《Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru》


 Chapter 1: Prologue

    <h4>Chapter 1: Prologue</h4>


    Iid on the ground and looked up at the sky.


    It would only be for the short while until I could catch my breath and dry my sweating body.


    A few small clouds were drifting across the clear blue sky. And three pale moons hung among them. When I lowered my view with a sigh, an open in that extended to the horizon expanded before me.


    At the edge of the in was a giant object that looked like a horn piercing the ground.


    Its name was the Odoriji spire.


    ording to well-known folklore, it was said to be the horn of a giant that created the world. If you asked the long-lived storytellers, it was a tower from a foreignnd that had fallen from the sky. And the Abyss priests spread teachings that said that it was a spire abandoned by the Gods.


    I didn��t know whether these stories were the truth or just nonsense left behind by predecessors. All I knew was that the spire had both benefited and gued the people of this world, and was now an integral part of their lives.


    Heroes were born at times, and were killed in others. Nations were founded using amassed riches, and were destroyed by great treasures. Evil was born, and evil was created. The spire gave rise to many vivacious stories like these.


    The time limit was one year, I had to explore this dungeon.


    The goal was the 56th floor. I didn��t even know if it would be an easy or difficult task.


    Now then, let��s explore the dungeon.


    But before that,


    I have to make preparations for living here first.


    ?Prologue?


    July, 1946. The existence of an alternate world was confirmed.


    Officially, it was in 1949 that an advance squad was sent by a certain country.


    October, 1951. The leader of arge nation sent a battalion to the alternate world.


    At that time, the media covered the developments almost daily. Beautiful elves and strong dwarfs, a wide variety of beast-men, magic that was beyond human understanding. This cheerful topic was perfect for diverting attention away from the scars from the World War and the lingering trepidation about the next war.


    Narratives about the experiences in the alternate world were published in a book. That book was adapted into a drama series, and then into a movie. Tours for the rich were also set up.


    It was truly a new world.


    Thereinid the dreams and envy of the people.


    But dreams were things you woke up from.


    February, 1955. A book was published. The book was an expos�� about the troops that were sent to the alternate world. It gave a true, vivid ount of what humans had done in the alternate world.


    Simply put, destruction, arson, rapes and massacres.


    In response, the position held by themander of the troops was that the destruction was for the sake of building a base, the arson was due to sanitary considerations, the rape incidents were not true and there was consent given, and that they had only defended themselves when they were attacked by a neighboring race and had not massacred them.


    It was so shameless that no one believed it.


    Of course, the expos�� book was also adapted into a drama series, and then into a movie. The rich people who had participated in the tours also testified that they had shot at beast-men while hunting in the alternate world.


    At the same time, the astronomical costs of going to the alternate world was also viewed as a problem.


    The portal to the alternate world was a door of light around two meters wide. It was opened for five seconds for each individual person to go to and from the alternate world. The energy costs for doing that could not be covered even if each person returned from the alternate world with their weight in gold.


    Several useful resources were identified, but none of them were valuable enough to offset the operational costs. What wasmonly known as magic also ended up as gibberish when brought into this world.


    January, 1956. The battalion sent to the alternate world was annihted.


    The words left by themander in his dying moments.


    ��There are Gods in that world��


    The cause remains unknown even till today.


    February, 1956. A non-aggression treaty was signed with the alternate world. The name of the representative of the alternate world was not disclosed.


    June, 1957. With the development of an aqueous brain, the world��s first artificial intelligence waspleted. At the same time, mankind turned their eyes to the stars.


    And in order to turn their back on their wrongdoings, humans forgot about the alternate world.


    ��


    Living in the modern world, I only learned about the alternate world through games.


    No matter how bad the environment around me was, as long as games did not betray me, I wouldn��t betray them either. Nothing else brought me, who didn��t have much of an education, as much entertainment as games did. It was a hobby that didn��t cost much and above all, it was great because it wouldn��t bother others.


    Putting that aside, I encountered a certainpany at the end of March.


    I had returned back to Japan after a long absence, and was feeling blue because of the problem with my sister. Simply put, it��s money. I needed money. I just barely had enough to live from day to day, so it was an impossible amount of money for me.


    It was thatpany that reached out to help me.


    I didn��t have the rare talent to get headhunted, and any decentpany wouldn��t get involved with a person like me. It probably wasn��t a decent job but I was good-for-nothing anyways. I epted the interview because I wanted money.


    I borrowed a suit from the belongings of my deceased father, who had been very close with my sister. I entered a magnificent lobby in a huge building and was guided by the beautiful receptionist to the destination, an underground, narrow, dark, warehouse-like room.


    The interviewer was a man in his fifties or sixties. He had thin hair and it was difficult to read his expression behind his sses. He didn��t look at the resume that I had painstakingly created with my sister��s help.


    ��Please take a seat. I don��t have much time so let me get straight to the questions��


    ��Ah, okay��


    The interview started as soon as I sat in the folding chair.


    ��Do you feel any reluctance in taking up life-threatening jobs?��


    ��No��


    ��Do you have many friends?��


    ��No��


    ��Do you feel any reluctance to perform immoral or violent acts?��


    ��If it��s necessary, then no��


    ��Are you passionate about any specific religion or sect?��


    ��No��


    ��Do you believe in God?��


    ��Yes��


    There were 3 gods in rice after all.


    ��Any experience in killing people?��


    ��Eh? No��


    I hadn��t killed people.


    ��Tell me concisely what you think it means to be alive��


    ��It means killing other animals��


    ��Do you have any important rtives?��


    ��One sister��


    ��Can you keep a secret?��


    ��If I received money to do so��


    ��I see������


    One beat of silence.


    ��Would you like to go to the alternate world?��


    ��Yes, if I received money to do so��


    I took the opportunity to ask about the remuneration, got shocked by the amount, then confirmed that the money had been transferred to my sister��s ount before I epted the job.


    Thereafter, the exnation of what my job entailed was given after we had moved to another room.


    There were three continents in the alternate world.


    Their names on the other side were unknown, but they were called the left, middle, and right continents because they were evenly spaced. In the past, the human troops were sent to the left continent. We would be sent to the right continent, and the objective would be to retrieve the materials of whatever monster was on the 56th floor of what was called the ��Odoriji Spire��. And to retrieve it within a year.


    I didn��t understand the technical exnation but apparently perpetual cold fusion could be achieved by using this material as a catalyst. How did they even know about that in the first ce? That question probably had nothing to do with me, who was to be sent there as an errand boy.


