to be able to take 20 seconds of Masters attacks. Ha, haaaa!? Wha! What do you mean!? O, ouuuuch! Gigi-sans fingers are digging into me! Youre putting too much power! As I raised my head, I saw Gigi-sans eyes filled with definite bloodthirst. Lute. You should know this already, but in the end youre just a servant. Keep your attitude in accordance with your position. Understood? Even though both parents are okay with it, why is Gigi-san so angry! Well he has been watching over ojou-sama since she was a baby, so he might think of her like his own daughter. but still, a rematch against master is too much! Its abuse of authority! An ogre! A demon! Gigi-san! I called him all the names I can think of in my heart. But of course, Gigi-san did not take back his decision. The evening party that night. Merc-san and I were being waiters, as always. The teacakes for the evening party was an assorted fruits platter. The head chef Malcolm-san took an apple-looking fruit and cut it into a rabbit shape like I taught him. Ojou-sama smiled delightfully at such a cute thing. The evening partys topic of talk was of course about the mock battle I cleared with ojou-samas help. Thanks to ojou-samas advice, I could somehow endure Masters fierce attacks. Please allow me to thank you once again. [I didnt do anything. Its because Lute-san worked hard. Lute-san looked really cool today.] Ojou-sama bashfully took her mini blackboard in front of her. But it was obviously the result of ojou-samas advice. If it were just me alone, I would have been crushed again without being able to retaliate against Master today. In order to boost ojou-samas self-confidence, I gave her counsel. No, It was really thanks to ojou-sama. If it werent for ojou-sama, I would have been defeated again today. It was all thanks to ojou-sama that I could win today. [No, it was Lute-sans hard work. Even without me you could settle things on your own.] That couldnt be so. It was thanks to ojou-sama. [It was Lute-sans hard work!] It was ojou-sama [It was Lute-sans work!] It was ojou-sama already! PfftDDBoth of us broke into laughter. Ojou-sama shyly laughed while hiding from behind her mini blackboard. I put on an awkward smile. Ojou-sama ran her fingers. [Then, how about calling today both our victory? Yes, it was both our victory Again we confirmed our compromise and once again smiled at each other. Ojou-sama seemed to be in a good mood, and started writing with her cheeks dyed red. [Actually, I always wanted to have an [onii-chan] if it isnt too much trouble can I call Lute-san [Onii-chan]?] As she said that to me, I took a glance at Merc. . She didnt seem especially opposed to that. Maybe it was something like Its okay if its for healing ojou-samas hikikomori. You are of course welcome to. Nobody would oppose getting such a cute little sister like ojou-sama. But, since we have our statuses to worry about, please try to not do it in front of people if you can. [Thank you very much! Lute-onii-chan.] C, cuteeeeeee! A golden-haired, loli, imouto-character I want to protect! Truly a girl that triggers my protective instinct! Lute-kun! Suddenly, Snows words played back inside my head. No no no, this is different. Just a little sister! Its only love for a foster sisters cuteness. I definitely did not mean that. [Is there anything wrong, Lute-onii-chan?] N, not at all. Im sorry. I put on a fake smile to sweep away ojou-samas worry. It was a little scary how Merc-san was silently watching us. Thank you very much for reading this far! Impressions, typos, and opinions are warmly welcomed! I plan to update tomorrow, December 19th at 21:00. This chapter is a bit long. I wanted to split it at first, but then I thought that it would be more interesting to read this scene all at once. I would be glad if you enjoyed reading it. Also, Ive been busy IRL recently so I havent been able to do activity reports or fix typos. Please wait quietly a little longer until I can get back to you. Well then (^)g Volume 3 - CH 30 Well then, Ojou-sama. Shall we go out? tsu I called out to the Ojou-sama clinging onto my left arm. While trembling like a small animal in her outdoor outfit, she nodded nervously. Because of bullying, Chrisse-ojou-sama became a hikikomori. Afraid of the outside, for approximately 2 years, she never left her room. However today at last, little by little, shes trying to go outside her room. [If it is with Lute-oniichan, I think I will be able to get out of my room] is what Ojou-sama had said. Grasping my hand tightly like Ojou-sama declared, getting out of the room together with me, we walked slowly down the corridor. Our destination is the courtyard. The place where I usually train at. In the courtyard; Master, Madam, Gigi-san, and the maid Merc-san, were waiting. Noticing us, Master and Madam nonchalantly called out to us. Welcome. Todays snack is biscuits. We have seconds, so eat to your hearts content. Hahahahaha! If you dont exercise after you eat, youll become fat! Dear, even if she is your daughter, telling a girl that shell grow fat is bad. Besides, Chrisse is too thin, Id rather she have some meat on her. Master had already shed his coat, warming up his body with something like shadow boxing. Madam is sitting under the parasol while drinking the scented tea that Merc-san had made. Todays teacakes are biscuits Malcolm-sans handmade custard cream is put inside a small jar. It seems like, they like to spread the custard cream on their biscuits before eating it. The teacakes look like they would give you heartburn. Gigi-san seized his eyes with a hand, casting his head down. Even though her parents and Merc-sans attitudes were no different than usual, the sight of them being moved by their only daughter coming out of her room was a scary one to see. As I set Ojou-sama down on a separate seat from Madam, she slowly let go of my hand. Well then, Ill be letting you go now Ojou-sama. Everyone who is watching, your cooperation will be much appreciated. [Ill do my best. Please take care of yourself too, Lute-oniichan.] Thank you very much. While turning my shoulder, I stood before Master. Like usual (today as well), I have combat training in the afternoon. I somehow cleared the challenge of lasting 20 seconds against Master in a mock battle. The next task from Gigi-san is to even if its a little to injure master or to push him back, its something like this In short it is from complete defence training to defence including attack training. However, this is harder than I thought. First, even if I get a hit on Master it wont even leave a millimeter sized scratch on his skin, and even if I try to attack him he will just dodge me with his footwork. and no matter how I attack him, it doesnt daunt him at all, let alone make him stumble. Ojou-sama also felt that there was a limit to observing and looking for weaknesses through a window from a distance, so the the reason for her going down to the courtyard was to see the mock battle better. Gigi-san intended to use the strategy: to recover ojou-samas confidence by clearing different objectives for a single purpose. Till now it had great results, finally, after 2 years, ojou-sama was able to go outside. However, its not over yet. For the plan to succeed, and for Ojou-samas determination, today I will leave a wound or force Master to stumble a step. YOSHI!!!!!! I slap my cheeks with a yell to bring up my spirit. Hahahahahhahahaha! Todays Lute has more fighting spirits than before! Of course! Today I will show you that I can follow your footwork! Umu! Try as much as you want! If its the truth, I myself must do my best! Hahahahahahaha! You wont be able to take on that composed attitude for much longer. Together with Ojou-sama, I came up with a secret plan last night. I turn my gaze towards ojou-sama who was sitting on a chair. We nodded to each other in affirmation. W, Well then, lets carry out the mock battle between Master and Lute. Gigi-san places his eyes on ojou-sama, then turns back to madam and raises his arm. no more, recover from being deeply moved, already. Dear, please dont be too fired up. [Lute-oniichan, give your best!] There were cheers from the girls camp. While holding his eyes Gigi-san swings down his arm. Thats why, I wish he would stop crying already. With a scary face isnt he crying a bit too much. Well then, SHAM BATTLEBEGIN! As the signal was raised, I raised the abilities of my eyes and feet with body strengthening arts. I leap to the left side. However, Master matched up with me just like a mirrorBut this is all going just as planned! I believed in the fact that Master would definitely adhere to his super reaction-time, as soon as my feet hit the ground I leapt to the right. Masters center of gravity fell forward to throw a right-handed strike; but he was one beat too late for me who had immediately moved to dodge. In that short instant, I went around and cut in from the right side. Fuu! With his left hand, Master throws a backhand chop. I crouch to avoid it. I go lower and lower to the ground in order to go around to his back. Master couldnt hold it in and turned around without considering his defence. Like plannedDD my opponent has confident in his toughness. So his consideration to defence is low. I will take that as my advantage! As discussed in advance concentrate my magic in both legs. At the same time as master turns around, I jump with my whole body at him with my right fist clenched so hard it hurt. Its my only chance. Deyaaa! In ojou-samas past meeting I was to grasp master chin with my right fist! Of course I collected magic in my right hand and a small resistance formation was formed to protect my fist. Because master is tall he cant look back to find me who has lowered himself and find me immediately. Furthermore because his wariness was weakened I was able to hit his chin with my fist. Since master has a head too, if I punch his chin his brain will sway and he will go down. That is inevitable for living things. The problem isDD that master may be tougher than imagined. Ha? My fist struck a blow as clean as could be. In spite of that, there was no effect other than a few blood vessels on Masters neck tensing. His chin didnt even budge a millimetre. Fun! Guha!? Master swings his arm like to dust off a small insect in a flash. I blew away to the opposite side of where Madam and Ojou-sama sat; crashed into a wall C destroying it, and finally stopped. Of course, my consciousness left me then. Today too, I have suffered a crushing defeat by master. Master is too strong, its impossible to accomplish this special training? I came to think that recently. [I have the same opinion. Though its my father its far too abnormal.] The reflection on today is done during the afternoon tea party. Lately Ojou-sama wishes that I only serve as a waiter. As one would expect, Merce-san dresses her in the mornings. Ojou-sama looked from close up and noticed something? [Yes, a little. The first thing I gathered, is that fathers offense is unusually weak.] Weak? The words on the mini blackboard are erased and written anew. [Because there is a height difference to Lute-oniichan, he needed to stoop in his attack. At that time you should force yourself as much as possible. His center of gravity slants ahead too much. If you strike at that moment DD] Indeed, if I were to attack with a shoulder throw at that moment, striking the ground may be able to at least disrupt his breathing. .. Ojou-sama and I both fell silent and imagined it. Dammit. No matter what, I cant envision a scenario where it happens. Ojou-sama seems to have the same thought and we give each other a bitter smile. Our sides attacks have no effect. Yet, the opponent holds enough power that a single strike leaves us helpless. This puzzle is getting tougher by the minute even a stalemate would be good. If I had an AK47 or something of the sort, I think I could put a scratch on him if I shoot all bullets at point blank at him. [AK47?] Dammit my thoughts slipt out. Ojou-sama tilted her head lovely and showed me her mini blackboard. When I think about it a little, there is no particular problem to speaking about it. An AK-47 is a magic tool that shoots little pieces of metal a long distance using explosion magic against opponents to kill and wound them. [Its the first time I hear of such a magic tool. Its a quite interesting magic tool. I want to see one sometime.] Does ojou-sama have an interest in magic tools? Ojou-sama looked down uncomfortably. [Given that I dont have talent as a magician, there was a time when I studied various things in order to get a job that was related to magic, even if just a little bit] Therefore her interest surged when she heard about the AK-47 which is a type of magic tool shes never heard of, and she informed me as such with tiny characters at the end. The atmosphere in the room darkens. Just then Ojou-sama drank the last of her scented tea. ..Barnie-sama and Muir-sama will come tomorrow. This shall be it for this meeting, it would be better to get to sleep already. [Thats right. I have important things to tell them tomorrow, so Ill go to sleep now.] The atmosphere around Ojou-sama brightens and smile is on her face as she showed her mini-blackboard. I have to exchange words in a tone as bright as possible with her. I help prepare Ojou-sama to sleep She goes into the bed and extinguishes the lamp. Then, good night, Ojou-sama. The room goes dark and I cant see the mini-blackboard anymore. Instead Ojou-sama waves with her small hand. I bow with a smile on my face and leave her room behind. On the next day, a tea party was held in Ojou-samas room. In the room her two childhood friends, Barnie Bloomfield of the three eyed race and Muir Head of the Lamia race, were sitting Besides me there was also Merce-san, in charge of serving. On todays meeting the Centaur Karen Bishop wasnt at the gathering, but that doesnt particularly mean that the friend was left out. The Lamia Muir puts her cup of scented tea down and begins talking. Well then, we better get started preparing Karens birthday party. The demon race has the custom to celebrate ones birthday until 15, like in Japan in my previous life So todays gathering was to arrange for Karens surprise birthday party. Hence, except for her those two gathered at ojou-samas room. The three-eyed Barnie counts on her fingers. So well be deciding the birthday presents, the venue for the party, the food, and the decorations, right? Well, I think thats probably it. I wanted to use this room for the venue, is it alright? Muir asked that question to Chrisse-ojousama and she shows the mini blackboard powerfully. [Then lets use our houses banquet hall. My side can do all the preparations for the food and the decorations] B, But the banquet hall is. Three-eyed Barnies expression became gloomy. Ojou-sama had a slight wry smile while apologizing. [Im sorry to worry you for so long. Ive come to be able to go out of the room so Ill be alright] I, Is that so! What a relief! Thats great Chrisse-chan! Ojou-sama and Bunny, who seem to be on the same wavelength, clasped their hands together in joy On the other hand, the mature Muir looks at me while flickering her red tongue. She smiled as if having understood something. I see as I expected theres only one reason for a girl to change. I understand the meaning of those words somehow, but it is entirely wrong. Thats an extreme misunderstanding. For Ojou-samas honor too I want to clear this misunderstanding, but its not the place for a servant to speak out as they please without permission Muir put on a coy smile as if to say I can see everything. I said its a misunderstanding already! Well then, Ill take up Chrisse-sans offer to use her houses banquet hall, my side will be preparing the food. I dont feel its right to impose everything on you. Yup yup! If theres anything the two of us can bring from our homes lets bring it out quickly! [Then lets bring together stuff from our three houses. That way everything can be finished with only a third of the work] Ojousama took everyones opinion into account and thought up a plan The other 2 people raised their voice in approval immediately. Now then, the presents. Lets give an outline of what well probably be getting her so we dont accidentally give her the same thing on the day. Anyway, Ive prepared some cute clothes that would suit Karen Mou Muir-chan is a meany. Karen-chans face will be absolutely flustered. She will say Such frilly clothes will not look good on me! Are you bullying me! like that. [Shell definitely say that] Ojousama wryly smiled at Barnies imitation of Karen I intend to get a saving box. And you Chrisse-chan? [I havent decided yet] Her birthday is next week so there is still time left, so take your time and decide on a good one. Thats right, you dont need to worry about getting the same present so long as you look for something other than clothes or a money box The lamia Muir gives me a fleeting wink. If you can go out of your room now, how about going out to the town to search for a birthday present? I think you find something better by going around and see various things than to think alone in a room. [In town?] She had only left her room once I think going to town so soon would be overdoing it But ojou-sama clenches her fist with a gyu. [Thats right. For Karen-chans sake I will try going out to town and look for one] Uh-huh, that would be good Hang in there Chrisse-chan Encouraged by 2 people, ojou-sama becomes determined. If Gigi-san gets to know that Ojou-sama is leaving to go shopping in the town, he will at least hold his face for 3 hours. While I was thinking that, ojousama looks at me with an upward glance. Nervous and embarrassed, she held out her mini blackboard [That being the case I want Lute-oniisan to accompany me to town is that OK?] Of course, ojousama. If its alright with you please let me carry the packages. Seeing our exchange, Barnie was in pure delight seeing her friends recovery. Muir, on the other hand, looked at me suggestively I said what youre thinking is not happening already!, I replied with my gaze (^)g Volume 3 - CH 31 The morning three days after the meeting about Karens surprise birthday, ojou-sama boarded the carriage in outdoor wear. Her face was obscured by a hat in which her was hair stuffed into and she wears a one piece dress that is made from a silk-like material. The hem of the dress and the sleeves are long in length, to minimize skin exposure to the utmost. Its a low profile disguise style. I sit next to her in my butler uniform, gently holding her hand. The carriage was a six-seater The windows are behind curtains that block the light. The faint daylight shines through it. The escort Gigi-san sat down on the coachmans seat, and steered two horned horses. To choose a birthday present for Karen Bishop of the centaur race today, we went to the town 1 hour away from the castle. When I told master, Hahahahaha! Is that so! Then go and buy something you like! This should be enough, right? He handed over a bag with more than 50 gold coins. I received it with trembling hands I thought that it was way too much for me but Merry san the head butler did not react when I glanced at him. It seems he really intended to give me 50 gold pieces And so we left for the town with Gigi san as a watchman and driver and I to take care of the money and Ojou-sama Ojou sama has had a forlon expression ever since she boarded the carriage in the morning Looks like it really is difficult for her to go outside even after nearly two years. I made conversation in an attempt to improve the mood. Which reminds me, this is the first time since I began working in the Vlad household that Im going into town. What kind of place might it be? I was so excited yesterday that I couldnt sleep. [It has been a long time for me as well, so I am looking forward to it.] While I wasnt exactly excited enough to not be able to sleep I suppose this little lie is acceptable to improve the mood. Ojou-sama joins in the conversation. It is slightly hard to read from the mini blackboard due to the dimness. There was an Adventurers Support Union Guild in a city in Fairyland, and the streets were filled with food stalls. The children were adorable as they held their pocket money tightly as they lined up in front of the candy vendors, were they not? [Though Onii-chan is only a 12 year old child, if you speak this way, you sound like an Oji-chan.] Ojou-sama finally smiled after coming out of the estate. While I currently look 12 years old on the outside, on the inside I am a 40 year old man with my previous life added. The words spoken might have been a little old-man-like. But thats alright if Ojou-sama laughs. [If it is regarding stalls selling confectioneries, theres also some at the town that we are heading to. I have previously tried some while shopping with the others on our day off. Speaking of them, Karen-chan had her fried confection stolen by a crested pigeon while she was in the midst of eating it. Though it was unfortunate for Karen-chan, we all laughed about it.] Karen really has a sweet character. I couldnt do something like that even if I tried With such a feeling I chatted with Ojou-sama until we reached the town. The tension that made her body shiver seems to be gone, but we continue to hold hands. The city is on an open field, and although it wasnt very tall, the city was surrounded by a wall. After receiving an inspection at the gate, we enter the town. There are no large buildings; the general populace coming out and gathering gives it the feeling of a merchant city. Due to the large variety of goods and services available, there are many people coming and going. The carriage is left at the carriage parking lot. And I paid the parking fees and water fee for the horned horses. [Then, shall we go?] Ojou sama readjusted her hat and gripped my hand tightly. I return the grip firmly so as to not get separated from Ojou-sama. The plan is for Ojou-sama and me, the 2 of us, to look around town while shopping. Ojou-sama is told that Gigi-san will be looking around town separately from us. In reality, he is to keep an arranged distance and make sure that no danger befalls us. I understand. Well then Gigi-san, we will come back in the evening. Understood. But pay attention to one thing. Gigi-san takes one step and he draws his mouth close to my ear. No matter what happens, do not let go of Ojou-samas hand. And never lose sight of her. Alright. I will be careful. And then, if you do more than holding hands with Ojou-sama like I said beforeI guess, you understand? I will always have a close eye on you. So when its only the two of you, and you have desire for Ojou-sama, I wont pardon Lute. Consider your Life done. You understand. Were not even alone; you are worrying too much. From behind, he painfully grasps my shoulder with an almighty grip. His blood-shot eyes are scary. Thats all. Take care of Ojou-sama properly. After having worried like a father leaving his daughter, Gigi-san removes his hand from my shoulder to disappear into the crowd. Gigi-sans appearance was not like someone who would overprotect his daughter. I regain my spirit and escort Ojou-sama for now. Then shall we go, too? Nodding, Ojou-sama clasps my hand with a smile and we begin to walk. The place we aim for is aligned at the corner of the shopping district. The stores line up at both ends almost without a gap and high-spirited calling comes forth from the stores. It was really lively. Ojou-sama with a short stature seems to have difficulty breathing in the huge crowd of people. Are you alright, Ojou-sama? Shall we change locations? She shakes her head side-to-side quickly. I feel from her strong will that for choosing a birthday present for her friend Karen, this much is nothing. At which shop should we look first?. If its Karen-sama, she would be happy with things like a sword or spear, a shield, or something like an armour, to name some? [Mou Lute-onii-chan, there is no girl who would be happy to get something like that.] Ojou-sama puffs her cheeks with a pun-pun and gets angry. Im not scared at all. Rather, its too cute. I spontaneously poke at her puffed cheeks and the air leaves from her mouth. Though Ojou-sama is getting angry at my tomfoolery, her cheeks puffed out once again. This is seriously dangerously cute. I cant I cant. Like this, it will become an infinite loop of poking Ojou-samas cheeks. I utter an apology earnestly. Sorry. They are surely not presents to give a lady. But I think Karen who is from a military lineage would be happy. But thats better left unsaid. Has Ojou-sama thought of anything? [Yes. I Intend to give Karen-chan an accessory that I think would suit her. ] Ojou-sama writes skillfully on her mini blackboard while linking her arm with mine. On that occasion, her chest thats still small is pushed against my arm. Its hard, but still, I can certainly feel her chest. While Snows were like, [Funya, Poyon]; these have a certain firmness despite their soft feeling, have completely distinct vectors, and give the feeling of a miracle that defies logic. The unripe fruit is still green. Taking a bite off the apple that has yet to ripen, a sourness spreadCbut there was a certain sweetness within the sourness. Precisely because it is sour, the sweetness remains at the tip of the tongue and leaves a deep impression. Furthermore the so called 11-y/o boobs. Its forbidden, a taboo, to step into such a holy place. But even so, there is an immoral feeling, like being the first to soil the fresh snowfall. Needless to say that theres such dangerous sweetness in Ojou-samas boobs. Snows boobs are the best, but Ojou-samas boobs are also good. Furthermore if I look at Madam, the future will be promising. [ !? ] As such thoughts about boobs are developing, I feel a thick bloodlust on my neck. As it hit me, I look restlessly around from shop to shop and see Gigi-san peeking from the space between them. With the look in his eyes and the blood thirst he put into it, he could easily kill a small animal. I got a little too excited. Sorry. [Is something wrong?] Ojou-sama tilts her head in wonder. No, its nothing. Accessory, is it? Then Karen will certainly be happy to get it. [Tehehehe, I thought hard about it. Lets go this way. There is a merchant with reasonable prices.] Ojou-sama leads me by the hand through the crowd. I take one last look at Gigi-sans direction, but his figure can no longer be seen. Really, if it involves Ojou-sama, Gigi-san easily loses all of his control I leave it to Ojou-sama who is familiar with the area to lead me through the crowd and we advance toward the inside. As the crowd thins, the number of wealthy-looking people wearing well-tailored clothes increases. [This is it. Its a store where I used to shop at with everyone in the past.] This place, huh A shop with white walls made of stone. Even compared to Ginza, Japan from my previous life, the products and atmosphere are good. Indeed, an atmosphere that seems to only want to deal with wealthy people drifts furiously. While I was still hesitating, Ojou-sama casually steps over the entrance as if just entering a convenience store. Just by taking a single step into the store, I feel like I was in a totally different dimension. First off, the air smells different. Citrus aroma with a faint sweetness could be smelled drifting and it is so refreshing. To one side of the floor, where red carpet is laid out, a glass showcase is lined up. The number of items available seem few, when compared to the spaciousness of the store. There is a chandelier on the ceiling. Its light source was probably magic. Items such as paintings and well-arranged vases of flowers are on display alongside the walls. Inside the store, apart from ourselves, there is a young married couple walking arm-in-arm as they are looking around the store led by a clerk. We, who entered the store, were staring at the heartwarming sight of the couple. From a third-person perspective, we, who were holding hands, definitely look like a young couple. The young married couple both had blue skin and had horns growing out of their foreheads; they were of the demon race. An idle clerk notices us and approaches with a smile. Welcome ! Oh, Vlad-sama, it has been a while. [Indeed it has.] A well-proportioned, tall, elderly, and gentlemanlike clerk. His height is around 180 cm and wears a butler-like suit as well as white gloves. Though he looks like he is of the human race, a black tilde-shaped tail extends from his pants. Without even batting an eye towards Ojou-sama who uses a mini blackboard to talk, he continues conversing and not with a business smile, but with a welcoming smile that came from the heart. And so, to what do we owe this pleasure? [I am thinking of giving Karen-chan an accessory for her birthday. Do you have something that may suit her?] I see, alright. Well then, please wait a moment. Said the clerk and he went into the back of the store. [It seems that just by saying the name Karen-chan, he is able to understand who the gift is meant for.] Even if they are former regulars, to remember their names and faces a pro truly is different. What a cute girlfriend While waiting for the elderly clerk, we happen to start talking with the young couple who have made a purchase and are heading out. Hearing the words cute girlfriend, Ojou-samas face becomes 10 times redder than usual. Add her shyness on top of that and she ends up hiding behind my back. Thank you very much for your praise. At any rate, my Mistress has extreme anxiety of strangers. Please forgive us for our discourteous attitude. Eh? A servant? I thought for sure Hey! Youre being rude. The man scolds the woman. Not at all, please pay it no heed. Rather, it is a great honor for me to be mistaken as Ojou-samas lover. As for Ojou-sama, a related party, she is red up to her ears after hearing my words as she grinds her forehead against me. Ouch Its painful, Ojou-sama. We made conversation like so and before long, several accessories are brought out from inside. On the glass showcase, 5 accessories are lined up. From the right, they are earrings, a necklace, a ring, a ring and a bracelet. Each one implements a piece of large red gem. Ojou-sama shows herself from my back and picks up each of the 5 accessories one by one to look at. For Bishop-sama who is a mix of gallantry and cuteness, I thought that rubies would suit her well and prepared these. [Now that you mention it, red does suit Karen-chan well, doesnt it?] The necklace over here makes use of a large piece of ruby and is a new product from an up-and-coming artisan, a top highlight from next months releases. Its only for Vlad-sama that I would present it on this day. Whats with this VIP treatment? [Though it is beautiful, it feels like it would be disproportionate on Karen-chans neck What are Onii-chans thoughts on it?] Ah, err. Certainly its a little too showy, I think Well then, how about these earrings? The gem is small, but that sort of design is the current trend. [These earrings are so pretty] Ojou-sama takes the bait. Ojou-sama narrows down on giving earrings for the present, and even checked over a dozen different delicate designs. Among those, she picked ruby earrings with a simple design. Its price was 1 gold coin. That would be approximately 100,000 Japanese Yen. As a present to a friend, it seemed a bit excessive, but Ojou-sama wholly paid it no heed. Well even a slave like myself was bought as a gift, so its probably not a huge amount of money for her family. Since we wanted the earrings to be nicely wrapped, it would be picked up at a later date. We then left the shop with the elderly clerk seeing us off. [Because of Onii-chan, I was able to pick Karen-chans present with no qualms. Thank you.] I am honored to have been of use to Ojou-sama. Well then, what should we do now? We still have some time till the evening. If were going home, then we should return to the carriage. Most likely, Gigi-san is still, from somewhere, monitoring us or not. Hes just doing his job as a bodyguard. If we return to the rendezvous point at this time right now, there should be time left over. But Ojou-sama showed positiveness unexpected from a former shut-in. [If its not too much trouble, I wanted to look around town since its been a while.] An outing after a long time. Coming to the town where she often spent her off days with her friends mustve made her recall all the fun times she had in the past. I suppose the nostalgia made her want to take a walk. Needless to say, there is no reason to object. Then lets go look around various places until dusk. However, please do not push yourself too hard and tell me if you get tired. After all, we could always visit the town again any number of times. [All right!] With a smile, Ojou-sama cheerfully writes on her mini blackboard. Once again, hand in hand, we go back into the crowd. Thanks for reading thus far! Impressions, typos, opinions and the like are welcome! Next update is scheduled for tomorrow, 21 December, 21:00. I wrote an activity report. If youd like, please confirm it. Volume 3 - CH 32 Together with Ojousama, we walked around the busy town. While browsing through some small miscellaneous goods, we also looked at the colorful flowers in the flower shop. We came to a well reputed clothes shop. Some female students who remember young lady then came over and some idle chat was exchanged through the mini blackboard. From my delusions, it seemed as if I was having a date together with her. Speaking of which, the thing that made Ojousamas eyes sparkle the most today was some fried pastry being sold at a food cart. Its close to what is known as fried bread in my previous life. The bread-like food is fried in oil and then smeared with sugar and spices, it seemed to be bad for the health. Its about the size of a meat bun, with the price of 2 copper, or about 200 yen. It seems like she used to buy and eat it often when going out to town with Karen and the others. Its a well known item that, if youre a kid, you should absolutely have had it at least once, or something like that. Instead of the afternoon tea party, we bought two well-made fried pastries. They were wrapped in napkins which looked like the oak leaves used in rice cakes, even though it was bad manners, we ate it as we walked. Ojousama ate it delightedly with gobbling noises, using her small mouth. I felt happy just by looking at her doing that. When I realized, Ojousama had already eaten all the pastry. It seemed like she hadnt had enough and stole glances at my half-eaten one. .. Ojousama, if you like, do you want to eat mine? [B, but eating Onii-chans share is just unforgivable] No, dont worry about it. Im actually full so you can have it if you like. [Then I wont hold back, thank you very much!] But before that, theres sugar on your mouth so let me wipe it first. Ojousama, say [u~n] please. Ojousama obediently pouted her mouth as if going for a kiss. Because of her meekness and cuteness, I almost went in for that kiss, but regained my senses and stopped. If I kissed her here, Gigi-san whos watching from somewhere would tear off my lips. I took out a handkerchief from my pocket, wiped Ojousamas mouth, and handed her the fried pastry. Not caring that it was half-eaten by me, Ojousama unhesitatingly put it in her mouth and smiled as if saying its delicious. When it seemed like we both got tired from walking at the same time, we took a rest and had tea. The eatery was so crowded there was no space inside, so we sat on a bench outside. I bought a couple of wooden cups filled with fruit juice and went back to Ojousama. Ojousama didnt look tired at all, and happily swung her legs back and forth while watching the people passing by. That appearance of hers completely didnt seem like that of a girl who had stayed indoors for about two years. The figure of a cute little girl appropriate for her age that you can find anywhere. Unintentionally, I kept gazing at the side of Ojousamas face while holding my cup with both hands. [Is there anything wrong, Lute onii-chan?] She showed me her mini blackboard and tilted her head. Ojousama looked so cute, I unintentionally became fascinated. As I praised Ojousama, her pure white skin seemed to change colors and became red. [Geez, Lute onii-chan, please dont tease me] Im sorry, my true opinion seemed to have leaked out by mistake. [I said stop teasing me already!] Even though I apologized to Ojousama, for some reason she puffed her cheeks like a hamster. Shes cute even when shes angry. [..!?] Ojousama? However, her face turned completely pale like a ghost. I turned my head towards where Ojousama was lookingthere were two adult men standing there. One of them was tall and thin like a dried fish. The other one was short and considerably wide. An odd pair that seems to appear frequently in games or manga. They both had a dumb smile pasted on their faces and dark desire gleaming out of their eyes. The quality of the clothes they had on were good but regardless, theres no elegance. Their fingers, arms, and wrists were heavily decorated with jewels as if showing off, totally advertising their [crooked characters who had become wealthy suddenly]. These are characters that I dont want anything to do with if I had the choice. I wanted to ignore them, but Ojousamas eyes were fixed on them, and Gigi-san who should be guarding from a distance came running in panic. Gigi-san stood in front of the men as if to protect us. .. do you have some business with us? We were just going out to town and saw a familiar face, so we went to give our greetings. Right, elder brother? Thats right. So dont make such a scary face, Gigi. Still wearing a scornful grin, the pair answered Gigi-san. Their manner of speaking is like that of a master to their servant. (Gigi-san, who are these two?) ( Masters siblingsThe head of the Vampire Clan Pylkk?nen Vlad-sama, and the second son Ravino Vlad-sama.) Gigi-san indicated with his line of sight that the fat man is Pylkk?nen and in turn the thin man is Ravino. If you say the eldest and second sons of the Vlad house, they were the siblings who held a grudge towards Count Dan Gate Vlad because his assets far outstrip theirs, and once had a fight over it. I finally see why Ojousama was startled and Gigi-san was wary of them. Theres no way these two would have goodwill towards Ojousama who was the counts daughter. The fat manPylkk?nen snorted like a pig and turned his gaze towards me. Is that brat the slave Dan bought the other day? Hmph, he looks withered and pale. Evidently, that Dan didnt give him enough food. Thats just because youre too fat! Its just like elder brother said, that Dan is such a stingy fellow. The second son Ravino was sucking up to the eldest brother. If master is stingy, then most people in this world would be total cheapskates! I wanted to object, but a mere slave cant possibly raise his voice against his masters siblings. Perhaps also enduring the insult, Gigi-san rolled his hands painfully into a fist. The twos gazes turned away from me and towards Ojousama. Chrisse, we were worried since we heard you became a hikikomori. But you seem to be okay and can go outside. As your uncles were happy to the limits. Right, younger brother? Yes, elder brother. It is a most joyous occasion. Both of you, Ojousama has only just gone outside. it is probably best if you do not give her too much provocationC Shut up Gigi! Its fine even if you hadnt said that just now! Gigi-sans expression turned bad at Pylkk?nens explosive remark. Ojousamas slender shoulders trembled because of the angry voice. I beg your pardon. Tch, even though youre just a lowly beastman. Ah right. Chrisse, as your uncles were greatly moved that youre able to come out of your room just fine. Pylkk?nen continued his talk. But you see, its not like we dont get why youd want to stay indoors. Pylkk?nen made an ugly expression with his greasy face. It was the face of a low-life who finds absolute joy in other peoples suffering. At any rate, despite having our Vlad houses superior bloodline, you dont have talent as a magician. If it were me I wouldve killed myself long ago. Right, younger brother? It is really as elder brother said. Or maybe it could have been that, huh~ Hoo, what is that elder brother? Younger brother, do you know about a bird called a cuckoo? Cuckoos have a trait called [Brood Parasitism] where it leaves its eggs in another birds nest replacing that birds own. It might have been possible that my younger brother Dan could have suffered something like that. That man is stupid, just as he looks. He might not have noticed if his wife slept with another guy. As expected from elder brother, such worldly wisdom. A blood vessel in my seemed seemed to have burst. I dont care even if its Masters brother, hes ridiculing Ojousama as a talentless child born through madams extramarital affair! I unintentionally rolled my hands tightly into a fist. O, Ojousama! As I looked back because of Gigi-sans panicked voice, Ojousama ran away, covering her ears. She went running in the opposite direction of Pylkk?nen and Ravino. Im going to lose sight of her like this! Lute, leave this to me. You go after Ojousama! A, all right! I left the wooden cup in my hand on the bench and ran after Ojousama. As I went, I let out a fierce glare at Pylkk?nen and Ravino. Because she didnt have much exercise, Ojousamas legs soon gave out. Even so, because a vampires base ability was higher in comparison to a human, I wasnt able to catch up immediately. *gasp* Watch where youre going! Pay attention! Ojousama bumped into a man carrying a wooden box and fell to the ground. Unfortunately she fell into a moist patch of mud. Her freshly washed white clothes, face, body, and hair became dirty with mud. Ojousama! Because she fell down I could finally catch up to her. Ojousama made no attempt to get up from her fallen state. As I rushed over to pick her up, I saw her eyes empty and lacking energyshe was languid. This girls face who was smiling brightly just a few minutes ago was now gloomy and devoid of emotion. Even when I met her for the first time she had a better expression. Ojousama, I beg your pardon. I excused myself and carried Ojousama in my arms and then ran to the place where we left the coach. Once we managed to arrive there, I seated her on a bench outside. I paid for some water and washed her clean of mud, starting with her hands and face, then her hair. On Ojousamas palms that were red like the leaves of autumn, blood was oozing out from the grazed skin. It wasnt a big injury. If its something like this, it can be healed with Gigi-sans healing magic without leaving a scar. And yet my heart was furiously struck with sorrow. I washed away Ojousamas filth, wiped her clean, and placed her on the coach. Gigi-san turned up 30 minutes afterwards. He healed Ojousamas wounds with healing magic. We left town on the coach as if running away. There were just Ojousama and I inside the coach. Ojousama was hugging her knees, making herself small. I was also silent and just continued to sit across from her. As Ojousama looked up, she wrote on the mini blackboard. [ my classmates used to tell me the same thing back when I still went to school.] What the vampire family head and second son had said earlier was [Chrisses parents are magicians and yet, why is she talentless as a magician?]. [I had also resisted at first. Theres a chance that abilities dont get inherited even if both parents are magicians. But every time I said that they just laughed at me without properly listening to me] Ojousama wrote with trembling fingertips. [Lute onii-chan, Am I a despicable existence for not inheriting magical talent? Am I unnecessary?] I shook my head sideways. I was also bullied in my previous life, so I knew exactly what Ojousama wanted to hear. So I looked straight into her eyes and declared. I dont know about other people, but master and madam definitely doesnt think that way. Also Gigi-san, Merry-san, Merc-san, Malcolm-san, and all the other servants, including me of course, none of us care about whether or not Ojousama can do magic! We all love Ojousama! Were happy just from seeing Ojousama smiling! .! Its tough on Ojousama being looked down by others and being the topic of malicious gossip. But the most frightening thing of all is how her parents think of her. Maybe, just maybe, they think shes a [good-for-nothing] because their magicians abilities didnt pass on to her. When I became a hikikomori because I was afraid of being made a target by those delinquents, I was afraid to even find out what my parents think of my miserable self. So I did all I could to stay inside and reduced contact with family members as much as possible. I came under the impression that they didnt care about me, and finally our relations soured. Thats why I told Ojousama this. Well be her allies, even if she cant be a magician, even if the whole world would turn against her. We will always be by her side. Those feelings seem to have reached her, and Ojousama once again burst into tears. She slowly reached her hands out, grabbed my butler suit, and pressed her face down onto it. *sob* Ojousama continued crying while trying to muffle her voice. As if she was letting out all the sadness thats been filling her chest. I continued to gently stroke her soft hair the whole time until she stopped crying. Volume 3 - CH 33 Lute, where are we going? Whenever she was called over for a tea party, the Centaur Karen Bishop would usually head for Ojousamas room in the second floor. But this time I was guiding her towards the first floor dining hall. Thats why she was wondering and asked me about it. The great dining hall. Everyone is already waiting there. Everyone? She heard my reply and tilted her head. Before she could ask another question, we reached the doors of the dining hall. I knocked and called out. Ive brought Karen-sama I had Karen stand in front of the door, and it slowly opened Karen-chan, happy birthday! !? With a soft popping sound, Karens body was showered with confetti and tape made of cloth. Karen flinched hearing a sound she had never heard before. Then there was the sound of an uproarious applause. In the dining hall there were Chrisse-ojousama, master, madam, and the servants of the Vlad house. There was also the three-eyed Barnie Bloomfield. Also the Lamia (half-snake) Muir Head. Also finally, there were maids that Barnie and Muir brought along to help, they were all giving a grand applause. The walls of the dining hall were decorated with multicolored string flowers. Then there was a banner with the words [Happy 11th Birthday, Karen-chan] written on it in Demon Language. While Karen was still trying to grasp the situation, Ojousama stepped up to her, holding a bouquet. [Karen-chan, happy birthday] C, Chrisse!? Karen was once again surprised because Ojou-sama, who supposedly could not go out of her room because of being bullied, was now here in front of her eyes. As she took the bouquet, she finally realized that this gathering is a surprise birthday party for her. Karen burst into tears, looking as if a dam just broke. C, Chrisse is such a good friend, to go so far as going out of your room just to celebrate my birthday! Everyone, thank you! I have such really good friends! [] All of Karens childhood friends in the hall, including Ojousama looked at each other. Last time, the other two had found out when they met to prepare for the birthday party that Ojousama was able to go out of her room. Of course, they also knew that she didnt go out specifically for Karen. But no one had the heart to deny. They only smiled awkwardly, but Karen, who was being moved to tears, took no notice. As soon as she went inside the hall, she immediately received presents. The first ones from me, okay The three-eyed Barnie presented her present. Its about the size of a 5 kg sack of rice. Its a magic-imbued piggybank. Its absolutely impossible to open until you reach a set amount of money, so do your best in filling it, okay. Thank you, Barnie. Ill use it with great care. It was quite the appropriate present from a money-changers daughter. [Next is me.] Ojousama handed over a small box tightly wrapped in cloth on the palm of her hands. [Theyre just earrings, but Ill be glad if you happily accept them.] Thank you Chrisse. I wont be able to wear them everyday, but Ill use them for parties or important days. The last ones from me. Ill be happy if you could use them together with Chrisses present. A maid the Lamia Muir brought along had the present. Hers was the only one that was not wrapped, and was spread out right there for all to see. The present she prepared was a lavish dress that made you wonder whether they used too much lace. It was pink in color, with white lace sewed on it like whipped cream. Rather than a party dress, it would be called in my previous life as sweet lolita fashion. Karen was speechless at Muirs present at first, then her face turned red. M, Muir! Whats with this frilly, fluttery dress! Dont you think it doesnt suit this strict warrior me! Not at all. Itll be fine, it reeeally suits Karen. Youre still teasing me again! Karen, with her face red, got angry. But ojousama and three-eyed Barnie backed Muir. Thats not it at all, Karen-chan has a pretty face and a nice figure, so youll look good in it [The earrings I gave were simple, but I think they strike a good balance with that dress. Please wear them and show us next time.] Well, but, um The two seriously insisted that she would look good in it. Therefore Karen who wanted to deny it found it hard to respond. Karen threw a clumsy smile at Muir. T, thanks Muir. Ill keep it carefully so it doesnt get dirty. Im glad you liked it. Wear it the next time we have a tea party, kay W, well thats if I feel like it, eh. Ahahahaha. Fufufufufu.. The two continued their give and take quietly. Once they finished fighting, the band that master and the others prepared started playing. Accompanied by the music, the ojousamas got started on the food. The food was gathered and prepared by the three families. Muirs Lamia family brought a seafood dinner. Barnies three-eyed clan brought meat. Ojousamas side were responsible for other dishes that were simple to pick up (in Japan they would be called something like hors d?uvres). Also the head chef Malcolm-san went all out and prepared a mountain of desserts that the Demon Race would like. Cakes and cookies were a matter of course. The snacks I madeGiant pudding made in the shape of a ball, mille crpe with the crpes cut into hearts, potato chips and a lot of other kinds of snacks were also prepared. The ojousamas, master, madam, and the maids from the Lamia and Three-eyed families happily feasted on them all. We the servants of the Vlad house hosting the event were working at the kitchen or going around delivering drinks. It was not much trouble since there were only few participants. The head butler Merry-san put all his mind into the work. Karen asked a question while eating the giant pudding that had been cut up. But, what exactly is that popping sound and the small pieces of cloth and string at the door? [Those were party toys called [Crackers] that Lute-oniichan made] Crackers? I made them with permission from master for the opening of the party. The paper in this world were expensive and doesnt have the stiffness so I substituted them with wood. I put in leftover cloth, cut into fine pieces, and string into the wooden tubes like a kaleidoscope. When the string is pulled, the contents would fly out thanks to the powder that was put inside. I never thought my gun-making skills would be useful to this extent. When I finished my explanations, Karen became lost in thought. What an interesting device. Couldnt we use it to make a new kind of weapon? Hey hey, what is the birthday girl pondering about. Your family work can wait until after the party S, sorry. [But actually, it seems a magic weapon like that already exists. I think its called an AK-47 if Im not mistaken] Ojousama replied using the mini blackboard. Her friends turned their gazes towards me. this is not a good time to talk about the AK-47, right? Its already too late for any excuses, so I gave a straight answer. Its a magic device that uses explosion magic to propel a small metal slug to kill or wound the enemy. Something like that exists? This is the first time Ive heard of it. Is it a common weapon in the Fairy Human Continent? Belonging to a family whose business is in developing and producing weapons, Karen was interested. I had no obligation to answer honestly, so I dodged the question. Normally people have no knowledge of it. It seems to be an unusual weapon. Even when I was in the Fairy Human Continent I only heard of it in passing. Where in the Fairy Human Continent did you hear of it? Did you hear about anything else? Hey Karen-chan, didnt Muir-chan just tell you off? Barnie held back Karens barrage of questions. Youre the guest of honor for tonight so eat up, eat up. This cakes really good you know. S, sorry. Its surely sweet and tasty. Eating the cake Barnie recommended, Karen broke into a smile. I made my escape after making sure shes too occupied to start questioning me again. As I escaped toward the walls, Merry-san ran past me towards master in a state of panic. Merry-san whispered something to him, who was sitting in a sofa together with madam, eating mille crpe. !? I felt an overwhelming pressure, despite being in the opposite wall from him. Even the musicians became frightened and stopped their hands. Ojousamas friends also turned their heads, wondering what happened. Only one person out of everyone there, madam, was able to reproach master while drinking scented tea. Darling, do calm down a little. Magic power is leaking out of your whole body. Hahahahaha! Sorry, sorry! I was a little careless there. Good grief, your carelessness is unbecoming of your appearance. The two laughed happily with each other, not minding their surroundings. With the right timing, master cleared his throat. Well, I beg your pardon. Theres a bit of an internal matter so I became distracted. The feeling of oppression that I felt for the first time. That is surely the pressure of the A-ranked magician master being seriously angry. But what [Internal Matter] could make him so seriously angry? Master spoke carefreely, as if talking about tomorrows weather. It seems that my brothers are gearing up for another war. Masters brothers! Immediately the faces of the unbalanced combo of Pylkk?nen and Ravio floated into my mind. Once upon a time, they made up an excuse to go to war against master in order to seize his belongings. The enemy, the vampire house, numbered 1000 people, 50 among them are magicians. Opposing them are the Vlad house who can only field 50 people beginning with master and madam. However the result was the Vlads complete victory. That was obvious. Master is an A-rank magethat is the domain of monsters that only a handful of talented people can reach with great effort. Once master and his men trampled all their enemies flat and defeated the baka-brothers, the brothers immediately apologized. Master only smiled and forgave them at their request, without asking for money or any demands other than their apology. My brothers did something embarrassing, starting a fight even though its my family and my daughters friends fun time Even though theyre my brothers, I need to teach them a lesson. Though his tone of voice was calm and he was smiling as he said that, I could feel his muscles bulging underneath his fancy clothes. Thats right isnt it. We went too easy on them last time. This time we should be more strict, right, darling? Madam was agreeing with what master said. Madam, too, was firing off a suffocating intent to kill even while dressed in her fine clothes. Therefore I must ask for your pardon, Bishop-san, to pour cold water on your long-awaited party. I will make it up to you sometime. I thank you for your concern, Lord Count. But there is no need to worry, it cant be helped since its a family conflict. Honestly, I had fun this time. I will also certainly show you my gratitude in the near future Karen politely bowed her head in thanks. So, should we disperse now? Right. It cant be helped since its a family affair, we should go back so we dont hold them back The Lamia Muir and 3-eyed Barnie disinterestedly started packing, unsurprised with the attack, not to mention that it was by the main family. Those two as well knew that the main family once declared war once in the past, so maybe thats why theyre so indifferent about it. The head maid Merc-san whispered to me, who was making an incredulous face. (Lute is a human, so you may not be familiar with it, but for the Demon Race its a matter of manners to [not speak out regarding family wars]. The Demon Race has more varied families than the other 4 races, right? Families had their own customs and differences of habit so by tacit understanding it is agreed that others shouldnt interfere with it) I see. So thats why no one asked about the circumstances or whether they needed any help. Merc, Lute, you two please see off ojousamas guests. Afterwards, take ojousama to her room baa~ The head butler Merry-san who suddenly was next to me started laying down the orders. We responded and started moving. Merry-san left to convey the orders to the other servants. In order to prepare for the war with the brothers Thank you very much for making it this far! Impressions, typo reports, and opinions are warmly welcomed! Next update is in December 22nd, 21:00 (^)g Volume 3 - CH 34 Acting as chaperone for ojousama, we saw Karen and her other friends off. Then we accompanied ojousama back to her room. The head maid Merc-san brewed some scented tea to calm down ojousamas mood. Seated beside the bed, ojousama made an anxious face. [I wonder if father and the others are alright] Im sure they are fine. No matter who the enemy was, we have master who is an A-ranked mage, right? He wont lose no matter what. I had Merc-san, who was returning after she finished brewing the scented tea, replace me in accompanying ojousama. I need to leave my post for a while, so please take care of ojousama. All right. Dont do anything rash. ? Merc-san guessed my intentions, and immediately gave her approval. But ojousama made an anxious face again and grasped the hem of my shirt with her small hand. [Lute-oniichan, where are you going?] Dont worry, I forgot something in my room, Im only going to go back and get it. [Is. that so.] Ojousama also seemed to have guessed and released her tiny fingers, making a gloomy expression. She bravely put on a bitter smile like shes trying to endure something. [Be careful, and godspeed.] Yes, Ill be off. Ill be back soon. I left ojousamas room and hurriedly made for the great dining hall. No way. We cant possibly bring Lute along. Master and the others proceeded with the preparations in the dining hall. The remaining food were put in ceramic bowls and became instant field rations. Weapons and armor were taken out of armories and were checked for damage. Master had already taken off his coat, and was warming up by doing shadowboxing. Madam was putting on the equipment brought by the maids in a practiced manner. In all likelihood, these are the weapons and armor she used in her pirate hunting days. I ran up to Gigi-san who is directing the battle preparations and reported that I wanted to participate in the war this time. Its because of the matter the other daywhen the baka-brothers insulted not only ojousama but master and madam, I wont be satisfied unless I get to hit them at least once. But Gigi-san refused. I snapped back at him. Why!? I can use magic a little, I can be useful for the war! No. Lute is ojousamas guardian, right? Do you intend to leave your post for the battlefield. You dont have battle experience in the first place, right? Bringing a green soldier along is just going to hold us back. My arguments were cut off by Gigi-sans valid reasoning. Masters side has only a few participants. Probably no more than 50 people. However, every one of them are people with experience from the previous war or former adventurers he got to know a long time ago. Therefore they were at the level where they can cooperate without any complaints. If an inexperienced newcomer were to come in, that could become a source for discord. Furthermore, even the head butler Merry-san sided with Gigi-san. Thats right Lute. Youre ojousamas guard and blood bag. Just leave this war to us. If its that kind of rabble well finish them off in the blink of an eye baa~ Certainly, our side has master. The other servants morale were high, too Some of the maids participating in the battle were menacing, wearing armor and shields on top of their maid uniforms and carrying weapons. Even the head chef Malcolm-san seems to be participating with kitchen knives hanging from all over his body. He was scary in an absurd way, like something out of a horror flick. However, I was told off. C, certainly I dont have battle experience, but Im sure I can be helpful I told you you cant, give it up. Rather, you should stay by ojousama. Then protect ojousama with your life. I beg of you. Gigi-san? Strangely, Gigi-san pleaded me with a stern look and tone of voice. Questions popped up in my mind for an instant, but he started with the preparations once again. Gigi, prepare the anti-silver drug for curing silver poison just in case. We still have some in the stores dont we baa~? Like Dracula in my previous life, silver is poison to the vampire race. This poison cant be removed with normal antidote, its the natural enemy of vampires. Silver poison cannot be cured other than by using special medication, the anti-silver drug. Therefore normally, tableware and accessories made of silver are never ever used. Of course. Its the head of the guards duty to prepare enough to deal with it once the need arises. I already ordered to stuff it inside the carriages. As expected from Gigi, youre quick when it comes to your work baa~ If Im here any longer, Ill be a nuisance. With a bow, I left the great dining hall. Like a child who left home with harsh words and came back, I returned to ojousamas room. I knocked and entered after receiving a response. Excuse me. I apologize for leaving my post. Seeing my face, ojousama let out a sigh of relief. [Welcome back, Lute-oniichan. Did you find the thing youre looking for?] Perhaps revenge for making her worry, ojousama gave a strangely malicious retaliation. I made an ironic smile. No, I remembered that I forgot the important thing here and came back in a hurry Hearing my reply, ojousamas face turned red and she shyly hid behind her mini blackboard. Ojousamas reaction is really cute, huh. *cough* With Merce-sans cough, the pink atmosphere went back to normal. She relaxed her expression a little. Well then, lets wish for master and the others victory and safety and wait in the castle. We nodded at Merce-sans words. I should also stop selfishly insisting to go fight together with them and just wish for their safety. Outsider POV Head of the Vampire Clans main family, Pylkk?nen Vlad. Ravio Vlad. Working underneath them were 50 B-minus ranked mages belonging to the Vampire clans main family. Besides those, there were over 950 mercenary adventurers hired from the Adventurers Guild. In total there were about 1000 people. On the other hand, the Counts family were headed by Count Dan Gate Vlad, and Seras Gate Vlad. The Head of Guards Gigi, Head Butler Merry, Head Chef Malcolm. Alongside over 40 other servants. 50 people in total. The difference in power was by a factor of 20. Ȥl˱QƤ餺׳Фȫo But nobody on the Counts side was pessimistic, no one was feeling grim. षԣΑBȤʤä In fact, they did not lose their composure. The place where they were to face off was a plain about 2 hours away from the town where Lute went to find presents. The Demon Race dont interfere with each others family matters. But its another matter if they cause trouble for the other families. Therefore its a matter of manners that when some family matter occurs, care is taken so that they dont cause trouble for the other clans. Thats why an open place with no people was chosen. You did well to come and not run away you stupid brother! This time well stop your treasonous acts against the Vampire clan! Prepare to be judged! The fat eldest brother Pylkk?nen, clad in pointlessly extravagant armor and riding a white horned-horse, raised an angry voice. The lanky second brother Ravio beside him gave an exaggerated nod at what he said and put on a vulgar expression. By treason do you mean using the familys money improperly like last time? Calling my magic schooling funds improper is Anyway, wasnt I allowed double the money under the pretext of family assistance in the first place? Sh, shut up! Dont think your crime is forgiven just by returning the money! It is just as elder brother says! Really, you guys are persistent as usual. Enough already, why cant you just leave me alone. The Count breathed a sigh of amazement. By doing that, he angered them even further. Y-You have always been that way since way back! Even though youre just a third born, you got a magicians license and attaining a top-notch rank of A ranked. Youre just the younger brother! Know your place! Get him, punks! At the cue of Pylkk?nens yelling, the soldiers started running. All the magicians started chanting their spells. My older brothers never change. The Count raised one hand toward everyone and walked out alone. As if hes saying Ill do it myself so stand back. The lump of muscle over 2.5 meters in height naked above the waist walked out. The magicians of the main Vampire house simultaneously fired their magic at the Count. Blades of ice, spears of fire, arrows of water, whips of windeither because they wanted to test things or because they didnt want to hurt the soldiers, elementary-level attack magic rained down on the Count. Hahahahaha! Humm, youre better trained that before. Im impressed! Bathed under the rain of magic attacks, the Count steadily walked on. His body did not even receive a millimeter of scratches. Drop dead! The soldiers finally reached the Count One of them swung a large sword at him. The Count wasnt even noticing. Ha? The large sword easily broke like a toy as it came into contact with the Count. He was alright, of course. Hahahahahaha! You still have a long way to go! Your steps are too naive! Even my Lute is stronger than this! Guh!? The swordsman was blown off by a flick to his forehead and fell rolling down. Meanwhile a large axe came swinging down, and a bolt from a bowgun flew to his head. A spear also rushed in, pointed at his stomach. However, none of them could deal any damage to the Count. Well then, its about time for me to fight back! The Count rolled his right hand tightly into a fist and slowly drew it back. His titanic muscles swelled up further, his veins popping out. Hmph! *flash* The mass of adventurers were blown off by the shockwave from the Counts attack like dry leaves. Also, the magic barrier that took 10 magicians to create was easily pierced and destroyed by the Counts mana shockwaves. If Lute were there he would be reminded of bowling in his previous life and yelled out [Strike!] Y, you monster! Pylkk?nen wholeheartedly swore at his younger brother, pale in the face. His younger brother Dan Gate Vlad was an A-ranked mage. He possessed a large amount of mana, so much that it would flow out of his body if he was careless, but he himself isnt fairly skilled in either attack magic or support magic. For that reason the Count was looked down upon by people around him at first. Pearls before swine, they said. However, the Count paid no heed, forging his body as a weapon in order to leave the Demon Continent, gaining abilities, and continuously practicing magic with enthusiasm. Thanks to that he gained an original means of attack and defence that does not rely on attack nor support magic. Using the magic power that flows out of his body for defense, and diverting it to attack. He could even project it a long way away like he did just now. As a result, the Count earned himself the title of an A-ranked mage. Neither of his elder brothers Pylkk?nen nor Ravio had any talent for magic. In the beginning they made fun of the Count for having a huge amount of mana but not able to use it, but it turned out that their youngest brother became an A-ranked mage. The mage that they longed for since they were children. The brother they looked down upon became an A-ranked mage that only a handful of geniuses could become. Jealousy, defeat, envy, inferiorityembittered by various emotions they came to see the Count as if he were the enemy of the family. If he were somebody else, they wouldnt hate him to that extent. Its because he was their blood-related brother that they became so madly jealous. With just one strike, the main familys men became disheartened. Swords couldnt hurt the Count and even magic had no effect. Without a way to oppose him, it is inevitable that they could not see victory and morale dropped. But even the Count had doubts on his superiority. They must have adapted from the previous battle. The brothers must have started this war with a scheme or way to secure victory. Maybe a lethal trap directed at him, or maybe some special magic or treasure-class magic devicehe just didnt know what. The Count carefully observed Pylkk?nens camp. That backfired on him. He was late to realize that something happened in his own camp. *guh!* His wife Seras screamed, then spat blood A silver dagger pierced and stuck on her flank through a gap in her armor. The one who pierced her wasthe head of guards, Gigi. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 35 Lute, 12 years old. The sun has set; it is now the domain of the night. A few hours ago, the castle fell silent as if the boisterous fun times were a lie. Chrisse-Ojousama appears to be anxious as she looks out the window. The visage from not too long ago of the girl who was afraid of going outside was nowhere to be seen. Be at ease, Ojou-sama. Since the Master is personally going, our side losing is simply unimaginable. Merc-san gently pats Ojou-samas shoulders. Ojou-sama smiles in agreement. Ojou-sama, Merc-san, please be silent. I call out the the two who were encouraging each other. The first floor is strangely noisy. Flustered voices, wild footsteps, and the like can be heard. Merc-san tenses up and holds Ojou-sama close to protect her. There is knocking on the door. It is rough. It is rough to the level that if the head butler, Merry-san, was here, he would have angrily reprimanded whoever it was. ..Ojou-sama, Merc-san, just to be safe, please step back. As I give out instructions, the two obediently obeys. And I, just in case, pick up a letter opener. I slowly reach for the doorknob and open the door. There is one maid in the hallway. She peeks inside the room with an impatient expression. I, is Ojou-sama here? There is an urgent report that I have to convey! Report? What is it? At present, Merry-san has returned, and the Master and Madam areC !? Ojou-sama, Merc-san! Take cover! Kyaaaaa! The scream of the maid who was in the middle of reporting. I immediately turn around and throw the paper-knife towards the window! Right on cue, a man breaks through the 2nd floor windows glass and lands in the room. At the same time, the paper-knife sticks into the enemys arm. He had jumped up to the second floor from the courtyard by raising his physical ability with body strengthening magic. Having sensed signs of magic being used outside, I was able to promptly react. Guh ! The man looks to be in his early twenties. He has an appearance similar to those of the human race, but since his canines were unusually long, perhaps he is a vampire like Ojou-samas family. He pulls out the paper-knife and starts healing. Glow in my hand, O soothing light. Be the glimmer that healeth me. Heal! Hes probably one of the novices scraped up by Masters older brothers and their allies. Even though the battle isnt over, he was paying an undue amount of attention to healing his wounds. It would appear that hes not accustomed to battle. The result: he shows a huge opening. I wasnt trained to be so naive as to overlook such an opening. Just as Gigi-san had taught me, I quickly move in on the magician. The male magician panics and swings the paper-knife he pulled out from his arm sideways as a diversion. Compared to Master, it really wasnt fast or powerful at all. I duck, easily evading, and throw a reinforced blow at his abdomen. Go ho! The man is coughing out saliva, falling over in agony. Still I show no mercy and throw a palm heel strike at his jaw, throwing him out of the window he came in from. Having been thrown out the window, the man hit the ground and stop moving. His hands and feet are convulsing, so he probably wasnt dead He had merely fainted. The enemy was a mage, but due to his lack of combat experience, I was able to fight him off. But why was such a person in the castle? I, is Ojou-sama safe, baa~!? Merry-san! !? While I was confirming that the male mage I had thrown out had fainted, the head butler Merry-san tumbles into the room, his body full of injuries. He was supposed to have gone to battle with Master and the rest. Yet, why did he come back to the castle in such a tattered state? A bad premonition is swelling in my heart. But the bad news Merry-san brought with him surpasses even my wildest imaginations. Ojou-sama, there is something I must report. In the recent battle, due to the betrayal of our head guard, Gigi, Master was defeated baa~. !? Ojou-sama, Merc-san, and I couldnt believe our ears. Theres no way Gigi-san could have betrayed the Vlad house! The servants all liked Master and Madams character and were highly loyal. And even among them, Gigi-san was special. He even treasured Ojou-sama as if she were his own daughter. For such a person to be a traitor, there must be some sort of misunderstanding. It has to be a mistake! I instinctively press the injured Merry-san for an explanation. To think Gigi-san would betray us, could it be some sort of mistake? Perhaps it was a fake impersonating Gigi-san! Hes definitely not a fake. He stabbed the Madam with a silver knife, and used its toxicity to force the Master to surrender. Furthermore, he had, at some point, replaced our stock of anti-silver drugs with imitations using his authority as the head guard. With only the enemy in possession of anti-silver drugs, the Master, to save Madam, put on a magic prevention choker and surrendered baa~. Merry-san looks mortified as tears forms in the corner of his eyes. The main family took custody of the Master and Madam and is now marching towards the castle to capture Ojou-sama. I saw an opportunity and was able to escape, but was attacked by pursuers to this pathetic state The main family will arrive soon. Ojou-sama, quickly make preparations to escape baa~. Merry-sans bloodcurdling advice. However, Ojou-sama still couldnt follow the overwhelming changes in the situation, simply pales, and becomes overcome with surprise. Instead, Merc-san starts moving. Excuse me, Ojou-sama. Merc-san put on a coat made of thick fur for Ojou-sama who had changed out of her party dress and into her pyjamas. Merry-san gives instructions to the other maid, the one who screamed earlier, to look for a jewel box in Ojou-samas room. Furthermore, he grabs my arm with his hands which were still wet with blood. Lute, after this, go to the hidden passage that no one other than the Master, Madam, and I know. From there, take Ojou-sama and escape far away baaa~. What do Merry-san and the rest intend to do? We will attract the attention of the main family and buy you some time. I grind my teeth at that reply. Merry-san tightens his bloody fists. Please forgive us for being so worthless that we have to rely on Lute even though youre still just a 12 year-old child. However, right now, the only one that can protect Ojou-sama is Lute. Please, please! Please protect Ojou-sama baa~ Of course. I will show that I can fulfill my duty as Ojou-samas butler-cum-blood bag. Thank you baa~ Around the time I finished talking with Merry-san, Ojou-samas preparations have been completed. Ojou-sama is still pale, and her eyes arent focused. Her mind is still unable to cope with reality. Now then, let us go to the dining hall on the first floor. Lending the bloody Merry-san a hand, we head toward the 1st floor dining hall. The dining hall that the Master and Madam always used. A luxurious, elegant chair in a long table. Massive curtains, gilded candlestands, vases arranged with vibrant flowers and a hearth thats a world of difference from that in the servant mess room I usually use. Merry-san pushs a certain stone brick among the walls in the hearth. Under the pile of firewood, a linked piece of stone rises. Merry-san picks up the stone with his trembling hands, and a metal handle comes into view. He lifts the handle with all his might and the floor of the fireplace opens like a lid, revealing a stairway. Merc-san entrusts Ojou-samas hand to me. I firmly grasp the delicate hand wrapped in a silk glove. Furthermore, I am presented with some escape funds wrapped in a leather bag. Im sorry, but since were pressed for time, I couldnt gather a significant amount. Even so, Ive included some leftover confections from todays party in the bag. Please eat it on the road. Thank you very much. Merc-san, please be safe, too. For a moment, the words Merc-san should run away with us were about to come out. However, this would only serve to insult her. Merc-sans eyes show that she had made her resolve. No matter what happened to herself, she intended to buy time for Ojou-samas escape. I urge Ojou-sama into the hidden passage. At that point, her awareness finally caught up to reality for the first time. .. tsu! Ojou-sama sheds large pearl-like tears and refusesd to move. She extends her delicate hands and grabs Merc-sans cuffs. She tries speaking, but her voice wouldnt come out as she shakes her head. That she didnt want to be separated, that she didnt want to go was what her whole body was conveying. Ojou-sama, time is of the essence. Please make haste. .. tsu! Ojou-sama .. tsu! Ojou-sama!!! !? Merc-san yells at Ojou-sama. This is probably the first time she scolded Ojou-sama since she was hired as a maid. Ojou-sama was frozen by her angry voice. Merc-san did a complete 180, and, with an expression filled with affection like that of an older sister or mother, loosened Ojou-samas fingers that held her. For worrying about us, I am truly grateful. But no matter what becomes of us, as long as Ojou-sama is safe, then the bloodline of the Vlad house will not come to an end. So please continue living, no matter how tough life gets. Because Ojou-samas safety is our sincere desire. All the servants gathered in the dining hall nods to Merc-sans words as if to say my thoughts exactly. Merry-san further adds on. Please leave the matter of the Master and Madam to us. We will save them even if it costs us our lives. Until then, please be safe, Ojou-sama. Now then, Lute, quickly take Ojou-sama to the hidden passage baa~. Yes. Ojou-sama, your hand please. Though Ojou-sama still left traces of tears, she took my hand and walked toward the staircase leading to the hidden passage. For the last time, she took one look back. Lute, I leave Ojou-sama to you. Merry-san left behind those final words and closed the entrance. A sound echoed as the hidden passage was concealed once more. All light disappeared. I concentrated magical power on my eyes and enhanced my night vision. Leading Ojou-sama by the hand, I descended the stairs. The hidden passage was an underground excavated tunnel. Its height was such that a 160cm tall person would be able to touch its ceiling by reaching upwards. As for its width, its about as wide as 2 persons armspan. It was probably made using magic Owing to it not being used at all, the passage was very dusty. Ojou-sama, excuse me. I carried the still crying Ojou-sama and began to walk. Ojou-sama buried her face on my neck and continued crying. Warm teardrops wet my skin. To save magical power, I didnt use any on my arms or legs, and walked with my own power. it has probably been about 1 hour. The exit came into view. Similar to the entrance, a staircase extended with an iron door covering it on its end. In order to continue carrying Ojou-sama, I concentrated magical power on one arm as I opened the door slowly and while remaining vigilant. Is this a shed? Just like in the castle, the door was made under a hearth. Still staying vigilant, I examined the surroundings. The room is dark and shows no signs of life. There were walls made of logs, some materials left in the corner, and some crude wooden desks, chairs and the like. We entered the room and I let Ojou-sama sit on a chair. I am going to go check the situation outside for a bit, so please wait here for just a moment, Ojou-sama. Without saying anything, Ojou-sama did as she was told and let go of my hand. I opened the door and went outside to check our surroundings. We were in a forest. Looking behind me, I saw that we were in a log cabin; it seems to be a rest stop. The area surrounding the cabin was fairly open. I opened a map in my mind. Thinking of possible locations, theres none other than the forest behind the castle. To confirm it, I climbed up a nearby tree. Needless to say, I enhanced my physical ability using body strengthening. I enhanced my vision to my limits while I was atop the tree. I could barely make out the situation in the castle. Smoke went up like beacons around the castle. The maids and other servants were running in all directions carrying something that looked like a person wrapped in sheets. Following that, some men from the main familys side gave chase on horned horses. Since they dont know which is the real Ojou-sama, theyll be running around until they capture all the servants. The servants were running on foot with all their might to shake off any pursuit, all just to buy us some time to escape. Someone who seemed to be Merc-san raised her hands toward a man. They I subconsciously grinded my teeth in vexation. However, what I have to do now is not to go and help them. Also so as to not waste everyones determination, I will take Ojou-sama to a safe location as quickly as possible. I promptly descended the tree and returned to the cabin. Ojou-sama was sitting on a chair while holding her knees, covering her face. Ojou-sama, this place is still a danger zone. Lets move locations at once. Ojou-sama didnt show any reaction. I simply said Excuse me and carried her again. Inside the dark forest, relying only on starlight, I began walking towards a town. Looking back toward the castle, smoke continued rising even now. Ojou-samas and my escape continued. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 36 The port town which acts as the entrance to the Demon Continent. This town is where the slave house is located, the one where I was sold to after being tricked by fake adventurers about a year ago. I was surveying the streets while wearing hooded cloak. A group of two blonde-haired young men appeared out of one of the inns. Its not that they visited the inn because they wanted to stay, but in order to check on the inns guests. The other party were probably subordinates of the vampire clans head. The person they were looking for is undoubtedly Chrisse Gate Vlad-ojousama. Chrisse-ojousama and I arrived here by walking from the woods behind the castle at night. I had judged that its better for ojousamas safety that she did not stay in the Demon Continent, but to go to some other continent. Half a day away by coach. Taking neither rest nor sleep, but only short breaks in between, I arrived at the town after a day, carrying ojousama in my arms. When we got hungry we took some snacks left over from Karens surprise party. Along the way, ojousama showed little reaction, and only hung her head. Strange how in just one day the situation could become as different as heaven and earth. We didnt go find an inn once we arrived in town, but instead headed for the [Rano Slave House] where Master once bought me. As I feared, the enemys hands are already working at the inn; and I barely managed to slip ojousama into the slave house. After confirming the situation outside, I headed back to the slave house. I went to the back of the house, and made eye contact with the head of guards. He was the man with a skinhead and a twisted horn growing out of his forehead Obukhov. The entrance to the basement at the back of the house was protected and barricaded by him and his men. I exchanged greetings with them and went down the stairs to the basement. The fifth day since we ran from the castle. Ojousama and I were currently in hiding in the basement of Rano slave house. Were hiding at the room in the basement where I lived about a year ago. I believe the Vampire houses heads wont consider that we would be hiding in the basement of a slave house instead of an inn. I slept in the vacant large room, but I had ojousama use a private room. Its not like they were hiding us out of goodwill either. It does come with meals, but they made us pay an exorbitant amount as lodging fees. We managed to pay somehow with the precious metal objects gathered from ojousamas room. But so long as were able to pay we can rest at ease. Because as long as we pay there would be no need for them to betray us. If they were to sell us out to the Vampire house even after receiving payment from us, they would be instantly branded as untrustworthy by the upper class who has connections to ojousamanot to mention Master. A merchant wont do something that would damage their credibility. Without credibility one cannot do businessthe words I heard a long time ago came back into mind. I took the stairs from the basement to the top floor. I headed for the reception room. Inside the room there was a leather sofa, a table made of insect shell, and a thick desk. There were no windows, but there were potted plants put in its stead and there was a scenic painting to dampen the stifling atmosphere. There were also elegant furniture arranged in a well calculated manner. There was a two-legged frog inside the room. He was the owner of this Rano Slave House, Rano Merumeru. He welcomed me with a friendly attitude completely unbefitting his appearance. Hiya Lute, hows the town? Guards are posted at the harbor and the inns and the town gates as usual. Nowadays they seem certain that were in this town so theyre running a thorough search. I wonder if they heard word about someone seeing me or something. When I looked at him he shrugged his shoulders. Theres only a few places where kids can go by walking from the Vlad house. Even I would expect you to head to another continent through this town. If you went to another harbor town they would have caught up with you after all. Theres just no way any of us would leak news about your presence I know, right. I tried baiting him, just in case. I expected as much. Which is why I hid in their blind spot and laid low in the basement of a slave house. Then, about the matter of smuggling us abroad, were you able to find a ship? Of course, but there will naturally be a cost. You wanted to go to the Fairy-Human Continent, so for two people it will be about this much. You must be kidding, right! No matter how much I work, I cant pay that kind of money for two people! The amount of money Rano cited was outrageous You could build a small house with that kind of money He stroked his frog head. Every continent is fussy about illegal immigrants nowadays. Besides, even if you say were helping the Vlad house, were still clearly making enemies of the Vampire house. For that I think this amount of money is appropriate, no? Despite his friendly tone and attitude hes totally taking advantage of us. As expected from a merchant who handles slaves. But theres just no way ojousama and I could just go out in the open and follow the normal procedures for getting into another continent. I can already see us getting found by the Vampire houses lackeys in the middle of doing that. So, theres no way other than something illegal like smuggling. If not the Fairy Human Continent, then I can get you to the neighboring Dragon Continent for this much. Dragon Continent, huh With a timing that seemed like hed been aiming for it all along, Rano presented a compromise. If its the Dragon Continent the money would barely be enough. The continent next to the Demon Continent, the Dragon Continent. Its located where the number [4] was on a clockface. If we were to cross the border and go to the Dragon Continent, it would lower the chances that the Vampire house could lay their hands on us. (If I go to the Dragon Continent and become an adventurer or do manual labor for money, I think I could manage to support ojousama. Or maybe I could let ojousama go to the Fairy Human Continent by herself nah.) Its too reckless to send the former hikikomori ojousama, who is blind to the ways of the world, all alone to Hod town in the Aljio region where Elle-sensei lives. Theres a very high chance that shell get tricked and get sold back to the Demon Continent as a slave like I was. Then, if the head of the Vampire house were to buy ojousama as a slave, shed be in a terrible state. Therefore, the plan to send ojousama alone to the Fairy Human Continent is rejected. I told him what Id carefully considered. .. well then, passage for two to the Dragon Continent, please. Ill arrange it as soon as the price is paid. As a service, please use the funds left over in our current account to cover the remaining fees. Well, if its just that much I finished the negotiations with Rano. He put on a very merchant-like smile. Rano and I went down the basement for a moment. That was because I left ojousama in charge of the funds. I knocked on the door to the room where she was. Excuse us. Ojousama was sitting on the bed hugging her knees, with her face buried in her arms. She had been feeling down like this ever since we slipped out of the mansion. It wasnt unreasonable. Not even one night had passed, and a fun surprise party had turned into her parents getting captured as prisoners. The fact that she herself was being pursued didnt make things any better. She didnt even have the time to calm her heart. That she would eat her meals was a relief, at least. Ojousama, Im sorry to disturb your rest. I wish to report our plans from now on. In order to give ojousama some peace of mind, I explained my plans. I told her that I was planning on the two of us going to the Dragon Continent. Once we crossed the countrys border, the Vampire main house certainly wouldnt come after us, and our safety can be guaranteed, I stressed. I thought that with this, she would calm down a bit and I hope maybe she would cheer up For that reason I will need ojousama to release the funds youre holding. will that be alright? However, Ojousama composedly tore up the plan I put forth. Ojousama raised her face. Its been a while since Ive seen her face. Her eyes was red from crying, her cheeks were a bit thin. The color of her skin was bad, and her hair had also lost its sheen. Her slim limbs looked like they had became thinner. [Im not going to the Dragon Continent] Ojousama wrote in her usual mini blackboard, rejecting my proposal. As a whole, she had became weaker. It was a matter of course. The little girl who had been raised with delicate care had suddenly been thrust into a situation where her future is uncertain. Of course she would weaken. And yet only the glint in ojousamas eyes did not become weak. In fact it is shining, its burning hotter than the sun. Ojousama wrote on her mini blackboard. [Im not running away. Lute-oniichan, lets fight to save father and mother! Lets fight to the bitter end!] ..eh? Ojousama had shifted into a strange gear. Volume 3 - CH 37 [Im not running away. Lute-oniichan, fight with me and help father and mother out! Lets fight to the bitter end!] Seeing my lack of response, Ojousama thrusted her mini blackboard at me again, as if making her point. For a little girl who was bullied at school to the point of hiding herself at home and not coming out, to suggest something like fighting to the bitter end to save her parents I dont know whether to be happy at the growth of her spirit, or to lament her exceedingly reckless character that was just what youd expect from master and madams daughter. Anyway, I should calm Ojousama down first. I understand Ojousamas feelings but saving master and madam is impossible with just the two of us [We wont know until we try!] We do know. Please consider our fighting power. Against the Vampire house with over 50 magicians, the two of us non-magicians would stand exactly zero chance of rescuing master. Ojousama made a bitter face at my sound reasoning. But she wont budge even an inch. [Just like how Lute-oniichan defended your precious people from goblins, I also want to protect my precious people my family!] I already told her about how I defended children and my important person from goblins before. As a result Ojousama gained an interest in practice, and part of the reason she was able to escape her hikikomori-ness. I had never dreamed of it dragging me down like this now Ojousama continued excitedly [Then with the travel expenses to the Dragon Continent, buy the magic device oniichan told me about! The AK-47! Since you said it might be able to injure father it must be an amazing magic device isnt it?] It is certainly powerful but. But since it is a rare magic device it is not sold anywhere around here. We cant just buy it. [Then lets go to where its sold! Then well go to father and mother, Merry-san and Merc-san Ill go save my entire family!] Ojousama excitedly, vigorously tightened her hand into a fist. I never knew that Ojousama had this kind of belligerent character all along. Ah, I shouldnt have told her about the AK-47 I want to go back and beat up the me that thought it would be fine to tell her that day. Im sorry, but is this [AK-47] Ojousan was talking about, the magic device that [uses explosion magic to fling a small bit of metal a distance away to wound and kill the enemy]? Unexpectedly, Rano interrupted my and Ojousamas conversation. Moreover, from the way he speaks he seems to know the name of [AK-47]! No way!? How in this world did he get to know the name [AK-47]!? He saw our reaction, and started speaking at his convenience. I wonder if the two of you know about the [Magic Stone Princess]. Magic Stone Princess? I tilted my head in doubt. Ojousama, who at one time had walked the path of magic devices, started explaining. [As a magician, she is a genius regarding magic devices. The [Rainbow Sword] that she made while she was schooling in the Dragon Continent University was a groundbreaking invention that overturned the conventional wisdom about magic stones.] The Prism sword is A sword that could change attributes by swapping over fire, water, wind, and other magic stones. At that time, the established theory is that one cant swap over attribute magic stones that had been implanted. The Magic Stone Princess overturned that and made a magic sword that could swap over attribute magic stones. Since then, she had been called the [Magic Stone Princess] by magic stone professionals. Recently she had been developing a [Focused Mana Charging Method] that could shorten the time to charge up magic stones from 30 days to 15 days, and raised her fame further. Ojousama heard Ranos story and made an astonished expression. As someone who had her eyes on magic devices, she would certainly understand how hard it is to shorten the charging time by half. I pressed Rano for more ǤΡħʯԒȡˣɤǤ So what relation would this [Magic Stone Princess] have to the [AK-47]? That person told merchants that she would pay any price asked for information about [Metal-flinging Magic Devices] [AK-47] and [M-10]. All the merchants got greedy and gathered news about those and objects that they think may be one of those to send to her, but mostly they got the wrong things and rather than reward, they received angry words in return. Somehow he seems to be troubled and caressed his head. I also tried collecting information, but somehow some other merchant seems to have seen a girl having something similar in the Fairy Human Continent Magic School. But no matter how much he tried to pay her she wont let go of the [Metal-flinging Magic Device]. However, just the news of her seemed to have fetched quite a price. Could it be that that Magic School Students name is [Snow]? Yes yes. So you do know something. Would you care to tell me about her if you do? If you know something good about this Snow person we might be able to buy that thing off of her. If we could well be well rewarded you know. In fact, I could transport you two to the Fairy Human Continent for free. The reward money from the Magic Stone Princess would be more than enough to cover that cost after all. Know her? This Snow person is my fiance.. F, fiance! Is that true!? Rano made an astonished face at my answer. [. Lute-oniichan, has a fiance?] Yes, shes my childhood friend from the orphanage we grew up in. When she heard my answer Ojousamas battle fever from before died out for some reason, and she tightly held her chest, with her eyes downcast. As I tried to talk to Ojousama, I was cut off by Ranos agitated questioning If what Lute said is true, then Im a very lucky person! If I brought Lute to the Magic Stone Princess shes going to reward me well! Oh, Im very sure shed be willing to pay even more. I denied Ranos monologue. After all, that [Metal-flinging Magic Device] was made by me. With that, it was decided where Ojousama and I would go. To the Dragon Continent where the Magic Stone Princess lives. (^)g re-trans : Sorry we couldnt translate the Authors notes xD~ Volume 3 - CH 38 The Dragonian Kingdom that governs the Dragon Continent. Among the 5 races, the dragon race is the one and only race that lives here. Completely contrary to the demon race; there are absolutely no other races. Its because theyre so proud of their own race that theyre known as the one race with the highest pride among the 5 races. And in that Dragon Continent, there is an extremely famous person: the magic tool inventor, Meiya Dragoon. At 3 years old, Meiya could speak and write in multiple languages, as well as learned all sorts of mathematical binary functions. She also had talent as a magician, having reached B-minus rank at the age of 15. When she entered the magic tool department in a magic university, she skipped grades and graduated within a year. At that time, she invented the Rainbow Sword. In those days, it was believed to be impossible for one weapon to switch between multiple types of magic stones. However, by combining various metals and magical inscriptions, she made it possible. Due to this invention, this discovery, her name spread worldwide. Since then, she had become known as the Magic Stone Princess to many. Meiyas pride was, even among the dragon race, exceptionally high. Nevertheless, the extent of her resourcefulness, beauty, status, prestige and wealth garnered looks of admiration from the populace of the Dragon Continent. If limited to within the Dragon Continent she is as famous as the King himself. There are even rumors of Meiya being in a relationship with the Dragonian Kingdoms first prince. Speaking of the prince, his ability as a magician is certain and he wears a well-mannered, skillful mask. However, there is a facet of him that tends to somewhat go out of control. Nevertheless, he is popular with the people. Since Meiyas parents were influential nobles, the two were actually childhood friends whove known each other since they were very young. But the truth about the rumors is that its simply the first princes unrequited feelings. One day, the publicly acknowledged genius Meiya, came across a curious item. The S&W M10 revolver and a box of .38 Special rounds. Meiya was in her estates parlour listening to the merchant who brought it. According to the merchant it would seem that it was a a miraculous magic tool seemingly created by a heavenly god. Even dexterous craftsmen from the dwarves couldnt manufacture such an elaborate thing, or so the merchant asserted. And exactly because its such a magnificent magic tool, he first and foremost brought it to the worlds best magic tool inventor: Meiya the merchant flattered as such. (You only brought it to me, a known magic tool dilettante, since you thought you could rip me off, anyways since you would only get a paltry sum from those nobles in the magic schools who strikes a hard bargain.) However, though she was a dilettante, shes no mere amateur. Shes a publicly acknowledged genius in magic tool development. Did he really think herself willing to buy inferior magic tools? Meiya scoffed at the merchants sales pitch and crossed her legs. However, without noticing the scornful look in Meiyas eyes, the merchant moved to the garden to demonstrate the ability of the S&W M10 revolver. With a memo with its name and usage instructions in one hand, the merchant started explaining its functions. The merchant shot a previously prepared brick from about 5 meters away. Splendidly, the bullet smashed the brick. The merchant continuously destroyed bricks one brick after another. Arms crossed and being waited upon by a guard-cum-servant, Meiya who was watching in an arrogant attitude was surprised by the S&W M10s power, performance, rapid-fire capability, and so on, becoming unable to stand up on the spot due to collapsing from the shock. All the maids on the scene rushed to her. Though Meiya was still frozen on the spot, unable to stand for such a magnificent magic tool, she immediately made the purchase without questioning the merchants unreasonable price. Furthermore, she wanted to buy any other goods of the same series that the merchant has for sale, as well as any information on its creator. According to the merchant, there is one other similar magic tool, but he couldnt come to an agreement with the person who brought it about the price, so it seems it was brought to some other merchant. Meiya wasC Money isnt an issue. Find the other similar magic tool and gather information on its creator at once! The merchant received payment for the revolver and rushed out of the Meiya estate in a hurry. While Meiya was waiting for the similar magic tool and information on its creator, she immediately researched the revolver in her workshop. First, with the memo that came with it in one hand, she confirmed its name. The small metal pipes in the S&W M10 revolver seems to called .38 Special cartridges. The 6 cartridge rounds are loaded in holes in the part called a cylinder. Below that is a part called a trigger; it seems bullets fly out when it is pulled. It seems to be made of magic liquid metal thats harvested by killing metal slimes. To be able to create such a divine magic tool using that good-for-nothing magic tool.. Knowing the material its made from surprised her even more. Continuing her research there were too many astonishing points: the cylinder that internally shifts whenever the trigger is pulled, small parts that cannot possibly be made with our present level of metallurgy, the means in which grooves were carved into the interiors, etc. This cartridge is a splendid item, as well. She examined the empty cartridge in detail. It appears that explosion magic is sealed within these small pipes, activated by the trigger and hammer operating together conferring a strong impetus to its rim. Then, the mechanism is such that the small piece of metal inside the pipe would be propelled out she determined as such. To produce such a magic tool that uses so little to achieve maximum efficacy the person who made this is a genius above even me! Meiya Dragoon, who was exceptionally prideful even amongst the prideful dragon race, recognized the creator of the S&W M10 as a genius without a hint of hesitation. If someone who knew her were there, they would probably faint while foaming at the mouth at the overwhelmingly shocking scene. She was that prideful. Without delay, Meiya ordered some magic liquid metal and tried to reproduce an S&W M10 herself. However this isnt going well at all. Was the S&W M10 really made of this stuff, I wonder? On the very same day that Meiya got her hands on the magic liquid metal, she started shutting herself in one of her homes workshops to try and begin production, but she was completely unable to make progress. In the first place, magic liquid metal is an item obtained by defeating the monster known as metal slime. Magic liquid metal is a special metal with a unique characteristic that if one touches it while imagining a weapon and pumps magic into it it will take the shape of said weapon. It has the merit of being easy to carry around in small quantities. For that reason, its a magic tool favored by assassins. Its demerit is that once its fixed into a certain form, it cannot revert back into its liquid form. Without a clear image if you made a sword, it would be blunt; armor would have uneven thickness, and even its size would be wrong. It is only situationally useful; difficult to handle; being a magic tool, expensive. An item that has become synonymous with the words unpopular commodity. Meiyas judgment is that its something that she cant help but hesitate to even call it a magic tool. Magic liquid metal is so unpopular that nobody conducts research on it. As such, using magic liquid metal, how such strength was achieved; how such elaborate parts were produced; and how grooves were engraved in the tubes interior she was frankly unable to comprehend. Meiya temporarily paused production using magic liquid metal. With a different approach, she was going to once again try producing an S&W M10. She requested a skilled dwarf engineer, whom she is the patron of, to make the iron tubes. She decided to try using a rod to forcibly shave off interior grooves in the pipes in post-production. The S&W M10s structure is complex, but the underlying concept is simple. It was simply explosion magic propelling a piece of metal inside a tube. Although she couldnt really understand how the cartridges explosion magic could be activated just from getting struck by the hammer Even though she couldnt find traces of any special magic being applied on the hammer Prototype #1 was completed before long. It had the appearance of a short metal tube. Wood was attached beneath it for support. Given that she didnt know how the hammer activated the explosion magic in the cartridge, the butt of the tube was made to be openable courtesy of a metal lid. A small piece of magic stone was installed and magical inscriptions were engraved in this breech. Its set up so that if one were to chant the preset incantation while touching the breech, the explosion magic charged into the magic stone would activate. A metal ball loaded through the muzzle is used as ammunition. It was properly made to be the same shape as the bullets used for the S&W M10. Meiya had thought of the possibility of an accident happening, so she fixed Prototype #1 onto an apparatus she prepared on the courtyard. About 2 meters ahead, a brick had been placed as a target. Without delay, she crammed a bullet into the muzzle. Hmmm, looks like the size doesnt fit. Bring me a different one. As per Meiyas instructions, a maid brought out several bullets spread out on a tray. On top of the tray was a cushion, and the bullets were placed on top of that so as to not let them roll around. Eventually, after the third prototype, she used a rod to cram a bullet in. The magic stone was already charged with explosion magic. Meiya attached a metal thread which could transmit magical power onto the breech, and took a distance of approximately 5 meters. By forcing magical power through the metal thread, it would be as if she was touching the metal lid directly. Once everything was set up, Meiya gleefully chanted the incantation. Explode! BOOM! Kyaa!? Prototype #1s body literally exploded. Meiya-sama! Are you safe!? Uh, yes, Im all right For the second time, the maids gathered around Meiya who was on her behind, unable to stand due to surprise. Meiya borrowed their hand to stand up, and approached the spot where the now-exploded Prototype #1 was placed. The tubes body exploded from its base. The metal bits were torn into long thin slices. The magic stone affixed onto the lid was also smashed. Somehow or other, the explosion magic was released in an airtight condition. The magic stone couldnt handle the shock and became damaged, causing the stockpiled magical power within it to be released. As a result of the explosion magic combined with the magic stones power running wild; the tubes body couldnt handle the strain, became damaged, and things went to shit. For me of all people to even though its something so obvious if I had just given it some thought. Furthermore, adding insult to injury, the fired bullet was found in a completely different direction from the target. The brick target wasnt even grazed in the slightest. The rifling marks on the bullet were distorted halfway. Its probably because the internal grooves were crooked. As a result, the bullet did not fly straight. With regard to the grooves in adding rotation to the bullet, it would stabilize its flight. Meiya raised such a hypothesis. It followed the same principles as fletchings on arrows. She had thought that it was an important part which was needed to gyroscopically stabilize the bullet, so she made it carefully. But the result was this sad sight. However, she had no intention of blaming the dwarf who she had requested to produce it. After all, for a first prototype, she had made rash demands such as digging out grooves inside the metal pipe What I understood from actually trying to make prototype models the only I understood is that this S&W M10 is truly an extraordinary magic tool. For arguments sake, lets assume that the Prototype #1 Meiya made was put to practical use. Even supposing the main body could withstand the explosion magic, the damage to the magic stone couldnt be prevented. For a magic stone of that size, depending on quality, it would cost about 1 C 5 silver coins (10,000 C 50,000 Japanese Yen) per stone. To use magic stones as disposables on a magic tool that cant even accurately hit a target from 2 meters away is insane. And yet, without using magic stones, the S&W M10 could fire multiple shots in succession, and with excellent accuracy, to boot. Completely unable to understand how it was made, Meiya was at her wits end for a while. Several months after purchasing the S&W M10, and after failing in researching on reproducing it, the merchant who sold the revolver came bringing a similar magic tool and information on the creator. Same as last time, they were in the parlour. The merchant respectfully places a tube that was bigger and longer than the revolver. Apparently, this magic tool was called an AK-47. Meiya didnt even bother haggling and bought the AK-47 and the information on its creator with at the merchants asking price. The first thing she did after the merchant left was look at the papers holding information on the creator. The S&W M10 and AK-47s creators name is Lute. Raised in an orphanage in Hod of the Aljio region in the Fairy Human Continent. It seems the merchant got lucky and came across and asked a former resident of Hod. Lute had been a genius since he was in the orphanage, having learned to speak, read & write as well as basic arithmetic at the age of 3. At 5 years old, he developed toys such as Reversi and sold the rights to it to a merchant. With the funds procured from that, he set aside a part of it to buy magic liquid metal for the development of the S&W M10 and AK-47. At 10 years old, he graduated from the orphanage. After taking a Level II quest as an adventurer, it is likely that he died fighting against a monster. There was no corpse, not even bones. Suspected that it was already eaten by a monster. This cant be To think the creator is already dead. Meiya was dejected. For the holder of such talent to die at the age of 10 for such a thing to have happened How could the gods do such a cruel thing? Next, she performed some test firing with the newly bought AK-47. Same as last time, she went to the courtyard. The maids placed down some bricks to be targets. Meanwhile, Meiya looked over the instructions for the AK-47. It would seem that it was a magic tool made to be able to shoot more bullets than the revolver. Certainly, it makes sense After shooting six shots with the revolver, one would have to take out the cartridges from the cylinder and reload it. However, the AK-47 had something called a magazine which was loaded with 30 shots. Also, it seems that reloading could be done simply by replacing the magazine. Meiya understood that, with this, one could fire a lot of bullets like those from the revolver; but with a much higher capacity. Since preparations for the brick targets were done, test firing was about to begin. Full automatic, which according to the memo was for firing a large number of bullets Here goes nothing. She grasped the grip without pressing the stock against her shoulder, and fired while just holding onto the checker ring. Kyaaa!? Surprised by the recoil from the 7.62mm x Russian shots, she was once again on her behind due the full automatics rapid-fire. She lost her grip on the AK-47 and it tumbled onto the ground. Meiya turned pale. Because she imagined that the bullets would shoot out the same way as with the revolver, the AK-47s full auto completely took her by surprise. She was, once again, clueless as to its structure that allowed it to fire so quickly in succession. It was even less comprehensible than the S&W M10s structure. In the first place, the concept of such a magic tool didnt exist in this world. Thats why she was all the more confused. (This alien-like magic tool design orientation was created by a mere 5-year-old child!? Th.. Thats impossible!) However, the real thing was right before her eyes. Meiya looked at the AK-47 as if it were a cursed magic tool created by a devil king. But even more than the unpleasant thought, the realization that her talents could never match up to Lute, the genius who created this magic tool, was painfully clear. Ever since the day when she test-fired the AK-47, Meiyas was greatly wounded and she drowned herself in alcohol in order to escape from reality. Scattered around the bed in her room was a large quantity of wines, spirits, liqueur, and the like. Theres no more alcohol Quick, bring me more alcohol Me, Meiya-sama any more than is bad for your health. Tsu! Me, to that inventor! Are you saying Im inferior to Lute!? Hii! Meiya threw an empty alcohol bottle at the servant. Since she was drunk, her aim was a mess and the bottle smashed into the wall. The maid ran out of the room with a pale face. Ri, right away maam! hmph. While waiting for the maid to bring back some alcohol, Meiya collapsed onto the bed. When the maid came back with alcohol, she snatched it away. Gulp, gulp With alcohol in hand, she forced practically all of it down her throat, some of it spilling. And thus, she continued spending her days mostly drinking alcohol. Not just the maids, but also people from outside the mansion were despondent for Meiya. She was no longer the genius magic tool inventor that they knew. Past the age of 20, you are just another person. While this parallel world didnt have such a saying, but nobody doubted that her talent had withered. One morning, such as she was, a revelation came she came to realize the reason she was born into this world. She realized that with the limited talent she was endowed with, her role was to make sure that the name and great exploits of the true genius who created the S&W M10 and AK-47 would be known by future generations. Once she realized that, she was quick to act. She ordered a maid to clean up her room and prepare a hot bath. Dipping her body in steaming hot bath water washed away any alcohol left in her body. She brought the S&W M10 and AK-47 to her workshop and immediately started her research. She started her analysis of the S&W M10 and AK-47s structure anew. Since the revolvers basic structure is quite simple, making a replica shouldnt be impossible. The problem is the AK-47. Even now, she couldnt understand the principle behind its ability to fire so many bullets so quickly. Even though she would like to disassemble the AK-47, it would be troubling if it turns out she couldnt reassemble it. Now that God Lute, the true genius, is dead; another AK-47 will never appear again in this world. Before starting on the actual thing, she decided to start off her research on the cartridges. If she could only understand how the explosion magic charged inside the cartridge was activated by the hammer, the need to use magic stones as disposables would disappear. Thus, she restarted her observations on an empty cartridge. Explosion magic is sealed up inside a small pipe; when its butt is stimulated, a small piece of metal flies out. A concept that didnt exist until now. Furthermore, its power was at a level where it could easily kill. For example, if it comes to be that mass-production of AK-47s and cartridges is possible, even non-magicians could overthrow a country if they got hold of it. The existence of the magic tool created by God Lute once again sent shivers down her spine. It seems that this sealed space is an important part of the cartridge, huh By causing an explosion within the sealed space, it maintains the impacts directivity and thus, it attains its propulsive force. Its by maintaining that directivity that the piece of metal can sublimate to a level where it can kill creatures. Its a new concept where one maintains directivity on scattered energy. She still didnt know the method in which the hammer activated the explosion magic within the cartridge, but I wonder if this concept cant be applied using magic stones. Truly a train of thought befitting the Magic Stone Princess. As a result, she started dedicating half her research time trying to establish a means to incorporate magical power through magic stones she called it the [Focused Mana Charging Method]. Putting a magic stone inside the metal tube, she held up both hands. The mouth of the tube was widened, and it became narrower to its butt. It looked like a funnel. The interiors surface was smeared with a special chemical that perfectly reflects magical power. Thanks to that, when magical power is transmitted, the amount that leaks without being absorbed by the magic stone is drastically reduced. Magical tool inventors everywhere praised Meiya for this innovation that overshadowed the rainbow sword that she invented in the magic university. The people who propagated the rumor that Meiyas talents had withered all quieted down. And people lionized her, saying Meiya Dragoon is the greatest magic tool inventor in history. However, it was impossible for Meiya to be sincerely pleased with that evaluation. She had simply stolen the idea from the true genius, the god, Lute. Also, at the same time she was conducting analysis on the S&W M10 and AK-47, she was collecting information. She had asked the merchant who brought her the S&W M10 and AK-47, as well as other merchants, to search for similar items in the world. She recruited help in collecting information without minding the costs. However, having caught hold of such talk, sly merchants and vice individuals swarmed toward Meiya as ants toward sugar. Needless to say, the information and goods they brought were all fake. Though they were counterfeits that simply imitated outward appearance, the resemblance was disgustingly uncanny, so she had her hopes up. However, she was able to immediately tell they were fakes as soon as she picked them up. Such days of parsing through a large amount of jumbled information continued, until one day a plausible piece of information came. Someone who grew up in the same orphanage as Lute of the Beast races White Wolf tribe, a girl named Snow apparently owned a magic tool similar to the S&W M10 revolver. It was said that she was studying in a magic school in the Fairy Human Continent at the moment. According to the merchant who brought in the information, he approached her to try and buy the magic tool, but he wasnt even given the time of day. So he visited Meiya in the hopes that she would at least buy this information for a high price. Naturally, she only paid the merchant as much the price for the information. Meiya instantly made up her mind to go to the Fairy Human Continent to visit the aforementioned magic school. However, a one-way trip from the Dragon Continent to the Fairy Human Continent would take at least half a year by ship. A round-trip would take approximately one year. But she was one of the few people in the world who owned a private airship. Her private airship looked visually like a regular ship, but it used a large quantity of magic stones to float. With this, even a trip that would usually take half a year could be completed in approximately one short month. Without delay, in order for her to meet and directly negotiate with Snow, Meiya set her sights on a certain magic school in the Fairy Human Continent. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 39 Magic Stone Princess Meiya, a magician from the Dragon Continent, finally arrived at the magic school in the Fairy Human Continent after a bit more than a month. She was staying in a certain town close to the magic school. Naturally, it was at the most expensive inns most spacious room. She was going to go to the magic school from the town by coach. Due to its nature, magic schools were built on wide open spaces. There were regulations against building private houses on its periphery. It was to avoid causing damage to the surrounding area during the training of magic. This magic school was made of stone like a fortress with student accommodation built around it. Furthermore, its circumference was enclosed by two-layered walls. While it was also made to defend from external effects, but its main purpose is to defend against magic attacks from inside. Meiyas coach stopped at an established guard station on the outer wall. The driver of the rented coach got into a fight with the guard. It seems like since they came without a letter of introduction, they couldnt go in so refused the guard. The driver who was hired on-site pointed toward the coach and asked the guard to talk directly with his employer. With a troubled expression, the guard knocked on the coach door. The maid who came along to take care of Meiya was about to deal with the situation, but was stopped by Meiya. It seems Meiya intended to personally talk with the guard. The maid respectfully opened the door. The guard inquired while scratching his head: Uhh Im sorry, but its the rules that unless youve made arrangements to meet a family member or otherwise own a permit, I cant let you in. If its acceptable, could you schedule an appointment and come again at a later date? The guard spoke in a businesslike manner. That attitude annoyed Meiya. Even though it wasnt on purpose, his speech was inappropriate considering he was talking to this Meiya, the world-famous genius. She ordered the guard at point blank range. Tell the headmaster that Meiya Dragoon has come. He will understand with just that. Me Meiya Dragoon!? You are the Magic Stone Princess!? It seems he was not a guard for nothing. He even knew her name. A complete change from his earlier businesslike attitude, he stood at attention and his voice was shaking. I, I am terribly sorry. I will set up comms with the headmaster at once, so please wait just a moment. Make it quick. Yes! Right away! The guard went back into the station for a short moment, left a message to his colleagues who were on standby, and ran off to the school. It took about 30 minutes before the guard returned to the coach. I, Im terribly sorry to have kept you waiting! Since the headmaster is currently absent, the principal will be taking his place in receiving you, so please proceed toward the front entrance. Thanks for the trouble. After saying those few words, Meiya started moving again on her coach. Passing through the outer and inner wall, she finally arrived at the front entrance. There, a teacher was already waiting for her. It was a balding man who seemed to be very nervous. He stood at attention as he greeted Meiyas coach. When Meiya got off the coach, he bowed with a smile while sweating profusely. It is an honor to meet you, Meiya Dragoon-sama. I am the teacher in charge of teaching classes on magic tools here. I am Kahlua of the human race. Nice to meet you, Kahlua-san. I apologize for the sudden visit. Not at all. To be able to meet Meiya-sama, the famed magic tool inventor, is a great honor Now then, speaking while standing here must be uncomfortable. Please, come in. When Meiya and her maid entered the school building, they were shown into a parlour. Inside the room, there was a leather sofa, a table made of insect carapace, flowers arranged in vases, and the walls were lined with paintings. The view from the window isnt that magnificent since this was the first floor, though. It was an exceedingly ordinary parlour. A woman who seemed to be a human race office staff brought some roasted fragrant tea. When she went out of the room, Kahlua proceeded to talk business while wiping off his sweat with a handkerchief. So to what do we owe this honor on this day? Ive come to meet with a student here, Snow-san, a girl from the Beast races White Wolf tribe. Would it be possible to call her over? S.. Snow-san!? What did she do this time!? This time? Meiya reflexively inquired in response to Kahluas agitation. While wiping off his even more abundant amount of sweat, he flusteredly explained. She is an excellent student perhaps too excellent. As it is, shes often gets involved with trouble. Completely overwhelmng 100 soldiers from a freshmans private army; counterattacking upper class aristocratic men who approached her; single-handedly crushing adventurers who were, for some reason, hired by a merchant ju, just remembering it all makes my stomach Oh my these merchants certainly exist how rude of them. Meiya nonchalantly offered her sympathies No matter how you slice it, that last merchant was definitely one of the people who acted because of her request. I understand what youre saying. However, there is something that I simply must talk to Snow-san about. So could you please call her over now? I I understand. Though I think shes probably in class right now, Ill call her over right now. Kahlua left his seat and left the parlour at a brisk pace. Meiya and her maid waited for roughly 10 minutes. The sound of a knock. After Kahlua, one female student showed up. Lily-white skin, large pupils, and eyelashes long enough to be a shadow. Her long silver hair was held up in a ponytail, and similarly colored wolf ears sometimes slightly moved. She was a charmer who was beautiful like a spirit of the snow, yet also cute at the same time. A metal bracelet she wore on her left arm reflected the sunlight coming in through the window. But what was most eye-catching were the huge breasts that this magic school student was showing, which couldnt be hidden even by a mantle. A beautiful cute charmer, yet also the owner of huge breasts; this unbalance probably tickles male instincts. Even the upper class aristocratic male students, who were not want for women, would want to court her. With her right hand on her chest and left hand just barely lifting her skirt, Snow bowed her head. A prim and proper salutation. Greetings, Meiya-sama. I am Snow of the Beast races White Wolf tribe. My apologies for calling you while you were busy. Please have a seat, Snow-san. Excuse me. Snow sat across from Meiya. Her teacher, Kahlua, sat down next to her. Since I dislike pointless courtesies, I will get straight to the point. Could you please hand over the magic tool you have in your possession? Of course, I am willing to offer a reasonable sum as remuneration. Magic tool..? Snow openly sighed when she realized what Meiya meant. Dragoon-sama, too? Recently, Ive been bothered by the many people who came wanting me to sell them the magic tool that Lute-kun made. Its something that is very precious to me, so I wont sell it no matter how much you offer. About that, please, I beg you! Im willing to pay any amount! Theres no room for negotiation. If thats all, then please excuse me. Please wait! In a panic, Meiya pursued Snow who left her seat. However, as the Magic Stone Princess, she did not know restraint and left the room. Touching upon her pride, her tongue unintentional slipped. Lute-sama was eaten by a monster and is already dead! Snows feet were frozen. Meiyas mouth didnt stop. Thats why, that magic tool isnt something someone like you who doesnt even know its value should own. To leave behind those achievements for the future, someone like me should huh!? Snow turned around, and, at the same time, pressed the S&W M10 2-inchs muzzle onto Meiyas forehead. Meiya couldnt perceive Snows movements as she drew her revolver at all. As she turned around, before anyone noticed, Meiya was already held at gunpoint only its result remained. Lute-kun is dead? Stop lying. That Lute-kun couldnt possibly have been killed by a monster. Why would you tell such a lie? Emitting undeniable bloodlust, Snow cocked the percussion hammer. Ironically, that showed that it was different from the counterfeits that was brought to her so far. However, Meiya, who understood what the raised hammer meant, let out a small Hiii sound. A period that felt like an eternity though it was actually only roughly 10 seconds before Snow uncocked the hammer and re-placed the gun underneath her mantle. Excuse me. She bowed politely and left the parlour. Meiya who had just narrowly escaped death fell on her knees right there. Meiya-sama!? Princess! Kahlua and the maid who were left behind rushed over in a panic to Meiya who was sitting on the floor. Tears of fear had formed in her eyes. Annoying! Annoying! Annoying! I definitely wont forgive that woman! Meiya rode her airship for a bit more than a month to get back home. However, her anger toward Snow did not settle at all. She is the world-famous Meiya Dragoon. The Dragon race were very prideful, but she was even more prideful. Grumbling in her own bed, she scattered about in frustration while holding her pillow. Sitting up, an evil face was reflected. I wonder how I should snatch away that revolver Should I make necessary preparations behind the scene and put pressure on the magic association and magic school? Or perhaps I should hire a first-rate thief to steal it, then.. While she was considering a few ideas, knocking sounds resounded. A maid entered when she called out. Excuse me. A merchant is here claiming to have brought Lute, the one who made those magic tools. What should I do? . Sigh. Another one. Even though the increase in the number of merchants who visit her was caused by her own request for information and goods there has been two merchants who intrude on her to try and swindle her in the past. They brought a child slaves of fitting characteristics, claiming them to be the magic tools creator, Lute, and trying to wangle out a reward money. However, since the children they brought couldnt make an S&M or AK-47 when given magic liquid metal, they were seen through before long. Meiya asked her childhood friend, the Dragonian Kingdoms first prince, to throw both swindling merchants into jail on the account of attempted fraud. Such a stupid trick wouldnt work; it was a threat as such towards other merchants. Yet this is already the third time. Another fool who doesnt learn has come. .. Since theyve come all this way, Ill meet them to distract myself. Bring them to the parlour. As you wish. The maid bowed and returned to meet the merchant and his companions. Prey for Meiya to relieve her stress on came at just the right time, and she stood up from her bed with a twisted smile on her face. While Meiya was changing and fixing her appearance with the help of a maid, the merchant and his companions were made to wait in the parlour. Only the merchant was sitting on the sofa. A blond girl and black-haired boy was standing behind him for some reason. Meiya had two male servants holding long spears and following her from behind as she made an appearance in the parlour. With a pompous attitude as if she were the queen, she sat down on the main sofa. It is nice to meet you, Meiya-sama. I am a slave dealer working for the Rano Slave House. It is to my understanding that Meiya-sama is currently showing interest in a certain magic tool. As a matter of fact, one of the slaves we are dealing with happens to be its creator, so I brought him over. The merchant introduced the black-haired boy standing behind him. Needless to say, his name was Lute. The blonde girl beside him was Chrisse Gate Vlad, a vampire of the Demon race. The girl kept shifting her eyes with a frightened expression as she hid behind Lute. Meiyas eyes were captivated by that girl by Chrisse. The girls attire, hair, and so forth were all dirty from her long journey, but overall was still as lovely as a doll. It made Meiya want to keep her as a pet. Meiya unintentionally licked her lips. And then, the black-haired child who claimed to be Lute spoke of the circumstances that led to his becoming a slave. The S&W and AK-47 were taken away from him when he was deceived by some fake adventurers, and he was then sold as a slave. The proof of that is the mark of slavery tattooed onto his arm. At present, he had been bought for Chrisse by her father and serves as her blood bag-cum-butler and so his explanation went. Meiya was impressed. Their setting was detailed, and the story was told with such zealousness. A very realistic performance. If this was the first time she heard such a story, she may have believed it. Meiya recrossed her legs and slackened her lips in provocation. I see, I understand. If he really is Lute, then he should be able to answer any questions regarding the S&W and AK-47, right? If, for example, hes a fake, then The two men behind Meiya struck the floor with their spears threateningly. Startled, Chrisse trembled like a small animal. The black-haired boy agreed while covering her behind his back. Thats fine by me. I will answer any question. Then its decided. The first. do you know what the S&W and AK-47 are made of? Magic liquid metal obtained from metal slimes. Correct Tell me the name of the ammunition used by the S&W and AK-47. 9mm .38 Special rounds and 7.62mm x Russian shots. Correct. Up to this point, he had simply answered according to the memo written by Lute on how to handle the magic tools. ᥤMֱ Meiya recrossed her legs again. Then, next, could you confirm the current conditions of the S&W and AK-47? Of course, if you are their creator, then it shouldnt be a problem, right? Yes, thats all right. The black-haired boy answered in no time. It seems he has quite the confidence to try and fool me, Meiya muttered in her heart. Meiya told a maid to bring the S&W and AK-47 from her workshop. The S&W and AK-47 were placed on the table. 줫ϥᥤ_ˡˤ֤zóʂ However, this is the point where the other fakes who had tried to deceive Meiya met their downfall. ֤ʤ餹˷֤Ϥ The real thing wouldve immediately understood. He, who is a fake, would probably just vaguely touch around and say that there were no problems. At that time, Meiya would reveal that the thing in his hands was an imitation. Imagining the bewildered expression hell have on his face then made her float an evil smile. Now then, its fine to not restrain yourself and pick them up. Then please excuse me. The boy separated from Chrisse who was behind him, squat down beside the table, and picked up and analyzed the S&W and AK-47. These are fakes. The cylinder is firmly fixed in place, and the barrels rifling isnt there. The AK is also off. Its too light, and the trigger cant be moved. The magazine, too, is stuck and cant be taken off Uh, could it be that you dont actually have the real S&W and AK-47? huh? Meiya was speechless. She felt it her very soul was trembling. C, c, c, c, c, could it be t, th, th, the real Lute-kamisama? Lute agreed while being startled by her barely chewed out stuttered words. Yes, thats so, but. is there a problem? Ive been wanting to meet you! Kami-sama! Meiya blew off the sofa with vigor and went on her knees at Lutes feet. Taking his hand, she kissed it over and over and over again, and finally, she even kissed his feet. Wha!? Pl, please stop it! It tickles! Apart from Lute who was showing his resistance, everyone else was frozen stiff, unable to react at this sudden turn of events. Being deeply moved and excited, Meiya turned around to face the slave dealer with a flushed smile filled with delight. How much is Kamisama!? Ill buy him at the asking price! Uh, well as we explained earlier, Lute is her Chrisse-ojousans slave. Oh, right, there was something like that! Meiya edged up to Chrisse and started negotiations. I beg you, Chrisse-san! Sell Kamisama to me! Ill pay ten times the price you paid for him! No, Ill pay 100 times the amount! However, even though ojou-sama was shaking fearfully, she strongly shook her head. She wrote on her mini-blackboard and thrust it toward Meiya. [Its impossible for me to sell off Lute-oniichan to sell off family. I dont want to lose anyone anymore.] Ojou-sama Chrisses words struck Lute at his heart and deeply moved him. He cleared his throat to change the mood, and started negotiations with Meiya. To be honest, we have a favor to ask of Meiya Dragoon-sama. For that reason, I would like to explain our circumstances. It may be a bit long, but will that be fine? In that case, by all means, stay at my house today! Moreover, its almost time for dinner, so allow me to arrange a meal! Ah, before that, you must be tired from your journey. Your garments also seem to be worn out. If it pleases you, would you like to take a bath to heal from the fatigue? I will also prepare a change of clothes! Her breathing rough, Meiya excitedly urged Lute with peremptory force. It took all he had to simply say, O.. ok. Thank you for the hospitality. Meiya handed over the promised reward to the merchant from the Rano Slave House and gleefully took Lute and Chrisse to her residence. