<h4>Chapter 54: Arc 1 Final Chapter: My ce</h4>


    General Bartos, who had rushed to the scene, shouted loudly.


    [What’s going on here!?]


    Upon the appearance of a reliable ally, the frightened King looked relieved and cried out.


    [Bartos, they are rebels who have tried to harm me. Cut them down! However, Michelle must be captured alive!]


    General Bartos’ and my gazes crossed.


    [That person over there is Witch Michelle huh. However, why is she with Yahagi?]


    [Stand down, General. Else, I will detonate this giant pop rocket.]


    Our conversation is interrupted by Titti’s screeching voice.


    [The Witch’s power has been sealed by the Sealing Staff. You should be able to easily catch her now. General, do something about that bomb!]


    General Bartos looked at the staff still stuck in the earth.


    [I see, that staff over there……]


    The next moment, the General sliced the Sealing Staff in half with the greatsword she was holding.


    As the staff was destroyed, that high-frequency sounds ceased, and the heavy air around us faded away.


    [What have you done!?]


    Titti hurriedly picked up the staff, but there was no way the broken staff could be restored.


    [Kukuku, as you can see.]


    [What are you doing, Bartos!? Are you disobeying my orders? Imand you to seize the Witch and that man!]


    General Bartos was ordered to do so, but he turned his back to us and turned to face the King.


    [Haahhh…… It’s time to end this, Brother.]


    The General loudly sighed, looking fed up.


    [Time to end this? What are you talking about?]


    [I’m tired, you know?]


    [What do you mean “you’re tired”? Didn’t you get plenty of rest aftering back from the front?]


    [That’s not what I mean. I’m tired of working for an ipetent fool.]


    [What are you……]


    It seems that the King still wasn’t able toprehend the General’s behavior.


    General Bartos, sneering at such a King, dered in a loud voice.


    [My men have already surrounded the arena. Knights, drop your swords. From this moment on, I, Bartos, will seed the throne. If you surrender to me, your social status is guaranteed. Anyone who objects, step forward!]


    Ohh, isn’t this a coup d’etat?


    We are somehow witnessing a historic moment.


    [S- Stop fooling around, Bartos.]


    General Bartos struck the staggering King with a punch.


    The King fell to the floor, and the Char Zako in his hand rolled off the floor.


    I moved slowly to pick it up, but no one scolded me for my actions.


    [Brother, you should abdicate at once. It’s better than dying, isn’t it?]


    [Kuh……]


    [Show Brother and his Queen Consort to their rooms. There, Brother, you will sign your deration of abdication.]


    None of the Guard Knights moved. It seemed like they had decided to abandon the King and epted this end.


    To not be protected by the Royal Knights, who can be said to be under his direct control, what a pitiful guy.


    However, he’s just getting his just deserts……


    No one bothered to stop me and Michelle, while General Bartos, Baron Essel and the others went to the guest room in the back.


    Michelle only watched in silence as the King and the Queen Consort were taken away screaming.


    It was a surprise that the tournament went on despite all themotion.


    The contestants did their best until the final match, and instead of the King, Baron Essel handed over the certificates and mary awards, and the tournament came to an end.


    ◇


    Not many dayster, General Bartos became King.


    The people were happy because taxes were a little lower, security was strengthened, and there were no more wasteful financial expenditures.


    The new castle that was to be built for the Queen Consort has also been canceled.


    The former King and Queen Consort are imprisoned and under house arrest.


    They are forced to live on bread and water to make up for their past extravagance.


    I don’t think that will be enough to redeem the wealth that they had spent like hot water though.


    And well, that’s how their coup d’etat went down.


    Society seems to be improving a little bit, which is a good thing.


    Though I say that, the general public has been feeling that the past government has been too bad.


    Let’s hope for the future.


    Even though the King has changed, my basic lifestyle remains the same.


    Today too, I continue to run my shop at Yahagi Onsen.


    Michelle too is just as usual, off to her research in the dungeon’s deepest depths.


    Feeling lonely and liberated at the same time, I’m doing my business in high spirits.


    Shortly before noon, that man came into my shop.


    [It’s been a while, Yahagi-dono.]


    [Hello, Baron Essel.]


    Our greetings were awkward.


    [Because of the chaos happening here and there, I hadn’t been able toe visit for some time.]


    A coup d’etat did happen after all. Of course, there was a lot of confusion.


    I heard that the Baron had taken up an important position in the country.


    Apparently, Baron Essel was in cahoots with King Bartos.