    The n was to send six professionals and three A.I.s but one person had suddenly died in an ident. And the one to fill that position, was me.


    They apparently couldn��t prepare reserve members because of the secrecy. I had questions on that, but work was work. It wasn��t something to be concerned about now.


    Rather than that, I was worried about spending almost a year with people I didn��t know. I thought that it would be better if they were Japanese like me instead of foreigners.


    ��Excuse me, I have a question��


    I said.


    ��Yes, go ahead��


    Replied the interviewer.


    ��How many days are there until the departure?��


    ��It��s two hourster��


    ��Are you serious!?��


    ��I��m serious though��


    I was told in such an unabashed manner. The thoughts that had been popping up in my headpletely disappeared. First, I had a matter of the highest priority.


    ��I, I need to make a quick call to my sister! Please excuse me!��


    ��It��s fine but I��ll have to eavesdrop��


    ��Please do!?��


    It was meaningless but I exited the room and called my sister from the corridor using my smartphone. My sister answered the second time I called.


    ��It��s me��


    ��Hello, Yukikaze-chan��


    ��Don��t refer to me in such a disgusting manner��


    ��I��m sorry, Yukikaze-chan. It��s my fault, Yukikaze-chan. Onii-chan has been hired��


    ��Die, you sickening creep. Congrats on being hired. That happened on such short notice, it��s not a decentpany, is it?��


    ��Hm? Ah, well, in two hours, I��ll have to start my work and I��ll be unreachable for around a year, so don��t worry��


    ��That��s definitely a ckpany!��


    ��The pay seems good��


    ��Stuff like social security and pension, are they all okay!?��


    The room door opened with a sound and the interviewer stuck his head out.


    ��We��ve prepared an exceptional insurance policy. In case you can��t return, your sister will be awardedpensation and hush-money as well. Those are an exceptional amount too��


    ��It seems like they have an exceptional insurance policy. Don��t worry��


    ��I heard that! It��s super suspicious! Get that guy on the phone!��


    ��Monster sisters are troublesome so I��ll pass��


    The interviewer returned to the room.


    ��It��ll be okay. It might be a little dangerous but I��ll definitelye back, so don��t worry��


    ��I get anxious every time you say that it��ll be okay��


    ��Hmm�`The money is good though��


    ��Dangling the reward like a carrot is the mostmon method used by scammers��


    ��That��s amazing, Yukikaze-chan, you��re so knowledgeable��


    ��You��re just stupid!��


    What my sister said was absolutely right.


    ��But it��s too borate to be a scam and these people can��t deceive me��


    ��I��ve said it many times, but don��t let the issue with my foot bother you. The doctor even said that once I got used to the prosthetics, I��ll be able to run even faster than before��


    ��That��s true��


    I��m her brother after all so I wanted to do something for my sister. I was sorry for involving my sister over my own problems, but I would rather feel regret after doing something than feel regret for not doing anything. So, even if it was suspicious, I had to jump at this chance. I was that sort of a fool.


    ��Sorry, I��ll definitelye back so don��t worry��


    ��Tch, you idiot! You don��t ever listen to what I say anyways! Die! Come back after you��ve led a life full of suffering! Idiot!��


    She hung up.


    The door of the room opened.


    ��Are you done?��


    ��I��m done��


    ��We��re pressed for time, so let��s prepare your equipment and give you a lesson about the world on the other side��


    With that, I changed into abat uniform and put on a vest lined with ceramic armor. It was light-weight and I could carry arge amount of spare ammunition in its various modules. The boots were also lightly reinforced with metal.


    The prepared rifle was an AK47 which, using modern technology, had been manufactured to look as close as possible to the ones made in 1953. The handgun was a Colt Government that had been manufactured in the same way.


    I removed the AK��s magazine, pulled back the cocking lever to check that the chamber was clear, then pulled the trigger. I thought that it wasn��t bad. It was enough as long as bullets came out when the time guns were needed came. I put the magazine back and checked the Government in the same way. No problem. I secured the karambit I owned personally on my arm, an old Japanese hunting knife at my waist, pulled on a poncho made from aramid fibers to hide all my equipment from the locals, and I was now fully equipped.


    ��Well, you look the part now��


    ��Thank you very much��


    I was just an amateur though.


    Soon afterwards, I was crammed with the knowledge of the alternate world until the veryst minute. Race, religion, bnce of power, economic situation, culture of the civilizations, projected climate and endemic diseases. A rough estimate of the dungeons�� history, structure and enemies. Information on its surrounding regions. I had a bad memory so I forgot about 70% of what I was taught.


    And onest thing.


    All of this information was half a century old, and it would be hard to be certain or know what it was like in the alternate world now.


    And we moved to yet another room, which was bright and spacious.


    There was an ostentatious device in the center. It was pedestal-shaped and looked like an altar for offerings. Around it, people in work clothes were busy running around. Loud shouts and replies were flying back and forth.


    Before me, five professionals were waiting.


    There were five men and one woman. Even though they were just standing normally, they showed no openings. Their eyes were steady and calm, but I felt something shining deep inside them. Those who were at the height of their chosen path had a mysterious presence.


    All five of them had it.


    Did I have it?


    The ability to overawe others.


    ��President, is that thest person?��


    A leader-like man with a scarred face asked.


    ��I can��t guarantee someone of same quality as the rest of you because I didn��t have time. His talent is around 60 points��


    ��That��s better than a minus��


    The interviewer was thepany president.


    ��So you��re the president��


    I thought you were just a dull old man.


    ��No, it��s because thepany is riding on this, you see. So I can��t leave it to others. It��s jackpot if this seeds, but if it fails, all the people here and their families will simply have to be subcontracted to affiliatedpanies or be turned out into the streets. So just take it easy��


    He said such scary things so lightly.


    ��I��m surprised you chose someone like me��


    ��I��ve spent an astronomical amount of money for this so I don��t want to waste even one person. I have a rule of thumb that says that the better the business negotiation, the more I should take the plunge. And what clinched it was your name��


    ��That��s so irresponsible��


    Was this going to be okay?


    ��Don��t mind it, kid. This president is always like this, and if he was wrong, he would never have been able to make this huge thing. As someone chosen by such a person, straighten your back and pump yourself up��


    The president muttered a few words.


    ��It��s actually just a force of habit though��


    ��You dumbass��


    I heard it clearly. I should punch him once even though he��s the president.


    ��Kid, we��ll introduce ourselves after we arrive on the other side��


    An old man in work clothes waved at us, gesturing for our attention.