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 40 Lute, 12 years old. The young lady and I are safe; we were able to obtain accommodation in Meiya Dragoons estate. Though it was a slightly different reaction from what I had expected, but if we are welcome then there shouldnt be any problems. We were guided to the bath to recover from travel fatigue as a gesture of her goodwill. I took off my clothes in the dressing room and entered the bath. Oh~ A bath large enough that youd be able to swim in it was filled with hot water. Soap, a towel, and even a brand new pail was provided. As expected of a well-known genius magic tool inventor of the Dragon Continent. Money doesnt seem to be an issue. I wash my body with soap, and clean off any filth. For the first time since I was reincarnated in this world, I am able to soak in hot water up to my shoulders. Aa~ This is the life. As I thought, baths are really nice I didnt swim, but I enjoyed stretching out my hands and feet as I soak in the spacious bath. When I got out of the bath, a change of clothes had been prepared. Neatly folded traditional clothes worn by men of the Dragon Race was there. The design looks like certain kung fu attires from China in my previous life. It features short sleeves, and 7/8th length cropped trousers. When I went out to the hallway, maid-san was waiting and she showed me to the dining room. In front of the aforementioned dining room, I ran into ojou-sama who had just gotten out of the bath. She was also wearing the dragon races female traditional clothing; it was a dragon-dress look. The womens dragon-dress had the exact same design as Chinese clothes. My eyes gravitated towards the thin thigh peeking from the slit on the bright red dragon-dress. Oops! My feet slippedC (monotone) I trip unnaturally, looking at ojou-samas figure in the dragon-dress up close. Thin ankles, as well as thighs dyed slightly red from taking a bath. Her smooth skin was still wet, and I understood that it would definitely be pleasant to touch. And precisely because they were childlike, they exuded an immoral charm. If I had encountered the current ojou-sama in my city from my previous life, I have confidence I wouldve stalked her. Ojou-samas post-bath skin became even redder and she quickly hid her mini blackboard behind her legs. That gesture is also cute. I awkwardly cleared my throat, and stood up while moving as if brushing the dust off my clothes. A close call. Just a bit more, and my fascination with ojou-sama wouldve been exposed. Then maid-san opened the door for us, and we entered the dining room. Ive been waiting for you, Lute-kamisama, Chrisse-san. The head of the mansion, Meiya Dragoon, greeted us with a beaming smile. She is 18 years old. She wore the same red dragon-dress as ojou-sama. Big breasts, shapely waist, and a slender legs that are long like a model. Shes also a beauty to the extent that 100 out of 100 men all would have praised her face. Apart from the two dragon horns on her head, her appearance was almost invariably similar to the human race. She kindly offered us some dinner. Although we have some things to talk about, why dont we first enjoy a meal? Our chef, for you both, spared no expense in preparing it. At Meiyas signal, it was brought in. The dishes were cramped on to a round two tiered table. It was a Chinese-styled table. Steamed meat buns. Pale brown tea similar to oolong tea. And others such as small dragon buns, spring rolls, shumai, gyoza, sui gyoza, etc A world of traditional Chinese yum cha snacks extended before us. We had to ration our meals in order to travel to the Dragon Continent from the Demon Continent; we who were trying to be economical with our money our stomachs rumbled. Come now, both of you, no need to be reserved. Urged by Meiya, ojou-sama and I expressed our gratitude and started eating. The three of us finished up the dishes that filled the Chinese-styled table. While we were drinking the oolong-like pale brown tea, apparently called chacha, I once again informed Meiya if our circumstances. In order to start my own Legion, I left the orphanage and became an adventurer. Then I was deceived by rookie-hunters, stripped of all my possessions, and sold as a slave. Fortunately, I was bought by Chrisse-ojousamas father, Count Dan Gate Vlad, and narrowly escaped a cruel fate. Those benefactors, her parents, are currently being held captive. He frankly told Meiya everything; that they came to meet her in order to seek her aid with regard to obtaining necessary resources and intel to free Chrisses parents and retake her house. Supposing Meiya lent her strength, then after the recovery of the Vlad house and Chrisses parents, the Vlad house promises to cover any expenses and provide a suitable reward on top of that. Ojou-sama also nodded in agreement to this arrangement. But Meiya simply shook her head at that proposal. Im not interested in monetary rewards. Instead, I would like to make a request to Lute-kamisama. A request? Meiya rose from her chair, and proceeded to kneel on the floor with her hands held together in front of her chest. Then she, very deeply, bowed her head. The gasps of the maids who were waiting on us sent shivers down my skin. This posture is, to the Dragon race, an act which shows utmost respect. Meiya explained so. Is this the so-called dogeza of my previous lifes Japan? Please, please take this Meiya Dragoon as Lute-kamisamas disciple! Dis disciple!? To take the genius magic tool inventor, Meiya Dragoon-sama, as such a thing like a disciple would be outrageous! Far from it! Lute-kamisama is the true genius! The owner of talent that far surpasses the level of a mere genius! By the way, Ive been wondering since some time ago, but why are you addressing me with -kamisama? How else could I address the divine being who could create such a magnificent magic tool!? I could not even hazard a guess! I, I appreciate the sentiment, but still -kamisama is a bit If so, then how about Lute-sama? Please simply address me as Lute; no need for honorifics. What about Lute-kyunsama? Seriously! No honorifics is fine! Rather, whats with the Lute-kyunsama nonsense!? Impossible! To address Lute-kyunsama without honorifics! I would not do it even if you rip up my lips. if so, then -sama is fine. Please never use kyun or the like ever again. I sighed in resignation. Meiya once again pressed me. In that case, I accept and shall address you as Lute-sama. I, until Lute-sama takes me in as a disciple, will not for even a moment move from this spot. Meiya continued to exclaim. If it is Lute-samas desire, I would offer my everything! Status, fortune, and even my body and soul! All of it! So please make me your disciple, Lute-sama! Cut it out; ojou-samas sorrowful gaze is painful. I understand. Ill make you my disciple. You dont have to offer me things like your body or your soul; so instead, please lend us your strength to rescue master and the rest. My utmost gratitude for this blessing. Meiya had on a smile that could outshine even the sun. After a long journey, having eaten my fill and securing aid, the feeling of tension was gone and it made me sleepy. Ojou-sama seems to also have reached her limit. I proposed that we get a good rest for now and leave discussing the details for tomorrow. Ojou-sama and Meiya were also of the same mind, and so we were dismissed for the day. The next morning Ojou-sama, Meiya and I were gathered in an open space beside an atelier within the Meiya estates grounds. I requested Meiya to create mud walls and foundations with magic. Atop the foundations, bricks were arranged in a typical fashion. While waiting, I checked the guns conditions. The S&W and AK47 I made, swindled away from me a bit more than 2 years ago by some fake adventurers, are back in my hands. As for the revolver, its firing pin and hammers mainspring are worn out. If theyre this worn out, then even if the primer is struck, it probably cant cause an ignition. It seems the cylinders insides hasnt been properly cleaned, either. Like this, when the ejector rod pushes out shell casings, it wouldnt be smooth. To put it bluntly, after firing, it may longer be possible to eject shell casings without hitting the ejector rod with a hammer or something. Only for the characteristically tough AK47 does there seem to be no problems. It may also be because I made it I made it after I was already experienced with handling Magic Liquid Metal. Banana magazine loaded; safety catch toggled. Set to semi-automatic. I pulled the cocking handle, and the first bullet moved to the chamber. Taking a shooting stance, I shot the brick blocks one by one, smashing them. It worked perfectly, without flaw. As expected of the AK; truly an assault rifle that can be fired without a hitch even if it were to be buried in a wet rice field for 6 months covered in rust and dirt. Though I intend to disassemble it later, just to be safe. How is it, Lute-sama? Are there any problems? The revolver still needs a little bit of tuning, but it seems that there are no major faults on either one. Surprisingly, ojou-sama was not afraid and showed interest in the handgun. On the contrary. [Lute-oniichan, could you also teach me how to use that magic tool?] She is proactively trying to learn. [Using that magic tool; father, mother, everyone I want the strength that can help them.] Ojou-sama snorted roughly, demonstrating her will to fight. The image of the girl who was afraid to simply go out of her own room until not too long ago was completely gone. Of course. I had fully intended for ojou-sama to join the battle. In fact, I believe that ojou-sama is our greatest war potential, our trump card. [Someone like me is?] Ojou-sama was perplexed by my unexpected response. I answered with an earnest smile that I was not lying. For ojou-sama, the S&W M10 revolver and AK-47 are no good. I will prepare something more appropriate. Something that would suit ojou-samaC A gun that properly utilizes ojou-samas unique traits; that would be the sniper rifle. [The sniper rifle?] Yes. The hour of our, the Vlad Houses, counterattack approaches. This moment marked the birth of the vampire who would one day be feared as Magician Slayer, Princess of the Night, and Nightmare. Thanks for reading so far! Impressions, typos, opinions and the like are very welcome! The next update is scheduled for tomorrow, 26 December 21:00 I wrote an activity report. If youd like, please read it. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 41 Lute, age 13 I had been under the care of the household of the Dragon Continents magic device developer, Meiya Dragoon, for several months. In return for the food and lodgingI had taken her as my disciple as she requested. As my disciple, I had been teaching her about the process of making guns; but, of course, there were conditions. The three conditions are thusNot to spread the techniques as she pleases, not to misuse it, and to follow my instructions if any problem occurs. To my conditions, Meiya exclaimed with an honest look in her eyes: [If I were to somehow break these conditions, I will bite my tongue in front of Lute-sama and die]. This girls no good, shes scary I didnt think she would seriously, honestly swear an oath of suicide. But on the other hand, this means that Meiya would not betray me. However, no matter how shes praised as a genius magic device developer, the work seems to be hard for her. First, she couldnt make the small parts out of magic liquid metal. If she poured magic into it it should have become hard, but the metal sheets she took out was hard on the right side and brittle on the leftshe could only make out-of-balance things like that. The forms were uneven, and the thickness and strength were also defective. Maybe she lacked the power of imagination, or maybe some other reason. I tried having her make cartridges, but it seems that she could not imagine smokeless gunpowder to begin with. Its not like I told her to simply make cartridges just by stuffing it with explosion magic. But to tell Meiya, who hadnt seen nor heard of smokeless gunpowder, to imagine it, transform magic power, and put it into the cartridge, is a mistake from the start. For now I would start by having her do some classroom learning about the basic knowledge regarding gunsthe difference between the ammo for the revolver and the assault rifle, the purpose of rifling, the strength of metal required for use in handguns, etc. At the same time as Meiyas classes, I was also coaching Chrisse-ojousama on how to control her magic power. Ojousamas magic power is about the same as mine So if she could remember how to control her magic power she can do what I could. Excepting the time used for research, it took me about 30 days until I could remember the technique to control my magic power. It should take about the same amount of time to drill this technique into ojousama. At midday The Dragon race has their meals in the mornings, noons, and evenings. When in Rome, do as the Romans doojousama and I properly had three meals a day. In the afternoons we would do practice battles to build up ojousamas strength. Ojousama would get changed into rough clothes, tie up her long hair, and do warm-up exercises. Firstly, she would make a run around the outer bounds of the Meiya estate. Running to build up her body strength. Ojousama had no body strength owing to being a shut-in. Which is why she was doing practice to increase her base strength. After shes done running, there would be unarmed combat and sword practice. For unarmed combat she would do some serious sparring with me. For swordplay, I had her practice swings with a wooden sword and exchange blows with me. This training regiment is the same as the one Gigi-san taught me. (I wonder why Gigi-san betrayed the Vlad house he loved so much) No matter how much I think about it I wont get an answer unless its from the person himself. That was another reason why we need to gain strength and return to the Demon Continent. At night, once ojousamas fatigue is at its peak, she had dinner, a bath, and went straight to sleep. Meiya and I holed up inside the workshop and worked on making the sniper rifle. The rifle we were makingwas a Remington M700P. To be precise, we intended to make something with the M700P as a base. Firstly, what is a sniper rifle? Until the First World War, infantry troops would stand in ranks separated by a distance of several hundred meters to 1000 meters and attack using bolt-action rifles (bolt action is a method of firing guns by shooting one bullet at a time and reloading by manually operating the bolt (cylindrical part situated behind the chamber) using its handle). However with the appearance of machine guns, these ranks of troops were easily mowed down. If an infantry troop were to attack a machine gun emplacement the way they have always done they would inevitably turn into a mountain of corpses. So things like attacking at night or digging trenches to allow close-quarters combat became commonplace. However, with the bolt action rifle, during the time taken to reload the bolt after shooting they would be vulnerable to attack from enemies. So rather than guns that need to be carefully aimed from a distance, infantry would seek guns that could fire rapidly from a short range. Then submachine guns (small machine guns that could be used like a pistol) and assault rifles were developed, and the tactic of barraging the enemy with bullets became mainstream. However, weapons that could be precisely aimed and fired from a long distance was indispensable for eliminating enemy commanders, radio operators, and machine gunners situated a long distance away. So the simple and high accuracy bolt action rifle received attention once again. The bolt action rifle that was sought for a new role received various improvements and strengthening necessary for sniping. Thus, the [sniper rifle] was born. But although theyre all called [sniper rifles], there are various kinds according to target and usage like ones for military use, hunting, and for shooting games. For example, for hunting usethe bolt action rifle is lightened and called a [mountain rifle]. The [mountain rifle] is a [relatively lightweight guns having a long range capable of taking down big game]. For a lightweight gun to fire a heavy bullet, the recoil is severe. But rather than the recoil, the fact of having to lug a heavy gun while trekking on a mountain is considered, so the gun was made lighter. As for the case of shooting gamesgame rifles do not come with a magazine, and it had a unique shape because it was specialized for use in games, no consideration was put into making it easy to carry. Which is why although the game rifle can shoot with accuracy, it does not have any practical use. There is no instance in which a game rifle is used for sniping as-is. Then, for military usemilitary and police [sniper rifles] were designed with a shape that was easy to be carried, and had a reasonable weight though not as light as mountain rifles, it is a gun with good balance. Normally, when you say [sniper rifle] you would mean the military/police use ones. The gun I was making this time was also a military/police use sniper rifle. Anyway, there were also cases where an automatic rifle, that had a lower accuracy than a bolt-action rifle, were chosen for a military troop. The reason is that while a bolt-action rifle can only shoot single rounds at a time, an automatic rifle can fire 2, 3 shots between reloads, giving it a higher adaptability (for example when having to deal with several terrorists simultaneously). However, the automatic rifle reloads automatically after firing. At that moment, the vibration from the parts moving inside interferes with the firing and this makes its accuracy lower than that of the bolt-action rifle. Because I made the AK-47, I had the option of making the semi-automatic sniper rifle SVD Dragunov that was officially adopted in the former Soviet Union. The Dragunovs internals were made based on the AK-47. With the scope included, it weighs 4.3 kilograms, which is light for an automatic. There was an automatic rifle called H&K PSG-1 that weighed 8.1 kilograms. But this time, since we aim to rescue master and madam, there was a possibility that either one or both of them would be used as hostages. In that situation, if we could save just madam, master could be free to act to free himself. So I needed a high accuracy sniper rifle that had an allowable error of less than 2 cm in 100 m and 6 cm in 300 m, and so I used the M700P as a base. The M700P is a high performance sniper rifle intended for use by police and army special forces made based on the hunting rifle M700 by the American small arms maker Remington LLC. The M700P had a long barrel and high accuracy. It was a bolt-action rifle for use by police special forces and in hostage rescue scenarios requiring certainty within the first shot. Its specs were as follows. Caliber: 7.62 mm x 51 NATO rounds Overall Length: 1662 mm Barrel Length: 660 mm Rounds per Load: 5 rounds [Inner box Magazine] Its a sniper rifle well suited for our purpose. Firstly I started making the core with the rifling carved onto it. The sniper rifle requires a higher accuracy than the AK-47. I had to do all the production work carefully. Concentration is important. . I feel a bit tired. I think we should stop here for now. Then after a few hours of work, I ended at a suitable point, and went to the room given to me for a late night sleep. I laid down on the bed, and as I closed my eyes I quickly fell asleep. This is how I spent my day nowadays. In the afternoon, time for the unarmed combat practice. At the courtyard, ojousama and I were having a mock battle. Ojousama, in rough garb with her hair tied, was lunging at me with all her strength. She was of course using body strengthening to support her body. I easily avoided her right straight by circling around sideways. I stopped her with a left jab, and kicked her with a right side kick. [tsu!?] Ojousama guarded for the kick at a dangerous moment. But she lost to the force and rolled down onto the ground. Ojousama, your attacks are too sloppy. You shouldve moved to anticipate the opponents next move. If its just hitting each other even a child could do it. Hurry up and stand. Ojousama supported herself with her hands on the ground, breathing roughly, and made no sign of moving. Not minding that, I started to hurl insults at her. Seriously HOW long are you FUCKING going to lay down there? Get a hold of yourself MAGGOT! Ojousama, still breathing roughly, raised her face with a difficult expression. You are this worlds lowest lifeform. Youre not a demon race. Youre not even worth trash scrounged from amphibians! What is it? If you dont like it then show me your guts! Ojousama picked herself up while gritting her teeth and braced herself. So you can stand! Youve got guts. Ill work you to the bone as your reward. Ill work you till you drop dead! Ill work you till you have to drink milk from your ass! Hey! I turned my head toward the angry voice, and there was one of ojousamas childhood friend, the Demon race, Centaur clan Karen Bishop there. Standing behind her is a maid carrying a large travelling bag that looks to be hers. Karen squared up her shoulders and stepped up to me, her ponytail swinging. Lute! Youre a servant! What the hell are you saying to Chrisse! I dont really get what it means but I know its something bad! !? Welcome, Karen-sama! It looks like the letter safely As I was about to give Karen a warm welcome, the owner of the place Meiya popped a vein and angrily interrupted me. How rude! A demon race saying something like that to the genius of all geniuses Lute-sama! Guards! What are you doing! Hurry up and kick this insolent one out! How did someone like this get inside my estate! Calm down Meiya. Shes ojousamas friend, the Centaur Karen Bishop-sama. I already told you that I sent a letter to explain our current situation and asked her to come, right? . Shes Chrisse-sans friend, huh. Truthfully, I think shes a lovely person. How do you do Karen-san. My name is Meiya Dragoon, Lute-samas number one disciple. Feel free to relax and think of this place like your own home. 餳 M, me too. Once I scolded Meiya, she became friendly as if she was a different person. Karen was also surprised at her change in attitude and became nervous. Karen cleared her throat and turned to me once again. Anyway, While you are fugitives, but what the hell are you saying to your master Chrisse. Well, that was just part of training. Training? I already have ojousamas consent. Its a spartan military training. I would never say something like that to her otherwise, right, ojousama? [Yeah, its just as Lute-oniichan said.] Ojousama wrote on the mini blackboard and showed it to Karen. [Karen-chan, thanks for specifically coming for me. Im very happy to see you again after so long.] Youre taking the words out of my mouth. I was surprised when a letter arrived at my home after I heard you went missing. It had a name I dont recognize, but it was written in Chrisse-chans handwriting that I know very well. Karen stepped up to Ojousama and hugged her. Really, Im glad youre alright. Not only me, but Barnie and Muir were also worried when we heard Chrisse went missing. The two were hugging each other, being glad for each others safety, almost like sisters. Some time ago I asked for Meiyas help to write a letter addressed to Karen. I had actually wanted to send letters to the other two, but for all three of ojousamas friends to receive a letter and have them move at the same time would stand out too much, so it cant be helped. After discussing it, I decided to send a letter to Karen, who was most acquainted with military matters. Her family runs a large weapons and armor business. Not just selling them, they practically do all kinds of work on them. Karens family has their own mercenary army, and they are dispatched to various places with weapons and armors. It seems that they using their products on the battlefield to spread word of their brand, which promotes business. Furthermore after the battles, they would be able to make improvements from feedback on suggestions and ease of use regarding the weapons etc. Having that kind of family situation, and consequently receiving strict military training, I decided to entrust her with calming the others down. The fact that I called her to the Meiya estate in the Dragon Continent is also for no other reason. It is to let her know about our situation, for new intelligence, and to inform her of our safety. I asked ojousama, [wasnt it forbidden to ask the help of another family in a family dispute?], but she said that it was okay, because its not like we were asking her for direct help. Therefore I was able to send the letter to Karen without hesitation. Karen tore herself off of ojousama, and rubbed the tears in her eyes. Its also good that Lute is safe. Really, thanks for protecting Chrisse. Not at all, its the obvious thing to do as a butler of the Vlad house. Then, Im sorry to ask this immediately after you just got here, but can you tell us about the current situation? Well, since the weather is nice and all, why dont we have some tea at the courtyard. As Meiya raised her hand, the maids have already arranged a table, chairs, a parasol, tea, and tea cakes at the courtyard, as if they had been prepared beforehand. In under three minutes, a small but fashionable spot had been erected at the courtyard. Temporarily stopping the unarmed combat practice, we listened to Karens story while sipping on the tea. According to the news Karen brought us It seems that after master was captured, they put on a magic prevention collar to seal his magic and sold him as a slave. She knew that he was sold not to the Demon Continent, but some other continent, though she didnt know where. Madam was locked up at the top of a tower in the Vlad castle. She also had a magic prevention collar put on her, and was not able to escape on her own. The castle seems to be occupied by the Vampire houses head, the eldest son Pylkk?nen Vlad and the second son Ravio Vlad. They were being loud about plundering masters business and even unreasonably resorting to violence to unfairly lower wages, so they faced considerable resistance from the workers. Thanks to that, the business seem to have become stagnated. Merry-san and the other surviving servants escaped and hid in several places, but since they had little fighting power they were unable to do anything. Now that they dont have master, the difference in power was overwhelmingly against them. Moreover, there were several of the Vampire houses magicians besides Pylkk?nen and Ravio standing watch at the castle. Because of that, they couldnt do a thing. The only blessing within the misfortune is that they guaranteed madams safety As she was their only prisoner, if they somehow got her wounded or killed, Merry-san and the other houses with relations to the Vlad house wont stay silent. They couldnt protest about matter of master and his brothers, but madam is another matter entirely. If something happens to her her relatives wont stay still. If madam died it certainly would go beyond the limits of what can be settled as being a family dispute. It will be a war to pay back blood with blood. Of course, it was something they did not want. Therefore they guaranteed madams safety. Furthermore, it was also the same reason why they searched every nook and cranny for ojousama. If they had ojousama, were madam to pass away for some reason they could use ojousama as a new hostage to protect against Merry-sans attacks. Karen grit her teeth sorrowfully. I want to do something to help if I could, but another family cant interfere in a family dispute. Im sorry I cant do anything besides providing information. Not at all, this is helpful enough. But is it really alright? If its forbidden to interfere in a family dispute, doing all this, though its only providing information, would also count. Ojousama had already said [its okay], but just in case, I tried asking Karen. In response, she put on a wicked smile. Im only making sure that my dear friend is safe and have a chat with her. If she somehow got intelligence from that, thats not my problem, right? In other words, it seems like this doesnt count as [lending a hand]. I dont know what standards they were using, but if its no problem then so be it. Karen-sama, thank you very much. Thanks to you I was able to get accurate information on the situation. This way, one of the strategies I thought up seems to be usable. Hoo, what kind of strategy is that? I had the daughter of a military family who had mercenaries in their employ, Karen, listen to my plan, and asked for her opinion. The contents of the plan is simple. Get inside the castle with a small number of people using the escape route we used when we fled the castle. Meet up with madam, and then leave the castle. Meanwhile, in order to draw the eyes of the castle guards, I want to have Merry-san and the other servants do something flashy as a diversion. Though they have little fighting power, they should be able to do something once. If they did that the Vampire house head would be on the lookout and dispatch the magicians after them. As a result, the castles defenders would be shorthanded. Karen folded her arms and considered the strategy. .. I see. Its a simple plan, but its more realistic than gathering a force and assault the castle, but isnt it hard to rescue Seras-san just with Chrisse and Lute? Having her point that out, I frowned. Certainly, our fighting power is not enough to infiltrate the castle. I wasnt intending to include ojousama in the infiltration team. I was going to have her assist during our escape. Then can you do it alone, Lute? Not being a magician and all. U, ummm Meiya, who had been silent, raised her hand. With a red face and bleary eyes, she announced. Then I, Lute-samas number one student, shall serve as your partner! Im confident that I can attentively help you out like a lover, like a wife, like a faithful servantnay! Even more than that! No, Meiya is no good. Even though youre a B-minus ranked mage, you dont have good reflexes, do you? I certainly cant take you along. Uguu!? She collapsed as if she had taken an arrow right to the heart. However she is totally non-athletic, I tried having her practice with ojousama once, but she became nothing but a burden. At that time I cut her off from practice since we had no time and she was being a hindrance. [So how about we hire some adventurers from the Guild?] That is absolutely a no. I swiftly rejected ojousamas proposal. Theres no way I could include some adventurer some untrustworthy person in this important plan. In the end, they were no more than outsiders employed using money. If any problem happens The bitter trauma from when I was tricked by fake adventurers went through my mind. As I wanted Merry-san and the others to act as diversion, I cant include them. In the first place, they had already been seen by the Vampire house, and were under observation. I cant have them help with an undercover surprise operation. I at least wanted one other capable person for the castle infiltration. At least a B-minus ranked magician, and someone I know that I can trust. If possible, someone who had learned magic, and was good at handling a handgun, that much goes without saying. No way someone like that exino, there is one person like that. My fiance who grew up together with me at Elle-senseis orphanage, Snow! If my fiance Snow, whos studying at a magic school were here, this discussion would be over sooner. If I were to go meet her right now it would take over a year to go there and back. I guess its impossible after all. Hm? whats wrong Meiya? You look pale. Meiya started to sweat like waterfall with a pale face. No, actually how should I put it, well Meiya mumbled, stumbling on her words. Rather than Meiyas response, Karen reacted to my remark. Lute has a fiance? I didnt know that. My childhood friend who grew up in the same orphanage with me. I never had the chance to talk about her, sorry. But I wonder if she could conveniently appear. Please reach her, o my voice! Somehow LUTE-KUN!! The moment I raised my hands and jokingly offered a prayer to the heavens. Seemingly having waited for the moment, a young girl appeared from behind a tree planted in the courtyard. Her silver hair tied in a ponytail. A bishoujo with dog ears, a tail, skin white as a field of snow, and breasts that you could tell was big even from under her clothes, approached with tears in her eyes. I miss you. I miss you, Lute-kun! My fiance Snow who should have been studying magic at a school in the Fairy Human Continent was for some reason standing before my eyes. Thank you very much for reading this far! Impressions, typo reports, and opinions are warmly welcomed! Next update is tomorrow, December 27th, 9 oclock Volume 3 - CH 42 Snow who is supposed to be studying at the magic school on the Fairy Human Continent, appeared in Meiyas residence! The chair flew from the momentum of me standing up. S-Snow!? Why are you here! You arent a fake, are you! [[Lute-kun! Lute-kun! Lute-kun!]] Snow came running while calling my name in Fairy Human Continents language. She jumped and wrapped her arms around my neck. Her face buried was making fuga fuga sounds as she sniffed my smell. The long-missed action caused a feeling of nostalgia to gush out within my chest, so much that I unintentionally hugged her until it hurts. [[Lute-kun, youre suffocating me.]] [[So, sorry. I was so happy I hugged you too hard.]] It took me awhile to be able to speak out in the Fairy Human language initially, as I havent used it in a while. Its the adverse effect for not using it in such a long time. Lute, what is she saying? And who the hell is she? She couldnt be someone from the main family right Karen moves in front of ojou-sama to cover for her. I panicked and attempted to prove Snows innocence. You are mistaken! She is Snow, my childhood friend and fiance, that was mentioned earlier! I switched language and asked. [[Does Snow understand Demon Continent language?]] [[Not a problem, as it is a mandatory class during the magic school freshman year.]] Come to think of it, even though Snow is very weak in math from small, she is quite good in literacy. Im getting nostalgic of El-senseis lecture. Snow parted her hands from me and gave a courteous greeting in Demon Continent Language. Pleased to meet you, I am Snow, Lutes fiance. Though the intonation was strange here and there, there mostly were no problems. She continued her introduction. I attend at the Fairy Human Continents magic school. I am a A-minus Rank magician. Whaaaa-!? I involuntarily let out my voice as I was startled. Surely I must have misheard it, is what I thought. S-Snow! Surely youre joking, that youre a A-minus rank magician. Its the truth. I wanted to graduate as soon as possible to meet Lute and endured it. And so I became a A-minus rank magician. Of course it wasnt by my strength alone, I was heavily taught by Shishou. Shishou? Un! Um, Shishou is a magician called [Freezing Witch]. I got along well with her and was taught many things. F-freezing witch!? This time it was Karen who raised her voice in surprise Being a High-elf and called the [Freezing Witch], even among the High-elves there is only the one famous, having lived 1000 years and reached S-Rank magician!? A-rank is a position that only a few of the so-called [geniuses] reach. S-rank is for those entities called [supermen], [freaks], and [monsters]. Un, that person is my Shishou. She told me she was naming me the [Witch of Ice and Snow], but its kind of embarrassing so its hard to say. No, you say embarrassing, thats not the thing one focuses on I reflexively let out a tsukkomi. Snow tilted her head, it is not known if she understood it. Idiots and geniuses are only separated by a fine line DD I wonder what sort of campus life did Snow have at the magic school after she was sent there? so why is Snow here? What about school? Thats because obtaining A-minus rank at the magic school will garner enough credits to graduate without having to attend. Just as I was considering on going to meet up with Lute, that person said something terrible! Hiee~! Snow pointed to Meiya who was crouching within the tables shadow in an attempt to hide herself. Meiya was frightened in the face of Snow as if she was a small animal in front of its predator. I never would have thought that the 2 of them were acquainted. Just what happened between the 2? Calm down Snow. For the time being, explain to me from the start. Un, understood. About that Snow explained in sequence the reason for her being here. Her first time meeting Meiya at the Fairy Human Continent magic school parlor. She approached Snow with the desire to negotiate a price for the [S&W M10 2-inch] revolver that is in Snows possession. Her friendly attitude suddenly changed as she raise her voice crying out, after Snow rejected her offer. Lute-sama was already killed by a monster! That is why, that Magic Tool should not be in the possession of someone like you who does not know its worth. In order to leave his achievement to/for future generations, someone such as myself should be the one to have it! Meiya, other than being a genius Magic Tool inventor, she could also speak in Fairy Human Continentlanguage. But that brought forth disaster, having said what was on her mind. As a result, Snow having been infuriated by the utterance, pointed the muzzle at the blasphemous Meiya. After leaving the parlor, Snow once again made arrangements to go on a journey. She believed that Meiyas utterance was surely a lie, however anxiety was tightening her chest so she decided to first to head to El-sensei. Because she believed that El-sensei surely knew where I currently was. During Snows journey from the orphanage in Aljio territory to the magic school, it took around 3 months for a one-way trip on a carriage. This time, her journey from the magic school to the orphanage was travelled in a straight line without dropping by any towns nor regard to dangerous roads where monsters and bandits appear, she reached her destination in about 1 month. Again with your reckless actions Upon returning to the orphanage, El-sensei was surprised. For the sake of inquiring my location from sensei, and she reluctantly held out a letter. It was the letter that I wrote to El-sensei. Fumbling at starting my adventurer life, being sold as a slave by a slave merchant and currently there is no problem as I am under the protection of the Vlads house as ojou-samas butler. Please do not worry, but as I do not wish to distract Snow from her studies do not tell her, so it was written. As soon as she received the letter, Snow, without wasting a moment, headed for the Vlad House in the Demon Continent. And as she was going past a checkpoint in the Dragon Continent, it seems shesmelled a nostalgic scent. Following that scent, she arrived at the Meiya residence and thoughtlessly jumped over the walls surrounding it, and when she entered the courtyard where I was at, she spontaneously cheerfully ran over or so it would seem. Oy, isnt this timing is way too good no matter how you look at it. After sniffing my personal odor Snow said Its the best while swaying happily. No, nobody said to explain that much. After separating when we were 10, I havent met with Snow for over 3 years. Her body seems to have grown but the more I get involved the ahonoko-ification seems to be progressing. Having finished listening to Snows story, Meiya, with face paler than a ghost, came to us with the traditional Dragon Race dogeza. M-m-m-my apologies! Snow-sama! I was not aware that milady was Lute-kuns fiance and let such rude things come from my mouth! To such a sudden development Lute stiffened. Meiya continued on. At that time, I have truly underestimated Lute-sama. However! That was when I was still ignorant of the untouchable majesticity of Lute-sama. Now, I am able to believe that Lute-sama cannot be killed by lowly monsters. So please somehow, do not throw away this number one disciple! If I were to be thrown away by Lute-sama, I would lose the reason to stay in this world! If such a time were to come, please ask me to kill myself. We-ell in truth I wasnt killed by monsters, but was tricked by fake adventurers. Also, Meiya keeps claiming that she is my number one disciple ..Using ones life as a shield like that, and expecting forgiveness from the other is a bit different I think Nn!? To Meiyas desperate apology, Snow takes a tough attitude. I pat Snows head in order to calm her down. I did not know that you two had such a past, however it is not as though damage was caused? Plus now I am currently indebted in many ways to Meiya. So do not treat each other cruely. Meiya, I would not dismiss you as disciple. So please stop talking about such dangerous things as suicide. Muu, if Lute-kun says so. Th-thank you very much! Lute-sama! I am unworthy! This Meiya Dragoon will swear fealty to Lute-sama! Snow reluctantly does so, Meiya raised her face while shedding tears like a waterfall. And as though doing a complete 180 unlike with Meiya, Snow turned to Ojou-sama, my current ?owner?, with a friendly attitude. Nice to meet you, I am Snow. Are you Chrisse-chan? [Y-Yes! Thats right!] Ojou-sama hurriedly wrote the words in the Demon Continents Language. Snow took Ojou-samas hand and said her thanks while tears formed on the edges of her eyes. Thank you! Thank you for saving Lute-kun. Truly thank you! [From my side as well, I keep being saved by Lute-oniichan in many ways.] Oniichan? [As I am a year younger and it feels as though he is my older brother, I asked to call him Oniichan Is it no good?] Uun, not at all, if anything I could even be jealous. If Lute-kun is Oniichan, then Im Chrisses Oneechan right. Please call me Oneechan. [Hai! Snow-oneechan] That I managed to get such a cute little sister! Im so happy. Snow hugged Ojou-sama without holding back. Her tail was also busily shaking back and forth with joy. The shy Ojou-sama without being scared even though this was the first time meeting Snow, was smiling in her embrace. As Snow lets go of Ojou-sama, she turns to Karen to introduce herself to her as well. As they both wore ponytails, they seem to strangely get along. And Snow utters a question. So, what are Lute-kun and the others talking about anyway? If I were to talk about that it would be a really long story, though.. As I was scratching my head on where to start talking about it, Meiya voiced a proposition. Snow-san and Karen-san, must be tired as you just arrived from your journeys, so how about you both take a bath first to relax from it? After you finish with the bathing, it would just about be time for dinner, so how would it be to listen to it all as we eat? It is true that both of them had just arrived and must be tired. Having them listen to more than they already have here in the courtyard, makes me feel bad. Thats right. Lets do as Meiya suggested. If Lute-kun says so, then well do so. Karen-san, lets go together to the bath I-Is it alright? With my body being such Its alright so lets go together! Chrisse-chan too, since youre all covered in mud, Ill wash your back [Yes, Snow-oneechan!] With this flow, Ojou-sama will also be going to take a bath it seems. As Meiya will be giving orders to the maids, she will not be joining them to bathe. And so it came that I will be telling the situation to Snow while we ate dinner. After the bathing, Snow appeared in a Dragon dress. As expected, there was no Dragon dress that could be used by Karen of the Centaur and so she came in the normal clothes she had prepared herself. While eating dinner, we told Snow about the situation that is currently happened. On top of that, I asked Snow for her cooperation Of course even though it was asked of her by her childhood friend and fiance, it was not unconditional - so it was told. But, Snow without hesitating agreed to cooperate. Ojou-sama while shedding tears very deeply said her gratitude. Night, as I was about to sleep, a knock on the door. As I open the door, on the other side- Im sorry Im late. There stood Snow in pajamas, holding a pillow. Wearing the engagement bracelet on her left arm, which was given a long time ago. After the long wait, I thought that we would be together tonight. Is it no good? There is no way that it would not be alright! This is between me and Snow, you dont have to reserve yourself go ahead and enter . If thats so, Ill be intruding. As Snow enters, she arranges her pillow onto the bed. Her pajamas were a shirt on top and some shorts like hotpants below. Since of course there is no such thing as a bra, she walks and the splendidly grown Omune-sama greatly sways. As she walks barefoot, the healthy and slender silvery tail rises and harmonizingly swings along. She grew in height and also unimaginably so in the chest area. Though my mental age is 40, my body is still that of a young 13 year old. To my fiance in front of my eyes telling myself dont lust is the impossible part. (C-Calm down myself. Truly in the Meiya residence.in another persons home to receive for the first time even for me would be past unpleasant. There is also the problem of Ojou-sama and the master and everyone I will restrain myself.) As I count prime numbers, I slowly get into the same bed where Snow is. Even though she prepared a pillow by herself, she places her head onto my arm. The chest on my flank! Snows legs are coiling around! I feel as though the chains of reasons are slowly starting to scrape and fall apart. However, even such desire is extinguished, as I noticed that Snow was crying. Snow, are you crying? Being able to be like this with Lute-kun, I was just so happy .Forgive me Snow. Even the engagement bracelet got ruined. Uun, to be able to be like this with Lute-kun is all I want. Truly its good that you were safe. Snow buries her tear filled face. As though she was on the edge of delirium she continued to mumble Its good that Lute-kun was safe while continuing to cry. I continued to repeat apologies as many times as I could, for thewhole night I gently pet Snows head until she finally cried herself to sleep. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 43 The morning after I shared a bedroom with Snow. The Centaur Karen Bishop left the Meiya Estate to go back to the Demon Continent. We did recommend that she take it easy and stay for a little while, but she herself wanted to inform the other two friends of ojousamas about her safety and to Merry-san and the gang about the plan, so she flew off like an arrow. Thats a military girl for you. Muscle for brains. Snow stayed at the Meiya residence. Moreover, she took over the responsibility of ojousamas martial arts and swords training from me. Meiya and I was to concentrate on the work on the M700P sniper rifle (although Meiya only did so far as help out). In return for food and lodging and the magic liquid metal, I was supposed to teach her about guns, but since there was no time I had her accept that I will be concentrating on the sniper rifle. As thanks I promised that I would do so right after Master and Madam had been rescued. Our daily schedule nowadays is as follows. MorningMeiya and I working on the sniper rifle. Ojousama practicing magic power control. EveningMeiya and I working on the sniper rifle. Ojousama trains in unarmed combat and swordplay with Snow. Also, recently revolver and assault rifle firing practice had been added to her practice subjects. This is one of those recent days. By keeping up with practice without complaints, ojousamas body had become stronger than average. In unarmed and sword combat, she had reached a stage where she could defend herself. On the other hand, her marksmanship was at a level where you cant say its mere natural talent. I cant wait to have her hold the sniper rifle. Then, about the fabrication progress. Once I could make the core for carving the riflings, making the gun body wont be that hard. I dipped the core in the magic liquid metal and imagined the gun barrel around it, just like when using cold hammering. To suppress jitter, I imagined a thick, heavy barrel. The longer the barrel is, the front sight and rear sight became further apart, which makes it easier to sense [Aiming Errors], but long barrels make the muzzle end vibrate harder when the gun shakes. So I made the barrel thick. For rifle barrels, a length of about 500 mm is enough, but for the M700 Police Im making now the barrel was 660 mm long. It is the barrels length that gives it the precision for accurate firing. The weight also had the advantage of making it more stable. However, if it was too heavy it becomes difficult to carry, so I needed to cut grooves on the thick barrel as a method to make it lighter Then again, the Vampire clan had more physical strength than humans. Ojousama was no exception, by using body strengthening she defeated me in arm wrestling. The other thing I need to pay attention to about the barrel was cutting an angle on the muzzlethe so called [Crown]. The end of the barrel, the muzzle, was a part that is easy to damage If the muzzle is damaged, the moment a bullet is fired through it, gases would cause the bullets trajectory to be offset, although only slightly So the muzzle is not left just as a cross-section cut from the barrel, but instead an angle is cut into it. This way it becomes harder to damage. This part is called the [crown]. There is also the [bedding] where the gun receiver (the part connected to the barrel and the bolt) is glued to the gunstock. Unless the receiver is glued to the gunstock, the contact point becomes a [point] instead of a stable [surface] and the aiming precision becomes bad. On the other hand, the barrel and the stock shouldnt be glued too strongly together. When the gun is fired, the barrel would vibrate strongly, though not by far. If it were to hit the stock at that time, the vibration would only become stronger, and also the vibration would be different each time so aiming accuracy would decrease For that reason the barrel and the stock are separated by over 1 mm. Separating the barrel and the stock like this is called floating (or floating barrel). This way, every time the gun is fired, the barrel would move the same way (given that the bullet and the powder are identical), and wont interfere much with the aiming accuracy. Another point where the sniper rifle is different than other guns is the trigger. In normal rifles, the trigger weight (the power needed to pull the trigger, trigger pull) is around 3 kg, but for the sniper rifle it is lowered to less than half of that. This kind of lightened trigger is called [Feather Touch] triggers. Still, even though the trigger weight was so light, unless the trigger is pulled in the same direction as the bullets flight, it would affect the direction of said flight and the bullet will stray even if just a little bit (forward-backward movement have almost no effect on the bullets ballistic trajectory). So to make sure that doesnt happen, snipers do things like think of themselves not as people pulling a trigger, but become like stone and become one with the gun. Also, it is said that the former Japanese Army was taught to be [like frost descending on a dark night] when pulling the trigger. For as long as they live, human bodies breathe and their hearts beat. It is impossible to be perfectly still. Which is why various tricks become necessary. There are still a lot of things that one needs to be careful of when making the sniper rifle body, but so long as care is taken during the manufacture, there will be no problems for the most part. The one that will be problematic is the bullet cartridge. Even when making the revolver and the AK-47, the bullet cartridge had caused more problems than the gun body itself. The cartridges we were making were 7.62 mm 51. The size is about 1.5 times a AAA battery. This ammunition cartridge is to be used when aiming at targets 300 meters away. I wonder how much time itll take to make this. At night, there was a knock on my bedroom door. It was of course, my childhood friend and fiance, Snow. Every night since our reunion she would come sleep on the same bed with me. Thanks to that I was finding it hard to keep my self-control. Somehow, though, shes being a bit strange tonight. As she opened the door, the first thing out of Snows mouth is an apology. Im sorry, Lute-kun, Im not going to be sleeping with you tonight. I dont actually mind, but is something wrong? Today Chrisse-chan invited me to a tea party tonight, and I promised to have a chat about lots of things. I see, so it was a pajama-party-like event. She said shell tell me all about Lute-kun as a butler, Im looking forward to it. .Also, there were some things on my mind so I thought Id like to talk with her about it. All right. It cant be helped then. Dont sleep so late, though. Tell that to ojousama, too. Fufufufu, Lute-kun, you sound like Chrisse-chans mother Im not her mom, Im her butler. Ah thats right isnt it. Well, see you tomorrow then. Good night Lute-kun. Yeah, night. After exchanging pleasantries with Snow, I tucked in to bed early Right this time, Snow is probably having a fun fun pajama party with ojousama. For the first time since I reunited with Snow, I was sleeping alone. Feels a bit lonely. The next morning, I met up with Snow and ojousama in front of the dining room. Of course, both of them looked a little sleepy. They were both wearing dragon dresses. They suited each of them all too well. Morning Snow, good morning ojousama. Morning, Lute-kun. *gasp* Snow greeted me as usual, but ojousamas face turned red and she hid behind Snows back. That reaction came as a shock to me. Ojousama and I had known each other for over 2 years. I didnt think we were still so distant. (Eh? Did I do something?) Snow laughed in amusement. Seems like me making a confused face in the morning was funny. Lute-kun, youre overreacting. Shes just embarrassed because we talked about lots of things about you last night. Hold on there Snow. Just what about me were you talking about? [Y, you cant, Snow-oneechan! That thing was a secret just between us!] Its all right, I wasnt going to tell Lute-kun. They ignored me and left for their room amicably, like a pair of sisters. I was left behind all alone. (What about me was it? Snow said [all sorts] of things, right M, maybe she told her about how I shit my pants back at the orphanage!? Then its no wonder ojousama turned red in the face! Uooooo! Seriously!? Did my gentlemanly image suddenly crash and burn!?) Is anything the matter, Lute-sama? Meiya came and talked to me, who was writhing in agony alone in front of the room. I ignored her call and continued writhing in agony. Like this, several months passed since we arrived here. The time for the rescue is steadily approaching. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 44 Third person POV The Vlad Castle in the Demon Continent Up until a few months back it was the home of the whole family of Dan Gate Vlad and their servants. However, they fell into the patriarch of the Vampire houses trap, and the family scattered. The servants were also forced out of the castle. Now the patriarch of the Vampire clan Pylkk?nen Vlad and his younger brother Ravino live there. Their wives, daughters, sons, and family stayed at their own house. Pylkk?nen and Ravino settled down in the Vlad castle while they were in the middle of checking through its assets. They investigated business capital, bonds, household goods, and other things that could turn into money. Living in the Vlad castle was convenient for that purpose. Count Dans wife, Lady Seras Gate Vlad, was imprisoned in the top floor of the Vlad castle. There was also the pretense of keeping her under guard there. Because there was the fear of the former servants of the Vlad house coming to rescue Seras, the former head of guards Gigi was entrusted with the castles defense. It was because he was the one with the most knowledge of the terrain inside and outside the castle. Just in case, there were also 30 of the Vampire houses magicians ranked B-minus and over prepared for defense. Pylkk?nen was not so dumb as to leave the defense to a traitor such as Gigi. As their wages were paid from Count Dan Gate Vlads fortunes, the brothers pockets were barely hurting. Seemingly having been thinking of something, Gigi knocked on the door to the room leading to the dining hall with his usual unfriendly face. Excuse me. When he entered the room, the patriarch of the Vampire house Pylkk?nen and his brother Ravino were eating meat while making loud [munch munch] noises. The elder brother was rotund and fat, while in contrast, his younger brother was thin and lanky. This was the place where Count Dan, Lady Seras, and their daughter Chrisse used to amicably enjoy their meals, surrounded by their servants. Gigi knew of those days of gentle atmosphere and pleasant conversations. For that reason, he was the one who felt the biggest gap with the two pigs currently devouring their meals before him, but he did not say a word of it and fulfilled his role as the head of guards. I will be delivering todays report on Lady Seras Gate Vlad. Will it be alright? I dont mind, continue. With Pylkk?nens permission, he continued his report. Shes taking her meals properly as usual, and is fine physically. If I dare say so, she seems to be lacking in exercise. She has ceased acting violently and is quietly abides by our orders, but she hasnt lost the shine in her eyes. She is probably saving up strength and looking for a chance to escape. Hmph, shes cheeky for a woman. My brother really has bad eyes for women, Im appalled. Indeed, elder brother. The younger brother was sucking up to his brother with his words. Also, I have the report from the slave house that the transport of Dan Gate Vlad had been completed without problems. Gigi continued his report, not showing any reactions. Hmph, this way he wont ever set foot on Demon Continent soil ever again. Fool that he is, he is still my blood-related brother, so I wont take his life with my own hands. He should be thankful for that. Indeed, elder brother. Actually, its not that they felt afraid that Dan would break out of his magic prevention choker by his own power and come back to them for revenge, but they didnt have the courage to kill him themselves, so the reality was that they sold him as a slave because of that reason. Simply because the patriarch of the vampire house Pylkk?nen and his brother Ravino were small fry. The former butler Merry and the others had already found out that Dan was sold as a slave. They failed to take him back. But they still hadnt given up. If only they could save Seras from confinement, Dan could return to them using his own strength. This is what they strongly believed. So they desperately tried to rescue her, but no matter if they did day or night attacks all of them ended in failure. In order to break their spirits, well need Chrisse. Indeed, elder brother. By simply increasing the rescue targets to two people it would make the objectives harder to fulfill. Also, in order to make the mother, Seras, do as shes told, there is nothing more effective than her child. Then even if in the one in a million chance Dan came back, they could prevent him from doing anything by holding his daughter hostage. Then have you finally found Chrisses whereabouts? . No, that is You still havent found her!? Why couldnt you even find ONE girl, and a good for nothing that couldnt even use magic, at that! Probably she had somebodys help and left the continent Then catch her, go all around the world if necessary! You blockhead! Pylkk?nen took hold of a plate with half-eaten meat in it and threw it at Gigi. The patriarchs half-eaten meat splattered on his face and clothes, but Gigis expression did not change in the least. Pylkk?nen let out a yell. Listen, you now have no other place to go but here. If I threw you out the former servants with a grudge on you would stab you in the back and kill you. If you dont want to happen then give me some results! Understood!? . Understood. I shall make certain to bring Chrisse-ojousama to patriarch-sama. Gigi slowly bowed his head. While they were having that exchange, there was a knock on the door. Gigis next in command, a beast race man, entered the room alone. He whispered in Gigis ear. . Patriarch-sama. It seems like Merry is organizing a large group planning a rescue operation at the harbor town. Tch, those idiots again Gigi, go take your men and kill Merry and his gang. Be careful not to touch anyone from the other families. Patriarch-sama, this might be a diversion. They had done so many attacks but this is the first time they started one so openly. Its a trap to attack us with a flying column while our defenses are being shorthanded. Dont make me say it again! Our castle is strengthened by the Vampire houses magicians in and out! Go take your men and kill those fools already! Or maybe youd rather be kicked out of this castle right now!? .. My apologies. I will immediately face them with my men. Gigi bowed his head politely and left the dining room with his subordinate in tow. Lutes POV It was one in the morning and even the plants had become quiet. Defenses were laid out with the castle in the center. Its as if the enemy were proclaiming [were on guard against any attack from outside]. This is all going as we wanted it to. Merry-san and the others gathered at the port town as a diversion to draw the enemys eyes. Then as planned, they were wary of attacks from the outside. The plan is for Snow and I to use a passage that leads inside the castle and rescue madam. The one to get in touch with the vigilant Merry-san and the others was one of ojousamas friendsthe Lamia, Muir Head. According to Karen, it seems that she is the best at catching peoples eyes. Its surely because shes a snake, right? Thanks to her the details of the plan safely reached Merry-san. But I thought they would take more people to Merry-sans side. Well, this much is still within expectations. Beast race men were riding horned horses out of the castle. They proceeded towards the harbor town. The ones left in the castle was probably the vampire housethe magicians and men confident in their abilities. Right now, the place were returning to was in the middle of the woods behind the castle. I was in the middle of getting as close to the castle as I possibly could and spying on the situation. Because I had finished what I needed to do, I retreated back to the log cabin in the middle of the woods. After about one hour I was back at the small cabin. Inside the log cabin, Snow and Meiya were already waiting. Since there were only these two that had bad relations with each other (though its just Snow hating Meiya) there was a delicate and difficult atmosphere. When I appeared, their faces brightened up in several senses of the term. Welcome back! Lute-sama! Welcome back Lute-kun. How is the castle? Im back. They took the bait as planned. How are your preparations? Ive finished laying down the last of the traps in the woods. Chrisse-chan is ready, too. Ive finished my preparations as well. I can go any time. All right. Well then Snow, should we begin our preparations. Un, all right. Snow and I skillfully put on the equipment that were laid down on a rough table. I was already wearing all-black clothes. I put in two AK-47 banana magazines in each of the belt pouches hanging from my waist. I also put a magazine in each magazine pouch attached to my vest. I loaded the AK-47 with a magazine and pulled the cocking handle. One bullet made its way to the firing chamber. I equipped a knife on my waist. In my previous life, I think the number of assault rifle magazines prepared by army infantrymen [one loaded on the gun] + [6 spares]. I loaded one on the gun and prepared 6 spares, for a total of 7. Which is about the average number. Snow pushed the [S&W M10 4-inch] and [S&W M10 2-inch] into holsters hanging from her waist and breast. The cylinders had of course been loaded with bullets. Because I was busy with work on the sniper rifle, I had no time to make her her own AK-47, so I handed over my revolver. With this Snow became a dual-wielding gunner. Snow had 2 speedloaders in both pockets. (6 bullets 2. By the way, speedloaders are accessories that arrange bullets into a circle that allow revolvers to be reloaded more quickly.) On the vest that she wore just like I did, a loader called a [speed strip] was put in. Compared to the speedloader that arranges the bullets in the same circular shape as the cylinder, the [speed strip] arranges 6 bullets with their primers down in a line. The speed strip is a product that overturned the concept of unwieldiness. As a result, it became as thin as the average auto-pistol magazine and could even be carried in hand. As its weakness, loading bullets became a little bit slower but that can be compensated with the speedloaders. Snow also had a knife equipped on her waist. She was also shouldering a small sack. Our bullets had a little bit of the heads removed from them and a thin piece of silver stuck in. Silver is deadly poison to vampires. The combined amount of our armaments is, by simple calculation, just enough to be able to kill all the guards in the castle. However our goal in the end was madams rescue. We didnt intend to massacre all the castle guards in the least. The sky was cloudy and there was no light from the stars. There was no signs of rain going to fall, either. It was the perfect weather for a surprise attack. I stretched my hand towards the log cabins fireplace. I had already examined the gimmick that opens the hidden passage as soon as I arrived at the cabin. I strongly pushed on one part of the fireplaces interior wall. Like in the fireplace inside the residence, one of the bricks in the flooring rose up. When I carefully pulled it up, it revealed an iron handle from behind it. I took hold of the handle and opened the cover to the hidden passage with all my strength. Firstly I poked just my head inside to check the situation. .. All right, there seems to be no problems. There was nothing on the dust piled up in the passage besides my footprints from when we left the castle, showing that nobody had used this hidden passage besides me. The patriarch of the vampire house did not notice this hidden passage. I entered the passage first, followed by Snow. After we went in, Meiya replaced the hidden passages cover, and headed for her post. We should go then, Snow. Tell me if anything strange happens. Un, alright, Lute-kun. We talked to each other then started off on the hidden passage towards the castle. Last time, I was carrying ojousama, and a one-way trip took 1 hour. With me and Snow on foot, it took about 50 minutes. We didnt activate body strengthening to avoid notice from the guards on the surface. Magicians are sensitive to magic power. Which is why it is hard to kill a magician through a surprise attack using magic. Since they could detect the magic power before the attack happens. If on the off chance we were detected here by the guards on the surface, then the surprise attack will be a failure. Even though we were not using body strengthening we felt almost no fatigue since we were just walking normally. Once we reached the end of the passage I had Snow get up the stairs and check on the situation outside. She had better nose and ears than humans for being a white wolf. I wanted her to confirm that there was no sign of life on the other side of the door. Snow touched her thumb with her index finger, and stretched out the other fingers. It was the hand signal for [OK]. It was decided beforehand that once were here we wont talk but instead use hand signals for communication. I had Snow learn hand signals for that purpose. This was one of those. I switched places with her and pushed up the door to the hidden passage. I temporarily handed the AK-47 over to Snow. If its just opening the door with just pure strength and not body strengthening, then Im the best one for the job. A loud, heavy grinding sound filled the place. As the vanguard, I first poked my head out and confirmed the situation with my eyes. .. no signs of people as far as I could see. The dining room I had become so familiar with until a few months ago spread out before me. I lifted the door, trying to make as little noise as possible, and infiltrated the castle. I put the cover down and called Snow over. She entered the dining room and handed the AK-47 over. This time Snow went ahead of me, listening for signs of people across the door. Moving inside the castle, I had Snow take the lead. Shes the best one to work in the dark, using her nose and ears to quickly detect signs of people. Ojousama and I made a detailed map of the castle, and had Snow memorize it. We decided that I could take over the lead and change the route depending on the situation. Just in case, I put the fireplace cover back on. With the [S&W M10 2 inch] she was so familiar with in hand, Snow opened the door to the corridor, looked left and right, and called me over. The two of us carefully walked the corridor, making almost no sound of footsteps. It was because of the boots I specially made for this day. In order to keep it from making sounds when I walked, I glued soft monster material to the soles. I inserted a plate made of magic liquid metal to the toe tips so they made good protective shoes. Of course, if we ran with them they would certainly make sounds, but so long as we walked it was quiet. To start with, so long as were far away they wouldnt notice. We went towards the tower while minding our surroundings. The entrance to the tower where madam was kept is roughly on the opposite side of the castle from where the dining room was. The tower entrance was located underground. You go one floor down via a stairway inside the castle, go through a door, continue on and there will be another door, if you open that door, go up the towers spiral staircase, and open the door at the top, you will reach the VIP room where madam is kept. It seemed to have originally been a room where they kept royal or elite noblemen as prisoners. The bricks the tower was made of were specially-made, Mages Association produced anti-magic bricks. It seems to deflect magic over a certain amount. Because the Mages Association monopolized its production, it was several times more expensive than regular bricks. Due to those bricks, it is virtually impossible to attack the tower with magic from the outside and rescue the prisoner inside. If for instance you wanted to destroy the tower, you need to use large-scale magic that exceeds the capacity of the anti-magic bricks. Youll need something so powerful itll destroy the prisoner inside with it. If your intent was assassination that wouldnt be a problem, but rescue is another matter entirely. Snow, who went ahead stretched her hand out fully and extended her palm. The signal for Stop. She then wrapped her left index finger and thumb around the wrist of her right hand that was holding her revolver, with the other fingers outstretched. The sign for Enemy. She let go of her wrist and extended 2 fingers. In other words, it looks like there were 2 people on patrol coming our way. She questioned me with the signal for Battle. I shook my head. To let the patrol pass, we opted to hide under cover while holding our breath. I hid under a desk with a flower vase on it, and Snow hid behind a metal full-body armor. . sheesh, I cant do this, going on patrol this late. Quit complaining. This is your job. Its fine so long as we get paid. Well, getting paid is certainly good, but theyre working us rough. A 2-man group appeared as they turned the corner grumbling. Now that theyve come this far I can hear their conversation with my own ears. There there, Ill take you out for a drink next time, after I get paid. I found a nice place. A nice place, huh. A nice place for you is probably someplace you can go gambling. Dont say that. Its hard if I go there alone. You can drink as much as you like, okay. Its hard to go there alone, what are you, a kid? The men passed by us, laughing, and turned the next corner. After a short while the painful silence returned and we got out from our hiding places. !? As Snow got out from her hiding place, her arm lightly knocked the metal armor. That moment the armors long battleaxe started to slant, and fell down towards the floor. I slung the AK-47 to my back and dived! I barely made it and caught the long axe as it was about to fall on the floor and make a loud clang. We let out a sigh in relief. After putting the axe back in its original stand I lightly pulled on Snows ear. She put her hands together in apology. We got our grips together and continued. Snow ordered me to stop. We were on a straight path with nothing in it. If we continued down this path, turned right, continued again, and turned left, we would reach the towers underground entrance. Snow called me over so she could talk to my ear instead of using hand signals. (Lute-kun, this hallway is rigged with a barrier.) (Barrier?) (Theres a magic device you surround your bed with when you make camp in the middle of a trip. When an animal crosses the bounded space it makes a loud sound only the user can hear to let them know.) If Im not mistaken, 3 years ago those fake adventurers also drove some stake-looking things into the ground when we made camp. I recalled a difficult trauma. But Im glad I had Snow go ahead to be sure. If there were magic traps theres no way I would notice. (You think you can disarm it?) (No problem, but itll take some time, is that alright?) (How much time do you need?) (Probably about 5 minutes, I think.) (Fine if its that much Dont use magic, okay. Theyll notice you.) (I know that of course.) Snow put down the hammer to her revolver and holstered that favorite gun of hers. In order to disarm the trap she crouched down on a corner of the floor. There were some stake-looking things put on the left and right walls. Looks like theyre the barrier devices Snow mentioned. 3 minutes into disarming the traps, Snow suddenly stood up. She gripped her right wrist with her left hand, stretching out 2 fingersThe patrols roaming the castle are headed our way! This is a totally straight hallway, and theres no room to hide. With the sole exception of a large vase where about 2 children could fit in. Not having any other choice, we hurriedly hid inside the vase. Though I said 2 children could fit inside, its still a vase after all. There was no space inside, and Snow and I had to hug facing each other. I could feel the sensation of her grown up soft chest through her vest and cartridges. No time to fully enjoy the sensation, footsteps and the sound of conversation can be heard even inside the vase. Did you really see a persons shadow? Yeah, I trust my eyes. I only caught a glimpse but I definitely saw something move. But the magicians and our friends are fortifying the outside, not even a rat should be able to get in. How did they get in here. Hell if I know. The two continued their conversation. They seem to be on guard from surprise attacks because they saw something. But they couldnt find any shadow anywhere. . Looks like youre seeing things after all. But Im pretty sure I saw a shadow moving. It looks like were going to get through this safely. I unintentionally let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly, my eyes met with Snows while we were still hugging each other. Her pink lips were there right before my eyes. There was the sweet scent of her breaths, and her pearl-white teeth. Because of her excessive charms, I unintentionally drew my head back to take some distance. *clunk*C Who goes there! [[!?]] I had misjudged the distance and the back of my head hit the vase, making a light sound! Of course, the patrol duo noticed and called out. Snows blameful gaze is painful. They faced towards the direction of the soundCthe vase and raised their voices. Oi, is there somebody in there? There were the sound of footsteps coming close. Snow asked with her eyes, [Are we going for it now?] However, the tower entrance is still quite a long way off. Still, were definitely going to be found as we are. I guess its sink or swim now? The footsteps were coming even closer. Squeak Uwaa! What the its a rat? It seems that a rat appeared from behind the vase and scurried away. The tension between the two men loosened. Looks like you saw a rats shadow. Never thought your eyes would be too good, eh. Hahaha, thats for sure. But the higher-ups told us not to let even a rat pass through. This means were doing our jobs right, huh? Right. The men laughed as they resumed their patrols. Snow and I each let out a sigh of relief simultaneously. I never thought Id really be owing favor to a rat. Thanks to it I was able to keep my head. After confirming they had taken their distance from us, Snow signalled that it was okay to come out. We vacated the vase, taking care not to make any sound. This time, Snow returned the favor and pulled my ear. I pressed my hands together in apology, like she did a while ago. Then, Snow once again went to work disarming the barrier. The barrier was disarmed after about 3 minutes from when she resumed work on it. Due to it being a cheap item, its structure was rather simple, and it wasnt too difficult to render it inoperable. Were lucky theyre not ones intended for indoor security. We gathered back our spirit and went for the tower entrance. We turned right, went straight, and there was a door to our left. Snow stopped to a halt. She told me with a hand signal that there were 2 people from their scents, men, probably carrying magic-boosting staves. She was able to judge all that from the scent of the special wood. I signalled her back that were going to break in here at once. Snow will handle the guard on the left, I will handle the one on the right. As we had decided beforehand, we were to go all out with our magic and run up the tower in one stroke. It was a race against time. Snow gripped her beloved gun tightly. I also made sure of my grip on the stock of my AK-47, and counted down with my left hand. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1C Go! !? We immediately gave our bodies an assist with body strengthening. We jumped out from the cover of the corridor and aimed the AK-47 and revolver at our respective targets. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 45 The enemies were taken aback by our sudden attack, but as you would expect from someone entrusted to guard the entrance to the tower where madam is, they were magicians. They reflexively constructed defense barriers. From the level of their skills I figured they were magicians of at least rank B. But without minding that, I selected full-automatic fire and pressed the trigger. Bracing for the muzzle flash, sound of gunfire, and recoil, I aimed at the enemys leg. The man on the right had prepared a defense barrier but it was easily pierced. Gyaa!! Fresh blood spurted out from the enemys leg. In my vision that had gone slow-motion thanks to visual strengthening, I noticed that Snow had hit the man on the left she was in charge of with the S&W revolver, but it was repelled by his defense barrier. Looks like he released quite some magic and built a strong one in an instant. Sheesh, this guy is well-prepared. Still pressing my AK-47s trigger, I slid to the side. With the bullets being shot in full automatic, they found their way inside the enemy. Gugaah!!! Though the barrier was effective against 9mm bullets, it stood no chance against the 7.62mmR. The barrier was easily pierced, and the man was shot through the leg. Yo, you bastards! How did you get in hereBaah!? The man I shot down earlier started raising his voice, but Snow immediately kicked him unconscious. She also likewise kicked the other man unconscious. Of course, I noticed her move and already stopped my firing. As childhood friends who were left in the orphanage on the same day and lived together, harmony is our specialty. While popping the empty bullets out of the cylinder and reloading it from the magazine, Snow called out to me. Lute-kun! The lock please! Leave it to me! [What was that sound!?] [An intruder!? Oi, what are the guys outside doing!] [Its the tower! The tower is under attack!] We heard mens voices from throughout the castle. They noticed the presence of intruders from the strange sound (gunfire) and the magic power from body strengthening. They knew all too well that the tower where madam is would be the target. For a castle this well defended, not even an idiot would invade for the money and goods. It wouldve been best if we immediately opened the door and went into the tower but the problem lies with the door. The door was bulky and made of metal, and it had a lock attached to an iron bar as thick as a childs arm. The wall around the door was of course made of anti-magic bricks. Normally the gatekeepers would be holding the keys, but as a precaution against intruders they would often hold identical dummy keys. There was no time to try each and every one in turn. In other words, to break this door open without a key within a short time, youll need magic powerful enough to either destroy the metal door or the anti-magic bricks. But there was no time to chant the spell for that. In the first place, if you use magic poorly, even if you could break the door open, the magic power released would be high enough to destroy the area surrounding the door, burying the passage. In the end, you wouldnt be able to get in. Other than magic, another way to break the lock open is by cutting it using a sword, but you need sufficient skill and power for that. The door was made of heavy metal, and the lock was also well made. It was at the level where only a famous master could do something about it. There was nobody around us with that kind of skill. There was the possibility of using body strengthening and a heavy axe to forcibly cut the door apart. If we go back a bit we could take the axe from the metal armor. but while we did that the guards would have gathered here. However, in my hands I hold an AK-47. It had the power to pierce through an NIJ (National Institute of Justice) [Level III A++]-ranked bulletproof vest. It would be impossible for normal bullets to pierce through the heavy metal door, but the lock isnt so much of a problem. I aimed at the lock and fired in semi-auto mode. *BANG!* The lock easily flew apart. Snow and I went inside the doorway as if diving in. Snow pushed the open door closed, put her beloved gun away, and turned both her hands toward the door. Hark my call o dragon of ice and snow. Let forth a world of glaciers before me! Permafrost! Ice, it was melded magic of Ice. At elementary level you can use 1 kind. At intermediate level you can meld 2 kinds. At the advanced level you can meld over 3 kinds of magic. The door was jammed with ice from the inside. Now even if the lock was broken, they wont be able to get inside so easily. It was plenty enough to buy time with. I heard Snow call from behind me and destroyed the lock on the next door. Right then, my magazine ran out of bullets so I replaced it. I packed fresh bullets into the magazine. I opened the door, let Snow inside, and ran up the stairs in one stroke with body-strengthening-enhanced strides. In less than a minute I reached the top floor of the tower where madam was imprisoned. The door looked sturdy but unlike the two at the bottom of the tower it was made with careful workmanship. It wasnt hard to break through for being an ordinary door. Madam, are you alright? Its Lute! [Lute!? You came to save me on your own?] Lets save the details for later! Please step away from the door for a moment. Its dangerous to be in front of the door so please move aside. [All right.] I broke through the door using my body-strengthened shoulder. The door was blown into the room, hinge and all. Inside the room there was Lady Seras Gate Vlad who I hadnt seen for several months, since Karens surprise party. She was wearing an undecorated one-piece dress that looked like pajamas. She looked a little lean, maybe from lack of exercise. Furthermore, her breasts seemed to have grown bigger. However, as far as I can see there were no traces of her having been hurt or tortured. I stroked my chest in relief. Lute, have you really come to save me? Ma, madam!? Overcome with emotion, madam hugged me from the front like she did the day we first met. My face was buried in her plump bosom. It felt good, and the scent of a grown woman, unlike Snow or ojousama, made me feel dizzy. Madam released her hands off me, and then she looked at Snow with interest. Oh my, this person here is? My fiance, Snow. This is the first time I heard that Lute had a fiance! Nice to meet you, my name is Seras Gate Vlad. I am really thankful to you for coming to save me. Nice to meet you, Im Lute-kuns fiance, Snow. It is I who should thank you for saving Lute-kuns life. Not at all, in fact Im the one who should be thanking him. Even my husband called him a good purchase. By the way, I sensed some strong magic power from below, was it you? It might be a little impertinent of me, but could you kindly tell me your rank? Im A-minus ranked. The S-ranked magician Freezing Witch-sama gave me the nickname [Witch of Ice and Snow]. Oh my, thats amazing. Reaching A-minus rank at such an age, and to be given a nickname by the S-ranked magician Freezing Witch-sama, too. Not even royalty could do that. Ive considered that I might not live up to the name, but this and that happened so I received the name. I wonder if you could tell me about it if you have time. I love adventure stories like that. My husbandDan Gate Vlad also had all sorts of fun stories. The time when he slept in the dungeon was most amusing Madam! Snow! Please leave the talk for later. Were really short on time here! The uproar from below had become louder. They had started to use strong magic that even I could sense. Snow took down the bag she was carrying and took out a white clay-like blob. Madam, can I have you squat down for a little bit? She followed Snows instructions. She started covering the magic prevention collar wound around madams neck with the clay-like material. The magic prevention collar served three functions. FirstWhile within visual range, the one powering the collar can make it shrink so as to suffocate the wearer. SecondIt could give the user information on the wearers whereabouts. ThirdWere the collar to be forcibly taken off, the wearer shall be killed by the magic applied on the collar. This clay-like material served to disable the first function. It was something given to us by Meiya, she guaranteed its effectiveness. Next, as long as the collar was worn, madams location would still be known and she would be continuously pursued. If the collar were to be clumsily removed, she would die. However, according to Meiya, it seems that it wouldnt be hard to remove the collar given the right tools, time, and skills. Therefore the plan is for us to take madam, cross over the forest 1 km behind the castle, and take her on a covered coach we parked on the main road. Special unlocking tools that Meiya brought in were already set up inside the covered coach. Of course, the genius magic device developer Meiya, who had the skills to unlock the magic prevention collar, is on standby inside. Whats left to do is to just run away until the collar is unlocked. I took out a softball-sized sphere from Snows backpack and put it aside. I unfastened the AK-47s magazine and replaced it with the one in my lower back pocket. These are the special items I prepared for this day. Lute-kun, preparations all done. Im done, too. Snow, proceed as planned please. Roger! Still with the backpack on, Snow increased her body strengthening. Madam, if youll excuse me. Oh my oh my. Snow picked up madam in a princess carry. I gave her instructions as she was being carried. Madam, it might be a little suffocating but please hold your breath when I say so. Uhuhuhu, this reminds me of when my husband princess-carried me for the first time. Yeah, that was the night we first met each other on the boat. We fell in love at first sight that day. Madam! Uhuhu, alright. When Lute gives the signal Im to hold my breath, right. Please. Well then lets go Snow! OK, any time! I boosted my body with body strengthening. With the AK-47 in full auto I barraged the wall of stacked bricks with bullets. Once that magazine is finished, I took out a second one and unleashed another barrage. The ammo I barraged the wall with is a special kindarmor piercing rounds. The usual bullet cores were made of ersatz-lead, but this time the cores were made of ersatz-tungsten wrapped in ersatz-lead. A thin jacket is wrapped around it to make the cartridge. Armor piercing rounds were built to punch through materials like iron plates. No matter how anti-magic these bricks are, they shouldnt be able stand against something that can go through iron plates. I made bullet holes around a section of wall about the size a person could go through. One-two! I covered my entire body in magic power for just 10 seconds and did a roundhouse kick. The bunch of bricks danced in the air and fell down. The sound of the bricks falling was heard throughout the castle. At this point Ive used up half of my magic power. I replaced the magazine and picked up the softball-sized sphere, then jumped out towards the castle walls through the hole in the tower. Snow was carrying madam. Deceleration and body strengthening had of course been handled by her magic. It was dark down below, but the castle walls could be faintly seen, we then jumped on top of it. It wasnt the time to be lingering about, but there were of course guards that were standing watch outside gathered beneath the walls. It was obvious given the flashy way we made our escape route. This is where the ball I prepared comes in handy. Madam! Please hold your breath! Just before I jumped down the castle wall, I gave madam the signal. There were the guards on watch down below. I forcefully threw the ball in my hand at them. The ball hit the ground and exploded. A huge cloud of smoke came out. A smokescreen!? This much is no big deal, I can *cough*! *cough*!? M, my body y Is this silver!? There was silver dust mixed in with the smoke. Silver is deadly poison to vampires. The silver filled their lungs by being breathed in. The moment we landed, we swiftly ran amidst the confusion. We headed towards the forest 1 km away. Once we reached that place, it would be our win. 500 meters remaining. !? Lute-kun! Get behind me! Snows warning. Flame swords, water spears, and lightning axes danced, blocking our way. Still holding on to madam, Snow hid me behind her back and opened a barrier. It blocked all the magic attacks. Ten-odd men appeared out of the shadows where the magic was fired from. *tch*!? I see, so the ringleader was Lute. I thought it was too cunning for Merry. It was the first time I saw him in months. Gigi-sans figure almost hadnt changed. He looked just like the time when he was happy about ojousama going outside in order to get over her trauma. That Gigi-san who shouldnt have changed pointed out my mistakes like he usually did. But youre too na?ve. You overdid the acting you used as diversion. Intelligence is best when you make them think and consider and find out about it. Thats because intelligence they happen upon by themselves is one that they would believe in the most. The men, mainly of the beast race, fanned out behind our back, encircling us. They were probably the men in Gigi-sans direct command. Their eyes shined with a hired professionals light, absolutely not willing to let madam escape. Under the lead of Gigi-san, they set about to block our way. Despite supposedly standing in front of me as enemies, I still considered that it might be a lie, that he might be a fake. Why are you over on that side, Gigi-san? For what reason did you betray master, madam, Merry-san and the servants, and Ojousama? The first words out of my mouth after several months were not ones of denigration, but questioning as to his motives. I was sure that he was forced into betrayal because there was someone he know or a friend being held hostage. Though he was taciturn and looked frightening, Gigi-san treasured the Vlad house more than anyone. He crafted so many plans and chaperoned ojousama out of worry for her. No way that kind of person would truly turn traitor. But his reply was as usual, unrestrained and indifferent. I dont mind talking now, but are you sure? Were not your only enemies you know. Gigi-san pointed behind me. The smokescreen had cleared, and vampires who werent swallowed by the fumes were closing in on us. Wolf in the front gate, Vampire in the back. Lute-kun . thats right isnt it. Theres lots to do before asking your reasons. First I have to safely get out of here and lead madam to safety. If you can, that is. Gigi-san and his men took a solid stance. Behind us there were the vampires who escaped the smokescreen bearing down on us. Normally, one would think we had no way to escape. However, I unhurriedly raised my left hand, waving it round and round, sending a signal. The others besides Snow and I made dubious expressions, not knowing my intention. Whats this, signalling surrender? Then rather than that you should unhand the hostage andgaaaah! There was a popping sound. At the same time, the beastman standing beside Gigi-san collapsed on the spot. There was a hole in his left thigh and blood splattering everywhere. BANG. Gaaah!? Another man beside him collapsed in the same way, holding his leg. This time it was the thigh on his right leg. Snow! Got it! Only Snow and I was not bewildered and escaped the siege net through the hole created by the collapsed men. After them! Dont let them escape! Only one, Gigi-san reacted to the sudden situation, and made the order to chase after us BANG. A man who reflexively reacted to the order collapsed, holding his leg. Another invisible attack. Gigi concentrated magic power in his eyes, trying to firstly figure where the attack was coming from. !? Is that Ojousama! Then he noticed her a long way away, about 500 meterson the boundary between the forest and plain grounds. At that distance he couldnt see her if it werent for the magical eyesight strengthening. Ojousama was standing on one knee, holding a long, cylindrical weapon. It was the kneeling shot position. Every time she shoots, a [7.62mm51 NATO round] came flying out at about 838 meters per second. They didnt know that. They were not aware what kind of terrible monster they were now standing before. It was the moment for the trump card on our sideof Chrisse Gate Vlad to bloom! (^)g Volume 3 - CH 46 Out in the distance, about 500 meters away, Chrisse was holding in her arms a long, black, cylindrical weapon. Gigi saw it with his magically strengthened eyesight, and set out to give orders to his subordinates, but BANG. GAAAAH! Another popping sound. Almost immediately one of the vampires going after Lute collapsed, holding his stomach. Hit by a bullet. (No mistaking it now. I dont know what magic or magic device it is, but seems she could strike from 500 meters away in the dark without any starlight.) Gigi calmly analyzed the situation, the impressive range and accuracy of the attack made him shudder even though he could feel no magic power from it. (Damn that cursed thing! Never in my long life have I seen anything like that. Chrisse-ojousama is going easy on us now so she only struck legs and stomachs, but just one shot of this to the head and itll be instant death. Well be killed before we noticed were dead.) No matter how much Gigi concentrated, he could not perceive the flow of magic nor its outbreak. This is precisely why the magicians could be taken by surprise and killed without them knowing it. The atrociousness of the weapon made the spine along Gigis back shiver. Luckily it didnt seem to be able to fire rapidly. Everytime the popping sound is heard, Chrisse gave a pull on some lever-like thing with her hand. Another interlude, then another popping sound, that was proof of that. Gigi immediately gave his orders. Enemy attack, distance is 500 meters! Attack is from unknown magic or magic device! No rapid fire! Half of you tend to the wounded, the other half follow me! Being professionals they immediately moved according to the head of guards, Gigis orders. As ordered, half the men tended to the wounded, the other half went in pursuit of Lute. The number of pursuers were ten-odd people, beastmen and vampires. All of them were the surviving B-minus ranked magician strongmen. Dont let her aim at you, move forward while making evasive moves! They proceeded to pursue Lute, moving left and right as if avoiding arrows, all according to Gigis orders. The distance to the target is 200~250 meters. Gigis group proceeded using zig-zagging movement to not let her aim at them, creating a bit of distance with the target. However, it is now still possible for them to catch up with this distance. Furthermore, beastmen and vampires, who have night eyes, have the advantage in the dark forest. Then theres the magic prevention choker attached to Seras neck. As long as she has that on her, no matter where she goes they will be aware of her location, and then theres also magic that will kill her if she tries to take the collar off without using the special key. Even if they could run an hours distance away, theres no way Seras would slip away. Moreover, their fighting force is Lute, Chrisse, and the white magician Snow. Gigi, from his senses honed through the long years, was able to figure out Snows value from her magic power and her behavior as a mage. She was an annoying opponent, but not one they couldnt defeat as a group. Lute and Chrisse had no talent as magicians, but they were armed with unusual weapons. (Invisible attacks are certainly troubling, but it was that strong. Theres no way they could keep using it forever.) As Gigi expected, there was a limit to Lute and Chrisses bullets. They believed that they could take them down with the quantity of their magic power. Even if the enemy had prepared more forces, it would be enough to hold them back when the time comes. It would be enough if they bought time until their fallen comrades recovered. (In other words, this escape drama is just a game of tag that were bound to win from the start.) Gigi clenched his teeth, glaring at the backs of the escapees. Lute, Snow, and Seras entered the forest. After a delay Chrisse stopped her firing, and followed behind them. About 200 meters behind them, Gigi and his troops stepped into the forest. For Lute, this is a forest that he knew really well, but for Gigi, this place is practically his own backyard. There should be no such thing as professionals who dont understand a forest that was right beside them. GUAAAH! However, the first screams came up from among the pursuers. What happened!? M, my leg! Theres something sticking into my leg! There was a pitfall trap containing thin blades with barbs attached that dug halfway into the beastmans lower leg through his leather shoes. Although they were thin, they were strong. They easily pierced through sole and foot just by the force of his body weight. GUEEE!? T, theres one here too! Dardas squirming while holding his throat! T, this one is. thin metal lines stretched out!? Goddammit! They, theyve turned the forest full of traps! The young vampire man called Darda was shedding fresh blood from his throat and fell to the ground writhing. His allies used healing magic on him in a hurry, but it seems there was silver in the traps. His allies hurriedly made him drink anti-silver drug. Not even 10 meters into the forest, and they already had 2 casualties. The forest that shouldve been like their own backyard had been laid out with traps like the jungles of Vietnam. Gigi chided his panicked subordinates. Get a hold of yourselves! These are amateur traps! We wont get caught if we moved carefully! This is a trick theyve used, and others used on them before. Slowing down the enemys advance by laying traps on their path. Gigi and his men took careful steps and proceeded, avoiding the traps. BANG. GUAAAA! The man carefully probing and disarming the traps was shot down in the shoulder with a [7.62mm51 NATO round] and collapsed. Get down! Its the invisible attack from earlier! Get down! Gigis men obeyed his orders and got down on the spot, but the screams didnt stop. BANG. AAAAAH! BANG. GAAA! WHYYY! We got down but why do the attacks still hit! The man next to Gigi shouted out, half in panic. (Ojousama is probably on a high spot and looking down towards us.) There were gentle sloped hills in the forest. It wasnt hard to hit even a prone target when one aims from a high point. (The one thing I dont understand is how in the world could she accurately pinpoint our positions in the dark night without starlight) Like lightning, a flash ran through Gigis mind. !? Stop your body strengthening! Shes aiming by detecting your magic power! By Gigis orders, the men immediately cut off their magic. The reason is obvious if they calmly thought about it. Chrisses magic power was used from a distance and in small quantities so they couldnt detect it. It was hard to find her from where Gigi and his men were. Gigi and his men stood up once again, and proceeded forwards while on the lookout for traps however, BANG. GUAAAAA! The shoulder of the man next to Gigi was hit and fresh blood scattered everywhere. IT HURTS! IT HURTS! WHY?! I WAS SURE I CUT OFF MY MAGIC! WHY!? Calm down! Calm down and use healing on yourself! Nnn gigigigigi The man put together all his concentration. A whistling sound that froze the spine on Gigis back passed by the tip of his nose. AAAAAH! The leg of the man who was about to apply healing jumped up. It was because he was hit on the buttocks. BANG. AAAAAAH!!! Next, his other leg was shot. Goddammit! GODDAMMIT!!! WHY ONLY ME!! STOP IT! The man fainted, in tears, nose dripping, and drooling in agony from the pain he had never experienced before. The terror was contagious. This was a warning from Chrisse that she could torment all the men in the forest, including Gigi to death in the same way if she so chosethrough the man who fainted in agony in front of their eyes. She had plenty of reasons to want to do that. The mens morale visibly dropped. With cold sweat running through his brow, Gigi thought about a question. (How could she accurately figure out our positions and launch attacks in the dark night without starlight?) There was no sign of her looking for them with magic. They also didnt use magic so they shouldnt have been detectable (!? Thats right! She could have simply figured our positions out by eyesight!?) Gigi knew. Chrisses eyesight and night vision was outstandingly high even among vampires. She was a talent, a prodigy, a genius who once shot down a fruit bat dancing in the dark night using a bow. Now that she has that invisible long range magic attack device, she was like a fish in water. Gigi was at last filled with terror right through to the core. (Ojousama has no talent!? Youve got to be kidding me! Shes more of a problem than Master!) Dan Gate Vlad was strong. However, strong is all he was. If Gigi had to fight Dan face to face, he would run away with all his might. If he ran away and hid himself, he didnt have to worry about getting killed. He was proud to possess the strength to be able to run away from Danfrom an A-ranked magician, a rank that only a few geniuses were able to reach. (But Ojousamas abilityher strength is more than that!) From a long range and without any magic that could be sensed, she could deliver an attack that carried instant death. He would never know when he would die! No matter how strong he was, the moment he stopped running his head could crack open like a red strawberry being smashed. In other words, when it comes to facing Chrisse, there was nothing else to do but shiver in fear of not knowing when he would be killed, even if he could run away. It was obvious which one is more fearsome. Not only Gigi, his subordinates also became aware of that truth, and trembled. They did not know how soon she would pierce holes through their heads on a whim. The hands of a god of death gently caressed the faces of everyone there. The clouds parted and starlight shone through like a spotlight, illuminating one corner of the forest. Under that light, Chrisse Gate Vlad was standing, holding her M700P. Her distance from Gigi and his men was over 200 meters. Hugging the M700P, she moved her throat that cant speak because of trauma, moving her lips as if singing a song. Her voice could not be heard. The men there were simply captivated by her, and stopped in their tracks. Chrisse continued moving her throat and lips. Gigi and his men didnt know. The song she was singing to herself right now was something taught by Lute, the [Riflemans Creed] chanted by the United States Marine Corps. In his previous life, Hotta YoutaLute was weak in English. However, he was entranced by this [Riflemans Creed] and worked with all his might to memorize it. Then when he recited it to Chrisse, she was strangely captivated by it and memorized it as well. She could not release her voice because of trauma, but she concentrated on chanting this [Riflemans Creed], insisting that she be able do so accurately. She chanted. This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my family. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy A young girl who could bestow death upon them sang soundlessly. They had no idea what the young girl was whispering. Her blonde hair sparkled beautifully under the starlight, her innocent childlike face was lovely, rousing ones protective instincts. But she was holding in her arms a pitch-black magic weapon that could turn them into lumps of meat in an instant, hugging it tenderly like it was her own child. White and Black. Light and Darkness. Life and Death. The scene in that place was fantastic, giving them visions of all the world being in that place. It was awe-inspiring. HYAAAAAAAAA!!! Unable to hold back his fear, one of the men turned tail and broke into a run. L, like Im letting myself get killed! This isnt worth however much theyre paying me! He used body strengthening at full power on his legs, aiming to break out of the forest, but BANG! GAAAAA! Chrisse mercilessly shot out his buttocks from behind. No matter how much he used body strengthening, it wasnt a technique that could outrun a bullet at twice the speed of sound. Chrisse yanked the bolt. Clinkthe empty ammo cartridge fortuitously struck a stone buried on the ground, sounding the ending bell of the match. Thick clouds once again hid the starlight. Chrisses figure melted, disappearing into the darkness. There was a brief silence. Taking this as a chance, another of Gigis men made a reckless attempt to run away. GYAAAA!!! He tried to run swiftly like an arrow using body strengthening, and yet Chrisses bullet pierced his abdomen as if drawn there by a thread. Chrisse will not allow anyone to run from this place. Furthermore, the popping sound came from a greater distance than before. Even while retreating, Chrisse was giving them an angry glare. *huff* *huff* *huff* Gigis and his mens breathing became short and rough. The cause was the fear they felt. It was clearly not a game of tag theyre bound to win. They were cleverly led down to the monsters mouthto a place of death. (But, were not defeated yet. If we could pin down madam in the end then it would be our win.) So long as she was wearing the magic prevention choker, Gigi and the others could find out Seras whereabouts any time. (First we should somehow get out of here. Then find out madams location and launch an attack) Gigi pulled together his battered down emotions, and switched his thoughts over. As he was thinking about how to escape the forest, a light exploded high in the sky. Unknown to Gigi, this was Lutes signal to Chrisse to withdraw, saying that [the collar is off]. After a short while, Chrisses presence vanished completely. It was about 30 minutes later that Gigi and his men realized this fact. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 47 Let us turn back the clock a little bit. Lute-kun are you okay? Should I slow down a bit? I Im okay, I can still keep going. We left ojou-sama to hold them back and cut through the forest. My current magic power is at about a third left. Even though Snow used magic while carrying the madam in her arms, I dont feel her magic power weakening. This is the difference that having talent in magic makes.. The madam let out a worried sigh at us. If this choker could be removed, I could also run with my own legs. Dont be concerned, besides, we will be out of the forest soon. Just like I said, we were finally out of the forest. Jumping down from this vertical cliff, at the rendezvous point was a wagon stationed there. Yoshi, just as we planned! Inside the wagon, Meiya came to meet us. Welcome back Lute-sama! It seems you were able to rescue your benefactor safely. Meiya, Ill leave it to you. Snow come help her. Right now we are in the middle of the operation, so will you two please cooperate? Muu, I understand. My warning was to Snow in particular. She pouted at my warning. While I let out a sigh, the coachman whip the horse. There was no reason to stay in this place forever. Inside the wagon, Meiya started a conversation with the madam. Nice to meet you madam, I am Lute-kuns first pupil Meiya Dragoon. Thats very polite of you, Im Seras Gate Vlad. I thank you for your assistance. Meiya why is that genius magic tool developer is in the demon continent? Everything is according to Lute-samas will.. Is Meiya-san also Lutes fiance? En Engaged!? no, no, such dreadness! however if such thing was proposed could I possibly refuse? Rather, I dont have any reason to refuse! Meiyas maiden face redden, and she fumbled around with her fingers. No, enough with such talk, i wish you would start preparing to unfasten that magic prevention choker. Muu~~~ thats wrong! This person is not Lute-kun fiancee! Dont say bad things about Lute-kun! She was badmouthing Lute-kun, too! Because of madams remark, Snow puffed her cheek. Her remark also made Meiya collapse, like being hit in the head with a hammer. UuUu, at that time i have yet to be touched by Luke-samas magnificence, i was ignorant. anyway, now ill be removing madams choker. Choker? but if its not unlocked with the key, the magical curse will kill mel However, if its left alone it will give away your location to the enemy. Ooo, this choker also had that kind of functionality huh. Yes, thats why I dont know when we are going to get attacked, so I need to remove it. Of course i am a genius follower of Lute-sama the magic tool developer Meiya Dragoon! This level of choker i could easily remove without any difficulty. Therefore do not be concerned. However, she added. Unlocking it would require approximately 30 minutes. Even with Meiyas level of expertise in magical tools and the special tools prepared it would still take 30 minutes. Of course its impossible for an amatuer to unlock a magic prevention choker. Wont we get attacked while were doing that? Its alright. Right now, Chrisse-chan is keeping the enemy at bay! Snow energetically replied. In madams expression float a hint of worry. Not for her own safety, but for her daughter. As I thought, that was not a mistake. Is that girl capable of keeping Gigi and the others at bay? She can! Because Chrisse-chan had become very strong! To blow away madam worries, Snow cheerfully answered. Both me and Snow had the same opinion. Instead, Im worried that she went overboard. I believe the talent ojou-sama has, was more than just what imagined. Especially in night battles. The way that she could shoot out targets even with only her normal non-body-strengthened eyesight in the dark was, in a word, shocking. In the previous world, a U.S. army sniper that could snipe game in the night is called a Vampire. Ojou-sama, who demonstrated the most power in night warfare is definitely a Vampire So, lets start. Could you please lie down? As per Meiya instruction, madam lie down on the platform. Light please. With Snows magic, the wagon interior was illuminated. Meiya begun to disassemble the choker with a tool in her hand. - just as she declared, the choker was unlocked in 30 minutes. She then casually threw out the choker Lute-kun, signal Chrisse-chan to withdraw. Leave it to me. Snow from the wagon stretch out her hand high. A flashy bright magic explosion shot upward. Around one hour later. Gigi and the other, moved quickly toward the location of the magic prevention collar. But, there they found only the magic prevention collar laying on the road. They had let madam slip away. The place we arrived in, is the residence of a magic stone dealer to whom Meiya is friendly with. Coming back from the night battle, ojou-sama met her mother first time in a few months. Tsu! Ojou-sama still in her field uniform, leapt straight for her mothers chest after not having seen her for a long time. Madam gently stroked her head. Thank you Chrisse. For saving mother. [Without everyones help, I can do nothing by myself.] She wrote on the magic mini-blackboard. Thats right, isnt it. Everyone, as representative of the Vlad house, I once again give you my thanks. Madam lowered her head to us, me, Snow and Meiya, in that place. Madam, as a butler of the Vlad house, it was only the natural thing to do.. In that case, then the fact that our family was able to meet with Lute was really a godsend. I have sent out word to Merry-san and the others about Madams safe extrication, but meeting with them would have to wait until after the reconciliation. Its to prevent the enemy from finding out your whereabouts and coming to attack and abduct you and Ojousama again. The enemy is detestable, but beyond the fact that there are those watching the family feud from the side, we cant afford to kill them all. Now that there are no hostages on their side, they no longer had any hands to play. After showing our power to deter them, we should find out Masters whereabouts, and then once again we entrust our self to Master. Its so. Although, what is the plan from here on? As I am safe now, my husband will be able to use all his power, but I heard that he was sold as a slave to somewhere. We presently dont have the power to keep those people in check. [Mother, do you know where father has been sold to?] No, Im sorry, Im a powerless mother. [Thats not true! But I wonder if father is okay] You dont need to worry about that. Its him after all, even if he receive a body blow from a dragon, there wont be even a single scratch on him. Uwaa, its so easy to imagine him to do that. To change the atmosphere I spoke out. Since we have ojousama as a deterrent there wont be any problems. Which is why I was thinking Id like to open up negotiations with the enemy soon. Chrisse? Yes. She is our deterrent, our trump card. Lute turned to ojou-sama. By the way ojou-sama, were there any problems with the sniper rifle you tried today? [The bullets powder still felt a bit weak. The trigger weight was also a little bit on the soft side and the bullets were a bit off from what I imagined, so please make the adjustments.] Guh, ce certainly. Though I only worked on it for a short time, I did my best to complete the sniper rifle, but Ojousama still found things to criticize about it. I understand. Then Ill make the adjustments until the day of the reconciliation. For now, please assume you will be using the current gun for the performance. [Okay.] Meiya interrupted. Its about time for sunrise soon. Shall I prepare a hot bath or some food? Ill take you up on your offer then. Please prepare a bath. Its been awhile since I had one with my daughter, you dont mind do you, Chrisse? [Yes, mother.] While smiling ojou-sama lifted up her mini board. Allowing the mother-daughter pair to bond after their long separation, we took the tactful approach and left the room. ޤiǤäƤ꤬Ȥޤ 롢`֡ҊʤǤZӭǤ ա£աr趨Ǥ Thank you reading this far! Impressions, typographical errors, is anything welcome your comments! Tomorrow, January 2, is scheduled update 21:00. ޤƤǤȤޤ Happy new year. ˤ¤ޤBäƸ¤Ф˼ޤ Best regards for the year to come. I plan to work hard and make new updates! ޤԒ饤եޥĤvƥ`롢ȤǤBjƤä꤬Ȥޤ Also, to the people mailing me with comments about chapter 46, [Riflemans Creed], thank you very much.饤եޥĤϕף ȣ ңϣˤʤˤʤäƤޤޤӢZUʤUǤԷ֤ǤäƤޤ The person who wrote the [Riflemans Creed] (a Mr. William H. Rupertus) passed away back in 1945. The translation from English was done by myself (its a bit of a liberal translation though). ޤʼᤫҤ֪餻ޤ£աkӤΥץƥ`ºŤˤƥͥåȰkΥƥĤB餹ӛ¤ǣʤС褦ǤϤޤ܊B餵뤽Ǥ I have happy news for the start of the new year. On the 10th of January, [Gun-Ota] was introduced in the February edition of Comptiq in an article introducing net-original contents (its a small one though). ⤷C᤬Хå픤ҤǤ If you have the chance please check it out, Ill be happy if you do. ʤߤ˽ؤΣԒ˳Ƥ륹󥰤Ԥˡݘ򡺥ѥOޤĿˤ_ɳƤ褫äǤ By the way, I decided to make Ojousama a [Vampire] so I can use the slang I used in this 47th chapter. Im glad I could reach that goal. ޤ`֤Τ\ˤ꤬Ȥޤ Again, I thank you very much for typo reports. Ф˼ޤ I will go and fix them soon. ǤϺˤޤ Well then, best regards for the year to come. Ĥi¤ä\ˤ꤬ȤޤBޤ Thank you very much for reading, Ill do my best this year too! (^)g Volume 3 - CH 48 About half a month after we rescued Madam. Chrisse-ojousama and Madams meeting place with the Vampire Clan has been decided. The location is Chrisse-ojousama best friends residence, Karen Bishop from centaur race. It would take place in the training ground. The training ground is 3 soccer fields wide. As expected of weapon dealers. Usually this place is used as a training ground for the private armies, but right now nothing is here. On the training ground 4 simple chairs are set on opposing sides. In front of the chief seat, a wooden table is placed. On it was an unfamiliar scale, standing there conspicuously. The seat on our side are occupied by Ojou-sama and Madam, on their back me, Merry-san and Merc-san lined up. At the opposing side the fat Vampire clans patriarch Pylkk?nen Vlad and the skinny Ravino sat there, on their backs Gigi-san and 2 others are standing there. On the chief seat, Karen sat there, as a witness and moderator. Normally, this kind of discussion would happen indoors. But, on Vlad count houses suggestion, this time it will be held on an open ground. The weather is cloudy as usual, but there is no wind and it is quite warm. It seems that having a discussion outside wont have any unexpected drawback. In the silence, Karen looked around, working as a moderator. Now, let begin the discussion between Vampire houses from the Vampire race. I karen from the horse clan will bear witness. in the case of not following the rules and violence is used, the party involved will be antagonized by the horse clan. In this regard, the Horse Clan is the top class fighting force. Theres probably no one thinking of making the Horse Clan as enemies. Pylkk?nen the chief of Vampire clan raised his hand. And what if the Horse Family deliberately sides with the Vlad House in this discussion, hmm? In the name of the horse clan i swear, absolute fairness will be assured. In the case of circumstances, compensation can be requested. And to prevent such cases to happen ive brought this [Scales of Truth.] [Scales of Truth.] A Magic Tool. There are feathers on both ends of the scale. One is white, one is black. It is then balanced on the palm of the hand, it will judge the fairness of the person in charge, now that Karen had declared, if she supported Ojou-sama side, the white feather will sink. The opposite also hold true, if she supported the Vampire Clan, the black wing will sink. Other than that, the feathers wont move. It seems it was used a lot in the court. Can we confirm it? Yes, certainly. Oi, Ravino! Yes, elder brother. The two men rise, checking whether or not the [Scales of Truth] was the real thing. Looking at the backside, touching the wings, also confirming that magic are properly contained by holding it in the palm of the hand. Satisfied, they returned to their seats. People of the Vlad House, have you confirmed? We do not see any problems with it. Madam shook her head to accept. If so, we will begin to open this meeting. Karen holds the Scales of Truth on top of her palm. I Karen Horse hereby will disregard my personal feeling and will conduct this meeting in complete fairness. The Scale of truth glows. Of course the equilibrium remain undisturbed. With this the preparation are complete. The one who spoke first was Vampire patriarch, Pylkk?nen Vlad. We the Vampire Clans patriarch, cannot forgive the night raid that happened in our main Vlad house half a month ago! Right now I want to have justice for our house guards! We are no demon, but we wont allow the Vampire Clan to be made fun of, thats why we demand you to hand over Seras Gate Vlad and Chrisse Gate Vlad to us unconditionally. If our demand is fulfilled, we will overlook this incident! Yeah, as expected for elder brother! Pylkk?nen sat back on his chair, acting like a messenger of justice. As usual Ravino, the second son, acts servile. Madam rejected their demand. We never acknowledge people like you to become the head of Vlad Clan. You are just a thief who stole the seat and taking hostageche-! Fun! That was just an unfortunate accident. To begin with, a dispute around family inheritance is nothing uncommon for demon clans, on contrary its quite a common occurrence even among other clans. There should be no resentment for it. Pylkk?nen composure hasnt faltered even if hes the perpetrator for taking hostages. Such a shameless person. Furthermore Pylkk?nen pressed for an answer. First, the count of your family is unfortunately being enslaved and currently missing. For that reason, we assume the role as the head of the family. And instead of being grateful, you spoke ill of us. ..If thats the case, then there will be no problem. I will let my daughter Chrisse Gate Vlad to take the role. Even Pylkk?nen was shocked by that statement. He hurled insults, spittle flying out from his mouth. Impossible! The family head isnt even here, and you just make a decisions as you please!? Furthermore shes not even a magician, that incompetent daughter! A kid like thats doesnt deserve becoming the head of the Vlad clan! This time its Madam turn to attack. The head of the house is currently missing. Thats why Ive decided to make my daughter into the head. Even if my husband is here, I doubt hell have any objection. Indeed she is still 12, and there is still time before she will grow into an adult at the age of 15. Considering the case, I will assume the role as a temporary head. Vampire clan representative, Pylkk?nen and second son Ravino became so red that they turn blue. Their argument is turned and used against them. Like a boomerang that return and stuck on the thrower body. Madam pressed on. As you said, my daughter probably doesnt have any magical talent, but she got talent to take the role as the head of the family. E, even a kid can say such a thing! Show us a proof, or we cant accept it! Evidence! Pylkk?nen snapped like a lowly dog at a point he can finally make an objection to. He did so not knowing that the bait contained deadly poison. Then well give you your proof. Karen-san, we would like to demonstrate a certain magic tool as proof, may we? I dont mind. Pylkk?nen-sama, do you have any problem with it? Of course Pylkk?nen doesnt have any reason to object. Receiving his consent, Karen gave out permission. At her signal, I temporarily left my position, to get that certain magical tool From Karens residence, a metal case was carefully being carried. Moreover Karens servants, had implanted a wooden doll that is fully equipped with armours approximately 300 meter away. ? Vampire Clans patriarch and second son tilted their heads. Remembering what happened at that night raid, Gigi and company break into a cold sweat. Used to it, Ojou-sama brought out the M700P. Loading the magazine, the bolt is cocked. There is no scope. Ojou-sama moved away from her seat. She improved her capability with body strengthening technique. In offhand shooting stance, aiming approximately 300 meter away at the armoured doll. Supporting the barrel with her left hand, she touch the trigger with her right hand. BANG! A bullet shot out when the trigger is pressed. Expertly Ojou-sama recock the bolt and a cartridge was ejected. BANG! The breastplate was penetrated. Another cartridge was ejected. BANG! At the base, the left leg was blown away. Another cartridge was ejected. BANG! Next, the left arm was blown away at its joint. BANG! Lasty, between the slit of the face mask, the right eye was pierced, then the head flew. Both brothers of the Vampire clan were dumbfounded. Instead of Ojou-sama, I left a remark. Karen-sama, due to a personal reasons Ojou-sama cannot speak. That attack is there any problem if Im the one who explains the firing? Vampire Clans patriarch, is there any problem? Karen seeks permission. They nod their head. I once again clears my throat, then begun to explain. Im Lute, a human race butler of the Vlad house. Being presumptuous, I will begun explanation on the magic tool that you had just witness. Everyone gathered their gaze to me. The magic tool that Ojou-sama used is called, sniper rifle M700P. similarly From my pocket I pulled out and shown a 7.62mm x 51 NATO bullet. The size was about 1.5 times an AA battery. From this ammunition a bullet will shoot out. The effective shooting distance is approximately 1.5 kilometer. Even without body strengthening, just like before Ojou-sama could within 1km shoot the head, leg, arm, chest or anywhere she likes. Furthermore all sort of special bullets can be inserted into the ammunition, for example something like a silver bullet. In otherwords, within 1km, no matter what are they doing, maybe on a stroll or eating or shopping or defecating or bathing or nursing, one could be assassinated without any magical trace. In actuality the actual practical effective shooting distance was around 900 meter, but that amount of bluff should be forgiven in a negotiation. Moreover, Ojou-samas skills are top-notch. Day or night doesnt matter to her. In fact, shes even better at night. Madam takes over the speech. If I am not mistaken, the two of you had a cute daughter and son, correct? Also, from (the wives) relatives a niece as well. [!?] Even though its not hot, the Vampire Clans patriarch and second son was drenched in sweat. If this indirect threat was only a wordplay, it could be easily dismissed. However, they were right now being presented with an unpleasant performance. Would they be able to keep their vigilance, constantly in fear of sniper attacks from 1 km in all directions? And not only for their own selves, at that. Their daughters, sons, wives, nieces, and relatives too! Its impossible. Its unrealistic. Most of all, nothing exhausts ones mind and body like the constant fear of death. Madam declared her ultimatum. We demand of you one thing only. Never again lay your hands on our Vlads Count house. In case you break your promise you and every single person who is important to you will experience misfortunes. The Vampire clans patriarch and second son instantly raised a white flag. Sparing not even a single second. After the meeting, the Vampire Clan patriarch and second son left Gigi and the others behind, returning home as if they were running away. They begin to acquire a lot of debt, thats why they tried to acquire the counts house. Allured by the prospect of having counts house property and business, they loaned even more money. Pylkk?nen and co trying to get out of the debt by using the money from the counts house, but they failed. Buried by a hole that they created, probably they are going bankrupt. After that, whatever may happen to them will have nothing to do with us. The other two guards besides Gigi seemed to be thinking Whaaatever. and left the Horse House. Only Gigi-san stayed behind. I once again ask about what happen half month ago. Gigi-san. Why did you betray the Vlads house? I, was born in a certain mountain headquarter in the Beast Continent and my parents are both bandits. Gigi-san slowly revealed his past. But, the bandits master was subjugated by the adventurer. At that time, both my parents and friends died. Of course Master did not personally kill them, nor did he ever intend to kill them. They lost their lives as the result of the battle. Gigi-san was captured by public order corpss soldier. Hes still a child at that time, he was sold as a slave. Luckily, he had talent as a magician, so he didnt recieve a cruel treatment. A chance to grow his magic talent then appeared. When his current master died, and his relative sold Gigi-san. The one who bought him after he was sold to the Slaver was Count Dan Gate Vlad. With his skill as a magician, his obedience from his time with his previous master was tested. When Gigi-san met Master, he realize that he was the adventurers leader. Maa, its troublesome that there are 2-3 people like Master.. Even with a surprise attack, he realized that it was impossible to attack from the front. So Gigi-san waited for an opportunity to get his revenge. I understand that, my parents and friends from the brigade at that time was trash, but they are still my family. My family died protecting me,.. and yet even with the enemy right in front of my eyes, I cant do anything for my dead comrades. Thats why, IDD For that reason he colluded with the Vampire clans patriarch and second brother to kidnap Madam. There Gigi-san sat crosslegged. This was the reason I betrayed you, the truth of the matter. Now boil me or put me to the flames or what have you. He relaxed his body and showed no resistance. With a dangerous mood hanging in the air, Madam stepped/closer. Tsu.. The well-being of Master is still not known. Thanks to Gigi-san, none of the maids of the Vlad House had been assaulted by men, nor had there been any deaths, but having said that, the losses were huge. To me a mere servant, I have no right to stop Madam. While my head is down a warm hand is placed on my arm. When I looked up, I found that Madam was giving me a comforting smile. Gigi, I will tell you your punishment. For betraying the Vlads house You will search for my husband Count Dan. Then apologize to the people, who are involved in this incident. And for the last punishment, Ill let my husband decide. Thats all. Madam? As expected Gigi-san was shocked by the light punishment he received. I have betrayed Madam, by cutting confining and cutting Madam with a silver knife! And yet Madam didnt seek revenge impossible! If commanded i would even kill myself! Gigi-san the accused raised an angry voice. But Madam ignored it nonchalantly. Certainly, betraying the Vlad house is a crime. But Master knew that you are the captured bandits children from the very beginning. The likelihood of being betrayed had already been considered when hiring you. !? At that revelation Gigi-san made a look of pure astonishment. And yet before I knew it above all else i cared about the Vlads house, and my husband and I became careless. So considering it was really our mistake, I wanted to entrust it to my husband. Gigi-san loved the Vlad Family and thought of its interests as much as Merry-san, Merc-san, or any of the other servants. Enough that I could tell, even with his usual taciturn unsociability. Had that not been the case, he would not have said such loyal words as The punishment you gave me is too soft not If you so order, I will take my own life. Thats why Master had completely let his guard down. Gigi-sans wish for vengeance was probably the real thing. But because of the the long years he had spent with them, feelings of love for Master, Madam, Ojou-sama, and the servants had budded. But the wish for vengeance that he held for many years in his heartDDand his decision that he would avenge [his] parents as well, were probably not things that he could wash over. It was because of Gigi-san that Ojou-sama and I were able to escape the castle as he was the one who said to not participate in the battle as I needed to protect Ojou-sama. Was the fact that Master escaped with his life not also in large part due to Gigi-san working behind the scenes? That no deaths had happened this time might also have been because Gigi-san wavered between his vengeance and loyalty. Madam gave Gigi-san a cold look. Do you think suicide will absolve you? You are the Vlads chief guard, please act in a way to not shame that title. My husband has yet to be found, isnt that right Gigi? I am unworthy of being the House of Vlads chief guard. So I will humbly atone for my sins and on my life to find your husband. Gigi-san with his posture upright, his fists firmly planted in the ground, and his head lowered. Although no rain was falling, the drops that did indeed fall to the floor were undoubtedly real. But why Gigi-san, why did you not implement your plan earlier? If you had acted swiftly Gigi-san, Ojou-sama would have never had the opportunity to escape the castle. If I ran together with Ojou-sama, expecting it, its highly probable that Pylkk?nen and co will take us down. Coming back with a few people holding guns is unexpected, but Ojou-sama existence was the most pivotal for winning. It would probably have been possible to strike a deal and move Karens family as well. Could it be.. Gigi-sans plan from the start was to fail and die? But now it would be rather boorish to seek the truth of the matter. I kept silent and resigned my conclusion to the depths of my mind. Thus Volume 2, Raid on the House of Vlad, has drawn to a conclusion; except for the whereabouts of the Count. C Authors Notes : Thank you very much for reading this far! Impressions, typographical errors, opinions; all of it is greatly welcome!! Update scheduled for tomorrow, January 3, 21:00. 4 million PV breakthrough! YaffiDDD! Really, thank you so much, everyone. We arrived here from 3 million in the blink of an eye, so Im shocked. Reefer. (^)g Volume 3 - CH 49 Translators : Laverdy Nekoooo Alex24scan Milanin Estilon Tlc/Editors/Proofreaders : rei_hunter Loliquent Estilon Milanin yuushin The night after the meeting.. In the Vlad houses banquet hall that was used to hold Karens birthday party, a buffet was held in celebration. Gigi-san as expected did not participate. After finishing apologizing to all the people he caused trouble for this time, it would seem he intended to head off on a trip to look for the Master. The main attendees are me, Snow, Chrisse-ojousama, Madam, and Meiya. Then there is the person in charge of the meeting, Ojousamas close friend, the Centaur Karen, also her other close friends, the three-eyed Barnie, and the Lamia Muir. The head butler Merry-san, the head maid Merc-san and the other servants shouted up cheers at the signal of the toast. Tonight was an unrestricted binge to celebrate the victory of House Vlad. The maids were split into groups making the food and going around bringing drinks, and participating in the party in shifts. I am a butlers apprentice, but due to my achievements Ive been exempt from work for tonight. However, even though the other servants still had shifts and were working, having been exempted from work, I stood in a shady corner at the back. But in spite of that it seems I still stand out, as I had been caught by others as they were taking their shifts. The first one was Merry-san the head butler. Truly, the punishment Gigi received from the Madam is far too light. Normally it is reasonable if someone committed treason that they be immediately executed. Dont you think so too Lute? meeh. I guess, however the decision was made by Madam. Naturally. It is thanks to Gigi that we got to know the information that Master was sold to the Demon Continent as a slave. I think that part brought about some kindness, meeh. Though only complaints were uttered, he could not hide the relief in his voice. After all is said and done, Merry-sans and Gigi-sans relationship is lengthy. At Madams request, from tomorrow on I will train you from scratch on how to be like Gigi, baa~ Merry-san is the type to get carried away once he begins to lecture. I brought my hands together in front of my chest and prayed for Gigi-san. During our conversation Snow appears. Snows appearance frees me from Merry-sans ramble. Good work. Snow, If you werent there we wouldnt have gotten to where we are so well. Thank you. Uun, I am glad I was able to assist you Lute. Thats a relief to hear you say so. What are you going to do now, Snow? Are you going back to the Fairy Human Continent Magic School? I told you earlier didnt I? I became a A- ranked Magician as well as a special student; I can graduate without even attending to school. So that way, I can always stay by Lute-kuns side. Ah, thats right. Snow became an A- magician so she could meet me as soon as possible. Just I was relishing in Snows greatness in more way than one, ojousama came along, pudding in hand. Snow shows an interest in ojou-samas pudding, the two get along well and head towards a table. Now its Meiyas turn to make an appearance. You too Meiya, thanks alot. Without your help, surely we were unable to save madam and vlad house. Really thank you. Lute-sama please! Please raise your face! First of all I am Lutes foremost disciple, It is a matter of course to assist you. Meiya responds in her usual tone. Now from her she posed to me the same question I did to Snow. Lute-sama, what are you going to do after this? As it is as I am a slave, I will stay as a butlers apprentice in the Vlad House and remain ojous blood bag. If that is the case I will stay as well! Whatt!? It is natural for your best disciple to remain at your side! Rather than deciding to live here without permission. I believe there is no way you can selfishly decided on such state of things in this residence. After all, there is far too much focus on her being my foremost disciple. Madam who walked past just as this was being discussed joined in the conversation. Meiya-san is Vlad Houses saviour, its fine with me for her to stay here forever. The same goes for Lute. Yes maam. Also as a reward, I release you from slavery. Now you are free. Ah, Madam!? But your husband is still in the Demon Continent. Why when the situation is so dire? Madam stroked my head to reassure me. It is fine. My husband is not one to die easily. Lute should know that best with as many time as you two have dueled. The Count could certainly win even surrounded by dragons, doing so with a laugh. And besides compared to Lute, I know that muscle head better. Of course Gigi will also go on a journey to search for my husband. Set a thief to catch a thiefso the saying goes. Madam connects the phrase with Thats why . After being released from slavery, I dont mind if you decide either to stay here and continue serving as a butler or chasing your dream to create an army corps legion to save people. Madam. my dream how? Fufufu, because Snow-san told me. I think it is a rather good dream. So what will you do? .Please give me some time to think about it. Yes, I do not mind. Well then, Meiya-san I wonder if you would let me hear your story too. Lute, the procedure for releasing you from slavery will be done tomorrow. Eh, wait a ! I as Lute-sama number one disciple must always be at his service! Meiyas arm was captured and dragged by madam. Maybe she did that, so that i could think for my decision without outside disturbance. Thanks to that, I could ponder in tranquility. I wonder why i didnt immediately chose to fulfill my dream to create an army legion that help troubled people right after i was released as a slave? The reason was obvious. Im worried about Chrisse-ojousama. She regained her confidence, but she is still weak to loneliness. Thats why, i believe that i need to stay by her side. However, someday she will become the head of vlad house and marry another man. Until then will i continue to protect her? Thats unrealistic. There are things I want to do. I cant stay at this house until it happen. But. Like a spiraling darkness, rumination swept over my mind. While Im lost in such contemplation, ojou-samas three best friends arrive. Oh, you are here. Why is the star hiding at the corner? said Karen Bishop from Centaur race. This time Im the only one who cant do anything. Im sorry, says the three-eyed Barnie Bloomfield. If you say that, all I did was contact merry-san and the others. said Muir Head from Lamia race. No, it isnt just this incident that all of you have helped with, but Ive been in your care for a great many things, so I really am gratefuly. Truly, thank you very much. Lamia Muir came to give me her thanks with a bittersweet smile. Well, Im glad that you think that way, but Ah, by the way, I know that youve been freed from slavery, but what is it that you intend on doing from now on? ..You heard that? I did, sorry. Though I did not mean to overhear. Barnie of the three-eyed triple apologized profusely. I smiled in response and said that there wasnt a problem. Its okay. Its not like its something unpleasant for others to hear, after all. You say its not unpleasant to hear, but Lute might quit being a butler. Does Chrisse know about it? .. No. When I said that out, the Karens voice became heavy. Whoa, Karen. I know, Muir. Sorry Lute, it was a nasty question. We didnt come here to condemn you, but rather to pass on a message. Message? Aah, It is from Chrisse. It seems she wants you to come to her room. Thinking about what she said, i looked inside the room. Certainly I cannot find ojou-sama. Not so long ago, she supposedly was eating pudding and mille crepe with Snow. Just when did she. Thank you very much. Now then, if youll excuse me, I shall go to meet ojousama. To the three, I lower my head and exit the hall. On the way I meet the head maid Merry-san informing her I was headed to ojou-samas room. She flashed me a sweet smile. Said Good luck Lute, and left.. Luck with what? I turn the other way and continue down the familiar corridor. Finally arriving at Ojou-samas door. After knocking, i place my hand on the door. After a few months, it was the nostalgic Ojou-sama room. When rescuing madam, there was no time to visit this room. The room was dark. Only starlights pass through the window. Ojou-sama, its Lute. Im here to deliver a massage from Karen and the others. Just like when we met for the first time, ojou-sama laid roundly on the bed covered with a blanket. She was peeking through the miniboard with a cute red face. Ojou-sama? [Sit here please.] She tapped the mini blackboard next to her. Per her order, I sat on the bed. Ojou-sama with a flop sat next to me, then looked up into my face. Her eyes were wet and tears could drop at any time. tsu! Without realizing, I was pushed down by Ojou-sama. On her small lips, mine lays on the bottom. It was an immature kiss, where teeths collided because she was little bit too forceful. Gently, our lips separated. Ojou-samas face redden, as blood rush to her head. O, ojou-sama!? you. !? I hear her voice for the first time. The shock from it was greater than the kiss. Ojousama gazed straight at me as she confessed. Lu, Lute.. Onii-chan, I like, you. These are the first words I have ever heard from Ojou-sama. She struggled desperately to squeeze out her words in an attempt to adequately express her feelings. I love you. Make Chrisse.. your wife please. Stuttering because she hasnt spoken for a long time, but her passionate feelings reached me. With her faltering voice, she continued to speak. About how she heard from Snow about my dreamDDI want to help those looking for help. And how predicting that I would leave one day, she didnt want to part from me, and realised that she wanted to stay by my side forever. About how she wanted to stay by my side, and in the same way that she was saved by me, she too wanted to save other people, About how she loved me, didnt want to part from me, and wanted to follow me to the end of the world. Although she faltered, Chrisse-Ojousama gave it her all to convey that to me. Pitiful like a small child, she was really lovable. My chest gradually grew hot. However, I already have SnowDD Had the orders in which I met them been different, I wonder how my reply would have been. I placed my hand on Ojousamas shoulder, and stood up. Sitting down once more, I corrected my posture. Im really happy that you feel that way, Ojousama. However I have Snow as my fiance. I cannot betray her. Lut, e-Oniich, an, I li ke, you. I love, you. Ill try, my best, with the rif, le. So please,, dont leave me ! Thats foul play. Theres no way that I could abandon Ojousama. Thanks to her, I was picked up by the Vlad House. Had things gone badly, I might have been sold as a male prostitute, or sent to work in a mine until I died. And moreover, she might become depressed and hole up in her room again. In that room that even the sunlight couldnt enter. Ojousama would once again stop moving forward, and spend a long time by herself. Just having that scene float through my mind made my heart feel like it was being blended to shreds. Whats more, just imagining another mans hands run over her limbs was enough to make me feel violently ill. I want to protect her. I want her to be mine. Chrisse Gate Vlad is adorable-! But still! Even stillDD! I cant betray Snow! I like you too, Ojousama. I love you. However I also love Snow. It is impossible for me, to betray her. -. Ojousamas shoulders dropped sadly. She sluggishly reached her hand out for her mini-blackboard. [As expected, I could not win against Snow-Oneechan.] Im sorry. But, had the order in which I met you two been the other way around, I think the result would have been different. [I understand Then, I will also give my all to support you, as your second wife, Oniichan.] Yeah. Youll have to give your all as my second wife Huh? [Snow-Oneechan and I made a promise. If I wasnt able to become the first wife, then I would marry Oniichan as the second wife.] HUH!? When was this? [Our late-night meeting at Meiya-sans house.] Meiya, night, night meeting That time!? Ojousama hiding bashfully behind Snow wasnt because she heard about my embarrassing past!? As I was recalling that day, with good timing, Snow came along into the room. Chrisse-chan, are you finished talking? [Yes. I could not win against you, Snow-Oneechan. However, I want to support Oniichan from now on as his second wife.] Ehehehe, I believed in you, Lute-kun. As youd expect, the bonds between childhood friends whove been together since they were born are quite strong, huh? But you dont have to worry, Chrisse-chan. Lute-kun is definitely the type of person wholl love us equally without caring about first or second, after all. [All right! I will try my best as well, to support Oniichan with you, Snow-Oneechan!] Mn! From now on, lets try our best together. The two of them easily consented to bigamy. Certainly, in this world and age, polygamy and the like isnt really uncommon. Its cultural differences W-, Wait! Wait a moment! Ojousama is already the head of the Vlad House! Can you even marry into somebody elses family? There are no problems. The vampire race is a long-lived race, so as the family head on paper, I can give birth to a successor, and have that child inherit the position instead. Thats why there isnt a problem with marrying you, Oniichan. Okaasama has already approved. SUGOI, the prep has already been dealt with? And so, Ojousama and Snow began to talk amicably. It seems that the two of them are deciding on the timetable and rules for our newlywed life. Since the two of them seem to be having fun, it would be tasteless for me to say anything more. And moreover, OjousamaDDnow my wife, Chrisse, was truly happy. I love her too after all, and I cherish her. She gets along with Snow, too. And so I was able to gain a brilliant sniper as my second wife. Volume 3 End Next Time Volume 4 Boyhood Black Elf ChapterC The BeginningC C Thank you very much for reading this far! Impressions, corrections, and opinions are greatly welcome! Tomorrow, the 4th of January at 9 Oclock will be the next update. Ive written a status report. If youd so please, come have a look. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 50 Lute, age 14 Equipment : S&W M10 4 inch (revolver) : AK-47 (assault rifle) Snow, age 14 A-minus ranked magician Equipment : S&W M10 2-inch (revolver) Chrisse, age 13 Equipment : M700P (sniper rifle) A few days after the resolution of the incident. I handed over a bracelet to Chrisse and formally announced to everyone about us becoming a couple. Unlike my previous world, we dont swear our love in a church, but we gather everyone and tell them of our marriage and exchange wedding vows. Then weSnow, Chrisse and I, and my number one disciple Meiya, stayed in the Vlad estate. (I remade Snows bracelet I had lost and likewise exchanged formal wedding vows.) Then what are we going to do now? We were in Ojou-samasnow my wife Chrisses room, having a tea party while discussing what our plans would be from now on. Yesterday we talked while we had a tea party in the courtyard, but Merc-san, Merry-san and the other servants came along and half-teasingly called me [Young Master] [Young Master] again and again, so I became embarrassed and today were having it in Chrisses room. The first thing we brought up in conversation was Snows magic school attendance, but according to the person herself, [Im already ranked A-minus, so itll be alright even if I didnt come back. Ive already qualified for graduation without going to class.] On the schools side, they wanted Snow to graduate from the Fairy Human Continent magic school at all costs for the sake of their prestige. It seemed she was allowed to do this for that reason. Therefore, I proposed we go to the North Continent to look for clues to find Snows parents. Back when we were in the orphanage, she told me she dreamed of finding her parents and living together with them. However, her reaction was slow. Of course Im happy youd go there with me but as we are now itd be a bit hard if we traveled there. It seemed as soon as she had joined the magic school, she had immediately examined all sorts of information regarding both the [North Continent] and the [White Wolf Tribe] in order to find her parents. The North Continent was located where the number [12] was on a clock. It was the continent where it snowed all year round. The White Wolf Tribe was a minority living in the heartland of that continent. But there were also dangerous monsters living in the continents heartland. For example, there are the White Dragons and the Giants. White Dragons, as the name implied, spit out snowstorms from their mouths at their enemies. These Giants, what are they? Couldnt they be monsters originating from enlarged humans? Something like fighting while yelling [Exterminate!] Snow shook her head. Not that, theyre more like huge walking stone statues. They form groups and are always on the move. Occasionally, one or two would stray from the group and attack human settlements. Theyre dangerous monsters that equal Dragons. Huge walking stone statues, huh? Thatll be difficult to take down with an AK-47. [And with a sniper rifle, as well.] Chrisse voiced her agreement on the mini blackboard. The White Wolf tribe seemed to live by weaving their way around those dangerous monsters. Unless we prepare weapons which could stand against those monsters, wed be annihilated before we could find them . Whats more, were going to form a [Legion] in the future. In order to become Level V adventurers, we need to take down one or more Dragons or Giants. Its still a long way off, but we should plan some countermeasures while were at it. There were weapons I postponed development on since they didnt get much use during the vampire incident and also there were things I felt I needed to make. Since Im going to be fighting Dragons and Giants, I think further weapons development is necessary. In that case, why dont we go back to my workshop? Hearing what Meiya proposed, everyone there, Snow, Chrisse, and I, looked at each other. Seeing everyone thought it was a good idea, she continued. My workshop has plenty of tools and materials, you can do research and development as you like there. Theres also an Adventurers Guild there since the Dragon Continent is a famous dungeon paradise of the world! Theres also a wide range of job requests there. Well, that is an option. Were already familiar with Meiyas workshop. As thanks for the Vampire incident, we could also resume Meiyas studies. At the same time we could also register Snow and Chrisse as adventurers. Wed level up together, and eventually become level V or level IV. That way, we could fulfill the conditions for setting up a Legion: one level V and two level IV adventurers. I suppose I could call it reasonable. . All right. We should return to the Dragon Continent once more like Meiya says, then. Ive got lots of things I wanted to build, too. Will you two be okay with this? Where Lute-kun goes, is where Ill go. [As a wife, Ill stay by Lute-oniichans side, too.] With this our next destination was decided. Once we decided on a course of action we moved quickly. A few days later, we bid everyone in the Vlad estate farewell and set off. Gigi-san already went off on his trip, so it was a little regrettable we couldnt say goodbye to him. Before we left the Demon Continent, I sent Elle-sensei a letter. I wrote about my meeting with Snow, my marriage with Chrisse, my release from slavery, and the continuation of my adventures in the Dragon Continent. About a month later we returned to Meiyas estate. We went by coach and then by ship. Arriving at Meiyas estate, the first thing we did was have a bath, a meal, and some sleepin order to rest from our travel fatigue we spent three days lazing around. The morning of the fourth day. I took Meiya and walked into her workshop. Since I had come to the Dragon Continent Ive been wearing Dragon Kungfu, which were traditional Dragon Continent clothes for men. Snow and Chrisse also wore Dragon Dresses. Lute-sama, what kind of handgun shall we be making this time? Were not going to be making handguns or weapons today. I was thinking were going to put together some personal equipment. Not weapons but personal equipment? Will it be armor or something? Meiya tilted her head in question. Even though I said personal equipment other than weapons, it seemed she still didnt get it. I showed her the memo I had prepared beforehand and explained. This was also one way Im repaying Meiya for the Vampire incident. At the minimum, I thought I should make these. A, are you going to be making all of these? Thats because they dont need large-scale work like the M700P. Ill explain what each one is and what theyre used for in turn. Yes, please treat me well! Meiyas eyes shined like a child being given a toy, then she took out a blank memo pad and a feather pen. I explained each one in turn and in a way that made it easy for her to understand. Well I suppose Im thinking about making some things like these. Weapons are important, but armor and a way to increase the number of magazines and the small stuff we carry are necessary to raise the odds of us surviving from now on. As expected from Lute-sama! Ill be learning from this! Meiyas expression brightened as she gleefully jotted everything down on the memo pad. While I waited for her to finish writing things down I called out. Well then, Ill immediately begin making the [Combat Uniforms]. Yes! Your number one disciple shall help you out! Im sorry to disturb your work. When Meiya had just gotten psyched, one of the estates maids came along. A letter addressed to the Meiya estate just arrived. Good grief, who is it!? Barging in when I was just going to have some sweet time with Lute-sama! Meiya puffed her cheeks in anger and checked the sender of the letter. *sigh* Meiya? She faintly sighed. Leave it in my room. Understood. You dont need to read it first? It doesnt matter! Its a letter from my childhood friend. Anyway, my time together with Lute-sama is more important than anything! She returned to her cheerful self as if ignoring her previous sigh. Meiya cut the chatter about the letter with a smile. C Thank you very much for reading this far! Impressions, corrections, and opinions are greatly welcome! Next update is tomorrow, the 5th of January at 9 PM! I will add the volume break for the 4th volume later. Well then, best regards for tomorrow. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 51 Ive been working on [Combat Protectors] with Meiya all morning. I also spent some time accompanying her as she practiced assembling handguns. She has been earnestly investing her time after discovering the method for producing iron plates with my help. In order for her to master it, she has been learning through the usage of her body by touching, licking, sniffing the odor, punching it to feel the hardness, nibbling it, and even pressing it to her cheeks to feel the harsh coldness of it. In addition, she would draw it onto several sheets of paper and carry those with her to sleep, like a lover. I think there was a scene like this in HuterHnter. Although she has made an effort, I feel that she is still a little bit short on receiving a passing mark. Im indebted to her, so Ill cooperate with her as much as possible. However, because this amount of effort wasnt enough even for the genius Meiya, conveying a mental image to magic liquid metal is probably considerably difficult for the people of this world. It seems that this would be difficult to teach to normal magicians. After lunch, I took Snow and Chrisse to the Adventurers Guild branch in the Dragon Continent. The Adventurers guild had mostly the same appearance as the one in the Fairy Human Continent. It was a three story building the size of a gymnasium, Adventurer-like people continuously came and went from it. So this is the Adventurers Guild. [Its big.] As this is Snow and Chrisses first time, they became oddly emotional. I thought it was curious too when I visited for the first time, so I understand their feelings. I took the girls inside the building. The system here was also the same, I took a ticket from the information lady and at the same time took a set of registration forms for Snow and Chrisse. I also took the documents required for reissuing tags. While we waited, we filled in the necessary information. We finished writing right when our ticket number was called. Uooh!? what is wrong? After confirming who was sitting at the private counter, I let out a shriek. The receptionist who took care of my beginner registration four years ago in the Fairy Human Continent was there. Even after four years, she still looked like she was in her early 20s, and as befits one of the Demon Race, she had sheep-like horns protruding out of her head and a pair of bat-like wings on her back. She looks as good in her Adventurers Guild clothes as ever. It seemed like she didnt recognize me. Thats a given. Compared to four years ago, I have grown taller and also my face has changed. Do you remember me? Im Lute, you helped me with registering as an adventurer four years ago in Grey, a Port Town of the Fairy Human Continent. The one who hunted 31 Garugaru. -!? Lute-san! So you are still alive! The moment I said [31 garugaru], the receptionist remembered immediately and showed a surprised face. As I thought, I was thought to be dead over there. I once again told how I ended up being deceived by a fake adventurer and was sold to the Demon Continent. And now Im safe, released from slavery, and live freely. Because she was a demon, she was relocated from the Fairy Human continent into the Demon continent. She told me that she was worried when didnt return. I apologized for making her worried because of my mistake. So this time I am requesting for the reissue of my adventurers registration, and newly register my companions here. Certainly. Ill be taking these documents, then. She took the documents and checked them. Adventurer re-registration for Lute-sama, and a new registration for the other 2 right? She stared at the documents. .errr sorry, its written here that you 3 have all circled the married status? That is not a mistake, Im married to both of them. Yes! Im Lute-kuns wife. [Im also Lute-oniichans wife.] Snow and Chrisse showed their left hands. They also shake the bracelet, made by me with magic liquid metal, on their arms. Of course I showed mine too. Last time Snow and I were just engaged, so I did not circle the married status. But now, I have already performed the wedding ceremony with Snow and Chrisse. Even though it is called a wedding ceremony, we did not exchange vows of love in a church. We just publicly informed people that we are married. Together with Snow the three of us held the wedding ceremony in peace. Madam did give me the money for the bracelets, but still, for marriage bracelets, I wanted to buy them myself. Therefore I requested to buy Meiyas magic liquid metal with the money I had been saving. To create bracelets for Chrisse and myself. Compared to Snows, the design is thinner and more delicate (reminiscent of the lost bracelet which I had with Snow). To Snow & Chris, they were satisfied with these sort of marriage bracelets. However, Im not convinced. I decided to buy suitable marriage bracelets with a little more charm in the future, and give one to each of them. When the receptionist onee-san looked at our wedding bracelets, she was more surprised than the time I had hunted 31 GaruGaru. N, no way! Youre only 14 and 13 years-old! Sheesh, kids these days! *sigh* that must be nice~, although this onee-san has a job like this, I have never had any fated meetings at all. Theres no way we can lay our hands on adventurersand office romance is also strictly forbidden. Just where do they think were supposed to find love. My parents are also annoy, always saying things like marriage this and grandchildrens that I.. I see The onee-san suddenly complained with a grumble. Although I thought that she is the type who would be popular, it seems like I was wrong However, as expected, she did not derail forever, and she expressed her business smile afterwards. Then, one silver coin for the initial registration, and five pieces of silver coins if you want to have a reissue, Do you have any problems with this so far? Originally, Reissuing requires an interview, but because Lute-sama seems to be the victim here, Ill just end it with a stern warning. However, if a similar incident happens again, theres the possibility that you will be judged as incompetent and wont receieve another reissue, so please be careful. I, I understand, I will be careful, no problem. The receptionist confirmed the documents when she heard my consent. Chrisse and my documents were scanned. Next, she paused during Snows document check. Magician A- Class !? She once again revealed a surprised voice, following this, other adventurers began to rustle towards us. A- rank magician, isnt that the realm which only a handful of geniuses can enter? Furthermore, at such a young age how awesome. She must have a lot of magic power According to the things I heard just now, it seems like that guy is the 2 girls husband. Bigamy!? Furthermore, at such a young age awesome. He must have a lot of vigor. I heard the whispered talks of the adventurers Regrettably! Im still a virgin! Indeed, in my previous workplace C my wifes Vlad house C if we were to have our first time there it would certainly be awkward, also theres also no way we can do it while traveling. In Meiyas Mansion, the girls each have their own rooms. Having our first time at an acquaintances house, would certainly also be awkward even for them. We do sleep together in the same futon at night, but. We kiss and hug each other, but we havent gone further than that. The receptionist timidly asks Snow. Im sorry to ask you this, but do you have any magician school certificates which can prove your class? The school in the northern region of the Fairy Human continent. I do not have a diploma because I have yet to graduate from it. Im treated like a scholarship student there so my graduation is for certain. The receptionist had a difficult expression after hearing Snows explanation .I apologize once again. If you have no certificate, then I cannot give you any special privileges as a Class A, Will you be alright with this? By privilege you mean? She answered my question. You can begin adventuring as a level III adventurer. Also, there is a special allowance granted by the Adventurers Guild for purchasing equipment. If its only that, then theres no problem without it right? Yes, no problem. Well then, I shall inquire from here to the magician school in order to confirm whether Snow is an A- Class or not. Though it will take time, if your level is still less than level III when I receive proper validation, please inform me to raise your level when that time comes. I consented to Snows verification and abandoned the special privilege. Leaving that aside, I requested for a quest from her. The receptionist understood my intentions due to a long acquaintanceship and she showed the duties of a level I adventurer, which is about demon extermination, rather than miscellaneous duties. This level I quest is a demon extermination in the outskirts of the town. The target demon is named Bakupaku. The clear condition is to hunt at least one Bakupaku Bakupaku is a four-legged beast The official documents stated that they were to gather the horns on their heads. The horns seem to be an ingredient of a beneficial magic medicine. I received the tag on which the contents of the quest was written. We received the quest and left the Adventurers Guild. First, we went back to Meiyas mansion to prepare our equipment. The AK47 was for me. A rucksack that holds a water bottle, the container to put the horns, 2 spare magazines, and 5 sets of 6 7.62x51mm NATO roundswhich wereChrisses reserve rounds. I stocked 2 magazines within the magazine pouch located to the left and right of my waist. I also equipped a knife behind my waist. For Snow, theS&W M10 2-inch revolver, with two sets (6 rounds each) of speedloaders in both her pockets. Honestly, this was just for her self-protection. The chance for her to use it, is probably low. She also equiped a knife to her waist. Chrisse placed her M700P onto her shoulder using a sling. She tentatively placed her cartridges in a pouch located to the left and right of her waist. However, she was different from us, 6 pieces per pouch with 2 rows of one fixed type. She had a total of 24. In addition, I also gave Chrisse a knife for safety purposes. We borrowed two horned horses from Meiya and set out from town. The wide plain outside the town continued as far as the eye could see. Snow was riding one of the horned horses, while I had Chrisse sit in front of me riding the other horned horse. Snow learned how to ride horned horses at magic school, while I learned from Gigi-san. Chrisse searched with her inherently sharp eyesight for the Bakupakus that would become our prey. There were monsters that seemed to be them, roughly 600 metres in front of us. There were three of them. We got down from the horned horses, and approached the prey while downwind from them. You havent put a cartridge in yet, Chrisse? I will do so once we are a little closer. She took out just one bullet from her pouch, and placed it in her pocket. Once I was about 200 metres away, I could see them as well. They were about a size bigger than the pigs and boars in my old world. They numbered three. They looked like Malaysian Tapirs with horns and fangs. Their appearance was a bit fantasy-esque, but because of that, seeing them eat their prey was odd. They were muscular enough that even I could tell from a distance, and seemed like they would be annoying to take down by sword alone. However, we have the AK47 and the M700. Were needlessly overspecd for this. Snow, Chrisse. Are there any people here besides us? Mn, its clear. I did not catch sight of anyone either. There is nobody here but us. So that I wouldnt make the same mistake as the one I made roughly 4 years ago, I made sure that there wasnt anybody in the area but us. The area around us was a needlessly large grass plain. There wasnt anywhere a person could hide, but just in case, I had the magician Snow, and the sharp-sighted Chrisse to check. After this, as decided, we wouldnt be using Body Strengthening. Itd be annoying to have our magic detected and be forced to escape after all. I released the safety. Switched it to semi-automatic. I pulled the cocking handle, and moved a bullet into the chamber. Chrisse also pushed one into her magazine. As we approached the bakupaku by foot, as we expected, they noticed us and became intimidated. Despite seeing an unfamiliar cylindrical object, probably because of a young age, they came charging towards us without fear. I shot at them from a standing shooting position. Three gunshots. Chrisse cleanly shoots through the middle ones forehead. I also fired through one of their foreheads. Another round went through the remaining ones foot to deprive it of its movement. Snow gave the decisive blow by magic The reason for purposely doing this kind double effort is to prevent the prey from escaping if magic is sensed. I picked up the empty cartridges that have fallen, and placed them into the sack, Snow, burn the corpses after cutting off the horns. Roger. As she answered lightly. the horn of the Bakupaku were cut, and the corpses were burned. I placed the procured horns into the small sack We returned to the place where we had dismounted from the horned horses The horned horses didnt seem to be surprised by the gunshots as they did not run away. They were eating grass carefreely. Afterwards, we traveled to the meadows before the day ended, and got our spoils due to Chrisses eyesight. We were able to secure 30 horns in total One set of ten per person. We did not go straight to the guild and convert our goods for money, instead, we returned back to the house and placed our AK47 and M700P there first. A precaution to the last. Of course, we ventured to the guild to update the records of the newest members. Snow & Chrisse improved their rank to adventurer level II. Mine remained the same. I was able to begin a favorable new life this way C (^)g Volume 4 - CH 52 Translator Notes : Meiya best girl, faggets. C Esti Debateable! C rei_hunter mumu! Chrisse is bette! a blonde LOLI sniper is the best! C Loliquent nope Snow ftw! C nekoooooo Snow and Chrisse already got raburabu, now its Meiyas turn! C Yuushin I think its about time: we really need to get self-sufficient. Its the third day since we advanced to Level II Adventurers. Snow suddenly said that at the breakfast table. According to her, considering Meiya is my disciple, its strange to have everyone rely 100% on Meiya alone. Were already 14, and next year well be adults at 15. Whats more, though were just beginners, weve started working in the adventurer trade. Thats why its about time that we stop depending on Meiya and begin paying for our necessities with our own incomeDDor so Snow was saying. The lord of the estate, Meiya, objected to Snows suggestion. P-, Please wait! What are you saying!? I am Lute-samas number one student! The belongings of the student are the belongings of the master! That much is common sense! So there is not the least reason for any of you to feel reserved. Um, nah. Meiya, this time Snow is right. I think so as well. Lute-sama!? Even Chrisse-san!? I used hand gestures to calm the agitated Meiya. On top of providing the essential magic liquid metal, youre even providing a place where we can perform research. If you provided our food and shelter as well, that really would be taking advantage of you. Having finally noticed after Snow pointed this out, Im finding this situation too unhealthy. Certainly, from Meiyas point of view as a rich person, providing for our lifestyle is just a drop in the bucket. Indeed, its probably a joy for her to to live under the same roof as a an expert in her field of interest, and to be able to ask him questions whenever she wants and receive lessons every day. But for us, its something thatll turn us into useless bums. Its that saying. A hedge between friends keeps friends good friends. Weve lately been accepting adventurer quests, particularly at Level II, so we have a decent amount of money anyway. Id also like to contribute to the orphanage. Taking Meiyas support while donating to Elle-Senseis orphanageDDthatd just be putting the cart before the horse. Its just as Snow says. Lets leave Meiyas estate and become independent. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Snow and Chrisse accepted my decision. Meiya alone let out a shriek, and began throwing a tantrum like a child rolling around the floor of a toy store. I dont want that! I dont want that! Whats wrong with living happily with everybody else?! Even though Im Lute-samas number one disciple! I dont want to be apart from everyone! Its pretty tough seeing a fully-grown adult act like a spoilt child. I kindly persuaded the complaining Meiya like a gentleman. This is what I said. I wont forget the support that Meiyas lentus so far, and Ill come here every day to research and develop new weapons. To do that, I intend on leasing a house close to Meiyas place. Thats why Meiya can come over to play whenever she likes. Well welcome her, of course, and she can stay over too. Meiya wouldnt go against her masters decision, and once she heard she could come play at any time, and might stay over, she folded. Only, as a compromise, she wanted permission to go to the estate agent with us. Apparently she plans on finding us a place close-by, no matter the cost. Alright, I got it. Then today well be taking a break from research and questing, and all go look for a house instead. Got it~ Itll be nice if we find a good one, wont it? Please leave it to me, Lute-sama! I know a lot of people, so theyll be able to accommodate you in various ways, and even though it mightnt seem that way, bargaining is my strong point! When it comes time to haggle, then, Ill be counting on you, Meiya. Understood! By all means, leave it to me! Lute-samas number one disciple, this unworthy Meiya Dragoon, will gladly stake her life on this! I reflexively tsukkomid, No, theres no need to stake your life. And thus, todays plans were to go real estate shopping. We werent heading out on a quest for the Guild, so we werent wearing the usual rough-looking outfits. The girls were all wearing the traditional clothing of Dragon Continent . Snow was sporting a ponytail and a Dragon Dress. It would look unstylish to have herS&W M10 2 in a chest holster, so she had it strapped to her leg. Seeing the revolver peeking out from her legwas oddly erotic. Chrisse was wearing a Dragon Dress and had her hair done up in Chinese double buns. Because she was slightly built, she really looked like a doll, so it suited her. Meiya was wearing a Dragon Dress as well, and, with a fan in hand, she walked ahead to show us the way. I also got from her a traditional male outfit of the Dragon Continent, the Dragon Kung Fu outfit. I do have my gun belt wrapped around me with the S&W M10 4 for self-defence. But the gun belt doesnt go well with the Dragon Kung Fu outfit. With my right hand in Snows, and my left hand in Chrisses, I left the estate with a flower in each hand. A carriage Meiya had prepared was stopped before the front gate of the estate. We boarded the horse carriage. Apparently the driver had already been told the destination, and the moment everybody was on board,the young coachman began whipping the horned horses on his own. It took about thirty minutes by carriage. The place that Meiya brought us to was an estate agentDDcalled a Building Agency in this world. The store was a two-story building built from a marble-like stone, and gave the same atmosphere as the shop where I went with Chrisse to buy Karens present. When we entered the shop, a middle aged man who seemed to be the shopkeeper ran over with a smile. Apparently shed told him in advance that wed be coming. Welcome, Meiya-sama. Thank you truly for making use of our shop today. The man smiled from the bottom of his heart, and welcomed Meiya. To be honoured with the visit of a personage like yourself representing the Dragonoid Race has moved me. It doesnt have to be right now, but would it be all right if perhaps you wrote a few words about us? [autograph] Yes, thatll be fine. Thank you very much! I had heard that Meiya was a well-known genius artificer of magic tools, but I had had no idea that she was this popular. The attitude that they took is like how youd behave if a famous movie star visited. Even besides the middle-aged man, the other staff members were gazing at Meiya with sparkling eyes as well. Meiya seemed used to it: she acted like it was nothing, and was relaxed as ever. Today, my teacher, Lute-sama, has come to look at the properties. Could you show me the properties close to my estate? Y-, Your teacher, Meiya-sama? The mans voice went a little shrill at Meiyas introduction. He seemed shocked that the genius Meiya had a teacher, and that said teacher was clearly younger than she was. But he was a professional. A smile immediately returned to his face as he greeted me. Well then, I will select a number of houses close to Meiya-samas estate, as well as a few other recommendations, so please sit by that counter and wait. We continued inside and sat at a counter like one youd find in a bar. We sat in order. Meiya, me, Chrisse and Snow. Before long, a man brought over to us papers with the houses details. These are the properties close to Meiya-samas house. And these are the properties that our shop recommends. I accepted the papers and immediately took a look but so expensive! Ridiculously expensive! The most expensive one was 50 gold coins, roughly 5,000,000 Yen, a month! Even the cheapest one was 1 gold coin and 6 silver coins, roughly 160,000 Yen, a month! My, theyre unexpectedly cheap, arent they? However, not one of them is low in quality. Our store is proud to say this. Nonono, theyre expensive, arent they? Way too expensive, right? Im just guessing, but this place isnt a store for commoners like us, but is a Building Agency targeting people from the upper class. I forgot to take Meiyas economic situation and sense of money into account. A cheaper place thats big enough for three people is fine. Theres absolutely no need for a pool in the garden, a water fountain, or a banquet hall so big that you could probably hold a dance party in there. (Beg Meiyas pardon, but lets endure the shame and leave this shop. Then well go to a place thats moreDDsuited to our status.) Just as I was about to cut off the man in front of me in order to leave the shop Meiya arbitrarily advanced the conversation. This one is fine. It is right by my estate, after all, and the house is fairly large too. I like it. Let us have this 10 gold a month property for 1 silver. Eh-? Did you not hear me, perhaps? I asked you to loan out this 10 gold per month property for 1 silver per month. E-, Even if its you, Meiya-sama, that much is Hearing the sudden demand, the man whose eyes had been sparkling thus far was now troubled and evading answering. Well, of course. No matter how famous Meiya might be on the Dragon Dude Continent, and even if shes the subject of adoration for the people of the Dragonoid Race, telling him to lend out a 10 gold property (roughly 1,000,000) for 1 silver (10,000) is obviously unreasonable. But she fell into a bad mood because things didnt go as she wanted. Could you perhaps speak my name once more? Y-, You are Meiya-sama B-, But! Even if you are Meiya-sama, there are things that one can do, and things that one cant, and, In terror, the man fervently wiped the sweat flowing from his brow. However, Meiyas attitude grew even more unyielding. My name is Meiya Dragoon. Moreover, the one that we will have living in that house is my master, the worlds strongest magic tool artificing genius, Lute-sama, you know? Just having Lute-sama live there is a great honour. That property would become holy ground. Could you perhaps be intending to take rent from a god, for living in a temple? On the contrary, just having them live there is an honour, so do you not feel that you should be showing your gratitude instead? Or could it be,DDshe said, as her eyes glinted coldly, That you people wish to lose your place here on this continent? With this one line, all the staff of the Building Agency grew paler than ghosts, and began to tremble. Meiyas words were not an empty threat. Her name was the most famous after that of His Majesty the Emperor, and if you incurred the wrath of Meiya, who was favoured even by the next Emperor, you really would lose your place on this Dragon Human Continent. The man in charge of the counter started pleading, with the complexion of a sick person. P-, Please spare us from that! My youngest daughter is only 10! If we are driven out from here, just where would we go!? I neither know nor care. Just go wherever you please. If you are unhappy with this, is there not something you should be saying? Or could it be that you intend on disgracing me further? U-, Understood. This 10 gold property will be rented out for 1 silver per month Hah? Are you perhaps speaking in jest? Uu-, please live in this 10 gold property. We will pay you 10 gold a month to do so, so please How was I, Lute-sama!? I have tried my best for your sake, Lute-sama! Of course, this much is a matter of course for your number one disciple! And so, no thanks are required. H-, However, if by chance you wish to thank me anyway, then a bracelet of about this size for my left arm as well might be nice~ or so I was thinking. Wai- Fue? Her face red, Meiya turned to look at all of us, and came to know reality. I, the person that shed thought would be rejoicingDDhad instead backed away from her. Snow and Chrisse had backed away as well. Chrisse even had teary eyes. U-, Um, Lute-sama, Snow-san, Chrisse-san? As anyone would expect, youd back away Bargaining is my strong point, you said That wasnt bargaining but threatening, right? I-, I wanted Lute-sama to be happy! Im sorry. Im a little scared as well. That was too terrifying. Meiya was knocked out by Snow and Chrisses words. I turned back to face the man again. Sorry. Please ignore what happened just now. I really am sorry for causing you trouble. Our budget is about 5 silvers a month, so just a place large enough for the three of us to live in is fine. This shop wouldnt have such a place though, would it? I-, Is that fine!? For Meiya-samas esteemed master to live in such a simple place is! No, really. Just forget what happened just now, please. If you dont have such a property, then we will head to another store. Even in that case, we wont cause trouble for you later, so please rest assured. T-, Thank you very much! W-, Well how about this place? I dropped my gaze to the paper that the man hurriedly produced. A two-story 3LDK. Just barely in the high-class residential area, its a relatively snug house. But the price is 1 gold a month (roughly 100,000 Yen). Thats over budget. Its a little expensive, isnt it? The truth is, the person who lived in this house previously was an elderly person, and their will stated that they wished for the tree to remain. The location is good, but because the tree has grown quite splendidly the place doesnt get much sun, and so because everyone wants to cut the tree down people avoid this house. For us as well, it would be a shame for the place to be left alone for too long, and so if you would be willing to live here, we would be willing to halve the price to five silvers a month. How about it? If we can reduce a one gold piece rent to five silvers just by leaving a tree, then it really is quite a bargain. Whats more, although it is on the border, its still part of the high-class residential area. The security is good there. And its close to Meiyas estate as well. Its almost our ideal place. I checked my wives expressions just in case, but they too nodded in approval. Well then, Ill go with this one please. Thank you very much! Thank you very much! Thank you very much! We didnt really do anything worthy of being thanked so much. Ah, we want to buy furniture and stuff as well, so would it be possible to see the house today? That is no problem at all. Hey you! Can you unlock the doors in advance, please? Ah, but because we need to clean it up and check for anything that needs repairing, as well as needing to ensure some of the finer paperwork is done, could you please hold off on moving in until a week from now? Sure. Theres no problem with that. Well then, after you have a look at the property, we will be signing the formal contract. If you are displeased with it, please by all means say so. I understand. Well then, I will now guide you there. Will you be travelling by carriage today? Yes, by hersDDMeiyas. In that case, I will let your attendant know the address. Our agent has already departed from here, and will have unlocked the house. Well then, Ill be coming back to sign the contract. Well then, you two, shall we go? Meiya too Wai-, are you still discouraged? Im just no good at all. Meiya was curled up in the corner of the room, hugging her knees. Ahh, Meiya, ummm, although your methods were pretty bad, I was happy that you felt that way. Really. But I guess I hope that you wont use threats to negotiate in the future. I think of you as my important disciple even without you doing things like that. DDLute-sama! Just by hearing her name called, her eyes sparkled more brightly than the sun, and she easily made her comeback. Uwah, so simple. And so, the four of us got into the carriage and went to have a look at the house. The employee had already unlocked the doors, and was waiting there for us. The inside of the house was more beautiful than expected, and the garden was large too. The problem tree was certainly tall, but I wouldnt say that it was tall enough to bother. After confirming that there were no problems, we headed back to the Building Agency to sign the contract. Because they needed three months of rent as an advance payment and deposit, I had Snow and Chrisse take out 15 coins from their purses. While that was happening, I finished signing the contract. And like that, I got the new home that Snow, Chrisse and I would be living in. C (^)g Volume 4 - CH 53 Snow and Chrisse already got raburabu, now its Meiyas turn! C Yuushin Snow, Chrisse, and I rented a single house for us to live in. It took about a week for the inspections, repairs, and legal procedures to be completed before we received the key. In the meantime, as we were so busy, we decided not to take on any quests. If we took on quests while were limited on time, we might make mistakes due to being restless over our new lives. So, we decided not to do anything dangerous until we finished moving and have settled in. Then there were the preparations for the move. Snow and Chrisse were busy choosing furniture and wares for the house, as well as preparing for the party to celebrate our move and new life. Chrisse was planning on bringing a variety of books from her parents home. In particular her most cherished book, the fitst book she had ever bought; It was a picture book about heroes and demons, she carefully packed it. The only guest coming is Meiya. We have only a few acquaintances here in the Dragon Continent. I tentatively invited the Adventurers Guild onee-san receptionist, but This is one of those Sharing of Happiness things, riiiiiiight. AAAaaAAAaAH! I WanT tO gEt MaRrIeD TOoooOOoo! She roared at me. I apologized to her and hurriedly left the Adventurers Guild. Then Meiya and I stopped our studies and R&D, and devoted ourselves to making wares for our new life. For the first time in this world, I have my own house. There is something I absolutely want to make for that. The thing I wanted to make was. a toilet with a bideta Wash Toilet. Its indecent to say, but in this world, the ones they mainly used are basically holes in the ground. Large leaves were sold in bunches as toilet paper. The texture was like, seriously, WTF. The Meiya residence, the Vlad house, and the orphanage all had holes-in-the-ground. I cant stand them no matter what. Each time I finished doing a #2 and wiped my butt with leaves, I could feel my SAN points being whittled down. The toilet back in my previous life was a wash toilet. Because the one in my parents home was one of those, I asked the installers to have one installed the day I moved out. The feeling, and a sense of cleanness!! That forbidden fruit which you cant forget once youve tasted it! So Im making it! A toilet equipped with a bidet! Ive already ordered the toilets body. One made of white porcelain. Toilets are almost always made of porcelain, even in my previous world. I read somewhere that if some other material was used, it wouldnt go down as well. Next is the wash toilets structure. In Thailand, in the previous world, it seems they used a hose to directly wash the butt. But as expected, I prefer Japanese-style wash toilets. Im making the nozzle to be able to positioned as I liked, through the use of a rotating lever. The structure itself is not so complicated. For materials I used magic liquid metal. The problems are how to warm the water, and how to make it spray from the nozzle. The wash toilets in my previous world have two ways to warm up the water. Ones that keep the water temperature constant; the [Heat Preserving Type]. Ones that instantly heat up the portion of the water that is about to be used; the [Instant Heating Type]. The way to make the water spray out is simple, through using pistons with a motor, water can be pushed into a pipe. If this was a world without magic, it would probably be a pipe dream to make a wash toilet without electricity or motors. However, this world has magic; it has magic stones! These two problems are solved usingmagic stones. With magic stones that manipulate water and fire, these problems are not hard to solve. I promptly ran towards the magic stone shop in town. The inside of the store was decorated with showcases, like in a jewelry store. The middle aged man who manages the store easily noticed me and started a conversation. Welcome to our store, Lute-sama. Good day to youwait, how did you know my name!? Because you are the teacher of the magic stone princess Meiya-sama. It is common sense for us magic stone shop owners in this town to watch her every move. The small male shop clerk put on an amicable smile. Thats Meiya for you, having so much influence due to being a celebrity. (But its convenient. This way I wont get sold inferior goods or get lied to about the prices.) If he did that and Meiya found out, he will lose his place in the Dragon Continent. The risk is too high. I promptly consulted with the small, kind-looking shop clerk, and had him show me some appropriate magic stones. Im looking for water magic stones and fire magic stones. I see, water magic store to equip on armor, and fire magic stone for a sword, right. No, thats not it. I wanted water magic stones to control water to wash my butt. The fire magic stone is used to warm that water up. Huh? No, well, I wanted to build some equipment to wash my butt after Im done using the toilet with water and fire magic stones. I wonder what magic stones are suitable for that? Are you making fun of me? The expression on the shop clerks face changed. His earlier, kindly smile totally changed into a stern look, laying bare his hostility. You may be an amazing guy, being Meiya-samas teacher. You probably could send me to despair without so much as moving a finger. But let me tell you this: I have pride in my work of managing this magic stone shop! And you say things like washing your butt!? Please stop making a fool out of me! Get out! There are no magic stones here for you! P, please wait! Washing your butt with water really does feel good! Even more so when its warm water! Its a revolution that will change the world! Please believe me! Hey! Get out! Didnt I tell you already, Im not selling you any magic stones! Its the truth! The butt! The butt really feels good! But the male shop clerk did not listen to my pleas, and drove me out of his store. What I saw reflected in his eyes in the end was genuine anger. Its not his fault, though. Washing your butt with warm water after using the toiletthe idea of a wash toilet itself was way too avant-garde for this world to understand. If he experienced it firsthand Im sure he will shed tears of happiness at how wonderful it is! I hardened my heart and swore that I will definitely finish the wash toilet. Then I will have him use it and feel its magnificence! I went to another magic stone shop and bought a gold coins worth of fire and water magic stones while keeping silent about their use. I returned to Meiyas residence with the magic stones in hand. I set to work making the wash toilet, borrowing the strength of the magic stone professional Meiya. I thought it might be fine if its her, but since there was a possibility shed become enraged like that magic stone shop owner, I was deliberately cryptic about its use, and explained that I want to shoot warm water through a pipe. Happy being depended upon with magic stone work, she gleefully cooperated. You want to draw magic runes around the water tank so the water would shoot through the pipe, right. Then I want to heat that water with magic stone so it becomes warm. Can you draw the warming magic runes on the pipes? Of course! With magic stones this size bringing the water to boil would only take a moment. Er, you dont have to make it boil. Just make it as warm as bathwater if you can. Is that so then we need to put in a limiter as well, for safety. Can you do that? Yes, of course I can. Great, then add the limiter as well. Meiya started working according to my instructions. For several days, Meiya and I devoted ourselves to making the wash toilet. We made the pipe so it could be brought in and out by hand through the use of a handle to adjust its positioning. The regulation of the water current is made possible by magic runes carved on the exterior of the tank. Heating runes were drawn on the unexposed portion of pipe to make the water warm. It became, in terms of the wash toilets of my previous world, an [Instant Heating Type] toilet that heats up only the portion of water that was going to be used. The water and fire magic stones were installed together with the handle on the wall. When both magic stones are touched, and the startup spell is chanted, the water flows, gets warmed up and shoots out. If you dont want warm water, you simply touch only the water magic stone and chant the spell. When the magic power runs out, the stones can be replaced or charged again and reused. It was quite eco friendly. The cost for me and Meiya to make the alternate-world-style wash toilet this time is Magic stones 2, nozzle, western-style toilet bowl, materials for other necessary gimmicksall in all, we spent 3 gold coins (about 300 000 yen). The house we leased cost 5 silver coins per month. It was six months rent. As for the wash toilets in my previous world, there were ones that cost 300 000 yen if it was one of the more expensive ones. Because I was making it in another world, that price isnt too much. I told my two wives about the cost and what I used it for, and. Lute-kun was like that with the handguns as well, but you sure are passionate about strange things. [Oniichan, you shouldnt be too wasteful with money, okay?] I kind of got treated like a kid without common sense. Its fine. Once they experience the wash toilet, theyll definitely come to realise its splendour! Wash toilets are the true forbidden fruit! A devilish tool that will always hold you captive after you experience it! I can say with confidence that no matter the world, there is no person that can turn their back to its magnificence! Feel free to experience the dreadfulness of the ultimate weapon developed in Galapagos Japan. I pictured the writhing forms of the girls taken captive by the wash toilet, and silently smiled to myself. And like that, the newly rented house was fully furnished with the Lute-model wash toilet. Below is a side story. The reactions during the use of the wash toilet. In Snows case. DuringDD!? Fugyah! W-, What is thiss?! Funyah?! AfterDDThish ish amajing~ It feels so good, my knees have gotten weak!. In Chrisses case. DuringDD!? -u, nn-u-! Nn-! AfterDDT-, This is a torture device created from the knowledge of the Demon King! I-, I will definitely never use it again! In Meiyas case. DuringDDL-, LUTE-SAMAAAA! LU-, LUTE-SAMAA!! LUTE-SAMAAAAAAAAAH!!! AfterDDUhuhuhu, as expected of the greatest genius of this age, Lute-sama. To think he would evolve toilets to this level- In the case of the magic stone salesman. DuringDDUHO! Uhohohoho, HOOOH! AfterDDIve been opened to a new world- Chrisse was angry at me with teary eyes. Apparently it didnt go well with her. It was popular with everyone else, though. C (^)g Volume 4 - CH 54 TL Note : Basically, hes around 12 years old, and Kris is around 14. Oh yis. C rei he and snow are 14, Chrisse is 13. They said so a couple chapters ago C larvyde O, right. C rei Then a week passed. We finally received the key to the house from the Building Agency. We brought in our personal effects from the Meiya Residence by wagon. The furniture Snow and Chrisse bought had also been brought in, so we placed them in the spots we had decided beforehand. Because all three of us used body strengthening, even Chrisse could carry a sofa all by herself. There was nothing more convenient than that, to make the work go faster. By mid-morning we finished tidying up our belongings and had a light lunch. We used up the entire afternoon making preparations for the party. The one in charge of the main dishes was Snow. Chrisse had no experience in cooking, so she prepared dessert with me. We planned on making [Pudding] and the [Mille Crpe] that they love so much. As we finished cooking and reached a point where we could rest, Meiya came along. As promised, she brought with her some liquor. At first we told her to come, with no need to bring anything, but Meiya herself seemed to want to give us a housewarming gift. Thus, she chose drinks. Since this is a special occasion, she announced that she would bring some liquor to liven up the place. The food Snow cooked was lined up on the table. Stew, sandwiches, salad, meat dishes, and so on. For dessert, [Pudding] and [Mille Crpes] were waiting inside the fridge. We uncorked the liquorfruit wine Meiya brought, and had a toast. Snow and Meiya have had alcohol before. It was the first time for Chrisse and I, so Meiya gave us some mild fruit wine. While drinking the delicious wine, I sampled my dear wifes home cooking. We made pleasant conversation, a lot of time had passed before I realized. Meiya stood up and said she was going home. What are you saying. Arent you staying the night here? Ive prepared a room and made the bed for Meiyas use already. Im grateful for your consideration, but this is your moving day. Even I wouldnt be that insensitive. ? I had trouble understanding what she was talking about and cocked my head to the side. After the three of us saw her off, I finally realized what she meant. (T, thats right! There will be nobody but us in the house tonight!) Its been six years since I brought up the matter of marriage with Snow, and several months with Chrisse. However, we never did anything ecchi throughout that entire time. The reason was because we stayed in other peoples homes, the in-laws home, and cheap inns on the road. It was obviously unpleasant to have our first times there. But now were at our own home! Anything is allowed, nobody will come bother us! I was really late to understand what Snow meant when saying separation and independence. Certainly, while its true that Meiya is rich, relying on others for our basic necessities was too much. Im finally reflecting on it. Well then, Chrisse-chan and I are going to tidy up a little then go take a bath. [Snow-oneechan, lets wash our bodies together.] Yeah! Itll be fun. The two of them cleaned up happily together, before heading to the bath. Although I say bath, its just a large metal container with hot water, from which we pour water on ourselves as we clean up using a towel. Like the difference between heaven and earth compared to the bath at Meiyas estate. (But well, if we want to get in a bath to relax, we can always just go to Meiyas place, so it isnt a problem.) If its us, then we basically have a free pass for entering and exiting as we please. While Snow and Chrisse were in the bath, I couldnt calm down so I paced about the lounge room with the sofa. (In situations like these, would it be better to prepare the bed? To begin with, do we have condoms in this world? Ive never ever seen one But no, maybe its just that Ive never had an opportunity to get involved with a tool of that sort, and they actually do exist! In that case, as a man, it wouldve been my responsibility to buy it!) Theres no way that I could go flying out of the house, in the dead of the night, to go knocking on the door of a closed tool shop. To begin with, I dont even know if they have them. (To begin with, am I supposed to do it with both Snow and Chrisse for our first night? No, but if its only Snow tonight, and Chrisse is left for tomorrow night, various things will become troublesome after all In that case, should I have one in the bedroom, the other in the guest room, and visit them one by one? But having our first experience together while the other one is waiting in the guest room would be even more awkward, right?!) While I interchanged between sitting on the couch and pacing around in anxiety, the two of them left the bathroom. Lute-kun, weve kept you waiting. The bath is free now. The two of them showed up in the living room, Snow in white pajamas while Chrisse in pink. They were the matching pajamas that the two of them got to celebrate our new house. The two of them were so close, they were like sisters. [Well wait in the bedroom first, all right?] Got it. Once Im done with my bath, Ill head over too. Judging from their attitudes, there wont be any sexytime tonight. The two of them were heading to the bed together after all, and their attitudes were casual. I felt this complex mixture of disappointment due to my expectations, and relief from being saved from my ill-preparedness. I entered the bathroom. Snow had replaced the hot water for me. There was steam rising from the hot water in the large tub. I poured water on myself with a bucket a few times before cleaning my body with a towel and soap. I poured water on my head as well, so I emptied the tub and set it down against the wall. Leaving the bathroom, I dried my body with a towel. After that I put on the matching pajamas that Snow and Chrisse had prepared for me. Turning off the magic lamp in the bathroom, I headed up to the bedroom on the second floor. At Meiyas place, we were each allotted our own rooms. It was the same at the Vlad House. Occasionally, the three of us also slept together at Meiyas house. I couldnt lay a hand on them those times, and it left nothing but painful memories of self restraint. (Its our own place, but since there probably wont be any sexytime, will I have to suffer the same thing again?) With some pretty heavy steps, I opened the door to the bedroom. But the bedroom lamp was off. Are they two of them sleeping already? ? Snow? Chrisse? If youve turned off the lights already, does it mean youre already asleep? Dont worry, were still awake. Close the door and hurry over to us. Though I was wondering what was up with her response, I did as I was told. Once I closed the door, the room was now pitch black. I reflexively gathered mana to my eyes. My night-vision was enhanced. !? In the bedroom was a large canopy bed. It was big enough that five adults could sleep comfortably. Snow and Chrisse had taken a liking to it, so they unanimously bought this bed. I think it might be the most expensive piece of furniture we have. Sitting atop the bed were the two of them, with their shoulders pressed up against each other. Whats more, what they were wearing werent the pajamas from earlier, but a negligee on top of string panties. Snows were white, Chrisses were pink. Just like their pajamas, they had their different colours. They were wearing nothing but their underwear, and were apparently sitting on those clean bed sheets while waiting for me to leave the bathroom. I had accidentally enhanced my night-vision. Snow had taken down her usual ponytail, and let her silver hair run down her back. She was red for a different reason than the blush hue normally had after a bath, and was gazing at me from on top of the bed. Unlike how childish she usually was compared to her age, right now she was looking at me with moist eyes. The chest pressed back by her negligee seemed larger than it usually did beneath her clothes. Isnt she an F? Although Snow seemed embarrassed, she showed no signs of trying to hide those delicious-looking fruits. On the other hand, as youd expect, Chrisses body seemed childishy next to Snows. Her chest was flat, and her thighs were thin. Although Chrisse was an unripe fruit, her expression was filled with seductiveness. With her usual pure smile and eyes filled with anxiety and expectation, she waited for me. The pink negligee that covered her body, and the underwear tied by a stringDDat a glance, it might have seemed unsuitable for her. But instead, the unfitting sexy lingerie on her forbidden, childish limbs made my temptation rise. Two unbelievable beauties, and whats more, both of different types, were asking for me together. Snow, Chrisse Like a sleepwalker in the midst of a sweet dream, I drew towards the girls with unsteady steps. When I reached the bed, the two of them suddenly lay down, and shyly begged for me. Please have a good time eating me up, woof. [I want Oniichan to love me lots and lots.] Snow spoke in the dog-speech that she used to hate, whilst Chrisse rubbed her thighs together anxiously. Its obvious that I was freed from the chains of reason. If you include my previous life, then my soul was 41 years old. Together, I had my first time with both of my wives. C While reading everyones reactions and impressions, I had to hold my stomach because it hurts from laughing. Of course, aside from handgun, I plan to have the MC evolve the wash toilet too. Not losing to a certain bath architect Roman, he will evolve the wash toilet in a different world too! I would be very happy if you anticipate for how it will turn out~. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 55 AUTHOR NOTE : There is no Transexual here. C A few days after the moving party. In the morning, I slipped out of bed alone and went to the kitchen. Wearing a pair of briefs and a shirt, I put on slippers and boiled some water. I sliced some bread I bought yesterday and spread it with butter. I put some lettuce-looking vegetables and ham in between and a simple sandwich was made. I made a salad with the leftover vegetables. Once the water boiled, I brewed some Dragon Continent specialty light brown Chacha, that looks like oolong tea, and brought it to the bedroom. Usually Snow and Chrisse would make breakfast but yesterday I gave it my all so I tired out both of them they are now still in dreamland. As a husband, its my duty to show consideration for my wives health and at least make them breakfast. Speaking of my schedule: since my first night after moving to this house I spent all morning at Meiyas workshop developing armor and accessories. In the afternoon I meet up with Snow and Chrisse to go buy food and window-shop. Then once night falls, I carry them both, head straight for the bed and lets go! This is how a standard day goes. Regarding contraception, the girls drink a special magic potion. Being able to use that as contraception is just what Id expect from an alternate world. Every once in a while, I would ask Meiyas approval and secretly receive quests and earn money in the morning with just the two of us for the sake of the bracelets Im going to give to Snow and Chrisse. I was able to safely have my first time with them both the way we wanted to, but unfortunately cosplay clothes and lotions werent sold in this world, they dont exist. I want to put sailor uniforms, bloomers and army uniforms on them! I want them to wear camo-patterned bikinis and hold AK-47s! I want to have superior officer and NCO play! China dresses exist so I did try having them put it on, and it was really exciting! Also, I want all three of us to get in a single bathtub and flirt. I dont have a bath at home after all. Of course I cant exactly use that wash-basin. I could borrow the bath at Meiyas house, butnah, I cant do that. Even though shes my disciple, doing lotion play in an acquaintances bath feels too awkward. Theres also the fundamental problem that there are no lotions. No, wait. Since I could make gunpowder then I should be able to make lotion, shouldnt I!? A flash of genius! An amazing flash of insight happened upon my grey matter! I immediately began experiments inside my head. First I built the mental image of lotion. A large part of it is made up of water, so the magic is handled a lot like water magic. I breathed in, breathed out, and concentrated. I detached a portion of magic from inside my body, moved it to my hand, and made it manifest. Ooooh! It turned into lotion!? It was a transparent, slimy liquid. I rubbed it onto both my hands. When I separated my hands, the slimy liquid made threads. Perfect! Right now there is a perfectly made lotion in my hands! Magic is amazing! Magic banzai! Khorosho! This is a revolution! If I can ask Snow or Meiya to make lots of these I can do lotion play that I only saw on DVDs in my previous life! Ooh! Wild ideas just keep coming forth! As my heart was trembling from the numerous possibilities, I heard footsteps coming down from the second floor. It looks like those two had woken up. I washed my hands. The water boiled just in time, so I brewed three peoples worth of chacha. We carried breakfast from the bedroom to the living room for a change of place. I gave Snow and Chrisse, who were still looking sleepy, a morning greeting with a smile fresher than highland grass. You know. I think we should get started working for real soon. As the three of us sat on the living room chairs, having my special-made breakfast, Snow put out a proposal. Certainly, no matter how we say we have an excess of funds, well become useless people if we stay like this. Youre right. We should start working soon just like Snow says. [Thats right. Lets aim for level III again.] Chrisse agreed, showing a motivated face. Level III, huh. I stroked my fingers on my chin in thought. Exterminating monsters around town can get you up to level II, but that wont do for level III. The basic quests for level III are typically things like going far away to another town to deliver things, exterminating high level monsters, or guarding wagon convoys. Things that demand an adventurers special expertise. Also, from here on well need to put security deposits. Its a system to prevent taking on quests without actually participating in them. The security deposit is of course paid back after the quest is complete. But that is exactly why Im hesitant. With quests that Ive never done before, along comes trouble. About 4 years ago, because of my lack of basic adventurer knowledge, I was tricked by fake adventurers and sold off as a slave to the Demon Continent. Though it was good that I was able to find my wife Chrisse as a result, the trauma etched in my heart doesnt disappear so quickly. Wagon escort missions seem simple at first glance, but I dont know whatd happen if I were suddenly attacked in the middle of the night by a large number of people and fell into panic. Its one thing if its just me, but I have two wives I have to protect, so I cant just recklessly fire my guns at random. That indecision probably had something to do with the reason why I have been living the lazy life recently. Then you can just buy a slave and all will be fine! Uwaa!? M, Meiya! Since when?! Before I knew it, Meiya Dragoon was standing at the living room entrance. As usual, she was in a dragon dress and holding a folding fan. I knocked the front door but nobody replied so I showed myself in! Showed yourself in. what about the key? I am a genius magic tool developer second to Lute-sama. Opening that kind of lock was no trouble at all. Ahem desu! Dont ahem desu me! Meiya proudly puffed up her large chest. But what she said had truth to it. Even if they were introduced by the Adventurers Guild, I cant trust another adventurer so easily. So rather than that, buying a slave, which carries no risk of betrayal, is a better plan. Luckily I have some funds to spare. At worst I can just borrow from Meiya. . Should we try and give it a look? Well, just looking is free, after all. [Besides, there might be a person like onii-chan we might be able to pick up, too] After getting my wives approval, regardless of whether or not we would end up actually buying one, we decided that we would go have a look. Then lets go to the slave market today! Likely because she was happy her plan was accepted, Meiya enthusiastically did an air punch. Well be taking a break from the armor and accessories development today. Since were already going, I think we should probably do some shopping and invite Meiya for dinner after we have finished looking at the slaves. Theres but one place that sells slaves in this town. A number of different slave merchants have gotten permission from the kingdom and set up together as the Brutus Slave Market For defensive reasons, the [Brutus Slave Market] was set up behind the Adventurers Guild. It seems to have been done to make sure that any problem can be handled quickly when it happens. Weve been to the Adventurers Guild several times, but other than Meiya, none of us knew where the building was. Weve never had any business that takes us behind the Adventurers Guild, so we never noticed it. The first floor of the [Brutus Slave Market] has cages for display, but the first floor had no entrances or exits. Its to prevent the slaves from escaping. The same reason why I was once locked down in the basement of [Rano Slave House]. The [Brutus Slave Market] operates by having multiple slave traders bring their slaves. It had a system where, upon entering the market, new slave traders had to pay an entrance fee after having passed strict examinations and are then allowed to put up their slaves for a fixed period of time. Because of this system, the slave traders compete with each other, increase the quality of their slaves, have a wide selection of races, and there are no traders who cheat on their sold merchandise. In the Demon Continent where I was taken to as a slave, people wanted mine slaves for digging coal, gold, silver, copper, magic stones, and such. Of course, there is demand for mine slaves here in the Dragon Continent, too. However, in this town demand is not only for physical laborer-type slaves. There is demand for various types of slave. Since bringing together many slavers means the quality and species of slaves becoming more diverse, this system was adopted. The second floor is the reception area. We went up the stairs and inside the room, and saw that similar to the Adventurers Guild they did business behind counters here too. Meiya explained how it all worked. As I thought, this is not a place just anyone can come to. At least, there are age limits. Adults, over 15 years of age. We were 14 and 13 years old so we normally couldnt come inside, but since there is a guardian, Meiya, there seems to be no problem. It seems you present the kind of slave you want at the desk, then they give you a listing of slaves that meet the criteria. Afterwards, you go down the stairs connecting the second floor to the first. There were numbers placed on the cages, so you go there and confirm the actual thing, and negotiate with the official standing by the cage. This is done to let it not become an exhibition, prevent raillery, because the typical slaves are lightly dressed or naked. The reason the slaves were lightly dressed is because getting them to strip for evaluation each time would be a pain, and it would ruin their physical condition to have them keep wearing clothes and stripping, which would harm their value as merchandise. Because of that the first floor had its temperature raised with magic. The reason the first floor is entirely walled in is not just to prevent the slaves from escaping, but also so that the room temperature doesnt go down. The receptionist noticed Meiya and immediately stood up and rushed over. Then, without saying a thing we were taken behind the reception deskto a reception room. A total VIP treatment. It seems when youre someone of Meiyas class, you dont go and see the slaves, but mention your requirements and the slave would be taken along to this room. As expected from the Magic Stone Princess, whose name is known not just in the Dragon Continent, but throughout the world. In under 10 minutes, the man in charge of the [Brutus Slave House] showed up. Talking about slave traders youd picture a guy with a scary face, but this guys face seemed like the goodness of humanity itself. He had a protruding belly, making him look much like a Daikoku. Welcome, welcome, Meiya-sama. Im the representative in charge of the [Brutus Slave House]. My name is Enos. Pleased to make your acquaintance. How do you do, Enos? Meiya exchanged a handshake with Enos. Then I shook hands with him as well. Meiya sat down in the seat of honor, while the three of us sat on the sofa opposite of Enos. Well then, Meiya-sama, what kind of slave do you hope to see today? Its not me today, its my master Lute whos coming to see some slaves. Im only escorting him. Hoo, so you are Meiya-samas rumored master! Having been introduced by Meiya, Enos stared at me, eyes wide in wonder. If youre Meiyas master, then we as well have to give our all and introduce you to our recommended slave. Enos laughed, his large belly shaking. Then what kind of slave do you hope to see? Umm, one with adventurer experience, aged 15 C 20, and I dont care about magic ability. How about the gender? Female! But its just a preference, so if theres one that meets the conditions, I dont mind if hes male, okay? I unintentionally said so but immediately made an addendum. Theres no change in the attitudes of Snow and Chrisse sitting to my left and right. On the contrary, that scares me. But see, a young male would be unpleasant in lots of ways. Which is why I chose female I dont have any ulterior motives okay? As I was making up excuses in my mind, Enos racked his brains for a slave that met my requirements. After some time he seemed to have thought of something, raised his face and said with a smile. There is one who meets your requirements. Shes a slave Im handling, her names Xiah. Shes 16 years old, she was an adventurer for 3 years since she was 12, and is a level III. Shes a female from the Fairy Race, Dark Elf Clan, and a B-plus ranked magician. A B-plus ranked magician slave, so shed be worth about 500 gold, I think? I was amazed at the cost Meiya mentioned. (F, five hundred gold!? Thats about 50 million in Japanese yen, right? Screw that. I dont have that kind of money!) I quickly gave up on buying her. As expected, it would be better to have just the three of us adventuring and raising our levels. Shes too expensive, no matter how you look at it. Normally I would offer her to you for that amount, but if youre willing to take her I dont mind handing her over for 250 gold. Half off from the normal price? Thats quite a discount. Enos smiled bitterly at my cynical remark. Of course, I dont intend to deceive Meiya-samas master. Shes in good condition, no sexual experience, a virgin. She can properly handle magic, too. Oi, why are you emphasizing the virgin part? Well, its an important part, in a way. Its just that Xiah is a strange one she sold herself off as a slave. Sold herself off? We get those sometimes. People that got too poor and were willing to be a slave even for free. Being a slave they dont have the right to their life anymore but they can escape the fate of dying from starvation tomorrow or the day after. If theyre lucky they can get bought by a good master and live a peaceful life. Only Xiah freely gave herself up as a slave on one condition. And that condition is? It was [Only sell me to a master I consider acceptable]. With that contract, a friend of mine took Xiah as a slave, but after about 1 year there was no master she would accept and soon there were no longer any buyers. Obviously, my friend was astounded and gave her over to me saying [I cant handle her anymore!] I see so if this Xiah girl would accept me as her [Master], you are willing to sell her to me for half the usual price? Yes, thats how it is. Certainly, shes a strange one. No, Im not sure I can just call her strange, shes more of an eccentric. Are there any attributes she wants, or any particular basis for who shes willing to have as her master? With a troubled look, Enos shook his head. That is simply, to quote the person herself, Ill only be sold to a master I recognize myself, a single point. Since that contract is there, I cannot sell her on other conditions. So therefore, if its Meiya-samas master, I thought for sure that Xiah would recognize you, so how about it? I see why hes selling her dirt cheap at half the market price. Well of course shes in a sense a bargain slave, but I dont think shes likely to accept me as her master. Its no use anyhow, so should I refuse, I wonder? How about you at least meet her for now? Enos asked, his face looking like hes pleading me. Judging from the way he looked, it seems shes unsellable dead stock that just takes up maintenance costs. Hes clinging on the slight possibility that Meiyas master might be recognized by the eccentric Xiah as her master. If all goes well, if Xiah were really pleased with me, he might be able to sell her off before he expends too much capital. Honestly, I myself want to see what kind of girl she is. Trying is free after all, I dont think Ill do anything more than see her. . All right. Lets just try and see her. Dont complain if she wont recognize me as a master, okay? Of course! Please wait a little while. Enos gleefully stood up from the sofa and left the reception room. After about 10 minutes, he brought along a girl held between two guards. Thank you for waiting. This is Xiah who we talked about earlier. I turned my eyes towards her. Her eyes carried a strong will. She was about as tall as Snow, probably a little shorter. She had sharp eyes but if she put her face in order I could call her cute. On her neck there is a magic prevention collar. Her hands and feet are restrained with sturdy chains, and held from both sides by the guards. All in all theyve prepared measures to be sure. The clothes shes wearing are worn out, top and bottom. Her navel is visible. Her breasts are just a little larger than average. About D-cup I guess? Her black hair is cut to shoulder length. Her pointed ears, characteristic of Elves, peeked out from under her hair. This seems to be Xiah, the eccentric Fairy Race, Dark Elf Clan girl. This person is the one who is willing to buy you. Go on, say hi. Um, I havent decided on buying her, though. With her sharp gaze, Xiah stared at us as if she was evaluating us. Were getting our roles reversed here. . My names Xiah, pleased to meet you. After she was finished with her evaluation, she curtly greeted us. A Dark Elf and a [bokukko]!? Thats some character. Good grief, dont you know any manners? Ive worked for a man of high social standing you know? Its not quite that I dont know any. I just dont bother. Really, you Enos tiredly sighed. He introduced her to us again. This is the Lute-sama who will buy you. The teacher of that Magic Stone Princess Meiya-sama. Hows that? Hes a fitting person to be your master, isnt he? (Told you I havent decided that I would buy her yet) Xiah shrinks her pupils at that introduction with great interest. Really, so you are Lute huh. Her reaction is almost like someone I know. But I have no recollection of meeting her before? Erm Have we met somewhere before ? I wonder Xiah began to giggle. As I desperately tried to remember her, she dropped a bomb that blew my mind. Tanakakouji Dont you remember hearing that ? Tanakakouji Tanaka Kouji!? Suicide, letting one die, bully, delinquent, stabbed to death, hanging by the neck the trauma in the distant past became a black tsunami and painted out my soul. UwaAaAaaaaaaaaAAAaaaaAaaaaa!!! My scream reverberates in the reception room. I lost my consciousness afterwards. That was once the name of a friend who was in part the reason I abandoned everything in the previous world, became a hikkikomori, and died. C ޤiǤäƤ꤬Ȥޤ 롢`֡ҊʤǤZӭǤ ա£աr趨Ǥ ӈޤ 褫äҊƤäƤ ׷ӣTSΤǤϤޤ p/s: its not transexual. TN: no, hes saying Kouji didnt get reincarnated as the elf, i.e. he didnt get trans-sexed (^)g Volume 4 - CH 56 Authors Note The Black Elf chapter isnt a transexual (and again, I have no intention of doing any transexuals). Hypothetically, another reincarnator appears; I intend to have them have the same sex as they did in the previous world. I apologize for having written in a way that caused misunderstanding. - , this is the bedroom ? When I woke up, I was in the bedroom in my house. I recognized the canopy above my bed. I got myself up. Outside, the sun is setting; its becoming dark. To think that I get to hear the name Tanaka Kouji in this world. No, because I died, reincarnated and got to keep my memories from the previous world, I thought that there are other people like me too. But to think that its someone from the same world I didnt think that the name of someone related to me would come up. Just who is that Black Elf? No matter how hard I try to dig through my memories, I cant remember anything about her. She knew my name but not my face or so was her attitude. Could there have been someone that let her know that Im a reincarnator?If so, then how does that person know Im a reincarnator? I dont understand their motive; why didnt that person come and meet me themself? Moreover, knowing that Tanaka Kouji and I are related, could it be that the person behind her is Tanaka Kouji himself ? If so. then why did he not not come see me himself? Generally, how does he know Im the reincarnated Hotta Youta ? Its unthinkable that he figured it out just from the fact that I develop guns I sat up on the bed and let idle thoughts run over my mind. No matter how much I think its useless. To know the answer, I can only ask Xiah herself directly. I sighed, got out of the bed, and went down the living room on the 1st floor. Snow, Chrisse and Meiya were drinking tea. Seems like they were waiting for me to wake up. Snow, who has good ears, knew I was coming down from the 2nd floor, then she spoke with a worried expression the moment I enter the room. Is it okay to get up already ? Yea, Im okay. My bad for making you all worried. I patted Snows head. Chrisse poured me a cup of warm chacha. I patted her head too. I flopped down on the sofa and drank the chacha in one go. The leaves scent, the slightly astringent taste and the warmth have revived me. I hold the cup with both hands and said to everyone: I think I will buy that slave called Xiah. As if theyve predicted this, they werent surprised, but they did have worried expressions. Snow ask me as the representative. I didnt mind that, but . that Xiah seems to know Lute-kun, but does Lute-kun know her? I tried to remember her too, but I dont have any recollection. Then, what is that Tanakakouji she had said ? .. As I thought, they heard it. But, theres no way I can explain to them that I was reincarnated with memory from previous life, and Tanaka Kouji is the name of the guy I let die without helping him. Sorry, I cant tell you now. Got it. I will wait till Lute-kun talks. [I will wait too.] My wives Snow and Chrisse nod with a smile without any pretension. .Ive got really good wives. Then I turn around, face Meiya and bow my head. With that said, I want to buy that slave, Xiah, at all costs. But I dont have 250 gold coins so Im sorry, but can you lend me the money? Please raise your head, Lute-sama! As Ive said before, disciples belongings are teachers belongings. In other words, my money is Lute-samas money! Please dont hold back; use them to your hearts content! Thank you, Meiya. But I will pay you back. Lute-sama is so mean, Meiya unhappily grumbled at my answer. I didnt mind that and continued the talk. I want to go the slave market as soon as it opens; wont you come with me ? Im still only 14-years-old, which is not enough for the required age to enter the market, so I want you to accompany me. Understood! Of course Id be glad to accompany you! Well then, to go together early in the morning, Im staying the night! Meiya smiled brilliantly, because it was her first time staying over at my house. It seemed that she would return to her house once to prepare for the stay-over. Then in the meantime, we prepared the guest room and dinner. For now, everyone put Xiahs matter aside and happily started preparing for the stay-over. The next morning, I skipped breakfast and had Meiya accompany me to visit the [Brutus Slave Market] first thing in the morning. We went up the second floor and showed ourselves at the reception desk, then immediately proceeded to the reception room from yesterday. Enos showed up to the reception room with a sickly pale face and pressed his head on the floor. I humbly apologize for introducing Meiyas master Lute-sama to a terribly rude slave yesterday! I will ensure that something like that doesnt happen again from now on, so please have mercy on me! I think Ive seen that attitude before. The man working for the estate agency, from when I was looking for a place to move to, acted the same way. It looks like after I fainted yesterday, he was thoroughly yelled at and threatened by Meiya. First, I urged him to raise his head. Please raise your head. Actually, Im the one who should apologize for causing trouble yesterday. I wont show such an unsightly display again, so can I see yesterdays slave, Xiah, one more time? If shell allow it, Ill be sure to buy her. W, were of course grateful for that but will it really be all right? Yes, please. Understood. Ill call her right away then; please wait a little while. Enos left the reception room in a hurry. Then a little over 10 minutes later, Xiah showed up held in between the same two guards as yesterday. A magic-prevention collar was on her neck. Her arms and legs were restrained with sturdy chains, and she was wearing ragged clothes top and bottomCjust like yesterday. I stood face to face with her and asked: Xiah, I want to buy you. So, I want you to somehow accept me as your master. Of course, Im not going to be rough. Ill release you if you desire it. I just want you to answer a few questions. . hmm, despite how you look, you gather up a lot of money quickly. Did you borrow from that genius magic-tool inventor over there? I nodded. Xiah looked down at me and laughed through her nose. So in the end, thats all you are. Looks like you dont have what it takes to be my master, either. Is that how a Fairy race, and a slave at that, talks to Lute-sama who ranks higher than the gods!? Know your place! Meiya, be quiet. B-, but Lute-sama! I said be quiet. I-, Im sorry. My tone was unexpectedly cold. Meiya shuddered like a puppy that was drenched in the rain. That was a bit too cold. Ill apologize to her later. But before that, I shouldbuy Xiah no matter how. So, how do you suppose youll accept me as your master? Lets see In that case, show your strength by fighting me. If you can win, Ill recognise you as my [Master]. Alright. Lets do it. If I win Ill have you accept me as your master. Dont take back your words if you lose. *tch*! Dont look down on me! Theres no way Ill do something that preposterous! Then lets set up the conditions in detail. I ignored the exasperated Xiah and indifferently continued the discussion. Xiah and I totally ignored everyone else and decided on the conditions for the matchThe match will be a hand-to-hand fight without magic. That was because Xiah had a magic-prevention collar attached. Blinding and groin attacks are forbidden. The one who faints or lost the will to fight loses. The location for the fight is the [Brutus Slave House], first floor. That place is solidly built, and if you clean up the resting space in the middle, it will be wide enough for a fight. Its completely surrounded by walls, so we wont cause trouble outside the store. Of course, the representative of the staff of the [Brutus Slave House], Enos, has something to say. L-, Lute-sama, please do something that would damage the goods like that after the purchase. Also, well be in trouble if you fight here. Well be using the first floor now, so gather up the chairs in the rest area and put them aside. N-, no, well lets do something like that once weve written up the contractwait! Why do I have to use honorifics towards a slave!? Sorry, please let us use the first floor. Please. Its certainly still early, so there are no other customers, but this place is used together by the slavers guild so I cant Please. Rather than my urging, it was probably Meiya who was sitting next to me with a glare that said So,youre also going to deny the divine Lute-samas request? You want to die? You want to lose your place to live in the Dragon Continent that had had a better effect on him? Enos gave in. Ugu, w-, why do these things always happen to me. I was yelled at by Meiya-sama yesterday, too; it was horrible. Alright! But dont go complaining to me, whether you win or lose! Also Xiah, after this fight Im definitely going to let you go! Ive had enough of this jinx of a slave! Dont ever show your face in front of me again! We were able to get the [Brutus Slave House]s representative Enos permission. Thus begins the hard fight of Me vs Xiah. As said at the start, its not transexual. And again, I have no intention of writing transexual. Hypothetically another reincarnator appears, they will have the same sex as theirs in the previous world. I apologize for having written in a way that may have caused misunderstanding. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 57 Slave Market BrutusFirst floor is surrounded by four walls. The slaves are put in an iron cage, lined up in a row alongside the wall. In the middle, each of them are also lined up in two columns. In the cages where the slaves were, there was a number on it, and in order to advertise each of them (the slaves), the merchant sat in front of the merchandise. On the second floor, the receptionist tells you the (TL: cage) number of the type of the slaves you wish for, and the customers go to the cage of that number. Naturally, theres no problem to look around for in the other cages besides the one that was directed. Wall, floor, and roof are made out of stone; with light created by magic, the inside was thoroughly illuminated. Windows that are about 30-centimeters-wide, with wooden slatted shutters that open and close, were all open. Led by guards wearing armor, we who have descended from the second floor were being gazed at curiously by the slaves inside their cages. Its as spacious as three gyms connected together side by side. In the middle, in order to create a space (for the customer) to take a break, rest chairs were placed there. If those chairs were put away by the guards, then a space for competition would be created instantly. For the match, the shackles on Xiahs hands and feets were taken off by the guards. She moved 2-3 times to loosen up her muscles. I also left the gun belt below my hands and shoes that I was wearing to Meiya who was standing near me. You didnt really have to imitate me and take your shoes off. If you want to, how about as a handicap, you can use that magic device-ish thing? Nah. It would be troublesome if you complain when I win afterward. Or youre letting me use it so you can make an excuse later ? Xiah made a face full of displeasure. Fu~n, I pray that your ability is more than that insolent mouth of yours. She glared at me with a sharp gaze. I returned an indomitable glare. Lute-sama, please dont over do it. I understand. Meiya, it is too dangerous, so please leave here. She nodded her head and went some distance away. A guard acting as a referee stood before us. Again, to confirm the terms: no magic, no weapon, no blinding (as in damaging the eyes), no kickingon the balls (the crotch), and the opponent who faints or loses the will to fight will lose. Furthermore, if we deem this match to be too dangerous, we will stop it. Are there any questions (problems)? No problem. Neither do I. With our mutual consent, the guard took some distance and gave us instructions. Distanced about 10 meters, the guard with a volume loud enough to be heard even outside gave us the signal, START! Xiah and I immediately took our stances. I set up both my hands close to my chin. She also took a similar posture. Lute-sama, please do your best! While listening to Meiyas encouragement, I confronted Xiah. She tiptoed around me clockwise with a tempo. _____Fu! With a sharp step, she released a left-jab kind of punch. Flustered while backing away, barrages of attacks persistently followed me. I drove her away with a jab. Unfortunately, it was dodged with a duck; conversely, a right punch sunk into my body. Gu! The damage received wasnt much, because I stepped back, but my movement was stopped. She continued with a left middle kick. I reflexively guarded my side but she flexibly changed the trajectory and the kick hit my cheek. It cant be a Brazilian kick!? .!? WOOOoooooooOOOooOOw!!! I couldnt bear it and my hand touched the floor as I fell. Excited from the fact that an attack went through, the slaves and guards exclaimed to the point of ear-hurting. Lu, Lute-sama! To say Lute-sama is someone like the worlds national treasure is not an exaggeration! To do something such as kicking, the god will not accept such blasphemy! Fu~n, only this much. Seems like you are nothing but that impudent mouth of yours. Xiah ignored Meiyas screams, while gazing down at the guard who fell with cold eyes. I grinded my teeth and got up, and lunged a right-upper that she magnificently dodged backwards. Once again, a distance was created. I am not underestimating her because she is a woman..but her attacks are very precise. I feel like I will be defeated if I let my guard down. If I were to be defeated then maybe I cant even ask why she knows the name Tanaka Kouji. My fighting spirit reignited. Xiah observed me closely. The martial art that she used is not something orthodox in this world. She took a rhythm with the tips of the toes and steadily dealt damage. If I attacked, she would retreat without doing anything reckless. Completely hit and back awayCa polished hand-to-hand combat technique. However, compared to Master and Gigi-san, the punch was weak. Theres no impact. Having gone through Masters frightening experience first-handedly, this level was not scary at all! That time, it was my turn to attack! Fu! I attacked with a straight left jab! But she stepped back and dodged it. Furthermore she circled me clockwise with light steps. Ignoring it, I continued to jab at her. Xiah was barely dodging while she measured the timing. I purposely attacked with a right straight with an exaggerated motion. Matching to that timing, Xiah aimed for a counter. Just like I predicted! We both dodged at the same time. Distance became zero. I immediately locked both of my hands at Xiahs neck! The posture is known as Muay Thais neck-wrestler. !? She lost her tempo because of confusion from first time seeing this move. Seizing that chance, I attacked her side with my right knee. Gaa! A painful breath leaked out near my ear. Without loosening the grip, I released a second one! In the same place, I attacked with my right knee. While grasping painfully, Xiah thrusted me away with both of her hands. Once again, another distance was created between us. However, the damage on the abdomen seemed serious; breathing roughly, Xiah supported herself with her knee. UOoOoOoooooooOoo!!! The guards and the slaves bursted out with cheers. This time, the position reversed where I was looking down at her instead. Whether Im just an insolent mouth or not, you understand now, right? You, you, baaastard! With a painful expression, Xiah tried to stand up. However, the flame inside her eyes has not burned out yet. I as well. Here I go! Yeah! Come at me, Xiah! We both shouted out a cry of war and charged at each other from the front. Both of our war cries and the slaves, including the guards cheers, merged together. Our voices probably reverberated all the way outside. Overcoming the man- and woman-gender distinction, Xiah and I exchanged blows. The outcome wasDDdouble knockout. The conclusion of the match was a draw. Xiah and I shaked hands at my house, where we were isolated from people. On the table in front of me, there were cold drinks on top. She drank it in one breath, then vigorously put the cup back on the table. At first, I thought you were a weak guy, but you have guts. Truly, it was a good fight. You too, Xiahs fist is really effective. Especially when that left kick hit my face; it was so dangerous. No, no, I should say the same. When we glued to each other and your right knee hit my abdomen, I thought by ribs were broken. And so, Xiah praises me about the battle. Apparently, shes the type that doesnt hold grudges, as there was no ill feeling after the battle. The match was double knockout and ended in a draw, however we were able to safely buy Xiah. We went home after creating tons of bruises and injuries. The wounds were healed by Snows magic. Thanks to that, no matter where youd look, there was not even a single scratch. As fellows that had traded blows, a strange feeling of solidarity was born. Xiah lowered her head deeply as she sat still on the sofa. Well then, again, please take care of me, master. While Im still inexperienced, I will work hard to become useful for you. Stop calling me master. Sure, I bought you and Im your master on paper. But arent we comrades who had punched each other with all our might? Call me by my name: Lute. No, even if you say that well then from now on, Ill call you young master. Well if you say so. Take care of me too. Its my pleasure, young master! Connected by the friendship of fellows who have fought each other, which is not comprehensible to Snow and Chrisse, we shook hands again. Done with the sportsmanlike conduct, I ask her some questions. How did she know about me? How does she know the name Tanaka Kouji ? Thats it, 2 points. Xiah talked without the coldness she displayed like when she was at [Brutus Slave Market]. Its related to a secret Ive been hiding. Thats why, young master and madams; please dont tell anyone. She said so beforehand. You may not believe me but since I was small, I have had this Oracle-like power that let me hear Gods divine message. But it seems that since this power was only one-sided, God couldnt hear her wish. Due to that oracle, she knew my name, and if she says Tanaka Kouji, then she would be bought by a fitting master by me for sure, or so she was told. It seems the duel with me was just to confirm whether or not I really was a fitting master for her. Its an unbelievable story for us . but its a fact that Xiah has been bought by me as a slave. Xiah too was finally being all smiles with joy, because her earnest petition was fulfilled. I thought for sure that she had some kind of connection to Tanaka but I still had an uncomfortable feeling. But Xiah is not a bad person. I could tell precisely because we traded fists. Also, because weve made the master-servant contract, she couldnt betray me and put me at a disadvantage. So was this discomfort just my imagination? Not minding my tinge of discomfort, she happily bowed her head with a smile. I am truly happy to be able to meet a suitable master, thanks to this power. Ill be in your care from now on. Me too, Ill be counting on you. We stopped the chat then and decided that Xiah would live with us in the house from now on. Her room will be in the first-floor guest room. I spent the day buying Xiahs clothes, underwear, and accessories. The next day at the Meiya residence. I had her watch the shooting of the [S&W M10], [AK-47] and [M700P] at the shooting range by the workshop. Because from that day forward, I wanted to have her use them too. Snow, Chrisse and I each respectively fired the [S&W M10], [M700P] and [AK-47]. Xiah slowly released her hands that had been holding down her pointed ears, she had a surprised look in her face. To even be able to make something like this I see, the Magic Stone Princess didnt call you her master for nothing. Im going to have you use these too from now on. It is indeed a wonderful magic tool, but I dont know if I can use it well She said in a reluctant tone. Xiah, when you were an adventurer, what kind of weapons did you use? I used knives and twin swords. So I dont handle ranged weapons too well. Ugh, twin swords, huh One of the fake adventurers who tricked me and sold me off as a slave had twin swords. Uuuuh. my trauma. W-, well, if its you, Xiah, youll be able to handle it with a little practice. Besides, I dont mind equipping you with a knife just in case. Well go to a weapons store later and buy something you like. Thank you very much, young master. If it came to it, I could even make her a knife myself. There was also the option of having her use one of the special-purpose knives the Russian army uses. Lets try things out when we would have had time afterwards. I considered researching knives alongside making the tools and accessories. There also were several other things I wanted to make. Also, as for Snow and Xiahs AK-47s, I decided that making them would be practice for Meiya as well. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 58 About a month and a half later, we were running quickly while wearing full equipment in the middle of a thick, verdant forest. We were wearing field clothes with belts around our waists, equipped with several pouches attached to those belts by ALICE clips. We had combat protectors on our elbows and knees. Our combat boots were firmly planted on the ground. Xiah was at the lead, followed by Snow, Chrisse, and I lining up behind. Through her eye-protection gear (goggle-type), Xiah aimed her Meiya-made AK-47 at the prepared target and fired. BANG! The target on the ground had its center blown away. Snow and I with AK-47s then shot through targets hanging from tree branches. Chrisse stayed behind while watching our surroundings. Once all targets were shot through, we started moving again. We continued the training until all the prepared targets were destroyed. The final target was shot from 100 meters away right on the bullseye by Chrisse. Welcome back, everyone! Once we finished training, we slipped out of the forest to where Meiya was waiting. The Meiya Residence maids prepared chairs, a table, and a parasolmaking a simple rest area. We were outside of town at a nearby forest. We put on a notice at the Adventurers Guild and did some outdoors training. Monsters were previously driven away. But still, there seemed to be some left, so we dealt with those that we encountered during training. The one who sensed the remaining monsters faster than anyone else was Xiah. Before she became a slave, when she was an adventurer, it seems she took the role of a scout, sensing monsters movements before anyone else could. Her presence-sensing towered above others by far. It was to the point that Xiah declared that While I was an adventurer, I never got caught in a surprise attack even once. We believed her and made her a scout that timein my previous world, shed be called a Pointman. The result was beyond imagination. Wed probably have used this formation again the next time its needed. We took off our eye-protection gear and put down our AK-47s and M700P. I took off my helmet and sat on a chair alone. I wiped my head and neck with a cold, wet towel the maids handed me; it soon became stained with dirt and sweat. I took off the cap off the canteen that was attached by ALICE clip, then I emptied the lukewarm water. After I rehydrated myself, the sweat poured out again, and I received a new towel. After I enjoyed my little break, I checked everyones equipment conditions. In the training, have you noticed anything that bothers you ? Like, is your movement is restricted, or does the size not match or is it hard to use? As I thought, I dont need the helmet! x3 OH, all the girls objected with HELMET, NO! I gave them before training, but they all had their reasons and didnt wear it even once. Snows was because My ears hurt. Chrisses was because Uncomfortable so I cant concentrate. Xiah just said one word in nuisance and put it away. Even though I diligently made them . As a result, I was the only one who was using it. An..anything else ? [Onii-chan, cant this eye-protection gear be easier to see through ?] Yeah, I did my best though The eye-protection gear was goggles-type glasses. In battle, there are many potential damages to your eyesCwind and dust, ejected cartridges from allies, and scattering pieces of wood or rock caused by a bullet. There are also fragments from the blast of magic and such. If your eyes get hurt, then your combat potential will drop significantly. For those reasons, it becomes a necessity. The problem is the glass part. Some products like [Ess Ice] that is currently adopted in the American army have strength that can even withstand shotgun buckshot. But that stuff doesnt exist in this world. Meiya and I collaborated and did a lot of trial and error; as a result, we chose goggle-type eye-protection gear. For the glasses part, we made them in the shape of beehive with magic liquid metal. For the gap, we used the magic stones power placed at the back of the head to create a thin water membrane to prevent small dust, sand and such. But using it in reality does obstruct your visibility a lot. But if I make the beehive hole bigger, then it wont be able to block incoming fragments. The water membrane isnt that strong, so I could only experiment over and over to find the balance afterward. Understood, Ill devise it to make it a little easier to see. Anything else ? For me its this bulletproof vest? Its a little tight, especially around the chest area. The bulletproof-vest name is the same as the previous worlds, but I made it to defend against arrows, spears and swords but not bullets. The material Im using is a monster called Pterosaur that resemble dragon, they have wings in place of hands. Even though the defensive power is lower than a dragons, the price is reasonable, I lined the scales up and fixed them to a khaki-coloured clothes. A light but also high-defense product. But the elasticity is pretty low. Snows then growing breasts were being cramped at that point. It was the night-hustling fault of mine though! Go..get it, Ill tide it over. Anything else? Any problem with the AK, Xiah? Absolutely none. Thats obvious! Because its a product that has been made by my and Lute-samas teacher-student lovey-dovey collaboration! Please handle it with care, Xiah-san Right. The AK47 Xiah was using was made together by Meiya and I. Ever since Meiya met me, she had been studying everything about guns all the time. Furthermore, in order to remember the iron plate not with just her head but also body, whenever she had time, she touched, licked and smelled it to experience the strength, and she punched it, chewed it, and pressed it against her cheeks to feel the coldness, too. The result of that endeavour: she finally acquired the power to imagine it vividly. And as I took care of Snows AK, Meiya did Xiahs. While checking the parts together, we assembled and made it. Surprisingly, at this stage, I discovered the magic liquid metals weak, problematic point. I thought that the more magic I poured in, the stronger metal it produces, but it turned out that the magic liquid metal had a property that if the magic exceeded a certain threshold, it wouldbecome brittle. Meiya and I made the same part, but somehow, there were a lot of cases where hers was abnormally brittle. At first, we thought it was because she couldnt imagine vividly, but the fault seemed to lie in pouring in too much magic. If I recalled correctly, it was the same with alcohol; at 90%-plus, the sterilizing property drops instead. At about 70%-85%, the sterilizing property becomes its highest, or so I read in some medical manga. Magic liquid metal probably has the same property. Its a property that was only discovered because it was made by B- rank magician Meiya. It went gone undiscovered because it was been made by the no-talent magician Moi. It was one act that made me realized again that my magic pool was really low. But it was a problem that could be solved by adjusting the amount of magic poured in. The problem was then gone because Meiya adjusted the amount of magic she poured in. Again, about AK production, I designed some small parts to fit the girls personalities. Snows design was almost the same as mine. The only difference was that it wasnt black but white. Maybe it was because of her name, but she liked to use white. Thats why I changed the colour so they could be differentiated at a glance as to whose was whose. In Xiahs case, the stock (the farthest part at the back of the gun that is placed against the shoulder) is not metal frame. The open hole is filled up, thereby making it heavier than our guns. According to the person herself she didnt like it because it was too light and thus made her feel as if shes not carrying anything. After training, I briefly asked everyone, but it seemed there was no special inconvenience. Well then, tomorrow lets go to the guild and see if there is any Level III quest. Everyone agreed. Finally, we started to do quest to get to Level III. The next morning, the four of usMe, Snow, Chrisse, Xiahhad breakfast. Since we werent likely to go on a quest right away, we did not carry AK-47s, and we went to the Adventurers Guild in plain clothes with only gun belts hanging from our waists. This is the first time we came with Xiah, but she took a wooden tag branded with a series of numerals with practiced hands. Soon our number was called. tch, welcome, did you get another wife? The demon race oneesan, who always looked after us, received us in an irritated manner. No, shes not my wife. We were about to rank up to Level III, so we employed her. Were still beginners, so there are lots of things about adventuring that we still dont know about. There was no need to expressly state that Xiah is our slave in public. If we hid the brand on her arm and took off her collar, nobody could have told by looking. Being accompanied by a magic-users slave might have troubled us by causing something annoying. We told that to the person herself. Xiah took out a tag from her neck and handed it to the receptionist. Im Xiah. Pleased to meet you. Excuse me. Im pleased to meet you, too. Xiah-san is a Level III, arent you? So youre taking on a quest to raise the others to Level III, is it? Yes, please. Having Xiahs answer, the receptionist fluidly turned over some documents. Shes good at what she did and had a good appearance and character, so I wondered why couldnt she get married. The receptionist presented us with a sheet of paper. Without looking at the document, she read out the terms written on it. So how about this one? The requested matter is to guard the transportation of some packages. The destination is from here through the dragon mines to the dragon kingdom. It will take about 16 days, and because of the long duration, each person gets two gold coins this time. Food and drinks are to be prepared by yourselves. The employer prepares nothing other than a carriage. The day of departure is in the morning the day after tomorrow. Should you accept, you are to come to the Adventurers Guild at noon tomorrow to meet with the employer. The transported goods were something related to magic tools. There was already one team working as guards, but the employer seemed to want another team just in case. Because it was so sudden, there was no problem with using it to rise to Level IIIthats the situation. It was certainly convenient for us. Xiah examined the request and told the receptionist that we accepted it. Well then, well take this, please. All right. All of you please lend me your tags. Also, from Level III onwards youre going to have to put in some deposit money. Thatll be one silver coin per person this time. The procedures regarding our quest acceptance that time were handled by the only Level III with us, Xiah. We handed tags and the deposit money (4 silver coins) to the receptionist. She smoothly filled in the quest with a magic-quill pen. Once she finished, she returned the tags to us. Then see you at the Adventurers Guild at noon tomorrow. Understood. Please tell the employer that we wont be needing a carriage. Alright. Ill be sure to tell them. Her work finished, Xiah left her seat. We followed along behind her. Hey Xiah, why did you refuse the carriage they prepared? Since she refused, we had to prepare one by ourselves. Which meant there would be extra expenses for that. Xiah explained to us as we walked. If we dont prepare one ourselves, theyre going to put us with the other team on a cheap carriage and horned horses. The employer would want to pin down their expenses. For our own safety, we have to loan or prepare a carriage ourselves beforehand, thats how adventurers do it. It seemed that if the adventurer didnt have money, they would be using the allotted carriage and horses. We never knew of anything like that. I was really glad that we bought Xiah. Then we turned towards the carriage-sellers. Once we loaned a carriage, we went to the marketplace to buy everything else we needed. In order to go on the Level III Quest the day after tomorrow, we began our preparations. Thank you so much for reading this far! I gladly welcome your impressions and typo or omission reports! I plan to update tomorrow, January 13th, at 9 PM. Thank you for your typo reports. Im still in the middle of something right now, so Ill fix them shortly. I truly thank you for your reports! (^)g Volume 4 - CH 59 The next morning after, we accepted the Level III quest from the Adventurers Guild:escort the wagon thats loaded with magic tools. To meet with the client and other escorts, we went to the guild a little before noon. We entered the building and asked the usherette, we then got led into the reception room. After a while, the client and 4 other escorts appeared. The usual Demon Race receptionist girl also showed her face, maybe to bear witness. Im the client, Gomugo. I deal in magic tools. Please take care of the escort tomorrow. Gomumo the client had 2 horns sprout out from his head. It looked like he was from the Dragon Race. Middle-aged and no white hair yet, but the wrinkles on his face stood out. His height was about 170-centimeters-tall, he had a mustache like a hairy caterpillar under his nose. He seemed to be a good guy. Im a Level II adventurer, Lute. Im doing this for a test to get up to Level III, but thats a different matter, and I will give it my all to do the job. Please take care of me, too. After I showed him my adventurer tag, we shook hands. Snow, Chrisse, and Xiah gave their own greetings after me. The greetings went on smoothly. Gomugo-san, no matter how much you need some hands, requesting kids like these for the escort is just a waste of money. The first three that took up the post as guards all had horns growing out of their foreheads, so they must had been Dragon Race. A giant of a man who made holes in his helmets and protruded his horns from there, a nimble man shorter than me, and a leader-looking man next to them who interrupted us. The leader-looking man was easily 180-centimeters-tall, his forged muscular body without any excess fat could be seen even through his civilian clothes. He also had neater features than the other two. His hair, which was just a little long, was tied behind his head, and from his waist hung an expensive-looking sword that looked out of place with his rough civilian clothes. From the looks of them, they all appeared like veteran adventurers. Symil-san, youre being rude no matter how- Im only telling the truth here. The adventurer business is not a kids playground. I dont know what theyre planning to do; but if they dont do it well, then not only us but also Gomugo-san may face danger. Because of that, its be better to clearly tell them this. I can understand the leader-looking manSymils point. A Level II caravan escort is not individual but group work. One persons mistake can plunge the whole team into danger. Again, its not impossible for them to think were going to push all the work to them and just take the money. Because in reality, aside from Xiah, were all 13- and14-year-old kids. The Demon Race receptionist girl started speaking. Symil-sama, theyre adventurers that have been judged by the Adventurers Guild that they can be Level III without any problem. Actually, Xiah-sama is a B+ rank magician, not even to say Snow-sama is a A- rank magician. You cant judge a book by its cover, you know? B+ rank, and even A- rank, you say !? Even the two men behind Symil made surprised faces. Gomugo, the client, smiled like he got an unexpected piece of luck. Now that is reassuring to have an A- rank magician escort me. Looks like the security is guaranteed this time. Ku! Gomugo, who held the right to employ, had totally wanted to hire us. If its like this, then no matter how much Symil and the gang make a fuss, the decision wont change. Instead, if they make too big of a fuss, it wouldnt be strange if their contract got cancelled. I tried looking at them, they look like theyve totally lost their faces as adventurers. The receptionist girl poured more oil onto the fire. Furthermore, Snow-sama and Chrisse-sama are also Lute-samas wives, you know. The marriage to these beauties of Lute-samas is really enviableCreally jealously enviable. Scary, scary. She was radiating a dark malice just like a monster straight out of a Japanese horror movie. I felt that I was gradually getting to understand the reason why she couldnt get married. Ah, and to even be able to marry two beautiful girls like them at the same time! Symils group shivered with shock. Ehehehee, Lute-kun, she said were beautiful girls. Us. Beautiful girls. [Youre making me embarrassed.] Snow and Chrisse were happily fawning on both sides of me. Snow even started sniffing my scent. Stop it, you, dont sniff at me in front of other people. E..even flirting Symil and company made bitter faces and gritted their teeth loud enough for us to hear. They literally worked with their own lives on the line to finally reach Level III. And yet from below, a boy younger than themselves brought along some overpowered but beautiful girls to help rise to Level IIIone of the girls he brought along was even an A-minus-ranked mage, a rank only a handful of talented people could reach. If I were in his shoes, Id probably be like him. no, Id even be more envious, Id be hatefully envious. . Alright. Ill accept that the girls are strong. But! The boy, just the boy, Ill never accept him! You fight me and show me what youve got right now! Which is why I kind of expected it to turn out like this. I breathed a sigh and gave him my conditions. Alright. Lets fight it out. However! No hard feelings, no matter who wins or loses. After this, neither of us will say or do anything to provoke each other. We will go on this quest and do it businesslikethese are my conditions. Alright. I swear on my name as an adventurer. But if you lose, Im going to have you do as I instruct throughout this job. Alright. If your orders arent unreasonable, I will do as you say during the quest. Of course, that is if I lost. Youve got guts. Im looking forward to seeing you suffer. Just like that, Symil and my duel began. The location for the duel was at the practice grounds behind the Adventurers Guild. This was the place where normally retired former adventurers would take newbie adventurers for practice, and it was also where the Adventurers Guild staff would teach the art of self-defense. It was the size of a gymnasium. Laid along the walls were materials, lumber,swords, spears, greatswords and the like that had their blades destroyed during practice. Symil and I stood 5 meters away and faced each other. The Demon Race receptionist acted as referee. You can use your usual weapons inmagic tools, because by Snow-samas and Xiah-samas grace they will use healing magic. Most injuries can be healed, but please be careful not to kill your opponent. We nodded to her words. I chose to use the S&W M10 4-inch revolver hanging from my gunbelt, Symil chose to use the sword hanging from his waist. As he slowly drew the sword out, he began saying something. Ill say it before we start, Im Symil. Symil the Gale is my name. Sorry, I still dunno you. This is my Gale Sword imbued with wind magic. Feel free to let it cut you! In short, a magic stone charged with wind magic got inserted into that sword, from the name it sounds like it has the power to shoot out kamaitachi or blade of wind. Why are you taking the trouble to tell me your power. And calling a sword socketed with just a magic stone the Gale Sword or whatever, so lame . did he name it himself? I questioned his taste. Symil showed a composed smile, he mustve thought of my astonishment as panic. The receptionist girl raised her right hand. Well then, start! Uooooo! Mince him! Gale SwoCGYARGH! I activated Body Strengthening on my entire body for just 5 seconds just in case. I did a quick draw in under a second, hitting Symil on the shoulder. He was taken by surprise by the sudden pain and sound of the gunshot and grasping his shoulder, dropped the sword that he had raised overhead. D-, damn you As an active adventurer, Symil seemed to be able to bear the pain, and thus he tried to pick up the dropped sword with the hand on the other side of his immobile shoulder. BANG. !? I shot another .38 Special (9mm) in between his outstretched hand and the sword. you still want to continue? I pointed the muzzle at him as a threat and muttered in a low voice: I-, I give! He immediately understood that he couldnt win and declared his loss. This way, I could get him to recognise me without a problem, and we were then able to accept the quest. We once again introduced ourselves to a dejected Symil and checked their adventurer tags. Symils group were all Level III adventurers. Thank you so much for reading this far! I gladly welcome your impressions and typo or omission reports! I plan to update tomorrow, January 14th, at 9 PM. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 60 This time, the quest was a Level III caravan escort. The destination was the Dragon continents capital; if we didnt take detour, then it would have taken about 10 days to reach. But by the halfway point (after 5 days), there was a place we would stop by next. That place is the mining town Vesta. Since Vesta was on a mountainous area, we had to pass through a forest where a lot of monsters appeared along the way. It would take us about 4 days to get to Vesta. We will drop the luggage there and pick up new luggage. The plan seemed to be to stay there and rest for about 3 days. After we get out of the mining town, we will head to the capital. This too, will take about 4 days. In short, 5 days to the halfway point, 4 days to Vesta, 3 days to rest, 4 days from Vesta to the capital 16 days in total. Once we would arrive at the capital, our job would be completed. It was a quest that would reward 2 gold coins (approximately 200,000 yen) for about 15 days of work. It was a price that would include a wagon, food, and inn lodging for rest days. The total amount of working hours was long, but if one counts in the days where we didnt have to fight monsters and rest days, then one could say it was a pretty good job. I left the house to Meiya in my absence. Please leave it to me, Lute-sama! Lute-samas first disciple, Meiya Dragoon, will show you that she can perfectly protect the house! or so she spiritedly said, but I wondered why that instead of thinking of her as reliable, I felt anxiety building up inside of me And before departure, Snow and Chrisse brought presents and did a courtesy call around the neighborhood. It was so they could take a look at our house once in a while when we were away. There was nobody that would hate two cute young girls coming to greet them with presents. They were really too good for me. The first day after the departure. The road to the Dragon Kingdom was made into a highway, and because there was a lot of traffic, all the dangerous monsters were basically wiped out already. We were hired for simply passing through the forest on the way to Vesta. Passing through the forest typically made the chance of encountering monsters higher. Thats why he hired escorts. The wagon of Symils 3-man group was at the front, then the clients 5 wagons, and, finally, my groups wagon at the end. Total of 7 wagons. As expected, the first 5 days of travelling on the highway were lively and peaceful. But if there was any problem, it was We cant use the wash toilet while travelling. I sighed while swaying along the luggage on the wagon that was coached by Xiah. It hadnt even been 1 hour since we departed, but when I thought about not being able to use the wash toilet, I naturally let out a sigh. Snow felt the same and sighed together. Once you know that pleasantness, you can never go back. I want to hurry up and go home to use the wash toilet. On the opposite side, Chrisse shook her head with a grim face. [That demon kings weapon, I dont mind not having it at all! ] Chrisse seemed to be hostile about the wash toilet somehow. I wanted to ask her for the reason the next time she was. But really, there was no way I could have made a simplified, portable wash toilet and load it on the wagon. In the wagon, there was food, weapons, ammunition, sets of protectors, sets of clothes, blankets, saddles, bridles, and 2 barrels of magic liquid metal for precaution all the necessary items for travelling were packed tightly. We were able to create water with magic, so we didnt bring any. And we needed space to sit in too, so there would be no space for the portable wash toilet. Xiah, who was sitting on the wagoning seat, learned the existence of the simplified wash toilet and started mumbling. Of course, Xiah had experienced the wash toilet too and already became a slave to it, in both her mind and body. If I asked that person, then maybe even while travelling ? But no, to have that person carry the wash toilet is a little Seeing that serious back of hers, I was a little hesitant to call her out. Couldnt be helped I decided to give up on the wash toilet and make use of the free time I have now. I took out 1 barrel of magic liquid metal, holding it between my legs. Lute-kun, what are you doing? Huh? Well, Im free, so I thought I should make some prototype. Around the time that I almost finished making protectors & accessories, Snows and Xiahs AK47s, I moved on to make other equipment. That is the hand grenade. Literally a grenade you throw with your hand, it was also called the hand-thrown grenade. A grenade is an explosive, small bomb that will scatter fragments and shockwaves if it hits. The word grenade came from the Spanish word granada pomegranate fruit. And it was known as hand grenade in English. Hand grenades are attested to have existed as early as the 13th century. In the 17th century, troops known as grenadiers also existed. At first, a hand grenade was made from a ceramic alcohol bottle, a cast bronze, and an iron ball stuffed with black powder and attached with a fuse. Then in England in 1917, hand-grenade research began. In 1921, the strict definition of hand grenade was produced. This is that definition: 1: It explodes when hit from any angle. 2: Hand grenades and rifle grenades work without needing much work or tuning. 3: It has no external protuberances that could catch on clothing. 4: Its waterproof. 5: Even if one makes a mistake when throwing and drops it, itll still be safe. 6: It has a kill radius of 10 meters. 7: A rifle grenade doesnt damage the rifle, and it has the ideal range. 8: It can be stored for long periods of time without deteriorating. After that, hand grenades came to be produced by many nations. Then, hand grenades evolved into two kinds: the offensive [concussive grenades] and defensive [fragmentation grenades], each having their own uses. Concussive grenades are grenades that do damage with the [shockwaves from the explosion]. The shell wrapping the explosive was relatively thin in order to increase its blasting power. In open spaces without cover, they both have about equal power, but its uniform kill radius of 10 meters is small compared to the fragmentation grenade. Because it was made to be usable in areas without cover (without catching the thrower up in it). Fragmentation grenades, as the name suggests, do damage through fragments scattered around by the explosion. Im getting a little sidetracked here, but the model commonly referred to as pineapple have grooves carved in on the shell to scatter well when it explode. But in WWII, explosives and fragments creations were been studied, and it was confirmed that the grooves dont create better fragmentation at all. At best, its only useful for preventing slipping. Thats why there are a lot of American-made hand grenades that dont have grooves but are round nowadays. The reason being if its round like baseball that the soldiers are used to then, its easier to throw. Back to the topicThe insides of a fragmentation grenade is fitted with fragmenting material, such as wound-up metal bands. Its kill range is larger than explosive grenades at about 15 meters, and it is normally thrown from behind shelters (like a trench) to avoid the fragments. I first decided on making [fragmentation grenades] for defense. I thought that because it had a large number of parts, I should have started on it while I had time. Around the time I completed making protectors & accessories, Snows and Xiahs AK47s, I made the important parts (core, shell, pull-ring safety pin, firing pin spring, firing pin, handle and such) out of magic liquid metal. On that regard, I took detailed notes, reached a decent level and made finished products for all the parts. But the problem was the explosive. For example, what if I used the propellant I made out of smokeless gunpowder, put it in the grenade, and blew it up? What would happen? Even if it was to explode, the power would be far behind a normal grenade. Why is that? Compared to the explosives used in hand grenades, such as TNT, smokeless gunpowder had an overwhelmingly slower combustion speed (heat-energy transmission speed). The combustion speed of powders for rockets, cannonballs and bullets was about 10-100m per second. Whereas the combustion speed for explosives, such as TNT, reached 3000-8500m per second. Furthermore, the high explosive [RDX] had a combustion speed of 8700m per second. Octogen (HMX) had a combustion speed of 9200m per second. The instantaneous temperature reaches 1500-4500 degrees centigrade. The technical classification for the ones used in handguns are [propellants (powder)]. Then, the ones used in high-power shells and inside explosives are [blasting powder / explosives]. The [blasting powder / explosive] I was making to pack in the hand grenade that time was the one called TNT. Because I could reproduce the handgun powder with magic power, I expected that I could also make TNT for the grenade. but in actuality, I tried making several prototypes at the Meiya residence, but it didnt go well. Compared to the powder used in handguns, smokeless gunpowder, it felt like it consumed more magic power. And I thought I had gotten the hang of it. Therefore, since I finally had free time while we were travelling in the wagon, I thought Id tackle the production of TNT explosives and hand grenades again. Hee~ is that so? [I dont really understand but, Lute onii-chan is amazing.] I left out the part I couldnt tell them WW I & II and explained the hand grenade, but they only gave generic answers. Clearly, they didnt have any interest. The two of them lost interest in what I was doing and sat down next to each other peacefully. Well then, lets continue the talk from before. [Yes, the debate about whether Lute onii-chans smell or blood is better, right?] Whats that? How scary. Snow, with her scent fetish as always, would sniff my shirts in the laundry or the ones worn on me after a workout. Chrisse looked like she missed her blood bag and thus wanted to want to drink blood, so I let her have a little. By the way, whenever I spent the night with her after I let her drink blood, she would react better than usual, maybe because of her heightened sensitivity. They discussed the good things about them having different tastes and references harmoniously, not strained at all. I was happy that the fellow wives got along with each other, but I was a little turned off by the content of the talk. Like that, my first Level III quest smoothly progressed. Only 7 days after the departure did the problem occur. We arrived at the halfway point of the highway to the Dragon Kingdom after 5 days as planned. From the nice-looking meadows, we pressed on to the road situated between a forest that led to the mining town. Mining town is as the name says: a town with a main livelihood of mining. It was located on the mountain side, we had to pass through the forest. And that raised the chances of encountering monsters. In other words: from that point on, it was the real thing. When we entered the forests main road, we braced ourselves, for the air has changed. But the monsters that came out were just the monsters we hunted around the town from Level II quests. Furthermore, not in a big pack; at best, it was just 4 to 5 at onceCnot a big deal. As if having too much energy to spare, Symils Level III group jumped out and killed everything with great speed. Thanks to that, we didnt get any action. I got to take it easy, but when it was time to make a camp, Symil sarcastically said Really, this is why I said Level II wont be much of a help at all. Even if you lost against this Level II in a flash, is his memory that bad? Well, it was better than him picking a fight again, I guess. As for the night watch, the duty was divided between my group and Symils. First was my group, then the latter half was Symils group. My group divided further into two groups to do night watch. First was Snows and Chrisses group, then mine and Xiahs group. For the night watch, Xiahs presense-sensing magic was exceptionally useful, and I was mostly just holding her back. Incidentally, the drops from defeated monsters belonged to the adventurer in this case. Meaning, they were bonuses outside of the quest. Because we were riding a wagon, transporting the drops was also easy. The bonuses and the quest reward together made for quite a modest sum of money. The trouble happened in the afternoon of the second day after entering the forest road. We had only a little more to go until we got to a place that was good for a campsite, and the forward wagon stopped. Our wagon couldnt help but stop, too. I hear voices from the front wagon, sounds like a quarrel. The member with the best ear, Snow, told us of the forward wagons situation. I became cautious at the mention of a quarrel. Snow and I will go out front to confirm. Chrisse and Xiah, watch out all around and be ready to move at anytime. Having confirmed everyones replies, Snow and I grabbed our AK47s and ran to the front. Looking back at the wagon, I saw Chrisse sitting on top of the canopy, holding her M700P in her hands. That would be her watching out for her surroundings and to cover us when needed. Me and Snow immediately arrived at the scene of problem. There was a middle-aged man sitting against a tree trunk surrounded by Symils group and Gomugo the client. It was not a person recklessly challenged and then repelled by our caravan. His appearance looked like a merchant like GomugoCfull of injuries on his body, and lots of bloodstains on his clothes. Gomugo handed him water and he drank it frantically. Symil noticed Snow and I and frowned, but work is work, he started explaining. Hes a survivor of the monsters attacks at the open ground beyond this point at where we decided to camp. I was about to ask for details. Seemed like just the right time. I asked Snow, and she cured the mans injuries with magic. The man stopped drinking and gave thanks to Snow. The middle-aged man drank up all the water and caught his breath, and he then talks about what happened at the open ground beyond this point while trembling. He was also a merchant. He and his fellow merchants pooled money together to hire escorts to leave Vesta. While they were preparing to make camp at the open ground, they were attacked by a company of approximately 50 Orges. Furthermore, as it seemed that they didnt want to let anyone escape, they surrounded the merchants sneakily and attacked all at once. And by some good luck, he slipped through the encirclement and narrowly escaped from death. O- orges, and 50, you say!? Symils group was shocked. An Orge is a high-grade variety that is stronger than an orc. Height averages at 3 meters, muscle strength also 1-2 times more. Its the strongest monster around the area. But since the intelligence didnt differ from an orc, it was impossible for them to move in groups strategically. The attacked man said that he thought it was nightmare that he saw, too. It was that unnatural. After we finished hearing the story, Snow pointed out: I think the wanted twin magicians are involved here. Its the same modus operandi that I heard, theres no mistake, I think. Twin magiciansan identical pair of twin magicians who were peculiar for using fear to bind monsters to submission and organizing them to attack. They were highly skilled as magicians, and when the two attacked together their, magic power resonated and could temporarily launch an A-minus-level attack. They were infamous magicians who had bounties on their heads. If so, then it was a Level IV-class adventurers job. As Symils group probably knew the twin magicians, they became restless and trembled even more. F- fifty orges controlled by those twin magicians! Its at the level where you have to return to the highway and dispatch Dragon-Kingdom knights order as soon as possible, isnt it? But maybe there still are survivors. I think we should first scout and see the situation. Symil became irritated at my suggestion and glared at me. As if there are any survivors! But if you leave like this, people who leave from the mining town like this man will be attacked again, you know. So what! Isnt getting ourselves to safety the first priority here? We dont know when will we get attacked, so we have to get out of here right now! Im saying that since we have to get a grip of what the current situation is, its also for the sake of getting ourselves to safety. My opinion and Symils were the complete opposite. Naturally, our lines of sight turned to the employer Gomugo. He averted his eyes and wiped the sweat that was streaming down from his forehead. Im just a layman about adventurer quests. I think Ill let you professionals decide here. He left all the decision-making to us. I sighed and gave a compromising proposal. Then first my group will take the role of scouting. If we still havent come back after 3 hours, then you can go back to the highway. If there is problem, we will give smoke signals; at that time, please retreat immediately. .if you wanna do that, then go ahead; be my guest. Symils group also wanted information for their survival. If we took the dangerous scouting duty, then it would probably be just what he wanted anyway. The employer, Gomugo, also agreed with this decision. After getting their permission, Snow and I immediately got back to our wagon. I gave explanations to Chrisse and Xiah while moving, giving instructions to remove the horned horses from the wagon and put the saddle on. Both of them started preparing without asking for the reason. After removing the horned horses from the wagon, Xiah put the rein and saddle she brought just in case on them. We had also already bought magic-prevention collars, as Xiah suggested. I attached two collars to the belt. I took the removed pouch and fixed it to an easy-to-handle position with the ALICE clip. After we were done preparing the horses, Snow rode one horse with Chrisse on the back. Xiah and I rode the other one, as I sat on the back. Snow and Xiah were experienced in horse-riding, so I let them ride. Me and Chrisse clung to their backs. While we let the horses run with great haste, I explained the situation to Chrisse and Xiah. In additionthat our objective this time is only scouting. We decided that if there were survivors, we would aid them. If we felt it was dangerous, we would still prioritize ourselves and retreatCeven if there were survivors, for example. At first, Snow and Chrisse were reluctant, but I wanted to prioritize their safety over anyone elses. I expressed that feeling, convincing them not to be reckless. Even if we said we wanted to save people, theres no meaning if were to die in doing so. The enemies were Level IV class. No matter how cautious we were, we wouldnt overdo it. And we kept galloping for about 30 minutes, and in a little, we arrived at the targeted open ground. This is terrible I got off the horned horse and looked around. The open ground we intended to camp on was about the size of a school ground. 