《Maou na Ore to Fushihime no Yubiwa》 Volume 1 Prologue Volume 1 Prologue To: Kusumi Chiharu. Congratulations. You have been selected to be part of the seventh generation of monster tamers. Please choose one of the monsters from list below; you should remember that it will not only be your first partner, but will also help with your daily training, so please take good care of it. Dragon tribe: red dragon. Level: 1. Physical strenght: B. Power: B. Speed: A. An all-round monster. Can breathe out fire from the mouth. Be careful thet it doesn''t burn your house. Serial number: 001. Giant tribe: Nephilim. Level: 5. Physical strenght: B. Power: A. Speed: C. A monster with incredible strenght. Can even throw a heavy trusk with a single hand. If not careful, can spuash you flat. Serial number: 036 Undead tribe: Ghoul. Level: 9. Physical strenght: A. Power: C. Speed: C. A very resilient monster. Professes a total obedience to its master. Not very popular. Serial number: 042. Though in truth, in my opinion, I feel you have the talent and grounding to become a ''demon king'' in the future. Having said that, Chiharu-sama, I wish you good luck from the bottom of my heart. From: Luka (International Monster Association). "Ding Ding" Early in the morning, on a certain day. My phone received an advertising mail. Checking the contents, it ended up being a total load of bull. Initially believing it to be a new type of scam, I was about to immediately press the "delete" button, but, for some reason, the message''s format puzzled me. "This...it doesn''t seem like a scam mail..." Among those teasing sentences in a round font, neither a ''Payment link'' nor a ''Homepage address'' were written anywhere. If that''s the case, then who is behind this? What is his objective? That being said, there aren''t any monsters like that... Although I didn''t believe in the genuineness of the mail, I wondered why they didn''t prepare better content. In the end, I half-consciously deleted the mail, promptly adding it to the spam list. ...With this, I won''t be bothered for a while. Once again ducking myself into the bed, I soon felt my consciousness drifting away. Perhaps the next time I wake up, I will have already forgotten about everything that happened this morning. But I would never have thought... ...that such a trifling impulsive action would later end up causing open mayhem between three monsters... Volume 1 1 — The beginning of the nightmare Volume 1 Chapter 1: The beginning of the nightmare "Hello, this is a delivery" "Ah, it''s finally here." Saturday, April 18th. The package was delivered to my very ordinary, wooden house. Suppressing my anticipation, I went to the entrance hall to retrieve the package. Of course, if the contents were just some apples from a farm, I wouldn''t be so hyped up. There is only one thing that can excite me this much, and that is Porn. Porn magazines. I didn''t expect the huge amount of porn magazines I ordered on the internet last night to arrive so soon. This was so touching that I was on the verge of tears. To be able to buy porn magazines without being seen, the world sure was convenient. Global warming, air pollutionalthough civilization was currently causing considerable damage, we humans should be thankful for its progression. I, who had received the package, couldn''t help but think of something: Speaking of which, isn''t the box too big? The box almost covered the entirety of the entrance hall; even with both hands, I couldn''t budge it in the slightest. If it was just porn magazines inside, then this would be a total overkill. Moreover, the box itself was suspicious. Why is there even polystyrene foam!? When did they start shipping porn magazines as if it was fresh food? But, I have no way of knowing since this is my first time ordering online. Certainly, Amazon must do it this way. Anyway, I should open it before my sister Manami comes home. I hurriedly opened the box. However, inside the box was A girl''s corpse in undergarments. "Ah!" Letting out a sound which could not really be described as manly, I took a step backwards. Hhhey. What''s with this bizarre scene? Where''s the camera? Looking around, I couldn''t find anything resembling a camera; after waiting for a moment, there''s still no sound of "Frightened success" which the host would normally say while moving the reflector away. My heart was beating *dokun**dokun* furiously. No doubt this girl was already dead. Her whole body was in tatters, just looking at her would give you the chills. "Ah. Calm down." I took a deep breath, filling up my lungs. Don''t be scared don''t be scared, I have already seen it once. Long silver hair, gorgeous white skin that lacked vitality akin to that of a whitefish. Acorn-like eyes void of light and a pair of aquamarine pupils. Although her chest wasn''t big, she was slender. I considered her waist, which emphasized her curves, caused her to look very seductive. There were also innards sticking out of her stomach. Inspecting carefully, one could find that she was breathtakingly beautiful. If we ignore the fact that she is dead, what''s left is a hard-to-find beauty. Uwa. A corpse. A genuine corpse. "Just give me a break already." While thinking such, I closed the box. Anyway, what should I do next? Such a troublesome question. And in so-called moral lessons, they don''t teach how to deal with a corpse when one is sent to your house. Still, there''s no other way but to think about it. Among the options available, this was one that was the most reasonablein case of accident, my life will enter the BAD END route. I have decided, first of all, I will call the police. For a second, the fact that I might look ''Guilty'' entered my mind. Still, there is no other choice for me to choose from. Even if I want to hide a corpse, the house has limited space. Of course, burying is also out of the question. Just when I am about to turn around to grab the telephone The corpse suddenly stood up. "!" Speechless. I was rooted in my place like when a snake is staring at a frog, and my teeth were chattering non-stop from fear. Impossible. This can''t be real. Why can the body still move? This is like the often seen zombie in a horror movie. "Sorry for the sudden intrusion. You must be Kusumi Chiharu." Ya!! It spoke!? Hey. This is my first time hearing that zombies can speak? Japan has the saying "The dead cannot speak", but now I think it should be erased from the index. "Y, yes and who might you be?" Due to the other party being a zombie, he inadvertently used honorifics. As a matter of fact, I am just an ordinary high school boy. There''s no way I would have a zombie as an acquaintances. "I am Zonmi, Zonmi R. McKenzie. I am your chosen partner." "Pardon?" "Hehe, don''t play dumb. You already know, don''t you. I won''t disappoint you for choosing me as your partner." "Ha" Displayed on Zonmi''s face was an innocent smile. Calm down. The flower embroidered undergarment is too much, I need to calm down first "Then again, looking at your name ''Chiharu'', I thought you were a girl. I didn''t expect you to be a boy." "People often say that, but my parents want me to be a considerate and calculating person." Really, this is just too much. That, this zombie can talk. Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I would hear a zombie say my name. While I was thinking. "Awahhh. Pl, please don''t look at me." "Eh?" This situation is just too abrupt. Zonmi''s cheeks were flushing red as she shrieked. A moment ago Zonmi was still acting composed. I couldn''t help but panic at the sudden change of attitude. "Waaaaaa, what was I thinking. Just because I saw the name ''Chiharu'', I assumed that you were a girl." "Wait, what?" Seeing Zonmi who was embarrassingly trying to conceal herself, I finally realized the current situation. What, isn''t this like a romantic comedy? Too bad that I can''t be happy in a situation like this. How could I be happy when the half-naked beautiful girl has her innards spilling out!? Although I don''t know anybody who likes this, they definitely exist. However, this development is a century too early. "T, the clothes, quickly give it to me! Wait, why are you staring, you pervert!" Zonmi snarled. "Uwahh" Being called a pervert, this is very disturbing. Even I''m not interested in a zombie. Because I don''t want to dirty my clothes, I picked the most ragged one and gave it to Zonmi. Speaking of which, why is this zombie being sent to my home. Moreover, coming here wearing only undergarments. Zonmi, who was picking up the clothes, said "What is with this! It''s all worn out." while putting it on. Incidentally, the feeling felt when you see a girl wearing a loose T-shirt wasn''t evoked. The reason was because she was a zombie. Anyway, her putting on the shirt saved a lot of trouble. I didn''t know where to direct my gaze; this is not because I found Zonmi''s body to be attractive, but rather due to the fact that the indescribable innards were sticking out of her abdomen. "To be brief, I have something to ask of you." "What is it? If it is something trivial, I will send you flying." "Who would ask that kind of thing." A perfect situation. In front of the round table in the living room sat a zombie girl. Puzzledly, I served the zombie some tea. What the heck am I doing. "What brings a zombie like you to my house?" I inquired for an explanation. Speaking of which, what is with that partner thing? The reason for Zonmi drooping her head down and clenching her fist tight was unknown. "You, you have spoken the unspoken." "Eh?" "Zonmi" "Yes?" "My name is Zonmi! A proud ghoul, Zonmi! Please don''t group me with those inferior zombies." "" The slow witted me had just realized the current situation. Basically, I had stepped onto a landmine. So it is like this. Zonmi is actually not a cool beauty, but a dead beauty in a sense. I take back my words. "Eh? How should I say it? I am truly sorry Zonmi-san. So, what should I call you from now on?" "Just Zonmi is fine, Chiharu. I hope we could establish our relationship as a monster tamer and his partner." "Oh? I understand." "Thus said, answer my question Chiharu." Haihai, said the lightly humming Chiharu. "You were chosen as a monster tamer because you harbor exceptional talent. I am here to educate youto become a top-class monster tamer!" "It is not too late to master the English language in one and a half days." "I am not some nasty salesman." Calm down, calm down. Monster? Think rationally. Those kinds of children''s stories, it can''t possibly be true. But, what about Zonmi in front of meher existence completely defied common sense. Everything had exceeded my expectation. What to do. At times like this, I should call the cops first. "Rest assured, although you are just a snotty nose kid of a monster tamer, if you have me it will be a breeze. I will make you the number one monster tamer, the lord of all monsterthe Maou." "I haven''t said a thing about wanting to be a monster tamer, let alone Maou. Don''t just arbitrarily strike up a topic on your own." "Don''t worry. There''s no need to panic since you don''t have the right to refuse in the first place anyways." "What do you mean?" Adopting a poker face, Zonmi thus stated. "The only race capable of being monster tamers are the humans, but those with talents number no more than thousands. About people who have contracted with monster, all of them are accomplished people in the society. It is not exaggerating to call it having a huge influence on the race." "Tamer''s selectionwhen I heard that Chiharu chose a zombie, we leapt in joy. Some seemed to have even ascended to heaven." "It is as you hear Chiharu, this is not life threatening at all. If you don''t accept it, a war will break out between the ghoul and human race. Please consider it." "!" What is this. A war between ghouls and humans? Though it sounded unbelievable, Zonmi is here, here right in front me. It wouldn''t be surprising to have other races than this. This possibility couldn''t be ruled out. But, monster? That kind of suspicious job, no way in hell I would do it. I also didn''t expect to choose a zombie as my partner. Therefore "Sorry, but I do not believe that story of yours. Please don''t bring it up again." It is as stated. Even if it is my fault for choosing this, even if a lot of people lose their lives, it is not all on me to blame. Although saying it like this sounds unreasonable, there is no one out there that can reproach me. "So it has come to this. Then will you still say the same thing after seeing this?" Zonmi, pulling out an apple from god knows where, switched on the television. Currently broadcasting on the daytime news program wasa live broadcast. [Please look! The scene in front of us is so unbelievable!] The news reporter while holding onto the microphone, hurriedly reported. From the broadcasting caption, it is in Kanagawa prefecture, Yokohama. That place isn''t that far from here. On the screen, a gigantic octopus is rampaging about. Arrrreeeeee. I thought I just saw something strange. I squinted my eyes. Once again I looked at the screen. However, it seemed I am not mistaken. "Zonmi, what is that?" "Sea monster, Kraken. From the looks of it, the contract with a monster tamer failed." "So that''s why it is running amok all over the place." "Not quite delicious, it seems." Not long after, the scene shifted to the residential area. [Waaaaaaaa Daddy] [W, what is that strange creature!] Due to the appearance of the creature, sounds of lamenting could be heard everywhere. When did Kanagawa fall into chaos like this!? "Hey, Zonmi! The houses are being plucked out like bamboo shoots! How can this not be serious!?" "Please calm down. This is such a magnificent runaway. Surely a high ranking monster tamer has already been dispatched to deal with this." [T, that.] [T, that thing. Dear viewers do you see that? Totally unbelievable. A gigantic monster has appeared!] The scene shifted by a lot along with the reporter''s scream. Skin resembling flames. Horns towering over the horizon. Suddenly appearing out of nowhere, an ox like creature holding a hatchet in its hand. [Uuuuuuuuuuuu] The ox-like creature let out a monstrous roar, then lifting up the weapon over its head. Flash, it chopped down on the octopus monster. "Ah" "The outcome had been decided." The axe let out an unpleasant sound as it went through the octopus''s body. Soon, the octopus turned into yellow colored dust, dispersing into the air. Hey, what the heck is this. This had violated the law completely. Following that, after the ox-like creature finished its job, it disappeared without a trace. A sudden occurrence. What''s left, are only the crowd of people and messed up street. "It is as you witnessed, this is reality. In the future these creatures will continue to appear, and the destruction that happened today will occur frequently." "" Switching off the television, Zonmi let out a low groan. Indeed, it will be troublesome if those mythical creatures continue to make their appearance, but this is not the time to consider those things. The question itself already poses a lot of doubts. Just the fact that this zombie girl arrived at my house already spelled trouble. Above all, thinking that today''s monsters incident will be a normal occurrence. How I hope that this is just a dream. How I hope that this is all a lie. However, since it already happened, there is no choice but to accept it. To accept this kind of reality. "Why, why is it so sudden." Zonmi too, and the monster on the television, the timing of their appearance is too perfect. "The gate linking the Netherworld and human world togetherthe Abyss -gate. The gate has greatly weakened. The only ones who are capable of maintaining peace between humans and monstersare the monster tamers." Once again he was reminded by this serious statement. Isn''t this turn of event kinda not favorable? "I will ask just in case, how do I become a monster tamer?" "Firstly you need to form a contract with me. Regarding this, some preparations are requiredthe ring should arrive at Chiharu''s home soon." Speaking of which this is like a rare item in Pokemon. While he was considering this all over again. DingDong~ The doorbell rang as if it had already been predetermined. "Aiya, it seems the ring has been delivered. Then let''s perform the contract." "I understand. I understand so stay there." After placating the excited Zonmi, I went to the door and unlocked it. Were the delivery guy to see the house he would be at a loss for words. [Hello, this is the delivery.] Uwahh, what is with this perfect timing. Seems like it is true that the ring is being sent via the express delivery. Lightly running over to the entrance. What was sent compared to the coffin Zonmi emerged out from it is very small. Truthfully speaking, I had no idea about what was happening up till now. There were many questions I would like to ask. But, here I will form a contract with Zonmi, from today onwards I will be a monster tamer. Even if this is the ice age, I would also like to refuse. This kind of job is really dark. "Chiharu?" I turned around towards the lovely female voice, ehh! Standing there is Zonmi. "!" "What is with that shocked expression." "D, don''t just suddenly speak from behind me." Damn it, even if I know it already, this is still too surprising. Although it was better after putting on clothes, the zombie girl Zonmi''s attractiveness hadn''t changed one bit. This was really life threatening. "So the ring has arrived." "Apparently, yes." "Then quickly open it! Care if I open it first?" "I don''t mind." Displayed on Zonmi''s face was an expression full of delight. Why is she so happy about it. By the way, how in the world could forming a contract with monster can make them happy? Even if I don''t understand, isn''t it all good if that can make others happy? Subconsciously, he was pondering over the matter. "Chiharu." "Eh, what. For your information I haven''t decided to be a monster tamer yet! Furthermore, I don''t completely trust you yet!" "It seems that before Chiharu can become a monster tamer, I need to discipline you from the start." "Ha. What are you saying!" At this moment, I recalled something important. In Zonmi''s hand are the porn magazines he ordered online yesterday night. "W, wait. You are mistaken." Such perfect timing. Zonmi''s eyes which are already like a dead fish gradually lost its light. "What am I mistaken about? You nymphomaniac!" In an instant, Zonmi''s clenched fist came flying straight at my chin. Aaaaaa, if only she is not a zombie. If only she is not a zombie, I would be happy at this romantic comedy development. I thought as my consciousness gradually faded away. "Ughhh." When I opened my eyes, I discovered that I am being tied on the bed. "Ahh, oniichan. You''re awake~" "Manami." "Correct. I am oniichan''s personal c**dump for it, Manami~" Oh, I am right on the mark. This daring speech like that of the Tokyo governor''s. My sister, Kusumi Manami. Glamorous long black hair, as her brother I couldn''t help but appreciate it as a piece of peerless artwork. Just only this one point. If the brother complex could be cured, it would be the perfect image of an ideal sister. "Oh right, Zonmi? Where is Zonmi!?" Suddenly, like an electrical typewriter, his hazy memory slowly continued to come back. Up until now, I should have been with the zombie girl, Zonmi! "Zonmi? Oniichan, are you still sleepy? Maybe your imagination~" "Hey." "Besides, what is this Zonmi? A name? Ahahahaha, what a strange name~" Manami let out an innocent smile. Is it real or not. Hahaha, so it''s just a dream. No wonder, it just feel too forced. "Anyway. Did you see today''s news, oniichan?" "Eh, news?" "It''s about the monster battle! There''s an octopus, ox and snake rampaging~" "Octopus, ox, snake?" What a combination. Apart from their origin there are no commonalities at all. "You will know once you turn on the television. It''s a hot topic everywhere~" "Really?" "Really~" "Haha." This is bad. It seems that it isn''t a dream. Monsters do exist. It exists in reality. If it is like this, where did that Zonmi gone off to. "How long have I slept, Manami?" "Um~, from when I came back home two hours had already passed." In an interval of two hours, two more monsters had made their appearances. Damn it, what the hell, I don''t get it at all. "Then, how come oniichan is lying on the hallway sleeping? In addition, surrounded by porn magazines." "Oh." It was shameful of me to be knocked unconscious. Suddenly, I sensed a threat and tried to jump off the bed. However, the crunching sound of metal obstruct me. Crap. I forgot my hands are tied to the bed. Even if I shift my position, my safety is not guaranteed. But it is too late to use force to break through now. "Hehe, it is futile~since I have already restrained the whole of oniichan''s body." "Oi, this is going overboard." "Please answer my question first, oniichan. Has your head become muddled from all these porn magazines? Are the H-contents that interesting?" "N, no idea!" I am in deep sheet! In fact he hasn''t read it yet, as a result he doesn''t know how much of H-contents there are. At least please tell me what is inside. "Hehe, you can only play dumb for now~ since I have these hostages." "D, don''t tell me." In my mind there is only one possibility. Since are there any others? There is only one thing second to my life in this worldthe only possible answer is porn magazines. For a school life devoid of youth. To a high school boy, a porn magazine is above everything else. The so-called holy bible of youth. "Please answer me honestly, oniichan. Have you become muddled head because of porn magazines?" "" Needless to say that all of my answers till now are true. Just that how to explain about [Zonmi''s arrival], I don''t think Manami can accept it. Moreover, even if I come up with a reason to gloss it over, I couldn''t think of an excuse for the porn magazines part. I am currently in a pinch. "Please! You can do anything you want, just spare the hostages!" In the endI could only plead for it like my life is on the line. Don''t tell me there are other ways. "Umm, since oniichan said so." "Really! You decided to give it back to me!?" "I understand, I will release them~however, I will release only the sister incest related porn magazines." "Isn''t that the worst!" "Of course. Housewives? Female teachers? Oniichan really has bad taste! These are unhealthy for you! You have already deviated from the path of a proper human!" "" This is too much, too much. Speaking of which, for my sister to think so is more outrageous. "Sorry, oniichan. Actually Manami already understands." "Hmm?" "Looks like oniichan is restraining himself. So as not to walk the wrong path. No worries, this is also partly due to melet Manami take responsibility for this!" First I need to escape, but once again the relentless sound of metal crunching obstruct my path. Waaaaaaaaaaaa! My right wrist quickly moved up! Otherwise I "I, idiot! No need to panic, we are all Tokyo residents!? Aah, aah" Ruthlessly, the sound of wailing could be heard from the Kusumi''s household. Concurrently on the other hand. A place situated between the Netherworld and the human world. At an ancient city in the barren wilderness, stood a pair, male and female. "BOSS. Reporting in duty, code 063, the kraken has been successfully captured." The man donning a black suit kneeled, saluting a masked female sitting on a throne. "I see. Well done, well done. Now us, "Black Tamers" have approached our goal by another step. Well done." "Ma''am, your kind words are too much." "Continue to accomplish your missions and gather morenow is the best opportunity for usenough for it to be recorded in history." "This servant understands; still there is one thing on my mind." "What is it, say it out." "My worry is nothing. Rather than that the future of the seventh class. In actual fact, the extrasthose inferior group of people, I don''t see the worth of risking it." "Hehe. About that matter do not worry." The masked woman let out a slight laughter then proceededs to speak. "Kurari. How many newcomers have been selected this morning?" "Approximately a hundred." "The correct answer is five hundred." "!?" The man called Kurari sensed a chill down his spine. At present, officially registered monster tamers numbered approximately one thousand. In the case her words are true then the new members applied this morning amounted to half the total. This is quite messed up. Originally to train a monster tamer at least two senior tamers and three years time are required. Don''t tell me the upper echelon let out the fact that monsters exist in this world. This can lead to a dispute between monsters and monster tamers. "This must not be allowed to be disclosed! I can''t possess any doubts toward them." "Hehe. Although I don''t know what is going on, but the new members are all of high caliber. For the preparation of the decimation of the Netherworld. Finally the whole magic association will take action." "So it is like this. Still in the end it is by your will BOSS." "" Among the new cadets there is one that required attention. Kusumi Chiharu. Though he is new, there is no one like him in the history to be favored by the monsters to this extent. Human or monster. In the end which side will he choose, this is becoming more and more interesting. The face under the masked woman broke down. Beast tribe: Minotauros Level: 7 Physical strenght: C Power: A Speed: C Proud and haughty monster. Brandishes an axe in its hand. Not very smart. Serial number: 082. Sea beast tribe: Kraken. Level: 4 Physical strenght: B Power: C Speed: C Smelly squid monster. When in trouble, spits ink. Its meat tastes good with oil. Serial number: 063. Volume 1 2 — Make a contract with me! Volume 1 Chapter 2: Make a contract with me! Afterwards. Information about the monsters had spread throughout the world like wildfire, even the news had been reporting about it nonstop. Simply that, these things had been repeating for countless times already in the world, up until now there was no major impact, because each time a monster caused trouble, another monster promptly appeared to beat themin Zonmis words, she claimed they were seasoned monster tamers (?) maneuvering in secret. Nevertheless, after Zonmi arrived, theres no other news from her. Even the contract wasnt formed. Two days had passed since that day; Sunday. Theres still the obligation to go to school, being a student sure is tiresome. Ahha, will monsters show up in this city Calls of greeting rang throughout the classroom in early morning. The person besides me who was spouting nonsenseSakamoto Youhei. Though his name sounded like that of a handsome male performer, his appearance was just above average. He is in a competition with me on the whether whose number of years without a girlfriend will last longer; up until now the result is still undecided. Oh. I have never expected you to have this kind of suicidal tendency. Idiot, thats not it! How could I die a virgin before graduating. Dont regret your own words then. Putting more importance in his own desires rather than his life, this Youhei is great. What is frequently presented in movies? Its girls being attacked by monsters! Here, I would heroically rescue her! There is no other way easier than this to hook up with a girl! Just rescuing a damsel in distress. How could you say it is easy To have this spoken, it seems Japan is too peaceful. It is just a simple matter. Eh? Chiharu, do you know about the monster incident? Monster incident The moment he heard this word, he screamed out inside his heart. It is circulating in the online forum. A monster that can overthrow another monsterit must be capable of being controlled, it seems they need to receive training under monster tamers to be able to do so." Oh, so it is like this. So cool, those monster tamers. They could send those SDF freaks flying! Though my face didnt show any interest, but in actual fact I was very shaken inside. What if, monster tamers do really exist. I almost became a monster tamer. Because they said I got talent. However, where had I gone wrongits also hard to accept the fact that Zonmi disappeared in front of me. Why do I want to become a monster tamer, of course it is to hook up a girlfriend. Isnt that a bit too blunt Thus said, Chiharu. Lets go capture some monsters after school. Eh? Wait a bit, how come it becomes like that? What what, to be a monster tamer a monster partner is necessary. Dont say it naturally! Do you think you can partner up with a monster. No problem, my family owns a butcher shop. There are plenty of rotten meats I can use to fish them up! Dragon Quest!? Seriously, dont mix game and reality together. Moreover according to Zonmi, a contract and a ring is necessarythis is like the pokeball in Pokemon. Speaking of which does his house sell good quality cheap meat, if so I will give it a shot, but do monsters will really form a contract from this. (Clank Clank) As I was wandering in thoughts, the female homeroom teacherMoemi-sensei had already entered the classroom. Its homeroom time. Everyone please return to your seat. Following the teachers words, the clamor died down for a moment. Today, I would like to introduce a new transfer student. Woahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. In the next instant, the classroom atmosphere was enveloped with air of excitement. O, oi Chiharu. Did you hear that? This is so hard to believe, my hands and feet are shaking nonstop now? What private school is the person from? Isnt this like a development in Galgame." I am also surprised. Being in the same state of mind. Indeed, its strange for our school to have transfer students. Regarding the junior and senior division of Seiran Private Academy, its rare even in normal schools, not to mention entering halfway through the term. BiShouJo! BiShouJo! BiShouJo! Not knowing when the entire classroom started to shout out the word bishoujo. BiShouJo! BiShouJo! BiShouJo! BiShouJo! BiShouJo! BiShouJo! This is just too much. What should I do if it turns out to be a boy. Having a female transfer student, it is not that simple like in the world of manga or anime. Being behind the trends, Seiran Private Academy had just changed to a co-ed school recently, the number of females were overwhelmingly small. Comparing the ratio between male and female it would be roughly about nine to one. Were the school a whole boy school, they would have given up their hope long ago. But, in this kind of environment of Seiran Private Academy, the place had become a den of testosterone. Please be quiet! Please come in, Zonmi-san. Eh. Wait a bit. Just now, why did it sound so familiar. (Clank) Bearing the whole class expectation, a silver hair and sapphire colored eyes girl entered. An uptight face reminiscent of a painting. Legs and hands similar to those of a model. Like an otherworldly being, a complete beauty. Contrary to the previous uproar. The classroom was surrounded by a solemn atmosphere. Absolute silence. Truly an absolute silence. They were all mesmerized by the transfer students beauty. I am Zonmi R. Mckenzie. Please take good care of me from now on. Zonmi introduced herself with a cold and indifferent tone. According to his memory Zonmi she has a pale complexion, and a hard to describe object protruding out of the stomach which wouldnt be surprising if it is considered 18+. But at present. Whats standing in front of him is a human, furthermore, a dazzling beauty. Am I dreaming? What in the world is this. Zonmi-san, please do a short self-introduction. I despise human beings. Therefore, let me state this in advance. Please do not talk casually to me. This guy, what did she say on the first day of school. She should be able to differentiate between what should be said or not. Still, what about if it stimulates those masochistic guys? Looking besides him, Youhei assumed a [decided] pose. Then, what about Zonmi-sans seat. The female homeroom teacher looked at the classroom saying. Here! Here here! Sensei, the seat besides mine is empty! Youhei quickly sprang up and said. Eh, do we have empty seats left? Oi! Are you joking, isnt it me who sits next to you! This guy, what conspiracy is he planning. Not good. I have a bad premonition. As expected, Youhei cracked up a devilish smile and spoke: Sensei. Chiharu here stole his parents account at a young age, ordering H-magazine online, an undisciplined person. I suggest him to quit school. I have been accused. I was sold out by a friend? Thats rude! I had only bought it once! Moreover I had lost. Consequently, those books were thrown away by my sister. Hmph, even if it is true, sensei, Chiharu bought a porn magazine from nearby his house and did many unimaginable things in the toilet. He should definitely quit school. Why do I need to quit school just because of that! This kind of thing, every healthy male high school student should have experienced it at least once. Damnit. This scoundrel dare to sell out his friend. Truly doesnt have any worth as a friend. Then Zonmi-san. It seems like the seat besides Youhei-san is vacant, please sit there! Yes yes, the empty seat besides Youhei has already been occupied, isnt that me! A neighbouring boy shouted out. Probably, the teacher couldnt bear with the disturbance Youhei caused. Although he doesnt quite understand, but it did save up a lot of troubles. Where have you been? There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask. He inquired her in an inaudible voice to the surroundings. Of course, to attend this school, I had done a lot of work in the background. Ha, so what is it for? Do you even need to ask, I had already stated it beforeto train you into an excellent monster tamer. In order to realize this goal, your daily routine must be changed first Wait wait, I dont get what you are trying to do. Only people who possess a strong will could wield large amount of magic. Therefore I need to discipline your rotten body and mind thoroughly from step one." I dont want to be called that by a rotten person like you. Ahah, Chiharu do you have a poor eyesight? In what way am I rotten? Reexamining once more. The face was still like that of a doll the same as before. Looking at her bodyit is the same as those uniform well developed bodies of foreign models, perfectly in contrast with the Seiran Private Academys uniform. With her appearance, out of one hundred people all would say that she is a bishoujo. What did you do to make your body look like that? With magic, changing your appearance to a human one is easy as pie. Henceforth I will use this appearance to monitor Chiharu. Monitor, really you. Is there anything you are dissatisfied with? Of course! Besides, I have no intention of becoming a monster tamer. Why does she always ignore other peoples opinions. Moreover, is the object from last time sent? Eh? Its the ring. Lets quickly forge the contract. Hey. It seems you are pretty insistent on forming the contract. Is there anything particular about it? Really, you really dont know anything Chiharu. Zonmi impatiently answered. There are two benefits of a monster forming a contract with a monster tamer. First is the magical supply. Through the contract, the magical power accumulated in the tamers body will be sent to the monster. For monsters magic is like their lifeline. Not only can it boost their power, but if the magical supply is exhausted, maintaining a human appearance is impossible. The other point is summoning. To be exact this benefits the tamer. By using the ring as a medium and chanting, tamers can summon the monster whenever they want. Without summoning the monster, there is no way for the person to protect himself. Urgh. In other words, me supplying the magic stored in my body to Zonmi, Zonmi would heed my summon any time. Basically it is as said. Like the [imperial summon] in the Kamakura Bakufu shogunate period. Setting aside the question how in the world did she know about Japanese history for now, the reasons Zonmi gave sounded reasonable. Well, theres no way for him to know even if there is magic power currently produced inside his body. Its a shame, but there is no said ring being sent. Its not lost either. So it''s like this, how strange. As the conversation proceeds along, morning class had already ended. Truthfully speaking, what the teacher had said didnt seep into his head. However therere no big issues now. Just in case, I better ask Youhei. Excuse me. Where is Kusumi-san? Amidst the classroom full of males came a clear voice of a female. Looking at the owner of the voice, it is my childhood friend. A model-like appearance with the pair of eyes as her selling point. Long orthodox type ponytail tied by a ribbon draping behind. Combining with proper dressing she exuded a grandiose atmosphere. A high class ladyshe would leave an impression even for people who saw her for the first time. Kurose Kyouko. Called out my name, she is known to be the best girl in school. Ah, its Kyouko-sama. Our angel has descended here. The boys all suddenly perked up. The situation is similar to that of when a rabbit is thrown into the pen. Like a hell spiders silk. The number of female in Seiran Private Academy is sparse to begin with, and Kyoukos reputation is extremely high. For how widespread is her reputation, inside the monthly magazine that is published privately in my school [Sexual Promiscuity], [Kyouko-chan is really an angel!] was nominated for this year Buzzword Award. Every week in the school [Kyouko-chans goods] could be seen dealing everywhere in secret, all of a high price. Though I dont know how it has come to this, but if there are used tissues or tights (with DNA verification), rumors say that the price will rise up to several ten thousand yen. I for one dont understand why people need to fuss over such things. Again this is the special circumstances of this school. Hey, Kurose Kyouko(?) is calling you. The classmates were directing their bloodshot eyes filled with killing intent at me. W-wait a moment, I havent done anything, have I? Zonmi, come with me for a sec. Chiharu. Did you even listen to what I just said? I said I''m gonna monitor Chiharu 24/7. Zonmi cast over a sight full of enmity. Oi, you dont plan on following me into the bath and toilet do you. I ridiculed in my heart. Zonmi-san! I have fallen head over heels for you at first sight! Please go out with me! Youheis voice sounded like a novice comedian. Youre too sly Youhei! I am cleary first! No no, I saw her twelve thousand years ago. Zonmi was surrounded by a group of men. These guys, really have no integrity whatsoever. Seiran Private Academy. Always ranked first in the [Most unwanted boyfriend] list of a nearby private girl school. But, this is the perfect opportunity. Its a chance for me to get away from Zonmi, and it seems Kyouko has something to talk about. Ah! Wait! Chiharu!? Ignoring Zonmis pleading gaze, I ran towards Kyouko. Sorry Zonmi. I will be back soon. Too slow! You sure got guts to have me wait here for so long! When did Haru-chan become so daring. Who do you think you are? When she opened her mouth, a torrent of cute yet furious words came pouring down from Kyouko. Though he almost got used to it, but how talented a person does she think she is to say so? That line, I would really love to say it back to you. So what now, it is really rare for you to call out to me. My status as a childhood friend with Kyouko is far too different from your typical gal games setting. The days when we had a good relationship was limited only to elementary school, after becoming a junior high school student, eating lunch together, playing together, those sort of things were gradually gone. Even if our relationship at present is those of a friend, we didnt interfere with each other''s daily life. Humph! Its rare for me to call out to you like this. Dont you have any problems adopting that kind of attitude? No problem at all. Could you forgive me this time!? Ok, I forgive you. I lightly poked Kyoukos proud forehead, Uwah a low sound of lamenting was issued, she then glared furiously over here. Oh. Your sense of humour is really primary school kid-level. Kyouko mumbled to herself. It was undeniable though. So what is it. There are people waiting for me so could you briefly say it out. That, today I have something important to discuss. I couldnt help but feel bewildered at Kyouko who bowed her hand then left. What is with you, got a period? Humph! Uwah. Due to the wind, the skirt gently floated up. Like a herbivore, her slender leg smashed onto my head. A clean hit. Uh, that hurt. A-are you an idiot!? Why would I talk about my menstruation period with you!? Thought you forgot to bring sanitary towel and the likes. If I say I want it will you give it to me! Why do you carry those kind of things around, you pervert! Of course I dont have them. I cant say for sure I have tampons or not. Thats even more gross! Kyouko did a beautiful comeback. From her retort just now it seems she is quite experienced in this. Then, you came to see me just for this? So stupid, I will go back. Its not this of course! G-give me a moment. As he was turning back to leave, his sleeve was tugged. Please! Today I have something important to discuss with you. Oi, so what is it. This isnt like you. A beautiful and talented woman. Self-conceited. These proverbs perfectly fit her, today she was strange somehow. Its like getting the heroine to have a MAX favorable impression of you. Did she eat something weird. In short its inconvenient to talk about it here. Lets go to a place with no people. Yes? My childhood friend who was tugging at my sleeve along with looking up at me, I couldnt help but skip a beat at this. W-w-w-w-what do you want? Please! Its of the utmost secrecy so I dont want other people overhearing it. She said it is a secret. Looking at my childhood friend whose cheeks were flushed redI finally noticed. This girl, is in love with me. Saying she wanted to go to a place void of people, no matter which era it is, it must be inside the gymnasium. Although there will be a lot of people gathering here at lunchtime, but luckily it is quiet in the morning. I am sorry for calling you out. No, no problems. So, what do you want to talk with me? I am more evil than I thought. What Kyouko wants to sayits clear as day. Though I already guessed what it is, I still asked about it, I am really a terrible person. Maybe I got a natural disposition for making girls cry. I, am such a natural philanderer. I think Haru already knew about it. Um um. I, want to form a contract with Chiharu. Yeah? Wait wait. Did I just hear something familiar. I think Haru already knew about it. Truth be told, I am a nephilim. What? Well. Havent you heardfrom a member of the International Monster Association? When I knew Haru chose me as your partner, although its not what I had expected, I am really glad. Afterwards I think that if it is Haru then it would be really great. Kyouko with her blushing face was fidgeting all over. In the meantime, I racked my brain assessing the current situation. The International Monster Association? Where have I heard that suspicious term before. If Kyouko is really a nephilim then she is the same as Zonmi; a monster that has the ability to shape shift as a human. How can that be possible! Kyouko had lead a normal human life up till now. "I have always felt abase for being a monster. I detest myself for not being a human. Nevertheless, after I heard that Haru had been chosen as a monster tamer, a dramatic change occurred to my thoughts. Ah, I subconsciously thought that isn''t this fate? Haru is the tamer and I am your partner. No problem, everything will be fine as long as there is me! We will make the strongest combination ever!" Kyouko was speaking nonstop like a running faucet, causing me to have a headache. "W, wait a bit. Do you have any proof to show that you are a monster?" "If you mean transforming, then I can show you my true form." "" What came off from my childhood friend mouth was the complete opposite of what I thought, this is like a line from the final BOSS in an RPG game, this is beyond my wildest imagination. "That so, then mind changing for me. I still can''t believe you are a monster no matter what." "Oi, there''s no way I can do this in the public right? Absolutely impossible! It''s embarrassing!" "Please bear with it, I beg this of you." "Y, you insist on seeing it?" "Yes." Though the reason for why Kyouko is blushing is still unclear, but I still want to see--what kind of monster you are. Furthermore, this helpless look would kinda make people feel relieved. "I understand. Then, let me undress first. Haru turn your head back." After I turned back as she instructed. Um, clothes? Why clothes, I wonder why, but the answer suddenly popped out in my brain. Kyouko said that she is a nephilimthat means, her transformed body would be much larger than the current one, it could rip the uniform apart. It seems I have no way out of this. Wait a minute, if a monster appeared here, wouldn''t that cause the school to fall into chaos? From the news some days ago, the image of the scared citizens when facing the octopus appeared in his head. "W, wait. That just now doesn''t count." As I turned around, I was rendered speechless. Undergarments. What is in front of me is a set of undergarments. Apparently Kyouko was in the middle of undressing, she was currently going to take off her undergarments. From her spilling breasts it could be seen that it wasn''t really that big, saying it as currently in a developing state would also do. Back to the topic, she is still wearing that cute laced panty, she hasn''t made any progress from primary school at all. "Wahhhhh!" "Wait, this is an acci-" As Kyouko was screaming- "What are you guys doing?" Zonmi had descended from the sky. This is not due to me hallucinating. Zonmi was holding onto an umbrella in her right hand. This girl had gone overboard. Since childhood, everyone dreamt of jumping off from a high place with an umbrella in hand. This was being realized by Zonmi who was jumping off from a window on the third floor (roughly). Zonmi was lightly fluttering in the air, like a strand of hair being blown by the wind. Such a graceful movement. What kind of trick did she use to achieve this? "What are you doing, nephilim?" "" Zonmi called Kyouko a nephilim. So Kyouko is really a monster. "Who are you? Why are you here!" "Why you ask, because I am chosen as Chiharu''s partner. It''s a given that I should be by his side." "Huh, partner? You liar! It''s clearly me who Haru had chosen!" "You dare spout nonsense even now, it''s useless to try and trick us!" Zonmi looked at Kyouko who was only in undergarments with a penetrating gaze. So that''s what happened. So it is this kind of situation. It''s not strange for Zonmi to be mistaken. Although it''s not other people business. "I, it''s not like that! It''s because Haru wants to see it no matter what, that''s why I stripped." "Huh?" Although it is the truth why do I get a hunch that this will invite misunderstandings. Both eyes of Zonmi began to be devoid of light, no difference from a dead fish eyes. "Chiharu, is what the nephilim said true?" "Yes, it''s the truth." After I answered this, Zonmi deliberately gave off a "kuku" sound as she ferociously glared at Chiharu. "So Chiharu is this overjoyed over the nephilim''s naked body~. To the extent that he even forgot our contract, I will separate you from that woman right now." "Wait, it''s a misunderstanding! I only wanted To see Kyouko''s true appearance." Even though I''m telling the truth it seems it has backfired. "Fu, fu, so, master, you say you aren''t satisfied by seeing the nephilim in underwear, so you wanted to see her stark naked body?" "Eh, Haru. Is that so?" "Tha-that''s wrong, idiot!" How''d I say it, could it be that not only Zonmi, but Kyouko too is having a misunderstanding? It''s like I''m talking to myself. Do they want to kill me "Don''t try to deny it, you pervert tamer obsessed with eroticism that forgets his obligations, die!" *CLONK* Strike. Zonmi''s umbrella impacted on my forehead. Sheet, again? She''s done it again? What a deja-vu. With a disgusting feeling as if she had rattled my brain, my vision became white for an instant, then turned red. It seems my head is bleeding somewhere. Like that, sprawled on the ground I didn''t lose consciousness. Gueh In this world, I don''t think that there''s such good timing. Sheet. If it was like that, I should''ve beautifully fainted from the start. At least that way I wouldn''t have to suffer so much! My head spinning, I strongly felt as if puking. "That monster there! Look here! If you look, we may resolve the misunderstanding!" "You''re still going on with that? Chiharu couldn''t have chosen no one but us ghouls!" Kyouko, who unnoticed had put on back her uniform, was carrying for some reason some documents in her hand. " Ng!" ? Zonmi, after rudely grabbing them and taking a look, she soon began to tremble. *CLONK* As I was crawling on the floor, Zonmi swung down her umbrella into my skull. Ha, ha, ha. Thanks I can die at least As I was losing consciousness, for some reason I was grateful for Zonmi''s nonsensical violence. Once I recovered my consciousness, I saw a very weird scene. For starters, it wasn''t my room. Pure white sheets. Long and narrow light tubes. Around me, something similar to a thin curtain delimited what seemed a private space. The infirmary. Though it''s not a place I''m familiar with, it seems I''m at the infirmary. "Have you woken up?" When the thin curtain opened with a light sound, I saw two faces I recognized. They were Zonmi and Kyouko. "Ah!" As soon as I saw their faces, I recalled in a flash what had happened before. My guts started to roar, it was as if my entrails were boiling. "Zonmi I''m mad" "Why, pervert?" Said Zonmi, seemingly having no idea. "Don''t come with that! What would''ve happened if I died!?" "Don''t worry, Chiharu. You won''t die from something like that." " The heck you say?" Once I asked that, Zonmi, without even batting an eye, started to tell me. "Humans able to become monster tamers have over-the-top resilience. Because, in the end, they can use the magic power they generate inside their bodies to heal. Know what I say? Have you suffered in the past any serious wound?" " Maybe." Now that you say it, that''s right. From the time when I was a kid, my wounds have always healed faster than average. Sadly, starting with my sister, I''ve been subjected to more nonsensical violence than average, and that''s why my body has gained resilience, or that''s what I thought Though, if I think about it, that has no scientific base. "Eeerm, wouldn''t it be better to explain things to Haru asap?" The one who interrupted like that was Kyouko. I don''t know how much time I''ve been unconscious, but surely the first term has already started I''m grateful for Kyouko''s worrying(?). "Before that, Chiharu, I want to ask you something. The International Monster Association the IMA, do you know about it?" "Nope, not in the least." Or, to be correct, I didn''t know any more than what they''ve told me until now. "Haa I suppose." "So, it''s like this" Their reaction seemed like a mix between shock and bewilderment. Mmm, is it so bad that I know nothing? "Firstly, how did you choose us? Because there''s no doubt about that" "Wait a minute! I don''t remember having chosen neither Zonmi nor Kyouko? I mean, I didn''t know from the start about any election! What election" At last I was able to ask the question that had been bothering me since the start. It seems that''s the source of our disagreements. "Didn''t you receive a mail from the IMA? Every rookie tamer shall choose from three compatible monsters which one will be his first partner" Mail. Mail? "Ah." Now that I think, there was something like that When did it happen? I think it was not long ago. "You received the mail! Well, Haru, what did you do with it?" "Since it seemed too shady, I deleted it and marked it as spam." "" "" Eeeerm. Have I said something so weird? "So that''s it. If you deleted it without answering, I suppose they sent you another one, but, how bad, you had it blocked. Isn''t that irregularity the source of this mess?" "Uuu What do I do. Now how will I explain it to papa." Zonmi was looking intently to me, talking with detachment, while Kyouko was obviously downcast. "Wait a minute! I don''t get it. Why in the world does it seem I''ve done something bad!?" With a grave tone, Zonmi let out the bomb. "Summarizing, we are in a situation where you have to choose between me and the nephilim." "Mmm, is that a problem?" "It''s a very big problem! Rookie tamers like you can only make a contract with a single monster at a time. And as I said before, the contract with a monster tamer is essential to the monster''s social status, you could completely ruin the reputation of the clan you don''t choose!" " Ng!" At that moment, I realized for the first time its true importance. Zonmi had assured at the beginning that, were the pact cancelled, it wouldn''t be weird if war started between ghouls and humans. And, since that''s probably also the case with Kyouko, If I make the contract with Zonmi will war start between humans and nephilim? "Who will you make the pact with, Chiharu?" Said Zonmi looking disdainful at me. "Eh, eeerm. I" "Of course Haru will choose me, right? Told Kyouko, her eyes full of uneasiness. "Eh?" "After all, Haru has seen my pa-panties! That''s why, take responsibility and make the contract!" "No, I find the reasoning a bit weird" Surely, it something nice to see When I glanced at Zonmi looking for help, for some reason, ''Muu!'', she was pouting. "If it''s like that, I have preference with the contract. Since Chiharu has seen my i-innards! Take responsibility!" "That exceeds my comprehension ability" Innards and panties. Which one is more embarrassing to be seen? Fuu Calm down. Let''s cool my head. Now matter how much I think about it, I can''t find a comparison standard "Chiiihaaaruuu! You alive?" A joyful voice like that of a young performer was heard. Suddenly, through the infirmary door entered a guy with a familiar spiky-head. It was no other than my buddy Youhei. Like sent from Heavens. Today may be the day I''m grateful for his existence. "Sorry, it''s time for Calculus." "Wai, Chiharu!" "Haru!?" Looking back to talk to the two beauties that tried to stop me, "Hey, let''s go, Youhei!" "What happened, Chiharu, aren''t you a bit too lively? Eh, hey? What are Zonmi-san and Kyouko-tan doing here? Eh, uwaaaah, ouch, it hurts. What happens, Chiharu? Let me goooooo!" Pulling Youhei by an ear, I quickly got out of the infirmary. It was close. A little bit more and I couldn''t have avoided an irreparable disaster. At the same time, spying Chiharu and the rest from a faraway place, there was a non-human girl. Clad in a bewitching neglige, a descendant of those said to be the most ancient dragons of the world the red dragons. Lying face down on the bed, she was looking at a lapis lazuli-colored crystal ball. It''s said that red dragons had the curious trait of gathering treasures from all ages and places, and sleep laying above them. Because of that, over her bed there were spread treasures equal to the yearly revenue of a small country, taken from her outings. Of course, the crystal ball she was staring into was also an invaluable treasure. The crystal ball could reflect things as if its was a mirror. "That Is the Monster Tamer selected as apt for me?" Reflected on the ball, a young male high school student dressed in cheap clothes could be seen. The level of the monsters a tamer can handle depends on their ability. In other words the might of the monsters he has at his charge is proof of the greatness of the tamer. "Fu May be that I have underestimated him" Though she showed a self-torturing smile, in her heart, she thought it would be convenient. Since a tamer without knowledge or experience will be easier to control for the monster. "Kusumi Chiharu Is that? I''ll use him as much as I am able. This night, the repayment of the blood will start." In her dim room, the girl let out an eerie smile. Volume 1 3 — The assigned mission Volume 1 Chapter 3: The assigned mission The Ghoul that was suddenly delivered to my house Zonmi Ra McKenzie. The one that suddenly confessed to being a Nephilim Kurose Kyouko. Being currently trapped between the two of them, I was in a very dangerous position. It was no joke, though it''s not like I could tell how serious it was. If I found a green mushroom lying around, I''d pick it up and eat it. Since I had to sleep soundly at the infirmary''s bed until a while ago, the contents of the History lesson went totally over my head. Giving a quick glance at my surroundings, there was one female student giving me a glare as cold as ice. It was Zonmi. It seems like my previous fleeing had somehow offended her. Hu~m, I should do something about this. Nonetheless, this problem was already not something I could solve by myself. Surely, besides the fact that the conversation steadily grew out of proportion like that, the information was very scarce from the start I took a deep sigh. Then, I remembered the conversation we had right before at the infirmary. International Monster Association. Quite a suspicious organization But it piqued my interest. Giving it careful thought, that was the source of it all it seems they are pulling the strings. Maybe there I can find some kind of solution A ray of hope from the Heavens. I immediately looked for it, cell in hand. When in trouble, ask Google-sensei. Results: 12,400 hits It was faster than I thought. It seems that the International Monster Association In short, IMA, doesn''t have a single head office, but instead they have set up a number of branch offices. Frankly, though I wondered if it was good to have all this information so easily accessible, I was thankful nevertheless. After looking for the nearest branch office, I saved the address on my cell''s memory. It seems that the place was in the area. "Good! With this it''ll be OK." " What''s with it''s ''oh-key''?" Of course, this voice belonged to Zonmi. The umbrella she carried was sparkling. With the point dripping red, I wonder whose blood it is. "I think that this is not good too, I pondered about some things A plan to overcome this situation." "Hoho, you will finally make a contract with me, won''t you?" "How did you arrive to that conclusion! Nobody said so!" No matter how many times you repeat it, I don''t plan on getting such a shady job like monster tamer. Rather than that kind of job, I''d even wash corpses part-time. "Or, how should I tell you? Why are you carrying an umbrella even if it''s not raining?" I''d been trying to ask it since a while ago. The water-blue umbrella in Zonmi''s hand, it doesn''t matter how you look at it, it''s not one you could buy at a convenience store for 500 yen. Is this what you call "made on order"? It doesn''t matter from where she brought it, in any case it''s surely pretty expensive. "What a foolish question. We ghouls are weak against sunli any light-based attack. This is a necessary tool to protect ourselves." In order to avoid saying "sunlight", she corrected herself like that. "Hu~mpf. Then, when you face one of those light-based attacks, what''ll happen?" "When the corruption advances too much, our life is in danger. For the same reason, heat is also a hazard; the season known in the Human World as summer sends to hospital 100,000 ghouls each year." "Ugh" How should I put it, there are 100,000 ghouls? That''s a scene I don''t want to picture. "Ah! Could that be the reason why Zonmi, in the beginning, came to my house in only her underwear?" "Wha-wha-wha-what are you saying so suddenly!?" "Wasn''t that to reduce the body heat?" " Yes? Isn''t that obvious!?" "A~h, so that was it, like I thought. This solves another mystery" Seems like that cleared all the doubts in my mind. Even ghouls have their problems. Surely, if they are confined in an airtight space for long periods of time, their body temperature would probably end up rising. " By the way, I''d like to ask you something as reference; until now, what did you think was the reason?" "Hu~mph, I thought it was simply your hobby" BAM! "Guah!" I received a strong hit on my shin with the aforementioned umbrella. A soothing nice sound resounded through the classroom. "Ouch Why, you idiot Chiharu I got hit too." Though I had the feeling that I could hear my buddy''s moans from behind, I''d like to think it''s the air. That, wouldn''t it hurt if it wasn''t really a joke? A lot of things happened and the end of classes drew near. It was heart-breaking. I didn''t know if mayhem would break before reaching there. And in addition to that. I was currently trapped in a real game of tag with two monsters that faced me each time with a "let''s make a contract". Once the lesson ended, I rushed to the toilet even though I didn''t have the need. At noon break, the lunch I ate while sitting on a toilet had a strong smell of ammonia . This kind of moving endeavor, if I don''t stop that trouble by today, will end up being the norm. That''s why. With the signal of the end of classes, because of the aforementioned, I rushed out at full power. "Ah! Hey, Chiharu! Why are you fleeing, you coward!?" "Oy, Chiharu! You promised to come with me to catch monsters after classes!" However, I didn''t look back. I had the feeling that I shouldn''t look back. Let''s follow what my father told me. Let''s head once and for all to the International Monster Association. Though it''ll be good if I find some kind of valuable information The timely end of the noon break + the full speed I came with till here = not a soul around. I was careful that Zonmi and Kyouko didn''t chase me. I ended up quickly leaving the school. I hurriedly finished changing into my outdoor shoes by kicking the ground. Then, as I approached the school gate, I was struck by a heavily uncomfortable feeling. There were trucks piled like bricks. I blinked once. I rubbed my eyes. It can''t be, recently my eyes must be playing tricks to me. Hahaha It seems that somehow or other, the scene I''m seeing right now is not a hallucination. The countless piled trucks were packed right before the gate, as if someone intentionally put them there to obstruct the exit. What a nonsensical view. "Ha-ru~" I looked at the source of the voice. It came from far above. From the top of the piled trucks. There, squatting slightly, was a slender girl. Blown by the wind, her ponytail swayed right and left. "Kyouko" I couldn''t do nothing but stood with my mouth shut. Unbelievable. Could this all be Kyouko''s doing? "Sorry, Haru. It''s a dead end." "Hey, hey, this better be a prank." Is it because of the mood? This girl gives a different feeling than usual. The atmosphere froze from the tension. " Haru is a bad kid. Since you won''t make a contract with me. That''s why you ran away." "Wait a minute! What are you planning to do!" The time, after school. Here and there were students going back home, it seemed that they would notice something strange going on. "Though I think that Haru will somehow be somewhat fine, please don''t die. Perhaps, since I can''t go easy I''ll obligate you to make the contract by force!" "Ehm Hi?" This is bad. Kurose Kyouko. Though it seems she has a reputation in the school of being an angel, right now her expression was, no matter how you look at it, that of a demon. She''ll use any means to reach her goals That''s what her eyes were saying. Then, as if she had thought of something, Kyouko removed her bracelet from her wrist and threw it to the sky. I wonder what will happen. The bracelet changed in a flash into a rod, isn''t that her weapon of choice? That shape It''s something you usually see in games. Its design was like a mix of a spear and an axe. Perhaps it''s what they call a halberd. I think Kyouko won''t hesitate to thrust it from the top of the trucks, "Secret technique: moonsault." I had a hunch she muttered something like that. The truck revolved in mid-air. Something incredible revolved in mid-air. Though I don''t think I know what to say, Kyouko, making use of her abnormal superhuman strength, as she started to make a piercing attack, she tossed with force the truck she was standing on. Describing a beautiful arc, she turned in mid-air. She fell onto me like that. Along with a thunderous roar as if the earth was splitting, a cloud of dust danced in the air. "Wah!?" I managed to narrowly dodge that. If my reaction was one second late, by now I would have become as flat as her chest. "Ah~! Why did you avoid it? Had it hit, you wouldn''t have need to suffer." Hey, hey. You must be joking What ridiculous strength. "What the heck! Didn''t you want to make a contract until just now!?" " Maybe it''s Haru who doesn''t understand anything. To monsters, what the meaning of the contract with a tamer is If it continues like this and that ghoul girl fetches the contract, I''ll act like this." "" That''s right, Zonmi also said the same thing before. But because of that, is it good this contracting by force? *GURUN*, Kyouko wielded the aforementioned truck. That''s bad, her reach is too long. I don''t think I can avoid being hit. And if I try to stop the attack, both my arms will end up totally smashed. Like that, I had a single option left. I kicked the ground and dashed at full power. "Ku" *GOTSUN*, a dull sound echoed through my bones. It seems like I couldn''t avoid it by a paper-thin margin. It seems that my left leg ended up taking serious damage. I don''t think I can keep standing very long. "Sorry, Haru. I really didn''t want to show such violent behavior" "Why do you Show me something like this, Kyouko!" Or perhaps, could it be that it''s bad manners to ask that? However, I couldn''t help but ask. It''s like that, after all? Till now, I was thinking of Kyouko as a human. I don''t know nothing about Kyouko as a Nephilim "Right For starters, why don''t we talk about our clan?" While looking from above me, my leg broken, Kyouko told with a serious tone. "Us, the Nephilim clan, while being from the giant tribe, are a heretic breed born from crossbreeding between humans and fallen angels In other words, we are incomplete beings that don''t belong to either of the two. Though our ancestors originally barely subsisted in a corner of the Netherworld, that became a good pretext. The persecuted Nephilim were chased off from their territory and ended up migrating to the Human world." " Really, to me it seems like other people''s problems." "They didn''t have any other way. When I was born, the Nephilim clan had been already chased out of the Netherworld. That''s why I don''t know what the Netherworld looks like." "" "Neither monsters nor humans, we are in between. If, once again, we had a chance to regain our place in the Netherworld That would only be by making a contract with a monster tamer and attaining some achievements Although that''s my father opinion." Kyouko laughed bitterly. Ah, somehow I''m absolutely pitiable. Kyouko shouldered the destiny of the entire Nephilim tribe. On one hand, I felt like I was under a kind of joke About contracts with monsters, that much I understand. Though maybe I noticed it too late. "Well, then. Haru This is the finishing blow. You''ll be sleeping soon." *FIUU*, the wind blew. The truck was swung mercilessly. This time I definitely won''t be able to evade. When I closed my eyes with resignation "You are truly a useless master, indeed." Silver hair gently brushed by the wind. A dignified appearance. Opening my eyes, a slender girl had stopped the truck with an umbrella. "Zonmi!?" She was Zonmi. Had she blocked this forceful contacting? Her umbrella blown off to nowhere, her arm bent in an impossible direction with a snap. "Hey, you, is your arm OK?" "Don''t make light of a ghoul. A wound of this degree is only a scratch." "" That''s probably true. I don''t think she''s bluffing. "I was holding back. Quickly, move from there Or do you have a plan?" " Ah." I nodded. What she said back then I was reminded of it. I ran. I ran at full speed. Luckily, it seems like my injured left leg has recovered considerably. Really, I''m grateful of the seemingly magical constitution of my body. "Ha-Haru Don''t escape!" She swung the truck downwards. However, this time I wasn''t that scared I felt an inexplicable calmness. *FLASH!* Moving as nimbly as a cat, Zonmi blocked the descending truck with her body. " Thank you." "It-it''s nothing, you don''t have to thank me. If you want to repay me, do it with actions!" I looked at Zonmi, whose skull had sunk; let''s keep a secret what those bits that could be seen were. I sprinted towards the gate. Looking carefully at the crudely piled up trucks, there is a gap I could pass through by bending myself a little. Praying that it wouldn''t crumble, I quickly passed through the trucks. This It''s seems like I won''t go home empty-handed. As I sensed a heavy pressure, I headed to the station as fast as I could. Though I was curious about the course of Zonmi and Kyouko''s battle, nothing good would come for me. International Monster Association. Though that''s quite a suspicious name it has, I couldn''t help but feel that it had the key to the problem. I was running with a speed that wouldn''t lose even to that of Melos when he wanted to save Selinuntius. I boarded a train that arrived with good timing. After reaching my target destination, I was speechless. If I thought that it''d be an easily recognizable place There was the indispensable necessity for a home''s dinner table, the local based retail shop "Sakurazaka butchery". Seriously? Is this my hometown? Looking at "Sakurazaka butchery" like the map told, it was a run-of-the-mill tattered and inconspicuous building. It seems that the International Monster Association''s branch office was located on the third floor. Since I asked I hope I can get some results. Filled with anxiety, I went up the stairs. While I was going from second to third floor A pink snake appeared before my eyes. With its swollen belly, it looked like a never-before-seen species. Is this A monster? Twirling it''s tongue, it seemed to be saying "follow me" without words. What the heck Could this be some kind of trap? But, even if I worry, it can''t be helped. As if following the snake, I passed through the door of the branch office. Inside there was such a mess that it resembled, for example, a so-called "jumbled bedroom of a college student". There were so many books and documents scattered everywhere that it was difficult to find a place to stand. Taking a look inside, there was a person collapsed on top of a slightly large desk. It was a woman. She had long eyelashes on her narrow eyes. A well-proportioned nose. Long, glossy and slightly wavy fair hair. With an overall composed atmosphere, a person that gave the feeling of an unbelievably pretty young woman. "You were Let''s see Chiharu-kun, if I''m not mistaken?" "That''s right, but Who are you?" Though having one''s own name disclosed gave a tinge of uneasiness That much was crystal clear. Knowing my name, this person surely is somehow related to monster tamers. "I''m Luka. Everybody calls me that. I''m the monster tamer entrusted with the protection of this area It''s fine if you call it a kind of recognition." The monster tamer that guards this area I''ve heard that there are many IMA branches throughout the world. Could it be that each one has a monster tamer in charge of each section? "This is the branch office of the International Monster Association, isn''t it? Isn''t the public information about it a bit too open?" "That''s right. It seems like in the olden days they liked to be a little more concealed, but now it''s different. Wouldn''t you understand by looking at the situation outside? That''s not something you can hide for long." " How did the world end up like that?" "That''s what we want to know, Chiharu-kun. Before long, the world will approach an unprecedented crisis. That''s why this time we assumed the risk of recruiting a large number of Monster tamers. We expect your participation." "" Though she is talking about a risk, even I knew that she meant the Monster rebellion or the reports. Softening the traffic through the Abyss Gate that connects the Netherworld and the Human World. Is that the extent of the risk we must assume? "Then, did you want to ask only that?" " No, I came here to day to ask something." "Fu, fu; what do you mean?" Luka-san showed a captivating smile. I told her the whole story. My election as a Monster tamer. Being stuck in the middle of a conflict between the Ghoul and Nephilim clans. The scattering sparks of the confrontation those two had just a while ago. ''Ah, this person must be consulted about things like this a lot.'' Luka''s attitude while listening to my talk was enough to make you think like that. However, only a little. If there was something that piqued my attention, was the manner in which, in the middle of my speech, Luka-san contained her laughter I wasn''t saying anything funny. "Yeah, I more or less understand Chiharu-kun is still a child." "I''m a child?" "Yeah, a child. Specifically, the kind of child that eats his hamburger with ketchup." "What''s with that evaluation standard!?" "Adults eat plain oroshiponzu." "What, I didn''t know!?" I was worried to be told that my common sense didn''t resemble the common sense of the world. "Then, in the end. Which monster do you choose?" "Which one Would it be a problem if I don''t choose?" "Yeah, I''d say a big one. You are seriously a good-for-nothing." "" Those words hurt deeply as if they were arrows. How do I say it Luka-san is someone with a mysterious atmosphere. Rather talkative and loving to joke, it was like her eyes could see through anything as if it were totally transparent. "Well, why don''t you try to change your way of thinking? Which one would you like as a girlfriend?" "What''s with that kind of twist?" We''re not making any progress Concluding that, I tried to get right to the point. "Frankly, I''d like that you taught me a way so that no one gets injured. Please teach me a way so that Zonmi, Kyouko and I will all be happy." "How sweet. Don''t you think you are asking for something unreasonable?" " I suppose." "There''s one way." "There is!?" Looking at her eyes, I understood. She''s like Manami Someone born under the star of extreme sadism. Perhaps, making fun of people is her only way to have fun. "However, though it would be fine to teach you, there are conditions. Will you do me a favor?" Luka-san let out a captivating laugh. Sincerely, even though I was annoyed because I felt like I was dancing on the palm of her hand, I nodded reluctantly. "In short words, since about three days from now I want to go on vacation, I''d like you to guard this area in the meantime. Could you? You seem like a reassuring comrade. You see, since while I''m entrusted with this task, I don''t have the chance of traveling afar" "Wa-Wait a minute! Is it OK leaving that kind of serious duty to other people to do!?" "Don''t worry, don''t worry. It''s a special situation." Even when you talk about it incredibly lightly, isn''t that quite a serious duty "If something important happens like having to guide a newbie tamer, as long as you don''t act unstylishly, that''s fine. Be at ease." "A newbie tamer Hey, I haven''t agreed to become a Monster tamer yet" "Is that so!?" Luka-san began to talk like she had just remembered something. Are you ignoring what I say? "I''ll kindly give you some advice. As you know, newbie tamers have to choose one out of three monsters given that match their own aptitude, who will become their chosen partner. Do you understand the meaning of this?" "Eehm, what''s the meaning?" "Right now, there are two monsters before you. Those two were both proposed as choices to you. As far as I know Should there be one other more?" "And that one has yet to appear?" "You should take that possibility into account. It seems That your misfortune has only just started." " Don''t say something ominous that seems like a line from a cancelled manga." Though I was curious about the words Luka-san had said, I feel we should follow the track we were on for now. To guard the area while Luka-san is gone I don''t understand well, but should I try to ask Zonmi and Kyouko to collaborate for the time being? With my chest filled with determination, I left that place. "I''m home!" "" Zonmi appeared when I was changing out of my outdoor shoes at the entryway after returning home. On top of the worn-out clothes I gave her, for some reason she was wearing an apron, but it was OK. That''s Supposed to be a gag? There was a large knife stabbed into Zonmi''s forehead. "Hey Is your head OK?" "Wha-Whaaat!?" Zonmi raised her voice with her mouth open wide. "What do you mean!? I''m normal, as you can see; don''t lump me together with a pervert like you!" " No, it''s not that. I mean this, this." "Ah!" *JAM*, I extracted the knife that was stuck into Zonmi''s head. If I remember correctly The one stuck on Zonmi''s head was my favorite. "I mean, how couldn''t you notice that you had a knife stuck in your own forehead?" When I pointed that out, Zonmi puffed her cheeks. "It cant be helped, can it!? Since us ghouls don''t bear such an illogical system like what''s known as sense of pain!" She rebutted angrily. No, no, the sense of pain is something important. It''s an important signal that our body sends us as an SOS Though we could say That ghouls were seemingly immortal from the start, they have no need of such a function. "Well, who was the one who did such a horrible thing?" Surely, that must not be self-inflicted. While I had a hunch about who was the culprit, I had to at least ask. "It was Chiharu''s little sister. I don''t know why, but she suddenly stabbed me." "As expected." Frightening. Had Zonmi not been a ghoul, what did she plan to do? Fiuu I had been on the verge of shouldering a crime that would have haunted me my whole life. "Well, I still have many questions" "Yes, like?" "After that, how did you end your battle with Kyouko?" Though I''m worried by my sister''s insurgence, that comes first. I couldn''t see any big injuries on Zonmi''s body, with the exception of her forehead, and since she has returned to my home, does that mean she had won? "I have no excuse. I managed to corner her, but In the end, she managed to slip out at the last second." " Is that so?" More than enough. That Kyouko that boasted such a superhuman strength as being able to wield a truck with one hand managed to slip out. Zonmi''s true ability is probably more than I expected, though. "Mmm Mmmm!" For some reason, I could hear my sister shrieking. "Hey, Zonmi By the way, what did you do with Manami?" "If you mean your sister, didn''t I restrain her with ropes so she didn''t act violently?" "" She calmly told me. What are you doing with other people''s little sisters, you punk. When I was about to voice that, Manami appeared tied in a turtle-shell bondage "Oo Mmm" She probably tried to mutter "Onii-chan!", but I couldn''t understand it due to the towel stuffed into her mouth. Even if I was curious of where Zonmi could have learnt to tie a turtle-shell bondage when there''s no chance for that within a normal lifestyle, right now that didn''t matter. "Wait, I''ll help you right now." " Please, stop. Once you unbind her, what if she goes on a rampage again? To contain her brutishness, isn''t it better to leave her like that?" "Is my sister some kind of beast?" Come to think of it, the transfer student introduced herself like that on her first day. Zonmi truly hates humans I thought about that while I removed the towel from her mouth. This situation Rather than your run-in-the-mill teasing, somehow I got the opposite feeling. " Haaah! O-onii-chan! Who is that!? She didn''t die even though I killed her, she''s totally weird!" "Calm down, Manami, aren''t you the weird one? For starters, it isn''t ethical to kill someone." I don''t know why, but I seem to be surrounded by people without a speck of common sense. Crap, now my head is hurting. "You zombie girl! Don''t get near my Oniiiii~-chan! Scram!" "I''m not a zombie. I''m a proud ghoul, Zonmi." Zonmi muttered a complaint. Ah, of course she''d fuss over that. "Well, about stabbing kitchen knives in people''s foreheads it''s bad, OK?" "Bu-but sheee~! She came all of a sudden and said ''I''ll live together with oniichan''! I won''t allow that!" "Did you say that Zonmi?" "Yes. So that something like today doesn''t happen again. At least until the end of our agreement, don''t leave my field of view." "" Certainly Zonmi could also help me with other things when going out of the house. I don''t know when Kyouko will try to make a contract by force again. "Listen, Manami We don''t have another option. Even though I don''t want to go along with that, but the circumstances don''t allow us to not live together" "Wha-what? You have to cohabit even when you don''t want to go along?" "We~ll, there are some deep issues" "Onii-chan Could it be that she''s your sex friend? That''s it! I won''t allow it! Kill, I''ll kill her! Onii-chan, untie me! I have to kill her!" "What things are you saying?" "Urk!" I poked Manami in the forehead. As you see, Manami has a tendency to easily go on instant rampage, but if you talk things with her, she has good sense Though even I wasn''t sure if that''s really the case. "Mmmph~~~! Onii-chan, how cheeky. For this, I''ll whip you later a hundred times as a punishment." As I expected, she has always been like this "Se-se-se-sex fr" For some reason, Zonmi''s face was as red as a tomato and muttering something under her breath. "Hurry, untie me quickly! Onii-chan is being tricked by this demon! I must open your eyes!" "If I untie you, you shall listen to the circumstances." "Mmm~" I unbound Manami''s ropes. I''d wish that once I''m done no more troubles arise, but maybe that''s wishful thinking Later. After wasting a whole hour persuading Manami, we went to have dinner. Over the round table there was a menu of karaage accompanied by salad and miso soup that, while simple, suited our tastes. I was surprised that Zonmi made all of this without help. Something that was bothering me, it seems that Zonmi was wearing an apron earlier because she was preparing to make dinner. The sweet oily aroma of the deep-frying greatly aroused our appetite. "Ooh, this is delicious." The outside was crispy while the inside was juicy. At the same time, a nice spicy flavor filled my mouth. "Is that so? I learnt how to make it to suit your tastes." "Mmm~. Onii-chan exaggerates! When he''s in front of a beauty, he just makes a stupid grin! You glutton!" "If that''s so, try to eat too." Showing her dissatisfaction, my sister threw the karaage into her mouth. "!" "How''s it, delicious?" "Hmph. It''s really not a big deal! The food onii-chan cooks is a hundred times more delicious!" Despite saying that, Manami moved the chopsticks with amazing speed This fellow''s not honest. Since we have no father and mom has been living overseas because of work forever, I was usually in charge of cooking. It wasn''t my intention, but something inevitable. It''s not like Manami couldn''t cook But if I let her, I don''t know what she would mix with it. No, I''m not joking. "That was surprising. Zonmi, you cook really well." "Of course. That''s because to us monsters, food is an indispensable source of magical power." "Eeh~, so it''s like that." It seems like magic replenishment works like normal nutrition. "This miso soup, in particular. It doesn''t lose to the one I usually make, even though the ingredients are all the same Huh?" "That miso soup alone was done by your sister. She stubbornly kept telling me ''I''ll make it''" What the heck. I had a very unpleasant premonition. " Sorry. I''ll go throw this out the sink." "Ah! Onii-chan, meanie! This time I didn''t put anything weird!" "As if I would believe you! You have too many antecedents! Be sincere, have you put anything dangerous in it?" "I really didn''t put anything this time Well, except for a handful of love" " As I thought, I''m throwing it out." "Uwaaaaaaaa! Time out, onii-chan! It was 30,000 yen for ten grams! I used up my meager savings to buy it!" "As if I know!" I had to take advantage of this momentum to get rid of the miso soup. "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Manami emitted a strange sound like that of an uprooted mandragora. "" Zonmi stared at us siblings'' usual behavior with such a cold gaze that could almost freeze. No, what am I saying? Really what was that? " Well, then, have you come up with a plan to overcome that?" "Yeah, about that" I told her about what happened earlier with Luka-san. "Is that so? If that''s what Luka said, we can trust that information." "Eh, you know her? Is Luka-san a celebrity?" "The Snake charmer monster tamer Luka the Snake tamer. A competent monster tamer that''s first in the list to become the next Maou. Having accomplished innumerable achievements, she''s a charismatic celebrity even in the Netherworld." I see. I thought she was someone with an extraordinary aura around her, but was she such an amazing person? "To protect the area Is it? Since, in the first place, it''s not like anything big will happen, the degree of difficulty of that mission should be very low." " There shouldn''t be any big incidents in this area." "That''s why, we shan''t be negligent. For that, from tomorrow onwards, we have to successfully guard this area." "Eh, but school" "It ended half destroyed during my battle with the Nephilim. It will be closed for a while." "" I take back what I said. Police, help! Something big has happened! My chest is filled with feelings of guilt. Incidentally, when I looked at Manami, ''Mph!'', with her lips pursed, she looked displeased for some reason. "Hey, in other words, isn''t that a date?" "Absolutely not, why don''t you listen to what people say?" "Liar! Even if you give this or that pretext, isn''t that two people spending all day together? That''s a date, after all!" "Ha, ha, what things you say, Manami. Hey, Zonmi, say something" "Da-da-date Date" Zonmi was looking down, her cheeks dyed red for some reason. Hey, why didn''t you deny it. "Mmmmph. See, like I said! I definitely won''t approve it! It''s too early to go on a date with oniichan, how audacious!" "And what would you expect me to do, spending all day sleeping at home?" Even if I conceded and called it a date, I don''t know why I would need approval from my sister. "I will also go with you. It''s only fair." "Sorry, I don''t understand. First, there''s no benefit from your tagging along." "There are benefits." "Isn''t that at best a punchline with something like a low-acidity shampoo?" "It''s not Or should I say I have doubts of your sense of humor" While she threw me a scornful glance, ''Ahem!'', Manami cleared her throat and continued. "Onii-chan, wouldn''t it be bad if you somehow ended up shopping for clothes or underwear with this zombie?" "Wah!" The moment she heard Manami''s words, Zonmi''s body twitched. "Ah~. Now that you mention it, her clothes are indeed worn out. As expected, we should buy her new ones." "Don-don''t worry, I don''t need them. These clothes are more than enough." " Now that you mention it, it seems that somehow you were able to wear our school uniform, from where did you get that?" "That I got it from Luka. She also helped me with the school admission." "Eeh, so it was like that?" I had been wondering till now, but that cleared it. During the two days I hadn''t seen Zonmi, she was at Luka-san''s place. "I mean, you zombie there, do you have a change of underwear? You don''t perhaps keep wearing the same, right" When Manami asked that with scornful eyes, Zonmi''s body twitched like a golden fish out of water. "Hey Could it be You" "I-I didn''t have another way! I couldn''t ask anyone to buy me underwear! I-I simply kept wearing those I like Hey, Chiharu! Don''t look at me with those eyes!" "Ha, ha" This means tomorrow we three will end up going shopping. Of course, about guarding the area, however I''m certain even a monk would be worried. Later. Zonmi decided to take a bath, and meanwhile I secretly slipped out of the house. My aim was, of course, to see how things were going on at Kyouko''s side. Leaving behind a note that said ''I''m going to the convenience store'', I went out. Right now I could be easily attacked but, nevertheless, I couldn''t simply leave it be. Even assuming that Kyouko is a monster, it didn''t change the fact that she''s my childhood friend. Walking by the street at night, after a short while I saw Kyouko''s apartment. It was made of wood and you couldn''t call it nice even as flattery. When I was a kid, I often came here to play, but recently I didn''t have many chances to visit. Will she be fine that girl? Don''t worry. Even if she gives an impression of stern behavior, she''s unexpectedly softhearted ""Ah!"" While turning a corner on the road, I ran into a jersey-clad Kyouko. "" Kyouko held a supermarket bag. At this hour Perhaps she aimed for the last-minute discount goods I know since I often also do the same. "Yo!" Same as before, There was an awkward mood, but since it was this time, I loudly greeted her. "What a surprise. You are a shocking idiot You won''t live long." "Yes, I''m an idiot, did you notice it at last, you idiot?" Of course it''s not like I didn''t feel uneasy. But, right now, I shouldn''t leave Kyouko, her eyes full of doubt, alone. That''s why, "Hey, do you want to talk for a bit?" I made up my mind and broke the ice like that. I hadn''t been to Kyouko''s place since elementary school, it really has been five years. "Ha, ha, ha, it hasn''t changed in the slightest, your house." "Stop it! It can''t be helped if since the start we didn''t have many things!" Kyouko''s room had only the necessary minimum furniture, living with a simplicity you wouldn''t expect of a girl her age. At school, Kyouko gives a gorgeous impression. If those guys in class knew, they''d surely faint. "Would you like something to drink?" "Aye." "Calpis, perhaps?" "No, I don''t like the calpis you serve here because it''s watery!" Silent kick (omitted). "Barley tea, please." "OK." As we conversed like that, I was relieved. Good, Kyouko hasn''t changed. At least it seems I don''t have to worry being suddenly attacked. Unintentionally, I remembered the times I came to this house to play in elementary school. When was it? Since playing with girls was embarrassing, my relation with Kyouko ended up straining. Also, could it be because of the deep memories this place held? As this house hadn''t changed in the last five years, I felt a strange sense of security. A while later, Kyouko returned with cups on both hands. "Say, don''t you think I could attack you?" Muttered Kyouko while lowering her back to the floor. "Did you plan on attacking?" "Well. You''ve seen my battle with that ghoul. There''s no reason for that kind of thing. Sorry, Haru, that time Somehow it ended like that." "Is that so? That''s good. Since I also want my first time to be with the girl I like." Playing dumb, Kyouko chuckled a little. "Haru, please look behind for a moment." "Why so sudden?" "It''s fine." Being told that, I turned back. Let me see, I feel that recently things always develop like that Especially today. When I turned around after hearing a ''Now it''s fine'', I found Kyouko had removed her clothes. Wearing nothing but her underwear, Kyouko''s upper body, though unconsciously trembling, gave a sense of earnestness as she said the following: "I''ll show you from now on, my true form." " OK." As soon as she told that, black things clearly sprouted from Kyouko''s back. Covered by thin hair, they became the shape of wings. It would be difficult to compare them with something of this world, but if you force me to do it, they were closer to bat wings They weren''t things you could call lovely even as flattery. They were eerie wings that stirred up unpleasant and disturbing feelings. "This is only a part, If you wish I can fully transform. Want to see?" "No, that''s OK" Better refrain from that. As what I''m seeing doesn''t give a very pleasant feeling, if I see more than that my head will probably hurt. "Since about when" As a shadow covered her face, Kyouko muttered: "I was aware I wasn''t a human ever since I was born I didn''t learn it. It was harsh. Even while concealing my true self, I couldn''t become close to anyone" " Why didn''t you tell me until now?" "I couldn''t, this form is revolting, right?" "" I couldn''t either deny or confirm it. While one must be able to solve his own problems, I couldn''t make an instantaneous decision. "While it may seem a trifling matter to other people, I often pondered about what kind of person I was. Always wondering for what reason I was born." "" "But, you know? Recently, at last, I had a chance to make good use of this power. That was when I knew Haru had been chosen as a monster tamer. I was glad. If I could display my power for the sake of someone close to me, I thought wouldn''t it be a happy thing in the end?" "Really?" So she was thinking about those kind of things. "But it''s too late. It may be too late. Today, you know, when I gathered my strength and decided to open my heart, there was already another girl beside Haru. I was scared. I felt she had stolen the place I''d just found that''s why I made a fool of myself. Why did it end up like this? In addition to this creepy things I made myself be hated" Kyouko looked downwards, droplets dripping from her eyes. Now that I think, Kyouko has always been like this. Really, who was it that she got this bad habit from, pretending to be tough with a composed face She ends up shouldering all of her troubles alone. That''s why today I''m extremely happy. This fellow has conveyed her true intentions to me. I softly put my hand on Kyouko''s head and gently stroked her hair. "Aren''t you always causing a ruckus? I got used to it long ago." "But" Worried about Kyouko, I said. "Kyouko, the elementary school graduation album. On the column of our dreams for the future, do you remember what I wrote I wanted to be?" " A stag beetle." Those were records labeled as ''Dark History'' on my internal memory folder. "Correct, they have it good. They are free to eat nothing but watermelon. Moreover, they are cool because they have horns." " What do you mean?" "Don''t you understand? My dream hasn''t changed since then, I still want to be a stag beetle! That''s why, don''t worry, your wings are honestly cool. They are not creepy at all." " Aren''t you stupid. Saying these kind of things even though you are in middle school" "That''s it, you hadn''t noticed until now, stu~pid?" That day, Kyouko cried. What''s more, they were happy tears. Because of that, I got home late and was severely tied by the two girls awaiting there. I cried too. Since those two''s punishment honestly wasn''t a joke. Saying ''Human, it would be best if you died.'', I feel you don''t want to know the rest. Perhaps, I won''t forget in my life what happened today. What I''m saying, I feel this is the most dense time in my life. Earth dragon tribe: Venus Snake. Level: 16. Physical strenght: E. Power: E. Speed: C. Tiny snake monster. Gets easily emotionally attached. Very popular as a familiar. Serial number: 088. Volume 1 4 — Dragon Blood Volume 1 Chapter 4: Dragon Blood The next day. We are visiting the shopping mall in front of the station. We are aiming for the famous underwear shop that carried everything from striped panties to string panties, "Jewelery Lingerie" I sincerely wondered what was with that naming sense. This large-scale shopping mall that opened recently in front of the station had become the main dating spot of the area among young people. On holidays, the building gets crowded with tons of people but, as expected, on weekdays business gets slow. Since our school was just destroyed, we could come at these kind of hours. A flower in each hand. For my current situation, those were the most appropriate words to describe it. Walking on my right, my little sister, Manami. With a camisole that emphasized the bustline and denim shorts. With her legs covered with black stockings tucked inside thick boots, even if she''s my sister, that was some refined fashion. Walking on my left, Zonmi the ghoul. It seems she borrowed some clothes and underwear from Manami. A miniskirt shortened to the limit and a sleeveless shirt that exposed her shoulders. Wearing heels, that was quite the modernistic fashion. Even though it wasn''t raining, she carried her umbrella as usual. So, since I frankly mustn''t enjoy this harem-like situation, I put on a virtuous front to remind myself that they were my sister and a ghoul I couldn''t stand that front. The people walking down the road openly looked at me with stares filled with jealousy. I couldn''t calm down because I was not used to those stares that pierced my back. "Buu I hate walking" Zonmi sighed. "That''s unexpected. Is that because you are not used to heels?" "What? Since I went to the trouble of choosing it for you, at least be grateful." " the clothes I got from Chiharu were enough for me." "No, like I said that''s a bit" Despite those being my words, I felt so guilty that I ended up coming along. Since they were so ragged that they were one step short of becoming a dust cloth. " I''m not suited for flashy clothes. Don''t they say "the right person in the right place"?" "Is that so? I think they''d suit you." I don''t know much about girl clothes, but I think they should suit her at least a little. "Wha-wha-wha, You won''t get anywhere with flattery!" *Flush*, her cheeks colored, Zonmi''s voice sounded nervous. I wasn''t trying to flatter you though "But that''s well~? I haven''t worn that underwear in a year. Zonmi-san should feel grateful that my bra from middle school second grade fits her~" Manami said with quite a harsh tone. Manami is in her third year of middle school, by the way. She is studying extra-hard in order to take the entrance exam for Seiran Academy next year. It may be an indiscretion as her relative, but I do nothing but wish ''Please, let her fail''. "Is that true, Zonmi?" "It''s only that your sister has them big, since it''s not like Mine Are small or anything." The volume of Zonmi''s response lowered gradually towards the end. "That is, if I have to compare" How pitiful. As her brother, I don''t think I should be saying this, but Manami''s chest is bigger than you''d expect from a middle schooler. Her style could put a gravure idol to shame. Though Zonmi''s weren''t really that small, if you try comparing both of them it can''t be helped that it''d be unfavorable. "Fu, fu~, how is it? Today I tried to choose clothes that were a little bold to please onii-chan." "What are you saying" Honestly, I was stumped about the emphasis my little sister put on her cleavage. "If I felt something by looking at my sister''s chest, it would be bad Ethically." "~~~~Gh!" "Hurts, it huuuurts!" I got both cheeks pinched. In this I can''t feel even a little bit of consideration for a big brother. "Humph~, onii-chan has no tact! Act like a boy once in a while!" If I act wrongly like that, it''ll mean my death in society. I was hurriedly dragged into the underwear shop we wanted to go to. Although I was accompanied by girls, entering this kind of place is of course embarrassing. A place to buy underwear I frequently had the chance to see it from afar, but this was my first time actually entering it. It was unknown territory for boys. The utopia yearned for by everyone "Onii-chan, what are you doing standing there!? Come in." "Eh, Wait a minute! I have to enter too?" It goes without saying that I was interested by what was inside, but even though there weren''t any signs prohibiting entry, it wouldn''t be socially acceptable to go in as a boy. "But of course? It''s meaningless if onii-chan doesn''t come." "Hah?" "For what reason do you think I came? In order to research what kind of underwear onii-chan likes!" " Is that so?" I worry I''m quite helpless. I''m always wondering, but how can this one here be my blood-related sister? While feeling dejected, I stepped into the inside of the shop. Radiant and sparkling jewels suddenly appeared in my field of vision. Anyway, I must''ve made a mistake I shouldn''t have ridiculed the naming sense. I knelt in apology inside my heart. Jewelery Lingerie The sign wasn''t lying? How can this be women''s underwear, this Could make my heartstrings loudly snap. They are only clothes. Even so, clothes. How can a single piece of cloth have such sexual charm Are humans such profound beings to be able to make such things? After this experience, I was one step closer to the truth of eros. "Come on, onii-chan! Tell me! What underwear arouses you more!?" "Hey, isn''t that an unusual question!?" As I chased away my sister who approached while panting heavily, "Zonmi, choose what you like. It''s my treat." "Is-is that alright?" "Aye. It''s the least I can do after you helped me." I took a 5,000 yen note from my wallet and put it in Zonmi''s hand. Though I''ll have to endure doing without porn magazines this month, I don''t regret it. Since I could see this unique superb view. I wonder if that made up for it. "Well, Zonmi, what underwear will you buy?" "Is that so? I don''t care much about design. If I think about the upcoming battles, of course it should be a sports-type one, but What kind of things are you asking taking advantage of this confusion!?" " Is it bad?" "Don''t look at me with cute puppy eyes! Get out of here right now!" Hmm, disappointing. Nevertheless, Zonmi was earnest, or perhaps I should say she was sound. The first thing when choosing underwear is to express your true nature. "Onii-chaan? Don''t you think that this underwear with a gap on the crucial spot is also practicaaal?" "" It really shows your true nature I don''t want to think exactly how you find it practical, though. Leaving Zonmi aside, since, on the other hand, I didn''t want to get near Manami, I reluctantly wandered around the store. The moment I resolutely walked into the shop, once I did it once, from then on I won''t feel reluctance. As I can legally look at women''s underwear, isn''t this Heaven? Oh, this is Heh, draweeers? So there are those too. Like that, I fully enjoyed my first visit to a lingerie store. "Wait, how can it be I can''t try them on!?" All of a sudden, an out-of-place male voice resounded through the store. Hey, hey, what the heck has just happened Looking about, there was my close buddy Youhei. "That''s why, this shops forbids male customers from going into the changing room" "That''s weird! Isn''t that sexual discrimination? This is an age where you can wear a bra even if you are a man. And yet the clerk doesn''t know these things? Even though I don''t want to say such things, even I would file a complaint for that inappropriate attitude." What is this guy doing on a weekday After all, I wonder if he has awoken to a weird fetish that gets him aroused when wearing female underwear? "Even if you say that" "It''s impossible to talk with you. Call your manageeer!" As his buddy, maybe I have to be kind enough to put up with his eccentricities. But I can''t allow it. I can''t mentally endure it, as his acquaintance, I have to make him mind his surroundings since he seems to have no shame. In the end, I observed what Youhei was doing from the shadow of a pillar. " Understood. So, it''s seems that this time we have to take special measures Please, keep it a secret." "Humm, so you have started to understand what I''m saying? Well then, how about going in after that cute girl there finishes choosing a brassiere to change into? *Slurp*" "!?" I see, so that was Youhei''s aim!? Kuh, you have thought it through, Youhei Somehow or other, it seems he hasn''t awoken to any weird fetish. What a relief. It seems he''s as healthy as usual. And following Youhei''s line of sight There was Manami. "With what kind of eyes do you look at other people''s little sisters, bastard!" "It hurts! Eh Chiharu?" I gave him a chop without holding back for looking at my sister with lewd eyes. "Look, you are troubling the clerk. Scram." "Eh? Why are you in this kind of place? Rather, uwaaaah, ouch, ouch. Why, Chiharu, release meeeeee!" While pulling Youhei''s ear, I took him outside the store. Goodbye, Jewelry Lingerie. As a result of a conversation with Youhei, we agreed on a non-aggression treaty called ''Mutual today''s events didn''t happen''. It goes without saying it meant Youhei''s eccentricities, but I also want to hide the truth about the fact that ''I went shopping for underwear with my little sister''. Thus, prioritizing mutual benefit, we parted ways. Being befuddled, I sat on a bench before the store. Embarrassed for some reason, I didn''t feel like I could enter the shop again. I''ll wait here until Zonmi and Manami get out, then. "Hum. Beholding it presently, ''tis conspicuously less crowded than usual." Standing right before me, for some reason there was a girl mumbling under her breath. What