    ��We��re going to deploy the portal! First, we��ll open it for six seconds and throw in the resource containers! Followed by the Makina units! You living humans are after that! After throwing in the inorganic stuff, the portal will close for twelve seconds, then after that it will open for seven seconds! Everyone jump in during that time! There��s no next time! Don��t stupidly fall over and bete!��


    Containers suspended by cranes were lined up on the installed rails. Weapons, food, medical supplies and all kinds of other things that would be a lifeline for us. Behind those were three cylindrical shaped A.I. units. And the humans lined up behind them. I was thest in line.


    ��Deploy!��


    Light exploded and converged. On the pedestal in the center, a portal came into existence.


    ��Push, push�`!��


    People in work clothes pushed containers that slid along the rails. The containers were sucked into the portal without any resistance and disappeared. I felt like I had seen this scene in a movie before.


    The A.I. units were also sucked in without problem.


    They had one second to spare thanks to the quick work of the workers. I wondered if the process could have gone much faster if they had just used more mechanical devices. But it was very Japanese-like to use human hands where it really mattered.


    Next, it was our turn.


    I had never experienced it before but I supposed that this was how it would feel when going skydiving. I felt my heart beating faster. My body became stiff from nervousness. Without knowing why, I hit my leg with my fist.


    ��Come to think of it, the president said that he made his decision based on your name��


    The woman in front of me said in a slightly nervous voice.


    ��I��m called Souya��


    ��Oh, it sounds like a name that brings luck��


    I had been living a good-for-nothing life though.


    ��Deploy! Run, run!��


    We started running at the old man��s angry yell.


    The light exploded and converged again. A portal came into existence.


    Havinge this far, there was no more hesitation or pulling back. The leading person leapt into the portal, then the second, then the third person also disappeared into it. I followed behind them.


    Then,


    for some reason, time slowed, as if a critical situation was unfolding.


    The scenery passed by slowly.


    The fourth person disappeared into the light, and I looked at the swaying of the woman��s short hair. She also disappeared into the light. Sweat gushed out of me. I had an intensely bad feeling. I had experienced this many times till today, and it was always an omen that there would be a serious injury.


    This was bad.


    This was definitely bad.


    And the worst thing about it was the fact that even if I could stop my feet��s momentum, the light was already right in front of me. Instantly, I closed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of my face.


    I could see a torrent of dazzling light even through my eyelids, and then it was dark. When I opened my eyelids, there was nothing there. I realized that I was in a space too huge for my senses to grasp.


    One instant of weightlessness. And then, I started falling. My body was enveloped by wind. But because of the darkness, it was hard to tell if I was really falling. For all I know, I could actually be sucked towards the ceiling. The speed was rising at a terrifying rate. I heard my own short scream amidst the sound of the wind rushing past my ears.


    I��m going to die.


    I��m definitely going to die.


    I��m probably going to go st like a tomato. I��m sorry, Yukikaze. Onii-chan is going to die in a really absurd manner.


    I instinctively curled up into a fetal position.


    Even so,


    well,


    the howl of the wind was really noisy. My mouth was feeling dry. It was a relief that it didn��t feel that cold.


    ��Give me a break��


    The fall dragged on and I kind of got used to it. Even on the verge of death, humans get distracted if they have free time. I turned on the light on my wristwatch and illuminated the surroundings.


    There was nothing. Just perpetual darkness.


    But I thought I saw something wriggling in the back.


    Whale?


    Something so big that it was reminiscent of a whale. Because of the difference in scale and the darkness, it came into view very slowly. It was a tentacle. It reflected the bluish-white light which highlighted its figure. The tentacle opened like a blooming flower, exposing its origin.


    It just barely resembled a person.


    That was all I managed take in.


    I screamed my throat hoarse. There was something more terrifying than death here. I could see that overwhelmingly huge thing approaching me.


    Without a specific name in mind, I prayed to��God��.


    And,


    a ring light shone on my eyes.


    I felt warm sunshine on my skin. My eyes adjusted gradually and I could see the blue sky. I felt the earth on my back.


    A dream? Still, it was such a terrible nightmare. Besides, the dream had continued as I could see three pale moons in the sky. I counted my fast pulse as I straightened out my body to let it recover from shock. I took a deep breath of the clean air.


    After confirming that there was no pain and no injuries, I stood up.


    The wind��s caress made waves on the grassy in.


    I could see a stream and a forest in the distance. On the other side was the target dungeon. A structure that could hardly be built by modern people.


    Without a doubt. It was the alternate world.


    I was still in Japan in the morning and after that intense flurry of activity, here I was. I felt deeply emotional. If I had a little more time, I would probably reflect on the fact that I had stepped into an alternate world.


    Well, the escape from reality was over.


    The resources containers and A.I. units had fallen messily around me.


    There were no obstructions and the visibility was good. I could see all the way to the horizon. I looked around and there was nothing that I had overlooked. The grass on the in undted as the fluffy wind caressed them.


    I thought long and hard on the inescapable facts and took it in.


    Apparently, I was all alone.

 Chapter 2.1: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon I

    <h4>Chapter 2.1: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon I</h4>


    ��1st day��


    ��Souya-san, the way you��re using the pegs is wrong. Besides, the tent will look more beautiful if it is more even. Ah�`It��s nted. It��s further to the right, 5cm more to the right. Please ce the containers and ammunition a distance from the food and medical supplies. About my location, please put me exactly in the center of this camp. North, South? Please reset the gyroscope. If physical damage is found, please contact the manufacturer. The contact number is�`��


    ��Shut up, you piece of scrap!��


    I found a creek that looked good so I was able to refill the undamaged containers�� resources without any trouble after I spent four hours moving everything there. As expected, it was not feasible to have a camp in the middle of an empty in.


    Problems kept cropping up while I was moving everything. Half the containers were literally in halves. They were cut cleanly, as if with a water cutter. Their contents had all disappeared somewhere. Luckily, there were plenty of firearms left and although the food and medical supplies were reduced, they were originally a year��s supply for six people. They would be more than enough for me alone. And the biggest problem was this artificial un-intelligence.


    All three units were damaged.


    Their cylindrical shaped Nido-Cadmium armor were riddled with holes that looked like they had been scooped out with a spoon. Only one of the units�� most important aqueous brain was undamaged. Thanks to the serviceability of the Makina units, even an amateur like me could cannibalize parts to make one of the units functional. Made it functional.


    Functional.