5, no, 6 wagons were destroyed like they met a tornado. Wheels and axles were broken, wagons were on their sides, and the canopies were full of holes. But the mystery here was that there was not even one corpse. The cargo on the wagons as well were almost gone. Xiah held her AK47 in one hand, carefully observing the traces and footprints that were on the ground. ..Looks like the horned horse and human corpses were taken, as well as the cargo. I think the chance that the twin magicians were involved is high, as madam Snow predicted. I could understand if its cargo, but even human and horned horses corpses? Its food for the ogres. Ogres are unintelligent so terror and reward in this case its food, if they are given food then they will obey. Its the method the twin magicians usually use. I understand what Xiah was saying. In other words, carrot and stick, huh. They took the merchants cargo for themselves and gave corpses for orges and monsters. Efficiency shitheads. They just attacked their prey, so we can probably pass through this main road safely. But if its just now, then there are still a lot of their traces left, so it wouldnt be hard to find their hideout What do we do, young master? Xiah spoke in a manner like there was something she wanted to say. Not just Xiah, but Snow and Chrisse also had a strong light in their eyes. Of course, I cant stand this wickedness before my eyes either. The enemies were 50 ogres and 2 magicians. To be honest, they were strong enemies. But if it was us, then we could probably do it. If it seemed dangerous, then we would fight from afar, shower them with bullets with the AK and decrease their numbers while retreating. I turned around to face the girls. Okay then lets find their hideout and strike them. They were all fired up at this decision. Eyes burning with anger, I declared. CAlright! Its battle time C This time, I put too much effort into explaining the hand grenade and wrote too much But it was fun, so its alright! I was thinking of writing about explosives afterward, arent there anthropomorphizations of TNT, RDX, and C4? Main character cheating, hold bomb and explode, heroine get stripped naked, that kind of new story, someone please write it. And this time I used Weapon and explosive C Nightmare mechanisms Illustrated, by Kobayashi Motofumi and some other documents for reference for the hand grenade. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 61 After I got the okay for the hideout attack from the girls, I immediately prepared. I thought about tying the horned horses rein to a tree, but there was the danger of them getting attacked by the other monsters, so I let them be. I change the AK47s safety switch to semi-automatic. I pulled the cocking handle to load a cartridge into the chamber. Chrisse also pulled the bolt back and forth. She pushed the 7.62mmx51 NATO cartridge into the chamber. Everyone tied the combat boots laces tightly again, checked the condition of the combat protectors, and wore the eye-protection gear. Formation is the same as we practiced, Shia is the vanguard, then Snow and I, and at the back is Chrisse. This time, the objective is locate the twin magicians current hideout and suppress the enemies. Try your best to not fight the monsters that we will probably meet; take detour if you can, because itd be bad if the enemies were to hear the gunfire. Leave it to me. Ill advance the chosen road with the least possible chance to meet monsters. Moreover, when push comes to shove, Ill just kill them silently with my knife. Shia nodded and tapped the knife that was hanging from her hips 2 and 3 times. This time, I plan to defeat those magicians so that there wont be anymore victims, but if there are survivors, then we will prioritize saving them. But of course, our safety is still the first priority. I wanted to create the Legion corps to save troubled people or people in need of help for the future. I havent reached the level required to set one up yet, but regardless of that, I reconfirmed with everyone that we would come to help if there were people in trouble or people who were looking for help. Snow and the others nodded, showing their agreement. I had truly good wives and friend. I nodded back and signaled. Then were going. With that as the starting signal, everyone pushed through to the center of the forest. With her proud [I cant be caught in a surprise attack, even in the forest at night] remark, Shia, on lookout duty, noticed the presence of monsters before anyone else, and with the support of Body Strengthening on her body, she brought them down with knives (probably out of consideration to avoid disturbing everyones sleep with gunshot sounds, since it was late at night). She had a much higher presence-sensing ability than the rest of us. That did not apply only to monsters; it was also useful on pursuers or traps. She immediately found the trap. A metallic bear trap. Did a hunter living near here set up this trap? I cant say for sure who set this up, but a live body caught in this would easily get its leg crushed. Take care to step only on where my footprints are, okay? Following Shias indication, we walked around the trap, taking care to not step outside of her footprints. We went further ahead and found a clapper linked to a tied string. If you got caught on the string, the clapper would soundor so they pretend, but this ones a dummy. A real magic boundary had been set up. It was the same type as the one that was triggered we broke into the Vlad house. Looking at the clapper, it seemed to be a trap to get us caught in the magic boundary, as it was set up in a difficult-to-see location. Ill acknowledge their efforts, but the clappers positioning is too obvious. They might as well be advertising that [we are hiding another trap]. Shia cracked an insult as if she was some kind of critic and defused the magic boundary in under three minutes. Even for Snow, it still took over 5 minutes, as expected from her. Since the magic boundary is there, their hideout must be nearby. Everyone, brace yourselves. Snow and the girls each gave their responses. We went further into the forest. While we were on this search, we didnt encounter any monsters. Had the monsters already been hunted to exhaustion by the ogres, too? It was convenient for us. About 30 minutes later50 meters from where we wereCthe forest gave way to a spreading empty land. It was approximately half as wide as the open space from earlier. There was a cave in there, and beyond that, it was overgrown in more trees. At roughly the middle of the empty land, there was a bonfire, where ogres were deliciously eating corpses and dead-horned horses. They numbered about 41-42. It didnt reach 50. .! Chrisse covered her mouth. It mustve been a horrible sight for her, who had the best eye out of the people here. But we couldnt afford not to scout it out. The side of the cavern was stacked with what looked to be pillaged cargo. Two people covered entirely in totally magician-looking robes were checking the contents of the cargo while having a friendly chat. Those two were probably the twin magicians. We checked for survivors again. There was a woman bound and gagged, trembling beside the cargo. No doubt that she was a surviving merchant. Because of the distance, I couldnt discern anything other than that she was a woman with my eyesight. Her age was probably slightly over 20. The men forcibly made the woman stand and then disappeared inside the cavern. (Those sleazebags!) I could clearly imagine what was going to happen to that woman after seeing this. There was no time. I immediately drafted a plan. We brought our heads together and spoke in quiet whispers. (First Ill take the left, Snow and Shia will take the right, and well clear the ogres away. Chrisse, go right in front of the cavern entrance where you can see inside. If the men took the woman hostage, make them eat 7.62 mm.) Snow, Chrisse and Shia nodded with a serious look. We all spread out to the left and right. I did call it spread out, but we were separated for no more than 10 meters. We took up positions away from the front of the cavern in order to ensure Chrisses firing line. Looking towards Chrisse, she took up a pose on her kneesa kneeling-shooting position. I changed over from semi-auto to full-auto mode. I raised my left hand to where everyone could see, and I started counting. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Go! By supporting our bodies with Body Strengthening, Snow, Shia and I jumped out from the thickets and opened fire on the ogres while they were huddled around the bonfire. [!!!!!!!!???????] The ogres turned their heads toward us in surprise. But they were too late. With me from the left and Snow & Shia from the right, we fired, making the shape of the letter X. The ogres momentarily hesitated on which way to turn, and because of that, they were defenseless and fell prey to a mountain load of 7.62mm Russian shot. But because of their robustness thats superior to orcs, they didnt die easily even after receiving those. [OOOOOoOOOOOOOOoOOOO!!!!] They roared even as they took a shot or two and charged towards me. I strengthened my bodymy eyes in particular. Just like how I once defeated the goblins, I changed my aim to their heads. I had overwhelming firepower, unlike with the revolver. Because of the great power, the ogres thick skull was smashed on a direct hit to the head, splattering grey matter everywhere. The magazine change was also smooth and without pause. Just when I used up the second magazine, the ogres that were coming to attack me had been annihilated. Likewise, Snow and Shia also defeated theirs. Timewise, it all took under one minute. silence fell. We installed fresh magazines taken from our magazine pouches and turned the muzzle towards the caverns entrance. Snow, Shia and I nodded to one another and slowly walked, encircling the caverns entrance. Three more minutes passed, and the two magician-looking men from earlier showed up with the woman as hostage. Each had the left and right halves of their faces tattooed in black ink. If you brought them together, they would make single pattern. Other than the tattoos, their faces and stature were identical. These two men were now unmistakably identified as the twin magicians. The man with tattooes on the right half of his face held a knife at the woman, using her as a shield. The woman didnt seem to have been raped; but her face was swollen, likely because of being hit. Who the hell are you!? How did you take down all these ogres without even using magic!? x2 The men asked in unison. It doesnt matter who we are, does it? Rather than that, its you- wait, we dont know your names yet. To not know about usignorance is sin! We are the twin magicians who are famous round this neighborhood; when the two of us use our magic together, our power rises! Now youd do well to see our magic and carve our names to your souls as itgaaaah x2 BANG! Gyaaaaah! The enemys speech was answered with bullets. Chrisse fired the M700P, hitting the shoulder of the man who was holding the hostage with a [7.62mm51 NATO bullet] As the hostage slipped away and the man became dumbfounded, one of his legs was shot. GUAAAAAH!!! The two men agonized because of pain they had never felt before. Chrisse relentlessly fired one more bullet at each of the men. I raised my hand, signalling her to stop. Together with Shia, we rushed up to the agonizing men and kicked them in the jaw. The two men lost their consciousnesses quickly. Their legs and shoulders were bleeding heavily; the bullets have pierced right through. We attached our magic-prevention collars precautiously and tied them up. Afterwards, Shia treated their shoulders and legs. Here, we could take it easy and not kill them. Because we could take them back alive, they could be dragged out before the law and make up for their crimes. Snow rushed over to the cowering woman and called her. She took out a knife and cut the rope binding her arms. Please be at ease, were here to help. The monsters have all been exterminated, so youll be alright. T-, ttttt-, thank y Overcome with fear, the woman must have found it hard to say her thanks while she was shivering. Snow paid it no mind, as she offered her a canteen and rubbed her back to calm her down. Then she applied healing magic on her face. Thanks to the healing magics power, the bruises on her face cleanly disappeared. After making sure of her state, I waved to Chrisse. She came along to check whether there are any more survivors, then I gave everyone instructions. Shia, you go back first and tell Gomugo-san and the others that everythings fine. When youre there, take a horned horse and come back here. Were going to be carrying these twin magicians with us. Chrisse and I will check the perimeter for any more survivors. Snow will stay next to her until she calms down. Having received their instructions, everyone started to move. Thus we were able to safely rescue the woman and successfully capture the object of reward, the twin magicians. - So explosives personification story already exists Unexpectedly a lot of people think like me huh. Thanks for telling me various titles! Also, the outdoor-use portable washlet. Ive taken a look at the HP youve told me about, thats awesome. They did great thinking that up. Really that idea never hits me at all. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 62 We were waiting in front of a cave, which was the Twin Magicians hideout, for Shia to come back from calling Gomugo and the others. To assure them that we did defeat the magicians, Shia brought with her ornaments belonging to them and a portion of the goods the merchants were dealing in. We tied up the defeated magicians, blindfolded them, and put them to sleep. Just in case, we separated the two and restrained them in different locations. The woman we saved was tired and thus was sleeping with her head on Snows lap. Even while she was lending her lap, Snow kept her ears listening in all directions. Chrisse was watching out all around her, just like Snow. I left the girls with the lookout and went collecting the Ogre fangs to exchange for rewards. With a knife, I cut off the long canines at the root one ogre at a time. There were also unrecoverable ones, having been smashed by an AK-47s 7.62mm Russian Shot rounds. Once I roughly finished, I went back to Snow and Chrisse. The fangs were put in a leather bag that was hanging from my waist. I joined the girls on the lookout. But we were able to kill them more easily than expected, huh? While keeping vigilant, I started some small talk. I gave an impression of how we fought for real this time. Could it be that were, like, pretty strong ? Yeah, I think were pretty strong, especially since Chrisse-chans sniper rifle is a menace to magicians.They cant sense magic from it at all, and it has enough attack power to give an instant death from over a long distance. Youre almost at a certain-death level as a magician-killer. [Lute-oniichan and Snow-oneechan are strong, too.] Chrisse wrote on the mini-blackboard, while she was embarrassed. Its true even now that as long as the number is reasonable, we can take most of the opponents down easily. But personally, I wanted a little more firepower. (When this quest is over, maybe I should make a squad-support weapon.) While I was idly thinking, Shia returned with a horned horse in tow. Shia, thanks for the hard word. Hows Gomugo-san and everyone? Thanks to the merchants cargo that young master told me to bring along, I was able to make them believe easily. Thats good then. Are Gomugo-san and everyone coming to this open ground ? Yes, theyve come with me. They were extremely shocked when they heard the news of us defeating the Twin Magicians. Maybe Shia recalled the faces of those guys when they heard her report or something, because the corner of her mouth raised as she grinned to herself. It looked like she had a lot of fun. If I could have, Id like to see it too. Understood. Well, then what are we even waiting for? Lets go! We woke the woman up and had her walk with us. I loaded the group of defeated magicians onto the horses back like luggage. After I had Shia burn away the corpses of the ogres, we returned to the open ground where Gomugo-san was waiting. The woman we rescued met with the merchant who informed us of the danger, then she bursted out crying. Probably from the relief of seeing an acquaintances face. Her clothes were dirty, so we gave her Snows, who has a similar physique. We also gave her hot water and a towel to wipe herself, and we suggested to her to change her clothes inside of our wagon. The merchant tried to reward us with money, but we declined. We didnt do it, because we wanted a reward or something. Also, their cargo was still left in front of the cave, but we could only leave it by then. Thats because we didnt have the wagons and people to transport it. The merchant seemed to be returning to his home in the Mining Town Vesta for the moment. For the time being, we put the woman we rescued on our wagon to carry her. The Mining Town is about one day away from here. We did have lots of space, and our group was an all-girl gang besides me, so she shouldnt have been on guard. However, we of course couldnt set off right away and thus made camp for the day as we have planned. The Twin Magicians were kept bound on different locationsand surrounded by earth walls made with magic just in case. Furthermore, we used magic to put them into a state of deep sleep. With this, they werent expected to wake up for two days. Gomugo-san went about as usual, and we told him that well do the night watch, too. Itd be troublesome later on if we owned something to the type of people like Symil. Symil took the trouble to come to our camp and make some late excuse, like Hmph, looks like theyre weaker than rumoured. Even we could defeat them ourselves. It was a pain in the ass to deal with, so I just ignored him. The next day. We finally arrived at Mining Town Vesta safely. Mining Town Vesta is as the name says, a town that mines for ores. It seemed that they mined a whole variety of ores; there was black smoke rising here and there and men with developed muscles passing by. Because we arrived during the evening, I wanted to stop by the livery stable and go straight to the inn but there was no way we could do that. First, we parted with the woman we rescued and the merchant here. Seems they had acquaintances they can depend on. I was given a bunch of thanks in the end. We promised to meet with Gomugo the morning 3 days later in front of livery stable, then we parted. Next, we headed to the guild to hand over the captured Twin Magicians. They were wanted by the guild, after all. Lute-kun, let me carry one person ? [Ill help too] No, madams. Please leave it to this servant. The wives and Shia offered to help carry the two guys, but Its okay, I can carry these guys alone. There was no way I could have let my dear wives and Shia, who is also a girl, embrace and carry these trash bags. I had to show my manly spirit here and whip my tired body C the result of not having been used to moving via a wagon. With Body Strengthening magic, I heldboth of the ropes tied to the guys on each side, then I recklessly lifted them up and walked. Luckily, the two guys were already put to sleep, so they werent struggling; and since the distance between the stable and the guild was short, we managed to arrive before my magic ran out. A person in charge of the guild confirmed their looks and special traits. It looked like there was no mistake that the captured guys are the infamous Twin Magicians. 100 gold coins per guy its about 10-million yen. We got 200 gold coins in one go. Level II and III adventurers completed a Level IV quest, but because it was so sudden, we kept silent about it. As we were not used to traveling, camping, and night watch except for Shia we were defeated by the fatigue and thus we stayed at the high-grade inn inside the guild for that day. We got 2 rooms for Shia, and Snow, Chrisse and I. After we finished dinner in our rooms, we immediately went to bed. It has been a while since traveling for quests that I got to stay under one roof with my two cute wives, but as expected, there was no drive at all. I fell into the bed being sandwiched by Snow & Chrisse. With cute wives in my arms and their sweet smells, I dived into a peaceful slumber. In the end, we slept into afternoon of the next day like we were dead. - (^)g Volume 4 - CH 63 (Fu)gaa~ As I opened my eyes, I made a stupid sound. By seeing the faintly leaked light from the slatted shutter, I knew that the sun had risen up. I raised up my head to that faint light, which confirmed the sleeping figures in Snow and Chrisse who were using my arms as pillow substitutes. On my right arm was Snow. Maybe because she untied her ponytail, her atmosphere and impression felt different than usualCchanged from an energetic feeling to a quiet one. The two sides of Snow were both charming to me. On my left arm was Chrisse. Rather than using my arm as a pillow, her head was almost rested on my chest while she was sleeping. Ive become a hugging pillow. Her sleeping face was more childish than usual, and her absolutely at-ease expression was lovely. I took out my hands gently as to avoid waking them up, but Lute-kun? Onii, chan. Good morning to both of you. As expected, its impossible. In the first place, rather than saying they were asleep, they were closer to dozing off, it seemed. Thats why they realized my movement and woke up. Because we already woke up, we raised our bodies and got out of the bed. By the time I opened the windows, the sun was already at its peak, and the street was already active. Looks like its already past noon. Cant be helped, because its been a while since we could sleep properly without worrying about night watch. [It is just as Snow-oneechan says.] But the departure was only two days away Until then, we had to buy the necessary food, which is consumables for a 5-day travel to the capital, and load them onto the wagon. We couldnt just around in the room all day like this. First, lets meet up with Shia, have late breakfast and lunch at the same time, then go shopping in preparation for tomorrow. My two wives agreed with this proposal. We met up with Shia, who stayed in the room next door. I told her, Lets go buy the necessary things before the day after tomorrow, then C If its just that, then I will do it. Young master, madams, please take it easy. But, to leave it all to Shia is What are you saying? Im the young masters servant; if you say it like that, then Ill lose my face, you know? Its like the president does the same work together with employees, huh? Its true that if that happens, the employee will be put in an awkward situation. I accepted her offer and gave her money. I gave her more than enough, just in case. While I was at it, I also told her that its okay to buy anything that she likes. Shia shook her head in a reserved manner, but I still had a lot of money from the Twin Magicians bounty. Thats why I told her not to mind it. And as if we were free for the day, we decided our plans for the day while having a meal in the bar-cum-cafeteria on the 1st floor. Itd be a waste to stay in the room, so we decided to go sightseeing around Mining Town. I walked around Mining Town arm in arm with Snow and Chrisse. There were lots of young muscular men, maybe because it was a mining town. They emitted a clear killing intent when seeing me walk arm in arm with two cute girls. I know how you feel. If I were in your shoes, I would yell [Real-lifers should just explode!] in my head, too. Hey hey Chrisse-chan, isnt this pendant cute? [Yes, its very cute. This ring is, too.] There were common shops in the mining town, but there were also lots of open-air ones where they sold by the roadside on a spread-out cloth. The local specialties, such as metal accessories, blades, and metal ornaments, were laid out in large numbers. It seemed that they were put on display by young artisans wanting to raise their skills and earn pocket money. Like a flea market in my previous life. The open-air stall where we stopped by was one like a silver-accessory shop in my previous life, which was staffed by a young craftsman who was lining up his own work for sale. The young Dragon Race artisan put up a businesslike smile. Please feel free to hold it in your hand. I definitely wont force you to buy it. Receiving the offer, Snow and Chrisse let go of my arm and looked at them earnestly. Meanwhile, I stood there like a scarecrow and waited for them until they were done. This is another one of a husbands resourcefulness. While I was idly waiting for them, two merchant-like people passed by my side. I inadvertently heard their conversation. Oi, dont you think its been strange lately in the outskirts of town? I do; I do. Especially since I havent even seen ogres lately, much less small monsters. My family says [Isnt this an omen for something strange?] I hope its nothing The merchants spoke with worried faces and voices, then disappeared into the crowd. (You dont have to be so worried, since the Twin Magicians leading the ogres are no longer there.) Because the Twin Magicians gathered and organized ogres, the other monsters were hunted down in droves; the result is that they disappeared from the forest. Since weve apprehended them, the forest will surely return to normality in time. While I was thinking that, Snow came while carrying a simple pendant made of metal chains in her hand. She stretched it over her neck to show me. What do you think, Lute-kun? It suits you well. Matches your hair color. Ehehe, thanks. My trousers were pulled, and I turned around. Chrisse was putting golden earrings on her ears. The earrings were not inlaid with gems or magic stones, but it was a beautiful type with detailed craftsmanship. [What about me?] Chrisses match you. too. [Thank you very much.] Being praised, Chrisse also blushed bashfully. Snow seemed to like silver, simple ones, while Chrisse preferred golden, beautiful ones. I jotted it down as a memo in my mind. They really fit you both. Im sure the accessories would surely be happy too, to be worn by the two of you. The youngster kept glancing at me. No, if theyre worn by you two, then to the creator, theres really nothing happier than this. He threw more glances at me. I got it, I got it. This is where I had to show my resourcefulness. Ill take this; how much for two ? Thank you for your continued patronage! The actual price for one is 1 silver and 2 large copper coins; but because you want to buy 2, 2 silver coins will do. About 20,000 yen, huh? If I think of it as a fee to know their tastes, then its cheap. I handed 2 silver coins to the youngster. I put the accessories on their ears and neck, and they smiled happily. Thanks Lute-kun, Ill treasure it. [Thank you, onii-chan. I too will treasure it forever.] Their smiles were priceless. Then we got back to walking around the town. We stopped by a place like a food market to take a break and eat snacks. This town unexpectedly had as many sweets as the amount of muscular guys there. We ate the representative of all the sweets: the steamed bun. Uncooked dough that got mixed with beans that have been cooked with sugar and then steamed. Its similar to steamed bread and steamed cake in my previous world. This is the first time Im eating this. The sweet beans are delicious. Snow, youre okay with sweet beans? Yeah, Im okay. She looked okay as she said and kept eating heartily with a happy face. In the previous world, I heard that there is no concept of sweet beans overseas and that there are people bad with them, so they cant eat Japans red-bean paste. Chrisse, how is it? DelicioC Chrisse? I stopped talking midway and stared at Chrisse without thinking. She wore a serious expression, like a researcher dealing with an dangerous object, while eating the steamed bun. [Indeed, the sweetness of the bean compensated for the dullness of the dough. But I think instead of just adding sugar to the bean, it would be even more delicious if we also added salt and such to make the sweetness stand out. On a scale of 10 points, I gave this 5.24 points.] I.. I see. The points are detailed! As expected of the demon race. The race that loves sweet to the point of boasting, Wheat is not used for bread; its used to make cake. She even hired Malcom-san, the exclusive chef, just to make sweets. Maybe because of that, shes dead-serious about sweets and snacks. Her eyes spoke Sweets arent a game. Ive done well currying favour from this master with sweets . After we were done eating steamed buns, we went back. Because the sun was about to set. We planned to have dinner at the same place we had lunch: the inns first floor. Lunch was delicious there, so I guessed that there would be no problem. Ah, my bad. I forgot to ask Shia for one necessary thing for tomorrow. Its fine to do it tomorrow, but Ill just go buy it and come back quickly, so wont you go back first ? [Then lets go buy together.] No, its really nothing important. Im fine alone. So you two go back, first. If you say so, Lute-kun. As they turned their heads to look back at me, I pushed their backs forcefully, urging them to go back to the inn. I wish I could have fooled them a little better, but I had no talent in the art of conversation. After I sent them off, I headed to a shop, which I guessed was the precious metal shop, during the sightseeing in the afternoon. The goal was the marriage bracelets for them. Currently, the marriage bracelets theyre wearing are plain ones I made from magic liquid metal. But as expected, I couldnt have accepted those as marriage bracelets myself. Of course those two were satisfied with just that So this was completely for my own indulgence. I secretly took quests alone from the guild and saved up money. A total of 6 gold coins about 600,000 yen. In short, its about the same cost of making two wash toilets. 1 item was only 3 gold coins, so it was probably fine for display. On the outside, the shop was about as big as a convenience store; but it was prettier than other shops, so it left an impression. After I passed through the door, an old Dragon Race clerk with complete white hair welcomed me. Welcome. How can I help you? I want to give my two wives marriage bracelets; can you show me some? For a wife ? 2 even ? Now thats some manliness. The old clerk smiled pleasantly after he heard 2 wives. He looked like a good guy. I told him my budget and their preferences, then I had him show me a few. Snows taste is silver color, simple design. Chrisses taste is gold color, fancy design. Among the ones shown to me, there were two that caught my attention. Snows was a simple, silver bracelet inlaid with bluish-white magic stones and gems. Chrisses was a fancy design made up of small gold chains, attached with red magic stones and gems. Each of the magic stones had already been charged to be able to fire magic once. The old clerk recommended it, saying that theyll be happy with magic-stone-equipped bracelets that have practical use, since this is a dangerous world. Its certainly practical, and the design seemed to be something theyd like. Furthermore, since theyre also marriage bracelets, they come with bracelets for the man with the same design, so at 3 gold coins a pair, they were well within my budget. The mans bracelets were only treated as accessories, so they didnt come with magic stones or gems. They were just plain marriage bracelets. But those two would probably like these. These ones, please. Thank you very much. Well throw them in this case as a bonus. I took the old clerk on his offer and accepted the case. I handed over the 6 gold I saved to the clerk. After about a few minutes later, he handed me the bracelets in something that looked like paulownia boxes. I firmly secured them in my pocket so that those two wouldnt find out. I hope you bring your wives along next time. Yes, absolutely. Ill take them along next time. I once again said my thanks and then left the shop. Timewise, it took me about one hour. Anymore and Id have been worrying them. As dusk drawn closer, I hurriedly went through the alleyway, heading back to the inn. As I walked, I lightly tapped the marriage bracelet inside the pocket. Guess I will give it to those two after finishing this quest. No, I might as well throw a surprise party and give these to them when I get back home, I guess? Thinking about Snows and Chrisses surprised and delightful faces, I couldnt help but grin. A good and peaceful day. However at that time, I thought not even in my wildest dream that we would fall in such a predicament. - Authors Notes : Having converted the wives marriage bracelets into wash toilets for comparison, this MC Hes no good, I gotta do something quick! (^)g Volume 4 - CH 64 Translators : Yuushin Laverdy Rainie Dai Editors/TLcs : yuushin Laverdy Naero rei_hunter We departed from Mining Town Vesta on the next day, just before noon. I had guessed it was about 10 in the morning. The road on this side was clear of forestry, as it exposed part of the mountainside bare. The lumber was probably used as fuel or material. But after an hour of traveling passed, it led to a pathway that went through the woods. We were on the back of the merchant caravan, as we kept watch all around. We might have been lucky, but we managed to have a peaceful journey without encountering a single monster. The first problem happened on the second day after we left the mining town, when we reached a camping ground. When we reached it, we noticed that there were two or three destroyed wagons in horrible state. We got down from the wagon and checked the situation. Oi oi, so theres someone like the Twin Magicians on this side, too? Probably not humans but monsters. See this? These are bite marks. Its likely from a day ago. Shia made her guess from the state of the wagons. Oi, you lot, there might still be monsters looming to hurt us as we go forward, so were going out to exterminate them right away. Dont interfere. Symil said so and led his group. Theyre Level II and have still done it. We Level III ranks should be able to do it with ease. Looks like since we defeated the Twin Magicians and Orges too easily, they were under the misunderstanding that even they could do it. And their eyes were radiating for the reward money. Im just saying, but we have A- and B+ magicians; thats why we were able to defeat them. Your no-magician 3-man group better not be reckless. Annoying! Shut up! I wont let you snatch my prey! You lot shut up and wait here! Like that, Symils group made a disastrous scene and disappeared into the forest to search for the monsters. Lute-kun, what do we do ? Looking back, I saw that Gomugo and everyone were looking at me with anxious faces. Since Symils group has already went in, we had to ensure their safety. Until they return, you should be ready to move at any time. Snow and Chrisse, protect Gomugo-san, and Shia and I will go around to check the surroundings to see if there are any survivors. Everyone replied to me and proceeded to carry out my instructions. In the worst case that they wouldnt return by tomorrow morning, we might have to have spent one night there. And thus we maybe would be better off discussing rotation nightwatch by then with just us. I silently decided that I would discuss it later while we were eating dinner or something. Shia and I, with full equipment and AK47, went around checking for the damage and survivors. We went one round around the forest near the open ground, but there was nothing we had to be specially vigilant for. Not even survivors footprints or traces. We went back to the open ground and signaled to Snow & Chrisse that there was no problem. The girls then said to Gomugos still-anxious group, looks like no danger in the surroundings, as their faces relaxed a little. Next, Shia and I confirmed the conditions of the destroyed wagons. They were common wooden wagons. Axles were broken, and even the wheels were broken in half. Even an amateur could tell that repair was impossible. The loaded cargo was safe, it seemed. The contents seemed to be raw materials that were bought from Mining Town Vesta. Just by one look, we couldnt tell if it was iron ore, precious metal, or something else. .. Shia stared seriously at the wreckage of the destroyed wagons with a stern expression. With one knee on the ground, she picked up something that looked like a jigsaw puzzle. .Young master, look at this. Which one? Thereupon being told so, I went next to her and took a look. It was one part of the wagon that she has been fiddling with since a while ago. Here, do you see these sharp bite marks? Certainly just like Shia point out, there were marks to suggest that it was bitten by sharp fangs. I see. So whats the problem? Young master, look closely. This is the same part of the wagon, yet the bite marks are this close to each other; its like they intentionally bit them a second time next to the first one. Why do you think they would purposely do so? Maybe it was done by a monster. I mean, theres no way I would know. Also, these burn marksif my guess is right, its something very bad. Something bad as in, this disastrous scene was caused by a dragon or something? Indeed, there were bite marks and burn marks. I was kinda sure that it was attacked by a group of Orges and other monsters. The burn mark, too, came from the lamp, or so I thought. Could it be have been red dragons ? Red dragon is the representative of monsters, the generic dragon that has wings, flies in the sky, and spews flames. Very rarely will one or two red dragons stray away from the herd and attack the town or country. Defeating red dragons was one of the requirements to create a legion. And in the demon continent and other continents, there were varieties superior to red dragons. No, my guess is more than thC!? Not only Shia and I reacted. Everyone here shuddered, too. A roar echoed from afar. It was from something absolutely strong. The direction the voice came from aligned with the direction Symils group went in. After I put myself on guard for a while, the ground trembled and I heard the sound of trees falling down. I unconsciously broke a cold sweat and swallowed my saliva. I flipped the safety switch off my AK-47. It shifted to full automatic. I pulled the cocking handle and loaded a cartridge into the chamber. Not only me but Shia and Snow & Chrisse also. The ground-trembling distance got closer. From the forest, I saw silhouettes of people running for their lives. Its Symil! Hes soaked with sweat and tears that were flowing, and he was holding his right arm. The right hand that held the proud sword was gone. While holding it with his left hand, he ran back here with a pale face. He- eeelp! Instantly His upper body was then decimated. Blood spurt out from his lower half of the torso, and it twitched violently as it fell over. !!! I bit down my lips and averted my eyes from the overly shocking scene. Young master, you cant look away. We dont know what will come next. So..sorry. ButC! Due to that overly miserable death, I felt something sour coming up my throat. I held it back and lift my face up. In an instant, the monster that ate Symil leapt into the sky. [OoOooooooOOoOooOooooO!!!] Dancing high in the sky, it roared as if to intimidate us. Its overall length is about 10 meters. Sharp scales that seemed that they would cut your hand if touched were covered all over its body, and its wide wings on its back let it fly freely in the sky. And there was the different trait from normal dragons 2 heads, it once again emitted a roar that would rumble even your core. [OoOooooooOOoOooOooooO!!!] Hey hey hey, what the hell is that I raised my voice unintentionally. Shia whispered with an unpleasant face. Looks like my prediction is head-on. Its the red dragons superior species: the twin dragon Because the dragon was here, that must be why all the monsters disappeared! I thought for sure it was because of the Twin Magicians and the Orges; I was mistaken. As if we were answering to her, it landed on the ground in a position in front of us, and its two pairs of eyes fixed in on us. C! Snow, Chrisse! You two evacuate Gomugo-sans group! Shia and I will shoot it to attract its attention! On my command, the girls moved out. Bang! Bababababababababang! I unloaded the AK47s full auto. But I couldnt even do so much as put a scratch on the scales of that monster called the twin dragon. Even so, Shia and I still kept shooting to draw its attention. One of the heads of the twin dragon looked at us like annoying pest and breathed in as if it was inhaling a large quantity of air. !? Young master! Breath incoming! Dodge! ..!! A thunderous roar emitted from one of the twin dragons head, then fire started coming out. On Shias point-out, I immediately enhanced my body with magic and jumped away from that spot. Its power is almost many times over the flamethrower in my previous world. Its range was then known to be about 50 meters, because as we ran away, the two horned horses turned into living torches. With great momentum, the horses fell; everything on the wagon fell out to the ground as well. One barrel of magic liquid metal hit a tree trunk and got smashed up. But there was silver lining in the dark cloud; the spare cartridge got thrown out too, and thus they didnt get burned by the flames. Lute-kun! Shia-san! As if answering to Snows worried voice, both of the twin dragons heads turned to look at her. Gomugo-sans group was still in the middle of running into the forest. This damn skink lizard! I got furious at the twin dragons, which were baring its fangs at my wives. I swapped the magazine to armor-piercing bullets and fired but as expected, it was repelled by the scales, therefore, ineffective! This time, the other head repeated the inhaling action. Snow and everyone still havent gotten into the forest. But considering the power of that flame, I dont even think the trees would block it even if they got in. As I thought, instead of personal equipment, I should have prioritized fire power, huh!? But it was then too late for regret. I reached for the second armor-piercing ammo magazine. My fingertip touched a different thing. It was the prototype frag grenade for defense! I pulled the grenades pin with my teeth, as I was still clenching the lever I used body-enhancing magic to support my body. I threw the grenade towards the nose of the twin dragon. The effective radius was 15 meters; Snows group was farther away than that, so it wasnot dangerous. An exploding sound. At the same time, the twin dragon then roared in pain for the first time. [OoOooooooOOoOooOoO!!!] Its breath got pointed down to the ground and it suffered like it was self-destructing. Luckily, the fragment crushed one of its eyes. Everyone! Escape to the forest without looking back! Dont look around; run to the very back of it! As I issued the command, we ran towards the forest with Shia and me as as the rear guard. Midway, my leg kicked on the stuff scattered from the wagon. As I recognized what it was, I reflexively picked it up. Young master! What are you doing!? Quick! Sorry! After screaming due to the pain it received for the first time, the twin dragon fainted from it for a while and showed no action. In the end, I heard a howl painted with hatred in the background. While the wagon was moving, I made hand grenades to kill time. Its small equipment like protectors and sacks, I thought Id only make only one like other accessories, but to think that itd be useful like this We ran into the forest and hid inside a cave we found. Since the sun already set, we had to use magic to light up the inside the cave. We carefully used plants to cover the cave as so to not let light leak out. I switched the AK47s safety switch on and sat down to let my tired body rest. I wiped my sweat with my hand, and I got the canteen fixed by ALICE clip to my mouth. ..Do you think that if we hide here and the twin dragon cant find us, it will give up after a while and go away ? Not happening. It wasnt direct as to who was the addressee, but Shia replied in response. She drank from the canteen, too, and wiped her mouth. Dragons in general have high pride. Wounded by an inferior being, that dragon definitely wouldnt give up on chasing until it has killed young master. For real? Its just like the Sankebetsu-bear incident at Hokkaido in my previous world. That one too persistently chased humans, ate a number of them, and finally got hunted down was it ? As I was trying to remember the incident I vaguely have knowledge of, the client Gomugo started shouting. Y- ou imprudently wounded the dragon; because of that, we got chased into this awkward situation! Even the goods are lost, what are you going to do?! Other employees too were silently blaming me with gloomy eyes. I think Lute-kuns decision was accurate. If he didnt use the exploding-magic tool that time, then wed all have been roasted by the dragons flames already. Do you still mind that ? Gu After hearing Snows explanation, Gomugo and every one faced their blaming eyes downward. Due to hearing Snow pointing out the fact, their heads must have cooled down a bit. [Anyway, we should calm down and analyze the situation now.] Thats right. Even if we blame each other now, nothing will come out of it. First, we gotta confirm the situation. Snow, Chrisse, and Shia nodded. Gomugos group maintained silence to not get in the way. First, Shia, that is a twin dragon, right ? I remember you said its a red dragons superior species. Thats right. Its a derivation of red dragon, two heads is the biggest distinction. It can alternately breathe flame, so its vastly superior to red dragon. Originally, they lived in the back regions of the Demon continent, so its unthinkable to see them appear in other continents like this. But its a fact that the twin dragon is here. Although its ability to breathe flames alternately is a problem. But according to Shia, its not like it can breathe flames infinitely. After it breathed once, it can only breathe again after a certain amount of time has elapsed, its a dragons characteristic. She continued the story. A silver lining in the dark cloud is that its still only a youngling. Youngling? Like a child ? Un. Thanks to that, its breath is still weak, and the scales shouldnt be that hard either. That was still soft, huh It bounced armor-piercing bullet though . Cant we do something with magic ? U~n, I think its useless. Dragon scales are hard that magic is hardly effective. A-minus-rank magician Snow grumbled. Now Snow asked me in return. Lute-kun, the exploding magic tool before the hand grenade how about you make some more ? If we stealthily go back to the wagon and get the magic liquid metal, then you can do it, right ? That is hard, too. I showed her the small barrel I picked up. Its one of the two spare barrels of magic liquid metal in the wagon. The other one got thrown out of the wagon, then crashed into a tree trunk and got smashed to pieces thereafter. This was the last one. When it fell down, the lid got opened and the content got spilt out. The amount left is about enough to make one more hand grenade; thats it. Even if it hits, one hand grenade is probably is not going to be enough to bring down that twin dragon. Sorry to ask again, but is it really true that the chance it gives up on us is zero ? For example, if we hide in this cave for about one week, wont it give up by then ? Unlikely. Even if we live in this cave for 1 month. Shia declared. More than one month is still ineffective, huh . And in reality, staying in this cave is dangerous too, you know. If it sniffed us out and breathed into the cave only once, we, who dont have anywhere to run to, would become whole-roasted. Gomugos group shuddered up at the easy-to-understand scenario that Shia explained. The situation was pressing, and it was a deadlock huh . The only saving grace was that the twin dragon was still young; compared to a grown one, its relatively weak. The cave was permeated by a gloomy air. Sobbing voices came from Gomugos female employees. It looked like Gomugos group has given up mentally. Shia resolved herself and asked: Anyone has magic stone ? Magic stone? What will you use it for? If you break the magic stone that holds magic power, it will cause a big explosion. I will take it down together with me. In short, the same as kamikaze attack in my previous world huh. I didnt know that magic stones had that special characteristic. But I dunno if its good luck or bad luck, nobody has a magic stone. Gomugo usually deals with it, but this time, he brought different goods. ..Understood. Then I will draw away that twin dragon till the last moment; in that time, everyone please run far away. I definitely wont allow that! [Thats right! I cant do something like watching Shia-san get killed!] Snow and Chrisse voiced their objections. But Shia didnt change her mind. Thank you. But like this, then only death awaits everyone. Looking at it realistically, this is the best option. I am very happy about the madams words. The two of them went silent with painful faces. Shia looked at me. Young master, please make one hand grenade with that magic liquid metal. If I let the hand grenade explode inside that twin dragons mouth, then I can probably bring one of its heads down. I refuse. Shias strategy is rejected. Even young master . Please give up. Theres no other way to save everyone! And please dont worry about me. Lastly, if youd listen to my only requestC No no. Thanks to Shia, I got an even better strategy. Thats why I want you to listen to me first. A strategy better than mine ? While listening to me, Shia blinked so many times that I lost count. Not only her, but Snow and everyone also became round-eyed at my confident attitude. Lute-kun, Really? [As expected of Onii-chan!] I took out the box with the surprise present inside that I bought at the mining town for the two of them. Inside that box stored two small magic stones. Exactly because of these small magic stones, I can make that (). With this, Ill blow that skink lizards brain beyond the stars. - (^)g Volume 4 - CH 65 I opened up the box lid, then I presented the bracelets to Snow and Chrisse. Not magic liquid metal bracelets, Ive been secretly saving money to properly choose fitting bracelets for both of you. Lute-kun [Onii-chan] While looking at each other, we took each others hands. Young master, madams, please dont get lovey-dovey in this emergency situation. With Shias tsukkomi, I cleared my throat and continue talking. So, ehem. These bracelets each have a magic stone that can be used once. Im planning to use them to defeat the twin dragon. However, I dont think its possible to damage those hard scales with something this small. Shia pointed it out while apologetically looking at the bracelet. Dont say small! Even one of this size costs three gold coins apiece. Its one wash toilet, you know! One wash toilet! But as Shia said, these magic stones are indeed small. Small enough to be balanced on the tip of a pinky finger. Its okay. On the contrary, Ill be troubled if its any bigger. Because I will make [high-explosive incendiary rounds] out of these stones. High-explosive, incendiary rounds? Shia inquired with a bewildered face. In english, its called [explosive incendiary]. Its a 5.56mm cartridge made by Germany in WW2. Inside the cartridges bullet, theres a small piece of metal acting as a firing hammer; detonators and yellow phosphorus in turn get stuffed in. The inertia of the bullets impact will cause the firing hammer to collide into the detonator and make it explode. Because of that, the incendiary mix (yellow phosphorus) will scatter and burn. In other words, its a bullet that explodes from the inside. This time, the yellow phosphor will be replaced by the magic stones from the bracelets. Exactly what I needed, 2 pieces; it was really good that I bought them. With this, I will make [7.62mm x 51 High Explosive Incendiary Round] for the M700P. Chrisse, I want you to shoot through its eye socket; that will blow its head from the inside. With her exceptional skill, Im sure she can do it! She nodded with a resolved expression. [Got it. Ill do my best.] Everyone nodded following Chrisse words, then I worked out the details of the strategys outline. After the strategy was decided, I immediately produced [7.62mm x 51 High Explosive Incendiary Rounds] with the remaining magic liquid metal. After I finished making two rounds, I added a certain function to the knife as insurance. This, too, is a borrowed idea from [7.62mm x 51 High Explosive Incendiary Round]. I made a prototypical bullet and knife on the spot. I dont even have the luxury to test; I can only pray that it works well. DawnDD. We were slightly away from the cave wherein we hid. Snow, Chrisse, Shia were on top of a steep cliff. Trees were behind them, while bare rock was at the front for peeking. A cliff, so to say, but its not that tall. As expected, they objected going back to the place where we were attacked by the twin dragons. Certainly, there is enough space there, but the scattered luggage could be a hindrance. So, we agreed to the Gomugo groups suggestion and chose a location that heightens our success rate. While hugging her beloved gun, the M700P, Chrisse closed her eyes and severed her idle thoughts. Snow and Shia stood next to her as bodyguards. I hid in the bushes, where I could see the girls,so that I could attack the twin dragon from the back when the time is right. OoOooooooOOoOooOoO!!! !, It came. Chrisse-chan, it came! Blocking half of the sun and flying through the trees behinds Snow group, the twin dragon showed itself. A distinctive injury in one eye. Certainly its the dragon from yesterday. The twin dragons attack direction is limited because of the trees behind Snow group. Its inevitable that it will attack from the front The prey followed the planned course! Madam, be prepared! Chrisses throat vibrated to Shias words. To increase her concentration power, she sang the [Riflemans Creed] song that I taught her. 줾Ҥ饤ե롣˶यƤΤɡ줾ΨһΤ This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. Ҥ饤ե뤳ҤHѡҤҤϼy٤뤫Τ褦ˤΤޤޤȤ My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Ҥ饤եҟoƤϟoζ饤ե֤ҤoζҤ饤ե⤭ŤĤ٤ҤҤ򚢤Ȥ딳؞٤ҤϔĤĤ٤ҤӑĤǰ My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will Ҥ饤եҤ֪롢ΑˤƴФʤΤϡҡŤä衢ҡ𤳤kҡˤä줿κΤǤoȤҡ⤹DDkФǤȤȤ My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit Ҥ饤եҤͬˤǤ롣ҤΤΡҤֵܡҤϡΏβƷθƷ՜|DDȫƤ֪ǤҤ򤽤褦ˡ饤ե坍ˤȫ˱ҤϻˤһȤʤ My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will ǰˡҤҤĤҤ饤ե뤽ҤҤҤoߤʤꡣҡϔߡҤξȜgߤʤ Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my family. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life ҡΤΡҡ΄ᡢʤ礬LǤ So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy Lately, Chrisse, who has been unable to speak because of bullying, could talk in front of us little by little. To let her rehabilitate slowly, we didnt urge her on; she didnt even pick up the mini blackboard. She is now singing Riflemans Creed with her beautiful voice. OoOooooooOOoOooOoO!!! The twin dragons roared, overpowering Chrisses fairy-like voice. Then it let out a breath of fire from the head with the wounded eye. In response to the incoming breath, Snow and Shia raised both of their hands and shouted loudly! Dragons of snow and ice, heed my call. Let a world of glaciers come forth before me! Permafrost! x2 A composite magic of ice and water. Snow and Shia cooperated and chanted magic. Because Shia is weak at ice magic, the spell was limited to intermediate-level magic. But by combining the power of two people, they are able to defend against the dragon breath. In the case of both heads attacking simultaneously, its probably impossible to stop it. However, the collision between the breath and ice magic created large quantities of steam. Concealing the figure of twin dragon Suu~ But, Chrisse was unconcerned and breathed in. Haa~ Breathe out. In an off-hand stance, the M700P guns muzzle pointed toward the steam. In an instant the twin dragon which hated the steam flapped its wings. With just one motion, the steam was blown off, but the opponents movement was also suspended. Like frost descending on a dark night Chrisse squeezed the trigger. BANG! A bullet with an initial velocity of 838m/s, which is more than twice the speed of sound, had an impact like it was sucked into the eye socket of the twin dragon which wasnt releasing its breath. OoOooooooOOoOooOoO!!! Internal explosion! A large quantity of blood poured out from the eyes, nose and mouth of the uninjured head of the twin dragon. Unable to endure the pain, it violently slammed into the ground. Chrisse pulled the bolt back and forth, releasing an empty case. Snow immediately performed additional magic Gather ,O spirit of ice; dance and submerge that evil being into the ground! Freezing Ice Barrier! A composite binding magic of ice and water. The ground sank, restraining the twin dragons arm, wings, legs and neck within a lump of ice. With this, Snow expended a considerable amount of magical power. Sweat formed around her forehead, and she breathed roughly. But, the enemy already used its breath once. Continuous use is unlikely. Furthermore, the ice-binding restricts its movement. Our victory is assured! C- Chrisse-chan, Ill leave it to you! Chrisse nodded reassuringly to Snow, who was panting and soaked with sweat. Chrisse once again took her aim and squeezed the trigger. [OoOooooooOOoOoooOoO!!!] !? x3 Unexpectedly the twin dragon breathed flames again. Madams! Its dangerous! Shia supported her body with body-enhancing magic, hugged the tired Snow and the concentrating Chrisse, and jumped down the cliff to avoid the breath. The flame engulfed the bullet and curved its trajectory, as it hit off the mark. Then it exploded. [OoOooooooOOoOoooOoO!!!] The twin dragon put power into its limbs as if to escape from the binding. Cracks appeared on the ice that bounded the dragon; I predicted it toonly last for a few more seconds. Like Id let you! Before the dragon escaped from the binding, I jumped out from the bush to stop it. I enhanced my entire body! I used all my magic power and approached the dragon in one second. I raised the knife over my head and jumped. Got it! [OoOooooooOOoOoooOoO!!!] One second later, the twin dragon escaped from the ice-binding, then it repelled the knife, which was swinging down while aimed at its eye, with its forehead. I couldnt endure the impact and thus let go of the knife. The final trump card, which was the knife I made as an insurance, danced in the air. Shit! To think I made such a blunder at the end! As I was regretting letting go of the knife, a shadow flew past me overhead. Its Shia! Shia caught the knife that was spinning in the air! Just like that, the knife pierced through the twin dragons eye socket. But, just the knife in the eye alone isnt much damage. The knife blade is short, and theres no poison smeared on it either. But the real thing started from there! Shia! Just like that press the switch on the knife! Understood, young master! Recalling the way to handle the knife, which I taught everyone as insurance beforehand, Shia pressed the switch. Pashu!, a little dull sound like something flew out, the gas made with magic compressed inside the knifes handle propulsed, and it tore the inside of the head to shreds. The twin dragons head was destroyed from the inside,as blood spout out, it was completely dead. As we realized the dragon has become completely silent, everyone flopped down from wherever they were. We were completely exhausted from fatigue and using too much magic. I tried to stand up and walk to where Shia and everyone were. Thanks, Shia, for covering my mistake. You really helped me Yeah, really. At the end, when Lute-kuns knife got repelled, I broke into a cold sweat. [Me too.] I didnt do anything to deserve praising. I only did what was natural, as young masters servant. Rather than that, to have brought down the twin dragon with just one click, this is an amazing knife. She was staring at the knife she pulled out from the dragons head. The knife in Shias hand is the [Хʥ] I made with what little magic liquid metal leftCliteral translation would be [wasp knife] As the name implies, just like the hornet, you stab the knife in and the highly pressurized gas inside the knife handle (carbonated gas cylinder, this time I used magic as substitute) will travel through the blade to the tip with the press of the switch. Because of this, the stabbed internal organs or object will be pulverized into smithereens. Its that fearsome of a knife. Long ago, Ive seen a video where the [wasp knife] stabbed a watermelon and blew it up from inside. Originally, it was created to fight sharks underwater. Nowadays, only hunters that fight bears or aircraft pilots are allowed to buy it. It was really good that I made it as insurance. Shia really likes the knife, and she praised it repeatedly. Ive used many knives, but this really is a good one. If you like the knife that much, Ill give it to you. Is it okay, young master? Of course! What are you saying? The one who played the most active role was Shia Actually, the one who played the most active role was Chrisse, but I personally wanted to give the MVP position to Shia. Since the magic-stone idea was inspired from Shias words, and she saved Snow and Chrisse from the fire breath, then covered up my mistake at the end. Thereupon hearing my words, a soft smile appeared on her face for the first time. Thank you, young master. I will use this knife with great care. Like this, we escaped from the twin-dragon crisis safely. And we returned to Gomugos group, who were dying to know the result. - Ive written a lot in consideration on how to defeat the twin dragon, personally I was very happy. Was it to everyones prediction ? (^)g Volume 4 - CH 66 The first thing we did after we defeated the Twin Dragon was to encase the dragons corpse in ice. According to Shia There arent many Twin Dragon corpses in a condition as good as this, so if we bring it back we can sell it for a good price, and she insisted on it so we ripped off a scale and leave a wooden tag with adventurer number on it then had her, who still had magic power left encase the dragons corpse in ice. This way it wouldnt be eaten by other monsters, nor taken by other adventurers. After that wed return to the mining town once, and ask the guild to transport the Twin Dragon. Transportation would cost us, but itd be insignificant compared to the money wed get after selling it. And so, we finally headed back to Gomugos group and let them know the result. When they saw our figures still in one piece, they shouted out of joy from within the cave. It was because wed returned alive from almost certain death situation. The ruckus they made couldnt be helped, but they were so loud I was worried my eardrums would burst. Not everything had went well. We went back to the open space we planned to make camp on to take back the cargo we left, but the horned horses had turned into Twin Dragon food, and the cargo and personal effects were all crushed to pulp. It was the result of the Twin Dragon raging about in fury. We have no other option but to retreat to the Mining Town Vesta for the moment, but we should consider ourselves lucky to escape with our lives, at least. Wed been fighting all through last night so we decided to make camp here. As theyd used up quite a lot of magic power, I let Snow and Shia rest first. Sorry Lute-kun, Chrisse-chan, let me rest first. Dont worry about it, you worked very hard for it, Snow. [Thats right, and Im still going strong so Ill be alright!] Thanks Chrisse-chan! Ah, but sleeping with a sweating Lute-kun in a cramped bed and [sniff-sniff]-ing his scent might be good, too Just hurry and go to sleep already. Recover your magic power! Au, that hurt, Lute-kun~! Id done a karate chop on Snow who had just said something dumb with a straight face. Really, she never changes. Madam, the bed is ready. Shia had patched together a simple bed out of the wood from the broken wagons. The two of them got on the bed to recover their stamina and magic power. Chrisse and I who remained fought our drowsiness as we stood watch over our surroundings. Meanwhile, Gomugo and the others collected the scattered cargo and tidied them up. They also collected our luggage alongside, and sorted through the things that could be used. I was about to say thanks Its us who should be thanking you. You saved our lives from the Twin Dragon They felt grateful and thanked me, bowing their heads again and again. I took up their offer and let them collect our luggage. Thanks to them the [38 Special (9mm)], [7.62mm Russian Shot], and the [7.62mm 51 NATO] spare rounds scattered about by the Twin Dragons were gathered in one place. At dusk Snow and Shia woke up and relieved us from watch duty. It looked like about half their magic had been restored. Chrisse and I switched with them and got on the bed. It was a standing tree with poles propped against it, wooden planks laid underneath those, burnt and torn canopy cloths laid on the planks and a sheet that looked clean covering it all. And it was cramped. It was practically a hamster bed. But once Chrisse and I crawled into bed, it didnt take long for us to fall asleep. I didnt even have the energy to lay my hands on my cute cute wife sleeping next to me. We slept like logs until we were woken up when it was time for us to switch with Snow and Shia for night watch duty. The next morning, we set off from the camping grounds. Before we departed, Snow and Shia cast some more magic on the iced Twin Dragon to thicken the ice. With that we wouldnt need to worry about it melting for a while. It took us two days when we went out but because we were walking it took three days to get back. When we reached the Mining Town Vesta, we rushed to the inn. Without having to worry about being attacked by monsters like in the camping grounds, I slept soundly. The next morning we went with Gomugo to the Adventurers Guild. The reason we took him along was because I wanted another testimony besides ours. We reported to the Adventurers Guild. We showed them the peeled scale and had them hear not only ours but also Gomugos testimony. The Adventurers Guild showed no doubt and believed our evidence. We requested the Adventurers Guilds services for the transportation of the iced dragon. From here on itd take more or less 10 days to transport the remains of the Twin Dragon, including the preparatory period and the round trip. Several adventurers went ahead to identify and secure the Twin Dragon frozen in ice. A large transport wagon would come later to carry it. This large transport wagon had magic stones built into it, equipped with the function to make the cargos weight lighter than normal. And of course this transportation would cost quite a lot of money. The Adventurers Guild had only heard about the Twin Dragon and hadnt examined it in detail but it could easily fetch at least 1000 gold coins. Thats an amazing amount of money. Which is why they had no problems with deferring the payment. In return, since the Adventurers Guild had no way to pay the 1000 gold, they requested us to not ask for it in a lump sum. I, of course, agreed. We would also be in big trouble carrying the 1000 gold even if they did pay in full. The Adventurers Guild suggested that we deposit the money in the guild. That way we could take the money out from Adventurers Guilds in different continents. As long as your tag and password number arent stolen, theres no worry of it being taken out by other people. In case you withdraw a large amount of money then they will verify the person himself too. Shia also recommended it, so I carried out the procedure to deposit the reward money to the guild. But I asked them to let me take out the necessary money immediately when the goods would arrive. The necessary money was for the merchandise of our client Gomugo which we couldnt protect. I wanted to pay him back for the goods, wagons, and horned horses that he lost. But the concerned person made a surprised face himself. Normally if youre targeted by a dragon, a twin dragon even, and getting out alive is already godsend! To think youd even pay me back for the merchandise! Since he was affiliated with the Merchant Guild his insurance was guaranteed, but it looked like it wouldnt be anytime soon so he was very grateful at my offer, bowing his head. Of course since he would be insured by the guild, I didnt need to fully reimburse him; just covering up for his deficit seemed to be enough. I finished the procedure for Gomugo to take out the money as soon as the assessment price of the Twin Dragon came out. When he takes out that money, we dont need to be there to witness; he can do it alone. After this we only need to pay the penalty for the rental wagon & horned horse then we will have resolved all of our money problems. Gomugo just kept bowing his head as he left. Next problem is our adventurer level. This time its a quest to level up to level 3. Judging by result alone, the quest was a failure. But we captured the level 4 class Twin Magicians. And we subjugated a level 5 class Twin Dragon (young) not only level 2 or level 3 adventurers rarely encounter such high level quests in such a short time, get caught up in it, and even come out triumphant. Itd be easy if we were travelling with a level 5 adventurer, but we did that with just us alone. So would they raise our rank? If they do, would they raise it to level 4 or 5 ? Or is it restricted at 3? Looks like this matter cant be decided soon. For now they put it on hold. Before the Twin Dragons corpse arrive at mining town, we decided to back to the town Meiya is staying in. Preparatory time included, the time for the Twin Dragon to be brought back is about 10 days. And we dont know when they will finish assessing it. Rather than waiting at the mining town, we decided its a better plan to go back and rest. Regarding payment for the transportation and assessment, we can just pay at the Adventurer Guild at our home. And like that, after 3 days, we rented a wagon to leave the mining town and head back home, which we estimate would take 8 days. Lute-sama! Welcome back! When we returned, Meiya learnt of it and immediately rushed over. We just got back and just placed our luggage on the floor. No matter how fast you are, isnt that a little bit too fast Instinctively, I searched my clothes if there is transmission device on it. She didnt realized what I was doing, and spoke with the high tension voice I havent heard in a while. Lute-samas first disciple, his right hand, Meiya Dragoon present! Ive been continuously waiting for your return! Somehow without me knowing she added 1 more title right hand to herself on top of first disciple. If I just let her be will she add more? Im back, Meiya. Thanks for looking after my house while Im gone. I only did what was natural as a disciple! By the way has everyone eaten dinner? No, we havent Well then, how about you stay over at my house today? Ive already prepared dinner, I will prepare a hot bath for you to relieve your fatigue from the travel too. The 3 girls ears sensitively reacted to the single word bath. During the journey, we can only wipe our body with towel soaked in hot water, or wash our body with just a basin of hot water at the inn. We cant resist the charm of the tub full of hot water, and stretch our hands and feet in it. Furthermore, at Meiyas house, the wash toilet is fully equipped. And its a pain to start making dinner now. This is where we should depend on Meiyas goodwill. Well then Ill take you up on your offer, lets stay over at Meiyas house today, shall we? Thank you, Lute-sama! Well then, please ride the coach outside. Ive already prepared for necessities such as change of clothes! Meiya joyfully led us outside and beckoned us to get on the carriage waiting there. Already familiar with Meiyas mansion, I get into the bath first. I washed my head and body, removed the filth from the journey. Submerged into the hot bath to the shoulder, I let my voice leak naturally. Getting out of the bath, I put my hand through the sleeve of the dragon kungfu clothes I am already used to. In the living room, until the girl gang arrived, Meiya and I drank some chacha while waiting. With everyone present, we started the meal. Then in just a few days, you got the bounty of the twin magicians and exterminated a Twin Dragon !? In the middle of the meal, Meiya raised her surprised voice when she heard about the details. But in the end, our level up quest has failed, though. But, to get that much achievement, you leveling up is assured. I hope so too. I swallowed the stew brimming with melted fat and shrugged. But the more I hear, the more wonderful it is. To think that you made a bullet that destroys magic stone on purpose and let it explode inside the body! An idea that a normal person cant think of even if he struggled for 100 years! As expected of Lute-sama, the god of magic tool development! [That was surprising, indeed.] Im personally more surprised at Chrisse-chan who shot the bullet into that small dragons eye. Its absolutely impossible for me. The skills they pursue are different. Theres no point in comparing. By the way Shia-san, can you show me the thing called [Wasp Knife] that Lute-sama made? I dont mind but, why is your breathing is so rough? Shia while bewildered, removed the [wasp knife] hanging from her waist and handed it over. Because I havent refilled magic in place of carbon dioxide so even if the switch is pushed, no gas will come out. Th,this is the new knife Lute-sama made himself! To think that after stabbing, it can send gas in to destroy the inside! This is a demon king-like idea! In short, Lute-sama is both god and demon king, you have 2 faces! Aaah! Lute-samas knowledge truly knows no bound, it feels like Im turning weird! You already are, already. Stop rubbing your cheek against the knife, youre bleeding! M,me!? I have dirtied Lute-samas artistic knife with blood!? Youre worrying about the wrong thing here! Youre a girl so take better care of yourself. Snow, sorry but please use magic to heal her. Got it~ As expected of Snow, even though shehas a bad relationship with Meiya, she healed Meiyas wound without complaining. I took the knife from her during that time. Meiya seems to still want to molest the gimmicked knife, but I ignore her. Shia cleaned the blooded knife with magic. Well in any case, this time, without Shia it would have been dangerous. How do I say it, I was really grateful to have brought Shia as a slave. Yeah! If it was just us, we wouldnt be able to escape from the twin magicians trap nor save the hostage. [I also learned a lot about how to setup camp and to do night watch.] No, someone like me. Maybe because Shia wasnt used to getting praised, she lost her words. No, if I have to say, she had that look when one couldnt stand receiving an award for something she didnt do. Suddenly, she somehow recalled the words she muttered after she said I will suicide attack the twin dragon. And please dont worry about me. Lastly, if youd listen to my only requestC Remembering it, Shia raised her voice. ..Everybody! I am very sorry! Eh, Shia!? She suddenly stood up from the chair and then knelton the floor. Exactly like a knight you see in anime, manga or film. Not only me, but Snow, Chrisse and Meiya all stared in wonder at Shias sudden action. Without minding our reaction, she kept on talking. I had been telling all of you lies! I do not possess any [Oracle] ability. I became your slave because of a certain persons instruction! In addition, Im putting my life on the line here, please! Shia lowered her head further and raised her voice. Please! Please! Save the High Elf kingdom! Her extremely desperate voice resounded within the room. - Authors Notes Black elf chapter ends tomorrow, from tomorrow on were entering a new chapter. (^)g Volume 4 - CH 67 Shia, still kneeling on the floor, revealed her true character. I am a guard-maid belonging to the High Elf kingdom Enol. For a certain reason, I became a slave to test you all, please forgive me! P-please wait. I dont understand what are you saying. What do you mean by becoming a slave to test us? From the way Shia said it, it seems that you knew that we would buy a slave. It was a coincidence that we bought a slave. Meiya had accidentally eavesdropped on our conversation, and advised us to buy a slave. Not being there, how did Shia know? She painfully bit her lip. Im sorry, I cant tell you the details with my own mouth here. But one thing I can say is that if I didnt become a slave, I wouldnt be able to be together with young master. Sorry, I dont understand. She didnt have to become a slave on purpose, couldnt she just called out to me? While we were perplexed, she bowed sincerely. Its not strange for you to be perplexed, but I cant tell you everything here. So for the details, after we have arrived at High Elf kingdom, the person who ordered me to become a slave in order to meet young master, will tell you everything. Hey, is the High Elf kingdom such a dangerous place ? No, youre wrong. Its a country on the west side of Fairy continent, full of natural lakes and forests. There are also a lot of people who come there for sightseeing. Its just as Snow-san said. Ive never heard any stories that the High Elf kingdom has fallen into a crisis or anything. Snow and Meiya answered my question. In short, it doesnt seem like theyve heard anything like danger approaching the peaceful country. After hearing their answers, we looked at Shia again. But she was still petitioning desperately. Everything Ive told you is the truth. There are no falsehoods. Please, wont you go to Enol, its fine if you just hear the story out! If after youve heard it all, and theres anything that displeases you, just say it, and as your slave, I will even kill myself. Thats why, please, somehow, please lend me your power! Shia just kept bowing without moving. [What do we do, onii-chan ?] Chrisse showed me the mini blackboard. I fold my arms and think. It appears that Shia is just a guard maid that received orders from someone and approached us. Its just that Shia isnt a bad person. Tested us means that she doubted us a bit so its probably true that shes troubled. Weve been saved by her many times, we trusted her, so just hearing her out is probably okay ? If its beyond our capacities, then we can just refuse and go back. ..Okay, if just hearing it out is okay, then lets hear it first, shall we ? First lets go there, and hear the story from the one who instructed Shia, after that its not late to judge for ourselves. Furthermore, Shia is our comrade, we cant just flat out refuse, can we ? Yep, I thought Lute-kun would say so. [Me too, I agree with onii-chans opinion!] But going to the Fairy continents west side alone will take half a year, wont it ? Then please use my airship! By air you can reach the High Elf kingdom in just a bit over 1 month! Personal airship if Im not wrong, that thing costs a fortune Or perhaps I should say, as expected of Meiya, the Magic stone Princess. Th, thank you, everyone! Shia raised her face, tears oozing out of her eyes. With this, its decided that were all going to the High Elf kingdom, Enol. Since weve decided to go to High Elf kingdom, Enol, the mobilization was quick. The next day, we explained the circumstances to the store where we rented a wagon and paid the penalty. After that we went to the Adventurers guild. We informed the usual receptionist girl that were going to be away from this town for few months. If the assessment for the twin dragon and the deliberation for our level up finished, just wait since we will listen to it later. Well then, just in case, please tell the Adventurers guild in Enol about my level up deliberation. Since I may do quests there and have chances to level up. In that case, if they know about our circumstances then they can let us level up right away. Then Lute-sama, please lend me your tag. Im going to carve [Level up deliberating] on it. I handed over the tag as I was told. As usual she processed it with the quill pen which was a magic tool. I took the tag she handed back. After we left the Adventurers guild, we headed for the aircraft owned by Meiya. The aircraft was at the port. It wasnt floating on the water, but stored in a rented out storehouse. It was decided by the law, it seemed. To make one ship, it took boat load of money. Furthermore there are also money and connection needed to rent the storehouse, for maintenance,etc in short, just owning it would take another boat load of money. That was why even for nobles, it was hard to own an aircraft. So just the fact that Meiya owned one personal aircraft was enough to show how much of an amazing person she was. When I showed up at the ports storehouse, I saw Meiya was hurling instructions for the cargo. Drinking water can be made with magic so its unnecessary. Instead of that, load magic liquid metal on. You can treat it roughly to some extent, but be careful to not spill the contents while moving it. On the outside the aircraft looked like a normal sailing ship. The only different part was that it was flat so it could land on the ground. Its size is bigger than a yacht, but smaller than a normal ship. It flew with large amounts of magic power stored in magic stones. Thats why when it was flying, even if someone were to use magic on the surroundings, they cant be sensed, thats also one of its demerits. The magic liquid metal I asked for just got loaded on. Just like aircraft in my previous world, this one had weight limits too, it had to transport magic liquid metal and magic stones already, so Meiya had to select the rest of the cargo carefully. A porter man asked Meiya. Meiya-sama, if you want to make the ship light, wouldnt it be better to leave this ? The wooden box next to the porter contained three wash toilets. What nonsense is this man saying! Isnt that the most important thing! After I made the wash toilet for my house, the interested Meiya gave the blueprint to the craftsmen and had them replace all the toilets in her house with wash toilets. At that time I asked her for some spares too. So that I could replace mine immediately if it were to break. The ones we were bringing onto the aircraft were also a part of that. One spare for when the one already installed on the aircraft broke. One for the place where we would stay in High Elf kingdom. The last one was spare for the one above. Each and every one of them was necessary. Leaving the toilets behind, really, what exactly was that man thinking. Meiya seemed to understand too, as she scolded the man. That is necessary! Leaving that behind is outrageous! Move that right now, and carefully, pay more attention to the safety! U-understood! The man was yelled at by Meiya, then he called his subordinates to carry the wash toilets onto the aircraft. As expected of someone who called herself my first disciple. Well, if she were to say something like leaving the wash toilets behind maybe Id excommunicate her immediately. While thinking that, I called out to Meiya. Good work, Meiya. Well if it isnt Lute-sama! You even took the trouble to come to this dusty place to see me! I am extremely moved! Hows the progress ? I am preparing so we can leave the day after tomorrow. Anyway, why do you have to take the magic liquid metal with us ? I think its also available in High Elf kingdom We will be staying on the aircraft for one month right ? So I thought I should use that time to develop a new weapon. Ah, a new weapon !? When Meiya heard about a new weapon, stardust seemed to sparkle in her eyes. W-what kind of thing will it be !? During our last quest our fire powers were lacking, so Im thinking of developing a weapon to supplement that. That weapons name is: Panzerfaust. In 1942, during WW2, the German army developed a ground-breaking disposable recoilless high explosive anti-tank warhead launcher. That was the [Panzerfaust] it means [Tank fist] in German. A thin long iron pipe attached with the warhead which looked like two cups stuck together at the lips. Its full silhouette was a shape like a horsetail. The German army used the Panzerfaust in a sense like hand grenades against the USSRs tanks to destroy the tracks, damage the engine, to immobilize it. Furthermore the launched warheads recoil was so little even a girl could handle it easily. Also, the type I was thinking to make this time was [Panzerfaust 60] type. The first Panzerfaust that was made was [Panzerfaust klein]. Second one was [Panzerfaust 30]. Third one was [Panzerfaust 60]. The reason I didnt choose to make [Panzerfaust klein], [Panzerfaust 30] was that the firing mechanism was too simple, like pachinko, which caused a lot of accidents. Thinking about safety, destructive power (compared to klein, type 30 and on had about 4 times the amount of explosives), the answer was only Panzerfaust 60. The thing you should notice about this Panzerfaust was that the warhead used was either [shaped charge warhead] or [chemical energy bullet]. [Shaped charge warhead], or [chemical energy bullet] is explosive charge shaped with a hollowed inverse cone, the cavity was covered with a metal sheet (liner). With the utilization of explosives chemical energy, armor which the bullet body couldnt destroy before, now could be destroyed. As a result, [shaped charge warhead], or [chemical energy bullet] was the natural enemy of allarmoured weapons, soldiers. And generally the [shaped charge warhead], or [chemical energy bullet] was misunderstood that it destroy armor due to the Munroe effect, but that was a mistake. In the 1880s an American technician, Munroe discovered that instead of placing explosives directly to a flat iron plate, explosives with their surface caved inward could open a hole deeper in the iron plates. That was the [Munroe effect]. In the 1920s a German scientist, Neumann discovered that lining the cavity of the explosives with a metal sheet could penetrate much more. It was called the [Neumann effect]. By utilizing the [Neumann effect], [shaped charge warhead], or [chemical energy bullet] could penetrate armor that conventional bullets couldnt. Well then, how does this [Neumann effect] penetrate armor ? When the warheads explosives explode, obeying physics, the explosions energy would focus on the least resistant part which was the cavity (If there was no cavity in the explosives, the energy would be transmitted equally, like how light focuses due to a positive lens, from the surroundings, the energy would be focused into the center point of the cavity. From the actual explosion the focused energy was thought to be about 20%). Until then it was the Munroe effect. Due to the explosion energys focusing, the metal sheet (liner) lined up inside the cavity (usually soft copper was used) would be evaporated (strictly speaking, it wasnt evaporated, but only turned into a liquid like state. Not by heat, but by pressure). An evaporated jet blast of metal molecules, together with high-temp high-pressure gas would punch a hole into the hard armor plate. Now that would be Neumann effect. In short, the [Munroe effect] would focus the explosive energy, the [Neumann effect] would turn the metal liner into a jet blast of metal molecules and destroy the armor. While omitting the part I couldnt tell, I explained the Panzerfaust to Meiya. When she was done listening, she was on both of her knees, tears streaming down her big eyes. What a marvelous story! I am the most fortunate person in this world! Like this, I get to hear directly from godCno, Lute-sama has exceeded even god! Lute-sama is already a living god desuwa! Stop it, Meiya! There are people looking! Dont kneel, and dont you kiss my feet again! I used force to stop Meiya who was about to kiss my feet, and forcefully made her stand up. I was happy that she idolized me, but I got the feeling that recently the frequency of her actions were turning from sometimes to rampaging. A-anyway, with that in mind, I intended to devote myself into creating the Panzerfaust while were moving, just so you know. I understand! This Meiya Dragoon! Will be helping Lute-sama! I, Im counting on you She took my hand, leaned her face closer like she was about to kiss and agreed. Her heavy breathing and dazzlingly shining eyes are scary. Like this, we prepared to head off to the High Elf kingdom, Enol. Chapter 4 END Next time Chapter 5 Boyhood High Elf story -opening- - Authors Notes Black elf story ended! Next is finally the High Elf story of chapter 5! New heroine(s) enter the scene, look forward to it! (^)g Volume 5 - CH 68 High Elf kingdom Enol was located in the territory of the Fairy race in the Fairy continent. It took about one month and a half from the Dragon continent via the personal aircraft owned by Meiya. High Elf kingdom Enol with beautiful forests, lakes, High elves living in the fairytale-like country, or so it should have been Come! Come! Its cheap! Special High elf cake, its cheap! Pendant that can make you become like High elf! If you buy now its only 5 silver! How about a portrait of a High elf ? Just by having it you can extend your lifespan. Uwaa- Overflowing stalls on both sides were spread out, in which a lot of goods were placed. The humans who were inviting customers called out to some people who looked like tourist in earnest. The ratio of humans was overwhelmingly high. Probably 70~80%. But I hadnt seen any High elf figures anywhere. I called out to Shia who was walking at the front to guide us. Isnt this the High Elf Kingdom ? Not to say High Elf, I havent even seen any of the Fairy race either. Yes, its as you say, but Then Shia started to explain. The tourists came here to partake in the High elves lifespan, and these human merchants seem to be catering to them. The Beast race at about 200 years. The Dragon race at about 300 years. The Demon race at about 100~500 years. The Human race at about 80 years, with that lifespan, compared to other races, its short. On the contrary, High elf of the Fairy race is the longest among all the races. The Normal elf was about 1000 years. The High elfs lifespan was said to be about 10000 years. Ten ten thousand !? The Fairy race representative of the 5 races heroes was a High elf, seems like that one lived to be 10000 years old, oldest among the heroes. But in reality, for High elves, the heart usually gives out first at a little over 2000 years old and they die Furthermore High elves only marry once in their whole life. Therefore, as a race that governed marital love and longevity, they received tremendous support from the Human race. That was why all the goods on sale at the stalls were modeled after the High elves, sweets, paintings, woodcarving dolls. On top of that, there was even a pendant imbued with magic that can change ones appearance to a High elf. They wanted to receive High elfs blessing, even just a little. (Almost like the combination of the crane, turtle and mandarin duck, eh.) Because of their longevity, the population count is only around 300 person. For that reason they rarely appear before others. Between the humans, it was said that if you could see an elf you will extend your lifespan by 1 day, if you could touch, 1 year. No matter which world, it seems that people love jinx and superstition. So, these people come here to meet with High elves? No, to forcibly meet with High elves is prohibited. Moreover they live in a special place, where only those with special standing could enter. Special place? Its over there. That island is where the High elves live. Ooo Through the stalls, we followed Shia from behind, a huge lake appeared in front of our eyes. Its about twice as big as lake Biwa. On the island in the middle of the lake, there was a gigantic tree standing like it swallowed the castle. The High elves were probably living inside that castle. Are we going to that castle ? But I dont see anything like a boat around here. Snow asked in place of the fascinated me. Shia made a sour face. No, thats I cant lead you all there immediately.. Shia flusteredly explained. If you take out the boat without permission you will be arrested. Moreover, youre only adventurers, not to say only level II. Even if you ask for permission, you wont get it. Ridiculous! Even though you asked the one and only Lute-sama to take the trouble to come here! How dare you! Meiya became enraged the moment she heard the explanation. Shia earnestly bowed her head and apologized. Im sorry! Pardon me! I know Im being disrespectful, but first I have to go back to the castle to report that Ive guided you here, so please wait a night at an inn If we just go to the inn specified by Shia and tell them, then we can stay for free. Looks like she already arranged it when she left the country. But its probably not that good. Now now, calm down Meiya. Since it cant be helped, lets just leave the luggage at the inn and treat ourselves to some sightseeing [Thats right. Since were already here, lets go look around leisurely.] Shia can use that time to go and report. Thank you very much! Shia told us the inns place, then we parted there. Shia said she will return to the inn the next morning. Until she came back, everyone agreed to go sightseeing. The inn Shia told us was of the highest grade around the area. We were assigned the suite-like rooms on the top. From the windows, we got an unbroken view of the lake, Snow and Chrisse were pleased with that. Maybe the innkeeper were paying attention so Snow and Chrisse and I got assigned one room. Meiya was in another room. Without delay, we left the luggage in our rooms and went back to the rows of stalls that we passed by before. First we ate the [High elf cake] which seemed to be a speciality. Its baked wheat with jam stuffed inside in a High Elf mold. Kinda like taiyaki ? But is it really okay ? Grilling High elf . Its a little spongy but its delicious. It dries up in the inside of your mouth really fast. Snow and Meiya ate with curiosity. Then certainly, a certain Demon race person whos picky about sweet, my wife ChrisseC Ate the High elf cakes with her usual [sweets arent game] eyes and serious expression. [The way they dissolve the wheat flour is naive. The batter is fine without being sweet, but the jam isnt sweet enough. Not only are they trying to save cost on the sugar, but the jam only has one type of flavor, I think its better to add more. 2.17 out of 10.] As usual, her scores are detailed. This time it seems that the [High elf cake] was also not palatable. Specialty doesnt necessarily mean its good, or so they say. There was also the possibilly of it doesnt match the taste of the ojou-sama, Chrisse. Then, we stroll leisurely while eating [High elf cake]. Ah, Lute-kun, its a High Elf. Snow pointed at a walking blonde, long ears, green eyes, elf like young girl. A pendant hang conspicuously on her chest. No, its a fake. That pendant is the proof. Its a popular souvenir from Enol, equipping it will change ones appearance into a High elf with simple magic. It seems its a rule, that to avoid crime and misunderstanding, the pendant must be worn externally, where it could be seen. In exchange for the real thing not appearing, they sell the pendant and let tourists imitate High elves. Just like in Kyoto, where they let tourists rent apprentice geisha clothes and walk outside, that was to let them emphasize the Kyoto-esque feeling for the other tourists. This country expanded with the lake as the center, you can see the large Adventurers guild here and there. Since we dont have anything to do, lets go to the Adventurers guild to give greetings and let them know about our level up deliberation, shall we ? When we arrived in front of the Adventurers Guild, I remembered. Despite us being level II and III adventurers, we defeated the magicians with a bounty and a twin dragon (young), and because of that, they are now in the middle of deliberating how much our levels should rise. I should report that to the High elf Kingdom Enols Adventurers Guild sooner rather than later. Thats right, we should go there before we forget about it. [We still have time, too.] Wherever Lute-sama goes is where Ill go! With my wives and my disciples approval, we went to the Adventurers Guild building. Inside is, as usual, made up of the bank and offices. We took a ticket and waited to be called. The number on our ticket was called and we went to the counter, on the counter there was Welcome, what is your business for today? The receptionist woman who was always in charge of us in the Dragon Continent! Other than Meiya, everyone made a surprised look. ? Um, what is wrong? Whats wrong? Why are you here!? Arent you supposed to be at the Dragon Continent Adventurers Guild!? Dragon Continent maybe you mean big sister? eh? After calming down and listening, she seems to be the younger sister of the receptionist who always looked after us. But their appearance is truly like two peas in a pod, as if theyre twins. Like a typical Demon Race, she has sheep-like horns growing out of her head and bat-like wings out of her back. Of course, the Adventurers Guild clothes she was wearing suits her. Sorry for causing a disturbance. Please dont worry about it. We do look more alike than even twins, people would mistake us for each other all the time since we were small. Is big sister doing well? Yes, shes doing well. We were always in your sisters care. No way. I was worried that big sister was causing you trouble instead. Not trouble, just that she gets scary whenever anything regarding marriage or age or wife is brought up. Anyway, what is Lute-samas business? Actually, our level up is being deliberated right now. Your sister recommended us, too. We thought we should report here too, just in case. Thanks for the trouble. Well then would you please give me your tags for confirmation ? I took off the tag hanging on my neck and handed it to her. With experienced hands, the little sister confirmed the tag with the magic tool. Thank you. Well then, in case you want to receive quests here, your achievements in the Dragon Continent will be taken into consideration when being evaluated. After she gave me back the tag, she stood up from her seat and said Please give regards to my big sister as she bowed. In my previous world, they say there are 3 people who look exactly like yourself, but this was a little bit too alike, wasnt it.. We left the Adventurers guild and stopped by a folk craft shop. High elfs portrait, wood carved doll, brooch, hair clip were being sold there. Wow, Lute-kun, look, look at this. The goods that catched Snows attention was the reversi piece with High elfs side face engraved onto it. Next to it was a foldable board. Looks like this reversi piece was a limited item that can only be obtained in the High elf kingdom Enol. Local item huh. Hee~, Reversi has even spread here huh. [What is that ?] What happened ? Chrisse and Meiya who were checking out other goods asked. Looks like they didnt know of Reversi. Indeed I had never seen Reversi being sold anywhere in the Demon and Dragon continent. Snow happily explained to them. See here, this is a toy called Reversi that was made by Lute-kun when he was a kid. Its a very interesting toy. This is [Reversi] ? I know it from investigation reports, but this is the first time Ive seen it. [How do you play this ?] As I was about to ask Meiya for explanation, Chrisse tugged on my sleeve and asked. I put Meiyas remark aside for now and teach my wife the way to play Reversi. The rule for Reversi was simple, Chrisse and Meiya immediately remembered it. Since its a rare chance, lets buy one and play with everyone ? I also wanted to play against Lute-kun for the first time in a while. On Snows suggestion we bought the local Reversi. The pieces and board altogether were 1 silver, a little expensive. I carried the Reversi. Carrying shopping goods was also a mans duty. And with that, lets play strip Reversi with my 2 wives tonight! Not strip rock-paper-scissors, but strip Reversi! During the day day Im a gentlemanly husband, but at night I Reversi into a beast huh! That was a good pun if I do say so myself. That was good, right ? We finished the sightseeing like that. The sun was setting so we had an evening meal before it got crowded. The store was a local restaurant. This stores speciality seemed to be a fish dish made from the fishes that live in the big lake. Since it was caught from the High elf lake, it was said that you will live 1 year longer if you eat this dish. Trying to sell everything with extra lifespan was a little I was a little turned off, but the dish was simple and delicious. We also drank some local wine, and returned to the inn a little tipsy. Before we reached the room, Snows expression stiffened. Lute-kun, there is someone in the room. Hearing that, Chrisse, Meiya and I also became alerted. This inn was a high grade one, the security is tight, so its probably not a thief. It could also be Shia that had returned. Just to be safe, I lowered my hips and reached for the revolver. I stood in front of Snow, Chrisse and Meiya, readied so I can draw my [S&W M10 2-inches] revolver anytime. Confirmed I had finished my preparation, I slowly opened the door. CWelcome back, young master. Shia huh? When I entered the room, there were 2 females waiting. One was Shia who guided us here. But she wasnt in her adventurer garb like in the afternoon. Deep blue skirt so long it hid her feet, pure white apron over that, and a headdress on her head. The hem of the skirt is spacious, looked like you could hide assassination weapon in there. But even so, she had the appearance of an orthodox maid. I was astonished by the gap and almost couldnt recognize if that was Shia for a moment. Of course, it fitted her very much. The other person in the room, nevertheless, wore an overcoat that covered her head. She wasnt tall, only taller than Chrisse a bit. If I had to say why I know its a female despite her head being covered, it was because her boobs were so big that the coat couldnt hide it. Probably even bigger than Snows. In other words, short, big boobs or loli bigboobs! On the table was a cup of scented tea with steam still rising. Looked like Shia served this loli bigboobs. Everyone, please come in. We entered the room as Shia invited. The loli bigboobs who was sitting also stood up and faced us. Shia stood in the middle and introduced the girl. This here is the one who told me to approach young master The girl removed the hood of the coat. Long straight blond hair softly fell down. Pointed long ears, fresh leaf colored pupils, a noble, beautiful girl like she was made by God himself. But that wasnt the problem. Shia indifferently continued the introduction. High Elf kingdom Enols 2nd princess, Lyss Enol Mema-sama. High Elf kingdom Enols princess !? A High Elf among High elves, is currently here. The girl Lyss smiled friendly. I have wanted to meet you, oh our hero-sama. - (^)g Volume 5 - CH 69 The High elf kingdom Enols second princess, Lyss Enol Mema, was inside the room. She had boobs bigger than Snows and a height that was just a little taller than Chrisses. A loli, big boobs, beautiful girl. A High elf among High elves was currently standing right in front of me. She was the one who had told Shia to go and become my servant. And she called me hero. Why was a High elf princess calling me hero ? The High elf girl called Lyss, who was introduced by Shia, gave a friendly smile. Lyss pupils were moist from deep emotions, and she took my hand. I really thank you for coming here. I have been waiting. A, ah, hello Without knowing the situation, I could only give half-hearted reply. Lyss wiped the corner of her eyes and gestured towards the sofa. What are we standing for? Lets sit and calm down firsCKya! Watch out! Lyss stepped on her coat and was about to fall over. I caught her from behind by reflex. Ah! Aan! !? Hi, hime-sama!? Shia called out panickedly. Both of my hands were grabbing Lyss boobs C ones that didnt match her physique. I hurriedly let go and she slowly sat on the floor. So, sorry! You were about to fall so I tried to help, it definitely was not because I had an ulterior motive or anyth N, no, dont apologize, it was my fault for falling Since long ago, my body would become weak if my chest was touched Im very sorry Lyss cheeks were dyed beet red from the shame and excitement of her breasts being touched by someone from the opposite sex. So, shes a clumsy, sensitive, loli bigboobs princess. First boku-ko, now doji-kois this for real ? Geez Lute-kun, no matter how much she asked for help, you cant just go and touch her boobs like that. [Please be careful next time, oniichan.] Yes, Im sorry. As if reading my mind, Snow and Chrisse rebuked me with perfect timing. If you are that interested in the opposite sexs breasts, then I, at any time, wouldnt mind.~ Meiyas eyes also became moist and redness of her cheeks didnt lose to Lyss. Alright, Ill just pretend I didnt hear that. Lyss borrowed Shias hand to stand up and sat back down on the sofa that she had been sitting on before. We also followed suit. I sat on the sofa, facing Lyss directly, while Snow and Chrisse sat to my left and right. Meiya got herself a chair and sat down on it. After Shia finished pouring tea for everyone, Lyss started the conversation. First, I truly thank you for coming to this faraway Enol. Please let me reintroduce myself. I am High elf kingdom Enols second princess, Lyss Enol Mema. Im Lute, and these are my wives, Snow and Chrisse. I am the one and only unparalleled genius magic tool inventor, Lute-samas first disciple, Meiya Dragoon! Meiya puffed up her chest without hesitation in front of the High elf princess. As expected of the Magic stone Princess. Shes got guts, or nerves of steel After the greetings finished, Shia, who was wearing maid clothes and standing behind Lyss, started talking. Originally, it should have been me who did the talking but Lyss-sama said that she wanted to talk directly to you, no matter what, so we ended up suddenly intruding on you. Im really sorry. Is it okay? They said that High elves dont come over to this side, right? Furthermore, shes royalty. If she got into an accident or got kidnapped, it would turn into a big problem. Shia wore a bitter face. Of course I stopped her but she insisted. She got her way, huh. Looks like Shia had it tough. The person herself smiled softly. Please dont worry. High elves not going into the town is just an official stance. We actually patrol the town with this pendant on. She showed us the pendant that was hanging on her breasts erotically. It was the magic tool used to change ones appearance that we had seen at the souvenir shop during the day. This pendant is just a replica. Thats why, even if I take it off, it doesnt change my appearance. Lyss tried to take the pendant off to prove that she was a High elf. Change ara, change, ! Hi, hime-sama !? She couldnt take it off by herself but bit her tongue instead. Uu Ah, a drop of tear formed. In the end, the panicked Shia took it off. She truly is a clumsy girl But, it was true that even when she took off the magic tool, her long ears and green pupils stayed the same. When she recovered from the pain, she cleared her throat with a small cough and continued. Ahem. First, before I explain why I used such a roundabout way to have you all come here, please let me tell you about my older sister, Lara Enol Mema. The location of her older sister, Lara Enol Mema, was lost due to the war in the Fairy continent about 15 years ago. At the time, Enol had entered, albeit in name only, as an ally to the biggest human country, Meltia. At the night of arrival, somehow only Lara disappeared. Was she kidnapped ? Lyss shook her head at my question. With my older sisters power, its impossible to get kidnapped or assassinated. Power? Was she a magician? My older sister was an excellent magician but when a High elf gets older than 100 years old, they get a spirits power. We call it [Spirits blessing]. Older sister had the same blessing as the High elf of the five races heroes, [Clairvoyance eyes]. This blessings power is that you can identify things within a maximum radius of about 4000 kilometers. In short, if anyone tried to kidnap her, she could identify the perpetrators as soon as they tried to get close. And she could do it from a radius of 4000 km. Thats got to be cheating. We formed a large scale search party after the war, but in the end, we couldnt find her. We dont have any traces of her at the moment. Either she willingly hid herself, or possibly .. Also, when we tried sorting through big sisters room, we found a record book. It was written in broken sentences. The dates were all over the place, the smallest ones spanning single days while the longest spanned several years. Nevertheless, everything written in the record book happened as dated. Whats more, future events written in the book happened one after the other. This convinced me. Besides [Clairvoyance], big sister possesses [Prophetic Dream]. Each one is a rare blessing that is only granted to one person in history. Big sister possesses two of those at the same time. Is possessing two at the same time possible? To my inquiry, she clearly declared. Never in all of history. So, I think thats why big sister was hiding her second power. Looking back, there were times when big sister seemed to have a sharp intuition, but I never thought that she had a second power. Even though I was always near her as her little sister, I never noticed at all. The last thing written in the record book big sister left is that in about three months from now, the High elf kingdom Enol will be destroyed in a single night. This country is going to be destroyed? I recalled the countrys situation that I had seen while walking around today. ( You cant destroy a country of this scale in a single night.) I got the chills just thinking about it. The cause of destruction was also written. It says that the barrier stone in High elf kingdom Enol will be destroyed by someone. Barrier stone ? As everyone knows, the demon king in the Fairy continent was defeated and sealed by the five races heroes. One of the barriers that maintains the seal is in Enol and its called the barrier stone. Other continents are the same, but how many, or where they are, even we royal family dont know. The five races heroes hid everything. The founder of the royal family of the High Elf clan created the country here in order to protect one of the barrier stone Lyss remembered the details written in the record book, and tightly grasped the hands which were on her knees. The barrier stone will be destroyed, then from under the stone, [basilisk], [dragoon] monsters will come rushing out, turning people into stone, dyeing the lake with the red of blood, and this country will be destroyed in one night is what big sister wrote. If that prediction is true, wouldnt it be better to discuss it with the king and prepare the military? But Lyss shook her head with a sad face. The king father doesnt believe in big sisters record book. And why is that again ? Because the stone couldnt be destroyed even by the demon king, or the five races heroes, or modern S rank magicians, for example. To prevent the demon king from reviving, when the barrier stone was created by the five races heroes, they declared, as written in old records: [Even we, ourselves, cant destroy]. Lyss voice turned dark. Moreover, big sister being the first in history to have two rare spirit blessings was already unbelievable, so he just brush it off as big sisters joke or lie. I tried asking mother to put in good words too, but her health is so bad that she cant leave her room She said with serious expression. Well, big sister indeed loved to fool around since long ago. Everyone, me for example, has had a hard time with her pranks. But, at the same time, shes a lot more excellent than me, and she has what it takes to be king, dignity included. And it seems that the way to save the High elf kingdom was also written properly. And that is us. The way to lead Lute-sama was also written in the record book. According to it, I would ask a certain slave merchant I know to guide my guard maid, Shia, to the Dragon continent and entrust her to the [Brutus slave market]. And, accord to what was written in the book, Lute-sama would become curious because of the word [tanakakouji], and would end up buying her. I see you played by the book and didnt ask me directly, but did something as troublesome and absurd as [make Shia into a slave], huh. But, in actuality, after hearing the name [Tanaka Kouji], I decided to buy Shia at all cost. As a result, I was sitting here in front of Lyss. Lyss once again thanked Shia for guiding us here. I am really sorry for putting you through such troubles. But, thanks to Shia, I got to meet Lute-sama and everyone before the country is destroyed. Im really happy. No, I am hime-samas guard maid. This much is natural. Lyss turned around once again. According to the record book, even if we ask S class magicians for help, this country would still be destroyed. Only Lute-samas group can save this country. Even though I am the 2nd princess, without any power or freedom, I will still definitely give you any reward you want. I will help you in any way I can. So, please save this country. Im begging you! Both Shia and Lyss bowed. Lute-kun, what do we do ? Snow and Chrisse asked for my decision from both sides. Of course, Meiya too. I folded my arms and thought. (As expected I cant leave them after hearing that story If the barrier stone were to be destroyed, the damage wouldnt just end here. And I cant ignore people looking for help. Guess I can try doing whatever I can.) I resolved myself, then answered. Understood. Ill do what I can. If youre okay with it, I will cooperate Th, thank you! Just like that, we decided to save the High elf kingdom Enol from its crisis. - Translators : Yuushing Laverdy Proofreaders/Editors/TLc : Cyn rei_hunter (^)g Volume 5 - CH 70 The next day, I immediately checked out the barrier stone in the High elfs castle Woodcastle, and its surroundings in the presence of Lyss. Of course Snow, Chrisse, Meiya, and Shia accompanied me, too. The barrier stone looked exactly like a pyramid, tall enough that I had to look up. Probably as tall as a five~six story building. I looked around it but there was no entrance. Its texture was close to marble. So smooth that you wouldnt think its been here for thousands of years. Its position was about 10km away from the High elfs castle Woodcastle. It looked out onto a garden with great view, not an obstacle in sight. The castle itself was originally made to monitor the barrier stone, or so Lyss explained. The barrier stone was surrounded by high ramparts. There were fully armed soldiers stationed on top of the ramparts fully armed soldiers are stationed, elves and Black elves that served High elves, just like Shia. There were about 50 soldiers. Once you passed through the ramparts, you would find a lake. As I was done with the check, I recalled the characteristic of the monsters I heard about from Lyss last night. If the barrier stone was destroyed, only the monsters called basilisk and dragoon would appear from here, it seemed. Basilisk was a monster with lizard head and body, bird wings, and dragon tail. Among researchers it was said to be a subspecies of dragon, or something close. Because of that, it had hard scales covered all over its body. Another troublesome trait was its magic eyes. Basilisk eyes possessed the ability to petrify. It was different for each individual but the effective range was about 500 meters. Once you were caught by its magic eyes, there was no way to recover from being petrified. Whereas dragoon, much less magic eyes, it doesnt even have magic, and had low intelligence. But this one also inherited dragons blood, so its physique ccould reach up to two meters. Like dragons, it had scales cover its body, though not as hard, and it possessed superhuman strength that didnt lose to an orc or even an orge. Its weapons were primitive weapons like stone spears, axes, or clubs made from bone but it had high strength and defense, that kind of monster. The troublesome thing was that they attacked in groups. If the record book was true, then after the barrier stone was destroyed, there wouldnt just be thousands of monsters flowing, but ten of thousands it seems. With that much of war potential, the country can certainly be destroyed in a single night. I took the factors of geography, the enemy war potential, and our force into the equation, then answered. If we prepare carefully, then we may be able to fight. Is it true, Hero-sama !? Somehow Lyss was calling me Hero-sama. Being called that in front of other people sure was embarrassing. Yes. But of course, preparation in advance is necessary. The enemies were strong and numerous. If just the adventurers and soldiers in the castle were to deal with it, the damage would be pretty harsh. The first trouble was the basilisk. It could fly, and had hard scales comparable to a dragon. It also had magic eyes that petrified anything it saw. The effective range was about 500 meters radius wide. But, we had Chrisse. The max shooting range of the M700P was 900m, so she could just blow its head off from the inside by shooting [7.62x51mm explosive magic stone round] though the eye sockets before entering the magic eyes effective range. The dragoon also had high attack and defense, albeit low intelligence, and their numbers could reach tens of thousands. But if I made use of the internal mechanisms of the current AK47 and changed it a bit to make a general-purpose machine gun, then it should be enough to deal with them. General-purpose machine gun is a machine gun. Well then, what exactly is a machine gun ? A machine gun is basically a full automatic rifle, and it could continuously shoot at the speed of more than 100 rounds per second, had the function to swap the barrel, and due to the powerful cartridge its range was long (about 1~2km). It was feared as the Devils weapon that could annihilate hundreds, or even thousands of enemies with just a few soldiers. Hiram Maxim, the inventor of the first machine gun called it killing machine. In fact, machine gun had claimed the lives of many, enough to change the face of war at the time. In WW1, before the machine gun was introduced, infantry corps would stand from a few hundred to 1000 meters apart and spread out into ranks and shoot each other with bolt action rifles, while assault infantry and cavalry would charge to the sound of trumpets. But when the machine gun entered the stage, they were all easily shot down. For example, in the Russo-Japanese war, the Russian army annihilated 200 Japanese soldiers with just Maxims (heavy machine gun)2 . In a certain colony, 28 British troops and 20 foreign troops, for a total of 48, died, but the casualties from the enemy natives was over 11000 people. It is said that about 80 percent of the casualties of the First World War (9.92 million dead, 21.2 million wounded) were victims of the machine gun. One battalion (about 1000 people) could be swept clean with one machine gun in just three minutes. It was only natural that it came to be called the Devils weapon. The machine gun then evolved and split into the heavy machine gun and the light machine gun, each serving a different purpose. The heavy machine gun took at least three people to operate, was set up in encampments, trenches and fortifications and was used for defense. The light machine gun could be used by one or two people and was an attack weapon, used to assault enemy trenches. As the age advanced into the Second World War, heavy machine guns, while having the portability of light machine guns, that came attached as anti-aircraft machine guns or vehicle-mounted machine guns entered the stage. This was the general-purpose machine gun. The general-purpose machine gun Im making was a PKM, a machine gun based on the well-proven mechanism of the AK47. It was a general-purpose machine gun currently used by the Russian military. These were the specs: Caliber: 7.6254mmR Total Length: 1173 mm Barrel Length: 658 mm Weight: 8.99 kg Ammunition capacity: Belt link ammunition feed (200 rounds) Ive already made several AKs, so the internal structure and gun body shouldnt be much of a problem. The problem lied in the ammunition (cartridge). Could I make the case for 7.62x54mmR cartridge, find the right amount of powder, and mass produce it three months from now? Originally I should have made a general-purpose machine gun that used the M700Ps 7.62x51mm NATO round. Heavy machine gun or light machine gun or whatever, if I made one that used the same ammo as the infantrys standard ammunition it would be more convenient to supply. But I didnt have the confidence to make general-purpose machine guns that used 7.62x51mm NATO rounds, for example, the M60, or the M240, in just 3 months. Because of that, it was faster to make 7.62x54mmR cartridges with the experience I had accumulated up until now. Or rather, soon Chrisse may ask to replace her M700P for a semi-automatic sniper rifle that uses 7.62x54mmR cartridge like the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle). If its in Chrisses hands then even the less accurate SVD probably wouldnt be a problem. When it comes to that, I will need to have a briefing session with Chrisse. But in the end, it was still a race against time. Its probably better to make some insurance. I omitted the parts I couldnt tell everyone about and wrapped up the explanation of the general-purpose machine gun. Meiyas eyes sparkled while she took notes, as usual. Snows group listened with uninterested faces as usual, while, Lyss showed great interest. Theres no way she wouldnt be interested in a weapon that can save her country now, is there? Then a new character appeared. Hee~, so youre the Hero-sama that oneechan brought along. !? I turned to the voice, and there was a three, no, four meters large wolf. Its body hair was completely white, while from its mouth, sharp teeth like those of a Sabre tiger were sprouting out. Riding on that wolfs back was a little girl. The soldiers guarding the barrier stone were kneeling toward her. Her height was about the same as Chrisses, and her physique was also close. She had long blonde hair tied in twintails, and was a beautiful girl, but she seemed to have this cheeky air about her. She continued talking without getting off from the wolfs back. Im Lyss oneechans little sister, Luna. This one is a sabre wolf called Lexy. My favorite thing is the hero story picture book. Thats why when Im in a pinch, please save me like the princess in picture book ne~? Hey, Luna! Why are you giving greetings from Lexys back!? Get off right now and give a proper greetings! Im sorry Hero-sama, my little sister is still a kid who isnt even 100 years old yet, so she still doesnt understand etiquette properly. No no no, shes more than old enough. She likes picture books hero stories even! Looks like she would get along with Chrisse. Their physiques are similar, their blonde hair too. Lyss was apologizing for her sisters impolite attitude. The little sister Luna, even though she was scolded by her big sister, didnt seem to care and nimbly jumped down from the sabre wolf Lexy. Why did you come here in the first place? Of course, to see the Hero-sama that oneechan brought along. You came here just for that? Its okay isnt it? Anyway its not just me you know. We didnt realize because the big sabre wolf was in the way, but a man with servants following him stood behind it. Lyss was shocked by the appearance of the man. Fa, father !? Lyss father in other words, the king of High elf kingdom Enol !? He was about 180cm tall, but had a slender figure with long blonde hair. While its obvious as he is a High elf, he looked so young that you wouldnt think he already had three daughters, he looked like he was in his late 20s or early 30s. The king slowly walked forward. He waved his hand down and the guarding soldiers quietly left the scene. He cleared everyone out. He then took a glance at us and rebuked us with a calm voice. Id like you to not thoughtlessly approach the barrier stone. Its a very sacred thing to us High elves. At her fathers words, Lyss steps forward and covered for us. Father, these guests are the heroes I have asked to come here. How can you say that? Lyss, you are still believing in the nonsense that Lara left ? He replied to his daughters reprimand with disappointment. Please stop with such thoughtless words like she had not only Clairvoyance but also Prophetic dreamer. That was just her messing around. Even the demon king cant destroy the barrier stone. So Enol being ruined in one night is impossible. Please stop reminding me of Lara. The king believed in the absolute defense of the barrier stone that had been continuously protected by the High elves ancestors, but at the same time he, as the parent, did not want to be reminded of the eldest daughter, Laras disappearance. However, Lyss didnt think it was her sisters mischief. She had successfully brought us to this country by following the record book. So of course, she objected. But Hero-sama came to us because I followed what the record book says! Its just a coincidence. To begin with, I dont think they have the power to stop them if the barrier stone broke and monsters came pouring out of it. Thats too rude, even for Father! But its the truth, theyre still children. How can I believe that they can save us from a never before seen crisis. If they do have that kind of strength, Id like them to show me. The conversation was going in a weird direction. Under the circumstances, he had to investigate us. . you mean to say? If they have that kind of power, then I want them to defeat the Giant scorpion that lives in the forest nearby. The Giant scorpion was a 7-8 meters large scorpion monster, and it had a hard outer shell that made blades completely useless. It had three tails from where it launched countless stingers, a rather annoying monster. If it were a request from the Adventurers Guild, it wouldve been a level V quest. tsk. Lyss gritted her teeth, unable to answer right away. She believed in her sister, but the Giant scorpion was an extremely dangerous monster. To add to that, she had never seen our strength herself so she couldnt reply. The King said that because he understood. If I refused, he would use that as a reason to kick me out. If I accepted and could really defeat the Giant scorpion, then alls well that ends well. Either way, he stood to benefit from it. As expected from the King of a country. . but I dont like it. I answered in Lyss place. I understand. Ill bring down the Giant scorpion. Lyss stared wide eyed at me when I gave my consent. I continued the negotiations. In return, when Ive safely defeated the Giant scorpion, Id like you to listen to what Lyss-sama has to say. And if, for example, the problem doesnt occur as predicted in the record book, then all the better. Hero-sama. Lyss heard my request and gripped both of her hands tightly to her chest. The King silently looked at me for a while, judging my expression. . All right. You have my word. Ill listen to what Lyss has to say a bit if you defeat the Giant scorpion. Thank you very much. I gave him a salute I learned in the Vlad house right hand on my chest, left hand behind my back, and bowed. The King saw my salute then turned his back, and returned to the castle. And we hurriedly went on our way to defeat the Giant scorpion. - Translators : Yuushing Laverdy Proofreaders/Editors/TLc : Cyn rei_hunter (^)g Volume 5 - CH 71 A guest room as wide as two tennis courts. Flowers were arranged in expensive looking vases, paintings and sets of armor decorate the wall. Rugs that are fluffy to the point of burying your ankle covered all over the floor and the sofa too looked so soft that it could swallow half of your body once you sit on it. We changed our location from the barrier stone to a guest room inside the High elves castle, Woodcastle. I once again bowed my head to everyone. Im sorry for one-sidedly deciding to go defeat the Giant scorpion. U~un, if Lute-kun didnt say anything I was going to raise my hand. [Im the same as Snow-oneechan.] Thats right! With Lute-samas power, the likes of a Giant scorpion will get easily massacred some way or the other! For some reason Meiya made an unfounded statement. Well, I agreed because we had a chance to win, like she said. Then please allow me to come with you. Lyss whos been listening to the discussion suggested that she participate in this subjugation. I stopped her hurriedly. Im happy you feel that way, but its too dangerous for the princess of a country to go subjugating monsters. T thats right hime-sama. Please dont be rash. Shia who serves her also backed me up hurriedly. I have of course taken the danger into account. However, it was I who had found the record book, followed what is written inside and took you heroes here as the ones who will save my motherland. I have a duty to see things through to the end. No matter what happens But Lyss determination was firm. Then again I could also understand her feelings. . I understand. But please inform the king and properly get permission to come with us. Well be troubled if anything happens later. Thank you very much! Lyss said her thanks with a smile. In that case, as hime-samas guard maid Ill protect you with all of my body and soul! Thank you too, Shia. Here here here! If Oneechan goes then Luna will go too! The younger sister Luna whod been listening silently up until now raised her hand cheerfully. The elder sister Lyss raised her beautiful eyebrows in anger. This is not a trip were going on. We cant take you along! Oneechan is not the one who gets to decide! Hey Lute, take Luna with you too. O?ne?ga?i I cant. Luna pleaded with upturned eyes and a forced voice but was concisely rejected. She took offense at my refusal. Why is it that oneechan can go but Luna cant? Luna wants to go on a journey! Luna wants to go on an adventure like in the picture books! Just like the little girl she looks to be, she screamed selfishly. Of course, Lyss roared at her. How many times do I have to tell you! We are not going on a trip! Pweeeh! Oneechan is mean! Fine! Then Luna will think of something herself! She left the room leaving an ominous remark behind. Lyss once again turned around to face us and bowed ashamedly. Im truly sorry. Luna is the youngest of us sisters and she had been pampered a little too much while growing up. No, we dont mind so Lyss-sama shouldnt either. Well then, well depart depending on when Lyss-sama receives the permission. Very well. I will go see father right away. I shall also prepare the wagons and secure the road permits as well. We then prepared the miscellaneous things we needed for the departure information on the Giant scorpion, the geography of the terrain, distance of the round trip / one way and the necessary food and goods and crammed them all in one place. It took Lyss 3 days to get permission from the king. Because Shia is a guard, in dangerous situation she must save Lyss even if she has to throw us away that was the condition according to the king. At first Lyss protested vehemently at the condition, but we coaxed her into reluctantly agreeing somehow. I also think the conditional was a bit harsh, but before being the king, he was just another parent. In fact, that was the natural reaction. We werent just lazing around during those three days either. I began work on the PKM general purpose machine gun in the lakeside residence Lyss gave us. I asked Lyss to introduce me to people that sell magic liquid metal and magic stones, and bought up all they had. The amount of money involved was of course so astronomical I cant let a single person, even though shes the princess of a country, bear it all. Luckily we had the money from the Twin Magicians, Twin Dragon exterminations and Meiya so we werent short on funds. After we defeated the enemy we can just bill the king, and if the enemy doesnt appear we can use them for other things. The main body was made by Meiya as she received my instructions, while at the same time I started on the cartridges. I planned on entrusting Meiya with the gun body and ammunition while we fight the Giant scorpion. The day after the king gave his permission. Before the sun had risen, Lyss came along to the lakeside residence. She joined us for the departure to the Giant scorpion. The reason she came so early in the morning was to prevent the citizens causing an uproar. If they knew that a real High elf was here, theyd form a huge crowd instantly. Shia and I met Lyss at the front entrance. Snow and Chrisse were in the kitchen, making todays breakfast and lunch. Meiya was at the back, preparing the covered wagon and hooking up the horned horses and the like. When the coachman went down from his seat and opened the coach door, Lyss came out. Good morning, hero-sama, Shia. Good morning Lyss-sama. Weve been expecting you? Right hand to my chest, left hand behind my back, and bow this is the normal etiquette. I then raised my head and finally noticed her outfit. Lyss was for some reason wearing a female full-body armor. It was basically full silver, covering the body, hips, shoulders, arms, and legs. It had a mini-skirt in order to give the legs freedom of movement, and there was no helmet on the head, but instead an expensive-looking tiara shaped magic tool. Furthermore there was on her waist a finely crafted rapier in its scabbard. In other words, even though we werent going to fight the Giant scorpion right away, she was wearing a uselessly conspicuous set of armor, which was giving me a headache. Next to me, Shia reacted the same way, frowning as she endured the pain. These few days Shia had the task of buying the necessary goods. If she had come here with Lyss on this day, Lyss surely wouldnt have come in this getup. Actually, why didnt anyone in the castle point it out to her? Noticing our questioning gazes Lyss tilted her head in doubt. Is anything the matter? No, um, I was wondering why you came wearing armor I came here in full equipment so that I wouldnt be a burden to you, is there something strange? Im glad you feel that way, but were not fighting right away. Was she planning to wear that for the whole 7 days were going to be on the move ? First lets get you changed into normal clothes which you didnt bring any, of course. Your body is bigger than Chrisses so lets get you in one of Snows extra field clothes. Ill go get permission from Snow. Shia, you go on ahead to the room. Im sorry for the trouble. Um, Shia, what is going on? Lyss wasnt able to understand and was taken by Shia to Snows room. I went to the kitchen to borrow Snows field clothes and to ask her for some extras for Lyss use. I left the armor she was wearing in one of the rooms in the house. Once Lyss changed into field clothes, I went with her to the backyard. A covered wagon had already been prepared there, and next to it there was a huge pile of things we will be needing for the trip. Large barrels, armor sets number of people, cartridges. Food, change of clothes, blankets, utensils, saddles, reins, a tall rectangular box, and so on the amount clearly went over what the wagon can carry. I once again asked Lyss. Are you sure you can really store all these? Yes, please leave it to me. This much will not be a problem, I will store them in my [Infinite Storage] [Infinite Storage] That is the spirits blessing granted to Lyss. I recalled the detailed planning we did back at Woodcastle. Lyss spirits blessing is one that can transport objects to a different dimension by the power of the spirits. She can take out the stored objects anytime she wants, and no matter what is stored she wont feel any weight. However, she seems to be unable to store living things. Just like her sisters, this ability of hers is an absurdly rare one. Her sisters blessing is a lottery win kind of rare ability. However, Lyss blessing is rare in a completely different sense. It seems that there was only one High elf that was blessed with it in the past and was made fun of by their kind for their entire life for only being able to put objects in and bring them out. The person herself was conscious of that, too, to the point of blurting out Its okay, Im different from my big sister. Compared to my big sister who has the qualities to be king, I only have a divine blessing that can only put luggage in and out. And my little sister Luna, a genius who can do anything flawlessly. Im just an average person stuck between two excellent sisters. I even got called disaster princess for my poor quality in the middle of the meeting. TL note: the right term here should be woman so glamorous as to bring ruin to a country (castle) as its king (lord) is captivated by her beauty, like Diao Chan, but Im guessing she doesnt destroy her country with beauty, but with her clumsiness, her boobs is also kill, I guess, lol C yuushing By the way I thought that the teary eyed sulking Lyss was somewhat cute, but obviously I couldnt tell anyone that. She immediately touched her hand on the barrel with magic liquid metal and focused her consciousness. The barrel disappeared like a magic trick. The person herself wasnt happy with the blessing, but since shes travelling alongside with us, its an appreciated power. Lyss just kept storing the luggage away, but she stopped her hands at the box of food. Whats wrong ? No, its just, I cant quite store this away. I think there are mouse or some small animals inside Her blessing doesnt work with living things. I opened the wooden boxs lid to remove whatever inside. Inside the box there indeed was a miceDthe third princess Luna Enol Mema hiding inside. Lu Luna!? What are you doing here!? Tsk, I failed. I forgot to take big sisters blessing into account. Forgot my foot! How did you sneak out of that room ? So as to not let you follow us, I