was surprising was that her clothes didn''t seem like clothes. She was totally wrapped in what seemed like robes of a dull red color. From inside her hood, you could catch glimpses of a facial expression full of self-confidence. Eyes concealing a strong will that fascinated the observer. Is she one of those guys that wear color contacts that I''ve heard of? Those eyes were as crimson as if they were on fire. I tried to break the ice, though she looked like she was covered by a rather dignified aura The surprising thing was that she was extraordinarily short, I''d say around only 140 centimeters. Charming, isn''t it? Is she cosplaying as something? "What''s wrong, have you strayed from your mom?" I don''t think a child this small would''ve come alone to the shopping mall. Let me see, where''s the Lost Children Center "Ku, ku, ku. That utterance, I shall take as a declaration of war. Monster tamer" "!?" I promptly fled from the bench, in preparation for the battle. Could this fellow be a Monster!? "Frightened? I will not deceive thee, since thou art an important human sacrifice, I cannot be cruel." "You, what are you saying" "Make a contract with me, Monster tamer." "" That was a threat I couldn''t accept or deny. I don''t know what will happen if I don''t comply Her speech gave the impression of being filled with a strong power. "Come on, I don''t understand what you mean at all" As I played dumb, the look of the girl turned sharper than ever. "Humm. It doth not matter if thou feignest ignorance. Fear not, I know about the little insects that surround thee. If thou feelest guilty, be not concerned if I kill them all." "!" Somehow I have the premonition that this situation is a terrible emergency. It seems this girl intends to unhesitatingly try the same contract by force that Kyouko did before. "Don''t think Zonmi and Kyouko cannot defeat you." "Do not look down on me, human. My name is Iris Scarlet Lindwurm. The strongest bloodline''s red dragon''s descendant! There is no monster above me Dost thou not think that to be a very good reason?" I recalled my conversation with Luka-san. Red dragon Isn''t that the third monster following ghoul and Nephilim? Sheet. According to that, this fellow should also be one of those I had to choose from. "What if I refuse?" "Of course, I will seal the pact by force." As she laughed boldly, she pushed the palm of her little hand against my breast. " Gh!" With the unbelievable power she hid, she sent my body flying in a straight line. How can this be I''m flying? I took a while before I realized my own body was floating through the air. "Guwah!" The crash felt as if the sound of the wind had broken my eardrums. Breaking through the shop''s show window, I was smashed to glass fragments. I felt as though all my bones were broken. I felt so tired I couldn''t open my eyes. Totally exhausted, I felt I couldn''t even move an inch. Warm blood gushed forth, making me feel like I was taking a bath. "Ki-Kyaaaah!" As women started to scream around me, I was welcomed by a bizarre situation. As expected. Since this kind of monster, isn''t it something you could only meet in the game world? Totally covered in jewel-like scales. Sprouting from its body, a pair of big fat wings. Shaped from head to tail like a lizard, glimpses could be caught of canines characteristic of carnivores from the inside of its big open mouth. A beautiful crimson dragon entered my blurred field of vision. This chap, it''s a red dragon Strong. She just called herself the strongest bloodline Just by facing it, you couldn''t feel safe because of the powerful aura that gushed out. Its size was on the order of a small bus, its intimidating air was more of a blue whale-class. "Hence, thou art invited to my den." The dragon picked me up with a limb that was small in proportion to its body. No good I was about to lose consciousness from the pain Like that, the dragon spread its wings and took flight at that moment. "Guuuuuuuuuu!" A scream that seemed to shake the earth the shriek of the red dragon echoed. Freed from my binding, I rolled down the ground. "Be careful. That one there is my partner." It was Zonmi''s voice. The umbrella on Zonmi''s hand pierced the dragon''s scales that were as hard as steel. Again I''ve been saved by this guy? "Humm. A lowly one of the ghouls" Its face distorted in anger, the dragon once again began to float by flapping its wings. Maybe, if it makes some distance it''ll be the end Zonmi can''t fly. An aerial battle would be unfavorable. Nevertheless, before it came to that, Zonmi leapt. Zonmi''s reflexes were as nimble as those of a stray cat. That way she rode on the dragon''s back, and then pierced a wing with the weapon she carried. "Don''t escape. You are invited to my territory." "Guuh", making that dull scream, the dragon was pulled down to ground. I see, Zonmi planned to make it into a ground battle. "You certainly may be strong But, can you display the same power here on the ground?" "Begone!" The dragon''s big frame received a rush of umbrella strikes. Even though it wasn''t the sky, but the ground, the dragon was quick. But it was the same for Zonmi. Zonmi easily parried by rolling away while smiling with composure. It seems like Zonmi has the advantage in a ground battle. "Tche." Turning its face, the dragon licked the severe strike on the base of its neck. " Oh, my, was that shallow? You have great strength, right?" When it heard Zonmi''s words, the dragon snorted loudly. "Ku, ku, ku. Thou mayest have dealt a heavy blow But ''twill have no effect on me." "But you can say that this is the end." *Tattata*. After judging what the best step was, Zonmi''s body danced in high air. A strike like slashing wind coming from the sky. Like that, the umbrella in her hand pierced the dragon''s forehead, or that''s what was expected The dragon showed a bold grin. "I have caught thee, little girl." Horror took place. The dragon was waiting for this chance Zonmi couldn''t freely move her body while in the air After opening its big mouth, the dragon spat out scorching hot flames. "!?" Zonmi instantly guarded by opening her umbrella. But, opposing the flames that noisily continued to surge, it seems the umbrella wasn''t suited to cover the whole body. The compatibility was the worst, to begin with. Though ghouls boast resistance against physical strikes close to half invulnerability, as she personally said before, they were weak against heat. Zonmi''s lower half was scorched, and finally her legs snapped off. "Humph. That was not even an appetizer." The dragon shifted its gaze to me. "Chi Ha Ru." Inside my faint consciousness, there was only Zonmi''s voice as though clinging to my ears. When I recovered my consciousness, all my body was restricted, attached to a cross. Is it my imagination? But it seems that recently this kind of pattern has been awfully common But first, there was something I was curious about I don''t recognize this place. I tried once again to survey my surroundings. It was a capsule where no other living beings could be seen. Thick books were piled up. An anachronistic old-style fireplace. If he had to liken it to something, ''a witch''s room'' would strike close. What bad taste And yet it was an eerie room. "Hast thou woken up, human?" From the door entered a girl I recognized. Honey-colored twintails. Short stature befitting of an elementary schooler. Sharp crimson eyes that could pierce you. Wrapped in those hood-attached red robes. The red dragon. Unmistakeable the one here is the monster girl that abducted me. "I woke up to find this situation That''s the worst awakening ever" "I apologize for that. Still, it prevents thee from fleeing before mine eyes." "You too Need the contract that much?" "''Tis so." The girl shortly murmured. "By the way, since it hath come to this, please refrain from calling me ''you''. Mine esteemed name is Iris." "" I let out a big sigh. It seems this guy wants the contract as desperately as Zonmi and Kyouko Still "What a pity, I''m still waiting for the ring. I''m not lying. It currently hasn''t been delivered. Though kidnapping seems convenient, isn''t it true that you can''t seal the pact if you don''t have the ring?" The girl slowly tampered with her bosom. "By the way, by ring couldst thou be referring to this thing here?" Showing a bold smile, she took out a silver ring that glowed with a bluish-white light. Don''t tell me this guy I had a bad premonition. I couldn''t be sure without looking at the real thing, but taking it out with this timing "How is that possible?" When I asked that, Iris started to talk with an expression full of self-confidence. "Whaat, it''s very simple The monsters around thee be foolish. No matter how many Tamers be around, with no ring, no contract can be made. My fault, I kept watching thy house. I borrowed this thing from the stupid courier." "" I was cheated. So the early arriving of the ring was delayed because of that? "Then, let''s make the contract. Wilt thou struggle? Although I might say, don''t even think about moving from there" "Tsk" My limbs were tightly bound, so I couldn''t put up resistance. Iris''s little body approached me little by little. Something cold ran against my fingertip. She had put the ring on my left hand''s ring finger " Let me take the opportunity to teach thee something. This ring symbolizeth that master and Monster, both be one. It doth not matter which party wears it first." Iris continued with a composed smile. "And after equipping it Removal is impossible." On Iris''s finger, just when she put the ring on me. A second ring just emitted a dazzling flash. I see That''s the proof of a contract What? Feeling a rattling electric current passing through my body, I was tormented by a mysterious sensation as if the ring had become one with my body. A short while later, the ring tightly dug into my flesh, and ended up fixed there as if it were sewn. Indeed. This seems to be totally impossible to remove. "Rejoice, Tamer! The contract hath been completed, from now on I and thee be one in body and soul we''ll be eternally together!" "" I was vexed by my powerlessness. Power. Strength. If I was stronger, I could successfully I bit my lips with force my mouth was filled with the taste of iron. I roared in anger; feeling I had nowhere to go, I could only prowl inside my heart. " Do not be riotous, are thou not still in convalescence?" "" "Dost thou worry? I had thee take a secret concoction to make magical power course through thy body. The pain should subside soon I ask forgiveness for what happened earlier That Violent behavior of mine." "" "Oh, aye, dost thou be hungry? I have made arrangements for dinner." "Don''t wanna." "''T-''tis so? Thou be still in convalescence" "" Seeing Iris suddenly going meek, my obstinacy seemed a bit stupid. Heey! About the contract, it couldn''t be helped. Couldn''t I let it slide? "Of course I''ll eat." " Humph." Iris, looking like she had killed her emotions, "''Twould have been best if thou hast said that from the start. This is why the beings known as humans All right, since today is special, let''s make dishes with plenty of the legendary cowry Hu, hu, hu." While murmuring for some reason, she exited the room. Fiuu Let''s think positively. Because now I believe that this red dragon girl Despite seeming peerlessly cruel, she couldn''t be totally heartless. If I make use of that, I''ll surely have a chance to escape I hope. With renewed determination, I clasped my hand into a fist. A short time later, Iris once again entered the room. She was carrying in her hands for some reason a mysterious-looking pot. Inside the room drifted a wonderful scent that aroused my appetite. This scent What is it? It seemed a mix between tonkotsu and seafood, difficult to describe, and yet very rich It was a scent that didn''t resemble anything I had tasted before. "Although I think today I was skillful in its making We-well, I guess something like a human cannot possibly understand the taste of my cuisine." Iris looked at me with sparkling and somewhat uneasy eyes. I''ve just noticed, but I''m surprisingly hungry. Iris held the dish and started to scoop soup with a ladle. "''Tis time to feed thee. Be grateful Hot!" Could it be because her hands trembled a bit when she served it? It seems she splashed soup on her face. It was such a funny sight that I unintentionally ended up letting out a laugh. "Thou, dost thou laugh!? Making fun of me, what recklessness" " Stop the tedious chatter. Feed me quickly." " Humph. As I thought, humans are impertinent beings." It seems that somehow or other my chance will arrive soon. Could it be? While clinging like this, eating will be honestly difficult. If I somewhat managed to be freed of one of my bindings, a chance to escape will arrive "Even if thou didst not ask, I would have feed thee immediately." Iris walked a step, dish and spoon in hand, and was still one step away from me. "Then, open thy mouth quickly." " What?" "I told thee to open thy mouth. Dost thou not want to take thy nourishment?" Errrrr Could this situation by some chance be that? That which couples often do on the park? That which, reflexively, makes me want to shoot a rocket launcher at them? Does this little kid intend to personally feed me? Ho-how humiliating! It''s Canossa''s humiliation. Damn. Be as it may, my person''s restricted position since we''ve reached this point, I can''t oppose. I reluctantly opened my mouth. "Mm Tch!" It seems Iris has made a big mistake. Since she''s so short, as I''m hanging, she couldn''t feed the soup to me no matter how she tried. As Iris couldn''t reach even standing on her tiptoes, she made a sour face. As if sighing in relief As if saying ''what a pity'' " Wait an instant." With an awkward expression, after temporarily leaving the room, she brought a small stepladder and placed it before me. "This will serve." "" Hey, wait. This guy will go that far to feed me? "Try to open thy mouth once again." Doing as I was told, I opened my mouth. The soup was scooped with a faint dripping sound. Iris, standing on a stepladder, brought the spoon to my mouth. And then, my mouth was filled with a soup of a rich, mellow, flawless, never tasted before perfect flavor. "How''s that? Dost thou like the flavor?" "" I was speechless. It was frankly the tastiest soup no, food I''d ever had. It was an unknown flavor not sweet or spicy that brought joy to my tongue. That is, why couldn''t I say ''don''t feed me this, it tastes horrible''. As I put a rather puzzled face from the shock, "Humph, as I thought, doth it not suit the palate of humans? Well, from the start I did not think that thou couldst understand the taste of this refined cuisine of mine. I, I knew it from the beginning." "" Iris was making a terribly sad face. " Nevertheless, this soup will succeed in recovering from this dishonor I will do my best to not bring harm to Master. Si-since thou hast made a contract with me, take responsibility. So, consume it without leaving anything out." Iris''s face, for some reason, looks like she''s about to cry. "Enough of your boring chatter, feed me asap. This is absolutely delicious." "" When I said that, Iris showed a bright smile like a blooming flower, "I-Is that so?! Humph, it would seem that even while you are a hopelessly foolish human, your palate is the only finely developed thing?!" She kept saying things I didn''t understand. As for me, since this soup had a taste that made me want to bring it back home, "Please, teach me the recipe later." I simply said that. It seems that Iris had somehow mistaken me for a pet or something. After that, once every thirty minutes, she kept bringing different dishes. The reason is, each time it was something absurdly delicious without fail, telling her that from the heart she''d say "''T-tis so?" while showing a big smile that spread through her whole face, then she''d exit the room Once again, the loop of bringing a meal would occur. Of course I was annoyed by being bound, but I ended up starting to think that this lifestyle wasn''t that bad. Concerned about my injuries, though I was told from the start that I was recovering with the magic power inserted inside my body, that ''secret mixture'' thing that Iris said seemed to be effective, I felt even healthier than before. However, a chance to escape didn''t come at all. Worried about that, Iris stubbornly guarded me to a ridiculous extent. "I have brought thee the dessert course." Iris came in. This time there was a jelly-like thing on the dish. Now, I wonder how this next will taste. Though, it''s a shame. I can''t seriously think about how to escape. Iris stepped on the ladder and scooped the jelly with a spoon. "Quickly, open thy mouth." " Say, can I ask you something?" Know your enemy, know yourself, and you need not fear the result of a hundred battles I tried to break the ice with resolution. "Iris, why did you want to make the contract that much?" Zonmi and Kyouko said they needed the contract to protect their honor. However, for some reason, I couldn''t help feeling that Iris must have a different motive. " ''Tis but a simple purpose. I need strength. For that now I wish for even a little more magic power." "Why do you fuss that much about power?" "For revenge." I was shocked by the unusually serious circumstances Iris muttered. "I-I see" "Don''t pry anymore than that. Thou dost not want to get scalded." " Understood." She has some secret circumstances. It would be tactless to interfere with her privacy, let''s stop here. "" " In any case, sooner or later ''twill be exposed Dost thou want I specially tell thee?" "You''ll tell me after all!?" "''Twas around Five years before now" "Such a languorous story start!?" "THOU ART NOISY AND THOU ART DISTRACTING ME, BE SILENT." Let''s reflect a bit. "Yes." "Dragon hunting At the Netherworld, the ''Dragon Blood'' with the effect of drastically increasing magic power fetched extraordinary high prices Among them, the blood of us, red dragons, was exceptionally rare. And at the center of it all, abominable tamers The ''Black Tamers'' company Yonne lads set up a trap for my clan with vulgar methods, then exterminated them all I was but a child at the time, but I barely managed to keep my life. Even now people have not ceased to pursue my blood. Therefore, I must gather strength. Strength to protect my person together with strength to destroy my foes" Eh. Wait a moment, I don''t understand what you mean. "Are you bloody joking? Isn''t the job of the Tamers mediating between humans and monsters!?" "Because there are a variety of tribes of monsters it''s the same for humans. If there are those who love justice, there''re also those who perpetrate crimes." "" I didn''t know. I thought beyond doubt that as Monster tamers, they were only allies of justice that protected humans. But the reality is different. There are also those truly evil people "Sorry for those Wossname." " What mistake hast thou made?" "What, you say Weren''t us humans those who killed all of your clan?" " Pff." Iris boldly laughed. "''Twould have been rather allaying if all humans were like thee With more fools like thee, mine outlet for anger''d be in peril. Those words are enough for now, Tamer Still, forgettest not those feelings. I only hope thy heart will not be dyed black." "Hey, where are you going!?" As her footsteps faded, I tried to stop Iris. For some reason, I felt she shouldn''t leave. "The contract is complete My destination has been decided. From here on, let''s begin my requital. Thou must continue to bestow magical power on me from here." Her golden hair fluttering, Iris left this place. In those eyes, along with hatred, there was only a little tinge of sadness mixed in. I was confused by my own feelings. I want to become part of Iris''s strength am I softhearted for thinking like that? However, I couldn''t let her go. I felt that if she went, she would rapidly become unable to return. Also, I really needed to go to the toilet. If it keeps up like this, I''ll also pass a point of no return. Somebody help me, please "So. It seems that boy has finally made contact with the red dragon Yes, understood. If something more happens, please contact us." At the time, Luka got in touch with a subordinate as she sat on the rear seat of a car. The black car she was riding in ran at high speed as if splitting the darkness apart. " Surprisingly, you seem glad." Promptly seeing through his master''s mood, the male driver in butler clothes murmured. "Oh, is that how I look?" "Yes. It seems the time has come for the young lady to scheme something bad." "Something bad is it? Perhaps, to him maybe it''ll be an unprecedented catastrophe." "Young lady. I''ll state my concerns. From now on, it would be best if you cut ties with that boy." "And why is that?" " He may ruin everything." "Ruin everything you say?" As she kept ruminating the meaning of those words, "Would you protect me if it comes to that?" " Yes, of course. Even in exchange for my life." The man''s voice as he stated that without a tinge of hesitation, gave a feeling of bottomless resolution. Then, whatever happens. Kusumi Chiharu. To us, will his existence become the light of hope or the prelude of despair? That''s something only God knows. Because of that, no matter how far back you look, there won''t be any precedents. While being human, a chimera that carried the blood of monsters, he became a Monster tamer If this fake-sounding information ends up being true, his potential ability would be inestimable. The currently arranged series of riots seems not to be planned to measure him, but as a test case. "Maou''s kid, the king of the Tamers, aims to be a Maou does he?" Could there be something better than this? She didn''t hold back a broad smile. " Even mastering the second rank isn''t a dream." Originally an impossible forbidden combination. ''Double Meaning''. While gently stroking her nearby snake familiar, Luka celebrated in her heart the yet unseen future. Volume 1 5 — That resolution Volume 1 Chapter 5: That resolution "Chiharu, are you OK!?" Five seconds before my bladder was seriously about to explode, Zonmi, Manami and Kyouko entered the room by smashing the door open. Right now I don''t care how they knew about this place. Good. What nice timing! I''m saved! "You girls Have you come to save me?" "Naturally. I have no excuse for suffering such an embarrassing defeat against that dragon earlier. But now that''s all right." "Good grief. When I heard that Haru had been taken captive, I doubted my ears." "Even Kyouko What the heck happened?" "I brought her along. If we are going to confront a dragon, isn''t it better to have even a bit more battle power?" Manami laughed with innocence. My little sister Manami and my childhood friend Kyouko the relationship between the two of them seemed surprisingly good, it looks like Kyouko was personally teaching Manami at some place I didn''t know of. Even though I was curious about how Manami knew about Kyouko, right now, more than that "Quickly unbind these ropes! I''m in trouble! It''s a state of emergency!" """!?""" The instant I yelled that, they entered in panic. "The dragon! If you have returned, show yourself!" "Step back, little sister. This is our duty." Umbrella and halberd. Zonmi and Kyouko held those weapons in preparation to battle. "Fu, fu. Draw back, newcomers. ''Cos the one that will protect brother is me. I will finely chop that dragon!" Manami dual-wielded huge kitchen knives that looked like they had blades of 40 cm. Eh, how come even you can nonchalantly make a cool pose? Or rather, where did you purchase those things!? Isn''t that a flagrant infringement of the Swords and Firearms Control Law!? "No, it''s not that" The danger is the pressure of liquid in my bladder Sheet, this situation It''s extraordinarily difficult to tell them "What do you mean it''s not that Chiharu!? What''s with that ring!?" "It''s a long story, but I was forced into a contract with that red dragon against my will" "Fufu~n, a ring on your left ring finger~? Onii-chan, you''ve gotten engaged without Manami knowing! Well, who''s the girl?" "Forget that! Hurry up and unbind me. If not, I''ll" "What''s with that!? Chiharu doesn''t learn! Is there something more important for us monsters? Irresponsible" As Zonmi raised the umbrella in her hand at that instant. In the end my bladder surpassed its limits. Making a nice *whoosh*, I stained my trousers yellow. Nooooo, don''t looooook! I peed, I peed myself! Stoooooooop! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I screamed inside my heart. Aaah~, why did I have to wear white trousers today Stupid, stupid, stupid. """" The monster girl combo glared at me as if they had seen something filthy. No, but isn''t that actually filthy? I don''t know why, but my sister''s bloodshot-eyed stare gave me an ''as I expected, that''s my sister~'' strangely deeply moving feeling. "Isn''t it better not caring about it? That is, I don''t like careless people, but Since I used to have the same problem Was it 15 years ago?" "What a surprise. This development is more screwed up than I predicted Lucky I had already crossed my fingers that Chiharu didn''t become a monster tamer." "Mufufu, Onii-chan''s pee-pee" Facing my foolishness, those three''s reactions were varied. There aren''t many spots to play the straight man I mean, today''s was such a disgrace that could eternally revoke my position as the straight man. I wanna die. If there were a hole, I''d continue digging it until I reached Brazil. For now, I''ll rinse my trousers and pants and then dry them at the fireplace. It''s good that there''s a fireplace I wouldn''t want to return home with my trousers dripping wet. Incidentally, since I came across a cloth of a correct size right in the middle of the room, I tied it around my lower body like a pareo. It seems I have to endure it for about an hour. " Hey, is it true that I can''t remove this ring?" "The answer is both ''yes'' and ''no''. At least, the tamer cannot one-sidedly cancel the contract." " If it''s the opposite, it could be?" "Yeah, the monster is granted that legitimate right. If it feels the master is not an appropriate one, it can void the contract at any time." "" Well, if it wasn''t like that, there wouldn''t be any benefits for the monster when forcibly making a contract. Isn''t that only natural? "Then, what do we do after this, ghoul?" " For the moment, let''s try to consult with Luka. If we try to conceal this matter, the IMA could misunderstand it. If that''s the case, providing rings for us two maybe they could approve an exception." "I think it will be difficult, though. It doesn''t seem those straight-laced people will acknowledge an exception." "Hey. Were both Zonmi and Kyouko acquainted with the IMA since before?" "Shut up, Manneken Pis!" "OK." Since I didn''t have a rebuttal, I shrugged. "In the first place, according to the laws approved by the IMA, in order to travel between both worlds, you need their authorization. That means there are no monsters that don''t know them." What''s that They have a Constitution? Did those kinds of questionable laws exist with me being unaware? "But, hey, in any case I too agree with raising this with the IMA. Though it seems unlikely, we can''t give up before trying something." "Then, once again, let''s return home and ask for another ring. Here it stinks of piss." "" Aren''t all of them becoming more and more mean? But, I have lost. I''ll have to overcome many times this kind of adversity. "Hold your horses!" I said raising my voice a bit. No matter what, I couldn''t ignore something she said when she left from my head. "The dragon that kidnapped me That kid called Iris, I''m worried about her. She may fall into unforeseen problems. That''s why, I''m thinking on going to see how she''s doing." "You''d like to go see?" Zonmi threw me a glance as cold as ice. Gueeh. As I thought, did I end up being hated? That''s right, after all I''m the Manneken Pis. I can look the 1,000 yen note''s Noguchi Hideyo in the eyes Ha, ha, ha. " Why are you feeling down? You can summon her Since you have already made a contract." Grumbled Zonmi while sulking a bit. Summon. I think Zonmi said something like that before. I didn''t realize Monster tamers can invoke their contracted monsters any time they like. "Weeell How do I do that?" "Bring the ring to your lips and chant ''Summon''." "Fine, understood Summon!" Nothing happened even though I chanted A blunder? "Summon! Summon! Summon! Summon!" " How weird. In a contract it''s normally possible" "Mmm~, could she be outside the summoning range? Or maybe Haru''s magic power''s dimmed?" " Both possibilities seem low. Since to get outside of the summoning range, you should at least go overseas, and it looks that Chiharu''s magic power is full throttle no, it seems to have increased instead since the last time we were together." "Certainly strange As far as I can think, the only possibility" "A ''Catch Net''?" A term I didn''t recall to have heard suddenly appeared. " What''s that ''Catch Net''?" "It''s a man-made tool an illegal item that traps the catched monster and prevents its invocation by means of summoning But that possibility is also low. The use of ''Catch Nets'' has been forbidden amongst monster tamers. Since there were some tamers that employed them with evil intentions." "!?" The next instant, a chill ran down my spine. It could be. If Iris was chasing tamers that participated on that ''dragon hunting'' "Say, is there another way to look for Iris''s whereabouts?" "It''s possible for fellow contractees to discern each other''s location at any time." "And how do I do that?" "Narrow your eyes while thinking about your contract partner." "OK." I narrowed my eyes as I said that. Then, something like a faint line of light appeared. "As that magic power thread connects both rings, I suppose that if you follow it, you''ll meet. But be careful, since if the line is thin and brittle, the magic power of the partner will decrease." "" What''s with this? The thread that comes from the ring was so thin that looked like it could snap any moment. "Hey, I have to tell you something" I told the girls all that happened until Iris departed. "I see, the ringleader behind the ''dragon hunting'' five years ago if it''s him, there''s a possibility he could be using ''Catch Nets'' without permission. If we assume the worst case scenario" "Iris could have been captured." "Most probably, it''s like that." Sheet, that Iris It was rash to go alone. "I think we should go help her." The moment I said that, the two monsters showed surprise. "You, could you explain what you mean by that? If our reasoning was spot on, our opponent is a very strong evil tamer with a career of at least five years To march into enemy camp without thinking is suicide!" " Acknowledged. Even so, I can''t let her die without doing anything." That chick Iris, how could I have fun while she''s left without blood or tears by an evil tamer. Reality isn''t like that. It was only for a short time, but I could experience Iris''s kindness. I can''t agree to see her die without doing anything. "First, I want to confirm something." Zonmi said with a serious tone. "Chiharu Is your resolution the real thing? This battle will be different from anything until now. In the battles for the contract ''till this moment, your life was barely assured However, this time is different. The decision that you won''t regret it even if you lose your life does Chiharu have that?" "" That''s right, it''s as Zonmi says. Surely, this battle is different from those until now. A small error of judgement could become a big crisis. Our lives would literally depend on it However, we have to do it! My reticence has long since gone far away. It''s too late to hesitate. "Aah!!" After thinking for a bit, I raised my head. Those two showed shocked smiles. "Haah Things like getting himself killed when going to rescue his partner What a naive guy But, well, Haru''s softheartedness isn''t something new." "On that, I also agree I still have some debt to repay to the red dragon. I''d regret it if she died like that." " Is that OK, even though it''s totally my selfishness?" "Don''t look down on us. We already knew about our master-to-be Chiharu''s character." "Well, we''re about to board that boat~" "Girls Thanks" I have good companions. Anyhow, I had already made a contract with Iris. That resolution overcame any thought of giving up. It seems that I didn''t have to worry about these girls. Wait, hey?. Ain''t I forgetting about something important? I noticed the source of the uneasy feeling. "Come to think of it, I wonder where Manami has gone." I tried to survey my surroundings, but my little sister''s shape was nowhere to be found. " How weird, she was next to me a while ago." "Hey, which reminds me, haven''t Chiharu''s pants disappeared?" "" What the heck. I have a nonsensically bad premonition Over the fireplace A farewell letter? I tried reading the written contents. Sorry. I was so horny I couldn''t help but steal them. Don''t look for me. Manami "Guhaaaaaaaaaa!" "Danger! Haru has broken!?" Overcome with anger, I promptly tore the letter in little pieces. "Why has my little sister acted so idiotically right when we were in a serious mood!?" "I don''t know. I''d be troubled if you asked me" Zonmi made a face of utter disgust. "Though I don''t want to tell her how serious the moment is." Kyouko''s statement was painfully too spot-on. " I have been wondering since long ago, but Chiharu''s sister is really weird. She''s abnormal." " Well, that''s because at Haru''s place there are a lot of complicated family circumstances." "Aaaaaaaaaah." Sheet, because the situation was like this I let my guard down. I couldn''t let my home''s laundry (especially underwear) remain long inside the washing machine. Because my sister is like a crow looking for garbage. "Well, since anyway we couldn''t follow little sister, it''s all right." "Since were she here, we absolutely couldn''t ask her to come with us. If your dirty pants have saved Manami-chan''s life, that''s cheap." "" Manami-chan''s life and my dirty pants have the same value? How can that be? What a pitiful fellow, my sister. Going outside, the first thing that came into my field of vision were luxuriant and abundant trees. Since one could see the ground gently sloping, it seems like this is the top of a mountain. There were no traces of humans living nearby. As the leaves obstructed the light, it was overall a gloomy and unpleasantly humid place. "A beautiful place, as always; though I can''t stomach red dragons, their sense for choosing a place for their den deserves praise." "Is, is that so?" It seems this is a comfortable place for ghouls. "Which reminds me, how did you locate this place?" I asked the question that was bugging me. Since a place this remote cannot be found by searching at random. "That''s because Chiharu''s sister No, let''s better stop with that." "Eh. What''s with that disturbing way of talking!?" "Haru, don''t you think that in this world there are things you''d be happier not knowing about?" "" Kyouko admonished me. Since imagining it was terrifying I stopped thinking about it. "Eeerrr, then, let''s get out of here." We knew our destination. We only had to follow the red string that stretched from the ring. Why don''t we take a taxi once we climb down this mountain? Nightfall was slowly approaching We don''t have time to rest. "What a difficult problem. As the quickest means of transportation depends on the destination, we can''t decide immediately." "But, well, in any case we need to descend the mountain Do we climb down?" "Wait!" The one who stopped us on going down the slope was Kyouko. "I don''t think that''s a good idea." " What''s the matter, Nephilim Eh, wai Wha-wha-wha-what!?" Zonmi''s bewilderment was not unreasonable. As if she had thought something, suddenly Kyoko took off her clothes. "I misjudged you, Nephilim Even you are a pervert" " Saying it like that, anyone who hears you will think I''m a pervert." "Doesn''t saying it with no pants on take away your credibility?" She hit where it hurt. As I''m now suffering from the disgrace of having my pants stolen by my little sister, I''m currently in the highly-praised "going commando" state. To me, it takes away all the solemnity that should have been present before a decisive battle. If I go out without wearing pants, of course I can''t calm down. No, it would be a problem if I could calm down. "It''s only this much, let''s be calm. Si-since Haru has seen me many times, I''m accustomed!" "" Why do you say it in a way that can lead to misunderstandings Like throwing daggers from her eyes, Zonmi glared at me with her dead fish-like eyes, grinding her teeth and without saying anything. "Heh. Humph, was it like that, so? Well, I don''t mind it in the least. I already knew about the improper relationship between you two." "If you don''t mind it, put on a more normal face! And also, we don''t have any improper relationship!" I''ve said it many times. We''re only normal childhood friends. "But, am I not still embarrassed? Showing everything, it''s the first time." As she ended up in her undies, Kyouko''s body was wriggling. Hey, wait. Could this fellow Be undressing completely "Stop, wait! As I expected, going further You absolutely can''t! If I undressed like that, I wouldn''t be able to keep living! Bu-but I don''t have anything to show." No I certainly saw Zonmi''s nude figure, but since she was in ghoul form, does she think it doesn''t count? Then, the next instant. Kyouko''s body became black and gigantic. I see, Kyouko intended to do that from the start A giant with wings growing from its back a body length of maybe around 8 meters? Peeking out from within its robot-like mask there were sharp eye glints. A jet black coat as if clad with shadows. Its hair that had changed to peach pink and seemingly long enough to reach the waist was of a charming color. That appearance, rather than a giant, was more fitting to be described as that of a devil or fallen angel. This is a Nephilim. Kyouko''s true form? "Ho-how is it? Revolting, as I thought?" Said Kyouko transformed into a Nephilim. "Absolutely not, I think it''s absurdly cool." It was not a lie. It sure is eerie, but this dark feeling appeals to my chuuni soul. " Thank you. If you ride on my back, I think I can transport us to our destination But it''s the first time I''ve tried this." "Eeh, how amazing." "A giant that soars through the sky Nephilim. It''s my first time seeing one, but you sure have been hiding a lot of magical power" Zonmi muttered in admiration. A flying giant? It''s certainly very unusual. And in addition to that, superhuman strength enough to lift a truck with a single hand. Thinking like this, isn''t Kyouko a considerably strong monster? "The ghoul has picked up my clothes, right?, since I wouldn''t like it if Haru had picked them up." "Oh, now that you mention it, where have you put Kyouko''s panties? Perhaps they got ripped in the earlier mix-up" Taking a peek just to be sure, I couldn''t find anything like that on Zonmi''s hands. "When Chiharu opens his mouth, it''s only ''panties''. Isn''t there anything other than panties in your head?" "It-it''s not like that!" Having said that, it surely feels that recently I''ve been repeating ''panties, panties'' with an abnormal frequency. If I''m not careful Won''t I be treated as a pervert? "Since I assumed from the start that today I''d be involved in many ruckuses, I put on underwear made from ''Magical Silk''." "Mm, What''s that?" "''Magical Silk'' It''s a specially made cloth that won''t be torn even when changing from human to monster. It''s very popular among female monsters in the Netherworld." "Eeh, there''s something like that?" "Then, hurry up and get onto me. Since I can''t go very far with this form." Following the instructions, we rode on Kyouko''s back. The lack of seatbelts was worrisome. While praying that we didn''t get thrown off, I clung to Kyouko''s shoulder. " Hey, but isn''t it weird? Usually, isn''t keeping human form what consumes magic power?" Suddenly, I remembered what Zonmi said to me before. "That depends on what the base form you live in is. In my case, since I usually keep human shape a lot, this one is more tiresome." "Eeh, looks like there are many kinds of monsters." And, at last, Kyouko flapped her wings and began to fly. "Well, here we go. Hold on tight." Our bodies were pushed up by an intense buoyancy. Uoh We''re flying for real Gaining altitude quickly, before long we could take in the whole area. "Ha, ha This is fantastic! I''m impressed. Kyouko, you are truly amazing!" " For that, thanks. I''m glad to be employing the power of a monster for the sake of others" "Humph, how come you say things like that after growing wings?" Zonmi seemed somehow displeased as she pouted. Volume 1 6 — The time of the final battle Volume 1 Chapter 6: The time of the final battle After thirty minutes of flight, we managed to ascertain Iris''s whereabouts. As aerial transportation had the advantage of not being caught up in hindrances such as traffic lights or congestions, our actual velocity went up. "This is Yokohama''s harbor" In the harbor''s scenery seen from the sky, there weren''t any signs of life among the rows of large warehouses. I see, this is the most suitable place to hide somebody. "Chiharu, where does the thread connect to?" "Mm, there!" The thread seemed to be connected to one of the biggest of the warehouses. "Well then, we''re landing!" Kyouko slowly lost altitude. I realized that her flying skills have improved remarkably in this short time. Frankly, we almost died at the start. Immediately after Kyouko''s feet reached the ground Zonmi and I jumped from her back. "Fiuuu, like I thought, the ground is the best." The trip through the sky was good, but also too thrilling. I didn''t feel safe. "Isn''t it!? Isn''t it!?" "Why do you look so happy?" retorted Kyouko in shock to Zonmi, who was smiling from ear to ear. "Good, then, shall we go?" "Be careful, please. There are signs of monsters in the vicinity." " Understood." I braced myself once again. I''ll reiterate, our opponents are the atrocious tamers that exterminated Iris''s clan. From here on, a little mistake could cost us our lives. "Wa-wait! Don''t go yet. I''m putting on my clothes!" Looking back in confusion, Kyouko was in the middle of changing. She had changed shapes from Nephilim to human. "Eh, why have you changed back?" " Don''t look here." "So-sorry" Though I was already tired from seeing Kyouko''s panties. "At your limit, already? You couldn''t keep your transformation more than that." "Is that it?" This could be a little bad. If Kyouko couldn''t participate in the battle, Zonmi was our last ray of hope. Though we didn''t know the extent of the true power of our enemy, won''t it be quite the unforgiving battle? "Chiharu, let''s go Don''t worry, since I won''t lose." As if reading my thoughts, Zonmi muttered reassuringly. So it''s like that. That''s what I have to do when I grow weak-hearted. After reaching this point, we can only fight at full power! *SPLAAAAAASH!* "Chiharu! Behind you!" "Good grief. Speak of the devil!" A geyser of water sprayed with vigor. Turning around in a rush, what appeared from the sea was a giant squid monster. The threatening squid monster was emitting a jet-black aura. "Wha? I mean, haven''t I see this guy somewhere" I had an intense recollection of this monster. "It''s a kraken of the sea beast tribe I dare say it''s the same individual we saw some time ago on television." So it was that. It''s the guy who was broadcasted on the TV news the day I met Zonmi. I see. I remember that the place they showed then was Yokohama. But wait a minute, wasn''t the squid monster from back then killed by a monster that came around? What is this guy doing in this place? "Look, the black magic power that wraps this child It''s under ''Enforce''!" "Wait, what''s ''Enforce''?" "By means of an item illegally manufactured by people with ill will the ''Enforce Ring'', they bring the monster to a state of forced submission." "There''s such an item!?" "Yeah. Different from the normal ''Contract Ring'', this is the most illegal of illegal things. Put under one-sided command, the monster loses its freedom." I think I understand. While on a normal contract the monster stands as an equal, under ''Enforce'' it''s treated as nothing more than a slave. And, the next instant. "Uoh!?" The squid tentacles that bent like whips grasped us three tightly. "Uoooooh!?" Looking closely, the squid''s overall length reached twenty meters huge to a bizarre level. It''s beyond comparison to the greatest of the monsters I''ve met till now. Or, how should I put it, this situation is quite bad. Is it OK that we were so easily caught!? And in contrast to my panicking, those two''s facial expressions were still composed. A premonition rose through my mind like a cork submerged in water Could these two have been caught on purpose? Instantly. "Taaaa!" "Hah!" With movements too fast for my eyes to follow, those two tore the squid''s tentacles to pieces. " Good grief, what reliable fellows." If I tried to do the same thing, I''d have been powerless before the squid''s slippery tentacles. "Until when will you remain carelessly caught!?" Zonmi''s umbrella cut up the air. Slash. The tentacle that restrained me was splendidly cut in two. "Chiharu, please get down!" "Uoh!" Once my feet reached ground, keeping my distance, I watched over those two''s appearances Let''s cool our heads. Right in front of me there are those two''s enticing legs. A glimpse of that is the very best. And in these circumstances, it seems this squid rascal is no match against Zonmi and Kyouko. But. It seems like my thoughts were too naive. The enemy was not that weak. It had an astounding restoration ability. The torn up tentacles regrew immediately, and that in merely seconds. Its restoration ability is of a very high level. " What should I say to this!?" To the panicking me, Zonmi said with indifference. "This is no more than an hypothesis, but I dare say the tentacles are but a decoy. Any time you cut them, they are regrown with magical power. And, in fact, you can''t get close to the real body without facing the tentacles before." "That''s In that case, what the heck do we do?" Anyhow, the squid has ten tentacles. We number three no matter how I think of it, I don''t feel we can get next to the main body. "It can''t be helped. Leave this to me." "!?" The one who said that was Kyouko. "What the heck will you do?" "If I throw all the surroundings at it, even this guy will eventually be exhausted. Luckily, there''s no lack of things to throw inside these warehouses. Perhaps, my defeating this guy will we worthless." "But, Nephilim, will you be OK? Isn''t your magic power almost depleted?" "Don''t worry. Rather than that, to the me right now, I think this guy alone will be no match Even though it''s vexing, I''ll take care of this guy here that''s releasing this awfully unpleasant magic power Ghoul. I leave it to you." "If I come back and you''re collapsed after exhausting all your magic power Please spare me that outcome. Since we haven''t yet settled our dispute." "Ha, ha, that''s my line!" Contrasting with the cynicism mixed into their conversation, they did a high five with refreshing expressions. By some kind of female bonding, it seems they have awakened to a strange camaraderie. "Let''s go, Chiharu, our foe is very near." "Aye!" Feeling gratitude towards Kyouko, we left that place behind. There was more darkness than expected inside the warehouse, it doesn''t seem like there are many people. There were containers loaded with miscellaneous cargo lined up. They were probably varied articles scheduled to be exported overseas. When I looked from the sky, the thread surely reached inside here. There''s no mistake Iris should be very close to here. We should proceed to the interior with caution. "Ahaha. How unusual to have guests here." As we thought we heard a man''s voice, suddenly the lighting installed on the ceiling illuminated a nearby position. We unintentionally squinted our eyes. Who the heck is the one who did this And. "Iris!" Hands and feet bound by thick ropes, Iris tied to a pillar entered our field of vision. Dishevelled golden hair. Bare skin covered with injuries. Her face, lacking the ambition of before, looked pale. "Foolish one Why art thou here" Judging from her hoarse tone of voice, she seemed to be quite weakened. "How weird~. As the Kraken should have been standing watch, how can you people be here?" It was an unpleasant voice. Standing right beside Iris was a man with long hair. Clad in a black suit from head to toe. The arrangement of his features was uncanny, but his very long bangs gave the feeling of an annoying narcissist. His age, maybe in his early twenties? Saying it straightforwardly, he was an extremely disgusting man. "I''ve been wondering for some time Why do you do these mean things? Do you understand how grave a crime a contract that disregards the free will of the monster is? If it gets leaked to the IMA, it won''t end well." As Zonmi spoke with an emphatic tone, the man showed a composed smile. "What a problem~. Since I don''t feel like letting you escape from under my nose. That aside, I want to have a chat with that tamer there." "" Shaken by the sudden change of topic, I was left without words. "You should be a 7th generation rookie. You got to choose a red dragon. Amazing, the best! I now understand what the boss said! What outstanding talent do you have!?" "Wait, what the heck are you saying?" "Don''t you know? I''m honestly praising you. When a monster tamer gets selected, the three initial monsters to choose from are assigned according to their individual aptitude. For a monster of the red dragon class, an apt person doesn''t appear even once in a generation." " I don''t care, I''m not glad to be praised by you! What do you want to say?" "Fu, fu, such cold words. You will also become a tamer of this side." "" What did this guy blurt out of nowhere. "Ha, ha, I''m astonished. Me becoming the colleague of a criminal?" "Aah, in that case, you can do me a favor and sell me the blood of this chick. To make my monsters even more powerful. Unfortunately, the battle before against the damned dragon was consuming, but I still have more stock of ''Enforce'' arranged. How do you think, is it a bad offer?" "Don''t mess with me! I won''t consent to what you say, you fool!" It''s obvious that doing that won''t benefit me in the least. Thereupon, the man''s face distorted, "From my point of view, you are hopeless fools Being a tamer from the 6th generation, among my peers I''m the one with the fastest success in life and saying that, it won''t hurt you to hear what your senior says. Believe it or not, like you lot now, I too was once a foolish tamer that performed his duty diligently. So, until you know the inevitability of destiny" " What the heck do you mean by that?" "You, have you thought about the end of the world?" The man switched to a serious tone, "As we are now, humanity will meet its unavoidable destruction. By the hands of the large number of monsters that inundate us from the Netherworld." " Heh." This guy What''s he saying When I looked at Zonmi, for some reason she was chewing her lip and her body was trembling. "She doesn''t look like she knows nothing. Monsters have longer lifespans than humans and are more fertile. Because of that, their numbers suffer an explosive increment each year. If it''s like that, they end up having not enough food supplies nor land. If we restricted the traffic on the Gate that connects the Underworld with the human world, there will be an incessant increase of revolts. The cause would be a chronic deficiency of food supply. Because of the current laws on coming to the human world from the Netherworld, a strict check from the Government is a must. However, that system approaches failure. Once that happens, humanity will be slaughtered by swarms of monsters." "" "And yet, the current IMA doesn''t care about it. Who will mediate between monsters and humans? Hah, that was something from the past. To kill or to be killed humanitywe can do nothing more! Right now we are a minority, but those like us that hold dissatisfaction with the current system are steadily increasing. That''s why, by suppressing the monsters, we will build a new order to put them under humanity''s total control! And once we change the laws, we will be in the right!" " Is what this guy is saying true?" With her lips tightly pursed, Zonmi, "Yeah, surely what he said is something I can''t deny I won''t say anything. What Chiharu ought to do? that, decide it by yourself." "" I wonder what should I do. What do I want to do? I came here wanting to save Iris from her trouble. These evil tamers that slaughtered Iris''s clan were unforgivable. Surely, right now I can''t make the proper judgement. These guys, following their ideas murdered Iris''s clan. Different means, same objective monster tamers are allies of humanity. Killing monsters is bad Have I, who eats meat of cows and pigs, the qualification to say that? I don''t understand, just about anything. How much the development of an advanced civilization equals the start of a war, isn''t that an eternal question rooted in personal values? No matter how long you think about it, I feel the answer will still be out of reach. "Chiharu." Zonmi''s dignified voice. "I won''t blame you no matter what you choose. Since from the beginning I came here entrusting my life to you However, that''s not the same as putting my life in the hands of that man. In the case you take that man''s side, please pierce my heart right here." Pointing her umbrella at me, Zonmi said. I felt as if those eyes pierced me. Zonmi was really serious. It seems she seriously prefers being killed by me than by this guy. "Don''t mess with me! As if I could do that!" As if I see, so it''s like that. What an easy thing. Since I can''t I won''t kill. I couldn''t kill neither Zonmi, Kyouko or Iris. In that case, I''ve decided. From the start I couldn''t show hostility towards monsters Coexistence. It may possibly only be lip service. Maybe it''s a dream that cannot be realized. But, why do I have to think about such difficult things? In the end, that''s the only objective I should aim for! "Sorry about your invaluable suggestion, senpai. I can''t agree with your ideas. Monsters these girls are, to me, precious companions. If I can''t understand, convince me until I can After all, isn''t that our job as Monster tamers?" "Chiharu" Astonished by my overly optimistic words, Zonmi revealed admiration in her voice. "A~ah, even though I troubled myself trying to spare your life. You are a shocking idiot In that case, as you wish, I''ll beat you to death!" "Senpai, I''m aware it will sound impolite How slow, you hadn''t noticed it before, you idiot!?" "Keh, what sheetty lines you spit!" The man moved his ring to his mouth and shouted. "SUMMON MINOTAUROS." And, the next instant. A human-shaped ox-headed giant monster appeared. This one too It seems it''s the same I saw before on the news. Its height was at least on the order of ten meters, and it clearly gushed out aura. This one is stronger than the squid from before. The axe it held in its hand glittered under the lighting. "Zonmi Will you fight it?" "Of course, I''ll protect you even at the cost of my life." Zonmi strongly nodded. Aah, in the end, I keep being helped by her. Someday I will repay her with interest. As if unable to keep watching us, the man''s face distorted. "Ha~ha~ha. What beautiful friendship It makes me puke. You, don''t you realize you''ve misplaced your priorities? What you should be protecting aren''t monsters, but people, don''t you understand something like that" " Enough with the chattering. Come at me." "Hah, I''d have done it even if you didn''t say anything!" The moment the man raised his voice, both of us kicked the ground. In the vanguard, Zonmi. Without catching attention, Zonmi quickly jumped upon a container and like that flew through the air. She slashed at the Minotauros with ferocious speed. Zonmi was strong. That''s something I understand better than others. I dare say, battling on the ground no one can defeat her. That''s what I thought. "GROAAAAAAR" Letting out a weird sound, it swung its axe downwards. Something astonishing occurred. Though the slash wasn''t a direct hit, with only the wind pressure, Zonmi''s body was sent flying. " Kyah!" After being sent flying high, Zonmi crashed into the ground and coughed blood. Her beautiful silver hair was scattered on the ground. The man showed a fearless smile. "I didn''t know you were so conceited, expecting to defeat a contracted monster with a stray monster. Are you dumb?" "" That was something I was vaguely aware of. The other monster was receiving a supply of magic power from his tamer. And we didn''t have that. That''s to say, a 2 vs. 1 situation. It wasn''t a problem of real strength. Even an elementary schooler would realize that it was a clearly overwhelming disadvantage. " Please, don''t make that face. I haven''t lost yet." Feeling my anxiety, muttered Zonmi as if admonishing me. "So it''s like that. As expected, to win while in this form was really asking for too much." "Eh" What the heck is she saying? Zonmi, after showing a composed smile turned into a monster. A pale face. Murky eyes. Hanging from its belly, something hard to describe that should not have been on a pretty girl. Standing there was the transformed into a monster Zonmi in ghoul form. "Zonmi, that form" "I wanted to defeat him in human form if possible, though It makes me nervous to show my bowels to a man" "" As usual, it''s something I believe I don''t understand well. Hearing Zonmi''s words, the man laughed loudly. "Ha, ha, ha, ha! That was certainly unexpected. You were a ghoul!? Uwaaaaa, what a shock Even though it looks like this, for a moment I thought you were a fine woman. Ghouls are the most unpopular clan amongst monsters. Quite the selection he has made No, aren''t you uncontracted since you weren''t chosen? Gyah, ha, ha, ha, it makes me laugh." " Did you only want to say that? Girls don''t like men that talk too much. The man clasped his tongue, "Sorry, but I''m very popular. Don''t lump me with that virgin there!" The footsteps of the Minotauros echoed along with the jeers of its master. In contrast with its gigantic frame, its movements were absurdly agile. Closing the distance with Zonmi in an instant, like a bull in a china shop as if suiting that idiom, it rushed on putting its all into a tackle. Zonmi reacted by blocking it with the umbrella but, from the start, their physiques were too different. Zonmi couldn''t help but be slowly dragged down as her shoes wore away. "Chiharu is surely a perverted serial adulterer indecisive quick to run away useless man. But he didn''t call me "disgusting". On the contrary, on our first meeting he lent me clothes They were tattered, but I was happy. Since our clan has been persecuted a long time due to our looks." Zonmi was recounting in detail as if reaffirming her decision. "Hah, what was that!? A self-appointed death flag." "Chiharu is a thousand times cooler than you!" Following through with the umbrella by putting all her strength into both hands, Zonmi finally repelled the Minotauros''s big frame. "Tche, sheet!" *THUMP*, stopping once more the axe that was swung down, after that the other party couldn''t pull off the same level of offense and defense. They were on par No, we were a little better. Despite the axe''s greater offensive power, Zonmi was unscathed, and her strikes were solid hits to her opponent. The transformed Zonmi''s increased agility was more skillful than before. The decisive slashes aimed at the center of its legs and loins little by little dulled the Minotauros''s speed. "Amazing" I couldn''t help but let out a word of admiration. Our relationship wasn''t superficial. Even if we weren''t contracted, the Zonmi that treated me as an equal was strong, and above all beautiful. As if flustered by the unexpectedly hard battle, the man''s features were shrouded in unrest. "Haaaah!" Drawing a beautiful arc in midair by making half a turn, Zonmi thrust like that her umbrella into the eye of the Minotauros. A satisfactory hit. "Groaaaar", letting out a shriek that seemed to shake the earth, the Minotauros rolled on the ground. " Hah. You are useless, having so much trouble against a stray. I''ll cull you later." "Next is your turn, even if I''m fighting a human, I won''t hold back." The man, being pointed at with the umbrella, scratched his head, "A~ah, I didn''t want to use it on this guy if possible, but ''BOOST''!" The instant he chanted that, the man''s body emitted a pale light that flowed into the body of the Minotauros. Thereupon, something unbelievable happened. The injured body healed in the blink of an eye, swelling from the muscle covered Minotauros, white smoke was raising. Even an amateur like me could understand what had happened the man had bestowed magic power onto the Minotauros. "GROAAAAAR" The blow the Minotauros tossed after standing up in a flash, contained a power incomparable to before receiving magic power. "Kyau" She blocked the attack with the umbrella, but Zonmi''s body was forcibly sent flying. Crashing into a container, the lemons inside fell out. "Look! This is the difference between having a contract or not! An overwhelming advantage impossible to overturn!" "Zonmi!" I rushed with full speed to Zonmi''s side. But. *THUD, THUD, THUD!* Earth-shaking crazy sounds. They were the Minotauros''s footsteps. The Minotauros rushed in pursuit before I could arrive. "Hya, ha, ha, ha, ha! Good, end her?" "GROAAAAAR" At Zonmi who was defenseless right after taking that damage, slashing with that huge lump of iron, Zonmi''s body was turned into a pulp and scattered around. The surrounding lemons were painted red with the splattered blood. "It''s" "Not yet! If you give them a rest, ghouls are a clan that excel in regeneration. Keep at it until its magic power runs out!" Twice, thrice, four times, the giant axe kept falling intermittently without rest. Due to the next attack coming before managing to regenerate her body, recovery was impossible. Each time an attack came, Zonmi''s death agony was heard. " Escape Chiharu." Zonmi frailly leaked those words. "Moron! I can''t do something like that!" What''s this fellow saying now that we''ve reached this point She wanted to harshly preach to me about resolution And at the crucial moment she sacrificed herself. Is it to save me? What a damned fool! "What are you doing Hurry Escape" "Stop joking! I definitely won''t allow that!" Putting my thoughts into words, Zonmi showed a faint smile. "With that Do you intend to shame me? If I let my master die, what the heck will I do? *Cough*" As the axe was ruthlessly swung downwards, it resounded with a shriek like that of a smashed frog. "Gya, ha, ha, ha, ha! Did you think I''d read the mood like in a manga, stupid!? And so ends a make-believe unbeatable friendship. Die without leaving behind any last words, you bastard!" "Ku" Instantly, I turned around and ran with all my might. " I see, that''s fine." "He, he, Seeeerves you right! The man leaves you behind and escapes! After all, your bonds only reached that extent! And you, don''t think you can escape. Since I''ll soon chase and kill you!" Ignoring the man''s words that hurt my ears, I dashed with all my might. Of course, I wasn''t abandoning Zonmi, hurt before my eyes, and escaping. Just a slim possibility I was betting everything on that. While hidden by the shadow of containers, my goal was the place where Iris was held. Since luckily there was no one near Iris, I managed to reach her without the man noticing. "Hey, Iris! You all right?!" When she heard, Iris made a surprised face. "Foolish one Why hast thou come here? Thou shouldst be helping that ghoul woman." "About that, we''re in a pinch! Cooperate, Iris, we need your strength." " That I cannot do." "Why!?" Iris feebly laughed, "Canst not thou understand by seeing my state? Deplorably, I am not in a state to lend you my strength; I cannot even move one step from here. It seems that this annoying rope has the effect of absorbing magic power. Escaping is impossible." "Heh, this thing" I bit into the ropes with vigor. It seems that in order to bite off a thick thread the size of an ehoumaki will take quite a while. "Say, art thou a fool? As if this rope is a good that could be broken by something like a human" "Like this, it will come loose." "I do not understand. How canst thou be so sure?" " It''s due to family circumstances. My specialty is getting out of bindings. Don''t underestimate my teeth, recently I even bit through the chain of a pair of handcuffs." Good grief, I don''t understand what''s with this world. I didn''t think the day would come that this skill was useful outside my house. " Incomprehensible. If thou runnest away now thou canst save thy life, why art thou not doing so? Don''t tell me Tho-thou hast become enamoured with that girl?" "Idiot. It''s not like that!" "Hyau!" Iris let out a cute yell when I poked her forehead. " I can''t escape. If I flee now, both Zonmi and Iris will die. I can''t allow that." Iris raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Why hast thou included my name there I forcibly made a contract with thee disregarding thy volition. And not only that, I injured and restrained thee. Thou dost not have any obligation to save me." "Like I care. Since I want to save you, I''ll save you simply that." "I do not understand thy reasoning. Why dost thou not explain it better to me so that I understand!?" Iris told me by raising her voice. "You, didn''t you feel lonely in that room?" " Haah? Art, art thou slandering me!?" Now I understand Iris said that both her parents were killed by monster tamers. The gentleness she sometimes shows, most likely stems from her solitude. Iris with that small body, without having any family around her That, it was no different from unreasonable isolation. Though she behaved as if she were stout-hearted, she had a gap inside her heart It seems it''s in my nature that I can''t abandon people like that. "Look, it''s undone." Steadily chewing at the ropes while talking, I finally succeeded in releasing her from her bindings. I mean, what''s this rope made from? As expected, my jaw was tired I can''t use it for a while. "" Iris was speechless. Strange. I thought she''d be happier. "What I am going to say will sound unrefined, but Right now, I do not think I will be of any assistance in the fray. As thou knowest, these ropes are able to absorb magic power. The me right now, sincerely speaking, can only barely remain standing That is why, harborest not many hopes." What, it''s that? Then I don''t have to worry. "No, being like this at this time, perhaps our victory is settled." "What dost thou mean?" Nearing my ring to my mouth, "BOOST!" I chanted with a loud voice. That instant, I fell into a state that felt as though all the energy of my body had left me. A feeling of accomplishment as if scattered pieces suddenly fit together to a T. With this it''s our complete victory! "This is" The red light that covered her whole body was healing Iris''s injuries. And in my case, I was subjected to a tiredness as if I had swum in a pool for a day. I understood the reason why that man hesitated to employ this power. This was horribly painful, I was already wobbling on my feet. As if I has used all my MP in a Magic Burst. "I''m astonished. To think thou hast this plentifulness of magic power dwelling inside thy body I finally comprehend the reason why thou wast fit to elect me." "He, he, thanks a lot." Of course I was glad to be praised by a girl "I give thee my thanks, tamer. And I swear to thee. I will accomplish without fail the duty thou hast entrusted to me." The voice of Iris, who had turned into a dragon, had recovered her usual self-confidence. Spreading her steel-like wings, Iris promptly took flight towards the man. Giving a whipping to my exhausted body, I too followed there. Please, let us make it in time Once I arrived near the man, I became speechless. "Uwaaaaaaaaa, don''t comeeeeeee!" Minotauros''s whole body scorched, only the man''s scream resounded on the room. "Is that the only thing thou wishest to say? I am desolated, but also cannot read the mood; I will quickly bring this to an end." "Kuh, Stooooop!" His expression distorted by despair and anguish, the man lowered his head and pleaded for his life. "Please! I beg you! At least spare my life! It''s as you see!" Iris, sending a fleeting glance of awareness my way, " In that case, start by freeing all monsters thou hast put under ''Enforce''." "Un-understood! I''ll free them!" The man removed a black ring from his hand while he crawled on the ground, and threw it away with an anguished face. While grinding her teeth out of vexation, Iris gazed at the man''s profile seemingly silent, " Disappear from my sight!" She spat out those unexpected words. As soon as he heard that, the man turned around and scampered at full throttle. That was a really quick curtain close. Since this red dragon girl alone, confronting the seemingly strong foes of the Minotauros and its tamer, totally kicked their butts. Nevertheless "Are you OK with that? That he escaped in the end?" Iris laughed fearlessly, " Humph. I thought that it would be all right if this time I limited it to a warning and let him go free. Since had I killed that bloke, my purpose would have remained unfulfilled. At best, hereafter, I can use him as a valuable source of information." "" Despite Iris having said that. I couldn''t help but feel that she had some other reason. Perhaps this is no more than mere speculation. It may be that Iris didn''t want to burden me with the crime of murder. Even if indirectly, if she had taken the life of a person, from tomorrow on I''d have to live with the burden of that crime. To a mere high school student like me, that''s undoubtedly an unreasonably difficult thing. "Thank you. Iris." " Come, now, I know not what thou meanest Thou hast better hasten to that girl''s side. I hold no doubt that even now she is surely waiting for thine arrival." " Aah." Anyhow, each second is precious. Being told by Iris, I started to run without minding my surroundings. However. At the point I ran to awaited a despair that made me want to cover my eyes. What was there was a lump of flesh smashed to a pulp. A thing that barely retained human form, vestiges of Zonmi that it had been were nowhere to be found. The torn up mincemeat-like face of Zonmi showed an unsightly involuntary smile, and not even a bit of regeneration could be felt. Why? Why, oh, why? "Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" In that pool of blood, I fell to my knees. Zonmi''s head was split in two agape, a jelly-like substance overflowing from the inside. I tried to pick up the lump of flesh that was once Zonmi. The thick dripping blood stubbornly coiled around. Flesh. This is merely flesh. No different in the least from that lined up at the supermarket, a mass of protein. There were many things that I wanted to say to her. Thanks for always protecting me Sorry for being a bother There were many things I wanted to say to you Zonmi. Now I can say it. I''ll become a monster tamer. Till now I was spending my days without aim, however, I feel I''ve finally found what I want to do myself. So that both humans and monsters can laugh and get along, I want to make a world like that. That''s why, for that reason, I want to be always at your side. Until that dream is granted, I want you to lend me your strength. You too weren''t you wishing for that? And yet, why "Human, get out of the way." " I couldn''t protect her. I didn''t make it in time" Completely exhausted, I hung my head heartbroken, I don''t feel like moving even one inch from here. "What art thou saying, thou hast accomplished everything. That lass is still alive." " What do you mean, Zonmi shouldn''t be like this! Shouldn''t she be reverting to how she was!?" "I do not like to jest the soul of that lass is still here But then, her current condition should not last long." Next instant, I noticed some discomfort in my own fingertips. If I had to liken it to something, it would be close to the feeling you get when you remove the training weights that you had been wearing. She smoothly removed the ring she was so devoted to and fixated on. "I return thee this!" What she handed to me was the ring she wore on her finger. "The ring Why now" "I''m not so uncouth to remain in this place. So, pardon me." "" What the heck does she means by that? To further my dumbfoundedness, Iris showed me a ''don''t worry'' smile. "Whaat, thou wilst understand soon. Good grief Thy resilience is astounding. It seems that nearly half the magic power thou spent earlier has been returned by now. Being like that, there''s no need to bestow onto thee the magic power contained in my blood." "That''s why, what do you mean" "Let me tell thee one last thing, I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for having met thee If thou still carriest the will to be a monster tamer, the day may come that we will meet again. Come the time If thou choosest to allow it I wish that we will once again restore our contract. And this time not by force, I want us to be partners that understand each other by heart. Like with this lass here Farewell, tamer." Iris changed to dragon shape and flew away by flapping her wings. I couldn''t discern Iris''s dragon-changed silhouette, but the words she left behind in the end were still fresh in my mind. I wonder what she wanted, after all. And. The ring I received from Iris, I felt it was casting a pale light in Zonmi''s direction. "!?" Like running electricity, an idea crossed my mind. I gently approached the ring to Zonmi''s hand. I wonder what will happen surprisingly, aren''t Zonmi''s injuries little by little, little by little, healing themselves? I see I''m granting her my internal magic power Recovering in an eye-blink a healthy rosy color, Zonmi opened her eyelids as if waking up from a thousand years of slumber. "Mmm, eh Chiharu" Hearing the voice I yearned for, the corners of my eyes involuntarily heated up. "What the heck Was I" Surveying restlessly her surroundings with half-asleep eyes, it seems Zonmi still couldn''t get a grasp of what was happening. "Welcome back, Zonmi." Softly raising Zonmi''s body, which had become so unbearably dear to me "Wha-wha-wha-what are you doing!?" "It''s fine, be quiet for a bit." I tightly embraced her. Volume 1 Epilogue — After this and that Volume 1 Epilogue: After this and that The duty of a student is not battling a mysterious organization. Of course, studies come first. After that. Two days have passed since that incident. As Seiran Academy started its lessons once again, little by little we retrieved our original lifestyle. I can only say this now, but it''s not bad to occasionally receive boring lessons. Is this enjoying a peaceful lifestyle? After being put through such a dramatic experience, I feel it made me start to understand what the really important things are. Now, the school building was half destroyed when Zonmi and Kyouko ran amok, but surprisingly there wasn''t any retaliation for it after that. Probably the IMA or rather Luka-san, arranged something in secret. If it''s like that, it seems I have something to object to about the quality of Seiran Academy regarding its pupils. Seems like there''s no one who would demand the expulsion of two pretty girls. Since if there was someone, the ratio of male students would end up being excessive. After school. I visited the office of the International Monster Association. "Sorry I called you all of a sudden. I wanted to talk to you tte--tte asap." "No problem. I also wanted to talk to you." "Oh, my. Could this be mutual love?" "Won''t you soon start talking seriously!?" "Eh But my heart isn''t ready yet" Today marks the Ninth time that Luka-san makes one of her incomprehensible jokes. As usual, this person is being elusive and aloof. "Let''s put the jokes away. Even so, it''s amazing~, you alone caught one of those ''Black Tamer''''s guys~" "That was not my power, but the power of those three." "Fufu~n." Am I over-thinking it? It seemed like, for a moment, Luka-san''s expression was clouded by a tinge of sorrow. "Say, would you believe me if I told you something?" " What is it?" "Actually, that those three monsters gathered around you~, it wasn''t an accident~ it was all planned by me~. This capable Luka, noticing your talent beforehand, felt that it was a waste that those superior monsters were left over, so she had the sudden impulse of calling them together all at once~." " Is that true?" "Of course it''s a lie. LI-E." "" I was deceived. The moment I go along with her, I end up taking it as true. "Well, they are ready, the documents." "Thank you very much." What Luka-san handed me were the documents needed to become an official monster tamer I had contacted her beforehand and asked her to get them ready. This is what draws the line. From now on, I''ll hold onto those three girls That''s the embodiment of my resolution. "At any rate, you''ve grown; I don''t recognize you, Chiharu-kun." "Is that so?" "Yeah. Frankly, when I first met you I thought you were but a good-for-nothing. Because You know? The you that time was still hesitant about becoming a tamer." "Ha, ha It was like that." "In fact, what has gotten into you? To willingly become a tamer~" "It''s easy. I want to protect and bring happiness to those girls I met." "Fu, fu, is it Zonmi-chan? Is it Kyouko-chan? Or Iris-chan?" " Everyone. Zonmi, and Kyouko and Iris, I want all of the people involved in this incident to become happy And, while I''m at it, Manami too." Wavering for a moment on saying it, I finally added the existence of my little sister. I was unwilling, but If it weren''t for her, right now maybe I''d still be trapped at Iris''s den. "Oh! Here comes the harem proclamation. You did it! Undressuseless main character!" "What kind of main character am I!?" Sometimes it was difficult to tell the true meaning behind Luka-san''s words. "Hey, hey, By-the-way~, won''t you include my name there~?" "You are able to defend yourself by yourself!" "Buu, buu. That''s discrimination" I don''t know if she was acting or what, but Luka-san looked like she was pouting. Practical question, a little something I learned with my experience as a tamer. This person For reaaal! That is, she''s called first in the list to become the next Maou. I don''t know if she hides some sort of magic power If I continue as a tamer, will the day come that I''ll surpass her? Once I returned, when I opened my home''s door, *PAN! PAN! PAN!* All of a sudden, the loud sound of poppers resounded. "Onii-chan? Congratulations on getting a job~?" "Uo!?" In no time, my sister jumped at my chest. " Hey, your breasts are touching me Move aside." "They aren''t touching you, I''m pressing them." I''ve somehow or other heard a line taken from a manga. " You guys, are you really blood-related siblings? In spite of that, isn''t this somehow indecent?" "No problem, since the indecent one is only Manami! rather, whoa?" The me who has returned home was greeted by an unexpectedly unbelievable scene. Perhaps, maybe this is the first time I met all of them at the same time. The ones that greeted me poppers in hand were the ones at the center of this series of incidents, the monster girls. Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris. As the three rivals thus gave signs of spending their days peacefully, that would be a touching scene worthy of seeing The one who spoiled everything was that fool of my sister. "I-luv-u Hold!" "Hey! Stop clinging to me by entwining your legs around my body!" "Ng" "Ng" "Don''t look! You guys Don''t look at me with those eyes!" Iris and Zonmi, to us siblings that were so unashamedly clingy, sent scornful gazes. "Humph. As expected, humans are foolish beings. To think I had started to get a better opinion of them." " How unusual, agreeing with a red dragon. Getting seduced by women''s bodies, becoming the Maou is but a pipe dream." "" My value seems to have crashed to the level of Greece''s national debt. " Fu, fu. I won''t hand over my onii-chan to some newcomers." My sister clung firmly to my body like a koala climbing a tree and let out an evil smile that could only mean ''Just like I planned!''. Could this girl possibly Have done this on purpose? " Well, why are all of you in my house?" Somehow freeing myself from my sister''s restriction, I finally could speak out that doubt. As Kyouko heard it she wonderfully stuck out her chest, "This is Haru''s becoming a monster tamer commemoration & ghoul''s contract celebration" " Ah" I see, in other words, this is a surprise party? And, there''s still something that doesn''t make sense. "Then, who was the one who suggested it?" "" "" "" From the way those three looked each other without even a word, I could naturally deduce the answer. " A-as for me I don''t mind who was, but, you see, I think it would be unnatural not to since this is of course a custom of the Netherworld." " Re-really?" I see. It seems it was Zonmi''s suggestion, who was more fired up than normal and looked like she was wearing make-up. What''s more, she was wearing an excessively gaudy dress bought who-knows-where On second thought, we were both wearing matching contract rings. Somehow or other, this looked like a wedding It was a little embarrassing. "Come on, come in quickly. Since we even have expressly ordered a cake for you two." " Ou." Kicking off my shoes, I strode though the entryway''s threshold. My gait felt somewhat lighter than usual, could it be my imagination? I think I''ll talk about what will happen hereafter. As a newbie tamer, right now I only have one ring assigned, but it seems that when I''m recognized for achievements, if I request to the IMA, from now on I can increase the number. It seems that in no time, Zonmi, Kyouko, Iris the day I can contract all three monsters at the same time is not far off. By the way, additionally. Luka-san''s declaration of going on vacation was utter bullsheet, it was instead an excuse for me to go here and there with Zonmi and Kyouko. Could all that unexpectedly be simply a plot of Luka-san whose natural gift was being chaotic? Good grief, I''m really no match for that person. "Eeh, why am I made to do this host impersonation? I''m sincerely reluctant, but People, let''s all have a toast. Ah, Manami-chan stop nonchalantly adding something weird to your brother''s glass." "Tch. That''s Kyouko-oneechan for you." "What are you coming up with this time, you!?" "Well then, for the plans for my contract with Haru" "For my marriage with onii-chan" "For the day my vengeance comes true" """Cheers""" "Aren''t you doing too much as you please, you lot!?" The person in question, Zonmi, seems like she still hasn''t poured her drink. Of course, as fellow monsters (though Manami is not a monster), could it be that she''s thinking about us all making a contract soon? However. Saying this is embarrassing, but somehow I don''t hate this kind of atmosphere of freedom. Because All of them are laughing. There wasn''t even a speck that remained of their former battling from day to day. All of them were energetically doing as they pleased. And I That I wanted to protect those smiles of them forever, that was what I wished from my heart. "I-it''s my once-in-a-lifetime big moment" "Ha, ha" That one, seems like she has taken quite the shock From now on, if I keep being a monster tamer, it seems I''ll keep facing big hurdles. Maybe I''ll experience unexpected frustration. But. Even so. For these girls, I feel I can overcome no matter "Hyau!?" *Fshhhhhhhhhhh* Together with a sound like escaping air, Zonmi gave a little shriek. "Wh-who was it!? The one who shook this PET bottle!? Uuu, for this day The dress I prepared expressly for this day" "Eeeh, who was indeed. Manami doesn''t know? Or, how should I say it, since you planned to seduce onii-chan by wearing those erotic clothes despite being a zombie Isn''t that divine punishment?" " Fu, fu, fu. Little sister, today of all days, I won''t let it pass. How about I push you before a stray dog stark naked and in tortoise-shell bondage?" "Kyaah, I''m scared. Save me, onii-chan, the zombie is bullying me" "" I feel I can overcome any difficulties, but it may be only my imagination. Volume 1 Authors Notes Volume 1 Author''s Notes Nice to meet you. I''m the one who debuted on the 6th HJ Bunko Grand Prize as Kankitsu Yusura. Thank you for picking up this book! Introducing this book without spoiling anything to those who haven''t read it yet, in contrast with the serious title (?) this is a slapstick highschool love comedy full of harem ingredients. Since it was written by an author who loves love comedies, I think readers who love love comedies will be able to enjoy it without fail! Where did I take the inspiration for this work from? Maybe the readers with good sense will be able to guess it. The idea who would become the core of this work came to me while I was incubating a Po?mon egg. I don''t know why, but on Po?mon games it exist the custom ritual (?) where you have to choose one from three monsters as a partner, but I suddenly had a question. It was ''What will happen to the Po?mon that you didn''t choose a partner at the start?''. The ones you didn''t choose, will they spend the rest of their lives shut into Monster ?lls inside the laboratory? Will those which were not chosen reach old age without being able to see the outside world in their lives? While thinking those things, that''s how this work''s early plot was polished. Good, gracious, I didn''t know that an idea could sprout from such a place And now, appreciation words. It''s contribution time. To my friend Y-kun who gave me advice on my work. Thank you for all that. Especially when at Akihabara''s Saizeria Y-kun said of my manuscript (my proud work of art I had spent 3 months in) ''Before interesting or dull, it''s inconsistent!'', words that even now keep traumatizing me, but I think it was a good feedback. The same goes to my friend G-kun. When I mailed you my work and asked for your impressions, although it''s a wonder you managed it while your PC wasn''t working well, you were busy in real life and your health was poor, I think the advice you gave me is what makes me stand where I am. Thank you for all that. To my editor in charge. Excuse me for all the trouble I always cause you. I don''t know when, but I''m thinking on the way to repay you this debt. To Shugasuku-san the illustrator. Thank you very much for the lovely illustrations. When I received the rough drafts, it surprised me that I unintentionally ended up entranced for 8 hours straight. And, to the many people involved so far with this work of mine, thank you with all my might Volume 2 Prologue Volume 2 Prologue In our town, Saegusa city, there is a large-scale festival held every year on the day of the Tanabata, the Saegusa festival. Though I''ve said large-scale, I mean among us locals, not so large that becomes a national event Still, if you came and looked at this town recently, you would understand how beloved this festival is by the local inhabitants. For example, posters were hung all over the shopping district. Another example, people were carrying the indispensable bamboo grass to hang the tanzaku on. After school. Walking back home as the day comes to an end, I saw the town being dyed little by little in the festivals colors. Haru! I turned around to a familiar sounding voice and saw a person I knew. Perfectly aligned bangs in a princess cut and a ponytail swayed by the wind. The distinctively well-formed face had diminutive features that had established their owner as the foremost idol of the school I was attending. Kurose Kyouko. The kind of relationship I had with the owner of the voice that had suddenly called to me, was that of childhood friends since elementary school. Are you going back home, Haru? Nope. I''ll stop a bit by the bookstore in front of the station." HeD. What kind of book are you going to buy? Since it''s Haru, of course, it''s manga? NO. It''s past questions from the Center Test. WHY?! She looked at me with her eyes widened in surprise. "Why, you ask From next year on we''ll be preparing for exams. I think it''s time to start taking measures." Could it be that you''re thinking about taking the college entrance exam? I''m not thinking much on the future, but of course I have it as a possibility what. You don''t believe I can? Its not that, but what about your work as a monster tamer? ahh You meant that Those who stand as a go-between for monsters and humans monster tamers. By chance I came to shoulder a duty upon which the survival of the human race depends. Shouldering that responsibility how come? So. There hasn''t been any contact even after two weeks? Aahh. Have I done something to make that person hate me? Though I didn''t know until after. It seems that in order for a rookie to work alone, an authorization from a superior (in this case, Luka) is needed. Nevertheless. The days pass and there''s no news from my irresponsible and happy-go-lucky superior. But I have to agree that I have to be happy for working under a woman that''s a beautiful monster tamer with unusually extraordinary skills. With the free time that this neglect play leaves me, the only thing I can do is study everyday for the exams without a care. That person, shes irresponsible to the core. Could she have even already forgotten that you were her subordinate, Haru?" Don''t say it, since that''s actually possible. If you think about her behavior, her sloppy nature makes you think that that''s not really impossible. Hey, Kyouko. What''s wrong? About the monster tamer job, is it covered by the welfare program?" You dont know about that!? At least overtime I hope they pay overtime work. "And as your job searching has come to a dead end, so university!?" Hah? I get down when I think about the future. What kind of social position does a demon tamer have, I wonder? Will I have to take a loan? Im thinking about that kind of thing these days. Since I don''t know many details, I''m searching for a side job, though it will be difficult, I''ll need to change. Hey. Do you have plans for later? ? Not really. In that case. Will you come with me to a family restaurant? I feel like eating the Royal Host''s yoghurt & strawberry sundae. Eeerm. That''s a bit Don''t tell me She''s worrying about me? I said that, but don''t mistake my meaning, ok? It''s not like since it looks like you''re feeling under the weather I''ve decided to hear you out or something, so don''t think it''s like that! I see, thank you. Once she let out her true thoughts, Kyouko averted her gaze with a pui." Th-, Thats why, why are you grateful, Haru!? As I said, I only want to eat a Royal Hosts yoghurt and strawberry sundae! It seemed her momentum would make her bite her tongue any second now. "" How stupid. That the day would come that Kyouko paid attention to other people''s worries I''ve never even thought that. That''s right. Why have I become so negative. About Welfare About taking out a loan I can''t help but consider those things. The choice was made by no one but me That''s just how it is. The July sun shone brightly over the asphalt. I followed after my childhood friend''s back, that now seemed more reliable than ever. Volume 2 1 — Her decision Volume 2 Chapter 1: Her decision Living under the same roof as girls is a situation any healthy male high school student would have longed for at least once. Lets picture it: *Carelessly opening the bathrooms door one day and encountering a shower scene with a nude pretty girl. *Turning on the TV one day, they show by chance a commercial for a horror movie and giving the reason of since I cant sleep by myself she ask you Could you sleep with me? putting on puppy eyes. Even I had a time when I longed for that kind of doki-doki (obsolete word) situations. But, reality is so cruel. If you try looking under the lid, the much desired lifestyle under the same roof is full of terrible things. Why is it like that? The silver-haired blue-eyed beauty that suddenly came to live with me shows a curious guard where she doesnt even show the pa in pantyshot. And instead of becoming frightened with horror movies, its her existence thats frightening! The ghoul, Zonmi R. McKenzie. Since I shoulder the commendable duty of a Monster tamer, I cant do anything but being abused by the behavior of this arrogant girl. Welcome back. Chiharu. Once I finished my work as an executive committee member, when I opened my homes front door, Zonmi greeted me with the looks of a vacuum cleaner-wielding apron-dressed newlywed wife. Eeerm Is this some kind of shyness play? This is no place to play the straight man. I dont know what to say, before the entryway there are numerous familiar porno mags piled into a huge mount on the Have they just published a new O? Piece book!? level. Since I didnt know what to do while I waited until Chiharu returned home, I decided to clean your room. While I was at it, I decided to dispose of things I deemed unneeded, dont mind it. Why so sudden? When I asked, Zonmis eyes lost their light and became those of a dead fish. Yoghurt strawberry sundae. Urg!? Chiharu. It seems you had plenty of fun this evening. Have you neglected your partner to have a fancy dinner with the Nephilim?" ! How careless. It seems that somehow or other todays events have reached Zonmis ears. How could Zonmi know about today? Even though that question crossed my mind As we are partners bound by the ring, we can pick up each others whereabouts. Eeerm. For that, sorry. You dont have to worry one bit about that No problem. Since Chiharu is free to have dinner with whom he wants. Ha, ha! Nothing costs as much as what is given to us. Somehow it seems that if I dont repay Zonmi, Ill lose the thing I value next to my life. Nevertheless Pearls before swine. A waste of resources Telling Zonmi about the porn mags? It seems that the porn mags that have invaluable price to a guy in his puberty, to her are no more than trash. Is that so? Thanks for expressly doing the cleaning. How should I put it, my room, was it filthy? No. Chiharus room was very clean. It was a bit artificial. If you put it like that, it seems youre trying to imply something About my room being clean That is, there is a bit of a meaning that I want to conceal the things I dont want to be seen. Since I think that from back when I was in elementary school, Ive tried to lead a lifestyle based on cleanliness. Im quite thankful for your selfless consideration, but dont you think theres something mixed in thats not rubbish? Ho, ho. If it seems like I made a mistake, pick the necessary things from here and bring them back to your room. That being the case, since the book is not trash, Ill bring them back to my ro Ii! When I tried, totally composed, to pick up my bible of the Hundred top lewd athletes in the world, my hand was brushed off as if it were natural. Chiharu, thats rubbish, isnt it? Though her face was smiling, Zonmis eyes werent. Sorry, sorry. It seems I had something in my eye. Is that so? Thats good, then. If you had been serious, I would have no other choice but mince up Chiharus body and take it out as burnable rubbish along with these magazines. Ahaha Haha. Come on hurry and pick up those filthy things. Well dispose of them right away. Wait a minute!? Why do I have to carry them myself!? Saying that to Zonmi, her cheeks turned a fiery red, You mean you expect me to carry those filthy things!? She mouthed those words while looking down. Filthy. Thats a mean thing to say Nonetheless, Im a high school boy that has hit puberty. Its a sad thing, but I cant deny it. Ku. Sorry. Porn mags After this, I will absolutely go to salvage you! Mm. Whats this? Right after I lifted the mags. *TUMBLE* Something fell from inside of one of them to the floor. Actually, you could say that I could virtually pick it up. Looking carefully it was a pendant shaped like a key attached to a silver chain. Whats that that I could virtually pick up? I cant recall where I got it from. However, I think this seems like something absurdly valuable. Why are you slacking off? Lets go! Understood. In the end, I secretly put it into my pocket so that Zonmi didnt realize and hurriedly followed after Zonmi. Kurose Kyouko. Theres nobody who hasnt heard of her name at Seiran Private Academy. My high-handed childhood friend. Those who see her for the first time may not hold such impression. The truth is, shes a person that minds her surroundings in order to put off a cool persona not used to deal with people more than necessary. Attractive face and figure. A woman gifted with looks and brains. A prize beyond reach; owned by nobody. Since she gives that impression, loved by those around her, it makes her insanely popular. However. Shes actually different. Her social disposition has become quite dry because she mingles with other people while hiding that shes a monster. The truth is shes way more lonely than the rest shes nothing more than a weak girl who thirsts for other peoples'' warmth. And nobody knows her better than Kusumi Chiharu. Kyoukos childhood friend since elementary school. Yo, touch! Uwaaaah! Run awaay! Youll catch the Kurose''s germs!! Around seven years ago. Kyouko, due to her fathers job, moved here, to Saegusa. She was still in her third year of elementary school. Back in elementary school. Kyouko was subjected to the teasings of her male classmates on a regular basis. Because of that, the Kyouko from childhood, different from now due to her complex personality, she looked like an easy target for bullying. Though she had fine basic features, due to things like her naturally curly hair or her big rimmed glasses, her appearance didnt show even a bit of her current refinement. Sob, sob *hiccup* Ahh, ahh. Shes cryiiing. Shes cryiiing. Th-thats fine! Shes a freak. Let her cry! The word freak her male classmates nonchalantly called her pierced Kyoukos heart. (Thats right Im a freak Since Im not human. Its natural that I have to suffer) At the time, on a popular Sunday morning tokusatsu hero show, fantastic beings like Kyouko were always being depicted in story as foes. In Kyoukos very young mind, she was vaguely aware that it was decided she couldnt become the heroine or the main character of the story. How can it be fine! It was at that time. The first time she met him Kusumi Chiharu. She had known about him since before. With outstanding reflexes, he also handled flawlessly his studies. His looks that resembled closely those of a medium-sized dog full of charm werent bad too If you had to say, it was a clear strike on Kyoukos preferences. Even while he didnt lack many special traits, his popularity among the rest of the girls didnt stem from that, but solely because of his unheard-of inside self. Wah, whats this? Po-pool bag!? What made a clean hit on the heads of the boy classmates that surrounded Kyouko was an out of season pool bag. Strange. Thats weird. Swimming classes in physical education have ended long ago When that doubt was risen inside Kyoukos head. Gueeeh! It stinks! Whats with this gas bomb! Coming from nearby, an offensive smell that made you choke. It was without a doubt the worst stench that Kyouko had smelled up to date. As if having wiped milk spilled on the floor with a cloth and then left it to rot an unprecedented fetidness struck the guys. Hehe. My swimsuit has been inside for a month! Youve kept it there the whole summer holidays!? Unbelievable For reals. Isnt that germ terrorism? With the stench that couldnt be withstood if used as a weapon at war, the boys were frightened by it. Sheet. Well be back! As they realized they were at disadvantage, leaving behind a parting threat, fled at lightning speed. That was quite the quick curtain close. Since the lad that had appeared so suddenly, in a single blow, had chased away boys once or twice as big as him. Hey, are you crying? Huh? She needed several seconds to realize that the hand that boy held out was turned toward her. (I see This person, he has come to help me) It seems this is the first time since birth someone outside her family has helped her. You Whats your name? Kurose. Kurose Kyouko From class 3-2 And you? She knew his name from the start. Nevertheless, by all means she wanted to hear it from his own mouth. Im Chiharu. Kusumi Chiharu, From class 3. The smile on the lads face that showed his white teeth was extraordinarily dazzling. *HEARTBEAT* *HEARTBEAT* Whats it. This feeling. My heart is throbbing, I cant look at him straight. Could it be love? No. Thats surely After all, this person (I dont know if hes cool or uncool) Actually, I want to hold that hand right now and get back up. However, the smell of rotten cheese that came from the lads hand greatly weakened Kyoukos resolve. (Sob. That this meeting becomes my first love Dont wanna) She cant recover from the mental shock. Kyoukos complicated and mysterious maiden heart forced into disarray, Moron. Moron, moron, moron! She brushed away Chiharus outstretched hand and started to hit him in the chest. Uwah!? What are you doing!? Y-you. When youre going to help a girl, at least make it be a bit cooler! Why have you done such a half-baked thing!? Yeah? Dont mind it! From now on, take your pool bag home every day and wash it! I-I beg you, have a bit more of cleanliness Since it is possible you are my first love." Despite having run her mouth with impetus, in the end, she regrets her violent behavior. (Uwaaa What am I doing To the person who has helped me, Im being this rude) With her cheeks as red as apples from shyness, she stole a glance of Chiharus form. Not even in his wildest dreams had he thought that a girl who hes just saved would give him a sermon. Chiharu made a blank face in puzzlement. Well, sorry. I Man, I messed up As she apologized with teary eyes, Chiharu started to laugh as if he had remembered something. Haha. The heck, girl, look at your face." Wha. How funny. Kyouko, you said? If you dont mind, lets be friends. Yeah!? A-a-ah. Errm Yes. Nice to meet you. This was the meeting of Chiharu and Kyouko. Afterwards this day, Kyoukos very life will take a dramatic turn but thats another story. Surprisingly, I miss a bit those times It was when she started to clean her room. Kyouko, being whats usually called a clean-freak, as soon as she found some free time, she had the habit of ending up doing everything she could to clean her not disordered in the least bedroom. Today shes cleaning the shelves. Full of determination, Kyouko started to diligently sweep the accumulated dust in detail, but, somehow she found it. Minatsu elementary, the graduation album. That book, as if mimicking her own memories, had been put away at the back of the shelf. Because, the better she could, she wanted to leave it in a place where it were not seen. Were she to read it once more, the feelings hidden on the bottom of her heart would end up reawakening, and then that was what Kyouko feared the most. Since shes a monster its not allowed to have a human boyfriend. The end of Kyoukos first love came at the same time she graduated from elementary school. Even for an instant, lets assume that, luckily, the feelings were mutual However, its decided that that love wont come true. There cant be a Happy End. Once my repulsive true form gets revealed will he still keep being like himself after all? Impossible. If hes a hero, Im a freak. Us both are incompatible existences like water and oil. Then, Kyouko came to avoid Chiharu. The fleeting days of her first love, against her will, were locked deep inside her heart. Ahaha. Uwaa The me back then was this clumsy The first time she saw her ungraceful true form, Kyouko made a self-torturing smile. Each photo brings her precious memories. The hand that turns the pages doesnt stop. Suddenly. Kyoukos eyes got glued to a certain page. It was the future dream corner at the very end of the graduation album. Pro baseball player, florist, attorney, school teacher, bride, manga writer, game creator Surely the kind of jobs children dream with packed together like in a dance and written in poor writing. From among them, one is remarkably conspicuous. Stag beetle. Kusumi Chiharu Of course, its his dream. I still dont understand what this guy is thinking of. Really, how could he write such a foolish dream? My head hurts. Don''t you understand? My dream hasn''t changed since then, I still want to be a stag beetle! That''s why, don''t worry, your wings are honestly cool. They are not creepy at all. Suddenly, it made me ponder his words. Perhaps he doesnt know. How much he saved me by the innocence that radiated from that sentence. It may seem like nonsense, but at that time I felt like I was treated as a human for the first time. Not only did he accept the things called monsters, he kept acting