    ��Souya-san, I��m hungry��


    ��Huh?��


    ��I��m hungry��


    ��Wait, what do you even eat?��


    ��Please mix water with 3% sugar in the provided cup��


    The central portion of Makina opened and a robotic arm proffered me a cup. It was troublesome, but it was my lifeline, so I reluctantly made the sugared water. It was the correct decision to have already boiled water in a pot beforehand. I poured the warm water into the cup and mixed the sugar by hand before giving it to Makina.


    It extended a straw to drink the sugared water. The screen on its upper portion made a��delicious��expression.


    Such human-like actions had the effect of increasing its affinity with people.


    ��Souya-san��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��I��m hungry��


    ��Huh?��


    Thinking something was wrong, I opened the upper portion and took a look at the most important part, the aqueous brain. At first nce, it looked like a ss sphere filled with water, but neurons simr to those in a human brain were formed inside.


    It was something that humans had obtained by chance, mass-produced, and then spread. Humanity broke out of the constant ten year economic cycle of growth and decline, and even though various restrictions were ced on them, these A.I.s were now household appliances that were deeply rooted in human society. They were said to be humans�� next best friend, after dogs.


    And its brain was cracked and leaking.


    ��Gyaaa! Duct tape! Where��s the duct tape! Makina!��


    ��It��s in the container with a yellow line, partition A-3. I��m hungry��


    I poured sugar into the pot of water and handed it to Makina in a hurry. I kicked over the container with a yellow line and fished through its contents for the duct tape.


    ��Here it is!��


    With a towel in hand, I wiped the surface of the brain and sealed the leaking areas with duct tape. After finishing the stopgap measures, I found the repair manual for the Makina unit and looked at the section for the aqueous brain. It was very brief.


    ?Do not touch the upper wiring. Use glue, tape, or wrap in a waterproof bag. In case of malfunction, please contact the manufacturer��s support department, the number is�`?


    That��s all that was written.


    I found the instant adhesive, removed the duct tape temporarily and applied it to the leaking areas. I put duct tape over it again, then encased the entire brain with wrap and glued it shut. It should probably be fine now


    ��Yeah, delicious!��


    Having emptied the pot of sugared water, Makina showed a satisfied-looking expression. I swiped the manual with my finger and gave instructions by voice.


    ��AIJ006 Makina?Oddeye V166S6 Multiple Personality Control Type?Special Operations No.3 Unit. Start self-diagnosis��


    ��Error. That is not the model number of this unit��


    ��Makina, tell me your model number��


    ��This unit cannot recognize its own model number��


    ��Appropriately self-diagnose!��


    ��Understood!��


    Makina yed a humming song and disyed a Tetris-like image on its screen.


    I heaved a sigh now that the work was done but I felt a surge of uneasiness.


    This guy��s no good.


    In the first ce, could you extend the life of a partner that your life depended on with glue and duct tape? No. No way.


    ��Self-diagnosispleted. No errors detected��


    Things that were truly broken wouldn��t be able to recognize it themselves.


    I had half given up on it. At worst, I would have to do it alone.


    ��Haaa��


    For now, let��s cook food.


    If I filled my stomach, I just mighte up with a good idea, and it would be a good diversion.


    Just by gathering firewood, I could do some simple cooking. I drew water from the stream, and put the pot over the fire. I tested the water using the water testing kit. It was safe for drinking.


    I put small dried sardines into the pot to make a broth, and put out the fire just before it boiled. After removing the sardines and melting some miso in the broth, I took some watercress-like nts that grew in the creek and fearfully chewed on them. They tasted slightly bitter and spicy. As the tip of my tongue didn��t feel numb, it was probably safe to eat. I cut them up using scissors.


    Miso soup with alternate world watercresspleted.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    I put my palms together then sipped the soup. It wasn��t bad. It was much better than the oil-soaked Chinese food I ate in the Middle-East. It was a hundred times better than the spice-covered rotting meat, the abnormally sour vegetables or the boiled mixture of wheat flour and water I ate because I had no money.


    The smell of fermented soy calmed my mind down.


    ��Activating sub-personality, wide-areabat program Izora activated. Requesting cooperation from project participants��


    Makina said something.


    I put down my chopsticks and listened to it.


    ��Please report the human casualties from entering the portal��


    ��Status of everyone but me is unknown. I searched a 5km radius around the arrival site but there were no traces of them��


    ��Understood. Starting resource management, sonar beacon activated, reading tags, 60% of equipment containers lost due to damage, 70% of medical containers lost due to damage, 50% food containers lost due to damage. Scheduled one year of activity with one team member is possible��


    ��I have one question. If I asked to be rescued now, will they send aid?��


    For some reason, I asked a question that I thought was futile.


    ��That��s impossible. 7920 hours are needed until the the portal can be deployed again��


    ��I thought so��


    They wouldn��t have rushed us into the portal if it was easy to open.


    ��Releasing bug drones, circumference 20km, creating map of the city around the dungeon��


    It released arge number of drones which looked a lot like mosquitoes. Even though I knew they were artificial, it still made my skin crawl.


    ��Please search for the remaining team members��


    ��Denied. There is no precedent for ever finding the people who had gone missing after entering the portal. In this situation where only this unit is operational, resources cannot be wasted��


    How many times had I felt this bad feeling today��


    ��Tell me the probability of crossing over to the alternate world by entering the portal��


    ��40%��


    Hey! I didn��t hear anything about that! Isn��t that absurdly important!? That��s right, isn��t it!? Don��t forcibly put even one person in!


    ��By the way, the probability during the return trip is�`��


    ��I don��t want to hear it. Shut up��


    ��Understood. I will confirm team member Souya��s intentions��


    ��Alright��


    ��Taking into ount the resources and the ability of the team member, the current probability of sess for this project is 0.2%. This number is derived from the current situation and will be adjusted based on future information. ording to Article 24 of the Law of Artificial Intelligence, the full resources of the Makina?Unit can be used to save, protect and preserve human life. Team member Souya, do you wish to abandon the project?��


    ��No, I��ll push on��


    I have alreadye to such ce. I��ll do what I have to. If I decided not to do anything because I thought that it was futile, then it will truly be meaningless.


    ��Understood. Support personality stopped. I wish you luck��


    ��Thanks��


    Just when I was thinking about warming up the miso soup�`


    ��La��?Souya-san��


    ��You better not say you��re hungry again��


    Makina, which had returned to being cheerful, spoke. It��s a bit tiring.