locked the room and windows, told everyone to keep watch, and yet! Lyss-oneechan is naive as usual. You seriously think only that much can stop Luna-chan ? That was even easier than opening a safe without a lock. If you really wanted to stop Luna you need to put magic prevention collar on Luna, bind her arms and legs with chains, after that put her in an iron box and have at least 10 soldiers monitoring What is she ? Hikita ?kou or something ? Anyway, hey, oneechan, whats with that get up ? Luna also wants to try on! Geez Luna! Whether we can save our country or not depends on this monster extermination you know ? If you dont quit it oneechan will seriously get angry. Lyss who is also a B rank magician, used body enhancing technique to assist her physical ability and catch Luna by the neck like a kitty. Seeing her angry sister with a serious expression, she behaved. But but, Luna also wanted to go on a journey together. Haaa, if we settle the incident this time safely, I will ask father and let us travel somewhere far away. Thats why this time please wait at the castle obediently, okay ? Haaa~i Luna looked a little unsatisfied, but she knew further resistance would be useless so she gave up. She left Luna to Shia and had her went to the wagon at the front and instructed them to return to the castle. By the way, we moved in the box Luna was hiding inside another box. Lyss then apologized many times. I really am sorry! My sister had caused trouble! No its okay. There wasnt any harm done anyway. I calmed the apologizing Lyss down. Shia returned just in time when Snow, Chrisse, Meiya showed up. Well then Meiya, after this Ill leave it to you. Leave it to me! Please leave it to Lute-samas first disciple, right hand, and trusted confidant, Meiya Dragoon! Her titles increased again. Like this, while it was still dark out, we boarded the wagons and set off toward the forest where the giant scorpion lives. - TRANSLATORS Laverdy Yuushin EDITORS/TLC/PROOFREADERS Durrendal rei_hunter Yuushin (^)g Volume 5 - CH 72 We are going to the forest called Green Howden where the giant scorpions, the enemy we have to defeat, lives. A one way trip from High elf kingdom, Enol to Green Howden would take about 7 days. Early morning on the first day, after we departed from Enol. Uuurgh~ Lyss got carsick and became all groggy. Normally if she had to travel, she would do so in high class carriage with cushions, and on paved roads. So this is the first time she had travelled long distance on dirt roads like this. She sat hugging her knees like in gym class, blue faced and had a handkerchief against her mouth. By the way due to her sitting while hugging her legs, when the wagon swayed, her voluptuous chest gets squashed softly by her legs, causing them to change shape. A truly marvelous sight. Snow and Chrisse, who were already used to it, played with the reversi I bought in Enol. Shia was on the coachman seat, and I was on lookout duty at the back. Lyss-sama, are you okay ? Ye, yes, Im fine, Shia, uuurgh Shia was worried so she voiced her concern from the coachman seat. Lyss replied that shes okay, but clearly her faces color is saying otherwise. Im also worrying about her so I gave some advice. Lyss-sama, if it is that unpleasant, I heard that looking far away can help relieving the symptom a bit. Is it true ? Then I will believe hero-samas words Its just folk remedy, but it was better than doing nothing. After that, Shia cheered her up in a weird way like nobody has died because of car sickness anyways. For now, the first day ended without us getting attacked by monsters, so we reached the camping ground as planned. We started preparing camp before the sun goes down. I asked Lyss to take out the necessary things. She held her hand out and called out their names, they then appeared. Snow was preparing food. Chrisse was taking care of the horses. Shia was setting up a barrier surrounding this area. Inevitably, the duty of gathering firewood fell on me and Lyss. Well then, lets go gather firewood together Firewood gathering, is it? Please leave it to me! Just in case, I took an AK-47 and hung it on my shoulder, then called out to Lyss. But somehow she is strangely motivated, and pulled out the rapier which was hanging on her hips. Er Lyss-sama, what exactly are planning to do ? What, arent we going to gather firewood ? Ah, its all right. This rapier isnt of normal metal, its made from the rare metal, orichalcum, thats why it absolutely wont break. Furthermore its extraordinarily magic conductive, so I can easily pierce and break a tree trunk at this level. (There is something like orichalcum !?) Without minding the me who was shocked by the existence of orichalcum, with a joyful expression, Lyss was about to chop down a tree the size of a grown man. I hugged my head at her ignorance of the ways of the world. What kind of airhead is she!? No, living trees have water in it so you cant use it as firewood. So you dont have to cut it down Is, is that so ? Im sorry, Im such a baka Lyss realized her ignorance and put away the rapier with a beet red face. Good thing it ended without her cutting down an innocent tree. Well then lets gather withered branches that had fallen around this area, shall we ? Ye, yes. Ive troubled you Lyss dropped her shoulders a bit and starts collecting the withered branches like me. Then came dinner. The sun has gone down. We put a table and chairs next to the bonfire and made a roof with cloth. On the table there are stew and bread, simple side dishes, and a lamp shining with magic. These furnitures and the like were all brought by Lyss. During the level up quest last time, we camped for many days, but we didnt bring many tools like this. It was almost like a camp I sometimes saw on the TV in the previous world. While we are drinking scented tea after the meal, I noticed the unusual sight of Lyss, who is sitting upright. She held her abdomen, squirming and rubbing her thighs together. ? As I tilted my head and wonder, Lyss softly whispered to Shias ear. Shia whispered back. D, do it outside !? That attracted even Snow and Chrisse attention, Lyss face got dyed beet red and she looked downward. I asked in place of everyone. Whats wrong ? N, no, its just, er Lyss is hesitating to say something ding, I got a revelation. Lyss-sama, I have something I want to take out. Ye, yes. What should I take out ? Its the tall rectangle box. Please place it a little away from the camp, around here. Here, right ? I got it. I stood up from the table, and asked her to place the rectangle box next to the carriage. Lyss took the box out from the other dimension and placed it as she was told. Errr what exactly is this Lyss who took it out got curious and asked. I, who was waiting for this question, puffed up my chest and answered. This, is the Portable Wash Toilet ! The portable wash toilet in the previous world was just a metal water flask with nozzle attached. But the one I developed is closer to the simple toilet on construction site or event . Four sides are covered with metal sheets made from magic liquid metal, a spare wash toilet was installed. On the floor theres a tank to collect the filth, when it was full theres a mechanism to throw the content outside. There was a lamp that ran on magic installed on the ceiling so that it could be used even if it was dark. As I thought, the toilet must be enclosed with walls all around, you must cut off from the outside world. Right, you can even say that toilet is the final solace of a modern person. After I heard that Lyss can store anything no matter the weight, I immediately constructed one. Because I dont want to live a life without wash toilet again. While puffing up my chest, I encouraged Lyss. Right after you enter, theres a switch for the light on your right. Theres a board inside with instruction on how to use the toilet written on it, please operate according to that Operate the toilet ? Lyss didnt understand and tilted her head in puzzlement. I told her You will understand if you get in and overbearingly pushed her into the outdoor wash toilet. After a while, her voice came from inside the outdoor wash toilet Hya!? Unn!!! As the 2nd princess of High elf kingdom, Enol, Lyss Enol Mema, losing to something of this level is nnn! A little more time passed, the outdoor wash toilets door opens. After she came out of the toilet, maybe her hips have given out, she sits right down and there. Looks like the stimuli from the wash toilet was too strong for someone sensitive like her. Hi, hime-sama! Shia ran over in a panic and lended her hand to Lyss. Lyss cheeks are dyed red, her eyes are cloudy, and she mumbles. I, I didnt win against the wash toilet. I cant live without the wash toilet anymore Alright ! Another wash toilet believer GET ! - (^)g Volume 5 - CH 73 The first day of keeping watch. As previously decided, we took turns and kept watch in three shifts. The shifts were D First, Chrisse and me. Second, Snow and Lyss. Third, Shia. In that order. This time, Shia was alone because she was the best at sensing presences out of all of us. That was why I let her take charge when it was the most dangerous, just before daybreak, when the night was darkest. The rest was just a process of elimination, and Snow got paired with the newbie Lyss since she was better than Chrisse and I at sensing presences. Snow and the rest were sleeping in the covered wagon. Chrisse and I were sitting around the campfire, keeping watch. Chrisse, are you cold? [Im fine, how about oniichan?] Ive been curious, Chrisse, why is the wash toilet no good for you ? Is it because the vampire clan is bad with water or something? But she entered the bath in Meiyas mansion, and Ive never heard anything about the vampire clan being bad with water while I was at the Vlad house. Chrisse answered in an embarrassed manner. [But the wash toilets water comes out too strong. It hurts. And it hits weird places, too. I dont understand how oniichan and everyone else can be pleased with that.] It hits weird places ? Why dont you try saying it again with that cute mouth of yoursD as expected, I cant do it, that kind of sexual harrassment and shame play. But I see, she used it wrong the first time and got traumatized huh. The wash toilet was indeed a little hard to use. You had to turn the handle to position the nozzle, and the force of the water that came out, as well as the temperature, had to be adjusted yourself. Of course it had limiters so even if one overdid it, it would be limited to a certain amount. Lets make it easier to operate, by making it adjust automatically like ones in the previous world or somethingD anyway, it looked like there was still room for improvement. I enjoyed chatting with Chrisse like that, while keeping vigilant of the surroundings. Then it became time to change shifts. Munya munya..Lets change all the toilets in the country into wash toilets. No use, shes not waking up. Maybe because Lyss was tired due to not being used to travelling by wagon, when it was time to change shifts, she wouldnt wake up. It didnt matter if I shook her shoulders or called out to her. As expected of the diligent-type airheaded princess. In a certain sense she was the type that wouldnt betray you. Im really sorry. I will do it in place of hime-sama. I woke Shia up instead, and she was apologizing. I tried to calm her down. Shia, just sleep and prepare for your shift according to the plan. Ill do it with Snow. Lyss-sama looks tired so just let her sleep. If so then I can do it by myself, Lute-kun go rest. Snow worried about me. Thanks, Snow. But I want to talk with just the two of us, its been a while. Or do you hate being with me ? Geez Lute-kun, if you say it like that then I cant refuse, you know. Snows tail was happily wagging back and forth. I took up watch duty with Snow since we had many things to talk about. Chrisse had already fallen asleep in the wagon with Shia. I added the withered branches that had been gathered before dinner to the campfire to keep it going. Snow sat next to me, happily entwining her arm with mine and sniffing me with a fugo fugo. Oi oi I stink of sweat, dont I? Stop it. Its okay, in fact, the smell of sweat is the best. Lute-kun doesnt understand! I sighed as I pushed Snows head away. Aa~n, Snow didnt want to part and struggled. Jeez, its not good if you dont keep watch properly. Its okay, Im doing it properly. Thats why, let me sniff you. With this I can go on for three days! Snow wanted to sniff me but I didnt let her, and her reaction was so cute that I wanted to tease her more, but I restrained myself. If I got too excited, I would be the one who would be neglecting the duty to keep watch. So I let Snow do as she pleased, and leisurely talked with her until it was time to change shifts. When it was time, we woke Shia and switched places with her as we entered the wagon. Lyss was sleeping at the edge, next was Chrisse, then Snow, and finally I laid down on the opposite side. After I closed my eyes and pushed the fatigue of one day aside, I fell asleep in no time at all. I am really sorry! The first thing Lyss did after waking up was apologize and bow her head. She was apologizing for not waking up when it was time for her keep watch. Its okay, I dont mind. So please raise your head. I tried to cheer her up. But the dark clouds over her head didnt clear up at all. Compared to my older and younger sister, I fail at everything I do, always making blunders All I do is cause trouble for hero-sama and everyone. Im embarrassed at my incompetence and ignorance. Lyss eyes were brimming with tears. When I realized it I was already petting her head. Its okay even if you cause trouble, or make blunders. For now were comrades who are travelling together, arent we? Isnt it natural to cover for your comrades mistake? Comrade you say? Yes, at least thats how my wives and I think. Even though it maybe rude to the princess of a country. Snow and Chrisse nodded vigorously at my words. N, no, its not rude or anything! Or rather, Im really happy! Lyss saw that and denied it in a panic. That attitude of her was charming, and I unconsciously relaxed my mouth. Thats why, please keep causing us trouble. On the other hand, if I, Snow, Chrisse, or Shia make a mistake, please help us. As comrades travelling together. !! Yes! I will help! I will absolutely try to do my best in my own way and help everyone! She reassuringly declared as she wiped her tears away. It looked like the dark clouds over her head had cleared. Furthermore she requested something with a bright expression. As comrades travelling together, please stop using sama. Please call me Lyss casually. Oi oi was this ok? Not using honorifics with the princess of a country But she used comrade as a shield so now it was hard to refuse. Then Lyss-sama as well, please dont call me hero-sama but call me by my name. Understood. From now on I will call you Lute-san, okay? Then, please take care of me, Lyss. Yes, Lute-san. We embarrassedly stared at each other for a while. Snow butted in, Then I will call you Lyss-chan! Best regards from now on, Lyss-chan! [Well then, I will call you Lyss-oneechan.] Yes! Snow-san, Chrisse-san, please take care of me. Shia looked at the sight of her master, whose appearance was close to Snow group, deepening her friendships, maybe it was so radiant tears rolled down from her eyes, which she wiped off with a handkerchief. Like this, we truly became comrades who traveled together. - TRANSLATORS yuushin EDITORS/PROOFREADERS/TLC yuushin rei_hunter Cyn (^)g Volume 5 - CH 74 At about noon on the sixth day of the travel. Five trolls, they have noticed us and are approaching! Shia stopped the wagon, then shouted out the name and number of the approaching monsters. Lyss calmly plugged the AK47s banana magazine in, flipped the safety switch, and pulled the cocking handle, consequently loaded a cartridge into the chamber. Lyss hung a few magazine pouches with spare ALICE clips. She didnt mind the mud stain on her cheeks, held the AK47 in her hands and jumped off of the wagon, just like a veteran guerilla soldier. Then Im leaving it to you two. Leave it to me, Lute-kun! I will do my best to meet Lute-sans expectation! Snow and Lyss were the ones who would meet the trolls. The two of them went around the front of the wagon with AK47s in hand. Meanwhile, to support those two, Chrisse was standing on the coachman seat with the M700P in her hands. So that they would not startle the horses, Snow and Lyss moved them a short distance away from the wagon. They pointed the AK47s forward while in a standing position. The trolls didnt know the might of the AK47 and just kept running straight toward us. When they were no more than 50 meters away, the two of them started shooting in semi-automatic mode. They enhanced their physical ability with a body enhancing technique to suppress the recoil, and they fired in bursts of two shots. The bullets blew away the trolls heads without straying from their aim. In a blink of the eye, Snow and Lyss had each taken down two trolls already. The last one turned around and ran away in a panic, but it was already too late. It was already in the killzone of the vampire. BANG! A hole appeared on the head of the running troll at the same time as the firing sound of the 7.62x51mm NATO round rang out. Chrisse naturally pulled the bolt back to release an empty case. It probably hadnt even been three minutes in total since we started fighting. Snow burned the trolls after she finished collecting the materials. Lyss, who was taught how to use a gun, flipped the AK47s safety switch back on. Her cheeks were a little flushed. Thank you for lending me the AK. As I thought, this recoil is nice. Lyss has completely got used to handling the AK47, huh. This too, is thanks to Lute-san teaching me. In these six days, even Lyss had gotten used to travelling. She didnt get car sick anymore, she could gather firewood, and she did night watch without a problem, too. So just in case, I taught her how to handle and use the AK47 for self-defense. At first, I was worried that she might get frightened by the firing sound and the impact of the recoil. But contrary to my expectation, she liked it. She especially liked the full auto mode. After shooting practice was done, somehow her cheeks were dyed red, and she was drunk on the lingering numbness of her hands and body. According to her Hafuu~, this recoil feels pleasant. What is this trigger happy condition She had found a preference that even she herself didnt know. At first I thought Could it be that she doesnt like it?, but just like this times troll extermination, if there was a chance to shoot, she would want to shoot. So there was no problem. At night, after we finished dinner, I talked to everyone while drinking scented tea. The content of the talk was about the Giant scorpion, the extermination target in Green Howden, where we would arrive tomorrow. I asked Lyss to take out two items for me. Recoilless high-explosive anti-tank warhead launcher Panzerfaust type 60, and wire entanglements. I had her put the Panzerfaust type 60 on the table, and the wire entanglements were attached to the ground with metal stakes. The first thing that the girls took interest in was the latter, the wire entanglements on the ground. [Its like a bush made of iron.] Though its not iron but magic liquid metal. What exactly do you use this for? Snow tilted her head and asked. This is called wire entanglements, its used to obstruct enemys invasion. Wire entanglements were barricades made from combining barbed wire and logs. Barbed wire was like bushes of metal wire with thorns on them. Because of that shape, it was called wire rose, or barbwire. This time I made a type of barbed wire called razor wire. Normal barbed wire was just metal thorns twined around the wire at intervals, while razor wire was metal wire with blades attached directly to it. In the case of razor wire, you could make it by cutting a metal sheet directly. Why did I choose razor wire? It was because compared to making normal barbed wire, it was faster and easier to make the blade together with the wire with magic liquid metal. With this razor wire and metal stakes made from magic liquid metal, I made a wire entanglement fence. It looked thin but because Meiya made it by reducing her magic output to the optimal level, it was so durable that it couldnt be cut. With these special quality wire entanglements, we could stop the Giant scorpions advance, then draw its attention with strafing fire from the AK47s, and while it was distracted, finish it off with the panzerfaust from the side. It was a pretty simple strategy, but I thought that it had the best chance of success. Young master, I understand the outline of the strategy, but can this Panzerfaust really finish off the Giant scorpion? The Giant scorpions shell is so tough that it cant be pierced by swords, you know. I had heard the details on the Giant scorpion while we were discussing our plan in the guest room at Woodcastle. Its length was ten meters at max. Its shell was as hard as steel, and couldnt be pierced by sword, spear, or bow. Magic didnt have much effect, either. It could shoot poison needles with its three tails, with an effective range of about 50~70 meters. It was a monster similar to a tank or armoured vehicle that could shoot poison needles. Certainly, normal adventurers couldnt even touch it. I could understand why it was a level 5 quest. But, based on all that info, I made a declaration. For the time being, Ive tried firing a prototype, and it has enough power to blow away the twin dragon weve fought before with ease. Thats why, its enough to finish off the Giant scorpion. !!!? Shia, who was tapping the head of the Panzerfaust type 60 on the table, retracted her hand in a panic. Snow, Chrisse, and Lyss also distanced themselves from the table. I made a bittersweet smile, and calmed everyone down. Its okay, it wont go off with just this much. If you dont fire it with the proper procedure, it wont explode. Conversely, if you didnt follow through the proper procedures, it wouldnt show its full effect. Of course I will be the one to use the Panzerfaust, but just in case, I want everyone to remember how to use it too. Because who knows, tomorrow, there may be a case where someone aside from me has to use it. Everyone agreed with me. I started explaining how to use the Panzerfaust type 60 that was in my hands. When it was time for night watch, everyone had mastered the way to use it. - Translators : yuushin Editors : Cyn rei_hunter (^)g Volume 5 - CH 75 It was morning of the 7th day since we departed from the High elf kingdom Enol. We finally arrived at our destination, Green Howden. We stopped our carriage at the grasslands in front of the wide forest. After finishing breakfast, everyone prepared their equipments. Firstly, Snow and Shia would investigate the situation of the forest and the exact location of the Giant scorpion. These two not only have high amount of magic power, but Snow also has acute sense of sight and smell , and Shias level of sensing presence is high. Shia, when you make a decision, no matter what, please listen to the adjutant, which is Snow. Understood. I will follow madams order. Well then we will return once at around noon. Snow, Shia, you both take care. [Please do your best!] Shia, Snow-san, please dont be reckless. The two of them were sent off by the rest of us and went towards the forest. The first place Snow and Shia were heading to is the place where Giant scorpion is sighted the most. While being cautious of the surroundings, the rest of us waited for the two of them in full equipments. As they proclaimed, Snow and Shia returned around noon. Parts of their field clothes were dirty, but they didnt have any injury. I sighed in relief. While having lunch, we listened to their report. We tried our best to avoid combat and were cautious of the monsters while advancing towards the destination, but the number of monster were strangely small. At first we thought we were just lucky, but basically the number of monsters were just small, it seemed. Just a guess, but I think its like the twin dragons case, where the monsters were hunted, chased out of their dwellings by the Giant scorpion. And when we tried searching from the spot where they are sighted the most, we found a cave. Around the entrance there were monsters bones and humans something being scattered. We didnt try to peek inside, but I think theres no mistake, that cave is the nest. But Snow continued. I think Shia-san has said it, but I have the feeling that the amount of bones is a little too much. Well if it hunted the monsters around that area that much, the amount of bones has to increase, isnt that so ? Is there any problem ? Unn, I cant say it well, but it bugs me.. Giant scorpion can shoot poison needles from 3 of its tails, thats why it has a high chance of killing the prey. Are you trying to remind everyone of the danger of that poison needle, Snow-san ? Nuh uh, thats not it either Snow tilted her head at Lyss pointing out. Anyway, thanks to you twos scouting, we know the enemys position clearly now. If its like this then we can use the strategy we talked about without the need to change The strategy was to use wire entanglements to obstruct the Giant scorpion, then while drawing its attention with AK47, finish it off from the side or the back with the Panzerfaust type 60. We will make the wire entanglements at least 50 meters away from the nest. I will dig foxhole positioned at the Giant scorpions back or side and hide there. Snow and Shia will stand at least 100 meters away from the wire entanglements and shoot to draw its attention. Chrisse will stay further at the back to guard Lyss and watch the surroundings, and support when push comes to shove. I will leave supplying to Lyss, but if you feel the danger, then even if its just you left, run away. No matter what. Understand ? . Lyss had a face like she wanted to say something, so I warned her in advance. I think you understand, but this is the promise we made with the king in order to let you tag along with us. Dont betray us and the king, dont do anything stupid, you must run, understand ? I understand. So she said, but she still looked downward with a dissatisfied face. I tried to cheer her up with a bright tone. Its okay, if we follow the plan then it will definitely go smoothly. It wont come to the situation where you have to run away alone. Right. Thanks for cheering me up. I confirmed that she has calmed down, and continued to explain the strategy. I will finish off the Giant scorpion with the Panzerfaust. Lyss please take out only 2 Panzerfausts here. Just keep the last one, but please prepare so that you can immediately take it out and pass it over at the critical moment. Understood. I can only create 3 Panzerfausts type 60 for now. The reason I only take 2 out is that even if we fail, we can still continue pursuit with the last one. Any questions ? I confirmed one last time with everyone, but nobody raised their hand. Well then lets finish lunch, and we will move out after a while. Everyone voiced their agreements at my decision. After lunch, we pressed into the forest with Shia in the lead, followed by Snow, me, Lyss, and Chrisse, in that order. Lyss was wearing field clothes and some spare armor. There was my [S&W M10] hanging at her waist for self-protection. I had tentatively taught her how to use the revolver inside the wagon. About a few hours since we entered the forest, we arrived at the cave in question. Just as the girls said, there were a large number of bones scattered at the cave entrance, as if it was showing off its strength. The cave looked like a hole cut into the side of a steep cliff face, which meant that if we exit the cave entrance we wont be able to immediately run to the forest behind. The cave was so deep we cant see inside. I strained my eyes but I still couldnt see nor detect the Giant Scorpions presence at all. Lyss, please. Understood. Lyss took out a bundle of barbed wire using her spirit blessing. It came complete with stakes made of magic liquid metal, turning it into barbed wire fence. What was left was planting the stakes into the ground. We planted the barbed wire fence about 50 meters away from the cave entrance. We divided the task of planting the fence with everyone, but with body enhancing technique we were able to push the stakes deep into the ground. [Everyone, something strange is happening in the cave!] Chrisse, who had the best eyes out of us, flashed her mini blackboard at us to call our attentions. Take out the panzerfausts, please. Lyss should hold on to one so that you can quickly hand it over to someone like we talked about. Understood. Lute-san, here! Lyss took three panzerfausts type 60 out on the ground and gave me two of them. She carried the remaining one underarm and stepped back. Kyah! A, are you okay Lyss!? I, Im fine. Im sorry for making you worry. As she was carrying the panzerfaust type 60, she fell over. It wouldnt explode with just that much but its still not good for my heart. I sighed in relief and then gave Snow her orders. Snow, make a foxhole right about here! Im not too good with earth magic but Ill do my best. As ordered, Snow laid her hands on the place I designated and chanted a spell. O land, O earth, heed my voice! Let thy form be changed by the power of words! Gnome Factory! Earth, intermediate level earth magic. Snow spent more magic than she does with her usual water magic. The depth of the foxhole was enough to hide me if I crouch down. Its width and length was about wide enough for a person to lie down sprawled. The displaced earth was scattered left and right in about equal amounts. It was a bit conspicuous but that was probably not a problem. While holding the panzerfaust type 60 under my armpit, I took out a frag grenade from the ALICE clip. Everyone, have you all taken your positions !? On the other side of the barbed wire entanglements, Snow and Shia who were holding their AK47s waved their hands. When the Giant scorpion showed itself, they would shoot the AK47s to attract its attention. And when it got caught by the wire entanglements, they would have already retreated by 100 meters. From there they would continue shooting to draw its attention. The Giant scorpions 3 poison needles shooting tails effective range was about 50~70 meters. If you just stayed out of that range, they probably wouldnt be a problem. Chrisse, Lyss were on standby at further at the back. In order to lure out the Giant scorpion, I pulled the grenades pin, then supported my body with body enhancing technique, and threw it as hard as I could inside the cave. Then I immediately jumped and hid myself inside the foxhole. An exploding sound. Followed by the sound of the caves inside collapsing. And the sounds of foot steps and scraping that even I can understand. From inside the entrance, the Giant scorpion shows itself. Pigigiigiggigiigiiiigiigiii! A cry that gives you the chills. A length of 10 meters. Its whole body was a gaudy red. Faintly grown fuzz looked sharp like iron needle. The 2 claws looked so sharp they could cut metal armor with ease. The tails could split into 3, and move independently. They made the already scary Giant scorpion look even more fiendish. The size and design would make a bug hating person faint with just one look. Having 3 tails doesnt mean youre the boss! We are over here! Stupid scorpion! The two of them taunted and unleashed the AK47s at it. But the 7.62mm Russian shot couldnt damage the Giant scorpions shell. Still, the Giant scorpion focused its attention on the two of them as planned. Doshu! Doshu! Doshu! The sounds of something sticky flew out. It was the poison needles from its 3 tails, but the two of them had already retreated and taken distance. The poison needles only fruitlessly hit the ground. The Giant scorpion moved it 6 legs and chased Snow and Shia, but it was successfully blocked by the wire entanglements. Pigigiigiggigiigiiiigiigiii! It made light of the wire entanglements probably because it looked like just a thin fence. The Giant scorpion tried to use its 2 claws to cut the wires but it didnt go well. It was razor wire made by Meiya pouring magic into the magic liquid metal to the optimum level. So it wouldnt be that easy to cut. Meanwhile, Snow and Shia just kept shooting their AK47s. In accordance with the strategy, they got its attention. While staying hidden in the foxhole, I started preparing the panzerfaust type 60. Firstly, I removed the safety pin at the base of the warhead. Erected the sight. Pushed the safety lever forward and firing preparation was completed. The distance to the Giant scorpion was 30 meters. Panzerfaust type 60s max range was 60 meters so it was more than enough. I popped half of my body out of the foxhole, placed the panzerfaust type 60 on my shoulder and pointed the warhead toward the Giant scorpion. From my position, I was aiming for its left side from behind. It was totally occupied with Snow and Shia so it didnt notice me. I confirmed there is no human or obstacle 3 meters behind me and then placed my finger on the trigger. Thanks for moving according to the strategy, stupid scorpionC!! I muttered to myself and pressed the trigger. Bashu!, along with the firing sound, the warhead flew forward with the initial speed of 45m/s. Only then did the Giant scorpion notice my presence, but it was already too late. About 3 kilograms of magic explosive TNT were rushing toward its left hind leg. In a blink of an eye, the warhead made contact with the Giant scorpion. Exploding sound that shock your core. Cloud of smoke rolled up. Pigigigiigiggigi..!!!! The smoke cleared up. The Giant scorpion was still alive, but 2 of its left legs and 2 tails had been blown away, along with a part of its torso. It was literally at deaths door. Looked like its body wasnt totally destroyed because the warhead hit the leg. But even so, it hadnt yielded yet, its green bodily fluid had been scattered around and it still turned towards me, albeit unsteady. The remaining tail shot a poison needle at me, but I supported my body and eye with body enhancing technique. I dodged the remaining one with ease. While dodging the poison needle, I started preparing to fire the 2nd panzerfaust type 60. Pulled the safety pin at the base of the warhead. Erected the sight. Pushed the safety lever forward and it was ready to be fired. I faced the Giant scorpion with the panzerfaust type 60 ready. Its over this time! I pressed the lever down and shoot! The Giant scorpions movement had became dull due to the injury received from the first one, and the distance wasnt even more than 20m, it was hard to miss. Without changing the aim, the warhead burst towards the scorpions head. Another core shaking explosion sounded. This time the Giant scorpions bodily fluid splashed around and with the top half of its body gone, it was dead. - (^)g Volume 5 - CH 76 Giant Scorpion 2 As expected of Lute-kun! Defeating a strong monster like this! [Oniichan, you were very cool!] I was surprised by the Wasp Knife, but this Panzerfaust has amazing power too, blowing the Giant Scorpion to bits like this! Me too, its not like I doubted Lute-sans power, but I couldnt even imagine it to be this overwhelming. Now Im confident that Lute-san will surely save our motherland. My wives, Shia and Lyss, all gathered around and praised me. Snow wagged her tail joyfully and hugged me. I was happy that I got to feel her breasts but I wish shed stop sniffing me so casually. Right after the battle, and right in front of other people, stop fuga fuga-ing me! Dont make that the fresh smell of sweat is the best! face! I placed my hand against her forehead and pushed her away, and ignored her as she complained Aa~n, let me fuga fuga you a little bit more. I answered with modesty - the characteristic of a Japanese. It was because of everyones cooperation that I could defeat it. In fact, if it was just me alone, I probably wouldnt be able to defeat it no matter how many Panzerfaust I had. I was once again thankful for the existence of my comrades. Well then, lets start withdrawing and return to the wagon before the sun sets, shall we? Everyone replied to my instruction with great spirit. It wasnt an outing like in the previous world, but we left the place cleaner than when we arrived. Snow, Chrisse, and Shia picked up the AK47s empty cases so it can be reloaded (case recycling) later. Saving is an important virtue. Lyss put away the spare Panzerfaust type 60 I had entrusted to her, and the Giant scorpions corpse, and the wire entanglements with her spirits blessing. Just as I thought, I should fill up the foxholes. DTo think that someone like me can realize that there was one more Giant scorpion, I can only say it was a total coincidence. Right above the cave. From the thicket of the steep cliff, I saw a new Giant Scorpion. Its aim was Lyss who had just finished storing away the corpse of the Giant scorpion and the wire entanglements. Lyss! Above! Dodge! Eh? I supported my body with body enhancing technique, then ran toward Lyss. Doshu! Doshu! Doshu! The sound of sticky projectiles being shot rang out, and poison needles flew from its 3 tails. Those needles rushed toward Lyss in slow motion. If it was like this then I shouldnt have lent Lyss the revolver for self-defense. While regretting that, I ran with all my might as I kicked up dirt. I pushed Lyss out of the way of the poison needles. In exchange for that, a poison needle pierced my thigh. Guaaaaa!!! Lute-san! The poison flowed into me. It burned my flesh directly, accompanied by intense pain, enough to cause hallucinations. Lyss who was pushed away ran up to me in a panic, pulled the poison needle out and used poison removing magic. Erase the footsteps of Death who gnaw at the living! Poison heal! Lyss hand emitted a light different from the magic that heals wounds. Thanks to that, the intensity dropped, but the pain was still affecting me. My body became numb and couldnt move. Seeing that, Lyss continued to chant magic. The ground was swaying. From the steep cliff, the Giant Scorpion had jumped down. It was smaller than the first Giant Scorpion. Probably about 5 meters. Pigigiiggigiigiiiigigiigiii! It jumped down right next to us, and its cry gave us chills down the spine. I, unable to move, remembered Snows words. Shia-san also said it but, I have the feeling that the amount of bones is unusually plentiful. Well if it hunted the monsters in the area to the point of reducing their overall numbers, of course there would be a lot of bones. Is something wrong with that? U~n, I cant quite put it to word but it bugs me Giant Scorpions can shoot poison needles from 3 of its tails, thats why it has a high chance of killing its prey. Are you trying to remind everyone how dangerous their poison needles are, Snow-san? Uu~n, thats not it either The answer to Snows uncomfortable feeling--the Giant Scorpion we defeated had a child! There was actually 2 of them, which explains the unusual amount of bones that she noticed. Snow and Shia came to their senses and started running. But, the Giant scorpions poison needle was probably faster. Ly.Ly,ss, run No! Abandoning Lute-san a precious comrade and running away, I cant do it! Lyss couldnt move from this place because she was in the middle of performing her magic. If she stopped the magic then Id die because of the poison. The Giant Scorpions tails aimed at us. Lute-kun! Hime-sama! Their voices were terribly far... Don! One of the Giant Scorpions tails movement was stopped. And a moment later, the two tails were destroyed, and their movement stopped. Pigigiigiggigiigiiiiigigiigiiii! The Giant Scorpion screamed in pain. In front of my line of sightDChrisse was aiming the M700P. She judged that even the rifles 7.62x51mm still couldnt pierce its shell, so she aimed at the opening of the tail where it shoots those poison needles from. The hole of just a few millimeters, she literally shot through the eye of the needle, such accuracy! Dance in my hand, Ice Sword! To pull the Giant Scorpion away from us, Snow chose a magic which she can aim with better accuracy. Ten ice swords pierced the space between us. Because its tails were destroyed, it was cautious of the ice swords, and took some distance. Its aim was completely suppressed by Snow and Chrisse. The two of them moved to pull it away from us. Hime-sama! I will take over the detoxification once, so please take out the Panzerfaust! Un,understood! Shia instructed after she ran up to us. Lyss switched with Shia for the detoxification for a moment, then took out again the last Panzerfaust type 60 she had put away earlier. Shia, please! Please leave it to me! They switched the detoxification role again, then Shia took the Panzerfaust and went to assist Snow and Chrisse. Snow and Chrisse juggled the Giant Scorpion back and forth while waiting for Shia to prepare. (Calm down...just do it according to the procedure I taught you) As if the words in my mind had reached her, Shia started preparing the Panzerfaust type 60 as she was taught. First pull the safety pin at the base of the warhead. Erect the sight. Push the safety lever forward and its ready to be fired. As Snow confirmed that the preparation was completed, she incited the monster to lead it towards her. Come on come on, over here! Pigigiigiggigiigiiiigigiigiiii! Because its tails were destroyed, it tried to get close to Snow so it could catch her with its claws. But she dodged nimbly like an acrobat. The Giant Scorpions feet got caught by the foxhole I was hiding in earlier and got thrown off balance. Get blown to bits, vermin! Shia screamed her disdain, and pushed the trigger. The ignition flame flew out from behind, the firing sound reverberated with a Bashu!. The staggering Giant Scorpion which had no way to avoid the warhead flying at 45m/s got blown away. Pigigyaaa...aaa!!! The Giant Scorpions death throes resounded. Its fat legs just kept dancing around in the air and stabbing the ground. Like that, we safely exterminated the second Giant Scorpion. -------------------------------- Thank you for reading this far. Youre welcome to give your impressions or point out any typographical errors. The next update will be on January 31, at 9pm. As I thought, a lot of people already realized that the giant scorpion wouldnt just end there lol. From now on I want to devote more, to improve so that I can give better foreshadowing. Also, Ill do the application for the event report at night. If its alright, please go take a look~ (^)g Volume 5 - CH 77 Im really sorry! After that, we finished cleaning up and came back to the wagon. It was evening already. Today we would just camp here like that. Lyss apologized again for the nth time to me who had covered for her and got injured as a result. Even though Ive already been cured of the Giant Scorpions poison with magic, my body was still numb so its hard to move. Numb to the point that I had to borrow Snow and Shias shoulders to get back to the wagon. Right now, I am lying down inside the wagon and Lyss is next to me, teary eyed and hanging her head down. Snow, Chrisse, Shia are in the middle; preparing our camp, meal, and other odd jobs. I called out to Lyss. I will say this again and again, that wasnt your fault. If you ask whose responsibility it was, then it was mine, I couldnt understand the meaning of the unusual amount of bones scattered at the caves entrance. It wasnt your fault. But...if I was to be more cautious of the surroundings then you wouldnt got hit by the poison needle. If I was more level-headed like my elder sister then... She clenched her hands which were placed on her knees. ......I dont know what kind of feelings you holds toward your big sister. But I think it is really good that I have Lyss as a comrade. Thanks to you we can carry luggage without a care, and we safely defeated the Giant Scorpion with the panzerfausts. Even though I received a poison needle, I escaped death due to your detoxification. Thats why I will say it again. I am really glad that I have Lyss as a comrade. Lute-san... Me too! Snow and others who were preparing food and camp outside also join the conversation. Me too, I am really happy that Lyss-oneechan is my comrade. Hime-sama. Its presumptuous of me but to be able to eat and sleep together with hime-sama, its an honor for me. E, everyone... Tears roll from her eyes. I dont see the sadness on her face anymore. If Lyss got into danger then will definitely save you, as many times as we have to. Wouldnt you do the same if we were in trouble? DIsnt that obvious! Since we are precious comrades after all! She wiped her tears with her fingers, and answered with a smile that resembles a cloudless sky. After the Giant Scorpion extermination, again, it took us about 7 days to get back to Enol. Early in the morning, after we greeted Meiya in a hurry, we were summoned to Woodcastle. Our group passed through the castles courtyard. We cant dirty the castle with the body fluids of the Giant Scorpions. The parent is about 10 meters long, whereas the child is only about 5 meters. The two bodies stored with Lyss blessing appeared. To, to think that you really defeated it two of them, even. Even the ministers beside the King raised voices of surprise. Lyss speaks to the King with a confident attitude like she had been reborn. As per the promise, I have returned from exterminating the Giant Scorpions that lived in Green Howden. Father, with this you will acknowledge Lute-san and everyones abilities, right? The King made grim face at the truth before his eyes. To think that it really went in accordance with the letterDno, but... Father? Lyss made a puzzled face toward her father who is lost in his own world and mumbling. ......I got it. Because I promised. Do as you please. Bu, but your highness! To doubt the barrier stone is the same as doubting us High Elves hero! Thats too imprudentD Isnt it fine? Lyss interrupted the ministers complains. Its just father upholding his promise with me. Regarding the incident this time, the responsibilities all lie within me. If the time limit has passed and nothing happens to the barrier stone, in that case I will take the blame, I wont mind. Thats why, wont you give me just a few months? Since Lyss clearly declared I will take responsibility, the ministers cant say anything more than that and keep silent. Thanks to that she also got their permissions with the condition dont tell anyone about the first princess prediction that the barrier stone will be broken attached. Indeed, if the rumour the Royal Family is doubting the barrier stones power were to be spread, then the High Elf clans honour will be completely lost. Of course we understand it, and vowed to not tell anyone. Like this, both in name and reality, we got the permission to prepare for the X day of the destruction of the barrier stone. I immediately returned to the mansion outside the lake to confirm the condition of the 7.62x54mmR and general purpose machine gunDPKM which Meiya should be making right now. But the ones who are dissatisfied at the decisionDthe still young (even so theyre still older than 200 years old) High Elves gathered and had secret talks. In a dark room inside Woodcastle. Not even a shred of light. Its unnecessary since they know each other from just voices, no need to confirm. It was because theyre the only High Elf clan of 300 people in this vast world. The breakdown of the sacred barrier stone... just hearing that is enough irritate me, and letting just some kids from other races protect it is ... Even if the barrier stone is destroyed, us alone would be enough to deal with it. Thats right thats right! Even if this country is exposed to danger, us alone can deal with it! Only us High Elf clan who are the descendants of one of the heroes! Even though for that reason weve been living a long time, protecting the barrier stone by its side...the princess went and worships a human kid as hero. What disgrace! If Lara-sama was here then this situation wouldnt have happened At this rate, that good-for-nothing disaster princess would become the next queen, just thinking about it is enough to make me feel depressed. If that girl becomes the queen then this country might be destroyed for real. Dude, dont even joke about it. The mens discussion comes to a stop, then a leader-ish character speaks. Lets chase that human kid out of Enol. Theres no other way. But the King has already given his permission. If we openly object then wont it be bad? Even if we were to do it, will we do it with our own hands? The leader-ish High elf let out a snicker. No way. Why would we of the chosen clan dirty our hands for the likes of a kid? In case like this, we should leave it to the ones who want to do it. Ones who want to do it? If we let them meet us as reward, there would be countless human nobles, wealthy merchants who will raise their hands to volunteer The young High Elves murmured I see! and nodded that it was a good idea. Were nobles, only giving orders is enough. Let other races work and drip with sweat.....Were special beings, we have special privileges. In that dark room, their silent laughter echoed. (^)g Volume 5 - CH 78 months after the extermination of the Giant scorpions. The X day - the day on which the barrier stone of high elf kingdom was predicted to be destroyed - was approaching with only a few days left. Today too, Meiya and I were doing nothing but making weapons in the mansion that was given to us outside of the lake. Thanks to that we had completed the general purpose machine gun PKM and the 7.62x54mmR cartridge safely. The insurance for the operational test that I made just in case was also completed. I struggled to make the 7.62x54mmR, but thanks to the technical experience I had accumulated up until now, I was able to complete it quickly. After I made the finished product, I left the mass production to Meiya for a few nights. Meiya and I continue to make other stuff too, like [concussion grenade] for offense, [fragmentation grenade] for defense, panzerfaust type 60s, and wire entanglements. Someone knocked on the rooms door. Snows face popped through the doorway. The snacks are done so why dont you two take a break ? Thanks, right when I wanted something sweet. Meiya, lets take a break. Yes, lets. Meiya and I got out of the room with tired faces, due to working since morning. When we entered the living room where Snows handmade snacks were preparedD Ne ne Chrisse-chan, feed me~ [Geez Luna-chan youre such a baby.] As she was asked, Chrisse scooped the pudding and fed Luna. Uun, delicious. Its more delicious when Chrisse-chan feeds me! Next Luna will feed you. Chrisse-chan, aaah. Chrisse opened her small mouth, and chomped Lunas wooden spoon. [Its delicious when Luna-chan feeds me.] Geez Chrisse-chan youre so cute! Chrisse-chan, become Lunas wife! Youre eating someones snack, and then seducing his precious wife ? Booo, the nuisance has appeared... Luna pouting her lips with an unsatisfied face. She was wearing a rough, plain skirt with her usually straight blond hair tied in twintails. Somehow, her ears were short and her pupils arent green. However, there was no doubt that she was Luna Enol Mema, the third princess of the High elf kingdom Enol. According to her, the pendant hanging from her neck had been imbued with magic that could make her ears shrink and change the color of her irises. It was the human version of the magic tool pendant that could change you into a High elf. After we exterminated the Giant scorpions and started making weapons in the mansion outside the lake, Luna snuck out of the castle and came here to play. Immediately, the picture book and hero story loving Luna found a kindred spirit in Chrisse. They got along to the point of feeding each other snacks starting with pudding, then mille crepe, and then potato chips. She snuck out of the castle and came here everyday. Chrisse and Luna really got along well. Luna looked like a human, same height as Chrisse, and had blond hair. If you didnt know the circumstances when looking at them, you would only be able to think of them as sisters who got along really well. They got along that well. She was the princess of a country, and since she got along with Chrisse, I let my guard down. However, recently she has been trying to tear Chrisse away from me, so I really cant let my guard down at all. Hey Chrisse-chan, break up with that guy and become Lunas wife. Luna hugged Chrisse and asked while pressing her cheek against Chrisses. [No can do. Since I am oniichans wife.] Eeeh isnt it fine? I will treasure you and treat you way more gently than Luton. [Oniichan and Snow-oneechan are being kind enough to me already. Furthermore, oniichan isnt just gentle, at night he also makes me feel good...I cant be separate from him anymore, both in mind and in body.] Oi oi, Chrisse-san, what are you telling a kid (in appearance) with such a happy face? Also, please stop with that weird name Luton. Feel good at night ? You get massaged at night or something? Luckily, Luna didnt understand the meaning and asked while tilting her head. In a certain sense, massage fit the description. Just last night, together with Snow and Chrisse, I massaged and got massaged though! Anyway, stop seducing someone elses wife. Kids should just shut up and eat their pudding. Boo! Even though I look like this, Im way older than Luton! Then why dont you act more like it. Luna and I had a stare off that caused sparks. Okay, okay, I understand that you two get along well, so stop playing. I made pudding, so eat it while its still cool. Sorry, Snow. If Snow-oneechan says so. Luna also called Snow oneechan, just like Chrisse did. We sat down and ate the pudding made by Snow. Im not Luna-sama but, I dont get tired of eating this everyday. This snack called pudding that Lute-sama developed a recipe for. Meiya too, like a normal girl who loved sweets, enjoyed eating pudding and mille crepe. But that feeding-each-other just now looked good. Hey Lute-kun, I want to you feed me too. Of course, if my precious wife Snow asked me, then I couldnt say no. Or rather, Id be more than happy to! Of course, with pleasure! Here, Snow, aaah. Aaah~? Snow opened her mouth like a baby bird waiting for food from its parent. When I fed her the handmade pudding, she wagged her tail happily. Hauu~n, Lute-kuns taste made it three times more delicious. Three time more delicious did my wooden spoon have an umami component in it or something? Chrisse, too, raised the mini blackboard while blushing. [Oniichan, I also want you to feed me.] Of course! [Please properly put the spoon in your mouth once, then feed me.] The instructions were detailed! Of course, I had no intention of disobeying, so just like she requested, I put the spoon in my mouth once, then fed her the pudding. [Its as oneechan said, oniichans taste made it three times more delicious.] You seem more happy than when Luna fed you! Chrisse-chan, youre cruel! They say that friendship between women can be broken by a man, so its true! Fu ha ha ha! Fool! Do you understand who Chrisse loves the most now, little girl?! L, Lute-sama! Is it ok to have you feed me too?! This time it was Meiya who vigorously raised her hand while breathing roughly. If, if you can, hah, Lu, Lute-sama, with t-t-t-t-t-t-that spoon. Once, hoh! I want you to, p-p-put it in your mouth, then f-f-f-feed me. Uh.. no, that is kinda impossible, I think. Meiyas eyes became bloodshot, her breathing got wild, and she approached me while requesting to be fed. To be honest, it was scary. After I refused, she made an expression like the world had ended, with streams of tears flowing down. Wh, why is it?! Is, is there anything wrong with me?! If there is then please say it! I will fix it even if I have to throw away my life! No, there isnt anything wrong with Meiya. Its just that my pudding is gone. Su, such ..a blind spot. Meiya, too, had already finished her pudding, so she couldnt give hers to me. Snow, there is still some pudding in the fridge, right? Un, there are, but you cant eat that. Those areD As if to interrupt Snows words, a knock was heard from the entryway. She said wait a minute and went to the hallway to open the door. Before long, two familiar faces appeared in the living room. Luna! As I thought, youre here! Im sorry, young master and everyone, for suddenly intruding on you. Lyss stared at her sister while frowning, and Shia apologized. Luna, how did you sneak out of your room?! I have had the door watched, even the outside of the windows! Tsk tsk tsk, Lyss-oneechan is naive as usual. You seriously think only that much can stop Luna-chan ? It was even easier than opening a safe without a lock. If you really want to stop Luna, you need to put a magic prevention collar on Luna, bind her arms and legs with chains, put her in an iron box, and have at least ten soldiers monitoring her. Again, what was she, Lup?n the third? The same scene occurred every time, Luna snuck out of the castle, Lyss and Shia came to get her. That was why Snow even made their portion of snack - pudding, and cooled it for them in the fridge. Sorry as always, Lute-san, everyone. I will take my sister back immediately. No! Im staying here! Isnt it okay if big sister returns alone? Furthermore, Ive already done my homework today. You have no reason to complain! Youre the princess! Being outside the lake is the problem! Then big sister is also here, isnt that bad? I, I am the one who takes responsibility for the incident this time, so its okay! Lyss used a body enhancing technique to support her physical ability. She tried to catch her sister, but... Naive! She saw through that, and slipped around her big sisters back. With both hands, she targeted the overly big breasts of her sister with eagle claws! He, hey, what are you doing, stop yaa~n! Uwaa~ soft. Your height isnt very different from Lunas, yet your breasts are this big and sensitive too, this is foul play, isnt it? Aa-ah, Luna wants to have like half of big sisters. Nn, an! I, in front of Lute-san, like this...nn, immodest, no...enough, stop, I said! Fua! Fu ha ha ha! If you want me to stop then give me permission to stay here! I got it, I will let you stay today, so stooop. Lyss gave up before long, then Luna released her hands. Hime-sama, keep composed! As expected not even Shia could thrust away Luna, who was royalty, so she could only watch over. She ran up to Lyss, who was sitting on the floor and holding her breasts after Luna separated from her. Like this, Lyss usually came to this mansion and got defeated by Luna, it was already a routine. Lyss reflexes werent bad, but her sensitive breasts, the nape of her neck, her ears seemed to be the causes of defeat. I lent a hand to Lyss, who was still sitting down. You okay, Lyss? For the time being, there are snacks for you two, so eat it. You can return to the castle after you relax here for a bit. Bu, but I will become a nuisance to Lute-san, youre preparing for the X Day. Its okay, dont worry about it. Afterwards, I helped her stand up. I had the feeling that, the moment Lyss separated from me, she put a little bit of strength into her fingers. Somehow her cheeks were more flushed than before. Maybe her body was hot from moving around? ......Is it really okay for me to be here? Of course! If its Lyss and Shia, then its very welcome. Arent we friends, as well as comrades? Th, thank you. Oneechan, good for you ne~ With a face that wasnt reflecting at all, Luna smiled and said so to Lyss. Lyss face became redder, and she scolded her sister. Wh, whats so funny?! Stop smiling like that Jeez, its because oneechan isnt honest at all. Maybe I have to make you a little bit more honest with yourself here. Kya! Sto, stop approaching me with that hand motion of yours! Luna opened both of her hands and wriggled her fingers, and Lyss backed off while hiding her breasts. Their offense and defense continued until Snow brought the puddings. The room filled with laughter. That was truly a happy scene, just like in a play. However, the X Day when the High elf kingdom Enol might get destroyed was certainly still approaching. Volume 5 - CH 79 Request "Luton!" "Owaa!" After lunch, to digest the food, I went shopping alone and buy things that I was asked to, when suddenly an arm vigorously linked with mine from behind. I was dangerously close to dropping the things I bought. The person suddenly clinging to my arm was the Third Princess of the High Elf Kingdom Enol, Luna Enol Mema. She had her usual twintails untied, and was wearing the pendant that shrunk her ears and erased the green color from her eyes. She called me out so candidly that you wouldn''t think she''s a royal princess. "Fancy meeting you out here, Luton." "Don''t cling to me so suddenly, it''s dangerous." She''s a royal princess, but since she''s a girl (in appearance only) who tried to seduce someone''s wife. I have no intent to mind my words around her. Once I pointed things out to her she puffed her cheeks. "Sheesh, Luton says the same things as Onee-chan. Boooring." "Then pay attention so I don''t have to say it. That and get your hands off my arm already." "Whatcha you doing out here, Luton?" She ignored what I said and gripped my arm stronger. Since I was carrying stuff, I couldnt shake her off by force. I sighed and answered. "Shopping. It''s too depressing to stay cooped up at home all the time. Like that, Luna wait, you don''t even need to ask, do you?" "Huhum, you know, right?" Her goal was most likely afternoon snack with Chrisse at the mansion. It''s hard to refuse her now that Chrisse''s given her a warm welcome. She finally made a friend out here. I can''t just bluntly reject her. "Which reminds me, I''ve been wanting to ask, how did you cross over that lake, Luna? You have a private boat or something?" "No way, boats are too slow, I''ll get found out as soon as I got over the lake." "Then how?" "Ah, spit roasts. Looks tasty" We were moving in between carts, but since Luna stopped while her arm was still linked with mine, I inevitably stopped as well. "I already had lunch but these things go to a different stomach, I want to try one once in a while." "........ uncle, one spit roast please!" "Thanks!" I handed two coppers and received a spit roast, which I gave to Luna. She smeared it in salt and spices and sank her teeth into the roast. "Mmmmm, delicious? why do these things taste better than the food we get at the castle" "Glad you liked it (monotone voice). So, how did you cross that lake?" "I got Lexy to cross me over. He''s faster than a boat so it''s convenient" Lexy? That Saberwolf she was riding, huh? Getting on the back of that huge thing and having it doggy paddle is definitely faster than a boat. Rather, she even abuses Lexy. I recalled the Saberwolf I only ever met once and teared up. "Luton, you still have shopping to do?" "Yeah, there are 2 more things they asked me to buy." "I see. Then, I''ll go to the mansion first, kay." Luna finished eating her spit roast and let go of my arm. "Then I''ll be waiting at the mansion, Onii-chan? Thanks for the spit roast!" Who are you calling Onii-chan. Luna made an impersonation of Chrisse and disappeared into the crowds. All things considered, Luna had her charms, so I can''t hate her. Maybe that''s what''s called a personal virtue, I guess? I parted ways with Luna and once again went to get the requested shopping over with. Thus today was the last day anyone saw anything of Luna. TL Note : dun dun dun dun - larvyde "I''m homeC" I put the things I bought in the fridge and turned up at the living room. The fridge was what in the old world was called an old type, having a block of ice put at its very top, cooling the entire box. I had Snow make the ice so we don''t need to deliberately spend lots of money to buy any. "Thanks for the trouble, Lute-kun. Sorry for making you go shopping" "I went because I wanted a change of scenery, don''t mind it." I looked over the room. Snow and Chrisse were in the middle of a round of othello. "Did Luna come yet?" "Luna-chan? Nope, she didn''t come." "I saw her near the food stands, she said she was going to come to the mansion today." Was she eating grass by the roadside somewhere? v2 Was she loitering around somewhere? TL Note : For some odd reason, i cannot delete the 1st version. Im sorry - rei_hunter [I''m glad Luna-chans gonna come today, too] "Good for you, Chrisse." I gently pat my wife''s head, to which she became bashful. Really, how cute. "Aaaah, not fair Lute-kun! Pat me too, pat me!" "Yes yes, got it." I pet Snow, who was clinging to me tightly, on the head. She said to me as her nose busily moved, sniffing my scent. "Being pet on the head while [fugafuga]-ing is the best happiness." [Oniichan, me too, please!] "Okay, leave it to me." Chrisse put her mini blackboard forward and asked. I picked the pair up and sat down on the sofa, setting them on my knees. My wives are waiting on me on either side. The weight on both my knees. The weight didn''t feel heavy at all. In fact, I wanted them to sit on my knees forever. This is probably what a blissful weight is. "" I nonchalantly groped Snow''s breast with my right hand, while my left rolled up Chrisse''s skirt and felt up her ass. "Geez, Lute-kun is a pervert." [It''s still light out so no mischief.] They chided me but they didn''t show any signs of disliking it. Of course, if they really disliked it I''d stop my hands but they''ll excuse this much as husband and wifes skinship. Having finished flirting, I stopped at a good point and went back to the workroom where Meiya was waiting. DDWhile I was immersed in work the door to the room was knocked. In reply I opened the door and Snow''s face appeared. I thought it was snack time already but she''s being unusual this time. Her face looked uneasy. "What''s wrong, did something happen?" "Yes, a little. Lyss-chan and Shia-san came just now, but can I borrow you two for a moment?" Meiya and I looked at each other, this doesn''t look like a trivial matter so we stopped our work mid-way. As we followed Snow to the living room, there was Lyss sitting on the sofa with a sickly pale complexion. Shia was sitting next to her to take care of her and was rubbing her back. "Did something happen?" "Lute-kun, please read this." I was handed a letter by Snow. It was in a plain envelope with no address written on it. The contents of the letter was this: [We have Chrisse in custody. If you want her back safely get out of Enol immediately] Along with the letter there was a strand of golden hair. I reflexively turned to look at Chrisse who was consoling Lyss together with Shia. " what''s the meaning of this? This is too mean for a prank." Chrisse was right in front of my eyes. There''s no chance that the Chrisse before me was a fake. The reason being that she never even once left the house all day today. There was no chance to swap the real her with a fake. Did Lyss get sick from seeing this letter and hair? But she''s not so sensitive to go that pale from just that. As I was confused with what''s happening, Lyss herself told me. "This hair belongs to Luna " "Luna?" "Probably, Luna was mistaken for Chrisse and was kidnapped " "Eh, wha!?" It was so out of left field I let out a weird sound. Snow explained things from start to end. "Since Luna-chan snuck out of the castle as usual, Lyss-chan and Shia-san came to the mansion to pick her up but we told her that she hasn''t come today." "When I went to investigate, there was mail in the mailbox, Madam Chrisse opened it and there was that letter and hair " "When Lute-kun came back from shopping you said so, right? You met Luna-chan outside. I remembered that and it clicked. It might have been possible that Luna-chan was mistaken for Chrisse-chan and got kidnapped" Now that she''s told me I understood. It''s true that Chrisse and Luna had the same stature and long golden hair. She was getting all friendly with me, linking arms while going shopping. When we parted ways, she called me [Onii-chan] like Chrisse did. She said she''ll come to the mansion to play after we parted but she hasn''t showed up. With all the facts put together, it made sense. It seems that Lyss turned pale and fell to the floor when she heard that from Snow and they put her to sit on the sofa. "But why did they target Chrisse? Didn''t look like they wanted ransom, either, and even though they knew the name and appearance they still mistook their target." It''s too out of balance, was it thoroughly prepared or suddenly decided. "...... Most likely, the bunch of high elves that don''t think highly of us asked someone to do the actual kidnapping. The reason Chrisse-san was targeted was because she seemed like the easiest one to take away." I agreed with Lyss'' point. To summarize, the faction of high elves that don''t feel comfortable with us planned to kidnap the weakest-looking Chrisse in order to get us to not meddle with the barrier stone affair. However, with only the target Chrisse''s features (golden long hair, slender, my wife, short stature, calls me [onii-chan]), they mistakenly kidnapped Luna who coincidentally had a similar appearance. The reason they didn''t recognize her despite being the princess was probably because they wrapped her in something right after putting her to sleep. And of all things, they kidnapped the High Elf Kingdom Enol''s third princess Luna Enol Mema! "What do we do? Should we report this to the soldiers and have them search?" ".... No, let''s tell Father first." Said Lyss, still pale in the face. But if that King knew that [Luna was mistaken for Chrisse and kidnapped] "He will almost certainly order Lute-san out of the country, I think." "He would, wouldn''t he " His eldest daughter the first princess Lala Enol Mema disappeared, his beloved wife was bedridden, and as he was becoming oversensitive with family problems, Luna was kidnapped. The fact that we''re innocent had nothing to do with it, he''ll surely order the reason for the disaster out of the country. "But the day written in the record book is soon, right?" "Yes, probably any day now." This time, the date for the barrier stone destruction wasn''t exactly written in the record book. Only that it''ll happen sometime about now. It could be today, or it could be tomorrow. The range was at most several days, no more than a month. "....... Lute-san, everyone, I have a request." Lyss who was sitting down pale-faced suddenly stood up. There was no fear in her eyes, only a light of resolution. "Please, would you somehow save both my motherland and my sister." Lyss straightforwardly made an unreasonable request to us. Volume 5 - CH 80 It was night, after the sun had completely set, when we finished reporting the current situation to the king at Woodcastle. Shia, Lyss, and I faced the king, not in the throne room, but in the drawing room, because it was a conversation that could not be leaked to anyone. The king was making his final decision after he finished listening to our story. I apologize, but wont you leave this country? (That was as expected, after all.) As we had foreseen, the king ordered my deportation. Of course, Lyss cried out in opposition. Please wait a moment, father! You already said that if we were able to subjugate the giant scorpion and show our power, we may do as we like. Does father, who is the king of a country, intend to go back on his word?! On one hand, it pains me that the conditions for that promise have changed, but that is the case. !!DD The king declared without hesitation. He faced us once again, and with a sorrowful look in his eyes, began to plead earnestly. With the disappearance of my daughter Lara and my wife bedridden, if I were to lose Luna as well, who is still just a child,--just thinking about it seems to drive me crazy. It is not my decision as this country''s king, but my wish as a father. Somehow, can''t you leave this country? I still don''t want to lose Luna, my daughter, or anything else just yet. If I had a child with Snow or Chrisse, and that daughter had been kidnappedDDjust thinking about it myself almost drove me crazy. I would absolutely annihilate the kidnapping bastards, but above that, I would desperately wish for the safety of my child. DDUnderstood. We alone will leave this country as early as tonight. I''m really sorry...... He lowered his head. Not as a king, but as a father. Though it turned out as I expected, I greatly apologize for that. The king left together with his guards, and only Lyss, Shia, and I were left in the drawing room. Lyss once again bowed her head deeply. I also understand the king''s feelings. Don''t worry about it, so Lyss please raise your head. ....... More importantly, there''s the matter after this, but will you really be okay with just the two of you? Yes, itll be fine. Because we have the general-purpose machine gun PKM that Lute-san produced, so we will have enough time before everyone comes back. I will also do my best at protecting the princess The two of them firmly made a fist and asserted themselves. Even before we came to Woodcastle to report Luna''s kidnapping, we had already finished talking about our future plans in the living room of the mansion. Involuntarily, I recall the discussion we had at that timeDD Somehow, please save my motherland and my younger sister! Lyss made a considerably absurd request with a calm look in her eyes. I unconsciously raised a wry smile on my face. To save both the motherland and Luna, huh..... Lyss sure says some unreasonable things with that cute face of hers. C-Cute?! For some reason, in response to my words cute face, Lyss''s cheeks were dyed bright red. She immediately cleared her throat, and after gathering her emotions, she smiled. My trusted Lute-san..... because we are comrades, I believe that you will be able to save both my country and my sister at the same time. Even if you say so, I am weak. When I looked around us, Snow and the others had wry smiles on their faces. Their answers were probably similar to mine. I understand. For Lyss''s sake, I will do my best to save both the country and the younger sister of my important comrade. I''ll also do my best! [Me too. I can''t forgive the people who would kidnap my important friend Luna-chan. I won''t show any mercy!] It is necessary to make them pay the price for daring to bare their fangs against Lute-sama! Everyone, really, thank you very much...... -sob- Lyss lowered her head deeply. We immediately moved on to talking about practical matters. First of all, let''s organize the situation. Everyone nodded at my proposal. Concerning the day written in the record book on which the barrier stone will be destroyed, though we don''t know the details on the exact date, it should be soon, in the next few days. There is no mistake about this so far? Yes, that''s exactly right. Lyss nodded. Next is the matter regarding Luna, but do we really think that Luna was kidnapped? I''m almost completely certain, because this strand of hair has Luna-chan''s smell. Snow brought the hair close to her nose, sniffed, and asserted as such. If this first-class ''fuga fuga''-ist says so, then without a doubt, this snippet of hair [TL: lit-cutted hair] should belong to Luna. Then assuming that Luna was indeed kidnapped...... is there the possibility of that girl returning by her own abilities? I think that is too optimistic. Though Luna-sama has talent as a magician, and has outwitted us and slipped out of castle every time, I think the kidnapping bastards should also desperately want to avoid having her escape and have likely imprisoned her. As I thought, to expect her to escape on her own is harsh. Right? It is as Shia said. As expected, it is too much to expect her to be able to escape on her own. Then, if we followed the instructions and left the country, do you think the hostage will be released? On this question, everyone fell silent. She will be released could not be said easily. Even in my previous life, a certain superpower had advocated "do not yield to terrorism". It was too naive to think that Luna would be released just because the criminal''s requests were fulfilled. By just thinking optimistically, not investigating anything, and standing idly while watching, we would face the possibility of the worse outcome. In that case, what do you think will happen if I talk to the king about Luna''s kidnapping? Without a doubt, I think Lute-san will be ordered to leave the country immediately. Lyss asserted once again. In other wordsDD 1) X Day of the record book takes place soon. 2) There''s no chance of Luna escaping on her own. I should search for her in secret. 3) The deportation order from the king is almost certain. What should we do in this situation...... I cross my arms and think deeply. DDFirst, report to the king. And then, if we are ordered to leave the country, we can only obey quietly. If we needlessly make enemies, it will become troublesome not only to search for Luna, but also make it hard to cooperate after the barrier stone is destroyed. Therefore, just in case, I will hand over the recently completed PKM and equipment set to Lyss. [Do you plan on having just Lyss-oneechan and Shia-san defeat the horde of monsters?] It''s only just in case. Chrisse''s concern was gently denied. And it''s regarding the search for Luna, but..... Everyone''s attention focused on me. They were eyes that said, if it was me, I would somehow deal with it. If the soldiers of the country were mobilized unskillfully, the kidnappers might get scared and kill Luna in order to silence her. In addition, if I did nothing, she might get taken out of the country and never come back. I cant see her escaping on her own either. The only ones who could grasp the circumstances and were capable of rescuing her, were us. However, how did we pinpoint the location where Luna was captured and confined with only a few people? DDThere''s just one method of determining her location. Is that true?! The first one to bite was the older sister, Lyss. Though I think the possibility of it working is high, it''s not guaranteed. But, I think this is probably the only way...... I spoke to everyone about the method that was on my mind. I see...... certainly that method has the high possibility of discovering Luna-sama. As expected of the young master, to have thought up of this kind of method, it is like you. I don''t know at the moment whether or not it will go well. Shia understood and praised me. I lightly warded it off. For now, the general plan has been decided. Then in that case, I''ll have Lyss go store one set of equipment in the workshop room using Spirit''s blessing. Shia should come too, as I''ll teach you two how to use the general-purpose machine gun PKM. Lyss and Shia gave an affirmation. Snow, Chrisse, and Meiya, just in case, please load the luggage so that we may leave the country at any time. Load that thing we made with Meiyas idea too, as insurance. Understood! Please leave it to me, Lute-sama''s number one pupil, Meiya Dragoon! Maybe because Meiya was glad to be relied on by me, she was in extremely high spirits. Then, we don''t have much time, so let''s move quickly. At my signal, everyone began to move and play their respective roles. My consciousness returned to reality. The meeting had already ended. The only thing left after this was to move according to the plan. I called out towards Lyss, who was facing me in the drawing room, and Shia, who was standing behind her back as a maid. Now then, I''ll be returning to where Snow and the others are. My younger sister..... somehow, please save my sister Luna. Ahh, leave it to me. Luna is also an important companion to us. We will absolutely save her. Thank you very much, Lute-sama. This, please take this. From Lyss who was wiping her eyes, I received Luna''s handkerchief. Then I stood up and left the drawing room. (^)g Volume 5 - CH 81 Chapter 081 I, who had been driven out of the country, rendezvoused with Snow and the others and left the country on the airship. Though I said ''out of the country'', it was just next to the Enol national borders. For now, we complied with the kidnappers'' demands and went outside of the country. After disembarking the airship, we stood on standby, just barely outside of the border. Fully equipped, of course. Meiya sighed in discontent. "But, to really drive Lute-sama out, there has to be a limit to being rude!" "Well, his daughter did become a hostage. It can''t be helped if he wants to be careful. Also, were going to help Luna, aren''t we?" "Speaking of helping, Lute-kun, did you make sure to get Luna-chan''s belonging from Lyss-chan?" "Of course, I didnt forget it!" I answered Snow''s question by taking a handkerchief out of my pocket. "Next is whether that guy will come here as instructed or not, but . Chrisse-chan, try calling him." [Understood.] Chrisse temporarily let go of the mini blackboard and pressed one hand to her lips, which were pouted in the shape of a circle. She inhaled deeply. "Fushuuuuu", she whistled. A few seconds later, the Saber Wolf that Luna usually rode on, Lexy, appeared from behind the vegetation. It seemed that he had followed us as planned. Chrisse was not startled and ruffled Lexy''s chin. I proposed using the Saber Wolf Lexy like a police dog and looking for Luna. A dog''s sense of smell far outstrips a human''s. It''s a thousand or ten thousand times sharper than a human''s. I remembered learning, on the internet and television, about the use of that sense of smell to look for people and drugs, and even in medicine they studied ways to discover cancer by using a dog''s sense of smell. Incidentally, in my previous life in America, there were special units that used dogs sense of smell to discover explosivesDknown as explosives detecting dog units. Secret services, customs houses, the national park police, the army, and a lot of civilian police organizations depended on a dogs sense of smell to find bombs hidden by terrorists, or criminal who took delight in seeing peoples reactions to their crime. This unit was formed in the year 1975. There were 30 dog and trainer teams, and their assigned jobs were 80% searching for explosives and 20% patrol duty. Training was done in the Secret Service Canine Training school in Beltsville Maryland, and took 20 to 26 weeks. The contents of the training included suspect pursuit training and passing through obstacles like stairs or windows, as well as training to discern 13 kinds of explosives, including RDX and Semtex, by smell. Drug-sniffing dogs were trained to snap at and shake suspicious people, but explosive detecting dogs were trained to sit when they sniffed out an object that might be an explosive. If a dog snapped at or shook an explosive, they were liable to explode. Those explosive-detecting dogs had more than a 75% percent probability of detecting plastic explosives. It wasn''t 100%, but it was better than not being able to detect anything. Also, the explosive-detecting dogs were no more than just one part of the bomb discovery system. To return to the story I put the handkerchief full of Luna''s scent near Lexy''s nose. "Please Lexy. Your master''s life depends on your hard work." After lifting its face from the handkerchief, he started off towards the Enol border. "Meiya, prepare the airship so it can go at any time." "Understood! Lute-sama, everyone, may luck be in your favor!" I raised my hand to answer Meiya and ran towards Enol. DDThird person perspectiveDD Late at night, three days after Lute and the others left the country. The perimeter of the barrier stone was lit with magic and was defended 24 hours by up to 50 soldiers. The condition for a soldier to be assigned to defend the barrier stone was being at least B-class magician. Since it was such a position of honor even within Woodcastle, not even one of the soldiers at work yawned, even though it was late at night. They possessed that much pride in the job of defending the barrier stone. "Wha!?" Which is exactly why they were shocked. About 50 soldiers, magicians of rank B and above, had continued to monitor the surroundings without any slips. Yet, there was one completely black silhouette standing still in front of the barrier stone, touching it with their hand. It was wearing an overcoat that completely covered their head. The pants, gloves, boots, and mask hiding their face did not have even one air hole. It looked like a human shape cut right out of the night sky. Thanks to that, one could not see whether they were male or female. "You bastard! What are you doing!" "Seize them right away, get them off the barrier stone!" However, nobody could touch the black person. The reason was because the 50 soldiers had air holes in their heads, chests, and torso. In an instant, the 50 soldiers, magicians of B-rank and above, became corpses. Despite the suffocating stench of blood, the black person continued touching the barrier stone without so much of a quiver. GR It began with small, ripple-like oscillations. GRRRRRR The oscillations gradually became stronger. If anyone were to notice, they would only see the surroundings of the barrier stone trembling, like a volcano right before an eruption. The ground split, cracks appeared on the walls, and the trees fell. KABOOOOM!! Then finally, the pyramid-shaped barrier stone erupted powerfully, like a volcano detonating. The fragments of the barrier stone rained on the black silhouette like a shower, but the person concerned paid it no mind at all. There was no sense of accomplishment for hard work, nor satisfaction for the result of using their own power. Only nonchalance, for finishing the work that one needed to do. Over the black silhouettes head, more than an armful of barrier stone fragments rained down. The fragments rained down to the ground, but the black silhouette wasn''t there. Like a nightmare, a monster from a ghost story, the black silhouette disappeared from that place. The gates of hell had opened. Lyss'' room. She was gazing vacantly at the steam of the scented tea Shia had prepared. "I wonder if Lute-san and the others have found where Luna is yet " "It''s going to be fine, young master and the others will definitely help Luna-sama out." "That''s right, isn''t it. As Lute-san''s companion, I should believe in them." Lyss talked to convince herself in order to calm herself down. BAM! "" !? "" There was a crash that resounded in her gut. The sudden noise caused the maid Shia to lower her posture, readying herself to defend her master Lyss, no matter what may have happened. The crashing stopped, but [Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!] There was a ringing neigh. Lyss broke into cold sweat in large quantities. "It couldn''t be, has the barrier stone been destroyed already!?" She expected it to happen in a few days, but this is too fast! She stood up from her chair and ran towards her room door. "P, princess, this way!" "I''m going to go see the barrier stone. Shia will you come along with me?" The barrier stone had probably been destroyed, like the record book said. What happened next would be a battleground filled with multiple [Basilisk] and [Dragoon]; it would be hell. It would normally be suicide to head for such a place, at least it wouldn''t be hard for her to get away alone right now. However, Shia smiled without panicking. "Of course. I am your guard maid, princess, and also young master''s companion." "Thank you, Shia." As Lyss thanked her personal guard maid, she ran to the backyard, towards the barrier stone, in her royal dress. Shia continued behind her, still wearing her maid clothes. ---------------------------------- With that, a raid-boss-like person has appeared! Aside from that, there will be fateful encounters, subplots discovered, new foreshadowing and such, so please enjoy! (^)g Volume 5 - CH 82 Chapter 82 - General-purpose machine gun With Shia in tow, Lyss showed up at the backyard where the Barrier Stone was located. On the way, they passed by other maids, soldiers, officials, and other high elves, but they were all running about in panic because of the normally impossible situation of the barrier stone being destroyed. "*tsk*! This is horrible!" They arrived at the place where the barrier stone used to be. There they found a battlefield, a scene straight out of hell. [GAGYAAAAA GYA GYAAAAAAA!] The ominous dragoons welling out were howling in joy. Their bodies were covered in hard scales and were two meters tall. Their hands carried mainly primitive weapons like spears, knives, and bludgeons made of bone or stone. The mass of dragoons gathered over the corpses of the dead soldiers, scrambling to devour them. In the worst cases, they bit on still fighting soldiers, tearing off their flesh and slurping on their blood. Though there was still some distance, the thick stench of blood reached even Lyss'' nose. The dragoons kept on coming out of the hole on the broken barrier stone. The high elf kingdom soldiers were in disarray from the unexpected situation and could only try to figure out how to handle the situation while launching scattered attacks. The worst part was [PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!] The Basilisks dancing in the air petrified soldiers and dragoons alike. The petrified soldiers and dragoons became feed for the Basilisks to peck at. It might have been a silver lining that the Basilisks stopped inside the castle. If even one of them went outside, the residents outside the lake would have no way to resist. "P, Princess!? It''s dangerous here so please leave right away!" The person who looked to be the commander on the ground called out, but Lyss instead gave out orders. "No, I''m not going into hiding. I''ll fight to buy you time, so withdraw your troops that are fighting and regroup your forces. As it is, you''re only creating casualties for nothing. After that, please go get father and the others to safety." "U, Understood!" He ran to execute Lyss'' orders, which allowed no room for argument. With her spirit blessing, Lyss took out an AK-47, then a belt equipped with ALICE clips, a Panzerfaust-60, and some frag grenades for defense and handed them over. "I''ll be preparing the PKM, you use these to aid the assaulted soldiers and take out the Basilisks, Shia. Can you do that?" "Yes! Please leave it to me!" Shia skillfully put the equipment on and jumped toward the battlefield with body strengthening. Lyss watched her back reassuredly and began setting up the PKM C the general purpose machine gun, just like she said she would. When she had been entrusted with being backup, she was taught the general outline of how to do it by Lute, and she practiced many times in her own room. Thanks to that, her hands moved deftly. First, she took out the PKM and a large box magazine the size of three lunchboxes. It was made of metal and when it wasnt packed full of cartridges, it made a hollow, metallic sound when you hit it. The box magazine was filled with 200 7.6254mmR rounds. Since the tip of the PKM''s barrel was equipped with a bipod, when you set the gun down on the ground, the gunstock would slant diagonally down and the gunpoint would point up. Next, she attached the box magazine to the belly of the PKM. Ammo belt (cartridges linked into a belt) held in one hand, she opened a lid, called the feed cover, and insert the belt into the receiver before closing the lid. She pulled the cocking handle on the right side of the receiver and its lock n load. Lyss held the carrying handle attached to the gun so that she could change the barrel easily, and pointed it towards the dragoons. Preparation done. From here on I wont let a single one pass...! With the light of resolve lit in her big eyes, Lyss stared at the battlefield. He, helpD! A male elf was attacked by some dragoons. As if his arm had been bitten off, blood wouldnt stop flowing from the place where he held it with the other arm. He fell on his back and a number of dragoons approached to eat him. Bang! Babababababababang! [Gagya, gyagyaaaa!] The dragoons that were about to attack the male elf got holes punched into their heads and fell down, one by one. Are you okay? Can you move by yourself? Shia, with pistol belts attached to her maid clothes by ALICE clips and an AK47 in hand, saved the elf man from danger. When he saw a maid on the bloody battlefield, furthermore one who had saved him, he felt it was so out of place that he even forgot the pain. He somehow replied Im, Im okay. I can still walk. Good, then retreat to the back right now. If you see others who were late to flee, call out to them. Shia told him only that, and after mowing down the incoming bunch of dragoons with the AK47, began to push deeper into the battlefield. Where are you going!? Im going to defeat the basilisks on hime-samas order. Its going to get ugly, if you dont want to die then hurry it up and retreat. You dont have luxury to worry about others. Un, understood! The man swallowed his saliva before immediately turning around and moving. Shia threw away the depleted magazine, took out a new one from the magazine pouch, and plugged it in. Bang! Bababababababang! [Gagya, gyagyaaaaa!] She fired with the AK47 in a sweeping motion, and the dragoons fell down like dominoes. The basilisks that were eating petrified soldiers and dragoons also noticed Shias existence and flew into the air. [Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!] One neighed, as if saying new food had come dancing, looked at Shia, and dived towards her. The effective range of its magic eyes was about 500 meters. However, before it got into that range, Shia took out a defensive frag grenade and pulled the pin with her mouth. She applied more magic to the body strengthening technique and threw the hand grenade straight towards the basilisk. The effective range of the grenade was 15 meters. The grenade exploded. At the same time the basilisk cried out in pain, due to the unexpected attack. [Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!] The basilisk fell to the ground, crashing into a number of dragoons. Shias hands were steady. She took the panzerfaust type 60 she had been carrying on her back. She pulled out the safety pin near the warhead. Erected the sight. Pulled the safety lever forwards, and it was ready to be fired. The distance to the basilisk was about 20 meters. Shia carried the panzerfaust type 60 on her shoulder, and took aim. She heard the footsteps of the dragoons coming from behind but she ignored them. Prepare to fly, to infinity, and beyoooooooond~ TL note: lmao I just cant help it, it was just something like get blown beyond the stars - Yuushin She copied the finisher line Lute had said in the cave when they were attacked by the twin dragon. The warhead went Woosh! and flew at the speed of 45m per sec. The dragoons approaching her from behind were blown away by the backblast of the panzerfaust. TL note: lolololol brilliant idea, needs good timing skill though About 3kgs of magic TNT explosive impacted the basilisks head. After a core shaking explosion, the basilisks head was completely gone. Shia threw away the remains of the panzerfaust type 60 and readied the AK47 again. She turned around and finished the dragoons that were squirming on the ground due to the backblast. Having completed Lyss order, she retreated back to where Lyss was. She strengthened her body and ran back. When she arrived Lyss had already finished preparing the PKM. Hime-sama! Ive made you wait! Shia! Stand behind me, quick! Lyss voice was impatient. Behind Shia were tens, hundreds of dragoons rushing over. It was because the soldiers that had been serving as their food were all gone. The dragoons desired fresh meat, so of course they would aim for Woodcastle, where the elves were all at. Hime-sama! Evacuation complete! Here I go! FIREEEE!!! Lyss squeezed the trigger at the same time! Bababababababababababang! The rifles 7.62x54mmR rounds were being shot at the speed of 650 shots per minute. Shots per minute is a measurement of how many rounds a gun can shoot in one minute. The higher the number, the faster the shooting cycle. General-purpose machine gun triviaDguns that can be used for anti-air purposes, like Germanys MG42, can shoot up to 1500 rounds per minute. At that speed, the sounds would be different, you would hear it as a continuous sound, like Brrrrrrrrrrt. TL note: not quite, this is true brrrrrrrrrt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvIJvPj_pjE - yuushin During WW2, it was feared by the Allies as Hitlers electric saw. However, that was just a theoretical value. Even though it was written in the specs that it could shoot 1000 rounds per sec, it actually couldnt continuously shoot that number. Why? The ammo belt could only be so long. If it was any longer, it could get twisted, or cut, etc and it would be hard to carry as well. It also depended on the size of the cartridge. So, in actuality, a belts limit was about 200 rounds. [Gagya, gyagyaaaaa!?] The dragoons were covered in hard scales, but they couldnt withstand the power of 7.62x54mmR round and fell like dominoes. Lyss was staying more than 300 meters away in a safe place, and she showered the enemies with a storm of bullets. The PKMs barrel overheated and started producing white smoke. Oo...ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! Behind Lyss. The soldiers who had escaped from the dragoons and basilisks all cried out at once. It was cries of joy, like they had already won the battle. However, Lyss realized their disadvantage with that gun shot. She murmured like she was confessing a crime. At this rate theyre going to break through The contrast between the cries of joy and Lyss gloomy expression. They started to raise to the surface, as different as light and dark. ------------------------------------------ Translators : Yuushin Laverdy Proofreaders/TLC/Editors: Cyn rei_hunte Volume 5 - CH 83 Chapter 083 - General-Purpose Machine Gun 2 Shia, cover me until the preparation is done! Roger that! Following Lyss order, Shia prepared the AK47 and shot at the dragoons that had recovered from the shock and started coming again. Meanwhile, Lyss was nimbly changing the barrel and box magazine. The gun barrel needed to be exchanged after firing 200-300 shots, but that number also depended on the gun size and caliber. Lyss gripped the handle attached to the barrel C the carrying handle, and exchanged it for a new one. One doesn''t throw away the steaming barrels after exchanging them. After several exchanges, the first heated barrel would have cooled and could be used again. However, in Lyss'' case, she could throw them away in the worst case scenario. The reason was, because of her [Spirit Blessing] C [Infinite Storage], it was possible to prepare several barrels and put them there. "Preparation complete! Shia, fall back!" "Understood!" After exchanging the barrel and box magazine, Lyss once again switched places with Shia. She pointed the muzzle at the incoming dragoons and squeezed the trigger! BABABABABABABABABANG! Once again, 7.6254mmR rounds were discharged like a storm, mowing down the flocking dragoons. [GAGYAAA!! GYAAAAA GYAAAAA!!] As if it was a repeat of the earlier scene, the dragoons collapsed and the knights cheered from behind. However, on this second PKM General-purpose Machine Gun firing, Lyss'' feelings turned from suspicion into conviction. (At this rate, we will lose to the dragoons in an attrition contest and be broken through.) The machine gun was a very powerful weapon. It was written in a book in Lute''s previous life, that three soldiers with one machine gun can hold back a battalion (about 1000 men) of warriors. However, no matter how powerful a weapon the machine gun was, it was meaningless if it couldnt be used in a way that exhibited its abilities. Right now she was mowing down the attacking dragoons from the front with the machine gun, but that didn''t mean that every enemy was hit by a bullet. There would be a few that slipped in between and survived. To defeat them, she would have to fire more bullets, but that would be bad for efficiency. Normally, when defending an encamped position like this, one wouldn''t fire the machine gun straight from the front, but from slightly to the side C lining up the enemy and shooting at them from the side. The machine gun positioned to shoot the enemies from the side was called side fire extinguisher. Well then, how did you line them up and shoot from the side, you ask? Just set up barbed wired in front of the allies position beforehand. In this case, you wouldnt place the barbed wired in a straight line, but in a zigzag like a saws blade. Once the enemies charged, in they would be positioned like the V letter along the barbed wire. By placing the machine gun right on the flank of the lined up enemies and shooting away, you could take down the enemies with great efficiency. The dragoons were stupid and only charged in a straight line, so it was fine for now. However, no matter how stupid they were, once they realized the situation, they would use their kins corpses as a shield and go around the barbwire fence. Lyss gave panicked orders. Let the soldiers deal with the dragoons that go around the fence! And absolutely do not stand in front of me! Also know that there are powerless, innocent people sleeping behind your back that you need to protect! Roger! The elf commander did as she instructed and ordered the subordinates to face the dragoons that went around the fence. Even as she shouted, Lyss hands didnt stop preparing the gun to fire for the third time. Shia, who had finished the diversion, went toward Lyss. Like Lyss, she also realized the danger of the situation. Thanks to hime-sama, the soldiers have stopped panicking, and weve prepared enough for the fight. I will take care of the PKM now, so hime-sama, please prepare to escape. I cant do that. Hime-sama! If I retreat now, the recovered soldiers will fall into confusion again. If that happens, the low moral and difference in strength will cause the front line to crumble easily. D! Shia couldnt say anything in response. Just as Lyss said, for the soldiers, seeing the sight of the second princess - who they should be protecting - being in the front line mowing down the dragoons with the machine gun that had overwhelming fire power, there was probably no one who wouldnt get their moral up. That was exactly how they managed to barely hold out, despite the overwhelming power difference. It was the same as pulling out the main pillar of a house; it wouldnt take anything else for the house to collapse. Lyss lowered her beautiful eye brows and apologized to her most trusted guard maid. Im sorry, Shia. For dragging you into this awful battle... No, I am your exclusive guard maid. This much is natural, so please pay it no mind. Also, Im sure young master will come and help us soon. Youre right. Lute-san promised us. That he will save Luna as well as us. To her, who was always failing and being talked about behind her back as the disaster princess, she was told that she was a precious comrade by the only existence who could protect the future that her elder sister predicted. That Lute would definitely come and save us, she said. That was elder sisters predictionDAnd then there was the promise Lute himself made, too. Lyss and Shia brought their feelings and consciousness back to the battlefield. She squeezed the PKMs trigger. In the end, a few managed to evade the PKMs bullets and were approaching. Immediately, Shia wedged herself in and set the AK47 to full auto. [Gagya, gyagyaaaa!] However, there was still one left and it closed the distance. The AK47s magazine was already emptied. Shia jumped, using the AK as a shield to receive one attack from the enemys club. Ku! The gun barrel was squashed with just one attack. The dragoon thought that it could just continue to thrust Shia like that, but she didnt resist it and let go of the AK47. The dragoon suddenly lost its balance. Shia rotated her whole body and swung her arm at the same time. From the hem of her maid skirt, the wasp knife popped out like an assassination weapon, and she grasped it with her right hand. I wont let you touch hime-sama! She rotated once again and looked over her shoulder before stabbing the dragoon in the eye with the wasp knife. She pressed the switch, and the compressed gas shot out, she made a smoothie out of the dragoons brain. Blood spurted out from the inside of its head; the dragoon was completely dead. Guga!? Shia!? However, even though the dragoon was killed, it wasnt over yet. The moment the dragoon died, Shia got hit on the back of her head by the club and was knocked away. After being hit by the dragoon with a strength that didnt lose to that of an Orc or an Ogre, blood flowed from the back of Shias head and she was down on the ground. Lyss ran to her in a panic and casted recovery magic. Be lit in my hands, Healing Light. Shia bathed in the warm healing light while Lyss casted it again. Hi, hime-sama...Im okay, so please run away... Shia, dont talk. Ill heal the wound right now! Shias wound completely healed, but she had already lost consciousness due to the impact. The timing couldnt have been any worseD Oi, look! Two more basilisks came out from the barrier stone! Just like the soldiers had pointed out, two basilisks showed up from under the destroyed barrier stone. One of them didnt pay the battlefield below any mind and headed straight to the town outside of the lake. More dragoons also crawled out from the barrier stone. As expected, the soldiers morale would drop after seeing that. However, there was still one person who hadnt abandoned hope. It was Lyss. She stared at the approaching dragoons while still holding the unconscious Shia in her arms. Lute-san and everyone will definitely... my comrades will definitely come to help me. Even though Im clumsy, unskillful, always pulling everyone downDbut even so, I am still High Elf Kingdom Enols second princess, Lyss Enol Mema, and I will defend this place to my last breath! At the same time as she shouted, the head of the basilisk dancing in the sky exploded from the inside! [!!!???] The basilisk lost its strength and was pulled down to the ground by gravity. Everyone there still didnt understand what had happened, and there was only shock. Onee-chaaaaan! A shout came from the sky. When everyone turned to look at the source of the voice, they saw an approaching airship that had appeared out of nowhere. The owner of that voice was the one who should have been kidnapped, the third princess of High Elf Kingdom Enol, Luna Enol Mema. She was waving her hand energetically. Luna wasnt the only one on the ship; Chrisse, Snow, Meiya, saberwolf Lexy, and Lute were present. Lyss was so relieved that her tears started rolling naturally. While wiping the tears on her cheeks, she unconsciously murmured in a lovely voice. "I believed in you my hero." TL note: no idea what could this be, maybe da?n?na?sa?ma ? ------------------------------------ Authors Notes : The soldiers that got killed in chapter 81 werent high elves, just elves, dark elves, and magicians from other races. Sorry for the hard to understand wording. In the first place, high elves dont work, theyre like nobles. Well then, mata ashita yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Translators Yuushin Laverdy Editors/Proofreaders/TLcs : Yuushin rei_hunter Cyn Durrendal Volume 5 - CH 84 Chapter 084 - Effective range and maximum range Going back in time. The second day after we started searching for Luna with the help of Lexy the saberwolf. We discovered a house where she seemed to be being held. The house was on the outskirts of town. The smell cut off here, it seemed. We decided to gather info to see if Luna was being held in the basement or a different room of the house. However, the next day, past noonDa suspicious caravan showed up at the house, loaded a person who looked like Luna onto a wagon with an iron cage, and started moving. The road they taken was definitely the route to exit High elf kingdom Enol. Looks like the bad premonition has become true After I looked at the state of the house, I whispered with a volume low enough that only Snow, Chrisse, Lexy the saberwolf could hear. They understood my words and silently nodded. It looked like the criminal group knew that the one they had kidnapped was the third princess of High elf kingdom Enol, Luna Enol Mema. The High elfs lifespan was 10000 years. Therefore, as the race that governed longevity and marital love, they received tremendous support from the human race. Furthermore, the kidnapped one was a High elf princess. To dilettantes, there was nothing better. Theyd even take a risk to get one. If she obeyed the kidnappers, Luna would probably live a life where she would never see the sun again. I was really glad that we had decided to act. All that was left was figuring out how to save her. The enemies had a steel wagon, pulled by two horned horses that were a size larger than normal. The wheels were covered with metal. And there were also 20 guys riding horned horses surrounding the wagon. There were probably some magicians mixed in too. Rather than a caravan, it was more like a VIP escort. Furthermore the road they were taking was the roundabout way to the next town, through an open field. There was no place to hide in the prairie because of the great view. After about 1 km ahead of here, there would be a lot of places to monitor them. If we got any closer than this, they would notice us and run away. If we let them get away here, it would probably be harder to get ahold of Lunas whereabouts next time. Lute-kun, what do we do? Snow asked me. First, we need to somehow stop them, especially the wagon in the middle that Luna is on. If we could stop the wagon, we would be able to assault and recover the hostage. The problem was how we would stop the wagon. The panzerfaust type 60s power was too high, that would kill the hostage. The distance was too far to use grenade to destroy the wagons wheel. I couldnt just make mines right now either, there was no time to test it. There were too many uncertain factors. The fire of fighting instinct lit up in Chrisse eyes, she thrust out the mini blackboard. [Oniichan, please somehow get me into the effective firing range. I can definitely stop the wagon!] I was thankful for Chrisse enthusiasm, but her M700Ps max firing range was only 900m. Max firing range meant the distance from when it was fired to when it touched the ground. It was the same with shot put and baseball. In other words, the distance from when the bullet left the M700Ps barrel until it touched the ground was 900m. However, a gun wasnt just about the flying distance. It had to destroy or wound objects. For the bullet to destroy or wound an object, it had to be inside the range where it still had enough energyDthat range was called effective range. That effective range varied depended on the guns type. For exampleD A handguns effective range was about 50m. Its max range was ~1.8km. An assault rifles effective range was about 200~350m. The max range was ~2.8km. A rifles effective range was 500m~1.5km. The max range was ~4km. A machine gun (12.7x99mm)s effective range was 1.5~2km. Its max range was ~6.8km. Of course, the number changed depending on the bullet and gunpowder used, air resistance, and the barrels length. After taking all of the above into consideration, the effective range at which the M700P could cause a casualty was probably only 500m. In other words, to grant Chrisse wish, we would have to get her within 500m range of the caravan. U~~~n I folded my arms and brainstormed. Snow, Chrisse, Lexy the saberwolf kept silent and watched. An anti-material rifle for example, had enough power to split a human 1.5km away into two, but I couldnt make it right now. TL Note : Please make one sooner! - rei_hunter Then, how would I reduce the distance without them noticing... Dif we do this maybe we can get into the effective range without them noticing. [Really!?] Chrisse made a smile full of hope. As I thought, my wife is cuter with a bright face. Aah, leave it to me! I have a secret plan! I faced my wives and gave a vigorous thumb up. To carry out the strategy, we went back to where Meiya was waiting with the airship. ------------------ Translators : Yuushin Editors/Proofreaders/TLcs : Yuushin rei_hunter Durrendal Cyn Volume 5 - CH 85 Translators : Laverdy Proofreaders/TLC/Editors : Cyn rei_hunter Yuushin Chapter 85 - Luna Rescue Operation Running through roughly the middle of the large plain, was a highway. Thick forests grew at about 1 km to either side, but attacks from there were impossible by normal methods. If we used magic, we would be noticed. If we used arrows, they wouldn''t reach. If we used siege weapons, they couldnt be aimed accurately. Which is why the men guarding the wagon Luna was on calmly proceeded along the highway, even while being vigilant of their surroundings. BANG! [!?] There was a gunshot sound. The two horned horses pulling the barred metal wagon died instantly, with one shot. The moment the horses'' heads lined up from the side, a [7.6251mm NATO round] went through both heads. If we had aimed to injure their legs, they could have been healed with restoration magic. Which is why there was no other option but instant death. Thanks to that, the horned horses pulling the wagon collapsed and their feet stopped. "A surprise attack!? Are you kidding me! Where did it come from!" "A bow!? No, magic!?" "No way! I didn''t feel the slightest bit of magic at all!?" "The strange sound came from over there!" "Calm down! Hurry and replace the horses! Everyone else watch out all around, defend the wagon!" The men were shaken at first, but with a roar from the Leader-looking person, they quickly took action. The men remained vigilant towards the direction the gunshot was heard from, but bullets came flying at them, as if making fun of them. BANG! BANG! -- If you are reading this thats not from omegaharem.com or docs.google.com, youve been duped. Go read it properly in re-translations google drive or omegaharem.com or follow us on novelupdates.com -- The tightly shut wagon door was blown away by the bullet, along with the bar supporting it, the bolt clamp, and the lock. The men were shocked. "Y, you have got to be kidding me! Where did the attack come from! They even blew away the lock even without magic!? T, that''s cheating!" One of the men raised his voice with a red face. What''s cheating? You''re one to talk, being a bastard who kidnaps little girls and takes them away to god knows where. The horned horses were shot dead and collapsed, which caused the wagon to slant forward. Since the bolt that was locking the door was blown away, the door was pulled open. "W, what was that sound wait, is the door unlocked!?" From inside the wagon, the figure of Luna in civvies that I had seen several days ago appeared. Unlike before, she had a magic prevention collar on her neck, and handcuffs on her hands and feet. She was back in her high elf form, maybe because her human transformation pendant had been seized. Once we had confirmed Luna, Chrisse stood up. On the plains about 500 meters ahead, a person appeared. At first, the men couldn''t understand the situation right away. From their point of view, a girl suddenly appeared on the grassy plains. One would need to be nuts to be able to understand right away. However, this was our chance. With Chrisse''s standing up as a signal, Snow and I supported our bodies with body strengthening! We assaulted with the AK-47s in hand. Chrisse readied her M700P and shot! "Kyaaa!" The chains binding Luna''s feet were broken off right in the middle. An outrageously accurate shot! "Luna! Run over here!" Once the chains between her legs had been cut and she could run, I shouted at her. Luna turned and ran towards us with a snap. "Like hell I''m letting you run! Gyaaa!?" One of the men came to his senses and raised his hand towards Luna, but Chrisse didn''t allow him. She shot his shoulder with a [7.6251mm NATO round], smashing it. However, this was the fifth shot. Her magazine was empty. Chrisse reloaded the bullets with practiced hands, but it still took time. Meanwhile, the men raised their hands towards Luna. She was a magician, but she was sealed by the magic prevention collar. This meant that she was running from the men with only the strength of a little girl. Furthermore, there were mages among the men, and they chanted magic to capture Luna. *gasp!* Chrisse still hasn''t finished reloading. In exchange, it''s my turn to shoot this time. The distance was about 150 m. Among assault rifles, the AK-47 was not the most accurate, it had a deviation of 20 cm at 100 meters. I fired suppressive fire, taking care to not hit Luna. Snow and I were enough to buy time until Chrisse finished reloading. A few of the men collapsed from the suppressive fire, and once Chrisse was finished reloading her magazine, she took one target after another down in direct hits. When they saw the weapon that they had never seen nor heard of before, the men were agitated and unable to calm their unruly horses down well. In that case, it would be mostly fatigue duty after this. "Luna-chan retrieved!" "Snow, take Luna and fall back! I''ll hold the rear! Chrisse, you continue the cover fire!" Hearing Snow, I gave out instructions. Luna''s cheeks, hair, and clothes were stained from not being washed properly, but she seemed uninjured. I sighed in relief after seeing that she wasnt treated too badly. Snow hugged Luna close and returned the way we came. In order to support the two, I continued firing suppressive fire, but "Damn you!" The one remaining guard seemed to know of the AK-47 and lowered himself. He shortened the distance by running in a zigzag pattern. Since he was wearing an overcoat that completely concealed his face, I wasn''t able to judge. I threw away the empty magazine and attached a new one. I barraged him with full automatic fire to prevent him from getting close, but due to him pouring out plenty of mana into body strengthening and defense formations, it was repelled. The man was holding knives in both hands but threw the one in his right. "Kuh!" I twisted my body to evade right away, but due to that attack he was able to close the distance. He swung the knife in his left, but I dodged this too, barely. However, I was of course unable to defend myself against the roundhouse kick that followed and took the blow. The AK-47 fell from my hands and I collapsed onto the ground. "Lute-kun!" When he heard Snow''s anxious shout, the man stopped moving. I rolled on the ground on purpose to take my distance with the man. "..... Lute, AK-47 could you be that Lute? Hee, so you''re alive." "!?" The surprise surpassed the pain of being kicked. I opened my eyes so wide that it hurt. Due to that roundhouse kick just now, the overcoat covering his face had rolled down. Thanks to that, I was able to confirm the face of my opponent. Cat ears peeked out from his blonde hair, and he had a face that could be called handsome. One of the men who caught me in a trap and sold me as a slave several years ago! The beastman Alcedo! Right now, the trauma of my past flashed before my eyes. Volume 5 - CH 86 Chapter 86 - Knife fight A few years ago, after I finished registering as an adventurer in the marine city Grey. In the middle of the doing my first quest Exterminate one or more Garugaru, I met them. A handsome man of the beast race, Nekomimi clan, Alcedo. A woman of the demon race, demon clan, Miisha. And the quiet man from the human race, team leader, Eikent. After that they asked me to join their team temporarily to hunt Orcs but they were fake adventurers who drugged me, and by the time I came too, I was already tied up. They then took my revolver and AK47, and sold me as a slave. They even took my engagement bracelet that matched Snows and destroyed it. Even now, remembering that made my blood boil. One of the guys who made me habour all that pent up resentment was now standing right in front of me. ButD (This is that Alcedo? No way! Its true that he looked similar, but just now he used body strengthening and at the same time created defense barrier in mid-air...strong enough to defense against AK47. One who is not a magician using magic recklessly like that will get all their magic drained in an instant and faint!) I had already experienced fainting due to using magic recklessly. They were fake adventurers that preyed on newbie adventurers, not magicians. That I knew for sure. However, he had used magic like that and still had not fainted, so he must have the capacity of at least a B minus magician or above. If one wasnt born with magic talent, they would never get any higher than B minus rank, there has never been anyone in history who has done so. My respected Eru-sensei had taught me that. Thats why it was definitely impossible. Yet, this fellow in front of me who looked like Alcedo talked to me with the same attitude and voice in my memory of long ago. Heee~, from the looks of it, you seem to have been freed from being a slave. To think that you survived and returned from the Demon continent with all your limbs attached. ...Looks like its Alcedo himself, no doubt about it. He knows that I was sold to Demon continent as a slave. Fortunately, I met good masters. I may even have to thank you lot for that. I dont plan to forgive you though. Interfering with my work as revenge You want to make her your own? As if! I didnt even know that you were here. Right. I just suddenly got this work recently too. Yahahaha! This encounter must be the work of the gods, right! Alcedo laughed comically from the bottom of his heart. If thats the case, so as to not meet again, I will slice your windpipe for you! He stepped in sharply. He flashed the knife on his hand in an experienced motion. I immediately strengthened my body. Then I took out my knife to repel his. I somehow managed to defend against his first attack, but as time passed and he poured in more magic into body enhancing, I couldnt keep up with his speed. Lute-kun! ! Snow and Chrisse looked over here with worried faces. They wanted to cover me, but Alcedo stuck to me like a snake and wouldnt let me distance myself from him. Our knives clashed. After Im done with you, Lute, I will be taking those two girls with me! And just like you long ago, I will sell them as slaves, to compensate for the loss this time, perhaps! Alcedo just kept provoking me. He poured in more magic, like he was about to crash into me. Even though I was about to run out of magicD! As if he knew that too, the smile of certain victory appeared on his face. Especially that beast race girl! Shes got awesome boobs. Before selling her, Ill taste test her first! Yahahaha! Maybe tonight, even! As if anyone would give trash like you their precious wivesOr rather, you shut your mouth, it smells like garbage! While our knives were still clashing, I pressed the switch on the knife. GyaaaAaaaaaaAaaaAa!!! Alcedo let go if his knife and covered one of his eyes. The defense barrier prevented his face from being stabbed too deeply it seemed, but his eye was stabbed by the knifes tip. The knife I was using was the Spetsnaz knife used by Russias special forces, I had planned to give it to Shia. It was a special knife that could shoot the blade by using spring power. The penetrating power was unexpectedly high too, in the previous world, I saw a video that demonstrated the knife piercing a phone book with ease. Now that the knife blade was gone, I threw the handle away, and rolled him over by kicking him. Without a moment of delay, I picked up the AK47 I had dropped and shot. GyAaAaaAA!!! His scream reverberated again. Just in case, I distanced myself from him and, without dropping my guard, kept the gun barrel pointed at him. To let Snow and Chrisse know that I was okay, I sent them a glance. Y, you son of a biatch. Using sach an undahanded method. LOL, being called unfair by you guys is like sex to my ears. TL note: ok i got a little too liberated here, but whatever - yuushing I spat out my hatred onto Alcedo, who was crying while dripping snot and drooling on the ground, and then shrugged. Well then, from taking the humane viewpoint into consideration, I didnt shoot you in the legs. The other two, Miisha and Eikent, where are they? I need to pay them a visit too. As, as if I know.... I broke off with those guys many years ago already. Besides, Alcedo endured the pain and laughed maniacally. Lute! You wont be able to settle your score with them! Why? Because Ive already killed them! He took out a syringe. The inside of which was full of green liquid. DWait! Syringe!? Wait a minute! Why does this world have syringes! This is the first time Ive seen it!? As I was captivated by the syringe, I couldnt stop Alcedos action in time. He stuck the needle into his neck and pumped the liquid inside in one shot. How dare you oppose me! How dare you bare your fang at our organization! You shitheads rebelled against our masterDthe man in black! I can see it even from here, Alcedos wound got healed in an instant due to the expanding magic power. He looked almost like a real beast, his hands were touching the ground, he bared his fangs and then howled. Ill fucking kill you all! Volume 5 - CH 87 Chapter 87 - The Witch of Ice and Snow After Alcedo injected himself with the green liquid-filled syringe, his magic power increased immediately. He got on all fours, like a real beast, and his fangs grew, dripping with saliva. GraaaAaaAA! !? I pointed the AK47 at him and went full auto! However, he carried his body just like a real beast and quickly dodged. I replaced the magazineDand he used that opening to shrink the distance between us. Alcedos leap kicked up the dirt and grass got behind him. His sharp claw left a shallow cut on my throat. BANG! That was the 7.62x51mmNATO round, a cover shot from Chrisse. However, Alcedo performed an evasive maneuver and took some distance. Looked like, even with Chrisse skill, it was still hard to get a direct hit on him. With my magazine replaced, I continued to aim for him, but the bullets just wouldnt hit. They did grazed him, but the wounds would just heal up instantly, due to his increased magic power. Thanks to the AK47 and Chrisse cover, we succeeded in not letting Alcedo approach. Still, our ammo is limited. We cant keep him at bay forever. (At time like this, if Lyss was here she could supply us with her infinite storage!) She underestimated her own spirits blessing, but if you asked me, it was the most wonderful power. To be able to carry around supplies without regard to their weight, it was like a dream power for the army. If she felt like it, she could carry all the guns she wanted and become something like an one man army. While I was thinking about something useless like that, I heard Snows voice from behind. Dance! Blizzard! Ice javelin! Let everything freeze over! Storm Edge! It was ice x wind intermediate magic. Snows small scaled tornado was spinning around in mid-air, and countless number of sharp blade of ice were dancing inside of that. A countless number of blades started shooting toward Alcedo, like they were shot from a machine gun. That was the duo performance of wind and ice. With her speciality, ice type magic, she targeted an area instead of a point. TL note: like the explanation in AIKI, she attacked like a shotgun, rather than a sniper rifle GraaaAaAA! Alcedo howled a warcry as he dodge, dodge, dodged! Thanks to the defense formation, enhanced eyesight, and physical ability, he dodged the ice blades continuously. Still, as expected, even he couldnt get out of it unscathed. A number of blades had stabbed his shoulders, arms, legs. A part of the grass plain looked like a pincushion, but he managed to make it so that all the blades missed his vital spots and only pierced him shallowly. I could only say that his evasion ability was absurd. Lute-kun! Chrisse-chan! Buy me a little bit of time! Eh!? Ah, got, got it! However, Snow didn''t worry about him evading her Storm Edge, and gave Chrisse and me instructions. She concentrated on Alcedo and started releasing an unusual amount of mana from inside her body. I didn''t know what she was trying to do, but my dear wife was telling me to buy time. Then, responding to that was a man''s duty, right! "Eat this!" I took the attacking concussive grenade in hand, pulled the pin with my teeth, and threw it. The concussive grenade was a hand grenade that dealt damage by using the shock waves from the explosion. Power-wise, it had an equally high power in an empty area without cover, but considering its average kill radius of 10 meters, it was small when compared to the fragmentation grenades. This was so that the thrower could use it even in a place without cover (and not get rolled up themselves). I chose the concussive grenade because this was an open plain without cover. As I threw the grenade, I stepped back with body-strengthening-assisted legs. A few seconds later, the grenade exploded and Alcedo was caught in the blast. "GrRRaaAAaaAAAAAAaAH!" It was his first time seeing a hand grenade, but since he knew about the AK-47, he immediately made a defense barrier, reducing damage to a minimum. Taking this as a chance, Chrisse fired! I heard a series of overlapping gunshot sounds. The bullets were stopped by the barrier however, it didn''t stop there. The first bullet bounced, the second cracked the barrier, and the third broke through it, lodging deeply in his shoulder. TL Note : was that a fucking chain strike?! With a fucking Bolt Action Rifle?! - rei_hunter Chrisse fired three shots consecutively, hitting the exact same spot of the defense barrier. I spontaneously doubted my eyes. In the previous world, there was a rifle shooting competition called benchrest shooting. It was a sport where people competed on how accurately they could shoot a target 100m away, on the level of millimeters. TL note: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thKBF0QYE6k In benchrest shooting, they didnt carry the rifle and shoot like normal rifle shooting. Instead, they rested it on a table, or bench and shot. Thanks to that they made the gun impractically heavy, to absorb the shock. They attached a high magnification scope, and even the cartridge wasnt store bought; they used their own handmade cartridge, assembled with their own gunpowder amount, case, bullets, and reloaded by hand. In this competition, one hole shotDthe holes made by the bullets piercing the target connect into one single hole, was the norm. However, Chrisse pulled it off in actual battle. In the competition, the target didnt move, was 100m away, used an impractically heavy gun and such, and only with those conditions could they pull off the one hole shot. Yet, Chrisse did it on a moving target at more than 100m away, three shots in a row without pause. It couldnt be helped that I doubted my own eyes. GraAaaAaAA! Ill kill you! Ill kill you! Ill kill yoooooooooooooooooou!!! Alcedo screamed like he had gone mad, he charged in while still spraying blood. The wounds caused by Snow a while ago werent healing, maybe his increased magic power was running low? Somehow, I felt that Alcedos movements were getting dull. He charged in a ghastly manner, but it no longer had the same sharpness it did at the start. I easily dodged, and shot the AK47 into him. The bullets hit his legs and he fell, rolling on the grassland. Sh, shit...I havent been able to move my body well for a while now. And why is it so cold. Alcedo breathed roughly, like he was feeling cold. His body was shaking, his complexion had gotten worse, and his lips started turning purple. It was like he had been tossed into the south pole without clothes. Phew, looks like it finally worked. Snow, is this your doing? Thats right, I stole his body heat with magic. Snow was like ehem and puffed up her splendid chest. According to her explanationDshe could steal the body heat of an enemy she had wounded with her magic, it seemed. The wounded enemy would gradually lose body heat, and by the time they realized it, they would already be shaking like they had been tossed out into a blizzard naked. What a heinous ability. So that was why Snow got the second name of the witch of ice and snow. As expected of a A- rank magician. Was that something you learned while training under the master called the freezing witch ? U-un, its not. This is just something like a bonus, master taught me something even more amazing. Even more amazing than this...I couldnt imagine it. Not yet! Im not done yet! As Alcedo yelled, he took out a new syringe. This time he didnt inject, but tossed it into his mouth and crunched it to drink the contents. Hyahyahyahya!!! Ill kill you! Ill definitely kill all of you! However, his wish didnt become true. After he drank the content of the syringe, his body suddenly swelled up here and there. Gugaaa!? AaaaA!!! Just like a balloon that was being pumped with air until it was about to burst. After a certain point, Alcedos body bursted, scattering blood everywhere, just like a fountain. GYAaaaAAaaa!!-------------------- The area was covered with the thick smell of blood, making it was stuffy. With just a glance, one could understand that Alcedo was already dead. He was a guy I wished to take revenge on, but in the end, he destroyed himself. Snow and Chrisse, approached me while still being cautious. ......This man, why did he die at the end, I wonder? Just a hypothesis, the syringeDthat drug, he probably overdosed. If you kept using an abnormal drug to increase your magic power, then it wasnt strange for something to happen. I walked to Alcedo and picked up the broken syringe. Man in black. Syringe. Magic increasing drug. Due to the many things that happened in a short amount of time, I wasnt able to put my thoughts together. Just, I sensed a chill, like there was a sinister shadow that gently brushed against my back. Volume 5 - CH 88 Chapter 088 - Camouflage I put the broken syringe into my now empty magazine pouch so that I could investigate things later. Nngh Lute-kun, are you okay? Once I relaxed, the pain took over my body. Snow, Chrisse, and the saberwolf Lexy ran up to me. Thanks to Snows healing magic, my wounds immediately disappeared. Thanks, Snow. Luna, too, you arent injured, are you? There are cuff marks on my hands and legs, but aside from that, Im okay. Since I wasnt treated roughly. I see, its good that youre safe and sound. I sighed in relief. From her appearances, it didnt look like she got assaulted, and she replied in her usual cheerful tone. There didnt seem to be any problem mentally either, for now. Well, since we rescued Luna safely, lets go back to the airship. After we returned to the airship, I will have Meiya remove the cuffs on your hands and legs, so until then, please bear with it. Luna and Chrisse would ride on the saberwolf Lexys back. Snow and I would run back while using body enhancing technique. After we returned to the airship, I will ask Meiya to remove the magic preventing cuffs. Meanwhile, Snow, Chrisse and I would wait in the living room. We would have Lexy sit in a corner of the room, too. The destination of the airship was, of course, the High Elf Kingdom Enol. There was a possibility that the barrier had been destroyed and the seal had become undone already. We returned together with Luna, whose magic=preventing cuffs had been taken off by Meiya. The first thing she did was express her gratitude for the rescue, and she lowered her head. I, Luna Enol Mema, the 3rd princess of High Elf Kingdom Enol, am truly thankful for the rescue. I will never forget this favor. She thanked us formally and lowered her head, like a real princess with etiquette. Teehee actually Im a fake, she wouldnt prank us like that or anything, would she? But, Im really glad that you are safe. This is thanks to Chrisse stopping the wagon. [It was thanks to oniichan getting me inside the effective range without getting noticed.] Well then, it was thanks to the camo net made from magic liquid metal that you could successfully be camouflaged, right? Meiya joined her hands happily. CamouflageDwas the technique to change your appearance to fool the enemy into thinking it was just something else. It was also called disguise. It was originally a French word that meant to hide. It got adopted into English around the time of WW1. In order to approach the wagon transporting Luna, I returned to the airship once. Using the magic liquid metal on the airship, and with Meiyas help, I made the metal net for disguise. Then we went ahead of where the transporting wagon was going. I pasted grass onto the metal net and let the camouflaged Chrisse lay in wait inside of the effective range. It wasnt just the net. The helmet that Chrisse dislike, and even the M700P, I stuck grass to them all. To make it doubly sure, I even thoroughly painted Chrisse face with face paint. She had already wiped the paint off with a wet towel. Luna hugged Chrisse. Thank you, Chrisse-chan, for saving me! You were really cool, just like a hero in the picture book! Chrisse-chan is Lunas hero-sama! Chrisse was showered with Lunas praise, but she looked somewhat dissatisfied. [Its good that Luna is safe. But as for me, I felt that I was lacking in power.] Chrisse turned to me. [Lute-oniichan, this M700P is a wonderful sniper rifle, but I want a bigger magazine. If I had a few more bullets, Id have been able to cover Luna-chan better, and more safely.] Isnt that the train of thought of a sniper from the special forces, during a hostage rescue mission with multiple terrorists? Ive made the PKM, the general purpose machine gun and 7.62x54mmR rounds. Since Chrisse was asking, I might have to make the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) as well. Got it. After this incident is over, Ill try making one. [Thank you! Lute-oniichan.] Chrisse heard my answer and smiled happily. We then rested until we arrived at High Elf Kingdom Enol. I changed into plain clothes in the room I was given, and took out the broken pieces of the syringe. I remembered the self-destructed Alcedo. Rather than feeling a sense of accomplishment from paying him back, I was dominated by a bad feeling. Maybe in this world, aside from me, there are other people with memories carried from the previous world, from earth? If there were, then what were they planning to do? I had a feeling that, in a place that we dont know off, something big was moving. I couldnt get rid of the kind of icky feeling of unease that was stuck in my chest. Wha, what is that!? After we rescued Luna from the kidnappers, we returned to Enol in haste. When we noticed something was wrong, we looked over the deck and saw smoke rising from Woodcastle, and the silhouette of something flying. It was a monster with a lizard head, bird wings and dragon tail. That was a Basilisk, according to what was written in the record book. In other words, it seemed that the barrier stone had been destroyed like the prediction had said. The birds resting by the lake were startled by the basilisk and scattered. With just one glance, the basilisk turned the flock of birds into stones. The petrified birds fell into the lake. If we just let it go outside like that, the damage to the people living outside of the lake would be heavy. We couldnt let it go. At first, we planned to land the airship outside the lake today. Then we would go to Woodcastle and inform Lyss of Lunas safety the next day. However, since the barrier stone had been destroyed like the prediction stated, we decided to fly straight to the castle. In that case, the basilisk would probably notice us. If we didnt somehow take it down, we couldnt get close to the castle. Lyss was probably in danger, so we couldnt waste any time. This was where Chrisse came into play. She held the M700P in her hand and jammed in the magazine with 5 7.62x51mm high-explosive magic stone rounds. She stood at the nose of the ship, letting the wind play with her hair. Chrisse, preparation complete? My wife nodded, and looked forward. Dead ahead of the ship, the basilisk was about to charge in. Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!! An ear ringing neigh. Maybe the basilisk felt as if the ship was picking a fight with it, because it charged in at full speed. It was so big that it could swallow Chrisse with ease. Even though that basilisk was approaching at full speed, she didnt look perturbed at all. She heightened her focus and sang the Riflemans Creed that I had taught her. 