like himself. And that made me unbearably happy. *HEARTBEAT* *HEARTBEAT* Eh Wha Whats it. This feeling. Warmth fills me from deep inside my body, I cant stop the throbbing on my chest. That that I had sealed in the depths of my heart five years ago, has now once again come back. (I see Its not a problem that I love him) How could I not realize such an easy thing? After all the highest barrier that worried me has been cleared. Besides learning that Im a monster, hes accepted me. It made me happy not having to endure it. I cant stop the throbbing on my chest. As if leaving a well, my restrained feelings are gushing out. (How? How come Im still in love with him?) Heat as if my body is burning. I want to hear his voice, I feel as if my whole body is throbbing. Without repressing her excitement, Kyouko started to roll over the futon. Haru Haru I love you To cool her burning body, she hugged tightly her pillow. She doesnt know herself what shes doing, nor she wants to know. Kyouko Are you there? Eh Her train of thoughts completely froze. For an instant, she was under the impression that the world had come to a halt, but that was not what had really happened. If time had stopped like that, who could have saved her? Suddenly noticing her fathers figure, Kyouko regained her senses. Realizing her own foolishness, *fiuuu*, she inspired a big chunk of air and, Wha-wha-wha-wha. At least knock, you stupid old maaan!! Shouted loudly. No, how do I say it Errrm, sorry Are you busy? Do I seem busy to you!? Sorry Were you having fun? Thats too grossss! I-Im truly sorry! So, please! Please dont throw the bed at me! Possessing the power of a monster, Kyoukos physical strength was surely not laughing matter. Kyoukos father, Kurose Mikage, only came back home about once a week. Errrm, this What have you just said? Yeah. Since its very important, Ill say it as much as necessary. Congrats, Kyouko. Your new partner has been found. Furthermore, hes an exceptional person the Association has high hopes for. These are good news as no other. Go make the contract asap. Letting out her emotions, Kyouko hit the table with a bang and, First thing Currently, Im officially on negotiations to make a contract with Haru. How is it possible someone else has appeared!? Yeah. About the thing with Chiharu-kun, papa has gone to talk it over directly with the IMA and had it cancelled. Eh Whats the matter? Kyouko. You have the talent. Even at such a young age, your battle capability is top-class among our clan. We cant allow your talent to go to waste like this. That Doing as you please is troubling Since I was to become Harus partner We had made a promise to become partners later By later, how much are we talking of? Mikages tone of voice became harsh. Dont you know, Kyouko? The time needed by a rookie tamer like Chiharu to get his second monster Thats Not saying anything else, Kyouko bit her lip. Three years. For someone acknowledged as a low-level monster tamer, that was the average time until they receive a second ring and are promoted to mid-rank. To Kyouko, a span of three years is outrageously long. Since, perhaps by luck, Chiharu managed to corner a top-level tamer, he may be promoted because of that. However. About that, once three years have passed, what assures you that you will be chosen? ! Didnt you said it yourself? To Chiharu-kun, as a tamer, the sensible choice would be that red dragon. From a tamers point of view, between a Nephilim and a Red Dragon Which one is preferred, dont you understand that?" If you go by combat strength, Nephilim surely arent weak. On the contrary, they are monsters of the highest of ranks. That and all, it cant be helped to be overshadowed by red dragons. The tribe of dragons is very coveted among monster tamers. Contracts with them are restricted to only a fraction of the tamers. Then, being such a talented tamer, in three years, it wont be weird that a powerful monster, no least than a red dragon, becomes Chiharu-kuns partner If its like that, youll possibly be relegated to third place. Th-that wont be, she couldnt say it. To monster tamers, they like to get powerful monsters, thats only natural. Then. Supposing that, lets say, that he could choose more powerful monsters, wont he rather get them earlier? (I dont want to be a burden to Haru) With blurry sight and fuzzy thoughts, she wobbled as if she couldnt find the floor. Of course daddy would like that you served besides Chiharu-kun. To a monster, theres no highest honor than to make a contract with a monster tamer. Since having the backing of the Association makes a huge difference. Nevertheless, lets get real. From the instant you werent chosen as first, your chances of becoming Chiharu-kuns partner went south. ! You know? Please make a decision before a week. You absolutely cant face the other part in such a half-baked situation. Without saying no more, Mikage got up. *Blam* At the same time the sound of the door closing was heard, Kyouko bent her knees, crestfallen. I look stupid. It seems she cant think of any alternatives. The thing with the pact its no ones fault but hers She looks stupid. Suddenly, Chiharus reflection crossed her mind. At a time like this, what would he think of? If its him, he would probably face the adversity without care He wouldnt get defeated by something of this extent. It wouldnt crush him. Something. Isnt there a way? To take this hopeless situation to an end Ah! That instant. A diabolic and heatless idea surfaced in Kyoukos head. It could work Contract usurpation. Though, of course, it was not something Kyouko found commendable, she has no choice. Therere chances of success. It goes without saying that Chiharus current contracted monster comes from the ghoul clan. The ghoul clan, contrary to red dragons, is hardly popular among tamers. Besides, when Chiharu chose the ghoul as a partner, it was purely by chance, he didnt have the intention to make the contract. Lets suppose. If I could make him notice that my charms as a monster and as a woman are better than those of the ghoul girl, maybe Yosh. Lets do it. Even if I have to resort to this, Im going to make Chiharu mine. Kyouko raised her eyes and announced her determination, talking to no one. Be it love or contracts, I wont lose! Volume 2 2 — Cooperative tactic!? Volume 2 Chapter 2: Cooperative tactic!? Recently I feel like Im losing my dignity as a man. Speaking frankly, Im being made fun of. And thats because. The pretty freeloader ghoul girl that came suddenly D Zonmi R. McKenzie. The devil-like little sister that lurks inside the Kusumi home D Kusumi Manami. Currently trapped in the pace of these two, my life of being dominated goes by without issue. Hey, hey. What a situation I, whose catchphrase is To hell with sissy main characters and does not want also to be known as a bossy husband in the flesh, have ended in Its an urgent matter that must not be left unresolved. Nevertheless. A ghoul and my blood-related sister. That pair of selfish-to-the-core pretty girls that are constantly letting out sighs of Something must be done about this personality! are impossible to be kept in check. In the end, I D today like always I cant help but being controlled. Chiharu. Are they going to celebrate a festivity soon in this town? Morning. While waiting for the bus in front of the station. While standing to my right, the one who asked me that was Zonmi the ghoul. Straight long silver hair reminiscent of white snow, slender limbs. Her features without flaw, her dignified gaze gives her a cold aura D a beautiful girl with the atmosphere of a cool beauty. Aah. You mean the Saegusa festival. Its a big festival that encompasses the Tanabata Festival, a summer festival and a fireworks rally. The preparation being made in Saegusa city as the day approaches have greatly changed the town scenery. Though theres still time until Tanabata, the hastiest shops have already started to place the stalls. I see. Its a festival overflowing with greed. By the way, Chiharu, are you planning on going with someone to it? Nope. No one in special at this moment Is that so? Thats surprising. Izzat so? Could it be that inside Zonmis head I give an impression of having many friends? Though that said, its not very wrong. Zonmi, pondering about something for a moment, By the way, Chiharu, are you currently seeing someone? Thats quite the sudden question she has made. In the least. thats not possible Simply look at my usual lifestyle and youd understand! Even if Ive been truthful, for some reason Zonmis expression harbors suspicion. Chiharu Its not good to lie to me. Wouldnt it be better for you to tell me the truth? Im not lying Isnt that because I couldnt get a girlfriend for 16 years? I see. Ive got a gist of the situation. Hoo, so youve finally understood? Yes. Theres no person youre going out with, because its a monster who you are going out with. Isnt that what Chiharu means? Wouldnt it better be that I have neither a human girlfriend nor a monster girlfriend!? Muu. Even when I explained myself without delay, Zonmi seems like shes still not convinced. Why does Zonmi distrust me that much. Or rather, that about a monster girlfriend gives the impression of having a highly destructive potential DAh! Ive just realized something. Could you be talking about the pendant? So it was that. I had totally forgotten that Im wearing the pendant I found yesterday. When I asked, Zonmi nodded with an embarrassed face, Yeah. No matter what, it doesnt seem to suit Chiharu Perhaps a little. Im not someone who wears many accessories, for starters. Could it be something you received from a past lover? Hardly, since as Ive kept telling you, Im a male virgin whos been 16 years without a girlfriend. Dont make me say it. Its embarrassing. Wha? Even though Ive said the truth, it seems as if the air around us instantly froze. It seems that male virgin is a taboo expression to Zonmi. So its like that. It seems that I became oversuspicious. Of course someone that speaks with no delicacy Wont be able to get a lover. No doubt I must excuse myself. Zonmi looks like she despises me. No problem. Looks like Ive cleared her doubts, but What the heck. This is surely very complex Haah I let out a deep sigh. No matter what, I didnt think this pendant would raise so much suspicion. Do I look like an outsider to fashion? Since it appeared out of nowhere inside my room and it surprisingly fit me nicely, I tried wearing it, but Truth to be told, I didnt think it would cause such a fuss. Have I to conceal it under my shirt so to prevent someone else from seeing it, getting suspicious and causing a riot? Getting back on track. So, you are not going to participate this year? Nope. I had planned on going, at least Maybe Ill go together with my classmate Youhei I believe that, him being him, it seems that he wont let the chance escape. I have been asked by Manami, like a demon, day after day, but Going to a festival with my little sister at our age is of course embarrassing I think I better pass." I see. I think its a commendable judiciousness. If youre interested, would you like that us two went together? Wha? As it seemed that Zonmi became momentarily speechless and had her mouth agape, soon after she became panicked with her face pure red D Whawhawha, what the heck do you plan by saying that!? Maybe, what you mean with those words Do you have the intention to be on a date with me!? No. Nothing so flashy. My intentions. Wasnt only recently that Zonmi came to Saegusa city? Youre still not familiar with this area. Needless to say, my aim is that if I have someone that I planned to go with, it will be easier to fend off my sisters approaches. Th-thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Totally in disarray, Zonmi took a deep breath in. Sadly, I must decline. Because basking under the summer sun while taking a stroll in the middle of a crowd Is life-threatening to a ghoul AhD Thats right, didnt she tell me before? That each year in summer 100,000 ghouls were sent to hospital? If its like that, then theres no way around it. And recently its been abnormally hot. To the human-hating + weak to heat Zonmi, an event like a festival could be like hell. Then Though I cant attend to the summer festival, what if we go somewhere indoorsD KyeeeeeEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!! !? The moment Zonmi started talking, a shriek like that of an uprooted mandragora was heard. Glancing on the direction of the voice D a pretty girl came out of a trash bin placed on the street. Big and round eyes like those of a small chick. Nicely developed big breasts. Her black hair, pride of Japan, was arranged as a ponytail at the back of her head. Kusumi Manami. The one that has suddenly come out of a trash bin is my little sister. What the heck is that, oniichan!? I demand an explanation! How come I dont get what you mean at all!? Calm down, Manami. Isnt it you the one who has to give a explanation!? That thing you are doing Is it a human jack-in-the-box!? However. As if it was only natural, Manami turned a deaf ear. Instead, she criticized her brothers humor sense by letting out Uwah. Dont make that comparison in a small voice. "Why, while you turn down my approaches, are you making an appointment with the zombie? Thats totally weird! I do it in order to have a good pretext to turn down your approaches Thats something I won''t say even if you rip my mouth open. How come. This situation How can I get over it? It seems like Manami is in the right this time. If my invitations were turned down and I saw the other party asking out a total stranger Even if Im not Manami, it wouldnt sit right with me. Theres no option Ill use that. The last resource when in trouble. It tends to work. As it makes use of Manamis feelings, though I dont like it, I have no other way. Brushing away my forelocks, I struck a somewhat exaggerated cool pose. Listen, Manami. This is totally for your sake Eh Manami let out a little sigh with a befuddled face. Wait a bit, what? Yosh. Hook, line and sink. My little sisters expression turned in a flash into that of a lovestruck maiden. Im your brother, right? Since you are more important to me than anyone else Aint I telling you to harden your heart? Next year, youre also gonna be a high school student. Wont it be troubling to you if you cannot let go of your brother by then? I beg you, Manami. Make your brother feel relieved and make a single friend before then. Its really something I cant endure. Due to Manamis bad habit of having a much-too-strong sex drive, she had no one she could call a friend in elementary and middle school. Thats why my words D are my sincere true feelings. Though itll be good that Manami learns to not cling to her brother for a bit Understood If thats what oniichan says Manami Will try. From now on Ill make a friend to go together with to the festival. Thats it Did you understand? Sheet. I got some tears in eyes. As I expected, if you make Manami listen properly, shes quite the sensible child In turn, if Manami does as oniichan said and can make a friend to go with to the festival Theres something I want as a reward. Will you promise me? Promise? Not now D once it happens, oniichan. Lets go together to the festival. Eh. What the heck does she mean by that. After going to the festival with a friend, double booking by going together to the festival with me? I mean Isnt that completely going back to the start line!? Hey, Manami By saying you will make a friend in order to let go of your brother, isnt that putting the cart before the horse? Pretty please! This is the last I will ask of you! I want my last memory of middle school, by all means, to be going together to a festival with my brother Since its unusual that Manami asks for something so meekly, I ended up rejecting it on impulse. Thinking about it Isnt this to some extent better than keeping being insistently asked to the festival? I dont want to say it, but the chances of my sister that has been a solo player all her life to successfully make a friend in the lapse of a few days Are far slimmer than the chances of survival of an ocean sunfishs offspring. Understood. Ill promise you that. After talking with a bit of a serious tone, Manami, with her feelings seemingly overflowing, I did iiit!! Oniichan, I love youuu!! *MUGYUUUUUUUUUUUUU* Manami hugged me with all of her tender body. Also, how much longer will you stay inside that trash bin? Since the start, being hugged by my sister doesnt make me very happy, but the stench like dead crayfish that comes from her hair adds up an extra layer. If youre going to be hugging, take out the rubbish from your hair. Chiharu, you adulterer. Zonmi badmouthed me, with a glare cold like a North Pole blizzard. Ah. This is bad. Could it be that, this time, is Zonmi the one who has lost her temper? Now that I say it, thats right. I may have been insensible from my part to promptly make this kind of promise with my sister only minutes after having asked her out. Being these two the women most near to me, unless you are very careful, the troubles wont stop. Sorry. About this Jealous wench! By promptly making a follow-up, Manami didnt let me continue. Sheetty zombie! Read the mood! As you see, oniichan has chosen Manami? Thats why, get out? Ku. Zonmi made a face as if she had bit a lemon, How many times do I have to say it to you so that you understand!? My name isnt zombie. Its Zonmi! Im a descendant of the proud since ancient times ghoul clan, Zonmi R. McKenzie! She rebuked with her usual catchphrase. It seems that Zonmi being a ghoul she cant stomach being treated as a zombie. Haa Still with that? Im fed up with that sentence! Hey. Its a problem that you are fed up Straight to the point, zombie-san. Arent you excessively close to oniichan despite being a newcomer? Going together to school every morning, you surely feel important. Could it be~, despite not being going out you feel like youre his girlfriend? Wha-wha-wha-what are you saying!? If you say that, then you too! With me, its fine! Since Im oniichans little sister? Is that reason enough? If its like that, than Im Chiharus partner. DSo its only my natural duty to serve at his side. Saying that, Zonmi showed the silvery glittering contract ring. Some days ago, I formally established an employer-employee relation using the ring. For that reason, Zonmi and me are wearing matching rings. Contrastively with Zonmis face of triumph, Manamis factions got shrouded in darkness. Ring Oniichan and the zombie are wearing matching rings Ah! This is very bad. A switch has totally been flipped. I wont forgive you Never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never! My sisters brother complex has sincerely deplorably gone out of track. Thats bad. So bad that its on the level of making even monsters run away. Even Zonmi has gone pale. Lets go, Chiharu! Its dangerous to stay here! Yup. Zonmi took my hand. It seems we cant afford to wait for the bus. The instant we left the station as if we were in agreement, a tremendous killing intent was felt at our backs. Aaa, Youve taken Eh Youve takenD, Youve taken the handDDDDD!! Youve taken oniichans handDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!" I carefully looked back. There, Manami, with the face of a demon, had taken out of nowhere a couple of huge knifes with 40 cm. of blade length, and isnt she shortening distances with us with ferocious speed!? Man I dont know whats what With this you cant tell whos the monster. Chiharu, raise your speed. Y-Yeah! Zonmi was dashing while strongly pulling my hand. DZonmi is of course a monster, and seeing it like that makes me too quite the monster tamer. Could it be due to producing magic power? As of recent, my physical ability has risen conspicuously, reaching a level that cant be compared with a normal person. Thats why D I dont have to worry about the chance in a million that my sister catches usD Thats what I was thinking at the moment. Hya! As I thought Id heard a little shriek, suddenly, Zonmis arm that was pulling on my hand D was severed while fresh blood gushed out. Fufufu. At last, I caught you? From behind No, wrong. It was from the front. Before we could have noticed D there was my sister covered in the red of shed blood. What an amazing feat, my sister not only defeated a monster tamer and his partner in speed, but managed to sever the right arm that Zonmi was using to pull my hand too. Emm, where did she acquire such pointless combat ability? Good grief, thats bad for the heart. Had Zonmi not been from the ghoul clan Wouldnt that have been no laughing matter? Fufufu. Lass. How dare you cut my arm Today for sure I wont forgive you. Bring it on? Everyone who gets close to onii-chan is an enemy? Ill chop up your heart and body! Taking her umbrella out from her bag, Zonmi faced my sister. My sister being my sister, she faced Zonmi with the aforementioned huge kitchen knives while smiling ominously. Man I dont know whats what anymore Ever since Zonmi became a freeloader in the Kusumi residence, every day has been like this. Even if Im so worried, cant I even sigh!? My spirits are almost as low as when I threw a tantrum because I stained my newly bought shirt with curry sauce. Paying no attention to those two, I carefully got out of that place and went to school alone. Then, have you heard, Chiharu? Lunch break. My classmate from the seat next to mine, Sakurazaka Youhei, asked me with his cheeks stuffed with flavored bread. This good friend of mine is a man of the currently styled low fuel consumption hybrid kind, who likes 2D girls and loves 3D girls. It seems A-class has decided to do caramel apples. Eeh. Is that so. Tanaka from C-class does frankfurts. And didnt Yamazaki from D-class chose chocolate bananas? Yep. Both of them have made low-lifeness reach a whole new level. It seems they are using the confusion to make girls eat rod-shaped foods, and like that fulfill their hidden intentions of seeing them make sexy poses. Regarding our talk till now, its about the stands that will be set up during Saegusa festival. A stand even though we are in high school? You may be wondering, but to set up a stall is something specially regarded as part of our schools extra-curricular activities. To tell the truth, the reason I decided to go with Youhei to the festival is the following. About your booth It was yo-yo fishing, wasnt it? Yeah. Isnt it the best? The guys around me wont stop saying Isnt he too fired up!?, being no match for me. As expected. Your idea is on a whole different line of those of the perverts from the other classes. !! As soon as I remarked that, Youheis eyes got sharper. Ku, ku, ku. As I suspected. Chiharu I supposed that, being you, youd realize. You overestimate me. Anyone would notice if he used his imagination a bit. Nope. Apart from you, no one has realized it. That yo-yo fishing has become the best panty-seeing spotD!! As I see it, yo-yo fishing is the best panty-seeing spot owing to two facts. First. As we know, in the game known as yo-yo fishing, if you dont lower your hips enough you cant pick a yo-yo, but, on the other hand, girls strongly dislike to dirty their clothes by touching the ground with her butts. For that reason, since while yo-yo fishing they cant but keep their hips lowered on a halfway stance, that makes the perfect chance for panty-seeing. Second. The line of sight of the girls engrossed on yo-yo fishing, where is it aimed at Of course, at the yo-yoprey before their eyes. With this, no matter how wary the girl is, its difficult for them to realize their own defenseless stance. By the way, due to the former, when you try to google yo-yo fishing panty-seeing, you get a truly astonishing number of search results. Even if the monster affair has enlivened society Even today, the world is at peace. Now that we are talking about it, Chiharu, do you have someone to go with to the Saegusa festival this year? Still no luck Since I was rejected by Zonmi this morning. So its like that. If you ask me with your all, I may let you man the booth for a bit. What the heck!? If you are telling me that I will be able to see panties effortlessly Thats too good to be true. In that case, I want you to promise me something. Youhei put on a very serious expression, Since you are with me, make it so neither Zonmi-san nor your sister go to the festival. ? No problem. Though I find it very unexpected, Youheis suggestion is somewhat easy to achieve. Truth to be told, Zonmi has already rejected me once, and I doubt Manami will be able to make a friend before the day of the festival. May I ask the reason? Chiharu Me being still your best friend, I want us to be together! Hey, hey. You seem to be saying that if I went to the festival with two girls youll stop being my friend. Understood. Though I dont understand why, if its like that, Ill prevent those two from going to the festival. For real! Are you serious, pal! I was surrounded by his arms and hugged. Seeing it from outside, it gives a dangerous feeling, but even being hugged by Youhei, I think I kept my face from revolting. Gu, fu, fu, fu, fu. How long has it been since I looked forward to the day of the festival? Saegusa festival? Now that I think about it, long ago, I often went with Kyouko, but lately the chances have remarkably diminished. Now that I think about it, has she planned to go with someone to the festival? As I thought about that, once I reached my seat. Go-good morning! Haru! Speak of the devil. A clear soprano voice suddenly resounded inside the classroom. Looking in the direction of the voice, there was my childhood friend. The moment she set foot inside the classroom, my classmates spirits fired up like gunpowder. Uooooooooooooooooooo! Its Kyouko-samaaaa! Our angel has come doooooooown! Even after Zonmi transferred, Kyoukos popularity was as strong as ever. No, Id dare say it was even stronger than ever. The source was the Monthly Seiran underground magazine published each month by our schools newspaper club. According to the same issue, over these several weeks, havent some of the core members of the Kyouko Fan Club (KFC) taken the banner of revolution, established the Zonmi Fan Club (ZFC) and now both parties are in the middle of a bloody feud? What a fuss are these humans making. Engrossed until a while ago by the karaage roll she had for lunch, Zonmi expressed blatantly her displeasure without listening to the current conversation. Eeerm. Whats the matter? When I tried to ask, feeling an ominous premonition on my back, Kyouko blushed, We-well. I made an obentou for Haru! She spat those surprising words. Kyouko put before me a humongous three layered No, four layered bento box, then she averted her gaze while bashfully entwining her fingers. Heh. Humph. So its like that? Chiharu and the Nephilim, not minding that Im the partner, have entered into an unusual relationship. I misjudged you! You rom-com bastard! I think Ill hear those twos words anytime now. No, rather I want to hear them. I dont know what feelings do they hide inside their chests, but those two secretly pierced me with their glances without a word. As I thought I heard the creaking of plastic being broken, next instant, the remains of a pair of chopsticks rolled over the desk. If you have something to say, why dont you say it!? Chopsticks have no guilt! Yeah, erm. Currently, Kyouko-sama is intermingling with Kusumi Chiharu. Urgent, I request permission for bloodshed. Yeehaa! Serves you right, KFC! Its obvious our angel is Zonmi-san! The dubious students from next class came dashing, being as noisy as they pleased. Not that it matters, but KFC Isnt that fried chicken? What the heck How come? Why did you make this bentou for me all of a sudden? Eeerm. Thats, you see A change in the surroundings, the air was filled with tension. The classmates watched us intently as they drooled. I-its the same work doing one or two! I-it cameeee! The king of responses that nowadays only happens in games! Thanks for the treat. Im full. Thank you very much! What? Any problem? Since I made it for you, at least be thankful! Ye-yeah Then, what are you going to do? Will you eat it or not? Ill eat it. Fuun. Y-you should have said that from the beginning! Aah. Of course Id like to refuse. Nevertheless, If I refuse Kyoukos goodwill, she could not take it well. Im scared of the retribution from the KFC members. I dont know if Kyoukos plotting something, but itll be better to play along with her. Uwah! Next instant, Youheis shriek was heard. No one present at the site when it happened could do nothing more than stare silently. Speaking from the results, Youhei, who was until now seated next to me, has his head inside the garbage bin and is letting out anguished screams. A catastrophe. Its a catastrophe. Yo-Youhei!? This is bad! The infirmary! Someone take him to the infirmary! On the seat Youhei was occupying until a while ago, now is seated Kyouko, feigning innocence. Dreadfully, probably Youheis appearance doesnt reflect in her eyes. Since she has used too casually her monster powers, no one present has noticed her wrongdoing. But thats only natural. It has been so fast that, despite having the dynamic vision of a monster tamer, Ive barely noticed it Come on. You can tell me if the bentou I made for you is to your liking! While trembling as if there was a poltergeist phenomenon going around, she opened the bentou boxs lid with unsteady hands. If I have to talk about the contents D they surely are of top-notch quality. The fourth layer has white rice, while layers 1~3 seem to have been designed as side-dish areas. Fried prawn. Hamburger steak. Karaage. French fries. Spaghetti. Pork cutlet. Curry pilaf. Yakiniku. Steak. Sweet and sour pork. Salad. Fried salmon. Mackerel with miso. Takoyaki Etcetera, etcetera. Like that, it was filled with multicolored side-dishes made to be well-received by men. Kyouko. W-what? Could it be You want me to eat all of this? Yeah. I tried to choose and make only what Haru liked, but Sadly, it seems she has no ill will. I dont understand the exact reason, but since long ago her harsh efforts end all going on weird directions. Aah. Then. Bon appetite. I carefully reached out with my chopsticks to the hamburger steak. How is it? Yeah. The usual deliciousness. Theres no problem with the ingredient selection or their passing over the flames, and also there was no complaint about its quality. Id believe it if they said to me this had come from a restaurant. Izzat so? Thats good Kyouko, letting out an exhalation of deep relief, gazed at me with a dazzling expectation, Come, why dont you try the next one? If you ask me, Im confident on how the fried shrimp has come out She asked me as if it was only natural. This flow of events It gives me bad vibes. I looked around looking for help, but each and every one of them conspicuously turned away their glances, so I couldnt meet their eyes. It seems I deserve it, it can only be called divine punishment. Whats the matter? Could it be it doesnt suit your tastes perhaps? I couldnt get rid of my suddenly meek childhood friend, her eyes tinged with uneasiness. Since it has come to this, even I Better to steel my stomach Having made my decision, I, with tearful eyes, I gulped down the hamburger and white rice as if stuffing them into my throat. *MUNCH MUNCH* *MUNCH MUNCH* Resolutely, I kept chewing. My stomach capacity has reached its limits long ago. Its as if I could end up throwing everything up anytime if I so much let some air out. However, I cant go and give up. This Kyouko, what the heck What was she thinking, making so much bentou? I dont know the circumstance, but she wouldnt have prepared so much bentou for no ordinary reason. Thats why, Ill eat it. Ill keep eating it. After a while I could see the end. Another bite. Another bite Only this last piece of pineapple from the sweet-sour pork and finished! Blergh! Nevertheless, reality is not so kind. Having my stomach reached long ago the limits of its capacity, its contents were thrown up in an explosion of a paste resembling egg icecream. Danger! Kusumi has been defeated!! To the infirmary! Even if its Kusumi, take him to the infirmary! What. I see a beautiful river. Could this be The Sanzu river? He y The one whos waving to me from the other side Is it Youhei? I see. You also fell in a very flashy manner. Youhei I follow your steps. Good grief. How can you be this soft-hearted, Master? While I was losing consciousness, I thought I heard Zonmis voice. As soon as Kyouko reached her apartment, she buried her face in her pillow and hanged her head. The worst. If thats not the worst, then what would you call the worst? The nicely timed handmade bentou tactic had ended in utter failure. For sure, its the fault of the size of the bentou, I got carried away and did too much, I think I have many things to reflect on. Then, no wonder, it ended up making him faint All the same, I should have predicted it. Hah I let out a deep sigh. Like this, usurping the contract is but a pipe dream. If I keep it like this, wont I be forced to make a contract with the partner that I dont want? With Chiharu ever after, is that a destiny denied to me? Thinking like that, I felt my mood steadily going down. Im going to support you! Kyouko-oneechan. From somewhere, the voice of a girl could be heard. Who!? Thats weird. When I got out, if Im not wrong, I locked the door. Right now, no one should be inside this room other than me. No one should? Next instant, *BAM!*, the wardrobes door was opened with force. Following that, a familiar human came out rolling like a pill bug. Kusumi Manami. The one who has suddenly come out from inside my homes wardrobe was Chiharus little sister. Unintentionally, I held my head in my hands. I dont know what Chiharu thinks, but whats inside the head of this little sister thats rolling there was a mystery. What are you doing? Manami-chan. Worried as I was, I could hardly squeeze out those harmless words. Dont mind it, oneechan! Dont mind!? Isnt that a full-fledged crime? Dont you have something to say about that!? Fufu. Thats that. Now, compared with oneechans problems, thats trifling. Am I wrong? --Wha Since it was spot-on, Kyouko was unconsciously taken aback, Eeeerm. What do you mean by supporting me? I asked with a somewhat forced smile. Cheering on your love, of course? Kyouko-oneechan, dont you love oniichan? What? However. Oneechans recently abused template of tsundere childhood friend, is it a successful approach against oniichan? Is not, right? R-rather, about liking Haru, I don Aaa. Yeah, yeah. Its fine to go with that character. You like him, dont you? Its not possible to keep a secret from her, so it seems. Yes. I like him. I love him. Just when I voiced that, I noticed my face heating up. (Whats with This situation!?) Why am I confessing my loving someone to that someones little sister? Why was she inside my rooms wardrobe? As the questions kept popping up, feeling that shed lose if she thought deeply about it, Kyouko gave up thinking. Yep, yep. Lets go straight to the point? ? That love, Ill help you fulfill it! Eh, From today onwards, Manami will be loves Cupid for you two! Ill teach Kyouko-oneechan about love! Eeeeeeehhhhh!? I didnt understand the reason. Isnt it somewhat sad that I have to learn about love from a girl younger than me? Dont worry. Since if you leave it to me, everything will be OK! Feel at ease, Kyouko-oneechan!! Hah I could only sigh. Since I cant reply, it seems Ive given my consent. Thats weird. Manami is a well-known bro-con. I dont know what reason shed have to help me with my love. Ufufu. Now I can make Kyouko onee-chan get in the way of that ghouls romance! Youve let out your true thoughts!? I dont understand a bit of whats happening, but I can say a single thing. That is, it seems that its my fate to be completely manipulated by these pair of siblings. Volume 2 3 — Honey Trap Volume 2 Chapter 3: Honey Trap Since I dont know from where to start, lets go in order for the time being. Before my eyes there is a female pervert. How unexpected. It seems I was greatly mistaken. About the being called female pervert, until now. I believed they were beings that only lived inside male fantasies, but that was a great mistake. Thinking a bit about it, its obvious, but seeing that beings like dragons and ghouls surprisingly do exist in reality, theres no reason why female perverts wont. Nevertheless. No, indeed. That there was a female pervert so close to me I didnt expect it. What are you doing? Kyouko. Totally overflowing with uneasiness, I said the name of my childhood friend. Eerrm. What You dont get it? Lets rewind and reassess the situation. Its lunch break. I was dragged by Kyouko into the womens toilet at the back of the school. Currently, in front of me, I see my childhood friend with her skirt rolled up and flaunting her panties to me. I-I dont think you understand what Im saying This sudden plot twist would leave even Polna?ff speechless. I can See your panties. Errm. Thats all? Thats all. Th-that cant be all! Isnt there something!? Like feelings! Why should I tell you what I feel when I see your panties!? Ugh! Thats Being questioned, Kyouko became flustered, Uuu. Saying that any boy should fall once they are shown panties Manami-chan, you liar With her skirt still rolled up, she muttered something. I dont know whats happening, but since I cant bear seeing her like this. Understood. Ill tell you. Listen. Eh? Since Ill tell you my feelings on seeing your panties Dont make that face. Really!? Its a deep mystery why shes so happy, but Kyouko let out a smile like a flower in bloom. Ughh Really What have we been talking about since a while ago? A situation of being forced to reveal my feelings on seeing her panties I really dont know what her aim is. How should I put it, its repetitive. What? A really big question mark floated over Kyoukos head. Aah. Errm. Ive said repetitive, havent I? I meant it as repetitive in the good sense. I dont think you should be bothered by it Repetitive in the good sense what!? Not the ones youre specifically wearing right now, those pastel color with pink and yellow and such with a frilly ribbon ones. So, so its like that. But, is it something that boys like, after all? Of course. Id say its a genre with established popularity, but You dont agree!? Frankly, Im personally fed up First things first, will wearing them like that make boys rejoice? Doesn''t it defeat the original purpose? Id say this sense of security is a no-go. So, if you first take the boy to a safe location, thats a weak pattern. Besides, I have no complaints against the staple genre, but do you only wear that kind? Katsudon is delicious, but if you eat nothing but it, wont you get bored for sure? To begin with. Am I not accustomed to see your underwear Ah! Darn. I was so engrossed talking about my well-liked topic of panties that Ive ran my mouth. It could bethat Ive unknowingly hurt Kyouko. I see. I lack delicacy. How could I liken a girls panties to katsudon Im the worst. It should be at least macaron or tiramisu One of those posh desserts As I expected, Kyouko lowered her sight and with her shoulders seemingly trembling, Uwaaaaa! Haru, you moroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!" With teary eyes, she ran away full throttle. Alone. I''ve been left alone at the girls restroom. Errrm. What was that? That Kyouko. What the heck does she pretend? If you thought about showing me your panties out of the blue, then you ran away with teary eyes No matter what, I don''t think its a sane reaction. Both yesterdays bentou and todays panties clearly give me bad vibes. But, since I wont get anything no matter how hard I think about it, Well, recently weather has gone hotter Saying that Is that it? With that half-baked reflection, I directed a pitiful glance to the gradually shrinking back of my childhood friend. After class. While answering the booklet with past questions of the Test Centre; I just bought at the school library, once I went home, the sun was setting. Being alone, I started thinking about many things. About dinner. About school. About friends. About if Id dedicate myself on being a monster tamer from now on. I walk on the white lines of the asphalt at twilight. If I manage to reach home while only stepping on the white lines I feel like something good is bound to happen tomorrow. I know. I feel, however, good things dont come so easily. Since chances are good that by tomorrow Id forget about this, theres no way to prove it. Even so, I like to do these kinds of pointless things when Im alone. ? Before the park Ive gone countless times as a child. My sight fell on a single spot. A single girl was lost in her thoughts on the swings. Golden hair fixed in rather short twintails. A dull red robe that seemed taken straight out a fantasy world. Those eyes were of a crimson that overshadowed the current sunset sky. Iris? The one there is the red dragon girl I exchanged promises to make a contract with. Iris Scarlet Lindwurm. That was her. That voice The tamer? Iris stopped swinging and turned her face in my direction. Am I overthinking things? That face, is not of her usual haughtiness, it feels like shes thinking hard about something. I see. It had totally slipped my mind. Now that I ponder, thy nest lays in the vicinity. Nest, she says. When talking with Iris, her usual sense of Japanese language makes me nuts. By the way, Iris, why are you in the area? Could it be youve covered all this distance to come to see me? Nice jest, coming to accompany idlers like you. Haha But I think its more of an idler the one whos playing on the swings at the park in broad daylight. I have a reason for coming to this area. And thatsto inquire about a certain someone. A certain someone? As I parroted her words as a question, Iriss eyes became harsh. The Monster Tamer of the Catastrophe. The name is Noelle North Norm. Five years ago Shes one of the key persons on the slaughtering of my tribe. !? The next instant. I felt like that name would easily shake the foundations of what was until now your usual everyday. The monster tamers engaged in the crime of abusing monsters The Black Tamers. Just the other day I fought against one of those Black Tamers that wanted to get his hands on Iris'' dragon blood. Could I have been mistaken until now? A peaceful everyday. A world at peace. To me those are no more than a house of cards. Not even an instant. If they resent me because of last days battleyou could say my life is currently on grave danger 24/7. It seems adequate to suppose our foes wont let the recent skirmish slip out. It could be we have found the trace of some unknown bigwig. Then, Iris, what will you do once youve found that guy? Thou dostnt have to ask. The moment I meet him, I shall tear him apart. Since to me, from the very start That has been my objective in life. Shouldn''t I say something to her? Since revenge will bear nothing, stop it. Since killing people is bad, stop it. If I act as an ally of justice, itll be easy to spit out a sensible reasoning. Nevertheless. The people who can say that kind of lip service are the ones who are living in bliss. I have a question. Lets say, those lawyers and jurist that right now are arguing against the current death penalty. If one of their relatives was murdered by a total stranger for selfish reasons, could they still stand for their beliefs with the same conviction? Since I dont want to pose as an ally of justice by brandishing the prevailing view I wont deny her. I see. Thats good. As I let out my honest opinion, Iris made a face as if she was not convinced, Unexpected. Being thee, wont you exercise unnecessary meddling and suggest me to stop? Thats the life youve decided on. Even If it was wrong, Im not qualified to deny it. Good. It seems thou hast grown up whilst I was not looking. However, let me tell you a single thing. *BRUSH* I softly petted Iris'' head and said. Wont you stop getting involved in so many unnecessary problems? Right now, you Your face shows quite a lot of suffering. Wh-what art thee basing that nonsense on!? If I keep with that, shell end up losing her temper. I pretended not to see it and got back on track. Because of thee Hadnt it be because of thee, I should have strayed from the proper path. Against humansI was consumed by the flames of hatred. For that reason" I felt like Iris fiercely muttered something, but the sound of the night breeze drowned it and it didnt reach my ears. Going back a week. This is the threshold between the Netherworld and the Human Realm. A group of men and women were inside an old castle that towered over a desolate wasteland. Then, could you tell me about the capture of code 001, red dragon. Yes. A man with easterner factions that bore the nickname of Tamer of the Black Beasts. Clarie Shernfelt lowered his head in front of the masked woman. My apologies. It went well until midway, but An unforeseen nuisance got in the way Hou. Kusumi. The name is Kusumi Chiharu. Anguish surfaced to the mans expression, Boss! Give me one more chance, please! Next time, along with the dragon bloodIll see to bring you that guys head! Though the man pleaded frantically to personally repay the dishonor, the womans tone was freezing cold. Thats not necessary. Ive entrusted everything about him to Noelle. !? The Tamer of the Catastrophe. Noelle North Norm. Clarie couldnt suppress his agitation after hearing that name. Hey, hey. that''s a joke right? Why the heck? Sending such a bigshot to engage a rookie Boss Let me tell you that thats excessive. I object! And why may it be? Theres too much risk! If you let out that monster, it will be literally catastrophic. Even innocent people will get invol Guah! Next instant. A big lump of rocks hit the man in the gut. No. Calling it simply rocks is not exact. A mineral giant with a soul in its bodystone golem. Obviously, it is a monster under the command of a powerful monster tamer. Onee-san. Can I kill him? That girl appeared suddenly, without anyone noticing. Wine red hair like spilled blood, a black dress with varied ornaments. Her features had a crafted beauty, but the only thing that engraved itself on the memories was her relentless glance without any warmth. Guh. Noelle What the heck is with this behavior Nothing~. This behavior doesnt mean anything. Do you need a reason to crush summer flies? Noelle Let him go now. Che. Being reprimanded by the masked woman, she let go of the man with a dissatisfied expression. You b*tch You have to focus on pleasing the boss at all times! Do you want me to crush you here right now!? Even though the man hollered and reached his ring to his lips, Noelles face didnt flinch. Clarie. My bad, could you leave? B-but Its an order. Understood. Commanded to leave against his will, Clarie, after directing to Noelle a glance full of blood thirst, left the place. Noelle. Do you know what you have to do from now on? I know. Killing that Kusumi Chiharu human, right? The same old task. Go, me. Wrong. Thats a 30 points answer. Eeerm. Is it killing him by beating the senses out of him? Or maybe killing by harassing? Correct answer Will you do that? However, you can only kill him if hes not as powerful as youunderstood? Yeaaah. *GRIN* Noelle made a wide charming grin. The masked womans feelings were conflicted. Kusumi Chiharu. While possessing the body of a human; a tamer who housed inside it the power of the Maou. If this fake-looking piece of info ended up being realhe should be put without delay under the control of the organization. In order to pull the trigger to activate his chimera powersa shock treatment of some sorts. Its necessary to corner him into a limit situation due to battle. And for that there was a secret plan. Since, come the time, all the needed trump-card tools willve been gathered, there will be no problem. If there was some king of factor of unrest (Theres too much risk is it?) Claries claim has a point. Its an undeniable truth that Noelle holds the skill of a one-man army, butregrettably, shes very twisted. Not having in mind any kind of thoughtful tactic apart from sheer combat, one could say shes not very suited to this times mission. ( What do I hope, I wonder?) She was stumped at her own naivety. Being him, he could very well cast a ray of light over the darkness inside Noelles heart. Even knowing that was not possible, she still held some hope inside her heart. The masked woman showed a self-deprecating smile, having fallen into evil, but still not having become completely cold-hearted. Rock tribe: Stone golem. LV: 15. Physical strength: A. Power: A. Speed: E. -------- Powerful rock monster. Boasts a power that can destroy even a building. Becomes dull when wet. Serial number: 050 Volume 2 4 — Recollections of a certain summer day Volume 2 Chapter 4: Recollections of a certain summer day That night, I had a dream. A dream that I was aware I was dreaming. Ive heard of it on the TV or somewhere. I think they are called lucid dreams? People say that lucid dreams can be manipulated to attempt things like Lets do naughty things inside a dream!, but of course Im not capable of that kind of skillful behavior. The most I can do is to wake up inside the lucid dream and see the events from the perspective of a third party. The contents of my dreams are mostly reminiscences of past events. I dont have a clue why, butlike when I blacklisted the mail I received from the IMA, to the somewhat forgetful me Id say its very handy (it may be by chance that I remember things I thought Id forgotten). This time its from when I was in my last year of elementary school That day I went to the Saegusa festival. Dont wanna! I dont want to be apart from Chiharu-kun! A scream that seemed squeezed out from the depths of the throat. At my side, clad in a yukataseemingly a bit less stylish than currently, the Kyouko back from elementary school. This was the place of our memories. Midway uphill and removed from the core of the festival, a not very known spot that was perfect to see the fireworks. Dont be unreasonable. Even if you say you dont like it, nothing can be done against family issues, right? But But Besides, mom said it, right? Even if we move out Well be back in a year or so. Its not like we wont meet again. Around five years ago. Due to my mothers job, I was out of my hometown for about a year. Thinking about it now. That time, how harsh were the words I told the girl before my eyes? Back then our relationship was somewhat different from whats called friendship. That was Without mincing the words, it was dependence. The Kyouko from back then was like a chick that took for its parent the first person it saw after birth, she followed me. One year is too long. Since Chiharu-kun is so forgetful Youll probably end up forgetting about me Dont worry. Since I wont forget you. I dont have a reason to believe in those words! I wont forget. Liar! You may say that, but since you are Chiharu-kun Its in you to forget your promises! Ueh. How much do you not trust me But of course I think my memory is only up to about that. I wont hand Chiharu-kun to no one. I wont! With big fat tears on her eyes, Kyouko grabbed my sleeve. Yup. How weak she was She hasnt changed in the least. Once Kyouko decides something, in that case her obstinacy wont let her budge a bit. Once we get to this point, theres no convincing her. What? Now that I think, if thats true What was with that incident of the past? How did I break through that situation back then? Lets speak from the results. Where the sentence I spurted to Kyouko that time is concerned, as it competes for the first, second rank on my dark history, was something that could kill me from embarrassment. Kyouko. What day is today? ? What day July 7th. It obviously is Tanabata. Yeah. Thats right. Todays the once a year day Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet Its a bit like us two right now. Thats whylets make a wish. Like what? In short Like this. I took a tanzaku from the bag and started to write a sentence with a pen. So that Kyouko and I can be together forever. Gyaaaaa. My head hurts Thats right, I did something like that I think I understand now why I had forgotten it until now. If I remembered something so embarrassing, my self would crumble in an instant. Im glad. This tanzaku Ill treasure it forever. Are you for real? Could it be that Kyouko Is weak against this kind of conceited remarks? Th-the truth is, me too. I was also about to make something for todays festival, but Saying that, Kyouko took out a tanzaku of the same size as mine The moment I leant over to see what was written in it, my senses went back to reality. That time, what was the wish that Kyouko had written on the tanzaku? Though I feel that it was something I absolutely mustnt forget, that it was something very precious to me, as Ive awaken from the dream, theres no way to check. Once I woke upI was on top of my bed; all four of my limbs chained. Good grief. This pattern once again? Sad, isnt it? Though a normal person would have slim involvement with situations like this, to me, this State of being bound by chains and handcuffs was a usual thing no different from a mid-morning coffee break. When, sighing, I reminisced how things got this way I could easily pinpoint the culprit. That was Right after I finished my dinner. After drinking the coffee Manami made me, my memory was totally blank. In other words It should be that. Darn. That Manami She always does as she pleases! Youve woken up. However What entered my viewwas an unforeseen scene. There was the neglige-clad figure of my childhood friend. Furthermore, its not an ordinary neglige. The thinness of the fabric that clung to Kyoukobeing a see-through material, if you look closely, from the gaps on the lacy weave you could catch glimpses of her pale pink underwear. Sorry I couldn''t think of anything else. Erm. What the heck is this for? Though this time I strayed from the usual pattern and tried to choose an adult-like underwear. Does it Suit me? Ignoring my question, Kyouko asked me with uneasiness in her glance. Lets say it clearly. Suiting her or not I think its of a level on a completely different dimension. Sexy. Could it be that until now I never regarded Kyouko as someone of the other sex? The neglige-clad figure of Kyouko is charming and has enough power to make my reasoning crumble. Strayed from the usual pattern, you say Could it be that you still hold a grudge about that time? Of course. Didnt you hurt my womanly pride? If thats the case, then sorry. Ive apologized. So put some clothes on and remove these bindings asap. Sorry. I cant do that. Why!? Why, you ask Because then it will be a hindrance for snatching Harus chastity, aint I right? Ah. Ive noticed too late. In this situation that cant be seen as nothing other than two people alone on the same bed I cant offer any kind of resistance. Eeerm. Lets cool our head. Could this be Whats called a desperate crisis? Wait! Explain to me first whats happening! Haru, did you know? Whispering into my ear, I havent gotten serious yet. Kyouko suddenly leant on me, covering me like a blanket. Soft. And she smelt very good. In a single breath, her face got closer. We were at a distance where simply by breathing a bit, both our lips would meet. Even if I try to resistsince my body is numb, I cant move. Could this too be the doing of the drug? If I could move my body a bit, maybe I could break through For what it counts, Kyouko grabbed my shirt. I felt like a carp being cut apart on top of a chopping board. This is bad. This is bad. This is bad. My first time will be a reverse rape by my childhood friend It cant be more pathetic. Mm, wait. While thinking on a plan to break through, a question suddenly surfaced on my mind. Why am I so unhappy, to begin with? Kyouko Its crystal clear that, judging only by looks, my childhood friend is quite the beauty. No, lets stop running away by saying only by looks. I do realize shes truly hardworkingshes equally beautiful inside. And thats not my subjective opinion. Her popularity at school is enough proof. Apart from her, theres no other charming girl that will say shell snatch my chastity. Shouldnt I be thankful? Wouldnt it be better that I, for the sake of future reference, gave up in a manly way? Ng. Right when my thoughts had turned into a mood of resignation. Kyouko, sighing as if she had realized something, stopped the hand she had been moving until then. Th-that pendant Mm? Most likelyit must have fallen into her view while opening my shirt. Right when Kyouko saw the pendant I was wearing, she looked like she was surprised, her eyes round. Wh-why are you Aah, this? It looks like a very old thing, but, recently, it appeared while tidying my room. Could this be my chance? I have totally no idea of the reason why, but it seems like a certain fact that this pendant is Kyoukos weak point. Clinging to a ray of hope, I connected a rapid-fire barrage of words. For some reason I couldnt get rid of it and tried wearing it, but Does it suit me? Its nothing. I dont think thats possible, but Kyouko muttered shortly, as if not interested. However. I didnt miss it. Just now, Kyoukos appearance was clearly unusually agitated. As soon as her bodily temperature rose, her hands and feet started trembling. Why this timing? Could it be Kyouko knows something about this pendant? No, we can also think of it backwards. The attitude of firmness she had until a while ago seems weird. For what reason? Being acquainted since elementary school is not for show. Shes not like a certain little sister of mine. Kyouko, by nature, is not capable of thissneak love-making visiting as she pleases as if she went to buy an ice-cream from the convenience store. !? And, I did notice. A single tear fell from Kyoukos eye. I see. Thats right. At that time, I was convinced. Her current behavior is clearly not on her own volition If I think it for a bit, its obvious. When a boy and a girl love each other, its not likely that the girl would engage in this kind of sneak love-making visiting as she pleases, I believe. While it could be, its no more than a supposition. The bentou, the girls toilet. Both of the recent incidents Kyouko caused may be related to the current one. In any case, something must be happening. There should be some deep-rooted cause to Kyoukos weird behavior Though my body is far from being in best condition, thanks to the long chatting, it seems its become considerably better than a while ago. If its in this condition, perhaps By using the one special skill I fostered by growing with sad family circumstancesthe Getting Free of Bounds technique. Sorry, Kyouko. I cant return your feelings. You are bad knowing when to give up. She resolutely said over her shoulder, Have you forgotten perhaps your standing? If I felt inclined to respect your intentions We wouldnt have got to this. That may be true. However, you too have forgotten something. What? Cooling my head, I, showing off said quite the cool sentence. My bad, I havent I for 16 years been protecting my chastity from my little sister? And, as I bent all the joint of my body on impossible angles. *CRACK, CRACK* *SNAP, SNAP* *CREACK, CREAK* That way, sounds like taken out from a manga echoed through my room. I-impossible Did you know? About living beings. Dont they evolve in order to adapt to their surroundings? E-even so. A regular human Better, any living being able to bend its joints like thateeeeeeeeeeh!? Kyouko was in a state of bare surprise before my shocking squirming motions suitable of a soft-bodied being. Do-dont look at me as if I werent human If pushed, Id say, arent you lot better further removed from humans? I missed you MAI HANDO. I was deeply moved by my arms that were fixed at my back by the handcuffs. Following that, bringing the cuffs to my mouth, I bit them off. I see. I Made a mistake. Kyouko, once I managed to break free from my restrictions, sobbed and sighed while facing no one. Why have you been behaving so stupidly? I cannot say. If you knew, youll surely become disillusioned. Clearly having many things I want to say to her, once I saw her face, my words thawed inside my throat like ice. Lets say the truth. Not even I understand it. But, you know, even if I was making a mistake, if I keep trying without giving up, surely a way will open itself. Thats what I feel. Aaah. This kind of half-baked one is the worst pattern. Its repulsive, right? You see, Kyouko. The thing that keeps bothering her is not a skin-deep obstacle. If something bothers you, I want you to consult it with me. If its me, I think Ill surely will be able to support you. Kyouko, for an instant, opened her eyes wide in surprise, but quickly abruptly averting her sight, Im sorry Since theres nothing I can say to you A word of apology. Picking up her uniform that had fallen to the ground, she dashed out in an unladylike manner. What the heck was all that, I wonder. Ive known Kyouko for a long time, but I feel that being rejected so obstinately is a first up to date. Looking in reaction to a big thunder, the scenery was blanketed by bullet-like raindrops. It seems tonight will pour. June 6th. The night before the Saegusa festival. Having an uncomfortable feeling that I couldnt get rid of, I spent all night awake. Volume 2 5 — On the night of the festival Volume 2 Chapter 5: On the night of the festival June 7th. Saturday. At last, the day of the Saegusa festival has come. What will be the impact of yesterdays sudden evening shower? Todays temperature is 21oC. Under the shade to protect from the heat of these last days, dressed in casual T-shirt and jeans, it feels a bit unpleasantly chilly. Mister. One try, please. Thanks for your patronage. Receiving in payment two 100 yen coins, I was handed in return two paper fishing rods with a W-shaped hook. I wonder, why are we blessed with this cool weather. In the usual yearly hubbub of the Saegusa festival, Youheis yo-yo fishing booth seems to be unexpectedly popular. Customers are mainly elementary schoolers accompanied by their parents, but surprisingly there are lots of female middle school customers of age no different from ours. Despite that. At first glance it seems there arent any that fit our desired statsD We have yet to fulfill our original purpose. Ugaaah!? There hasnt been even one customer with a skirt!? At midday, when no customers came. Having reached the peak of his anger, Youhei, beside me, vented his dissatisfaction. Well, the temperature has dropped eight degrees since yesterday. Isnt it obvious that miniskirts-wearing customers wont come? Ku Why, if yesterday it was awfully hot, how did today became cooleeeeer! I wonder about that too Girls are girls! They had to come, all of them in trousers just because temperatures have slightly dropped! Dont you lot have any pride!? What pride. Not being able to follow the nonsensical contents of his speech, though I still could understand Youheis feelings. The carefully planned plot to see pantyshots was obstructed by the uncertainty of the luck factor from the weatherD On that, I have to agree. Chiharu I will take revenge! Why so sudden. Ill smash all those girls that raise the set temperature on the classrooms air conditioner on a whim without reading the mood! Oh, Lord. Forgive Youhei, who has somehow strayed. I dare say, under extreme circumstances where he doesnt know if hes angry or mad at someone, his feelings are in disarray. The talk steadily progressed on a totally unrelated direction. Darn it. Why do girls overcome boys opposition to rise the temperature of the air conditioner, I wonder. Dont you know!? Dont girls and boys feel temperature differently? Moreover, whats with that girl-oriented fashion that adamantly makes them dress scantily? By dressing scantily, not saying how can they protect against cold with that minimal blankets, isnt there something called etiquette? What youre saying, well I dont really get it, but At least, that doesnt have any relation? And you say that being very hot is not enough reason for boys to attend classes naked!! How much more will you stretch that topic?! Thats all. My bad. I got carried away. Yep. No problem. Lets cool our heads by changing the mood. Chiharu While Im away buying some drinks, Ill leave the stall in your hands. Are you sure? While Im manning the booth, couldn''t a girl wearing a skirt come here? Youhei, with his hands on his hips, let out a magnificent laugh, Gahahaha! Dont worry about it. Chiharu Without regard for all the pretty girls around you, you decided to stick with me. That made me really glad. Thats why Even if you hog all the pantyshots from pretty girls, I wont resent you. Youhei! I unconsciously let out filled with admiration. As I thought, this guy is unshakable, I feel a mysterious sense of security when Im with him. In truth, I only came with him because I had nothing better to do But since its gotten this far, its too late to tell him. Right when Youhei left me on charge of the booth. Ah. Onii-chan found!! When I looked in reaction of that familiar sounding voice, I found the yukata-clad figure of my sister with her eyelids closed in a >< fashion. He-hey. Isnt it Manami? Being greeted by my sister, realizing myself the stiffness of my unnatural greeting, I felt somewhat uneasy. Hee. Onii-chan is selling yo-yos in his booth. Ive told you Aint I helping with a friends shop? I know. Ehehe. But, havent you done something bad to that friend? Ive brought the promised friend? Eh? Could it be? Not that cant Darn, you should stop telling jokes from time to time. It cant be youve conveniently made a friend on such short aD As I stopped on my tracks, I noticed the existence of that girl right behind Manami. Could it be shes a foreigner? She was a striking girl with long straight blond hair dressed in a cute pink yukata. Judging from her height, she didnt seem to be the same age as Manami. At that height, Id even say shes still in elementary school. Even lined up with my sister, she gave no feeling of being out of place, she gave off an adult-like impression. Eeerm. The Whos that child? What~!? Could it be that youve not noticed, onii-chan? What should I notice? Isnt this girl someone you know very well? Dont be stupid. What blonde acquaintance have I Other than Iris, theres no one. Seeing my sisters clear expression of youve said it, a single possibility crossed my mind. Could it be you are Iris? Shining golden hair and glittering red eyes. Now that you said it, she has some likenesses. But isnt it normal not to notice? She isn''t wearing her usual robe, and she let her hair down. With her eyes lowered, the blonde beauty nodded in embarrassment. Fu Laugh if thou wantst, Tamer. She let out a self-torturing smile. Why would I? Someone like me that stems from the noble bloodline of the dragons, so lowly I look like a human lass Isnt that what thou art thinking? With a glance of understanding, Iris looked far away. It seems like Iris is not pleased by her appearance. But since to me it seemed like it suited her, I thought she looked cute. I dont understand the circumstances very well, but Unless you hate that look, isnt it fine? Si-since I like this kind of look When asked, Iris, averting her gaze ended up speaking very softly. Maybe theres some reason she cant tell people? About that, Manami will tell you? *GRIN* Manami showed a devilish smile. Wha. Iris, surprisingly losing her composure, Hu-human. Havent I instructed thee to keep silent about that in particular!? Iris-chan, did you know? My sisters face turned from devilish to demon-like. Humans, you know? They are treacherous beings. Thats why. Shouldnt you not believe in them so much? Th-Thou bastaaaaaaaard. Haha You really do as you please too much, sister of mine Thats some daredevilry. Not only Zonmi, you even pick fights with Iris With this and thatD I found out what lead to Iris coming here. DAnd, for that reason, since Iris-chan is too cute, I ended up unintentionally kidnapping her. Tehe. Haah Why have you After listening to her story for a whileD Manami, heartbroken after the rejection of a date with her brother, in order to heal her heart, she headed to her usual sex toy store (there are several things to tsukkomi, but I spared them so as to let the story go on). On the way. It seems she found a girl in front of a stall for the festival looking intently at the baby castellas as if wanting some. To tell you the truth, it is the case that that girl was none other than Iris. It seems that to someone who has lived up till now in the Netherworld like Iris, food from human world stalls looks very charming. Nevertheless. Since she lacked human world currency, she could do nothing but to be at loss. And then Manami jauntily appeared. In exchange for treating her to the food from stalls, she asked her to come together to the festival as friends. Like that, thats the reason for this situation. I see. You bribed her to become your friend. Dont say disgraceful things! Iris-chan and Manami as of recently do get along really well?, right, Iris-chan? (Hmph) Iris, with scornful eyes, silently averted her glance. Seems like she holds a grudge due to the recent betrayal. MuuD Being unable to receive endorsement, Manami, becoming sullen, got close Iris and whispered into her ear. ( Wait! Thats troubling, Iris-chan! Youre not saying what we agreed onD) (FuD) (Is something the matter?) (Ridiculous. Surely, dostnt thee think thou hast tamed me to that degree? The nature of the beings known as dragons is that of superior beings that dont get attached to humans. They dont mingle with lasses likeD) (Understood. I understand. Then, lets make a bargain.) Manami rummaged inside her bag and took out a beautifully wrapped candied apple. (Mmm. Whats this golden shining offering!?) ( To tell the truth, I had reserved it to eat it later.) Hey. What the heck are you two whispering about? Fu. I cant but acknowledge it. Ive spent an eternity together with this human beside meDweve been long-time friends. I have absolutely not bribed her, have I? And what was that short give and take interval? Be as it may, if I look how happy Iris is removing the wrap and stuffing her mouth with her recently received candied apple, I can guess. Witness it! Iris-chan and Manami had become friends before? No, no. Doesn''t matter what you say I cant acknowledge it. It wasnt fraud. Not matter how much I think I sighed. How do I put it If you had to ask someone, it did not have to be specifically Iris. Wouldnt it have been faster if you had persuaded Zonmi, who lives at home? That, are you being serious? It would help me a lot better if you lot got along better. Absolutely not! Spending all day long beside that zombie girl! I could easily catch her zombie virus! It could cause a bio-hazard! Aah. Its good that Zonmi is not here. These snide remarks before the person in question Theres no way I can tell her. Fufu. What an interesting conversation. Mind if I join? A somewhat frigid tone that seemed wrapped in coldness. Zonmi!? Speak of the devil and it shall appear. In the direction of the voice, there was Zonmis figure releasing such a silent pressure that at any time wed hear a thundering sound effect. Isnt this whats called awkward? Why among all girls around me there are lots of these unexpected places at unexpected moments ones, I wonder. You Didnt you say you wouldnt come to the festival? Change of schedule. Since today the weather is bearable in the human world. I see. Heavy clouds. Chilly temperature. Todays weather that a certain yo-yo balloon vendor called the worst condition, seems to be just fine for ghouls. Even so, how surprising. As Zonmi spoke with an indifferent tone, the atmosphere was filled with tension. Could it be that even the red dragon has come to this placeD? Nu? With an appearance like that Judging from appearances, havent you got hooked to human world entertainment? Said Zonmi with a sarcastic tone. That glance was filled with clear hostility. Thats right. Though those two are currently in a ceasefire, some time ago Zonmi and Iris engaged in battle to make a contract with me. It may be that Zonmi keeps her guard up against Iris. Being recognized, Iris hastily hid her candied apple behind her back, Kukkuku. Thou seest, thou dostnt know nothing. She dodged it while her forehead was covered in sweat. However, isnt it somewhat sad to dodge it with such a clichd expression! Since candied apples are difficult to eat, theres no other way, though. About that, Chiharu Is the proposition from before still valid? Why so sudden? To tell the truth, since earlier, what kind of thing are those so-called human world festivalsDIve developed an unusual interest. DThats why, when I was invited by Chiharu before, it made me very happy. Is that so? Yes. For that reason, lets promptly go around these booths. Show me around the area, please. Zonmi continued with a This place is dangerous in a weak voice. It seems this girl is worried about me. Aah. If you say thatD Wait a minuteDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!" As I turned back while grabbed by Zonmi, Manami let out an ear-splitting shout. Wait a minute, what the heck!? I really dont understand this!! Why has the flow gone to the late-comer Zonmi hogging a date with onii-chan!! Its very weird!! Aah. Yup. My bad Since Im sorry Please stop taking out those knives in public. At worst, they could report us. Then, answer! Onii-chan, who do you want to go to the festival with!? Just to be sure, is there no option of all of us going around together? That is an absolute no! Only that absolutely cannot be! These guys Theyve said it in dubious harmony. I dont know if their relationship is that good or that bad. Well, what do I do? Speaking from my personal feelings, since going only with Manami is not an option, that only leaves going with Zonmi, but No doubt, things are not going to be that easy. If I choose Zonmi here, I feel that soon things will get messy. No, Ill affirm it. Things will absolutely get messy. If I leave Iris and Manami alone with each other, I wouldn''t feel at ease. In some sense, they make the top one and two of the people more lacking in common sense on my surroundings. Thinking about all of the annoyances around me, it may be better to keep them under watch lest they cause some kind of trouble. As a result, Im at a loss as to which option to choose. Understood. Then, lets do this. The one who extended a helping hand (?) there was my sister. Lets compete about who can catch the most yo-yo balloons and wager my brother! What? Is that fair? Wait a minute. Competing, you say Theres no reason why Zonmi would agree to those ridiculous Understood. That match, I''ll take it up. Eeh!? Why are you so surprised? You sure, Zonmi? Did you agree to those nonsensical terms? No. This time I have to give credit to her. Little sisters idea is very logical. Where exactly does it have this logic? Since its impossible for the pathologically indecisive Chiharu to choose one of the two parts. Thats right. If we wait for my good-for-nothing onii-chan to make a decision, itd be tomorrow. roblem? If its about me, they agree magnificiently. I see. When it comes down to what Im thinking about, those two know it really well. Yosh. Then, well start at the reaaady, go signal. Roger. The time limit is five minutes. How about making a rule that if the thread we are holding breaks, you can no longer fish any balloons? I mostly accept, but Isnt it unfair that youre on charge for the starting signal? Chiharu, Could you be in charge of the signal? I dont mind. The moment I answered, they turned their glances into those of battle. As soon as both of them held their fishing lines, they firstly looked around thinking what balloonstargets should they catch. How should I say it, Those two were shamelessly excited playing for free Should I ask them to pay their fares later? After that, as I unmotivately yelled reaaaaady, go, both of them started their battle fuses. Tamer By the way, can I inquire thee something? Yeah. What is it? I have been curious about it for a while, but what the heck are those trinkets called yo-yo balloons? Eeeeerm. Could it be that there are no yo-yo balloons at the Netherworld? Well. At least in my colony they are unheard of. There are. The one who answered in place of Iris, was Zonmi, who was fishing balloons with terrific handling. However Speaking from the conclusion, it depends on the area. Since whats called the Netherworld is pretty big. Saying it differently, there are cultural differences similar to those in the human world. Though around the central areas, ones lifestyle is no different from that of the human world, there are still people who adhere to traditional lifestyles. I see. By the way, there were where I lived. In my childhood, I played like this. While giving that fluid explanation, Zonmi got her fourth balloon of the day. That manual ability has been polished without waste, its not something that comes in a day. I see. It sure seems that yo-yo balloon fishing does exist at Netherworld. Muu On the other hand, Manami was slightly behind having just caught her third. Against Zonmi, who shows a surprising skill on an unexpected field, it seems shes up to a hard fight. Theres no way. If possible, I didnt want to employ this technique, but Handing onii-chan to that zombie, as if! Fufu. What a sore loser. Do you think you can still turn the tables with this difference in balloons caught? That We wont know until I try! I absolutely wont give up till the very end! Ey! !? That technique, could it be Suddenly, Zonmi showed astonishment in front of the unleashed master technique. Be that as it may, those two are very lively. It cannot be. Something like fishing two balloons at the same time The fishing paper cannot possibly support the weight of the balloons Fufu. She cant be catching two at a time! Come on! This little zombie doesnt understand! Hey, hey. Ku. Dont talk in a grown-up fashion. Come on. The true showdown starts now! I havent been playing with onii-chans balls since five just for show? Wont those words raise many misunderstandings? Like mistaking it for Ive been playing ball games with onii-chan since I was five. Fufu. It seems I have no room to go easy. Should I really go at full strength, little sister? Mu. What do you mean? Even so, its not easy to be a march to me when balls are involved! Th-that technique, could it beD!? From here onDI think both of them will engage in a great showdown without giving up an inch. Perhaps. Surely. I feel. Why cant I say it with certaintyD That way. As a result of their absurdly heated up showdown, surely it would be a critical hit if Youhei returned with that timing. If I told I didnt expect it, itd be a lieD A rose-colored scenery unfolded before my eyesDthe defenseless figures of two pretty girls. Hey, hey. Are you lying? That usually ridiculously on guard Zonmi that doesnt even show the p in pantyflash Id say, the showdown in front of me may be dulling her awareness. Her cautiousness had vanished like smoke. The color was light blue. Personally, when you talk to me about light blue what crosses my head are panties with light-blue and white horizontal stripesDthe so-called striped panties, but of course the straight-laced Zonmi wont wear that kind of underwear fully aimed to moe. Nevertheless. Better than striped panties, I find these more charming. The panties that Zonmi is wearing are rare jewels arranged with the orthodox white lace, but here they had an elegant yet orientalDirresistible charm. If I had to liken Zonmis panties to something I know. An oasis in the middle of the desert! For starters, the raw material is outstandingly good, but Zonmis pants that dont forget tidiness as a standard, have something that strikes to the heart of the people of this generation of societal stress. And then, lets try looking at Manami. Though Manami usually is totally erotic and gives off a smell that would draw away a narcotic inspection dog, being like Zonmi before absorbed on the showdown, she doesnt look like she notices anything this way. Lets confess it. Being rude, I shouldnt be especially glad to see my sisters panties when she would show them to me anytime I asked, but Today is different. For some reason In this situation where I can take a peep without the other party noticing, it awakes a tremendously pleasant sensation in me. Now that I think about it, before, when I ogled Kyoukos panties in the girls toilet, it didnt arouse such excitement in me. Im grateful to you, Manami. Thanks to you I could take a step closer to the psychology of eros. Youve made me keenly realize that immorality is eroticisms best spice . The color was black. As expected, you may think. Probably No absolutely. My little sister, unlike Zonmi, isnt suited to innocent underwear. On the contrary, attacking me while wearing innocent underwearDthe so-called gap-moe is a possibility, but naturally the risk is high. Thinking about it, Id say its a risky choice. If I had to liken Manamis panties to something I know. A black hole from outer space! As you think theres no possible way in front of you, if you make a bad stepDthey have tremendous suction power. You will be sucked toward a social death! They have a dangerous borderline charm that no one can imitate. What the heck am I saying. I want to die. I dont know if it was answering my wish, but something came flying with good energy against my face. Guhah!? I unconsciously let out in a pathetic voice. Looking at what was rolling on the ground, It was what was inside ramune bottles. Chiharu What the heck is this What a bad timing. Raising my face, isnt that Youhei glaring at me with the face of a Rakshasa demon as if I was his family enemy? Youhei Welcome back As I said those carefully selected words, Youhei seemed to inhale a big chunk of air. Be careful! Zonmi-san, Little sister-san, this ero-kappa, isnt he peeping inside your skirts!? This guy He instantly sold out his friend!? Like usual, hes a fellow that changes his allegiances very easily. Wha Eh Engaged in the height of their battle, Zonmi and Manami were left for a moment with their mouths agape and expressions not understanding, but they soon realized the defenseless of their stance and, with their faces bright red, and pulling down the hems of their skirts, Chiharu Until what lengths will you Thats mean onii-chan If you asked I wouldve show you to your hearts content Youhei, bastard. You promised! That you wouldnt resent me if I hogged all of the pantyshots!! Shut up, sex offender! The one who broke his promise first was you! As if Zonmi-san and little sister-san werent enough, youve just added a golden-haired loli as a harem member! Ugh. Th-This. Its not what it seems. Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Youhei interrupted me with a scream, You, die with a marble stuck in your throat! After spitting out that rejection sentence, he ran way full throttle. From Youheis hand, I caught a second bottle of ramune that bumped into me. Could it be, this guy Did he go to buy me a drink for my sake? Seeing it like that Though I havent done anything bad, I became a little remorseful. Well. What the heck is this? Why dont you explain it in detail? You Perverted Daimaou! I take back what I said. Thinking about it with a cool head, I did something bad. Never and nowhere, evil has never prospered. After that, being harshly reprimanded I was made to bitterly realize that In this world theres no way things so good can be true. And then. We had normal fun at the Saegusa festival. About the incident from before, I was temporarily let out on parole under the single condition of Today all day its my treat, you can eat anything you want to your hearts content. Eh? Only that? Well, you may have doubts, but Id say the crux is on the words on parole. I believe they are currently gathering evidence. First of all, we went to make the prayer that makes this festivals main event. Couples, parents with children, some people I think they form a school group and so were lined up before the shrine, so we ended up waiting 30 minutes for our tanzaku. Once we received our wishing papers from priestess Id say they were part-timers, we promptly went to hang them on the provided trees. By the way, Ill introduce what we all wrote. Let my master become a top-class monster tamer. Zonmi Huuum. As expected, aint that what Zonmi would say? I think that, since we are at a festival, you could have written more lively things, but even here you show an honor student-like attitude. Make my stature grow taller. I command thee. Iris Why a command!? Couldnt you make it look a bit more like a wish However, what a surprise. Iris is concerned about her height Onii-chan and I have become one in body and soul. Manami Why past tense!? Could it be that Manami burns with rivalry against the lovey-doveyness of Orihime and Hikoboshi? Even if its like that, you shouldnt made things up! Let all the reajuus, if possible, suffer horrible deaths. Y By chance, that kind of tanzaku entered my sight. It seems its written on a fashion so that expressly only the initial is used, but Isnt this one clearly Youheis!? And, this most important tanzaku of mineD Let everyone spend their lives with happy faces. Chiharu Even if I say so myself, isnt it too immature? Id rather write a wish that is a bit more materialDmore mundane, but I felt it wouldnt fit this formal a place. Since I feared the girls stares, I felt it was safer to write something harmless. And with this and that. Having hung our tanzaku and gone around the stalls, we made our way to the river bank to see the closing eventDthe fireworks show. Really, it would be good if there were seats left, but something so convenient is bound to not happen. We chose the top of a suitable set of stone steps. Despite there still being an hour before the start of the show, the area around the river was already crowded. Whats the matter? Youve been looking disheartened for a while. Looking up to the starless night sky of the city area, Zonmi, who was sitting besides me, asked with a meek expression. Im only a bit tired. I wont lie. In fact, the tiredness from going around the stalls all day long may be part of the reason. No, wrong. After all, IDcant do anything other than worrying. I have since last night been unable to contact KyoukoD Could it be she has normally attended the festival? Thats what I hope, but it seems unlikely. While I was going around the booths with the girls, I kept looking around, but I couldnt find her. This was not a very big neighborhood; you could search it entirely in a day. Had Kyouko come to the festival, Id surely have found her. In that case sheDwhere and what was she doing? I somehow picture shes crying alone, and it becomes an unbearable feeling. No way, is it. What? Since its Chiharu, perhapsDare you thinking about the missing Nephilim? As I thought, right on the mark? That she alone among all of us is missingDits unnatural. That may be, but Why did you know what I was thinking about? Dont look down on us. Could it beDyou thought we didnt notice? What thing? Manami and Iris, sitting near, exchanged glances and smiled bitterly, Onii-chan has been looking around restlessly all day long? DIts impossible to keep any secret before me. Holy cow. Do I have a face so easy to read? It seems theyve found out Ive been all day long looking for Kyouko. What about I try to contact the Nephilim right now? Truth is, Ive been calling her since yesterday, but it wont connect. In that case, why dont you go directly to her home? Theres still more than 30 minutes until the fireworks. If you go now, wont you make it in time? !? I see. I still had that? If phone calls wont connect, I can go directly to her home. Living in this time of cell-phone correspondence, that choice slipped my mind. Even so, its very weird. What? That each and everyone of you read my mind. It cant be that all of you have spent all day looking at my face. Oi. Why the sudden silence? Really, you, until what lengths will you Zonmi, sighing deeply with a perplexed expression, Go now. Because later it will be a bother to scold that outcast Nephilim. Understood. Thanks. With a word of thanks, I thoroughly started to run along the riverside. I see. Thats right. If we are all gathered, that only her is missing Its not natural that someone seems to be excluded from the group alone. If we come together to the festival, it wont be difficult to make a chance to strike a talk with her. And then I could ask her about last night. And then everything will go smoothly. The me right now unconsciously thought those things. Volume 2 6 — Captured heroine” Volume 2 Chapter 6: Captured heroine Running at full speed, I could see Kyoukos apartment in less than five minutes. Thats really weird. If Im not wrong, I think I was a distance of 2-3 kilometres from my starting point, but This watch, could it be broken? If I lose my job as a monster tamer I may join a short-distance running team. I was starting to think about it. When I received mail from Kyouko on my cellphoneD If you value her life, come alone to the designed point. I first thought it was spam mail. For starters, being that the contents were something so crazy, it made me think it hadnt come from Kyouko. However, once I opened the attached file, I fell into the abyss of despair. What the heck. This Displayed on my cells screen, was Kyouko, unconscious and with blood oozing from her head. Tied to a tree with thick ropes, she could not even twitch a finger. Ku. Who has done this terrible Tightly clutching my fists to the point of bleeding, forgetting myself with rage, I managed to keep myself in check. Lets think it over calmly. Getting angry here wont solve anything. And besidesDI have to first decide how to save Kyouko. For starters, whats the aim of the sender of this mail? Since he took Kyouko captive, and then expressly contacted me, its safe to think hes somewhat related to monster tamers, but Who the heck is he? Whats his aim? Only one. I happen to know about an incident like this one. The evil organization that abuses monstersDBlack Tamers. If its those guys Chances are high they could pull off an incident like this. From the attached image, I could guess Kyoukos whereabouts. Its a high place from where you can have an unbroken view of Saegusa citys landscapeDthe best spot to watch fireworks from. It was the place Id dreamt of before. Well, what do I do? I have two options to choose from. That is, do I give into the culprits demand and head there alone? Or do I go back and ask for help from Zonmi and the rest? If I think first about my own safety, undoubtedly the latter. However, is that really right? I cant rule out that Kyouko will be harmed if I disregard the culprits demands. Once it comes to it, I can also employ summon. Its never too late to ask for help even if I get in a pinch. Anyhow, right now Kyoukos safety comes first. Ive more or less decided what to do. No problem. Its totally not safe, but rather than hoping to converse with the culprit, its simply to prevent Kyouko from suffering harm. This time alone Im grateful that my body is so far off from a humans I feel that the me right now can run even faster than when I came here. Loosening the grip on my fists, I headed full speed toward the high place where Kyouko was being held captive. That place was located after crossing over a not very well-known mountain path. The people who knew of it were few even among the locals. Talking about people who used it, it was mostly used as a morning walk course by the elderly. Good. Are you unharmed? Haru Why are you!? As soon as Kyouko saw my figure, she opened wide her eyes in surprise, but, soon, once her gaze fell on that, she started trembling with fear. How pleasant? Youve come alone as we agreed. You? The one who sent the mail Thats correct. My name is Noelle. Noelle North Norm. Feel free to call me Nono. Surprising. The tamer I fought before looked like 5-6 years older than me, but this one looked younger than me. And, moreover, a girl. Her features were like those of an exquisitely crafted antique doll, impressive ringlets of a vivid redDjudging by looks alone shes an unblemished pretty girl, but Why is it? The impression I gathered from that child was eerie. More like she lacked something any human should have When I looked at that child, its like some baseless anxiety overwhelmed my chest. My bad, but I dont have the time to get acquainted with you, so I wont call you by pet names at all. Im sorry, but I have something scheduled for later. At worst, if a battle starts, Ill summon Zonmi and settle it in one swoop. DGive Kyouko back. Once I threatened her like that, Noelle burst into a theatrical uncanny laughter, Aha? You say amusing things. That I return her even though this child is already mine? Those were very significant words she said. I felt uneasy about Noelles words, but I walked up to Kyouko. ? Surprising. Certainly she should have summoned a monster, but contrary to my expectations, Noelle didnt show any signs of moving. Dust Pain. So. She simply brought the ring she was wearing near her mouth and chanted that in an indifferent tone. Uuu Ga! As soon as Noelle muttered whatever those words, Kyoukos body started twitching in agony. Oi. You alright!? Suddenly from nowhere there appeared countless black particles that surrounded Kyouko. I tried to clear them away by using my jacket, that I took off, but none of the particles that appeared one by one gave signs of disappearing. Ku! Panicking, I tried to hit her in the back, but Kyoukos seizure didnt gave signs of getting better. Uu! Gu! Didnt I say it? Shes already my property. If you value that childs life, itd be better that you didnt get closer. Too much energy could kill her? On Noelle''s middle finger; who showed a triumphant mood, there was a black ring Ive seen somewhere. That ring Its something I saw on my previous battle. A ring that forcibly enslaves a monster against its will. Enforce Ring. Also, taking a closer look at the rope Kyouko was bound with, it was the same kind Iris was captured with before. But among monster tamers, possession of these items was forbiddenD This girl Is a Black Tamer? Could it be!? A very bad premonition crossed my mind. When I slowly directed my eyes to Kyoukos fingerDshe was wearing the same ring as Noelle. You Could it be, a contract with Kyouko Kyah? Do you understand with this? The Enforce Ring lets me have power over an enslaved monster''s life and death. If I keep sending her pain like this, what will happen to her? Can you picture it? It seems that what Noelle has just said could be true. In any case. Even if I suppose Enforce Rings dont have a function to take lives, after seeing Kyoukos suffering a while ago, that had enough weight as a threat. Haru Im sorry. Astonished by the unbelievable development, Kyouko, with a meek expression, muttered in a thin voice. Dont worry. You have no reason to apologize. Nope. Thats wrong. This, you know? Its divine punishment. Divine punishment? Parroting her words as a question, Kyoukos eyes became red and swollen, I It was said by dad Id be introduced to a new contract partner. However, I wouldnt like to make a contract with someone other than Haru So as to not say that, I tried to snatch away the ghouls contract. I intended to say it yesterday night, but I It scares me to be hated by you. I see. So recently, Kyouko seemed strange because of that. I dont know how snatching a contract and making me a bentou or showing me her panties can relate to each other, but In Kyoukos way, her behavior should be well thought of. Since to take advantage of someone who''s cornered requires coldness. I had decided that my first contract was reserved for Haru Why did this need to happen, I wonder Dont worry. Enforce is not a proper contract. Ill rescue you in a flash. Well. What do I do? Until I came here, IDfelt that I had to take Kyouko back, even if by force. However, it doesnt look like this could be so easily resolved. Its no wonder. Since Noelle has power over Kyoukos life and death, I cant employ underhanded methods. Since if I fail to keep her in a good mood, she doesnt need a reason to kill Kyouko. Here with, I the only way is this one trump card. Even summon, its very likely its not allowed. (!) Have you finished with your last chat? I have gotten tired of waiting. DSorry for making you wait. Weve just finished. Nevertheless. Even if the situation is heavily unfavorable, I wouldnt say there is no hope. Then What do I have to do to free Kyouko? I had a reason to ask with so much confidence. Lets think about it. Had Noelles aim been simply taking my life, she neednt do it in such a roundabout way. Her aim was not killing. In that case, I may be able to save Kyouko by negotiating. Aha? Its a relief you seem so perceptive~ Noelle laughed with innocence while glaring with cruelty, MD, thats right. If so, what about this? From now on, youll risk your life by fighting the monsters Ill summon. ? This girl What the heck its now? Ah, Of course, its forbidden to use summon to call for monsters. Its a promise. If you can defeat my monsters, Ill give you this child back. Have you lost your mind? Theres no way a regular human can defeatD If its you, you can. Or rather, if you cannot win, it will be troublesome. As soon as Noelle said that meaningful thing with her face shrouded in darkness, she loudly shouted towards her ring, SummonDKiller Mantis. And, the next instant. From nowhere appeared a huge mantis monster with a length of 7 meters. No, looking closer it was not a regular mantis. That monster, equipped with 2 scythes, 6 legs & 8 eyes, like a cross-breed between a mantis and a tarantula, had quite the terrifying appearance. Haha Is this a joke? Theres no way a flesh-and-blood human would win against thi Uo!? It seems its not the right time to get lost in despair. The mantis monster swung down its huge scythe-like hands toward my head. That was dangerous. Had I reacted a bit later, my head would have been severed from my body. *BROOOOOOOOOOM!* And, right after avoiding the attack. From behind me came a thunderous noise, as if the earth was trembling. What This As I tried looking over my shoulder, the attack the mantis had released became a shock wave and the trees behind had been mowed down. Unconsciously, I let out a bitter smile. Haha In addition to being in a desperate situation The worst thing is that mantis Seems it can release long-ranged attacks. Well, what do I do? I cant get into close range. I cant get out to long range. Become to this, theres but a single way of taking it down. Attacking from the sidelines without it noticingDthat is, a surprise attack. Of course I fully realize that its not so easy, but I have no time to spare. As a result of thinking it out, I turned on my heels and dashed at full throttle. *WOOSH* The mantis released a shockwave with a sharp wind cutting sound, but I closely evaded it by bending my body at the same time the sound was made. ADah. I expected something from youD. How uncoDol. You run away leaving the girl behindD? Despite Noelle babbling that, theres no way I was fleeing without thinking it out. Im taking refuge in the copse, which had bad visibility. As much as possible So as to survive A bit deeper!! Luckily, it seems I can win inside here thanks to my mobility. After running for a while and getting out of sight of my enemy, I managed to put some distance in between us. Hiding in the shade of the bushes, I laid in wait for my foes passing. *BROOOOM!* There was noise of trees being mowed down. As I thought. It seems like the big bodied mantis has difficulty following me through the copse. Hiding inside the copse was the correct decision. It won''t be easy taking it by surprise. Once it gets careless, Ill throw a single hit with full strength. Wait a minute. Can I really cause any damage if I punch it with my full strength? Ive heard about it on the net or somewhere. According to it. It seems a human being cannot win in a fight against a chimpanzee that weighs 30 kilos. I think that mantis goes easily over ten times that weight. If, by any chance, I manage to take it by surprise could I give it a lethal hit? Perhaps No, totally impossible. If I attack it, chances are good that the situation will be reversed against me. So, what do I do? Should I only keep holding my breath like this Mm, Wait? That moment, something flashed in my mind. To begin with, the thing about a human being incapable to defeat another animal is based on the premise of both of them being unarmed. Thats why, I may be able to win. If I could get familiar with that mantiss powerful weapon that leaves you silent with its impotenceD. Talking about weapons Theres only this one. Id say I only have a single chance. Im scared of dying. Extremely scared. I dont have a mangas main character composure of This guy Hes in a life-or-death situation and he still laughs!? or the like. My limbs are trembling with force. However, here ends the running from place to place. That day, my trembling childhood friend said thus: DIf I keep trying without giving up, surely a way will open itself. During yesterdays evening shower, didnt rays fall? I lifted the perfect spoils from thatDa fallen tree with a bit sharp pointy end. It weighted about 50 kilograms or so. Should I look for something heavier? That doubt flashed through my mind, but I think that a bit heavier than this one and Ill conversely lose mobility. While taking my time to search for a weapon, I couldn''t let myself be discovered by the enemy. The sound of falling trees showed me the enemys position. I took a step. another step. I got closer to the source of the noise. Ouch!! Luckily, the monster mantis didnt notice me. Without turning its eyes in my direction, it mowed down the trees that hampered its movements. Just when the mantis swung downwards its arm to cut down the next tree. Gathering my resolution, I, muffling my voice, targeted my opponents bosom and broke into a run. DId say, not even a second after I started my run. The mantis composite eyes, *TURN*, turned in my direction. Crap, it noticed me. However, due to the momentum of having started to run, I cant turn back. The dice had been cast. Ku Weird. I should have charged with considerable impetus, butDit didnt look like it. Thats no wonder. Since my weapon was deflected by the mantiss arm and was thrown far away. The first attack has ended in failure, Ive even lost my weapon It fits inside the plan, but its the worst pattern. Uoh!? In no time, the mantis started throwing attacks at me with each of its eight limbs. Totally centered on evading, I barely managed to avoid its attacks. Eeh. You seem to have very good reaction speed. However, can you keep evading like that? Appearing from nowhere, Noelle muttered seemingly with admiration. Shut your trap. Compared with Zonmis attacks, these look like there standing still. Despite me running my mouth, it didnt seem like I could keep this for long. For starters, its clearly obvious that its becoming more and more difficult for my eyes to keep following its slashes. Is my speed falling, or is its speed raising? When I took a glance at Noelle, she was staring with ecstatic eyes. A sadist is it? By gradually rising the speed, maybe shes plotting torturing me to death. Ah. And, earlier than expected, that happened. Before realizing it, my right arm was cut off while spurting fresh blood. Aah. Well. That hurt. Incredibly so. However, more than the physical pain, the fact of Ive lost an arm was worse to endure. Why is that so? Could it be because the right arm that has accompanied me for sixteen years was suddenly amputated? No matter how much inhuman resilience monster tamers have. I can hardly picture an arm growing back like a lizards tail. It could be the shock or it could be the stupefaction. For a short while, I lost the willpower to even think. Kyaha? Its checkmate. There really is no reason for me saying it, but I couldnt endure it? Noelle started to breath roughly. Thats why, please. Get killed? She passed the death sentence with bloodshot eyes. Aah, one last thing. It seems Ive made a great mistake. The killing intent that makes one shiver that Noelle is emitting Its not much, but its not faked. It seems that she had planned killing me since the start. In that case, why doing it in such a roundabout way? Before death, these questions kept popping into my head, but I dont know what meaning they have. Since Ill die here. Having given up on living, when I closed my eyes. The mantis in front of me, *SNAP* disappeared from my sight. Next instant. The mantis was blown off 10 meters while mowing down the trees with the impact, and like that, it ended up not even twitching. I did it? Id say My tactic of using the mantiss shockwaves to cut off Kyoukos restraints was successful. Noelle, for an instant, with a face of not knowing what just happened, seemed to be dumbfounded. This is my chance! As I give some whipping to my damaged body and hastily cut distances with Noelle, I roughly grasped her right hand with my remaining left. My bad, but It seems the one who did the checkmate before was me. Isnt it right that you cant kill Kyouko like this? Good It seems I made it in time. Kyouko and I trapped Noelle between us. Noelle, immediately after blinking in surprise, before long, as if she had understood the situation, she showed a faint smile, I see. You are really amazing. I think I understand why onee-chan is so fond of you. Plunging without second thoughts, did you use the shock waves of the killer mantis to free the Nephilim from the Catch Net? You had taken into account even the angle of the slash Thats one point to you." Its a miracle that this tactic has developed so well. However, it doesnt matter how low the chances were. I think that there was no other way for me to win. Is that really true? For starters, no matter how much you do your best, its impossible to fell a foe five times your size like a tree. What Id say I could do would be, at most, earning some time. At the end of the day. The weapons of monster tamersDare the monsters under them. The best someone could do in a desperate situation is keeping their cool. Courage is needed in order to, when needed, using yourself as a bait to find a way out. Your behavior has been impeccable and deserves praise. Many thanks. But Im not happy of being praised by you. Well, give up now and free Kyouko from the contractD However, what you should be asking me is not that. And, next instant. A revolting scene unfolded before my eyes. Noelles arm, that I had kept tightly grasped up till nowDchanged shaped before my eyes. Id say this Its undoubtedly rock. Without knowing what to say myself, I dont want to admit it, but I dont know how to express it. NoelleDhas transformed her arm into a rock clump. What the heck is this? Noelles right arm is clearly not human. A monster enslaving monsters Is that even possible? Zonmi said before that humans are the only species able to become monster tamers. So, shouldnt this be a shocking fact? Lets suppose. If there was another species apart from humans able to become monster tamers, there would be no reason for Zonmi and the lot to depend so much on me. While I was troubled by this question with no answer, Noelle widely grinned. Then, you Until when will you keep holding my hand? The next instant, my body was floating in the air. Id say that in order to free her hand, she must have swung her stone-turned arm. The movement was too fast, so I didnt realize in the least something had happened. Gaha!? Crashing on the fallen trees unprepared, my bones creaked. Aah. Thats bad I think that attack just now has taken out five or six of my ribs. Moreover, I think Ive lost too much blood due to missing an arm. My sight is blurry and Im dizzy. It doesnt matter how many signals my brain sends, my body cant lift a finger. Haru!? Could it be because I was so carelessly tossed with so much force? As if worried about my condition, Kyouko came running without delay. Idiot Even if you come here This time, Kyouko should disregard me and engage in combat with Noelle asap. After all, if she doesntD Kyaha? Foolish girl. Youre finished. Die like this? As soon as Noelle approached right away the contract ring she was wearing to her mouth, Dust Pain She chanted mercilessly without hesitation. The next instant. Black particles surrounded Kyouko and covered her. This time there were twice No, thrice the earlier amount, and it was clearly stronger than before. Gah. As soon as Kyouko raised a soundless shout, she crouched on the ground like that. How much pain, I honestly cant say. Shes not threatening, she truly intends to kill her. Please. Dont kill her. What I managed to squeeze out by gathering what little willpower I had left were real honest thoughts. Its fine whatever you do to me. I dont mind if you want to boil or roast me. But, only Kyouko I beg you, dont kill her. Could it beD, do you think Id give in to that plea? I beg you. InterestiDng. Why would I had to listen to the words of a dead personD? Drooling all over; pleasure filled her face, Noelle stepped on my head. Aaaaan? That face is goooood!! Thats why I cant stop killing yooooooooooooooou! Kyaha? Onii-chan, this is where you will die. But I cant kill you now. Since I want to see your pathetic faceD. Killing you will come after that girl over there kicks the bucket! Ha ru Kyouko mouthed my name without strength. Those eyes tinged with despair were empty and lifeless. Quickly As quickly as possible I must save Kyouko But How do I save her? Its decided. Why didnt I realize something so easy? The Noellehindrance, she shall die. Making that decision inside my heart, next instantD With a rumbling, there was the sound of something bursting open inside me. What the heck. Isnt this weird even if I am on deaths threshold? I realized that my body temperature suddenly rose, and my heart was literally beating at about twice the normal speed. My body was as hot as if I were inside flames. Since a while ago What the heck has been happening? Whats with this power thats gushing out from the depths of my body? Its gradual, but I feel like blood is circulating throughout my body. For startersDlets try to grab Noelles ankle that has been stepping on my head for a while with my right hand. *SPLAT* It was the sound of flesh being smashed. Eh? I thought it was a very stupid voice. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouchouchouch!! Ive only touched a bit the body of the girl before me, why does she raise such a fuss? Shes noisy. I wish shed shut up a bit. Miraculously, getting up was very easy. So as to silence the girl before me, I grabbed her right hand with full strength. The sound of rocks cracking was heard. Id say that, in order to protect her right hand she turned it into stone. Ha ru?" For some reason, I thought things around me were boisterous, but the me right now didnt pay it any mind. My body is as hot as if I was burning. Somehow, it seemed like my chest was being baked in an oven. My magic power had exceeded the allowed levels since a while ago, and was crying to get out. I have to let out even a bit of that excess magic power. If not, my skin will be charred by that excess magic power. Aha. Now Im mad. Thinking about it, wasnt it a promise? If you could defeat my summoned monsters, Ill give you the girl back. But, what a pity. Truth is, I dont have only one monster As soon as the girl yelled something, three monsters appeared in succession. Im surrounded. The ones Im stuck between left and right, are a carnivorous plant-like monster & that human-shaped bull-headed monster Ive fought before, the Minotauros. The third one that appeared was a stone monster that, as if protecting Noelle, loitered around her. Were I the usual me, Id be struck by despair, but, mysteriously, I didnt feel like Id lose. Its the first time I''d felt like this. Its a bit excessive I feel like punishing someone. As I was confused by this unknown feeling that surged from the bottom of my heart, countless plant roots surged from the ground that restrained my body. It seems that, without me noticing, I was attacked by the enemy. Aha? An opening. The instant she muttered that, a strong impact run through my skull. Without being able to resist, I sunk around fifty centimeters into the ground. Looking at where the attack came from, there was the Minotauros brandishing its large axe. However, that axe seems to have suffered a chink beyond repair. Strangely, it doesnt hurt. On the contrary, I couldnt help but smile while thinking how to slaughter them. You are an unpleasant person till the end What do you find so funny? It seems she has said something with a puzzled face, but words from outside didnt enter my ears no more. Moving by instinct, I closed distance with my prey. The first target Ive decided on is the carnivorous plant monster. Warding off the countless roots that drew near and getting past its defenses, I simply smashed its stalk. What, its finished? Since its become completely motionless, I think so. The match had ended very quickly, but a fight of this degree is not enough. Making that assessment, I decided on my next target. The second one I chose as prey was the one who has just attacked me with its axe, the Minotauros. If its this one that hurt me before No doubt, it will become interesting. My heart full of expectation, I dashed right to its chest full forceDwith the momentum, I cut off the Minotauros left arm. As if cutting tofu with a knife, there was no feeling of resistance. Only the Minotauros spray of blood and yell were left. Thats weird, the Minotauros Was it so weak? Doubt crossed my mind, no matter how much I think, the outcome is the same. In the end, not totally satisfied, I cut off all four of the Minotauros limbs . What a letdown. With my sharp as a blade right arm, I decapitated the Minotauros, who was already no more than a flesh daruma. So, the last one left, the rocky monster was my last hope at the bottom of the box. Stop. Just when I was about to decide how to massacre the foe before me. On my back, there was a pleasantly cool sensation. It seems that someone is hugging me from behind. Is that so This is body warmth. I feel it awfully cold since my temperature is very high. The heck. Do I know this warmth? That fighting from before You have to return to being human This chap Whats with that Saying it like that Do I not look like a human? Wha? But Now that I mention it. Too late, I feel uncomfortable on my own body. I dont know the reason why, but my right arm has turned into the shape of a huge reddish-brown blade. Thats weird. Earlier, how could my cut off right arm grow back again? Questions kept bubbling out, that moment. Geh!? As if dry ice had been forced deep inside my throat, I felt a throbbing pain inside my head. *THROB* My heart raised a big beat. When I opened my eyes, my right arm had returned to its usual color. What the heck is this That from a while ago Did I see it wrong? Thats good. I Had Haru died like that Uoh!? Wh-why have you hugged me that all of a sudden!? Eh Sudden? I see Thats right. The price of power are the memories? Eeeeerm. Whos this? This gothic loli dressed pretty girlD. Im still confused, but frantically racking my brain, IDmanaged to retrieve a faint string of memory. Thats right. How could I forget something so important? Her name is Noelle. The mastermind behind Kyoukos abduction who sent a message to me. And, right when I recalled her name, memories of the battle that just happened unfolded inside my head. Thats weird. I wasnt informed of this, but It may be a bother, but I must go tell onee-chan asap Right when Noelle was grumbling to herself, But, before that I shall slay those who know about his power. She drew the ring near her mouth. Darn. Noelle must not use that ring. Quickly If shes not stopped somehow or other Kyoukos life will be in danger!! Dust Pain. Nevertheless. The instant she chanted, something totally unexpected took place before my eyes. Guh. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Ouchouchouch Contrary to what I expected, it was Noelle who started grasping her chest in pain. And Is this what they call a point for me? The contract ring that, until a while ago, was wrapped in a dusky murkinessDwas now just dazzlingly shining. O-oi. You alright? Noelles manner of suffering is not normal. Since I cant bear to watch it even if shes my foe, I rushed to her side and, Shut your trap! Dont touch my body! Raged Noelle. Next. I felt as if my surrounding had gotten darker. Looking up, the golems giant hand palm was about to smash me any moment now with force, isnt it near the top of my head? Ah, crap. Ill die here. I will, in the end, be denied the victors mercy and killed Isnt it an inhuman way of dying, even if I say so myself? As I regretted my own rashness. *BOOM!* With a sound like something exploding, the golem was thrown away. Really Unreliable, like always. Holy crap What kind of power is this? When I go to save someone, in the end I do nothing but get saved by that very person. KyoukoDmy childhood friend has felled an opponent ten times her own size with a single dropkick. This hit, clearlyDwas more powerful than the one she sent away the mantis with earlier. By any chance, could Kyokos contract ring that, the same as Noelles, was faintly shining have something to do with it? Lets stop getting deep in thought for now. There should be another chance for detailed thinking. Che. As soon as Noelle took off her now useless contract ring, tossing it with force against the ground, Im not in the mood to fight anymore today Later, onii-chan. Just when she tossed her parting words seemingly indifferent, she merged into the darkness of the night like that. Are you letting her flee? If I let her get away before my eyes, chances are good that shell put me in danger again. When, giving a whipping to my exhausted body, I tried to pursue after her. My vision strained, my legs gave out. Haru!? Aah. Now that I think, today all along did nothing but fighting. Im suddenly tormented by a monumental despondency as if I had been working for three days and three nights straight without rest. My vision slowly darkened. Having used up all of my internal magic power, IDlike that, I lost consciousness as if going into deep slumber. Insect tribe: Large mantis LV: 8. Physical strength: C. Power: A. Speed: C. Underworld bug monster. It attacks with its sickles. Even though it has wings, it doesn''t fly very well. Serial number: 122 Plant tribe: Killer plant LV: 11. Physical strength: B. Power: C. Speed: C. Ferocious flower monster. It hunts by emitting a sweet fragance. It can command all of its numerous tendrils at the same time. Serial number: 026 Volume 2 Epilogue — Wish to the night sky Volume 2 Epilogue: Wish to the night sky Where is this place Having exhausted my internal energy and becoming trashed, I fell into a pleasant slumber. My My wish is Beside me, the yukata-clad Kyouko from elementary school kept writing her wish on a tanzaku with glittering eyes. This situation, this scene. They seem vaguely familiar. It seems like the continuation of the dream from the other time. Finished!! Lets see. Now that I think of it, last time I woke up before being able to check Kyoukos wish. Im a bit interested in what could have the Kyouko from childhood wished for. Peeking at the writing on Kyoukos tanzaku Let me become Chiharu-kuns bride. That was written in round and cute letters. Oi, oi. A sudden marriage without going out first? These elementary schoolers Their scariness knows no limits. Eh. Suddenly receiving a reverse proposal, the me back then was left with his mouth agape but, Marrying you? Whatever the circumstances, isnt that too rushed? Were still elementary schoolers. After a brief silence, she answered me with a quiet voice. I-its not rushed at all! Kids these days are precocious, something like this is normal! Kids these days are so precocious, either Im mistaken or thats not something a kid would say. That so? But, my bad. As expected, something like marriage We dont know what future will bring. I gently averted it. Nevertheless, with her face showing her displeasure, Liar. Yes? Chiharu-kun. Meanie Marry me Youve just promised me Wait a minute. When have I said that!? You didnt say, you wrote! Chiharu-kun wished for us two to be together forever! Its true that thats what I wrote on my tanzaku, but Dont tell me that being together forever=marriage? It does. Being together forever, even after death Being together in the same tomb? Eh. In other words, it means marriage! You see, Kyouko. To begin with, that was only a simile *COUGH COUGH* Kyoukos glance filled with killing intent overcame me and silenced me. Pathetic, even if I say so myself So. I want to propose once again officially. Then, I think Ill be able to endure Chiharu being far away The me back then blatantly averted his gaze and ignored her. It seems he contrives to keep being silent. Nevertheless. My intentions being futile, Kyouko, with a shadow cast over her face, Breach the engagement And in compensation, 3 million She said those dangerous words. Eeerrrm. What the heck is this kid saying? Are you that? One of those women in their forties desperate for catching a husband? If left like this, it will bring problems in the future. The me back then decided to postpone the matter. Understood. I promise. Really!? Yeah. But on the condition of it being once Im an adult. How much of an adult!? With how many years!? If we say adult, perhaps When Im in high school? That was easy. If I had to make an excuse, Id say that high school students seemed like very adult existences to the me back then. The me of right now, having become a high schooler, could naturally be involved in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship That kind of unsuspicious belief thats not different from innocence. Me from elementary school Im sorry. Truth is that couldnt be. Understood. If thats the case, in return Ill entrust this to you, Haru. Mm. Whats this What she took out next was a pendant shaped like a key attached to a silver chain. Wha This design, I remember it from somewhere. Could this be then The same pendant I found at home!? This is the key to the treasure box Ive brought. I was thinking on putting our tanzaku inside and then bury it under some tree. And why the heck would we do that? When I asked, Kyouko let out a smile as pretty as a midsummer sunflower, Because its more romantic like that. Is that so? Being a man, I dont understand that reasoning in the least. Yeah. Its much better like that! After Chiharu-kun, as promised, proposes to me in high school, well come back to retrieve it. And well say aah, thats right, this was the very beginning of what happened today once we meet the tanzaku with our eternally unchanged feelings What, isnt it romantic? I unconsciously let out a bitter smile. Romantic or what not So much sweetness will make me go bald. I too will promise something. By high school Ill have become cuter and lovelier than anyone. With that dazzling smile from Kyouko, my consciousness was returned to reality. I see. That pendant I found by chance at home had that kind of meaning. However. I had doubts. How could I forget something so important? Its true that I have a tendency for forgetfulness higher than others, but I dont think that something on this can be excused with something like Im forgetful. While filled with doubts, without any time to give them a thought, my consciousness was pulled to reality. Haru Haru *SHAKE SHAKE* My body shook. I was being shaken. Kyouko? Thats good. I thought you wouldnt wake up again. *SQUEEZE* My body was tightly embraced. The body of my childhood friend from whom I havent felt a hug in a very long time, compared to when she was in elementary school, it had become tender and charming, but unfortunately I didnt have time to spare enjoying the situation right now. Errr. KyoukoAfterwards, what happened with the battle? Could it be, you dont remember? That we could win thanks to the clever tactic devised by Haru? I did something Part of my memories of the battle are fuzzy. Perhaps. My body, didnt something change? Change? Like a part of my body becoming red. !! Kyouko seemed to have become speechless for as moment, but, right after, she smiled awkwardly, Ahaha. Whats that? Your skin has been always skin-colored! Werent you daydreaming? Aah. Yeah. Is that so? Like Kyouko said, maybe its because Im tired. The darkness of the forest, being mentally cornered It must have been a hallucination or a dream. When I looked to my watch, it was already around 8 pm. Its been a whole hour since the closing. The Saegusa festival should be in the middle of closing its stalls. Should we return? In the end, I couldnt keep my promise to Zonmi and the others? But, well, since Ive been involved in an incident like this one, theres no way. I think its lucky enough that Ive kept my life intact. Wait! As I turned back, I was stopped by a tug on my sleeve. Whats the matter? Truth is. Haru, About that pendant you are wearing Aah, You mean this? Truth is, Ive just Have you remembered!? Kyouko leant forward too close. No, its not like that Truth is, Ive just remembered about it, but I ended up lying on the spur of the moment. Why is that? Theres no way Kyouko could be serious about a promise from so long ago, but Me remembering about this pendant =me remembering about promising to marry, thats the same. I feel bashful about not denying it, howd I say, after this, I wouldnt know what face to make before her when we met. Do you know something about this? Haru may have forgotten already, but To tell the truth, it was me who gave you that pendant long ago. Is that so? Whats more. Theres a box that makes a set with that key, we put inside some keepsakes together, then buried it near here. Wanna go now to dig it up? No. Ill pass. Today Im tired. Really!? Im glad. Then, lets go to dig it up? Wait a minute! When did I say a word about going Gueeeeeeh! Understood! Im going! You are winging my neeeeeeck! I was dragged by the scruff of my neck like a kitten. Thats the giant tribe for you Whats with this power!? It seems that the basis of my disposition of being unable to oppose girls, either now or in the past, it hasnt changed a bit. I found it! I found it! The box Kyouko said, as it was in a shallower place than it seemed 5 years ago, could be found very fast. Its nothing more than a supposition, but could it be that Kyouko, so as to bask in memories, came here sometimes to tend to the box? If it wasnt like that, I doubt it would have been so easy to dig up something buried so long ago. Is that so? Thats good. I had mixed feelings. Dont tell me that Kyouko Is she serious about a promise from so long ago? Lets say Kyouko asks me to marry her, how could I reply to her? Kyouko put a dumbfounded expression. The moment I cast my eyes upon the two sheets of tanzaku in her hands, I could understand why. Id say the soil moisture must have changed the quality of the paper. They are in a state where the writing cannot be read. What are those? The keepsakes you mentioned? Yeah. They cant be read anymore, but here there were written very precious memories. Is that so? Kyouko got for a moment into an absentminded state, but her eyes promptly shining brightly again, Yeah, There has been a slight change in plans, but No problem. This is enough for now. ? Haru, could you stretch your right hand? Why so sudden? As Kyouko said, I reached my hand to her. As soon as I felt something cold in my fingertip, the surrounding darkness was drowned by a pale light that just spilled out. Wha. How can this!? Of course, I got surprised. This light is the same I saw back when I made a contract with Iris. Then, this should be A Contract Ring. Why does Kyouko have a Contract Ring? I have no proof, but there was only one I knew of. The aftermath of the battle. I think I saw this same light coming from Noelles ring. Could it be Maybe Noelles Enforce Ring somehow changed its nature and became a Contract Ring? If my theory of the Enforce Ring changing into a Contract Ring is true, then the pain of Noelle when she tried to use the ring is comprehensible. Of course this is nothing more than a simple guess, but Is that what happens when you give a command bypassing the free will of the monster partner? As a consequence of asking for a function of the Enforce Ring already turned into a Contract Ring, she suffered that backlash? If I think like that, the flow of events can be explained. I too dont understand it very well, but Ive heard something like that. For a monster tamer to choose a partner, besides the ring, they say the contract partner has to choose it from its own volition. I see. Turning away her glance, Kyouko said while fidgety entwining her fingers. On fairy-tales passed around at the Netherworld, two people separated by an unwanted contract can be reunited by the will of the ring There are tons of endings like that. But for that to actually happen a strong relationship of mutual trust, how do I put it it seems deep bonds that anyone would envy are needed If what Kyouko says is correct, is this ring she put on me without warning something like a living being? If you said to the me from before something as unscientific as the ring is alive, I would have laughed. But now, Im someone who doesnt find it something that impossible. For good or bad, Im surrounded by girls that are themselves unscientifical existences. Chiharu What are you doing in a place Turning my head in reaction to the familiar voice, Zonmi, breathing heavily, dashed before me. Am I overthinking things? Her expression seems a bit relieved. Ku Being outran by a lowly ghoulD Pant Pant Onii-chan I found you By the way, Iris-chan and the zombie run very fast And, its not only Zonmi. You guys Why the heck!? Thats good Youre safe and sound. I could feel it through the ring. Chiharus magic power grew until strange levels and reached a state of being out of controlD. Chiharu, what has happened here? Eeeerm, you see !? When I started talking, Zonmi s glance fell on my hand. Zonmi, after being left with a face of incredulity, her eyes opened wide, started trembling, You dont say!? Chiharu and the Nephilim, a contract!? How could it be if you didnt have a ring Tell me your explanation, if you have one!" She inquired with a bloodcurdling grimace. Well. From where should I start explaining? To explain the reason behind our contract, I first should tell about Kyoukos capture. And then the battle against the Black Tamer. That Kyouko was put under Enforce. A monster enslaving monsters that I have personally seen such an irregular situation. If I start explaining from the start, no matter how much time I get, it wont be enough. As, bewildered, I couldnt look her in the eyes, Hey, zombie! That doesnt matter! Manami objected in a loud voice. Wha. Isnt this unrelated to you, little sister!? Be quiet! You tend to act in strange ways Thats weird! Even when, just in case, so that you, being human, werent exposed to danger, I ran here at full speed I see. So thats the reason why Zonmi is out of breath? Still, she seems to have endured it quite well, but how the heck could Manami have kept up Zonmis pace running at full speed Its SO related to me! I too am curious about the ring, but better than that, shouldnt we confirm right now the state of onii-chans chastity!? Wh-why is everyone wordless!? Could it be being deep in the mountain!? The darkness!? Are you boys and girls in heat!? Id say thats the only thing it can be!! As usual, this little sister of mine has to butt in on such an important moment in a catastrophic way. When, before my sister oddities, I felt the urge of running away. From nowhere, *WHOO~~~~~~SH*, fireworks burst in the night sky with a loud noise like flowers in full bloom. Pretty Seeing the fireworks being launched one after the other, Kyouko let out a word of admiration. Are these those rumored so-called fireworks Ive heard of? Ive seen them a couple of times in photos and recordings, but seeing is believing. They are as appealing as they say. Kukkuku. Wouldstnt thou say its a good performance for being humans? Of course, theres nothing in this world that holds a candle before our flames. I''d say its the first time Zonmi and Iris seeing fireworks. Enraptured by the beauty of the fireworks Rather, just startled by the scale and noise of the fireworks. Muu~. And now fireworks!? In the end, what was the outcome of onii-chans nighttime firework launching!? Hey? But, isnt it weird? The time of the show should have been over a while ago Why are they launching them now? Ignoring my sisters nonsense, I voiced my thoughts. Well. Im not very well informed on the matter, but Ive heard a student without common sense, while shouting strange words like events for the enjoyment of riajuus like this should be erased from this world or something, interfered with the launching A very disturbing fellow. Is that so? Wasnt that undoubtedly Youhei!? Darn That Youhei How rash Nevertheless. By chance, thanks to that guy delaying the launching, we could have everyone gather like this on the best spot and see the fireworks. Doesnt that mean we should be grateful to Youhei? Well, then Youve ended up eluding the talk. Ill question you in detail once we come back home. Aah. If its like that, Ill help. At any rate. This means youve become the second partner. Nephilim. Said Zonmi strongly remarking the second part. But in my case, I wont let our relationship stop on a partner level. After that declaration, Kyouko strongly pressed my arm against her breasts. O-oi Id say that, after the contract, shes gotten in very high spirits, but her unusually proactive approach makes me unconsciously embarrassed. Wha-whawhawha. What exactly does that meaaan!? Zonmis yell was cruelly drowned by the fireworks noiseD. Apart from the fireworks launched to the night sky, a womanlyD violent battles sparks were scattered between those two. Volume 3 Prologue Volume 3 Prologue Opening my eyes, before me was a plain of sea. The scent of tides. Wave after wave occurring repeatedly in the sea. Looking up, oddly muscular seagulls enjoyed their trip through the sky. Not bad. Though some abnormalities were presented, but when mentioning the sea, what comes to mind would be summer vacation, and a scene of girls in swimsuits any healthy male student would look forward to. Um. Thus said. After affirming the kind of development of being on an unknown island after opening up the eyes for awhile. This is quite heart-wrenching indeed. Moreoverin front of me, problems kept piling up as mountains high enough to obstruct my vision. Um. Youre finally awake. Shifting my head towards the familiar sounding voice, I spotted a person Im familiar with. Iris Scarlet Lindwurm. The person who I am talking to is a Red Dragon girl; she was wearing a cute pink and white laced swimsuit, and released such irregular cuteness that you''d want to promptly take her home and use her as a body pillow. I''m curious about why Iris''s choice in swimsuit is so girlishly cute, but theres something more important I needed to ask right now. That. No good. It appears that mymemory is a bit fuzzy Um. For starters. Wheres this place? Saying the same thing as before, I had no issue with going to the sea, it would be better to say that I was eager to. But the current problem is I cant remember how did I arrive here.. Huhuhu. Speaking of which, this is a first for you. Iris, with the same attitude as before, said some astonishing facts. This is of course the demon world. Um. I had an inkling. Though I had an inkling, still I couldnt help but think you guys were pulling a prank on me. Looking carefully, some subtle changes could be seen in the suns shape, though I tried to avoid looking, the seagulls (?) in the sky, they seem to have easily been the same size as a small helicopter. In the end, how come I am spending my summer vacation in the demon world? I slowly reviewed all the events up until this point. Volume 3 1 — Events of a certain summer Volume 3 Chapter 1: Events of a certain summer Having the long, long test period end, the students at Seiran Academy welcomed the summer holidays. High school sophomores & summer holidays. Has there ever been another more exciting combination? My classmate Youhei said so. Something like this is the season when chances are the highest for boys and girls in their teens to have their first experience. Now that he said it, I have to agree. Currently, we are high school sophomores. Next year well end up in the front lines preparing for the entrance exams. Come to that Theres no way well have time for something like romance. For this reason Isnt being a high school sophomore a chance in several ways? So that our hearts when preparing for the exams, like a last-minute proposal for rising taxes, get set free. Life is short. Us male high school students cannot but dearly treasure this one last chance given by the gods. Thats why How can it be Though one week has passed since the start of summer vacation, honestly, until now, Ive only spent unproductive time alone at home. Thats natural. My lodger Zonmi is weak against heat, so she absolutely cant go out. My best friend Youhei, having disturbed the firework show at the recent summer festival, has been put under house arrest by the school. Having had both my two top choices of people to hang out with cut off, I cant help but be dragged into the lifestyle of a NEET. Well, what do I do today? Since no matter how much I worry theres no way out, lets totally change my mindset. While sprawled over my bed, when I stretched my limbs with a mmm, an idea flashed through my mind. Ring. Before my eyes I have my second Contract Ring I got just the other day shining with a silvery color. Some days ago, after Zonmi the ghoul, I sealed a contract with Kyouko the Nephilim. Why dont I try it? Summon. Come the time I have to use her as a battle partner, though Ive seen it a couple of times, Ive never experienced it myself. Monster tamers have the possibility to call forth their contracted partner any time they like. Yosh, its decided. Lets summon her. I-its not like Ill call Kyouko to have someone to talk with to kill the excess free time Now that I think of it, do I have any other choice? Better safe than sorry. That said, since it can be that things dont go smoothly when I have to use it, I must practice now that I have the time. SummonNephilim. Readying myself, I loudly shouted towards the ring. Thereupon, the ring emitted a dazzling light that covered the inside of the room. Ooh It seems it worked somehow. Soon, from inside the light emerged a familiar silhouette. Suddenly. An uncomfortable silence settled on the surroundings, as if time had stopped. No wonder I became as stiff as if I had been put under a stone spell. The summoned Kyouko, seemingly being completely immersed in her personal time, was in a state where she wore nothing but her undies. Could she have been reading on top of her bed? On Kyoukos hands were the opened pages of a fashion magazine. Engrossed in reading the magazine, she was lying face down sucking on a popsicle In a word, defenseless. Humm. I didnt know. Kyouko follows such a loose lifestyle while at home Ill never admit it to the person herself, but above her underwear a peek of her cute butt crack was showing itself. Ah, ah, ah. Crying without making a sound as if saying its the end of the world, Kyoukos face paled. Soon, her embarrassment rushing to its peak, her face becoming bright red, Do-dododo Dont look at me, morooooooon! She gathered her strength and hit me. At full force. I think that was perhaps not at full force. Guoh!? Taking Kyoukos fist head on, my body was sent through the wall with a dreadful sound. As if I had turned into a human drill, *BROOOM*, I ended up digging through the concrete and sent flying outside the house. In the end, I intruded into the neighboring houses yard. Ueh Ive pierced it. The repairing fee of the wall, itll be quite high. Its sad that my first worry was that instead of my own body. Grrr Woof! Woof! Woof! The neighbors shiba inu raged against the suspicious person (me), but despite the determination put into its barking, deep inside its eyes a tinge of fear could be seen. This condition Is it normal? Rolling up my t-shirt to see the state of my injuries, my skin had become reddish brown and was constantly swelling and shrinking. The red-colored cells healed themselves in the blink of an eye, and the broken bones connected back. A monster tamer able to change its body into that of a monster. Noelle North Norm. I superimposed my own bodys condition to that of the monster tamer I fought against a few days ago. Ive had an omen from a while back. My body is little by little drifting away from that of a human. So, Im vaguely worried. The realization that my bodys wounds have been automatically healing themselves with the cells of a monster, I got it since after the end of the battle against the Black Tamers the other day. Do all the ones known as monster tamers hold this kind of monstrous power? While grateful for this, that to the eye of a passerby seems like a miracle, I felt uneasy before the gradual changes in my body. I-Im truly sorry! Returning to my room, I frantically apologized to the dumbfounded Kyouko. Due to suddenly calling her forth, shell probably be troubled since she has nothing to put on. Since, enveloped by the bed sheets and with teary eyes as if she was about to cry, Kyouko was quite pitiful, I took a sweatshirt from inside my drawers and put it before her. Directing my sight to the hole I cleanly made on the wall, I waited like that for Kyouko to change. No. Thats fine. Lets both forget what has happened today. Though it was without ill will, Ive witnessed Kyoukos such Unladylike appearance. I thought about asking her to reimburse me the walls repairing fees, but I gave up. Having Kyouko grown up in a household that couldnt be said thriving even as flattery is cruelty (being in her undies instead of turning the air conditioner on seems to have been for the sake of saving). For that reason, its good we have damage insurance. It may be an inconvenience for the insurance company, but from now on well be under their care for a while. Kyouko Have you finished? Yup. Im good. Turning back, I saw my childhood friend dressed in a big sweater the size of regular nightclothes. Sorry for having to borrow it. Tomorrow without fail Ill wash and return it! Y-yeah. Whats with this The sight of a woman in oversized clothes is bewitchingly tempting. And being familiar with the clothes, the destructive power reinforced with the lewdness was doubled. Good grief How shameless. While I was transfixed looking at Kyouko, Zonmi, who had rushed to see what was with the sound of the breaking wall, mumbled with her arms crossed before her. Lets cut to the chase, Nephilim. What are you doing here? ? Why does it matter? Its decided Each and every time, at every opportunity, you show your u-u-u-underwear to my master! A-are you joking? I-its not that I like to sho Kyouko started rebutting with her face flushing, but Zonmi wasnt satisfied yet. No. It has not been once or twice, yours exceeds the level of coincidence. Even so Those coincidences keep I see. You keep saying you have no wicked intentions? Its crystal clear you want to snatch away my master. Youre filthy! ! H-hey. That was obviously excessive. True, recently, I feel that Ive seen Kyoukos panties with a frequency that makes me want to rebuke Has someone messed with the random number fix? But still, thats no reason to call her filthy. W-what. Rather that would be you Kyouko, who was silently hanging her head in shame, shot her a glare and countered. "From a while now, it seems youve been trying to emphasize my master, my master, but isn''t it now that you arent Harus only partner? ! Zonmi pursed her lips as if thinking about something. Youve been putting airs of being the only legal wife. Since up till now it seemed you could monopolize Haru Its obvious youre panicking! Whawhawha. I dont intend that Whats your basis to say that nonsense!? If you have the time to falsely accuse people of weird things, wouldnt it be better to convey things with sincerity? To whom, what do I have to convey? Come on, its vexing you that I took Harus first summon. Youre just jealous. Fufufu. Those words, Ill take them as a war declaration. Come out, Nephilim. In the first place, as a rookie tamer, Chiharu is in no need for two partners. Whos really the most suited partner for Chiharu? Well, usually When Zonmi was in mid-sentence, the next instant. Its terrible, its terrible, its terrible! Are you a pervert, pervert oniichan!?" *THUD*, the sound of the door being closed with force. Manami, who had went to a summertime cram school, had arrived. Wow. Its a godsend. Since, for good or for bad, this sister of mine has the power to give a whole turn to the mood inside a room. If these two keep bickering like up till now, she may get hold of the matter of the hole opened in the wall. Be that as it may. Now, by all means, its better that I dont let that comment slide ? But Im not a pervert, am I? The moment I voiced the issue, the atmosphere in the room froze. Hey. Why have you become speechless? How do I put it, how come that, for some reason, Kyouko and Zonmi casted a glance at me when the response from Manami No, arent you a pervert? came. I dont want to hear that coming from you. And Never mind, isnt it terrible, oniichan!? Whats the matter? Youve lost your grip. Dont mind it, read this! Mm. What the heck? From nowhere, Manami produced a single letter. Eerrrm. The name of the sender was The heck. It cant be Could it be this is a prank of yours? Grumping because I didnt believe her, my sister, puffing her cheeks, No way! Look well! Isnt that moms genuine handwriting? Well, surely. If its Manami, its possible that she has tried once or twice to imitate the handwriting, but I felt that this is too intricate to be just a prank. Chiharus mother? Now that you mention it, Ive yet to meet her face to face. When I think about the day coming that that happens, I get a headache. It cant be From Kanae-san!? That woman was still alive Could you stop randomly killing off other peoples mothers? Even so, theres a bit of inevitability in her thinking like that. Kusumi Kanae. The subject that was risen just now, shes my mother who flies around the world due to her work. Her character The heck, couldnt it be summed up as a freewheeler? If one were to say how much of a freewheeler she is, shes at a level that would make the Mongol nomadic tribes run away barefoot. To tell the truth, even when we were kids, we had no other way to prove the existence of our mother, except the monthly transfer of our living expenses. Then, then, what has she written, oniichan!? Manami asked with sparkling eyes. Despite being more glad than anyone for receiving a letter from mom, and falling on me the right to open the envelope, it seems that, unexpectedly, even my sister has her cute side. Dear Chiharu & Manami. Are you all right? Mom is worried. Especially for Chiharu, to whom, despite shouldering with the household responsibilities, recently I havent done for him any mother-like gestures. So mom has been thinking. Please have a blast with all your might from time to time. Ive put inside a ticket to a luxury liner cruising tour. Chiharu, please go with the children youve chosen as the most dear to you. Kanae. Yaaaay! A trip with oniichan! Its a honeymoon for only the two of uuuus! Manami entwined herself around my body with the strength of a sea anemone feeding on its prey. No. Look better, Manami. With this A-class ticket, it seems that with one, up to five people can join. I mentioned what I had realized, peacefully ignoring my sisters eccentric behavior. Then, the monster girl combos bodies reacted with a twitch. Me too, me too! If its as you say, I want to go too! Good grief. Theres no way around. Since, as well as to protect my master, its my duty as your partner. Wait a minute, isnt it weird!? Why has the mood become as if everyone is going!? Isnt it properly written? HE?RE, isnt this a ticket that mom has sent so Manami and her brother can be all lovey-dovey as siblings, without interferences? Just where is something like that written!? Ahem. Between the lines, of course! For some reason, Manami made her declaration with a bit of a triumphing face. The reason, no one but you gets it. But, thinking normally about it, since the ticket covers for five peoples share, doesnt mom intend for us all to go together? Isnt it? With this, hasnt mom done it out of concern so that Manami and oniichan can go three times? Lets say we could split it in three times, isnt one persons share on the last trip not covered? Chicchichi. On the contrary, if oniichan and Manami board the boat joined by the genitals He-hey. That may be a prison direct trip tour. I *AHEM* cleared my throat and started anew, Then, as Zonmi, Kyouko, and Manami will come, what do we do about the remaining person? Errrm. Since its these members, wouldnt it be proper that the left over share went to that red dragon kid? Against my inquiry, Kyouko calmly reacted. It ended up coming to that ? Do you have any objection? Its nothing. I didnt mean it like that. Though Iris is certainly a cherished comrade, I cant picture her coming on a trip with all of us. For starters, as I know neither where she lives nor what she usually does, would we be able to get along well? Despite embracing that uneasiness, I didnt find any good reason to oppose it. In the end, we entrusted Manami to make an appointment with Iris to do a single rehearsal and, like that, we parted. Some days later. The day we all had decided as suitable, us five, me, Zonmi, Kyouko, Iris, and Manami, turned up at Yokohamas harbor. Surprisingly, I feel that up till now we had never gathered these members to go somewhere. At the summer festival, Kyouko didnt come at first. The feeling of the sea breeze brought by the wind was pleasant. It would be the best if there was a young lady here clad in a swimsuit, but regrettably, there was no one apart from us, just some old guys with fishing rods who seemed to be looking afar. This is weird. Chiharu, is this the correct place? Yeah. According to the map, theres no doubt, but For now, lets try waiting a bit more. If even then people dont turn up, we better phone to ask. So it seems. Accepting Kyoukos suggestion, we seated on a nearby bench and watched the situation for a bit. After a few minutes wait. Like before, no other passengers but us showed up, but instead, a single car parked at the harbor. I dont know much about cars, but I realized. That car with a lacquered surface and tinted windows, unless I become a yakuza or a performer, its a luxury item that theres no way I can afford. The sliding door opened. What kind of person could be riding inside? Surely, it can be none other but a guy with a V-shaped scar that works in a freelance occupation that starts with ya. However. That prediction of mine seemed to be off by large. The one who showed up from inside was a young Lady dressed in a maid outfit. Chiharu!? Be careful That woman ? An acquaintance? As if she was an expert at cosplay, it seems she donned the maid uniform with the casualness of a professional. Her age, around the early twenties? She was a {woman} with glasses that suited her sharp glance and serious demeanor. Those features were of a breathtaking beauty, but, for good or bad, around me (in the eyes of strangers) there were lots of pretty girls. I wouldnt get much of an impact if she were a regular beauty, but In her theres a point that made difference. That point impossible to miss was her boobs. Oops! Darn! In the heat of the moment, I let out the answer. So. Despite her looks, by themselves, were already eye-catching, additionally showily decking out her figure, there were those two big breasts like saying Its not enough!. Hoping Worrying that the buttons on her blouse popped out, my eyes got unintentionally fixed on her glamorous body. Whats with those breasts Are they at the level where a hamster could shelter itself from the rain below them? *STARE* Ah! This is bad. It seems the girls around me have gotten wind of my wicked thoughts. I could come back to my senses thanks to the silent killing intent of the surrounding girls. How shameless. Doing perverted things so early in the morning? How filthy. Has Chiharus thinking ability degenerated to the level of a mongrel? E-Errrm. Whats the matter? Heh. So Haru likes women with big breasts. Thats the reason, so thats why his reactions towards my body were so lukewarm (monotone) Hun! Entranced by lumps of meat like those Thou hast fallen low, monster tamer. Kyouko Even Iris!? Me, am I thinking too much? The monster girl trio, each one looking to their own breasts, they are showing somewhat bitter faces. Now that I mention it, I hadnt paid much attention until now, but these chicks They are all very lacking on the bust department. Lewd glances are forbidden!! Mogaah!? As soon as I heard my sisters voice, everything blackened out. Wha-whats this? This thing in front of me What are these two soft feelings!? Oniichan Why are you ogling other womens breasts? Why? Yeah? Be reasonable! From the cradle to the grave, oniichan can look only at Manamis boobs! I realized it was my sister who was feeding me this preaching. Somewhat nostalgic. Specifically, it tastes like early infancy Could this warm feeling I can sense through the cloth!? It seems my head has been put inside Manamis T-shirt. O-Oi. My breath My breaaaath!? Mogaaaaaaah!? Since Manami was hugging me so tightly I couldnt escape to the point of suffocation, caught between her breasts, in the end I ended lacking in oxygen. Oi oi. If cause of death = suffocation by getting caught between his blood-related little sisters breasts makes it to the morning news If it makes it. I-in that case, wouldnt it be the worst possible development!? Kusumi Chiharu-sama Am I wrong? Getting out somehow from inside my sisters T-shirt, turning my head to look at the maid uniform-wearing glasses young woman, I let out a husky voice. Y-Yes. Im certainly Kusumi Chiharu, but Have we met somewhere? Wait. Though Ive replied without thinking, calling out to us with this timing, could it be that this person Could she be someone from the travel agency thats hosting the cruising tour? Monster Tamer Dost fall back a bit. Chiharu, please step back a little. For some reason, Zonmi & Iris spoke at once with a sharp glance. Me, Kyouko and Manami, unable to catch up with the current events, couldnt do but become totally dumbfounded. So, what the heck does a demon want with us? Amazing. Even though I kept to a minimum my release of magic power to the exterior so that you couldnt realize my true identity in the least. As expected of the scion of the McKenzie bloodline Do I have to say something like that? What an honor. Having a demon expressly inquiring on my lineage Wait a minute. I dont catch what youre saying, whats a demon? Is this lady in fact a monster? No, Chiharu. Monsters and demons are different things. Demon is the generic term to refer to those who rule over the monsters. Either power or influence In general, they are being incomparably superior to monsters. Even I Ive heard this talk from daddy Those known as demons are existences alike royalty and nobility on the human world The person who bears the most influence from among the demons, called the Maou, rules over the entirety of the Netherworld I see. In this world there are two kinds of Maou. Namely, The monster tamer king that rules from the shadows of the human world through the IMAMaou. Rising above the entirety of the monsters, the king that reigns over the NetherworldMaou. It seems that this last one Maou is chosen as the most distinguished from among the demons. Hun! Be it a demon or a monster, it does not matter. From the start, any one who opposes me shall perish by fire Nothing more. Ive ended up being hated simply for being a demon Be relieved. Since we dont intend to oppose you Rather, its the opposite. If you want to earn our trust Start with a valid reason For what reason have you approached us? Yes. Of course. Later Ill tell you to your hearts content. However The young woman dressed in a maid suit made her eyes shine suspiciously. Since we are here, lets head to the Other World. The instant after she let out those meaningful words. *SPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!* A sheet of spray swelled up from the surface of the sea. What appeared in front of us, as if splitting the surface, was a giant fish 20 meters long shining in gold. Uoh!? I dont understand well whats happening, but We must flee! Even being a split-second decision, it was already too late. When I realized it, *GULP*, we had been swallowed by the giant fish. Is this For real Despite us having been invited to a luxury liner cruising tour Why have we been eaten by a giant fish? Certainly, this fish With its golden scales, it feels a bit more gorgeous than your regular fish Even so, its strange. Its true that it was a surprise attack but, couldnt this attack from the enemy have been avoided? It may be me thinking over things too much, it seemed like Zonmi and Iris took the attack without even trying to ward it off. But, my thinking abilitys working cant keep any longer. It may be that my mind has suffered a short-circuit due to the sudden flow of the events. Swallowed by a mysterious giant fish, I lost consciousness. Volume 3 2 — Welcome to the Netherworld! Volume 3 Chapter 2: Welcome to the Netherworld! I opened my eyes, before me was a plain of sea And so we return to the present. I tried asking Iris about the situation. It seems that, once we were swallowed by the mysterious giant fish, we were transported all the way to the Netherworld through a side Abyss Gate that exists under the sea. No, If Im dreaming I want to wake up. They say that the different Abyss Gates that exist on land, sea and sky have each one their own control post from the IMA to strictly manage them. Though Id like to think that all of this was a joke It seems that the giant fish that swallowed us is a major means of transport in the Netherworld to cross the underwater Abyss Gate. From the start, it seems that this was the reason why Iris & Zonmi, having lived in the Netherworld for a long time, didnt evade the attack of the giant fish. But then I still dont have the feeling of I came to the Netherworld. Its not that my personal image of the netherworld includes things like the Mountain of Nails or the Sea of Blood. Right now, if we take out part of the scenery, it doesnt seem to be so different from the human world. Then Where are Zonmi and the rest? If my memory serves right I think both Zonmi and Kyouko were also swallowed by the fish. Though I could call back Zonmi & Kyouko by summoning if I felt like it It would be a pain if I left Manami out. As I tried asking, feeling uneasy, Iris quietly snorted, Thy worries are not required. If its those lasses, they are yonder, scrutinizing what bathing suit they shall change into. Is that so? If everyone is safe, thats fine. That was close. Had I summoned Zonmi and the rest while they were changing into their swimsuits I could easily guess what follows. About bathing suits Even though its the same what to change into It seems they largely wanted to cater to thy affections. Mumbling unintelligibly, Iris added something. Where Iris was looking at, there was a shed that seemed to be a beach hut. Guessing from her way of talking, do they run a swimsuit rental service in that hut? For saying that any one was fine, it seems youve chosen a cheekily cute swimsuit. Nu? Nunu!? As I jokingly told that, Iris reacted in a panicked fashion. T-thou!! W-what hallucinations dost thou speak of!? My choosing of this bathing suit T-this one was simply the first I put my eyes unto It certainly has no other meaning N-no. I understand. Since I understand. Dont glare at me like that I wonder why she denied it so vehemently. Iris is, after all, a girl of that age (?). Taking her time choosing her swimsuit Its nothing weird. Rather, I think that would have been the normal thing Chiharu. Have you finally woken up? Along with the sound of the waves came a dignified alto voice. Uoh!? I unintentionally let out a high pitch cry. Turning my head, Zonmi, clad in a swimsuit, was standing next to me. O-oniichan. You woke up? d grief. Till when would you keep sleeping. One after another, Kyouko (in a swimsuit) & Manami (in a swimsuit) also rushed to my side. By the way, while we are at it, Ill explain what kinds of swimsuits each of them are wearing Zonmi and Kyouko are wearing, respectively, a white bikini and a black one. Zonmis swimsuit comes with a classy pareo, the neat feeling fits to a T with Zonmis honor student personality. Kyoukos swimsuit is a string bikini with the cloth area reduced to the extreme, signs of the effort to release a bit of sexiness while concealing the body handicaps (like the bust size) can be seen. About Manami, though it reaches the level of, if possible, no comments It was a shell bikini made from three shells, on the smallish side (Japanese scallop?), that cover the breast and the nether regions. Deplorable. Uffu~n? Hows it? Having taken the trouble of coming to the Netherworld, Manami has turned into a mermaid monster. Graah!! Graah, graah!! Manami mimicked sound was absolutely unlike any one a mermaid would make. The usual me would have made a retort in disgust, but The current me didnt have the composure. Chiharu? Could it be that you are feeling unwell? In that case You better rest under that trees shadow Haru? Whats the matter? Maybe coming to the Underworld has been such a shock I-its not like that, Kyouko-oneechan!? Look again! Manami opened her eyes round as if seeing an extremely astounding scene. Could it be It may be the first time seeing this even for Manami O-oniichan, are you crying for reals!? What? For an instant, Zonmi & Kyouko were left with their mouths agape and a face of not knowing whats what, but as soon as they realized I was, in fact, crying, their countenances clouded. So. As soon as I saw these chicks in swimsuits, recalling a trauma of mine, of all things, I started shedding manly tears. Say, girls Could you keep quiet and listen to my story? Since, unusual of me, I started to speak in a serious mood, the four girls nodded in silence and waited for my words. That Happened last summer. Since the holidays were coming to an end with nothing happening, it was intolerable. With Youhei We both went to the beach on the last day of summer. On paper, the plan was to pick up girls. However, lets think calmly about it. When two dull male high school students whose history without girlfriend = their age, will they succeed in picking up girls? No, even if they accept the challenge and without fail they suffer honorable defeat, I think thats still one more page on the bitter memories of youth. However, you know What sadly happened was that we werent able to call out to a single girl. Without courage, we couldnt even set foot on the match stage. And so, you know? I made a promise with Youhei. Next summer, surrounded by girls in swimsuits, well live a rose-colored youth, we promised. Youhei My Our dream, I realized it. How I wish you too Could see this scenery. How was it, this trauma of mine deeper than the Mariana trench Ive presented to you? Being considerate with the seriousness of the mood (?) all of the girls remained silent. Nevertheless, thats only natural. Though Ive come into contact once or twice with the girls pasts, this is the first time I talk about mine of my own volition with my own words. Hehe! My bad Getting all melancholic over such a thing Forget what I just said. Like that, putting an end to it with what I reckon are the coolest words, I suddenly noticed. Looking at them, contrary to my expectations. Erm, excuse me. I dont know how do I have to react before such an unfunny story told with a serious face How do I put it, where was the emotive part in the story just now? Oniichan, learn to read the mood What a folly, monster tamer Uh wha Ive been told as they liked. *GRRR* These wenches dont understand. The feelings of two male highschoolers who went to the beach trying to pick up girls, didnt have to courage to call up to them and ended up with no other choice but to spend the time picking up jellyfish that were washed ashore inside a vinyl bag (true story). Well Saying it with simple words, your swimsuits are excessively cute and the best. These are tears of joy. This is bad. Could it be Ive dug my grave deeper? The girls have once again become silent and have hung their heads down. So it seems. I may have talked without mincing words a little too much. Moron. If its like that, dont start talking nonsense With her cheeks very red , the words of the sighing Kyouko cruelly resounded in my ears. I see. Exactly as rumored, a true ladykiller. !? The one who suddenly intruded in our conversation was none other than the one responsible of having brought us to the Netherworld just a while ago. The young woman in maid clothes. However, different from before, she had changed into a racing swimsuit. How weird. Speaking of racing swimsuits with their low exposure, despite, if pushed, Id say they give a plain image, worn by this person its charmingly sexy. As I expected, is it because of her breasts? Is it due to her breasts? Excuse my late introduction. My name is Lilith. Im the succubus Lilith Artemisia. Chiharu-sama. Firstly let me beg for forgiveness for my rudeness from a while ago. Excuse me. Why is it. Certainly, its obvious that you should speak humbly when asking for forgiveness, but Is this whats known as businesslike? In any case, I dont think that her words are only a front. Chiharu. You dont need to be so vigilant. It seems that that was her nature from the start. Is she trustworthy? That I also dont know. However, at least it seems she hasnt brought harm to us. Understood. I dont know what has happened, but it seems that while I was out they discussed something. Well, then, as originally agreed, Ill borrow Chiharu-sama. Since I think it will take a while, you can go ahead and enjoy the beach for an hour. Comprehended. Take care of that master of mine No, of ours, I sincerely beg you. Somehow, now it seems I have to try asking Lilith-san about the circumstances. With this and that, I. Guided by Lilith-san, my feet brought me to the cabin that Zonmi and the girls seemingly used to change clothes. The beach house (?) Lilith-san brought me to, as it displays a great variety of swimsuits, it seems that, as I thought, runs a swimsuit rental service. Other than swimsuits, as it has facilities like lockers or shower rooms, here too, the standard structure doesnt seem to be very different to a beach house from the human world. The only thing that feels different, perhaps that theres absolutely no one inside the cottage? Its only natural that I worry about that, but this shops management, how do they organize this? Harboring this doubt, I entered the cabin alone with Lilith-san. Whats the matter? Could you please stop doing nothing but looking at my breasts? Want me to kill you?" Wha-what? Totally puzzled, what I received was a merciless threat that put a stop to my thoughts from the girl over there. Could it be, do you think I didnt notice? Men are really the lowest. With the excuse that thats part of my work, they ogle my breasts as if licking all over them Eh Wha What the heck? This girl The moment we were alone, it seems her mood has so questionably changed into this. Aah, I forgot saying that Im bad with all male beings Rather, they are what I hate most in the world. For that reason, when talking to a man, I end up behaving somewhat rude. Excuse me. I see. I see. So thats the reason the mood changed so suddenly. But a man-hating succubus is a weird tale. Be that as it may, males are the thing she hates most in the world Does that make half the living beings on earth the thing she hates most in the world? It seems I no longer understand what the thing means . Then Though I have many things that I want to ask you, why have you brought us to the Netherworld? Cutting off our conversation, I promptly started asking questions. Thats a justified doubt. However, in order to answer that question, there are several things we must talk about before. Understood. Firstly, Chiharu-sama. Do you have any knowledge about what your mother herself usually does for a living? Haah If its my mom, she works for a trading company and is currently overseas on a temporary job transfer. How dumb. Even though Manami-sama had long since realized it, by the point she arrived here ? What the heck? Surely, I do realize that Ive been called dumb a lot by people, but what bugs me is how could I lose to Manami. Kanae-samas job is, like yours, monster tamer. Wha!? Before such an unexpected declaration, I cried in disarray. Eerrrm. Do you have any proof? How can I believe you if you tell me that so suddenly? A proof? Lilith-san once again made the lenses of her glasses flash, How come you havent noticed yourself? You siblings agility is obviously not that of an ordinary human Becoming a monster tamer is but obvious. That constitution of yours has been inherited from a special monster tamer that is called a living legendKanae-sama." Surely, now that she says it, there have been several clues. An ordinary human, unlike me, wouldnt have the special ability of being able to bite off handcuff chains (and thats why I try to not use it outside home as much as possible), and even Manami somehow bears the battle prowess to fight on equal footing against Zonmi. If she says that us siblings abnormalities are inherited from our mother, those doubts are cleared. So, does that mean our father too is someone related to the monster tamers? Our father, Kamiigusa Yuuto-san, divorced mom before I was old enough to understand what was going on. Mom once showed me a photo; he was a guy that looked like a gentle-mannered refreshing handsome man. Why do my looks not resemble those of that person Even now I cant help but curse my fate No. According to the information taken from the central database of the IMA Manami-samas father was an extremely ordinary normal man. Id dare say, he doesnt know of the existence of monster tamers. Is that so? Thats to say, mom married dad while keeping her own job a secret. Once, when I asked mom about the reason of the divorce, I remember her giving me a worthless answer like Errm. Because I felt he wasnt the right one? Nevertheless, thinking back, the reason of the divorce may have been her being unable to properly reach a compromise between her married life and her work. Hey, wait. Just now, have you said Manami-samas father? As I pointed it out, Lilith-sans temple twitched. I see. You are surprisingly perceptive. Id say, it is as you suspect, Chiharu-sama. With that preface, Lilith-san bluntly made a shocking declaration. Chiharu-sama and Manami-sama are half-siblings with the same mother, but each one has their own father. Holy cow! It''s a fact so astonishing that left me with my mouth open, unable to close it. Until just now, I believed that Yuuto-san, who I have only seen in photos, was my father, but Strangely, I didnt feel like doubting Lilith-san words. Why is it like that? To tell the truth, Ive been holding doubts for a long time. Since my and Manamis faces dont resemble each other, and our personalities and tendencies are different. I wondered if Manami and I were really blood-related siblings That is to say, who is my true father? Do you know, Lilith-san? Yeah. Of course I know. However, rather than with words, it will be faster to do a body experiment. Chiharu-sama, could you close your eyes for a bit? Understood. I closed my eyes as Ive been told. Then, excuse me. Guah!? When I opened my eyes due to the pain, I had a deep cut in my nape. Eerrm. Why the heck have you done this? Just look, please. Uu. Once again Id say she has injured some blood vessel. Were I a regular human, Id have need to stop the bleeding and call an ambulance But in my case, the tale was different. Shortly after being injured, the wound that spurted large quantities of blood was healed by the monster tamer cells. To tell the truth, its the first time I''ve shown it to another person. Since I dont feel good about being seen and I dont want to worry anyone without motive. I see. The flesh has completely healed in less than ten seconds? Geez, what amazing recovery power. Erm What relation does my regenerative capability have to do with my father? You still havent understood? Raising her glasses, Lilith-san, for who knows what time today, said some astonishing words. Your father is not human. Your father is a monster No, properly speaking, hes a demon, the existence that is you is a chimera born between a devil and a human, never seen before in history. What? I am a chimera born between a demon and a human? Without time to digest the information before me, Lilith-san resumed speaking as if forced to answer. Usually, for the children born from the breeding of different races, the blood of one of them takes precedence and the birth race gets decided at random. Were it not like that, when monsters from different races interbred, each time a new race would be born. However, there are some exceptions. in the Netherworld, until now, some tens or hundreds of chimeras have been born, and those times a new race has come to be. As an example, havent Nephilim been born from between fallen angels and giants? Erm In other words Putting it into easy-to-understand wordsthe existence known as you is an existence unique in the world, a new race of monster born between a demon and a human. Astonishing. No, though I know Liliths words have astonished me each time all day long, this time is clearly at another level. Lilith-san''s words had power, enough to make the view of life Ive fostered until now sway. Then, with all that said, why dont we return to the original question? The reason why you have been brought to the Netherworldthats because its essential for your decision on how to live from now on. That is, will Chiharu-sama keep living like until now as a human? Will you live as a monster? Or, if you wish, you may have the possibility to live as a demon Dont rush it, you have plenty of time. While you sightsee the Netherworld, think slowly about it. Thats, above all, what your motherKanae-sama wishes for." My true identity is not that of a human but a new race of monster. Thus, Im confused by how calmly I can accept this surprising fact. No, it may be that, deep in my heart, I feel relieved. How can that be? Living until now not knowing what kind of person I am myself, I lived an aimless life. Ever since I was a kid, I was faintly aware I was a bit different from your regular human, but Although, if I were to probe into it, I felt Id step onto a dangerous landmine. Against the doubt before me, I simply turned a blind eye. However, right now. At last, I could get some knowledge about who am I. That is, the fact that Im not a genuine human has given me a bit of a shock. However, luckily, I Meeting Zonmi and the girls, I knew that, be they monster or human, essentially they are living beings all the same. For that reason, maybe that has kept the mental shock to a minimum. Really I cant match up to those girls. By the way, are Zonmi and the rest aware? Yeah. While you were sleeping, I conveyed to them all that had to be conveyed. Is that so? Inside me, a single emotion. An anxiety I cant wash off has started to bud. That is If, once they know about me actually being a strange chimera between human and demon, can they keep being as they are. Once they know about my upbringing, will they keep being at my side as they were till now? If, for arguments sake. Were they to reject me, I dont believe I could keep my peace of mind. As I thought, are you anxious? Will others accept the current you In that case, your worries are unnecessary. Since, at least, those girls right there have already accepted you. As Lilith-san said that with a tone full of hidden meaning, a noise like wood creaking was heard. Looking at the back door of the cabin, where the sound had come from, *THUD!*, there were four girls falling down like an avalanche. Chi-Chiharu!? This is not what it seems! I was just keeping watch on your sister, who was eavesdropping on your conversation, so that she didnt go wild Uu. I told you not to push Heavy. The monster girl trio of Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris, in swimsuits, were bunched up together sprawled on the floor. Among them, it seems only the shrewd Manami sensed the danger and avoided the accident Superhuman reflexes that best those of monsters. I see. Is this the blood of mom, whos known as the legendary monster tamer You girls How long have you been there? Since around when oniichan was fascinated by that womans breasts and made me mad. Isnt that very much from the start!? Before that, Chiharu Is that about doing nothing but staring at that succubuss breasts since a while ago the truth? Why are you averting your gaze? W-well, it may be that per chance they may have entered my field of view Mostly, I cant deny it Ahaha. Is that so? This is bad. This pattern is that one. The pattern where I get totally beaten up. Even if I can recover thanks to the power of a demon, unlike ghouls, my sense of pain works normally. What I mean is: painful things are painful. Cloaked in an unspeakable air of intimidation, Zonmi approached me. I closed my eyes with resignation. A moment later, I felt something soft touching my left arm. In that case, as punishment, for all day today you must play with me. Opening my eyes, Zonmi was linking arms with me in a way so that her breasts were pressing against my left arm. Eh. Isnt she being awfully nice today? Usually right now, shed be hitting the lights out of me with her monster strength at full throttle. Thinking carefully, the flow of the conversation has been unnatural. I dont understand what that in that case stands for. S-sly! If we go with that, then Ill join too! Burning with competitive spirit against Zonmi, following that, Kyouko pressed her own breasts against my right arm. This zombie! She has the nerve to seduce oniichan right in front of Manami! Breaking into a run and yelling Hop!, Manami demonstrated a high jump reaching about 3 meters high. Guoh!? Being her landing point seemingly my head, the strong impact made me lose balance. But, as Zonmi & Kyouko were supporting my body from both arms, it was only a close call and she managed without a hitch. In the end, I got into a situation where, while linking arms with Zonmi & Kyouko, I was giving a shoulder ride to my sister for an unknown reason. Errr. The shell is sticking to the back of my head and it prickles Good grief, what a farce. What Iris has just said is harsh beyond reasonable. If having one girl on each side is called a flower in each hand, I wonder whats the term for my current situation. Eeeerm Full-body flowerbed? Chiharu-sama truly has nice companions. Hearing Lilith-san speak formally like that, I suddenly noticed. The anxiety of will those around me accept me as a monster? I was feeling a while ago has vanished without a trace. I got an out of place feeling on Zonmis words from just before. By any chance Could it be that this great increase in skin ship Is their way of comforting me? Thinking like that, my heart was filled with warmth and I felt like a dazzling unknown emotion overflowed inside me. I want This precious feeling unlike any other, to protect it forever, ever. Gotcha, lets have a blast all day long! Demon: Succubus. LV: 17. Physical strength: C. Power: C. Speed: A. Lovely female monster. Seduces boys with its bewitching body. It''s sexual desire surpasses even that of a horse. Serial number: ???. Volume 3 3 — Lineage of the Maou Volume 3 Chapter 3: Lineage of the Maou We, having had a blast at the beach until it got dark, driven by Lilith-san, went by car to the lodging hotel. Erm Theres something that has been bugging me for a while. Yes, what is it? Arent there any other monsters around here? Even in the beach there were no other visitors besides us Yeah. This place is a demesne of us demons. No one has been entertained here apart from you. ? But, a while ago, I think I saw some monsters in the sky that resembled birds I beg your pardon. It seems Ive expressed myself wrong. Properly speaking, I meant there were no intelligent monsters Monsters able to adopt human form. We differentiate unintelligent monsters by calling them magical beasts." I see. As if our conversation had made her remember something, Zonmi, who was seating at the nearside, turned back. Since we are at it, theres something I should explain to the little sister. The difference between zombies and ghouls lies in what the succubus has just mentioned. Though, properly speaking, there are no less of a thousand differences between both races from the historical standpoint Explaining it with easy to understand words, it comes to ghouls=intelligent zombies. Wow. Is that so? To tell the truth, I also hadnt heard about the difference between ghouls and zombies. I see. To Zonmi, mistaking ghouls with zombies is the same as to a human being treated as an animal. That is, thats the reason Zonmi gets mad. Manami chan, have you listened? Despite being the chance to better the way Manami calls Zonmi ZZZ Wha, shes sleeping! Id say, thats because she was frolicking at the sea. The youngest group of Manami & Iris were soundly sleeping, cuddling each other in the back seat. Theres no way. Lets explain it to the little sister on another occasion. Seeing Manami peacefully sleeping, Zonmi gave up. Returning to her original position, Zonmi sat once again on the nearside. Its a pity for those sleeping but People. Well arrive soon. Could it be Is that the hotel well be staying at Of course, it surely is. Haha. This is great. What appeared in our sights from beyond the window was a fairytale-like scenery you wouldnt usually see in the human world. The building in front of us Rather than an hotel, it would be better called a castle. It had a classy air that made it seem directly taken off from the Middle Ages Europe. Well Lets get down. From here on, well go on foot. After waking up Manami and Iris, we got down as Lilith-san had said. The gardens of the hotel were so spacious that it seemed like you could use them to play golf like that. Furthermore, they not only were spacious, it looked like time and money had been spent in every nook, like the carefully planted and arranged trees or the uniquely shaped fountain. Like that, it seems you could kill enough time simply by observing the scenery. Standing before the hotel (castle?), we opened the huge door with a dull sound. Welcome home, masters! Next instant. There was a battalion of more than ten maids to greet us. Moreover Each one of them was, to some extent, a beauty (though to some extent right here comes by rating them with compared with the girls around me, they are a bit lacking, in truth they are striking beauties). They are like me, lesser demons, succubi. As you see, theyve been gathered by their looks. If something troubles you, feel free to command them as you like. After all, we have personnel to spare. Now, have you said as we like? The instant I asked, I felt stares overflowing with killing intent coming from the girls around me. Of course sexual requests are forbidden? I-its not like I was asking with that purpose!? Why have you suddenly started talking like a tsundere? Kyouko rebutted me with a cold stare. Is it you saying that? Quite right I always tell them to give maximum priority to attend to the guests. So If thats what Chiharu-sama really wishes, they may not be able to really refuse. Hoho! My cheeks softened unconsciously with the answer brimming with romance as if in the dreams of any man. Oniichan Do you know what will happen if you do something like that? Chiharu Are you aware of what will happen to you if you do something like that? Haru You know whatll happen if you do that? Yeah! I know! Since I know, please dont tell me the same sentence the three of you How regretful. As Im under close surveillance by this lot, it seems that I cant ask *KYAKKYA UFUFU* things from the maids. So, putting an end to those delusions, I felt somewhat anxious. Do you feel unwell, Iris? Ever since entering the hotel, Iris has been behaving suspiciously, walking as if she were hiding behind us. Pale as a sheet, Iris'' every movement felt as if it was lacking her usual brazen demeanor. Theres no issue. Just a little fatigued. Is that so? If you say so What the heck? This uncomfortable feeling I cant get rid of. Is Iris really just tired? Looking carefully, her petrified stance, as if hiding behind us, can be perceived as her being scared of something. Its all right. Theres no one here thatll bring you harm. It took me a while to notice that Lilith-sans words were meant for Iris. With what intention has she said that? Without finding a satisfactory response to what it was that she had seen, thinking in her own way. In the end, we were led like that inside the hotel. After that. As we had free time until the start of dinner, each one went their own way. Like that, being told by Lilith-san I have something I want to show you, I went to the hotels basement. In spite of the above ground facilities being a gathering of the newest things that are not inferior to those of the human world, the basement was worn out like a dungeon from an RPG, it created a sharp contrast. Its a considerably dusty place. Yeah. Since this hotel has been reformed from a Maou castle that was used up to two hundred years ago. So it was like that? Is that the reason the exterior of the hotel is so castle-like? But then This underground tunnel is the only thing thats kept intact in the same state as back then. Why havent you refurbished it? As this basement stores many things like rare valuable expensive antiques and magic artifacts So as to guard them, a lot of life-threatening harmful traps have been installed. Thats why Not even us can carelessly remodel it. Erm Id have liked that you had told me in advance about that important thing of life-threatening Fearing harm, after that, I walked carefully down the stairs. Hey What the heck? While I was walking, I realized one thing. That was that Lilith-san, who walked before me, was maintaining at all times a distance of just over a meter from me. If I walked faster, she also walked faster, If I walked slower, she also walked slower. Since that gait wasnt something she had become accustomed to for nothing, I unconsciously became impressed. Just Lilith. While we were going down the stairs, Lilith-san softly muttered as if remembering something. Eh? I think I should have said it to you before, but Just call me Lilith, please, no honorifics. If I tell you my true feelings, serving a man Though its more humiliating than being ravished by cattle Since, in the end, its a job requested by my benefactor Kanae-sama Is that so? I feel that, if only a bit, Ive learned a part of her background. Despite being a total man-hater, for the reason since its my job, shes forced to adopt a subservient attitude towards a man. This is nothing other than my personal guessing, but that may be the reason why, until now, she has behaved so awkwardly. Lilith. Uh. Lilith! Guh! Lilith? Ng. Why is it? Despite having said its humiliating, each time I call to her I think she puts on a pleasure-filled face. Could it be that this person She has in fact a fetish? Erm If you dislike it, why dont I stop calling you without honorifics for no reason? Once I suggested that, Lilith-san dropped her shoulders as if she was a little dejected. I see. Chiharu-sama, you have quite a brute hobby. Knowing I cannot refuse You dare to restrict my options Of course I dont plan to do that. I mean Are you all right? What the heck do you mean by that? Of course Im not all right. I feel as disgraced as if you had forced me to clean a public toilets urinal with my tongue. No, I didnt ask with that meaning. It seems youre having a nosebleed? Wha. Right after I pointed that out. Lilith-sans face turned beet red and she got flustered. Th-th-this Its not what it seems! Its not like I was having dirty thoughts or anything. Turning humiliations received from men into pleasure Its decidedly not that!? Hah, is that so? In the first place, getting a nosebleed by having dirty thoughts is a trope from manga and anime without any scientific basic, but Judging by this girls reaction, theres no doubt. Here. A hankie. Th-theres no need. I have mine. Saying that, Lilith-san turned back and started briskly walking by herself. Mmm. Lilith-san may say that, but I feel that its still a bit too early to leave honorifics out. While thinking that, I once again went down the stairs, chasing after her. Well. We have arrived. Our destination lies at the other side of that door. Have we been walking for around 20 minutes after that? Pointing at the wall in front of her, Lilith-san said those words. What door No matter how you look at it, that wall before us looks like a dead end. Is that so To the eyes of an outsider it may seem like nothing more than a wall But if I press here After Lilith-san pressed a part of the brick wall, in the next instant. With the sound of something being pulled, the wall before me opened right and left. I see. A hidden door? This is looking more and more like a typical RPG. Still wary of the traps, I walked through the hidden door. And, what came into my sight. Is this it? The thing you said you wanted to show me It wasnt like after the hidden door there was a treasure in gold and silver. It wasnt like there was a huge monster. What laid there was a regular small room. No, to be accurate, it doesnt seem to be any different from the human world. For having expressly come walking till here, Id say it lacks impact What a let-down. Yeah. This could be considered to be the den of the former Maou. !? Just as I heard Lilith-san words, I felt my back growing stiff in an instant. The king who rules over the Netherworldthe Maou. Even though up until now Ive regarded that existence as something as distant as the weather in foreign countries, recently I feel that the frequency with which Im hearing that word has increased all at once. Why is such a thing here? The reason is as I explained a moment ago. This hotel was originally reformed from the castle of the Maou. For said reason, its nary a wonder even if something remained. Surely Thats possible At least, Id like it if you explained that to me beforehand. Id say its bad for my heart or something. I wish you''d put yourself in my shoes when you are suddenly told this is the Maous room. Whats drawn in that picture is the countenance of the former Maou. The 34th MaouCruel. There are no words to describe the greatness of his achievements. Being a fanatic of the human worlds especially Japans culture, he brought many technologies to the Netherworld and brought forth an engineering revolution. I see. So the fact the scenery at the Netherworld didnt differ much from that of the human world is due to this Cruel guy. Hes more ordinary than I expected. That was what I honestly felt when I saw the man in the picture. If we talk about the personal image I have of a Maou, though I picture him as a character with a more sinister and wicked face, the one in the picture, the pair of horns growing from his head aside, looks like a regular old man you could find anywhere (?). Surely You cannot say his looks are good even as flattery. However, theres one legend about Cruel I heard he was popular with the ladies at such a level that it looked like a love potion was emitted from his body ." You joking? Im not so gullible. That this Old man like the ones you can find anywhere is a popular guy on legendary levels, how can it be. Incredible Thats the kind of face you have right now. By the way, its recorded that the Maou Cruel, in the 300 years he ruled over the Netherworld, has in fact married 14 wives and left more than 20 heirs. Fourt Is this old man for real? Grrrr. Harem man Unforgivable. Even so Being popular with the ladies has its merits and its demerits. Its said Cruel made only a single mistake in his whole life And that was all of the women troubles he brought on himself and did nothing about. Was it about twenty years now? This constitution that granted him excessive popularity with the Netherworld ladies was a curse, Cruel tragically met death under the cover of the night at the hands of a single woman moved out of jealousy. A-are you serious? I take back my words. Isnt it the best to have everything in moderation? You can even die from being too popular with the girls I dont think that way out of envy. Then, since Cruel has died, what kind of person has become the next Maou? As I went and asked, Lilith-san put on a meek face and gently shook her head, Unfortunately That still hasnt been decided. Eh? Its as I told you just a while ago. I told you the sole mistake Cruel made in his life was his women troubles that left him with too many heirs. After Cruels death A bloody war unfolded between his more than twenty heirs to see who held the title of next Maou. Especially, the dispute between those who oppose the changes in the Netherworld and the supporters of the constant peace up until now increase day by day in violence. Its not an easy thing to say, but the origin of the monster incidents that happened at the human world in recent years Have as one of their causes the political disturbances brought by this turmoil." I didnt know. That the passing of the former Maou held influence to such an extent. If I think about it Until now I didnt know a thing. About the Netherworld. About my family. And, above all About myself. Thank you very much. I feel that I understand the reason why Lilith-san has brought me here a bit. Im not worthy of those words. Then, do we return above ground? Eeerm Before that, theres something Id want to ask This, whats this sword stabbed into the floor? !? Just when I tried to pick up that sword. Y-you cant! Lilith-san yelled, her face devoid of blood. That sword Its a treasure sword called Shiden that, inheriting the Cruels will, rejects everyone except those with the makings of a true Maou. That sword does still keep some of Cruels magic power and if a normal person touches it, it will be the last thing they do! Blue lightning will eat into their minds and their whole body will get turned into ashes! Eh, youre totally joking, right? Since, look, the normal me is touching it and there doesnt seem to be any problem. Wha? For a while. Lilith-san looked like she blinked in surprise with her mouth half-open, but in the end she came back to her senses and *AHEM* she cleared her throat. Of course everything I said was a joke. It is, isnt it. You got me. However, Chiharu-sama. Even if its like that, its not nice of you to go touching the things in the room without my consent. Sorry. It was such a cool sword It appealed to the chuuni in the depths of my heart. Ill let it slide just this time, but be careful. As Ive just told you, inside this underground there are lots of traps that we still havent managed to comprehend. If you carelessly touch something in the room, you could activate some switch Erm Lilith-san. Do you Hear a weird noise? ? A weird noise, you say? Like turning cogwheels A somewhat ominous sound. I beg your pardon. I cannot hear such a sound. Is that so? Thats weird. I certainly can hear it crystal clear. Possibilities I can think of There are two. One is that Im just mishearing The other one is that the me that has awakened the power of a monster has a hearing ability that surpasses Lilith-sans. It seems the latter is the correct one. As I was pondering about that, the cogwheel noise became gradually stronger and, in the end, I could feel the ground shake under my feet. Above! Lilith-san! How careless. The cause is not yet definite, but Me having picked the sword may have been what has activated the trap. In an instant. The ceiling split in two and a huge iron ball fell from above Lilith-sans head. This is bad. The iron ball thats coming from right above Lilith-san seems to entirely fall into her blind spot. Come to this I can only save her! Excuse me! Ready to die, I jumped at Lilith-san. Safe. It seems I managed to avoid the ball by a hairs breadth. However. It seems that due to diverting my attention only upwards, I left my feet defenseless. On the floor where just a while ago there was nothing, there appeared numerous pitfalls like in a Swiss cheese. Ku. Double trap? I tried to assess it calmly, but it was too late already. At our wits end, we fell through a hole. The pitfalls that suddenly appeared inside the room were deeper than I thought. Id say I think we have fallen 20 meters down? To a regular human itd have been instant death Perhaps I should say it wouldnt have been weird if a tragedy where the body was scattered in pieces had happened Thats a non-human quality. When I say it myself, I feel a bit sad. Though Ive broken several bones, as theyll be as good as new with just a little of spit, its not really an issue. Are you hurt somewhere? Erm Lilith-san! Say something! No response. At first glance, she doesnt seem to have external injuries, but It may be that she has hit her head somewhere. In that case Thats bad. Though it seems shes breathing, I have to call for help asap Do-dont touch me. Interrupting my thoughts, I could hear a frail voice I wouldnt have expected from her usual self. Good Youre safe. Dont Touch me. Please Go away. U-understood. Since Lilith-san asked me with quite a serious tone, I unconsciously became panicked. Although, in the first place, the cause that activated the trap was me Ill give my life to protect her. That way of speaking Something somehow feels out of place. Mm, wait? That reminds me, Lilith-san said something like that. That the thing she hated the most in the world were the beings known as males. That? Is it that? So Lilith-san Extremely hates to be touched by me, who is a man? Sorry. I It seems I was being insensible. No. Thats my line. You gracefully saved me and I repaid it by spewing harsh words. I truly beg your pardon. Erm Can I ask the reason? Yes. Of what? The reason why Lilith-san is scared of men. When I asked, she, after a little while, carefully started spinning her story. Before talking to you about that, theres something I want to ask Chiharu-sama, whats the image you hold in regards to us, the succubus clan? If you are being considerate to me, please stop. If you dont speak truthfully, the story cannot progress. How do I put it Its terribly difficult to answer that, but An image of perverted women. So it is. Thats the usual image people have of the succubus clan. Lilith-san shot a glance as if realizing something. Certainly, the sexual drive of us succubi, put into terms of the human world Can be said to be twenty times the one of a male middle school student in the peak of his puberty, and there are many whose raison dtre is to copulate with men. However, naturally, its not like every succubus fits into that design. Among them there are some that, hurt by the conceptions of the society, have fallen into distrust of men. Then Is that the reason you started distrusting men, Lilith-san? So it is. And to make thing worse It seems my body is, from the start, one that easily attracts glances from men So Ive received terrible and heartless words from men. It wouldnt be once or twice that I was raped while taking a night stroll. It must have been difficult. Its fine. Ive already overcome those things. For reals? Yeah. By carrying out my greatest ambition, I could settle that problem. Ambition? So it is. Did I tell you, Chiharu-sama? My dream is to wipe the loser image of succubus=loose woman from the world. By living my whole life without mingling with men and maintaining my body pure, working earnestly and succeeding in improving my career prospects, surely the men on the world are bound to think like that. Aah. Among the succubus clan there are also those who live a honest and diligent life. Thats a splendid idea. Living her life in order to wipe out the image they hold of her clan What? Surely, there are lots of objectionable points in her way of thinking. For starters, its not likely that Lilith-san, by her sole effort, will change the image of the whole clan, and I feel its wrong that she avoids men for that reason. However, I cannot refute her ideas as she has told me about her dream with such an earnest gaze. But I think that if things keep like this, Lilith-sans androphobia will be fixed? And why is that? After all Right now, arent you being able to hold a conversation with me in such a dimly illuminated place? Ah. So Dont worry. Lilith-san androphobia will soon The moment right after I started talking. Lilith-san, flinching as if she had noticed something, Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa! Goheh!? It hit her as soon as I said it. Ueh. I shouldnt Have made her remember that Fufufu. Misleading me With dangerously nice words You were about to rape me. At last you show your true colors, Chiharu-sama. You wont trick me! Seducing girls like that up till now How many poor maidens have you turned into your meat slaves!? S-stop saying things that could cause a misunderstanding. Silence! I shoulder the reputation of the succubus tribe Im not like those easy women youve won over until now. I wont make a peace sign in each hand as I let out a pleasure scream while riding your crotch! Peace sign, she says. Come to think of it, Lilith-san said something a while ago. The sex drive of succubi is twenty times the one of a male middle schooler in the peak of puberty or something. Thinking about it calmly Thats a frightening number. With that, lets build up a hypothesis. That is As it came to light on the conversation from a while ago, it seems shes an extreme masochist, her true character Since she has to behave like an honor student in order to erase the image attached to her clan, doesnt that make her a closet pervert? Dont worry. At least, by me Since I dont feel inclined to make you do something against your will. Its no use to try making me lower my guard with that! Mens words cannot be trusted! Alone with a big-breasted girl inside a hole with no one coming to the rescue. Moreover, the other party is a peerless beauty. That is, maybe if it was any normal boy hed want to make even a single faux pas, but Its me, whos had more experience than anyone in being beaten half to death. Thats why I absolutely wont make a faux pas. However, in this situation I wont be believed even if I say it. Understood. In that case, Ill face the wall until help comes. Will that make you feel relieved, Lilith-san? Wha? If thats not enough, with this handkerchief Yes. Just in case, Ive bound my hands. The special skill I hold of being able to get free from any binding Conversely means Im skilled at binding. Of course, with just a single layer If I wanted, I could shred it to pieces in an instant, but, even so, it should help Lilith-san to feel a little more relieved. If you see that I behave strangely You can attack me from the back as you please. Like that, does it help to make you feel relieved? I-I dont understand what you say. Lilith-san, in a state of total dumbfounding, Lets assume Chiharu-sama has no evil intentions Why do you go so far for me Who has been groundlessly accusing you? Weeell Do you promise you wont laugh? I do. "How do I put it, I It seems I have it in myself to not be able to ignore hardworking girls. As I promised, I didnt laugh. Honestly, I had to endure greatly. Thats truly an unfunny, uncool and lame line. You didnt have to go that far. However, it was so uncool that it looked like it went all the way round and its even cool?. I see, so this is Chiharu-samas pick-up line. Nothing Its not like that How sly. Truly, from head to toe You are the spitting image of that person. Good. If nothing else, in the end everything is all right. It seems that I Managed to calm Lilith-san without issue. I feel curious about that that person Lilith-san mentioned at the end, but I wouldnt dare to touch that. More than that, I feel that prying in peoples pasts lacks delicacy. With this and that, wewaited inside the hole for someone to help us without saying a word. Volume 3 4 — The price of survival Volume 3 Chapter 4: The price of survival We were safely rescued by the hotels personnel a while later. That the communication device Lilith-san had brought hadnt broken with the impact of the fall was the silver lining on a dark cloud. Being around two hours later than Zonmi and the rest, in the end I was brought to my room. There, before my eyes, was an incomparably pointlessly super-deluxe suite room. The ceiling was so high that you could play volley ball at that place, and the bed somewhat looked like one for a princess to sleep in, with attached curtains. The point that personally struck my fancy were the flawless security measures. The lock looks sturdy, so it should be difficult for Manami to make a night visit (<-this is important). The perfect anti-sister countermeasures. Since, while looking for something to change into, I found a folded yukata inside a chest of drawers I tried changing into it for now. How surprising. Id never thought Id come to wear a yukata at the Netherworld I dare say this too is one of the achievements of the late Maou. Lying on the bed like that, I waited for someone to come tell me it was time for dinner. Checking the time with my cellphone, its 8 p.m. I dont know if theres a time difference between the Netherworld and the world of humans, but going by my internal clock, that has the accuracy of a Swiss radio clock, theres no doubt that its time for dinner. Being guided to the hotels dining hall, we took a seat in a zashiki and, like that, we waited for our food. Uhehe. What kind of food will they bring in, oniichan? I dont know, but Judging from the luxury of the room Wont they bring rich-class food? And what kind of rich-class food, specifically? Errrm What is it As I dont usually grant myself luxuries, its a terribly difficult to answer that question. What kind of rich-class food Kyouko. Eh? W-w-w-why do you pass it to me!? I beg you! You are the only one I can rely on. Zonmi and Iris, who have lived at the Netherworld for a long time, have a slightly off sense of values. Understood. If I have to answer, then Ill answer. Glad to be relied on, Kyouko wasnt as annoyed as she wanted us to believe. Yup. Please. Eeeeeerm Salted salmon roe? Wait a minute! How come you are looking at me with eyes full of pity!? Kyouko Poor child Oneechan If you were going to go with fish roe, at least make it caviar. Uuu Being made a fool of by these siblings is terribly infuriating While feeling like that for Kyouko, time flew by. Has it been around 10 minutes since we took our seats? The maids that appeared before us started to line up dishes on the table one after another. However. Oniichan This seems I see. Is this a joke? The meal that was brought in deserved to be called wretched. If I have to sum each part up in a simple explanation. Something that looked like a frog with lots of eyes. Something that looked like a tiny human with grass growing on its head. Something that looked like a goats head. A soup with something that looked like a live water strider swimming on it. Raw meat (as for meat of what, I dont have a clue). Since they have an instant effect of loss of appetite, they may be good for dieting. If we talk about the only thing that looked edible among them, it should be the sorry quantity of what looked like bread rolls served on a basket. Each serving of cooking brought made Kyouko & Manami & my (world of humans team) bodies tremble. In contrast with us, Zonmi & Iris (Netherworld team) were keeping their cool. Wow. Saut of hundred-eyed frog Havent they brought something sumptuous? Traditional local cuisine that makes you feel the good old Netherworld culture. It arouses your appetite. F-for reals? Since everything up till now wasnt very different from the human world, I lowered my guard. I was sure that, on the same roll, theyd come with Japanese style food Then, without delaybon apptit Minding her manners, Zonmi started chewing on the raw meat before her. What the heck. Its too late, but I feel thats the first time I truly get what Zonmi being a monster means. I mean Raw meat? Dont you know about fire? No matter how fine it looks on the exterior, a pretty girl happily chewing on raw meat is something I want to avert my eyes from. Monster tamer Is thy body all right? Ah. Yeah. Its nothing. Lets dig in. Since my hopes for the dinner have become nothing, theres no other way. Lets leave the weird things to team Underworld, us team world of humans will go with the safe thing and eat just bread. When, pulling myself together, I extended my hand to the inside of the basketI noticed something unusual. T-theres no bread. Strangely, there was no bread. Looking around in bewilderment, I saw Kyouko and Manami apologetically munching on bread. Ah! Since there were so few, before I knew Sorry This was first come, first served I mean, Manami is a human! I dont want to eat such a femininity lowering food! It seems that while I was nonchalantly checking on the food they were bringing, the four girls have ended up eating all the bread inside the basket, and speaking about my share, there was none left. Oniichan. Its fine. Dont worry. ? Manami winked at me, who had my shoulders down in dejection. Manami Could it be that Your own share Will you give me part of your meager share? A-a goddess! A goddess has descended! If theres no bread, then eat frog! Damn! Im an idiot for expecting something from her! Kuh. Since it has come to this I cant but accept my fate. Thinking normally, simply missing dinner may not seem a problem, but you cant make fun of a male high schoolers appetite. Im really hungry from playing at the beach all day long. I-I give up being humaaan! Instigated by my sister, I made a decision; I cut a piece from the closest frog with lots of eyes (Iris called them hundred-eyed frogs) and put it in my mouth. What will happen? Delicious! It was surprisingly delicious. The collagen-like eyes that seemed to slide down my throat had a richer flavor than I thought and tasted like freshly squeezed milk. Sure, they may look a bit like that, but In the human world there are also strange foodstuff that are considered delicacies. Going straight to the point, after that, I challenged the Netherworld dishes one by one. Since all of them were delicious, before I knew it I was eating them with gusto. Blergh To me, who was straying more and more from being human, Manami sent glares of open scorn. Somethings weird. I first noticed it after I came back from the toilet. Somethings weird With their spirits. Its especially obvious with Zonmi & Kyouko. Zonmis yukata is slightly disheveled, and shes showing a sexy appearance with her bra straps exposed. Kyouko, also in a similar condition, was even humming. Erm What the hecks happening here? I tried asking a maid that coincidentally passed by. The maid smiled wryly, I reckon they are under the effects of a specialty of the Netherworld, Tengus Clear Water. Tengus Clear Water? How come they drank such a suspicious thing Ah! Could it be the water that was inside the glasses? Yes. Tengus Clear Water, despite tasting roughly the same as regular water, possesses a strong power of magical power recuperation. Besides, its a high-class item that is good for your health, has a relaxing effect and also strengthens sexual desire. However, if drank by unaccustomed people, due to the excess dopamine and serotonin secreted by the brain, their consciousness So, in easy to understand words These guys are drunk? Thats what it comes to. I see. Thanks for the explanation. Well, now. What do I do? Since weve almost eaten up everything already, Im willing to put an end to the dinner like this, but The problem here is, how will these drunkards return to their rooms? Even though we are well acquainted, being nursed by the male me I dont know if I will be told off later. Ill better go with the safe way and discuss it with Lilith-san. Set on that, when I turned back. Chiharu Where are you going? I was stopped by the drunk Zonmi (with glassy eyes). Where Im going to Lilith-san Again, youre going to another woman? So Do you prefer big-busted girls? Zonmis stare grew cold. You dont have to say it so full of spite. No. You always give some reason, Chiharu You wander there. You wander here. Isnt it like you dont have fidelity? *HICCUP* Befuddled by the drink, she grabbed my arm close. Chiharu You should be more faithful. Once again, returning to the beginning, you should reward me for being your first contract. Reward And what should I specifically do? When I asked, Zonmi looked at me with upturned eyes, Please never ever leave my side Dont make me feel anxious. She clung to my arm. ~~~~~~!! Defeated. If you tell me those things, even I could misunderstand Or else Am I not enough? You are not satisfied only with me, Chiharu? Its not like that. Zonmi is there, always helping me. Ehehe. Zonmi, while rubbing her cheek to my arm in a good mood, just said. Chiharu I like you. Ca-calm down. Lets think it through calmly. In this case, like Has the meaning of something like I like you as a friend or I like you as a contract partner. Even if it had the meaning of I like you as a man, since, as you see, Zonmi is completely wasted, its not like shes saying what she really feels. In any case this may be the first time a girl has looked me in the eye and told me I like you. Surprisingly, I feel that not even Manami had straightly confessed to me with an I like you. M-me too I like Haru? I looked at the source of the voice, and there were panties. W-whats the matter, Kyouko!? For some reason, Kyouko had entirely taken off her yukatain her undies, it seems shes breathing a bit roughly. Somehow, my bodys hot Ive drunk lots of water, but I totally cant cool down. Uhehe. I see. Not knowing that the water in the glass is the source of the heat in her body, to chill out, she drank water once more? As a result She has ended up dead drunk. Haru Hows it? Hows my underwear? No. Nothing special. Am I imagining things? This situation looks like something Ive experienced before In case something happened during this trip Hang on, I tried to choose something sexy? I-is that so Certainly, to the Japanese Kyouko, these panties based on pink&black make her seem more adult-like than usual. I cant recognize her. Kyoukos panties, compared with the quality of her usual ones. Have experienced A quick evolution Ku! How incorrigible, panties, panties Was there a big bargain on panties, you?! Uuu. Bargain Its true that before I used to buy underwear of 3 for 1000 yen at the local department store, but I now diligently spend money on my undies!? I dont have a clue. What the heck are these two talking about? Anyway, put some clothes on right now. Or else, I wont let you get near Chiharu! Shut up! Be quiet, ghoul! Now its my turn! Havent you totally appealed to him just now?! Ku! Turn, she says. Since when do you have to pick your turn to speak with me? Somehow, Zonmi has put a youve got a point face before Kyoukos claim. Hey Haru Hearing the strangely coquettish voice of my childhood friend, I got unconsciously nervous. W-what? Do I have no charm? No. I think that youre totally charming, but Lies. Its not like Then, why havent you ever put a finger on me? Th-thats Perhaps, Im also drunk. Though they are nasty words even for me, I spilled my true thoughts that I had tried too hard until now to not say to them. You are a monster and Im a human so The moment Kyouko heard my speech, her face clouded, and she finally showed a smile that just said as expected. Understood. Haru has been holding back since he thinks its unethical for humans and monsters to marry, isnt it? T-to be frank, thats how it goes. But, If thats the problem, hasnt it been solved? Since, look, Haru right here is a demon-human crossbreed Monster, I gather." Ah! How come I didnt notice something so obvious? Up till now, Ive been automatically working to keep my reason no matter how charming as women these girls were, using the racial wall between monsters and humans. However, nows different. Just as Kyouko has said, since Im now aware that in me flows half the blood of a monster, theres no need to feel at loss before romance. Thinking like that, I suddenly became conscious of the girls before me and I noticed my face becoming hot. Fufu. It works, it works. Once more Co-could it be that I Am dancing on Kyoukos palm!? How come? This is something I havent felt before any other girl I get an incredible feeling of having lost at being played with by Kyouko. S-stop! Right after I thought like that. With an unsteady gait, Zonmi got between Kyouko and I. Wha, I told you not to hinder me during my turn! You cant, you cant! Anyway, you cant! I dont know about turns and such, but going further Stop approaching Chiharu and me! And why? Thats Because I am his very first contract partner! And since Im his very first contract partner Chiharu must treat me as the most important! People that came later please leave! Wha! It seems that Kyouko has something to say to that. Who has come later?! You You know nothing about Haru! The time youve know him and the depth of your trust are not related. Being Chiharus initial partner Im the one whos able to know Chiharu the best. Humph! Surely it may be as you say and the most important thing is not how long one has known him But! If thats what you propose, then the order of the contracts doesnt matter! Th-thats Kyoukos remark left Zonmi at a loss of words. In the end, Zonmi put on a resigned face. Very well. Nephilim. Since you are willing to go to that extent, lets decide here and now if you are suitable as Chiharus partner! What. How has it come to this!? As you wish! Still in a state of excitation, Kyouko agreed to Zonmis proposal. Why did I keep looking at both of them without saying a word? That is, if those two who had the power of monsters seriously battle, the surroundings could get destroyed to the point it couldnt be recovered, but Just this time, its different. Tah! Tah! Ei! Ei! Zonmi & Kyouko were exchanging blows as they yelled unintelligible mumblings at each other. Maybe due to the tipsiness, their power was at a cute level. Regarding the change of personality when drunk, humans and monsters are alike. Is this what they call gap moe? It was moving seeing those two acting with a simple-mindedness usually unthinkable from them. Now that I think about it, Manami has been awfully quiet. Looking around, I saw my sister looking down in a corner of the table. Could it be that, after Zonmi and Kyouko, even my sister is showing a gap moe different from usual? Its that usually excessively bold and active Manami. I personally find it a bit clichd, but usually willful women, when drunk, are the type who change to the point so meek that it makes you want to protect them Just thinking of seeing that makes my heart throb, but As expected, isnt that wishful thinking? Ufufu. Oniichan Waity. Ill prepare you wakamezake asap. I see. If I think about looking down, I wonder what will I see. Wouldnt it be better if you change your character a little more? Though Im worried about the drunk girls, my sister''s wakamezake alone is not included. In the end I left the place in the hands of the maids and I got out from there alone. Where is the toilet? Having left alone from the dining hall, I was looking for the toilet. My head was a little fuzzy and my body felt hot. It seems that the Tengus water has got even to me and I felt that my thinking wasnt working properly. So, why dont we cooperate? A somewhat familiar husky voice. Softly opening the door of the room the voice came from, there was the unexpected combination of the RisLith combo: Lilith-san and Iris. I refuse. I cannot place my trust in demons. Why dont you reconsider it? This talk benefits both of us. What the heck are those two talking about? From the mood, its some serious talk, if Im not wrong. Ill say it once again. Please employ the contract ring weve especially prepared to make a contract with Chiharu-sama. If there is someone as powerful as you, a red dragon, at his side, naturally the safety of Chiharu-samas body can be guaranteed. !? What Lilith-san is holding in her hand is undoubtedly a contact ring glittering in silver. What a surprise. Could it be that like this comes around my chance to make a contract? No matter how, I cannot comprehend. Why dost thou obsess to such lengths with that lad? If hes a mere chimera between human and demon But I dont think thats reason enough to receive so much hospitality. I cant understand either. Werent you the one that wanted to make a contract with Chiharu-sama more than anyone else? Why What do you not agree? Its deeply unpleasant. What thou art looking at its not me Just when Iris was about to say something. My gaze, while secretly peeping from behind the door, and Iriss gaze met. Iris, coming here with her head down, violently opened the door, Forgetest what thou hast just heard. She muttered that as she parted. Why has Iris refused making a contract with me? Moreover, what Iris almost said Its just a hunch, but it seems like it has to do with her self I cant help but feel that there are some deep circumstances. Chiharu-sama You were there? Sorry. I didnt intend to eavesdrop, but No. Theres no problem. Lilith-san, fiuu, sighing, sat on the couch. Following her example, I took a seat in front of her and voiced my question. Erm Following the talk of just now Why does Lilith-san intend to endorse our contract? Thats easy. Your existence is more valuable than you can imagine. Hereafter, it can be supposed that chances are high that bad people set their aims on your body. Thats why, if you make a contract with a being of superior battle prowessa red dragon, that perfectly means that the risk can be diminished. Its true that, since coming here, Ive been informed of the rarity of my existence. And why has Iris refused that? Honestly, that was beyond my expectations. Though this is no more than a personal guess As the last survivor of the red dragons, shes subjected to racial discrimination that cannot be compared to that of us succubus She may have some darkness inside her heart. Until I came here, it seems I couldnt understand Iriss feelings having all of her comrades, except her, slaughtered. However. Only now I feel I can understand a little. Since I, too Have found Im a monster completely alone, with no one else in the world. Chiharu-sama May I ask you a single favor? What is it? Please take These contract rings. What Lilith-san handed to me as she said that were, no different from the ones Im already wearing A pair of contract rings. During this trip, I want you to open Iris-samas heart And make a contract using these rings. Id say you are the only one that can erase the darkness from that childs heart. What a coincidence. Had Lilth-san not said that, Id have asked it myself instead. That request Ill gladly fulfill it. To shorten the distance between Iris and me. Thatwas what I intended with this trip to the Underworld. If I think about it, when I received the letter from my mother When choosing the trip members, that happened. I unconsciously excluded Iris from the list Thinking back, that was disgusting. Honestly speaking, I feel like theres an open gap between Iris and I. Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris, all of them As they are comrades met in the same circumstances, this is weird. With renewed decision, I put the contract rings I received from Lilith-san inside my pocket. At the same time, in another place. This is the threshold between the human world and the Netherworld. Inside an old tower erected in the middle of a desolate wasteland, there was the hideout of the Black Tamers. Then, even that fellow Noelle ran away back in defeat after being beaten black and blue by Kusumi Chiharu Moreover, she even released the limiter without the proper authorization The man who holds a speck of doubt on the procedures of the organizationClarie Shernfelt confronted his own superior. So says the report. Boss I cant believe it. The man shook his head and muttered, Dont Firsts like Noelle have a power comparable to that of a high class rank monster tamer? This exceeds the level of just talent. Kusumi Chiharu Who the heck is he? Why, being a Rookie, does he hold a combat ability on the level of a high class monster tamer!? Before I answer your question, theres something I want to make sure of. Clarie Can you repeat to me whats the reason why us Black Tamers exist? Yes. To put the monsters under the total control of humanity The creation of that Arcadia is our noble objective. By what means? By bringing forth humans with a combat capability that surpasses monsters To create superhumans. To insert monsters cells in the human body, we need to calculate the rate of compatibility with the human body. For that, we used enforce to gather numerous samples of monsters. Thats right. As a result, we discovered a pattern on the compatibility rate of the monster cells with the human body and achieved a power that transcends humanity. Yeah. Though our numbers are less than those of the IMAthose guys, our individual battle prowess is already superior. Its just a matter of time until the human world falls in our hands I wonder if its time to tell you too But, I called you now in order to tell you. After that introduction, the masked woman, Everything weve done until now, Kusumi Chiharus existence has rendered it to nothing. Blurted that succession of shocking words. H-how come!? I shall answer your initial question. Kusumi Chiharus true identity is that of a chimera born from a demon and a human. !? Clarie couldnt hide his commotion before the masked womans words. A chimera between a monster and a human. Since the dawn of history, that has been regarded as genetically impossible. Its not unusual for a child to be born between a human and a monster. However, Clarie couldnt acknowledge the facts before him. I cant believe it so right off the bat. Monster genes are usually far stronger than those of humans, so the children born from a human and a monster are one hundred percent monsters Isnt that whats widely acknowledged!? Its mostly as youve said. The masked woman, after confirming that, However, Im afraid to say that his birth mother is not a regular human. The Immortal Tamer. Thatis the moniker the Association gave his mother. !? It cant be The high level monster tamer thats regarded as a living legend!? Yep. I dont know the details, thats the only thing I can say with certainty. Her uncommon magic power let her give birth to a chimera between monster and human It made such an unprecedented irregularity occur ! Clarie completely stifled his half-hearted thoughts. Just ten years Had he been born ten years earlier Maybe that would have not happened Its no use crying over spilled milk. Anyway, wouldnt his existence be a substantial shortcut to our Arcadia project? What we shall do from here on, do you know without me explaining it in detail? Yessir! Ill definitely bring Kusumi Chiharu before you without delay! The masked woman chuckled, Im afraid to say thats not possible. Its quite inopportune, but That lot is currently at the main touristic island of the Netherworld, Grandeel, lodging in a hotel managed by devils. Do you mean Theres someone among them that has anticipated our actions? Yep. Be very careful they dont trip you. Clarie. This time, Ill let you take five of the First that account for 30% of the Black Tamers battle power, except the Soul Tamer. Its OK? The battle this time is not only for capturing Kusumi Chiharu Its also a rehearsal for the soon-to-be all-out war against the IMA. Youve got permission to release the limiter, and even the Level Overlimiter. Yessir! Everything is for the coming of our Arcadia. The conflict that is about to happen is unlike anything till now. The masked woman, believing in the success of her strategy, on the other hand doesnt plan for everything to unfold without problem She held half-contradictory feelings. ( The person who holds the seed for the coming of our Arcadia, it would be boring if he was so easily captured.) The masked woman, from the throne, let out a daring smile, (Terribly Interesting. This time maybe Ill personally go to the frontlines) She quietly made that decision. Volume 3 5 — Iriss circumstances Volume 3 Chapter 5: Iris''s circumstances 2nd day of living in the Netherworld. Though in the morning, same as the previous day, we played around at the demon-exclusive private beach, from afternoon on, we went sightseeing as we bought things for dinner. It stemmed from yesterdays dinnertime. Since, not liking the Netherworld dishes served by the hotel staff, my sister filed a complaint, the expert cooks at the hotel, unfamiliar with humans world cuisine, were at a complete loss about what kind of food to serve. Then, following Lilith-sans why dont you try choosing the food you shall eat? suggestion, we came all the way to the Netherworlds shopping district. It seems that there are two places on this island with supermarkets that carry human worlds foodstuff, so we had to split into two teams to purchase all of the needed ingredients. Since we didnt have the time to discuss how to split the teams, we decided through a lottery made by Lilith-san. The results of the lottery. Me & Iris. Zonmi & Kyouko & Manami. We were split into those two teams. I bet that Lilith-san has rigged the results. If not, going so well with what happened yesterday Theres no way these results came out. Lets make use of Lilith-sans assistance with gratitude. So, the chance has come to close the gap with Iris, but. Guuuh. The conversation is not very lively. Come to think of it, (since Ive entered high school) this may be the first time. Going out shopping, just the two of us alone like this Hey Iris. What dost thou want? Nice weather today So it seems. Haha Haha. And the conversation has ceased once again. I thought that my resistance to girls had gone up a little since Zonmi started freeloading at my place It seems I was mistaken. Wha? Thats right, you are not wearing your usual robe today? While going by trial and error to stretch the conversation, I blurted that question. Iriss clothes for today were a chic modern girl combination of a miniskirt and leggings on a plaid parka. Right now at this place, theres no way I can don such a thing. Those are garments handed down from the red dragon bloodline. ? Isnt it usually the opposite? Despite the Netherworld having been dyed in the human worlds culture This is indeed a different world. Looking around the area, I could see a half-human half-horse monster pulling a big cart and something like a pterosaur soaring the skies. The red robes Iris usually wears (though out of place at the human world), they could be worn without it standing out here in the Netherworld. This is bad. Iris, head down and in silence, wont lift her eyes. Could it be that I, once again Have stepped on an outrageous landmine? Noticing something strange, I harbored that doubt. Ah. Wrong. Its not like Iris casts her glance downwards with a hurt countenance. This is The same reaction she showed on the first day, when she was surrounded by that battalion of maids. Pale-faced, Iris'' figure, walking with an unsteady gait It was as if she was scared of something. But, why? What the heck is Iris scared of? I could understand the reason while listening to the surrounding sounds. Hey. Isnt that girl, by a chance A red dragon? No way! Werent the red dragons annihilated? It seems a single child survived That may be that girl. Doesnt the blood of a red dragon fetch a high price? If I abduct that girl I may become filthy rich. Moron Stop it Those were curiosity-filled glances thrown at Iris. Are you Joking? Iris Just because being born in the red dragon tribe Has to Be subjected to public glares like this as if it was completely normal? Somehow Since I was brought to Iriss den, I had been holding a doubt. The hut at the peak of a mountain where Iris lives, having some lived-in feeling, doesnt seem like its a one-time temporary dwelling. Surely Iris May have been living in the human world since before I was appointed as a monster tamer. If it is like that Why would Iris have chosen to live in the human world out of her own will? I think I now know the reason. Iris, just by walking like this in the Netherworld Surrounded by one-sided pity directed to her Sometimes subjected to glares filled with desire Without doubt, it must have been very taxing on her. Thats why Even if it means being alone She must have chosen to live in the human world. Iris? Taking a peek to Iriss face, walking next to me Big fat tears were piling up in her eyes. Aah. If I could, Id like to send flying all of them who are making Iris the theme of their conversation. However. Doing that wouldnt solve anything. Instead, making a big fusswill only open the wounds wider. Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. Sniff! Im mad that, despite the girl before me having been hurt, I cant do nothing but look from the side as a spectator. Anything. Cant I do anything? To help the girl before me, a satisfactory way I think and think. This useless junk of a brain of mine doesnt give me a clear answer. Not knowing whats the best I could do Before I knew it, I had removed my clothes. Hey, look That dude. Uwah The worst. Could it be An exhibitionist? I felt how, instantly, all the curiosity-filled glanced directed at Iris turned to me. I understand. Even if I do this, its not like it will solve the basics. However, if my actions help in lessening the burden on Iris I want to do anything I can for her. Wha, whawha. Thou What are thou doing!?? In the end, noticing something amiss in her surroundings, Iris, in a flustered tone, hastily showed dismay. Hehe! Dont you know? At the human world, in areas near the shore Isnt it not weird to wander outside in swimsuit? E-even if its like that, what need did thou have to disrobe right now!? My bad. It seems the Netherworlds Sun is too hot for me What art thou saying!? About the Netherworlds Sun Arent its rays weak enough for the ghoul to wander aro Stopping mid-sentence, it seems that Iris has realized my intention. Iris, with her cheeks furiously blushing out of character, mumbled something unintelligibly. Though thy feelings make me glad Put on thy garments quickly. To me, walking besides a man with his upper body in the nude Its embarrassing. OK. Since it seems she really dislikes it, I put my clothes on in a flash. So thats it. It may be stating the obvious, but As expected, its embarrassing for Iris to walk besides a half-naked man. About that. Thank thee. Mm? Did you say something? N-no, I didnt say anything. Monster tamer This grudge thou hast shamed a noble red dragon like me Twill cost thee greatly. Though this tactic has ended in a magnificent blunder Speaking from the results, it seems that its not like my actions have been totally useless. The actions this time may have been more conspicuous than ever. And with this its case closed Saying that with confidence, I can agree with it by far. From then on, Iris, not paying attention to the surrounding glances, recovered her usual mood. Having concluded the shopping without further issue, todays dinner was very normal, totally unlike the one from the previous night. Its been a long time since we could have such a decent meal! With that, Kyouko & Manamis spirits lifted. About it, isnt this enough to last till the day after tomorrows dinner? Since weve bought so much ingredients, we wont be able to taste the Netherworlds foodstuff for quite a while. Although thinking that makes me a little sad, if I ate Netherworlds cuisine every day, sooner or later, since I''ll have lost the sense of normalcy of the human world, I feel that Ill get pulled to this side. Chiharu. Have you thought of your plans for tomorrow? Said Zonmi, munching with her cheeks full of her favorite karaage. Thats riiight. Since weve expressly come to the Underworld, tomorrow I had though about stretching my legs and go around seeing places. I see. Sightseeing? By the way, Zonmi, is your hometown far from here? Is that so? To tell the truth, its not so far. Riding on a boat at the harbor, wouldnt it be half a day? I see. Isnt it just a tad too far? Though Im glad that Chiharu shows interest in the ghouls Speaking frankly, I think its better that you give up. Why? Since, Chiharu, be that as it may, your little sister has to accompany us, the danger is too great. As this area is a neutral zone made for the tourists, its safe, but there are many in the Netherworld who hold no good feelings against humans. Is that so? Yeah. To be exact, currently the Netherworlds public order can be said to be the worst in a long time. After all, there is no Maou ruling over the Netherworld. Exactly. Chiharu-sama. Lilith-san, who was looking at us dining, butted in. I briefly explained it to you before, but currently we are in a critical state of division between conservatives, who want to maintain the status quo in the Netherworld, and the reformists, who want the Netherworld to invade and control the human world. Due to that fact, I beg you that you dont leave the island for the duration of this trip. Understood. Its not like I wanted to leave this island that much. Lets meekly accept the warning from the two. After that. The ideas we discussed for our plans for tomorrow didnt come together. In the end, with the plans for tomorrow still undecided, that days dinner came to an end. I know! Lets all watch a movie! Having finished dinner, not knowing what to do with our free time, with that suggestion from my sister, we all gathered at the hotels theater room. Seeing Manami getting her long-awaited opportunity like that, we just made a wry smile. Id say it comes from the hate she holds for Zonmi. The DVD package my sister has brought from the human world, that has the title DokidokiZombie panic printed over a cheap looking logo, reeked of a B-series movie. The plot of the movie was simply the female middle schooler main characterAiri (Is it my imagination? Ive heard the name somewhere) going around trashing zombies with heavy armament. Frankly speaking, the story line is unlike any other Ive seen, but Strangely, the lack of plot twists may be a good thing instead. By cutting on the plot, the action scenes of the female middle schooler heroine that are the selling point become more prominent and the work in itself gained in quality. The only big blunder is that, since each time they trashed a zombie my sister laughed holding her sides while signaling Zonmi with the finger, we couldnt concentrate on the movie. Since its a public facility, Zonmi couldnt do anything but keep holding her rage, but It would be fearful if a zombiepanic happened in the real world. ? Now that I think about it, where has Iris gone to? The movies final stage. Around the shocking scene where the main character, Airi, drove a dump truck while letting out a strange voice, running over the zombie hordes that kept popping out, I realized that Iris had disappeared unnoticed. Now that you mention it, I cant find her. If you mean Iris-chan, it seems that she left the room a little while ago. Really!? Yeah. But she looked like she didnt felt well, I wonder if her tummy hurt Sorry. I have to Go to the toilet for a bit. Eeh!? Isnt it right now at the best part!? Aah. It seems I got myself carried away and ate too much for dinner. Haru Are you all right? Since yesterday you ate only those weird things Aah. Thanks for your concern. Im fine. With those words, I left the room. Im curious about how the movie continues, but what I have to do right now is something else. But, is that so? My goal for this trip is to know Iris. To understand her I feel like I can''t miss anything that makes her uneasy or miss anything that feels amiss. I honestly dont have a clue about where Iris could have gone, but She mustnt have gone very far away. If I search thoroughly, I may find her. Making my resolve, I started randomly running through the long corridor. I managed to determine Iriss whereabouts very fast. After a quick search, I could see the curtain at the end of the corridor fluttering with the wind. When I went through the window, there was Iris, leaning her body on the balconys banister. Iris, her hair let down straight, gazed at the scenery while lost in her thoughts. Surrounded by a wondrous aura under the moonlight, Iris looked more mature than usual. With that sight, that looked as if it had been taken straight out from a scene in a movie or a drama, my heart unconsciously started to beat faster. Iris! As if she had noticed my presence beforehand, Iris looked back in silence without showing the slightest surprise. Why art thou here? Thats my line! Why did you leave by yourself? No reason. If pushed, I just wanted to feel the nocturnal breeze. Thats a lie, isnt it? I Want to know your true feelings. Look Im an idiot. If you dont put it into words, I wont know. Thou wantest to know my true feelings Thou sayest? Iris eyes became sharp. From those eyes came alternatively a fierce wrath and a tinge of sadness Once again, it made me come to understand that her life was altogether different from the one we had. And what dost thou plan to do with me? As I warned thee before, I dont take ye as comrades nor friends. Since the start, I had no need for such things. Iris didnt consider us as comrades nor friends. Those words have honestly been a shock to me, but I could think otherwise. If she doesnt regards us as comrades From now on I should make her consider us as such. In that case Let me tell you something. Why do you, with such obstinacy Reject us? Thats. At least I Have always thought of you as a cherished comrade. Thats why what I say may be being pushy, but Cant I, at least, make that clear to you? As I asked with a serious tone, right after Iris slowly opened her mouth. Gaining something and losing something, thats the same. What does that mean? When I asked, Iris, lifting her eyes to the starry sky of the Netherworld, started telling me with a calm voice. In the Netherworld there doesnt exist such concept as eternal. Therefore, if something is to be gained, conversely something else must be lost. Maybe thou still dostnt know, but something irreplaceable to methat I believed would eternally continue, simply became nothing. If that radiance was to be lostI didnt have a need for it since the start. But, thats not how life Life is not fun Didst thou want to say something of the like? Am I wrong? Since the start, my aim in life My desire was to exert revenge for my kinjust that. Anything outside that accounts to nothing but rubbish. Therefore I dont need things like comrades Thats the answer to thy former question. Does it please thee? Id say that those were her honest thoughts. Each and every word she said had an emphasis that makes me think so. Although, incidentally, Ill tell thee. Iris, turning back, The reason I sneaked out from that chamber was that Seeing yonne sort of thing, I found it revolting. ? That sort of thing? The atrocity of an unilateral extermination of a race. Of course, I tried to comprehend it. Thats just a fictional tale Nevertheless, I ended up recollecting bad things. When my kin was exterminated by the Black Tamersabout that day Just by saying the name of the enemies of her clan, the Black Tamers, Iris feelings steadily became highly strung. About that day Even now I can clearly recall it. The choking stench of blood. The screams of my brethren calling for help. And, above all The powerless me that could do nothing. Aah. Now I understand. Iris, due to that senseless massacre, her family, her friends All that, countless precious things, she lost it all at once. Thats why, shes become really scared of losing something. Since she fears shell lose something dear From the start, she wont hold anything as such. Then, for that, shes erected a wall between us. Now, dost thou understand? What I want is to obtain strength to exert revenge for my kinif I could make a contract with thou and obtain thy magic power Ill be over with thee already. I believe just in one thingmine own strength. Aah. I understand your thoughts well. Is that so? If thou understandest, henceforth abstain from useless conta In other words If I keep living without dying, can I become your friend, Iris? Wha! Before my question, Iris rose a disarrayed yell. Thou, didestnt thou comprehend not one of my words!? Am I wrong? Isnt that the idea behind the gaining something and losing something, thats the same that you said? I see. Thy words hold some truth. However, monster tamer. Thy idea has a big lack as a hypothesis. That is, who shall guarantee thou shalt not die? Ahaha. Thats fine. Since I wont die. Thats why Show me thy foundation for that! Before the open irritation of Iris, I just said. Because you will protect me! Hah!? An extra-large question mark floated above Iriss head. that is, didnt you say it yourself, Iris? You only believe in your strength. Thats why, when Im in a pinch, youll save me. Arent red dragons the most powerful monsters? Your strength is tremendous. Having you by my side, how could I die? Nu! Thou, art not thou embarrassed by saying that nonsense? U-usually shouldnt our stances be reverted? Thou who art male Shouldest not protect me, a female!? Dostnt thou find it embarrassing? Nope. I dont find it so. Because I, in exchange When you are in a pinch, Ill run by your side and protect you! At least I I regard you as someone precious On the level of my own life. I promise you. I It may be impossible right now, but one day Ill become someone able to protect you with my life. So. Since losing is not an option Wont you reconsider not needing friends? Dost thou really think like that? Iris glared at me with an inquisitive look. Of course. So Iris. Stay with me forever. I said while extending my hand to Iris, as if to shake hands. Thats fine. There are many things I want to say to you. Even so, I wonder if my words have strung Iriss heart But thats another matter. So, did I? I think its not difficult to change the sense of values of another person with ones own words. So, in just minutes In the span of tens of minutes, that person should change the feelings theyve fostered for all their lives. Needless to say, like Iris The childhood trauma that twisted their beliefs is not superficial. Let me think about it for a bit. How much time has passed? Iris, who had her head hung in silence, sighed and muttered that. Understood. Id say my questioning until now has backfired. As expected, making Iris open her heart is something out of ordinary. Let her think about it for a bit Isnt it? However, if I think of how Iris was when I met her Isnt it a bit of improvement? It seems weve been talking while standing a bit too much. As soon as she said that, Iris left the balcony, as if running away from me. Though I was curious about what face Iris would put after my once-in-a-lifetime confession I couldnt check Iriss expression as she ran away with quick feet. Volume 3 6 — The beginning of the end Volume 3 Chapter 6: The beginning of the end By the way, oniichan, when will we go back? Next morning. While we were having breakfast at the hotel, that question came from my sisters lips. Well. Since it was written on the tour ticket sent by mom that it was 4 days and 3 nights Maybe around the day after tomorrow? But, you know. Come to think of it, does it still matter what the ticket said? Well Thats true. To tell the truth Im also worried about that. We cant text to the human world from the Netherworld I have to contact daddy soon. Is that so? Why dont we ask Lilith-san about bringing forward a bit the date of return? Theres no need for that. Ah! Lilith-san. None too soon. As usual, Lilith-san appeared at an unexpected time from a unexpected place. So What do you mean by not having to worry about it? Since you all will be staying in the Netherworld for some more time. Some more How many days are we talking about? Lets see. If things go well, maybe you will leave the Netherworld in 3 years time? T-three years!? Yeah. By the way, I meant three years would be if things go well Assuming the worst case, youll spend all your lives in the Netherworld. Erm, of course thats a joke, isnt it? No. Im being serious. What need do I have to lie to you? Hearing Lilith-san saying it wasnt a joke, the cheerful atmosphere from a while ago changed abruptly. As if it were a lie, the mood became gloomy. Good grief, thats stupid. Said Zonmi, slamming the chopsticks she was eating with against the table. Even though Im indifferent about returning, to reach the world of humans from here you just have to get done with some formalities. Chiharu You dont need to listen to what shes saying. Come on, lets retrieve our luggage. Well leave from here this very morning. Hey. Zonmi, wait! I held back Zonmi, who was leaving without a word. At least Its not too late to listen a bit more about whats happening. I see. Even if you really want to leave, its still fine. ? What do you mean? Its going to be the same no matter what you do. It will be a problem if you underestimate us demons. At our call, forget reaching the human world, you wouldnt manage to even leave this island. I see. If ye will go even to the extent of confining us, beyond doubt its something very deep. Isnt it, Demon? Iris looked at Lilith-san sending daggers with her glance, Why dostnt thou be truthful with us already? The real reason we have come to the Netherworld Is that so? Do I not have to keep it secret anymore? As if realizing something, Lilith-san slowly started to tell us. Frankly speaking, Chiharu-samas existence is too much of a danger to us. A chimera between a human and a demon If that existence reaches public knowledge The illegal organization that is researching the combination of humans and monsters Its not like its members will keep quiet. With your power, as you hold the power of a monster while having a human body, replacing the current humanity with a brand new humanity Its possible for that unrealistic event to happen. I didnt know. However, If, as Lilith-san says, that kind of underground organization exists, no doubt my very being would be a suitable sample for them. Mm, wait. Could it be that that organization you say? The mysterious monster tamer I battled the other day crossed my mind. I recalled Noelle, who, while being a human, had the power of a monster. Its as Chiharu-sama has guessed. The Black Tamers Those guys are the leading people in researching the merging of humans with monsters. Is that so? So it was like that!!? It looks like I have tied together everything about the doubts that were haunting me until now. The reason the Black Tamers came for us so desperately. And, about the monster tamer I battled before. The reason that Noelle held the ability to turn her own body into a monster. If we think that all of that is because of their research, everything that happened up till now comes together. Ive understood the reason why I cant return to the human world. However Why now? If you simply wanted to trap me at the Netherworld You should have done it earlier. Thats right. If, like up until now, Chiharu-samas secret was safe, you could be allowed to keep living at the human world, but Regrettably, that cannot be. So that means The secret has been leaked somewhere? Yeah. Are we talking about 3 months ago? An unauthorized access to the database managed by the IMA was confirmed. Whats more As the culprit held internal privileges, we didnt discover it until recently So it was like that. Speaking about three months ago, thats around the same time I received on my cell the mail from the IMA. Come to that, could it be that my being chosen as a monster tamer and the leakage of my information from the IMA database are connected somehow!? Erm Lilith-san So, the moment after I was about to voice my doubt. Suddenly, the sound of a siren resounded inside the room. At first, I thought that a small fire had started, but it seems that its not that. The sound of the siren, rather than from inside the hotel Seems to be coming from outside the building. Head maid Its an emergency! The one who appeared before us was a maid who was breathing roughly, and her countenance surmised that what happened is no trivial matter. What is it!? An enemy attack! The opponent is likely the Black Tamers They number 30 No, more like 50! Before the enemy charge, our defensive lines are on the verge of collapsing. Some of them have infiltrated already. Is that a mistake? This island, entirely covered with a summon forbidding field, should have perfect counter terrorist defenses. About that The enemy wields a strange skill that lets them change their own body into a monster They dont seem to mind the summon forbidding field in the least. A shadow fell over Lilith-sans face, How stupid. Do they plan on repeating the same error as ten years ago? Erm What the heck is happening on this island? Besides, just now Black Tamers It seems that we dont have the time to explain it properly. Chiharu-sama Leave from here at once. Right after Lilith-san commanded me so. There was a creaking noise of broken glass. As we looked at the source of the noise, from outside the broken window, a single giant monster entered the hotel. That monster was shaped like a wolf with lovely black hair & huge fangs. Yoh Long time no see. I was looking forward for the day to come for me to exert my revenge against you Kusumi-kun! Wh-whos this guy Im sorry, but I dont remember having met any werewolf. Haha! You cant guess with this shape? Dont worry, will you remember me once we start to fight!? After spewing that sentence, the wolf monster swung down its paws against me. Its definitely not a move I cant react against, but I didnt dare to evade it. Excuse me! Why? Since, for starters, I didnt feel that there was a need to evade. As soon as the werewolf identified me as its target, Zonmi, ready for combat, fended off the attack with her umbrella. Tch. You again, b*tch? Thanks for taking care of me back then. Ghoul womaaan! I remember this face from somewhere The man who we battled before that used a Minotaur Is that you? On the mark! Im glad that you remember me! Haha! This time it wont be like last time! Ill show you the might of me, whos called the strongest among Seconds! Is it A joke? This werewolfs true identity Is the black suited Black Tamer I battled before? The shocking thing is that its not part of his body. The Black Tamers members have genuinely Completed their research to turn a human into a monster!? Though that was a surprise, its not like Ill show my agitation to the enemy. I have to show to them a composed smile. Can you allow yourself to look away? I too have strengthened my battle power. Haah? Bastard, what are you Guah!? Receiving a severe blow on his flank, the werewolf rose a dull moan. Haru Ill protect you! Kyoukos dropkick from the side had enough strength to send flying the large build of the werewolf. From the start, in battle power alone, Kyouko can suitably be called the strongest of our members. And in addition to that, because of making a contract with me, that destructive power has grown and become something fearsome. If you forget about Manami, youll regret it? Saying that, Manami dynamically threw a pair of huge kitchen knives in a boomerang fashion. Uugh!? That strength surprisingly seemingly being nothing to make light of, with the knives stuck to his forehead, the werewolf let out a big moan and one of his knees touched the ground. Keh! Isnt a surprise attack bad manners?! However, I didnt expect it For you bastard of a rookie to so quickly Contract three monsters Im very sorry for the misunderstanding. You may not believe me when I say this to you, but My sister is not a monster. I beg you fall back a bit. Eh!! But its fine. Can Manami fight? If Manami uses her girl power, monster or whatever, wont he fall in one punch? It bothers me that you think thats fine! As I remarked that to her, Manami, *GUFUFU*, let out an unpleasant laughter, Humf? Theres no way. Oniichan cant help but worryingly worry about Manami? Kyaaah? Could it be that Manami Is being loved!? Yup. Since its a pain in the ass, lets leave it like that. Somehow managing to make my sister leave the front lines, I let out a sigh. The werewolf, having heard our conversation from the start to the end, let out a composed laugh, Haha! How surprisingly easygoing. Thanks to your long conversation, bastards, I too could finish my preparations. !? Looking to where the mans gaze pointed at, there were five giant flight-type monsters, six, seven One by one they could be seen coming here from outside the window. Each and every of those guys was shaped like a bird or an insect, and like this, they were closing the distance with us. This is bad. No matter how strong Zonmi and the rest are, we cant stand up to these numbers by normal means. Now all of us have to cooperate When I made that judgment and looked around, I suddenly noticed something. I couldnt see Iris anywhere. Dont tell me!? The worst possibility crossed my mind. How careless. Thats right. Hearing news about the Black Tamers, how could Iris keep doing nothing? I dare say that Iris, right now To exert her revenge, theres no doubt that she must have taken the absurd action of going by herself. As I was thinking that, the flight-type monsters entered the hotel one after another. The man laughed loudly, Haha! Now things have changed! Youd do better surrendering like this, you bastard. It seems that, as expected, the objective of the Black Tamers is me. It looks like they want to use my body to further their research. Chiharu-sama. Lilith-san called my name. Before I knew it, she has brought heavily armed maids, ready for the battle. Their objective is you. This place, how about You leave this place to us? Chiharu-sama, please head to the underground passage I showed you the other day. Understood. We apologize for our difficult to accept request. Youre worried about the safety of Zonmi-sama and the rest, right? However, be relieved. If we stabilize the front lines, they can go after you Erm. I beg your pardon. Could you please repeat to me what Ive just said? You said to leave this place to you. Yes? Take care of Zonmi and the rest. Eh, errrm Yes. You can surely leave it in our hands. That I complied with the two answers may have been quite surprising to her. Lilith-san was confused for a while with a face that said theres something I dont quite understand. I better leave before she becomes aware. Of course, this time, I wont comply in the least with what Lilith-san has said. I have one thing I must do. To retrieve Iris, who has gone to fight alone, and save her from her pinch. After all I promised her that night. If you ever fall into a pinch, no matter what kind Ill definitely go to save you! Im worried about the safety of Zonmi and the lot, but since the enemys objective is my body, exiting the hotel will make them be safer. With a strengthened decision, after sneaking out of the room, in order to search for Iris, I ran to outside the hotel. Vigorously rushing out of the hotel, searching for Iris was difficult. If I had at least made a contract with her, I could have used the thread of magic power that comes out from the ring to choose the shortest way, but Even if I complain now, its no use. Instead, I could find along the way charred black monster bodies. Could it be perhaps That Iris had been battling here? Though I may have left her behind, I reached that conclusion by putting together those tiny clues. As I approached the towns center, the frequency at which I found charred black monsters went up. Surely Iris must be near. After walking for a while, *SHBROOOM!*, from the towns center came a noise like that of breaking concrete. Iris! I could easily spot Iris, turned into her red dragon form. Iris, with her body conspicuously buried into the wall at the top of a building, looks to be clearly worn out from consecutive battling. GROAAAAAAAAR! After taking flight by extending her wings, Iris let out a roar that made the earth tremble. Kyaha? Dont hide, lizard-chan. Im going to lovingly tease you a bit. The person Iris is against is a very familiar face. The monster tamer I engaged in battle some time ago, who could turn her body into a golem. Noelle North Norm. Contrasting with Iris, whose face was easily readable, Noelles countenance was frighteningly cold. It was as if she enjoyed the death match like a game That kind of madness could be felt. Slash. After being provoked, Iris flew up front in Noelles direction. However, Noelle easily stopped that attack by transforming both her arms into those of a golem. Looking from the side, the figure of a girl skillfully making use of a pair of rocky arms five times her size was beyond weird. No, no? Attacks like those wont work on me. Noelle grabbed Iris by the tail and turned her around. Making use of that impulse, she tossed her against a building. Gyaaaaaaah. Iris, being thrown again against the concrete of a building with frightening strength, let out a fearsome roar. I couldnt look. After that, Iris faced Noelle again and again It seems that the other side has mostly grasped her battle skills. Iriss attacks were focused on her inborn speed, but her fangs not reaching her enemy, she was at her wits end before the continuous counterattacks. I understand. It seems that my somehow or other, I want to save you only hurt Iris. However. How could I have thought that Iris had abandoned us at the hotel? She never did so. So to speak, this Is her personal battle. Until now, Iriss objective of attaining revenge, instead of denying or accepting it I adopted an uncertain attitude. Since, after all, I had one-sidedly decided that there was no way I could understand this girls feelings, all alone after losing her family. Thinking about her, I mostly tried not to butt into her way. Perhaps No, absolutely Iris wont be glad that I get roped in her battle. Even so, should I go help her? Even so, should I get in the way of her way of life? Even so I My decided course of action on a limited situation was that Iris I dont want to lose an important person, those were my honest feelings. Iris You cant loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooose!" Before I knew, I was shouting. In honest truth I dont know if my voice reached her, seething with rage. Nevertheless. This may be no more than wishful thinking, but I felt that Iriss eyes recovered some of its vitality. Groaaaaaaar! Mustering the strength of her whole body, Iris spewed her scorching breath against Noelle. The breath she spewed in large quantities was so powerful that its heat reached even here. Good, this is it! I was confident of Iriss victory, but just after that. Noelle let out a composed laugh. Kyahaha? Fire is not effective against rock! Making full use of her golem arms, Noelle was skillfully drowning out the breath that came down. Besides the impregnable defensive wall that were the huge palms made of rock, Iriss breath turned completely ineffective. What the heck Attacking directly is no good. Spitting flames is no good. In that case What can Iris do And then, something outside expectations happened. When Iriss breath stopped, Noelles eyes were tinged with surprise. The he The flames were a co? So. It was not like Iris kept spewing flames just because. In other words Though she kept spitting flames in order to obstruct Noelles sight She was waiting for the moment her opponent lowered her guard. Its a simple tactic, but not even Noelle would have expected this action from the single-minded pattern of attacks up until now. Wai No ! Let me down! Picked by her nape by Iriss talons, Noelle was unavoidably dragged into an aerial fight. From now on, Iris has the control. Having brought the battle to the sky, Iris became more active, she was in her element, and quickly gained altitude. Has she reached maybe around 600 meters, I wonder? Just when Iriss body was smaller than a speck of dust, I could saw a girl falling from the sky on the edge of my vision. Iyah! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Of course, that girl was Noelle. Noelle kept falling at a terrific speed, and in the end she crashed head on against the concrete surface with great force. Just when a thunderous roar as if a bomb had fallen was heard, a crater with a diameter of 5 meters appeared on the floor. Uwah That must have been instant death. Even I, who draws the blood of a Demon, am not confident that I could survive being dropped from such height. Its no joke. Lets assume that Noelle has a body resilience that exceeds mine. Even then, the damage Noelle has suffered Its like trying to do bungee jumping without rope from the top of the Tokyo Skytree. At the very least, she has to have lost consciousness for a while. Soon after Noelles fall, Iris flapped her wings and gradually started decreasing her altitude. Has she completely spent all of her magic power? From that way of acting A terrible weariness can be perceived, as if she had been fighting for three days and three nights straight without resting. Iris! Once again, I shouted to Iris. I noticed the red dragon transformed Iriss eyes turning to me. Thats good It seems that this time my voice has reached her. !? It was at that time. Just when I let down my chest with relief. I noticed Iriss body becoming smaller and smaller, changing to human form. Having lost her wings, Iris, pulled by the gravity, started to drop at a terrific speed. So as to not let her crash against the ground, I moved at top speed. Kuh! By a hairs breadth. I somehow managed to catch Iriss falling body. It doesnt look like just a while ago a life or death battle had been taking place. That girl whose little body was snugly resting between my arms Was your run-of-the-mill young girl. Oi. You alright, Iris!? So as to clear away my uneasiness, Iris promptly opened her eyes. Monster tamer I owe thee. Recently Ive often bore human shape. This form is more comfortable. I see As long as youre safe, thats fine. Thats good Youre alive Thats really good. Seeing Iris smiling to me, I noticed something warm filling my chest. Unable to hold my feelings, tears formed. Iris, with a bewildered look, Incomprehensible. Why, what need dost thou have to shed tears? Isnt that an obvious thing? I dont know what you think, but I think of you as someone as important as my own family. Thats why You being alive is what makes me happiest Family Is it? Iris slowly ruminated the meaning of the word, I feel that I had long forgotten the meaning of that term. So Being with thy family gives thee this kind of warmth So as to say she had reached the limit of her energies, Iris, softly buried her face in my chest. Sorry. Monster tamer. Lend me thy chest for a bit Right now, still surrounded by thy warm I want to rest my body. Understood. When I replied, Iris fell into a deep sleep. Iris Youve given your best. Lets leave the fighting back there to Lilith-san and her lot and return to the hotel asap. At any rate, now We better leave behind this place even a moment sooner. Judging that, when I turned back. From somewhere, came the noise of rubble crumbling. Are you pulling my leg? Looking behind me in panic, I could see a ragged and heavily damaged Noelle slowly crawling out of the hole. That looked like something entirely removed from the realm of reality An impossible view. That thing that barely kept human form must have every bone in its body broken. From her arms and abdomen protruded white bones dyed with blood. Her neck bone had clearly just been broken. Having lost its support, Noelles head Was slanted in an unnatural angle and wobbled with each of her steps. Am I imagining things? I feel that Ive seen something like this just recently. That is In one scene of last nights movie. It hurrrts Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! Seeing Noelle, showing the revolting appearance of a zombie and raising pained screams like crazy, I felt cold shivers through my backbone. The pain Dont wanna. I remember something from long ago Hey, help me, oneechan. I think its of a nauseating hypocrisy for my part, but Though shes the enemy, I cannot abandon her like this. Its fine. Shes suffered so much damage. She probably Has no more strength to keep fighting. Oi. You alright? Truthfully, anyone can see that her state is everything but alright, but, not finding anything else to say, I asked her that. Kyaha!? Its oniichan. Oniichan found? Erm Im not the best one to say this, but How can you be alive in that state? Ahaha. Its easy Us Firsts are not human The experiment was a failure Whats that experiment? Tell me so that I understand. We dont have a family We are isolated existences made inside test tubes Thats why Stopping there, Noelle spat a lot of blood from her mouth. When, worried by her condition, I tried rushing to her, I could feel an uncanny killing intent. Thats why I Will kill you and become a perfect human You What are you blabbering? Level Over limit. Right after Noelle muttered something. Her whole body was covered by a rocky armor, and then grew. Raising in volume like mochi over a stove, the clump of rocks became human-like. Once it finished There was a huge female golem. Its length Id say, around 40 meters? Its obviously by far the hugest monster Ive met till now. Ahaha? Hey. Oniichan Where are you? Is it the effect of turning into a monster? It seemed like Noelles voice, turned into a monster, had become quite low. To add to that, her voices volume, following her bodys size, was as powerful as that of a speaker installed downtown. Ahaha? Hey. Oniichan Are you there? After making that low voice resound through the whole area, Noelle stomped strongly under her feet. That instant. The sound of cracking asphalt was made. Ku! Frankly, I thought Id die. Holding Iris in my arms, I suffered a tremor stronger than any earthquake Ive ever experienced. Its no joke. By no means can I picture how to defeat the current Noelle. Is it good or bad luck? As you see, Noelle, by transforming her whole body into a monster, it seems that she has obtained overwhelming power, but It looks like, in compensation, her sight has weakened. In any case, right now I have to flee. No sooner than I had decided that, I turned back. While somehow holding Iris in my arms, I managed to slip through Noelles field of vision and entered an abandoned building. Ahaha? Come out? Hey Come ooooooooooooooooooooooooooout! She repeatedly and indiscriminately destroyed and shouted. It seems that Noelle hasnt found me yet. Moron. Stop it. Its not like I can win. I kept repeating that to myself again and again in my head. Have you seen that chicks strength? What the heck Isnt she a bona fide freak? For now, while you pray that, like this, Noelle goes somewhere else, hold your breath and stick to the plan. However. This May be no more than my personally convenient assumption. I feel that if I flee from here Perhaps, no one will save her for the rest of her life. Ahaha? Oniichan Where are you? I felt like Noelles voice kept growing fainter and fainter. It may be broken now But the building isnt moving away from here. In any case, it doesnt change the fact that its a desperate situation Ill do it. Certainly the foes strength is mighty. My chances of winning like this may be dim. However, Noelle isnt perfect. On the contrary It seems that I can take advantage of the cracks in her unstable mentality. Its fine Its not like I dont have a chance. If I fight by making sure of the situation, Ill definitely make a breakthrough! Whats more This is a method I didnt want to use if possible. Come the worst If I act as a diversion to attract the opponent''s attention, it wont be difficult to save Iriss life. Iris Sorry. Ill return soon. Lying down Iris on one of the abandoned buildings sofas, I dashed to the buildings stairs. Thinking about it, this is my first battle since Im self-conscious of the Demon blood half that runs through my veins. I am different from regular people. So, being aware of it, things that until now I thought were impossible became doable. For example, jumping power. The me right now can move from rooftop to rooftop of buildings of nearly 10 meters of height by jumping with calm and composure. Faster Even one second faster I must go to her. If I leave Noelle by herself The town may end up as rubble. If that happens, Iriss life would be in danger. Inside the buildings, there may be frightened people that were late to take refuge. Thats why, I I must appear before her once again. Kyahaha? Hey Onii-chan Where are you? Noelle! Im here! I wont flee nor hide! So Stop doing this! Hey Where Where are you? Thats why Since Im here Shut uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup! Noelle suddenly swung down her huge arm. Guoh!? Jumping to the neighboring building by a hairs breadth, I somehow managed to evade her attack. I ended up unconsciously showing a wry smile before Noelle''s out-of-league power. The building I had been standing on till just now had been cleanly sliced in half by Noelles iron hammer like a cheesecake by a knife. Be it monster or human, it doesnt matter. If they received the attack from just now, it would be surefire instant death. Dont dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooodge! Thinking about not loosing foothold, I kept jumping from roof to roof, parrying Noelles attacks. Like in an action scene from a Hollywood movie, the townscape was gradually being destroyed. Full of guilty conscience, I continued evading attacks over and over. While I had been avoiding them for a while, a doubt rose into my mind. Could it be that Noelle cant control herself at will? Up till now, Noelle, no matter what pinch she was in, she hadnt transformed her full body into a monster. Despite, when thinking in simple attack power, being stronger this way, she was obstinate in not doing that. It seems to make much more sense to think that the reason was since when transforming the whole body into a monster, conscious control becomes impossible. So, What do I do? On top of not having any hope to solve this through dialogue, theres no chance in the least to win this by attacking up front. Nevertheless, having reached this point, showing the back to my opponent is out of question. In that case Theres just one thing I can do. To drain Noelles internal magic power till the last drop. If I keep dodging her attacks, in time surely Noelles magic power should become empty. In theory, its the same that happened earlier when Iris returned from red dragon to human shape. In this way, surely Theres no doubt that I can tame her. !? Noelle once again swung down her iron hammer. However, this time I could evade the attack with quite the composure. With all of her body transformed into a monster, theres no doubt that Noelle, hides an abnormal power enough to level the whole town, but in exchange her attacks become, in a word, monotone. Like this If I pay attention to my opponents actions, I may be able to dodge all of Noelles attacks until I leave her without magic power. Just when I held that hope, something out of expectations happened. The world trembled. For an instant, I couldnt comprehend what had happened. It seems that, centered in just protecting my body, I wasnt cautious about what I was using as a foothold. How careless. Noelle happens to have means to attack me besides direct contact. Namely, by crushing the building Im using as a foothold. Being at my wits end after completely losing my footing by Noelles low kick, my body was tossed into the air. *SLASH* Aiming at me, as I became unable to move in mid-air, putting all of her body weight into her palm, Noelle squashed my body. Gaha!? Definitely With this I died. Anyhow, have I not been crushed flat by a stone giant with a body nearly 30 times mine? Nevertheless. Unexpectedly, I was still living. No, thinking better, is it that unexpected? Actually, now its not like I couldnt imagine something like this. However, I feel anxious. That is In what shape has my body been left after such an attack. Theres no way I believe that Im alive and in tip-top condition. Surely right now my body looks like a fun sticker. I timidly open my eyes. What will it be? What the heck Whats this? Let alone becoming a sticker, my body looks reddish brown and swollen. I could hear directly in my ears my heart beating strongly. My body feels hot. Its like Im soaking in boiling water. Is it my imagination? I feel Like I have experienced this feeling before. That time, if Im not wrong My body was controlled by the magic power that engulfed me and, like that, my consciousness flew away. Hey Wait? Consciousness flying away This situation Isnt it just like Noelle right now!? Lets say that the power of a strong monster is something that swallows human consciousness That would explain what happened to my body last time I fought Noelle. In that case I cant let the magic power engulf me like this. Keep conscious. Dont let the darkish magic power that surges from the depths of your body engulf you. For what reason have I come here? Thats To protect Iris To protect this town. This power that sleeps inside my body Its definitely not for harming anybody, nor for destroying anything. Its for protecting the people I care for! Thus, being aware of that, I could feel my temperature going down and my body steadily becoming lighter. The darkish red and swollen skin was returning to its original condition Instead, I realized that my hair was growing. Uoh!? After that, two bat-like wings grew from my back and tore my T-shirt. Could this be My true shape as a monster!? Since I cant see my whole body reflection on a mirror, I cant be sure, but Maybe leaving out growing wings and my hair lengthening, It doesnt seem like Im very different from a regular human. Although the changes in my appearance may be scarce The power that seethes inside is unimaginable. Oddly enough, this appearance Seemed to resemble that of the late Maou that Lilith showed to me at that underground room in the hotel. Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! As soon as Noelle confirmed my survival, letting out a strange voice, she swung down her fist again. However, this time It didnt look so frightening. Its like a human not fearing the attack of a wild rabbit Having gained an overwhelming power, I could easily stop the attack. !? Maybe she thought I couldnt stop her attack. I saw a tinge of impatience in the turned into a monster Noelles countenance. Gu! It may be because of the difference in body complexion, but the other sides attack was unexpectedly powerful. It was so mighty that even I, having obtained tremendous strength by controlling my monster power, if I lose focus for a bit, will end up squashed. Nevertheless. The me right now Wont lose to anyone! I rejected Noelles fist with all my might. Losing, Noelle lost her balance, I made her mass tumble. I didnt miss out on that opening. Without a moments delay, I took flight by moving my two wings. At first, I was worrying if I could fly properly, but all it took was mere seconds to get used to it. I dare say Its just a guess of mine. The same that a butterfly that just came out of the cocoon knows how to fly, I may unconsciously know how to use my wings on a genetic level. Noelle, eager to connect an attack, kept swinging her arms, but those actions looked so slow that even a fly could have stopped them. Even if we were well matched in power, I had great advantage in speed. Doryaaaaaaa! Using the impulse of the fall from the sky, I hit Noelles big frame with a dropkick in the truest sense of the word. Of course, I didnt make her fall with a single hit, but from here on its easy game to connect attacks. After that, piling up a second, a third, a fourth hit, I succeeded in bringing Noelle down with the seventh hit. Its not that I wouldnt be glad to return to human form at this moment if I could, but GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Unfortunately, the other side doesnt feel like that. Fixing her stance, Noelle then took a greatly unusual and unexpected course of action. From a standing position, Noelle greatly flexed her knees and Took a big jump. Wha. This technique certainly deserves to be called historys most dreadful body press. If she makes full use of her huge frame that causes shakes like earthquakes with each step I fear that the whole town will be destroyed. Theres no way. Do I have to make myself serious? After temporarily landing, I used the momentum to fly up with full force. And, like that, I kicked her body up with full force. Ah, ah, aaaah Gaha!? Successful hit. Under my attack, Noelles body came apart Like that, she returned to human form. If she suffers big damage, that can revert her monster transformation? It was a long And relentless battle. After this, its just catching Noelles falling body Bringing her back to the hotel with Iris, and this battle is finished. When I return to the hotel, I have a lot of questions to ask her. About herself The Black Tamers And about her monster transformation ability. Ive roughly guessed her landing point. After this, its only waiting for her to fall, Come to think of it, these 2-3 days have been anything but a display of newly revealed shocking facts. My mom is a monster tamer. My sister is only half-related to me, as we are half-siblings with different fathers. And, above all The most shocking thing is that my true identity is that of a new monster species born between a human and a demon. Surely, even now What I know is just but part of it Theres still a lot of things I should know from here on. If listening to her helps to that Then we could say that this battle was very meaningful. Just when I extended my arms to grab Noelles body. A snake. Suddenly, before me it appeared, the head of a huge snake. Its length To tell the truth, I couldnt see it in its entirety. Sure that things head was right before my eyes, but its body stretched far away and I couldnt ascertain the tail. However, the snake that immediately started to coil around me clearly boasted a size in a league of its own not comparable even to the fully monster transformed Noelle. On top of the big serpents head, a single human could be seen. Could it be the monster tamer that has made a contract with the snake monster? That personage, maneuvering the huge snake, instead of me, grabbed the recently fallen Noelle. Ahaha I knew youd come Oneechan Shes probably spent all of her internal magic power. Noelle muttered with a feeble voice like that of an ill person on the verge of death. As, from here, the figure was against the light, I couldnt discern it well, but the silhouette of the person who embraced Noelle seemed to be that of a woman. Ya-ho. Its been quite a bit too long a while, Chiharu-kun. The somewhat missed, laid-back tone hints of an adult. Still riding on top of the snakes head, she gradually came closer At last, I could clearly grasp her appearance. How Why are you he Hmmm. All of a sudden, you drop a harsh question. Well Ill explain it to you in a way easy to understand for you Nori, is it? How would I put it, its that kind of feeling. That foolish atmosphere as if people were food is characteristic of her. Dont joke with me, answer me properly Luka-san. Waah. Scaredy-scary. Chiharu-kun How come you became able to glare like that without my knowing? Its only natural that I became silent. The person that appeared before me all of a sudden as a monster tamer is my superior. You have a face of not understanding anything. Good. Then, Ill specially tell you one thing Starting like that, Luka-san, In fact, I, Luka-san~, Im the one who founded and stands at the top of the Black Tamers. Isnt that the answer you were looking for? Arara. Your reaction has been more bland than I expected. Could it be Chiharu-kun had realized it at some point with his sharp intuition? Nope. Not in the least. Its just Ive grown accustomed to surprises. Recently there have been many things and Ive grown tired of reacting to each and every one. Ahaha By the way, Chiharu-kun. Sorry, but It seems that I dont have the time to rejoice upon our reunion. You see. According to the reports of my subordinates, arent they coming sca~ry demon reinforcements very soon? Weve gathered enough data After successfully retrieving our injured comrades, we can put a finish to this. With the exception of the irregularity called yourself, everything seems to have gone according to my plan. Good for you. Thank you. So Bye, bye, see you later. Just after saying that. The big serpent before me slithered. By the time I noticed that that movement was an offensive action, the surrounding buildings had started to collapse against me at once. How careless. As I directed all my attention to the snakes head, I totally missed its body. Nevertheless. The me right now won''t fall to this kind of attack. She fled? Nimbly slipping through the collapsing buildings, extending my wings and flying high, I couldnt perceive the enemys figure. It seems that by then, Luka-san and her troupe were already at more than 500 meters from my position No problem. If I fly with all my might, surely I could reach them soon. The instant that I opened my wings again with renewed vigor, I felt terribly dizzy. My heart pounding strongly, it brought attention to the risk on my body. Are you Joking? With this timing, I reached my limit? Has it been maybe around five minutes since I totally transformed into a monster? It seems that my limit is around that? Quite short. However, thinking about the overwhelming power up till now, it may be a reasonable retribution. With the unbearable feeling of having let my archenemy escape from under my nose without resistance, Imy consciousness slowly blacked out. Reptile tribe: Basilisk. LV: 33. Physical strength: S. Power: S. Speed: A. Legendary snake monster. Big enough to swallow a whole building. Expels poison gas and fleeing opponents get turned into stone. Serial number: 081. Volume 3 Epilogue — Prediction of troubles Volume 3 Epilogue: Prediction of troubles After that. Its been a week since that event. It seems that, after that battle ended, I was around three days out as if dead. For that reason, Im being examined in detail at a hospital recommended by Lilith-san. Well, being hospitalized isnt such a big thing. As its just having X-rays taken a couple of times a day and blood drawn from time to time, and the trio of Zonmi, Kyouko and Manami comes to see me every day, theres no way I could spend all day bored. By the way, about Iris, after checking that I was hospitalized, it seems that she promptly left the island saying I have something to do at my hometown. From what Ive heard, the village where Iris lived, since five years ago when it was attacked by the Black Tamers, has thoroughly become a so-called ghost town, so I dont know what kind of business she could have there. Aah. Thats right Luka-san was at the top of the Black Tamers. That revelation has become a tremendous shock both in the Netherworld and in the human world. They say that high class monster tamers like Luka-san or my mother, there arent more than ten in the world, and it seems that they boast influence on par of that of the demons. If its that kind of super-celebrity As shes the boss of the very infamous Black Tamers, just picture the extent of the impact of the issue. Since thinking only of bad news will sour my mood, lets go with a bright topic. I dont know the specific details, but its been decided that we can return to the human world without troubles. The ones Lilith-san relied on, an anti-Black Tamers corp, seems to have suffered heavy losses on this raid, so this island lacks the battle power to hold back the next terrorist attack. In any case, well, for that reason theres no motive for us to keep lodging on this island. Instead, the ones who protected us, who was in fact that International Monster Association, after they take care of some arrangements, it looks like we can return to the human world. Honestly, I dont know if that''s a reason for rejoicing, but in any case Im glad that now we can return to the human world. The afternoon of the day before I was scheduled to leave the hospital. Now that I think Hasnt Iris returned yet? Nope. I think that shes about to return, but She knows that oniichan is hospitalized. Good grief. Be it Chiharu or the red dragon, Id like for you to stop acting by yourselves from now on. How weird, the ghoul and I agree! Truly That day, when I noticed that Haru had gone by himself to look for Iris-chan, I think my heart stopped! Sorry. Well Ive been severely scolded already for that. When I awakened from my deep slumber, first of all I was awarded with a slap from Zonmi. Despite me being convalescent, Kyouko hurled me with all her might. Manami, strange of her, just kept silent And remained by my side. Each and every one of them had a different reaction, but the three of them had something in common. And that was that all three of them had reddened, swollen eyes and were crying. The reason. For the three days I was out cold, my vitals were so unstable that it wouldnt be weird if I passed away. No matter how mighty the power I had gained, the effective time was short and above all the risk was too great. Lilith-san had warned me that until my body gets accustomed to the power of the monster transformation, I should abstain as much as possible from using that power. I too, if possible, dont want to be involved a second time in a deathmatch that forces me to rely on that power. As I was thinking about that, someone knocked on the hospital rooms door. Come in Greetings. Ill intrude. Seeing the person who entered the room with that curt reply, I unconsciously sprang out of the bed. The one who was there was Iris, who I havent really seen in a week. Iris! Until now What the heck have you been doing!? As I rushed to her side, Iris, looking down in embarrassment, I had gone to retrieve this. Errrm Could this be The thing that Iris solemnly took out from her pocket was a sparkling silver contract ring like thing, but the appearance was a tad different from those Ive seen up till now. How do I put it, the design is too flashy for a contract ring It has in places carvings of a dragon. A contract ring Is it? Thats right. I thought I wouldnt have use for it in all my life I had buried it with the remains of my honored mother under the sacred tree, but It seems I had erred. But wait. Isnt it weird what youve said? So. Now it feel like a tale from long ago, but at the very start, Iris expressly stole that ring that was supposed to be sent to my home and forced a contract with me. If she had a ring since the start, what need did she have to expressly steal it? If you had a ring from the start, why didnt Iris use it? Before my question, Iris, pouting and averting her gaze, Th-this one Theres no way I could employ it! This Since I was told by my now deceased honored mother that I should give it to the man who will become our lifelong companion I-its for my nuptial! Eh? What does that mean? Leaving me with a question mark over my head, Iris, her cheeks colored with embarrassment, with a resolute face Stretching as much as she could, she locked my lips with hers. ~~~~~~!! As a boy, Im not bothered nor disgusted by it, but By the way, that was my first kiss. These are my feelings. Monster tamer Why dostnt thou have a child with me? Wh-what? This is This is a bombshell announcement. I too, that night When thou proposedst to me, I got to think about many things. Of course I plan to reap retribution against the Black Tamers, but is that my only mission in life? Theres nothing the retribution can do for my brethren. To leave children behind and lead once again the red dragon clan to prosperity With that one other mission I have as the one left behind Well It made me start to think. This is bad. And what is bad Is not that Iris seems to have greatly misunderstood my words, but the surrounding girls, with faces like a seething kettle, who are really on the verge of exploding. Chiharu What the heck is this? Why dont you explain yourself clearly? No I honestly dont Chiharu, what the heck Big-breasted women or petite women Which of them is your type? Be clear, please! Why would that matter!? Ahahahahahahaha. Haru kissed Right before me Ahahahaha. Propose? Booom! I Booom! Y-you may be my best buddy, Iris-chan, but I absolutely wont forgive you for this! Grrrr! Havent I told you that oniichans and Manamis virginities are one and the same thing by law!? Co-cool down, girls!! Dont you find all this chaos weird!? The one who has to cool down is Chiharu! You Lolicon maou! Zonmis yell echoed throughout the not very spacious hospital room. Its good to see them so lively, but Why dont you take a bit into account the TPO? With this, Ive fulfilled my aim to make contracts with all three of my initially selected monsters, but So then, monster tamer. After the baby-making kiss right now Ahem, after having concluded the ceremony Shouldnt we go out to search for the monster they call stork? When I think about what will happen from now on My stomach starts to hurt. Volume 3 Authors Notes Volume 3 Author''s Notes This is Kankitsu yusura. Maohimes third volume, have you enjoyed it? It may be sudden, but about this works title Maou na Ore to ghoulFushihime no Yubiwa! Isnt it a bit of a mouthful? I dont know if its because of that, but recently there are many people worried of getting the title wrong. I thought about putting here an official abbreviation made by me, but In the end, I was worried and stopped at the last moment. I dont know why, but it seems to go against my policy as an author. How many time have I seen light novel authors using the space on their afterwords to frantically appeal to self-made abbreviations, usually before my debut, and I thought I didnt want to become an author like that. Since an abbreviation is something held inside the hearts of each and every reader, and I think it should naturally be spread through the net and the word of mouth. This is not limited to light novels, but no literary work is complete just with the work by the hands of the author and the illustrator It starts attaining completion with the support of the buyers. Thats why, I think that ending up doing each and every thing by my own hand is but the arrogance of the producer side. Since it surely is preferable to have a catchy abbreviation commercial-wise, I can understand the feelings of wanting to promote it, but I think that there are lots of things in this world that are more important than money. Above the further continuation of the publication, I think that I want to become an author that puts his policy as a creator first (the authors that, blinded by money, betray they own policy, are worse than scum!). Furthermore, on the matter of my personal ambitions, dear readers, please take care from now on of Maohime. From now on, Ill use this space for promoting. As I told you un the second volumes afterword, since December 2012, Maohimes manga version has started publishing! Its on Hobby Japans free web comic magazine. Being published in Comic Dangan. With illustrations not different from the original work of Zonmis bits that shouldnt stick out and Kyoukos panty scenes There are a lot of noteworthy points. As it has quality enough to make the author say This, doesnt it surpass the original work?, for those who havent read it yet, take a look! And, and. About HJ Bunkos 6th Rookie Awards, this author has won it once again. The submission titled Ore to Kanojo no Rabukome ga Zenryoku de Kurorekishi has entered the revision stage. To give an explanation about the plot, its about a hungry male and female highschoolers that get intertwined in a boy-meets-girl youth love comedy. If Maohime is a royal road love comedy, this one is, instead, an evil course love comedy! The release date is not yet decided, but since I think that at least it could be published this year, please take care of that one as well. So I hope we can meet again at the fourth volume. Kankitsu Yusura Volume 4 Prologue Volume 4 Prologue Have we been living at the Netherworld for around two weeks now? After being safely discharged from the hospital I was referred to by Lilith-san, I returned to my life without further issues. Once again, Im surprised by the recent changes in my circumstances. Specifically Getting the mysterious job of monster tamer and discovering my true identity as a halfbreed between human and monster. I miss the time when I considered myself to be a highly ordinary high school student. My ability to adapt to the changes in my circumstances Ive gone through is the reason I managed to splendidly grow as a person. One last thing. Recently, Ive experienced some changes I have not yet grown accustomed to. ZZZ Currently, theres a pretty girl lying besides me in her nightgown cutely snoring on my bed. Iris Scarlet Lindwurm. The red dragon girl I made a pact with just the other day who, how should I put it Seems to be under several serious misunderstandings. To be specific, Iris seems to think that I proposed to her. Speaking of that, its true that I thoughtlessly put on the contract ring I received from Iris, but In truth, it doubled as an engagement ring handed down in the red dragon bloodline. The anti-sister measure that I set up before going to bed of blocking the door should be flawless, but As, somehow, when I open my eyes each morning Iris is sleeping besides me, Im bothered to a very great extent. Good day. Nice morning, monster tamer. Iris greeted me while rubbing her sleepy eyes. Th-thats right Hastnt thou awoken unusually early this day? Ahaha. I couldnt get to sleep last night. Mostly your fault, Iris-san. I kept myself from saying that, which I felt I wanted to say. Speaking of the obvious. It seems that my libido, when I have a girl calmly lying besides me defenselessly sleeping, doesnt wither out. Even if said girl is close to 30 centimeters shorter than me. In the end, I As long as its erotic, Im fine with it. Incredible A male highschoolers lust. As I was amazed by the scope of my own strike zone. Chiharu. Are you awake? A ringing voice like a wind chime moved by the night breeze. Zonmi Ra McKenzie. The one whos come to my room early in the morning is the girl from the ghoul clan that Ive made my very first contract with. Zonmi? Morning. I opened the entryway door and greeted. Have a good morning. Erm Doesnt it bother you that Ive come so early in the morning? Of course not. What do you need? I-its not that I need something, but I have to discuss a little something with you. Discuss? How weird that Zonmi has something to discuss with me. Yes. That If its fine with you, take this, please. Saying that, Zonmi handed me a cutely wrapped translucent parcel. This is? This Thats, they are cookies. Cookies? Cookies Could it be Theyre handmade? Yes. Zonmi nodded, her cheeks a deep scarlet. Such a surprising response that it left me befuddled. Alas, since I have no experience with it, I dont know, but handmade cookies Arent they given by lovers to their crush? Could it be They are for me? When I asked with a doubtful gaze, Zonmi, exaggeratedly shaking her head, T-t-t-thas wrong! This is Just by chance! ? Is that so? Yep. The truth is, I Since long ago, my hobby was baking pastries and, since the succubus said shed lend me the kitchen, I tried making some for the first time in a long while. So then Since I made too many by chance, I decided to share them with Chiharu I see. So its because of that? Her hobby is pastry-making Zonmi has unexpectedly ladylike hobbies. So You may think of me as an unbecoming woman for this, but Better than keep standing here talking, if you please, wont you let me enter your room, Chiharu? Since, to me, pastries go better with black tea. Understood. Its a bit messy, but dont mind it. No. Its no problem. Taking off her outdoor shoes at the entrance, Zonmi, How glad. Somehow, recently Many things kept popping up and we didnt have the chance to speak alone together. Muttered something. Mm, did you say something? No. Its nothing. Is that so? If Im not mistaken Since Iris too likes sweet things, I think this will make her happy. Being told that makes me happy more than Wait, why has the name of the red dragon come out there?! Eh Thats So, I realized Id made an error I couldnt take back. How careless. Theres no need to say that, right now, inside my bed theres Iris in a nightgown A third party, not knowing the circumstances will, without fail, get the wrong impression of the situation. Hey, Zonmi. As I thought, why dont we not go with my room? ? Why now? No, as expected, my room is too messy, I cant go letting people come in in this state Nu. Somewhat Boisterous. Monster tamer, who the heck art thou speaking with like such? *FIUUUUUU!* Despite not having switched on the cooler, I felt an intensely cold breeze coming from inside the room. Seeing Iris loitering in my room in a nightgown, Zonmis face grew pale. Right after that, her countenance changed into one of anger, and in the end she entered ghoul mode, her eyes like those of a dead fish. Thinking about it, its been a long time since I last saw it. Ki-kidnapping and confining a little girl. Erm Zonmi-san? This is not what it seems. Hoho! Denying the evidence this late in the game? Fine. Im seething with interest of what kind of excuses you yourself will come up with against this. Chiharu What the heck is this? Why dont you give me a proper explanation? Understood. The reason for Iris being in my room Thats, of course Twould be for child-making. Pft!? Hearing Iris butt in with quite the outrageous reply, I spat out without time to raise an objection. Wha, whawhawhawha. Child-making!? Humph! Why are thy cheeks red, ghoul woman? Its just a young couple sleeping together before wedlock. Is it so surprising? For some reason, Iris smiled brimming with self-confidence. Lets explain. Of course, theres no way the Iris has consummated the deed with me. Iris, whose knowledge about sex is so lacking that she still believes faithfully in the stork, believes faithfully that if two people that like each other sleep in the same bed, they can make a child. Zonmi. I think that you understand, but dont mind what Iris has said. However, my warning in vain, it seems that none of my words have entered Zonmis ears. I see. Chiharu Does this mean that while I was diligently making pastries, you were diligently making children!? Did you try to make a pun!? S-silence! Sex offender! Great lolicon devil! What the heck. What a dj vu. Zonmi held the umbrella she produced from who knows where and had already entered into attack motion. Just when I had resigned myself and shut my eyes. Hey! Why is the zombie at oniichans room!? Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed inside the room. Looking to the source of the voice, isnt there someone slowly crawling out from under the bed? Scary! This girl Scary! Quite unfortunately, the one who appeared from under my bed was unmistakably my sisterKusumi Manami. What more, I dont know if for the lulz or for what, but my sister, for some reason, was wearing my pants on her head. Oniichan. What the heck is this!? Why is the zombie at oniichans room!? This is really suspicious! Dont those words go right back at you? Erm Chiharu? We havent yet finished with our ta Moreover, whats with that appearance Why are you wearing on purpose my pants on top of your head? no. Just crawling from under the bed normally didnt have enough impact, so For who are you concerned with!? Just my blood-related sister coming from under my bed, I think that has more than enough impact. Fua grief. Being noisy since early in the morning. Havent you woken me up because of that? Kyouko!? She who was stifling a yawn as if she had been sleeping till just right now, was my childhood friend, Kurose Kyouko. From the giant tribea Nephilim girl. Hey, whats with this!? Kyouko, gasping as though her drowsiness had flown away just by looking around her, opened her eyes. Why are you all gathered at Haru''s room!? Moreover Why is Manami-chan wearing pants over her head!? Sorry. I myself cant understand that too. That is, anyone who suddenly got in to this situation would hold that doubt. In any case, Manami-chan, start by fixing your appearance! Girls cant go around showing that kind of simply Improper appearance! Erm Listen to what I''m saying That sentence I dont want to be told that by Kyouko-oneechan alone. Rightfully said by Manami with a cold glare. This time alone, Im with my sisters words. Wha. Its not like I like showing that! It was when Kyouko, in a openly sullen mood, approached Manami. Fue? If this cannot be called a miracle, what can be? Right after Kyouko set foot inside my room. The belt of Kyoukos yukata got caught in the doorknob. If that was all, it wouldve been fine, but Kyouko, having become emotional, didnt notice that the belt of her yuakata had been caught in the knob. *FWISH* *FWISH* *FWISH* By the time she noticed that sound, Kyouko was already in her undies. What the heck is with this girl How many time has she got to show me her panties to become satisfied? Well I dont dislike it, though. By the way, in addition to that, today Kyoukos panties are quality goods of black laced cloth so thin that her skin can be seen through it. Hoho! How refined. I reflexively stared fixedly at Kyoukos panties so as to evaluate them. If I had to say if they suited her or they didnt, these clearly fall into the category of panties that dont suit her. I believe its 3 years too early for Kyouko. However, what I must say is not if they suit her or not, that isnt really a particularly pressing matter here. Why the heck has Kyouko chosen to wear adult panties that dont go well with her figure? Id say This is but my own guess. Compared with the girls around me (except Iris), it cant be said that Kyoukos body development gives out a womanly feeling even as flattery. For that reason She may have wanted to fill the gap with them by wearing adult-like panties. The brave sight of my childhood friend making an effort to overcome the complex with her body touched deeply my heartstrings. As though straight out from a waka made by a great writer from the Heian era, interpreting from that periods backgroundAbout my mania, its not panties themselves, but Girls, why do they go with that choice on panties?, its that interpretation what makes me feel the moe. Wh-what are you staring aaaat! Fuoh!? Sure enough, she hit me with her whole strength (rest omitted). Good grief, with all of this, its a chaos. Accomplishing the goals of becoming a monster tamer and making contracts with all three monsters is a good thing, but the bustling situations around me have increased more than ever. How do I put it, what the heck have I done? Monster tamer. This is a bit excessively boisterous Why dost thou not come with me to fetch something to break the fast? Iris suggested while tightly pulling my sleeve. Fine. Now that you mention it, Im starving. I havent eaten anything since morning Eh? So, at that time I noticed something important. Since my sister crawled out from under the bed and right after that many things occurred, I had forgotten until just now, but Now that I think, I had invited Zonmi to my room because she wanted to discuss something with me. Erm Zonmi-san? No reply. Its not that she hasnt heard my words, more like she was ignoring them as she heard them. I just Just wanted to take care of Chiharu Zonmi, after muttering something, pursing tightly her lips and clenching her fist with all her might, Chiharu, you moroooooooon! After shouting, with teary eyes, she left the room. And, at the same time, something soft hit my forehead. Grabbing it and looking at it It was a portion of cookies inside a vinyl bag. However, she may have crushed them with her palm after becoming emotional. The cookies inside the bag closed with a lovely ribbon were thoroughly crumbled. Looking at them on my hand, I felt an unspeakable feeling of guilt. Volume 4 1 — To the land of the ghoul clan Volume 4 Chapter 1: To the land of the ghoul clan Hey. My bad. I apologize. Cheer up. Next morning. While we were eating breakfast at the hotel were lodging in, everyone on their own, I apologized with a serious tone about the thing yesterday. Really, have you reflected? Of course! Then, tell me why Im mad, please. Eeerm Thats I was at a loss of words before the unexpected retort. All I could think of was, as expected Because I had broken my promise with Zonmi of hearing what she had to discuss with me? However, that was an act of God. Its not like I intended to dishonor my promise with Zonmi. As I was lost in thought, Zonmi, haah, let out a long sigh, It doesnt matter. I forgive you. Yesterday I acted a bit childish too. Really!? Yeah. However, you must do me a favor instead. A favor? Yes. Chiharu, before Didnt you talk about going to the Land of Ghouls? Yup. Now that you mention it, I did say that. In the end, it was rejected on the basis that it was too dangerous to leave the island were staying in (that seems to be called the Grandeel archipelago). Now that we have decided to stay at the Netherworld for a long time, theres no reason to stay on this island. Its the perfect chance. Why dont you come with me, the two of us, to the Land of Ghouls? In reaction to the words the two of us, the other girls, stopping the hands they were eating with, gathered their cold glares on me. Why so sudden? To tell the truth, Yesterday I received a letter from my parents and As Ive come back all the way to the Netherworld, they must have want you to be introduced to them, Chiharu. I see. That is, if I were Zonmis parents, Id be interested in what kind of human my daughter has made a contract with. Not that I mind, but Wasnt it dangerous to leave the island? If its for that, dont worry, its fine. The situation is now different from before Isnt it, Lilith? As if they had a previous agreement, Zonmi brought the matter up to Lilith-san. Yes. Regrettably, since the event of the Black Tamers attack the other day, this island has been left without enough remaining power to endure further terrorist actions. Rather, it may be more dangerous right now to stay at the island. Is that so? That means theres no reason to stay in this island. In that case Why dont we go? Im interested in what kind of place Zonmis hometown is. If that cheers Zonmi up, for me its killing two birds with one stone. When I answered, Zonmi put on a smile like a flower in bloom. I-is that so!? Is that so!? I think that father will surely be glad! However, contrasting with the joyful Zonmi that was like a kid inside a candy shop, the other girls had sulking faces. Muu. Zonmi and oniichan going together to see her parents? I absolutely wont allow such a thing! Its obvious shes looking for her parents approval! If you say you have no choice, bring Manami and the rest along! Ah! If its like that, count me in! I think that in order to protect Haru, the more fighting forces, the better Hearing those twos claims, Zonmi stiffened her face as if she had tried to drink something awful. I-its better that you lot dont come. ? Could it be that Zonmi-sama had planned to go just with Chiharu-sama to meet her parents? Yeah. Of course, thats what I had planned. For that reason Having been entrusted with Chiharu-samas safety, its not like we can approve of you twos outing. Since certainly, though staying in this island bears a high risk to us, allowing you two to go alone is far more dangerous. So, what do you mean? On the other hand, carrying a crowd of escorts is out of the question. Since, leaving us without enough defenses for a crisis, if the populace got wind of it, theres a chance we may fall into danger instead. Here, a little group of elites Thats right, to be specific, Chiharu-sama, Zonmi-sama, Kyouko-sama, Iris-sama, Manami-sama And myself, what about the six of us to go on the trip? Wa-wait a minute, please! Let alone the other five, we will be bringing the little sister with us? Theres no reason to bring her along, being a human! Right Its mostly as Zonmi-sama says, but Lilith-sans face was clouded by that comment. If we force her apart from Chiharu-sama The result will be scary. Since the one who can stop a rampaging Manami-sama Its Chiharu-sama alone My sympathies, Lilith-san. For starters, in Manamis case, even if you told her not to come, she would absolutely tag along. I can easily picture my sister hidden inside a suitcase holding her breath. So, does that mean we too can accompany them? Yes, of course. Please lend us your strength without fail in order to protect Chiharu-sama. I too was just blas of beholding this islands scenery. Twould not be ill to change dwellings Perhaps? Ufufu. The sensible titties save the day? D-dont talk about breasts, please! What do you want, well, I had the slight expectation it would turn like this midway. Despite going back to Zonmis hometown being an important event, this time too its still comes to the usual gang going. Uuu Why Each and every time nothing goes well? Seeing Zonmi murmuring bitterly, casting her glance down to her feet, I once again tilted my head in puzzlement. Some days later. On board the high-speed ferry that Lilith-san had rented, we were aiming to arrive at the Land of the Ghouls, which was about a days distance from the island we parted from. Be that as it may This is an expensive-looking boat. Being designed with speed in mind, it was not much in terms of size, but even so, apart from individual cabins for us six, it was equipped with various entertainment facilities The demons'' assets seem bottomless. That ship, sparkling clean from the front down to the deck, its just suitable to be the image of a luxury liner. A pleasant breeze is this, monster tamer. Ha, ha! So it seems. Im currently sitting on a bench installed at the ship''s open-air terrace. Till here, all good. The problem is, the girl before me Iris is sitting sideways on my lap while naturally hugging me. Im not one to say it, but How has it come to From an outsiders point of view, seemingly getting all cozy with a girl that can be mistaken with an elementary schooler due to her size, I must look like a degenerate. Lets repeat it. Firstly, as to why wont Iris leave from my side, thats all due to the sorrowful circumstances she has. Iris, as the sole survivor of the red dragon clan, has lived until now to take revenge on the Black Tamers, but ever since the contract with me, her ideas seem to have changed a little. Though Im glad that she has changed The next objective shes set for herself is, so to once again revive her bloodline, to make children. To make thing worse, as shes led up till now a solitary life, her sex ed seems to be severely lacking and she believes that if she spends all day next to me, a child will be made. For that reason Not fearing men, this should be why she could act unguarded before the opposite sex up till now. Until now, being considerate with her complex situation, I didnt point out her misunderstanding, but if I let it keep like this, it would mean letting her once again harbor groundless mistakes. Personally, its not like Im enthusiastic about it, but I cant afford the luxury. Theres no way around. Should I Ask her? Like this, abiding my shame, I resolved to go to my sisters cabin. Eh? You want me to teach proper sex ed to Iris-chan? Yup. Sorry. Theres no one I can ask but you. Fufun. Isnt it unusual for oniichan to rely on Manami? Good! Leave it to Manami? Unfastening one button on her blouse, Manami took a pose that pointlessly highlighted her cleavage. If you leave it to me, even the most innocent virgin will pick up a top-notch technique? How do I say it Please do show some moderation. I know. Honestly, even I cant help but feel a bad premonition about leaving it to Manami, but the sad thing is that theres no one more suited to this task than her. Ye two. What the blazes have ye been conversing about since a while ago? Before us siblings who were engaged in a secret talk, Iris knitted her brows. Iris. What Manami will teach you from now on, how do I put it It may give you many shocks, but Keep your cool. Laughable. The likes of a human, teaching something to a proud red dragon, with a history of ten thousand years, thats preposterous. Is that so? Then, its all right. Haihai~. Lesson one. Manami-senseis Health Education (beginners course) starts now? Nu. He-hey! Dont pull me with such force! Iris-chan will come with me like a good child. If you keep clinging to oniichan like that, wont I end up slicing you in three? Making the blade inside her jackets sleeve sparkle shiny, Manami said something outrageous. Hey, Manami. Arent you forbidden from violence? No waaaay. Its just a cute sisterly joke! Muu. Forcefully convinced by my sister, being parted from me made Iris frankly displeased. Manami took out some glasses from the desks drawer and put them on. By the way, as Manami usually wears contacts, she shouldnt need glasses, but Id say its her way of creating the mood. Sitting on the bed, Manami, pointlessly crossing her legs, First, Iris-chan, do you know the word ?????? Without beating around the bush, she blurted a word that sounded as if you had mistaken the channel broadcasting code. T-this chick Shes good, as expected. Its a word that, not even by mistake, a middle school girl could say as if nothing as naturally as breathing. Iris was left for a moment with a face that seemed to say theres something I dont understand, but soon, her cheeks tinged deep red to a level befitting of her title as a red dragon, Wha, whawha. Thou What dost thou blurt so of a sudden!? Listen. You know? You dont? Answer. Dostnt take me for a fool! I know that much. Itd be something Related to men? Oooh. So you know that much. The truth is Babies, when you insert the ????? inside the ?????, then Haha! What dost thou daydream of? Theres no way that thing would go in there So they say. At first, I couldnt believe it, you know? Well, why dont we watch first this movie I have in my cell? Why is it? Its not like Ive made a mistake. I shouldnt have Seeing Iris grow pale and make a face that just said its the end of the world as she watched my sisters cell phone movie, I felt a sting in my chest. O Outrageous! Impossible! Whats this!? This Infinitely wicked ritual! M-me and the monster tamer Things like this After that. Iris, having gained proper sex ed, as originally planned kept a proper sense of distance from me. Why is it? Inside my mind, my feelings grew quite complex. Volume 4 2 — Sisters Volume 4 Chapter 2: Sisters Chiharu Wake up Chiharu My body was slowly swaying. Its being shaken. Mmuah, Zonmi? You shouldnt be napping. Well soon reach port. The only one whos not ready is you, Chiharu. Uoh!? Really!? Hearing Zonmis words, I sprang up from the bed. And then, I noticed something amiss. Hey Isnt the room somehow quite cold? I didnt think Id left a window open somewhere, so that doesnt seem to be the reason. Despite the room interior being airtight, for some reason I was freezing as if I had been submerged in cold water. Youll understand the reason why once you go out. As I was told, I put on my outdoor shoes and went up to the ships deck. I wonder whats up now. Uwah Whats this A snowy scenery. All of a sudden, what entered my field of view was a world with a silver layer. They say it boasts the greatest surface area in the Netherworld The continent where ghouls live, Living Lodge. I heard that it was a country where the snow didnt melt in all the year, but this is quite For an instant, I really didnt know who was the one who said that. Lilith-san, having changed her usual maid uniform for a thick duffel coat, muttered that. Excuse my rudeness, but in Lilith''s case, no matter the situation, her bust size is a dead giveaway. The largest continent, covered in snow? This Living Lodge sounds a lot like Russia back at the human world. Thats right. Now that you mention it, I think they have many points in common. But then, as nine tenths of it are comprised of ice and snow, the monsters living in it are restricted to the ghoul tribe and other members of the undead tribe. Before my doubt, Lilith-san coolly answered. Though its been a short time, I learnt something from living with her. Lilith-san knows a lot about the Netherworld, of course, and also about the human world. In fact, she who had graduated from a prestigious Netherworld university after skipping grades, also seems to have experienced studying abroad at the human world. In other words, even among the demons, shes the elite of elites. By the way, Lilith-san. How sly You cunningly said to only me that I didnt need thick clothes Trembling in just my T-shirt, I complained in dissatisfaction. About that, theres no problem, Chiharu-sama. Have this ??? What Lilith-san took out from the inside pocket of her coat was a necklace with a red gemstone. This gemstone is a magical stone and this wonderful artifact displays various effects depending on the runes carved on the stone. By the way, in this magic stone theres an raising the body temperature when worn effect. Ah. True. Its not so cold. If I wear this magic stone, should I feel relieved even in a land of snow? By the way, is Zonmi alright? She doesnt seem to be wearing a necklace. Yeah. Dont worry. To us ghouls, this temperature is rather comfortable. Not only doesnt she wear a necklace, Zonmis choice of clothes is so thin that I feel cold just by watching. Its a total mismatch with the surrounding scenery. Uwaa. Look, look! Even though its summer, its snowing. This snow thing is truly white. I had knowledge of it though writings, but its the first time I witness it in person Each one wearing a magical stone necklace hanging on their chests, Kyouko & Iris looked at the silver-covered world and got pumped up. Uu Its cold Whats this. Its unbelievably cold. Why do I have to suffer this Contrasting with those two, my sister had fallen into unusually low spirits. It seems that she was also wearing a magic stone necklace on her chest, but as, on top of that, she was wearing thin clothes, it looks like she wasnt totally protected against cold. The heck. You. If youre cold you shouldnt be wearing a skirt! Go back and put some clothes on! Eeeh. Thats absolutely not possible! Why? I mean Since the zombie is wearing a miniskirt with bare legsIf I wear trousers Ill feel like I lost. In a femininity sense What a weird consideration. Am I the only one who thinks he wants my sister to, instead of femininity, learn some common sense? Wha, for reals!? The one there is Lilith-san!? Without her maid uniform, I totally didnt know who she was! I-Is it that so? The truth is, its been a while since I last went out without my maid uniform. You can think of them as my everyday clothing Why have you changed from it? As expected, I surmised that that appearance was too attention-catching. Erm Is it that weird? No. Without your maid uniform, Lilith-san, you give a mature woman feeling, youre very beautiful. Be-beautifulA-am I Me!? Of course. That aside, who Wha-whats this shivering? Its a bit different from just the cold from the falling snow Hasnt the temperature dropped even more right after I complimented Lilith-san!? Fun. I see. As I thought, gap moe attacks are very effective against Chiharu" Moreover, in her case, she achieves it naturally, so its excessively wicked. Kuh! All gentlemen Like bosoms. J-just a while ago, what little sister-kun imparted to me was an actual fact.! This Iris In that short time, it looks like Manami has had her totally trained. Its difficult to tell if I can be glad or must be sad. Said little sister, staring intently at Lilith-san breasts with eyes full of scorn, But, you know, If you take out the maid uniform from the titty maid, isnt it just tits? Blurted point blank. D-dont talk about my breasts, please! Ahaha. Its hard to please everybody. Surrounded by just girls, having lots of gorgeous and happy settings, in times like this, since I have to be considerate to all parties, I cant help but worry. That said, bah, like that, us six went through the entry procedures to the land of the ghouls. Welcome back, Zonmi-ojousama. Some hours later. Having just finished the entry procedures, the one who came to pick us up was a forty-something old man in a tuxedo. Long time no see. Thank you very much for coming expressly to pick us up. Since I had heard that from here on we will continue on in the car of an acquaintance of Zonmi, I was convinced that well ride a wagon or something of the like, but the car parked before us was a classy limousine that wasnt no worse than one belonging to demons. Hey. Haru? Mm, whats it? Us all, until now we didnt know much about the ghouls family. Yep. Thats right. Theres no need to say Yeah. Seeing this situation I think that, perhaps, our hunch is spot on. Zonmi (The ghoul) is a rich girl!? A shocking (?) fact has just been revealed. As Kyouko has bashfully said, We didnt know a thing about Zonmi. How many members her family has? Where did she live before coming to the human world? Surprisingly Not even a thing? Zonmi is the most polite of us, second to Lilith-san, and her table manners are elegant without fail. Thinking calmly about it, maybe the development of Zonmi being the daughter of a good family is only natural. Oneesama. Long time no see! Kyah!? The moment after those thoughts went around inside my head. From inside the car a girl promptly rushed out and embraced Zonmi. Aruru Is it you? Fufu Youve grown a lot while I wasnt watching. The one that Zonmi called Aruru was a petite girl one hundred and fifty centimeters tall with the same silver hair as Zonmi. Her age Maybe around Manamis? Her sharp features, with still some innocence left in them, bore a close resemblance to Zonmis. From the previous conversation, I could surmise that they''re sisters. I didnt know. That Zonmi She had a little sister so cute like this one. How reserved. If you had a little sister, you could have said something in advance. My apologies. Its not like I planned on hiding it, but Oneesama. Who are these people? Yes. I havent introduced you yet. This one here is my master, monster tamer Chiharu. The woman with the glasses over there is the succubus Lilith and this blond girl here is the red dragon Iris The rest, Ill omit them since they are extras. I got omitted!? Kyouko had her mouth open agape from the shock suffered. Recently Ive grown accustomed to Kyoukos reactions. Eeeerrm, Aruru-chan, right? Nice to meet you. Just Aruru is fine. Since oneesamas contractor Is already like family. I-Is it like that? Wow. This is my first time seeing a living human. Aruru, full of interest, approached me so as to get a peek. I felt like retorting with Does that mean youve seen dead humans!?, but I abstained from it since I thought it was bad manners to retort to a girl Ive just met. Nevertheless, what a surprise. By no means I thought that Zonmi had a little sister. If this is enough to surprise you, thats troubling. Meruru! I know that you are there. Please quickly show your face. A while after Zonmi rose her voice, one more girl appeared from inside the car. Eh Could this be The girl that Zonmi called Meruru had identical features to those of Aruru before me. Twins!? As I raised my voice in disarray, Zonmi, *ahem*, clearing her throat, Yes. Sorry for the late introduction. These two Aruru Ra McKenzie and Meruru Ra McKenzie, are my sisters two years apart from me. She pointed to the two pretty girls before me. Aruru and Meruru. Their appearances may be like two peas in a pod, but their atmospheres were contrasting. Opposite to Aruru, who faces me with a polite smile, Meruru, instead, shows open animosity that feels like a mongoose before a viper. Basically, on top of not establishing visual contact with me, she shot me, from time to time, murderous glares. Kuh! Why neechan, with such a dull guy I will absolutely not allow it! My, my, Meruru. Stop the prejudices before talking enough with him. Humph! Aruru is too fond of humans! I wonder why. The truth is I feel that I want, like Kyouko, to show a flashy reaction, but since something bugs me to no end, I could only stand upright. If you ask whats bugging me Though the little sisters have such cute names Zonmi alone has such a deplorable name. I-I come here and there are two little sister characters!? Its the worst! What will be of Manamis identity!? Though it seems that my little sister was also under a shock for different reasons, I couldnt care less. Hey. Though the little sisters have such cute names, why does Zonmi alone have such a deplorable name? If I had a personality that let me ask that straight on, how much happier would my life be? Totally unable to ask that before the person in question, I secretly asked Lilith-san inside the car. According to Lilith-san. The name Zonmi may leave a memorable impression at the human world, but its relatively common among ghouls. Though I dont understand what were ghouls thinking when they popularized such a misleading name, thats enough for now. Next issue. It has been bugging me since Zonmi introduced her sisters, as her sisters two years apart from her. For some reason, I didnt want to ask until now No, though I did want, I couldnt ask Ill try attacking head on the greatest taboo for us. Erm Zonmi. Yes. What is it? Zonmi, right now, how old are you? Despite trying to make it sound as casual as possible, I noticed Zonmis face softly distorting. Wh-what!? What are you suddenly blurting out so late in the game!? No. I want you to answer me seriously and without being mad. I-Im not particularly angry! Im just wondering why would you ask now after such a long time! I mean. Errrm, in the first place, its a doubt that I have, but does the body of monsters pile up years like that of humans? As if realizing the meaning of my question, Zonmi kept silent with a meek face. So. As I cant tell everyones ages, I had no other way. Lets say that ghouls have a lifespan about twice of a humans. In that case, with a simple calculation, does the growth rate of their bodies halve? Lets say thats true What awaits us is a tragic reality. Judging by outer appearance alone, Zonmis age is no different than mine. Since she looks like sixteen, by applying the former theory Zonmi Ra McKenzie (32 yo). Itll be like that. Thats awful! It would be surreal beyond imagination. As if unable to just watch me scared of the upcoming dread and trembling like no tomorrow, Zonmi, dispelling my worries with a composed tone, Now that you mention it, I havent told you straight out of my own mouth. Im sixteen, same as you, Chiharu. I thought youd had guessed it by the time I transferred into the same class as you, Chiharu Is that so? Thats good. Really, really good. I felt my strength leaving me. Had Zonmi been a generation older than me I wouldve suffered an unfathomable mental shock. Erm, I want to ask just for reference, but how many years did you thought I had? Eerrrm Thirty-two? *SLAP* Why? Shes slapped me without a word. So, as if anxious before my erred guess, the rest of the monster group gathered their glances on me. Chiharu-sama. Ill tell you just for the record, but Im nineteen years old. Im certainly older than the rest of you, but even so, dont misunderstand, so Im a genuine teenager, thanks. Eeeeh. Lilith-san, youre younger than you look. Do-does that mean I look aged!? Lilith-san became depressed on the spot, as if she had just received a blow. Darn. Have I been too honest? Now that I think, that may have also been the case with my exchange with Zonmi just now, It seems that age is a delicate topic for girls, as expected. Monster tamer. Ill tell thee so that thou dostnt hold any misunderstanding the likes of the prior one, but my age numbers twelve. Dost not get it wrong. Is it? What a relief that Iris too doesnt have an unexpected gap with her looks. In fact, I was more worried about Iris than in Zonmis case. I mean, in manga and such, this kind of childlike girls often seem to go with the Im really years old development. I could wipe away at last the Iris: loli granny theory that I held deep down. Good. Erm. Haru, my age is No. You dont have to. W-why do you treat only me so badly!? I mean Arent you sixteen, like me? T-that may be true, but At least worry about it! Even if you tell me To ask now about her age to a childhood friend Ive known since elementary school, I find it weird. Erm Miss tits. Manami Right now has a rea~lly bad feeling about it, but can I ask you a question? Yes. No problem. And Please, dont call me miss tits. Is a monsters lifespan longer than a humans one? How many years do they usually live? Thats right. It depends on the tribe, but a monsters lifespan is from three to five times that of a human. The undead tribe in particular is known for their longevity. In other words. Just as oniichan worried, they dont age at the same rate as a human? Yeah, so it comes to that. Lilith-san kept on, fixing her glasses in place. Ive recently noticed that Lilith-san has the habit of lifting her glasses before entering exposition mode. Ive grown used to Lilith-sans exposition persona. Though there are individual differences, the body of monsters gradually stops aging when it reaches around what would be seventeen years old for humans. Therefore, they pass more than half of their lives with a physical appearance that would amount to their twenties for humans. In other words, simply put, differently from humans, they suffer a stop in their growths. A-a real forever seventeen!? I dont know the reason why, but Manami seems to have suffered quite a shock. Incidentally, as for why the body of monsters is under such a mechanism, its widely regarded as true that lengthening even a bit the age most suited for reproduction is more advantageous for the survival of the species from a biological standpoint. By the way, what happens with chimeras like me? Right. I think that your case, Chiharu-sama, is a tad particular, but basically shouldnt differ from other monsters. If not for illness or injuries, as a low estimate, youll live around two hundred years? Uwah!? F-for reals? Should I be calling this good luck? Up until now, about my perspective on life, I had the feeling of if I live until Im 80, that will be pretty damn awesome, but Ive unexpectedly got more years to live. Whats more Ill spend more than half of my life with a body in its twenties Though Im relieved that I dont have to worry about balding for the time being, with such a constitution I definitely cannot attend old class reunions. Eh, erm. Miss tits. A regular human girl, does she have a way to live as long as the monsters? Manami asked Lilith-san with an unusually trembling voice. Im very sorry. As Im not an expert, Im not aware of the specifics, but as long as I know, there isnt. Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Manami suddenly started to scream like an uprooted mandragora and writhed about on the cars sofa. Maybe because of her femininity stressing (*snicker*) miniskirt, I could catch glimpses of her black panties. Its whats commonly referred as a pointless panchira. Speaking for myself, I didnt think that in this world there could be something like a panchira with no meaning whatsoever. Since the mood seems to prevent someone from asking, Ill have to ask myself so, whats the matter, Manami? Be-becaaause Like that, after fifty years, while oniichan will keep being young, only Manami will be an old granny! Yeah. Following Lilith-sans explanation, isnt that what will happen? Thats Too cruel! I Till when will I be able to remain as a little sister character!? First of all, do you intend of parting from your brother? Does she plan to remain as the same character as now even when shes an old granny? Thats somewhat horrific. Hey. Aruru. Why do humans raise such a ruckus for such trifling matters? Ufufu. You dont know that because you are still a kid, Meruru. All girls, no matter who or which time period Reach a point where they come to fear growing old. Ch! Darned Aruru Just because she was born two minutes earlier than me, she acts like a grown-up. I could hear this exchange between the AruMeru sisters coming from the front seat of the car. Merurus hate of humans reminds me of Zonmi just when I first met her. Does the ghoul clan have lots of monsters that hate humans? When I was thinking about that. Ah, look! At last we can see our destiny I mean, my parents home! Said Zonmi as she pointed with her finger outside the window. We can see it, you say Is there some kind of mistake? Theres no way that we can see a house from so far aw As I was speaking, it hit me. Currently, we couldnt discern any building of the like. For starters, from this distance, barely able to get a view of the entirety of the town, no matter how big we say the building is, its nearly impossible to specifically tell it apart. That is. With the exception of that single building standing at the very center Dont tell me? It cant be. This must be me over thinking things. To wipe out that possibility that crossed my mind, I shook my head. I see. Is that the McKenzie castle, where those who have ruled over ghouls for over a millennium live in? Its majesty doesnt lose in any way against those of demons. Impressive! Hey. Kyouko. Whats it, Haru? Could this per chance possibly be that? Yeah. I think that, perhaps, our guess is spot on. Zonmi (The ghoul) is a princess!? Kyouko & me were left with our mouths agape from the shock. Practical question. This shock cant be compared to anything. Why is that? Maybe because the girl Ive been living with for over two months is the princess of a country Did anyone expect it? Different from me, who was frankly surprised, Iris kept her usual unruffled look. Iris, did you already know? That Zonmi Was the princess of If we speak of the McKenzie house, they are the lineage that holds more influence from among the undead tribe. Naturally, any individual who lives in the Netherworld is bound to have heard such appellation at least once. Holy cow! It seems that those who didnt know the fact that Zonmi = princess were me & Kyouko & Manami, just the three of us. And the one who has suffered the most a shock among us was Manami, my sister. So shocked she was that both her body and her voice trembled noticeably. E-eeeeh. The zombie is the zombie princess I see. Manami understands. The reason for inviting oniichan to see her parents now was about that? I-its not! Its not like I intended Humph. Shameless lies! Dont get carried away just because you live in such a splendid house! Sis. What are you being so competitive about since a while ago? Besides I-I have no need in the least for such a splendid home! Oniichans thingy is a thousand times more splendid! Is my thingy a biological weapon!? Right after making a rebuttal. The ambiance around me seemed to freeze solid. Sorry, sorry. If I get carried away by my sisters pace, wont you take me as a pervert? Ah! Wait a minute. I then noticed something important. Since Zonmi is the Ghoul princess, then Zonmis parents who I am to meet Yes. My father Satosu Ra McKenzie happens to be the king who reigns over the land of the ghouls. Right Holy cow! By this trips planning, I thought Id exchange a simple greeting with Zonmis parents and spent all of the remaining time mainly sightseeing, but it seems thatll be not possible. How come? Greeting Zonmis parents has turned into getting an audience with the king of the ghouls. Before this unexpected development, we (specially the human world team) felt needlessly dwarfed. But, why did you kept silent about such an important thing until just right now? You had many chances to tell us. Thats right. I was torn about if I should come clear, but Claiming it myself would be strange Yup. Isnt it? Besides, long ago, back when I was living in the Netherworld, I heard some rumor. At the human world, girls who call themselves princess are, oftentimes, just people weird in the head So they say. What a heartless remark. Certainly Girls who come to address themselves as princess are more often than not just lunatics or people with mental issues. It seems that Zonmi, in her own way, had also been thinking about many things. Volume 4 3 — Audience with the king of ghouls Volume 4 Chapter 3: Audience with the king of ghouls After another 20 minutes or so of riding in the car, we arrived at last to our destined place, the king of ghouls'' castle (Zonmis parents home). Im very sorry. Since from here on I have to greet the members of my family in turn Why dont you all please go to another place to kill time? Im glad that we have reached our destination, but Zonmis words left us with unexpected free time. How bothersome. Lets get done asap with those stiff greetings, I want to be all lovey-dovey with oniichan. Theres no other way, Manami-chan. That ghoul, most probably Has her own circumstances. Its as Kyouko-sama has said. Zonmi-samas countrys princess status comes wrapped with several obligations. Seeing the act of her prolonged absence from home, the many members of her family must have some advice to convey to her. Zonmi-samas attitude Must be out of concern so that we wont feel any discomfort. That woman. Needlessly reading too much into things. Right now, all of us were in the middle of a city tour led by the AruMeru sisters. City tour Theyll have a great reputation, but as we have been for a while doing nothing but go around the castles outer wall, the scenery is always the same. However, no matter how much have we been walking on the same path, walking down the streets of a foreign country is in itself interesting. Above all, what caught my attention the most were the signboards with Hundred deaths courseRecruiting participants written on them with suggestive letters planted each about ten meters. Lilith-san. Erm Whats the hundred deaths course? Hearing my doubt, fixing her glasses in a way that said how wonderful that you ask!, Lilith-san, The hundred deaths course is a survival race handed down since long ago by the undead tribe Isnt it really easy to understand from its denomination? Just as it says, it happens to be a harsh race where you have to be resigned to die a hundred times. Compared with the human world, the development of sports has been slower in the Netherwold, but For its scale, it would be appropriate to call them the Olympics, Netherworld-style. Isnt it like the human world Olympics even on the point that its only held once each four years? Heeh. By the way, can you participate even if you are from the human world? Id say that I think it''s no problem. Though they were originally used to compare the physical strength, which is the greatest virtue of the ghoul clan, Ive heard that now, so as to raise the level, they allow participants from tribes other than the undead. Although there hasnt been in past races anyone from outside the undead tribe to achieve overall victory. Lets say that Chiharu-sama becomes the victor It would be so important a development that it would leave a mark on the undead tribes history. Is that so? Let me give you some advice from the kindness of my heart, you better forget it. If a puny human entered it, he would freeze to death. Looking back to us who were walking behind her, Meruru chuckled. I dont know if it was out of disgust for her attitude or just looking for a fight with a fellow little sister character, Manami threatened her with a strong glare, What the heck! Ive been listening to you in silence for a while Dont take us humans for fools! Besides Just you know, oniichan is not hu Manami-sama. Stop right there. Mogaa Mogaa! Lilith-san obstructed the mouth of Manami, who was about to leak a secret with the impetus, with her tits. Manami, with her head suddenly pressed against Lilith-sans chest Soon, due to the lack of oxygen, she finally ended in a daze as if her soul had went out her mouth with a *chin!* sound. Lilith-san Good job. The fact that my body is unique in the world, a chimera between human and monster, is, of course, a secret that must not be leaked to outsiders. If its imprudently spread among the public, people like those who massacred Iriss family The gang of heinous monster tamersthe Black Tamers, who are after my body, may grow. By the way, Meruru. Until when will we be circling around the castle? Its time you show us inside the city Right after I nonchalantly tried to touch Merurus shoulder. Rawr!! *CHOMP* Guoh!? My right arm got bitten by Meruru, who turned back with the nimbleness of a stray cat. Hey! Meruru! What are you doing to Chiharu-sama?! Apologize! Dont wanna. I absoluuutely wont apologize! To begin with, its the fault of that human there for touching my body without warning! *GRRRRR* Meruru kept threatening of biting me again anytime. S-scawy Whats with this little beast My apologies. Chiharu-sama. I apologize on behalf of my sister. Aruru frantically bowed my way and politely bobbed her head. Right. Yeah. Im just fine. By the way, are you two really blood-related sisters? Yes. Meruru and I are genuine blood-related sisters I-is that so? Contrastive to the calm and gentle-mannered Aruru, Merurus disposition is emotional but ferocious. Can two sisters that share blood get so different personalities? On that topic, you two are not step-siblings. The words Kyouko rebutted with with scornful eyes were too right and bitter. Its natural for Chiharu-sama to be displeased by the tedium of being shown again and again the same scenery However, this was a request from Zonmi-oneesama. A request from Zonmi? Yes. There are many among us the ghoul clan that, like our Meruru, that feel ill will against humans. Thats why oneesama requested us while Im not there, please dont walk through roads too crowded Is it? Then, theres nothing to do about it. Now that you mention it, I was strongly told that it wasnt recommended to sight see the land of the ghouls since its dangerous for a human to walk through town. Certainly, it may be dangerous to bring one of us, my thoroughly human sister, to too crowded roads. That aside, Chiharu-sama, isnt your body injured in some place? If its for that injury, Im fine! Since I, look Though I dont look like it, I have a strong constitution. Theres no way. Show me the wound on your arm right now. I can administer simple first aid right here. If you say so. I rolled my sleeve to show the wound opened by Merurus bite. This damage, even though it was done by a child Should I praise it with an as expected from the ghoul clan? Though whats on my right arm can be considered on the level of a joke, its bound to leave a lasting scar. But, well, thanks to my resilience, it seems that my body has already healed most of it. Then, excuse me." With that sentence, Aruru, after pushing aside her forelocks with her hand, engaged in a surprising action. Eh? Id say that no one here wasnt left dumbfounded by her action. Mm. Chuu. *ROLL* Thinking who knows what, Aruru started to instantly roll her tongue over my wound. Mm. Hows your injury? Chiharu-sama. E-errrm, quite good! Heeeh. Whats so good, oniichan? *STARE* A stinging chill ran down my spine. Looking towards the blood thirst, there was my sister, totally recovered from Lilith-sans tit attack, staring daggers at me in a daunting pose. So as to evade the pressure from my sister, *ahem*, I cleared my throat and Isnt it I feel quite good! (With the arousal) my pain has gone away in a flash! I corrected my previous remark. Licking wounds. That immoral situation that lately doesnt show up even on spicy love comedy shounen mangas is, in all honesty Something that any man yearns for. Wa-wait. Aruru-chan! Go away from Haru right now! And, hey! You too, Haru, stop grinning! Muu Those lascivious tongue movements Look a lot like One thing from the 48 ultimate techniques for enslaving a man that I got instructed in by little sister-kun. N-no matter if its for healing, directly running your tongue over a mans wound I-i-i-i-i-its not good! Contrasting with our various reactions before the sudden sexy happening, the human-hater Meruru remained awfully composed. Hah. Arurus bad habit has kicked in again? ? What bad habit are you talking about? Look closer. Thats not just licking a wound. Its not like I can say it out loud. Aruru still possesses a trait from the ghoul clan that has presently almost disappeared Shes really weird. ? In other words Aruru is, right now, eating the human. We all were taken aback. N-now that she mentions it, I think that for a while she has been forcefully thrusting her tongue inside my wound! Sure, In mangas and the like, I think there are lots of them where ghouls are depicted as man-eating monsters Of course I dont have any interest in cannibalism!? Aha! Is the cat out of the bag? Aruru showed a full marks perfect smile It didnt look like until a while ago she had been preying on my body. Am I imagining things? After knowing her true self, that smile I cant help seeing in it hints of a devilish smile. My apologies. Since Chiharu-samas blood was the most delicious Ive tasted until now, I lost my sense of time and got entranced? Ah. OK. Mm. Thats fine. I Wont forget this taste in all my life. I-is that so? The chills settled in my back. Arurus expression, sending me a torrid glance while drooling slightly, was enough to plant a trauma inside my heart. H-how envious! Enjoying special sex plays like biting or eating and leaving out the real sister, Manami! Id dare say itd be since my mood has reached bottom after the unprecedented experience of having my blood sucked by a girl. For this time only, my heart has been somewhat healed by my sisters nonsensical speech. Sorry. As excuse for my impoliteness a while ago Though it may be presumptuous of me Would you please let us treat you for dinner? Us being tired from walking, we went to an eatery introduced by Aruru where we were told we could eat traditional cuisine passed down within the ghoul clan. Rather than wandering aimlessly around the place, we deemed this more safe and convenient. Old man. Bring six of the heavy stuff. Hah!? Right after we took seat, Meruru ordered with an experienced tone. Wait, Meruru-chan!? I dont know much about the ghoul clans culture but I think that minors shouldnt drink alcohol~ Alcohol? What are you saying, giant neechan? T-that way of calling me, its not cute so could you stop!? Thats right. Calling Kyouko giant neechan is fine since its amusing But Im also against minors drinking. Its not fine! Giant neechan is hurtful in many ways! Here. Your heavy stuff! As soon as we had before us the stuff they brought to our seats, we all were left speechless. By heavy stuff They mean a heavy serving of raw meat? (Surprise) Certainly, at the hotel we stayed before Zonmi was fond of eating raw meat With that nonsensical arguing, time passed in the blink of an eye. Chiharu. Sorry for the wait. As the appointed time drew near, waiting before the castles gate, I heard Zonmis voice. I turned in the direction of the voice. What now? The one there was Zonmi, wearing a gorgeous dress worthy of the royalty. On her head there was a silver tiara endowed with a large sapphire. The gaudy dress designed with a white and blue basis, was so smooth that a finger would slip by touching it. How come? My heart is throbbing faster than ever. Chiharu Chiharu Let''s cool down. Our relationship is that of monster tamer and partner. No more, no less. Thats a line that shouldnt be crossed even by mistake This is bad. I, right now, am helplessly conscious of Zonmis inner girl. Chiharu What are you spacing out about? Aah. My bad. I got back to my senses with Zonmis light tap on my forehead. Since the Nephilim and the rest are waiting outside, we have no time to spare. Let''s get done with our greetings to my father soon, and from tomorrow on well be free to go sightseeing. Understood. Bringing a group to greet a countrys king is bad manners. While Zonmi and I go greet him, the rest of the group should wait before the castle. Thinking once again Zonmi, you are amazing. I spontaneously let out those words. Thinking about it, I Havent I been treating a countrys princess in quite a carefree way? When I met her, I gave Zonmi clothes that should be used for rags, when we dont have the time, we eat instant ramen for dinner The usual things. Hearing my words, a shadow fell over Zonmis face, Im not that amazing. Besides, the position of princess of a country isnt as pretty as fairy tales put it. ? She muttered meaningful words while sighing. Well. Now stop thinking about that and straighten up. Dont show my father such a slovenly face. Understood. Between this and that, being tugged by the arm by Zonmi, I went up the stairs to the throne room. I Couldnt but understand even if I didnt want. Though Zonmis family has received us with open arms, I could feel on my skin an air of unrest coming from the throne room. Yo! Are you Chiharu-kun? Sorry for making you come here so out in the boons. No. Dont mind it. About Zonmis father, it seems that he usually is a gentle person. That thing about monsters aging less than humans was truth. His age, should it be around thirty in human terms? With the same silver hair as Zonmi and a fearless countenance, he was a cool guy. However, unfortunately sensing a tinge of enmity from his gaze, it seems that he holds no good feelings for me. Today, I called you to a face-to-face meeting because theres something I want to request you, Chiharu-kun. A request, you say? Yeah. Incidentally, though you have heard it from my daughter, do you know about the incident of the attack on the Grandeel archipelago by the Black Tamers the other day? Yes. Though being someone involved, I can remember it like if it had happened yesterday. Due to the attack of the Black Tamers, the flourishing tourist spot of the Grandeel archipelago suffered devastating damage in just a day. And the founder and top member of the Black Tamers was my superior from the monster tamers Luka-san. No matter how many days go past I think I wont forget that day. Originally, many among us the ghoul clan held ideas against cooperating with humans, but Since that incident, said trend has become more remarkable. In the end, facing that I had to choose an extreme political course of action. Erm In other words This countrys princess, Zonmi, serving under a human is a mistake. We cant leave our princess in the hands of such a weakling race as the humans. In fact, just the other day we decided in parliament our countrys policy. Chiharu-kun. Lets get to the point. Could you cancel your contract with Zonmi? Ahead of me, who kept silent not knowing how to reply, the one who revealed her feelings was Zonmi. Father! What the heck is your intention!? Zonmi rudely approached the throne and directed a strong glare to her father as if drilling a hole in him. What is my intention How harsh. Since the start, wasnt I against you serving under a monster tamer? Sure For those ghouls who favor cooperation with humanity, having one of us ghoul clansmen serving under a tamer may be their lifelong wish. However, things have changed. Due to the incident the other day, right now, in this country, almost no ghoul remains on the human supporting faction. For that, it has become meaningless for you to mingle with humans. Zonmi, with a face of having bit into something bitter, Things like meanings of reasons Let me decide them for myself! I dont want nobody telling me! Thats right. In most cases, it may be as you say. However, that reasoning only applies to people raised on fairly regular run-of-the-mill households. After all, arent you aware of it? ! People born into royalty cannot decide their way of life by themselves. Since that is the duty of those who stand above the rest of the people. Zonmi. Henceforth, live listening only to what I say. Do you understand that though you dissent at first you dont have right to veto? This is an order. Anyone can see clearly that Zonmi is at disadvantage in this dialectical battle. Zonmi casted down her eyes and bit her lip in frustration. Chiharu. In the end, Zonmi grabbed my arm and forcefully took me outside. Chiharu You dont have to take seriously what my father has said! I will follow the way Ive decided on myself! Good grief You have disappointed me. Things have surpassed the level you could handle with your selfishness alone If you were smart, youd understand that. Satosus lines we heard as we left kept clinging to our ears. In the end, I, having said no words, just left the room tugged by Zonmi from the arm. Hey. Zonmi. Im very sorry. I had no idea that it would come to this Ive gotten you involved. No, its not like I mind. Lets go home. Eh? With this, we have no reason to stay in this country. If its now, my father should still be unaware. If we board a boat asap, to the Grandeel archipelago I think we could avoid canceling the contract like my father said. In other words, planning to run away before pursuers come? But in that case Wouldnt we be simply postponing the issue? It doesnt solve the basics. I dont like it. Going against your family, secretly running away Whoa!? So you say you want to cancel the contract with me, Chiharu? No one has said that. Listen, calm down. In order to calm Zonmis feelings, I placed my hand over her head. Yes. Listen, Zonmi. Its easy. If those around us are against us, shouldnt we make the ghoul clan acknowledge us? But, I dont think theres a way that father of mine will acknowledges us. Just one There is. Just for the records, if I wasnt fully confident about my own idea, thered be no way Id say such a thing. The survival race passed down among the ghoul clanthe hundred deaths course. Lets win this race! Wha? Zonmi was dumbfounded, as if charmed by a fox. No. Im well aware that Im saying something preposterous. However, hasnt Lilith-san said it? If we achieve victory at this historical race, well accomplish an exploit thatll leave its mark on the undead tribe history. Just for a moment. If we accomplish an exploit that makes our names written down in history Zonmis father may change his mind about our contract. I know from the start that the odds are against us. Nevertheless, at least this Better than run back home facing the opposition of her family. Better than giving up from the start to an unreasonable decision. I think that its a somewhat acceptable course of action. At the same time. 800 kilometers southwest from the continent where those from the undead clan liveLiving Lodge, there was a lone island on the distant seas surrounded by a powerful kekkai. That island, where a castaway couldnt be draft ashore by the tides, was a perfect island for people with a shady past to hide in. Eight years ago. All lifeforms on this island where annihilated without exception by the hand of a single woman. Her name was Kanzaki Haruka. She, who was the youngest in history to be promoted to high class monster tamer, with the talent that made her known among her peers as Luka the Snake charmer, bestowed hope and despair to many people. Bearing the persona of the founder of the Black Tamers, contrastive with her brilliant career, she made this place into the Black Tamers secret hideout. Applying the same technique as the Abyss Gate that allows freely going and coming between the human world and the Netherworld, though at exceedingly small scale, inside the hideout there was installed an special black hole that connected both worlds. Neither monsters nor humans A whole new neutral partythird party. In order to build in this place their renewed world. d grief. Why me, such an unpleasant duty. The man nicknamed the Tamer of the Black BeastsClarie Shernfelt went to a certain youths room at the request of his boss. The youths name was Lance Patriot. He was one of the six Firsts that belonged to the Black Tamers. Tch! No matter how many times I come, its nauseating This smell In front of the youths room, drifted a choking stench of rottenness. Lance Patriot. According to hearsay, he who was granted by the Association the nickname of Tamer of the Spirits had a hobby of collecting corpses. For that reason, Lance was kept living in isolation from the rest of the Firsts. Not even knowing him, his bad reputation had become a well-known topic inside the organization, so Clarie didnt hold good will for him ever since before he met him. Clarie Shernfelt here. Ive come to bring you a request from the boss. He knocked, but there was no response. This is why I hate dealing with Firsts, deeply regretted Clarie. Its futile to expect normal communication skills from a First. They, subjected since tender age again and again to aberrant medication and human experimentation, have all had their hearts twisted. Since Noelle and the rest of the Firsts are all like that, Lance wouldnt be an exception. Im coming in. Cautiously, he turned the knob and opened the door before him. Dim. It may take a while for the eyes to get used to it. And, as he had predicted to some extent, an intense rotten stench. Its not an environment where an ordinary person can live. If theres a hell in this world, right now Im standing in front of it, thought Clarie. !? Something weird happened the exact moment Clarie set foot inside the room. Suddenly, something cold grabbed Claries ankle. (Whats this Is there something at my feet!?) He tried to look downwards to assess the situation, but inside the dimly lit room he couldnt even do that. Clarie took a lighter from his breast pocket, lighted it and tried once again to assess the situation at his feet. ! He kicked the ground with force due to his great shock. What was there was the slowly rotting corpse of a girl. Indeed. From the outer appearance, no matter how you looked at it, it was just a corpse. (W-whats with this guy Isnt it a regular corpse!? Has it moved on its own will!?) For that reason, Clarie couldnt help shivering. At first, he thought it was a monster from the undead tribe contracted through a ring, but it somehow seems thats not the case. At least What has grabbed Claries ankle is just the corpse of a human with no magic power. Whats the source that allows this magic power-free lump of proteins to move? Clarie couldnt comprehend the trick behind it. Mary. Isnt that no good? You cant play pranks on guests. As soon as he heard someones voice, the room was completely lighted by a faint clarity. Alas. If it was like this, I was better without any light, Clarie thought to himself. Not just at his feet. This room had heaps of different corpses from all places and times scattered all throughout. Moreover, all of the corpses in this room Like the aforementioned girls corpse, were moving on their own will. Sorry. Mary is extremely curious about things from the outside world. His approximate age, around the last years of elementary school? Extremely young But, ironically the youths appearance concurs with the information learnt beforehand. Are you Lance? Yes. Ive heard everything about the job from Luka-neesan. Leave everything in my hands. Ill definitely achieve a result up to expectations. Quite the self-confidence. Its already been said, but the mission this time cant be achieved by ordinary means. To say the least, its the monster that defeated that peer of yours, Noelle, twice. If we have to rely this mission to kids like these The organization will be done for before soon, thought Clarie. If we say that Noelle is the one who boasts greatest battle power among the Firsts, her counterpart as the weakest was Lance. There were other Firsts with excellent battle power, even if not to Noelles extent. Why has their superior bestowed this task onto Lance, Clarie held that great doubt. Ahaha. Are you worried for me? Thank you very much. Lance, showing an innocent smile suitable for his age, In my opinion, the reason for Noelle-sans defeat was honestly engaging in an upfront battle. Dont worry. I will be more successful. Is that so? I hope that. Really surprising, Lances reaction Leaving out the corpses scattered throughout the room, hes very normal. At least among the Firsts that Clarie has met up until now, he was the one you could best hold a conversation with. By the way, theres a question I want to ask you. As we are engaged in normal communication, I surely can try asking. Yes. What is it? That corpse there No, could it be said about all of the corpses in this room? How come each and every of this guys move? Eh? You didnt hear? I possess the skill as a necromancer to bestow transient souls on corpses. Ne-necromancer!? Among all the monster tamers, those specialized in employing only monsters from the undead tribenecromancers. Like Clarie with beasts or Noelle with rocks, usually, monster tamers specialize in the employment of monsters of a single tribe according to their capabilities, but among them all, monster tamers specialized in the undead tribe are scarce. However, supposing he really held the skills of a necromancer, it makes sense that he was selected for this mission. With his advantage of freely manipulating corpses, it may be an effective way to drive Chiharu and his gang, currently located in the undead tribes continent, to the wall. Who would guess that there was someone at the organization who hid this special ability This is a sudden Bringer of hope. If theres no complaints, Ill take my leave. It could be said that this time my work consists on just seeing you away and welcoming you back In other words, Ill be dismissed until you return from Living Lodge. Understood By the way, senpai. Before you leave, theres something I have left to do, so, may I? Yeah. If you make it short, I dont mind, but What the heck is it? Nothing much Just some scolding. Lance showed a daring smile and, next moment, his factions grew distorted in the blink of an eye. No, should it be said that it turned back to how it was? Lances excessively angry face of unidentified cause, wasnt it the same that all of the Firsts that Clarie had met until now had? It gave a feeling beyond insanity. You biiiiiiitch! Hey, Maryyyyyy! You cant touch men other than me! You whore! Lance engaged in kicking the decomposing corpse at his feet. The trampled corpse of a girl filled the room with a smelly gas. I dont need a slut like youuuu!! Quickly, get rid of that filthy soul and get out of my sight! I retract my previous words. This guy Is quite the psycho. Thinking that he had to look after him, even for a short time, Claries mood hit rock bottom. Volume 4 4 — Onsen! Volume 4 Chapter 4: Onsen! Finished with the greetings at the palace, by Zonmis suggestion, we went to visit the castles royal villa. The survival race passed down among the ghoul clan The hundred deaths course was scheduled to be held three days from now. For that reason, Zonmi has suggested to us the royal villa as a lodging place until then. Originally, it seems it had been built for guests that came from far away, and as no one apart from us was using it, it naturally looked like we had reserved it to ourselves. Its quite ironical to say that, compared to the human world, it feels like we are now living with more luxury. Haah At any rate, today many things have happened To wash away the tiredness from the trip, I went to an onsen bath which I learned of beforehand. After consulting with the girls, it seems that theres only one big bath that has fixed hours alternating between male and female bath. Inside love comedy mangas, at this time of the entering-the-bath scene, without fail it will lead to a mixed bath event, but of course this is the real world. Thinking about it calmly, the chance an event like that occurs is about 0. I checked the time on my cellphone. Good Since Ive checked many times, theres no doubt. This is the male bath. I threw my clothes into the basket at the changing room. I opened the door, making a rattling noise, and. Uo Its pretty large What entered my vision was a scenery of a stone bathtub surrounded by pine trees that overall overflowed with a Japanese taste. After lightly rinsing my body, I entered the tub. As for the essential bathtub It was quite disappointing. To sum it up in one word, lukewarm. Since it was made with the weak to heat ghoul clan in mind, that may be partly inevitable. If a ghoul entered forty degrees hot water, maybe theyll start dissolving into the bathtub. Fui Once you get accustomed to soaking in warm water, its not that bad. However, if you take a long bath you may catch a cold. I pray that from the showers at least comes hot water. And, as I was having those thoughts, I heard noises coming from the changing room. Ah I think that we raised our voice at about the same time. W-whats with This Am I dreaming? Before my eyes was Zonmi in the nude. The extent of the shock leaving me unable even to blink I froze as if the time had stopped. However, it looks that it was the same for Zonmi, she just kept staring to me, standing upright without even covering herself with the towel. During that time concentrated to the utmost, I thought it once again. Zonmis body is beautiful, isnt it? That is, despite not having an overly destructive bust size like Manami or Lilith-san. Nevertheless, I dont think that Zonmis body loses in femininity even for a bit when compared with them. Zonmi has long and slender arms and legs. Smooth skin, white like virgin snow. And I think that her chest size is a bit above the average of her age group. Those, that certainly came from heavens splurging, deserve to be called perfect cheat specs. !? The instant after I absentmindedly thought that. Chiharu Hide! As if recalling something, Zonmi suddenly Pushed down my body. *SPLAAAASH* Raising a huge splash, I was submerged to the bottom of the tub. As it was expected, I was in close contact with Zonmis body. Even if I say so myself, how did we end up in such a situation was a big mystery Zonmi, so as to keep submerged (?) my body that wanted to surface, using both hands and feet and the butt too, pinned down my body. Nu. What is it This white and murky fluid? Heeh. This has been made fairly standard I never thought I could enter an onsen at the land of the ghouls. These voices, dont tell me Iris and Kyouko!? Though belatedly, at that moment I understood the reason behind Zonmis actions. It seems that, for an unknown reason, I was brazenly using the bath during the time slot reserved for the girls. Because of that Zonmi, who had noticed my presence ahead of time, so as to avoid the other girls running into me, submerged my body into the tub. Be that as it may, thats weird. Before entering the bath, I had checked many times the time, so What could have gone wrong? Dont tell me!? Then, a thought flashed in my mind. What I had been zealously checking back then was my cell phones clock. My cells clock I had it set with the clocks of the hotel we were lodging at before. Could it be that As weve moved to the undead tribes continent, theres a slight time difference!? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Still submerged, a voice I was used to hearing resounded in my ears. Girls that suddenly yell like that, as far as I know, theres only one. As usual, the voices owner was Manami. Wait, you zombie there! Didnt I tell you before that you shouldnt enter the bath before me! I had even brought a PET bottle Is that so? My apologies. Uu Even though I thought I could drink after so much time oniichans after bath soup Since the zombie has gone in, its been polluted and I cant drink it! After so much time You, did you usually do that at home? If we return to the human world, I must be really careful of not having a bath until my sister is done. Manami-sama Its a pity that thing about Chiharu-samas Soup, but Raising your voice inside a bath for public use is a lack of manners. Thats unneeded assistance. Titty wo No, titty monster!? Why have you corrected yourself like that!? Thats because You see And why are you now staring at my chest!? I Manami-chan is out of the question, but I think that Lilith-san is lacking enough manners. The heck, what do you have to eat to grow them this big? Wh-what is it, young ladies!? Could you not randomly cooperate and stare at my breasts!? Muu Now that thou mention it, certainly The succubuss mammaries are magnificent. Well L-let me check the sensation for when, in the future, my mammaries grow bigger too. Hey. Iris-sama!? Please stop with the incomprehensible sophistry and touching other peoples breasts! G-girls talk! I never heard it happened in the real world, but its the kind of girls talk that is, for some reason, an over-the-top staple situation on the late night anime world! Moreover, its the comeback of the superb flow of events where the flat-chested character plays with the well-endowed characters boobs! I shouldnt spit out the pattern. I, right now, am feeling the beauty of this honed style Chiharu Chiharu *bubbles**bubbles**bubbles* (W-what is it?) Now its your chance, while they are caught with the succubuss breasts! Try to leave this place by diving! *bubbles**bubbles**bubbles* (Understood) Thanks, Zonmi. Thanks, Lilith-sans boobs. Even though theres no ill will, if I, being a man, get exposed here, things wouldnt end well. Slowly. Slowly. Without raising noise, I gradually parted from Zonmi. Im nearing the limit of my lung capacity, but if its some tens of seconds more, I should be able to endure it. A bit more. Now, if I remove my leg from within Zonmis thighs I can safely break out. With the missions end almost on sight, just when I was feeling relieved, an accident happened. A part of my body The hardest place of my lower body ended up hitting Zonmis body. Hyau!? All of a sudden, Zonmi raised a coquettish voice. C-could you not touch me with weird places!? *bubbles**bubbles**bubbles* (No. The knee!? Wasnt it the knee!?) Uu Chiharu, you moron Pervert. Even though I tried to somehow clarify the misunderstanding, in this situation, it didnt work. ? Hasnt the zombie suddenly raised a weird voice? Whats the matter, ghoul? Are you feeling under the weather? T-this is bad. Even though Lilith-san managed at great pains to attract their attention, this accident just now gathered all stares on us. And my lungs, like a tense string that got cut, suddenly demanded oxygen. It cant be! Im at my limit! Uooooooooh! I cant endure iiiiiiiiiiiiiit! I cant! Its coming out! It came oooooooooooooooooooooooooout! (I mean the oxygen). Buha! Reaching the limits of my endurance, I brought my face over the water. Id say I wont forget this scene in all of my life. When, in the future, Im a gramps and die, I think I want to peacefully breath my last inside a soft hospital bed while remembering this scene. What I first saw were Kyouko, Iris, Manami, Lilith-san Those four girls blank faces. Zonmi, the only member who was aware of the circumstances, had her face totally flushed red in a daze. And as I gradually shifted my glance down, I could grasp with my eyes the stark naked figures of the five girls. If theres a heaven in this world, right now Im standing in front of it, so I thought. Some seconds after that. Though there occurred the mysterious incident of the onsens cloudy water becoming dyed red as if by tomato juice, thats yet another story. Good grief. No matter if there was no ill will, to brazenly enter the womens bath Reflect deeply on what you have done. Yes. After apologizing again and again to the girls, I was taking a stroll along the premises with Zonmi, after she bathed. And what even more unforgivable You got excited by my body And moreover one part of your body even got hard Erm, Zonmi. By my honor, I tell you that was I-I mean, Im A sixteen Years old girl. That Chiharu got that reaction due to none other than me Though it makes me a liiiiiiiiiitle bit glad This and that are different stories. Carried away by your lust on such a public place Shame on you! Y.yup. What do I do This mood Being too late to stop her misunderstanding, it was a troublesome atmosphere. Now that I think of it, recently we havent had the chance to speak like this, just the two of us. Giving up on dispelling Zonmis misunderstanding, I boldly tried to divert the conversations topic. Now that you mention it, thats true. If you like, this night Could you tell me many things about you? When I asked, Zomi suddenly looked away, as if embarrassed. W-what the heck do you mean by that? Ive fully realized since coming to this town. That you had two little sisters. That you were the ghoul clans princess. If you think about it I didnt know a thing about you, Zonmi, until I came here. Thats why Like what kind of childhood did you have. Like why you thought about going to the human world, I want you to tell me about those things with as much detail as you can. When I blurted to her my honest thoughts, Zonmi showed an awkward smile, It doesnt matter but I have neither shared memories with you, Chiharu, like the Nephilim does, nor a tragic past like the red dragon. I dont think theres anything that could catch your interest, Chiharu ? Dont decide those things before speaking about them. By the way, I want to know everything about you. Once again, thoughtlessly saying like that lines that set ones teeth on edge. Looking down as if troubled by where to look at, Zonmi spoke bitterly in a provoking tone. Thats right, isnt it? Occasionally reminiscing is not that bad Nevertheless, as if resigning herself, Zonmi started to speak in an unconcerned tone to hide her embarrassment. First, about my childhood As a child, I was, crudely speaking, a girl with no independence. Is that so? How surprising. Yeah. The me at that time was dedicated to studying as per my parents command and attended many different lessons. I feel that the me back then lived just to comply with my parents expectations. And the expectations of those around me Raised the hurdle to clear once I cleared it . As my school results, different from a certain half-baked pair of siblings were excellent, the expectations on me grew at an accelerated pace. At one point, voices appeared that endorsed me as the first queen in the ghoul clans history. Since at the time My parents had yet to produce a male heir. !? Isnt that amazing? It is. The me back then In the eyes of strangers may have looked like a child that could do anything perfectly with no effort. However, since my conduct, after all, was a reaction born from a guilty conscience about the attention everyone had on me due to my excellent results Its not like it had any purpose. Thats why I ended up snapping. When my parents had their long-expected son, the expectations of everyone shifted from me to the baby in less than a month after the birth. To me that was tremendously vexing I felt like all of my efforts up to date got denied My efforts until then were in turn exchanged in my heart for opposition against my family. I didnt know. Though not to the extent of Iris Zonmi too has suffered bitter experiences in the past. Reached the turning point, about the human world Was it once I graduated from middle school? Though everyone naturally expected me to further my studies, I, overcoming the opposition from my family, chose the path of being a monster tamers partner. Why expressly that? Going straight to the point, it was to walk down the path that I myself chose instead of the rails set by someone. To me, the path of becoming a monster tamers partner Looked like the perfect place where I could test my own power, without my lineage mattering in the least. Was that so? How strong of you. Zonmi, you Instead of the safe asphalt before her, she dared to choose the difficult path of cutting through by herself. Only people with absolute confidence in their own abilities can attempt that stunt. Zonmi, with a perplexed countenance, haah, sighed, What youve said also goes to you, Chiharu No, rather, arent you the one whos strong? ? What the heck do you mean? I mean You too Despite having thousands of other paths, you chose by your own free will to walk down the path of a monster tamer. Ah! Now that she mentions it Isnt it like that? Though I wasnt too aware until now, My mentality of having accepted the unusual lifestyle of a monster tamer may be extraordinary. Besides, I, by no means Was not the strong monster you think I was, Chiharu. At first, I doubted if the path I chose myself was the correct one. There were many night when I couldnt sleep out of uneasiness. However, since I met you, Chiharu, and we made the contract, I stopped having bad dreams. Chiharu How much indebted I am to you I dont think youll know it in your life. That, maybe Is the same for me I too, if you were not with me, Zonmi, would live an aimless life without knowing even the kind of person I am. Zonmi looked down, in silence. A quiet night where snow falls heavily and piles up. Theres just a comfortable silence. Fufu. Its somewhat embarrassing. Chiharu, you shouldnt let your body get so cold. Why dont we continue with this story after we have succeeded in convincing my father? Thats right. Lets do as you say. Overcoming her familys opposition I think that Zonmis determination of following by herself the path that she herself cuts through. However, Zonmi was about to run into another wall. Unless I achieve victory on this race without fail and convince Zonmis father Zonmi will probably fall again into that bitterness. Only that Is the obstacle we must overcome. Finished my night stroll with Zonmi, once I had laid down in my bed, I renewed my resolve. Volume 4 5 — Survival race on the snowy mountain Volume 4 Chapter 5: Survival race on the snowy mountain Three days after arriving to the undead tribes lands. At last the day has come. Its the day the hundred deaths course is held on. On the huge three thousands meters tall snowy mountain that had become the race course, we resolutely went to the hundred deaths reception hall at its foot. Though thats fairly obvious, right now we have the highlight right before our eyes. In the reception hall there were gathered monsters of varied looks that came from all of the Netherworld. According to Zonmi. Though in the quickly developed Netherworld its become customary to live in human form for the purpose of convenience, it seems that that custom has yet to permeate into every nook and cranny of the Netherworld. For that reason, among the monsters gathered at the reception hall theres a fair amount that have not adopted human forms. Monsters that look like mummies and monsters that look like vampires It looks like the core of the participants comes from the undead tribe. Before the reception hall there are many stalls in a row, theres a mood like its some sort of festival. Muu. ThisIntoxicatingly mellow fragrance that resembles a forbidden fruit crafted by the devil Candied apples!? Do candied apples have such an exaggerated smell!? Monster Tamer. I have recalled that I had some business to take care of. I shall go wait in line around here. Iris slurped the drool that spilled from her mouth while wiping it with her robes sleeve. So it seems. Do we need to remain together from here on? Nonetheless, Iris being alone leaves me with a dreadful unrest. She may have that haughty attitude, but a stranger wouldnt have it difficult to lure her with a piece of candy. Chiharu-sama. Rather than worrying for others you should first worry about yourself. If its about Iris-sama, leave it to me. Ill watch her so that she doesnt get hurt. Lowering her voice so as to not be heard by those around us, Lilith-san secretly whispered to my ear. Lilith-san. Thank you very, very, very much. Thats right. Its as Lilith-san has said. I have to attain victory in the race and get my existence as a human acknowledged among the ghoul clan. It would be unsightly to forget about my main objective because of being worried about others. It seems that the development of the competition will be broadcasted in real time via monitors and the rest of your group can cheer you from there. I havent told this to Kyouko and Manami, who had disappeared after saying they had issues to attend, though. Chiharu. Lets go to the tent on the other side of the reception hall. Zonmi tugged my sleeve while looking around, worried by the public notice. Even supposing that she hadnt come back to the Netherworld in a long time, if word gets out that the countrys princess was at this place, things would get a bit rowdy. For that reason, today Zonmi was wearing glasses & a hood that covered the upper part of her face so as to disguise herself a little. How troublesome it is to be famous. Now lets follow the succubuss words and finish with the registration asap. Understood. This way, Zonmi & I, while feeling grateful for Lilith-sans actions, set foot on the reception hall. Having the majority of the monsters finished with their registration, the inside of the tent was more deserted than I had expected. Speaking of the most important registration It happened so easy that it was even disappointing. Hey, Zonmi. Wasnt the hundred deaths course the biggest event for the ghoul clan? Yes. Didnt I explain it to you beforehand? But, isnt it weird? They dont even hold any preliminaries for such an important event You can participate this easily on the same day. Lilith-san called the hundred deaths course the Olympics, Netherworld-style, but to me, that example didnt fit it. Surely, judging by the number of participants and the scale of the venue alone, this race may deserve to be called the Olympics, Netherworld-style. However, with only this, its unnatural that despite being a large-scale event, theres absolutely no selection of the participants. Well, since if they did have preliminaries theres no doubt that we wouldnt be able to participate in this race, its not like I have complaints. Its easy. Though it sounds cruel, this competition not having preliminaries is due to being more exciting to mix strong people with weak people. ? What does that mean? Since theres no rule that guarantees the participants lives, that way they get naturally sieved As expected from the Netherworlds sports, how nasty. Whoa, Kyouko!? You What have you been doing until now!? The one who answered my question instead of Zonmi, was Kyouko, who appeared all of a sudden. What have I been doing Dont you understand seeing me like this? Sorry, but Waiting and cheering is boring. On Kyoukos chest there was a badge with a registration number that identified her as a participant in the hundred deaths course. In this badge, it seems there was a transmitter that served to locate the participant in case they got stranded on the snowy mountain. Eeeh. Could it be that you''re also participating? Whats with that face of open disgust? Because Its simply that my chance of winning has gone down. But I desisted in my heart on giving in and saying aloud my honest feelings. Is there a need of saying that now? If its Kyouko, since she knows whats the reason behind this competition, she should be able to properly read the mood. For the one in a million chance that I can win Theres no doubt that shes giving me all of her support. Thinking that I have one more ally, its rather reassuring. Ufufu. I wont lose to the zombie! Laughing fearlessly, Manami wore a badge with a registration number on her chest. The one who cant read the mood in the least has comeeeeeee! Hey, Manami Is there any merit from you participating in the race? Theres merit. Oniichan. Did you forget the purpose of this race? As if I could forget. Im repeating myself, but by winning this race Ill have the ghoul clan acknowledge humans. Then theres no problem if Manami wins ? Eh? I mean. Since we aim to show to those cheeky zombies the true value of us mighty humans Rather, wouldnt it be more effective if Manami wins? Yeah. Now that you say It is? Even if its acceptable, I want to be spared from that development. I mean Could you picture it? Just thinking on having to tell Zonmis father my sister has won, so accept my contract with Zonmi! Too lame. Besides, ever since coming to this town, Ive been having a bad hunch. More than this, so that the relationship between oniichan and the zombie doesnt advance, I have to cut off this bad progress early on Ufufufufu. *SPARKLE* Manamis eyes let out a dangerous gleam. I think that I have found the mightiest foe right beside me. If Im not careful Shes quite capable of tripping me up. I think that my sisters physical capabilities, strongly inherited from my mother, a living legend among monster tamers, still havent shown their whole depth yet. Chiharu. You cant afford to lack in concentration. No matter who participates We absolutely must not lose this race. Yeah. Thats right. Though Ive said it just before, as expected, I think it will be difficult to persuade Zonmis father if Manami wins this race. At the end of the day, the one who wins should be none other than me. And if were speaking of wanting even more I want to attain a great difference with the second place. If I manage to stand out like that From the results of the race it wont be difficult to propose a negotiation with Zonmis father. Having recognized the situation anew thanks to Zonmis warning, my enthusiasm got renewed. When I reached the snowy mountain that had become the racecourse, there were already lots of participants starting to position themselves as they pleased on the starting line. Those numbers five hundred, no, making a low estimate, there were around six hundred? Since the girls had gotten delayed, changing their clothes, I who had finished my own arrangements stood all alone on the snow. Since I had no choice but spacing out, I think Ill check the rules of the hundred deaths course one more time. The rules are easy. The one from the participants who reaches the top of the snowy mountain the fastest is the victor. However, monsters that can fly are forbidden of doing so. Engaging in direct attacks against other participants is also forbidden. Though, at first glance, it may look like a half-baked competition, negligence is taboo. As even at the best of times just traveling on a path with deeply piled up snow can have you break a bone, if you add going up a steep slope, many a monster will easily have his stamina exhausted. Haah Even though I went out of my way to warn you Youre quite eager to die. Chiharu-sama We have heard the circumstances from oneesama. Go for it! Meruru. Even Aruru!! Have you come to cheer me on!? Humph. How conceited. We were going to participate in this event since the very start. Eh. Could it be that you will be participating in this race? No. Chiharu-sama. We are not contestants The instant after Aruru started to tell me something. Ah! Isnt the one there princess Aruru!? From somewhere on the venue, someone shouted that. So does that mean that the person next to her is princess Meruru!? Its true! I It may be my first time seeing them in person. I had heard rumors, but They are very beautiful girls The truth is Ive only participated in this race because I wanted to meet them. As a chain reaction from that voice, other voices kept popping up and the venue became an uproar at once. Tch! They noticed us? Meruru muttered in a spiteful voice unbecoming of a beautiful girl. Chiharu-sama. Continuing with my earlier statement, we are not contestants in the hundred deaths course, weve been entrusted with the award delivery Weve been invited to this event as special guests. I see. So it was like that? For that I case that you manage to win this race, Chiharu-sama, I think that well meet again at the awards ceremony. Human. Do your best not to die. Understood. Thanks! Thereafter. The AruMeru sisters, so as to slip past the glances from those around, quickly left my side. I thought that with Zonmis case, but as expected, being a countrys princess may bring with it various hardships. Several minutes later. In the blue sky without a single cloud The fireworks that signaled the start of the hundred deaths course were launched. At the same time, around six hundred monsters, raising a sound like a tremor, strived to be the first to reach the summit. Chiharu Dont leave my side! Y-yup. Had I not firmly grasped her hand, pushed by the surge of people, I would have lost Zonmi in a flash. After standing for a bit at the start line, the forerunner group disappeared from sight before you could say Jack Robinson and at last we could chat peacefully. But, is this right? It seems weve blundered charging ahead at full strength from the beginning. Theres no problem. In this competition people who make a head start are not bound to have an advantage. Certainly, Zonmis speech seemed to have a point. It seems that around three quarters of the participants had rushed out with the starting signal, and in contrast, the remainding quarter seemed to be taking it leisurely. According to Zonmi, In this race, along the way, diverse traps were set and in the worst case, it seems that one has to be prepared to face the danger of losing ones life. This means that starting in the vanguard = demerit of being more prone to falling into a trap, while those at the back, as they have the merit of being able to retain their stamina, they can progress better in the race. Nonetheless, its not like we can remain here forever doing nothing. Chiharu, we will go on soon. Yup. Like this, we started the race about one minute after the starting signal. After that. I think we kept going up the mountainside for around thirty minutes. Have we been able to avoid the traps as Zonmi expected? After going up the snowy mountain for a while, we found a bunch that appeared to be the leading group. Chiharu. Be careful. Up there Theres something. Right after Zonmis warning. There were a succession of tremors in the ground and, as a result, big holes appeared here and there. And from inside those holes, around a hundred monsters appeared all at once. Their length is about 5 meters or so? They were cute monsters with tufty white fur and round eyes. Though its not like their size is especially big compared to the monsters that Ive met till now, the highlight was their numbers. Surprisingly, it may be the first time Ive seen so many of the same monster before me at the same time. Zonmi What are these monsters? These children are snow moles. Properly speaking, they are not monsters, they are beings called magical beasts that dont have intelligence. At a glance, they have charming looks, but their true nature is that of ferocious carnivores. They hunt other beings in groups and eat their prey alive. So that means this situation is quite dangerous? Zonmi may say so, but I cant quite believe it. First, this lovely creature, theres no way it could do such a wretched At that time when a question mark was floating above my head. Guh! Ugaaaaaah! A mummy man (?) that was running in the attack group raised a cry of agony having his head gnawed by a snow mole. I withdraw my statement. With such a cute face. What a wretched thing to Zo-Zonmi. That guy, look! Isnt that guy in danger!? "Chiharu. We cannot afford to worry about other people. Moreover, I told you. This competition is more exciting with some weak people mixed in. More or less, having victims makes the show more exciting. Thinking about it, Zonmi boldly speaking without hesitation about these dreadful things gives me the chills. However, I agree with Zonmis words that we cant afford to worry about other people. Thats fine. I mean, hey, that guy, hes a mummy man. Hes from the undead tribe. Being from the undead tribe, he wouldnt die just by having his head gnawed. Surely Perhaps In any case What Zonmi said about people who have a head start not being bound to have an advantage starts to make sense. Why is that so? Because people who run at the front must conversely face more obstacles (?) in their way. Here they come! So, it seems that this time the snow moles have shifted targets to me. Their numbers, one, two, three, four five moles. About the same number of snow moles rushed on to Zonmi. Pukyuu! The lovable cry of the snow moles was heard. Zonmi, with the umbrella she had produced out of nowhere (really, how come she always produces it out of nowhere?), fought back the snow moles. Be that as it may, youre amazingly nimble. The attacks she directed against the snow moles, all critical hits to their weak points (the crown of their heads), utterly managed to turn the tables around. As she managed that chain of attacks without stopping her feet nor going off from her running course, I dont know the depths of Zonmis true power. You too, Chiharu. Havent you managed to avoid the snow moles attacks with the least movements without even glancing to the enemies actions? I, sometimes Become astonished from the speed of your growth. I dont think it''s like that. Like Zonmi said, the pacifist me, by twisting half of my body, suitably avoided the attacks. Its not difficult. Being the case that I receive Zonmi and Kyoukos attacks everyday, the attacks from the snow moles comes at super slow motion. A fellow with an astonishing growth speed It seems that theres one other. I see. So it seems. Time and time again, I keep being surprised by you two pair of siblings. Haaaaaaa Release now! My femininity power FULLRELEASE!! Though Ive been for a while trying to not notice it as much as possible, surprisingly indeed, the person among the current leading group of the race that was furthermore the head runner Was unmistakably my little sister, Kusumi Manami. In other words I have the vague fear that, presently, the lead racer is my sister. That chick Isnt she even stronger than before? Before the top runner Manami rushed on snow moles in a number that couldnt be compared with what happened to us, but Eat this special move! Sister-in-love-that-gets-horny-by-heartrendingly-thinking-of-her-older-brother Kick! Pukyuu!? The snow moles, kicked with force in their nether regions, writhed on the snow raising heartbreaking screams. This little sister of mine. She has no mercy Manami kept defeating with one blow any magical beast that obstructed her way and continued in a situation of running solo. It seems that our biggest rival in this race is the little sister. It may be. Moreover, her. Not only she has great speed, it seems shes constantly running along a route with winds favorable to her. ? Is that possible? That Even I dont know. However, Living Lodges mountain are famous for their strong winds, said to be the strongest in the world. Supposing she possesses a sixth sense to intuit the direction of the wind She will pose a threat to us. Darn! Ive been having a faint hunch, but to think that well have to fight my sister for the top position My pride as an older brother is hanging on this match I feel that I can afford less and less to lose. Lets go. The race will soon enter its mid stage. The obstacles and troubles in the course are expected to increase. Yup, Struck by Zonmis words, I increased my speed even more and pursued my sisters back. After that. Have we been going up the mountainside around one more hour? As the race has reached its mid stage, the number of quitters went up and the figures of the contestants other than us gradually disappeared. And Due to the troubles, the mountainside seems to get more harsh as we approach the summit. Currently. Zonmi and I are climbing a rocky surface that stands perpendicular, at almost 90 degrees. Chiharu. If we reach that depression, we can seek an easy route afterwards. T-this way? Since its my first time rock-climbing, at first I didnt know how to, but I think I can make up for my lack of experience with physical ability. Haah Manami has taken quite the lead. Theres no problem. The race is about to enter its final stage. The magical beasts that will appear from now on should be so strong that they cannot be compared with those up until now. Even with the tenacious physical ability of the little sister and her battle sense Shes human. If its just simple battle power, we win. In other words We can still make a comeback. Exactly! Said Zonmi with an intense glance while raising her index finger with a snap. To reach here, Zonmi has had to do many unreasonable things. When we were climbing the snowy part, as instead of going in the back she went at the front, she must have suffered several cramps. Besides While we climbed the cliff, she had to go on while giving advice to me, a total novice. Even now, most likely, despite conducting herself with stout-heartedness, Zonmis weariness must be reaching its peak. So as to not bring to waste Zonmis efforts I must win this race at all costs Zonmi!? Duck! Eh? I forcibly pushed down the open-mouthed and dumbfounded Zonmi against the snow. Chi-Chiharu? What the? Listen. Be quiet for a bit. !? Next instant. A wind so strong that it was unthinkable by the human worlds common sense blew over our heads. Kuh! The gust of wind that blew boisterously, bore such strength that it almost blew us up, stooped as we were. Eventually, the wind passed by and Zonmi, fixing her posture and with a face that said I cant understand, addressed my previous actions. I cant believe it. How could you, just now Know that the wind was going to blow? No, just. Its not like its specially groundless, but Somehow I think I heard the winds sound. Ever since my power as a monster awakened, my five senses have reached the level of your average wild animal. Its not like I cant do something my sister Manami can. Thinking like that, in the time it took me to reach here I went through hell trying to get the knack of it, but It seems that at last results begin to appear. Finding and running along the route with favorable wind like my sister does Though I cant produce such a superhuman feat, if its just big winds like the one just now It seems that somehow I too am able to perceive them. Holy cow You pair of siblings never cease to surprise me. Grasping the sound of the wind I thought it was impossible unless one was a legend-class monster. If we manage to keep going in the race hereafter Those are quite reassuring words. !? While I was basking in the not all that bad feeling of being praised by Zonmi. I sensed from behind, the presence of a strong magic power. One trouble after another Is it? So it seems. Will the magic beast-sama appear soon? It may be a result of being in the race for so long. Besides grasping the sound of the wind, I have come to acquire the trick of perceiving the enemys whereabouts by the presence of their magic power. However, the enemy this time has an atmosphere in no way like those until now. Just by pure quantity of magic power its like that, but the essential difference that monster has is the darkish and wicked magic power it has attached Guuooooooooooooooooh! So, we could promptly see the owner of the magic power I sensed earlier before us. What the heck This guy The one that appeared before us was a red dragonwell, a bit different. That guy certainly was built into the shape of a dragon, but In length alone, it was maybe twice Iriss. The color of its scales and the shape of its wings were also different from Iriss. Somehow It seems that its a dragon from a species other than a red dragon. However, that wasnt the point that surprised me. Its skin was slowly rotting and it let out a foul smell. The scales crumbling and peeling away, it was mostly just bones. A completely zombified dragon. If I had to concisely describe its appearance, those would be suitable words. Zonmi Is this guy a magical beast? I asked Zonmi a question related to the explanation about monsters and magical beasts I was given before. Magical beasts are for the most part monsters with no intelligence. The same like humans and cattle, being both mammals, each are given different treatment though, to monsters, magical beasts are existences not far from wild animals. However, is it possible? Is there a being that, while having the shape of a dragon, is an unintelligent magical beast? This Is surprising. Right now, the being we have before our eyes is not a magical beast. ! Does that mean, after all Its a monster!? Zonmi, slowly shaking her head, Thats still wrong. Speaking properly, that dragon there was once a monster In other words, now it has become just a soulless lump of proteins. What the heck does that mean Well. Not even I can make heads or tails of it. However, right now, the only think I can say is that we dont have even a second to waste discussing about what''s the thing before us. !? Here it comes! The completely zombified dragon Thats right. Why dont we address it from now on as skull dragon? The skull dragon moved its huge forelimb so as to trample down on my body. So fast!? There is a remarkable difference with the attacks of the snow moles back then. If I was careless, this attack just now could have smashed my head. Teeeeeeeee! However, no matter how many enemies or if its an unidentified strong foe, I am fortunate to have such a reassuring partner. Having just now gone around the side of the enemy, Zonmi has already thrust the tip of her umbrella at the back of the neck of the skull dragon. A critical hit. Guuooooooooooooooooh! Suffering a severe blow on the back of its neck, the skull dragon spouted out a large quantity of blackish body fluids. Game. Were this opponent before us normal, the game would have been decided long ago. However. Kyah!? Reality is different. The one who received damage then was Zonmi, instead. The skull dragon shook its big head and threw Zonmi with force over the ice. Are you joking No damage with that just now!? But, thinking about it, it may be quite natural. Zonmi has just described the skull dragon as the soulless remains of a monster. In that case No matter how we attack it its meaningless since the enemy is already dead!? Such Tell me, how do we defeat an already dead opponent!? Kuh! An attack from the skull dragon. This motion is very bad news. As if trying to absorb all the oxygen in the atmosphere, the skull dragon took a deep breath. As I have a dragon acquaintance, I can easily guess this guys next action. This guy Plans to breath out flames. Guuooooooooooooooooh! However, unfortunately, my prediction was off by a half. Certainly the enemy had entered into a breath attacks motion, but What came from inside its mouth were not flames, but a darkish, hazy vapor. ? Thinking back, the carelessness of the me at the time knew no bounds. I mean, I Even after my surroundings were filled with it, I didnt realize that the vapor was in fact poisonous gas. Receiving the brunt of the poisonous gas attack, my consciousness soon became dim. Chiharu!? Suddenly. Zonmi hugged me as if to protect my body. ! All of a sudden, my body was struck with the strong pull of gravity. Somehow, while fleeing from the range of the poisonous gas, it seems that I lost my footing and fell down the cliff. While its a situation that puts my life in jeopardy, I felt miraculously relieved thanks to Zonmis strong embrace. Where is this place? When I opened my eyes, there was an unknown ceiling. Chiharu. You have woken up. When I recovered my consciousness, I was wrapped in a blanket lying on the floor. Zonmi. Where is this? When I tried asking, Zonmi just avoided my gaze, This is inside a cabin for the use of those in distress. That time, after evading the enemy attack, we fell down the cliff and We went completely off course. Say what!? We have to return to the course asap! Seeing me jumping out from the blanket, Zonmi slowly shook her head. Sorry, but since the battle before around four hours have passed. They should be already starting the preparations for the races closing ceremony. Is that so? We couldnt put up a fight? Its a pity, but since its become like that, I must change my mind and come up with the next strategy. What should I do? What can I do to get my existence acknowledged by the ghoul clan? While I was pondering several strategies, I noticed an abnormality with my body. Zonmi. Isnt this room somewhat strangely cold? ? Well. It doesnt seems to me. At least, the inside of the cabin should be some degrees higher that the blizzard out there. Wrong. Its not that the room is cold. Its just that my body is totally chilled. Could it be!? I took out the magic stone necklace from inside my shirt. Chiharu. This is? This cant be good. Could it have broken with the impact of the fall a while ago? The magic stone I was wearing had a big crack and it has completely lost its former glow. As this magic stone has the effect of raising the temperature of the wearer, its because of that that I could climb this snowy mountain with such light wear. Kuh! Wrapping myself again with the blanket, I tried to warm myself. However, that was pouring water over a hot stone. Inside a cottage that was probably already under the freezing point, a single blanket was but a mere consolation. My breath is white. Trembling altogether, it was my bodys danger signal. Chiharu. Is it painful? Zonmis eyes were tinged with worry. Honestly, my body is nearing its limits so I can only mutter weak sounds. If I remember well, the young lady at the counter told me that the badges given to the participants doubled as transmitters. That means chances are quite high for rescuers to come once the race has finished. I must endure until then. Im fine, so Let me lie down a bit. What about summoning Kyouko or Iris, with whom Im already contracted with? No, when Kyouko or Iris appears, what are the guarantees for her to be wearing the magic stone? Lets say that when I summon her, she doesnt wear the magic stone I would have had needlessly increased the damage. Anyways Isnt the risk too high? Chiharu, for a short while, could you keep your eyes closed? When I was pondering in my head several plans to break through this, Zonmi muttered with a glance that looked like she had made a decision. Understood. As Zonmi told me, I shut my eyes. Then, for some reason I could hear the smooth rustle of clothes. Erm. Zonmi-san? D-dont look to me! Roger. I may be excessively shaken up, but what the heck does Zonmi intend? Speaking from the results, I could find the answer pretty soon. Lukewarm. A feeling a bit colder than human skin was glued to my back. Even if Im numb from the surroundings and being teased, the meaning of this feeling I easily guessed it. Zonmi had completely taken off all of the clothes she was wearing And she had entered stark naked, the blanket I was wrapped in. Zonmi. I wouldve been fine even if you didnt do that. No answer. Instead, Zonmis distinct heartbeat and the sound of her breathing were transmitted to me. I was so nervous that I didnt know if I was trembling from that or from the cold. Im very sorry. In the end, after a brief silence, Zonmi muttered that into my ear. ? Why do you apologize? My body Isnt even a bit warm. The ghoul clansmens body temperature is 2-3 times lower than that of humans. I Seeing your suffering, Chiharu Didnt know what to do, and Am I a bother? A bother That cant be. Moreover Dont worry, Zonmi, youre veeeery warm. Thats a lie. That cant possibly be! Its not a lie. Certainly, your body may be colder than that of humans. But, Zonmi, doesnt your heart hold more warmth than anyones? Thats why With just this, my body gets warmed from the core. This is bad. Was that line too conceited, as expected? Thinking back calmly, it was a no go Chiharu You idiot. However, contrary to my expectations, Zonmi was fairly happy. Huumm. Is this what they call all right in the end? Ill try saying conceited lines from time to time. Hey. Zonmi. Yes. What is it? Can I face you? Eh? What the heck What do you mean by that? I cant settle down addressing someone that remains at my back. Somehow I want to speak with you looking at your face. Fine. Really? Can I? However, you may not pull out the blanket without my consent Im not wearing clothes right now, after all. Understood. I promise. Since I pledged, I turned over and faced back. Zonmi, reaching the peak of her shame, hid half of her face with the blanket. Zonmis slightly flushed cheeks were so lovely that I unconsciously wanted to poke them with my finger. Its too late to think about it, but having such a cute girl so close to me was quite surprising. This is a little embarrassing. Yeah. It is. By any chance, I Maybe I like Zonmi. I vaguely thought that. I mean With that in mind, many things become coherent. For example, that weird antagonism against Zonmi my sister has It could be that, guessing the feelings even I am not aware of, shes holding in her own way a sense of danger. Buuut Am I thinking too much? Actually, these feelings I hold for Zonmi, I still dont know if they are whats commonly regarded as love. We are monster tamer and partner. The feeling of wanting to be forever at her side, I also hold it for Kyouko and Iris. Errm, Zonmi Can I feel your hair? Coming back to my senses, I suddenly blurted those words. For some reason, Im absolutely sure that she wont reject it. Its true that Zonmi, compared with the other girls, is the most relentless against accidents of a sexual nature, but In the end thats only when they happen by accident. If I ask her directly face to face, I think that she wont refuse a thing I do to her. Do as you please, Chiharu. As I predicted, Zonmi didnt refuse. Zomi, with an expression of having made some kind of resolve, accepted my fingers. Guuh Its not good My reasoning cant endure this. Zonmis hair made a rustling sound and smelled nice For this reason I dont believe that I can keep my reasoning Kusumi Chiharu. Second year of high school. Summer. At last Ill become a man. I gulped the saliva collected inside my mouth from the nervousness, at that time. You human scum! Whatdoyouthinkyouredoingtoneechanhey! Suddenly, we heard that incoherent angry shout. What is happening now before us? Not being able to assimilate it into my head, my body just went stiff. T-to think people came expressly to save you, and before them you, to neechan You do those rude things! Human, Ill kill you! Ill kill you and feed you to Aruru! Hay, Meruru! Act properly! O-ouch! What didja do that for, Aruru! You see the situation and dont understand? They''re doing this out of mutual consent. Its a nice scene where us, outsiders, cannot find fault with. M-mutual consent!? You moron! Neechan wouldnt willingly show her naked body to a man! Since you dont understand that, Meruru, how much more will you keep being a little child? Loving couples showing each other their bare bodies is hardly unnatural. L-loving couples?! Do you mean that neechan and the human are girlfriend and boyfriend!? Or else They are showing each other their naked bodies despite not being boyfriend and girlfriend!? I know about that. Those things are whats commonly called adultery and b*tch Hmppff. Meruru. Thats wrong. Maybe you perhaps have stepped onto an outrageous landmine right now? Aruru covered Merurus mouth, turned to us and quickly bobbed her head. Oneesama. Chiharu-sama. Im deeply sorry. We heard that your signal had been lost off course and, unable to sit still, we went searching for you, but It seems that it was a terrible misunderstanding. Well be on standby outside, so You two, dont hesitate on keeping at it with what you were doing before Well, then! With an extremely apologetic wry smile, dragging Meruru, Aruru quickly left our side. How could we keep at it in this mood!? Chi-Chiharu? The first one to break the awkward silence was Zonmi. Yup. Wasnt what I said before everything a joke? Understood. We faced mortal danger And there was no other way to keep ourselves warm. We havent done anything we should be ashamed of. Isnt it? Yeah. Thats it. Of course Its like that Im curious about as to why is Zonmi making such a long face, but for the present I was relieved by that confirmation. That was dangerous. Somehow I think I will later regard it as cowardice, but If hindrances hadnt come like that, surely I think that our relationship would have changed beyond repair. In order to not hurt Zonmi, of course, but also Kyouko, Iris and Manami If I were careless My thoughtless actions might disrupt my relationship with them. Its too late to say this Our relationship is made up of a subtle balance. Renewing my resolution, for the time being Ill pray for Zonmi to put on clothes. Beast tribe: Snow mole LV: 3. Physical strength: E. Power: E. Speed: C. A monster that loves when it''s cold. Spends most of its live inside the snow. Though it has a cute face, it''s unexpectedly wicked. Serial number: ---- Skull dragon LV: 18 Physical strength: A. Power: B. Speed: B. *No entry data. Serial number: ---- Volume 4 6 — The Tamer of the Spirits Volume 4 Chapter 6: The Tamer of the Spirits So this means the victor of the 45th hundredth deaths course is the dark horse that came from the human world The contestant Kusumi Manami. Congratulations. The contests results, whatever Sure enough, Manami won. Manami, atop the winners podium, received an extra-large trophy. Manami-chan. Amazing. You are historically, the first human winner. Yeah. Once again, weve been taught a lesson about that girls greatness. The buzzing at the venue showed no signs of fading. Since the ghouls not even in their wildest dreams had thought that a human that entered on the spur of the moment would be the victor. By the way, Kyouko, what position did you end in? Me? I was 14th. Quite plain, you L-leave me alone! Thinking about it calmly, I believe that Kyouko achieved 14th place of nearly 600 contestants despite being her first time participating was a good performance, but compared with my sisters active role, it cant be seen as anything but plain. Though in the first place, its not like we can talk, forfeiting in the middle. At any rate, that dragon that attacked us on the way What the heck was it? About that A while ago, I tried asking management, but It seems they know nothing. Is that so? So that means, as expected, that that dragon Though it was unrelated to the race, someone put it there to attack us. Who was it? For what reason? The instant that I was thinking those things. From somewhere at the venue a cry was heard. I looked to the sounds source, and. Arent those, a bunch of ghouls with no expression suddenly moving towards us like an avalanche? Those numbers A low estimate would be a hundred. Weird. Its strange. The bunch of ghouls looked awfully dispirited, how would I put it Their gait looked wobbly and their skin was pale. And above all, their eyes didnt show a shred of life. !? And once again something happened that surprised me. All of a sudden, the lifeless ghouls started one by one attacking the other ghouls. Holy cow Am I dreaming? The attacked ghouls gazes too became empty and devoid of life and assaulted other ghouls. The ghouls are turning into zombies!? Even I think that that unfolding looked like a joke, but even so, I didnt find any other words to describe what was happening. Ghouls turning into zombies Could it be!? Zonmi. Do you know something? Long ago, I read it on some documents. Monster tamers with the particular ability of manipulating the undead and animated corpsesnecromancers. They bestow transient souls on us undead and on other beings corpses and can manipulate them as zombies. But then monster tamers with the ability as necromancers are so scarce that, even perusing history books, can be counted with a single hand. Still If we take that the necromancer was the one controlling the dragon that attacked us before, this impossible scene can be explained. In other words, someone with the ability of a necromancer is picking a fight and attacking us You mean. Someone Theres no need to obscure it like that. Since theres only one group of people we know that wants to harm us. Exactly as Zonmi has said, I can only think of one person that holds ill will and would attack us. The group that commits atrocities; employing monstersthe Black Tamers. This time, once again Most probably, this is their doing. And this time, the opponent we must battle Its an unknown necromancer able to control the undead at will. If thats the case, this is pretty bad. Whats bad The enemys ability shows its max potential at the land of the ghouls. !? Zonmi Behind you! Suddenly, one zombified ghoul jumped at Zonmi. I quickly rushed to Zonmis side and punched that guy. Thank you very much I was a bit scared right now, Its still too soon to be relieved. It seems Weve been surrounded before we knew it. The number of zombified ghouls increased explosively and our surroundings were being filled. I, Zonmi and Kyouko covered each other backs to get rid of any blind spots. Well What do I do? This situation How do we get over it? These guys One by one, the zombies strengths were honestly nothing to fear. If I was alone, I could forcefully break through upfront Such action is not impossible, but the problem