    ��You have a visitor��


    ��Huh? Hmm?��


    There was a sshing sound and I turned back towards the presence I felt behind me. My first encounter with an inhabitant of the alternate world had just emerged from the river.


    ��


    ��Ohh�`So you��vee from a foreignnd��


    The one who said that while drinking the miso soup, how do I say this, was a fish. By my estimation, it was about 70% human, 30% fish. It had real gills in the area where the back of a human jaw would be. It had surprisingly round and cute eyes. Its ears were integrated with its fins. It had bluish scales and wore a grass skirt made from seaweed. The nes made from coral and shells jingled as they hung on his neck. It had ced its sharp harpoon beside the camping chair it was now sitting in.


    ��Ah, should I warm up the soup? It must be cold��


    ��No no, I can��t consume hot food. This is just right��


    It was drinking the miso soup gracefully with a spoon. Somehow, it had a refined bearing. Perhaps it was a fish-man from a cultured ce.


    No wait, the impact from my first encounter with an alternate world inhabitant was so impressive that I forgot something very basic.


    ��Erm����Why do you understand my words?��


    You��re not going to tell me that Japanese is the fish-men��s officialnguage, right?


    ��That��s because I��m a priest. I��m a being of the Abyss, but I at least have received the blessing of Babel��


    Was Babel that tower referred to in that story?


    ��What��s Babel?��


    ��I suppose a foreigner won��t know. Simply put, my god asked the god that is my god��s superior��s superior for the ability tomunicate with other races. As long as the spoken words contain thoughts in them, then the words will generally be understood��


    In real time with nog? And so fluently. Wow, isn��t that amazing?


    ��Is this something that everyone on this side has?��


    ��It��s not especially unusual. Anyone who has a contract with one of the gods can receive this blessing��


    ��Yes!��


    I saw a glimmer of hope.


    Ifmunication was possible, then negotiations would also be possible. I could hire a party member and explore the dungeon!


    ��You��re also going there?��


    The fish man pointed to the distant dungeon with his sharp-wed finger.


    ��Well yes, will it be okay even for a foreigner?��


    ��I don��t know about matters onnd, but no one should be refused if it��s just exploring. The spire abandoned by the gods doesn��t belong to anyone��


    I see, that��s why it��s called the Odoriji spire.


    *(it��s wordy, see below)


    ��Hn��


    ��?��


    A ne of connected corals was proffered to me.


    ��I��ll give you this. Apostles of Grizunas like me have the custom of giving ornaments to those who have exchanged words without hostility with us. Take it. We��ll be enemies next time we meet if you don��t take it��


    ��I��ll ept it. Thank you very much��


    I received it gratefully and put it around my neck immediately. I probably needed to give something in return so I fished through the containers until I found a pair of sunsses.


    ��If this is fine with you, please take this in return��


    ��What��s this?��


    I put them on to show the fish-man.


    ��It protects against bright sunlight��


    ��You can��t see in front of you!��


    ��No, it��s darker but you can still see��


    I handed it over and it put the sunsses on.


    ��Ohh�`��


    It looked around at the surroundings.


    ��Ohh�`��


    It was an interesting sight that made me want to smile.


    ��Oh no. I have to return quickly or I��ll be yelled at by my grandchild. That��s it for today��


    It set down the empty bowl and stood up with its harpoon.


    ��For how long will you be here?��


    ��I��ll be here for around a year at most. Could it be that this is a bad spot for a camp?��


    ��It��s fine if it��s only for that period of time. You��re the first person who not only didn��t scream at us, you even invited me for a meal. I��m Geto Bado from Mojubafuru��


    Thest part was probably the name of a ce. Thinking that, I answered in the same way.


    ��I��m Souya from Japan��


    ��Souya from Japan. Ournd is six stals from the river. Once you��ve exited ournd, it then bes thend of the Kingdom of Lemuria. The Heures Forest over there is the territory of the Elves. Those of the Hemu race like you should never go near there, you��ll be killed��


    ��That helps a lot��


    ��Till next time��


    Geto-san jumped into the river and disappeared underwater at a frightening speed.


    ��The current probability of sess for the project is 0.6%��


    ��It went up a little��


    It was an auspicious encounter.


    I put a medical kit and some tools into my backpack and hefted it onto my back. I checked the condition of the firearms again and attached a rifle sling I found in the containers to the AK before shouldering it. I carried four spare magazines for each firearm. After making sure that the containers were locked, I camouged Makina simply by covering it with a sheet.


    ��What��s the progress on thepletion of the map?��


    I wore a sses-type device and linked it to Makina.


    ��The overall progress is unknown because there is an underground structure in the city. If it��s just oveying the locator over the aerial image, then it can be disyed��


    ��That��s good enough. Post drones around me as well��


    ��Understood��


    Well then, let��s go to the dungeon.

 Chapter 2.2: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon I

    <h4>Chapter 2.2: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon I</h4>


    It was a medieval city built of stone. It looked like a fortress surrounded by sturdy walls.


    I entered the city gates and the liveliness of the city overflowed.


    A stream of carriages carryingrge luggages for various races filled the wide cobbled streets. Bustling street stalls, cksmiths hammering iron vigorously, beautiful beast-women attracting people to the store. I wondered if the people who stopped their feet in front of the store with many resplendent weapons were adventurers. A beautiful person of a different race caught my eye. With porcin white skin with golden blond hair, it was a tall and beautiful elf. A woman, who wasn��t stingy about showing her skin and scales, had a tail and red hair like a raging fire. A morous woman, holding a staff taller than herself, had curling horns and fluffy white wool. I was touched to see a fully armored female knight, just like the ones seen in games. Given the chance, I would love to have her join as a party member.


    The smell of exotic spices, the nauseating smell of medicine, the beguiling perfume of passersby, the sound of exploding iron and fire, the edges of the flowing crowds of people, the furtive peeks into the narrow back alleys and the feel of violent presences.


    There was no feeling of alienation that foreigners typically felt in a foreign country. A multitude of races and faces, colors of all kinds, spirits and demons from legend, there was a chaotic mix, and everywhere my eyes turned, there was something strange-looking. There were far too many weird beings but they were all walking around naturally.


    I was worried that I would stand out, but it looks like my fears were unfounded.


    Compared to those with brintly colored wings on their backs or people with a third eye, a Japanese like me was very in. I would disappear into the crowd even if I had a topknot, wore a kimono and equipped a katana.


    The river that Geto-san had disappeared into was flowing into the city. There seemed to be other water sources, and ording to Makina��s investigation, a simple water and sewage system was installed throughout the city. And there were bath-like facilities built all over the ce which meant that there was a wealth of mmable resources.


