<h4>Chapter 142</h4>


    Trantor: “Ashita” Editor: “Weasalopes”


    The cool and slightly breezy early summer season.


    I passed my time before noon rxing after finishing theundry.


    Sitting in the living room, I gazed at my familiars that were ying on top of a bath towel spread out on the floor.


    Just then, Imosuke had something to say.


    「What is it?」


    The evil secret society, Doom Squad. It seems like it wanted to do something there.


    Dangorou and Imosuke are the General and the Vice-chief respectively, both high positions in the hierarchy. However, they have not contributed anything.


    They cannot lose to Unicorn that is of a lower position. It seems to be as such.


    「Ah I see」


    They have listened to Unicorn episodes that I talk about from time to time.


    They seem to have gotten a lot of motivation from Cool-san’s intense activities


    「It is a matter of what you can do」


    My familiars stared at me.


    A twenty centimeter, five-year-old caterpir that is like a swallowtail butterflyrva. And a fifteen-centimeter round-like pillbug.


    As if to bring something to my attention, Imosuke lifted the top half of its body and wiggled its legs.


    「What does the evil in evil secret society mean you ask?」


    The theme that the Die Die Order’s activities follow. It seems like it wanted to do that.


    As expected of the wise man of the forest. What a philosophical way of asking.


    Well, the reason I called him that is because of its posture when pooping is like when it is in deep thought.


    「Evil, evil huh」


    I randomly added it in as it is an organization of mysterious people. It is not like I gave it any deep thought.


    「To annoy people, to create trouble. ……No, those are not it」


    It does note to me.


    I think about the ace of Doom Squad, Unicorn.


    That is because I thought that the key lies there.


    As I pondered, a hazy thing takes shape and appears.


    「……That’s it. 『Living as one pleases』, that is evil」


    Imosuke and Dangorou stared at me intensely.


    「Living by the standards decided by the society. That is a good thing but one cannot live as one likes」


    With my thoughts sorted out, I continued exining happily.


    「Then what will happen when one lives as one likes? The parts that stray from the standards will appear」*


    Cool-san is like that.


    「If that is called evil, it is evil to live as one likes. In other words」


    I looked at my two familiars to build suspense.


    「The evil secret society – the Doom Squad’s objective. That is for 『The mysterious people who belong there to live as they please』」


    I concluded, my face full of smiles.


    Imosuke and Dangorou looked at each other. It seems like they understand.


    「That is why the both of you should think about what you wish to do」


    Hearing my words, the two started discussing with each other.


    They looked at me after a short while. It seems like they have figured it out.


    What is the wish of the spirit beasts? Filled with curiosity, I wait for my familiars to speak.


    「Eh? What I wish to do?」


    They returned the question with another.


    As there is no helping it, I thought about what I wish to do. The answer came almost instantly.


    「It would be to get along well with the both of you while I work and y without going overboard」


    If I get bored, I can pilot a Knight and defeat magical beasts to earn praise from the people.


    If I miss the feeling of having contact with a person’s skin, I can pay money to dive my head into a sea of brothels.


    And when I return home, I will pass my time surrounded by my family – my familiars.


    「In other words, this wish has already been granted as of this point」


    My familiars are crawling about.


    It seems like their ns have not been set after hearing my answer.


    「Well, take your time to think about it」


    Iughed as I said.


    The Spirit Forest that lies North of the Ost continent.


    At the foot of the World Tree that towers above all at the center lies an Elven vige.


    A problem is currently urring there.


    「The whereabouts of tens of the young ones are unknown?」


    The high elf chairman, sitting on the chair, who received the report groaned.


    The elf that came to the vige to report continued.


    「In any case, they are people who were thought to be at the Forbidden Ind when Zaratan made its move」


    Zaratan is a powerful spirit beast that protects the Spirit Lake that lies North od the vige.


    Its body is so big that it can be mistaken as an ind. In reverence to it, the Elves called it 『Forbidden Ind』.


    「They were probably caught up in it」


    The chairman frowned when he heard those words.


    「Why would so many people gather at the ind?」


    The elf that came to report had a grave expression and was looking down, speechless.


    (Was there some kind of experiment with forbidden arts being conducted)


    The elf knows but he cannot answer. The chairman sensed that this was such an atmosphere as he thought.