here is with Zonmi. Guessing from the situation till now, Zonmi, who is from the undead tribe, will be out with the first attack from the zombies. A zombie Zonmi In some sense, at least my sister would rejoice with that development. Fighting upfront may be too much risky. Humph! Ghouls of lowly standing are reckless fellows for opposing my master. Suddenly, a huge flame pillar encircled us all around. The huge flame pillar situated as if to protect us has power to keep the zombies at bay for about ten minutes. Iris!? And moreover Lilith-san and even Manami!? Have you come to help us!? Chiharu-sama. I beg your pardon. The ones who have launched this attack, I dare say It would be the Black Tamers. I dont know how they did it, but it seems that they have already found our whereabouts. Fine, monster tamer. What shall I do? If thats what thou wantest, I can turn to ashes in an instant every ghoul here What Iris is saying is true. Like Zonmi, monsters from the undead tribe are extremely weak to heat. Even now, we can only talk leisurely like this thanks to the flame pillar that Iris spat out acting as a tough defense wall thats keeping the zombies at bay. However. No, lets not attack them. They are just being controlled by a necromancer. I dont want to harm unrelated monsters. I agree with Haru. If what the enemy seeks is to use the zombies to engage in a battle of attrition Well be playing into their hand. Theres something that we must put as top priority. That is To guarantee Chiharu-samas safety. Since the Black Tamers know our whereabouts, I suggest we part from Living Lodge at once. Surely it may be as Lilith-san says. Even if the Black Tamers do have a reason to attack us, theres no reason for us to fight the Black Tamers. If we could avoid fighting without fleeing That would be the best option. Iris Is it fine with you? The problem lies in if Iris will accept If thats thy wish, I have no reason to refuse. Ill leave my revenge against those guysthe Black Tamers for another date. Is that so? Thanks. Compared with the previous incident of the attack at the Grandeel archipelago, Iris mental growth is astounding, Before, just by hearing the name of the Black Tamers, Iris would have got excited and simply charge into the enemy camp, but Now she respects our opinions and regards her objective as secondary. I am very glad for Iriss growth. So, lets first do as Lilith-san has said and, for the time being, prioritize leaving this place. Kyouko and Iris will turn into monsters and carry us. Our destination, right The port city we arrived at first could do. Well think about the detail once weve reached there Please, wait! The one who suddenly interrupted my words with a loud shout was Zonmi. Ive been worrying about it for a while, but I cant find Aruru and Meruru anywhere. It would be good if they managed to successfully get away, but I cant leave this city until Ive at least confirmed my familys safety. Ghoul. I understand your feelings, but Dont speak selfishly. Have you forgotten our top priority? Im very sorry. Still Only this I cant afford to concede. If you have to leave Living Lodge no matter what, leave me behind, please. How careless. I almost compelled Zonmi into forsaking her family and fleeing. Moreover Thinking better now, Putting my own safety first may be an extremely irresponsible choice. So, what do I do? Had we never landed at Living Lodge in the first place This citys undead may have been right now living peacefully. Yosh, understood. Before departing Living Lodge, lets return once to Zonmis parents home. Chiharu. Is it fine? Yup. If I had to put it in words, speaking truthfully, I too am against leaving this place. We havent persuaded Zonmis father yet Weve not wrapped up such an important task and I too am worried about Aruru and Meruru. Buu. Oniichan is too soft with the zombies. Understood. If those are your instructions, Chiharu-sama, I wont stop you. However, I earnestly ask you to not exceed yourself. Roger. In any case, the talk is settled. At a time like this, its reassuring to have monsters that can fly. We rode onto the transformed Iris & Kyoukos backs and set off to Zonmis parents home. All troops! Fight from a distance using your spears! Dont let the mob step inside the castle! When we reached the ghoul clans castle, which was Zonmis parents home, Zonmis father Satosu-san, standing upon the fort, while shouting directions to many brawny soldiers, battled the zombified ghouls. Father, you''re safe! Zonmi? More than anything, you''re safe too. Satosu-san, sighing from relief with a face of deep reassurance, You were Chiharu-kun, aren''t you? Its not like I approve of your contract, but Im grateful for bringing back my daughter. Thank you very much That aside, hows the situation like at the city!? Aah. The situation is plainly the worst. Estimating optimistically, short of 30% of the population has been brainwashed by the person that appears to be a necromancer. Is that so? Weird. It makes no sense. As the enemys objective was to manipulate the ghouls to attack us Was it necessary to brainwash all of the ghouls in the city? By the way, Chiharu-kun. Have you seen Aruru and Meruru anywhere? They havent returned to the castle? To tell the truth, we are also looking for them. Is that so? It would be nice if those children returned safely, but Satosu-san deeply sighed, In any case, its become troubling. We have to seize that necromancer as soon as possible The situation has once again turned to the worse. By the way, is there any way to return the zombified people to how they were? Theres just one. The necromancer must employ a cane with a unique magic stone mounted on it. In other words, if we could destroy it Then we could save the civilians? I see. As Satosu-san said, to fix the chaos of the situation, it seems that we have to search for the necromancer thats the mastermind of the incident. A. A Kusumi Chiharu. Kusumi Chiharu. I know that you are there. Do I have to introduce myself? My name is Lance. Lance Patriot. Would saying that I am a necromancer that belongs to the Black Tamers speed up things? I looked towards the voice, and. I could see a boy carrying a megaphone in his left hand instead of on his right one. Darn. As soon as hes mentioned, he appears besides us? I didnt expect that he would show himself to us so soon Im grateful, but Despite things going on successfully, I felt a bad presentiment. Jumping down from the fortress, I confronted the necromancer face to face. The boy called Lance was quite younger than me His age was around the first year of middle school, perhaps? Noelle, with whom Ive battled before, also looked quite young The Blacks Tamers perhaps are a group with a surprisingly low average age. Im the Kusumi Chiharu youre looking for, but What do you wish for? Eeeh. How fast. It seems that your brain works faster than I thought. The boy called Lance chuckled. Why would Lance have brainwashed the ghouls in the city? At first I thought that it simply was to use them as pieces once it was time to battle, but when I heard Satosu-sans words, I knew. The necromancer can voluntarily lift the brainwashing on the ghouls. In other words, thats Putting it another way, the ghouls of the city are hostages. Theres no reason for the necromancer to not use them as bargaining chips. My demand is just for you and me to have a one-on-one peaceful negotiation. You can just hear me talk while keeping quiet, too. Hows it? Its easy. Can I trust your words? Im not forcing you. However, if you refuse, as you guess, it can come to the worst conclusion. Necromancers can freely manipulate the undead In other words, I have the lives of nearly half of the citizens on my hands. If you refuse my proposal, those currently under my control Ill erase at once the souls of the zombies whose numbers are increasing at an explosive rate even now. Hey, hey. Hes going to annihilate nearly half of the population? Surely, I think that thats impossible. But. This guy Does he truly mean what hes said? This citys Undeads lives, does he think of them as bugs? Chiharu. Dont be fooled by the enemys words. Probably Thats a bluff. Even if hes a necromancer, theres no way he can erase souls. Right, right. If you say you cant believe me, I dont mind showing you by killing a zombie. Lance laughed fearlessly. Things have become very bad. In this situation brought up by Lance, the matter is not if he can erase souls or he cant. With the option of trying to actually kill a hostage out of the question, we dont have any other way to make sure. The situation It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say its the worst. If I accept your demand, will you free all of the hostages? Of course, I promise you. Since I cant use my full strength while controlling this many zombies. Anyway, when we face each other, I have to do it so I can protect myself. Understood. I accept your demand. Chiharu!? Ha, ha, ha. Nice answer. Then, now Why dont you put on this ring? This? Thats an item called warp ring. Using the same principle as summoning, it can transport the wearer to a set place. Since with two rings, it forms a pair, the moment you equip it well both be warped to the chosen place. The place Ive chosen is a snowy mountain a hundred kilometers from here. Moreover One more thing. You can be relieved. Necromancers can control zombies in a radius of ten kilometers at most. The moment we warp, the brainwashing of the ghouls will be lifted. What peaceful negotiation? The opponent that has been using thoroughly prepared sly moves until now, at this point Theres no way that hell keep that promise. Probably No, definitely it wont unfold as a one on one dialogue. Sorry. Zonmi. Everyone. Even so No matter which traps hes set after that I cant let people die before me when their lives are exposed to risk. I picked up the warp ring that''s left on the snowand put it on. So, my consciousness instantly faded and the scenery and sounds around me drowned out. Aah. Could this be what monsters feel each time they are summoned? Chiharu Chiharu. Inside my dim consciousness, I think I heard Zonmis voice at the end. When I got back to my senses, I was in the middle of a snow-covered scenery. I looked around. What the heck It was quite an unexpected development. For me, the worst case would have been getting summoned inside a gas chamber, or else getting trapped with monsters all around, driven into a corner, that kind of thing was what I was expecting. Before me right now theres only Lance, and apparently there doesnt seem to be any traps. With this, good Just now, Ive put a summon-prevention barrier around the place. With this neither of us can make a summon. This means it will be a proper one-on-one. You dont have to be so vigilant. I can guarantee your life at least until I finish my talk. To me I dislike this roundabout behavior, but Since that was what the boss requested, I cant bring harm to you. Is that so? It certainly seems that what Lance is saying is true. If Lance truly wanted to kill me, he should have set a trap or two during the warp. More than anything, from this guy I cant feel a shred of any killing intent that says well be putting our lives on the line from now on. That boss of yours Is it Luka? Thats right. Do I need to explain from the very start? Lance nodded slightly with an of course. So thats it, Frankly I dont give a damn about what happens to other people. On the contrary, I rejoice on the disgrace of people unrelated to me and, if I say so myself, Im not one of those who listen to other peoples commands, but Just her is different. Im greatly indebted to her. Us Firsts worship her. !? Firsts Now that he mentions it, Noelle, with whom I fought before, also introduced herself as a First. Thinking back deeply, I think that the black-suited monster tamer I battled first called himself a Second. Do those words hide a secret of the Black Tamers? Just a question. You Black Tamers fellows Werent you born, different from me, as total humans? Despite that How come you can transform into monsters? Ahaha. To tell the truth, Ive brought you here to tell you about that. I want you to know about us. And upon learning it all, I want you to cooperate with the organization. Thats what our boss Luka-neesan wishes. Fine. Ill tell you. Everything about the Black Tamers Lance started his speech like that. Are we speaking of around twenty years ago? The secret society that rules over all of the monster tamers on the human worldthe International Monster Association conducted a certain research. If we go to the bottom of it, we could call that research the roots of the Black Tamers. A certain research? What the heck. If what he says is correct Does it mean that the Black Tamers were originally a part from the IMA? Creating manmade monster tamers. Even now, thats only known to the IMAs top brass To them thats the biggest taboo. !? Surely only humans can be born with the ability to be monster tamers. So I think they surely conducted the research in order to compensate for the chronic deficiency in the number of monster tamers. But, you, know? In her case, they had a problem doing that. Do you know whats the basic difference between monster tamers and other humans? Thats Putting it simply, they possess from birth, magic power generating cells It comes to that. If they dont exist, no matter what special training you put them under, they cant become monster tamers. After saying all this, I can answer to your doubt. The reason why, despite having been born as human, we can use the power of monsters. Thats because when we were still floating inside the test tubes, we got cells from other monsters inserted inside our bodies. I and Noelle, whom you already know, are like that. The Firsts are the children brought about from that research. It would be the first artificially created monster tamers in history? Certainly With monster cells that are different from human ones, they can create magic power even if they dont have a special ability. Artificially produced Monster tamers? What Im hearing is not a pleasant talk. Lance and the Firsts may be close to homunculi taken straight out from a fiction world. Miraculously, I didnt feel like Lances words till now were untrue. How come? It doesnt seem like, at this time, Lance has to lie in such a roundabout way and If these words are real, then I can understand how, despite having a human body, they can turn into monsters. I understand what you say But, what relation is there between that research to produce artificial monster tamers and the founding of your organization? Such impatience. With this speech until now, cant you guess what comes after? Lance laughed fearlessly, This research faced strong opposition since the project phase. The special representatives at that time were our boss, Luka-neesan, the youngest to be promoted to high-class monster tamer, and your mother, Kusumi Kanae. The reason is quite simple. The number of children sacrificed was too high. At the researchs initial stage, there were many trial and error stages to check if the embedded monster cells were suited to their body. Unable to control the monster cells The number of children swallowed down (consumed by the cells) was too high to count. Can you picture it? Inside a test tube, without time to be born, made to take many drugs before they were even given milk Brought up in a hellish suffering before they gained awareness, all those friends just conceived Died one after another with their monster cells on a rampage. Their corpses, in a disgusting form unidentifiable as either human or monster Were burned to the bone and discarded so as to conceal the evidence. Can you understand that suffering? Somehow or other, this thinking may be unfair, but I feel relieved that my mother was against that research. And If Lances words are the truth, I can understand the abnormal behavior of Noelle, who I went against before. Her mind is aberrantly unbalanced. In what kind of environment has one to live in to bring up a girl like her That was the doubt I held since long ago. Fuu Im not used to long speeches. About ten years after the start of this research, it started to produce limited results. Children like me or Noelle that luckily managed to adapt to the monster cells and lived on started to appear here and there. Like this, since the time it started giving off definite results, the people that were against the research gradually shifted to the supporting faction, as if flipping over their hands. The one who realized the danger of the situation was our boss That means Luka-neesan. Luka-neesan, so that us Firsts could live in freedomhelped us to defect. !? This event could be called the biggest blemish on the IMA. Anyhow, us First that hosted the might of powerful monsters Since we aimed to escape, all 20 of us at once, there was a big panic. Due to this incident, between monster tamers and nearby residents In total, there was over a thousand victims. The IMA frantically attempted to cover it up, but as expected, they couldnt manage an event of such a scale Outside rookie tamers like you Doesn''t everyone know about this incident? I didnt know. The IMA from before had such a blemish Even now, the evil organization that keeps committing crimes They pinned that label on us, but The Black Tamers were, originally, an organization established in order to protect us firsts. So that the strong would protect the weak, naturally, they didnt have the margin to choose their methods. For that, they put strong monsters under enforce and exterminated the red dragons to obtain dragon blood. Oh, yeah! Ill add this since I forgot, Clarie-san and the lot are the Seconds. They come from the original research that Luka-san took from the IMA. But then That, instead of creating artificial monster tamers In order to empower people that had the capability to become monster tamers from the start, they are bestowed monster cells. Well, with this Ive told you everything about me. Even though things seem this way, could you one-sidedly decide that we are evil and bring down upon us the hammer of justice? My head unable to keep up with the successive revealing of important facts, my thinking froze. I dont know. Not a thing. Until now I thought the IMA as good and the Black Tamers as evil. Though I took everything in terms of good or bad, reality is different. By hearing this speech I cant tell whos right or wrong. The same way that Iris went through hell due to the Black Tamers, the Black Tamers suffered due to the IMA. Do you understand with this? What you believed justice until now is indeed brittle. It wouldnt be bad if you felt like cooperating with our organization. The boss seems to have a special interest in you. If you manage it well, couldnt you easily be regarded even higher than us Firsts? While showering me with cajolery, Lance, step by step, approached me. If I agree now with Lances words wouldnt I once again work besides Luka-san? Good grief Its laughable. Luka-san. You, now Does it look to you that I would get swayed like this by the words of an enemy? Does it satisfy you to have anything and everything dancing on your palm as you wish? Well. Kusumi Chiharu. Come with us! Why dont you make a new world with us!? Lance, laughing loudly, offered his hand to me. I see. If I take this hand, would it mean that from today on Ill be a member of the Black Tamers? But My bad, but I cant collaborate with you lot. What!? I brushed aside Lances little palm. Certainly after hearing your story I cant properly understand whos in the right. Frankly, even now Im confused. But, yknow, until I came here I had to bear with an uncountable amount of things. I To protect Zonmi, to protect Kyouko, to protect Iris, to protect Manami, to protect Lilith-san, so that they can live happily, I must protect the world. Thats why Iand you lot are incompatible. Ha, ha, ha. Right. Right. Lances smile, as if crafted from fine glass, seemed to crack with a jingle. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! As if thinking about something, Lance suddenly laughed out loud. Next instant, I felt a pressure leaking from Lances body. Theres no mistake. This is blood lust Just when the negotiations broke, the blood lust he was keeping hidden until now became irrepressible. Ah~. Thats good. Thats good. Thats really good. Guhehehehe. You seem to be in a very good mood, but what is it thats so good? Ysee. Deep down, I was afraid. If you mistook something and joined our organization How could I kill you? Being the latecomer, receiving the bosss favor, the nasty you Thats good. At last with this I can kill you without fear? !? The instant after Lances staff glowed with a strange light. From inside the ground appeared a huge monster. A totally zombified dragon. It was the dragon that I named before as Skull Dragon. Hey, you, Hadnt you set a summon-prevention barrier!? It seems that I cant use summon, but Is the summon-prevention barrier a cheat item that prevents the opponent from summoning? Kukuku. Kuhahahahaha. Suddenly, Lance started laughing hugging his stomach. Somethings the matter? Moron! When have I used summoning? Do I need to tell you the trick? As you see, this guy is just a zombie. Moreover Is a freshly made one. I buried beforehand the bones of a flying dragon on the ground And just now I have restored it as a zombie! Hey, you Do you understand what this means? Well. If youre going to tell me, by all means do it. I can use the zombie as much as I waaaaaaaant! And you, conversely, cannot summon! Lonely lonely boy! Youve been driven to a corneeeeeeeeeeeer! What the heck. I thought it too back with Noelle, but each and every of the Firsts Do they get a weird mood when fighting? Gooooooooo! My little zoooooooooooombies! Lance raised his cane and, right after, two Skull Dragons came out from the ground. Along with the one that came out before, there were three Skull Dragons. Is this the reason why Lance allowed himself to not set traps before? Due to the summon-prevention barrier set up, I cant use summoning, and conversely my opponent can use as many zombies as he pleases. From his way of speaking, even if I manage to defeat these guys Chances are high that he still has other zombies hidden. I see. Certainly, if you think about it normally, this may be being driven into a corner. Whats it? So afraid that you cant speak? From when has been it. That I lost my sense of normalcy. From when has been it. That Ive ended in a kind of mental state where I dont feel that its a significant crisis. A mighty power sometimes changes peoples personalities. So that this power doesnt engulf me I must be cautious. I, with everyone Ill protect the world where all of them can smile! Limiterrelease. Agaaaaaaa Whats with this amount of magic power!? The instant after releasing the power of my limiter. Wrapped up in a dazzling flash all around, echoed Lances shriek. Good. Since its been a long time since I last transformed into a monster, I was worrying if it would go well, but Its been a total success. Transformed into a monster, my hair grew until it reached the ground. This time, in order to conserve strength to fight longer, I didnt grow wings from my back. It seems that the power of my limiter, when releasing its full power, my appearance changes with the amount released. Dieeeeeeee! Right after Lance howled. The Skull Dragons attacked simultaneously from the front, the back and the side. However, With my limiter released, to me Something like this didnt count as an attack. I, lightly parrying the Skull Dragons attacks, nimbly kicked the ground and entered into an offensive motion. I dont have time to spare. That I didnt employ the power of the limiter during the hundred deaths course Wasnt because I was unwilling in the least to use it. This power Its durability is extremely lacking. Before, when I fought Noelle at the Grandeel archipelago, its limit was five minutes. This time, since Im saving a lot of strength, I think I can keep it longer than before, but It will be, at most, ten minutes? If, by some chance, we engaged in a war of attrition, I would clearly be at disadvantage. Doryaaaaaaaa! I launched a dropkick with all my might against a Skull Dragon. My dropkick, with a power that once managed to floor a five meters tall golem, made the Skull Dragon burst. A perfect overkill. Even if its a zombie, it seems it wont move once its skull has been smashed into tiny bits. The opponent gave me a hard time when I was human, but now that Im a monster, its nothing special. After that, I defeated the second and third Skull Dragons in the same fashion. All that in just seconds. I feel that, compared to before Ive improved in using my transformed self. Even if I say so myself, its quite a good time. At last next its your turn. While I was battling the Skull Dragons, it seems that Lance had put up quite a distance between us. I dont know if thats where he has buried his next zombie or if hell pull out a different trap. However, I dont have the time to hesitate. Either way, it will all go well if I strike faster than my opponents next attack. So as to move faster, I released my Limiters power to around 50%. This time, wings grew. By manipulating the wings on my back, I close the distances with my enemy to the shortest possible without minding the effect of the mountains slope. With this Its checkmate. Kukukuku. Kuhahahahaha. When I was sure of my victory, the next instant. I noticed a faint smirk on Lances mouth corners. !? I see This was what Lance was planning from the start What Lance took out to defend himself from my attack were Aruru & Meruru. The two we knew nothing about since before. They had been already brainwashed by Lance. Arurus and Merurus eyes had lost their former gleam and had become empty. So as to cancel my attack, I released the monster transformation. Guh! I, who was already flying at high speed against my enemy, was slammed with a great force against the snow. Kuhahahaha! Isn''t it cruel, Kusumi Chiharu! I cant fight a monster like you upfront. But, moron! Right from the moment you came here, your defeat was settled! ! Lance trampled down on my face while laughing in a good mood. Whaaa? Why are you looking at my with such defiant eyes? Fine by me. I can send to heaven right now the souls of those ghoul sisters over there. I know. You cant, can you? According to the report I received earlier, you are an extremely hypocritical guy. Unfortunately, I couldnt catch the most important older sister, but these two are enough to shake your heart. Isnt that right? I see. Maybe this has become bad. I was entranced by his ability as a necromancer, but This youth called Lance is quite the strategist. In other words, Lance Had prepared beforehand two kinds of hostages. The first were the brainwashed civilians to lure me here. The second ware Aruru and Meruru, who are right here. Id say Instead of brainwashing Aruru and Meruru, he put them to sleep with a drug or something and then he laid them at the top of this snowy mountain. If he did it like that because of what Lance said about the limits of the range a necromancer can manipulate zombies in Its completely irrelevant. Darn! I am a big fool. Even if the me until I came here has been put under several traps I thought that with the power of my limiter I could forcibly make him surrender. However Reality is not like that. Now that he has took hostages in this manner I How could I offer the least bit of resistance? The opponent, foreseen my character, made meticulous arrangements. Now that its come to this I cant do nothing by myself. Sonuvab*tch! Dont ignore me, you idiot! Guh! I was trampled with all his might. Lance attacks were strong enough to make my head bleed But that was all. The injuries on my head were healed in a flash by the automatic regeneration ability of my Limiter. Humph! They mentioned your healing power in the report from earlier. If the flesh and blood me takes you on, I may break a bone Theres no way. You guys, take him on! When Lance clicked his fingers Something surprising happened. What suddenly appeared from the ground were the ones I should have defeated before with the power of my limiter The three Skull Dragons. Whoa The heck Hahaha! That idiotic face Its a masterpiece! Didnt I say? The ability of necromancers is controlling corpses. In other words As long as I still have magic power, I can revive these guys any hundreds of times! Gooooooooo! My little zoooooooooooombies! The Skull Dragons went to trample on my face with their huge paws. Kuh! As I nimbly raised my upper body, I managed by a hairs breadth to avoid that and entered once again into a fighting stance. Oioioioi. Who said you could evade. Is it all right? Whatever happens to these Lance directed a horrifyingly lewd glance to Arurus and Merurus bodies. Kukukuku. How cute, these children. Ive decided that they will become my lovers instead of Mary. . Oi. You What are you sa? Shut uuuuuuuuup! Dont bother meeeeeeee! Right after Lance yelled that, the Skull Dragons gigantic paw drew near me. ! This time, I could evade with quite the margin. Certainly These zombies Ive named Skull Dragons. Compared with the monsters Ive met up till now, their power is in another league and their speed is superb. However, in the end they''re nothing but corpses. I dont know if its because of that, but it seems that none of these guys holds complex attack patterns. I kept standing and evading the attacks from the approaching Skull Dragons. Tch. I told you not to evade. Well, fine. Keep playing with these small fries. Of course Till you die. I may win. This time, a path to victory surfaced in my mind. Its a thin, thin thread that might break anytime, but If I carefully pull it in, theres no way I wont get a hold of it. Afterwards If I just get the time, the place and the timing!! Kuh! Let me properly think of a strategy! The Skull Dragons, attacking the three at once that have literally bottomless stamina, didnt give any rest to my body. However, having grasped that hope, I could move more nimbly than before. In any case, now its the time to endure. Afterwards Ill earnestly wait for my chance. With decision, dancing boisterously like a tempest I just tried to see into the Skull Dragons attacks. How much time has passed? I felt like it has been an hour already, but I believe it have been just ten minutes. Afterwards. Like before, I kept evading the attacks from the three Skull Dragons at once. Holy cow Even if I say so myself, I think Ive been withstanding it well. Of course, in this situation I cant achieve a godsend feat like receiving no hits On the way, Ive been stricken by some blows. There was an inhuman quality. As at the same time I received the blows, my body turned to regenerating It seems that I didnt receive any fatal injuries from there. Nevertheless My body is reaching its limits. Due to moving at full might for a long time I feel my consciousness growing dimmer and my regenerative power gradually weakening. Thanks to going through these hard time, My arrangements are on the way to being ready. After this I have to wait until the last piece falls into place. Please Please, be on time. Guha! Suddenly, the foreleg of a Skull Dragon kicked my body away. A disgusting creaking sound came from my ribs. The broken bones may have injured my innards. Spitting a large amount of blood from my mouth, I dyed red the snow at my feet. This May have become bad. It would be fine if it was just the injuries. However, my magic power has already reached its limits and the recovery cant keep up with the extent of the wounds. In other words Its a desperate pinch. Kuhahaha! Youve caused too much trouble! At last your end has come! Lance took a sharp knife out of nowhere and came near me step by step. Are you suffering? Does it hurt? Your last hope that was your regenerative power has started to break down and weaken. However, rejoice. The true hell starts now. Ill personally disassemble your body. By the most wretched means than you can think of, Ill bestow unto you a suffering unimaginable in this world. Kufufufu. I think that those ghoul sisters there will also suffer a shock. Ill tell you one thing so that you die without regrets. I, yknow? When brainwashing living undead, I dont snatch away all of their consciousness, just half. Why do I do that? Kuhahahahaha! The answer is easy. Because like that its really funny! If they manage to dispel the brainwashing, wont the undead that I brainwashed live the rest of their lives keeping the memories of how I disgraced them? Picture it. Your rawhide Guts spinal cord, from here on Ill be dismantling them one at a time. Dont you think that it will be a show of too strong stimulus for tender girls? Making an enraptured face, Lance laughed with a coarse voice. Asshole. An? Whaddaya say? Lance. The reason of your defeat is that you get cocky when you have an overwhelming advantage. You, who''s sure of your victory from the start, or I, who doesnt give up victory till the end. It seems that the goddess of victory will smile for me. Guh! What the heck!? At that time, a gust of wind blew before us. Come to think of it, Zonmi had mentioned it during the race. Living Lodges mountains are known for their sudden gusts of winds beyond common sense. During that race with my life on the line Somehow, I became able to ascertain the timing these winds blew at. I couldnt achieve victory But participating in the hundred deaths course was very valuable. Right after Lances bodys was thrown back by the squall. There was the shadow of a person that moved faster than the blowing wind. !? Once the wind completely passed. Lances face had just became pale. Is this what you are looking for, necromancer? Idiot Idiot Idiotidiotidiot! I-impossible It cant be What are you doing here! Ghoul princess!? To be frank The one who suddenly appeared was Zonmi. Zonmi had taken advantage of the moment when Lances stance was broken by the sudden wind and managed to fetch up the cane thats called the lifeline of a necromancer. Zonmi kept silent before Lances question, took out the magic power stone inserted in the cane she had in her hand and crushed it. What now. The strong foes that had been giving me a hard time until nowthe three Skull Dragons, immediately turned to ashes and in the end lost their shapes along with the wind. Ne-neechan Oneesama It seems that with the destruction of the magic power stone the brainwashing has been lifted. The AruMeru sisters instantly recovered the gleam in their eyes and, after making sure they could move at will, Uwaaaaan! Scary I It was scary Oneesama I Believed that you would come Both of them hugged Zonmi at once. Yosh, yosh. It was scary. But since Ive come, its all right. Calm down. In order to calm her sisters unrest, she tenderly stroked their heads. Good grief I grow embarrassed just by looking Its an intimate sisterly love. Kusumi Chiharu. What the heck is this!? Explain it! You Have to explain this situation to me! Its not Like I wasnt going to explain it to you. As you know, since you had took hostages, I Couldnt attack you. Thats why I waited. For my comrades to come rushing to my side. I believed that if I managed to catch you by surprise, Ill surely could destroy the staff you were carrying. Afterwards, to raise the chances of success of the strategy, I just synchronized my timing with the wind, but Do I need to explain anymore? Despite having explained it all, Lance threw me a glance of disbelief that said it makes no sense. Thats why. Thats why I said it was impossible! This mountain is 100 kilometers apart from the place we were at the start. Surely, if you have made contracts with several monsters, you may guess our whereabouts by calculating from the angle the magic power threads make. However Even if they had guessed our position, its still impossible! They couldnt have arrived to our position in such a short time! Traversing long distances through the weather of Living Lodge with its rough climate Dont you understand how dangerous is it!? Certainly, the doubts Lance is holding is natural. Im embarrassed that saying this may look like showing off. To tell the truth, I too Dont know in what way had Zonmi and the girls arrived here. Asking for help, I looked at Zonmi, and Zonmi haah with a long sigh, started to tell. Thats right. Surely, it may have been impossible on my own. However, have you forgotten? Our master No, to us he is a comrade that worries us so much that we get angry To reach this place The two monsters capable of flying The red dragon and the Nephilim, until each one depleted their magic power, have come flying taking turns in this relentless weather. After guessing the location using the magic power threads The quick-witted succubus Lilith calculated in an instant the shortest route to come to this place. The little sister Though this time she hasnt especially done anything, We are grateful instead for that. It seems that Ill have to change my impressions of her. I Though I regarded the little sister as being just a troublemaker that rummaged all around guided by instinct, Ive realized that she has a kind heart capable of prioritizing others when in a true pinch. Is that so? When I was not looking Such an exchange happened. For the successful carrying out of this times stratagem, several risk came with it There were worries. Among them, the one that I feared the most Was that Lance got fed up with me, who kept evading the attacks to buy time, and took the life of either Aruru or Meruru. Had that happened Unable to avoid the attack, the only way left to me would have been unsightly dying. Nevertheless, I could surmise that the probability of that was extremely low by the lewd glance that Lance had directed to Aruru and Meruru. Really I think that in this battle I have been walking on a tight-rope from the beginning to the end. How stupid. Are you telling me that you even took the wind into account? With a face of having realized something, Lance dropped his shoulders disheartened. I cant understand it. Kusumi Chiharu. You How come you can unconditionally trust others? Thats a given. Zonmi Those girls are my partners! Stating that as a matter of course, Lances face distorted once again with insanity. Aah. Now I understand why I cant pick up any blood lust from you. I Hate brats ignorant of the ways of the world like you. Despite knowing nothing You babble lip service. You brandish your own convenient justice. Someone like you Doesnt know anything! !? Chiharu. Be careful. Yeah. Understood. A myriad of glittering lights seemed to gather around Lance. No, wrong. If I express it accurately, the correct way would be saying that he absorbed them. Id say this isnt but my own guess. Like the Skull Dragons I was fighting with until not long ago Lance has buried many corpses in this snowy mountain as preparations to battle with me. However, it doesnt seem that no matter how many zombies he calls forth now it would do him any good. Isnt that why Lance is absorbing little by little the remaining magic power of the corpses buried all around? Dont take me lightly. The match hasnt ended yet! Having finished gathering the magic power from the surroundings, Lance showed a grin and, Level Over-limit. Just spat out those words. The next instant, Lances body started swelling and changing to a grotesque shape. And what appeared before me Was an skeleton wielding a 2 meters long big scythe. Death god Thanatos I see. So his power as a necromancer comes from the ability of the death god? Death god Thanatos. So the monster cells of that guy were implanted into this guys body before birth? Kuhahahahaha! This has turned the tables, hasnt it? Kusumi Chiharu! Arent you clearly in a bad shape from the previous battles? Wont your Limiter reach its limit in just seconds of full use? The ghoul princess too, coming here must have depleted your magic power. And conversely, as you see, Im in tip-top condition. Well, do we start? Lets start the decisive ba Nope. I think that wont be necessary. What!? The match already has ended long ago. As Lance has said, my magic power has already reached bottom. Even bringing forth the full power of the Limiter, Ill meet the limit in just seconds. But, thats fine. Thats fine. If I could clash with him from the front even for seconds I feel I wont lose to him. Get ready. Since the me today I think I wont be able to go easy. So, that said, Level Over-limit. Imitating Lance, I said those words inside my heart. It was different from when I confronted the Skull Dragons. My full power right now Was 100% from 100%! My hair grew, two bat-like wings sprouted from my back. I felt like magic power filled me from head to toe. That amount of magic power was so vast that it melted the snow around me in an instant If Im not careful, theres the danger that it will swallow me. No way. Impossible. Impossible. What kind of monster do you have as a base to get this much power!? To tell the truth, I too am curious about that. I was told by Lilith-san that it seem that it was one from among the devils, but she hasnt informed me in the least about the details. Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!! He may have realized that he has no chance of winning fighting upfront. As such following that victory goes to the one who hits first, Lance brandished his huge scythe against me. He disappeared!? Wrong. Speaking properly, I simply circled to your side. Its just that our difference in power is so overwhelming that just by moving about normally it makes you think that Ive disappeared. Following that, I lightly kicked the ground and leaped, giving a severe blow to the crown of the head of the huge skeleton Lance had transformed into. Gugiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. Critical hit. Lance burrowed through the ground made of ice as if it had sunk in. In the end After going on for about ten meters his magic power got depleted. Released of his transformation, Lance just spat blood with his eyes showing the whites. Like that, since he didnt even twitch, I think that this should be all there is. By fighting seriously, it was a too quick and excessively one-sided end of act. This marks the end of our long battle. Volume 4 Epilogue — A step to the beyond Volume 4 Epilogue: A step to the beyond After that. Around two weeks have passed since the first and probably last incident where the ghouls in town were turned into zombies. What do I say? As Ive been here at the Netherworld for a long time, Ive lost my sense of reality. We Who cares! According to Lilith-sans report Its been decided that at last we can return to the human world. It seems that after returning to the human world, the International Monster Association plans on lending us all-out support to protect me from the Black Tamers. According to Lilith-san. The person entrusted with guarding me has been deemed the most competent monster tamer in the IMA for two years straight, but What kind of person is that guy? I ended up hoping to return even a second earlier to the human world. Time to set sail. In order for us to get on board of the high speed yacht that Lilith-san had chartered, we went to the harbor area. Oneesama. Chiharu-sama Please take care. Yup. Aruru Thanks for going out of your way to send us off. When I conveyed to her my sincere grateful feelings, Aruru exaggeratedly shaking her head, F-far from it! Chiharu-sama, right now you are regarded as a hero by us ghouls! Its impossible for a princess of this country to not come to send you off! Really Really No matter how much we thank you, Chiharu-sama, it wont be enough How do I put it, well Its come to that. Having freed the continent of Living Lodge from the evil clutches of the necromancer, overnight, I came to be treated as the man of the moment. It seems that, due to this times incident, the anti-human faction that was the main one among the ghouls has lost impetus, while the ghouls from the pro-human faction are in rapid increase. E-erm Say Human. For saving us Well, thanks. Yup. Take care, you too Meruru! Hyau!? Even though I planned to pet her head as a parting gift, Meruru swiftly brushed off my hand and hid behind Aruru. Ufufu. Meruru is not honest. Id say that, since the incident, Meruru has gone through a sudden change. Specifically, even when we are together, she doesnt bite me in the arm and somehow she seems to have grown distant with me Chiharu-kun. When I met you for the first time Sorry for being so unkind. I know that its impudent to ask you for this now, but My daughter Please take care of her. That Not at all! Please raise your head!? No matter what they say, having the king of a country bow to me doesnt sit well with me. We were mistaken with you. Those hateful monster tamers like the Black Tamers That among humans there were wonderful youths like you I realized with this incident. Is that so? I cant express it before Satosu-san, but The ones in the wrong, were they just the Black Tamers? Ever since the end of the other days battle, that doubt started crossing my mind. Things are not that simple. It was for a short time, but since coming to the Netherworld, it made me come to a realization. Monsters and humans. IMA and Black Tamers. The problems each one shoulders are deeper than I imagined. The one who can mediate between humans and monsters Aint it just me, a chimera of those two? Curiously, lately Ive been struck by that sense of duty. Why is it? According to Lilith-san. In normal circumstances, it seems that theres absolutely no way that a chimera between human and monster is born. Could it be that, unexpectedly, theres a reason Ive been born into this world Whaaat, surely Im just over thinking things? By the way, Chiharu-kun. I need to consult it, but Can I ask just one thing of you? Yes. What is it? Satosu-san, with stern demeanor, ahem, cleared his throat, To me, so as from now on the friendship between humans and the ghoul clan deepens, it would mean much if you, by all means, joined our household. Y-yeah? Chiharu-kun. What do you say? My daughter? I-I dont understand. Whats this guy spouting all of a sudden? Besides, the one more flustered than me was Zonmi. F-f-f-f-father!? What are you spouting all of a sudden!? Whatever may be, Chiharu and I M-marrying Its still too early! Thats the problem!? In other words, come the proper timing, Zonmi wouldnt be unwilling to marry me? Chiharu Do you hate it? Marrying with me. I-its not that I hate it, but Being asked that all of a sudden, I was at a loss for an answer. The hero who saved the city Chiharu-sama marrying princess Zonmi!? Thats great! If Chiharu-sama comes to live here forever, well be at ease! Hey, everyone! Lets give our blessing to princess Zonmi! Wedding! Wedding! This mood, whats with it? The ones that started singing a wedding chant were The group of nearly ten thousand ghouls that had come to see us off. As if displeased by the choir that blessed our wedding, Iris, beside me, stuffed her cheeks. Monster tamer. Could it be that thou Hast thou forgotten your pledge with me? Eh? I was the one thou exchanged a pledge of betrothal before! Dostnt tell me thou hast forgotten! Aah. Since she has stopped being all sticky with me since Manami gave her sex ed, I had forgotten until just now, but That promise is still alive inside Iris. Now that I think of it, I havent seen Manami for a while. At such an important time Good grief, where would she be loitering around. S-sly! If it comes to that, I too announce my candidacy! For some reason, after stating that, Kyouko grabbed my arm. Wait a minute. If you have proposed to marry me, could it be Kyouko, do you love me? As I asked that, Kyoukos cheeks became really flushed, D-dont misunderstand! If everyone except me proposed marriage to you, it would be unbalanced! She developed a cryptic logic. Is it all right for you to propose in marriage due to such a pitiful reason? ϤϤ! Stop joking, you two! Manami!? Where have you been till now!? The one who will marry oniichan can only be me, his true blood-related sister! Oniichan! Accept Manamis love! Tou! Suddenly, Manami took off the white cloth that covered the mysterious object that had been there for a while before us. Uwah For reals? What now? What came from inside it was a monument statue modeled after us siblings. Moreover, if we talk about its design, as Manami was in a pose of straddling me, it was the worst thing that, upon further look made you involuntarily say does this really fit here? I see. Now that you mention it, Ive heard of it. The thousand deaths course winners privilege is having a monument statue of yourself erected in the city. Lilith-san Nows not the time to calmly explain about things. I-its the worst conclusion All of the present people were taken aback. Besides, as if it was nothing unusual, she made the crowd of ten thousand ghouls that were excitedly chanting wedding cheers until a while before become silent in a flash In some sense, its amazing. This sister of mine. And. To tell the truth, Im actually grateful for my sisters actions. Why is it? If the spiral of wild enthusiasm of the flock had continued a little while more, even I Would have suffered some sort of reaction. Somehow Its not like I hadnt been urged by a conclusive determination, but thanks to my sisters eccentric antics, I could leave it unsettled like that. E Wha? Thinking it better, I think that something like this has occurred not only once or twice. In the end, with the weird mood created by my sister not having been dispelled, we rode on the boat and set sail. Fuah With all this, Im beat. Ill go ahead to the cabin to rest. Its not like I really was so tired, but, yawning a bit exaggeratedly, I left the deck. Chiharu. Wait, please! My bad. Zonmi. Since today Im so tired, lets leave it for Wait, please. I was tugged with force from the sleeve. When I turned my head There was Zonmi with a serious gaze. I still havent heard the answer from before. Chiharu, do you dislike the idea of marrying me? Right after Zonmi inquired me. I noticed the surrounding girls directing their glances at me. What to do. Dont I say something? However, how should I answer? Should I sincerely say that I dont know? No, somehow or other, I think that if I give Zonmi an ambiguous answer, the girls here wont give their consent. Troubled, in the end, what left my mouth, as if leaving the decision to others Were the worst words, not fitting of a man. "--T-thats right, what about you? What do you think? About what? About What Satosu-san said earlier. Could it be, dont tell me you really want to marry me? Just kidding. Theres no way. Ahahahaha. Right after I averted my gaze, like seeking for help. Like that time with Iris before Zonmis tender lips plugged up my mouth. !? Chiharu. Listen to me seriously. These are my feelings. Since where do I harbor these feelings Honestly Not even I know. However, These Feelings of mine are the real thing. Chiharu. I like you. I love you as a man. From nearby there came a sound of something hitting the ground with force. Looking at the noises source, there was a teary red-eyed Manami dashing out at full throttle before me. Manami-chan!? Not even sparing a glance to Kyouko, who called to her, Manami left the place. To Manami, this situation Was without doubt a shock. At this time, theres no need to think about it The one who keeps the balance of our relationship Was none other than Manami. However, the die have been cast. Theyve been unknowingly cast. Our time, just now, has made a big turnaround. Contrasting with the feelings hidden inside our hearts, the boat we were riding peacefully headed to the human world. Volume 4 Authors Notes Volume 4 Author''s Notes This is Kankitsu Yusura. Maohimes fourth volume, have you enjoyed it? It may be sudden, but I think Ill write this afterword under the theme self-deprecating jokes. I think that there are many points to abject, but its not a joke to write an afterword for the fourth time and run out of themes. No, about afterwords, cant the author write about harmless and inoffensive that happen around him?, I think that many readers will ask that, but I dont think so. The joke can bomb. And if the joke bombs As the afterword is a part of a fine book, the readers will brace themselves before they are made to enjoy it to the fullest! Well, well. To tell the truth, my intention there was that, when going drinking these days with my fellow authors, Ill get complimented lots about my afterword. Kankitsu-san! Ive read it! Maohime! The best was the afterword. Kankitsu-sans afterwords are on the level of a pro. Go! Afterwords pro! And so on, on that line (lol). Once Im said that Next thing, Ill be run over by the urge to shout. You guys Talk a bit about the volume proper. Eeeh. That thing from before hasnt happened, the senior writers toying with me are only my wild delusions. The facts? I have not made even one fellow author, I have never been invited to an authors drinking party! To begin with, if they had that community spirit, they could have lived on without becoming authors. Uhohoi. Uhohoi. This me even now is living happily. Yes. Looking back in time is frightening To end the self-deprecating jokes about my dark past, I think its time we start with the announcements. Whatever! The runner-up of HJ Bunkos 6th Rookie Awards, Ore to Kanojo no Rabukome ga Zenryoku de Kurorekishi, has gone on sale at the same time as this book. The genre is youth love comedy. To be frank, this work Since, as the author. Im confident on the response to it, for those readers who are interested, by all means give it a reading! And furthermore, this same mont, on June 27th, the comicalized version of Maou na Ore to Ghoul no Yubiwa gets its first volume published. Since its a comicalization that made me shout Isnt this better than the original?, I think many, not minding if they have or they havent read the original work, will enjoy it. Its overall erokawaii and funny! I feel that its way better than the original work. Personally, Im interested in Yaya Hinata-senseis Original 4-panel manga spin-off centered on the enemy character Clarie. So I hope we can meet again. Kankitsu Yusura Volume 5 Prologue Volume 5 Prologue When there was just a week left of summer vacation. Our long trip through the Netherworld finished And we returned at last to the human world. Nevertheless. Properly speaking, despite the fact that it wouldnt be weird that our spirits reached the max in an instant, facing reality, I honestly wasnt happy. Why is it? Lets try bringing up one of the causes. Right now, in my home Zonmi, Kyouko, Iris, and Lilith-san, those four beauties were staying here. Why are they living at my house as if it was just natural? I truly can''t make heads or tails out of it. Leaving Zonmi aside, who was originally already freeloading, about the other three it''s truly a mystery. When I tried asking each one for their reasons Iris: Dostnt forget. Monster tamer. Art not thou the one who, not long after now, shall become my spouse? Is it so farfetched for two people that shall soon exchange vows to live together? Lilith-san: Chiharu-sama. Have you forgotten your position? Arent you someone important, and able (capable) to influence the destiny of the world from now on? What do you intend to do if theres no one to guard you? Kyouko: M-me staying here doesnt have any weird meaning, OK? Just, I mean Isn''t everyone staying at your house, Haru? So If Im the only one who doesnt stay here, wont the balance crumble? Hearing each one making their own excuse, I got this kind of feeling. So many people packed into the usually noisy Kusumi residence. Somehow I thought that our boisterous days would continue, but things didnt go by so easy. The reason was that the one who until now was the noisiest, Manami Had become very depressed from Zonmis confession. Very unlike her. Ever since we came back, my sister Manami had completely holed herself in her room. By the way, happens to be the second of the causes of me being in low spirits. Since my sister wouldn''t recover her usual mood, I cant be honestly happy for returning to the human world. Hey, Manami. Why dont you go out? Today once again, I Though I knocked on my sisters room, as usual there was no reply from her. Just the breakfast, Ill leave it here. When this morning, like always, I had left the breakfast before my sisters rooms door. In fact, it has been three years I met with that person once again. W-what the heck!? *SHATTER SHATTER* Suddenly, my homes windows'' glasses shatter and a woman comes from the outside. Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah!? The house The houses on fire!? The reason may be the bird monster with a body of flames that woman is riding. In the game world This guy is what they call an Immortal bird, isnt it? That monster, among the ones Ive encountered up till now, seemed to possess a magic power of the highest class. Hey, hey. What do you say when you meet with someone, Haru-kun? The heck Am I dreaming? If there was a third person They wouldnt believe that this woman was, rounding it to the tens, about forty. This more than 170 centimeters tall woman boasting a bust size that doesnt lose to her daughter Manami. No matter how you look at her, she just seems to be in her early twenties, a 36 years old (divorced once) with a youthful sex appeal. Kusumi Kanae. The one who suddenly appeared before me was my true blood-related mother. But, hey The house! The houses on fire! Strictly speaking , isnt there still loan to pay!? Whaaat. That? Haru-kun, youre a worrywart like always. Tei! !? Right after mom snapped her fingers. Something unbelievable happened. My house, which until now was engulfed in flames, returned to how it was in an instant. My Torippee is a monster that rules over death and rebirth. It would mostly be that he can return anything to how it was? A-amazing That Or perhaps, is Torippee the name of that Immortal bird? Being that Ive a contract with Zonmi, its not like Im one to talk, but I feel that no matter how cool the monster is, the name makes everything come to naught. Well, but he couldnt revert my relationship with that man to how it was Mom muttered while looking into the distance. That man Must be Manamis father, Kamiigusa Yuuto. As it came from my divorced mom, it wass an awfully crude line. You there Why couldnt you come back normally!? No, if I had just entered normally from the front door, it wouldnt have had any impact. Who are you concerned for!? Am I over thinking? Im sure Ive made the same retort before. Thats good and all, but Im back, Haru-kun. Welcome back, mom. Feeling a bad premonition, I, step by step, walked backwards so as to distance myself from mom. Mom, so that I didnt escape, advanced matching my movements. A bad feeling made me sweat all over my body. To be frank, speaking about my moms bad qualities, she has a personality, on par with Manamis, of a doting mother to the point of aJocasta complex on a level to make the ladies from the neighborhood spread indecent rumors. Ufufu. Haru-kun. Why are you running away? Well? Back to you, mom Why are you approaching? Its that, you see Well? Right after mom showed a bewitching smile. Haru-nyan! I wuw u! *HUUUUUGGG* My head was pressed against my moms breasts. !? I cant believe it. Though its like this, since going on a trip to the Netherworld and awakening my limiter, I thought that, as it is, I had acquired my true power (?) as a monster tamer, but Moms movements just now, I couldnt even follow them with my eyes!? Said like this it may sound like a joke, but when I came to, it seemed as if I had been teleported to moms boobs. Now that I mention it, Lilith-san had told me. Mom was one of the ten people who reached the position of high class monster tamers and her true power was such that she was called a living legend. It was when I was experiencing first-hand the boundless true power of mom. Mommyyyyyyyyyyyy!! *BANG* The sound of a door being opened with force. Looking to the source of the noise, Manami was dashing out of her room at full throttle. Perhaps because she had been for three days straight living as a hikikomori, her body let out a faint sweaty smell, but this time Ill let it pass. And. Dashing at full power in the hallway, my sister, like that, embraced my mother sandwiching me in-between. !? Impending breast pressure. A pleasure Explosion. *HUHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGG* Caught by the pressure of the ripe W of breasts, I Harbored quite indescribable mixed feelings. The heck. This Homemade oyakodon development Though Ive used homemade to name this painful to hear situation, in some sense I think thats unusual. The one I love the most in the world after Haru-kun, Mana-tan. The one I love the most in the world after oniichan, Kana-tan. Ein? Oin? Erm You two Could you not fight each other before me? A fight between my blood-related mother and sister concerning me Its not like Ive kept up with the times, but Chiharu! Whats with this!? And, in the end, hearing the uproar, Zonmi and the rest came. Somehow, I feel that if I dont ask now, Ill start with Zonmi and the rests introductions to my mother and Ill miss the chance. Thats why, I asked the question Ive been thinking since before of making her without fail if I met mom. Mom. Theres something I want you to tell me. Whaat? Haru-kun. If thats what you wish, Haru-kun, ask mom anything. I want you to tell me about my father. Volume 5 1 — The secret of the Kusumi household Volume 5 Chapter 1: The secret of the Kusumi household Lets start from the results. He who once brought the human worlds culture to the Netherworld, regarded by many as a human lover, the 47th MaouCruel. It seems that my dad was the one once addressed as the Netherworlds Maou. Er. How should I feel being suddenly told that? However, the Limiters that usually manifested until now when I was in a pinch. Those could be said to totally overwhelm just about any other monsters. In other words Sadly, this overwhelming power of mine, if we assume it was inherited from the former maou, so as far as it goes it would be logical even if I had manifested an incredible power. Did Lilith-san know about this? Was that right after we arrived to the Netherworld? Lilith-san took me once to the study used by the former maou. The portrait of the maou I saw at that time. If I think of it now, the character in that picture could have been my real father. This isnt anything but my own guess. Lilith-san Perhaps, she invited me to that room knowing I was the child of the maou. I beg your pardon. I thought you should be told at some time, but In the end I had doubts about if you should hear it from my mouth. Is that so? However, this settled it. Its not like I doubt moms words, but having it confirmed by Lilith-san, whos a Demon too, increased the persuasiveness. As I thought, it unmistakably seems that my dad was the maou that once ruled over the Netherworld. I-I cant believe it. That Harus dad was the maou of the Netherworld Kyouko The one left most open-mouthed by this fact was my childhood friend Kyouko. It may be Maybe learning that Im the child of the maou, to Kyouko is terribly shocking. Whys that? If you learn that the lineage of the childhood friend youve been attached to for so many long years is so unique, anyone would suffer a shock. In practice. My astonishment from when I learned that Kyouko was in reality a Nephilim from the giant tribe could be said without a doubt to be one of the top five surprises of my life. J-just if. If I manage to get engaged with Haru, from tomorrow on I would be filthy rich!? Give me back my concern!? I envy that pointlessly positive mentality of yours. Kyouko-sama. Regrettably, I think that that idea is too hasty. ? What do you mean? Chiharu-samas father. Maou Cruel was known to be a big lecher, and the number of heirs he left exceeds 20. In other words Who, with the unclear situation of Cruel-samas inheritance, would take the risk of marrying Chiharu-sama for money and social status? You too, Lilith-san Could you not say cruel things nonchalantly? Grrr. Each and every one of them takes me As an ATM machine installed on a seven-eleven. Oi. Manami. Stop looking at me with that outspoken glance that says Haah Twenty babieees? If oniichan had such a sex drive Manami too would by now have made blankety-blank with oniichan! No matter how much of a sex drive I have, how would I cross the line with you!? A-amazing! Oniichan! Manami hasnt said a word yet and youve said by yourself the foolishness and the retort!? Moreover, how come you knew word by word without a mistake what Manami was thinking!? Are you an esper!? So you were thinking it? But I didnt expect getting it right word by word. Contrasting with the varied reactions of Kyouko and Manami (the human world team) before the fact of me being the maous child, Zonmi and Iriss (the Netherworld team) response was of utter calmness. Zonmi, doesnt it surprise you? That my father was the maou. Yes. Of course Im surprised. However, would it be because I too was born into the royalty? I dont know if we can say thats why, but I think that the feeling of something special when meeting other royals is thinner (not as big of a deal?) than with the little sister and the rest. So it was like that? Besides To tell you the truth, I had a vague hunch about who was Chiharus father. For reals!? Yeah. The adulterous tendencies of the former maou are somewhat well-known at the Netherworld, and the appearance of your limiter played a major part. It even may be that your adulterous tendencies have been inherited from the former maou at a genetic level That was what I have been thinking for a while. The eyes of Zonmi, who matter-of-factly stated this, didnt hold a glimpse of a smile. Since prying down further was likely to wake up sleeping dogs, as if running away I brought up the topic to Iris. Iris too doesnt look surprised Could it be, you had also noticed? Indeed Thats what Id like to say, but grievously thy inkling is off. ? You dont look very surprised, though. Humph! From the beginning I wasnt interested in the least by thy upbringing. Iris, letting out a fearless laughter, said that and tightly grabbed my hand. This way of gripping hands; entwining fingers, I think its whats commonly called holding hands. Monster tamer. The subject of my interest is none other than thou thyself. After all is said and done, thou art bound with me by an eternal pledge The man who shall become my lifelong partner. Aah. Did it start again, Iriss marriage proclamation? It only came out to light recently, but Iris is 12 years old. Thought Iris has been told before about the marriageable age according to the human world laws The person herself doesnt seem to care about such a thing. Since when we were traveling through the Netherworld, we all have heard those words many a time, we werent especially surprised, but Mom was taken aback by that speech. O-oh, noes! Has Haru-kun become a cradle snatcher!? With her teeth clattering, moms face was of utter despair. The one who took action then as if to beat the dead body was Zonmi. Mother. I have something to say about that. Yes? Mother? Eh? When have I become your mother? Mm? To tell the truth, I, like that red dragon over there, am betrothed to Chiharu. To add things to that, my family has already completely agreed to my marriage with Chiharu. About Chiharu I think that hes not so against marrying me. So then, mother! Please, will you acknowledge my marriage with Chiharu? Mom, receiving Zonmis speech, ended up with a face that looked like a photo version of Munchs The Scream. Erm Kanae-san. Theres one thing I too want to consult with you And, the one who acted then like throwing a Tomahawk on the dead body was my childhood friend Kyouko. D-dont make a mistake! Ill tell you from the start that its not like I hold romantic feelings for Chiharu-kun" Haah Youve grown into quite the classical type of character, havent you, Kyouko-chan But Err If the other two have proposed marriage and only I dont, dont you think its unbalanced? So, I want you to also acknowledge my marriage with Chiharu-kun It came out! Kyoukos lost balance theory! I think its very meaningful in a sense for Kyouko to base one of the most important events of ones life like a proposal with the preposterous reason of since I feel that its unbalanced. Mom, receiving Kyoukos speech, had her face pale like a zombies and went to the living-rooms bookshelf with an unsteady gait. Its natural that mom has received such a shock. Not only has her own son received a proposal by a monster girl, which is already a shocking development, it happened thrice in a row. In the end, mom took all of the books on the shelf out and scattered them on the table. Mother. What the heck? On the cover of one of the books carelessly scattered on the table, Haru-kuns growth record, part 1 was written with a black pen. It seems these books Go from 1 to 20. Keeping her silence before Zonmis inquiry, mom flipped the pages of Haru-kuns growth record, part 1. And, it was covered full with photos of me since birth (about a year?). Nuu W-whats with this obscenity!? T-these are Chiharus Kanae-san!? Stop at that page! Aah. Dont flip them so fast! Though its only natural, among the photos of the newly born me there were photos of me naked mixed in. Though it was from when I was around a year old, its embarrassing that others see you naked. If Im not wrong, it was around here. Fufufu. I was right leaving it here for such a thing. Along with those meaningful words, mom produced a piece of paper from inside the album. Whats That there! I, kusumi chiharu, when I grow up I will marry mommy. A sentence written in a round, childish calligraphy. Erm Mom. What the heck? I dont have any recollection of that. Isnt that natural? This is from before you entered kindergarten, Haru-kun Specifically, I made you write this while I was teaching you the letters. Why Doing this? Of course! I feared that this day would come. Having my dearest son taken from me by a thieving cat from who-knows-where I absolutely wont allow it! Erm Surely your joking? Its scary that you even nonchalantly made the by then still a child me to put my fingerprint on it to make it look official. Dont you understand? The only one with the right to marry you is me, your own mother! *BLAM* Mom hit the table and made a fervent speech. Eeerm. What the heck is this person saying. Why dont we put in order this situation for now? If a little while back I thought I was engaged in marriage to monster girls, now even my own mother has proposed to me. Hmm. It still doesnt make sense to me? Its so disgusting that even a snail would run away on two feet sensing the danger. Wait theeeeeeere! And, the one who suddenly came out with that shout was my sister, Manami. I-I beg you. I was at fault. Please spare me. No more, Ive had enough of this. Im as fed up as if I had put mayo over seabura tonkotsu ramen. If we go with that theory, the only one who has the right to marry oniichan is his own blood-related sister, Manami! Oniichan! Look! !? I, Kusumi Chiharu, pledge here to marry my dearest sister, Manami. Saying that, Manami held out a document that, sure enough, has that written. Hold your horses. Manami. This sentence, it looks like it was written recently, but How come I dont remember it in the least!? That, its obvious! I mean, knowing that this document would come handy one day, Manami, by herself, wrote it in a handwriting resembling oniichans! Isnt that totally no good!? Rather, you two, how come you have that self-satisfied look while flaunting those documents without any legal binding whatsoever!? Hey. You two, could you let me see those documents for a bit? Haru-kun. Mom is glad! Have you decided at last to marry mom? Oniichan. Manamis glad! Have you decided at last to marry your sister? With a smile, as I received the documents from the two, (*RIP RIP RIP RIP*) Like that, I vigorously ripped them in halves. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah These guys. Really noisy. Haru-kun, you sadistic! Oniichan, you brute! Its vexing However What blisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Uh-oh. These are perfect enraptured faces. Seeing my sister and my mother hopping throughout the living room with an expression of pure bliss made me feel extremely mixed feelings. Why is it. I Though I love Chiharu Thinking about becoming family with those two has made me seriously reconsider the marriage. Contrasting with the confusing situation of adding chaos into the chaos, Zonmis cool-headed retorting words left quite the impression. How do I put it, I think its weird to ask this at this point in time, but, mom, why have you come back so suddenly? Eh? Didnt they tell you? Havent you heard that a monster tamer tasked with your protection would be coming soon? To tell you the truth, that guardian monster tamer was me! !? Is that so? Certainly, if we go by moms true power, its understandable that she has been bestowed with the important task (?) of protecting me. Ufufu. Are you glad? Hey. Are you glad? In a good mood, mom pinched my cheeks. However Whats with this uneasy feeling? In the end, perhaps I long to return back to a normal household If I keep thinking about it, Ill feel like Ive lost, so Ill stop thinking. Well. Though its not like thats the sole reason I came. Phoenix LV: 38 Physical strength: S. Power: A. Speed: S. Immortal bird monster. Once its life comes to an end, it reincarnates. Its flames wont go down even if water is thrown. Serial number: ---- Volume 5 2 — Monster tamers training camp Volume 5 Chapter 2: Monster tamer''s training camp Meh, lets skip all that yadda-yadda. Its been decided that well be entering an open training camp for monster tamers. What in the world are the details to end with such a crazy development? For now, lets go into detail. The dispute of who will marry me? that occurred when mom suddenly came back home intensified disregarding the will of the person in question. Then, planning to somehow coping with the situation, mom suggested well participate in the training camp for newbie monster tamers held tomorrow, and then if you become the MVP you can engage in a relationship with my son, under the condition that its just platonic, without physical relations. And so we reach the present. Id have liked to retort no matter how platonic you say the relationship is, how can you let your own son to go out with a monster girl!?, but, if I think about it, mom has had a child with a demon. In regards to that, no comments. Perhaps to mom theres little difference between a human girl and a monster girl. I dont want to boast, but Id say that the Kusumi household Compete for the first-second world ranking for families with open-mindnessness towards romance between humans and monsters I think. Its really nothing to boast about! Next day. 7 in the morning. Before me, who had woken up early to participate in the camp, appeared someone I missed. Wassup! Chiharu! Long time no see! Oo Youhei? When I opened the entryways door (front door?), there was my familiar spiky-head classmate. It was Sakurazaka Youhei. Oioi. Chiharu, yoh. Though its our long-awaited summer vacation, where have you been until now? No matter how many times I called your cell, it wouldnt connect. Dontcha see you had me really worried? Ahaha. Sorry, sorry. I just went to the Netherworld for a bit. That, of course I couldnt add. Nonetheless, it really has been a long time, isnt it? Last time I saw Youhei would be At the yo-yo balloon fishing booth for the Saegusa festival. Then, Youhei, what brings you here so early in the morning? When I inquired, Youhei, with a face that said nice of you for asking!, Kukuku. Chiharu. Dont say anything and just look this! Mm. Whats this? Saying that, Youhei took out a DVD with the raunchy title of Do you like pretty female college students? YES! Big breasted maids ecchi service! Iya~. I went through great pains to grab a hold of it. Being Chiharu, of course you know, dont you? The shocking AV debut work of the girl who was formerly from that famous idol group! Right after it went into sale, it sold out and its sold on the internet at a premium price of ten times its market value!? I-Is that so What would you call beauties and what would you call big breasts? Its not like I had any complaint against the woman on the package. I just think that if we speak of beauty, its not like her features are neater than Zonmi''s, Kyouko''s or Iris''s, and if we talk about big breasts, shes not on the level of Manami, mom and Lilith-san. Fuh! It may be foolish to explain so much to you who has the data of over a hundred thousand porn mags stored into his head, nicknamed Adult Index. Of course, being Chiharu, youll know this much, wont you? Ah, yeaaah I must not tell. I must not tell him that, having all of my porn mags and DVDs disposed of by the hands of Zonmi, Ive completely quitted that hobby. What, no sorry but could you lend it to me? Lets go to your room now for an appreciation meeting! Wait!? Now!? Since today I have some important business Right when I was about to stop him with that, I noticed something weird. The Youhei that till just a while ago was hyped up trying to come into the entryway was like When the AV youve rented thinking that there were high schoolgirls As you play it on your home TV, there are mature women. That Grim expression of someone who has suffered personally the absurdity of this world ? Chiharu-sama. Is there a guest? Lilith-san, wearing as usual a maid outfit, tilted her head as if puzzled. Thought its a scene that Ive grown quite accustomed to, for a third person who doesnt know whats going on it seems its a bit too stimulating. Boobs Boobs, boobs, boobs! Calm down, Youhei! Cant you speak nothing but boobs!? Chichichi-Chiharu! Whats this, oi!? Could it be that big-breasted pretty maids do exist in reality!? Chiharu. A guest? Ill never thought that but, have you forgotten todays plans? Oniichan, dont bring unknown people home! Naturally its the natural development. Noticing the disturbance, after Lilith-san, all the residents of the Kusumi home appeared before us one after another. Confronted with this scene, Youhei, as if he had gotten a revelation With a face tinged with sorrow, Chiharu. I, yknow Have been wondering since long ago. Why, though they say you cant buy porn mags until you become 18 If you are still a virgin when you become 18 they make a fool of you. I Having had a conduct more irreproachable than no one Protecting my chastity even though Im not an idol Thats right. Im not the one whos wrong! Its the world! Fufufufu. Fuhahahahahaha! C-calm down Youhei! Your eyes are totally glassy!? Just when I calmly pointed that, Youheis expression was gradually filled with despair, Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah He completely broke. I Even though I thought of you as a friend Youve disappointed me, you ungrateful bastard! Someone like you Someone like you is not humaaaaaaan! Gohaah!? For some reason, he hit me. No, yknow? As Youhei said, surely could it be that Im not human? But, yknow, if you tell me so directly, of course even I will be hurt!? Though my body that has monster cells healed in a blink the damage from Youheis punch, my psyche, which after all its just that of a kid, will take some time to patch up. Oh, were here, were here. We, who have entered the monster tamer training camp on moms suggestion, are at Fujinomiya town, in the Shizuoka prefecture. Weve reached Mt. Fujis foot. Though I feel that if you looked it up on the net, to arrive here from Tokyo it seems that itd take quite the time and money, thats where being a tamer comes handy. If we ride on Kyoukos back, fully transformed into a Nephilim, naturally travel costs are free. Looking down from an altitude of several hundred meters, we could already discern a group of people that appeared to be the participants on the camp. At a glance, the young boys and girls looked peaceful and harmonious, it doesnt feel strict. There were quite more people than I had expected. There are currently approximately around 300 people gathered. Haru. Do I descend around here? Thats right. Please do. As soon as I said that, Kyouko started dropping in altitude. Then, from the dark dots we could see on the ground, for some reason we could hear cries of commotion. Uwah!? Whats with that monster!? Its suddenly coming down from the sky!? Hey. Could it be that monster is a Nephilim!? I saw it in the Monsterpedia! Dont joke A Nephilim, you say Thats not a monster a newbie can make a pact with !? It seems that Kyouko and me are the core topic. I didnt know. Are Nephilim such powerful monsters that would become an obvious topic of conversation between monster tamers? Surely, since Ive been saved many times by Kyoukos battle prowess, if we speak of understanding, I understand it, but Haru. Its around here. Yeah. So it seems. Following Kyoukos instructions, I jumped down from the Nephilims back. After that, Zonmi, Iris, Lilith-san and Manami also jumped down from Kyoukos back. Whaaaaat. Since Id heard it was a monster tamer training camp, I went and came, but theres no one that looks strong, isnt there, oniichan? And you, an ordinary person, says that? Nevertheless. Sincerely speaking, I feel like what my sister has said is not necessarily wrong. The monsters the tamers that appear to be the camp participants have brought with them dont look strong in the least. Like a monster with a slime-like shape or a giant bat that is two meters long. They give the vibe of the small fry that comes out in the dungeon of the starting quest of an RPG. By the way, sister. Since you stuck with us like it was just only natural, not even I had noticed until just now, but why are you here!? Humph! I concur with what little sister-kun has just said. I cant feel from the fellows gathered here even one thousandth of thy magic power. Being in such a place is just a waste of time. Erm Iris-san? Could you please stop with the statements that look for a fight promptly after arriving? Even though I thought of making tamer friends since I''m participating in this event Being so badly conspicuous will spoil everything. But, however. Other than my worries, somehow it seems that theres an unexpected source of antagonism. I mean, why does this guy, despite being a newbie monster tamer, has that many contracted monsters? No, no. Whats more envious is the level of the girls around him! Whats with that pretty girl squad!? I thought they were an idol group or something No matter how much I think, hes chosen his monsters based on looks. Really, hes the worst. Gueh. For reals? Scary Dont come near. Uheh. Despite not even a minute having pass since arriving, I couldnt avoid this Im not one to talk, but Im astonished of my negative image. Could it be that making friends out of my fellow monster tamers is nothing but a pipedream? That presentiment crossed my mind before five minutes had passed since reaching our destination. Thirty minutes later. After a simple opening greeting, at last the monster tamers training camp started. Letting the outsiders Lilith-san and Manami go rest beforehand at the cottage reserved as our lodging for tonight, we started with the real training. Hello, kouhai-kun! Im the one who will give you man-to-man guidance over this camp, Asakura Yuina? Y-yes. Please take care of me. It seems that this camp has a system where each group receives guidance from a middle class monster tamer senpai, and the objective is for the newbies to clear the three tasks they''re given. Then, if we speak about why I receive one-to-one guidance from a middle class monster tamer senpai, as you can guess, it''s because Im being avoided by my fellow tamers. As I couldnt even find one newbie to form a group with, Ive been forced to make a one-man group. To give a simple to understand example It feels like when, unable to find someone to pair with during gym class, youre forced to pair with the teacher. Ive heard rumours about you! Arent you that legendary monster tamer Kusumi Kanaes son!? Do you know about mom? Of course! *GRAB* Followed Yuina-san as she grabbed both my hands. At any rate, from a while ago, this person Has been in pointlessly high spirits. And the distance she takes when talking is awfully close. Due to her speaking from nearly point-blank range, I could see Yuina-sans cleavage from the neck of her shirt, but since its rather convenient for me, I better keep silent. Kanae-san is said to be the strongest even among the currently ten high rank monster tamers Shes the person I admire. Shes a woman with such a strength without comparison that once she even displayed by herself a battle power matching that of two thousand monster tamers. Hey, say. Kouhai-kun? Once this camp ends, could you get me Kanae-sans autograph!? Ah. Yes. No problem. Really!? Thaaaaaanks! !? Overcome with emotion, Yuina-san *HUG* hugged me. Amazing!! This is, not a monsters Not my blood-related relatives The feeling of a normal girls breasts Isnt it !? Yuina-san If we compare her with the girls around me, like Zonmi or Kyouko, the level of her looks fares a bit poorly, but conversely she was a girl whose simple cuteness becomes her charming point. So to speak The face of a pretty but not too pretty girl? If Zonmi or Kyouko are peerless beauties chosen from an audition of tens of thousands people, Yuina-san would be of the type which there are two or three at every school The extremely commonplace pretty girl youd find anywhere. This kind of down-to-earth cuteness personally touches quite deep my heartstrings Between this and that, to me This could be the first time in my life that Ive been able to enjoy the sensation of a normal human girl thats not a monster or family. From behind me I felt a frightening magical power filled with murder intent. W-wrong? This is Youre wrong? Yes? But I have not said anything yet Why so alarmed? Could it be you are self-aware of having done something wrong? No Its not like that Its fine. Since its not like youve done nothing wrong, Haru, why dont you have more confidence? Its fine. Since its not like youve done nothing wrong, Haru. Kukkuku. Monster tamer. If thou sayest to not deem your business Thou canst keep being entranced by those two lumps of fat. But then That choice may cost thou thy life. Im deeply sorry. Unable to endure the pressure from the three monsterettes, I kowtowed with enough force to sink the ground. ??? As if amazed by my action, Yuina-san tilted her head. I see. We have to move this container to the place that flag is set up? Having started with the camp, our first assigned task was a test of power and stamina. Before our eyes theres currently an iron container of about three hundred kilos of weight and two meters long in all its sizes. It seems that if we manage to bring this container to a place in the mountainside where a flag is set up, well clear the mission. Thats right? Of course, you must cooperate with your monster partners! However Be careful since theres a time limit. Time limit? Yup. The distance since this starting point to the mountainside is around 3,000 meters I wonder? The time allotted to newbie monster tamers is one day. In other words, if you cant take it to the goal in exactly 24 hours from now, keep in mind that youll be disqualified on the spot. Understood. Though it is a hard trial, believe it or not, weve been put through many ordeals. With us fours strength, I think that we shouldnt be disqualified for running out of time. As if foreseeing my internal relief, Yuina-san *fufufu* let out a suspicious jiggle. By the way, every year 3 out of 10 newbies retire at this trial. The fastest record left by past newbie monster tamers was 1 minute 20 seconds However, since the one who left this record was Kanae-san and shes a legend, you dont have to mind it. As further reference, Ill tell you that the average among mid class monster tamers is around 4 hours. The average time for top class monster tamers is about 10 minutes. Since, upon the completion of this task, kouhai-kun may be promoted, fight on! Understood. Newbie monster tamers, 24 hours. Mid class monster tamers, 4 hours. Top class monster tamers, 10 minutes? Theres quite the time difference between ranks. Leave this to me! As I was carefreely thinking about those things, Kyouko stepped up without hesitation in an awfully forceful manner. OK. I dont mind. Thinking about it, entrusting Kyouko, who excels in power the most among us four, may be what makes the most sense. After this there are two more trials left. If we entrust Kyouko completely with this trial, my other monsters may preserve their strength for the oncoming trials. Ehehe. Its my time to shine Look at this! After announcing that, Kyuoko took off the bracelet she was wearing in her arm and tossed it up. What now. The bracelet changed shapes in a flash and became a giant halberd. Aaah. Now that you mention it, there was that option, wasnt it? Still That was from when I fell into the big pinch of my three partners, Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris, trying to make a contract with me by force. Somehow it feels it was very long ago Its the same as when Kyouko used this halberd to send a huge truck flying. So, Kyouko thrust the halberd against the container, made it turn in midair, "Secret technique: moonsault!" She yelled in a loud voice. Uwah. I missed it so much that tears came out. !? And, while I was lost in nostalgic remembrances, something surprising happened. The iron container that Kyouko had thrown into the air, with the same momentum went up without falling. It went up. It went up. *BEKIBEKI!* The tossed container, drawing a nice parabola, hit the flag that acted as a landmark and utterly smashed it. Everyone present became dumbfounded. This Kyouko Shes been polishing her trademark power and its higher than before. Fufun? And? Have you gotten a better opinion of me? With this Ill win the MVP of the camp! For real? Surely, this Is this the trial that takes a day for your typical newbie monster tamer? Yuina-san. By the way, whats the time? E-ermmm 1 minute 24 seconds!? T-this is incredible! Che. I didnt reach Kanae-sans time? How disappointing. Four seconds more? Had you cut the useless chatter at the start, you could have supassed it. Well, even if you fuss over the record, it cant be helped. And that record, Kanae must have set it back when she was a newbie monster tamer. Eh? Eh? You lot! How can you be so calm!? Even though I think it was just by chance, havent you just set up a record that will be recorded in the monster tamers history!? Eeeh. But I rather than the record Want to be recorded as precious in Harus mind. Were you trying to say something clever!? Ouch! As Kyouko has gotten carried away by the good mark she had struck, I flicked her forehead. The second task we were assigned was a trial of resilience and presence of mind. The rules are simple. Roughly, its like a treasure search game where we have to retrieve a magic power stone hidden in the depths of a cave. Moreover, the cave was filled with traps and, according to Yuina-san, the level of difficulty was on a whole new level compared with the first task. Chiharu. Could you please leave this to me? Understood. This time its Zonmis turn. Well, suitable, what we call suitable, she is. Though since my biggest concern is the development where someone gets injured by one of the traps of the cave, in Zonmis case, who has the recovery ability of the undead tribe, thats no worry. Kouhai-kun. Since a while ago, havent you been relying too much on girls? I have faith in them. To the question Yuina-san asked me with eyes of contempt, I spat a sentence thatd make me look good. Fu-n. Well, I think that what you need right now, kouhai-kun, is some margin. This second task that kouhai-kun is about to challenge, the newbie monster tamers able to clear it each year are 5 out of 10, and moreover only less than one percent at the worst clear it unscathed. Before a task where, if you become just a bit careless, at worst youll lose your life, well see how much can kouhai-kuns monster advance. Even if you say youll lose your life Firstly, against the ghoul clan who''s about half-dead, I dont think thats so much a threat. And, if possible, Id like to think this was a misunderstanding. Am I thinking too much of it? Since weve seen Kyoukos recent feat, I dont feel like it strengthens Yuina-sans prediction. Since then, we waited about an hour. Fuu It has taken me more time than I thought. From inside the cave, we heard Zonmis voice. Thats Eh? Even though just an hour or so has passed since the start You say youve already cleared it!? Yuina-san, raising a shocked voice, cast a side glance at Zonmi, who appeared with magic power stone in hand. He? Heyhey. Of course we were taken aback. All over Zonmis body, for some reason Axes, knifes, arrows, spears. Pieced by a high number of all sorts of lethal weapons from every age and place, it looked so ghastly that youll unconsciously try to mosaic it. What the heck has happened here Having known Zonmi for a long time, I understood. After all, the caves interior is dim. Not having a sense of pain, Zonmi, without noticing herself that she had activated the traps, should have found the treasure inside the cave. As a result, shes become like a new species of land urchin Or so. You have guts to trick people, middle rank monster tamer. There werent any traps nowhere, you know? Said Zonmi covered from head to toe in blood and with her innards leaking out. Hii!? Staring at a so disgusting appearance, Yuina-sans legs unconsciously gave up and she fell to the ground. Kukuku. Kusumi Chiharu. Youve become conceited. Ill kill you. You Some day Ill kill you. The last task was a trial of overall combat power. It was a one-on-one direct confrontation with the middle rank monster tamer in charge. However, since a true one-on-one is very disadvantageous to the newbie monster tamer, it seems that it could be cleared just by making the opponent fall down once. If we speak about Yuina-sans condition, as you see, it clearly has suffered a sudden change compared to when we first met. Even though before she called me kouhai-kun? in a friendly way and smiling like an angel, now she called me by name. By my full name, at that. Even I, whos slandered as thickheaded by those around me, could somehow guess the reason for Yuina-sans complete change. Since, despite being no more than a newbie monster tamer, I have been doing nothing but setting records until now, Yuina-sans pride as a middle rank monster tamer has been hurt. Summonogre. So, Yuina-san, oozing with animosity, summoned a huge giant monster. From head to toe, it would measure around 7 meters? It was a full impact monster brandishing an axe. I see. Really different from the monster contracted to the newbie monster tamers that I saw before at the entrance ceremony. Yuina-sans summoned monster was just what youd expect from a mid rank monster tamer and it looks like it has quite the combat power. Monster tamer. Shant thou leave this to me? Well. Yeah. I think that if we go by turns, its so. However, of all people, for it to be my strongest contracted monster, Iris''s, turn with this timing All yours, but could you please just make it fall? Dont go all out too much? Umu. I know. Hearing our conversation, Yuina-san directed us a smile of self-sufficience. Aha. Kouhai-kun. Isnt this a mistaken choice? It could be. As I meekly affirmed it, Yuina-san returned to the same angelic smile from our first meeting. Well? Theres no helping it. Ill let that little girl to become Oo-chans opponent. This is why you are a beginner. Oo-chan. Dont be too serious and cut kouhai-kuns cutie some sl eh, ogyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! That finished in a blink of time. The flames spewed by Iris engulfed Oo-chan the ogre whole in a flash and rendered it unable to fight in no time. Erm Senpai. Dont let it bother you. Id dare say that its we who are abnormal, not you who is weak I told some comforting words to my senpai, who has burst into tears from the shock. However, somehow it seems that my comforting backlashed and instead hurt senpais pride even more. Buuuu. No more! I Had I known I would be in charge of such kids, I''d have rather not come to the camp Said Yuina-san with tearful eyes. Remember this! You Monster fetish pervert harem boy! Monster fetish you say. Im not one to talk, but thats a mean thing to say. Even I, if possible, would rather Date someone like you, a regular cute human girl This time I somehow silently awoke to the revelation of my popularity is limited to just monster girls and blood-related family. Having finished in less than two hours the program originally scheduled for a week, I went to the cottage prepared as our lodging. Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris, it seems that those three have some monster-exclusive additional curriculum, and though we had planned to take another course of action, its difficult to think that any assassin would come aiming for my body. Still, due to the stance of it being to make double sure, until I reach the cottage, Zonmi will be at my side. Nevertheless Weve finished too soon. The monster tamer training camp Though the things to lose were many, I dont think there was anything to be gained. That too cant be helped. Although your title, Chiharu, is that of a newbie monster tamer, I believe your true power is already close to that of a high rank monster tamer. Mmmm. Is that so? Actually, around where would my true power rank among monster tamers? I cant quite grasp the position. In my case, the foe I fought against first The black suited man was someone who could already be called a high rank monster tamer, such intuition left me utterly stupefied. For newbie monster tamers to take the promotion test, they need at least one year of experience. Being you, Chiharu Once you finish your training period, you can be promoted in no time to a high rank monster tamer. Thatd be good. By the way, what kind of life do those people who work as monster tamers lead? I went and asked that to Lilith-san. The people who become monster tamers, eventually everyone without exception gets affiliated to a phantom company that belongs to the IMA, and socially wise they earn a social position no different from that of your regular black collar worker. Theres also the thing where newbie monster tamers, for a year, receive no wages as (during) their training period, but after that, it becomes so they are entitled to receive wages according to their personal ability or something? If they become high class monster tamers, it seems theyll receive a remuneration on par with the CEO of a company listed on Tokyo Stock Exchanges First Section (around 10,000,000 yen of annual income?). I have nothing to say about such an excessively realist amount of money. On top of such a fairy-tale-like occupation as monster tamer actually existing, in many ways it brings livelihood. Welcome home, hubby. After bidding farewell to Zonmi, I arrived at the cottage we are lodging in. I casually opened the cottages door. Hubby. Will it be Manami? Will it be MANAMI? Or will it be ma-na-mi? So, what first entered into my view when I entered the room was my sister wearing a naked apron as if it was a natural thing. What are you doing? When I inquired with a look of contempt, Manami *JIGGLE* puffed her chest. I thought No~ Ive been forever stuck in the little sister role~. So for today, Manami has decided to change the plan and act as the loving newlywed wife receiving her husband home and serve you, oniichan. Decided, you say Like always, impulsive from head to toe, arent you Well then. Hubby. Dinner is ready, the bath is ready and the night service is ready. From which will you start? There are many things I want to say to you, but get dressed first. As I spat that, Manami looked at me with upturned eyes and let out a sugary voice. Mou. Hubby, you-mea-nie. Shaddap. Though my sister does and says a lot of disgusting things even under normal circumstances, due to this weird setting, the annoyingness was increased threefold. I dont have to go along anymore with my sisters eccentricities. And then I realized that someone who should be here wasnt. ? Speaking of it, where has Lilith-san gone? If my memory serves right We should have arranged for her to take care of the cottage along with Manami until the end of the camp. Aah. If its about miss titties I mean, the second wife, shes hiding in that shadow there, I think? Second wife? What kind of jokes is she spouting However, when I saw Lilith-san hiding in the shadow of a pillar, my doubts got blown away in an instant. Errrm Lilith-san. What are you doing? Hii!? Right when I made eye contact with her, Lilith-san put a frightened face. What the heck Today shes in a state where its very difficult to find a place to look at her. Naked apron. Its a naked apron. Thinking about it calmly, Ill say again that seeing my sister in a naked apron before felt ridiculous. Different from my sisters usual state with that deeply rooted sorry character that makes you uncomfortable, Lilith-sans naked apron figure was astounding in many senses. W-whats with this destructive power? I think that in a morals textbook I read at elementary school it said that when in trouble, no one better than friends to rely on. By picturing in my brain Youhei dressed as a bunny girl, I barely managed to keep my reason. No, however. Lilith-sans voluminous chest size that fills the apron to the brim, and defenselessly exposed well-fleshed plump behind seem to hide the power to promptly blow up my reason if I get careless for just an instant. Ehehe. Hows it? Hubby. Until the zombie and the rest get home, its your chance! We are ready to accept any pervy command that oniichan I mean Hubby asks for! Kuh! Whats this. This feeling It may be because I got excited by the vision of Lilith-sans naked apron. Its like when you prepare to someone the peppers they hate and the Salisbury steak they love; the novel dish of meat-filled peppers and they can eat both of them If I cooled my head and thought about it, I could make some sense in an instant of the weirdness, but right now, I, seeing my sister in a naked apron, ended up thinking this may be it. Yeeeees! The personal route is hopeless, but if we enter the harem route it may become that Manami and oniichan get joined! This is the last chance! Manami! If you lead oniichan through the harem route, taking advantage of the turmoil, you can even have sex with oniichan! Because of that ominous speech my sister muttered, I could come back to my senses. Hah! Darn. Was that my sisters aim!? She was about to trick me into that malignant set! Sob Chiharu-sama. Please spare me. I, so as to clean the succubis image I vowed to keep my body pure!! If I went to engage into misconduct now, I wont be able to look the past me in the eye If you hate it, should you be in that state? Eeeerm. Thats You see As Lilith-san kept looking for someone to help her, my sister promptly raised her voice to obstruct her. Miss titties. I think youd better speak no more~ ! Fufufufu. Its nothing Should Manami show oniichan that that she has recorded on her cellphone or shouldnt her~ !? But, oniichan will surely receive a shock~. By no means would miss titties with her innocent character misuse her position as a maid to do this and that to oniichans laundry Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" When Manami started to speak. !? Lilith-san suddenly let out a scream that resonated inside the cottage, obstructing my sisters words. Following that, Lilith-san, so that Manami didnt say anything more, making full use of her own identity quickly blocked my sisters mouth. Mogaa Mogaa!! At her wits end, Manami, with her face pressed against Lilith-sans boobs In the end, suffering from lack of oxygen, with a final chin!, she passed out as if her soul had come out from her mouth. Hmph, hmph. Those boobs Are useful, arent they. Am I thinking too much? I think that there had been an event like this one before This way, thanks to an unexpected internal break up (?), I managed to avoid succumbing to my sisters allurement. Two hours after that. Having reunited with the monster trio who had underwent an additional curriculum, we ate with relish the dinner prepared by Lilith-san. Lilith-san, just as one would expect from a professional maid, is the one who cooks the best from among us. Ever since Lilith-san freeloads at the Kusumi home, the household chores seem to have become lighter. After eating dinner, I took a light shower to wash off my sweat and quickly went to bed. Since then six more hours have passed. Im troubled. I don''t feel like sleeping at all. It has been nearly three hours since I laid in bed and closed my eyes. Even though the time is around 2 oclock, thinking about what to do from now on makes my chest hurt and Im unable to sleep. Really, what can I do? Having to choose just one of the charming girls around me Once this camp finishes, they will, from me Request some kind of answer. Nevertheless, still, if I forcibly dodge it, I may postpone the problem, but Really, until when will it work? Though somehow or other Even if I try to postpone the answer, I have the hunch that well soon near the limit. Giving up on falling asleep, I got up from bed. When I set foot in the living room to drink water or something since my throat was dry, I noticed on the edge of my vision the figure of a girl standing at the cottages balcony. When I opened the sliding window, the nice and cold night breeze flowed into the living room. Manami. What are you doing? I called out when I recognized her. This night I cant leave Manami alone. Somehow That obscure thought passed through my heart. Nothing. Nothing really. Just looking at the stars. The stars? When I looked up like Manami said, surely tonight, with the clear sky without a single cloud, looked like the perfect chance to gaze at the stars. A superb view that you cant see at the city that reflexively makes you hold your breath. Heeeh. Even Manami does stargazing. As I spouted my honest feelings, Manami, looking at me with scorn, Oniichan. Do you think your little sister is something like a creature of unknown nature that crawled out from the depths of the hell? Eh? Am I wrong? At least to me, my little sister I perceive her as an inhuman being more monstrous than the monsters. Of course youre wrong!! Clearly Manami will be hurt if shes told such a thing! No. My bad. Of course I was joking. I know. As it looks like, weve been siblings for more than 10 years. I know that my sister has an unexpected girly side. Oniichan. Do you plan to decide who you''ll be lovers with during this camp? Mm. More or less. Just to make sure, is Manami not among the candidates? Thats correct, but since I feel that thats too cruel, I made it as if I hadn''t heard and kept silent. Is that so? Does my first love end here? *SIGH* Muttered my sister guessing those feeling of mine. It seems that, even without words, shes able to guess my intentions. No. Id say my sister is a girl more sensitive than anyone and able to read the mood better than anyone. Somehow or other Ever since Zonmi-san came to our house, I had the feeling it would be like that. Oniichan, someday Wont you end up going to a place where my hands wont reach, so it seems? Zonmi-san? Unexpectedly, my sister called Zonmi, whom she only called zombie, by her true name for the first time. Aha. Surprised? Is not very like Manami, and though it feels revolting, now that my love has been set as unrequited its come to me as having no need to regard her as a rival. With this chance, why dont I change for reals the way I call her? Haha! Lets say that it comes to that, I think that Zonmi will be stumped. Thereafter. We gazed the twinkling stars without saying a word. It really has been a long time since I last spent such a solemn time with my sister. I think Ill tell for a while a story from long ago. I think youll think of it as unexpected of what Ill tell you, but just five years ago When Manami went to elementary school, just with looking at the faces of other people, she was a girl too afraid of strangers. Its a story that now would be difficult to believe, but Putting it bluntly, Manami, for the six years of elementary school, barely attended classes. She read too much the mood of those around her. Speaking from the result, that was the extent of my sisters inborn strangeness. When communicating with others, often its composed of a true intention and a fa?ade, but my sister could see through the hearts of the rest as if she read minds. I dont know why my sister holds that special ability. And then, the special skill of reading too much into the mood is, to an elementary school girl less of a merit and more of a demerit. Why is that so? Just because she had a figure nicer than others, she was thoughtlessly approached by her male schoolmates with ulterior motives. Just because she had better abilities than other, her female schoolmates thoughtlessly were jealous of her. The Manami from back then Had to endure it all with that little body of hers. Since when was it? When did my sister completely lose interest in people other than me? Nothing but me was reflected in my sisters eyes. They didnt reflect. Since who knows when, my sister, by directing all of her interest and concern to me, she could master the skill of keeping her peace of mind. Does focusing too much on others make her lonely? Does looking away too much from others make her lonely? Really, which way would make her happy? Hey, Manami. Tell me. If, lets say, I Find someone dear to me and I become close to that person What will be of your inner world? PANPAKAPAAN? Now one thing. Commemorating over ten years of unrequited love of your cute little sister, theres an important announcement to you, oniichan! Yeah? After a bit of silence. As if she had thought of something, suddenly, my sister blurted out that astounding thing. Oniichan. I Have decided. Manami Will become a monster tamer. Really? Really really. Totally really? To tell the truth, Ive been thinking about many things since we went to the Netherworld, but I think that this is the best way to be besides oniichan. If I cant be by your side as a lover From now on, Manami will be by oniichans side as your rival! I see. Certainly, like that she can increase the time shes with me even without entering into a love relationship. Like always, a wild idea very much like my sister. But Monster tamer, you say, that I think its not in the line of going to Hello World searching for a job. I only have a faint recollection about that, but I think you need to have your special talent recognized by the International Monster Association and bestowed a Contract Ring. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How na?ve, oniichan~. Now look at this! !? What my sister produced saying that was, with the same design as the one Im wearing A silver glittery Contract Ring. Manami!? You From where the heck!? Its easy? This, yknow, I got it normally when I consulted it with Kana-tan? Wha? In fact, it seems that its quite the valuable thing, but making use of Kana-tans connections, It seems that it was unexpectedly easy to get a hold of it? Mom. You No matter how much you dote on your daughter, please dont abuse your authority!? ? Now that you mention it, I havent seen mom ever since we got to the camp, but Manami. Do you know something? When I asked, Manami, shaking her head, Manami too doesnt know, howd I put it Even Manami doesnt know but 20% of what Kana-tans thinking about~. But This, I can tell you. Mom is hiding something from us. Something she absolutely cant tell us Something very important ? What the heck is it? Well. Manami doesnt know that much. Saying that with a face as if nothing had happened, Manami stretched with a grandiose mmmm and commented. Well, then, oniichan. Its already late at night and Manami the good middle schooler girl kid has to go to sleep. Good night~ Good night. Manami parted from my side in haste with quick feet. Nevertheless. At that time I caught a glimpse of my sisters profile illuminated by the rooms lights. My sisters eyes, though I hadnt noticed it until just now, were abnormally Red and swollen by tears. Sorry. Sorry, Manami. My sisters world of thoroughly looking away from others; where she and me could be alone together that until now sustained her self Had been completely smashed today. However. Even knowing that, still, the day I answer my sisters hopes wont ever come. But, yknow, Manami. This I can tell you with confidence. Just if. If we werent brother and sister Just a man and a woman living together in this world Id undoubtedly would had loved you as a woman without fail. Why is it? Because I love you. No matter what outrageous things we experience I will always Think of you as my cute little sister, the apple of my eyes. A girl who, no matter how many times she was rejected, bravely whispered sweet nothings and devotedly serves you Who would hate her? While seeing off my sisters back, who was clearly just fruitlessly pretending to be tough, I held such unspeakable feelings. At the same time. The something Kusumi Manami had predicted Kanae was hiding. That something, slowly, slowly, started moving. However, Chiharu and his gang had no way to know that it had certainly started moving. This is the continent where the undead tribe lives, Living Lodge. In it, theres a midwinter land of perennial ices where not even a single monster lives. The monster tamer that had tasted defeat in his showdown with Chiharu. Lance Patriot was waiting in silence for his last moments inside an ice prison built by a dreadful power. Cold. Its incredibly cold. Inside the cell, there were sorry number of blankets prepared and a small quantity of embers not enough to sustain ones live. Its seems that these undead bastards think that I wont be so easily killed. Are they waiting until I get my life slowly drained inside this cell? It cant be said that they are very courteous with people, such a revolting bunch, cursed Lance. ( Well, since it''s come to this, its not worth worrying about.) Even if the cell had been reinforced with a special magic, Lance, who was once given the nickname of Tamer of Souls, held skill that gave despair to numerous monster tamers. That in mind, theres still the possibility of a jailbreak left, but Surely now it doesnt seem feasible. ( Ahaha. Theres no need to be disheartened. Isnt being defeated in battle a suitable fate for a rogue?) When, his conscience growing dim, Lance let out a self-mocking smile. d grief. Such a troublesome undisciplined kouhai I have. Out of nowhere, a mans voice was heard. Wha. You How !? Am I dreaming? Who suddenly appeared before Lance was his superior monster tamer appointed by the Black Tamers. The person called Clarie Shernfelt. Lets leave the chit-chat for later. For now lets scape. Useless. This prison is not something where a regular monster tamer can make it. Ah, so. If Its not a regular monster tamer, they can make it? Right when the voice of a young girl was heard, the icicles surrounding Lance were reduced to dust. Noelle!? Could it be that even you!? Noelle, both arms turned into those of a golem, spewed abusive language with sullen discontent. Han! Could you not misunderstand? Its not like I would care if you froze to death here, but We are childhood friends brought up in the same institution. Why the heck are you lot here? Could it be Under bosss commands!? Receiving Lances question, Clarie, promptly shaking his head, Nope. Regrettably it is not that. Boss, right now Is supervising the final adjustments of the Arcadia plan and doesnt have spare resources left for any other things. So, this Is just a whim of mine? Will you fight with us, Lance Patriot? Your necromancer power is needed for the realization of our bosss plans! Lance was left mute by the outrageous reply that Clarie gave. Clarie-san. Sorry for wasting your goodwill, but I dont plan on leaving from here. An? Why the heck? To put it simply, Im afraid of fighting again. Kusumi Chiharu. Fighting that guy was bad news to a nasty degree. No~. Hes out of this world. That guy is the ultimate strong person with victory granted to him since birth. Clarie-san. Im Genuinely frightened. If I were to taste that fear once more It would honestly be better if I died inside this cell! Its not just the simple loss of body heat. Kusumi Chiharu. Remembering my battle with him, my body trembles with fear. As if I shouldnt had fought with him. I sincerely dont remember what happened after we released our limiters. But, the fresh memory of his own defeat brought up by Chiharus overwhelming power was deeply engraved in Lances mind. Being afraid Its the same for me! Frankly, right now my limbs are trembling. But, yknow, if we flew away now, who will support boss? Saying that, Clarie handed Lance a cane with a magic power stone embedded. Its fine. You can do it! Show it To the world! Our power! This Is the last battle! What the heck is this guy saying? If we speak of battle power, the man before him didnt hold a candle to Lance. However, maybe it was because of that. The man before him has experienced a number of defeats beyond imagination, and maybe because of that he doesnt fear in the slightest losing. (In the end Even losers have their losers pride. Something like that? Its not like I have such a hobby, though) Without a word, Lance took the magic power stone-embedded cane that Clarie had handed him. (As if I had taken out a fish bone that was struck inside my throat A wonderful and refreshing feeling.) Lance, smiling, took out the dragon bone powder he had hidden inside the depths of his breast pocket for if the worst case came, scattered it around him, lifted the cane in his hand and bestowed to it transient souls. *RUMBLE RUMBLE* Then, while raising a sound as if the ground trembled, appeared the shapes of uncountable Skull dragons. W-whats this!? Seeing those grotesque existences suddenly appear before their eyes, the ghoul gaolers fell into a state of panic. Because of the large number of summoned Skull dragons, the ice prison followed the way of destruction. We are the Black Tamers, able to make crying children to stop! Well show you! Us, we have our own justice! With the crumbling building at his back, Clarie proclaimed in a loud voice. Its because they say these lines seriously is why I cant come to like ourthe Black Tamers men. As if taken from an old hot-blooded student drama. Its cold in many ways. And, before the series of events that happened before her eyes, Noelle stated that awfully cold-hearted thought. Giant tribe: Ogre LV: 6. Physical strength: C. Power: B. Speed: C. Netherworld demon monster. Even though its body is huge, it''s surprisingly timid. Kind-hearted and bad with quarrels. Serial number: 032 Volume 5 3 — Miss Monster girl contest Volume 5 Chapter 3: Miss Monster girl contest Thereafter. Having totally finished all of the curriculum of the monster tamer training camp, we, with nothing else to do, engaged in inconsequential things like playing with the UNO that Kyouko had brought while we waited for the last day of the camp, when the MVP would be decided, to come. Even so, UNO Quite the nostalgic item she has brought. Calm down, calm down. When going on field trips there was always at least one person in the class who was the type to bring it. I have the feeling that Kyouko is one of those. My turn. A direct attack to Kyouko with five draw two in a row! W-wait, Haru! Arent you being mean to me since a while ago!? You are only aiming your attacks at me! Mm. Really? Thats not my intention, though. Is that so? Inquired Kyouko with reproachful eyes. Obviously! First, this is a game. Dont get so heated up. Generally, havent you been a bit too self-conscious since long ago Ack! Haru, could you perhaps be a do-M? Do you wish so much to be kicked by me? Moron. S not. Like that. The reason why Im provoking Kyouko is just one. The short skirt-wearing Kyouko naturally has to raise her leg to kick me. If I use the kinetic vision of the me who has awakened the power of the maou Even if its just for a little instant, I can perfectly see with these eyes a glimpse of Kyoukos panties. Fufufu. To lose a fly to catch a trout. To be caught by such a basic technique while being my childhood friend, quite the simple fellow. Among them, just one person. Only my sister Manami noticed my true intentions, but she made it to show me by herself glimpses of the contents of her skirt Since seeing my sisters panties of course doesnt make me happy, Ill keep ignoring her. With this and that It happened when I was fully enjoying the camp with the girls. Had I known that theyd hold the Miss monster girl event on the last day of the camp What I want to say is as I told you before. Since, currently, the ranking of the girls of the camp seems to be all first position with the same grades, if we go like this it may become the historical first occasion of three people being awarded the MVP at the same time~. In my opinion, though everyone being first is a foul and I wouldnt allow anyone to go out with my son, since I think that thats not fair, hence if you participate in this contest I invite you to, Ill allow it! The heck, when it comes to mom Just when I think shes shown up abruptly, she comes with this outrageous talk. Summarizing moms talk. Since, currently, Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris are tied together in first place with the exact same points, it seems theres a possibility that like this the who will become my lover? wont get settled at the end of the camp. So this is why this suspicious miss monster girl contest that mom suggested. The monsters confess various things to the monster tamers they are grateful to and the spectators who act as judges rate the depth of their mutual trust That seems to be the gist of it. As this event is purely recreational and not tied to the main training, usually it has no effects on the camp grades. Exceptionally, the monster selected as miss monster this year will have their grade subtly increased. In other words If one among the girls became the victor, inevitably the line of the same points first place MVP will vanish. Mother. Let me participate in this event without fail! Her usual cool beauty atmosphere seems like a lie. As if a fire was burning in her eyes, Zonmi entered hot-blooded mode. The other two girls, same like Zonmi, looked unusually fired up. Hmmmm. Well, then, so its come to that? As theres a high chance that they''ll outwit the other rivals in this event, its not like the fighting spirit is not needed. Hey, hey. Kana-tan. By the way, can Manami also join that event? Manami is human, though! Mmm. As expected, for this time only, do I have to be an itty-bitty strict? Mana-tan, house-sit like an adult. Eeeh. I dont wanna house-sit by myself. At least Kana-tan has to remain at the cottage with me! Im tired of looking at miss titties titties!" Manami-sama. Could you please not say such mean things so nonchalantly? Ahaha. Sorry, sorry. Mom has to now go meet an old acquaintance for work-related issues. Good grief Even though this was a chance for my long awaited mother-daughter alone time, how disagreeable Mom laughed out loud with her usual easygoing attitude. However, why is it. It may be because of all those long years as mother and child that I noticed. Moms smile seemed just a bit somewhat forced. Speaking of which, Manami had told me previously That mom was hiding something from us. I think that I at last understand those words. However, naturally, its not like I can ask mom what are you hiding? based on such an intuitive hunch. Only a murky feeling that I cant vent out remains in my chest. Finally the last day of the camp arrived. Nephilim. And red dragon too. Finally the time has come for the decision dragged out for so long to be made. Fufufufu. The one who will be laughing last will be me, the childhood friend Ill show you how Ill definitely make Haru mine! Who will take the seat of the monster tamers wife? This endless battle Will be decided at last? We are, currently, at the venue of the miss monster girl contest. We were standing backstage. Eeeh. Then, entry number one! Newbie monster tamer Hongou Taichi-san and false slime Michelle-chan. You two, take the stage! Aah. Thats right. By the way, the one whos acting as the host of this event is the mid-rank monster tamer who worked as my coach during the intensive training from beforeAsakura Yuina-san. Yuina-san although she was sending to us who were waiting backstage glances filled with animosity from time to time, skillfully kept acting as a host. By the way, that we ended up in the position of last performer in the order Zonmi Iris Kyouko (last) is it really just by chance? That Yuina-san holds a grudge against us for shaming her has been clearly conveyed, but I dont feel that that has any relation. Eeeh. The act that, as you see, the fake slime Michelle-chan cant take human shape its because it seems that its little magic power is insufficient, but, for that, the affection for its master is especially strong. Isnt it, Michelle-chan? Guchuguchu. Guchuguchu. What the heck. Though it has been conveyed that it frantically wanted to convey something, since in the first place it cant speak human language, it doesnt look like communication can be established Looking at Michelle-chans grotesque shape, like a molten corpse of a living being, I really felt seriously that could it be that my environment as a monster tamer is very blessed? Was it thanks to Yuina-sans good hosting, having quickly gotten the knack? After that, the miss monster girl contest proceeded all right. However, while its right that the contents were monsters expressing their thankful feelings to the partners they are usually indebted to, there was never the atmosphere of a monster confessing its love to a human. As I thought, is it that a human and a monster becoming lovers is made taboo by societys common sense? Such a thing Makes me extremely worried. Eeeh. Now, what everyone was waiting for! Entry number 16. Newbie monster tamer Kusumi Chiharu-san and the lovely pretty girl from the ghoul clan! Its Zonmi Ra McKenzies entry! The couple who has caught the attention and become the talk of this camp, what kind of performance will they show us!? Everybody, anticipate it! ! Weve been had. Even though I vaguely had a hunch, shes nonchalantly raised the hurdle. As instructed by Yuina-san, we stood in the middle of the stage. Uwaah I reflexively leaked out a voice of admiration. Before us, monster tamers and their partners Both of them together accounted for nearly three hundred spectators sitting there and watching our every action. Contrasting with me, who was stiff from the nervousness due to being unaccustomed to standing in public, Zonmi kept a cool countenance. As expected, the word cool beauty, wrong Ghoul beauty fits Zonmi to a T. Like that, Zonmi took the mike prepared onstage and, without batting so much an eyelash, spouted shocking words. As Ive been introduced, I am Zonmi Ra McKenzie. Well, going straight to the point, I hold romantic feelings for this man here called Kusumi Chiharu. The trust as a monster tamers partner Not in that sense, I love him as a man. !? The instant after Zonmi voiced such shocking words. I felt as if the flow of mood that had been drifting until then at the venue instantly changed. And it seems that the other two girls who will be coming later onstage hold the same feelings as me. As I dont like being roundabout, Ill tell it clearly now; the monster who wins this contest from among the 3, me included, is arranged to marry our partner Chiharu. The people at the venue couldnt hide their bewilderment because of Zonmis bombshell announcement that she had fired as if expecting an answer. Well, to be fair, if we say that disclosing the news with the attitude of facing a duel is much like the overly serious Zonmi, it was Zonmi-like? Eeh!? That ghoul girl Is she serious!? I cant believe it. For starters, such a thing as a human and a monster in a relationship Ive never heard of it! Though, personally, its not like I want to act in such an emotion-garnering way Im already at a relationship level with Chiharu-kun of being both stark naked under the same blankets heating each others bodies Thats why I absolutely cant afford to lose this showdown. !? Having shown once my naked body to a man is the same as if my body had been already sullied. If I cant make Chiharu take responsibility at any cost, I, in the future Ill possibly end up stranded on the roadside without being able to find any one to take me. Zonmi kept pleading to the spectators with a tone filled with emotion. I see. This Zonmi chick I dont know if it''s intentionally or by chance, shes been saying clever things. That said, appealing to the feelings of the audience is better in garnering votes than saying outright vote for me. Nevertheless. That girlie Shes heavy No matter how pretty she is, thats a bit Calm down[check]. Theyve only slept together once, pretentious woman! Thats right! Gross Contrary to my expectations, Zonmis strategy seemed to be extremely unpopular with the judges of the venue. The love philosophy (?) that Zonmi has which was, to put it nicely, modest, and to put it badly, old-fashioned, wasnt understood by the children of modern times who were at the venue. This means, since we already have parental consent, that the only thing left now are Chiharus feelings! Everyone at the venue! Could you please vote righteously for my and Chiharus cheerful family!? Without noticing the completely chilled atmosphere of the venue, Zonmi kept pleading. Erm, the people at the venue have been taken aback in quite a diligent way. Z-Zonmi-san. For your 30 minutes long explanation of your future plans Thank you very much. Who will be taking the stage next is Iris Scarlet Linwurm-chan the red dragon~. Everyone, lets give her a warm applause~ In second place, its Iris. Prompted by Yuina-san the people at the venue gave some applauses, but once they saw Iris, the claps stopped and they directed chilly glares to me. Hey. Such a little kid is also a bride candidate? This Kusumi Chiharu guy No matter how you look at it hes a lolicon Even if just the monster fetish was already quite that, on top of it, a lolicon Really the worst The words I hear from the venue are quite severe. Perhaps because, totally different from the time with Zonmi, she was not used to appearing before a crowd of people, nervousness could be picked up from Iriss gait. That, erm I The moment Iris started to say something. *KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!* Perhaps because the mike wasnt adjusted, it produced a grating noise that could be said to be a kind of a staple at these sort of events. Fue From Iris, who was exposed to public attention, none of her usual high-handed attitude could be felt. The one whos now before me, suited to her age If we put aside the fact that shes from the red dragon clan, was just your run-of-the-mill 12 year old girl. Hey. That kid, isnt she cute? Yeah. I may have said that before, but I think that Ive understood a bit that Kusumi Chiharu guys feelings. Is this what they call a lucky break? Iriss loveable blunder seemed to have touched the attendances heartstrings. In all honesty. The glares the attendance has been sending to us until now were relentless, but seeing Iriss pure acts, they slowly started sending her fight on! cheers. Fuu Iris, taking one big, deep breath, seems to have succeeded in recovering her usual mood. Monster tamer. I must apologize to thee for one thing. Mm. Why so sudden? Iris wants to apologize to me? After all, as she was born into the elites called red dragons, Iris is the top (number one) most prideful person I know. I think its rare for Iris to apologize to me. The pledge of marriage I agreed with thee For now I want to retract it. Eh? The words that Iris spouted, as if contrary to all of her insistence until now Were too astounding. Why the heck? As I asked the reason, Iris, slowly shaking her head, "This Is something Ive been pondering for a while. Unfortunately, I dont meet the requirements to be betrothed to thee Nowadays, suddenly I came to think like that. Do you mean that age-wise you cant get married? Has she learned about the fact that to get married in the human world she needs to be 16 or more? When I voiced what I thought, Iris just grinned broadly. Missing the mark but surprisingly striking the essence Its truly like thee to say that. However, unfortunately, thy expectations are amiss. I Since I lost both my parents at a tender age, I led a life of being shut alone inside my shell, knowing nothing about the outside world. For that very reason Compared to the feelings the ghoul or the Nephilim hold for thee I ended up not being confident enough of my own feelings. Right now, these feelings I profess thee, like those of a just-born fledgling who takes the first being they see as their parent Can someone deny that they are that kind of blind devotion? I didnt know. Really, was Iris hiding these kind of feelings in her heart Yet, I think I understand what Iris is saying. About Iriss marriage proposal, shes ignorant of the ways of the world, therefore I rushed out I had that kind of recognition. Moreover As right now my experience is insufficient in regards to many things, I cannot possibly act as thy support. Ever since meeting yall And coming to live together I keenly realized that. For that, I, for the moment, if the strife dies out I shall return to the Netherworld and try to attend school. S-school!? Right now at this moment, surely Im not the only one who could picture Iris dressed in an sparkling uniform and holding a schoolbag. Its not that surprising of a thing. Rather, I find myself more questionable that such a thing hadnt come to my mind until now. If I go to school, I shall part from thee for a minimum of 3 years However, just if Instantly, Iris, who was casting her eyes down with a weak voice, with a face of having made some sort of decision, firmly raising her head, Just if Yet notwithstanding, these feelings of mine were unchanged I want thee to listen to my confession. Although For the one confessing to say I want thee to wait may be really foolish Ill wait. Nu? Iris. The one who should apologize would rather be me. I Till I heard your words, I was regarding your marry me speech half as a joke. But, in fact its different. Im glad that youve thought so hard about it. Thats why Ill stop being half-baked. 3 years? Once they pass If your feelings dont change, Ill definitely put off my answer like Im doing now. Im resolved to take your feelings on wholeheartedly! As I voiced my honest feelings, Iris let out a daring smile, Fu! Is it so? However This very minute, Im convinced. This feelings I hold for thee, shant fade never ever, in all eternity. I love thee, Kusumi Chiharu. I like thee more than any other person in the world. After declaring that with an extraordinary smile, Iris quickly left the venue. I give up After a while, my heartthrobs dont give (show) any signs of calming down. That and all, wasnt that the first time that Iris called me by name? And Iriss straight feelings that I felt seem to have reached the spectators. W-what a praiseworthy kid. Strange. I dont know why but I want to root for that child. Different from the time with Zonmi, Iriss brave request had reached the hearts of the people at the venue. Iris-chan, thank you very much. Now, bringing an end to this miss monster girl contest, the Nephilim Kurose Kyouko-chan. Everyone, lets give a grand applause suitable to the last entry! ! In third place, Kyouko. Standing on the stage, Kyoukos nervousness doesnt lost to the one from Iris earlier. By the way. It has been bugging me since before. I Dont understand very well Kyoukos reason for joining this event. I mean, really? Kyouko, from among the three girls I have a contract with, is the only one who hasnt told I like you to me and her marriage proposal was made on the nonsensical grounds of its unbalanced. Was it necessary for you to enter this by force? When I voiced my heartfelt thoughts, Kyouko made a sullen face and raised her eyebrows. W-why!? I mean, you Isn''t it that you dont like me in a romantic way? Being that the case What need did you have to join a showdown where they betted who''s marrying me? Hearing my words, Kyouko dropped her glance looking downcast. Have I been a bit too harsh? However, theres no helping that. If she married a partner that she doesnt love, Kyouko would only become unhappy. As for me, for Kyouko I want her to find someone she truly loves and become happy. Kyouko, after a bit of silence, Of course I love you, moron! For some reason, Kyouko shouted an astounding statement in anger when I shouldve been the angry one. You Cut it out! Stop being so thick headed! Eh? Wait!? Could it be that Kyouko loves me!? Thats Thats what Ive been telling you for a while, you moron! Since when!? Since when the heck do you like me, Kyouko!? Since the childhood friend Ive known for years has dropped that bombshell, I unconsciously also became panicked. Of course since the start, moron! Hey. Someone explain it to me. What the heck, Im being confessed or Im being told up Which is it? Haru, you moron! Moron, moron, moron! Even though for over 7 years Ive aaaaaaaaaaaaaalways felt like that Haru, all the time You flirt with other girls before my eyes Woah!? My bad! Dont cry! Suddenly, Kyouko broke into tears right there. Uwaah. That guy The worst. I cant find a bit of anything to sympathize. The booing I heard from the venue were painful. Eeeerm. Hey. Could you stand? Kyouko? Theres no reason to keep being on the stage any more. I, to pull up Kyouko, who had broken into tears, I grabbed her from her clothes sleeve, and then it happened. !? Kyoukos bewitching lips plugged up my own lips. Kyouko? While unconsciously sliding a finger through my lips, I stood stock still dumbfounded. On my mouth that had been touched by Kyouko lingered traces of a faint warmth. D-dont misunderstand! Same as usual, Kyoukowith a way of speaking like taken from the template of a tsundere character, stated that to me. Ive already said it, but That the other girls have done it and only I havent is unfair or because its unbalanced Its not like that After that introduction, Kyouko, The kiss from just now comes from my piled up feelings of seven years Gratefully accept it Moron! Stating that clearly, she left the stage. I ended up being left alone on the venue. I didnt know. Unexpectedly, that Kyouko has always Liked me. Thinking about it carefully, though this event, I From all three girls, Zonmi, Iris and Kyouko, have received confessions and ended up with the shocking experience of having kissed all of them. Kyouko, who until now put herself aside in romantic matters, by confessing to me Is now standing on an equal line as everyone? Next, the only thing left is waiting for the results of whos been chosen as the MVP of this camp. What the Ein It was when I was thinking those things. The scene unfolded before my eyes of the sky being painted up in black as if hinting the end of the world. The suns light blocked by something darkish, as far as I could see, all light was lost as if it had become night. That which suddenly appeared at the human world Was the beginning of the end. Turning back the time to twenty minutes before the end of the miss monster girl contest. Near the Abyss Gate in Fuji''s Sea of Trees aka Hell''s Red, two monster tamers were facing each other. The first tamer was Luka the Snake Charmer. She, who was the youngest in history to be promoted to top rank monster tamer, had the hopes of many who called her a genius of once in 10 years put on her, but As if she had lost her way somewhere, her other identity was that of the top of the evil organization of the Black Tamers. Ufufu. My, my. The last bosss entry Should I call it like that~? Truth is I though there were too many few people protecting the largest Abyss Gate of the world. Immortal TamerKusumi Kanae. The name of the other monster tamer was Kusumi Kanae. She, whos widely regarded as the strongest both in name and in fact from all the current top rank monster tamers, has enough skill to be called a living legend by her peers. Oh, my, Haruka. Have you forgotten how to use respectful speech in the while I havent seen you? Long ago, you were a child whod respectfully call me senpai! senpai!. Good grief Something I dont want the time to change. Luka, dropping her glance a bit, Haruka Is it? That way of addressing me No one but you use it anymore, Kane-san. She directed Kanae a piercing glare like a snake aiming for its prey. Then What would you be doing here? According to my research, shouldnt you have been entrusted with guarding your son? No~. Certainly I was told something like that by that grampsmaou from the IMA, yknow~. Sorry, but just waiting doesnt sit with me. If I stop your rampage, Ill be killing two birds with one stone by protecting my dear Haru-nyan and protecting world peace. So, hey? I-its not like Im skipping work, yknow? Hearing Kanaes claim, Luka deeply sighed. Haah~. Really a, befitting of you Irresponsible reply. Besides Theres a line I cant overlook. Stopping me to save the world, you say? That you make me to be something like an evildoer taking revenge on mankind How vexing. Oh, my. If thats not the case then what are you doing here? Dont tell me that by chance when you were taking a walk You passed by this globally important location? Before Kanaes questioning, Luka slowly shook her head. Not at all. Its by chance. By chance, when I was taking a walk, I turned up to rebuild the world. So, Kanae-san. Please make way. At the other side of that gate there are monsters of the anti-human faction numbering over a million lying in wait. They are eagerly awaiting the day I destroy this Abyss Gate. Confronted with Lukas speech, Kanae raised her eyebrows. You. Do you really understand what you are saying yourself? Hells Red is the largest Abyss Gate in the world where thousands of monsters can cross to the human world at once. If the barrier were to be momentarily disrupted, wont the balance of the world crumble in an instant!? Luka, after a moment of silence. Of course Im taking that into account. If we liken it to games, this gate is just like the worlds reset button. To properly remake this wrong world Ill push the worlds reset button. If I werent allowed to do that Ill could only adopt the wrong methods to straighten this wrong world. Kanae-san. I thought that if it were you, who opposed alongside me the research from ten years ago, youll understand that. I dont understand and I dont want to. But, Haruka. That you mistook your way is my responsibility as your former superior. Thas why I came here. I wont allow it. I definitely stop your rampage here! SummonPhoenix. What Haruka summoned with a speed that couldnt be picked up was her beloved partner the Immortal birdPhoenix. The flame-covered three meters long bird spirit sprayed scorching flames against Luka. The legend class from the bird beast tribe. Phoenix, is it? The monster that you employ hasnt changed from ten years ago. Luka sighed, talking to no one. SummonBasilisk. She summoned the huge snake with a body that spans one kilometerBasilisk. Basilisk shut down the fierce attacks from the immortal bird that rained down by coiling around Luka. SummonBahamut. Next, the one Kanae summoned was a five meters long Sapphire blue scaled flying dragon. Legend class. The three monsters summoned here right now were monsters appropriately crowned with the reputation of the strongest, to whom only a handful even from among the top class monster tamers had made pacts with. Legend class were monsters close to gods of which only one could exist in the world, and currently there was just one of them for each of the twelve monster tribes. Legend class monsters boasted the battle prowess of the strongest class from among the monsters of all twelve tribes, and word was sent that they were the monsters that started each of the tribes. Haruka. Lets stop with the formalities. From here on it will be a clash of power against power. Baah-kun. Have at it! Kuh! The only monster that Kusumi Kanae could summon should have been just the immortal bird! Unnoticed, with such a powerful monster, she! The highly calorific ray of light that Bahamut shot from its mouth seemed to be effective against Basilisks solid scales. Ufufu. A reckless person, like always~. Commanding two legend class at the same time is an irresponsibility. However, in spite of the overwhelming handicap, Lukas smile didnt fade. It was definitely not a bluff. To Luka, even against two legend class, that she would be able to achieve victory was a given. Two is it? But I never said a word about the legend classes I''m contracted to being just two. !? Haruka. Ill tell you something good that you can take to the afterlife. My contracted legend classes are six. Half of the legend classes in the world are already my friends! Six!? What nonsense is!? If you dont believe it, what about confirming it with your own eyes? Its not like we have let the years pass pointlessly. Kanae, approaching the ring with her mouth with a composed smile, Summon She next summoned her third legend class. I beg your pardon, milady. That Was too one-sided to be called a fight. The six legend class monsters that Kanae indulgently summoned kept pouring attacks with a power that would exterminated any normal monster in one hit onto Lukas summoned Basilisk. Basilisk, receiving on its body the simultaneous attacks from six legend classes, unable to keep monster form, undid its transformation in less than two minutes. The untransformed Basilisk became an aged man in a butler suit and kneeled down on the ground. It looks like your trump card has depleted all of your magic power, but What about meekly surrendering? If you surrender now, I may lessen your spanking from a thousand smacks to nine hundred smacks. Yeah. I lost. It surely is utter defeat. Whats truly astounding is not the power of the legend class But your magic power quantity that, even while supplying magic power to six legend class monsters at once, lets you crack jokes. Just about everything is absurd. I wish you didnt carry power inflation to extremes. With that preface, Luka, So I concede victory to you in the duel as monster tamers, Kanae-san. She showed a bewitching smile. !? Next instant, Kanae witnessed firsthand an astounding scene that didnt look to be from this world. To Kanae, who didnt know under what principle it worked, it was something utterly incomprehensible. Luka, after taking in the Basilisks body inside her own, in the blink of an eye had her body turned into that of a monster. She changed into the form that would be later spoken of as ultimate perfect form Great Luka-san. Dragon tribe: Bahamut LV: 39. Physical strength: A. Power: S. Speed: S. Legendary dragon monster. The beams it emits destroy everything. Mighty power in a small body. Serial number: ---- Volume 5 4 — Prelude to destruction Volume 5 Chapter 4: Prelude to destruction That was a desperate scene certainly suitable to be described as the end of the world. The sky was black. Pitch black. Looking really closely, one could notice that the true identity of the thing that blackened the sky was that of a crowd of flying-type monsters. Are you Joking? That number, rounding it down, was no less than ten thousands. Seeing that many monsters at once in the human world It was an unheard-of scene. Before this unprecedented happening that suddenly took place, the people at the venue of the miss monster girl contest instantly fell into panic. Eeeeeeerm. Everyone. Calm down. Cam down, please. The one who got the ball rolling in order to calm down this situation was the mid-rank monster tamer Yuina-san. According to the info that we have just received, the first barrier of the sky Abyss GateEternal White has been destroyed by an attack of the Black Tamers. Due to this damage, an estimate of fifty thousands monsters from the anti-human faction have invaded the human world Their objective are the people who possess magic power In other words, us. Luckily, in this occasion no ordinary person will suffer any harm. !? An attack to the Abyss Gate by the Black Tamers? About the Abyss Gates, Ive heard that they are located either in the sky, in the sea or on land. When we went to the Netherworld before, we made use of a marine Abyss Gate The one attacked this time was a sky Abyss Gate. So thats why this many flying-type monsters have appeared? We had been withholding this info from all of the rookies, but To tell the truth, intelligence of an attack to the Abyss Gates by the Black Tamers had been leaked to the Association some time ago. So That all of you rookies have been gathered here at the camp is not unrelated. We have no time and On top of that, we also have no hands. Thats why wed want all of you fight alongside us. The one located at the Fujis Sea of Trees is literally the worlds largest Abyss GateHells Red. The damage if they break through here cannot be compared to whats happening over our heads. No joke. How do you want us to fight such a horde of monsters!? Hearing Yuina-sans words, the rookies at the venue couldnt stop trembling. Of course we dont plan on asking something unreasonable of you rookies. We are, so to speak, no more than insurance. Hells Red is a location of utmost importance for humanity. Currently, the one entrusted with the protection of Hells Red Is the legendary monster tamerKusumi Kanae! !? Right after they heard moms name. The air of tension that filled the venue relaxed. By Kusumi Kanae You mean the Immortal Tamer? The one whos told to be the strongest from among all the generations of top class monster tamers, and to have by herself the battle prowess of 2,000 regular tamers? Rookies. Be calm. Seeing that Kanae-san is entrusted with its protection, that Hells Red would get destroyed and the peace of humanity put in jeopardy is very unlikely. However, even Kanae-san is human. It may be possible that a surprise attack by traitors lets them break the first barrier. Come that time, its our turn. So that no harm will reach the populace, why dont we give our all to stop the monster invasion here!?" What the first barrier stops arent just Monsters categorized as E rank type? Yeah. If its like that, even we may be able to stop them. Receiving Yuina-sans plead, the people at the venue gradually looked like they were recovering their eagerness. Really, moms great. The panic of moments ago looked like a lie The moment moms name came out, the mood at the venue changed entirely. However, contrasting with the people around me who had recovered their calm, my face didnt clear up. I, who through the survival race passed down at the land of ghouls called the hundred deaths course Became able to feel the magic power flow of my surroundings, could notice it. In a place not so far from here. At the other end through this forest. In a point around ten kilometers apart southwest. I noticed it. Since a while ago, theretwo magic power clumps that released a presence unlike anything I had felt till now are engaged in fierce battle. My body keeps sweating from the discomfort. Perhaps It may be that the people who are battling there are stronger than the current me with my limiter 100% released. This is a first. Even if I go at full strength, I cant picture me winning. Chiharu. Whats the matter? It may be since I was lost in thought with a grim face. Zonmi, who was around, peeked at my face of unrest. Assuming that the info we heard from Yuina-san is true, from the two people that currently are out on battle at Fujis Sea of Trees, one is undoubtedly mom. In that case, the other one? Did the Black Tamers have a monster tamer able to fight on par with mom? Regrettably Just one. I happened to know a monster tamer with a true power equal to mom. That person The first tamer I ever met My former teacher who taught me the ropes of being a monster tamer. Hey, Zonmi, Kyouko, Iris. Could you follow me to a place without saying a word? Nu? What now, that of a sudden? Theres a person I have to meet no matter what. Who does that person think they are to do this? On top of hearing what that person has to say I believe it''s my responsibility to stop their actions. Those words from now were irrelevant. However, if you say you want to go, Chiharu, Ive decided to follow you even to the very ends of the world. The same as the ghoul. How do I put it, if you went somewhere by yourself like before, this time Ill give you a beating! Monster tamer. I have had with thee, until now Uncountable debts of gratitude. If with this thing I could make some amends I have no reason to refuse thy wish. Girls. Thanks. I think I really have the best comrades. While digesting my feelings of gratitude for the three girls that always support me, I dashed at full speed to the depths of the forest. What The Heck When I reached my destination, I was at a loss for words. I had heard about it a couple of times. That which stood before my eyes was the Abyss Gate. The size, approximately around 20 meters? A huge gate boasting a size a head taller than the surrounding trees let out a bizarre atmosphere. However, what shocked me wasnt the Abyss Gate itself. They were the ten nearly dead monster tamers lying down around it. Terrible Who could Kyouko covered her mouth in shock. Zonmi, composed before such an odd situation, examined the lying down tamers. If they dont receive medical treatment asap, theyll be in danger. What the heck could they have been fighting to lose so much magic power? I have no clue. Like Zonmi said, there are lots of baffling points in this situation. The monster tamers around us had no conspicuous external injuries. They were in a state of magic power depletion as if someone had sucked it out of them. Is such a thing possible? With absolutely no damage on the outside, their magic power had become emptied. Haru-kun Run away While I was suspicious of the surrounding situation. I heard moms voice from somewhere. I looked towards the voice. And, what awaited there was a shocking scene that unconsciously made me doubt my eyes. Mom!? Moms state wasnt comparable to that of the other collapsed monster tamers. She had suffered damage from head to toe as if until just now she had been engaged in fierce battle, and there were traces of fresh blood all over her body. Flustered, in a flash I tried to run to moms side. But. Hallo. Chiharu-kun. Long time no see The voice of a lone woman deterred my movements of running to moms side. No wonder. Since I had predicted from the start that shed be at this place. Luka-san. All of this Is it your doing? Lets be frank. Im totally scared. Hurting mom and other unrelated people and other unforgivable things, she Has no qualms on doing such inhuman deeds. When I inquired, Luka-san tilted her head in an affected manner. Mmmmm. Half marks? The remaining half was really these children doing! In the direction that Luka-san pointed saying so, there were three monster tamers somewhat familiar. Long time no see, Kusumi Chiharu. I eagerly waited for the day when we settled things with you Oniichan, found you! Fufufu. I looked forward for the day that we battled again. The ones who suddenly appeared before me were the monster tamers from the Black Tamers I had have bouts with before. The man in a black suit (name unknown), Noelle and Lance, those three. Luka-san. Whats your aim? Why have you hurt mom And unrelated people!? The instant after I pressed Luka-san for an answer. The fist of a huge beast was launched towards me. !? The one who reacted without a moments delay and protected me with a wall of flames was Iris, the one from among my contracted monsters that especially excelled in speed. Though in the earlier battle I left thee at large enough to not take thy life Thou incorrigibly intendest to bring harm to my master Have thou readiest thy resolve, black-vested tamer? Tsk. And it was a good chance to hit with my preemptive punch This is the second time. How you dare to get in my way, red dragon! Now that he mentions it, back when the incident of the attack to the Grandeel islands I had seen it once. The man on the black suit had turned into a giant werewolf and stood before us. d grief. This Clarie. Lets go! Those who stand in our way Ill kill them without arguiiiiiiing! One after another, those who came after me as if doing a pincer attack were Lance and Noellethe two monster tamers who possessed a limiter. Noelle with her arms turned into those of a golem and Lance fully turned into a grim reaper, each one entered into attack motions. I wont let you! Haru! Fall back! However, I somehow managed to avoid this surprise attack by Zonmi protecting me from Lances attack and Kyouko from Noelles attack. Tamer of the Spirits, Lance Patriot. I had heard that you were locked inside the prison of the undead tribe, but its really a privilege to be able to meet you here. My sisters To you who made (did) those despicable deeds to Aruru and Meruru, I wanted to pass judgment with my own hands! Ooh Scary. But, I love strong-willed girls. Just picturing you afterwards as part of my collection Serving me, it gives me the shivers. ! You fiend! Zonmis umbrella and Lances scythe clashed and raised violent sparks. Tamer of the Catastrophe, Noelle North Norm! I too wanted us to battle each other How did you dare to trap me at the Saegusa festival! ? Who are you? Sorry. I cant remember well the faces of people that dont interest me. Especially in the case of people like you with a thin presence. *SNAP* Something seems to have split inside Kyouko. So. Then Ill refresh your memory with a battle! Noelle arms, that were turned into those of a golem, received Kyoukos mighty drop-kick. Nephilim vs golem. Here too, as they are both power-type girls, a fierce battle is expected. Zonmi, Kyouko. I leave them to you! Its not like I dont have faith in Zonmi and the rests true might, but somehow I have an ill premonition. I dont know what kind of means have they employed. However, those three I had fought with before It looked like they had had a clearly substantial power-up from the time we fought. Sowwy~. Its become boisterous. If possible, to you Id tell at ease what Im going to do now, but Is that so? Saying just that, as there was no use in arguing, I hit Luka-sans cheek with all my might. He who moves first wins. This showdown By no means do you have the comfort to be able to carefreely go chatting. Like now, if the enemy gets careless Ill attack with full power! !? *CRASH* The sound of crashing bones. It seems that by instantly twisting her body,, Luka-san avoided a direct hit, but No problem. My attack that unleashed the maous power, even if it miss the center, it will cause fatal damage. Perhaps No, surely. I felt her lower jaw get horribly destroyed. Luka-san, who had received my attack, was sent flying seven meters straight and crashed against one of the trees growing in the surroundings. I did it!? Luka-san, who had received my attack and laid in the ground, slowly stood up. Right on the mark, Luka-sans lower jaw was smashed to a pulp and that beautiful face had been defiled. Though my head thought that there was no other way, even being in a fight waging our lives, I felt terribly guilty about hitting a womans face. However, seconds after that. The guilty conscience inside my heart was sent out of bounds. Ufufu. Chiharu-kun, you rascal. To suddenly go hitting an older woman Hopeless kid. Oneechan Has gotten a bit aroused. Right then, it was As if witnessing first-hand a ghouls regeneration ability. Are you Joking Luka-san, in a bit of a moment. Not even five seconds had passed and her lower jaw who should have been smashed to bits regenerated, allowing her to be able to speak as if nothing had happened. Different. Theres definitely something different from the guys Ive fought until now. I couldnt stop the chills in my spine. Standing before Luka-san, I was tormented by the strange sensation of standing before hundreds of monsters at once. Dont make that face, Chiharu-kun. Arent you being able to stand before a long-awaited foe you can fight with showing each other your precious full power? This experience Since it may not come again in your life For now lets enjoy a pure battle? !? Luka-san, showing a bewitching smile, uprooted a huge tree about 10 meters tall. !? Its not only a ghouls regenerative ability. I dont know what contrivance has made it possible, but it seems that Luka-san owns a power on par with a Nephilim. Here~. A present from oneechan? Like that, Luka-san threw at me the huge tree that she was holding. I give up. Attacking with power at 30% Doing something so half-hearted will definitely get me killed. However, my limiter has a time limit. If I fight at full power, in no more than five minutes, my magic power will get depleted. Theres no helping it. How about getting one gear more up? As I release my limiter to 50%, like that wings grew from my back and I soared to the air. I narrowly avoided the huge tree. Definitely, its reassuring having the ability to fly. To recover my pace, while staying in mid-air, I cooled my head and thought about my next strategy. However. Did you thought that by flying to the sky youd be safe? A womans voice hinting adult composure whispered into my ear. At point-blank range in the span of a breath. Turning back, there she was. While flapping crimson wings disproportionately large in respect to her own body. Luka-san Laughed behind me. Chiharu-kun. Could your full power only be that? Quickly Quickly show me your full power! Next instant, my vision was dyed red. As it was such an abrupt happening, for a moment I couldnt comprehend what had been done to me. Guwah! When I finally sorted out the situation, my body had been thrown against the ground from high up in the sky. What happened? That must be it. Luka-san has produced flames from the palms of her own hands, burned my wings to a crisp and like that I plunged into the ground. I feel that I have several broken bones, but this time thats fine. Due to the severe burns on my body, Ive fallen into a distressing situation where I cant even breathe, but this time that doesnt matter. Both of them, as long as theres magic power left the damage suffered can be recovered in a flash by the limiter. However, what the heck is this? A ghouls recovering ability. A Nephilims power. A red dragons flight & flames. Luka-san Has she housed inside one body the strong points of those three at the same time!? How come. ? What would it be? By the time I noticed, several questions had spilled from my lips. How come How come this thing!? You werent so strong, were you?! We Should both have the same feeling of wanting to help the world! And despite that Wasnt there any other way!? When I inquired, Luka-san looked at me with sorrow and slowly started to narrate. Why dont I tell you an allegory? The humans and monsters who live in this world, if we liken them to paint colors, red, blue, yellow. Each and every one of them is wonderful The colors called individuality. Starting with a but, Luka-san continued. Even if one by one the colors are wonderful When you mix all of the colors in a palette, what color do you think you get? the answer is a crooked ugly grey. Its not like its anyones fault. Even if theres no ill will, when lots of consciousness get mixed, the world instantly becomes a slightly dirty color. Thats why I Expose the people responsible for the incident of ten years ago Making them pay for their crimes, I dont intend anything like that. The one wrong is not an individualrather its the world. Thats why Ive decided to remake the world at once. Ill destroy the Abyss Gate, and riding in the chaos, Ill rule the world from the top! And I Will guide every living being on this world in the correct direction so that just one unique color is shown! Its not like I dont understand Luka-sans claim. School and society unanimously teach kids that individuality is wonderful. However, If we go perusing history, we cant honestly praise individuality. Because of differences in thinking, people engage in arguments. Because of differences in skin color, people engage in discrimination. Because of differences in what should be protected, people engage in war. If such a thing as individuality didnt exist The world may have been more peaceful. The incident ten years ago where more than thousand people in total lost their lives due to the IMAs behind-the-scenes inhuman research may have too have been prevented. However, lets say that goes well, a hundred years later What about the world after youve died!? The world after theyve lost their just leader Wont it become more wretched than now?! Ufufu. Thanks for your worries. But, its alright. Since me dying wont ever be possible. Eh? I mean Its for that that I got my hands on this unaging immortal body. What haz diz gurl sayz? The leader who holds the correct color will keep ruling with eternal life. Thats the full story behind the Arcadia project us Black Tamers aim for! I cant follow the logic of her speech. Eternal life? Unaging and immortal? Such a living being how could it exist in this Youre putting an unsatisfied expression. Fine. Ill show you. The legendary monster tamer Kusumi Kanae, my true form that overwhelmed even herultimate perfect form Great Luka-san Level Overlimit The instant after she muttered just that. My body was struck by an unprecedented amount of magic power unlike anything I had felt until now. Kuh! And then one more surprising thing happened. What the heck is this? The trees growing around Luka-san wilted all at once, the earth became barren and cracked after that. Shes sucking the magic power from her surroundings Perhaps!? Lets take it as if the situation thats happening right before me is like I said, the mysterious phenomenon of all those laying monster tamers with no signs of battle, only emptied of magic power, when I came here would tentatively be explained. While Luka-san was sucking the magic power from the living beings around her, she grew larger like a snowball rolling on the ground. The form she finally took Was something resembling a huge snake. Something Calling it like that is because I had no other simile to express what the heck was that. Since I couldnt grasp its whole image from the ground, to check that something, flapping my wings, I once again flew to air. What the heck Is this Looking down from the sky, once I had at last a whole picture before my eyes, I was left speechless. This Can it really be called a living being? It mainly has the shape of a serpent, but eye, arms, legs, wings, the result was something that has those all over the place. That length, doesnt it easily surpass one kilometer? Of Luka-san herself, it was just the upper body, the lower half being turned into the head and body of a serpent. The thing left barely humanlike was just that one point. Ufufu. Hows it? The unaging and immortal body achieved after researching for ten years Ultimate perfect form Great Luka-san? What kind of comment does this person expect from me? Ufufu. It seems that you are still too young to understand this bodys magnificence. In a normal persons case, just by successfully inserting into them the cells of a single monster species, they reach their limit, but I was different. My body had the ability of being able to take in cells from lots of monster species at the same time! Thats why I got perfected. The ultimate body with the feature of, by adjusting the balance of the monster cells of more than a hundred of species it has embedded at the same time, changes the life energy of the surrounding beings into magic power and rejuvenates the cells! This body I dont call it neither First nor Second Its called Third. Ultimate perfect form Great Luka-san. It would be good if I could attach a smile to this joke-like name, but her form is nothing to laugh for. Ironically, her aspect. Is the chaotic gray obtained by mixing different individualities that she had spoken of earlier. It looked like the embodiment of how things were in this world. Chiharu-kun. Ill go as far as giving you one last chance more. If you cooperate with us, youll be perfected by our Arcadia project. If, by mass-producing the strongest monster species that is the chimera of a maou and a human, we could raise them as soldiers Our organization could very easily climb to the peak of the world. Isnt that great? Mass-producing the strongest species Thats quite a disturbing speech. You can be at ease. I understand that you are not for blood-reeking jobs, and if possible I dont want to continue with inhuman researches. Thats why I want my methods to be as much humane as possible. Specifically In the event of you joining our organization I promise not to give you any job other than baby-making! The Black Tamers will gather only cute girls picked of course from among the best of the organization And make you your very own harem. Eei. Get that, you thieve! If you wish I can award you with the right of making children with either me or Noelle? Ufufu? Hows it? Wouldnt that make a boy glad~ That the somewhat fascinating conditions that Luka-san proposed snatched my heart just a bit will be a secret. Nevertheless. I refuse! Regrettably, I Since Im a big pervert with a monster fetish and sister complex, I dont get aroused by bodies other than those of monster girls or my little sister! Since such a disposition Ive been trained into it by them! I Could promptly refuse her temptation. Why, you say My conclusion regarding this matter was decided long ago. I dont know about difficult things such as guiding the world in the correct direction. For that reason, I Have decided to only fight for the sake of the important people besides me. Is that so. I have mixed feelings as your former superior. When I first met you You couldnt decide by yourself even which girl to make a contract with You were an indecisive good-for-nothing kid, and yet The you right now has the eyes of a boy with a firm resolution. Frankly The you right now is cool. Unbecoming of my age, oneechans heart is throbbity-throb. But, yknow. But, but Luka-san, saying that with a tone of putting on airs, Then, die? With a refreshing smile, sentenced me to death. What do I do now? *GUNYU GUNYU* Luka-san, winding octopus legs-like thing that came from her own body Started to create countless giant arms by aggregating them. Very carefully surveying, at the tip of the most enormous of them a big gaping hole was opened. !? And, the next instant. From the tip of the arm created by Luka-san She shot a high-speed energy bullet. Let me say first that it was totally by chance that I managed to avoid her attack Rather, it would be better to say that her attack had no intention of striking. The energy bullet shot by Luka-san missed my body, and like that it made contact with Mt. Fuji. *KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM* While raising a frighteningly thunderous roar that left a buzzing in the ears despite the sound stopping, the energy bullet that Luka-san shot exploded. Aha. I missed. But This time it may hit? ! Lets see how it ended. Mt. Fuji, regarded for a long time as the symbol of Japan, of all things, from the earlier attack, the upper part vanished like a crme caramel that someone had scooped a spoonful of, and was left in a tragically crooked shape. Darn. Having to battle this nonsensical opponent Even I think thats absurd. Not even I know how much can I do. However, I So as to protect the people dear to me and the world the people dear to me love, have to stop with all my might the advancement of her plans. Im unwilling but theres no room to it. This time, for sure, its my genuine 100%! Invoking my trump card of fully turning into a monster, while tracing a spiraling trajectory, I charged against the enemy before me. This was the start. Even fighting at full strength, I dont feel like I can win For me, if I attacked making best use of my speed and plunged at my opponents bosom, against she who has a humongous body, I think that the battle could progress with a limited advantage on my part, but Her essence, which seems to have been made by mixing cells of monsters of more than a hundred of species Is close to being insubstantial and unstructured Although since a while ago I have attempted on countless occasions to get close relying on maneuverability, Luka-sans body; protected by the uncountable tentacle-like things, didnt let me pick up my pace in the least. Soon the time limit I can maintain my limiter will draw near. I must decide this showdown in one go Thinking after this fact, me trying to rush this showdown may have been what left me out of luck. !? Ufufu. I caught you~ Did hurrying the showdown make me adopt an almost straight-line trajectory? Just attacking by relying on speed gave me an advantage against her, and yet With the zillionth tentacle attack from today she finally bound me. ! This thing! Making full use of my limiter, I tore off one after another the tentacles that grew from Luka-sans body. But, however. Even if I tore them off, since from the tentacles grew other tentacles, no matter how much I resist, my body wont be released. One last thing, Chiharu-kun. Dont be so pessimistic facing death. Since your body, after this, will keep on living as a part of me. Saying that, Luka-san shot at me the same high-speed bullet that a while before had blown away Mt. Fuji. I give up. Luka-san plans on blasting up my body with her own tentacles. However, even knowing that, I dont have any way to counteract the oncoming attack. Goodbye, Chiharu-kun. Before my consciousness blew off, I think I heard Luka-sans words. Eh Uh? Why Am I still alive. As almighty as my limiter is, nonetheless, it doesnt seem like I can receive an attack that blew away a mountain yet still be alive. Even if I say that, the limiter that was my last ray of hope should have been completely cancelled by now, though. Aaah. Thats right. Guessing from the line that Luka-san said at the end. Luka-san is planning on absorbing my body into her own. To her, it would be a drawback if she blew away my body without leaving a trace. For that reason, I Could survive in such a wretched state. The bones in my hands and legs were smashed in pieces, like a turned up jigsaw puzzle, but since my bodys magic power had completely ran out, there didnt seem to be any signs of restoration. Ahaha. If the situation has worsened to this point, no matter what miracle happens, I can no longer picture any way of winning against her. The only possibility I can think of is, after Zonmi and the rest finish their battles, if they rush up to my side They wont be coming to save you. Plainly declared Luka-san, as if seeing through my thinking. Its a pity. The sweeties you rely on looks like they have been totally overpowered by my subordinates with their magic power drastically raised by using the dragon blood that we harvested from the red dragons five years ago. What appeared into my sight along with Luka-sans words were three dark human shadows. Haha! The great me with dragon blood is invincible! Right now I feel the greatest! Ive perfectly returned what I owed to that nasty red dragon! Kyahaha! Is it oniichans turn next? Fuhahaha. At last! At last the curtain has risen for our aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaage! Aaah. Whats with this. In Noelles arms, turned into those of a golem, there were the figures of Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris, battered from head to toe and hanging their heads. Move! Please move, body of mine! They can do what they please with me, but at least I want to save the girls. Had my body any strength left for speaking, Ill kowtow or anything to ask for that, but my body, with all its bones cracked, unfortunately cant move. Well Chiharu-kun. Become one with me. Lets burn together into our retinas the dawn of a new world. Isnt it great? Darn! It seems that my devils luck has run out. Its a pity, but, including me, theres no allies left to go against the Black Tamers. If we liken it to the world of games, the party has been wiped out. Sorry, Zonmi. Sorry, Kyouko. Sorry, Iris. Sorry Everyone. The moment I gave up on the fight and closed my eyes. I wont let you! From somewhere I thought I heard a voice I missed. Who is the one there? What entered my fuzzy and dim line of sight was glossy black hair that unconsciously made you want to caress it & big and round innocent eyes. Could it be that you are!? Oniichan! Manamis virginity! Take it! !? To tell you the truth, theres no way that the me back then could have understood in the least (slightest) the words that she had sputtered. However, they were the words of my little sister with whom I had spent more than ten years, and for that reason, I intuitively guessed what I should do next. Mustering the last of my strength, with my eyes closed, I pushed up my right arm up high. What now. *SLIP* I felt like if something had slipped into my pinky. Within my faint consciousness, I made sure of what was that which my sister had risked her life to bring me. ? Contract ring. It was surely a contract ring. Hey, hey. Wait a minute. Sis. Even if Im in quite a desperate pinch, isnt that a bit too much lacking in judgement? Its not necessary to explain it now The contract ring is a device used for making a pact between a human and a monster. Putting it on a fellow human is decidedly nonsense. But, however. The instant I held that thought. The contract ring I had just put on started to let out a big glow like never before. Whoa!? The heck!? This glowing is the unmistakable proof of a contract completion! But, how the heck!? What reason could have led to a contract between fellow humans. Its sister power''s injection turn! Boost! And the moment after my sister chanted that incantation. Manamis magic power flowed into me. Amazing I unconsciously couldnt help but leak a voice of admiration. To the extent that the quantity of magic power my sister infused me with was inexhaustible, that it became drops of golden light that I could clearly see with my own eyes, and my body that until just now I couldnt so much as twitch was fixed instantly. Moreover, that wasnt all. Whats this? Strength is filling me from the depths of my body. Wonderful. If its me right now I feel like I wont lose to anyone. The magic power of the little sister is reaching us through the tamer? Could it be!? This!? Zonmi, Kyouko, Iris, the bodies of the three of them, like mine, started to glow in golden light and they got back the will to fight. A full recovery to when before fighting No, the magic power in their bodies surpasses full recovery? Impudent braaaaaat! No matter how many times we fight, the result will be the same! Most likely, he planned to reach a conclusion before my sisters magic power reached (ended). The monster tamer in a black suit who turned into a werewolf bared his fangs against Iris. Iris!? Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!? However, the one who cried like that was the werewolf. The werewolf was engulfed whole by an azure flame and couldnt help but roll on the floor. Iriss flames Azure!? Now that you mention it, I think that they taught me this in chemistry. Azure flames have a higher energy quantity than regular red flames and hold a high calorific value. How come Iris can suddenly produce azure flames? The answer If we assume it''s because of the golden light we are wrapped with Like that, the earlier showdown ended instantly. Darn! What the blazes. These movements!? Wrapped in golden light, Zonmi, her speed remarkably risen, got to a level where she produced afterimages, as if many Zonmis were fighting at the same time. Gubaah! Lance received Zonmis piercing attacks in succession from her umbrella. Lance Patriot. No matter the circumstances Your deed of brainwashing us ghouls Your large number of felonies by no means can be forgiven. Receive your reward once again in the other world! Kuh! This me cant catch up in speed Is it!? If its the me right now revived by my sisters power, I can barely follow with my eyes. Although each of Zonmis attacks power dont make a big change by themselves, you could say that their number is on a whole new level. After all Thats only natural. Zonmi, in this short time Has already hit Lance more than a thousand times. Guaaaaaaaaah!? As a result of receiving in succession Zonmis fierce like a storm consecutive attacks Lances transformation got undone. It was a flawless seemingly not dangerous victory very much like Zonmi and her honor student disposition. Taaaaaaaaah! Han! No matter how many times, its useless! Noelle turned her arms into rock and guarded from Kyoukos fist. Before that overwhelming defense, Kyoukos attack looked like it was stopped, but What!? *CREAKCREAKCREAK* Noelles arms made a sound and got smashed. The revived Kyoukos attack at last got through Noelles defense. Get ready! You ill-natured girl! With a villainous face unbecoming of a girl, like that, Kyouko straddled Noelle getting into a mount position. Woah!? Stop!? Dont joke!? Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Kyouko didnt hold back and, like that, she punched Noelles face. She punched. She punched. By repeatedly attacking with no hesitation, making me who was looking draw away, she achieved victory. Thats really like Kyouko. Soundly speaking, hearing it is enough, but it was a too plain way of winning that wont be shown onto screen. What the heck is this? What has happened? Luka-san was in dismay not understanding the situation before her. Without paying attention to Luka-san, this time I somehow could make a guess about the phenomenon thats taking place before my eyes. As you know, I am a chimera born from a human and maou. What would happen if that me makes a contract with my sister, who has the blood of the strongest monster tamer, mom? The answer is easy. Crystal clear. The contract ring should have perceived me as a monster and my sister as a monster tamer, and completed the contract. In other words, if we explain the current situation in an easy-to-understand way. This kind of unexpected double-layered contract was established. Of course, this kind of foul play-like technique can only be pulled off by me, who has the disposition of a monster and the disposition of a monster tamer. Luka-san. Calling the name of the archenemy before my eyes, I approached her step by step. Right here, right now, I who has the blood of the strongest monster, dad, and my sister who has the blood of the strongest monster tamer, mom, have made a contract. Do you understand what this means? Who knows I dont understand. Tell me. Luka-sans expression, different from a while ago, somewhat looked as if her composure had disappeared. Strongest + stongest gives superstrongest!! After loudly proclaiming that, releasing my limiter to 100% No, 120%, I took to the sky. Then, something surprising happened. I definitely cant lose. Was it for strongly thinking that the one image I vividly pictured in my mind broke out? The image in my head, before long Became as clear as if it was there. In the end, really The sword I pictured in my head materialized in my hand. Havent I seen this sword somewhere!? The name, if Im not wrong, wasnt it Shiden? Lilith-san had brought me before to the former maous office. Then, I remember that she told me that it was the former maous favorite weapon. Then, why has it materialized now in my hand? Goooo! Oniichaaaaaaaaaaaaaan! Receiving my sisters cheers, I promptly came back to my senses. Lets skip the details. In any case, if I could defeat the foe before me, thatd be good. Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I flew with (at) full power towards Luka-san; turned into an enormous snake. On the way, Luka-san tried many times to block me with her tentacles, but having made a contract with my sister and my limiter released to 120%, to me those movements looked still. Slipping through Luka-sans attacks, at last I managed to land on her a stroke of my sword. From the sword I held *CRACKLE CRACKLE* black lightning was shot. It looks like this blade Not only inflicts damage by the sheer attack, it seems that it confers damage by lightning. Hu~mph. Superb power. But, its a pity. Didnt I say it? My body can generate magic power on a semipermanent basis. This kind of damage will be recovered in an instant Wha! I realized why Luka-sans face turned pale in an instant. The limbs that Luka-san had regrown turned ashen grey, became countless particles and disappeared into the air. This power, could it be!? The former maous characteristic power of returning any magic power to nothing!? I heard Luka-san muttering something, but since I was concentrating only on what was before my eyes, my ears didnt pick up her words. Using the weapon I was grasping tightly, I slashed at the enemy before me. Kuh! Luka-san trued to capture me by manipulating more than ten tentacles at the same time, but I was easy slipping through her attacks. There may no longer exist in this world anyone who can catch the me revived by borrowing my sisters power. Moving by weaving my way between the approaching tentacles, I poured a storm of attacks onto the enemy before my eyes. Luka-san, with each slash of my weapon, raised a heartbreaking scream and was made to cancel her transformation. That My Arcadia plan that I had nurtured for ten years Crumbling away In such a joke-like manner Until the very end, I held no sympathy for Luka-sans methods, but theres a bit of pity. Even if it was nothing to be proud of, having the plan you had bet your life on Foiled by the likes of me who popped out of nowhere, surely you wont accept it. Sorry. Instantly turning the scene into a joke no matter how serious it was is my sisters expertise. Thats why, I To her who stuck with her own justice to the extent of losing her human form, I plan to stop her while showing respect. Luka-san, her transformation completely dispelled by my attacks, turned into human form and got thrown in midair. Luka-san. In the end, I, till the last moment Couldnt endorse your plan of sacrificing some to save the many. However The feelings for that world youve devoted your power to save no matter the methods surely have not been in vain. Thats why, now Rest at ease, please. When I told my honest thoughts, I felt that Luka-sans face seemed to clear as if demons had stopped haunting her. I leave this world to you Chiharu-kun. Yeah. Leave it to me. So that Luka-sans body didnt crash into the ground, I caught her in midair. Losing her limiter, Luka-sans body is surprisingly light. Nevertheless, the hopes that she had entrusted to me were in no way light. In this way, the curtain was drawn for this long-lasting fight Rather, the real battle may start now for me. Looking at her sleeping face of being wounded all over, that was what I thought in the end. Volume 5 Epilogue Volume 5 Epilogue Since then. Four years have passed by. The days since that one when our fight with Luka-san ended have passed in the blink of an eye. Saying it like this may reek of an old man, but They often say that time waits for no one and that the time known as a persons teens is but an instant in a long life. I, Kusumi Chiharu, welcome this very day; my twentieth birthday. Chiharu. Once again, thanks for bearing with me. When I got home, Zonmi, wearing the tattered T-shirt that I handed her quite a long time ago, came to greet me. That you still havent throw out. Yeah. Since its the first present that you gave me, Chiharu. Forever and ever Until this body rots, Ill cherish it. Thatd be speaking for long term. The undead tribe is known as a long-lived race even among monsters, and rounding it down it seems that Zonmi thinks of cherishing the T-shirt that I handed to her for around three centuries. Now that I think of it Have you made contact with Kyouko or Iris? I beg your pardon. Ive been busy with home issues and havent had the time to contact those two. I see. Since all of you have been busy at work everyday, it cant be helped. As you know, the Princess of the Ghouls. Zonmi Ra McKenzie has welcomed her birthday a step ahead from me and has grown into an adult woman Zonmi, as of now. Having earned the achievement of saving the human world from the Black Tamers, she became the ghouls clan first queen. Even if we say that, Im still nothing more than a figurehead. The one who holds the essential authority is my father. Its amazing nonetheless, Zonmi. Zonmi, who had saved the world from a crisis, earned high support as the hero of the ghoul clan and, as a result, the queenly path once closed to her had opened, but It seems that she herself was currently realizing that her own power was not enough. With the support of her sisters Aruru & Meruru, she was wholeheartedly striving for further prosperity of the ghoul clan. Oh. Its been so long since I came to this house. How nostalgic. Its the scent of Harus home. Kyouko!? Kurose Kyouko. 20 yo. By now, there isnt a day her name is not heard of in the Netherworlds media. Kyouko, motivated by the big trauma she experienced with the Netherworlds food when she travelled there with us, she developed a talent as a capable female firm president who manages more than 20,000 restaurants in a mere 4 years. Of course, the feat of increasing by lawful means in four years from her own shop to twenty thousand stores is next to a miracle. Ive known just recently from the Netherworlds media, but it seems that there has been a series of M&A (mergers and acquisitions of different companies) bordering the illegality. Now that I mention it this girl She once thought of stealing the contract from Zonmi. Thinking like this, Kyouko, unexpectedly May be a girl with a forte of stealing other peoples achievements. Hey, Haru. Right now, you, havent you thought of something terribly rude about me? H-how would I, of course I did not!? Hu-mph. Its suspicious that youve suddenly changed to a polite tone, but since today is a special day Ill let it slide. A close call. Most likely, Kyouko has went through many hardships in these four years and her intuition has sharpened. Expect her chorokawaii disposition from until now and you may get hurt. Nu. Excuse me for being late, Chiharu. The afternoon lectures ended up being stretched a tad. Iris Is it you? The last time I saw her was forever ago. Though we have exchanged letters a couple of times, it may have been around three years since we actually last met. Sorry. Excuse me, but I shall borrow a seat without delay. With these It cant be helped that my shoulders get stiff. Muttered Iris, lowering her chest on the table. Y-yeah. Meeting again after 3 years, no wonder I behave strange. In the while that I havent see her, Iris Erm Bodywise, she seems to have had a plentiful development that unconsciously makes you unable to stand out of surprise, and her body clad in a red dress like those of red dragons brings about a voluptuous sensuality . T-these are D No, they may be E cups. As expected, if compared with the original boobs daimajin Lilith-san shell lost in terms of volume, but unexpectedly Iriss chest has grown this much. Contrasting with me, who was rejoicing at Iriss growth in a pure way & a wicked way, Zonmi & Kyoukos expressions clouded. Suddenly, while patting their own chests, they were wrapped in *GLOOM!* a heavy mood like someone who has gotten back from a funeral. I lost To that red dragon!? Its the first time that I tasted this sense of loss as a woman. By some chance No need to guess, I am the one with the smallest chest from all the girls here!? By the way, theres a reason for the fact that out of us four, only Iris has grown in outward appearance. I, Zonmi, and Kyouko, us three were already 16 when we met. Even if 4 years have passed invoking the eternal seventeen (christened by my sister) peculiar of monsters, In fact, weve only aged a years share, but Iris is different. In Iriss case, since she was outside of the scope where eternal seventeen would apply, like that she shows a growth of four years. Iris Scarlet Lindwurm. She who had more interest than others in knowing from among the ones weve met, as she declared, from Netherworld high school to university, she skipped grades and graduated in a mere 3 years, and currently she holds a position as teaching staff at a Netherworld university. With knowledge that puts adults to shame and a lovely appearance, Iriss lectures have become already so popular that students from other universities go to attend them. Since we are all gathered, do I announce that now? What I couldnt make my mind on four years ago Lets start with the continuation of that day. Four years. Until the day thats today, four years have gone by. A man who has delayed this far the reply to a girls confession, wouldnt it be a historical existence? Even I am amazed with my indecisiveness, but Surprisingly, Zonmi, Kyouko and Iris, those three nevertheless have waited for my reply today. The truth is, I Think Im a man with the utmost happiness of receiving the favor of the best girls. The girl I choose as my girlfriend. That is Ive started with my confession, yet, miraculously, the mood didnt grow strained. No matter whos chosen, no hard feelings. Could it be Maybe the three, in their hearts, have reached that agreement. You All of you! ? Next instant after I replied to their confessions. The atmosphere promptly turned into silence, and the three of them at once fell into a daze with faces of I dont understand whats going on. Eeerm. Yeah. To some extent, its like I had predicted, but this mood is quite painful. Inside the silent mood as if time had stopped, the one who was first to show reaction to my conclusion was, unexpectedly, Kyouko. Wait, Haru! What the heck does that mean!? *BLAM* Raising a loud noise by banging the table, Kyouko bared her feelings. Cut the bad jokes! We Its not like we have been waiting for four years wanting to hear those words! Is this a manga or a game!? Haru, you think youve been born in a country that allows polygyny or something!? Hearing Kyoukos words, the other girls too raised after that words of objection. Of course it''t like that in an overwhelming number of countries in the human world, but in all of Netherworld without exception multiple marriages are forbidden. Like the Nephilim has said, I also dont believe that your idea, Chiharu, is a feasible option. If such is the response thy hath given, I shall comply, but In many a sense the option of multiple wedlock will be difficult. Until now, its roughly as I predicted. Im not the MC from a harem love comedy If anyone is told this Crazy thing, they will refuse. Well, understood. In that case, you lot, if you found that my conclusion was feasible Would you consent then? Understood. If that thing was possible, Ill agree. Something like polygyny, thinking normally, would be impossible, but Its not like I Hate these girls. Its not like I have no objections, but if I can receive your affection, Chiharu I Even so. If I can be by thy side, I shant question the means. Good. If I didnt get their consent here, in a certain sense, my Efforts these four years may had been for naught, but It seems that my worries ended as needless anxiety. Girls, thank you. First, I want you to watch this. What I took out, waiting for the right time, was, to be frank, my homes TV remote. Since Ive been living a busy life recently, I didnt have many chances to watch TV and it was totally covered in dust. Coordinating my timing by looking at the clock, once I had confirmed that the time was exactly 17:00, I turned on the TV. And now, what. The shows still midway, but we have an special news feed to broadcast just now. Yeah! Just timing! [note: engrish; it should be something like right on the mark] It seems that, like I had planned beforehand, I could catch the start of the news program. What we dwellers of the human world feared has happened at last. Seven months ago. Kusumi Chiharu-san was inaugurated as the 48th maou of the Netherworld and has established many ground-breaking laws to build friendly relationships between humans and monsters, but As if us humankind would be deceived by his actions! Look! This is a copy of a threatening letter from the maou that the Japanese government has received. Whats terrible is that the maou, by brandishing his tremendous influence schemes to intervene in the law-making of our country! Lets read the maous demands. Make polygyny fully legal in the human world, as well as in the Netherworld. However, restricted to just men who can definitely make girls happy. We dont know what kind of intentions the current maou has with these requests. However, because of this turmoil, clashes with women right activists from all over the globe are expec Listening until there, I turned off the TV with the remote. Then, well, its like that. From now on, I think the age has come where, be it polygyny, be it harem, such a lifestyle can be led with no one talking behind anyones back. Taking as truth the surprise I had prepared for them, darting their eyes about in bewilderment, the monster girl trio got stiff. Aah. Thats right. Ive told you the after that of the girls I will be marrying, but I still havent told the story of none other than myself. I, who during the battle with Luka-san could brandish the treasured sword used by the former maouShiden, was advised by Lilith-san that What about you try to become the Netherworlds maou? They say that the weapon called Shiden is a special weapon that can only be brandished by those who meet the qualifications as the rightful maou successor After that, I, in the blink of an eye, put aside the many other maou candidates and was inaugurated to the maous seat. Though I say it like that, the way till now has by no means been a bed of roses. Ive been taught day after day, fourteen hours a day, by Lilith-san, who took over the position of a tutor, and there has been more and more open harassment from the rest of the maou candidates that didnt look so glad of my dancing ahead. Nevertheless, what made me hang on without complaints Was the sense of responsibility from crumbling Luka-sans ongoing Arcadia project. So as to verify that I had done the correct thing I must lead the world in the proper direction by becoming the maou. In the very beginning, even if I, who ended up using my own authority for my self-interest, say that, it may lack in persuasiveness. To me, rather than choosing one from among these three Since changing the worlds legislation was easier, theres no helping it. Haru! I love youuuuu! Nwah!? As I thought about those things, Kyouko suddenly hugged my body. Since it was something so sudden, I couldnt help being pushed to my homes wooden floor. Wha, what are you doing all of a sudden, Nephilim!? Fufufu. Ghoul. Still dont realize? From now on, like Haru said, the age has come when polygyny is a natural thing, hasnt it? Right now, what Haru has said has already become the greatest thing in the world. It''s only natural. But, No matter how much it is allowed by the laws, Haru has only a single body! In other words From now on, to be the one who can make out the most with Haru, its first come, first served! !? With Kyoukos speech, as if suddenly realizing something, Zonmi & Iriss eyes immediately changed colors. My apologies, Chiharu. After Kyouko, Iris moved. Like Kyouko, Iris tightly hugged me and, like that, she overlapped my lips with hers. I think that she subtly used her tongue, but for now lets leave it as me overthinking things. Iris-chan! S-sly! Me too! I was struck by Iriss surging waves attack and, straight away, next comes Kyouko. ~~~~!? Kyoukos kiss was more intensely passionate than Iriss. Since I cant tell how much intensely passionate it was cos Im embarrassed, lets draw a thick veil over it. Crap. I hadnt noticed it until just now. Could it be That if I marry these three at once it will be like this everyday!? If every day is this hardcore, will my stamina last!? Fine by you, ghoul? Keep idle and us two will monopolize Haru? I-I. That Although Kyouko stirred her up, Zonmi was in a daze as if she didnt know what would be the best thing to do. Chiharu! Forgive me! After a few seconds, as if she had readied her resolve, following Kyouko and Iris, Zonmi too fell on my body. H-heavy I wont say it no matter what before these three, but as expected, supporting the weight of three people is very taxing. In the span of a sigh, her face was close. Following Kyouko & Iris, Zonmis lips were about to touch my lips, at that time. (Summononiichan!) I think I heard from somewhere a voice that I missed. When I woke up, I was on a bed with my four limbs held by cuffs. What the heck, this dj vu. This Very nostalgic. To me it once was such a daily scene like an early afternoon coffee break, but recently I had remarkably lost the chance to experience this situation. Fufufu. Oniichan. You woke up That voice Manami, is it you!? To tell the truth It has been longer since Manami and I saw each other than it was with Iris. Even so As expected of a human? My sister appearance had transformed beyond recognition compared to four years ago. Firstly, huge. Anything and everything, many places had plenty of volume. By some chance, has her height reached 170 centimeters? My sister boasted of sexy proportions ever since before, but after four years, those strong points had improved their ranks. Is having any hairstyle suit them a special privilege of beautiful people? Her prided black hair had grown so much that it even reaches the ground, but mysteriously there wasnt a dirty impression. Of course? Oniichans cute little sister Hey! Aint I now the older sister? How moving. Manami is already 18 this year, but oniichan''s body age has stopped at 17. Holy mackerel. It seems that while I wasnt looking my little sister has turned into my older sister. I dont know myself whats what, but its vexing that I feel like my sisters words have a point. How should I put it, Manami. You, can you afford to be here!? Dont you have loads of work? No worries. For todays sake, half a year ago I made room for some free time when adjusting my schedule. Its been a long time since us siblings were alone without pests, oniichan?! Kusumi Manami. 18 yo. Occupation, king of the monster tamers Maou. To be frank, my sister seems to possess more talent than the legendary monster tamer, mom, and in a mere 4 years she climbed to the top of all of the monster tamers. In other words Us siblings, currently. Weve each become maous who control either the human world or the Netherworld. Thinking like that, us siblings reunion, even as a casual event, is a miracle since it now looks like something of a large scale. Fufufufu. That aside, oniichan. Isnt there a thing for which you have to apologize to Manami? Apologize for what!? When I timidly inquired, my sister let out a perfect appealing smile that youd unconsciously admire with an as expected of maou-sama! Oniichan, did you know? That what made Manami give up on oniichan four years ago Was because she thought that youll choose only one special girl, oniichan? In other words What do you mean by that? If youll enter the harem route like this, then take Manami as your wife too! If not, I wont accept it! By no means. No matter if the world allows polygyny, nonetheless marrying your little sister is taboo. My sister Is she saying that she wants me to make a law that allows siblings to marry? Before that, could I ask you one thing? How come you Know what I was talking about a while ago? Thinking it once again, I feel that it has been like this since before. Fufufu. Could you not make light of your sister? That, isnt it definitely because the powerful microchip that I stealthily inserted into oniichans body gives me detained information! Holy cow. My sister did something like that under the forced pretense of accurately getting info about me? These preparations, if possible, Id like that she withdrew them. Well, then. Oniichan. To tell the truth, the reason that I summoned oniichan was because theres something I want to earnestly request from oniichan Request? What the heck. I feel nothing but a bad presentiment. If I felt like it, I could instantly break the cuffs on both my arms, but the worrying thing about these handcuffs The chain that stretched from them seemed to be linked to the pet case over the table and it seems to be arranged so that, by mindlessly putting strength, the case will fall down. Whats inside the case is a very lovely kitty. In other words If I were to break out, theres a possibility that the kitty inside the case would get hurt. This is really like my sister It was an inhuman way of taking advantage of my softness. I say, oniichan. Not only the contract I want oniichan to take this virginity too! Putting her hand inside her skirt, she said in a coquettish voice while taking off her panties. Id say, right now, I am being approached by the ultimate choice. Do I rather accept my fate and have a carnal relationship with my sister? Or, in order to avoid the worst case scenario of having my first experience being a reverse rape from my sister, do I hurt a helpless kitty? Sure enough, dont either of them spell my end as a human(?)? If possible Id want to be spared from both of them. W-what are you doing, little sister!? Then, when I was exposing the extraordinarily shameful appearance of having my trousers forcibly taken off by my real sister. The ones who appeared then were Zonmi & Kyouko & Iris, the three girls who are set to become my wives in the future. Tsk. Hindrances have come. Manamis house and this apartment are five kilometers apart. This means you too have improved your skills? Manami, cursing like that, placing her panties on the table, sent the monster girl trio a sharp glance. Manami-chan! Get away from Haru now! Harus first is his childhood friends, me! Nuh. Nephilim. Those were unpardonable words. The first to get betrothed to Chiharu was none other than me. So, tis natural! The one entitled to spend the first night with Chiharu is me! Wait, please. What have you two been saying since a while ago? The one who owns the privilege of Chiharus first experience is none other than me, Chiharus very first partner! Tha-ts-why I told you before that the order of the contracts dont matter If you go by that, I think that since Im his childhood friend lacks terribly in rationality as a claim. Humph. Summarizing the opinions of ye two, then tis me whos entitled with the right to spend the first night with Chiharu. Excuse me~. Iris-chan. Could you please not get cocky just because your breasts have gotten a bit bigger~? M-mammaries have nothing to do with this!? Grasping her own chest, Iris became red to the ears from embarrassment. Its been a long time since us five met and then again its as you see. These girls Didnt they come to save me!? Since it has come to this, the last resort. The right to snatch oniichans first will go to the strongest girl!! What? Roger. Those terms I accept the challenge. Humph. Isnt that the most appropriate? So from now on a battle royal will start? Bring it on! There are many places I want to retort, but For now, let me tell you one thing. I think you had better learn to listen a bit more carefully to peoples opinions. Thus, the battle of the immoral girls regarding my virginity (?) starts. In the end, even if four years have passed, our relationship doesnt seem to have changed greatly. I, while sighing to the quarrel of the four girls, in order to protect the people dear to me and the world where the people dear to me live From now on, I too decided to give my best. Volume 5 Authors Notes Volume 5 Author''s Notes This is Kankitsu Yusura. MaoHimes 5th volume, how was it? I think that you had to notice it if youve already read this volume, but this book is the final one of this work. To all the readers Ive been acquainted with until now. Thank you very much. Looking back, the first book was the turn to introduce the main characters. The second book was Kyoukos turn. The third book was Iriss turn. The fourth book was Zonmis turn. This fifth book was totally unexpectedly Manamis turn Perhaps? Since I could write fine one for each of the four heroines that have become the main, I think, havent I wrapped it up in a just right number of books? With this work, which has been my debut and in truth may be called my maiden work, its not like I dont have any regrets, but I had decided to write everything I wanted to write in five books. Though I think that there are many things that shine precisely because they have an end, even so I cant but wish for unending happiness. The story may have ended, but Chiharu and the rests harem should continue not here, but in some faraway world. At least thats what I believe. Well, then. I think Ill briefly explain the work as an author I plan to do from now on. To tell the truth, since I already have the draft of a new work, I suppose that it will be published by the people at HJ Bunko in the not so far future. Since Im determined to write a work that will full power full throttle full stroll reach the readers heart from the very start by taking what Ive learnt from my previous works MaoHime and Kurorekishi, by all means, to those who support me, please take care of me. In the chance that my new work is a big hit and I become a well-known author, to those readers who have read MaoHime till the last volume, I award you the right to boast to your friends I raised Kankitsu!! Eh? You dont want it? I see (downhearted). Though the main work has finished, Yaya Hinata-senseis MaoHime manga adaptation still goes on. By the way, I too, as the original author, am involved with it in the role of a supervisor. Ive left it crystal clear in the afterwords up till now, but this is such a wonderful adaptation that even I, the original author, have become a huge fan of Yaya Hinata-sensei. So much of a fan I am that, as a result of going early in the morning to Akihabara right when the first volume of the manga went on sale with the intention of asking for a book signed by Yaya Hinata-sensei, I got scolded by the editorial department with These copies, arent they for the readers and not for you? You lack a bit of awareness as a pro~! Dammit! Im lost for words! Well, well. Though it has ended up a bit long, I pray that we meet again. Kankitsu Yusura