    [How can I help you today?]


    I couldn’t help feeling displeased with how my Mobile Force was used like that.


    I was also aware that the way I responded to him was somewhat sharp.


    [As expected, you didn’t like that happening huh. Are you offended that we used the MF?]


    [Not so much as offended…… It’s just, I really don’t feel it’s right.]


    [It was the only way to get the former King out of the heavily guarded pce. We did use Yahagi-dono this time, but my love for Mobile Force was indeed true. At the very least, please believe that.]


    [Well, that is……]


    Baron Essel went out of his way to apologize in this way.


    I think there are few nobles who can do that.


    Besides, I don’t dislike this old man in the first ce.


    [How about some ramune? It’s gotten a little chilliertely, but if you’ve been walking, you’re probably feeling thirsty.]


    [I’d be most grateful.]


    With a clink of the marble rolling down the bottle, we reconciled.


    [By the way, putting aside verbally saying it, is there anything I can do to thank you? We have been under the care of Yahagi-dono after all.]


    What came to mind was, of course, Michelle.


    With a new King on the throne, Michelle’s crimes could probably be pardoned now.


    Once the wanted designation in her name is released, we can probably go out without any problems.


    [I only want one thing. Will you remove the wanted designation for the Witch Michelle?]


    Baron Essel looked a little taken aback when I said this.


    [Is that all you want? You can ask me for more favors, you know?]


    [No, that’s all I ask.]


    The Baron gave a small smile.


    [That’s very typical of you, Yahagi-dono…… Understood. I will take care of it.]


    With this, Michelle could confidently devote her attention to her research.


    She would also no longer need to wear a mask.


    ◇


    [Yes, ramune and mikansui, right? That would be 200 rims.]


    Michelle, wearing a ck apron, smiles at the rookie adventurer.


    The regrs such as Merle and Mira, who had been watching her, looked slightly taken aback.


    [I never expected that Minerva-san was the Witch Michelle. Moreover, she’s Yuusuke-san’s girlfriend? This is unbelievable!]


    After her wanted designation was removed, Michelle took off her mask and has been helping out at the store ever since.


    I’m not really that busy to ask for her help, so she’s more like an intruding clerk.


    [What happened with your research? Don’t you have to go to the depths?]


    [It’s alright. I can finally be together with you unreservedly. I will just resume my studies next week.]


    Well, that seems to be the case.


    [Well, you look pretty good together! I’m happy for you, Yuusuke-san.]


    [Ara, Garm-kun, you and your mouth. However, do we really suit that much……?]


    Michelle’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.


    [O- Of course. You’re the best couple in the dungeon……]


    I felt like he was being told what to say, but Garm managed toe up with a few words of praise.


    [What an honest child.]


    <i>(T/N: Michelle called him sunao, which could either mean honest or obedient)</i>


    Satisfied with his answer, Michelle recited a long chant and casted some kind of spell on Garm.


    A band of white and gold light surrounds Garm, but what’s that?


    [There, I casted the Ultimate Support Magic “Archangel” on you. It should help you take down even the Orc King on the 4th Underground Floor now. Keep in mind that it onlysts for three hours, okay?]


    Garm jumped up and looked back at hispanions.


    [That’s an Orc King! One of thems us 150,000 rims, wouldn’t that be a super big catch!!!? Thanks, Sis! Let’s get going, everyone!]


    The team ran and left Yahagi Onsen.


    [Oi, oi, is that alright?]


    [I’m just sharing my happiness. Today is just special.]


    She’s being a bit troublesome, but I can understand Michelle’s sense of liberation.


    She had been hiding her face and heart behind a mask for so long.


    Thinking about it again, we were lucky.


    We could have died in the arena that day.


    Had anyone of us died there, I might have regretted my choice.


    I’m not that strong.


    But even now, I’m a little proud of myself for being able to say “Like heck I’ll let your filthy hands touch Michelle!”


    [Yahagi-san, I’d like to pull for the Super Ball lottery.]


    At that moment, a young and innocent porter came into the store.


    Well, you have to live until you die. That’s life.


    And the Dagashi Shop is the stage of my life.


    [Wee!]


    I greeted the adventurers with a smile.


    <Trantor’s Notes>


    <i>Hello, LazyCat here. I’m currently trying to catch up with another novel, which suddenly uploaded consecutive amount of chapters for the past few days. And so, Yahagi’s daily chapters would be paused for a week or two. I’ll try going back to my daily schedule as soon as possible.</i>