    Aside from the Forbidden Ind being a considerable distance away from the vige, it is a ce rich with water mana.


    There is no better ce to test magic that attracts attention.


    (If he hears about them, his position requires him to punish them)


    However, the chairman recalls his younger days with distant eyes.


    (Forbidden chants are things you would want to know. Especially when you are young)


    Nostalgia fills his heart.


    The chairman, who decided to overlook that matter, changed the subject.


    「Have the corpses been pulled up?」


    Not being questioned any further, the elf showed signs of relief as he nodded.


    (That means that they either lost their lives at their destination or their movements are restricted)


    Zaratan took the ambrosia fruit and returned immediately.


    There is a real possibility that the Elven young ones are being left behind at the scene.


    (He does not say it but this is not a bad thing)


    We are an intelligent race that excels in sorcery.


    We are probably able to make decisions calmly in any situation with our keen insight.


    The amount and sense, that we have for mana, which does notply to the standards of the other races, will aid them in carrying out the n.


    (Their thoughtfulness and their bravery arecking but their youthfulness will make up for them)


    They will not lose their lives easily. They will stubbornly try to live.


    He nodded in his mind.


    (It might be good to have hopes)


    Some form of contact wille from them if they are alive at the scene.


    If that is so, where Zaratan went will also be made known. And the World Tree that may exist there may very well be found.


    「Search theke while waiting for survivors to appear. That is all we can do」


    With the matter concluded, the Elf left the room as he replied.


    This goes back to several days earlier.


    Several hours before Zaratan disappeared from the Spirit Lake.


    「Whoa, it’s like flying in the sky」


    The boat advanced smoothly as if it was sliding, heading towards the ind at the center of the Spirit Lake.


    Looking at the bottom of theke from the bow of the boat, a young girl let out a dreamy voice.


    The rity of the Spirit Lake is high allowing one to see the bottom of theke.


    Due to this, people looking from a ship moving on the surface see hallucinations of moving in space.


    「Are you surprised?」


    A young boy smiles as he deploys a magic circle on the floor.


    The boat, the two of them are on, resembles those found at a pond at a park.


    But it has no oar, it gets its propulsion power from the magic of the young boy sitting at the stern of the boat.


    「Uh-huh, very」


    Putting both hands on the bow of the boat, the young girl turned back, her face full of smiles.


    The two of them are childhood friends.


    Many of their dates take ce at the flower garden. However, the young girl said that she wanted to go to the ind at theke today so they are heading there right now.


    「Ahh, how indecent」


    Feeling the young boy’s gaze, the young girl pouted with a stern gaze.


    The thin yet shapely hip that stuck out as she faced the bow of the boat. The young boy shifted his gaze from there to the young girl’s eyes.


    However, the young girl is dressed in a loose light blue round-neck T-shirt with a light blue Denim hotpants.


    It is impossible not to look.


    (He’s looking, he’s looking. I am d I wore this)


    The young girl thought in her heart.


    She took the time to buy it the other day for her outing today with her childhood friend.


    As if to hide it, she put her hands on her rump and turned to face the young boy. And, 『Bad』 she said as she made an angry expression with upturned eyes.


    At the bottom of the loose round-neck, a brassiere that hides her thin chest peeks out.


    She smiled teasingly as she felt the young boy’s gaze shift to her chest.


    「Don’t tease me too much」


    The young boy pulls one of the young girl’s long ears as he maintains the magic circle. As if it was ticklish, the young girl shrugs her shoulders.


    The two of them are headed for the ind at the center of theke.


    「Nevertheless, the saying that 『The two who bond at the Forbidden Ind will attain evesting happiness』 is so romantic」


    She gazed at the ind ruins with dreamy eyes. It is getting bigger by the second.


    This is definitely not the first for the young boy and the young girl. Bonding at the flower garden, they often confirm their love for each other until the Sun sets.


    (A ce with a legend regarding love. Having a rendezvous there is also not bad)


    It is one side of the truth to say that it is fine as long as they did it. However, when one has had one’s fill, one will very likely be fixated on the taste.


    The young boy looked at the young girl as he nodded, clearly satisfied.


    「We are here」


    The young boy jumped down first, he then escorted the young girl by taking her hand.