    The way to the dungeon was straightforward, so there was no need to use my device��s locator. Or rather, the destination was so big that it was impossible to get lost.


    We arrived in front of the dungeon after about a 20-minute walk


    Yeah, it��s big.


    Its extreme size really hit me now that I was this close. ording to Makina��s structural calctions, it seemed that even the upper portion alone couldn��t be reproduced using any modern materials. It looked simr to ivory, but I should take a sample just in case. As ast resort, there was a n to make holes using TNT explosives in order to descend, so I had to make sure that it was destructible.


    Following the crowd, I found the entrance quickly. But rather than calling it an entrance, it was just a hole that had been broken by something.


    The entire floor inside was in use.


    The smell of alcohol and meat. The huge bar inside was filled with a bunch of drunk people even though the sun was still high in the sky. Adults who became stupid with alcohol were the same in every world. There was a big, long board that had pieces of paper randomly pinned on it. Perhaps they were requests?


    And I was surprised. There was a line of portals that adventurers were entering and exiting from.


    ��The field is stable. Very interesting��


    ��Is that this side��s technology?��


    Makina was also surprised.


    I found what looked like the reception desk. Ladies that dressed like clerks were dealing with the adventurers. There were many counters and I wondered which one I should line up at.


    ��Makina, is it possible to analyze thenguage?��


    ��In progress. It should be faster to ask the locals though��


    ��Yes��


    That��s certainly true.


    There happened to be a person holding a bunch of documents walking by, so I asked her.


    ��Um, This is my first time here. Where should I line up?��


    ��Okay, new adventurer registration and the examination for issuing the dungeon exploration permit is at the first counter on the right��


    Thedy with scales and a tail told me with a beaming smile.


    Luckily, there was no one in line so I took a seat at the counter. There was an expressionless woman with two horns on the other side of the counter. Her long silver hair was lovely.


    ��������������What?��


    She said in a very chilly voice.


    ��Um, I want to explore the dungeon. I heard that I can do the paperwork for that here��


    ��I see. You should have said so earlier��


    ��I��m sorry��


    This receptionist is scary. Or rather, her pressure is amazing. It feels like I��m dealing with a ferocious animal.


    ��Then please fill in the required documents��


    A parchment-like piece of paper, an inkwell and a pen was proffered to me. I had no idea what I was supposed to write.


    ��E, excuse me. I don��t know thenguage here yet��


    ��I see. I��ll tell you upfront that if you want me to write it for you, I��ll have to ask you questions verbally��


    ��Okay, thank you��


    ��It��s my job��


    The proffered piece of paper was turned around.


    ��Are you registered with the Adventurers�� Guild anywhere else?��


    ��No��


    ��Then you��re new. Name and ce of birth��


    ��Souya from Japan��


    ��Japan? It��s a ce I��ve never heard of before, are you from the left continent?��


    ��From the outside, or rather from an alternate world��


    I regretted it the instant the words left my mouth. Oh no. Should I have kept it a secret? We had not done a single thing worthy of praise to these people in the past. Would I be chased out? Ah, another basic issue. Was the fact that we hade here in the past being kept secret?


    Then Makina whispered.


    ��It was ultimately just what was reported by the media. Makina will sneak drones in to rectify or incinerate anything if it is determined that there is danger. As it will be unpleasant if you are viewed with suspicion because of superficial lies, it��s the correct decision to tell the truth��


    Understood.


    ��Oh, so you��re a foreigner. It��s quite rare these days��


    She wrote it in without incident.


    ��What��s your purpose for visiting this dungeon?��


    ��It��s money��


    ��Money, I see. There is one important caveat. As a rule of this dungeon, if you get more than 50 gold coins in one exploration, please be sure to pay 10% to the Kingdom of Lemuria. Payments can be made in gold coins, center continent��s money notes, or even materials from the dungeons. The due date for the payment is 7 days after the merchantpany determines the value. If the materials�� value is misrepresented or payment is dyed, all equipment will be confiscated. If you don��t want to be stripped and dumped in the sewer, don��t do anything stupid��


    ��Okay��


    Scary.


    ��Any anomalies with your mind or body? Also, do you have any magic-rted illnesses, or have anyone cursed within your lineage and bloodline, or have any rtives with contagious diseases?��


    ��Not at all��


    The only good thing about me was my health.


    ��Do you hold any hatred, repulsion, or hostility towards any particr race, religion, or country? Also, are any of those feelings directed at others?��


    ��No��


    I replied quickly, but the affair with the advance troops crossed my mind. I was in a tough spot. There was a tendency to lump together those from an unfamiliar culture from other ces. It was possible that no one would listen even if I screamed that I had nothing to do with it.


    ��What?��


    ��There might be some people who resent me��


    Thedy returned me a sharp gaze.


    ��If it��s not clear then I won��t write it in. It��s probably nothing you need to worry about. Exploring the dungeon is something you definitely can��t do alone. If you get party members, you��ll make enemies at the same time. If you gain fame, you��ll create double the envy and resentment. What��s essential is whether you have the resolve to not get crushed��


    ��Then, there��s no problem��


    Well, I��m someone who has his back against the wall. I��ll use the negative emotions of others as fuel.


    ��I��m continuing. What��s your previous profession?��


    ��Mercenary��


    It wasn��t correct but I thought of it as something like that.


    ��Do you follow any particr religion?��


    Um, I only followed Shin Buddhism a little. Oh but broadly speaking, for a Japanese it should be,


    ��It��s Shinto��


    ��Shinto, you said? I don��t know it. Can you please give a simple exnation on it?��


    ��It��s a polytheistic religion that generously epts gods from other religions. There are no clear precepts, but we appreciate life and nature, and especially when we eat, we are deeply grateful for the food. We act with the mental attitude of behaving in a proper manner as a person, and feel shame at anything that deviates from that. It feels like a collection of fluffy values, but it��s Japanese-like? It��s that kind of vibe��


    The more I spoke, the less I understood what I was saying.


    ��Polytheistic, not fussy about other religions. No precepts. Eats food deliciously. Values unique to the Japanese race��


    I think that��s about right.


    ��Next, tell me the name of the god you��re contracted to��


    ��Eh?��


    ��The name of the god you��re contracted to��


    I drew a nk.


    I didn��t particrly doubt the modern gods, but the gods on my side were just worshipped figures or drawings, and while they were prayed to, there was no rtionship with them. Hence, there��s no such thing as a contract.