줾Ҥ饤ե롣˶यƤΤɡ줾ΨһΤΡThis is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. Ҥ饤ե뤳ҤHѡҤҤϼy٤뤫Τ褦ˤΤޤޤȤ롶My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life My rifle is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it, as I must master my life. Ҥ饤եҟoƤϟoζ饤ե֤ҤoζҤ饤ե⤭ŤĤ٤ҤҤ򚢤Ȥ딳؞٤ҤϔĤĤ٤ҤӑĤǰˡMy rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will My rifle, without me, is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy, who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will Ҥ饤եҤ֪롢ΑˤƴФʤΤϡҡŤä衢ҡ𤳤kҡˤä줿κΤǤoȤҡ⤹DDkФǤȤȤMy rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit My rifle and I know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, and the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit Ҥ饤եҤͬˤǤ롣ҤΤΡҤֵܡҤϡΏβƷθƷ՜|DDȫƤ֪ǤҤ򤽤褦ˡ饤ե坍ˤȫ˱ҤϻˤһȤʤ롶My rifle is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will My rifle is human, just like me, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn about it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its sights, and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will. ǰˡҤҤĤҤ饤ե뤽ҤҤҤoߤʤꡣҡϔߡҤξȜgߤʤ꡶Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my family. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my family. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. ҡΤΡҡ΄ᡢʤ礬LǤSo be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy So be it, until victory is ours and there is no enemy. While standing at the nose of the ship in the night sky, hugging her deep black sniper rifle, Chrisse recited the creed with her angelic voice, her golden hair dancing in the air. Her cheeks were flushed due to the cold air. Everything was so beautiful, it was like a masterpiece of a painting. Suuu... The faint sound of her breathing in. Haaa Chrisse readied her M700P. The distance to the basilisk was probably under 500m. DBANG! The 7.62x51mm high-explosive magic stone round traced the line Chrisse had drawn in her mind and pierced the eye that the basilisk used to petrify. The impacted bullets inertia caused the firing hammer to hit the detonator, thus destroying the magic stone, and made it explode! Piii!.........iiii The basilisk was killed by the explosion inside its skull, which made blood spurt out from its eyes, nose, and mouth. Its wings stopped flapping, and it fell into the lake. A large amount of water shot up. So coooooooooool! As expected of Lunas hero-sama! Luna, struck with awe, ran over and hugged Chrisse. Being praised and hugged by Luna, Chrisse blushed. Alright! Well then, were going straight to the castle, like this! Meiya, wont you please carry out the preparation for the aforementioned insurance? Snow, please help Meiya out. Got it, Lute-kun! Fu, fu, fu! Finally, its time for THAT, which was mainly developed by me, to debut! After hearing my instruction, Snow replied cheerfully, but Meiya laughed ominously and went back inside the ship. The ship just kept storming straight towards the castle. Volume 5 - CH 89 Chapter 089 - Secret weapon After we defeated the basilisk above the lake, the airship continued to press toward the inside of Woodcastle, just like that. Originally, if we tried to fly over the castle, we would get shot down and couldnt even complain. However, since the barrier stone was destroyed, there was no one to criticize us. Or rather, we could save Lyss from a pinch exactly because we quickly rushed in from the unobstructed sky. There was a basilisk hovering over the castle. Chrisse shot a 7.62x51mm high-explosive magic stone round through its eye socket, making the bullet explode inside its skull, and killed it. Noticing Lyss, Luna called out from the airship and waved her hands to let Lyss know that she was all right. Oneechaaaaan! Having confirmed her sisters safety, Lyss showed a relieved expression. However, the current situation was an urgent one. Shia had been wounded. Her maid clothes were stained with blood and her eyes were closed. It looked like she was unconscious. From the destroyed barrier stone, dragoons were coming out in large numbers. As I thought, it would really reach the number 10000 that was written in the record book. Considering the barbed wire was gone, they did good holding out with just the PKM. To not let their hard works be in vain, I couldnt let the damage increase anymore. Snow! Meiya! Have you finished the preparation!? Its ok! It can go anytime! I nodded at their powerful replies, and called out loud to Lyss, who was hugging Shia below. Make a foxhole right now and take cover inside it! Im gonna shoot a really big firework! Lyss heard my words and instructed the soldiers behind her. The magicians cooperated and made a big, deep hole, and they hid inside it. Lyss also made a foxhole by herself and hid in it with Shia. After Id confirmed that everyone had taken cover, I went and stood in front of the automatic grenade launcher that was based on the Mk19, which I made at the same time as the PKM (general purpose machine gun) as insurance. Now then, what was an automatic grenade launcher? Grenade came from the Spanish word granada, which means pomegranate fruit. A grenade that was designed to be thrown by hand is called a hand grenade. In regards to a grenade launcher, you didnt throw it manually like a hand grenade; it was a tool to launch the grenade forward D called a grenade launcher (its name changes depending on if its a rifle model, or pistol model etc., but for now lets just call them all grenade launcher). Normal grenade launchers could only shoot one shot before having to reload, and other models could reach 5~6 shots, but the automatic grenade launcher I made this time used a belt link to link the grenades together (like a machine guns ammo belt) and could continuously shoot 30~50 shots. If you could continuously shoot grenades that would explode and shower fragments around, then it would be more effective at defeating enemies hiding in bushes or on the riverside than the machine gun; it was a weapon that was made with that ideology. The construction was also simple, just applying the shooting mechanism of a heavy machine gun to grenades. However, the ammo for the automatic grenade launcher was 40mm big, so it couldnt be helped that the launcher was also big. So normally you would attach a tripod to stabilize it, or attach it to a vehicle or boat. This time, I attached the automatic grenade launcher at the nose of the airship with a tripod and pointed the barrel toward the barrier stone where the dragoons were pouring out. Pomf!, the sound of the grenade launcher was a lot less intimidating than the general-purpose machine gun PKM. However, the effect of one shot didnt even begin to compare. Gyaaaagyaa!! The dragoons coming out of the barrier stone were planning to surround Lyss and everyone else, but the 40mm round shot from the airship hit the ground. The magic stone packed inside the round got destroyed and raised a column of flames. At the same time, the small iron balls packed inside the 40mm round, as well as shrapnel, flew out into the surrounding area at high speed. Even the dragoons 100~200m away from the impact point fell down. Frankly speaking, compared to the 40mm rounds in the previous world, the power was overwhelmingly higher. It was because of the idea I got from the time I fought the twin dragon: using a magic stone. The magic stone used was bigger than that of the 7.62x51mm high-explosive magic stone round, and the power of one shot boasted the destructive power of a high-end intermediate level spell. It also had the special perk that the manufacturing process was simpler than the normal 40mm round. Once you pulled the trigger, it became a monstrous mechanism that could continuously shoot 50 shots (buckshot) at the level of high-end intermediate level spell. As for the demerits, you may get criticized by other merchants as a result of hoarding a large amount of magic stones.Another was because of using magic stone that costs around 3 gold (300 thousand) per shot. Magic stones not charged with magic power were way cheaper though But we didnt have time to charge them, and we couldnt use empty magic stones either. But thanks to that, I had created a total of 300 rounds of 40mm explosive magic stone buckshot. A simple calculation shows that they cost 900 gold (90 million yen). The source of the funds was from borrowing from Meiya, the bounty money from capturing the twin magicians, and the estimated money for the twin dragons corpse. Of course, I would send the bills to the High Elf Kingdom properly later. Pomf! Pomf! Pomf! TL note: Wah, what are we gonna do on the ship? - yuushin Due to the cartridge being big, the shooting speed became lower than the machine gun, at 300 to 400 rounds per minute. Even so, in reality, the audible shooting sounds were absurdly fast. Once the rounds impacted, fierce flame burst forth. Scattering iron balls punched holes into the enemies faces and bodies. Said flames entered the holes opened by said balls and roasted the dragoons from inside. On the ground was the very picture of hell. HAHAHA! The ones running away are the dragoons! The ones who cant run away are the dragoons who had practiced a lot! Really, the High Elf Kingdom is hell! Is that so? Standing beside to support me was Snow, and she tilted her head and asked. With a troubled face, Lute answered with his usual tone. No, I just screamed like that because I was excited, so dont mind me. Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!! An ear ringing neigh. While I was conversing with Snow, a basilisk showed itself from the destroyed barrier stone. The one that came out this time seemed to be the biggest. However, before this Mk19 model automatic grenade launcher, it was just a slightly bigger lizard. Nothing more, nothing less. Before it could take off, I pounded a round of 40mm explosive magic stone buckshot onto its back. Piiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!! With just one shot, the basilisks chicken wings were burned down into pieces and it was robbed of its ability to fly. I shot a few more rounds, aiming at the ground to nail it in one place. At the end, I aimed at its head, and the iron balls packed inside turned it into a beehive. I overwhelmed it without giving it any time to use the petrifying magic eye. Since the dragoons were flooding out from the destroyed barrier stone, I aimed at the opening and shot. The grenades went inside the hole and exploded. Pomf! Pomf! Pomf! Over and over and over, I kept shooting while aimed at the opening hole. The dragoons coming out became prey to the flame, explosion, and iron buckshot immediately. By the time I spent all the ammo, most of the basilisks and dragoons were annihilated. We landed the airship at the barrier stone square. Oneechan! Luna jumped down the airship, ran towards, and hugged her big sister, Lyss. Lyss also hugged her little sister, who returned safely. When we reached where they were standing, they stopped hugging and wiped the tears from their eyes. Lute-san, everyone Thank you for saving my sister, and my country. Without minding the soldiers, she bowed her head really low. I smiled at her. Dont sweat it. Arent we comrades? Yes, youre right. We are precious comrades. While her eyes were still soaked with tears, her chest throbbed as she raised a beautiful laugh. Just like that, we had successfully avoided the High Elf Kingdom Enols destruction crisis that was written about in the record book. ----------------- Authors Notes Hurray! 10 million views reached! Volume 5 - CH 90 Chapter 90 - Legion Name By daybreak, the frenzy of hell had finally quieted down. There were still dragoons coming out from the destroyed barrier stone, but it was just one or two at a time. Just the elves and dark elves soldiers were enough to deal with them. There seemed to be something under the barrier stone that spawns dragoons and basilisks indefinitely. Maybe its the entrance to a dungeon. For now, so that they would not gush out all at once like last night, they would solicit help from soldiers and adventurers to attack the barrier stone dungeon periodically. They would request the guild before long. A few days after the barrier stones destruction, we were summoned to the throne room. It was an audience with the king of High Elf Kingdom, Enol. First of all, as thanks for saving this country and my daughter, LunaD Together with the kings words of gratitude, a single knife was carefully brought over and given to me. It was a simple knife with the symbol of the High Elf Kingdom carved on the scabbard. A knife that was made from the rare metal, orichalcum, with the already lost technique. It was an item that didnt even have a price on the normal market. If I wasnt wrong, the rapier that Lyss brought on the giant scorpion extermination was also made from orichalcum. I remember she tried to use that rare sword to chop a tree into firewood. I smirked as I remembered that, while the king continued on with his speech. To give praise to Lute, who did a meritorious service of saving my country, I confer you the title of [Honour Knight]. Ooooh! Upstart! I wont get annuity, land, and responsibility, but in exchange, I can have a position like that of the High Elf Clan, to some extent, while being of human race. In other words, I could now freely enter and exit Woodcastle. There had been no human given patronage by a High Elf noble before in history, except the human hero. I was the second one, it seemed. Now this was a pretty spectacular feat. For the nobles and wealthy merchants that wanted to get close to the High Elf Clan, they would probably want this title so bad that their uvula would turn into a hand to grab it. Also, by making me a noble, they probably wanted to make up for the attempt to kidnap Chrisse, hoping that I wouldnt turn it into a big fuss, since the criminals were high elves. Of course, the high elf youngsters who orchestrated the kidnapping and the human involved would be punished, or so the king promised me. From the look of his face, the punishment seemed like it would be severe. Well, his beloved daughter almost got sold off, so that much is obvious. They also investigated the organization that transported Luna, but they couldnt get any details. Furthermore, due to the incident this time, the king was moving to make the guild let me become level 5 adventurer. Keeping an adventurer that defeated giant scorpions, dragoons, basilisks one after another at level 3 or below was unthinkable. When I had the time, go to the guild and finish the procedure, he said. In addition to that, all the expenses for this time would be Enols responsible, and the same amount would be put out as my reward. The money I used to buy Shia as a slave would also be included, but for releasing Shia from slavery or not, they left it up for me to decide. TN note: sweet, high elf and dark elf, GET If you have any trouble, our country will lend you our full power as repayment. We definitely wont forget this debt of gratitude. The king gave thanks as if revealing his true feeling. Again, he told me that since I was an honour knight now, he wanted me to decide on a family name and coat of arms in a few days. Family name and coat of arms huh it was probably better to discuss it with Snow and everyone. Furthermore, during the upcoming few days, a victory party will be held so please participate, he said. There was no reason to refuse it, so I accepted. We bowed and left the throne room. Next, the place Snow, Chrisse, Shia and I were facing was the Adventurers Guild outside of the lake. We came for the procedure to level up to level 5. We were led to a different room of the Adventurers Guild, a private room, and were currently being explain to about legion again by the little sister of the receptionist who always took care of me in the Dragon Continent. Youve heard about the requirements to create a legion, right? Yes, Ive heard it from your sister. Well then, I will explained about the next step. The receptionist girl started explaining. First, upon creating a legion, please decide on the legions name and insignia. For the insignia, if the founder is a noble, their family coat of arms can be used. Of course, theres no problem if you want to create a new one. In that case, lets use the coat of arms that I will use as the noble coat of arms for the legion flag as well. There are many adventurers who dont belong to a legion and dont know this, but there is also legions rank. I didnt know that legion also had a rank like adventurers. Its not ranked in number, but copper, silver, gold, mithril and orichalcum. The Adventurers Guilds quests that are issued will be based on this legions ranking system. Copper is newbie. Silver is veteran. Gold is professional. Mithil is first class. Orichalcum is top class. Just like the adventurers tag, a legions rank will be decided by the Adventurers Guild. The evaluation criteria will be fair, no discrimination based on ones race or anything. We swear on the name of the five races heroes. The legions way of doing things didnt concern the Adventurers Guild. However, if they became too malignant, then the Guild would interverne. Unlike a normal adventurer, a legion has common practice, principle, and power. There were also cases where an adventurer reached level 5, created a legion, then lost their life due to that. Even so, do you still want to create one? Of course. However, if that is so, then why do you let them do as they please? The guild wishes for stronger organizations, human resources, developments Since they may cross sword with powerful enemies like dragons, giants, or the most evil demon king in the future. Demon king huh the Adventurers Guild thinks of some dangerous stuff. Though actually, the monsters are getting more fiendish by the years, and there are not enough hands to deal with them. The adventurers can only deal with them once in a while, and their levels are also all over the place, not uniformed, so its hard to mobilize them as an organization. (Putting it nicely would be polish yourself, get stronger huh? Putting it frankly would be Strength is everything, the Adventurers Guild wont intervene, huh? If you think like that, then the world views of legion and adventurer are pretty different.) Adventurer basically only needed to think for themselves, and in some cases, their comrades or teammates too. However, a legion operated as an organization. Like a company versus a one-man business. The more detailed main points are written here, so please definitely look over them once. In the stack of paper that was handed to me, there was legion affiliate numbers, rough annual activities reports, bases locations, request counter, tax calculation form, new personnel admission procedures and so on. Quite a lot of detailed important points and essential items were written down. To look over all of these and understand them, looks like its gonna take a while. The receptionist girl understood my pain and showed a smile. Well then, in the next few days, please prepare three things: the legions name, flags design, and registration fee. Um, is it fine to let you know of the name first? Yes, of course, no problem. She nodded with a smile, so I told her the legion name that I had already decided on long ago, that I had been keeping in my heart. The legions name is: PEACEMAKER. At that moment, the name of the legion that would become legend was decided. -------------------------- It has finally got to the legions name announcement! Next is the family name and coat of arms design in the making. I want to press on without a break! Volume 5 - CH 91 Chapter 091 - PEACEMAKER Amongst the Colt Companys many single action revolvers used in the Old West of America, which had a variety of barrel lengths, calibers, and names, the most famous was probably the [Colt Peacemaker]. The [Colt Peacemaker] was too famous, and it created many misunderstandings. It was generally thought that the origin of the word [Peacemaker] came from the ninth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament: Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.. However, that was a misunderstanding. The man who created the Colt company, Samuel Colt, had a wife named Elizabeth, and she was deeply religious, so it was misunderstood that the name [Peacemaker] was taken from the bible and given to the gun. In fact, the person who settled disputes in a bar, the mediator, was called a peacemaker, so the reason it was named Peacemaker was not because it was the thing that brings about peace to the West, but more of the tool to bring an end to conflict. When I named the legion PEACEMAKER, I wished that we could be peacemakers, like it was written in the bible. However, of course, at the same time, I didnt forget that it also had the meaning of the one who settles dispute. With that, the legion name was decided. What was left were the design for the legions flag and the coat of arms, as well as the family name as an Honour Knight. I had discussed those with Snow and everyone in the guest room in Woodcastle that was provided for us. In the room were Snow, Chrisse, Meiya, Shia, Lyss, Luna and me. Shia devoted herself to serving tea in a maid uniform. TL note: maid mode: activated The one who lead the discussion was obviously me. Well then, first off is the family name, got any ideas? A safe suggestion would be our birthplace, Hoard. How about it? TL note: previously translated as Hod, gonna change it to Hoard from now on Snow answered first. Lute Hoard, huh? Doesnt sound bad. But isnt Hoard the territory of other people? Arbitrarily using their lands name for our name is not wise, I think. Youre right. Then Hoard is a no-go. Upon Lyss pointing that out, I promptly dismissed the Hoard suggestion. [Then how about using my familys name?] Chrisse family name is Vlad. Lute Vlad, huh? Doesnt sound bad either, but that means Im marrying into her family? Its not bad! Its not bad, but lets put it aside for now. Next, raising her hand with great vigour...or rather, she had already stood up, Meiya gave a suggestion while breathing roughly. Then, Lute-sama, how about my family name, Dragoon? Lute Dragoon, huh? Not bad, but thats Meiyas face turned red at my gaze. No, its not like theres any special meaning or anything. Its just! Its just a suggestion! For your information, since its the Dragon Kingdom that rules over the dragon continent, we took something that sounds close to that for our name. In short! Its a family name with respected honour. Even if the super genius magic tool inventor Lute-sama takes it for his name, its still worth bragging for! G, got it. Ill add it to the candidate list for now. TL Note : wew, almost. Yuushing must be writhing in pain. While breathing roughly, Meiya said it all at once. Overwhelmed, I unconsciously nodded. There were suggestions from Luna too, with names of the heroes from picture book and whatnot, but I guess theres no way I can use those, so I rejected. Chrisse was proactive about Lunas suggestions, but it was kind of embarrassing for me. We could no longer think of any more names after that, so we decided to put the topic on hold for the time being. Next on the agenda list was the victory party. Though I am grateful for being invited to the victory party, I dont know how to dance. How about the rest of you? Ive never danced either. [I took lessons from my parents when I was still small, though that was a very long time ago, so I dont know if Ill be able to dance well.] As Snow and Chrisse said this, Meiya and Lyss, who were sitting on the opposite side, spoke. As a lady, I have experience in it. As we sisters often attend formal gatherings, we have no problems with it. In short, Snow and I had no experience, and Chrisse hadnt practiced for a long time. Since Shia volunteered as a servant that day, this matter didnt concern her. Then, Luna should teach Chrisse-chan! Lets dance together on that day, okay? [Yes. Please treat me well.] Luna and Chrisse held each others hands with smiles on their faces. It was a very heartwarming sight. Princess, would you like to teach young master and Madame Snow? Sh-Shia!? Lyss raised her voice at Shias proposal with a red face. Meiya then boldly raised her hand. I also want to volunteer! As his first disciple, his right arm, and his trusted retainer, I will do my best to tutor Lute-sama! Certainly, it would be difficult for the princess to teach two at the same time, so it would be greatly appreciated if Meiya-sama would come to help. I agree. Well then, Lyss, Meiya, well be under your care from now on." Ill do my best to learn. Snow and I requested to the two. Though Meiya was energetic as usual, Lyss was staring at Shia reproachfully, with a red face. The person in question, Shia, was calm and composed, so I thought there was no problem, but Loss in thoughts, I looked at Lyss. And Lyss, noticing my stare, ...........uu. Blushed and averted her eyes from me. Lyss face when red to the ears was really cute. Volume 5 - CH 92 Chapter 092 - Lyss'' thoughts When the meeting to decide Lutes family name was over, I C the second princess of the High Elf Kingdom of Enol, Lyss Enol Mema, went back to my room. Shia, my guard maid, served as the waitress of the room and was currently pouring me a cup of scented tea with a cool expression. Overcome by my emotions, I unintentionally criticized her speech and behavior from a while ago. Shia, what were you thinking back then? Lute-san has two wives already, so why did you do something like making me get closer to him? Is there a problem? I was certain that your highness was yearning for the young master, so I intend to give your highness a push, but- Y-yyyyearning for? To yearn for a gentleman who is already married is! Your Highness, please calm down. High Elves are known to bind to only one person in their whole lifetime, and according to history, there were cases where one married a second or even a third wife. Also, I think that in those cases, their feelings werent forced, you know? Ce-certainly, there were cases like those, but W-what about Shia? You also want to be tied to Lute-san, right? Well, I am young masters slave. Shia said with a proud expression, as if wanting to say that she did have a visible bond with Lute. The slave money used to buy her had already been paid back by Enol. The money Lute-san borrowed from Meiya-san was already repaid, too. However, Shia declined Lute-sans proposal of being released as his slave. I still want to continue being young masters slave, she said. I thought Shia was a little sly. My feelings for the young master are closer to that of a fellow soldier, rather than a lover or a married couple. Therefore, please dont worry about me, and convey your own feelings to the young master. Im sure madam Snow and madam Chrisse will understand. DD I had a dream, albeit a small one. The days spent with Lute-san, Snow-san, and Chrisse-san. It was very sweet dream, full of warmth and happiness. But Shia, I understand what you think. However, I am the next-in-line as the queen of Enol, and I plan to fulfill my duty, so I cant do something like having feelings towards Lute-san. Thats why, please dont worry about me anymore. Your highness Theres nothing else left to do today, so Shia, please take a rest. With lowered brows, she curtsied and left the room. The steam from the cup of the scented tea swayed heartrendingly. I stood up from my seat, and fell onto the bed. Something like having feelings for Lute-san I murmured that, but I couldnt deceive myself. I really yearned for Lute-san. But when had I fallen for him? I closed my eyes and thought back. In the inn outside the lake, where we met for the first time. I was accompanied by Shia, and was waiting in a room. I remembered my heart throbbing so hard and it just wouldnt stop Hes a nice person, that was my first impression of him. Even though they seem to come from someplace far away, he still extended his hand to us without any hesitation at all. I believed Shias words, of a hero who would come to help the High Elf Kingdom. That moment when he held my hands, I felt something go through my body. That Lute-san came to us, might be destiny for me. Or so I thought. but, the person already had two wives. Though I revered him as the hero who saved this country, there were no feelings of affection for the opposite sex mixed in. I opposed my father and went to the giant scorpion extermination with Lute-san. En route, Lute-san got worried about me, who had gotten sick from the carriage. He put his hand on my head, which seemed to be hot, and called out how much time was left until we arrived. Whenever his hand touched my body, I always felt a nice feeling. However, I kept on pretending not to notice. In the middle of the trip, I got to know the world outside the castle, and was also forced to realize how ignorant and useless I was. When I tried to use the live tree for firewood, Lute-san was shocked. Looking at his expression, I was so embarrassed that I wanted to disappear at that time. Whenever I wanted to show off something to him, I always made a mistake. I was so ashamed. Still, Lute-san stayed kind to me the entire time. I am worthless outside the castleand whenever Im inside, I was always compared to older sister, and was looked down due to the obvious differences in our abilities. Then, I realized that, whether inside or outside, I was worthless. However, Lute-san didnt abandon such a worthless me, and even regarded me as a precious comrade. Even though it was my turn to keep watch, I slept and just wouldnt wake up. He said, Because youre my friend, its only natural to save each other in times of need. I, who was unwanted by everyone, was recognized as a comrade by my hero. I had made Lute, whom I liked very much, accept me as a comrade. To the nonchalant him, this might have all been natural. But for me, oh how happy was I on hearing those words? Furthermore, in the latest fight, where Lute received the venomous sting of a giant scorpion due to my carelessness, I desperately cured him from the poison. After that, I apologized to him frantically, but Lute and the others gave me thanks instead of blaming me for what Ive done. I could still remember the words from that time clearly. I dont know what kind of person Lyss older sister is. But for me, I think its really great that Lyss is my comrade. Thanks to Lyss, we were not worried about the baggage anymore, I was saved from the brink of death when I received the sting due to your detoxification, and we were able to defeat the giant scorpion safely with the Panzerfaust. Thats what he said. He looked straight at my eyes and told his true feelings. Therefore, Ill say this no matter how many times you want. I am so glad to have Lyss as my comrade His smile, which would make one think that those words were from the bottom of his heart, got through to me. That time, I felt that I had become a friend in the truest sense. I felt that it was possible for a person like me to stay next to him. Then Lute-san rescued my kidnapped younger sister, Luna. Then, just like a real hero who had come out of the picture books, he dashed to save me, who was in a pinch and surrounded by large crowds of enemies. Back then, when I saw Lute-sans face --- my chest tightened so hard and so painfully, and tears of joy overflowed like it was natural. I dont know when I started to yearn for Lute-san as a member of the opposite sex. However, I could not lie to my feelings. Right now, I am sureI love Lute-san. Thats certain. My true feeling that had always been hidden, for I was bound by this country. I wanted to continue being by his side, even if I couldnt be number one. I wanted to forever support his dream, helping people in need. I wanted to save people, weak like me and asking for help, together with Lute-san. I wanted to follow Lute-san, whenever, wherever. DDBut I could not abandon this country. It was natural for the royalty to throw away our selfishness. Hadnt I resolved myself to be engaged to another party back then? I thought I could, but I wasnt able to stop the sadness oozing from my chest being torn apart, and the tears wouldnt stop flowing. It stained the newly washed pure white sheets, causing wrinkles with every drop. (Today, just for today, lets cry it all out. So that tomorrow, everything will be back to normal...) I made such an excuse to myself, letting the tears flow from my eyes. Lute-sanmy heroI I pressed my face against the pillow further, until the sobbing stopped. Without caring about how much my tears would stain them anymoreDD Volume 5 - CH 93 Chapter 093 - Lyss'' thoughts 2 After deciding the name of the household and the coat of arms, we started the dance lesson for the victory party immediately. The training area was a large vacant room. Though it was a must to wear extravagant clothes in a ball, I had told everyone to be in their usual attires---which I, the Second Princess of the High Elf Kingdom Enol, Lyss Enol Mema, regretted at this point. (Aaah, why am I so fired up for? At this rate, Ill become a girl who cant read the atmosphere!) Even though Lute-san and the others came in their everyday clothes when we went on a trip back then, I was currently wearing my formal dress for business use inside of the castle. (If I change my clothes with the ones suited for travelingB-but for a princess of a country to wear travel clothes inside the castle is) Then, so that we dont waste any time, shall we begin the dance practice? Breaking the ice, Lute-san, who didnt notice my turmoil, started doing a light warm-up exercise. Well then, Chrisse-chan! Lets practice with Luna over there! [Please take it easy on me.] The two people whose heights were not very different from each other joined hands and secured their own training grounds. Luna is so cheerful and lively, completely the opposite of me. Im so jealous of her (It would be nice to be able to say I like you to the person whom I love dearly, but Wait! Didnt I decide to cut off any lingering regrets last night! I must stop hesitating and dragging it on any longer!) I shook my head left and right, along with the strange ideas in my mind. Are you okay, Lyss? Youre shaking your head. Do you have a headache? N-no, its nothing! Im okay! Please dont worry about it! Aaah, hes worried about me! Right after I was going to forget about it, my chest throbs madly just from him calling out to me! I felt my cheeks blushing. I tried to hold back with all my might to prevent my mouth from breaking out into a grin. Well then, the basics of the dance lessons will be taught by this me! Lute-samas number one disciple, right hand, and trusted retainer, Meiya Dragoon will be your companion! then Ill be the one to teach the basics to Snow-san. On the inside, my grin crumbled with sadness, but I still tried to maintain my casual smile on the outside, and when I turned to face Snow-san... Meiya-chan teaching Lute-kun is no good. Wh-why is that!? Because somehow, its unpleasant. Lyss-chan, can you please teach Lute-kun how to dance? Lute-kun, thats okay with you, right? Aaah, I dont really mind. Yes, then its decided. Meiya-chan will teach me, okay? No waaay Snow-san dragged Meiya-san away. Snow-san looked back and sent me a meaningful glance DD had she, by any chance, noticed my feelings!? But, if its Snow-san, then it might be possible She had a strangely sharp intuition, after all. However, her trying to stick me and Lute-san together meant... Lyss. Hiyaaa!? Upon being called by Lute-san, I let out a strange shriek on reflex. Auuuuu He will definitely think Im a weird girl! S-sorry. I seem to have surprised you. N-n-not at all, I should be the one apologizing for letting out a strange cry. S-so, shall we begin the dance practice? Yes. So, what should I do? Uhmm, then first we shouldDD We took each others hands and began the dance practice. Just knowing that our fingers were touching made me feel hot and my heart throb. Though it was only for a short time, I was able to dance hand-in-hand with Lute-san. The day of the victory party. In the party, only the High Elves were present in the great hall. Everybody greeted and expressed their gratitude to Lute-san, who saved the country, one after another. When the greetings were over, the dance started immediately. Lute-san and Snow-san took each others hands first and danced to the music, followed by Chrisse-san. The three people were able to finish the dance without flaws, thanks to the result of the practice. They looked dazzling as I stared at them. So dazzling that I could never reach them anymore. I was absorbed by a gloomy feeling, just like the one I felt when I had an inferiority complex towards my older sister, before I met Lute-san and everyone. Lyss? Lute-san, who had just returned from dancing, was surprised. Y-youre crying. Are you hurt somewhere? Eh, crying? Uu, please, excuse me. Its probably just dirt entering my eyes. Im sorry that I made you worry. I only noticed after it was pointed out. I covered my eyes with my handkerchief in a hurry. I have to fix my make-up, excuse me for a moment. Even though it was not good for a host to be absent, I made up a reason and left. Tears started to flow, one after another, making the handkerchief moist. (Even though I cried until I was satisfied that night) Holding the handkerchief to my eyes, I tripped while walking along the way. I was down on all fours in the dark, cold corridor. I really hated this clumsiness of mine. The friendly chattering from the hall, the calm music DD here I was, outside of that circle of happiness, groveling on the floor, all alone. It was as if I was alone in this world. Fufufu, this really suits an incompetent disaster princess like me While drowning in misery, I ridiculed myself. Oh, Lyss, did you trip again? Clumsy as usual, arent you? --!? L-Lute-san? W-Why!? Am I hallucinating?, I thought that at first, but when I look up, I saw Lute-san, whom I should have parted with a while ago, standing on the side. He gave me a bitter smile, and then stretched out his hand. Come on, how long are you going to sit there? The dress that took you a lot of effort to wear will get dirty, you know? Th-thank you very mush Auuuuuu! Im such an idiot! Why do I have to bite my tongue at the very last moment!? Lute-san, who gave an even more bitter smile, grabbed my hand and, with force, helped me get up. However, there was too much power, which made me cling to his chest reflexively. Lute-sans hand held my shoulder in check. His body temperature spread over my whole body. His scent, his muscles. I grasped his clothes tightly, without realizing it. Aah, my hero-samaDD (I wish for this moment to continue forever.) Or that time itself would just stop like this for me. However, I could be in his, a married mans embrace forever. I released my body from Lute-san, and stood firmly on my own feet. Thank you very much. But, why did you come for me? Well, Lyss is my precious comrade, so isnt it a given that Im worried, when you left with such a face? !? He said, with a why are you saying something so obvious? kind of face. The sense of isolation that was there a while ago disappeared without a trace, being overruled by the feelings of joy. My love, my love, my love! Even though I cried, telling myself to forget it until my pillow was wet, I still couldnt abandon that passion in my chest. When I tried to throw everything away and plunge myself into his arms, at that momentDDsomeone appeared, stopping my movements. What are you two doing in this place? Father. My fatherDDthe High Elf King of Enol, accompanied by his imperial guards, stood there. Father seemed to have noticed me leave the large room, and was chasing after me. I felt a little ill, so Lute-san accompanied me. Im okay now. As if cold water had been dumped on my head, I regained my composure and told him a suitable excuse. Lute-san, who had sensed that, said nothing and stayed silent. Since we had gone on a journey and saved the country from its national crisis together, we could now understand each other with just a glance. After looking back and forth between us several times, father seemed to understand and didnt pursue it any further. Then, come back to the hall. Its rude, as one of the hosts, to leave halfway. I apologize for my daughter troubling you. No, it wasnt a problem at all. Lute-san answered politely. Understanding the situation and being tactful, he returned to the banquet hall first. I could only look at his back with eyes of regret. ......... How do you do, father? While following Lute-san with my eyes, I noticed a strong gaze from the side. I completely forgot that father was standing right next to me. Belatedly, I fixed my attitude. Lyss. As soon as the party ends, come to my room. While carrying an expression like he had realized something, father returned to the party hall. (To fathers private room?) I was perplexed by this rare situation. Could it be that, from just now, he realized my feelings for Lute-san and was going to give me a warning? (Even though I have already given up.) Feeling upset, I followed after my father. ----------------------------- Volume 5 - CH 94 Chapter 94 - Lyss'' thoughts 3 The victory party, which I left halfway through, ended smoothly. I returned to my room at once, and with the help of my guard maid Shia, I changed my clothes, from the party dress into something that I usually wore every day. I may be meeting my honored father, but as a lady, I needed to tidy myself up to some degree. After I finished my preparations, I went to fathers private room with Shia. On entering the private room, I first took a glance at the imperial guards and the maids in charge. Announce me to father. Certainly. Please wait a moment. One of the maids opened the door and went inside. After three minutes, she returned. Lyss-sama is to come alone. Understood. Shia, please wait here. Affirmative. Leaving Shia in the waiting room, I walked through the door, escorted by the maid. We continued through the passages, ending in front of a great door. The maid knocked, waiting for permission to enter the room. Enter. Excuse us. I made the maid open the door and entered the private room of my honored father. Im sorry to have kept you waiting, Father. I dont mind. Rather, Im the one who should apologize for summoning you immediately after the party has ended. Im sorry. Father sat down on a chair. I was prompted to have a seat, too. A maid entered again, and placed cups of scented tea before us. Disperse. Also, keep everyone away from the room until I signal. Certainly. The maid bowed, then left the room without a sound. When was the last time father and I had a private talk like this, I wonder? ............ ............ Silence filled the space between us. Didnt he summon me because there was some talk or business he wanted to mention? Father grimaced as he looked at me. I had a strong feeling that this wasnt the face of a king worrying about his countrys future, but the face of a worried parent. Lyss. Yes. What is it, father? Do youlove Lute-dono? WhaDD I stood up as if I had reflexively kicked my seat upon receiving an unexpected question. However, having come to my senses about my actions unbefitting for a lady, I cleared my throat and sat down once again. F-father, please stop saying something like that out of the blue. Not just to me, but arent you also being rude to Lute-sama? Good grief, you are still as bad as ever at lying. Uu. The other party was my father. It was hard to lie to the person who had been serving as my parent for hundreds of years. Father leaked a deep sigh. Do you want to join them? I dont. I am the next queen of Enol. I have resolved myself to abandon such desires. Since I realized that it was useless to lie any more, I gave my own opinion. The next queen, huh. Lets say that there is a successor other than you, what would you do? Another successor? I dont want to deprive Luna my younger sisters freedom for my own selfishness. My tone became slightly rough, as I felt that my resolution had been belittled. Even though he was my father, in my heart I repented for acting inappropriately to the king of a country. Without paying attention to my actions, father left his seat. He took a letter out of his desk. He put the letter in front of me, and then returned to his seat again. Uhm, this is? You may read it. Upon receiving permission, I reached out for the letter. The sender was DD Lala Enol Mema! A letter addressed to father, from Onee-sama!? That girl disappeared, then you found the record book, right after that I found it in between the pages. If it was my sister, theProphetic dreamer, this would not be difficult for her. I opened the letter with my trembling fingertips. As for the written contents DDit started from an apology to my father and making her whereabouts unknown. As for why she disappeared, it wasnt written here. Maybe, not wanting us to get involved in something, she hid it intentionally. With the possibility that my elder sister was still alive, I wanted to rejoice, honestly. However, there was more to read. About my mothers worsening condition, it was not of sickness, but of pregnancy. Moreover, it was a boy, something that their hearts had desired. In the future, he would succeed Enol splendidly. That was why, she wanted father to let me DD Lyss, do whatever she liked, or so it was written. There was still more to the letter. The end of the latter half was addressed to me. If I were to chase after and get together with Lute-san, we sisters would surely try to kill each other in the future. If I had the resolution for that, then I should push my way toward the future I wanted. What was my elder sister talking about? I didnt understand at all. To be frank, I was still confused. If I was together with Lute-san, Onee-sama and I would kill each other? It was hard to swallow it all at once. However, Onee-samas spirit blessing,Prophetic dreamer, was absolute. Even I was convinced of it, because Lute-san saving our motherland was all according to the record book. In other words, if I joined Lute-san, we sisters would kill each other. Fathers feelings erupted in his next words. DDAfter I read the letter when you brought the record book, I shivered in fear. My daughters trying to kill each other How many time have I agonized over it when something in the record book came true? Heavy suffering could be felt from fathers voice. His own daughters trying to kill each other. It was natural to not want to believe it. Therefore, I tried to keep them away from Lyss. To prevent you sisters from killing each other So that was why an unreasonable order of defeating the giant scorpion was made. But, after all, it is a fact that they have solved this national crisis. If Lyss were to say that she still wants to marry him after this, I dont have any right to object. Even though it is said that the High Elves are bound to only one person in their lifetime, there are instances in history where being married as a second, and even as a third wife, exist too. So, you dont need hold back. It was somewhat strange for father to say the same thing as Shia, like his lips had loosened somehow. Fortunately, now I had the time to decide. Did I want to marry Lute-san, knowing that Onee-sama and I would kill each other? No, it was only the result. Elder sister had her own intentions, and for that, she had left this country. As for my own intentions, I would follow Lute-san. I would support his dream. As a result, our paths would cross, and we would conflict, but even so...we wouldnt regret it, probably. A High Elfs lifespan was long. However, there was no meaning to it if you were simply living. We had to move forward using our own feet. I want to be together with Lute-san, no, Lute-san and everyone else. Those were my true feelings, without any pretense. Father leaked a deep, long sigh. As I thought... TheProphetic dreamers prediction is absolute, you and your sister killing each other cant be avoided, can it? No. Its different. Lyss? Father looked up on hearing my powerful voice. The prediction ofProphetic dreameris certainly known as absolute. I and my sister fighting each other might not be avoided. But, thinking the other way, this means that I can meet elder sister again. We may start trying to kill one another, but it is possible to end it without murdering anyone. If thats the case, then without fail, without killing her, I will try to bring Onee-sama back before Father, safe and sound. And why did she disappear? What was she thinking? I want to get the answers directly from Onee-samas mouth. ............ The party who was the cause of my inferiority complex. The opponent who I believed that I could never win against by myself DD I declared that I would bring back Onee-sama, Lala Enol Mema, in front of my father. Fathers lips loosened. I took my eyes off of you for just a moment, and you became strong. My father muttered, with a strong light in his eyes. Lyss, my beloved daughter. No matter how magnificent the man who wants to take the hand of my little princess is, I still cant keep my guts from boiling. However, if my daughter wishes for it, I have no choice but to accept it. Lyssyou have to become happy. Thank you, father. I love you too. We left our seats and hugged each other. When was the last time we had hugged each other like this? Even though I wasnt sad, tears still overflowed. Father was the first to let go. He seemed a little embarrassed, and he urged towards the door. Go. Say your feelings out loud, Lyss. Yes, Father. Ill be going. Send a message to the maids on the way. A message? Father took a seat, and continued in a sulky way. Order them to bring me alcohol, until the table is full. Fufufu, too much alcohol is poison to the body, you know. Hmph, poison is fine. If I dont drink today, then when would I drink. I bowed before leaving fathers private room. When I came back to the room where Shia was waiting, I ordered the maids in waiting to bring him alcohol. I also didnt forget to remind them to pay attention, so that father didnt drink too much. When I left the room, I headed to Lute-samas private room at a quick pace. Your highness, its already this late. I dont know what kind of business it is, but we should leave this for tomorrow No. I have to do this immediately. This is important, as this will change my life from now on. I refused Shias proposal and hurried through the corridor. I advanced at a speed that was as if my feet had grown wings. When I arrived in front of Lute-samas private room, I fixed my breathing, and checked my hair and clothes. When I confirmed that there were no problems, I knocked on the door. Yes? It seemed that Lute-sama wasnt asleep yet, as I heard a voice from inside. The door opened. Lyss, Shia, what is it, this late at night? Lute-san came before my eyes. With just that, happiness filled my chest, almost to the point of tears falling down. With my heart throbbing violently, I said. Lute-san! O-, oh, what is it, Lyss? Please make me your wife somehow! I love Lute-san! I probably wont be able to forget his surprised expression until the day I die. Volume 5 - CH 95 Chapter 095 - Studying Abroad The day of departure. I was checking the last of the baggage we had packed in the airship we parked behind Wood Castle. The baggage contained our personal belongings, gifts for saving the High Elf Kingdom, foodstuffs, etc. I opened the list of the barrel and confirmed what was inside. The contents were liquors normally used for gift. During the Giant Scorpion subjugation, Luna Enol Memam, the third princess of Enol, had hid herself inside a barrel. I didnt think that she would do it again, but I still double-checked the barrel, just to be sure. Good, seems like theres no problem. After I had finished checking them one-by-one, I muttered in relief. It seemed that there would be no problems with our departure. DDKushun! I heard a familiar sneeze. When I turning my head in the direction of the sound, I saw a raiment case that Luna had sent to Chrisse. The case should have only contained clothes and underwear that Luna had recommended for Chrisse. I opened the cover, only to find clothing folded and jam-packed to the base. There shouldnt have been any space to hide a person Dont tell me I immediately took out all of the clothes, and reached for the bottom of the case. When I pulled on it with a little bit of strength, it came off easier than I expected. Luna, the Third Princess, was hiding underneath the second compartment. What are you, a ninja!? I brought Luna outside of the airship like a kitten, and her elder sister, Lyss, scolded her with her beautiful eyebrows raised. Luna! What are you doing! Dont cause trouble for Lute-san and the others! But Luna wants to go too! Luna puffed her cheeks like a hamster, sulking. Why is it that onee-chan and Shia are okay, but Im not? Its unfair! Lyss and I made eye contact, and both of us blushed. I tried to free Shia from being my slave, but the person herself refused and said that she was fine as she was. In Lyss case, she was to accompany us for the sake of gathering knowledge of the outside world, but actuallyDDthe reason was that she had become my third wife. The night after the victory party several days ago, Lyss suddenly came over confessed I love Lute-san. Please make me your wife!. I was astonished at the sudden confession, but Snow and Chrisse werent surprised. They seemed to know about it already, and welcomed her with open arms instead. As for myself (Lyss is an important comrade, and a charming girl to boot. If I had to say whether I like her or not, of course I like her, no, I love her! Her clumsiness is a minus point, but thats exactly what makes me want to protect her. Shes also honest, and cute, and her chest too...) There was no reason for me to refuse, and my two wives also welcomed it. The only one who objected was Meiya, once she found out that I had accepted Lyss as a third wife. She saidDD Why is Lyss-san, who has been with Lute-sama shorter than I have, becoming his wife! I definitely wont allow it! If thats the case then I, too Meiya threw favourable glances at me. Anyone could understand what she wanted to say, with that open attitude of hers. If I was asked Do you love or hate her? about Meiya, I dont hate her would be my answer. I understood that her eyes were filled with nothing but goodwill towards mebut it was so much that I found it scary. A clear stream was avoided by fishDDnot to that extent, but taking it too far wasnt good. Snow interjected with Meiya. Meiya-san cant become Lute-sans wife. B-but why!? Do you still hold a grudge against me from back then in the magic school!? Youre wrong. A person who isnt resolved like Lyss-chan is, is not fit to be Lute-kuns wife. !? һԤǥᥤɫ롣 Mieya turned pale at her words. Snow-san, d-do you by any chance know No, its merely an intuition. Snow shook her head before Meiyas question ended. If you have the resolve, Ill recognize you as Lute-kuns wife. Understood! I, Meiya Dragoon, shall show my resolve and aim to become Lute-samas wife! The two of them ignored me, the concerned person, and advanced the talk without my say. Still, just what was that resolve they were talking about? TL note: Im just as clueless as Lute - yuushin TL note : same. Maybe something to do with her obsession? - rei With that, I obtained permission to marry Lyss from her father, the king. She seemed to have talked with him beforehand, as the talk with the king advanced smoothly. In order to avoid criticism for the time being, Lyss official stance was to accompany us to broaden her knowledge, or something like that. Usually, it was customary for High Elves who were studying abroad to wear a pendant that changed the color of their eyes, to avoid needless confusion in the surroundings. Although she wasnt wearing it to avoid the prying eyes of the public right now, I handed her a wedding bracelet made from Magical Liquid Metal, similar to what Snow and Chrisse had. Of course, the article was made by yours truly. Although the bracelet had no magic stones embedded in it, Lyss held the bracelet dearly while shedding tears. If the person I gave it to was happy, then I was happy too. However, the problem lied with her little sister, Luna. I hadnt told her that Lyss and I were married yet. She still believed the notion of her elder sister studying abroad to broaden her view. So that she would not have to separate from Chrisse, who she had gotten along well with, she started insisting on studying abroad too. Lyss clears her throat and persuades her younger sister, her face still red. I have said many times before, in order to expand my knowledge, and because Shia is Lute-sans slave, we have to go together. Meaning we are not going out to play. In that case, then Luna will also become Lutons slave! Luna! Dont say such a stupid thing! Lyss scolded her like an older sister but that didnt stop Luna from sulking. After hearing their voices, Snow and Chrisse appeared. The two had been carrying baggage to their private rooms on the airship and should finished up just now. Coming here probably meant that they were done with their work. Chris was holding a picture book to her chest, for some reason. Lute-kun, are you already done with the preparations for departure? Yes. Im already done, but I turned my gaze to Luna. She noticed Chris, then ran and clung to her. Chrisse-chan, please say something too! Chrisse-chan also wants to be with Luna, right? Chrisse smiled wryly at Lunas question. Luna realized how she would answer and frowned in vexation while letting go of Chris. And Chrisse; to herDD We, cannot, go together, but well be, friends, forever !? Chrisse, who usually communicated using the mini-blackboard magic tool, tried her hardest to say it to her, word by word. Of course, this made Luna round-eyed in surprised. Then Chrisse presented the picture book she had in her hands. My treasured, picture book. I, want you, to have, this, Luna That picture book was the first picture book her parents had bought for her, and she had brought it with her when we got married. She had come to like the genre because of this book, The Hero and the Princess. Since it was her most treasured picture book, she wanted Luna to receive it. Luna stared at Chrisse while enduring the tears that were about to spill from her eyes. I dont need something like a picture book! Stupid Chrisse-chan! Luna! Lyss became angry at the words of her younger sister. However, Luna turned around and ran back to the castle with tears in her eyes. Lyss apologized right away. Im sorry. Luna didnt mean what she had said [Its not your fault, Lyss-oneechan.] Chrisse raised her mini-blackboard with a smile so that we would not to worry. It was a weak one though, and you could immediately tell that she was putting up a front. Volume 5 - CH 96 Chapter 96 - New member After Luna ran away, the airship was ready to take off. I exchanged some words with the High Elf King, then king of Enol. Please, Im leaving my daughter in your hands. Count Gunsmith. Yes, you can count on me! In the end, I chose Gunsmith as my family name. Lute Gunsmith. The euphony wasnt bad, and it also held the meaning of the magic tool (weapon) we handled. Pretty witty of me, I had to say. The crest too, to emphasize the meaning of Gunsmith. I chose the design of a revolver with six bullets. I had considered using the AK47 for the crest, but it looked like something a revolutionary guerilla would use, so in the end, I picked the revolver. I chose the revolver in the end, the very image of land of freedom, so that we could sell weapons like hotcakes and invade lands with oil in the name of freedom. By the way, smith in English meant craftsman. Watchsmith meant watch craftsman. Locksmith meant lock craftsman. However, the name was misleading. Gunsmith means gun craftsman. Their main job, though, was gun treatment and tuning, they didnt create guns from scratch. Gunsmiths customized guns (attaching gun parts, for example) according to the requests of the gun owner. Fundamentally, you would join a gunsmith technical school or become apprentice to a senior gunsmith and study the techniques. You could also learn by yourself, but it seemed that there werent many people that did so. When the king said Please take care of my daughter, the ministers and guards probably thought that it was about the studying abroad thing. Snow and everyone else also spoke with the people who had taken care of them. We boarded the airship and departed. The airship took off, and the people on the ground became smaller and smaller. We waved our hands until they couldnt be seen anymore, loathing to part. There was no sight of Luna among them. Chris attempt to smile normally so that she wouldnt worry the people around her was heartbreaking. That night. After we finished dinner in the dining-cum-living room, I called out to Chris. Only Chris and I were in my private room. We sat on the edge of the bed. [What did you want to talk about?] Its about Luna Since it was currently only the two of us in here, the sad expression that she couldnt show other people appeared. I couldnt bear it anymore and embraced her around her shoulders. Even though you parted like that, Im sure she will understand it by the next time you meet. I stroked her soft hair to comfort her. Chris hugged my chest. In response, I hugged her tighter. Right at that moment, there was a hurried knocking sound and Snow entered the room, wearing a panicked face. Lute-kun! Chris-chan, its terrible! Something happened!? We froze at her panic. Anyway, you two, come! At Snows urging, we hurriedly followed her back. When we arrived at the dining-cum-living room, we foundD Chris-chan! We meet again! !? For some reason, Luna, who should have left after having a quarrel with Chris was in the dining-cum-living room. The moment Luna saw Chris, she embraced her with her usual attitude. Wh-why is Luna here!? It seems that she boarded the ship without anyone realizing it... Shia explained while looking like she had lost all her bearings. While Chris and I were talking in my room, Snow and Shia noticed something strange. They heard sounds from and felt the presence of something in the storage room of the airship. So, they went and checked it out. It turned out to be Luna, who hadnt eaten her evening meal. Her stomach was growling, so she was searching for food. They caught her by the neck and brought her to the dining-cum-living room. Her older sister, Lyss, was hugging her head in a corner because of the totally unexpected situation. Even though I was also confused and face palmed, I still had to ask her. A, anyways, I understand the situation. But how and when, did you infiltrate the airship? There was no chance for you to get on the ship after we left, right? Right, absolutely none. One had to climb the bridge to get on the ship, but after she fought with Chris and ran away, there had always been someone by the bridge. So, there was no way she could climb the bridge without anyone knowing. You could use body enhancing magic to infiltrate without using the bridge, but then we would be able to sense the use of magic and discover it immediately. Luna smiled wickedly at my question as she explained. She sneezed while hiding under the false bottom of the railment case and let herself be discovered on purpose in order to drop my guard, so that I wouldnt think that she would hid again in the storage room. The rejection of the picture book that Chris had tried to give her was also an act. Actually I didnt want to do something that would make Chris-chan sad, but in order for me to leave that scene naturally, it couldnt be helped. Sorry, Chris-chan! To deceive the enemy, one first had to deceive ones ally, huh. Then she pretended that she had returned to the castle, made a big detour, and went around the back of the airship. During that time, we were talking with the king and other people, so it was impossible for us to notice. However, she couldnt have infiltrated with just that. Without using the bridge, it was impossible to climb onto the airship with the physical strength of a little girl. Thats why I timed it and used body enhancing magic to infiltrate when the airship was taking off. Luton and everyone were waving to the people on the ground, and I hid in the bottom of the ship. There was that method!? The airship flew using the massive quantity of magic stored in the magic stones. That was why, when the airship was in operation, you couldnt sense magic being used in the surroundings. Luna had aimed for that gap and successfully smuggled herself onto the airship. She even purposefully let herself get caught once to drop our guards. Luna separated from Chris, who she had been hugging, and circled around me with a smug grin on her face. Hey hey, how is it? lololol. The country saving hero-sama who has been outwitted, how does it feel? lololol. It was the first time that I had ever wanted to punch a little girl (appearance only) this much. I clenched my fists and trembled. (Oh right, calm down, me. Its childish of me to get mad here...) I regulated my breathing to calm down. For now lets turn around and drop Luna back at Enol. It should be noisy over there now. Awawawa! Im, Im sorry! I got cocky! But, dont worry, since Ive properly left a letter saying that Im studying abroad together with oneechan. And Luna will be super helpful. So please let me stay, okay, Luton! Cut it out! You are really only causing trouble for everyone around you! When we get back, I will have father scold you plenty! As expected, Lyss was super angry. Luna shrank from that outburst and begged me harder. Wait! Luna will really be useful! Here, look! Whats that? The empty cartridge that Lyss shot? What Luna had taken out of her pocket was an empty cartridge from the general purpose machinegun PKM that Lyss had used to drill holes into the dragoons. The maids and soldiers should have picked them up, but it seemed that some had been left behind. And so, with the magic liquid metal I found in the storage roomD Luna put both of her hands into the magic liquid metal inside of the mini barrel and pumped in magic. When she did that, a lot of empty cartridges exactly like the one she had pulled out appeared in her palms. [ !? ] What do you think? Amazing, right! We made guns and bullets in the house by the lake, and Luna, who came every day for Chris and snacks, knew that. However, I hadnt taught her even once. Bewildered, Meiya and I took the empty cartridges in her palms to check for ourselves. ......Theres no problem. These can be used immediately. The empty cartridge shape, thickness, quality, hardness, length everything was perfect. If you stuffed primer, powder, and a bullet core covered by a jacket into it, it would become a usable cartridge. Even the genius magic tool developer Meiya, with my direct guidance, took many years to reach this level, and yet.. How did you learn the method to make it? Or could this be the power of your spirits blessing or something? No, this girl isnt 100 years old yet, so she doesnt have a spirits blessing. I recalled that the condition to obtain a spirits blessing was to be 100 years old. Then, how had she made it? My new wife, Lyss, told me. Since long ago, Luna was a child who wouldnt forget anything she saw once. Photographic memory!? No, even if that was the case, what about the strength? If you dont pour in the determined amount of magic power, you cant get this strength, you know. Pour magic into magic liquid metal and it would become hard. However, if you poured in too much magic, the metal would become brittle. It wasnt as simple as just pouring in magic. Luna answered my question cheerfully. Its simple. Just pour in magic until it makes this sound. While explaining, Luna flicked the empty cartridge with her finger, and a metallic sound rang out. You even have perfect pitch!? I was totally stunned by Lunas high specs... Meiya, who had gone through many hardships to learn the techniqueD E, even though I went through such hardships, said that as she fell into depression. Her sister, Lyss, on the other handD Thats right. Since long ago, both elder sister and Luna were excellent..except me in the middle, who was called the disaster princess, had no talent, was clumsy.... I wonder why there is there such a big difference, even though we were born from the same parents. There was even a time when I thought that maybe I was the only one who wasnt their real child. It became a trauma for her. Still, this brat was surely talented personnel that anyone would want. She also had a large amount of magic power, if I had her learned how to make smokeless gunpowder, we would be able to make a large amount of cartridges. Since we had the general-purpose machinegun PKM, there was no need to worry about surplus of ammunition. After seeing my admiring face, Luna tried to clinch the deal. She jokingly act flirtatious and sent a wink my way. Luton, if you let me stay, I dont mind becoming your wife, you know? Id be so cute together with Chris-chan~? [That wont do. Its one thing if you really like oniichan, but selling your body just to stay is a no-no.] As expected, even Chris had to rebuke Luna for that kind of remark. Luna meekly apologized, possibly because she had been reprimanded by her best friend. Sorry, Chris-chan. Luton too, Im sorry for saying weird things. No, I dont mind. Anyway, what do we do now? Of course, we return her to the kingdom. Smuggling yourself in, deceiving Lute-san and everyone, that is unacceptable as a royal of the High Elf clan. Wait, oneechan! Luna raised her voice in objection, but Lyss judgement was right. However, that was when Luna played her trump card. If its deceit, then oneechan has also deceived Luna! Eeeeh! Th-there shouldnt be any instances when I deceived you! There was! The day you went on the trip to defeat the Giant ScorpionDD DDHaah After this incident is safely resolved and things have calmed down, I will ask father to let us go on a little trip. Thats why, please obediently stay at the castle this time, okay? She promised```!!! There was a lot of trouble after the extermination, so we completely forgot about it. Lyss, who looked like she had remembered her words, was dumbstruck. As expected of the clumsy princess. To be beautifully overturned by her little sister, with her own words. Luna, since then, has been looking forward to it... Er, erm i, its not like I forgot, you know. Its just, I was busy with many things, so it just kept being postponed, or should I say... Its unacceptable for royalty to deceive people, was it? Ugh.! It looked like the winner had been decided. As for how to deal with LunaDfor now, it was decided that she would also be hypothetically studying abroad. However, it was only under the condition that, if she caused trouble, didnt listen to us or something similar, she would be sent back without any arguments. For the time being, we stopped by a nearby town and used a fast messenger to inform the kingdom of Lunas safety. After we were done finished taking care of business, the airship took off again. Our destination was Hoard, in the Algio territory, and the orphanage where Eru-sensei was waiting. The plan was to inform sensei of our marriage. There were many problems along the way, but the airship just kept flying forward, to the place where I had been born and raised. Volume 6 - CH 97 Chapter 97 - Marriage Report Lute, 14 years old. Equipment: +S&W M10 4-inch (revolver) +AK47 (assault rifle) Snow, 14 years old. A-minus class magician. Equipment: +S&W M10 2-inch (revolver) +AK47 (assault rifle) Chris, 13 years old. Equipment: M700P (sniper rifle) Lyss, 180 years old High Elf. B class magician. Spirits blessing: Infinite storage Equipment: +General-purpose machinegun +Miscellaneous TL note: like boobs lmao, she cant take those equipments off though The airship pushed its way through the clouds and arrived at Hoard of Algio territory. We stepped out firmly on the fresh, unmarred snow. The town was just a stones throw away from here. We treaded over the snow and headed for the orphanage where Eru-sensei waiting for us at the front door. She seemed to hear our voices. As expected of her bunny ears. Eru-sensei! Sensei! Snow and I ran to her being careful not to slip on the snow. For me it was a reunion after four years apart. Eru-senseis appearance hadnt changed at all. She was in her early twenties, her height impressive for a woman and breasts that could be classified as big. She was also beautiful. Her gentle expression and droopy eyes made people she met feel relieved. A pair of bunny ears sprouted from within light-pink hair. Snow used the momentum of her run to jump into Eru-senseis embrace. Obviously, I couldnt do that so I stopped just before her. Ehehehe, Eru-senseis smell is also a good smell~ Oh my, Snow-chan is a spoiled child, arent you. Snow, the fugofugo-ist, buried her face in Eru-senseis chest and took in her smell. Sensei didnt mind and gave her a friendly smile instead. I was so jealous! I also wanted to burry my face in Eru-senseis chest! TL note: fugofugo is the sound she makes when she sniff/inhale/taking in the smell of a person she likes, I cant find any word to replace it, and dont worry, it sounds weird in japanese too Obviously, I couldnt do that, though! I grabbed the nape of Snows neck and pulled her away from sensei. Come on, stop it. Dont cause trouble for Eru-sensei. Oh Lute-kun, are you jealous? Dont worry. No matter how much relief Eru-senseis smell gives, it cant rival Lute-kuns. I like Lute-kuns smell the best. Is, is that so? I like Snows smell too. Ehehehe, were the same. Snow and I smiled at each other. Fufufu, you two are as close as ever. Eru-sensei gazed at the two of us with a happy smile on her face. Not good, not good, we created a zone for only the two of us and forgot about Eru-sensei. I offered greetings to Eru-sensei again. I havent stayed in touch for a long time, Eru-sensei. Not only did I make you worry so much, Im even late telling you about our marriage, Im sorry. I was only slightly anxious, you know. I believed that if its Lute-kun, things will be all right. I felt a pang in my chest when I saw her smile. When I was captured by the fake adventurers, I brought it upon myself by being careless. Making her worried because of that caused me to feel stabs of guilt. To forget about those feelings, I decided to introduce Eru-sensei to the other girls who had finally caught up to us and were standing behind. This is Eru-sensei who raised Snow and me, shes something like a mother to us. Nice to meet you all, Im Eru from the Rabbit tribe. Ive been taking care of Lute-kun and Snow-chan Eru-sensei greeted Chris, Lyss, Meiya, Shia, Luna with a bright smile. I coughed once and started to fulfill the promise I made when I left the town. Eru-sensei, as promised when I left the town, please let me tell you about our marriage. That was about four years ago, early in the morning. The day I left the town I made a promise with Eru-sensei that came to send me off. The pledge was after I marry Snow I will definitely come back once to tell you about it. Fulfilling that was delayed due to circumstances, but I could finally make it happen. Actually, aside from Snow, I also married two other girls..... I introduced Chris and Lyss to Eru-sensei. Nice, to meet, you I, am, Chris. I am onii-chans... bride Chris tried hard to work her voice, sealed in the past due to trauma, and greeted Eru-sensei. Then it was Lyss turn. She placed her right hand on her chest, while pinching her skirt with her left a slightly, and gave a curtsy. I am glad to make your acquaintance. I am called Lyss, previously the second princess of the High Elf kingdom of Enol. Right now I mask my eye color and appearance with this pendant to avoid the public eye.Being linked by fate, I have tied the knot with Lute-san alongside Snow-san and Chris-san. To be able to meet Eru-san, the parent who raised him, is truly an honor for me. Before we arrived at the orphanage, I had told Luna about our marriage. She was surprised, but she didnt object. Eru-sensei looked somehow unsettled after Hearing Chris and Lyss greetings. Was she that surprised hearing I married others aside from Snow? For some reason, her face became pale. Eru-sensei, what happened? You look somewhat unwell... Uh, nuh-uh, Im ok. Its just a little cold out here. But still, Im surprised, to think that Lute-kun married others aside from Snow-chan too Haha, many things happened. Ive finished introducing my wives, but the greetings continued. Shia, Luna, Meiya greeted Eru-sensei one after another. Shia and Luna are safe to an extent, but MeiyaD Nice to meet you, dear mother-in-law! To the genius magic tool inventor, the god, Lute-sama, I am his first disciple, his right hand, and his trusted confidant called Meiya Dragoon! I am the next wife candidate for him so I will be in your care for many years to come! Oi, what next wife candidate. Or rather, the mother part, didnt the pronunciation feel kinda wrong? Lute-kun, you plan to marry Meiya-chan too? As expected, Eru-sensei was confused and asked tilting her head. I couldnt say Its just self-proclaimed so please dont mind in front of the person involved. So I just laughed to dodge the question. Eru-sensei might have guessed it so she changed the topic herself. But Im really glad Lute-kun and everyone came to see me. Actually theres something I want to consult with you. Consult? Actually. I, was asked for my hand in marriage Hah? Marriage? Carriage? Ferriage? No no, that was weird. Wait, eh? Huh? Marriage? Eru-sensei is? Hah? Hm, in short, its that huh. It, it-it-it-its, it was time for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr! Volume 6 - CH 98 Chapter 98 - Reunion, Recollection With an AK47 in my left hand, A PKM in my right, armed to the teeth with frags and concussion grenades, 2 panzerfausts on my back, 2 belts of 7.62x54R ammo crossed over my shoulders clanked against the grenades. My face was smeared with war paint. The headband on my forehead fluttered, as I stormed into the waiting room that I knew all too well. Whos that guy?! That bastard is trying to make a pass at our Eru-sensei? Ill shove my hand so far up his ass that Ill break his molars! Uoo!? Wha, what is it, who are you!? Sooo iiiits yoooou, huuuh!!!! Sitting in the waiting room was a man. He was a big man that towered at 190 cm and had short hair and beard, both grizzled. One of his eyes was covered by an eyepatch. If we were in my previous world, he would give people the impression that he was a colonel. He looked old -- somewhere between being middle-aged and about 1-2 steps before becoming a member of the elderly. This bastard doesnt even think of his age and dares to put his hand on Eru-sensei, huh?! Hes probably a scoundrel that was dazed by Eru-senseis beauty, charm, and her overall existence so he used his money and influence, or the excuse of the continuation of the orphanage to get close to her. No, that must be the case! In other words, theres no problem even if I destroy him. Dont think that Ill leave even a piece of you left! Hah?! Wait! I-Ive never even seen you before I wont hear any excuses! ȣ (go eat a bag of shit)! I pointed the AK47 and PKMs barrels at the man. Lute-kun! What are you planning to do to my friend!? Ow ow ow ow ow! It hurts! It hurts, Eru-sensei!!!!! Eru-sensei, who had just came in, later pulled my ears without restraint. The last time she pulled on my ears was when the revolver exploded and made her really mad. I put the equipment away and, by Eru-senseis order, I sat on the floor. It was like seiza from the previous world. Eru-sensei puffed her cheeks angrily. Really, Lute-kun, to be so rude towards our guest. Even if hes my friend, theres a limit to what you can joke about, you know. Yes, Im sorry. I apologized while continuing to glare at the man. My kind-hearted sensei didnt notice that and introduced the man before me. He is senseis old friend, Garuma-san of the human race. He is a level 5 adventurer of remarkable ability, you know. Eru-san, Im just a former adventurer now. The man called Garuma smiled wryly at Eru-senseis introduction. I see His name is Garuma, huh Now, Ive committed his name and face to memory. I absolutely will not forget. The Snow group members who were sitting in the waiting room asked, Eru-sensei Are you marrying Garuma-san? Garuma burst out laughing at Snows question. Ahaha! No, certainly not. I already have a wife, daughter, and even a grandchild. I dont even have the slightest intention of putting my hands on Eru-san. So thats why his face went red and attacked me huh. You sure are loved as always, Eru-san. Geez, Garuma-san, please dont tease me. They laughed together and gave off a peaceful atmosphere of close friends. It was a misunderstanding then!? Who?! Who was the scoundrel that put his hand on Eru-sensei?! So, who is Eru-san marrying? Continuing after Snow, Lyss asked. Thats right. Thats what I wanted to ask! Nice question, Lyss!! No, Im not getting married. Garuma-san only brought it up by saying, I will introduce you to someone, so would you care to give it a try? I was planning to refuse from the start, though. He brought up the marriage talk?! As I thought: Isnt this guy the enemy?! And you have to annihilate enemies, right!? I let out a growl from my throat as I stared at Garuma. Snows group sent me shocked looks, but I paid them no mind. ......Then, what is it that you wanted to consult with us? Snow looked away from me and asked again. Eru-sensei told us the summarized explanation she received before we arrived. Garuma is currently the advisor of a legion called the Order of the Pure Maiden Knights on the Beast continent. The Order of the Pure Maiden Knights is a famous legion. Its a legion that only girls could join as long as you pass the trial, even if youre a talentless magician, poor farmer, noble fell to poverty, etc a legion that doesnt discriminate between the rich and poor. But, as time passed, their competency declined. The retired level-5 adventurer, Garuma, had to take the advisor position quickly, and they only had the bare minimum equipment. If this continues, they will be ordered to disband the legion by the adventurer guild. Even after borrowing the names of the retired legion members and Garuma, the level-5 ex-adventurer, they were barely able to keep up. It seems that Garuma will also be retiring soon due to his old age... Then, the one that was chosen was Eru-sensei. Garuma was planning to get Eru-sensei to join the Order of the Pure Maiden Knights as the legions commander. Eru-sensei didnt have experience as an adventurer, but she once worked for a medical treatment institution because of her skill in healing magic. Thanks to that, she was unexpectedly well-known. If Eru-sensei were to become the legion commander, the big guns that idolized her may join the legion That was his crafty scheme. The marriage discussion, too; he said that, if she were to move to the Beast continent, he would introduce her to men with good prospects through his connections. What? This guy Isnt he the enemy as I thought? Of course, Eru-sensei intended to decline both the legion and the marriage offer. But, since her old friend took the trouble to come visit her, she couldnt flat-out tell him to go home. Just as we came to see her, she wanted to consult with us about joining the legion. Lute-kun is aiming to form a legion too, right? Since you can create amazing magical tools, I think you should take the advisor position in Garumas place... Im sorry, Eru-sensei. Actually, Ive already created my own legion. Hoh! Youre only at that age and you have already created your own legion?! Garuma showed a reaction. This time I told them about the sequence of events up until the creation of my legion, while hiding the details about Lyss big sis and the syringe. After she learned about it, Eru-sensei... PEACEMAKER One who creates peace? Thats a good legion name. Still, Im really surprised that you made a legion. From now on, you have to do your best to achieve your dreams, okay? Thank you very much, Eru-sensei! I honestly answered while still kneeling on the floor. Being praised by Eru-sensei made me completely forget about my numbed legs. Fumu, the more I hear about Lute-kun, the more I want you to become the advisor for the Order of the Pure Maiden Knights. but I cant force you to do it. Garuma let out a sigh and smiled bitterly. Even though I kind of predicted it,-san refused me, so Im trying my luck here. Garuma-san, sorry I couldnt be of help. Dont be. Ive said that I already predicted you would refuse, so please dont mind it. But . weve some years on us already, I have to hurry up about that oneD Garuma-san! Eru-sensei raised her voice, which was rare. .......Were in front of the kids. Pardon me But, as your friend, I wish for your happiness. If you forget anything, please dont forget that. .......Thank you. I am surrounded by the children, and there are the kids that come back to see me like Lute-kuns bunch, as well. Thats why I am very happy right now, you know. There wasnt a shred of falsehood in that smile. I see. It looks like Ive done something unnecessary. Garuma-san showed another bitter smile for the n-th time. He immediately left the orphanage after that. Eru-sensei suggested we stay the night, but I refused using the excuse we came up with after a lot of discussion and left the orphanage. We--thats why we cant stay the night at the orphanage. There are no guest rooms, so we would have had to huddle together and sleep in the boys room. Its not bad to do once in awhile, but I would have felt bad for the other kids. So we decided to sleep in the airship. That solved the sleeping problem. With the food provided by the High Elf kingdom, Enol, we ate at the same table as Eru-sensei for the first time in a really long time. Eating while sitting around the table, I told her all the things Ive experienced up until now and that I got awarded with Honorary Knighthood. It wasnt just Eru-sensei, the kids in the orphanage also listened to the stories with wide-eyes. We continued having fun talking after the meal ended, too. The orphanage was shrouded by laughter late into the night. Volume 6 - CH 99 Chapter 99 - Return to the Dragon Continent Past noon the next day, we quickly departed after deciding that its not good to overstay and cause trouble for the orphanage. On the side of the airship, Eru-sensei and the orphanages kids are all gathered. There were some faces I know, some I dont. Overall, I have a feeling that the number has increased, but with Eru-senseis resourcefulness, she can probably support them all without a problem. Furthermore, on the homecoming this time, Ive donated a part of the reward for resolving the High Elf Kingdom incident to the orphanage. Eru-sensei was round-eyed at the amount of money, she tried to refuse saying its too much, but since it wasnt that large of an amount, I forced it into her hands. Its not a problem to have money. Then came parting time, we alternately exchanged farewells. The scene where Snow hugged Eru-sensei acted like a kid and didnt let go for a while was impressive. When it was my turn, we exchanged handshakes. Well then, I will be going. No matter what kind of quest I might be undertaking, I will drop it and come running for you. Yes, be careful wherever you may go. I appreciate the thought, but Lute-kun, youre a husband with 3 wives, so you better prioritize and take good care of them, okay? Of course. The last to say farewell was Lyss. She called out to Eru-sensei with a serious face. Thank you for yesterday. No no, I wasnt able to give you great hospitality. Please take care of Lute-kun and Snow-chan. I should be saying the same, I was helped a lot by Lute-san and everyone. Erm, sorry to be rude but is it ok if I ask one last question? Lyss inquired with a meek face. Have we, met somewhere before? N, no, this is our first time. Fufufufufufu I see. Its our first time. Im sorry, for being rude to the person Lute-san and Snow-san respect. No no, please dont mind it. Being asked by Lyss, Eru-senseis voice sounded shrill and nervous, which it rarely does. Was it such a disturbing question? I tilted my head as I boarded the airship. The magic stones laid out under the floor reacted, the airships gigantic hull started floating. Eru-sensei and the kids just kept waving their hands in the cold weather until we couldnt be seen anymore. After about over a month, we returned to the Dragon continent. After the airship landed, we asked the specialists to bring it to the warehouse that we were hiring. We left the personal effects and cargos on the airship, but we will unload them tomorrow. For now we just want to rest. We galloped the horses toward the Meiya residence. We wont go home but rested at Meiyas house for today. Because if we go home we will have to prepare the bath and food etc., its a pain. First we will take a bath. The girls head to the bath house together. And I soak in a bathtub alone like usual. I-its not like Im lonely or anything, okay! But yea, baths are nice. I want a bathtub in our house too. Theres no point in just wiping with a towel. Furthermore, if we have a bath at home, I can enter together with my 3 wives. (Uhaa! Just thinking about it and Im super excited already! This is seriously bad!) I get out of the bath. As expected the girls take a very long bath. The girls who got out of the bath all wore the traditional clothes of the Dragon continent, the dragon dress. The design is the same as Chinese clothes. The legs are so revealed.also it feels breezy, I cant calm down. Is that so? Luna doesnt really mind. Anyway, Im wearing matching clothes with Chrisse-chan, this is the best! Lyss and Luna displayed themselves in their first dragon dress. They look very good in it. Everyone gathered at the table and started eating. Its been a while since I last had food from the Dragon continents. Dragon continents foods taste similar to Chinese food, delicious. After eating, we slept there one night as planned. As expected, theres no way I could sleep with my wives in Meiyas house, so I slept alone in another room. The next morning, waking up without problem, I was at the breakfast table. Why is it okay for oneechan to live together with you, but not Luna!? Luna strongly hit the revolving table to the point of shaking, while raising her voice of objection. Shes angry that she cant live at my house. I explain to her as the head of the house. It cant be helped since theres no room, you know? And its better to live in Meiyas wide house than a small room right? No! Luna is fine being together with Chrisse-chan. Me too, if possible, together with Lute-sama. no, never mind. I gave Meiya a glare to shut her up. If even you say that then its gonna be hard to persuade Luna, you know. Its okay to push it and let Luna live together with us, its also fine to move to a bigger house. But its my long-awaited newlywed life. Let me enjoy it for a while. If Luna isnt there, I can do a lot of hustle hustle, right? Shia, my slave and Lyss guard maid, who accompanied us did some follow up. Luna-sama, you cant say selfish things and cause trouble for the young master. You say some unreasonable things and still get to come with us, youre already very lucky you know? If you become more selfish you will get sent back you know. Uguu, I dont want that. With just that, Luna became obedient. Nice one, Shia. Well then, lets live with me in Meiya-samas mansion. Of course, you cant neglect your study either, okay? Eeeh~ Luna raised a dissatisfied voice, but as I was entrusted an important daughter, the princess of a country, by the king, I cant have her ditching her study. After we finished the talk and breakfast, we head out to the town. Its for buying necessities for Lyss and Luna. I leave the actual buying to Snow, Chrisse, Luna, and Shia. As for Meiya, I asked her to supervise the unloading of our luggages on the airship. Lyss and I went to the adventurer guild to inform them about my home coming, the creation of the PEACEMAKER legion, and the newly added member, Lyss. The adventurer guild is a 3 story wooden building as big as a gymnasium, adventurer looking people continuously go in and out of it. We passed through the entrance, took the wooden tag with waiting number on it. After waiting for a while, the receptionist girl called us. On the counter there are boards to separate them into something like a booth, I took a seat and faced the reception girl. Of course its that demon race girl. TL Note : She really needs a name author-san. - rei_hunter Her appearance is like that of a girl in her early 20s, on her head are 2 goat-like horns, bat-like wings on her back, she looks very good wearing the adventurer guilds uniform. Shes a beautiful girl as long as she doesnt complain. A smile floated on her face when she saw me. Good work, Lute-san. Looks like youve returned to Dragon continent, havent you? Yes, just yesterday. Come to think of it, Ive met your little sister in the adventurer''s guild in High Elf kingdom Enol, you know. Eeeh! Little sister, you say!? Like that, we enjoyed our talk after a long time. We exchanged recent news, then enter the main topic. In the end, how much was the price of the twin dragon? The state of the corpse was good so it was 1100 gold. About 110 million huh. She also showed me money subtracted from that, including the labor, transportation fee, also the money we used in advance in High Elf kingdom. Furthermore, the necessary expense we received from Enols king before we left by the airship, the reward money, plus the money from the giant scorpion extermination and their material that was transferred to the adventurer guild in High Elf kingdom. All that money moving around were recorded in my tag. I gave the tag to the reception girl and heard the final number. I donated to the orphanage but theres still quite a considerable amount left. Even though it was a youngling, we defeated a twin dragon, so maybe we can get to level 5 or so I thought but never could I imagined that we even created a legion and came back. And even though its the lowest rank, we became nobles...We did a lot of amazing feats over there huh. Feat you say, it was just that we had good luck. I showed the characteristics of an ex-Japanese by being modest. The talk came to a pause, the reception girl stared at Lyss who was sitting next to me. She wore the business smile while taking a stab at us. Ive been curious, but this person here is? Yes, Im the third wife! ......In other words, you created your dream legion, became a noble, and received a third wife who is cute and has big boobs? Thats right. Thats how it is. Is that so, I see! Ahahahhahhahaha...Please watch your back when you walk the street at night~ TN: ayyyy lmao the salt - yuushin Holyshit, scary! Suddenly, like a switch, her bright smile turned into dark face emitting dark aura. Lyss went Eeek! at the sudden change and clung to my arm. I didnt even have the leisure to enjoy the feeling of her big boobs which doesnt match her height being squished against me. That guy also married a girl younger than me just recently moreover its because theyve had a kid, they said. Making kid before marrying even though shes younger than me unforgivable unforgivable UNFORGIVABLE!!! Her facial expression became so scary that would make you want to yell Is that a demon!?. Please someone please take her already! With this and that, we finished our report at the adventurers guild and left the building. We told her that since weve been working non-stop recently, were taking a break for the time being. But if there are quest for us, PEACEMAKER, then we will take it. But Im not sure if my words got through to the reception girl who was transforming into something resemble a real demon. While our hands still clung to each other, Lyss and I returned to Meiyas estate. Snows group already returned but the master of the house, Meiya, still hadnt. She probably was still doing various things with the airship and the luggages. And we stayed at Meiyas estate for another night. It wasnt until the next day that we returned home. Volume 6 - CH 100 Chapter 100 - Lyss'' First Housework - First Part (Side Story) Fuwa~ , morning- From Meiya residence, to our house. Thanks to the management of the maids from Meiya residence, theres not even a speck of dust in our house. Even the bed smells like sunshine, its very easy to sleep. In the living room on the first floor, the wives were already awake and are preparing breakfast. Im the last to rise, it seems. Morning, Lute-kun Mor...ning...bro...ther. ......Good morning, Lute-san. One low tension wife, Lyss depressed. The reason is clear just by looking at the broken cup on the floor. It looks like she dropped it while carrying tea from the kitchen. Its a usual trait of a clumsy girl. Snow & Chris were encouraging her, at the same time picking up the broken cup and wipe up the water with a cloth. After they finished cleaning up, we had the breakfast that Snow and Chris made. Settled in her seat, Lyss announced with resolution in her eyes. I also want to try my best and do housework like Snow-san and Chris-san, so please teach me how to do it! I dont think you need to say it with a resolution like a soldier marching to his death... In the first place, shes a princess. All the things like housework and chores were all done by the servants. Chris who came from a similar background, overcame her sense of loss and because its her first time doing housework, she learned how to after Snow did and mastered it. But still, Lyss is quite a clumsy girl , so the whole housework thing is probably gonna be catastrophic. Youre still worried about the cup you broke this morning? It was just something cheap from the market, you dont need to trouble yourself that much. Geez Lute-kun doesnt understand girls feelings at all~ [Onii-chan, no good no good.] Snow swallowed her food and shrugged her shoulders. Chris, who has recently been using words in the house, used the mini blackboard to judge me. Looks like the two of them sympathized with Lyss feelings. Lyss noticed my bewilderment, blushed bashfully while voicing her thoughts. I, I am also Lute-sans wife, just like Snow-san and Chris-san. Thats why, I want to do housework for the sake of Lute-san too. Lyss I was overcome with emotion by her courageous speech. I was truly blessed with a good wife. We looked at each other for a while but Lyss broke it off first, changed her sight to Snow and Chris. Thats why, please teach me how to do the housework today! Of course. As fellow wives of Lute-kun, I will do my best to teach you. *Nod nod* Snow smiled satisfactorily, while Chris nodded in agreement many times. Yes yes yes!, I butted into the conversation of the wives who had a harmonious atmosphere. Youre going to teach Lyss housework right? Then we have to buy an apron! If its apron then we have a spare though? Snow tilted her head. Geez, nobody understand at all~. I gleefully unfolded my pet theory. The spare apron is just something plain without any decoration, isnt it? That is not suitable, for a loli bigboobs like Lyss, one with plenty of lace, like a fluffy sweet will be good! Furthermore, naked apron! It will definitely suit her! ............ The air was stagnant. A-are? Could it be that I stepped on a landmine? Lute-kun, lets do this seriously. Because Lyss-chan is trying her best too. Ah, somehow, Im sorry. Looks like I got carried away too far. I unconsciously apologized. The one in question was... So-something like that, I will do it for you at night so please endure until then, okay? She said awkwardly, her cheeks are even redder than before. Snow and Chris also agreed with her. [I will do my best.] I will wear the naked apron for you too. Thank you, thank you! For real, it was really good that I got to marry everyone. Don! DDI had a feeling I heard something like a kabedon from somewhere really far away, seemingly from the direction of the Adventurers Guild. It was probably just my imagination. Editor note: Kobedon is basically the action of hitting a wall. This is generally done in protest or flirting - Creed After breakfast, Lyss housework practiceDtraining for homemaking, begins. Start off with cleaning. First is the bedroom. Remove the dust collected on top with the duster made from Garugarus tail. Then collect the trash with a broom and dustpan, then throw them away. Then I will hold down the stand, Lyss please remove the dust, and take care not to fall. U-understood. Wearing a simple apron, with duster in hand, Lyss stood on the chair and removed the dust from the beds canopy. Shes only a bit taller than Chris, so it seems that she wont able to reach the corner without tiptoeing. Do your best, Lyss-chan. C-calm down, slow, ly. Snow and Chris supported her body and gave advice too. Thanks to that she finished dusting without any accidents. After Stepping down from the chair, she sighed. We usually move the furniture and clean the corners once a month, but it was simple today so theres no problem. Even if Snow is a magician that can use body enhancing magic, to move the furniture just for cleaning is a hassle. When you move the furniture, you will need to temporarily store them somewhere else. But then Lyss nonchalantly proposed. Is that so? But if its my spirit blessing [Infinite storage] then I can put away something like the canopy bed without breaking a sweat though... [!?] I finally realized now that she said it, indeed, with Lyss [Infinite storage] then both the labor and space needed to move them are gone. Without delay, I asked her to put them away. She touched the canopy bed while focusing her mind. The bed disappeared like it was never there in the first place. Ooooo! We spontaneously applauded and voiced out of admiration. In the high elf clan, once one reaches 100 years old, regardless of ones talent in magic, they will receive a power called spirits blessing. Lyss power let her store most of inorganic substances without limit, its called [Infinite storage]. But between the high elves, its the opposite of rareDin other word, its an ability that only lets you take things out and put them away, is disregarded as boring. Aside from Lyss, there was only 1 other person in all of history had this ability, but they were made fun of by the surroundings. But depending on how you use it, this ability can be this convenient! Thats wonderful, Lyss. We dont have to move the furniture at all and can still clean the hidden corners without breaking a sweat. Im surprised myself too. To think that my ability is fit for housework like this. Lyss doesnt really think well of her own ability. Thats why Im happy that using it this way can show her that its useful. She took a broom and continued cleaning. She moved the trash onto the dustpan and got rid of the trash. After they finished cleaning, she was able to put the furniture back to where they were without any effort. Next is the laundry. Hot water and clothes had been put inside the big washing basin in the bathroom. Snow explained. For clothes with delicate fabric like underwear, you have to wash by hand, but for normal western clothes, you can wash them all once like this. Put the hot water in, then add the magic detergent, and then use your feet to step on them and the dirt will fall off. Easy right? Indeed this seems like something that even I can do. Lyss received the magic detergent from Snow and poured in the appropriate amount as instructed. Magic detergent is pretty expensive, but because of that, its exceptionally effective. While stepping on the clothes, it removes the filth easier than with detergent from my old world. Oil, dirt, grass juice, food, dust...no matter what kind of filth is it, they all cleanly fell off. What a convenient item. Whats more wonderful is, Heave ho, heave hoeven just stepping on them, is pretty tough. But its good exercise, and its easier than washing them by hand, one by one. [I know, right? And with everyone stepping on them, somehow its like we became kids playing, so its fun.] Snow and Chris rolled up the cuffs of their pants, and entered the big wash basin and stepped on the clothes. Each time they stepped, Snow and Lyss big breasts jiggled, the water and bubbles got splashed onto Chris thighs and fell off. Its a sight of sore eyes, I dont even mind paying 1 gold to watch this scene. I unintentionally clapped. Excellent, viva, excellent Whats wrong, Lute-kun, suddenly? Lute-san, if youre staring at our chests and legs Lyss voiced out loud. Oh crap, did I get caught? Fufufu, if its outside then Id be troubled, but this is inside our house. We wont run so you dont need to look at us with eyes like that of a starved beast. Lyss smile while blushing. Snow and Chris didnt say anything, they also agree with Lyss, it seemed. Oh man! I really got some wonderful wives! Yay me! Bam! Bam! Bam! Once again, I have a feeling that I heard something like someone hitting a wall from the direction of the adventurer guild. Yep, it must have been my imagination. And like that, we safely did laundry. Volume 6 - CH 101 The washed laundry was not dropped onto the ground, and Lyss was able to dry it out. With this in the morning, I almost ended the household chores. As such Lyss is currently making lunch with me. As I had Snow & Chris make it in the morning, I told them that Lyss and I would make it at noon. The menu is vegetable soup with seafood pasta and salad. I cut the seafood and the shrimp bought a short while ago properly and fry it with oil which looks like olive oil. At the same time, we make soup with seafood and vegetables. Lyss was tearing up vegetables similar to lettuce by hand on my side. In this case, you will not have the clumsy daughter event of cutting your finger with a kitchen knife. Actually, even if she cuts it, Ill heal it quickly with healing magic. If but lifting a lid, couldnt Lyss do the housework with no problem? Yes, being worried at the beginning was like a lie Besides C and while she arranges vegetables cut in pieces on the plate, Im really happy because it seems possible to be Lute-sans bride. Lyss smiles briefly. The smiling face seems really pretty. It was also really nice to have such a lovely and healthy bride like this. I put down the boiling pot from the fire. I confirmed the taste. Yes, its fine if you add a little salt. Lyss put a pinch of salt in this pot. Okay. I leave the last seasoning to Lyss. Because it is about time that the pasta pot is ready. I absolutely will not admit pasta boiled to a burning stage. C But the last one. My carelessness of it would be okay to leave it to Lyss the adjustment of seasoning would summon misfortune. The meal is ready I speak to Snow and Chris in the living room. The two were playing with High Elf Reversi of the Enol limited item that he bought in the High Elf Kingdom. These girls really like that. The situation is still favorable for Snow. However, it seems that Chris is doing a good fight when compared to the previous game. Wow, it looks good! It looks tasty It is seafood pasta with short pasta mixed in the table. This is a simple salad made by Lyss plucked by hand. And the soup was lined with seafood and vegetables. Because there is also a second helping, please eat without reserve. Then Itadakimasu. Itadakimasu. and everyone put their hand together to imitate me. Each extends a wooden fork. (TN every translator that I used, gave me this answer, but I dont know if it really is wooden fork or stick.) Yeah, the pasta is boiled just fine. As expected. Lute-san, this pasta is delicious Fishs flavor is full. I feel that is full of Lutes love for us. My mouth stopped by the last words of Lyss. Of course, it was decided not to make a pot with love for the wives to overflow from the house and become a flood! All of us extended out the spoons to the soup smiling and grinning. Bugfuh! I made a sound and burst out the soup. Snow was not spewing it, but are shocked enough to press the mouth. Sho, salty! Whats this! Seawater!? Guaa, my throat is burning its too salty! RI, Ruu, what did you do to this ___ ___ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~~~~ Snow cannot bear it and reach for a jug. Chris also suppresses his mouth and reminds me of the sky. Cold water is also poured into cups and presented to me and Lyss. Everyone drank it at once. Because of all of us drunk, Snow replenished the jug with magic. I will take that water fast. I looked at the soup like a weapon again in a calm place. Well, Lute Kun, why is it hateful and so salty, did you make the soup like sea water? I do not hate anything, its strange. When I tasted it a little, it did not have enough salt. So, I asked Lyss to put a pinch of salt I remembered the procedure, and I am stuck with words as I am exploring the cause. Everyones eyes were poured into the Lyss. She has a drawn face. Lyss, how much salt did you put in the pot a while ago? Oh, I thought that I am also funny Lute-san told me to put a handful of salt A pinch not a handful!? [TN: hitotsumami= one Knob, pinch hito tsukami = one grab, a handful] It will be salty like sea water! What Noticing his own failure, Lyss lowers his head as he put her forehead on the table. I am sorry! Not just wasting the ingredients with my misunderstandings, sorry for everyone! Im really sorry! No, Lyss is not at fault. I did not confirm at the end, so I am at fault too. Not only is it being keenly attentive to the boiling of pasta, but I also have responsibility for neglecting confirmation at the end. But the complexion of Lyss doesnt clear up. Im sorry Because the housework was going well at first, I was careless To make this blunder. Lyss I get close to her side. She lay on me, and I put my hands on hers. Even if you are not good, even if you fail, you only have to get better, little by little. But, although I am Lute-sans wife, unlike Snow and Chris, Im just pulling my foot No, its okay, even if you pull it Because we are a couple with 4 people together, they are family members and we are going to help each other so we can fail Lute-san Oh yeah, right as Lute said, because we are a couple, lets support everyone, I will also tell you what soup can be easily made, which I am good at. I, too, I am still not good at cooking, because I am not good at it. Lets study together, Snow-san, Chris-san Not only I but Snow and Chris seem also to come near to Lyss side. She wipes away the floating tears, turns from a cloudy look, and smiles like the fine weather. Yes! Let us live together and support each other for a long time Although it is a small step forward, Lyss bride practice opened like this. That night, after my wives took a bath together, I washed my body late. I got out of the bath and went to the couples bedroom. When I entered the room, the fire of the magic light and a candle was also put out, and it was utterly dark. When my eyes got used to the darkness, there is Lute, Im waiting for you Whether Lyss had bought it unexpectedly, she was wearing a naked apron which fluffy lace was abundantly used. A sweet frilly apron like a snack suits Lyss as I thought. The chest was bigger than the tall height, pushing up the apron of the frill. Lyzz, being embarrassed, crossed the hands and held down the frill. As a result, the chest was squeezed from both sides and pressed, further emphasized. The skin is whiter than snow, and it is flashes red as can be seen from a shame in the dark. That figure is unbearable and arouses a sadistic desire. In addition, three people were waiting on the canopy bed Lyss with Snow and Chris. They were also wearing an apron of different color and similar design. Since I was afraid for the first time I thought that the two of them should also be present Was it useless? No, no! Such a thing! It is good . Lyss had a relieved expression when she heard my consent. Then, on the pure white sheet, she kneeled and slowly lowered her head. I think that it is awful for the first time, I would appreciate your favor. Im the one who If it hurts, say it right away. You dont have to overdo it. Yes, thank you. Dear She looks up, seems embarrassed with a pleasant smile and laughs. I put my lips on such a girl. Huh I pushed her down to the bed as it is. Both hands are clasped by Snow and Chris. She was scared or trembling slightly. Lyss and I piled up the body as snow and Chris watched. The first time doing the act in 180 years of life. I will keep on getting up at night. Volume 6 - CH 102 Meiya! Lutes! Weapons manufacture Banzai! Thats how we superimpose our voices at the time of the meeting. The place is Meiyas residence workshop. Today we are going to manufacture weapons, armor, etc. as declared with Meiya. When Meiya finished saying the indicated line, Meiya returns to her usual mood. By the way, Lute-sama, why did we have to declare it with such momentum? Do not mind, its because I just wanted to do it. Huh . Meiya gave an indifferent reply. I leave her for the time being. First of all, well make a full set of armor for Lyzz exclusive use. I have lent her a spare set so far, and now that she is a formal member, I will make a set of protective clothing exclusively for her. There are combat clothing, eye protection gear, helmet, Rucksack, combat armor, Boots, Alice Clip and Bulletproof vest . Ive made them before, and I can make them without a problem. When that is finish, the next is arms. A semi-automatic sniper rifle dedicated to Chris, SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle). At the time of Luna rescue incident, Chris came to tell me that she wanted a sniper rifle that was rare and capable of rapid fire. In response to that cute brides voice, I decided to make the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle). In fact, I was planning to make another sniper gun over time, but I chose the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) that can use the AK 47s technology, considering the production time. Lets talk again about what sniper gun SVD (Dragunov sniper gun) is. SVD is an abbreviation for C Snajperskaja Vintovka Dragunova (Latin notation, each meaning is Snajperskaja = sniper Vintovka = gun Dragunova = Dragunov), its a semi-automatic sniper rifle formally adopted by the Soviet Army in 1963. Firearm designer Evgeniy Fedrovich Dragunov developed it with the AK mechanism as the reference. The mechanism is gas operated which is a copy of the AK as it is, the number of parts is small and its reliability is high. The specifications are as follows: Caliber: 7.62 mm 54 R Gun height: 622 mm Total length: 122.5 cm Weight: 4.31 kg Number of bullets: 10 departures (detachable magazine box) With semiautomatic, the hit accuracy is lower than the bolt action, but Chris prowess can handle it without any problems. Although the ammunition cartridge uses 7.62 mm 54 R, it is already manufactured for the General Purpose Machine Gun PKM, so there is no need to newly produce it. Because we are already making the AK47, there is no need to worry about the internal mechanism. It is likely well be able to produce it without too much effort here. We also are going to manufacture other weapons. When we have finished manufacturing the SVD (Dragunov Sniper rifle), the first thing were going to do is an Add-on grenade. What is an add-on grenade? After clearing his throat Meiya asked a question. In the high-elf kingdom, I heard the stories from Lyzz and Shea until we arrive. Shea threw the grenade by hand and assisted the body with physical strengthening magic. I decided to develop an add-on grenade by listening to the story of the Basilisks splashed face. So what does add-on grenade mean? The rifle grenade was invented as a way to increase the range and hit rate rather than throwing grenades by hand. It was a method of installing a special attachment to the rifle and firing the ammunition using the gun. However, with this method, there was a drawback that it was necessary to place the attachment for launching a grenade to the muzzle, so shooting was not possible during that time. Soon the air gun and the rifle were not used anymore; a dedicated gun that fires the grenade alone C a handheld grenade launcher was developed. You can load a grenade of 40 mm size in a center folding device. But, the grenadier was vulnerable during the loading; he cannot carry a large number of spare bullets as rifles and machine guns due to the large size of the bullet. The grenadierCeven with grenades, didnt seem to have as many bullets. The idea was to combine the grenade launcher and the rifle. Grenade launcher wearable type rifle is naturally bulky and heavier than grenade launchers and rifles alone. But it is lighter and more manageable than having both. We call such a type of grenade launcher add-on ? grenade or under barrel ? grenade. The Add-on ? grenade which I am about to make from now is a 40 mm add-on ? grenade of GB 15 that can be mounted without modification on the AK series. I also experienced the Basilisk battle and decided to develop a special acoustic flash stun bullet, not only grenades. Only grenades in a demon that has special magic eyes like the basilisk is precarious. I dont want to be in a situation where I am self-distracted pulling out the pin of a grenade at close range of a seal magical eye. Then, if its even a little strenuous, one has to make the damage returning to oneself a little one. [TN this was a hard one. This is the best translation I came with.] That is the Special Stun (acoustic flash bullet) grenade. The Special Stun (acoustic flash bullet) grenade has a shape resembling grenades and smoke bombs. When you pull out the safety pin, it generates a flash of light, a loud volume, and vibration for several consecutive seconds. It is classified asnon-lethal equipment because it does not scatter fragments for killing purposes. The development is the key to be able to recreate magnesium with magic. Incidentally, The Special Stun (acoustic flash bullet) grenade is not a one-time use. The outside is made of metal, and it can be used about 20 times by exchanging the contents. Meiya admires and nods. Indeed, non-lethal equipment that does not kill the opponent; it is an interesting magic tool. Simply lute-sama like! It is not just to defeat enemies but magical tools to neutralize enemies! It is an idea not to stick to a mere genius! Genius beyond the Genius indeed! God Genius Magic Tool Developer Lute-sama! God genius I feel a bit stupid. Besides, I did not invent it; it is a version of the wisdom of my ancestors. Humility is important as Japanese. I clear my throat and change my mind. Well then lets make it quickly Yes! Ill exert myself so that I wont be a drag! So in this way, Meiya and I undertake the development work. Volume 6 - CH 103 Lute sama! Please do not hesitate, please Please bring this pitying disciple! I will not disturb you! No, you cannot I am at Meiyas residence workshop, and I will not be distracted by the request of Meiya who self-proclaimed my best pupil. When she heard my reply she bitted her handkerchief with resentment. Though I make a wry smile, I dont change my mind. Even if you do that, you cannot do the trial of the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) because it is enough for Chris and me. Is it better for Meiya to have another work done in the meantime? It is so . I put an SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) in a metal case. I filled the ammunition case with ammunition cartridges and deepen the bitter smile Besides, its time for us to have a close relationship with Chris after a long time, please do not disturb me. Ugg! As expected, telling her so, even Meiya cannot say anything. Her anger was directed at the maid coming up at the entrance. The reply of the letter that I put out still does not come? Yes, it does not come yet. The maid tells us with a cool face. After solving a problem, Meiya can marry me. Meiya took the word from Snow and wrote a letter while traveling in the airship. When we returned to the Dragon Man Continent she handed it out to the maid soon. The reply does not come at all even if it has already been received it. Therefore, the talk did not advance definitely. If she is one of the wives, it is beaten to say, I cant take her because I want to be alone with Chris. However, as she is not my wife at present, it is supposed to be like this. Im sorry to Meiya, but as a disciple, you need to give priority to work. Well then I will go because I keep Chris waiting outside. Ugh I understand. Be careful. Oh, Meiya, dont even ask for work. I left Meiya in the studio and headed for Chris, who is waiting outside. About 2 hours after being shaken by the carriage. Chris and I reached the boundary side between the grassland and the forest. In the carriage we have brought a lunch box for lunch, an SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle), ammunition case packed with ammunition cartridges, another AK 47 set and a Panzer Faust 60 type for defense purposes. I also thought that Panzer Faust 60 type was overkill, but I will be sorry if I came across a situation where I encountered twin dragons and dont have other arms. We stopped the horse-drawn carriage, Chris and I first gave the horse water and salt. We stood a stake and passed a string there so that the horse could not go anywhere. After completing a series of preparations, we moved the SVD (Dragunov Sniper rifle) from the loading platform, take ammunition cartridges from the case, take out the AK set for self-defense, take out the memo pad and move to a suitable place. It is nice and sunny today; its a perfect day for a trial. Yes! Besides, it is nice to go out with my onii-chan just the two of us. Chris seems to be really glad and in a good mood like having the best sweets. Today, she is not wearing a grim field outfit, but plain clothes-a traditional dress worn by women of the Dragon tribe. Also, her long blond hair was put on a Knot; the dress is slim thigh and ankle peep from the slit each time she walks. Now she is only by my side, so I do not have to worry about peoples eyes. Yesterday, I told Snow and Lizz about the scan and fire test in the grassland of Chris new gun at dinner. They said they were going to do their own errands. Snow will purchase food and necessary items. Lizz will head to Meiyas house looking at Luna & Shea. My wives are so good to the extent theyre wasted on me, really. Prairie, about 100 m from the carriage, the trunk is about 300 meters away. The SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) is taken out of the case is handed over to Chris with the ammunition cartridge. She prepares it without hesitation. She takes out the magazine. She returns the magazine and releases the safety lock. Then Chris draws the cocking handle, moves one bullet to the chamber first. In China dress form, the appearance of Chris with the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) is somewhat strange. I was preparing with Chris. First I laid the seat on the ground and fasten it in all directions. I put soil in the bags that I brought and made sandbags. I am making a place for a shooting game. There is a variety of shooting positions for sniper rifles, but its better to stop supporting the gun by hand and use something stable to support the gun. In that case, sandbags are the most suitable. Rigid objects such as metal, block, wood, etc. are inappropriate as a base because they move the gun body with vibration caused by the shock at firing. Also, you have to be careful C you have to touch the barrel with nothing. Because the barrel is in close contact with the receiver, it eliminates the accuracy of the hit by causing the same vibration every time when firing (same vibrations ? the same vibration if it is the same bullet powder). However, if the gun barrel is directly loaded on the entrusted item, the vibration changes each time the gun is fired, and moreover, the weight is applied to the barrel, distortion comes out, and the accuracy of the hit is affected. (As mentioned above, it is difficult to keep the same part in contact with the base). Im ready for you. Oh, thank you, Oni-chan. Chris raises a cry awkwardly and smiles. Yes, shes pretty. She tears up grass in grassland and drops it with a para-para. (SFX for light things falling or flipping, like paper or leaves) She is reading the wind. The range of about 300 meters is the distance that the soldiers of the previous world can hit the target even without a scope. However, if the wind is blowing strongly, it can be shed and deviated from the target. Thats why Chris measures the wind speed by shredding the grass. The correct wind velocity doesnt come out, but you can guess it approximately C If you drop grass or use smoke such as incense stickers, you can determine the wind speed by measuring the distance and time the smoke flowed. If it is smoke the wind speed can be determined by measuring the distance it is flowing per second (wind speed 1 m / sec if it is 1 m. in 1 second). If it is grass drop it from the place it takes 1 second to fall to the ground, Measure the wind speed with the distance it moves (theoretically, if it falls from the distance taking 1 second to the ground and moves 1 m, it is 1 m / sec. If the wind speed is 8 m/sec at a distance of 300 m, if the initial speed of 7.62 mm 51 mm bullet is assumed to be 830 m / s, the deviation will be about 45 cm (From the calculation with ballistic calculation classic 2000. Ballistic coefficient 0.4). There is a little wind now; the wind speed is about 3 C 4 m / s. But it would not be a problem for Chris skill. She prepared the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) in the sandbag. Chris lies on her belly and her feet are spread to shoulder width. She makes the midline of the body and the gun axis of the gun parallel. The calamus of the gun is picked lightly with the left-hand ant the butt stock (the part affected by a shoulder of gunstock) on the shoulder. She grasps the grip with her right hand and put her finger on the iron trigger. There is also a precision shooting technique that fires the gun by pressing the iron trigger with the thumb and index finger. Chris does not send but only index finger. Su-u Breathe in, Ha-a Breathe out C fire. Dan and a 7.62 mm 54 R are fired and land on the trunk about 300 m ahead. The Semi-Automatic SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) as soon as the shooter fires, the internal engine section moves quickly to feed the second bullet. Chris continued to fire. Dan! Dan! Dan! The sound of the firing continuously echoes. In case a demon is attracted to fire sound I keep watching the surroundings, and doesnt come or watches the environment, but I do not see such shadows in the prairie with a fine view. I put the AK 47 hanging over my shoulder. Chris shoots all 10 shots that were in the magazine. Hows it going? When she raises her body, she runs her finger on the mini blackboard at hand. Although the semi-automatic is very good the feel is different from the usual because the parts move internally at the time of firing, and I want to remember the habit of shooting a little more? Of course, we still have bullets, so shoot as many as you like. Thank you very much. Chris smiles and gives her thanks. After all, she is cute. She removes the magazine and packs ammunition cartridges again. And again the shooting starts. I will watch over her from behind. My bride seriously confirms the condition of SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle). Today there is wind. Inevitably, in a prone face position shooting, it is curling up Chris dragon dress skirt. Chris is concentrating, but here there is only my eye view. Thats why I do not really care. Every time the wind blows, the hem turns and the undergarment of the thigh hiding behind it is invisible. Is the color of her underwear today white? Yeah pretty, it suits Chris perfectly. Crouching with casual gestures, I peep into it. It seems like sexual harassment at first glance, but she is my wife so there is no problem! I supplement my eyes with physical reinforcement! With this, you can see even the underwear wrinkles! Chris skin is smoother than a newborn baby and has a comfortable touch. It seems that the underwear gets bitten slightly and the small buttock meat peeps in a bit. Last night even three people served, but my body gets hot. Is this being young? But Chriss butt is cute. I want to bury my face now. If you bury your face in Chriss butt and smell the scent, you will be able to activate your brain and all the cells in your lungs. It will be very good for my health. I forgot the perimeter vigilance, and I was glued to Chriss pretty butt. Ha ha! If you noticed, Chris who had been checking the condition of SVD had been watching here for a while. I clear my throat and stand up in a casual manner. Oh well, apparently it seems like the bullets are flying as intended. I tried to cover my last bad behavior by saying that I was checking the bullets performance. But it seems so ineffective. Chris runs his finger on the mini blackboard. Seriously Oni-chan, you think you can do something if you use magical power suddenly behind me Im sorry I apologize frankly. Of course. Because if a partner who warns about the surroundings suddenly uses magical powers, you misunderstand whether there is a raid. If you use it for another reason, it is common sense to make a call. Chris changes completely from the face about which she gets angry, doesnt say a cheek, even makes the ears red and draws in the mini blackboard. I am a Lute Oni-chans wife Its embarrassing, but if I cannot bear it I will do my best. She makes her face redder so that steam is rising from her head. Chris Oni-chan Chris small lips call my name. Each others lips are approaching, and C Well, Chris stomach rings. Shyly depressed Chris, I look at that pretty expression that turned bright red and stroke her head. Well, then it was about time for lunch. Shall I eat the lunch I brought? Yes, Onii-chan Chris holds the mini blackboard smiles small and nods. Hold the basket containing the bento I brought in, lay a sheet on the grass, and spread out the box lunch. The lunch made by Onii-chan looks very tasty. Chris smiles happily. Todays menu is a sandwich I made. The ingredients are tuna sandwiches made with similar fish, egg sandwich, and teriyaki sandwich made with sauce on the baked meat. And I am bringing sweet fruit sandwiches using fruits and cream which can also substitute for dessert. This fruit sandwich is very delicious. It is the same sweetness that pudding made by my older brother during the butlers era. I am glad that you are glad, Milady. It has been ceremonious and I make a bow exaggeratedly. As Chris looked at it, she remembered when I was a butler. She narrows her eyes as nostalgic. My Onii-chan came in at that time it was really good. Thanks to my Onii-chan I can go out like this and touch various things. Because I am with my Onii-chan, it makes me feel like I can go anywhere. Chris. Me too. Because Im with Chris, I got the feeling that Ill exert myself. My Onii-chan was my destiny, I do think now. I will keep going forever, anywhere. My place where I want to go is the place where Onii-chan wants to go. Chris I wipe off the cream that Chris has on her cheeks. Chris smiled happily and kissed my cheeks for gratitude. I put my hands on her head and caress that soft hair with my fingers. I am always helped by Chris. And she trusts me and keeps following what I want to do. Both Snow and Lizz are so. I mutter in my heart that I must absolutely protect those precious girls. Well then, shoot a little more if you finish eating, and then lets go home Yes, onii-chan. SVD, its a nice gun. Thank you. Im glad you like it. I am pleased that you like it, say where you want to improve or if you have difficulty in using it, just say it and adjust it. Yes, I understood, And as we finish eating, we return to SVD trial again. Then we finished the test at about noon and went home to the house where everyone waited again. **************************************************** Authors note Thank you for reading so far! Impressions, spelling errors, opinions are welcome anything! It is going to be updated tomorrow, February 28, 21 oclock! Although it is just a chat C a friend said When the army reached the magical world, I made a military harem with modern weapons! What? I was told that overseas people were also writing impressions when searching Google with. It was Google translation so it was rough but I was able to read the impressions. The most surprising point even overseas Wall Dong!Wall dong! Was. No way, Wall Don! It is surprising that we are developing ov Volume 6 - CH 104 It is the Dragon man continent. In a shop handling magic stones in a corner of the city, their main owner was irritated. Its because today he hasnt used the wash toilet yet. He kept tapping the desk with his fingers while tending the store. One day, Lute who is the master of Meia Dragoon, a celebrity who is comparable to the King on the Draconian continent, asked for his shop. The teacher of that magic stone princess, come to visit his own magic stone shop. Originally it was a very honorable thing; he should welcome it with open arms. However, Meias Teacher, Lute, began to say that he wanted to use the magic stones in a Toilet. There is no insult like this if it is made to the man who treats the magic stones as he has to eat them. The opponent is the master of the magic stone princess. However, the owner kicked him out for his pride and the pride of the Magic stone store. But laterCat his home, he was forced to experience the wash toilet using a magic stone. To be honest, at the beginning took it lightly. Does it not only wash your ass ? While complaining and grumbling, he used it according to the specification written on the wall. He can never admit where he used it too. But the result is quite the opposite. As stated by his declaration, the owner has become a prisoner of the washroom just by using it once. It was a world-changing experience. After that, before you noticed it, he changed his toilet at home to a wash toilet. Because of his pride as an owner who runs a magic stone shop, he puts a futile resistance; he endures to use it many times. Even now, he has patience without using it from the morning. He does not yield to the magical power of the wash toilet. He tries to persuade himself many times, trying to endure the temptation boils up. The speed of the fingertips that hit the desk increases. The feet unconsciously begin to shake. Hello hmm Without knowing the hardships of the owner, a single man comes in with a carefree voice. It is the instigator of the struggling owner, Lute Gunsmith, master of the magic stone princess Meia Dragoon. The owner has heard that recently he has been awarded a Legion of Honor as an adventurer by the high Elf kingdom. Such a hot topic visited the shop, but the owner hasnt a welcoming expression, but a surprise as if a demon was shown in front of his eyes. Lute sama! Why are you here? Well, I came to consult about a magic stone for the development of a new wash toilet. Hu Lute did not notice the Owners feelings and told him with a harmless smile. A cold sweat runs down from the Owners forehead to the cheek. (A new wash toilet!?) There is nothing better than that!) Even now there is a dependency towards the wash toilet, a pleasure that not lose to an illegal magical medicine, but more than that! It is impossible to imagine who the main man of a magic stone shop is. Lute tells of the additional function with a happy smile and starts consulting something about the magic stone necessary for it. The function to warm the toilet seat, after using warm water, the function to produce hot air to dry the butt is needed. Deodorizing function, so far, I have no idea. However, the last request was not understood by the owner at the slightest. Music performance function. It lets the toilet to play music? Why is that necessary? The owners spirit shakes unconsciously in the insane territory where an ordinary man cant reach anymore. Well, I think that the first three can be handled with traditional magic stones, but the last one is difficult. Because there is no one with the power to put music and songs into a magic stone Then combining magic letters and magic stones, can you make it? Excuse me; if you go that far, I am out of my field I see. I wonder if it is early to consult Meia after all. This is like my hobby, so I dont want to bother too much. At the owners words, Lute puts his hand on the chin. To summarize the idea, once talking to Maia, he will come to buy a magic stone again. Apparently, it seems that he will head to the garment store next. What kind of crazy idea does he go to the clothes store for? It is sure to make an unreasonable order by an idea which cannot be reached even after one thousand years for an ordinary person. The owner just imagined that and a cold sweat was pouring out like a waterfall. Damn that guy is the demon king. How much fun will he catch up with us? At the same time, he met Lute, remembered the wonderful pleasure of the wash toilet. He tries to bite and endure, but the desire once remembered doesnt stop, it will increase over time. When Lute left the store, it reached the level where it was not possible to endure any longer. (My butt is aching.) Tsu! (Ive been patient since this morning, but I cant stand it anymore! I swear I would not use the wash toilet as the owner of the magic stone shop, I tried many times, but it was unbearable for one day.) The owner hangs the Closed tag on the door of the store and runs to the back C to the wash toilet. In this way, the pride of the Magic shop owner was broken, and he suffered a defeat again. Below is an extra edition. Reaction when the new wash toilet is used (still in prototype stage). Snows case. In use C Hot air blowing on the butt! Ha! What? What is this? Mujuuju! After use C hot air was awesome in the butt! After that, the part of the lid becomes warm, in winter this is not a problem! In the case of Chris. I am scared, so I will never use it! Lizs case. In use C Oh, directly to the buttocks Hot air blows um. Haha! It is a different stimulus from warm water But the former high-elf kingdom, the second Princess of Enol, and Reese Enol Memea is not supposed to lose to the warm air. After use C I could not win it anymore I cannot survive without a wash toilet without hot air function anymore Lunas case. In use C Whats this, its already ticklish Wait a minute! Where are you hitting the wind? After use C To ask a girl about the use of this, you are the worst! Shias case In use C Nn After use C Since I am a guardian maid, I have already experienced interrogation and torture training. It is easy to endure the stimulation of hot air hitting the buttocks. Meias case. In use C Right, Lute-sama aaaa! Lu, Lute! Aaah Lute-sama Oh!!! After use C Uhufufu, A true genius Lute is beyond genius. There is still more of that wash toilet um! Chris remained scared as usual and did not use it. When I asked Luna about the toilets experience, she got mad and her face turned. It is a secret that that shy figure was kinda cute. And Meia, It is too blurry. I am a bit scared to have my name called from the toilet. Basically, it was popular, but it is still a prototype stage. I cannot install the sound generation function yet. There are still improvements to be made. Volume 6 - CH 105 Chapter 105 15th birthday There is no concept of celebrating a birthday in the demon continent. In general, there is only a delimitation that if I become 15 years old, I will be treated as an adult. Just because you became an adult, there is no habit to celebrate it grandly. Snow and I have been able to welcome 15 years old. Although there is no custom to celebrate 15 years old, I proposed a party because it was long awaited. It will be an event like adding birthday and coming-of-age ceremony. So, we decided to have a party at home since the first day we moved to this house. Snow, Liz and I made the meal; Chris and Shia the dessert. Meiya made the promise of bringing liquor same as before. Dinner time. Everyone gathers in the living room and a small party is held. Whats this! Delicious! The outside is crispy and the inside is really juicy! Its called karaage. Oniichan made it. Its amazing, Lute-kun! Lute-kun is also good at making sweets, he can make even such dishes, You can even cook! Im sitting on the head, Chris and Luna are sitting side by side on the left. As usual, the two are on good terms, they seem like sisters like this. I am sitting on the head seat and Snow on the right side. Meiya is sitting down in front of me. Lute, the liquor Meiya brought is very delicious, is not it? Oh my, the taste is really good, Meiya, isnt it quite expensive? No, its not a big deal, its to celebrate Lute-sama and Snows 15TH birthday, so we should open the ceremony to celebrate Lutes anniversary. Meiya smiles but I swear that she does not smile at all in the eyes. In her case, it is dangerous to try to implement such an anniversary indeed. I laugh properly and make a mistake. Shia, can you sit down and eat? No, Im an escort maid for the Princess. I cannot sit at the same table, Dont worry about it. I will eat later She is really stubborn. Ah, Liz is sitting next to Snow. Behind her, Shia, dressed as a maid, poured alcohol to everyone, cleaned up the dishes, picked up fallen forks and replaced them with new ones. I agree with Lizs opinion, but Shia firmly refused it before the party. Because this is my job. It is impossible to forcibly stop her if she really wants to do it. For the time being, I separated some of the party dishes for Shia. I also told her that she can time to eat any time she wanted. Hafuh ? , when you eat karaage with mayonnaise, is super delicious! Ha, ha, ha, dont eat too much, both of them are greasy, so I do not know if you will grow fat. Now, Lute dont be a fool, do not say a girl that she is fat! Even if Luna is fat anyway, fat is all right because it goes all to the breasts like the oneechan! Luna! It is inconvenient to talk about breasts in public! But in the case of Luna, she resembles Lara-sama more than Liz-sama, so I thought it would be best if you dont expect too much from your chest. Apparently, the first princess of the kingdom of high elves, Lara Enol Meemea seems to be poor She owns a slender body. Luna trembles and pales with Shias words. Its okay! Luna is growing! Youre not 100 years old yet! Oh, it is okay Luna-chan, even if your tits are big, your shoulders will be stiff or its hard to move, is not it? If its too big, its dangerous because you cannot see your feet, and the majority of my blunders surely are for my big breasts! No, absolutely it is different- I firmly reject Lizs opinion without a doubt. Because your Oneechan has also big breasts I can say! If boobs get bigger, your shoulders will get stiff or make you hard to move! Snow & Liz admonished Luna while their cheeks went red by the alcohol, but Luna seemed not to receive it much. Everyone laughs out at the words that appeal to Lunas soul. The magical light that illuminates the room shines in the face of everyone who laughs happily. (Oh, I guess this is happiness A warm air that is different from body temperature wraps everyones heart. I wish that such an atmosphere would last forever C there is a strength that makes me think so. And the party goes along with the sake that is poured. And the party went too far. Lute-kun, Lute-kun, Snow, Lute-kun, Its a big day! Yes, I also love Snow. Onii, chans neck, very beautiful It looks delicious Scary, scary, Chris! Seriously, dont put your teeth on my neck!! Lute-kun, what kind of room is it? Its awesome. Hey, take it off. Liz! Dont even try to take off my jacket! Everyone drank alcohol and got drunk. I sat on the sofa, Snow was on my right hand, Chris on my knees, and on my left Liz. Snow is drunk and her cheeks are red and tell me with a smile saying I love you I love you. She is cute. Chris sits on my knees, she lovely licks my neck, and lightly buries her teeth. My ears turn red and her usual little face looks sexy. Liz seems to become an evil demon after getting drunk with the shameful habit of exposing the skin. She has already taken off one coat while sitting on the sofa. Thanks to the thin clothes on top, I can feel her chest too much with my left arm. However, because Liz tries to take it off further, I have to stop her desperately. Besides Luna C Uh-uh, I cannot stop it anymore and fainted lovingly over the desk. In Meiyas case- Hikari, Gou huh She was crying. Are you a crying drunkard? I am sorry, I am a genius of magical tool development next to Lute-sama, my family is noble, a good lineage family, I have talent as a magician and I am an excellent woman loved by people, so the prince is obsessed. I am sorry, I am sorry, Lute-sama! I am sorry for being late to become lutes wife because I am too good! No, this is not crying drunkard, is not it? What should I say? Self-respecting drunkard? Shia pours alcohol into Meiyas cup. Hey, Shia! Do not let Meiya drink anymore! Please rest assured. Because I have mastered everything as an escort maid even the treatment of a drunkard, after treatment and hangover prescriptions. Thats not the problem. But, the maid has mastered such skills.. Lute, lets make lots of kids if you calm down. How many kids do you think? How about 100 kids? Oniichans blood is beautiful, Beautiful and delicious Huhu. Lute, you are hot, are you OK for the whole thing? Snow, cant give birth to 100 kids. Chris, Im really scared. stop putting your teeth on my neck. Dont lick my ears!Dont bite me! Liz dont try to take it off before we leave!Moreover, do not make the thigh by sandwiching my hand in the crotch!Why did you not drink alcohol and your face turns red even more? The idiot child Snow accelerates, and Chris is a bit scary but sexy, the usually shy Liz wants to take off her clothes. I swore in my heart that I would never allow these children to drink alcohol outside. Volume 6 - CH 106 Legion Peace Maker as you asked, here is a quest. More than half a year has passed since we came back to the Dragon continent. In the meantime, we spent time resting. It is because there are still plenty of savings for living expenses. Snow and Chris taught Liz how to do housework. I was developing armors, weapons, etc. with Meiya. Occasionally, I found time to work and improve the wash toilet C and I had quite a fulfilling time. It seems that the quests letter reached us by name. [TN This one was difficult. As I understood the request had been addressed directly to Peace Maker.] In the morning, an errand boy knocked on the door and told us to come to the Adventurers Guild. I went to the Adventurers Guild with my brides Snow, Chris, and Liz. As soon as I showed my face, we were sent to a private room. As usual, the receptionist was the demon race girl who was the most acquainted with us. She handed us a piece of paper with the contents of the quest. The client is a person named Mr. Gharma, a special advisor of the Chrysanthemum Knights Gharma! What? He is the enemy who recommended Eru sensei to marry! Just remembering my guts boils up. But now its time for work. I received the letter without showing anger. Let me see. In the letter, the contents of the request and a simple status were written. Currently, the Chrysanthemum Knights serve as security guards, magicians have been frequently targeted in the city. It is probably a work of a skilled Magician Killer. However, the current Chrysanthemum Knights do not have the ability to deal with such a Magician killer. Therefore, they wish for Peace Maker help. Compensation is negotiable. Magician killer C Its a classification of the adventurers guild. Depending on the adventurer who registers, there are many fields of specialty. If you specialize in monster extermination C Monster Hunter Specialization in ruins and labyrinths C Treasure hunter If you specialize in escort missions- Guardian If you specialize in interpersonal warfare C Mercenary, bounty hunter If you are in the field of anti-Magic- it is called magician killer. Aiming at only magicians, and because Gharma is a former adventurer, he is probably using the name magician killer. I read the letter and questioned the part I was concerned about. They asked a quest for the Legion but Can they ask for help? Yes, its not a particularly unusual story. There are many stories that some legions fought together and defeated dragons more than once. The receptionist assures it in a casual way. From the attitude, it seems not to be really unusual. In addition, the receptionist points out. And before you made the Legion, you guys defeated the twin magicians without killing them. The Magician Killer that captured the twin Magicians alive became quite famous among adventurers. So, I guess thats why there is a Quest by name this time. Ive never heard that story before. Certainly, we received a quest to raise our adventurer level in the past. At that time, we encountered the twin magicians while escorting. Thanks to Chris sniper rifle, we were able to catch them alive. I did not know that it was famous among adventurers as a magician killer. It is an urgent case, but there is time to think about 1 or 2 days. Will you accept it? The receptionist asked with a business smile. To that question I C Yes! Of course, I refuse! I refused with a big smile. Snow, Chris, and Liz who were sitting on the same sofa were shocked. Snow asked on their behalf. Why dont you take the quest? Its an emergency from Eru senseis friend. And wasnt the Peacemakers philosophy helping people who are in trouble or seeking salvation? Certainly it is Peacemakers philosophy. But Gharma is an enemy who introduces marriage partners to Eru sensei. Besides, is a nasty man who tried to swindle cleverly to introduce a man with good conditions. How can you give empathy to such an enemy? Introducing a man with good conditions !? The receptionist sitting on the sofa in front of us, for some reason reacts to my words, her eyes change and she stands up. No, there is no way Ill introduce him to you, so please calm down. She remembers her duties thanks to the cold stare from us, she coughs and sits down as nothing happened. Snow begins again persuading. But are you okay? You refused the request of Eru senseis friend. I think is good that Peacemaker first quest is from Eru senseis Friend Eru sensei may get angry at you for refusing to do this. Or worst, she may hate you. Im scared to be scolded by Eru sensei. But to be hated ! Just imagining, a sour thing rises up the esophagus. I shut my mouth in a hurry. Its dangerous! Just imagining it seems to dig a hole in my stomach! Even though I have tears in my eyes, I turn to the receptionist with a strong stare. I will do it. No, please let me do that quest by all means! I understand, Legion PEACEMAKER will accept it. I answer together with my wives Please!. This is a question asked by my wife on the way back from the adventurer guild after receiving the quest. What kind of man can you acknowledge as Eru senseis husband? Someone that is serious, kind, hard worker, that cherish his wife rather than himself. Someone who has a single-person nature that does not turn to another woman, someone whose income is stable, and has the strength to protect Eru-sensei, someone who has a firm sense of duty, has a glance from the surroundings and do not scratch for position and honor. Even to forgive Eru sensei if he is not up to her, and she wants to leave him. I am sure that such a man does not exist in this world. Right now, I feel that my wife is cold Volume 6 - CH 107 Legion-PEACEMAKER, the first quest is a request from the special advisor Gharma of the Chrysanthemum Knights. It seems that the Chrysanthemum Knights are involved in maintaining the security of the city on the Beast Man Continent. There are many incidents where magicians are targeted in that city. Perhaps it is the work of a skilled killer C Magician killer. The current Chrysanthemum Knights do not have the power to hunt the magician killer that targets multiple sorcerers. For that reason, PEACEMAKER was nominated to do it. Its disagreeable that Gharma is trying to deceive Eru sensei, but PEACEMAKERs philosophy is to help people who are in need, those who seek salvation. Even if I dislike him, I cannot turn him down if he is asking for help! Well, more than half a year has passed since we returned to the Dragon continent. I never thought that I would move in the continent by airship again in such a short time. But I will do everything I need to do, I want to do my quests exactly. I will get ready for that. I was in the studio with Meiya and two workers at Meiyas House. This time, Shea is taking over the preparation of the airship. Meiya clenched her palm in front of her chest and asked. Lute-sama, what kind of armament you want to make for this quest? This time it is a case in the city unlike so far, so it is not convenient for AK 47 nor Sniper rifles, so Im thinking of creating firearms that fit the city. Is there a firearm suitable for the city? Oh, the firearm were making is C MP5 submachine gun First of all, I would like to explain the term submachine gun C It means short machine gun. What kind of thing is a submachine gun, short machine gun? In my world before the incarnation, the first time on earth that the submachine gun appeared C was from the trenches of the First World War. The Machine gun appeared during the first World War. With a machine gun and just a few soldiers, you can kill hundreds of thousands of enemies and stop them. It has become impossible to defeat enemy places equipped with machine guns with traditional infantry attacks C The army spreading from several hundred meters to 1000 meters away and shooting with bolt action rifle. As a result, they were often forced to attack at night, to dig a trench, to approach them, and to fight inundated battles at close quarters where machine guns could not be used. Then, with the conventional bolt action type infantry gun, enemy soldiers are attacked while bolts are moved back and forth each time they shoot. Within a narrow trench, long guns are hard to handle. Based on these tactics, the German army added a wooden stock to the automatic pistol and raised the speed of fire and accuracy. They further developed this compact gun to spread the bullet in the form of a short rifle. And a new gun concept, the submachine gun, was born. The original submachine gun was the German Bergman MP18. In Germany, they called the submachine gun Maschinen Pistole, Machine Carbine in the UK. In America, it was called a submachine gun. However, after the end of the Second World War, rapid fire is very effective, but using gun bullets in the submachine gun gives low power, range and hit rate. In this way, Germany produces the originator of the assault rifle, that has a higher power and accuracy rate than a submachine gun. It has a semiautomatic shot that can aim for 1 bullet per shot, and a fully automatic shot that has sweep fire. With the advent of the assault rifles, the military value of the submachine guns disappeared. However, after the war, due to the extreme crime in the 1960s and 1970s, the submachine gun gathered attention once again. Why submachine guns? You cant rely on a handgun to counter extreme crimes. Because the power is too high in assault rifles, there is the possibility of unexpected damage. In short, the guns are roughly divided into three categories. Sniper rifle for long-distance use. Assault rifle for middle range use. Submachine gun for short range use. Each has a role, and it is used properly according to the scene. To my explanation, Meiya nods many times while taking notes. Indeed, this quest is expected to be fought in the city. Thats why Lute-sama is trying to make a submachine gun. Of course we dont have time, so I think that we will be making it while traveling in the airship like the last time. For this reason, Shea had already been instructed to load the airship with magical liquid metal. Well, there is a wide variety of submachine gun. Then, why am I trying to make German H & K (Heckler & Koch) MP5? As I explained earlier the submachine gun is a bullet dispenser born from the trench warfare. It is a firearm made for the purpose to spread bullets much more quickly. For that reason, the hit accuracy is neglected. Instead, what was required at that time from the submachine gun was a gun that was easy to produce in large quantities with a simple structure that spread bullets. The MP5, that the H & K of Germany developed, broke the common sense of such submachine gun. The MP5 was more accurate than other submachine guns. There is no ideal submachine gun for the counter-terrorism troop as much as it is compact, capable of loading many bullets in the magazine, strong firepower, and high accuracy. For that reason, it came to be equipped not only in Germany but also in law enforcement agencies around the world including Japan. Perhaps is the most famous submachine gun in the world, right? In addition to the good performance, there was an incident that spread suddenly the name of the MP5. It was in October 1977. A Lufthansa airplane was hijacked by four Palestinian terrorists at Mogadishu airport in Somalia. While the world was paying attention, members of the border guard GSG-9 equipped with the MP 5 suppressed the cabin in just 5 minutes. All 90 hostages were released. At that time, the specifications of MP5 used are as follows: Diameter: 9 mm (9 mm, Parabellum bullet) Total length: about 70 cm Weight: about 3 kg Number of bullets: 30 As a result of this incident MP5s name became known all over the world. So why the MP5 submachine gun is more accurate to hit? An ordinary submachine gun is made with a mechanism called open-bolt firing. The bottom bolt of the ordinary gun advances and the state in which the cartridge is loaded in the chamber is ready to launch. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer fell and the firing pin hit the primer detonator. Most submachine guns have a firing pin on the bottom bolt. The spring is installed behind the Bolt and it is fixed so that it does not come out before the compression of the trigger. When the trigger is pulled, the fixed spring is released and the bottom bolt is pushed forward. The firing pin in front of the bottom bolt strikes the Primer detonator, ruptures the propellant powder, and starts the bullet. At that time, the gas pressure is generated, it compressed the spring, the empty cartridge is discharged to the outside and the next bullet is charged. The merit of such a simple structure is that it is cheap and can be manufactured in large quantities. However, H & K developed the MP5 submachine gun with a hammer and a firing ring pin like a rifle. The trigger is pulled while the breech block is closed. Its accuracy and precision were not comparable with the others. What is more noteworthy is that it employs a roller locking operation method so that the recoil at the time of launch is mild. Roller locking means incorporating metal ball rollers on the left and right of the bottom bolt that plug (lid) in the chamber. Bullets are fired and the bolt is pushed backward by the generated gas pressure. In that case, the shock to the rear is softened because a strong force is needed to push the metal ball roller out of the recess, and it increases the hit rate further in conjunction with the closed bolt firing. The MP5 succeeded in improving the accuracy and stability of the full-auto, was adopted by the military and police special forces, and was called the standard submachine gun for special forces. If I can run with a joke, I wanted to give it a wifes name, such as Chris Super V developed by SMG in the USA, but the opponent is a guy who hunts magicians. For the security of my wives, there is no reason to joke. MP5 has a large number of models, and it is said that the variation is over 100 kinds. This time, we will produce two kinds. Two kinds?Do you want to make two different kinds of submachine guns? Yes, the same MP5 submachine gun, but two models whose purpose is totally different. I convince Meiya who was puzzled. I cleared my throat and kept talking. First of all, Im going to make the MP5K. MP5K? What kind of submachine gun is that? Meiya leans forward with great interest. Why I chose the MP5K? It is because the MP5K is designed for anti-terrorism forces because it is small and lightweight enough to hide under the suit and is said to be the ultimate close combat weapon. Specifications are as follows. Diameter: 9 mm (9 mm, Parabellum bullet) Total length: about 32 cm Weight: about 1.8 kg Number of bullets: 15/30 rounds (magazines of 15 to 30 shots available) Furthermore, it is switched to semi-automatic shooting, two bullet bursts, three bullet bursts, and fully automatic shooting. Because it is small and powerful (900 shots per minute), it is also known as a room broom and is useful for the FBI hostage rescue team and a lot of counter-terrorism units. I will explain the other MP5 we are going to make later. So, first of all, I think I will make MP5 K. I think that I will annoy you with various inconveniences, but I want you to lend me your power. What do you say!I never thought it was annoying!Rather, it is a delight to be given to Lute-Sama! It is a Blessing! It is a reward! Please use me until I become tattered. Because it is my pleasure! Thank you, Meiya. Surely Ive received your passion. Well, thats why I received such a passion myself Puhhh . not only my passion but fu hi yu, please receive everything from me! It was pressed by Meiyas hot words I was going to said a line of words with sympathy, but it seemed that I turned on another switch again. Her eyes shined brightly and her breath is rough. I stopped talking to escape from Meiyas line of sight. Well, OK! Would you like to start working now! There is no time to waste! In this way, we started working on the MP5K. Of course, the work includes the production of 9 mm (Parabellum bullet). The work took until the airship arrived at the Beast Man Continent, where the Chrysanthemum Knights are. Volume 6 - CH 108 Lute: 15 years old Equipment : S & W, M10, 4 inch (revolver) : AK 47 (Assault Rifle) Snow: 15 years old Magician A-minus Equipment : S & W, M10, 2 inch (revolver) : AK 47 (Assault Rifle) Chris, 14 years old Equipment: M700P (Sniper Rifle) : SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) Liz, High Elf 181 years old Magician B class Protection of Spirit: infinite storage Equipment: PKM (General purpose machine gun) : other The Beast man continent, around 8 oclock. Its about a months journey on the airship. The city where the Chrysanthemum Knights await is a city on the Beast Man Continent C one that exists at a middle point of the road for transporting goods from the harbor to the inner land. For this reason, the city C kokori street is medium size, but there is no dedicated section to keep the airships anchored. The transportation is basically a land route. [TN: I dont know what kokori is. Maybe is the name of the city but I am not sure.] We will stop the airship on the side of the town as we did in the high-elf kingdom. Later, I plan to set a roof to endure the rain. As we arrived at night, we stayed overnight at an inn in the city, we didnt go to the building where the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters were. Fuwa ~, it is the ground for the first time in a long time When I got out of an airship, I stretched greatly. My three wives came down afterward. The ground is nice, do not shake, the feel of the earth is good. Doesnt Snow like an airship? I had never known that. Swinging the big tits that do not fit her body stature, Liz asked Snow. Snow responds with a bitter smile. Its not as bad as it sounds, but when youre flying, youll blow up. If you dont get used to it, youll be drunk by shaking. I know that. At first, I was not accustomed to shaking, so I got drunk. Chris raises a mini blackboard and smiles bitterly. Seriously, both of you didnt have that kind of behavior, so I was wondering if you were okay. And I said, Well, once you get used to it, theres nothing to worry about it. Its as Shia says. Once you get used to it, theres nothing to worry about it. In addition, Shia the maid, and my disciple Meiya continued. This time, these 6 people participated as the Legion Peacemaker. Lizs sister, Luna, who is my sister-in-law, also wanted to participate, but I forced her down. Indeed, it is not possible to let Luna who does not do military training at all, to participate in this quest. It is also possible to be kidnapped again. The place where we are now is a meadow a few hundred meters away from the walls protecting the city. It goes around on foot and heads to the entrance of the city. We walk around and head to the citys entrance. Hmm? I saw a person coming toward me C at first, I thought it was a soldier protecting the city, but I realized that the situation was strange. First of all, it is only one person. When looking around if there is a crisis in the surroundings, usually you act in a group of two or more. It was common sense in my world before the incarnation and also in this different world. Next, the whole body was covered with a dull silver armor. I thought he was an adventurer if not a soldier, but he was about two and a half meters tall. A battle ax was in his hand. His whole body was covered by the armor, there was no skin exposed. The armor was also thick, so the whole silhouette was somehow wide. If you make it thick, your defense will surely increase, but the mass will increase accordingly. It was not a weight that people can come and move. It seemed as if an orc was wearing armor. At night, wearing armor covering the whole body, a figure that comes straight towards with a battle ax in his hand. It was impossible to say Do not be alarmed. What? The vigilance paid off, suddenly, the armored figure supplemented his body with physical reinforcement! He came brandishing the battle ax and attack!! What the hell is he doing? Lute-kun, run! The armor aimed at me who was walking in the front and swung down the battle ax. Before Snow pointed out, I also assisted my body with physical reinforcement. I avoided the blow of the armor. Because I was suspicious and the opponent came walking from the front fully opened, so I could to escape at any time. However, the armors attack was not over. He pulled out the battle ax stabbed in the ground with force and made a horizontal slash towards me. I avoided it with a back step, but the armor was overtaking. Its much better than the aim would be turned to my wives poorly. And while Im attracting him, theyre not just looking at him with their fingers in their mouth. Dance with my hands, ice sword!Ice Sword! Snow uses magic that prioritizes speed & accuracy over power. Ten ice swords are created above her head and were released to block between me and Armor. Several were knocked down with the Armors war ax. But its enough to be a time-earner. Lute! Snow! Get away! Liz shouted. Looking towards her, the General purpose machine gun- PKM was ready to fire. Behind her, Chris, Shia, Meiya were hiding. Liz is a High Elf. At the age of 100, the High Elf tribe gains a special power, the spirit protection. In her case, it is a power called infinite storage. If it is a non-living thing, she can store almost infinitely. From there she takes out her favorite PKM. Since it is already in standby mode, it can be fired if the trigger is pulled. Liz grabs the carrying handle to replace the barrel comfortably, and the muzzle is turned to the armor. In a hurry, I move away from the armor. Tsu! I guess because it was in a hurry, it sounds like slight tinnitus C she fires to fill such discomfort. Go! Fire!!! Liz with a shout squeezes the iron trigger! Dada Dada Dada Dada Dada Dan! 7.62 mm 54 R used also for rifle bullets, are fired at a rate of 650 shots/min! When the armor pierces the battle ax into the ground, it activates magic. It creates a mud wall in front. Regardless of that, Lease continues to fire, but in about 20 seconds she will shoot the whole magazine box. There was only a battle ax that was thrust into the place, and the armor was already running away with its back at us. I tried to chase him in a hurry, but his escape speed was fast. In the blink of an eye, he turned his back to the city and disappeared into the meadow at night. As a precaution, everyone stays on alert to the presence of other companions C but nothing happens even if we wait for a while. What the hell was that? I spoke on everyones behalf. The stars shining in the night sky did not give an answer. The scene changes, a corner of the city. In a room of a house that is likely to collapse, one girl sits ill-mannered and puts her feet on the desk. The clothes she wore were full of lace and frills. it completely disregarded exercise and functionality. If Lute was a lute on the spot, he would have associated them with garments such as Gothic Lolita and sweet Lolita that he saw on earth in his previous lifes net and TV. That is an example of Legion PEACEMAKER? It is not a big deal at all. Such a dull reaction, Nora alone will be able to kill all of them. Kusu kusu she giggled while licking a candy attached to a stick deliciously. A whole body armor resembling the one who struck Lute is standing by her side. However, it can be determined that this one is better made at first sight. The color was red, with a huge sword on the back. The girl talks again. To think how horrible they were against black , but I thought that it would be awesome, but selling a fight with that level of power. Arent they volunteering for suicide? The red armor does not respond to the girls words. The girl releases the stick candy from her mouth and shakes it like a baton. So Im going to add three peacemakers, Snow, Liz, and Shia to the exemplary plan for the magicians. The innocent girl has a cruel smile. You will regret that you have defied Black. A house late at night, a girls joyful laughter echoed in the room. Volume 6 - CH 109 Last night, because we were attacked by a mysterious armor, we stayed in the airship without going to the towns inn. If the armor that struck us returned again it would destroy the airship and I will not tolerate it. We had to stand guard all night in sentinel rotation while the city was right on the side. The next morning, when the sun rises, everyone gathers in the dining room/living room and eats breakfast easily. Well then, as planned, we will split in half one pair will continue the vigilance around the airship and the other will head to the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters. I talked while taking breakfast. Liz, Shia, and I will go to the Chrysanthemum Knight headquarters. Snow, Chris, and Meiya are in charge of vigilance around the airship, so no problem. Everyone Says OK. This is only confirmation of what we decided last night. Lieutenant Snow as the head, Chris and Meiya are underneath. Plenty of weapons are prepared. Snows AK 47 is equipped with a newly developed GB 15, 40 mm add C on / grenade. As a precaution, an automatic grenade launcher referring to the Mk19 is removed and installed. Even if the opponent is that armor bastard, it will not be delayed with firepower. There is also a lot of equipment on the airship. In case of emergency, Meiya should let the airship escape to the sky. The problem is with us; we are going to the Chrysanthemum Knights Headquarters. [TN you know I am slightly annoyed about the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters; I think we already understand that you are going to the chrysanthemum knights headquarters, so please just go to the f Chrysanthemum knights headquarters. Sorry I just have to let it go.] There will not be attacks in the streets, but if we are attacked I am anxious about firepower. We will not be able to rely on a large number of firearms in the airship like Snow. So I decided to have Liz to come with me. With the power of her spirit C infinite storage, even if you are away from the airship you can replenish the firepower. As for the high-elves, infinite storage seems to be an out of place ability, but it is convenient for us all. Also, if Shia came along with a high sense of awareness, the chances to take a surprise attack are infinitely low even if it is that Armored dude. In addition, in order to be able to respond to a crisis immediately when an emergency occurs, I have handed a secret weapon to Shia. Speaking of personal wishes, I would like to see a scene to use early. In other words, the enemy has to attack us themselves I do not feel like I am overly wary of this personnel arrangement, but it is too late after the problem has occurred. I should think it isnt done badly. But Lute was the last sentinel, arent you sleepy? Okay, okay. Thank you for your concern. But its okay. Besides, if we finish all the plans for today, I can sleep. Is Shia okay? Yes, young master, I have no problem because I am trained to move even without sleeping for a few days on the standpoint of an escort maid. Last nights sentinel duty went in the order: Snow & Meiya Chris & Liz Shia & I, before dawn. It is a result of incorporating Shia with a high sense of awareness at the time when it becomes dark. Then after breakfast, lets start preparing for each task, I know its a lot of work, but lets all work hard. Everyone hail at me. As planned, Liz, Shia and I headed to the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters in the city. [TN Otra vez la burra al trigo. Sorry, please dont mind me.] Before leaving the Dragon Man Continent, a map was handed over from the Adventurers Guild, so I was able to aim for the headquarters without hesitation. The Cocori street is a large one in the center, one avenue crosses it drawing a cross. When viewed from above, it depicts ten. ʮThis seems to be delimited for easy transportation because the items sent from the port are sent later to each city. Even today, carriages are crossing the main street. We go through that and aim for the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters. [TN. No! Really? Who would have thought so?] I stopped and looked back without thinking. Sorry, Liz. What, Lute Curious, she tilts her head. There was a pendant shining on Liz chest. This pendant changes the color of the eyes. Thanks to it, she didnt look like an elf. The High Elves have the longest life span among all races. It is also a popular race for love couples, it becomes a tourist spot around their home country. It is human most worshiped race, but as a precaution, she was disguised as if it were not a high elf so as not to be disturbed. Why is she always walking behind me? Shia, who is dressed like a maid, has a leather travel bag and is walking like a shadow behind Liz so we were stretching like a train. I looked back and ask Liz politely. Why is Liz walking three steps behind me and not by my side? Isnt a wife supposed to walk three steps behind her husband? As she said, a ? floats over her head. As expected from the high-elf kingdoms 2nd princess, Liz Enol Memea. The idea is too old. But when we left the Adventurers guild in the Dragon man continent, didnt you grab my arm? Didnt you? At that time the lady at the reception was too scary Ah, is that person? Apparently, she was scared of that receptionist at the Adventurers guild. She grabbed my arm on the way back. Other than that, she always was behind the rest. If I knew what I was doing, I would have noticed it sooner. Even if you regret it will change nothing. I hold out the hand to my wife again You do not have to walk behind that way, lets walk side-by-side But my mother taught me that it was a wifes duty, was it wrong? Its not a mistake. In some places, that would be the right answer. And I simply want to walk with Liz. Is it useless? N No, it isnt useless. Even if Liz was shy to say it straight, she nodded diligently and turned red til the ear lobe. She gladly grabbed the left hand I gave her. Her small palms are soft and slender like autumn maple leaves. The heat of Liz face that has turned red moved up to my cheeks. He, he, he, It would be nice to walk around town like this. When this quest is over, we will hold hands and see the city. Yes, I am looking forward to it. She seems happy and shy. The sight is unbearably lovely and pretty. No matter how you look at our exchanges, it will be a honeymoon lovey-dovey couples interaction. This time, I feel shy. Young master, lady, it is a turn left, not a straight line Because I was walking with a smile with Liz, I passed the corner to turn. Shia in a maid figure waiting behind puts calmly a tsukkomi. If she wasnt there, we would not have arrived at the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters. We were able to arrive at the headquarters late morning. The Chrysanthemum Knight order headquarters was built in the north side of the city, near the wall surrounding the town. In the East and West entrance, there are many people because of the passage of goods. Commercial areas and residential areas are concentrated in the north and south entrance. The northern part is not popular and has very few traffic. Thanks to that, walls are built to surround the headquarters. I expected that the training space would be enough if it was so large. The gate was open, so we went in without permission. We were seen passing through by the dwellers, but I was not warned. At the Dragon Man Continent Adventurers guild, I heard the story that the Chrysanthemum Knights Headquarters open the gates to listen to the people at any time. It seems to be true. It also seems to have a role as a police box of my previous lifes word, such as to give guidance on the street, entrust lost children and lost items. If you cross the gate, you will find a stone building on your right. There seems to be a ground spreading on the left. It is like an elementary school or junior high school in Japan. There! The swing of the hand is delayed! Move the sword according to the surroundings! Yes! Do 100 swings more! Have a fighting spirit and begin! Yes! At the direction of a woman who seems to be one instructor, about 20 girls start to swing a sword that crushed the blade. The height of the woman who seemed to be an instructor was high, and since she cuts her hair short, it further complements her manly expression. The ears are round beast ears, small breasts, the limbs are thin and long instead. According to the 1, 2, 3 - shouts, it is spectacular that the girl swings the sword with undisturbed movement. When such a woman notices us, the sharp gaze that was aimed at the girls seemed like a lie and directed a friendly smile to me. Are you an adventurer?The adventure Guild is not in the north entrance, but in the south entrance on the other side. (Huh?) While I feel uncomfortable, I reply with a business smile. No, we are from Legion Peacemaker. we rushed Mr. Gharmas request, special advisor to the Chrysanthemum Knights, Is there adviser Gharma? - So, you guys As soon as we reveal our true identity, her gaze turns blatantly cold. I dont know why. She turns her back to us. You keep moving. When the number of times is over, disband! In addition, she gives instructions to the girl who was walking the corridor at the back with a bunch of documents. Deputy leader Layara!Please supervise while I am away! Ye, yes! The girl who has wings with a texture like a hawk stretches the spine with a pin! The woman nods at the reaction and looks back to us. Come with me, the advisor will be waiting. To tell the truth, she leads in a moody way. Liz and I did not see each other and followed silently. Volume 6 - CH 110 Excuse me, Advisor Garma, I brought you a customer. After entering the inside of the building, the woman does not hesitate to go up the stairs and knocks at a rooms door. When opening the door, Garma whom I met at the orphanage at Hode Town in Aldio country of the Younin Continent half a year ago, was at the back desk writing with a pen. When he confirms that its us, he put a broad smile and welcome us. Oh! Lute dono! I didnt expect you to come here so fast! No, thank you for coming! I didnt come early for the enemy who introduced a man to Eru sensei. I just came because I do not want to abandon Eru-senseis friend, I do not want to be disliked by her when she mourns. (It is a long time. One of my companions owns an airship, so I was able to come early, unexpectedly.) It is dangerous, and the real intention has become the reverse. Both the guide woman and adviser Garma looked like a pigeon eating a peashooter. The wife, Liz, warned him with a sigh. Lute, when it comes to Eru sensei really, your rationality is lost like Meiya san. No, no! Its impossible to be more irrational than Meiya! Right? isnt it? Im sorry, Mr. Lute is really out of control when it comes to Eru sensei. No, do not worry, thats why it is that shes respected. Im really sorry Liz says apologizing. The woman who guided us weave his way through the gap. Then Im going back to training. Because I am worried that only deputy leader Rayara is with them. Ill leave the rest to you, advisor Garma. Excuse me. Telling only what she wanted to say, she left the room quickly. It seems that we are not being welcome. Garma apologizes this time. Im sorry, that is the current Knight Grandmaster of the Chrysanthemum Order, the Beast Man Tribe, Lucca from the Weasel tribe, there are a variety of things besides the deterioration of security due to the magician killing, Ill talk to you about that, so please sit there. When sitting on the sofa, Garma goes to the back of the room and takes out cold tea. I will do it. Oh, sorry. Shia in the maid clothes receives the tray. Garma did not go against it, he left it to Shia. When she finishes placing the tea in front of us with perfect movement, she stands behind us again. Gharma seems grim. Where did I start first ? Thinking about it he crosses his arms. He argues with himself as he arranges a story. When I came back to this Cocori street after meeting with Lute dono, it was already in the middle of the magician murder case. The magician murder case C the incident was discovered because one of the adventurers was lucky to survive. He said that he was drinking with a magician friend until late at night. On the way home, he noticed a whole body armor standing to block the middle of the road. The armored man attacked the men that didnt wear armor. Even if they were drunk, the men were adventurers who remember the use of arms. However, the armor was strong and killed the magician. The remaining man was about to be killed, but a soldier looking around passed by. He hated the commotion, the Armored dude took away only the corpse of the magician and goes up to the roof with lightness like feathers growing up. And it seems that it disappeared along with the roof. After that, the story spread. In the months since then, the chrysanthemum knights cannot catch the culprit. In the meantime, the number of victims seems to increase. It seems to me that we are not even able to identify how many people have been sacrificed right now. As a result, residents of Cocori street are distrusting the Chrysanthemum Knights. Can we leave the security of the city? Two corps legion have arrived to poke at the chance. They are trying to take away the security right of Cocori Street from the Chrysanthemum knights by solving this magician murder case by their own hands. It is a common story to entrust a Legion to maintain the security of the city. Instead of maintaining the security, taxes are paid to the Legion. Therefore, it is a delicious work that money comes in regularly even if you do not bother to make a quest. Originally it is necessary for the Chrysanthemum Knights to solve it alone in order to keep face. However, aiming and killing a magician has bad compatibility. For this reason, Garma asked Lutes peacemaker for help. However, Lucca, who is the commander of the chrysanthemum Knights, is vehemently opposed to the response of the adviser Garma. She was saved by the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights and continued to work hard after joining the band from the admiration, and that person went up until commander now. She had no talent as a magician, but she became the leader after being bought the power of the sword. Because of that, she sticks to the Chrysanthemum knights and worships them, she strongly dislikes the two legions, who are aiming to take over the security rights in the aftermath. (So, when we reveal our position, thats when her attitude got worse.) Garma seemed to read my thoughts and apologized. Im really sorry. That child took a rude attitude. I will scold her later on. No, dont worry about it. I say the words above. Then, the armored bastard is the magician killer As I thought so. What? Garma reacts to my words. So I talked about having been hit by a man who covered his entire body with armor last night. At that time, the wife C sitting next to me CLiz repelled him. About the characteristic of the armor, there is no doubt that it is the armor bastard we are just searching for. No way such a good looking beautiful girl repelled him What is this old man? This time is my wife, do you want to put your hand on Liz Loli big tits? Ill do it. I will do it.Will this Automatic grenade launcher put about 40 mm bullets 300 shots? Young master, please calm down No, really, Im calm, its true, its okay. If so, please do not extend your arms to the revolver at your waist. Shia takes away the revolver from me and pushes it down. Tyranny! Just a moment, I just wanted to do maintenance of the revolver suddenly! In that case, it is an accident even if the bullet exploded and hits Garma that sits in front! Garma takes distance from me with a bitter grin. Anyway, lets make a tough decision about the future cooperation with the Chrysanthemum Knights and Lute donos Legion, the action guidelines. Fine details can be packed later. First of all, there is action. Thats right. Well then, thank you Garma and Liz nodded to each other, ignoring me and discussed the rough transition of each others legion about the magicians murder. I kept being bound by Shia until the end of the discussion. Volume 6 - CH 111 After returning to the airship, we told Snow, Chris, and Meiya about the situation we had heard from Gharma. The place is in the dining hall and living room. In the evening when the sun sank, we talked about the situation while eating dinner that Snow & Chris prepared for us. Its kind of awkward situation, but I dont feel like it is something that if you catch the culprit that is causing the incident, its settled. Did we get involved in the concession struggle of each Legion? But, in fact, we are in the position we were asked for help by the Chrysanthemum Knights, we wont get into a local concession fight. The base of Peacemaker is the dragon continent. Find the criminal of the case, it is the end if you push it against the Chrysanthemum Knights. Theres nothing difficult. I know what lute wants to say, but Meiya is unusually inarticulate and takes out two letters. Upon receiving the letter, she began to explain. To tell the truth, while Lute and the others went to the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters, we received a letter from the two legions who came to Cocori town to take that concessionCThe Wolf Sword, and the Lili Rose. The sealing wax of each letter is a wolfs head holding a sword with its mouth and a Lily and a Rose, each legion flag is marked. By the way, PEACEMAKER Legions flag is the same revolver and six bullets as my nobleman emblem. I will tell you the details when Meiya received the letters. Each Legion member came all the way to deliver them. I was told that the content of the letter was an invitation with the date and time of the discussion and the place written. Discussion? The detailed content seems they want to actually talk face to face. Cut off the seal and check the contents. Both of them have written place, time designation in fixed form sentences. What to talk face to face What is it? I imagine it, but perhaps it is probably a joint fight or they would like to say to stay out of this case I answer Liz question. Everyone seems to agree, nobody opposes. Only Shia adds. I think thats exactly what you pointed out. And if you refuse it, it may reverse and they will attack us on the spot. If you do, lets all go with you, if the opponent attacks, we will give it back. I am surprised by the unexpected bellicose attitude of Liz. Although Meiya always said this kind of things. Looking at my expression Liz panicked and turn down her red cheeks. No. When I imagined that Lute is attacked, I cannot stand it. Im sorry, I didnt do anything. Thats not it!Im really happy that Liz thinks of me that much, but I think it would be better not to sell a fight from here, so lets stop going with everyone. Then, will I keep watch so that I can be able to enter from the outside at any time? I cross my arms at Snows suggestion. He cannot answer immediately. In the meantime, it may be better to put it into consideration. Here is Chris. In an emergency, such as when the opponent uses force, the SVD (Dragonov sniper rifle) can also give cover fire. So, in the end, will the young master see the Legions people? Of course, we will meet and listen to the story. I answer Shias question while she brews tea. It is blasphemous to call Lute sama, who is a great genius magician developer! It is rather courteous to have a present and come to greet him! Calm down, we are still emerging Legion. Its common courtesy for young people to go greeting. You wouldnt like when young people that seem to be young people ask for presents and ask greetings. Its better that way. Next, we discuss other things. We got permission to park the airship at the training ground of the Chrysanthemum Knights. We also borrowed a room of the Order Headquarters for accommodation. As expected the night has fallen today so we will sleep again on an airship. The schedule of tonights Sentinel will be the same as last night and it will not be a problem. The night three days after receiving the letter. In advance, I tell Garma who is the advisor of the Chrysanthemum Knights Order, that I will meet with the other Legions. Just before you get an invitation letter, just go and look at the contents of the greeting. The first one I promised to meet was the Wolf Sword Garma tells me that the Legion ranking is silver. It is a veteran level. By the way, we PEACEMAKER, because it is just a recently formed Legion the ranking is still copper. Its a freshman level. I can imagine the content of the story, but I have to listen to it as a precaution. I go to the designated building. The place is south of the Adventurer Guild. There is also the commercial district. The restaurant, red million, is the place to meet. Unlike the main street, this place is packed with shops used by citizens of Cocori Street. The commercial area on the main street has gathered goods to go to the interior of the Beast-man continent. You can buy goods here, but the basics are for shops. It is a place like Tsukiji in past life in Japan. Because is a place that the professionals handle, the amateurs are basically refused. Only Shia and I are headed to the meeting place. Snow and the others are not in backup either. Regarding backward support, I am afraid that a fight might break up if they are found by a Legion member who is wary of the surroundings. Just in case, the insurance is in the travel bag that Shia has. We arrive in front of the designated restaurant. Well, serpents or demons come out. And if is it, people, to come out? To my words, Shia who keeps on behind puts a Tsukkomi in. I was laughing, waving my hand, dont worry about it. And we set foot inside the restaurant, Shia is checking the weight of the luggage meaningfully. Volume 6 - CH 112 The restaurant named Wolf Sword C Red million was not so wide. It is about the size of one classroom and there are few seats. However, thanks to that, the shop is well illuminated even at night, and it is possible to look around every corner. Youve come so well, dont stand at the entrance indefinitely, sit down. There was a large table in the center of the store. The surrounding tables are gathered at the edge. I guess it was set up for today. One man was already sitting at the table. He was bald and his face was inscribed with an old wound like an x. The body was so big that it can be seen even when sitting. He had clothes that show off his muscles, his arms were as wide as a girls waist. The muscles under the metal breast piece were also well developed. If we have a pure physical strength arm wrestling, I will not win even if I were three people. Behind such a man, right and left, in the back of the store the Legion Members are scattered. There are 15 people in total. The Wolf Sword legion has 35 people. Perhaps it is polite not to ask where the other twenty people are. As I was told, I sat in front of the man. Shia like the other men stood right behind me. Then please excuse me Nice to meet you, PEACEMAKER representative human race, Lute Gunsmith. I am Wolf Sword Representative human race, Goura. Thank you for responding to the invitation Sir Gunsmith. I didnt call myself a nobleman, but the man in front of me, Gora, has attached a Sir to me. Apparently, he investigated me to a certain extent. Do not put such a scared face. It is natural that you should investigate negotiating parties, is the new lord leader of the up-and-coming Legion. The Twin Dragons defeat, the capture of the twin mages alive, and saving the High Elven Kingdom getting the Honorary Knighthood. Just like a story that the women and children like. It is a case that someone you do not know is crazy. He attached lord or sir, but there is no respect for them. There is no malice, is the feeling that the neighborhoods evil brat makes fun of it. However, apparently, our names are known to many adventurers. It is not for that I called you, I do not like talking about troublesome things, so I will tell you straight away C will you join hands with us? Is it such talk as expected? Goura continues. I know that you are cooperating with the Chrysanthemum Knights order and I want you to refuse that negotiation and join hands with us. Will Wolf Sword and PEACEMAKER protect this Cocori city instead of the Chrysanthemum Knight Order? In other words, betraying the Chrysanthemum Knight Order, and capture the magician-killer with Wolf Sword. And it is about sharing the tax revenue right that can be gained protecting the city. But, because we already accept the quest through the Adventurers Guild. I cant do this now. Quest failure is an everyday occurrence if youre an adventurer. The Adventurers Guild and the other party will not be able to speak loudly. Indeed, I have failed in the quest to level up before, but problems did not happen, even more so if the Legion. In addition, Goura emphasizes. The Chrysanthemum Knights is a complete fall. Theres nothing good about working with them. Ill tell you how to manage a Legion and how to cheat the tax revenue in the Adventurers Guild. And in the future, it will be possible to build a new legion by integrating wolf sword and peacemakers. I think that I can do well with Gunsmith with me, huh? There is no way in the future to unify the two Legion. Goura will insist on the representative right anyway. However, here is a reincarnation of a Japanese, avoiding direct replying expressions. I dont want to think anything will happen, but I want to avoid wasting my negotiating partner in this situation surrounded by opponents. I cannot answer immediately, so I think if I can reply to you after taking the issue back and reviewing it. Its the way of speak taken around a lot. oh, its good! Think positively! Then lets drink all night long as a celebration in advance, brother! No, Im done here for today. My wives are waiting for me to make dinner. Oh, its not easy even for one person, if there are three wives, thats not going to go wrong, maybe the maid in the back might be the basis? Well, it is similar, is not it? When I shrug my shoulders, the other party laughs and stands up. And I finish the discussion and leave the restaurant. The night of the next day. This time its the meeting with Lily Rose Legion. Following last night, Shia accompanied me in maids clothes and a luggage bag. The place designated by Lily Rose is the same as the Wolf Sword, in the south. It was not a restaurant but a bar in the basement. We dive through the door. I felt that the ventilation was difficult because of the basement, and the smell locked ourselves. From the moment the door is opened, the smell of perfume tickles the nose. It is the opposite of the restaurant used by Wolf Sword, and the restaurant is dimly lit. It is at the level that you can see the opponent until youre in the table. Welcome, Sir Gunsmith. My name is Raviola, a demon race who is a representative of Lily Rose. Thank you very much for coming today. As if welcoming the host who came home, Lili Rose Representative C Raviola, a beautiful young woman, bends from her waist and lowers her head. There is only a demon race, and wings like a bat grow from the back. Other than that it is the same as a human. She is tall and has excellent style. The dress she wears looks so nice. Moreover, the chest of the dress is wide open. Just like to insist that you look at it. Because of that, my line of sight gets stuck in a big cleavage. A Gaze from behind! When I look back, Shia looks like a sharp needle in my eye. It cannot be helped! All the boys love cleavage! Even if my wives are present, Ill have a gaze at! As expected It is not possible to say such an excuse in front of the public, I clear up my throat and introduce myself. Thank you very much. I am a PEACEMAKER representative, human race Lute Gunsmith I heard the rumors, dont stand around, please come inside. Raviola encourages you in a manner more like a high-class inn or a Ginza Bars Madam rather than a representative of a Legion. [TN Ginza a commercial district in Tokyo] While pretending not to notice the gaze still stuck from behind, I stepped into the store with Shia. Volume 6 - CH 113 What do you want to drink? Well, lets have a tea. Oh, you do not have to hold back. I got a whole bunch of liquors. Raviola, who is the representative of Lily Rose Legion, is sitting right next to me instead of sitting in the front. Although we come to talks with each other about the Legion. My heartbeat is a little faster because she is a sexy beauty. The size of the store is dark and difficult to grasp. There was a counter like a bar, and one of the dressed women poured cold tea into a glass. [TN this word (ä) is translated as dressed up, I think is something formal or a type of uniform.] Somehow, I remember the cabaret I had my senior employee take me once when I was working in my past life. Cohon Shias purposely coughing. It doesnt mean that I came for night play. I just came to hear the story, so dont give me a meaningful look from behind. So, why did you call us today? Oh my god, Im not going to talk about that soon. Would you like to have a pleasant conversation with me? Raviola puts a hand in my thigh and bents downward. Perfume tickles my nostrils. However, the natural odor of Snow, Chris and Liz is a better smell. Cohon, Cohon Shia coughs up again to warn her of what she misunderstood. She picked up the travel bag she had in hand. In a hurry, I take distance from Raviola and re-sit. Im glad you invite me, but my wives will worry if it gets too late. I shook my left arm to show the wedding bracelet attached to it. Its a shame. Well then, lets get into the main topic Ive called you today. Raviola sees me with mysterious eyes. She put her mouth close to my ear and whisper. I heard that you have already spoken with Wolf Sword Can I ask you the details, Sir Gunsmith? Youre not supposed to talk about other Legion, are you?You know what I mean. Yes, of course, I know. Sir Gunsmith would answer that, and the content of the discussion. That means that Wolf Swords muscle brain chief Gowla will form an alliance with Sir Gunsmith and take over the protection of Kokori instead of the Chrysanthemum Knights, isnt it? You can combine legions in some cases. . Well, what about that? Ill leave it to your imagination. Answering that, I sip a little bit of tea. It is not a content to deny deliberately, it is content youll arrive if there is a certain amount of imagination. But from her confident look, apparently, Raviola had been stacked with information before the talk. From Raviolas atmosphere, I think that she is the type that is good at psychological manipulation to gather information. Taking information from the muscle-brain members of Wolf Sword would be as easy as waving her hand. Fu, fu, it seems like hit the bulls-eye more than I thought. First of all, I will advise you. I think you should stop teaming up with Wolf Sword. I dont think Sir Gunsmith would choose such a path. By the way, why are you saying dont team up? You know, even if I dont say it. Fu, fu. That said, Raviola leans on my shoulder. Raviola emphasizes the valley with a mysterious smile. Her chest, her chest is hitting me purposely! I am glad it is soft but has it something to do with the negotiation? Well, my age is young, and it might be seen sweetly. Or maybe this is her usual way of negotiating but if so, does that mean that the creature called a man is too simple? Well, its sad that I cant deny it. I deliberately make a sound and put the glass of tea on the table, taking a little distance from her. We cannot disclose the details of the negotiations with other Legions. Either way, Peacemaker cannot form an alliance with Wolf Sword. Since I received a request from the Chrysanthemum Knights, I cant break that promise. I thought you would say that. Actually, I also wanted to bring an alliance or a merger with Peacemaker until I hear about it from Wolf Sword. But I stopped it. You gave up the alliance. If so, why didnt you stop the meeting? Yes. Lily Rose and I will be proposed to Sir Gunsmith. Having said that, she turned and looked straight at me. Lili Rose, and Peacemaker will merge with the Chrysanthemum Knights. The leader will be, of course, Sir Gunsmith. The deputy leader will be the Chrysanthemum Knights. I dont care under that. What do you mean?Whats your purpose? Roughly, such as merging with the Chrysanthemum Knights, doesnt make any sense to say it to me. It is better to speak directly to the leader of the Chrysanthemum Knights. Even if it is said easily such as merging three Legions. But, what about the intentions of the Chrysanthemum Knights? Saying that Raviola laughs as if she is amazed. Its as if you dont know anything, as if youre going to tell a child. In fact, I am actually quite lower in terms of age, but such an attitude is a bit frustrating. But her words are still going on. I calmly listen to Raviolas words. Sir Gunsmith, you are indeed a good person. You came to this place in response to a request from the troubled Chrysanthemum Knights You receive it for whatever reason, for money or to make achievements because its a new Legion, or because you know someone important to you, etc. This woman, have you even grasped about Eru sensei? It would have also been investigated that I was compelled to accept this quest because Garma of the Chrysanthemum Knights knew Eru sensei. How much do you know? The woman in front of me becomes a little scary. Ill say that on top of that. This incident is beyond your control. Pull out your hand. you say you want to merge the three Legions, or just to pull out my hand. Isnt it contradictory? It disgruntled, and the ending becomes the usual tune. But she just narrowed her eyes and smiled, and she kept on talking in a different tone. Well, its a contradiction. But you will fail as it is. The only way to succeed is to merge the three legions. I see its a common hand of sales. Standing in front of people in need, you are at a crossroads. If you do this, you will fail, but if you hear what I say, you will succeed. Its all right, believe me. If you say so, a person with a weak heart will be impressed by the other person. And you will be given the correct answer. Thats why Ive been examined completely. A person who knows only this, and who can only predict himself, must know the correct answer. It guides people who are in trouble. It is a common trick. While there is not enough information to make a decision, it is misleading to present only a small amount of information. It looks like there are options at first glance, and it is a hand that guides the selection and manipulates it as you like. I turn a cold look at her. She sighs in response to the sight. Phew. You are pretty tough for a young man.Well, thats a service. Let me tell you why youll fail. Having said that, she spoke out. The current status of the Chrysanthemum Knights. Compared to the golden age, the members of the current Chrysanthemum Knights have plummeted. Originally, the Chrysanthemum Knights were a legion that would allow women to enter even if they were not sorcerers if they passed certain entrance tests. As a result, it caused the overall level decline as Legion. In addition, veterans and members who were the main force withdrew because of marriage and age problems. A further decline in strength was noticeable. If you notice it, they have fallen down so much as asking a man, Garma for counsel. Do you understand? The Chrysanthemum Knights are already a dead Legion. There is only a dusty history. Do you guys help them? Kill the sorcerer? Its good to bring him down, but thats why you cannot say goodbye. What does it mean? The rumor that Peacemaker has come to rescue the Chrysanthemum Knights is circulating among the legions. If you were a nameless Legion, there was no problem even if you failed. But youve become too famous. I want to save the people in need.After you kill the Sorcerer killer and leave this city, soon the Chrysanthemum Knights will be internally divided. But nobody thinks that it is irrelevant to you. By the fact that you have appeared, Chrysanthemum Knights were destroyed by being rammed by You, I guess everyone thinks so. And then there will be rumors. PEACEMAKER was asked to save everyone in need, and it destroyed the client from the inside. So, to merge the three legions. It is best for me to become a general staff when you become the head, merging to regenerate the Chrysanthemum Knights. I know youre wary of me becoming a head, but Im not the type who wants to be put on the head of a big Legion like The Wolf Sword. Youre the kind of Mastermind I love, but if you let me do the work, I wont complain. I wonder if its possible to make the members of Lily Rose join Peacemaker, and to give us a slightly higher salary. A little higher, Hey Huh, you who have saved the High Elf Kingdom, isnt there enough money? There is also the sponsor called Meiya. I love money. You can earn more, just give me a bit of the spill.. I am the type that doesnt have the ambition for status or honor. You can see if you look at the number of people in the Legion. The number of people I can handle as a head is just about 20 people. I came to this town because it had a delicious smell. Your Legion will grow. I know. I wish I could bite as well. Im glad you expect that, but what do you do if I dont grow up? Youre gonna betray me and stab me in the back. Im not going to do that. Even if I could eliminate you, it would be unlikely that everyone else would follow me. On the contrary, your wives would hunt down until the end of the world and kill me. Well, Im only interested in whats in my hands, money, good life, and the rest a man. If sir Gunsmith says that I am good, may I be your fourth wife? But I think youll refuse, I think. What about the Chrysanthemum Knights? I dont think they will say yes, we do to the merge. Arent the Knights already in the verge of collapse? That famous Legion Peacemaker that is a famous Legion, and the amount of money you can pay to get out of this situation before it collapses. They are no fools to refuse. The situation of each Legion is being often checked. We also understand that the weak point in a new Legion is its reputation. In addition, the solution of the case is not known, the Chrysanthemum Knights after that can decline, if you decline the offer of Raviola, it will threaten us further by leading to our bad reputation. It cuts off the retreat, and bring you to the pit. You can do almost perfect score as a negotiation method. But there is a hole. That is my character. Thank you very much for giving me the information on the Chrysanthemum Knights. As I understood that, I can take some steps. The point is-kill the sorcerer and restore the Chrysanthemum Knights so that they wont collapse. So we can avoid a fall in our reputation. I know its easy to say and hard to do. But its much better than merging three Legions. Do what you can, and think again if you cant. If you were dissatisfied with these conditions, as the leader of the new legion, I would like our former Lily rose member honor you as a king of a country, and we will accompany you. No, its kinda weird If they do such things in front of my wives, rage is inevitable for any of them. Raviola gave a good laugh, maybe my expression was funny. Im kidding, But I want to emphasize the relationship with the peacemaker as much as I want to be involved. This is the consensus of Lily Rose members. I see the sincerity of Lily Rose is certainly received. I say in a ceremonious language. The discussion will be over. It was a harvest that I could hear various kinds of information. It could be said that it was worth coming. Well, then ! No, I want to take it home and talk with the members well because the content is important. So can you give you some time? I understand; it is an important story that influences the future of the Legion. Im looking forward to hearing from you. When the discussion was over, a party was brought up as it was at the time of Wolf Sword, but I declined. It is because I am sorry for my wives and I am afraid of having a party with them. Thank you very much, Shia and I left the Lily Roses. On the way back, I had a light meal with Shia at a store that was still open. Come on, Ill pay for this, so eat what you like. .. Young master. Is it the hush-up money for your mouthwatering glance at the cleavage? No way!? Shia pries badly! I cannot afford to see that, it just got into sight for a moment! Well, thats true!? In such a way Legions discussion is over. Volume 6 - CH 114 The next day, I wrapped up the conversation between Wolf Sword and Lily Rose to the Chrysanthemum Knights adviser Garma and conveyed it without hiding anything. Including the proposition from Lily Rose of 3 legion mergers including the Chrysanthemum Knights. He leaks a tired sigh. I knew it, but I didnt know that we were being treated as inferior to other Legions I can face the Old Girls and the people of the past. I left my body sink deeply on the sofas office. Garma looks at me sitting in front of him. So, are you going to choose either an alliance or a merger with one of those two Legions? No way, I will refuse both. Even if I form a merger or alliance with them, Wolf Sword is particularly passionate about putting me out, who is the representative and absorbing us. It will be quite troublesome even if I become a leader. Isnt there any chance to get into such an outright trap or trouble? In addition, I do not think that PEACEMAKER purpose can be shared with the other Legions, who are scheming to put the hand in the city tax mercenary revenue. Garma is openly relieved when he hears my reply. I was wondering what to do if I was asked to join hands with them. Now, if Peacemaker turns to the other side, the Chrysanthemum Knights wouldnt maintain the security services of the Kokori Street. It will be taken away by other Legions. After hearing Garmas words, I say to him. Well, I would like to talk with Wolf Sword and Lily Rose for refusal but there is a possibility that I will be scolded or beaten if I am alone, so I want Garma-san to be there as a representative of the Chrysanthemum Knights. In particular, I do not want to meet one on one with the representative of Lily Rose. If Garma is there, the decline talk will go smoothly. Oh, of course, I will be attending. Because is a special advisers duty to handle such a role. Thank you. In the meanwhile, we are still ignorant of the geography of this area if it is possible to have a meeting place as well? Its easy. Lets prepare an appropriate place as soon as the date and time are decided. After receiving Garmas consent, we decided the date and place to call the two Legions, and roughly decided the arrangement of the talk. And then we send out an invitation letter to Wolf Sword and Lily Rose. There is a reason for purposely calling the two legions, Wolf Sword, and Lily-Rose, at the same time. In order to finish the two talks at the same time, and to keep each other smoothly in check. In addition, by eating and drinking peacefully, the aim this time was to find friendship between Legions and dissuade annoying thoughts like what might be an abusive idea, or to search for a dropout, such as to scratch the Chrysanthemum Knights sleeper head and take away the seat Thats why I purposely rented a high-ranked restaurant I am not going to give up Kokori Street, which is traditionally protected by the Chrysanthemum Knights, to a young legion like you. Go ahead and pack your things As soon as the opening ceremony ended, Lucca of a weasel beast race, who is the leader of the Chrysanthemum Knights, picks a fight with Goura, who is Wolf Swords macho representative, and the bewitching beauty Raviola, who is Lily roses representative. Garmas, the advisor of the Chrysanthemum Knights, and my face turn blue. Only Shia, the maid standing behind, kept holding the travel bag without changing the expression behind us. I whisper to Garma sitting next to me. (Why did you bring Lucca to this place!? Because of her character, I can understand that this is something she is not familiar with!) (I am really sorry! I was caught on the way out Why cant I, the leader of the Chrysanthemum Knights, attend the meeting of the Legions representatives? I was forced to I could not refuse. Im really sorry!) It is too late to apologize now. It is clearer than seeing fire what will happen if the representatives of the Legions who are aiming to sit at the spot which is sacred to the Chrysanthemum Knights. And yet he brings her along tsk. The situation was already awful. But Lucca is too stubborn. This sudden belligerent attitude. I think Garma is having a hard time. Even though I have received a job, Im not a human resource anymore, so were getting involved. Lucca looks at Goura and Raviola and lets a sigh leak by the disgusted tone I made. Its all about moving in the shadows because these are Legions, who has no history or pride I dislike you. The letter said that it was a dinner party to deepen the friendship between Legions and the alliance reply that I spoke to the other day Apparently, its different from my reading. I am disappointed, but I am of the same opinion as Wolf Sword. If you want to go to war, you can tell it so that it should be easy to understand. Lily rose should be able to crush a Legion covered with the mold and dust of tradition such as you. Come on, you guys Goura bares the canine, Raviola smiles and exhales a poisonous tongue. Lucca receives their provocation squarely and rages so much that her eyes run bloody. There is no one micron, of something such as peace. (Whats your plan!? The first meeting is completely ruined with this!?) (This meeting is forced to break up, and there is no alternative but to have another day for discussion.) It is not a question of stinginess to set up a new place but to be honest, this side will have to make some concessions in order to let this incident flush. After realizing it, Garma decides to change the day. Im sure its still better than continuing this talk. I agree with the idea and nodded. Lets leave it to the host Garma to break up the meeting this time. However, the situation gets more confusing. When Garma stood up and tried to speak to three people staring at himCa visitor appeared. Im renting a store for the meeting tonight. However, the door opened and a clean bell noise resounded inside the store. Everyone who was there turned his gaze to the entrance in response to the sound and was speechless to the visitor. It was the armored bastard who entered the shop. Volume 6 - CH 115 Everyones eyes in the store are glued to the intruder-armored bastard. However, if you look closely, it was obviously a high-class armor than the guy who attacked us on the first day when we arrived at Kokori. The color is bright red. The design, texture, and material that are engraved on the surface are clearly a few steps higher. It carries a large sword that is not encased in a sheath on its back. I wonder if this is the party venue sponsored by the Chrysanthemum Knights? It was a muffled voice. By the voice quality, you can guess if it belongs to men, women, children, old people- but this sounds cannot apply to anything. The red armor takes an attitude that it is satisfied with tour reaction, we are stunned. The red armor raised the voice further. I dont think you are aware of it, but Im the boss of the magician killers happening in this city, the culprit, the main culprit. A few of my men are hunting the sorcerers in this town. At this sudden confession, everyone in the place hardens itself. In other words, does it mean that several people are organizing this Magician Killers ? The red armor turns to me. But things are over in this town. So, Im going to end the game with you, the Peacemakers. The gaze of everyone on the spot is now pouring down to me. You defeated Arsed, our beast race minion in the High Elves kingdom, right? If you kill even such small fish, our face will not stand. So this is a good opportunity, Ill cut your necks and slap the stigma attached to our organization. I came to declare war today. Of course, the other legions are welcomed to get in the way. Ill crush you with Peacemaker. Full of confidence the red armor declared war. It was just that he showed up and declared in the middle of the enemy, and he brings his arms. Therefore, no one tries to hold immediate red armor down. First, today is the seat of the joint meeting. No one has the equipment. They are almost unarmed. During that time, Shia, in maid clothes, reading the air, goes forward to cover me. Oh, I mean, are you an enemy? Yes, but what about you? Young master, please come down because it is dangerous! !? Shia, wait a minute-! When Shia recognizes that the red armor in front of her is an enemy, she hides me behind and turns the side of the leather bag made of skin to the red armor. Without giving time to stop, she presses the switch of the safety device attached to the handle and pulls the trigger. 9 mm (9 mm Parabellum bullets) blows away the name tag which was hiding the muzzle. The bullets strike the red armor. Hey, what is this! Fuck! The Red Armor is exposed to a stormy gun, causing panic. However, the 9 mm (9 mm Parabellum bullets) are repelled, probably due to the thick armor of the armor. At best they scratch the surface. Hey, if this is it! When the Shia realizes that it is not fatal in the degree of 9mm (9 mm Parabellum), she turns to the other side of the luggage. Switch on. Bosh-A 40mm grenade bullet is fired with a slight noise. Tsu!? A loud explosion sounds in the room. As expected the red armor cannot defy the power of the 40 mm grenade, it was blown away to the outside with the door that it came in. Silence comes to the store. Me and Garma, the other Legion Representatives, store clerks, etc. hide under the table, the chair shadow and the counter, did not move. It was Shia who created this situation that first broke the silence. Are you injured, young master? No!No, but why did it suddenly fire! I am a princess escort; the young master has been entrusted with the young ladys protection. The other party was an official of the armor guy, I fired because he was judged as our enemy. Its dangerous to be attacked suddenly, like the first night. Because the enemy came out in front of the escort, so he was hit as a certain win first move. If you compare with Earth in my previous life, it would be the same as terrorists with a gun broke into the front of the guard. Shia has only completed his duties as a High Elven kingdom escort maid. By the way, if I explain this bag On Earth in my previous life, the VIP secret service who protects important people, when guarding the dignitaries, they had submachine guns built in a bag or attach case to not be noticed that they had a gun. Such equipment is called koffer. This was the reason why I made MP5K among several submachine guns. Even though the total length is only about 32 cm, the firepower is strong (900 shots per minute). The room broom is most suitable for storing in a bag or the like. I thought urban fighting would be the main thing this time. In some cases, you may have to go to a place where you cannot bring in your weapons. At that time, if Liz is with us, it is possible to take out the AK47 and so on, but if not With that in mind, I wanted to make a Koffer to protect my wives. However, in the 9mm (9 mm parabellum bullets), because in the different world where demons are reckless However, because in this world the monsters are rampant in the 9mm (9 mm parabellum bullets), I added a 40mm add-on grenade GB15 that can be installed without modification in the AK series. I didnt think I would use it here. There is no worry if you are prepared. However, just because we have eliminated the enemy that intruded suddenly, it does not mean that the place is settled. A vein stands out on GOURAs temple, which has been hiding behind a chair, and he is angry. Hey, Gunsmith! You, why do you bring such a nasty secret weapon to the place of the meeting? C How dare you bring in such a dark device? The Chrysanthemum Knights and the peacemakers are it that you want to collude and war with me?! Lily roses Raviola agrees with this opinion. I agree with Wolf Sword! The red armor comes, and such an insane thing, I didnt have such an experience since I was born! It is not unreasonable that two people say so. I set up a table for discussion because I want to respond- they received a letter and attended the meeting, they were offered a friendly talk from one Legion to another. Then the red armor appeared that claimed himself to be the magician killer, and one legion used a high-powered weapon. They also attend with two subordinates, but it is natural to be stunned at the end, by the power that blew off the red armor. I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead and diverted the conversation for the time being. Anyway, before you get angry, why dont we check the armor that was blown out first? He was saying that he is the main culprit of the magicians Killing. First, we need to catch him and interrogate him. -I agree with the opinion of the peacemakers. You should check her first. It might just stand up and attack us. [TN yes, it said her, it is not a mistake from me.] (Hmm?) I have a doubt at the remark of the Grandmaster Lucca of the Chrysanthemum Knights, but it cant be pursued right now. Everyone agrees with our proposal, and while being vigilant, they look at the outside from the window and the broken door. The red armor which had been blown away a considerable distance had fallen. No matter how thick the armor is, it does not go to damage 0 and is painful. When the red armor raised up, it put its hand on the big sword it was carrying. Dont scratch the armor that I receive from my sister! You damaged the armor that can only be stained with your blood! Kill! Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill! Ill let you eat your own intestines while youre alive! The red armor stood up, it was marvelous enough to be surprised. Volume 6 - CH 116 Dont scratch the armor that I receive from my sister! You damaged the armor that can only be stained with your blood! Kill! Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill! Ill let you eat your own intestines while youre alive! After a direct hit from a 40mm grenade, the Red armor that was blown up from the shop rises, the malice which is to the extent it can be grasped by a hand is discharged and shrieked. It is difficult to judge the gender by the voice because of the magical treatment. Now that it is screaming, it feels even closer to wild animals than people. Maid there! I will definitely kill you! The red armor grabbed a big sword on its back and burst. Owa! Even though there is a considerable distance, it cut through the wall of the store where we are. It looks like a magic weapon that has a wind magic stone in it. Shia has calmly confirmed the situation even though she has been declared a target to kill by name. She has guts However, receiving a direct hit from a 40mm grenade bullet, it was It was truly unexpected. A cold sweat runs down the spine. I speak to her in a whisper. How many MP5K rounds are left? Its 0. Ive shot them a while ago In other words, the current firearms are 0? I wish I had Liz with me. She would be able to get more firearms from her infinite storage. While Im upset, Shia tells in a casual tone. Its alright, young master. Its about time the princess arrives. No, no, because Liz is waiting at the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum Knights Before I said the words, the Red armor explodes again, it blows up and rolls over the ground. Ugh! Aaaaaah! Lute, are you all right? Lute, are you hurt? At the same time as the Red Armor screams, Snow lands with a wreath held by the princess in front of the store. In the hand of Liz, an AK47 with GB15 is held. Apparently, the previous explosion was a 40mm grenade shot by her. Snow! Liz! Why are you here? Liz, who is a clumsy girl, seems to have been hugged in a princess carry not to get hurt, so she descends from the arms of Snow and blushes while putting her feet on the ground. I asked the girls that showed up but for some reason Shia who is next to me answers. Madam and the young lady, in particular, are worried about meeting with the Female representative of the Legion, and decided to watch the young master without telling. Hey, Shia! I told you that it was a secret! Lizs face turns red and says Watawata and scolds her escort maid. Eh ~, that is, were you worried about me cheating? Seriously? You dont trust me so much? Whether she read my thoughts Liz excuses. Its not that I dont trust you, lute. I dont know what to do, but I heard from Shia that the Legion representative of the women-only legion had made an offer last time. Lizs face turns red and her body shivers. Jealous Liz is cute! On the other hand, Snow laughs cheerfully. Chris and I escorted Liz. Dont worry, Lute wont do anything to hurt us. Snow & Chris seemed to believe in me from the bottom of their hearts. Im really grateful for this. Damn it! The red armor that was blown away and buried in the rubble rises in anger. Youre growing like insects on garbage! I will kill you too! The red armor wields the magical weapon on which the wind magical stone is fitted. Again, a sharp windy blade like an ax hit us. Snow breaks in between and uses magic. Protect us from our enemies arms, stop them Ice spirits! Ice Fort! An ice wall is created around us and collides with the wind blade and shatters. Its brilliance dazzle, I take out AK47 for me and Shia from Lizs infinite storage. While hiding in the shadow of Snow, I equipped a pistol belt with Alice clip. Snow guard Liz! Shia and I will beat it. Because the armor is stiff and hard, use 7.62mm x Russian short. Watch your teeth. I and Shia prepare and run out. I launch the 40mm Add-on Grenade of GB15 equipped on the AK47! However, red armor avoids it. Well, so many times I get hit! The agility that does not seem to have worn armor. It cut in with a sharp movement. Owa! Its avoided immediately. A lump of metal passes by the side making a sharp sound. Its a flowing motion, it comes round-up and returns the wrist. The opponent has too much reach, and the evasion is not in time! ? CGan! The Great Sword is hit by something and the blade deviates. What the hell is this?? In addition, the sound of firing in quick succession. The Red Lion is wary and takes a distance with a backstep, but the firing noise continues the chase. About 150m. Chris is down on the roof and is doing control fire with the SVD (Dragnoff sniper). Small fry!Dont get carried away! The Red armor increases the amount of light in the magic stone. To Chris who is on the roof, He throws a wind blade so strong that it is not compared with earlier. Chris stands up in a panic and tries to escape. The roof was shattered by the wind blade. Chris!? Shes okay, I made sure she avoided it. Concentrate on the enemy in front of you. Because the night-eyed Shia says, there will be no doubt. At the edge of sight, I see that Liz took off the PKM General purpose machine gun and turn it to the red armor. I get away from the red armor in a hurry. Go! Fire! Dan! Dada, Dada, Dada, da, da, dan! 7.62 mm 54 R pours like rain hail into the red armor. The other party is devoted to defense, it creates a wind wall with that unbearable large sword, but Shia and Snow, to such a red armor, fire the 40mm add-on grenade that is equipped in each others AK47. !? The Red Armors attention was attracted by Lizs PKM, so it was hit by the 40mm bullet, cutting off the smoke that was rising, the enemy landed on the building roof. At first, it was a bright red case, but now it has been partially burned and the surface has been chipped. It was like a piece of art after an air strike. I click my tongue unconsciously. Its hard and its a foul that it is quick. Damn it, dont take it for granted. Isnt it Better to press the automatic grenade launcher at? However, if you use an automatic grenade launcher in the city, the house in front of you is guaranteed to be in ruins. The use in the city is indeed afraid. The use in the town is doubtful indeed. I wondered if the red armor had a crisis with us who repeatedly attacked differently than their opponents who had fought so far. I will withdraw tonight! But I absolutely hurt your body and chop off your neck.Absolutely! Please spend every night and every day being scared! After spitting out the desperate words, the red armor moved faster than the wind on the roof, and it disappeared in an instant. We were left behind, we continued paying attention to the neighborhood for a while, being wary of an attack at the gap formed by showing me that it has withdrawn. But It did not occur even after about ten minutes. It seems that the red armor has really escaped. Volume 6 - CH 117 The day after the attack of the Red armor, before noon. At the Chrysanthemum Knights Advisor office. Garma sitting on the sofa in front of me begin to talk. First of all The two other Legion C Wolf Sword and Lily Rose went out of the city immediately the sun rose. He says, its hard, its quick, and the attack power is high. Maybe there are more than the red one, right? Im not kidding! I didnt think those guys were the target.Its better to fight one Red Dragon than to deal with that! Im going to pull out! I, like Lili Rose, will also withdraw from this matter. Wow, Im not going to stand up to peacemaker. Please forgive me for having told you to join hands. Both Legion representatives seem to have flinched at the battle between you and the red armor last night. One of the problems solved in a surprising way, the other legions stepped aside. If only Garma did not make a bitter face. Rather, I will be happy to raise my hands. He talks about the problem. Next, The Adventurers Guild wants to hear about the circumstances of last nights battle. It seems that all the buildings that were damaged or destroyed were related to the Adventurers Guild. Ive been asked for complaints and reparations through the Adventurers Guild. Because of that, he was told in a harsh tone to appear at the Adventurers Guild as soon as possible because they wanted to question the people involved in last nights battle. A compensation, is it? Shia was the one who put out her hand first to protect me. After that, we have destroyed the building and the stone pavement. In other words, the cause of all lies in ourselves. Probably a burden on peacemaker In other words, we will bear all the compensation to the buildings, the cobblestones, and the residents. I guess Garma sympathize with my feelings, so he opens his mouth. PEACEMAKER is currently working in partnership with the Chrysanthemum Knights. Thats why were going to pay some of this compensation. ButC dont expect too much because we dont have enough room at the time because we paid for your cooperation. The Chrysanthemum Knights have promised to pay a good amount of money as a quest fee. Because we came by airship, that amount is also added. However, since I was asked to come as soon as possible, I cannot accept criticism. Anyway, the magician killing problem will continue, but as a result, the two other Legion, thanks to you, were driven out of town. As an adviser of the Chrysanthemum Knights Order. I wanted to tell the leader, but she went out to miscellaneous duties in the morning. No, I dont want you to thank me. I shook my hands to Garma, who was bowing his head. Its because I just went wild in the city and I didnt really do anything to thank me. When I leave the advisors office, I go to the room where my wives wait. I have to tell them about the adventurers Guild. Currently, we are sleeping at the Chrysanthemum Knights Headquarters. The airship is also placed at the end of the ground. The room that is given to us is the guest apartment on the third floor. The building is aged and tattered, but the interior of the living room was well-maintained, the gap between the exterior and the interior was intense. The furniture is not luxurious, but there are many good items. The guest apartment has 3 rooms. One room is Snow, Chris, Liz, and mine. One room is for Meiya And one room is used by Shia. We gather in the living room that we are using now and tell everyone what I have heard from Garma a little while ago.As expected, after listening to the story, Meiya rises an angry voice. Im not convinced.They want you to come out to explain the situation, to Lute-sama, who makes a name for himself in the whole country. Lute-sama, order it now! Destroy the Adventurers Guild in Panzerfaust! No, I cant say that. I calmed down Meiya with a gesture. For now, I have to go talk about yesterday, so Im sorry, but I want everyone to follow me. Everyone answers in their own way. Oh, Meiya, you didnt participate in yesterdays incident, so you dont have to come with me. That! I will go with you! No, youre not going to talk to them. You didnt take part in yesterdays battle with the red armor. Then I want you to start preparing to produce the new weapons at the ships workshop. Oh! Is it a new weapon! Meiya literally changes the color of her eyes to the words new weapons. The color of resentment that had been there before disappears and eyes shine like the night sky with scattered stars. Snow asks me with both hands in the cup of tea that Shia brewed. Lute, why are you making a new weapon now? Its because the current equipment doesnt have enough firepower to deal with that red armor. The AK47s armor-piercing bullet and the MP5Ks 9mm (9mm Parabellum bullet) bounced and the 40mm add-on grenades single shot was avoided, it was too quick. High attack power, high defense, quick movement Its like a small dragon. There may be others such as the silver armor that hit us as well as the red armor. Or the two other Legions could attract attention. So, Im going to develop a weapon to kill such a quick and hard armor guy. So, what kind of weapons do you intend to develop? Meiya breathes like a dog in front of food and waits with her palms in front of her chest. I see the drool hanging down, while slightly shrinking back at her who is likely to jump on me, I said the name of the weapon. The new weapon were developing to kill the armored man is the anti-tank mine. When I told the name, I felt that the birth of the spawn of madness was faintly heard. Volume 6 - CH 118 The Cocoris Adventurers Guild in the beast-man continent is located on the south side. Because it is a medium-sized city the Adventurers guild was a smaller building than in the dragon-man continent. It was a two-story building and an open space at the back that serves as a training center and a public plaza. The main quest of the adventurers guild here seems to be caravan escort. The goods are carried to the inner part of the beast mans continent and, conversely, it is carried from the inner part. The adventurers carry out quests that were at their level and defeating monsters around them. We destroyed merchant houses and houses inhabited by personal of such an adventurers Guild last night. Therefore, the people involved in the destruction yesterday are gathered to ask for information. Everyone is a member of Peacemaker. Meiya is waiting at the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum Knights, so she does not attend this interview. I can say that it is fortunate because it is certain that it will be somewhat difficult to talk if she is present. Currently, under my direction, she will be working on the development of a new weapon, Antitank Mine, at the workshop in the airship. I must finish the business and join in quickly. Ill kill him! Ill kill the magician killer armor guy! Hmm, I see When we try to enter the adventurers Guild, one man appears from the inn across the street. Whether he is drinking in the daytime, his face is red, and his eyes are muddy like a dove bottom. With the appearance of the drunken man, Shia quickly comes to the front with her travel bag. Its a position to be our shield. Shia is excellent as an escort. However, the drunkard is finally taken back to the inn while being gripped by the shoulder by a man with an expression of sympathy, and he said. Im sorry Im sorry to disturb you, He politely bowed his head to those who were watching him. Thanks to this, it was not a commotion, and the men began to walk again. Did the Armored bastard has killed someone important to the previous man? We need to solve the problem as soon as possible so that there is any further damage. And we turn our feet to the Adventurers Guild again. Because I go to the Adventurers Guild often, I enter the building without being scared, even in cities on other continents. The inside is almost the same as the adventurers guild at the dragon man continent. It seems that the scale has been reduced by half. We wait until our number tag is called. When I went to the counter where our number was called, there was a Welcome. What can I do for you today? !? There was the receptionist who was always in charge of the dragon-man continent! All of us who are there make a look of surprise. The receptionist was surprised at the reaction. Oh, whats wrong with you? Hello!Why are you here?You were supposed to be at the adventurers Guild on the Dragon continent! Dragon continent?Oh, I see its my cousin Your cousin? Is this pattern again!? When I talk to the receptionist, she seems to be the cousin of the woman who always takes charge of the reception. Her sister is the third person in this together. The receptionist explains with a smile. Well, did you meet not only my cousin but also my younger sister? Then it is not unreasonable to be surprised. Weve been mistaken a lot since we were kids, even though were not sisters. Well, you can make a mistake, if its just like that They look exactly like a mirror. Whats going on with the genes of this other world? While holding doubts, I will tell her the matter I visited this time. Were a legion called Peace Maker, and weve come to report to the Adventurers Guild about last nights incident Well, Ill show you to a private room, so Ill ask you about the details. Id like to speak on behalf of the Adventurers Guild. She stands up and guide us to a private room. It is wasteful to be afraid, so I respond with a smile. And we dived through the door of the private room in the back. Im nervous when I think about whether Im going to be interviewed. Im not resistant to this kind of questioning. There is no such thing as: whoever passed through this door should give up any hope written on the door, right? In this way, the interview with the adventurers Guild begins. We are guided to a private room. Because there are many of us, it was decided that Peacemaker would occupy one of the sofas which were placed to face each other across the desk. After the reception lady serves tea, she changes her expression to a serious work mode, sits down and asks us about the situation. During the meeting with Wolf Sword and Lily-Rose, the Sorceress Killer Red Armor appeared. It is explained that as a result of trying to overthrow or capture it, the buildings have been destroyed. I apologized as Peace Makers representative and said that I was prepared to take any penalty. On the other hand, the Adventurers Guild Well, I understand the circumstances. Originally, you were charged with damage to the property, but it was the result of dealing with the Magician Killer, who was making noise in the city. This compensation will be taken by the Adventurers guild. I breathe from relief at this answer. On the contrary, the receptionist sighed to exhale fatigue. From now on, please pay attention to the surroundings as much as possible. Im glad it finished with the damage to buildings, but its too late after injured or dead appear. Im sorry. I apologize once more. This solves the problem of the adventurers guild. The scene changed, Forest at the suburbs of Cocori Street. There is a secret base to use when the Chrysanthemum Knights Headquarters is in danger. This place is known only for those who served as the Lord Commander. It is for use If you get into a crisis. At first glance, it looks like just a cave, but inside is human-made, with preserved food, bedding, medicines, equipment, gold, clothes, candles, lamps and so on. Enough to live for a few months. It was deep and wide. There are figures of girls who face space. One is the Chrysanthemum Knights leader, a weasel beast girl, Lucca. At the other side of the meeting was a girl with red armor and a girl who wore a cloth filled with frills and lace. Im late. Not at all. So, theyre still in town, arent they? Yes, Peacemaker will continue to stay on Cocori Street. Im glad. I was thinking about what I would do if they were to run away like the other cowardly Legions. The girl in the red armor has a brutal smile on her face. The figure made a distorted shadow by the light of the magic lamp hung from the ceiling. Volume 6 - CH 119 Chapter 119 Magic Armor Under the lamp that shines with magic, the girl who was manipulating the red armor and Lucca, the Captain of the Chrysanthemum Knights, face each other. The girl who was manipulating the red armorCNora is a gothic Lolita who used a lot of frills that completely ignored such the motor functionality and a brutal smile. Her appearance is young, and her hairstyle is a twin tail with different lengths and volumes. Her cute appearance and cold eyes that dont suit her show her uniqueness. Yes, Peacemakers stay in town. Good, its a hassle to chase after one by one if they can get away. She makes blue lines in front of the red armor that was damaged by 9mm (9mm Parabellum bullet) and 40mm add-on grenade. Especially that black elf maid, I will split her in eight! She scratched the Rosso Skull rat that I kept from my sister. Im going to kill her The last-minute Nora bite so hard that the back teeth seem to break. Lucca tells her nervously. I want you to quit, Wolf Sword and Lily-Rose have left the city, I dont want to mess things up Are you serious about that? It is a violation of the contract, no, its different, or its not in the document. so, I guess, dont you break the promise? Nora smiles and turns to Lucca with her cold eyes. Nora wants a sorcerers corpse. And, the leader of the Chrysanthemum Order wants this magic tool developed by [Black] to strengthen the Legion, the Magic Armor. Besides, the reputation of the Chrysanthemum order and Blacks raise. Weve got the same interest, right? I wonder if it breaks now. Lucca met Nora about half a year ago. At that time, the purest Maiden Knights were in a worst-ever state due to human resources outflow, degradation, and members decrease. Lucca had been doing a lot of things for a long time to improve such a situation: request to return the talented OG who resigned, Stricter selection test, Scout of leading adventurers, sorcerers, etc. However, OG refused because having a child or the falling of physical strength and not being able to recover. The selection test has become so strict that only a handful of sorcerers can accept it. And, of course, powerful adventurers and sorcerers dont apply to those who are down, such as the Chrysanthemum Knights. Its not easy to do things on your own, and you cant even compare the honor and the money. Lucca gets stuck and holds his head. Nora belonging to Black talked to her. Hey, Grandmaster. There are magical tools that can easily become stronger than a magician, but do you want them? Those words were like Lucca finally found an oasis after three days in the desert. It was an irresistible temptation. Later, Nora showed Lucca the performance of the silver magic tool, Magic Armor. The armor is filled with a jelly-like slime, and the outside is covered with a special skin so that the contents do not leak. Magic stone is embedded, and its magic power and jelly slime-like are used as pseudo-muscles, making it easy to handle even if the armor is a thick iron plate. Thanks to this, the physical defense is high, and it is designed to automatically create resistance to magical attacks. It can be used for one hour if you dont work it hard. -Nevertheless, last night at the fight against Lute. To create an alibi for Lucca, creating the illusion that she was not involved with the armored man, Nora stormed into the meeting wearing the armor C Rosso Skull rat. Attacking the meeting was a strategy of killing two birds with one stone to be able to make an alibi of Lucca and an act of intimidation. It was unexpected to see the cool counterattack of the black Elf maid, Shia, and Lute. Furthermore, the power of the 40mm grenade bullet is high, and most of the magical power accumulated to prevent damage has been used up. Thats why she couldnt fight anymore, and Nora had to withdraw. Back to the story. Lucca has no talent as a magician. Instead, she had a talent for swordsmanship. However, in this world, even if you have a talent for swordsmanship, it does not reach even the legs of amateur magicians. How much she wants this armor to literally get her hand out of her throat ! After showing off her full performance, Nora has come up with the conditions to give the Magic Armor. She wants a sorcerers corpse. It would not be difficult to hunt a sorcerer with this magic armor , but after killing the Sorcerer, there is no place to keep the body. Lucca was asked by Nora to provide a safe hideout in the mid-sized city of Cocori. In addition, Nora tells. At first, there will be magician killer in the city, but in the end, and will cause a stir for the Chrysanthemum Knights In this case, Nora will prepare an appropriate corpse, so Lucca will arrest him. The culprit will use a Magic armor. The official guardian of the city, the Chrysanthemum knights will recover it. Lucca who noticed its performance and effectiveness will introduce the Magic Armor to the Chrysanthemum Knights.Right? If this is, the reputation of the Chrysanthemum Knights will also rise, and you will be able to get the Magic Armor in a natural way. In other words, Nora is trying to create her own performance. But if you rampage in the city, the public could be in danger What are you saying? Thats a small problem. Because now, it is a crisis that the Chrysanthemum knights will survive. Even ordinary people who are involved and die will surely be convinced in the other world. Because many more people can be saved if the Chrysanthemum knights who protect the city are restored. Its a precious sacrifice. She continues. What will you say when they say, The Chrysanthemum knights on the decline, They are girls playing, They are simply pigs that rip off the gold and grow fat. Thats There are others. Surely incompetent group just the glory of the past Legion, Trash group. If it is Nora, I wouldnt be too embarrassed to live if am told that. Isnt better if youre dead? Its kind of like that. Kut! Too much ridicule in Luccas mind. And then, she shook hands with the black girl like a Demon Kings minion. And yet, Lucca betrayed us by now. Nora stares at Lucca with her cold eyes, then she turns her back like a moody kitten. Its okay if thats the case. PEACEMAKER retaliation is a hassle, but if they leave Cocori Street, I can follow them up and do it. But, in that case, there is no talk of giving you the magic armor. Or, if you want money, I ll pay at the price! No. No matter how much you pay, its impossible. What will you say? I bought the armor that caused the magician killing riot from a merchant I knew. Do you think that the story will go through? Its clear that Nora and Lucca are connected behind the scenes. Kut Nora turns to Lucca again. More important the Chrysanthemum Knights will be again made fool by incompetent ignorant people who do not know anything. How about returning to those miserable days? Blood draws from Luccas face. People insulted the Chrysanthemum knights order who she was proud of. Self-helplessness that she didnt have enough power to refute the scorn. (Will I return to the days when I chew my regret with my back teeth and endure it?!?) When noticing, she was raising her voice. Wait a minute! There is nothing to talk about! I will continue to cooperate with Nora and the organization Black! So please give me the Magic Armor! Please! Lucca with high pride folds from the waist and lowers the head. Nora looks down on her with a grin that Luca doesnt notice. Nora turns her arms around Luccas shoulder with a cats like voice. Nya, Nya, Nya. Raise your head, Captain Lucca. If you keep your promise, I am going to give you the Magic Armor as you want. Thats my first promise. Nora and the captain are friends who share secrets. You can cooperate when your friends are in trouble, right? Thats right, friends, thank you, Nora. Thank you. Youre welcome. For now, Ill rent this place. I need space because Im asking Black to kill all of that PEACEMAKER and call for magic armor. Okay, dont hesitate to use it. Tell me if you have what you need and Ill give my best. Again, Luca smiled like an angel. Thank you, Captain. Then, lets keep getting along for the happiness and glory of Nora. Volume 6 - CH 120 Episode 120 Chrysanthemum Knights, Vice Leader Layara Lalaila A few days after I went to the adventurer recruitment Guild to explain the situation. We, PEACEMAKER, are wary of an attack of Red Armor, but everyone is doing their part. I and Meiya are in the airships workshop and are working on creating anti-tank mines. Snow, Chris, and Liz are walking together to learn the citys geography. Shia is the busiest now. Im asking her to do some research. She disappeared from our front for the investigation. Despite being on the same site, there was not much opportunity to interact with the members of the Chrysanthemum knights, because the team leader Lucca was hostile, it was difficult for other members to take the initiative. So, we, PEACEMAKERs oversee personal belongings-necessary accessories, consumables, communication matters; other miscellaneous tasks are handled by the vice leader. The Vice Leader of the Chrysanthemum Knights, from the hawk man race, Layara Lalaila. The height is about the same as Chris and Luna. She has long hair but seems to have a hard time with eyelashes. She has hawk wings on her back. It seems that she can fly through the sky using these wings. There is a dark bear under her eyes, and despite her position as deputy leader, she always acts without confidence. Im not sure if its because of Lucca, but the other members of the group have a rather cold attitude. She always receives unnecessary chores and troubles. However, since Layara herself has a natural attitude, the surrounding evaluation will not change. Partly because I was indebted to her, I just blurted out. Why dont you try to improve the cold treatment? She tells me the reason while looking around. Huh, huh, I cant help it, um, Im only the deputy leader in the name. Layara says she was from the Beast-man continent, and her parents were well-known noblemen who produced many sorcerers. She is born as an S level magician only in natural magic. Furthermore, she has good eyes as a racial feature and can fly in the sky for a certain amount of time with her back wings. Therefore, even in her parents family, she has a promising future But she had a fatal defect. The downside is that attack magic cant be used at all. The person herself thinks that her attack magic is so poor that it may be coursed. The magic of recovery and defense can be used without problems. In this world, the magician who cant use attack magic seems to have little value, and she seems to be remarkably narrow-minded. Its probably because she cant do what they normally do in a lot of battles. After that, Layara got expelled from the school of sorcerers, and the parents who cared about their face paid a large sum of money and threw her into the Chrysanthemum Knights. The Chrysanthemum knights had also talented magicians and could not put Layara, the aristocratic daughter, as a member, as a result, she was given the status of vice leader. Therefore, she got a chilly attitude from the surroundings. Thats why I have no choice. But dont worry, Sir Gunsmith. I dont care. When Layara finished explaining the situation, I who asked the reason has been comforted in reverse. I overlapped her with the figure of Chris from the time she was a hikikomori. Thanks to the emotion, I suggested that firearms could be used to compensate for the low magical attack. However, Layaras response was dull. The poor attack seems to be a trauma. I kindly talk to her. Its okay, its easy to handle, lets give it a try. Wow, Huh, but if Sir Gunsmith says so She reluctantly agreed. In the afternoon of the following day, I obtain permission to use Chrysanthemum Knights Ground. And the next day, afternoon. I, Meiya, and Layara appear on the Chrysanthemum knights ground. Meiya creates a simple earth wall with magic on the ground and makes it a shooting target. When Meiya turned to Layara, she played with her long hair vigorously. You are very lucky. You can receive handgun instruction directly from Lute-sama, who makes a name for himself in the heavens. I m envious! Fuhi !? Scary, scary, scary. The eyes, or rather, the whole body made a negative aura came out. She was threatening the partner to be trained. For the time being, I hand the S & W M10 revolver to Layara. Is this a weapon? Yes, its a projectile weapon called revolver. Layara holds the revolver that was passed to her with both hands. The reason I chose the revolver is because it has a small recoil, is lightweight and is not complicated. The ammunition cartridge is already in, so if you squeeze the trigger, the bullet will be fired. I think that the reason why Layara cant use attack magic is because of her character. Shes not strong-willed. Therefore, Can I attack well? Is it possible to hit the opponent and win?, her anxiety rockets up and fails In that respect, if it is a revolver, even a child can squeeze the trigger, and the bullet will pop out. At worst, you have shortened the target distance to hit. I hope that through this experience, she will become accustomed to the act of attacking and gain confidence, and in the future, she will be able to use attack magic. For now, I go behind her and teach her how to hold the gun, taking care not to hurt Layara. Its like a tennis coach teaching a student how to hold a racket on my previous lifes world. Meiya looks at us and shouts. Envious, envy, envy, envy, envy, envy, envy, envy, envy, envy, Im too envious. So scary! Stop because Layara is scared. I teach her how to grip, how to aim, how to squeeze the trigger and the bullet will pop out, I move away from Layara. Her target is about 5 meters away. Huh, Ill go Be careful and just squeeze your index finger slowly. Hahii While I supported her back, she squeezed the trigger. PAN! Shooting sound. For some reason, a bullet rips through my ears, and a scratching sound is heard. Heat and sharp pain run through my cheeks. Wow!? Lute sama !? The bullet fired by Layara grazed my cheeks! Thats stupid! Impossible! I was almost right behind her! But why the bullet grazed my cheek!? Layara realizes what she has done and apologizes repeatedly with tears in her eyes. Sorry, I m sorry! I m sorry! I m really sorry! Uh, when I do it, I hit a strange place instead of hitting the target somehow! I never aimed at Lord Gunsmith! I understand. Okay, calm down. if you move violently with the revolver in your hand, its dangerous. Shes not going to fire because shes lifting her finger from the trigger. For the time being, it was decided to stop firing from this distance. Maybe this distance is bad. We got closer to the target. She tried to fire again from a position where the muzzle was about 10 centimeters away from the target. Even if you make a mistake, its physically impossible for a bullet to fly behind you. Lets forget about the previous shooting. Lets shoot at that distance and develop a sense to hit first. Huh, I understand. Just in case, I hide in the shadow of Meiyas resistance. Yes, Ill shoot And Layara squeezes the trigger. Kotsun. No bullets were fired, and a moment of silence dominated the scene. Huh !?Misfire!? A misfire means that a bullet will not be fired even if the trigger is pressed. There are many causes: ammunition cartridges are simply missing; The hammer is faulty or broken; the primer detonator doesnt ignite, or the powder doesnt burst. Moreover, because there is a possibility of delayed departure, I give the instruction panicking so that Layara does not move the revolver for a little while. Delayed departure is the phenomenon of the bullets popping out after a few seconds. It is a very rare phenomenon. The muzzle aimed at the target must be maintained for at least 10 seconds. Apparently rather than delayed departure it was misfire even after more than one minute the bullet was not fired. Just to make sure, I take all the cartridges out of the revolver and reload them. Well then, shall we try again? Yeyes. Layara once again holds the revolver and squeezes the trigger. Kotsun. Again Misfire. A newly charged ammunition Misfire, then!? It is not at the level where the attack missed. Its already an area of ??curses. Im surprised if there is such a great person. Eventually, Layara never fired a bullet from the revolver. I was so surprised by Layara, I couldnt notice the gaze directed at us. From the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters, Lucca was looking at the ground where we are. Volume 6 - CH 121 Chapter 121 Luccas Past Lucca, the commander of the Chrysanthemum Knights, gazes out from the headquarters to the ground where the vice-commander Layara practices shooting. She was gnashing her teeth to the extent that blood oozes from the gums. (Even though it is just a decoration, the traditional Chrysanthemum Knights vice commander to practice such incomprehensible magic tools Lucca was tempted to cut off the arm of the vice commander holding the magic tool right away. The magic tool that Lute used to repel the red armor a few days ago in her aesthetic sense is evil. Lucca didnt deny projectile weapons. However, Lutes magical tool-the firearm has no beauty for her. It was not in line with Luccas ideal for the Chrysanthemum Knights. So, she cant forgive him. As long as he has it, a murderous intent will spring up. At the same time, sorrow rushes like a muddy stream. (It was good in the old days The headquarters were lively, and the branch was busy. The members all respected the Chrysanthemum knights and kept their high consciousness and effort, whether they were noble) Lucca closes her eyes. She was able to remember the first time she met the Chrysanthemum knights when she closed her eyes at any time. Lucca from the weasel beast-man race was born and raised in a cold village on the beast-man continent. When she was young, the village was attacked by monsters. Her parents, brothers, and sisters were killed and eaten in no time. Lucca was also about to become monster food, but a red breeze blew away the dark despair. The members of the Chrysanthemum knights came to know the village crisis and helped At that time, the Chrysanthemum knights of the golden days were strong, and the monsters that attacked the village were just touching their sleeves. The monsters were destroyed in an instant. Lucca who was saved was impressed that the Chrysanthemum knights were like the heroes in fairy tales. Even though her parents, brothers, and sisters were killed, she felt a strong admiration and the desire to be like them rather than sadness. Besides, the Chrysanthemum knights at that time had many branches in addition to the town of Kokori where the headquarters were located. For that reason, they also managed an orphanage. Lucca, who lost her parents and has no relatives to be trusted, was put into an orphanage run by the Chrysanthemum knights. Lucca immediately said, I want to join the virgin knights! I hoped to participate in the practices hosted by them. Lucca had no talent as a magician, but the swords muscles were good, and she just kept improving her skills. The members of the Chrysanthemum knights at that time were all strong, and they have magicians class B and class B plus. They went on an expedition at the request the adventurers guild, defeated monsters, captured bandits, saved may other Legions. And saved the city from crisis many times. When they returned from the expedition to the city of Kokori where the headquarters were, the people raised the town and celebrated the military exploits that brought them home. The petals dance like a snowstorm, and people gather enough to fill the wide road and send cheers to the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights who have returned to the place. The members, wearing red armor, wave their hands mounting horned horses. A glittering jewel-like sight. Lucca once again longed for such a figure. She wanted to be like them in the future. She was so attracted that she was consumed from the inside. And she became the age that she was able to take the admission test. Lucca managed to pass the exam and started the apprenticeship from the bottom. Training and chore life. But she did not suffer at all. Because it was a life as a member of the Chrysanthemum knights that she had longed for. Without the talent of a magician, she was absorbed in the practice of swordsmanship. She was earnest and had a serious life attitude and good swords skills. So, she was raised as a regular member as soon as possible. She was finally able to stand on the stage she had dreamed of for years. To continue to go on the stage of her dreams for as long as possible, she devotes herself to further swordsmanship practice. Thanks to these achievements, she was able to slay monsters and adversaries without risk even if they went to war. They realized that she had the best sword skill and was appointed as the leader. Lucca was desperate for that. The whole level of the Chrysanthemum Knights had fallen so that she, who was not a magician, became the commander. The cause is that the main members of the magicians, other talented members, have left the group due to marriage, injury or personal reasons. Moreover, the admission test of the Order was a cause that weakened the organization. The Chrysanthemum knights were women, they could join if they passed the exam. Therefore, women from poor rural areas, merchants, and aristocrats took the test, aiming at a one-shot reversal. Most of them had not magician talents. But if they passed the exam, the order would employ such girls. As a result, the organization weakened. Another of the reasons was the rise of other legions and the flow of talented human resources to those legions. If they notice this, the Chrysanthemum knights that were on a branch will leave the headquarters and shrink. Lucca managed to put a stop to the weakening, but everything was too late. OG refused due to physical aging, pregnancy, parenting, etc. Strict selection tests are too severe and there were no successful applicants. Also, the next year, the number of examinees greatly reduced. Besides, scout of influential adventurers and magicians have failed. It fell into a complete stalemate. She talked to Nora, from Black organization, who was dressed up with lace and frills, and knew the existence of the Magic armor. If there is indeed a magic armor, the Chrysanthemum knights will surely be restarted. (But can we really continue to cooperate with Nora like the devils minions?) When Lucca talked to her at a secret fort that only the Commander of the Chrysanthemum knights knows, she ended up saying that she was well on board and agreed. It is also true that nowadays it has been a long time since then, and there is a feeling of Is it okay to keep this?. Lucca squeezes her hand painfully and asks her heart many times. It was only a few days later that an incident that made up her mind happened. Volume 6 - CH 122 Chapter122 the hostage incident Dinner. Basically, we prepare and eat our own meals. Now that dinner is over, Shias aromatic tea is moistening my throat. What is the progress of the work you have asked for? Huh, the schedule has advanced about 70%. It will end soon. Thank you for your hard work, if you have more people, I can get you there. No, this is my job Next, to confirm the progress of the work requested by Shia and me, Snow and the others said: Now and then, East-west, Lute-Kuns good place! The smell of navel is good! (TN WTF????) Next, clap, clap, a hand hit. Chris raises the mini blackboard. If you suck blood from your right arm, its a bit sweet. Next, Clap, clap. Meiya said with a straight face. Existence itself! Another clap of hands, while Liz face turned red. At night, Lute beats my a** to the fullest. Hey! Stop, stop! I blocked Lizs lines and broke into their circle. The Now and then, East-West Game they were doing, of course, was the one that I taught the brides who seemed to be bored while traveling. However, I was not aware of the content. What the hell is Now and then east and west, Lute-Kuns good place. Actually, Snow. When did you smell my navel? I dont remember being sniffed. Youre too crazy, the smell of navel Of course, Im sniffing when Lute is sleeping. And Im not crazy at all, its normal! No, its absolutely crazy. Chris and Meiyas answers are also terrible. Chris said it was sweet when you suck blood from his right arm, so what does it taste when you suck from his left arm? The left arm has a rich body. What the hell is in my body? Meiya is also, existence itself'' Its just like the words! The good thing about Lute is that he was born and existed in this world! In other words, Lute is just present in this world, and I am grateful that the light shines on the world! Its a new religious level. And Lizs answer was the worst. If shes too embarrassed, she didnt have to say it Lute often said in bed that he likes to see shy women Im happy with the feeling, but I will tell her about TPO. (TN time, place, occasion.) When Im sick of Tsu Shia? I noticed the change in the girl that was devoted to serving. Shia was the most attentive and she seemed to have noticed something. Its noisy outside Well, does the armored dude finally attack from the front? Everyone went stiff at my remarks. But Shia denied. No, there is no sign of battle But it seems certain that something happened. Thats right. Im going to meet Garma for a moment to figure out whats going on. Shia follows me. Liz, just in case, lend Koffer to Shia. Snow wait in the room, and if theres a problem, move on. When I heard the wives reply, I headed to the rooms door. Liz handed a Koffer containing an MP5K to Shia and left the room following me. We went to the Chrysanthemum Knights Counselors Office. After knocking, I entered the counselors office, Garma and Commander Lucca were talking about something serious. When Garma noticed that Shea held a briefcase behind me, he made a candid face. Lucca looked like she was looking at filth. Oh, Lute dono. Even if my room isnt well ventilated. If you break it badly, I wont have a billing address and I will have to live under the blue-sky advisors room. It was pointed out by Garma with a half-joke and a half-serious tone. Hey, isnt it like saying that we are trigger happy? For the time being, I responded with a joke. Its just a briefcase that she has rest assured. Did something happen, or everyone seems to be moving fast? Did the armored dude attack? Im sorry to make a fuss. Its not that the armored guy attacked. Garma stroked his head saying, How can I explain it? In fact, a man in the city has taken several landlords women as hostages, and his request is: Bring the Magician Killer in front of me, or Ill kill the hostages! Thats very troublesome. What did the armored dude do to that bastard? From the testimony of his acquaintance who is in jail now, apparently the armored dude killed the adventurers fellow magician who had been a lover, and the body was also taken away. It seemed that he had searched the armored dude for revenge, and he had come here at the end Garma tapped his fingertips in his head. Does this mean the head? Thats why the Chrysanthemum knights come to talk. Now we are preparing for a solution. I see, so everyone was upset and noisy with preparations? I asked unintentionally. So how are we going to solve the case? CIm sorry, your quest is Defeating the Magician Killer. This time is not included in the work content. I dont want the outsider to think Im talking too much. The commander, Lucca, who had been silent until now, glared at me and said firmly. But I wont back down. As long as I understand the situation, I cant afford to watch and do nothing. Surely, the quest is Cooperation for defeating the Magician Killer, but now human life is at stake. Peacemaker would like to cooperate beyond such limit. I dont want additional rewards for helping either. Commander Lucca, what Lute said is right, our priority is that the hostages are safe. In fact, we have no choice but to rush into the building and forcibly seize the criminal. In that case, the culprit surely will be killed. But if peacemaker helps, it could be solved without a single death. its better if we work together beyond the legions boundaries Isnt that right? Counselor Garma! Which side are you on? Its the Chrysanthemum knights who protect this city! If we borrow the help of other Legions, the citizens fingers, who are paying the blood tax, will be pointed at us! If thats the case, lets make a compromise Peacemaker will cooperate, but they will set under the direction of the Chrysanthemum knights, wont the face keep up? Commander Lucca, I think this is the place to fall. Thats okay. But if something goes wrong with this issue, However, if there is a problem with this case, we will not allow peacemaker to intervene in our jurisdiction in the future. Ill leave you at headquarters! Lucca withdraws with conditions for my concession and Garmas support. She turned away from us and left the room with a rough gait. Garma was uncomfortably scratching his head and looking at me. So, Lute don, what will we do? As I said earlier, we have no choice but to forcibly rush and catch up with the criminal Okay, I have my own thoughts, but I dont have enough manpower to do it. I understand. Ill accompany you to the scene together and tell everyone on the way. Thank you. There is no time, so lets head to the scene right now. First, it is a top priority to grasp the current situation. Well get ready as soon as we can. Excuse me. I thanked Garma and left the room. Volume 6 - CH 123 Chapter 123 Silencer Shea and I returned to the room assigned to us, and briefly explained the current situation to Snow and the others waiting in the room. -Thats why tonights fun party will be later. Were going to start the hostage rescue operation. Get ready right away. They responded to my instructions immediately. Shia quickly changed from maid clothes to field clothes. She really changed her clothes in an instant, but how did she do it? I could probably do that. If I worried about, I could be a looser I changed my thoughts and give instructions to Liz. Instead of the MP5K, please give me the MP5SD, the one with a barrel-like thick tube. Is this? Thats right. Snow and Shia, please take them. The two received the MP5SD from Liz as instructed. After a minimum preparation, we went outside for a wagon that was waiting outside. The members of the Chrysanthemum knights were just getting on horse-drawn carriages. We got on one of them and went to the site. Inside the carriage, except for the coachman who drove the horned horses, there were only Peacemaker members. We receive magazines from Liz. I asked Meiya to put the spare magazines in the magazine pouch. I brought Meiya because of the danger. If I left her alone in the Headquarters, she could be attacked by the armored dude. Lute sama, May I ask you a question? Okay. we still have time to get to the job site. Thank you very much. So, I was curious, why use MP5SD instead of the MP5K? That, too, I was curious about. Both are submachine guns, why bother to use them? Snow reacted to Meiyas question. Chris and Liz also nodded silently. I answered everyones questions while quietly proceeding with preparations. Surely both are Submachine guns but why did I choose MP5SD instead of MP5K this time? The difference between MP5K and MP5SD is whether the gun has a sound suppressor or silencer or not attached. So, what exactly is a sound suppressor or silencer? To put it simply, it is an instrument or device that reduces the sound of a gunshot. Some experts point out that it should be called a sound suppressor rather than a silencer because it is not possible to completely mute the sound. In the future, it may be unified with the sound suppressor, but I want you to think that it is the same as the silencer. Continue talking. This time, there is a high probability that we will rush into the room and fire. In that case, if it is not a firearm with the sound suppressor a lot of problems could occur. Thats it. Some people think that it is unnecessary to have a sound suppressor because they are accustomed to or developed resistance to gunshots by training. However, the louder the sound is the hair cell in the cochlea in the ear could be damaged. (cochlea = an organ shaped like a snail shell. The reason for the snail-like shape is simply said to recognize the sound by shaking the hair cells in the place. To put it simply, the thicker part has a higher sound, that is, a higher sound of Hz. The narrower one corresponds to the lower sound of Hz, that is, the lower Hz. The high sound decays quickly and only the thick snail hair cells vibrate). Since hair cells do not regenerate, the damage that has been given once accumulates and is more likely to become deaf after a certain period (the period varies by individual). If your ears continue to be exposed to over 80 decibels, your hearing will worsen over the years. Furthermore, if exposed to 100 dB or more, more specifically 110 dB or more, there is a high possibility of hearing-loss in a shorter period.). I think that you will often hear images by decibels, such as about 100 decibels under the guard when the train passes, and about 120 decibels near the airplane engine (however, the decibel changes depending on the distance). This is the numerical value that came out when the Ministry of Health and Welfare made it known to the public by making laws on noise, etc., so that it would be communicated to the general public and cheap on various media. I think they put a lot of importance on the image. It is said that the firing sound of the gun exceeds 120 decibels, which is the noise of the engine, and if it is a bullet with many explosives, it will be 160 decibels or more. By the way, the number of decibels is a logarithmic value, so the difference in sound pressure is 6 times the difference, the sound pressure is doubled by 12 decibels, the difference by 12 decibels is 4 times, the difference by 18 decibels is 8 times, the difference by 20 decibels is 10 times, and the difference is 40 dB. The sound pressure is 100 times. Even at 6dB, it will damage your ear with double the sound pressure. Even 120 dB is roaring, but at 160 dB, the sound pressure is 100 times that of 120 dB. Furthermore, since the energy of the sound is the square of the sound pressure, 160 dB is 10,000 times that of 120 dB-no matter how much the shooter claims to have become accustomed to the gunshot, this results in damage to the ears, Symptoms progress to hearing loss after a certain amount of time. Such a condition is called acoustic trauma. However, using the Sound Suppressor can reduce by about 20 to 40 decibels. This means that if the sound is 30 decibels, the sound pressure is reduced to 31.6 times, and the sound energy is reduced to 1/1000, so there is no need to worry about damage to the ear. So, I created two types, the MP5K, which is used to carry weapons without being suspicious, and MP5SD with a sound suppressor for assaulting and firing indoors. Ill leave out the words that Snow and the others wouldnt understand, and finish explaining to them. Then the carriage arrived at the site where the incident was happening. The site is a corner of a quiet residential area. Its a one-story building with a garden that houses the upper-middle-class C between the luxury and the lower tiers. Bring the armored bastard to me soon. If you dont do this, Ill kill the hostages! A man whose eyes are cloudy is screaming towards the horned horses from a large window. A well-polished sword and a hostage woman. The woman is tied with a string to prevent escape, and a gag is stuck in her mouth. A large window, originally for taking in the maximum amount of sunlight, is the stage tonight for the criminal to communicate the request to the surroundings. While looking at the situation and surroundings from a distance, I saw at the Chrysanthemum knights coming down from the carriage in full armament. I asked Garma, who accompanied me, about the number of members currently in existence. How many people are there in total? There are 24 people here. 24 people I wanted a little more if possible, but could I say it was a luxury? It wouldnt be possible to empty the Chrysanthemum knights headquarters. I glance around the members in front of me. To give priority to the rescue of hostages, the representative of Peacemaker, Lute gunsmith, will lead this time. If you have any questions, raise your hand. The girls were told by Garma while they were on the carriage, or they did not speak out against it. hes so fast and helpful. I looked around the members again. Because the girls are at the scene where the incident is happening, everyones faces are equally stern. The situation needs a quick solution, there is a blade in the hand of a sneaky fellow that is threatening the life of the hostages. They are waiting for the help of the Chrysanthemum knights who protect the city Youll be filled with tension and anxiety but do the best you can and save the hostages without harm. At my words, the faces of the girls who had been stern earlier were tightened. I looked at their expressions and told them with a happy smile. Now, Chrysanthemum Knights, game on. Volume 6 - CH 124 Chapter 124 Hostage stand up 1 First of all, we will block the surrounding area to surround the hostage-taking criminals. Groups of two people, block the streets so that no one can come. Garma, the Chrysanthemum knight advisor, agreed to this instruction, and he selected and dispatched qualified personnel. Another reason for completely blocking the surrounding roads is not only to prevent the criminal from running away. By isolating the criminal from the curious and other people, it is to recognize that there is no other party to negotiate other than us, and the current situation cannot be improved without contacting us. This is the basis of psychological warfare. It also has the significance of diverting attention from the hostage by directing the criminals attention to us. Next, Chris. Surround the building from all four sides of the building with groups of two and ask for surveillance. Chris, you take a position in front of the criminal with the SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle). I understand! There are two types of fire in the sniper rifle: bolt action and semi-automatic. Bolt action is better when accuracy is a priority. However, it is useful to prepare a semi-automatic spare. In most operations, it is rare for a single shot to become fragmented. For this reason, it is often used with semi-automatic guns equipped with 5 or 20 magazines. Chris secured personnel with the help of Garma. Surround and monitor the building from four locations. The reason why we made a pair of two people is that this world has no communication equipment. If there is any change, we have assigned human resources to come immediately. In manga, anime, drama and other entertainment, snipers often shoot C but there are few opportunities in the real world. For example, in the case of special police, it is the priority to rescue the hostages safely, but criminal