    「It sure has that air」


    The stones that have piled up with time brought about an air of mncholy.


    And the two of them yed around sweetly as they headed for the ruins of a building that is said to be the guardian’s dwelling.


    「……So someone came before us」


    The young boy turned back as he clicked his tongue softly.


    Another group has already started in the shadows of a wall of the ruins.


    Giving up on the ce that has a little roof remaining, he headed for the shadow of another wall.


    「Even here too」


    Both of his favorite spots are in use.


    Among the young people, the Forbidden Ind is a famous dating spot. It is even called 『Sex Ind』 behind the scenes.


    The Elves in the vige know this but the High Elves that rarelye down from the World Tree have not realized it. If they knew about it, their anger would be like that of a raging inferno.


    Even so, the ring of the word 『Forbidden』 attracts them who are young. In periods where the climate is good, the ce would be congested just like this.


    (Damn it, do you guys have nowhere else to go)


    The young boy yed innocent and spat these words in his heart.


    By the way, this is his first timeing to this ind together with his childhood friend. He enjoyed the activity done at his favorite ce with another female.


    「Ah, isn’t there good」


    The young girl pointed at the shadows of the trees right at the back.


    When they went to take a look, there were tree roots surrounding the wall and soft, tall, and thick grass at their feet.


    (Ho, so there is a ce like this)


    He is somewhat familiar with the ce but he did not realize that there was a ce like this.


    There are often times when he could not find a ce when it got crowded. He is honestly happy that his repertoire has increased.


    「It is not bad. Shall we do it here」


    「Sure」


    The young girl smiles happily.


    This is her first timeing to the Forbidden Ind. She was acting on this pretense, but in truth, she hase here so many times that she just might get bored of it.


    This ce that lies in the shadows of the trees is one of her favorite spots. Surprisingly, not many people know about this ce so ites in handy when a ce cannot be found.


    Of course, her partner was not her childhood friend in front of her.


    「……」


    They stared at each other passionately, not revealing such things to each other.


    And the young boy pushed the young girl down onto the soft grass.


    The Sun shines in the blue sky, the summer breeze, something that urs between spring and summer, makes the leaves rustle.


    Amidst the air of openness, the two of them shed their feelings while being troubled by several ants.


    「……I can’t take it anymore, forgive me」


    The young girl is continuously on the receiving end of long strokes from a super long item.


    She said that after the minute hand of the clock had made one round.


    However, both of her legs are crossed behind the young boy’s hip and are moving lustfully.


    「Not yet, I will do more」


    A zeal so strong that steam gets emitted from the body.


    However, it is not just them.


    There is an Elven couple a short distance away squirming and shouting, emitting vapors of sweat.


    「The best!」


    A scream came from somewhere, then came the sound of branches breaking.


    They are the definition of being right in the middle of their youth.


    Tens of young Elves that are engrossed in what they are doing. They cannot be med for not realizing the shaking.


    At that moment, the ind started sinking slowly.


    「……So cold! What is that?」


    Someone said loudly in a perplexed voice.


    With their knees and backs starting to be submerged in water, they finally realize the anomaly.


    「The water level of theke is rising?」


    Almost everyone was deluded.


    After confirming that the trees at thekeside were not sinking, they understood that the ind was slowly sinking.


    「We’re escaping」


    The young boy that was putting in his best effort in the shadows of the trees was shocked as he got up in a hurry.


    Water was starting to flood in from the surroundings.


    (We must return to the boat)


    Arge volume of water swirls in his surroundings as the volume of water increased.


    The young boy pulls out his own 16 car train from a very long tunnel.


    The first car gets released along with the sound like that of a suction pad being pulled out. At the same time, the young girl let out a fascinated voice.


    Fixing their half-worn clothes, the two of them rushed back to shore.


    However, with the boat being pulled by the rope set up as a mooring, the bow of the boat plunged straight into the water.


    The young boy who gave up on escaping via the boat asks the young girl.


    「Can you use water breathing?」


    A magic that allows one to breathe even in the water.


    He can use it on himself but he does not have the skills to use it on others.


    When he saw the young girl’s nod, he let out a sigh of relief.


    While the two of them each activated their magic, they hugged each other tightly as they got swallowed up by the swirling water.