    ��The best would be the gods in this world, but there are no problems with gods from other worlds. There must have been such a precedent before��


    ��Um, I don��t have one. A contract��


    ��I see��


    ��Is that bad?��


    Thedy��s expression didn��t change at my question.


    ��I think it��s unusual. However, there are some people who break their contract with their god on their own initiative, while others fell out of favor with their god and had the contract dissolved. Some people were also born with bloodlines that reject the blessings. If I had to say whether it was bad or not, then it isn��t bad. There are many people who are more unfortunate and more pitiful��


    ��That��s good��


    I was relieved.


    ��But, you can��t explore the dungeon��


    ��


    Even when people felt depressed, were driven to desperation, and felt like crying, they would still feel hungry.


    When you were in a city, you could satisfy your hunger without much trouble.


    But that��s only if you had money.


    If I had no money, I might seriously have been in despair.


    Relying on the map I was given by the receptionist, I arrived at the pawnshop.


    The pawnshop was a distance away from the main street and the hustle and bustle sounded far away. When I opened the anti-thief metal door, the young-looking shopkeeper faced me with a business smile.


    ��Wee, what can I do for you do today?��


    In contrast to the bright voice, the room was dark. It had a Middle Eastern-like design, and scales of all sizes were ced all over. Near the shopkeeper��s counter was a strong man carrying a scimitar who seemed to be a bouncer. After I entered the room, a man lurking beside the entrance stood behind me.


    ��I want you to change this into the money that is used here��


    I put a gold bar on the counter.


    It was from a container that was meant for procuring funds. It was damaged so I only had three and a half bars.


    ��Please wait a moment��


    The shopkeeper wiped the bar with a cloth, then looked over every inch of it at different angles.


    ��Dear customer, did you scrape off the engraved mark?��


    ��No. I carelessly dropped it. It was an ident��


    ��Hahaha, well, things like that can happen��


    He had a pregnant smile on his face. The gold bar was ced on a scale and sand-filled bags were ced on the other side until the scales were bnced. The bags were then put onto a different scale and this time, round pieces of metal were put on the other side until it was bnced again.


    ��40 gold coins and 8 silver coins. This is a strict and fair assessment by the Zavua Night Owlpany. Do you wish to assess it at otherpanies?��


    It was five gold coins more than Makina��s estimate.


    ��No, that��s fine. I also want to exchange for smaller change��


    ��No problem��


    Unless there were severe fluctuations in the exchange rate, 10 copper coins would be worth 1 silver coin, and 10 silver coins would be worth 1 gold coin.


    ��I want 50 copper coins and 50 silver coins please��


    ��Our shop also deals in Misuranika gold coins��


    ��Misu, what?��


    I didn��t know what that was and asked him back.


    ��Dear customer. Did you perhapse from another continent?��


    ��No, I came from another world��


    Another inadvertent slip of the tongue.


    ��So that��s it. It��s no wonder then that I��ve never seen that fabric before��


    He was staring intently at my poncho.


    ��Hahaha��


    I gave an ingratiatingugh.


    ��That was rude of me. Misuranika gold coins were themon coinage used by the three nations that once ruled this area. Magic had been infused into these old coins, albeit only in a small amount. They cannot be reproduced with current technology. They have value because of their rarity. The current rate is 20 gold coins for one Misuranika gold coin��


    ��No, I��ll pass��


    Something like stocks or futures trading was too much for me.


    ��Sorry about that. Then, here you go��


    The shopkeeper took three leather bags from someone in the back of the shop.


    ��50 copper coins, 53 silver coins, 35 gold coins. Please confirm��


    ��Thank you��


    It��s boring work, but I checked it by lining up stacks of 10.


    ��Are there any mistakes?��


    ��No, there are none��


    It was certainly correct.


    ��The handling charge is one silver coin��


    I took two silver coins and ced them on the counter.


    ��Thank you very much. Ourpany also deals in various products that are necessary for adventurers. Please do not hesitate to use our services when you visit our main store, which is located on the main street of the first main gate��


    ��Why did you think I was an adventurer?��


    ��Since this is an adventurers�� city, there are only adventurers and people who want to make money from them��


    And right in front of me was one such person who didn��t explore the dungeon and was cooped up in here instead.


    I put some of the coins in my pocket and kept the rest in my backpack.


    ��Dear customer, I��m sorry for my repeated rudeness, but�`��


    As I was hauling the backpack onto my back, the shopkeeper called out to me.


    ��Is that a firearm?��


    ����������������


    I had been surprised countless times aftering to this world but that sent a chill down my spine. I had heard nothing about this! Did the people of this world know the value of firearms?


    ��Ah, um����


    It would be easy to deny it, but getting information was a thousand times more important. I had to choose my words carefully.


    ��What a surprise, you have them in this country too��


    ��Yes, it was made by dwarves and yed an active part in thest war against the elves��


    I frowned at the word ��war��. I wished that they would stop such things while I was here.


    ��If you don��t mind, can you show me the firearms that you have here?��


    ��Yes, of course��


    The shopkeeper called out to the man at the back of the store and was given a firearm.


    The firearm��s barrel was as long as a spear, and had gold embellishments depicting an elf being stabbed by a human. It had a light trigger pull, had what looked like a jewel where the flint would be, and the sh pan still smelt strongly of sulphur. It probably used ck powder. The technological level was the same as the flintlock of the 16th century.


    ��How about 40 gold coins? Because this is a historic piece, its price will continue to rise. An opportunity like this won��te again��


    ��No, it��s fine��


    ��That��s a pity. Well then��


    The shopkeeper, who now had nothing to do, smiled at me.


    He was probably thinking, I��ve showed you mine, so isn��t it your turn next?


    I removed the magazine without being seen, then unslung the AK and handed it to him.


    Probably intending to be courteous, the shopkeeper received the firearm through a cloth and inspected it.


    ��It looks crude. There are no embellishments at all. The wood is ordinary. For something made of steel, it��s pretty light. There seems to be a lot of parts��


    ��Is the usage of firearms widespread among adventurers?��


    ��Not since the incident two years ago. There was a party that blew up some gunpowder inside the dungeon and it caused every monster on that floor to gather there. It took all the adventurersing together to clean up that mess��


    I would have to look for a silencer as soon as I returned. If I couldn��t explore the dungeon with a firearm, all of the nned tactics would be useless.