arrest is also an important purpose. For this reason, snipers often shoot criminals in the production of movies, comics, and anime, but in reality, there are few such opportunities. This is because snipers are mainly surveillance and do not necessarily have to kill the criminal. The sniper tells allies details about the number and movement of the criminal, the characteristics and types of weapons, the presence or absence of bombs and traps, and the characteristics that distinguish the criminal from the hostage. In this way, the mission of surveillance, that is the task to gather and convey information as the eyes of the hostage team to negotiate with the criminal and the tactical team to rush into the building. Even if you can shoot and kill the criminal, if you miss that there is a trigger bomb inside the building after the death of the criminal, it will explode, and all the hostages will die. For that reason, it seems that people who think that simply shooting the culprit is good-first of all, it is not suitable for such a rescue unit. According to the testimony of a person involved in the selection of members of the FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), the selection of candidates seems to be careful. This is because a person who is bloody or enjoys shooting is not needed as a rescue team member. The predisposition required for the members is that they can make a good judgment and can withstand heavy pressure. Even more surprising, if the sniper is ready, the sniper will not fire unless other rushing units are ready to take control of the enemy. Emphasis is always placed on cooperation with other units. Also, when monitoring a common single-family house in my previous world, the four sides of the building are monitored by a pair of snipers and observers. In some cases, they act in pairs to monitor their opponents for a long time, maintaining their concentration and attention, and changing roles at a certain time. The instructions I gave were put into practice accurately. Then the criminal was locked in, and the encirclement that could not escape had been completed. Then I took the next step: Adviser Garma, please negotiate with the criminal. Think only about prolonging the time, so as not to irritate in any way. And, please let the remaining members find the people who know the inside of the building where the criminal is and bring them here. I need a diagram of the interior of the building. Oh! All right, lets do it. Garma gave instructions to the remaining members and removes the equipment. In other words, he looked without weapons nor armor. This was to insist on no resistance and not to irritate the criminal. While Garma was negotiating with the criminal and earning time, we moved on to the next preparation. We had a tactical team meeting to coordinate a strategy to charge into the room. With the help of the members of the group, they brought people who know the inside of the building where the criminal was holed up. We made a sketch of the interior from their mouths. The location in the building was represented by color and number to prevent misidentification. For example, the front was white, the back was black, the left side was green, and the right side was red. -This cut it down a little. For example, Criminal tango Green One, it means The criminal appeared on the first floor on the left side (if the left is specified as green, the right as blue, the back as yellow, etc.). In this way, it prevents misidentification, accumulates information C it understands the behavior patterns of the criminal, and determines the appropriate time and place to rush. Thanks to the communication of Chris and the sniper team, we were able to grasp the current situation. There are 3 hostages. Chris and her observer, Layara, confirmed through the gap in the window where the criminal stands. There is one criminal, armed only with a sword, not a magician. It seems to be more violent, apparently due to drinking and taking a lot of drugs. Garma was desperately trying to communicate, but he said, Bring me that armored bastard! The negotiation didnt advance. We talk to an acquaintance of the criminal and get more information about the opponent. DDThe criminal was a human named J?rm. Adventurer level III. There was no magic talent, but he had a female magician lover who often teamed up. I thought I saw his face somewhere, the day after I was attacked by the Red Armor when I was called to the Adventurer guild a drunken man was screaming in front of the building. His beloved lover was killed by the armored bastard. Even the body was taken away. J?rm was unable to reach the armored bastard, though he did move independently to avenge the loss. Therefore, to escape reality, he began to drink alcohol and began to scatter around. The symptoms worsened, and his spirit was driven into a corner until he decided to take hostages. I understand his feelings. If anyone of Snow, Chris, or Liz is killed by an enemy, I will never forgive the one who killed her. At the end of the earth, even at the end of the other world, I will continue to throw bullets until it becomes minced meat. But what hes doing now is nothing more than a vicious attack that breaks the mind and is blind before and after. There is no crime in women who are taken as hostages. So, he cant be forgiven. Even if it results in killing J?rm, the women who are definitely hostages, need to be rescued. Snow, Shia, and Meiya, we are going soon. Get ready. Copy that! Snow and Shia load the magazines into the MP5SD that they have and release the safety device. They pull the cocking handle and move one bullet to the chamber. Mayer took out a special Sonic flashgun stun grenade and lined it up on the table. I explained how to enter while showing the map of the building to the three of them. Originally, it is basic to rush from two places at the same time, but now we are the only ones who can do that So, Snow and I who have the highest shooting skill will enter from the left window. Meiya and Shia will throw stun grenades from the small window on the other side. Throw two in total. When a special unit enters, two Stun grenades must be thrown. This is because there is a possibility that one will not explode. To prevent you got to throw two at the same time. Shia raised her hand and asked questions. Young Master, why bother to enter through the window where the criminal is facing? Certainly, its bigger than usual, so there is no problem with rushing. But I think its more reliable to break through the door I thought about that at first, but from the report of the sniper team, it seems that a barricade is made in front of the door with a desk, chair, chiffon, etc. So, it is difficult to enter from the door. Shea was convinced by my reply. In the case of the earth of the previous life, they would destroy the door with a shotgun or use the explosive sheet that destroys the wall to break into two places. But we dont have either. There is no time to make. Therefore, I chose the method of rushing through the window. It was lucky that the Stun grenade was made. Without this, it was quite difficult to enter the building, defeat the culprit, and save the hostage. Is there any other question? I looked around at Snow and the others faces, but I dont see any more doubts. Okay, lets go rescue the hostages! Snow, Shia, and Meiya began to act upon my call. Volume 6 - CH 125 Chapter 125 Hostage stand up 2 I checked the plan again in my head. First, from the first-floor window on the right side, Meiya and Shia will throw in a Stun grenade. Snow and I will suddenly attack the criminal. It is a calculation to suppress the criminal and help the hostages. If you have a wireless device, you can easily communicate and synchronize the timing, but I dont have such a thing. Considering the future, we should think about how to communicate with a long-distance partner. Im going to adjust the timing of this rush to Meiya and Shia. We are in position now. Snow and I are hidden in the shadows on the left and right of the building and are ready to rush into the windows. We grasp tight the MP5SD in our hands. The safety device has already been released. Then just wait for the signal tsu! CSmashing glass sound! It was followed by a popping sound. Snow and I ran out of the ground as if we were kicked at the same time. Strengthening the body with physical enhancement! Getting through the window and entering the room in less than a second. I first, then Snow. It was a method called the X-shaped entry method that rushed in as if drawing X. Aaaaaaaaaa !! Jorum, the criminal, was confused by the Stun grenade. If you were instantly exposed to 175 dB loud sound and 2.4 million candela flashes, no one would be able to stand it. I quickly fired the MP5SD aiming at the sword in his hand. The gunfire sound was reduced to a pusu sound. I continued to shoot out his legs. Gaaaaaaaaa! Hands and feet were shot, and Jorum fell to the floor. I kicked his chin and his consciousness was taken out. Immediately, I bound Jorum with a string and made him unable to move. Snow! How about them? Okay, all the hostages are safe. Looking back, Snow was watching over the women hostages. They were stunned by the shock of the stun grenade together with the culprit Jorum. The shock wave of the stun grenade is strong enough to blow out the window glass and break precision equipment such as clocks, TVs and home appliances. On Earth, in my previous life, special forces personnel threw a stun grenade in the building where the culprit was holed up, it hit the barricade and bounce back. As a result, the stun grenade exploded under his feet, causing a fracture of his leg. Snow, leave the hostages and criminal to other people and search every room! Roger that! As far as the intel showed us, it was a crime did by Jorum alone. However, there was the possibility that friends were hiding in other rooms, so Snow and I look around each room. Of course, with MP5SD in hand. I finished the check, but there were no other criminals. When we returned to the room, the members of the Order were carrying the fainted hostages through the window. Jorum was bleeding from his hands and feet; he was being treated by Shias magic while still being bound. One injured, Jorum. No hostages died. Phew. Weve managed to do that. Cheers for a good job, Lute kun! Snow hugged me. By the way, she also smelled me but thats fine. The first peacemaker and the Chrysanthemum Knights joint operation was successfully completed. All the women who became hostages and Jorum and their treatment were left to the Chrysanthemum knights. The reason for us to leave was to give the Knights face. Thanks to that the residents of Kokori recognized that the incident has been resolved by the Chrysanthemum Knights and their subordinates Peacemaker. After the incident, the knights took the initiative to clean up the victims home and surrounding areas, which may have impressed the residents. Another positive aspect was that the morale of the members who had been given a role and moved to resolve the case had increased. Here are some of the sayings of these members. I didnt feel it because I was training all the time, but this incident was the first time I was able to help the residents and protect them. Usually, its about stopping quarrels, giving directions, searching for lost children, and so on. Thats important, but Im proud to be a member of the Chrysanthemum Knights to solve such a big case. I was in charge of blocking the passage at the time of the incident. The residents raised concerns about the incident. When the incident was resolved I heard the word Thank you, I started to cry for some reason. The most delighted one in this incident was the vice leader Layara Lalaila. At the time, she was in charge of monitoring and shooting assistance from a long distance, taking advantage of her eyesight with Chris. Fu, Huhi A drop-out like me is useful, Fu, Fuhi I m really happy. She shed tears and was pleased. The person herself might have a strong consciousness that she was the decoration commander who was pulling everyones foot regularly. Im really happy that I was able to help her a little bit. The reason why Im familiar with these reactions is that after the incident, the members of the Knights were not ordered by anyone but came to report and thank us on their own volition. I had a sense of distance with the members at first, but now, thanks to that, we can exchange greetings casually and get along until we eat together if the time is right. It wasnt much but it was really nice to get along. But In front of these joys, there was a person who was angry enough to make nausea. It was the Chrysanthemum knights leader Lucca. Lucca went to a secret base that was only known to the Chrysanthemum knight group. There was Nora who was the main culprit of the Magician killer incident, that made noise in the streets of Kokori. Nora, who was working in the back of the cave, looked back and said hello. Welcome, whats wrong? Why that scary face? Its hopeless. They are no good. Whats up all of a sudden? Lucca told Nora the summary of what happened in the city. The proud Chrysanthemum knights are glad to be under another Legion, like a newly made baby!? Dont they have pride!? She slammed her fist against the cave walls. Lucca affirmed with darkened eyes without any light. They are no longer good. They are not suitable as members of the Chrysanthemum knights-unless they are killed and reinvented the new pure knights with tradition, pride, and dignity in my hands! It is surely my mission ! Hearing such a Lucca, Nora said aha! and smiled joyfully. Yes, surely. Nora will help Lucca, a great friend, to make that dream come true. Lets kill all those who defile the precious Chrysanthemum knights with Noras hands. Oh, lets kill. Lets kill them all. Purify the filth with their souls! Deep in the cave, the shadows of two girls made by the magic light were happily developing plans for killing their subordinates and Lute. Volume 6 - CH 126 Chapter 126 Sortie Members of the Chrysanthemum Knights take turns cooking and eating. Tonights dinner is also their homemade. But is different from usual, it is more luxurious and has alcoholic drinks. Also, the Peacemakers members are invited to participate. The leader, Lucca, stands in front of the table and gets the attention after coughing. Thank you for the hard work at the resolution of the last hostage case. Unfortunately, I couldnt leave the headquarters, but I am proud that everyone has worked together to solve the case. As a sign of appreciation, a lot of ingredients have been sent by the residents, and they are used for dinner today. Eat at your hearts content. And then Lucca took a bottle of wine from the table. The liquor in the table was bought with my personal money as recognition to everyone who solved this incident. The cheerful voice was different from the usual Lucca. The team members responded with a slight laugh. And the dinner began. Lucca didnt start eating right away but turned around the members tables and poured alcohol into their wooden cup. With a smile, while exchanging words with the members However, contrary to the good-looking expression, she was burning a black hatred flame in her heart. (Ill kill you. Ill kill you. Ill kill you. Ill kill you. Ill kill you.) While pouring liquor to the members, she stared firmly at their eyes and continue chanting in the chest. The liquor that Lucca bought is not just liquor. It contains the same sleeping pills that were given by fake adventurers to Lute in the past. But there was a difference that it had not an immediate effect but a delayed effect. She intended to kill everyone after putting them to sleep. Lute, who was invited to dinner, was also served alcohol. Thank you very much for your help at this time. Thanks to you, all the hostages were rescued safely and caught the criminal. No, we couldnt get those results alone. This result was achieved because the Chrysanthemum knights were there. Lute spoke that line of humility while pouring alcohol. He drank the poured liquor deliciously without showing any suspicious behavior. In front of this situation, Lucca was desperately trying hard not to laugh. Lucca changes the topic to avoid laughing. By the way, there doesnt seem to be the black elf in that maids clothes Shia? I am sorry. She was planning to attend, but I asked her to do some work. As soon as it is over, she will meal. Of course, she will also drink the liquor received from the Grandmaster. Yes. Theres still a lot of liquor, so please dont hesitate to drink it. Lucca finished pouring liquor to Lute and left the seat. (Its a pity that I couldnt confirm that black elf maid drinks liquor, but It will be no problem because he says that hell make her drink later.) She didnt want to be too careful and be suspicious. (But now everyone can sleep except for the lookout.) The Chrysanthemum knights had fewer members than their heyday, but there were still more than 30 members. Its hard to kill everyone without making a fuss, but if theyre asleep, the problem is easily cleared up. (They have defiled the Chrysanthemum knights. The sin is heavy You should atone with death!) After the dinner, as planned, Lucca went to the secret base cave known only by the Grand Masters of the Chrysanthemum Order, after letting Lute and the members drank the sleeping drug. Nora was already there lazily on the sofa like a kitten in front of the fireplace. Oops, I was too bored waiting that I fell asleep. Im sorry, I was late because I didnt use a horse, I was worried to be seen. Nya-ha ha, Im kidding. Lucca is so serious. Nora stood up from the sofa with a teasing tone. Are you ready? Of course, Nora-chan made no bulges. Come. Nora headed to the back of the cave. They turned around the corner and went out into a wide space. There were silver armors aligned in order. How many are there in all? There are 300. Even if I asked the headquarters its impossible to get more. Can they move? Of course. If you take the Nora, the genius monster trainer, you can afford that much. A slime was put inside the silver armor as a pseudo muscle. Because they had been trained, they could act quickly if you gave simple instructions. Here s the plot: the Magician Killer, which was widespread in the streets of Kokori, brought friends to retaliate the previous firing incident and attacked the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum Knights. All members will be killed. Lucca, the group leader, snatches the magic armor. Fighting like a lion in a one-man stand defeated the armored corps. And the advisor Garma, who was the mastermind in the shadows and was moving his hand from behind the executioner who killed the magicians, cuts the throats of the Peace makers members. In this way, Lucca resolves the Magicians Killing Case and peace comes to Kokori. Great A wide variety of weapons such as large swords, battle axes, spears, maces, and large spears are held in the hands of the magic armors in the hall. The silver armor is carefully polished and can be used as a mirror. In Luccas eyes, the magical armor lined up appeared to be like knights of justice that came out of mythology. The thought that she would take command of them from then on shook her heart. Hey, Leader Lucca. Its a good time, so let them go hard. Thats right. Its the beginning of the new Chrysanthemum Knight Order. Lucca came in front of the armors, stretches his back and folds his hands behind her. We will attack the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum knights tonight! And cut off the pests that pollute the glory, pride, and discipline of the Chrysanthemum knights with a clean blade! Lucca continued raising her voice at the armored corps in front of her with such enthusiasm that she began to sweat from the forehead. Nora watched her with a smile. Lucca went to the empty armor that no one is in. Her enthusiasm continued until midnight. When Luccas passion talk ended, its night, a good time to attack. She wore a silver armor that was specially prepared for her. The difference from the other armors is that she wore a red cloak. Nora was wearing the red armor Rosso Scarlet as before. Okay! Then move forward toward the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum Knights! Lucca walked in front of the Silver Armor Corps, aiming for the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum knights. To avoid peoples eyes, they went to Kokori town on foot without using a carriage. (TN: I dont know how 300 silver armors walking to a town could avoid the public eye better than closed carriages but, what do I know?) They got over the city walls and enter. Lucca planned to take care of peacemakers members, who enter the Headquarters of the Order and fell asleep because of the drug. Lucca and Nora took 300 magic armors and head to a direct clash in Kokori. The silver armor corps marched in line on the road where there was only starlight. It was like a scene in a fairy tale. But there was an absolute end to the story. Sudden explosion. Silver armor corps scattered high in the sky! DD!? The voices of two girls screaming, explosions, the sound which vanished everything. A cloud of dust cleared up slowly. Lucca shook her head and talked to the one in front. Why why are you here, Lute!? Im not the only one. Behind him, girls appear from the bushes in the forest. Under the stars, Peacemaker, the members of the Chrysanthemum knights, all the actors are in line. Volume 6 - CH 127 The story goes back a little Chrysanthemum Knights Headquarters. Everyone gathered in the room given to us. I tell them. So, Im going to develop a weapon to kill such a quick and hard armor. So, what kind of weapons are you going to develop? The new weapon were developing is an antitank mine. Anti-tank mines were unknown to the girls who were residents of a different world so, they had trouble reacting to the name. Of course, the first to react was Meiya. Lute-sama, what kind of weapon is that anti-tank mine? Well is one of the worst weapons I know. First, what is mine? It is a fixed-position weapon with a cylinder or disk-shaped container filled with explosives. And if you step on it, it will explode and damage or destroy the target. It appeared in a famous movie, in a city battle, they dig a hole in the ground, put explosives, put stones and let the enemy come. However, it is said that the father of Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, created the landmine here: Built in the path where people, cars, tanks, etc. pass and explodes when the opponent steps on it. In the first half of the 19th century, Immanuel Nobel, the father of Alfred Nobel, who founded the Nobel Prize, improved mines and landmines and sold them to Russia. The landmines evolve rapidly with the appearance of a new weapon in the First World War, tanks. Anti-tank guns and mines were developed to counter tanks. In addition to destroying military vehicles, landmines called anti-personnel mines were developed to hurt people without killing them. Anti-personnel mines are not meant to kill enemy soldiers. It is a weapon that hurts enemy soldiers, takes time to transport and treat them, it puts a heavy burden on enemy countries, and oppresses them. Because it was such an inhumane weapon, a ban on anti-personnel landmines was signed on Earth in December 1997 (effective March 1999), 156 countries including Japan ratified (2011). But the main producers, the United States, Russia, and China are not members. And even now, on the earth of the previous life, people who suffer from the damage of these crazy eggs are constant. -Returning to the story. This time, the German anti-tank mine that I wanted to produce was developed by the German army. T. Mi. 35. T. Mi. stands for T-Mine: Tellermine. In other words, T. Mi. 35 will be a 35-type dish-shaped mine. The specs of T. Mi. 35 are as follows. Diameter: 31.5cm Height: 8.8cm Weight: 8.7kg Explosive: TNT 5kg Pressure sensitivity: 80-180kg The first anti-tank mine was the T. Mi. 29. And the more practical improvement was the T. Mi. 35. There were 3 pressure fuses in the T. Mi. 29, in the T. Mi. In 35 became one. The anti-exclusion fuse sockets on the side and bottom are left intact. These two fuse sockets are convenient and can be tricky for the enemy side. The U.S. military created a booklet of anti-German weapons during World War II with a caution note-written illustration of the two sockets. Even if you remove the fuse on the top surface, be careful because there are still fuses on both sides and bottom. I finished the explanation about the anti-tank mine, omitting the parts that the Meiya couldnt hear. After listening to a story, Snow frowned. Its kind of a nasty weapon. Are you going to make this? I think so, too, I mean about the nasty weapon thing. But depending on how you use it, its going to be a very effective weapon. Liz follows up on Snow that hasnt broken her unpleasant expression. Surely, its a weapon that I dont feel well, but I think its a problem for the people who use it in the end. Even a kitchen knife can cook delicious food, and it can also be a weapon that can kill people. Thats right. Its a problem on the part of the user, isnt it? If youre A Lute-kun, you wont make a mistake in using it. Because it is our Onii-chan Chris wrote a consent on the mini blackboard. If you were trusted that much, you wont get upset. Meiya raised her hand. Lute sama, May I ask you a question? Whats wrong, Meiya. I understand what the anti-tank mine is like, but it feels a little unsuitable for this opponent I immediately understood what Meiya wanted to say. The mine is a defensive weapon that does not attack by itself as a firearm. Its the kind of thing that you bury in the path that the opponent is going to come, and youre going to move forward. But Im going to get rid of her concerns. Okay, Im thinking about that. I chose T.Mi.35, which has two fuse sockets other than the main. Is that so! Lute-sama! Youve already figured out all the fears that a genius like me might have. Youre great Lute sama! As usual, her lines are exaggerated. Moreover, she casually said to her genius I moisturized my throat with the incense tea that Shia had brewed. Now we are going to the Adventurer guild to give yesterdays explanation, so Meiya will start preparing for the development of the Anti-Tank Mine at the Airship workshop. When I heard Meiyas reply, I left the room to take Snow to the Adventurers Guild. And time will return to the present when the armors were blown away like fireworks. I could not distinguish the face because she was wearing armor, but I could easily guess that the opponent was Lucca from screaming voice and dialogue. Why are you here!? You drank the liquor with sleeping pills! that wasnt the liquor that you bought with sleeping pills; Shia replaced it with regular ones before we drank. Shia was named and bowed proudly. !? How did you know I would use a sleeping pill! The first day when Liz, Shia and I visited the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum knights for the first time, the commander told us when we met us for the first time: Are you, adventurers? The Adventurers guild is not on the north exit, but on the south exit. Do you remember? No, but whats wrong? Is there a human being who misunderstood as an adventurer when a man, a young girl elf and an elf with maid clothes visited the headquarters together. Even If you dont know our identity, its normal to think of us as lost travelers. What!? As the Commander, it was weird that she didnt know about us. Then, Are you adventurers? she wouldnt ask for it, but she would have taken us to the advisor room right away. And what was decisive was that when the red armor attacked, everyone said armor bastard, but only the commander said She. Thats why I thought: why was the commander calling she at the magician killer? So, I let Shia investigate. Then, in a cave deep in the forest, you have a secret meeting with a girl who was the main perpetrator of the Magicians killing. So, after that, I asked Shia to check if the other members were communicating with the Commander and the main criminal. The result was that only you had contact with the culprit. After that, Shia had to monitor the leaders movements. And because she prepared liquor with sleeping pills, Shia replaced it with normal things. Because I took such a hardline measure, I could install the anti-tank mine just produced on the street that is expected to step in and attack with total force. The fuse socket was helpful currently. A thin and long cord made of magic liquid metal is inserted into the fuse socket on the side and stretched through the bushes of the forest. Later, when the Armor corps were lured to the minefield, the weak magical power was thrown twice in the cord to detonate the Tank Mine. The reason for not detonating at one time was to prevent malfunction. This usage may be more like a fougasse mine or claymore than a mine. However, the Armor corps that were hundreds, had fallen dramatically. Thats natural. Compared to the Panzer Faust Type 60 that had 3 Kg of TNT, the anti-tank mine has a dose of 5 Kg of TNT. I filled the road with a considerable amount of such antitank mine. Rather it was strange that there was still some left. Lucca was furious when she heard my story. Fu, dont mess with me! Youre a coward! Using such a despicable tool! Do you have the will to fight fair and square!? If you are the leader of a legion, challenge me to a duel from the front! Fair and square? A duel? What did you say? You were trying to get us to sleep with sleeping pills. Kut I pointed out and not a sound was heard. Furthermore, the eyes of the Chrysanthemum knights who hold behind me pierced her whole body. On behalf of everyone, Vice commander Layara raised a question. But, Commander why did you try to kill us? Oh, you were a tough guy, but you must have loved the Knights more than anyone. The gnaw was so great that it can be heard through the Helmet. Oh, you are not suitable as members of the Chrysanthemum knights! So, whats wrong with killing everyone and trying to make a new Chrysanthemum knight order! Im not wrong! Oh, Commander A saddened voice of the betrayed Layara leaked from her mouth. To such opponents, Lucca pulled out the big sword that was carrying on the back while raising a mad voice! She was serious. Even if we are alone, she would kill all of us. The members were depressed by the betrayal of the Commander. If they just stayed there, they would be killed. I gave instructions to them. Enter the battle as told in advance, activate plan ! Everyone, move as instructed! When the instructions were given, the girls began to move as told in advance, with their faces clouded with sadness. I think its because they were in an organization called Knights, that their body reacted more than their emotions. This area was like the army. And so, the battle between Lucca, the Knights and peacemaker began. Volume 6 - CH 128 Plan is to destroy or seize a predetermined opponent when entering a battle. After each had completed their role, they had decided to reinforce other battles under the direction of their commander. The battle between Meiya & Shea and the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights vs Armor Remnants began. The Armor corps, which were hit directly by anti-tank mines, greatly reduced the number that was initially 300. the number dropped sharply to about a dozen. They could only execute simple commands, but they didnt fatigue, felt no pain, attacked without fear or hesitation unless their magic power was exhausted. Armor is thicker than normal and will prevent attacks from here as long as the magical power it possessed automatically continued. There were still more than 10 such monster armor left. Despite the decrease, it could be said that theyre a threat. Run! Run! If they catch up, theyll kill you with their fucking arms! Shea scolded the members while wearing maid clothes. They were now running off the plains of Kokori Street. Shia occasionally fired the AK47 behind her, throwing a defensive shrapnel grenade. However, the opponent was a monster that could withstand a direct hit of a 40mm grenade. Its only about stranded at best. The armors were not afraid of gunshots or explosions, they kept their weapons in their hands and chased them like wolves. Here! Its almost over! Lure the enemy in front of them! Its not that Shia and the knights were just running in the dark. On their way, Meiya and several members of the Knights came out of the trench. Sandbags are piled in front of the trench, a General-Purpose Machine Guns PKM3 was prepared and waiting. The girls evaded the PKMs line of fire and jumped into the trench. Shia, who was last, threw the last grenade and jumped into the trench. Meiya sama, I beg you for the rest! The fool who turns the fangs to the treasure of this world named Lute, the blockhead hack is ours! Lutes best disciple, right arm, confidant Meiya Dragoon is justice! Ill give divine punishment in the name of God! Meiya san! Meiya san! The enemy! The enemy is almost here! One of the members who rush into the trench screamed, but Meiya was drunk on her own words and had a euphoric look. The distance to the Armor Corps is less than 10m. At that moment the Armor Corps vanishes. They fell into a pit that had been set up in advance. But its just a pitfall. Its not so deep that they couldnt go up, but the armors that could only obey simple instructions didnt immediately try to get out of the hole. There was a time lag before recognizing the situation. That was the difference between winning and losing. Meiya gave instructions in a sharp voice. Throw them in! Yes! At the same time as Meiya instructed, anti-tank mines were thrown into the trap. The members of the Knights who were waiting in the trench with Meiya threw them. Shortly after, the explosive energy of the anti-tank landmine penetrated the pit. A large amount of dust was thrown up together, causing the area to have poor visibility for a while. Despite such a bad environment, Meiya leaned out of the trench alone and put on a tingling expression with both hands on her cheeks. As expected of the great Lute sama to make such a wonderful attack-type weapon, Anti-Tank Mine, from a defense-type weapon that was originally intended only for an ambush Meiya writhe and shakes her body. Thats why Lute chose the T. Mi. 35 . It had an explosion prevention fuse on the side and bottom surfaces. The original use is when an enemy finds a mine with a metal detector, then the enemy removes the upper fuse at the top. If this does not explode, it will keep enemy soldiers off guard and lift the land mine. As a result, the fuse on the bottom side detonates. However, there are other uses for this prevention fuse. Thats how, under the direction of Meiya, the Knight members threw anti-tank mines into the hole like grenades. Originally it is an anti-tank mine which is a passive defense weapon, but a grenade fuse (usually using a side socket) for the exclusion prevention (B. Z. 24) is attached to the detonation Fuse. Then one rushes to the tank, ignites the grenade fuse and squeezes and throws the anti-tank mine handle. You can destroy enemy tanks in this way. The Armor corps, which Lute was unable to defeat with the first anti-tank mines, were planned to be defeated in this way. So, while Lucca was addressing the Armor Corps, she used the power of magic to dig pits. (TN, I dont know who dig the pits. I suppose it was Meiya, so I use she.) Trenches, sandbags, and PKM were all traps distract them from the pitfalls. Meiya continued talking without getting bored while the dust kept dancing. He is truly a genius magic tool developer, cough, cough, he is called, cuff, cough! God, I respect you, Cough, I love you! This world cuff, cuff, should be governed by you! Chough. Meiya sama, its better if you dont talk forcibly. Shia, as expected, points out while handing out a handkerchief to Meiya. Unusual for her, who did not show much emotion, she sweated so coldly that she feared Meiya a little. Volume 6 - CH 129 This is bad! The worst! Oh my god! Nora, dressed in red armor, rushed through the woods. She regretted that he had underestimated the power of Peacemaker and cursed them. No way, that many Magic-armors can be destroyed at once! This is not a joke! She ordered the remaining dozen magic-armors, to gain time for Nora to withdrew. Originally, she had enough strength to double the number of Magic-armors, however, she anticipated that it wont be a big deal this time, just as she did earlier. Thats why she was running so hard in the forest. This is the worst! The worst! If it isnt true, it would have been fun to chop the people who had scratched the Rosso Scarlatti that I had received from my sister. The original plan was for Nora to attack Peacemaker and the Pure Maiden Knights, which drank alcoholic beverages containing sleeping pills. Nora wouldnt kill the sleeping Lute immediately but would capture him at once. Later, she was going to torture him until he regretted having damaged her armor. However, on the contrary, she was ambushed in a surprise attack. But, if it was just a surprise attack, and even if she lost half of the Magic-armors, there was still room for recovery. But in a single surprise attack of Peacemaker, a large number of Magic armors were destroyed. Almost all of them were destroyed. To engage those dangerous people with Rosso Scarlet and more than a dozen Magic armors was no different from suicide. This is not because Lucca made a mistake! Its because she is incompetent no matter what she does! Thanks to her, Nora is seen as this. Id like to go back and chop her now! Caa!? Nora fell over and unfortunately fell on the damp ground. The beautiful Rosso scarlet was covered in mud, and the juice of the grass and plants stocked to it. This was her third fall. Its not because she was running in the forest with full-body armor. When she was running, bullets came from behind, aiming at the knees and feet. Thanks to the automatic defense of the magic armor that she was wearing, it didnt hurt, but she lost her balance and fell. Besides, the magic power to move the magic armor was steadily reduced. (Im not trying to kill Nora; I just want to stop her I want to catch her alive.) After she was captured alive, a routine interrogation would follow. There were many things to ask about the organization, the origin of the magic armor, and the manufacturing method. If she doesnt spit out information, theyll be forced to break her with drugs, magic, and torture. Nora realizes that she shakes with fear from the bottom of her heart. This is not because she fears torture. She fears that her existence is detrimental to the worshiped older sister. If Older Sister say I dont need you, her mind would be broken just imagining it. Thats why she cant get caught here! Wow! Okay, come out! Sneakily attacking from behind! When she stood up, she looked back and held her large sword. However, the pursuers did not attack. If she turned her back and tried to escape, she would fall over as before. The body-strengthening technique strengthened eyesight and night vision, but only dark trees were visible. She didnt see the shape of the pursuer at all. Nora bites her back teeth so much that she is likely to bleed. At first, irritation, humiliation, and anger were most of her emotions. What, what? Youre afraid of Nora, so you can only attack from behind. But the forest was quiet, and she could only hear insects and the leaves of trees swaying in the wind. Then, the emotion that occupied her heart was only fear. An invisible enemy. However, when she started running, the bullets stroke again. No matter how fast she ran, no matter how fast she went, even trying to use the trees as a shield. Uh woaaaaaaaah!!! Nora, unable to stand the fear, swung her greatsword backward. The large sword containing a magic stone of wind generates a wind blade and cut down trees. The cut trees fell, and the birds that had been perch fly off. Dust, grass, and leaves were scattered, and the darkness covered Nora like a curtain. She turned her back again to escape before this blindfold effect expired. Turn Ca!? As soon as she started running, she was immediately turned down. Even though the leaves were still dancing. In other words, despite the poor visibility in the forest, the darkness at midnight, and the scattered dust and leaves forming a curtain, Nora, who was moving at high speed, was shot at the right moment to topple her. To add even more, she was shot from a distance far enough to be out of sight assisted by physical strengthening. Noras soul, as expected, went cold. Its like facing a ghost directly. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!!! Nora was determined. Fight if you cant escape. She squeezed the sword with both hands and ran back on the way she escaped. Bullets are indeed a threat, but theyre not enough to give a fatal wound to the Magic Armor. If you reduce the distance and bring it into close combat, you will have an advantage. Therefore, she was determined and approaching. However, that determination will soon shatter. What!? Sigh!? She needed a few seconds to recognize that she was rolling on the ground due to a strong impact, but she couldnt understand what had happened anymore and was struggling with her still-turning field of vision. It would be impossible for Nora to understand the current situation right. Snow, Chris, and Liz were chasing Nora. They understood that Nora turned over and would fight. So, they set up an anti-tank mine on the way. As the enemy turned around and charged, they applied magic to the metal cord to blast the anti-tank mine. Nyan, Nyanini, what happened ? When she talked there was another explosion. Nora was blown away by the blast and hit her back against a tree. At this point, she was so damaged that she didnt know which way she was running to or was running from. She was aware of her crawling on the ground. (Nora gets caught) She couldnt escape, and she couldnt even fight the enemy. However, the opponent can launch a lethal level attack without leaking magic. This is exactly what it means to have no hands or feet. dont do know what to do. Blown by a blast, her whole-body aching, Nora struggled trying not to lose his consciousness and raised her body using the big sword as a cane. There was no sense of sorrow in that figure, and he had a fierce hostility. Do not underestimate me! Dogs! Noras feelings for her sister are not cheap enough to understand by you! She pulled a dagger from her hips and pointed it at her neck, rather than throwing it into the darkness where the enemy was lurking. Black, Banzai! Sister, please forgive Nora that will not be useful! She screamed in the woods and tried to stab her neck with the dagger without hesitation. Dahn Dahn Dahn A series of firing sounds. All of them hit the dagger within a minute, she cannot fully support the momentum and let go. (I am not even allowed to do this. Oh, my God!) An anti-tank mine, that was set up nearby, blew up and blasted Nora again. As expected, she completely fainted. Volume 6 - CH 130 Outside Kokori, on the road. On the plain, Lucca and I were exchanging guns and swords. Die! Pests! Lucca wielded a great sword. She was confident in swordsmanship, and her sword was incredibly sharp. I devoted myself to avoiding it while receiving the assistance of the body strengthening technique. If I wasnt trained by Gigi in my past butler years, I would be cut off in an instant. I squeeze the trigger of the AK47 pulling while avoiding. I didnt expect to defeat Lucca wearing silver armor with a 7.62mm x Russian short. This was just a check. In an opportunity, I shoot out a GB15 40mm add-on grenade that could be attached to the AK series without modification. Huh! Lucca also saw the power of the grenade when it hit the red armor in the meeting. Therefore, she was wary of that and it did not hit. Because Liz was not by my side, there was a limit to 40mm bullets. When Shia gave us the details of the enemys power, Meiya, Shia and the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights were ordered to dispose of the silver armors that could not be defeated by anti-tank mines. I asked Snow, Chris, and Liz to catch the red armor alive. When I decided what to take charge of, I naturally ended up fighting Lucca alone. At first, I thought about asking Snow to support me, but I realized that it was impossible for that clumsy girl, Liz, to follow the Red armor and support Chris alone. But its not bad for the top leaders of the organization to make the final stance. I spread bullets toward the silver armor while drawing a semicircle under the starlight. Lucca also wielded a large sword filled with a wind Mana Stone, creating a wind blade and trying to cut through the ground. My plan would be successful if you didnt come! Is it a great success to kill all the members who worshiped you? Youre crazy! Glorious Knights of the Chrysanthemum! It is a necessary sacrifice to regain your pride! If you are really a member of the Chrysanthemum Knights, you should be willing to give your life! Ah! Stupid! Everything has a life span! And the Knights are no exception! The Chrysanthemum Knights order is already at the end of its life! Shut up, fucking bug! The Chrysanthemum Knights have a lifespan!? Wrong! The Chrysanthemum Knights will keep shining forever! No, it must shine and be everyones hope! This fucking madman! We move, we fire, we blow wind blades, we avoid each other, and we exchange words faster than bullets. I fired 40mm grenades when the opportunity arose, but she avoided them. I, evaded the wind blade and the sword several times. Each other lacked a decisive factor. On the other hand, if you could start something, you will be able to draw the flow at once and win. There is only one thing that can be said to be the key to that. I used the last 40mm bullet. Fortunately, I succeeded in blowing off Luccas face cheek helmet with a shock, but she came forward without being afraid of that. I fired the AK47, but I pulled the trigger too hard and it jerked. Its a mediocre mistake! tsu! Thanks to this, the bullets were easily dodged. The AK47 was out of bullets! Realizing the opportunity, Lucca slashed with the great sword. Sh*t! I immediately threw the AK47 at her with all my might. Lucca, as expected, hit the AK47 with the large sword by reflex, even if she threw her own weapon. In that time, I pulled out my sidearm, the S & W M10 revolver, which was on my waist, but at the same time, Luccas great sword cut up and stopped at my neck. My muzzle was on her forehead. Lukas great sword went to my neck. It was almost like a Mexican standoff; the gunmen of the Westerns fall into a situation where they hold their lives with their muzzles facing each other. Its a complete mess. I wonder how much had we been staring at each other? I opened my mouth first. I have one suggestion Isnt it fair and dignified, as you said, settling this in a duel? Earlier, I blew the Armor Corps with an anti-tank mine. After that, Lucca became angry and said, You use such a sneaky magic tool! Are you not willing to fight fair and square!? If you are the representative of the league, challenge the battle in a duel from the front! Because its a tight spot, I want to fulfill that wish. She does not respond. I proceed without permission. The duel method is simple. We turn our backs on each other and take three steps. Then we turn around at the third step and attack each other. This was a duel scene from a Hollywood movie. I watched it a long time ago, so I dont remember the title or the details of the movie, but that duel scene is intensely burned into my memory. After all the explanation, she came. Im glad. Ill do as you said. As the leader of the Chrysanthemum Order, Ill hammer all the wicked men Im fine. Im going to crush you from the front as the representative of peacemaker. We slowly turn our backs on each other. Although the timing was not decided, the signal voice naturally overlapped. 1 2C Idiot! Die, fool! I thought so! Shity Leader! Lucca was the first to betray in the duel when she took her second step, she turned around and swung her big sword. I thought she would be the one to betray it, and she really did! Thanks to what I had expected, I immediately squat down and avoided the big sword. Only the tip of the hair was cut off. I fired the revolver, but Lucca covered her face with one arm. With a 38mm special of about 9mm, it would be emptied and blown off without any reason. But thats fine. I didnt think that the revolver would settle it. What I needed was to direct her attention completely to me. Die! Insect! Lucca convinced of her victory. rose her big sword with both hands. But the sword never swung. Hey !? A large chunk of ice from Luccas back crashed at high speed and blew it away. She rolled in the ground a couple of times, and her greatsword blew away in the direction of the day after tomorrow. Is Lute safe!? No injuries! Thank you, Snow, Im okay, no injuries, and nice timing. Snow, Chris, and Liz, who were on their way to secure the red armor, came running up to me with a worried expression. I raised my arm to tell them that I was safe. They were relieved, Snow and Chris walked past me and approached Lucca, who fell and did not move. There was no red armor around them. I ask Liz who took a new weapon out and was handing it. What happened to the red armor that you were following? Did it escape? Im glad we hunted it down Lute kun! Come here! When Liz was talking, Snow calls my name in a somewhat strong voice. I ran up with Liz with the newly handed AK47 in my hand. Lute kun, this person No way, she died in a single blow? Snow shook her head. I knew right away she was alive. Because she laughs proudly and keeps whispering. ha, ha, ha, mi, mi, my sword will vanquish all evil. The Chrysanthemum knights will shine forever. Apparently, her consciousness flew off into that world, knowing that she was defeated by Snows blow. In the end, it was my friends, the existences that she cut off, were the ones, at the end who defined the game. I didnt do it because I wanted it, but the irony was too effective. Snow asked. What do you want to do, Lute-kun? Lets take off her armor and restrain her so that she cant rampage anymore. Snow and Liz please do that. Chris and I will be on guard around. I understand. Please leave it to me, Lute san. I heard Snows and Lizs reply and lined up next to Chris who was on her guard. Thank you for coming, I was saved. Im glad Onii chan was safe. Chris smiled and raised the mini blackboard. So, Chris, what happened to the Red Armor in charge? I didnt see it, but did you hand it over to Shia? If the red armor escaped safely from Chriss far-sighted sniper rifle this night, it would be more admirable than regrettable. Because she escaped from PEMPEMAKERs Vampire. But that didnt seem to be the case. Chris raised the mini blackboard with a doubtful expression that had not yet understood the situation. We chased the Red Armor as planned and stunned it well but suddenly disappeared when we tried to secure it. It disappeared? Chris lowered her eyebrows and repeated. Its gone It was not a metaphor or parable, but suddenly it disappeared from their eyes. After that, I looked around, but couldnt find it. I pated Chriss head, as she dropped her shoulder. Well, it cant be helped. The feel and temperature of her soft hair spread throughout my palm. Chris also closed her eyes comfortably. Her long eyelashes were emphasized when she closed her eyes. However, Luccas mind was blown away. The red armor escaped. It would be difficult to unravel the whole story of The Magician Killing Case. Deep in a dark forest. Suddenly, the red armor appeared and was lay down carefully. The woman who laid down the red armor was a woman hiding her face with her bangs. You could know she was a woman because of her plump chest and tender limbs. She pushed the emergency discharge switch on the back of the Red Armor. The back of the Crimson armor opened abruptly, and the liquid produced from the high viscosity slime flew out. She didnt mind getting wet, she pulled out the unconscious Nora and put her in her thigh as a pillow. She poured water in a handkerchief with a bottle of water wiping off any sweat that floated on Noras face. Uh Nora woke up to the stimulus. She could not fix her gaze for a short while looking around. She gradually understood her situation and got up. Elena one chan! Why are you here? huh. Impossible. Useless The woman called Elena shook her head. Yes. Nora was chased by Peace Makers did Elena help her? So. She answered shortly. Nora, who knew Elenas ability, understood that this was a safe area where no one could follow. At the same time, she trembled. Because she remembered her failure. Im sorry! I failed the mission and Im sorry! Im sorry Im sorry Im sorry Im sorry Fine. Elena gently stroked Noras head, while she was repeating Im sorry like a broken music box. Onee sama is not angry. For real? When Elena nodded her, Nora leaked a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart. Then, her anger and hate for Peace Maker, the Chrysanthemum Knights, and Lucca ignited again. Ill definitely kill them. Ill get back in position and attack them. If 300 is not enough, Ill prepare 1000 this time. No good. Elena stopped Noras hell pot like anger. Onee sama, take you, new job. But! Onee sama, order, absolute. That was the deciding factor so, Nora was mortified and silent. Elena gently stroked her head several times as she cradled the unheard-of child. Ill let you do it someday. Endure now. Im sorry, Elena Onee chan, tell me what you want. Fine. With short words, the older sister answered. Then, two people chanted words like a spell together seeing and talking to each other. Even if the sky falls and is crushed, it is an indestructible covenant. Until death separates us, with us Black Stars. The voices of two people dissolved into darkness and disappeared echoing in the forest where no one is. Volume 6 - CH 131 We were able to prevent Luccas attack and kept her identity hidden. The next afternoon. The residents were cramming into the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum Order. Suddenly, the residents came to know that Lucca was the main culprit of Killing the Magicians. I dont know how it was known. However, if you are using an anti-tank mine like a grenade in the middle of the night, it is inevitable that you notice the sound and wake up. Its not possible to clean in the dark, we cleaned as soon as the sun rises, but the fragments and clumps of the Armor Corps were seen by the residents and merchants heading to Kokori Street. From there, the topic spreads, various eyewitness and testimonies gather and spread. People with good intuition will notice immediately. The information cant be completely blocked from the ears of merchants. As a result, the current turmoil has occurred. It was I-Lute who persuaded such raging people and set the place. Pushing the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights would contribute to the uproar, it was like throwing a lamb at a flock of wolves. The citys dissatisfaction will explode. If I leave it to my brides, they might be hurt. I dont like that And now, my position seems to be a young hero who saved Cocori Street in place of the Chrysanthemum Knights. Thanks to the fact that I came out directly, the place was settled down unexpectedly. However, it is necessary to go to the Advisors office of the Order immediately. As soon as I enter the room, Garma greets me with a bitter face. Im sorry, Lute. After I pressed the troublesome things on you and stay up all night, I got called you out immediately. Dont worry, I dont think I could sleep. I shrug my shoulders and answer. I dont think I may be able to sleep in such a situation. Snow, Chris, Liz, Meiya, and Shea told me to rest first, but I stayed up until my business ends. Commendable brides, disciple, and maid. Im really sorry about Commander Lucca, no, the former Commander. Let me apologize as an advisor to the Chrysanthemum Knights Order. Garma bows deeply. Thats about the amount to get the forehead on the floor. I stop him in a hurry, but he does not raise his head stubbornly. I can understand his feelings. He asked me to solve the Magicians Killing Case, but you couldnt see that your relative-and the leader was one of the main culprits. And if we didnt deal with it, all the members were going to be killed. Its hard not to worry. After the head was bowed, Garma began to speak. In this case, I was acutely aware of my own blindness and lack of power as an advisor. If I had noticed Luccas change earlier, this would not have happened Lucca is in a prison in the basement of the headquarters of the Order. Her mind has not yet returned to normal, and she is traveling to another world. Thats why its easy to handle, she avoids making noise or rampaging just by muttering. By the way, Jorum, who caused the Hostages case, was also put in prison. Soon, he will be transferred to a larger town where he can be judged and will be sentenced. When Garma finishes the apology, he cuts out to the reason he called. His expression seems really painful. This case devastated the trust of the inhabitants. It is no longer possible for the Order of the Chrysanthemum to remain the guardian of the city. Well, the ones who ought to protect the city are actually the ones who threaten the city, so even the inhabitants cant trust them. Besides, Cocori Street is an important transport point for sending goods to the interior of the Beast Continent. The responsibility is very heavy. To make matters worse, the Order was so distressed that it sought help from the other legions. Even children wouldnt think they could stay as they are. But as the advisor of the Chrysanthemum Knights, I have to take responsibility for the future of their members. Garmas expression was the most serious Ive ever seen. Its like a father who takes out his daughter to marry. The dissolution of the Chrysanthemum Knights is certain. Not only we lost the inhabitants trust, but we will also be deprived of the Legions credentials from the Adventurers Guild. Ill lose my job. If possible, Id like to find them a new job. Most of the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights come from poor peasants, merchants and nobles families, and have no special skills. Those who have acquaintances and connections are good, but those who dont seem to be going to be in trouble if they leave the knights. At worst, you could use your knights skills to fight, pickpockets, robbery, some might get involved in crime. As expected, it is too pitiful. So, what do you want us to do? Its impossible to hire all of them. There is a sponsor called Meiya and there is a reserve, but there is no room to continue paying the wages of more than 30 members. If you were to think of Japan in my previous life, it would be like to hire more than 30 people with a monthly income of 150,000. Suddenly, it is impossible to pay more than 4.5 million every month. If we were to hire them, we would be able to manage it for about a month or two, but I would have to keep paying for six months or a year. We dont have a regular source of income to keep paying. Of course, Garma understands. So, he told me a good idea to solve the problem. If it is good, The Guardian of the Cocori town on behalf of the Chrysanthemum Knights, could be Peacemaker? I thought it could come to that. I entrust myself to the sofa at the words I expected to some extent. The Tax revenue obtained in exchange for protecting Kokori town is very attractive to a Legion, which costs a lot of work to earn regularly. Wolf sword and Lily-Rose entered the town, trying to get it, even if they couldnt do it. Besides, Garma folds up. This is not just my whim. It is also what the inhabitants want. The Chrysanthemum members should be happy to let go if they find they can go to Lute. They have gone through actual battles together. It is a partner who can be called a comrade. Certainly, if they join Peace Maker and continue to work protecting the city, their anxieties will disappear at once. At first, residents of the city will look at them with concern at the beginning because they are former members of the Chrysanthemum Knights, but if they do their jobs honestly, they will eventually dispel their concerns. Garma also implicitly said, Isnt it abandoning your comrades? Thats why I dont want to deal with an old man. Because the escape routes were blocked before you notice. I couldnt really reply right away. Just because I stayed up all night after the battle. Could I reply with my brides later? Oh, no problem. Im really sorry, youre busy. Garma seems to have determined that any further conversation would be negative, and immediately bows. With his approval, I greeted him and then left the room. Immediately after leaving the room, I met Deputy Commander Layara Lalaila who stood with her gaze fixed on me. She greets me cutely. What happened Deputy Commander Layara, have you taken a break? Oh, um, uh, I have to talk with Lute san Although she has the usual restless attitude, I understand what she needs to ask. Well, Fu, hi, its about the Chrysanthemum Knights. Thats what I thought. I can barely endure sighing. She doesnt notice this reaction and starts to talk. Maybe, but At this rate, the Chrysanthemum Order will be dissolved, wont it? Im not sure if I can answer her question, but shes actually the current deputy commander. There will be no problem to talk to. I was just talking to that adviser. The dismissal is certain Oh, uh theres a request about that, Fu, hi. Please? Can you somehow leave the Chrysanthemum Knights? Like Garma, but a different wish. Layara keeps on complaining. Im not Lucca, but I also care about the Chrysanthemum Knights, Fu, hi. I want them to survive. Layara, who is not good at talking with other people, spins her words hard and appeals. Are the Chrysanthemum Knights that important? I cant do it bluntly indeed and scratch my head. Okay, well figure out how to keep the Chrysanthemum Knights here. Whether it works or not. Is that okay? Oh, thank you very much! Layara happily bows down to the best possible answer I can give. Her expression is full of hope. Even if I dont have too much hope, I must have to do it. Absolutely Defeating an enemy does not mean that the problem is solved. Post-processing is really annoying. CH 132 Chapter 132: First A few weeks after the battle with Lucca, I was summoned to the Adventurers Guild. Of course, it is about Lucca. Only I, as representative of Peacemaker, went trough the Adventurers guilds gate. When the demon girl receptionist noticed me, she rushed quickly. She always smiled, but it looked strange today. She cut out after bowing. Im sorry, for calling you. No, its okay, so whats the matter today? The reason that I was called to the Adventurers guild was about to be heard. She looked anxious Actually, some people would like to talk with a representative of PEACEMAKER The receptionist looks around and gently moves her lips to my ear. She smells good and the tip of her chest hits me. Help, help! No, this isnt cheating, isnt it? Because you get a breast hit at a dentist or a beauty salon, right? Its similar! I casually line up excuses in my chest. And I heard the information about the guest waiting in the private room from the receptionist. When I opened the door of the private room, a woman was sitting on the sofa enjoying a cup of tea. When she noticed me, she stood up from the sofa and bowed to me. Semi-long hair, in the mid-20s with glasses. She created an atmosphere that said she was a really accomplished secretary. Im sorry to call you while youre busy. My name is Seraphina, I am in charge of the Beast man Continent Diplomacy and Negotiation Division of First Legion. Thank you very much for your kindness. Im Lute Gunsmith, representing PEACEMAKER. We greeted each other. The receptionist just gave me a cup of tea and left the room. In the private room, First Legion Serafina and I were left. There was a reason why the receptionist was looking nervously. I heard a detailed story about First Legion waiting inside a while ago. First Legion were the five tribes heroes who saved this world from the Demon King They established the Adventurers guild and the first thing they did was found the First Legion. In other words, the first legion in this world was called First. The name represented too much. Moreover, the descendants of the five races gathered at First Legion. It had a history and tradition that is incomparable to the Chrysanthemum Knights. Of course, First Legions ranking is the highest [Orichalcum]. They are number one in the ranking. Its influence extends strongly to the Guild of adventurers. I confront Serafina, who is in charge of diplomacy and negotiation for such a Legion. She smiled with a feeling that everyone would like. I have heard of Lord Gunsmiths achievements that are like shining stars. I have to thank God for allowing me to talk to such a person. Thank you very much. But our Legion is still like a fledgling kid compared to Start Legion. Youre too humble. My boss is also very surprised by the rare breakthrough of Peacemaker Legion in recent years. I can be proud to the last generation of being able to say that First Legion said so. We exchanged pleasantries with each other. Then Serafina cut to the chase. CNothing else called Sir Gunsmith today. I want you to hand over the remnants of the armors that were with Lucca and the former commander who is in custody at the headquarters of the Chrysanthemum Knights. Why is that again? We cant hand over all the armors for research and analysis, but we have a fair amount of it, so you can take as much as you need. However, the trial of the former leader Lucca has not ended, and I wonder if I can hand her over on my own Its okay. All your problems have been solved by us. This is the evidence. She pulled out a stack of papers from a bag she had set aside. In other words, they had already been acknowledged by all relevant parties. Greeting us was an appeal that says, Im doing it properly. As expected, First Legion only needs to call the Adventurers Guild, isnt it? Of course, its not free. If you hand her over, youll get a reward, and if you have a request you can ask anything. I sank into the sofa and think. There is no case going against First Legion who has a great influence in the adventurers guild. It would be safer for Lucca to move to another location than to be in this city. Kokori Street seems to be regaining peace at first glance, but there is still anger at her in the hearts of the residents. Its hard to think of breaking into the basement of the Order and adding a private sentence, but the possibility is not zero. However, there is a point I am worried about. can I ask one thing? Yes, as far as I can answer. Why do you demand the extradition of Lucca, the former commander? The Sorcerer Killer Case was indeed painful, but I dont think its enough for First Legion to stick its head in. I know how you feel. For certain reasons, we are seeking the custody of Lucca, the former commander.Sir gunsmith, I ask you not to divulge any further details about what I am going to tell you. Serafina dropped the tone and started talking. First Legion seems to be following an organization rather than one incident. The name of the organization is Black. Black is an organization of the Demon King worshippers who are working on the resurrection of the Six Great Demon Kings. The resurrection of the Demon King? Demon King worshipers? Certainly Ive learned it in the history class of Eru sensei in the past. No, I wasnt exactly learning, but I was listening. I remember the memory of that time and the history of this world: From the god Tenjin, the six great demon kings steal a secret method called Shinpo. The demon kings degrade and modify the Shinpo to their magic so that they can handle it, and they flee to the earth. And the demon kings ruled this world with the power of magic. However, the heroes of the five races who lived on the five continents rose up, stealing the secret of magic from the demon kings, and converted it into the magic that they could handle. [TN the author uses two words Mahou (magic, witchcraft, sorcery) for the magic used by the demon Kings, and majutsu for the magic used by the heroes.] Five of the six Great Demon Kings were defeated and sealed by the magic of the Heroes. It is reported that the last Demon King is still alive and buried deep within the Makai continent, right? The organization, Black, seems to be trying to revive the sealed Demon King, defeated by the five races. But why? I dont know. Do they have a desire for destruction, or are they trying to revive the demon king and get eternal life and youth? Now, the most important religion is Tenjin. It is a religion that worships the god Tenjin. There seem to be some other variants of that. Im not interested in learning more. Nevertheless, I heard about the Demon King worship for the first time. Since there are worshipers of the devil even on the earth of the previous life, it is not funny to see Worshipers of the Demon King in this world. However, the demon king is really sealed in this different world. Its like happily entering the suicide code of a set nuclear bomb. I cant understand thinking about trying to do something that would destroy the world. Its crazy! Weve been following black for many years, but we couldnt find a strong clue. So, this time, I want to take over Lucca who has contact with the blacks executive class. Her spirit is broken, but we might get some good clues. I see, Ill be happy to give you that kind of thing. Theres only garbage left on the site, but Ill give you something. There might be some clues. Thank you, Lord Gunsmith. Im glad you said that! Serafina gladly grabbed my hand and squeezed it with a smile. Im just glad that she looks only like a secretary innocent and happy. By the way, there is one more thing Im worried about, can I ask you a question? Yes, please do not hesitate. Is there a quest commissioned by the Adventurers Guild to investigate this Black organization? She smiled bitterly. No, we, First Legion are doing it on our own. So even if you solve the case, you wont get any compensation money. are they volunteers? But somebody has to prevent the crisis beforehand. I cant overlook it just because theres no reward. Itll be too late to move after the Demon Kings resurrection. There was strength in the handshake. By the way, there is a reward for extradition. How much would you like? Peacemaker I mean. I want to pay for what you want because I want to have better relationships in the future. After talking about that, dont link to the story to the story. I dont think you can afford to pay too much. CH 133 Before leaving Serafina, who was in charge of negotiations for First Legion I would like you to meet my boss once you have the opportunity. I want to build friendly relationships with PEACEMAKER in the future. Thank you very much. In that case, please come. We shook hands and saw Serafina off. What a relief I didnt talk for a long time, but I was strangely tired. The receptionist gave me a wry smile and said, Thank you for your hard work. Im glad to hear this kind of casual care. I left the Adventurers Guild and headed to the Chrysanthemum Order. On the way, residents of Kokori Street called out to me. Everyone was friendly, and street vendors gave me free items one after another. It seems to have been handed over in various ways by ordinary residents who are not merchants. If I received them all, I would not be able to carry them, and if I received one, it will be hard to refuse others. In the end, I refused everything, paying careful attention with a polite tone. It didnt mean that I was popular or an Idol. Peacemaker solved the Magician Murder Case, which plagued Kokori Street for a long time. They wanted to show their thanks not only in words but in their actions. Of course, the merchant might think that when peacemaker is entrusted with the protection of Kokori Street in the future, there will be a lot of profit if they make a friendly relationship. Is that too much to ask? I refused the good intentions of the residents and apologized, then I managed to come back to the orders headquarters. I entered the room given to me in the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters. My brides and the others were waiting for my return in the room drinking a fragrant tea. I told Snow and the others about why I was called to the Adventurers Guild. I talked about First Legion and the Black organization that worshipped the Demon Lord and was aiming to resurrect him. Listening to the story, Liz asked me a question with a strange face. Suddenly, without any prior explanation, the person from First Legion in charge of the meeting and the meeting were very difficult, werent they? Oh, if they told me before they called me, Id have been ready for it. Well, the person in charge was a woman, right? thats right, but? Liz rubbed her thighs with a restless gesture. She had a painful expression while dyeing her cheeks, but she opened her mouth. Was she that beautiful? Eh? Surprisingly, Snow, Chris, Meiya, and Shia stared at Liz. She was ashamed of asking her question, and o her ears turned red. Apparently, she was worried about talking with a woman in a closed room for a long time. In particular, when explaining the situation, I praised her for her appearance and negotiation techniques. In short, Liz was jealous. Fu Ku, Ku Kuku Lute san? Liz tilted her head at the laughter that I couldnt hold. Because the jealous bride Liz was so cute. I couldnt help it. Im sorry, sorry. Serafina was generally a beautiful woman. But Liz is by far the most beautiful, cute and I like you. Oh oh, thank you. Liz reddened more than before thanks to the compliment. I couldnt see her face, but I could tell without looking that her lips were niyoniyo. [TN: sorry I couldnt find the meaning of this ˤˤ] Snow who was watching such exchange also asked. Lute! Lute! For me! Of course, Snow is overwhelmingly beautiful and cute. Really. What about me, Oni chan? Of course! Chris is more beautiful and cuter than Serafina and has an overwhelming future. Lute sama! How do you compare me to that person?! Well, yes, oh, MEIYANOHOUGABIJINDESUYO [TN Sorry, another one that I couldnt translate. `󡢤ޤ`ᥤΥۥӥǥ衹] I dont know what it is, but I dont feel like praising Meiya. However, Meiya was glad she was praised for my stick line and started to dance on the spot from the joy. I want you to stop it because its dusty. When my report was over, I heard the story from Snow and the others. While Lute-kun was at the Adventurers Guild, Layara-chan came. Layara? Apparently, as a representative of the Chrysanthemum Knights, she came to the room to inquire. Of course, the content was that she would like to add Peacemaker Legion and keep the name Chrysanthemum Knights only. Apparently, it was not just a direct appeal to me, but she was trying to solidify it from the surroundings. Lute-kun, I wonder if something can be done Snow said and her dog ears went down. She probably sympathized with Layara and the members of the Chrysanthemum Knights. If your bride made such a face, you couldnt just ignore it. And the regular income of protecting Kokori is hard to throw away. Besides, I wanted to experiment with building a unit to increase the number of troops. We cant take everyone unconditionally, but it might not be bad to set up an entrance exam and pick up people who could be used If it goes well in the future, we will increase the number of members and leave them alone to protect the town of Kokori. And by giving guidance, some regular income will be transferred to Peacemaker. A stable income can be secured without effort. Its not a bad condition to get your hands on. I cross my arms and think. Thats right. If I board this ship, Ill try to figure out if I can handle it. The brides leak a sigh of relief to my words. By the way, I need to talk to Garma once more Thinking about the future, I spoke to my brides for their opinions, talking about something that came up on the spot. The next day, before noon. The members gathered in the training ground of the Chrysanthemum Knights. There were more than 30 people. What I was going to told them, I spoke it with Advisor Garma before. I said that the Order of the Chrysanthemum will be incorporated into the Peacemaker Legion. Of course, Garma was also present. In front of the Chrysanthemum Knights members two rows, we, Peacemakers members, were lined side by side. When I looked at the members, they all had nervous expressions. I get out of the line one step forward. Thank you very much for getting together while you are busy. Im Lute Gunsmith, Representant of Peacemaker. Formal greeting & self-introduction. No one doesnt know me here, but manners are also important before we start talking about important things. I think youve heard from Garma, but Ill tell you again. Peacemaker would like to welcome the Chrysanthemum Order as a member of our Legion. A pause and resume the speech. Its not about taking in the Chrysanthemum Knights, its in the form of a Legion under Peacemaker. Thats why the name and the tradition of Chrysanthemum Knights will not disappear. Hearing this explanation, a lot of sighs of relief leaked from the members. Layara was no different, for them, the name of Chrysanthemum Knights was so special. Wait until the noise stops and continue talking. In a sense, this is the real thing. The name of the Chrysanthemum Knights Legion will remain. That doesnt mean we can accept all of you unconditionally. ! ? What Garma tell them was that the Chrysanthemum Knights will join Peacemaker. So, the members who heard my sentence were clearly upset. As you all know, the magic tools handled by Peacemaker are quite special. So, if you want to stay, you will have you receive the military training that we have prepared. If you drop out of the training, unfortunately, you will be asked to leave the Legion. It seems tough, but it cant be helped. We intend to provide some relief to those who have dropped out, but we dont have enough time to continue to have non-competent human resources. When the members agitation subsided, I said loudly. In three days, Ill ask you what you want. Please decide the answer by then. The members responded loudly. In this way, Peacemaker First Entrance Exam-Lute Boot Camp Begins! CH 134 Lute, 15 years old Equipment : S & W M10 4 inch (revolver) : AK47 (assault rifle) Snow, 15 years old Magician A Minus Class Equipment : S & W M10 2 inch (revolver) : AK47 (assault rifle) Chris, 14 years old Equipment: M700P (Sniper rifle) : SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) Liz, 181 years old Magician B Class Spirit Protection: Infinite Storage Equipment: PKM (General Purpose Machine Gun) Three days after I declared that the Chrysanthemum Knights would be a legion of Peacemaker, as promised, we will recruit those who wish to join. The girls were gathering in the large room of the Chrysanthemum Knights Headquarters. Originally there were more than 30 members of the Chrysanthemum Knights, but some returned home. For this reason, there were just 30 people in the large room. Long desks are lined up, girls are sitting on chairs, and they are watching me standing in front. It feels like a professor giving a lecture at a university. Since I dropped out of high school, I only have the knowledge and image I gained from anime, drama, and light novels about college. I was feeling depressed put got a hold on myself and talked to the girls sitting in front of me. Now Ill give you the documents. Ill explain the contents of the documents when youre done. I asked Snow and the others to distribute the documents. After confirming the distribution, I explained the contents of the document. This document indicates that you are willing to join the new Chrysanthemum knights as a member of a subsidiary branch of Peacemaker legion. If you are willing to do so, please fill in the fields at the bottom, such as race, name, age, etc. If you cannot write, please do not hesitate and raise your hand. They will write instead. I turned my hand to Snow, Chris, Liz, Meiya, and Shia, sitting on chairs at the end of the large room. If you signed this document you will become a Poole. This means a prospect of enlistment, a recruit who is willing to enlist in our new Chrysanthemum Knights. Just signing doesnt mean youre enlisted. Be careful not to misunderstand that. A person who signed the enrollment contract and wanted to join the United States Marine Corps on my previous life, PooleesDDWe call it expected enlistment. It was between civilians and military personnel. By the way, in the United States, 40,000 young people were joining the Marine Corps every year. To formally join the New Chrysanthemum Knights, youll need 13 weeks of enrollment training. Only those who have passed this training will be allowed to enlist. I kept talking. We cant give details of the training, but our Peacemaker deals with a lot of these unusual magic tools that are a little different from the average. I took the S&W M10 revolver out of the gun belt and show it to the girls. This magic tool-handguns and the like are very dangerous if used improperly. If you do poorly, you can hurt yourself and may die at the worst. Its going to be a rigorous training to change your consciousness, so if you want to sign the document, please write it with firm determination. I moistened my throat with a glass of water on the table. After signing the papers, let me measure the size of your clothes and shoes in a separate room. I will make the clothes and shoes you will use during the training. Also, about three weeks now, I will rebuild the headquarters for enlistment training. Take your luggage out of your own room at the headquarters and drop your luggage to the inn we specify. Dont worry because you wont pay for in-room meals and necessary expenses during this period. Personal belongings are forbidden. If you have too much luggage or are too large to carry out, please report to them in advance. Your luggage will be kept under our responsibility until the training is over. Do you have any questions so far? That Go ahead. A rabbit-eared beast girl raised her hand. I urged her to stand and ask the question. During the training period, you are not allowed to bring any personal items, but are handkerchiefs, writing utensils, and our underwear, also prohibited? The girl got shy when she said underwear. I answered that question. Yes, everything. In addition to the clothing and shoes you are training, handkerchiefs, writing utensils, underwear, socks, towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bags, combs, belts, gloves, meals, etc.-all will be prepared here. On the contrary, please think that you cant use anything other than the ones prepared here, and if you dont have enough items for women, you can ask them to prepare. If you need anything related to your life or religion, please consult us. Looking around, none of the girls raised their hands. If you want to join the team within an hour from now, please sign the documents. If you cant write, feel free to raise your hand. All of them signed the documents in less than an hour. The number of people who could not write was accounted for two-thirds of the total. After enlisting, wouldnt it be good to incorporate writing classes? Then they move to another room and asked Snow to measure their clothes and shoe size. The Legion planned to order the necessary clothing and shoes for military training from outside. Besides, we needed to prepare the necessary small items within three weeks. The protection of the city during the training period was requested to the Adventurer guild. The adventurers who were familiar with Kokori Street were paid a daily wage. In the old Chrysanthemum Knights era, if the hands are not enough, it seems they requested the work as a quest through the adventures guild. The daily salary would be the same. Thanks to that, a pretty good amount of money disappeared from my hand. Besides, I had no choice but to take charge of the office work, it couldnt be avoided. This time I had Garmas help. However, no one on our side has any experience in office work. Snow is an elite sorcerer who has left the sorcerer school. Chris is a young lady on the Demon continent and is a former shut-in. Liz is the Princess of the High Elf Kingdom. Meiya is a genius magic tool developer known throughout the dragon continent. Shia is an escort maid of the High Elf Kingdom. She specializes in maid work and guarding, and apparently, it does not cover office work. Im a former slave from an orphanage, now an honorary baron and Peacemaker Legions representative. Previously, I worked as a technician at the town factory. I dont know any administrative work related to management because my aunt was in charge. It might be better to hire a trusted clerk in the future. So the preparations for the Peacemaker Legion- New Chrysanthemum Knights joining Train, Lutes Boot Camp, went smoothly. CH 135 Three weeks after the briefing session-the girls gathered again at the headquarters of the Order of the Chrysanthemum Knights. The number of people was just 30. First, check the name on the list to see if you are who you are. Its an unlikely story, but there may be others unrelated. Its just in case. After checking the list, the girls passed through the large room where they signed the documents. I stood in front of them and gave them instructions. Ill call your name, so if youre called, please come forward and pick up your military uniform and shoes. I called the girls names in the order of the list. The first was a girl of the beast race. After handing out all the items, I got them changed on the spot. Of course, I left. Snow, Chris, and Reese, who remained in the room, told the girls to check on the size of their military uniform and shoes. I left the room in a hurry because I had to prepare myself. The private clothes that they took off were temporarily stored here. It should have a name tag and be securely stored in a separate room. It would be returned when the enrollment training was over, or when the person dropped out of the training and declined on the way. I asked Snow to explain the manual I handed to Snow when they changed their clothes to military uniforms and put on their shoes. After finishing the explanation, I instructed them to take them to a large room where they would spend 13 weeks. And finally, the Lutes boot camp began. 30 girls who wanted to join the new Chrysanthemum Knights, Peacemakers subordinate legion, were gathered in a large room. In the Large room-The barracks were about half the size of a gymnasium, there were bunk beds made of rugged timber. Below that were two wooden boxes-a footlocker display. The footlocker display has a double bottom and is divided into the upper and lower tiers, where the items would be put. Two girls, dressed in military uniform work clothes, lined up in front of each bed. Snow instructed them to wait there. Soon, I would appear. The girls made a surprised expression. I made a sharp look and entered the room in military clothes. I didnt bring Snow nor others. When I arrived at the back of the room, I turned my heels and walked in front of the girls, telling them. From today, I will serve as your training instructor, Peacemakers representative, human race, Lute Gunsmith! The girls were surprised by my attitude which was completely different from the previous one. I rose an angry shout. Who said you can open your mouth! Both sows! Dont open your mouth except when I talk to you! Okay, from today onward you must say sir before and after the fucking with your mouth. If yes, then it is sir yes sir. If not, then it is sir no sir. Do you understand, Pigs!? Sir yes, sir. Are you licking it! Make it louder! Sir yes, Sir! Suddenly the girls scream loudly in the barracks. You, if you survive the military training that sows will receive-each one will be an excellent weapon. It is a messenger of death that stabs the bastards who harm us. Until that day you sow, the lowest creatures in the world! I kept talking while walking. You are not humans, elves, beasts, demons, or dragon race! You are fucking insects that collect monster shit! I looked at the girls. They are frightened enough. You will hate me for imposing you a severe training from now on. But hate me! If you hate enough, youll learn hard! Im tough but fair! I never do racial discrimination! Because! The footsteps of my boots made a regular knack sound. Humans, elves, beasts, demons and dragon race dont matter, because theyre equally worthless! My job is to find and reap such useless things! Peacemaker that I love will grow and nurture the new Chrysanthemum Knights! You see, sows! Sir yes, Sir! Dont let me say it again! Speak louder! Sir yes, Sir!!!!! I turn to Layara when I passed her by. I told you to say it louder. When did I say you to laugh!? Sir no sir Layara tries to erase her smile. With her efforts, the smile disappeared but the hunt is on. Im telling you to get rid of your creepy smile! Its a sow who has so much fighting spirit that its still smiling! I like it! You can come to the home and fuck my wife! What is your name? [TN I am sorry, but I dont know if I translate this right. ҤƼޤե𥯤Ƥ] Sir, Beast race, Layara Lalaila, sir! Beast race? I called you a sow. I mean, youre a sow in this world! Do it again! Sir, I am Layara Lalaila, a sow, sir! Layara Lalaila? Its a fucking name that a drunk sings like a stupid! Im calling you smiling sow from today! Funny, smiling sow second class soldier! Sir no, sir! In that case, erase that stupid smile! Sir yes, sir! I step away from Layara and give instructions to the girls. Then Ill start training now! Ill treat you until there is no one standing still, so be prepared! In my previous life on Earth, the US Marine recruit training, you cant sleep on the first day of training. The trainers insulted, picked up personal items, didnt let them sleep on the first day of training. The purpose is to make them who were only civilians up to now, reform their mind and resolve. In this way, raise a recruit. In fact, it seems that some recruits, who have completed the initial training of the United States Marine Corps on Earth, have abandoned their weak old self, and today they were reborn as Marines. In this way, to reform their minds, I sworn, a shouted, and a strict instruction. The girls gathered on the ground. The training on the first day began. CH 136 In my previous world, there were, of course, some women who were willing to enter the United States Marine Corps enlistment training. All the women who join the Marine Corps are supposed to be trained on Parris Island. In the first 3 weeks of the training period, the basic strength and physical strength to withstand future training will be the focus. First, prepare gymnastics. Jumping jack. Hello Dolly. Push-ups. Abs. Back Spine. Running on the ground about 4.8 Km is completed with a time limit. This is one of the physical fitness tests of the US Marine Corps recruits. You can get points by the time you run 4.8 km (the required time is different for women and men, so the points will be different even if you run at the same time. It seems that soldiers have a time limit of 31 minutes for 4.8 km for women and 28 minutes for men). Other Training Drill Basic Behaviors-Be careful, rest, and teach basic salute behaviors. Furthermore, for us, Training Drill, and the history of the Chrysanthemum Knights, and Peacemakers purpose and way of thinking. The purpose is to inspire attachment and respect by knowing the history and thought of the Legion to which they belong. And then they march. Many times, many times. Assault rifles have not been given yet. for that reason, they havent practiced the march with Assault rifles. Its just a campaign March, it just repeats many times. Then they have doubts. (Why are we doing this?) (What does it mean to march like this?) (No, no, I want to quit ) Distrust grows among the girls. Every day, it piles up high like snow falling from the sky. At night, sobs echoes in the barracks. She got a pillow over her head, but Layara sleeping on the bed next to her can hear her. She gets out of bed even though its past the lights out time. A girl sleeping next to her, a beast race, a girl with rabbit ears. (Are you okay?) (La, Vice-Captain Layara Im sorry, Im noisy.) (Hui, youre also the former deputy commander. Now youre just with us.) Layara gently strokes the head of a rabbit-eared girl, to calm her down. (Isnt it hard for you, Layara? Im already ) (Yeah, its painful. Its painful. But I want to join the Chrysanthemum Knights again, and I want to work under Lute san and the others who helped me. I want to give back more than that. So even if its hard, I will do my best.) Layara wiped the rabbit girls tears. ( I want to join the Chrysanthemum Knights again, and now I want to help you all.) (So, ??lets do our best a little more. Its okay if we all work together, 13 weeks will be so quick.) (Yes) And Layara clasped her hand until the girl fell asleep. The girl quickly fell asleep because of her daily tiredness stroke at once because she felt secure. The next day, I let the girls march without meaning. Then I screamed abusive words and raised distrust. However, they never complained and devoted themselves to training. They encourage each others friends who have slowed down during running and call out to try to complete the race within the designated time. I nodded with satisfaction so that the girls wouldnt notice. Why did I inflame their distrust on purpose? Theres a good reason for that. What does this mean? DDDD This feeling of distrust of unreasonableness makes them, the recruits, understand the importance of not being able to achieve their goals without cooperating with everyone or teamwork. In other words, they are deliberately pushed into difficult situations and creating an environment in which they strongly feel that they must help each other. In my previous life, the recruitment training of the US Marine Corps, the recruits are hunted down and take roughly two actions. One is to leave the training. And the other is the action of realizing that one person cant overcome this rigorous training and help each other to overcome the training. Few choose the former and mostly choose the latter. In other words, the Marine Corps, in this case, understands that they are the only one who supports the Chrysanthemum Knights. One for the troop, the troop for the one. In this way, the girls learn the importance of teamwork and work together to overcome the difficult challenges given to them. I am satisfied with their reaction. In this way, the basic bodybuilding is completed in the third week of the training period. We started training drills for martial arts from the fourth week of the training period. From the 4th week of the training period, the US Marine Corps, in my previous world, also teaches fighting skills. In the Marine Corps, it is called the Marine Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). The trainer suddenly said, Form a group of two and fight each other! It doesnt mean that. Be sure to receive an explanation from your supervisor before start training. The martial arts instructors in charge were Shia and I. We stood in front of the girls who were sitting on the ground and explained the martial arts they would learn. Shia, who was always dressed as a maid, this time was asked to wear Military uniforms and boots. Its been a while since Ive seen clothes other than maid clothes on Shia. I am Shia, your martial arts teacher, and advisor. Please take care of me. Shia was in Military uniform, despite her appearance, she greeted them elegantly. It would be a problem if such an attitude was taken during the training period Its like an occupational disease for her. There is no point in pointing it out. I cleared my throat and immediately started explaining martial arts. First, the basic posture-the fighting stance Shia lightly bends her knees, puts the center of gravity on her toes, and gently holds her hands forward. This is the basic posture- the fighting stance. When hitting an opponent, hold your fist softly until you stick it out, and hold it firmly the moment you hit. Shia moves according to my words. Right straight. If you hold one piece of cloth or a stone, Offensive power punch will be up. The fist is not the only way to attack your opponent. First, a hand sword, which is used to attack the throat and temples. Unlike the fist, this is the bottom of the palm, and you can make powerful attacks without worrying about fractures. Elbow, which has about three times the attack power of a fist. Toes that have the most reach in the body. The heel is advantageous for attacking behind. In close quarters, knees that are powerful along with elbows. From now on, I will teach you how to use each attack method. Later, well work on pairs, so please take a closer look at the method. Sir, yes Sir! With a serious expression, the girls learned how to do martial arts with bare hands. When I was a slave, Gigi taught me how to do martial arts. Martial arts in this world are hit and thrown because there is no school, there is nothing but wrestling + kickboxing. In this martial arts training, the girls will be taught not only how to hit, but also how to fight in the future such as throwing, strangling, and joints. After teaching how to hit in kata, Shia and I taught Kumites method. (TN: Kata and Kumite are complementary training methods. In Kata, one learns basic techniques and in Kumite one applies them with a sparring partner.) They formed groups of two people, and they repeatedly hit and block each one in turn. Shia and I watched over them. Thus, martial arts training was added. From the 7th week of the training period, we will finally begin shooting training. CH 137 The 7th week of the training period. From today onwards, its time to start shooting. A space for shooting training was made on the ground for this day. It was made by the magician group of Snow, Shia, and Liz using earth magic. It looked like an archery dojo. The earthen wall behind the target is raised to prevent bullets from jumping out due to accidental shooting. The recruit girls were lined up in 3 rows of 10 people. They were waiting with an attention attitude. The feet were lightly opened with the heels attached, and your hands lightly gripped. The shooting training instructors, Snow and I stood in front of the girls. At ease! They were not distracted, at ease-They opened their legs at the same time as I said. It is a posture where you turn your hands backward and distribute your body load applying weight to both legs to make it easier. Youre going to start shooting training from today. She will be your advisor. Im Snow Gunsmith. I will do my best as your shooting training instructor. Snow tried to be scary as much as she can, but because of her personality and appearance, she looked cute rather than scary. In fact, its only because shes cute! I asked everyone to sit down. Everyone was sitting in the gym; Snow and I were standing visible to everyone. Snow and I turned around and looked at the Trunk where the AK47 used for the shooting training and the box on which the magazines were placed. There were only 10 AK47s for 30 girls. Meiya did her best, but it was difficult to prepare for everyone. Therefore, the girls will use them alternately. This is the AK47, a magic tool that will be used by the New Chrysanthemum order, a Peacemakers subordinate organization. Mercer, give me the specs. Sir, caliber 7.62mm, total length 898mm, barrel length 436mm, weight 3.29kg, 30 rounds, firing rate 600 rounds/minute. Sir! Mercer with drooping ears, like a loop-ear sitting in the front row, answered steadily. The specifications, names, strengths, and weaknesses were taught in advance through training drills. Therefore, it was possible to give the specifications smoothly as before. Snow seems to be impressed, but its not that she doesnt know the specs of the AK47 shes using, right? I reconsider and continue talking. I taught you how to do it in the training drill, but this time you are actually going to operate the AK47. As you can see, there are only 10, so you will shoot in a 10-people turn. Sir yes Sir! Then, the first 10 people, go ahead. The ten people in the front row get up and receive AK47 and magazine from me and Snow. The first explanation was from me, and it was about how to insert the magazine. When mounting the magazine, insert the entire magazine backward pushing the front end deep into the gun mounting hole. This will ensure quick and reliable mounting. I attached a magazine to my AK47 as a model. Next, I let the 10 girls insert a magazine. All were able to put in the magazine firmly. Once youve loaded the magazine, pull the cocking handle all the way back and let go. This will load the ammunition into the chamber. When you pull the cocking handle, use force, so put your spirits into it!! Sir yes Sir! The girls, as instructed put their spirits on, released the safety device, and pulled the cocking handle vigorously and let go. The girl of a small race in the front row took some time, but there was no problem. Now theyre ready to shoot. Once again, turn on the safety device. Next, Ill have you shoot at a target about 100 meters ahead. Did you understand, sow! Sir, yes Sir! Originally, I aimed for the target to be 250 m ahead, but it was impossible in this space. Therefore, I made the target about 100m ahead. Then, next, Snow, please. Yes, sir. Then Ill teach you from here. With a smile, Snow began to explain how to shoot using his own pure white AK47. The first 10 girls to shoot come here. With AK47 in hand, 10 girls move to the position designated by Snow. Well, today is the first day, so youre going to learn the basic way of shooting standing posture. [Standing posture] is the posture to stand and shoot. This is the basic shooting position of an assault rifle. First, hold the AK47 stock firmly on your shoulders, grip with your right hand, and the area around your handguard with your left hand. According to Snows explanation, she takes a standing position. The girls also follow Snow. I look at the remaining 20 girls who are looking at me with interest. Snows explanation goes on. Tighten your left arm and let your right elbow relax and let it go naturally. If you put too much effort into your right arm to absorb the recoil, you will not be able to shoot accurately, so, be careful. Okay, then youll shoot right away. Snow come over here, the instruction is good. You keep your posture and release the safety device! Semi-automatic! Ten girls unlock the AK47 safety lock. They move the selector lever that was on top of the safety lock to the bottom semi-automatic (single shot). They aim to the point where there is a [] in the center made of hard soil. Fire! Bang! Ten firing sounds echo to my order. It is the first time for all of them, but they seem to be able to fire safely. AK47 has many advantages. It is strong against dirt, it is sturdy, reliable in operation, and easy to handle even by an amateur. However, there are some disadvantages. One of them is the strong recoil. A girl with a small body should be biting her back teeth with pain from the current shooting. Two more shots are then fired semi-automatically. Then, we stop the first 10 people from shooting and then put the safety lock again. Then, they hand over the AK47 without the magazine to the next 10 people. As before, the next 10 people are allowed to fire only three shots by making a standing position. Today is just for getting people to experience the sense of shoot. Im not going to force them from the first day. The next 10 came forward, Layara was among them. Wait a minute! Layara come off! Sir, yes sir! She dropped her shoulders and fell out of line. The other girls did not have any questions or doubts, and they looked at me with consent. As expected, I dont want that Layara to have an AK47. If its not fired, its still good. It would be bad if it exploded or the bullets flew to other girls. Im sorry for Layara, but its a measure that cant be helped. In addition, I order other shooting methods such as knee shooting and sitting shooting positions. First, the girls (except one) focused on getting used to firing, recoil, the feel, sense of hitting the target, the type of shooting posture, etc. of the assault rifle. CH 138 The training continued. In a large classroom, all the AK47s were in front of the desk, finally. I stood in front of them and spoke up. Today we are going to disassemble and clean the AK47. First, as instructed, lets remove the pieces in order. Even if the other party is Layara, she could do disassembly work for the AK47 right? While worried in my chest, I disassemble my AK47 placed on the desk in order. First of all, there is a protrusion on the part of the trigger guard in front of the pulling iron trigger. When removing the magazine, push the protrusion and pull out the magazine. After removing the magazine and showing it to everyone, I moved on to the next step . Change the selector lever in a safe position to a different position that is, fully automatic or semi-auto position. At that time, check the remaining bullets of the chamber. Be careful because it is extremely dangerous if there are bullets left. The girls move their hands according to my words and movements. Pull the cocking handle, the hammer, and then remove the cleaning rod attached to the barrel. The cleaning rod is independent and can be removed before removing the magazine, since it is better to always keep the same disassembly procedure, we will remove it at this point in the future. Then press the lock at the rear of the bolt carrier and remove it back to pull up the bolt carrier cover. The cleaning rod is a thin rod-like part that lies parallel to the bottom of the barrel when viewed from the side. As the name implies, it is used for cleaning guns. There were a few girls who took a little time and effort to work here. I waited until they could safely remove the bolt carrier cover. After confirming the removal, I proceeded to the next step. After removing the cover, push the back of the guide retaining block connected to the recoil spring and remove it from the receiver. And pull the Bolt Carrier Group, which, as the name suggests, moves the bolt, to the back of the receiver, lift it up and remove it. The bolt carrier group, which can be finally removed by removing the cover and removing the recoil spring, is the part located at the very center of the gun, including the bolt (bottom) that hits the bullet. We placed the removed parts of the Bolt Carrier Group on the desk. Next, Im going to get on the handguard. The handguard, which protects the hand from heat generated from the barrel. The barrel is divided into two parts: the top and the bottom. The top of the handguard can be removed by lifting the gas cylinder up and removing the takedown latch. In addition, pull the bottom of the handguard down and pull it forward. The parts were lined up on the desk one after another. Then we proceeded to remove the last part. Finally, remove the bolt from the bolt carrier and the disassembly is over. It can be disassembled into 8 parts except for the main body on the desk. The AK series are sturdy because it is so easy to make. Even the AK, which is tough and strong against dirt, needs cleaning. Therefore, they must learn how to disassemble. This time, I reassembled it, and I allowed it to be disassembled by one person because its okay to do it slowly. The training continues. They all had a helmet, a combat protector, Alice clip, a spare magazine, and an AK47 to train rushing lashing. This was the most used technique in movement techniques. Prone Rush Lashing Drop knee and then repeat. Then we taught many variations like high crawling, low crawling, forward low crawling, etc. Furthermore, the method of shooting using topography and features. Also, how to dig a trench and foxholes and other various skills were taught. The girls grew up as full-fledged soldiers. On a sunny day, the last day of the 13th week, girls in military uniforms lined up at the grounds of the Chrysanthemum Knights headquarters. We, who stand in front of them, lined up in tight military uniforms. The girls lined up in front of me were ordinary girls 13 weeks ago, but they are not now. There are only full-scale soldiers who have gone through 13 weeks of hellish training. I slowly look around at them. You graduate from sow today! You are now proud members of Peace Makers subordinate Legion; you are members of the new Chrysanthemum Knights! Sir, yes Sir! Today you and others will be united by the bonds of sisters! No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, you are sisters until your souls are called to heaven, gods paradise! Sir, yes Sir! From now on, youll fight, get hurt, and in the worst case die at some point as the New Chrysanthemum Knights. But keep in mind! Youll surely die at some point! We live to die! We are here to die! But Peace Maker and the new Chrysanthemum Knights are eternal! I mean your sisterhood is eternal! Are you happy to join us!? Sir, yes Sir! The familiar replies of the girls echoed through the ground. All right! Then, the awarding ceremony of the insignia of the New Chrysanthemum Knights will be held from this moment. Come forward the one whose name is called! Mercer! Yes! A rabbit girl with droopy ears like a lop walked in front with a snappy movement. Snow standing next to me handed her a batch. The design of the batch is the revolver of the Peace Makers flag and the double-edged sword of Chrysanthemum Knights intersects in a cross. It was a specially made item for this day. They are placed on Snows, Chris, Liz, Meiyas, and Shias trays. In the future, it will be used as proof of the new Chrysanthemum Knights members uniform. I put the batch on Mercers chest. When finished, she saluted and returned to her original position. Next! Ernamo! Yes! In this way, the award of the insignia of 30 people was completed. Then, you all from today forward are peace makers subordinate Legion, Chrysanthemum Knights members! Everyone broke up! At the same time, the girls screamed and without instructing them, all at once picked up their hats and threw them up to the sky. The hats soared into the blue sky with no clouds, as if it had wings. The girls cried with happiness and hug each other. We watched them with a happy feeling. CH 139 The Peacemakers subordinate Legion, the new Chrysanthemum Knights, finally ended their 13 weeks of training and joined. In my previous life, the US Marine Corps was not dispatched to the battlefield immediately after completing recruiting training. To learn skills and knowledge in a specialized field they go to the Military school (MOS). For example, they would receive 52 days of specialized education at the infantry school at Le Jeune Base in California. [TN MOS was written in English letters. I dont know what they stand for.] In the United States Marine Corps, immediately after the insignia ceremony, they go to the Military school (MOS). Since becoming a Marine Corps, time must be used effectively. But, as expected, we cant say that the next day. These 13 weeks of training have been hard for them, but it was hard for us to experience it for the first time. I dont have the energy to act immediately. Therefore, we returned their personal belongings, and a week later, we declared that they would be assigned to their respective specialized fields. In other words, this week is a long holiday for both of us. The night after the ceremony. We continued to use the guest rooms that we were given since the time of the Chrysanthemum Knights as our own rooms. Tonight, I was going to have a light discussion about the girls celebration and their assignments. I had 30 people, so I thought, I think it would be difficult to assign them because there are too many people, but I understand immediately that my perception was naive. Shea serves as a maid as always. She carries drinks and food to us who relax on the sofa. That said, she never bends in her claims. We do not give priority to private desires. In the future, in order to ensure your safety, at least 10 people will be assigned as escort maid candidates. Snow, who has fried chicken on a plate, also claims to be losing. If 10 maid candidates were selected, we could only have 2 infantry units. Shouldnt we postpone that this time? Chris raises this claim. In the last hostage incident, there was no personnel in the sniper rifle unit to monitor the surroundings. In the future, if there is such an incident, it would be a problem if we could not accommodate about 10 people so that I could deal with it. Its true that Chris was the only sniper at the time, and it was far from possible to deal with an unusual situation. Layara is confirmed as an observer. After that, Chris asks for nine others. Liz insists. I also agree with Snows opinion, but from among the infantry can you please accommodate human resources who handle general purpose machine guns? We would like to have at least 4 people if we want to make 2 squads, and if you make a squad of at least people, because I want to make personnel that can be replaced in an emergency, we would like 8 people to be flexible. The number of members will certainly be insufficient if the opinions of my wives and maid are respected to the maximum extent. I thought I would be worried about the assignments because there were too many, but I did not imagine that there would be too few to worry about. The place for celebrating the beginning of the new members turn out to be a place for human resources struggle. Fortunately, my wife and maids glared at each other with a hard face, but it is a relief that the atmosphere is not harsh. I asked Meiya, who has not started to secure human resources. Does Meiya not want human resources? You dont have enough hands to manufacture and develop weapons armor, do you? Of course, I want someone who can also be used as myself, but since most of the personnel this time cant handle magic liquid metal, I do not intend to force it. I see I understand. There is no magician in the new Order Chrysanthemum Knights. There are people like me and Chris who can use it a short time by training. However, the amount of magic power is too low, and it is not worth it considering the time and effort to train the manufacturing developer. Only Layara has talent, but she is cursed. Would I like her to do manufacturing development? However, even when the AK47 was disassembled, that person was sluggish. Her hands are not very dexterous, and I dont think its suitable As I was thinking about that, Meiya continued. And I cant stand putting a bug in the space where were alone with Lute sama! Well do our best to stay up all night, but Ill do it for two or three! In order to maintain a world of sweetness with Lute-sama, I will throw away even this Meiya Dragoons sleep desire! No, dont overdo it and go to bed. Ill ask you to sleep! I put a Tsukkomi trembling at Mayas effort in the wrong direction effort. I wonder if Snow and the others are angry with such an attitude. What do you think, Lute-kun? Of course, you also organize infantry units to prepare basic troops, right? I also want people to form a sniper rifle unit. Lute-san is well aware of the importance of a general-purpose machine gun that controls space, right? Im looking forward to the youths determination. My brides and the maid were approaching. I insisted on my own opinion, even though I was overwhelmed by them. Oh, the number of people has increased this time, and I wanted to create a mortar unit, a specialized unit that operates the finally completed mortar What is that? I explained to Snow and others who tilted their heads about the mortar that we made with Mayer. Of course, dividing it into parts that can be explained to them and parts that cannot. A large number of weapons were born in the world of my previous life, in World War I. The mortar is one of them. At the time, machine-guns were developed, and soldiers were often forced to fight in close quarters by night raids or digging pits to try to get close. It is commonly known as the trench war. Therefore, it was difficult to give effective hits with rifles and cannons because the enemies and allies were in the trenches. Therefore, Grenadiers appeared to throw grenades into enemy positions, but they were unable to get close enough due to the barbed wire and machine guns. Being wary of each others grenadiers and attacks from the soldiers, they kept a distance of 100 m. or more from their opponent. It was no longer a distance you can throw a grenade with your hands. As a result, there was a tactic that extended the flight distance by a method other than throwing a grenade by hand. The first method was to shoot a grenade from the tip of the rifle [Rifle grenade]. As I explained before, this is a method of attaching a special device to the rifle and firing a grenade using an empty gun. However, this method had a drawback that it was necessary to attach a device for firing a grenade to the muzzle, and during that time shooting was impossible. As a result of trying other ways other than throwing grenades by hand, a large-scale mortar (grenade launcher) was born that further expands the range of the Rifle Grenade. Larger C scale? Just imagine a cannon used in the Middle Ages as an image. In fact, the French Army brought out canons used in the Middle Ages and put it into trench warfare. It seems that there was a problem with durability because it was made in the age of low metallurgical technology. And in 1915, the British Army has developed a Stoke-type mortar that looks just like a slanted barrel. Although various countries tried various types of mortars, the Stoke mortar became the standard weapon. The structure is extremely simple. A Barrel, a pedestal Baseplate, a bipod with adjustment handles. The advantages of mortars are high destructive power and killing power because of the large amount of explosive charge that can be put in. It is easy to carry and handle because of its simple structure, and it has a low manufacturing cost. Because it falls from the sky, the pieces are scattered, and the killing ability is high. On the other hand, the disadvantages are that the mortars shoot up shells and fall at a near-vertical angle, making them slow and susceptible to crosswinds, and the sound when shells fall makes them easy to detect by the enemy. As mentioned above, mortars have many drawbacks. It is by no means a universal weapon. Since I made such a mortar, I was thinking of forming a support unit Even Lute kun thought about that. Then the number of people is not enough. What should we do? Would you like to recruit new members now? But princess, is it difficult for us to spend 13 weeks on training again? Everyone gave their opinions. I would never give up myself I hit my knee and made a decision. If this happens, Ill let the members, everyone learns all the skills! All of them? Chris embarrassedly put out the mini blackboard. I nodded. Thats all. The mortar is basically operated by the infantry squad, Sniper also, supports the squad, machine guns are going to be in the squad, so I should let them all learn. You can buy your hard work while you are young. There is no loss in learning the skills. My wives and apprentice agree with me. If you are a small company, you have to do everything regardless of office or sales. In this way, the distribution of the members who joined the team was decided. In the end, there would be 20 professional infantries, and 10 people as escort maid candidates. It was decided that all of us, would be in charge of protecting Kokori town. The 10 escort maids were the ones I gave up because Shia did not give up to the end. As a concession, we have agreed to nurture them as specialists in indoor control, protection of important persons, and rescue of hostages. Of course, Im also going to put in the skills of mortars, snipers, and squad-supported weapons. Rather, Shia was happy about that. In addition, she asks me to pay for the maid. Wasnt it difficult for one maid? Shes been taking care of me all the time, so I forgave that much. next time Chapter 9 Boyhood Daily Edition 2-Opening- CH 140 Lute, 15 years old Equipment: S & W M10 4 inch (revolver) : AK47 (assault rifle) Snow, 15 years old Magician A-minus class Equipment: S & W M10 2 inch (revolver) : AK47 (assault rifle) Chris, 14 years old Equipment: M700P (sniper rifle) : SVD (Dragunov sniper rifle) Liz, 181 years old Magician B class Blessing of spirits: Infinite storage Equipment: PKM (General-purpose machine gun) : other After about a month since the hellish training, Peacemaker and its subordinate Legion, the new pure maiden Knights began to protect Kokori Street. When I finish my office work in the morning and have lunch, I go around the city- The Guard. It is a rule that guards are performed by a pair of people. It is Snows turn to be with me today. Garma, who is in charge of administrative work, asked me if I could help him with the paperwork in the afternoon, but of course, I rejected it. I cant change my schedule, and its more fun to look around the city with Snow than to stay in the room with Garma. Garma seems to have been thinking about retiring as an advisor after becoming the new Pure Maiden Knights but forcibly stopped him. There are tons of jobs such as administrative work, managers, and negotiators. Now, anyone can forgive me for being selfish and getting easier. He continues to work, probably because he has the burden of imposing the Knights on us. As for paperwork, I have a high level of ability and experience, so all I must do is check the key points. Thankfully. Lute-kun, Im ready, so lets go. Okay, okay. Do you remember the way to go around? Of course! Snow and I wear military uniforms and AK47s on our shoulders. This is the outfit to patrol around the city. I want to have MP5K to patrol around the city, but I dont have enough for all the members. Therefore, I had an AK47 to unify the appearance. By the way, Im telling them not to use the AK47 unless its something urgent. This is because the AK47 is so powerful that it is dangerous to fire it easily in the city. After leaving the headquarters building, we see about 10 members training on the ground. Its easy to see that Shia is the instructor today. All the members who are training are wearing maid clothes, and they are training how to move, attack, and rush inside the wooden frame that looks like a room. Shia, the instructor, is accusing the maids of being slow. In the new Pure Maiden Knights, 20 people protect the city and 10 people waiting at the headquarters training. The 10 people on standby at the headquarters were used for training time to improve their training, although they were waiting. This time its Shea, but the instructors are replaced by the waiting members such as Snow, Chris, and Reese. The training for this 10-member waiting group will be held for 3 days, and the 4th day will be a complete holiday. The 20 guardians of the city do a lot of work, such as those who go to the city to guard like us, those who go to a scene to deal with troubles that occur, those who teach those who have lost their way to the headquarters. Snow and I leave the headquarters quickly so as not to disturb Shia. The destination is the main street. Kokori Street is one of the transit points for carrying goods to the interior of the Beastman Continent. The city has one large street in the center, and one main street intersects in a cross shape. Seen from above, it depicts ʮ. This is because the goods sent to each city are separated for easy transportation. Therefore, we head to Main Street, which is the busiest in the city. As I walk down the road, I can hear many residents. I and Snow are the representatives of the peacemaker and my wives, they are well received by residents. By the way, the feelings of the residents towards the new Knights are on hold. They were reborn as the subordinate legion of Peacemaker, who solved the Sorcerers murder case. I think thats why theyre watching the situation. We arrived at the main street. Horse-drawn carriages, luggage loading, and unloading, merchants shaking hands after price negotiations, the boulevard are full of people and bustling until dark. When people get together, conflicts easily occur. The task of a guard is to remonstrate before a dispute becomes an incident or a commotion. Today too, there were quarreling and swearing on the main street. Snow and I are used to arbitrating the situations. There is no way that the people who were yelling can get into a fight with the representative of PEACEMAKER and his wives who protect the city, so they cool down their anger and regain their calm. The content of the quarrel is about price negotiations. It seems that they have settled down to a mutually acceptable price because we stood in between. I looked around the main street like this. We head to the commercial and residential areas north and south of our office. Find a lost child near the commercial area, which is the kitchen of the city. It is also our job to protect lost children. The lost child is a girl about 5 years old. It has small horns and a devilish tail. She looks like a demon race. The first thing I noticed is Snow, who runs up and calls out. I go in front of the girl and crouch down to look at the same line of sight. Hello, why are you crying? Where are your Mom and Dad? The girl talks to snow and stops crying, but stares at her with an uneasy expression. Snow speaks with a smile without concern. The ribbon is cute. Who tied it to you? Mama. Snow praises the ribbon tied to the girls hair and connects the conversation. Where is mom? Is she shopping? do not know Oh, dont you know? Then, your sister will look for mom with you together. Yes, lets hold hands so that we dont get lost. Snow is good with kids. It may be the result of taking care of the younger children during our time at the orphanage. Look, lets hold lute-kuns hand on the other side. Okay, so lets find mom right away. Snow and I hold the girls hands from the left and right and walk through the commercial district. I called the girls name and called out for her parents to the surroundings. Occasionally, to comfort the girl, we lift our left and right hands and make them jump high. Each time the girl smiled happily. It seems like a lie that she was crying so much. Every time the girl laughs, Snow also smiles. From a strangers point of view, it may seem as if a young couple has children. An incident occurred when we were searching for her parents like that. From the corner a little ahead, a man who pulled his luggage appears. The sound of thief echoes from behind the wheel. It seems that the man didnt even imagine that we were on the street by chance, and he turned his back with a blue face and started running. I let go of the girls hand and point the AK47s muzzle on my shoulder to the sky. Stop! If you dont stop, Ill shoot! What!? The man is frightened but immediately continues to flee. I thought about shooting him at the foot, but if I shoot in a place where there are many people like this, there is a high possibility that it will hit other people. Lute kun, please take care of this child. Snow!? She released the girls hand and left her to me. She assisted her body with physical strengthening techniques! She jumped on the roof in a breath and ran after the man. Her movement was like a hound that has found prey. The man ran in a crowd and Snow ran on an empty roof. Snow caught up in a blink of an eye, she jumped off the roof and kicked the mans back. The man let go of his luggage and rolled on the ground. Snow thrust an AK47 at the back of the fallen man. I will arrest you for the crime of theft. If you go wild anymore, I will shoot through your limbs. It will hurt if you are shot by a bullet, but it cant be helped, right? Oh, I wont go wild! I wont go wild, so please stop! The man was frightened and did not run anymore. She tied up the mans hands and handed him to the members of the guard who just passed by. The man went to the new Pure Maiden Knights Headquarters as it is. After settling the theft situation, we threw it into the jail. And when the date came, he would be put in a convoy with other criminals and taken to the city where the court was located. The girl got excited about Snows success and her cheeks dyed red. Besides, the parents of the girl who heard the noise appeared. They were looking for the girl all the time. When I handed over the child, they bowed their head so many times that I was worried that their neck would break and thanked me. The girl smiled and waved her hand and parted from us. We returned to patrol again. Im glad we found that childs parents right away. Snow walked in a good mood when the girls parents were found. That girl was so cute. Thats right. But if shes so cute, hell be worried about a lot of things as a father. Cant you get a strange bug? Im sure Ill be worried about that if I have a daughter in the future. Snow laughed at my impression. Lute-Kun, I cant believe youre going to be so worried of a baby that hasnt been born yet. It cant be helped. If shes a girl like Snow, shell definitely be cute, and shell be beautiful in the future! Men will never leave her alone! Snow laughs even more at my remarks. I want to give birth to Lutes baby soon. Im sure she will be so cute. Unconsciously she strokes the lower abdomen. We are not going to make a child because we have a lot of work to do now. And were still young. So, its a decision that theres no need to rush. It is everyones judgment in consideration of the current situation. It might be that Snows heart was dissatisfied. I realized that possibility and thought about whether to ask. She smiled at the air. Its okay, Im not dissatisfied with my life now. I know why we dont have a baby. The anxiety Im thinking about right now is Lutes thoughts. Oh, Im glad. I felt relieved. And now I am very happy. Theres Lute, Chris, Reese, Shia. miss Meiya, its fun to have everyone here. I thought it was too late to come out only when Meiya was there, but Im sure its just my imagination. I took Snows hand and smiled. Im happy every day with Snow and everyone else. I hope these days will continue forever! In this way, we smiled, held hands, and continued to guard. CH 141 Chapter 141 Chris, 14 Years Old Shishigi hunting! Part 1 One day around noon, an adventurer came from the Adventurers Guild. It seemed that the quest was designated to Chris. The content of the request was placed at the guild and the client wanted to explain it directly. Therefore, the Adventurer Guild begged to come to my all means. I was worried that Chris was nominated by name instead of the Peacemaker or the new Pure maiden Knights. Luckily, Chris and I have only a simple office work in the afternoon. Just in case, if I set a condition that I should accompany her, she easily agreed. Then, we promised to go to the Adventurers Guild in the afternoon. Lets push the office work to Garma. But its rare isnt it the first time? Its the first time to ask someone by name. [Thats right. What kind of quest is it?] Chris and I walked side by side in uniform. She put up a mini blackboard and agreed. This was the first time she had been nominated by name, even though she had taken orders for quests. What on earth would they ask Chris to do? When we arrived at the Adventurers Guild the usual receptionist of the demon tribe received us. It seemed that the client was already waiting in a private room. Guided by her, we entered at the usual private room. Oh! Ive been waiting for you! It was an old man who was waiting for us on the sofa. He had the head, ears, and tail peculiar of a beast-man. He had gray hair and wrinkles, but his legs and waist seemed to be firm. As soon as we showed up, he stood up and asked for a handshake. However, there were dark bags under the eyes. It was clear that he hadnt slept for over a year. When Chris and I shook hands, we sat on the sofa in front of the client. The receptionist left us our cup of incense tea. Then, sat down on the lower seat so as not to get in the way. The client opened his mouth with that as a signal. Thank you for coming again. Normally, it is polite for me to go to your place, but I thought that it would be annoying if I pushed it suddenly. So, I contacted you through the Adventurers Guild. My name is Hatter and Im a beast-man of the Tiger race. Im Lute Gunsmith, the representative of Peace Maker. [I am Chris Gunsmith, his wife.] First, we exchanged greetings with each other. After that, Hatter began to talk about the request with an urgent expression. Actually, my granddaughter has a rare and strange disease called Shishigi. Shishigi disease is a disease in which blue feather-like bruises appear on the whole body and the patient dies within one year. Most people do not get this disease. It is a rare disease that one person appears in the world once every several hundred years. However, in a sense, it seems that it is easy, for a strange disease, to cure Shishigi. All you must do is eat the meat of a bird called Shishigi. The problem is that the bird called Shishigi is small and flies in a zigzag, which makes it difficult to kill. Furthermore, if you do not blow off its head and kill it in a single blow, the flesh will deteriorate, and it will not be possible to cure Shishigi disease. Therefore, traps cannot be used. Magical attacks also affect the flesh and deteriorated it, so it cannot be used. They are highly vigilant and cannot be approached by any creature. Therefore, it is impossible to approach and catch them with swords and spears. The only way is to destroy the head with a single blow with a bow or a throw and kill it. Therefore, it seems that archers who can catch Shishigi will be treated as top-notch. However, there are not many such people, and even if there are, a large amount of compensation is required. It is not the amount of money that can be paid by Hatter, who is ordinary people. He asked for payment in installments, but he was bluntly refused. When he was at a loss, adventurers and hunters approached him saying, I can catch Shishigi, but of course they couldnt catch it, and was tricked out of his money. Also, some of the hired adventurers pretended to bring shishigi meat and brought ordinary chicken. Hatter shed tears as he said he wasted his time and money, even though he thought he was clinging to the last straw. And when I consulted with the Adventurers Guild, I heard the story of the Peacemaker and Chris. Chris, who was not a magician, shot through the eyes of a flying twin dragon and destroyed its head from the inside. According to him, a basilisk with an evil eye of petrification was shot through the eyes and destroyed the head from the inside before entering its range. It seems that he was taught that Chris is one of the leading bow users. No, its not a bow, is a Sniper rifle but Before making corrections, Hatter rubs his forehead against the table and pleads. My daughter has already passed away and the only one I can call family is my granddaughter! For that child, I could give my small but total fortune! Im willing to give my life! So please help me! Ill give you everything you want, and I can give! If you think you dont have enough rewards, it will take some time, but Ill definitely pay the promised amount! So please! I see If my only relative, my granddaughter, is about to run out of life, the bags under my eyes will also thicken with anxiety. Before I opened my mouth, Chris stood up and bypassed the table. Walked up to the side of Hatter and gently clasped his hand. Ill take it. Please leave it to me. Oh, thank you! Thank you! Hatter squeezed Chriss hands and shed tears. She turned her gaze to me and said, was it okay to accept? I think its a good idea, I said. Of course, there is no reason to refuse. Peacemaker philosophy Save those in need and those who seek help. This request can be said to be exactly the principle. Therefore, she added to Hatter, It doesnt matter if you can pay the reward. Again, he burst into tears. After confirming that we are satisfied, the receptionist takes out the paper. Then its okay to accept the quest, right? Please Will you order the quest from the peacemaker? I received the quest as a Legion and asked Hatter to give me a detailed explanation about Shishigi. Shishigi is a sensitive bird, and it seems that if many people rush in, it will immediately fly away. If that happens, it is impossible to find out. Therefore, it seems that Shishigi hunting is done by one person and at most two people. If so, after receiving the quest, Chris and I decided to go hunting for Shishigi. Also, I received a detailed explanation about Shishigi from the receptionist and Hatter and made notes of what seemed to be necessary. When we received the quest order, we returned to the headquarters for preparation. Hatter bowed his head over and over again seeing us off. Thank you, thank you! I will never forget this kindness! No, I havent succeeded yet. So, Ill hurry up and head for the Shishigi hunt. Yes! Thank you! Chris and I started walking toward the headquarters. Hatter kept bowing until we disappeared. After returning to the headquarters, Chris and I had a meeting about preparations. Im glad the forest is within a day by carriage from here. Shishigi did not have a nest. It seemed to be moving in the forest of the beast-man continent. This time I was lucky enough that there was sighting information in a nearby forest. If we missed this, we would have to search for prey from scratch again. Lets borrow the Knights carriage. Well finish the equipment and food arrangements today and leave tomorrow morning, but is Chris okay? [Its okay.] Im glad I dont have a lot of work this week. Its going to be a quest without any hindrance to my work. [But dont you have office work?] Its okay, Ill ask Advisor Garma for office work. He had various loans for the Magician Killer case. He must bear this much work burden. [Even if it is work, Im glad to be able to go on a horse-drawn carriage trip alone with Onii-chan.] Chris shyly dyed her ears red and insisted while hiding her mouth with the mini blackboard. [Can you spoil me during the trip?] Of course! Rather, its okay to spoil you right now, not just during the trip. How about in bed tonight? [Onii-chan is naughty] But she continued. [please.] All right, Im in charge! Chris wrote the letters of consent on the mini-blackboard, shy enough to rise smoke from her head. We would leave early in the morning, so its not good to do too much, but I was wondering if I can control my reason. Wait a minute. While we walked flirting, several men stood in front of us. The man who seemed to be the leader stepped forward. He was about two meters tall. He had a beard and chest hair. There was a scar on the cheek that seemed to be a demons claw. If I met him during the trip, I would think he was a bandit or a thief and would give the firing order. The man cut out. Im from the Pawk race. Adventurer, Level IV. You guys are Peacemakers, arent you? [TN Dont get the race right ѥå] Yes, but what is it? Pawk put out a tag, telling the adventurer level. I was cautious and took a standing position protecting Chris. I relaxed my right arm so that I could always get out the revolver hanging from my waist. You just received a Shishigi Hunting quest from the Adventurers Guild, didnt you? If you get a Shishigi, why dont you sell it to me? Ill double the reward. Rainy day negotiations. Well, do you have any relatives or relatives who have Shishigi disease in Pawk-san? No, its that unlucky guy who gets thunder in the clear sky with Shishigis disease. But the fresh meat that is effective for Shishigis disease seems to be so delicious that its hard to believe its of this world. Its being traded. If you handle it with a route I know, it will easily exceed the reward. How is it, can you surely catch the Shishigi? Stupid guys talking about money when peoples lives were at stake. It seemed foolish to deal with it. Im sorry, but I received a request from Hatter first. No, no, failure to make a request is a daily occurrence for adventurers, isnt it? The name of the peacemaker will not be damaged. There was no common ground, so I refused it. The other person distorted his expression. You will regret it It changed from the kind and friendly attitude that I mentioned earlier to something that had a violent atmosphere. But thats just their death flag. When Pawk spitted, they turned their backs and disappeared into the crowd. This one was getting a little burnt.