    ��Hmmm, let��s see. How about 80, no, 100 gold coins? Would you be willing to sell that to me?��


    ��I��m sorry. It��s not something that can be sold��


    I took back the AK from the shopkeeper, who was looking at it greedily. The money was attractive, but there was one thing that the president had emphasized. That I was to never give away any technological singrities on this side.


    Refined metals, naval navigation, gunpowder, firearms, pharmaceutics, explosives, bacteria, aircraft, nuclear, artificial intelligence, inte. Technologies that would create a snowball effect if they were given to the people of this world. In every world, there were always those who took up the challenge of breaking through the current technology. If such geniuses were given these technologies to draw inspiration from, current technology would evolve and propagate at an explosive rate. It would be easy to imagine the rest.


    I came here to explore a dungeon, not to spread the seeds of war.


    ��Thank you and bye��


    ��Oh, dear customer. Please wait, there��s still�`��


    I thanked him quickly and left the pawnshop. The shopkeeper was making a fuss about something, but I ignored it.


    I would be troubled if I was followed so I jogged away. After turning into three narrow alleys, I got lost in a maze-like area. I thought of asking Makina to help me navigate, but a light-hearted exploration might be fun, so I continued walking.


    There were stairs so steep that there was the danger of stumbling when climbing them, dwellings with very low ceilings, and there was even a submerged area so it was very enjoyable.


    The scenes of the hustle and bustle were good, but it was the quiet and gentle scenery that made my heart leap. It was like having an adventure from a children��s book.


    I sauntered casually along a flowing aqueduct.


    My nose caught the smell of roasted meat and I stopped.


    My stomach growled.


    That��s right, I had been hungry! I had forgotten my hunger because of the constant cycle of nervousness and surprise.


    It was the fastest I had ever moved sinceing to this side. The source of the smell was arranged under the store��s eaves. I bought one without question for two copper coins. In a good mood, I walked off with it in my hand.


    It looked like kebab, though I couldn��t tell if the meat was stewed or roasted. Wheat was baked into a thick crepe-like shape to hold the meat.


    I took a bite.


    ��Hmm��


    The juicy meat and the simple taste of wheat was good. If I was being picky, then the seasoning was too simple. But I wondered what kind of meat it was. It seemed bird-like, but it could just as easily have been pork.


    ��Warning. Enemies approaching��


    ��What?��


    ��They had been following you ever since you left the pawnshop. Due to their clearly hostile attitude, I had been tracking them��


    I stopped my feet at Makina��s warning.


    I swallowed the kebab-like food and drank from my water bottle.


    After a moment��s hesitation, I cocked the AK and chambered a round.


    ��How many people?��


    ��Three enemies. One at two o��clock, two at five o��clock��


    ��Understood��


    ��Counting down to contact, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1��


    A man appeared. I looked around and verified that the two people were behind me. The arrivals had long swords and really looked like hoodlums.


    ��What do you want?��


    The man lost hisposure for an instant when he realized that I had been waiting for them. Perhaps he did not really put much thought into it, but he raised his voice.


    ��Money, all of it. Then I��ll spare your life��


    Thankfully, he was easy to understand.


    I took a random coin from my pocket and tossed it. It was a gold coin. The gold coin bounced on the cobbles with a dull sound. The distressed man followed it with his eyes.


    By the time he looked back again, I had already closed the distance sufficiently. I bashed his jaw with the butt of the rifle. I felt his bones break. Turning back, I brought my rifle up.


    I shot one in his side, and the other in his knee. The quiet alley echoed with the sounds of gunfire. And after a while, moans of agony from the men could be heard.


    ��Neutralized��


    ��Ambushers?��


    ��None��


    ��That��s good��


    I felt a gaze. When I turned my eyes towards it, a shadow hurriedly disappeared around a corner. It would be dangerous to chase it as I wasn��t acquainted with the area.


    I picked up the spent cartridges and the gold coin. Just when I was thinking of collecting the bullets as well�`


    ��Attention, confirmation of people approaching. It seems to be local residents who had heard the gunshots��


    ��Understood. Activate the locator, I��m going to make my escape��


    A crimson darkness was starting to fill the surroundings.


    With Makina��s guidance, I made my way back to the main street without making contact with anyone else.


    In addition to mixing with the crowd, I checked behind me several times for hostility while I was walking, until my mind, flustered from the battle, had finally calmed down.


    Glowing ores had been inserted in the streetlights to illuminate the surroundings. Night had fallenpletely, and the city looked different.


    Now that night had liberated it from the day, the city ran wild and mored for food and alcohol. Women got hot and moist, and men abandoned their wisdom and became stupid with drink. I could hear singing, shrieking and angry voices from quarreling.


    My eyes met with those of a beast-woman, who was standing alone, wearing only a piece of thin silk. She had red eyes and long rabbit-like ears. I didn��t know if the smile she showed me was because of affection or because she saw an easy mark. Because I had turned my eyes away immediately.


    It was a chaotic party of the different races. I wasn��t limated to this world enough to join in with them.


    I turned my back on themotion and little by little, surrounded myself with silence. A bell rang to signal the end of the day.


    I had not gotten any results or rewards yet. It was a day riddled with problems that needed to be solved.


    My first exploration of the alternate world ended in this way.

 Chapter 3.1: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon II

    <h4>Chapter 3.1: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon II</h4>


    ��2nd day��


    The name of the receptionistdy from the Adventurers�� Union was Evetta.


    ��I��ll prepare the reference materials soe back tomorrow��


    I was made to leave after being told that yesterday.


    Since there was no time designated, I spent my morning leisurely. I looked over the maps of the surroundings and of the city that were created by Makina. Then I put some effort into organizing my supplies and improving the camp. The kitchen and toilet were now more civilized. Geto-san came by with a fish so I made a pot of fish-head soup and we ate it together.


    I dried the remainder of the fish and arrived at the town at around 1 o��clock in the afternoon.


    And,


    ��You��rete��


    Evetta-san was waiting in front of the city gate. She had been standing there with her arms crossed. Displeasure seeped out of her expressionless face.


    ��Um, why are you here?��


    ��Generally, people only enter and leave the city using this gate��


    ��No, that��s not what I meant��


    ��I went around all the major inns first thing in the morning, but I couldn��t find you. That��s where your coral nees in. It��s a gift from a fish-man, isn��t it? Once I remembered that, I surmised that you might be living outside the city��


    ��No, that��s also not what I meant��


    ��Are you referring to how I also arranged for a person to be at the reception desk just in case we missed one another?��


    ��Yes, I think that��s important��


    ����������������


    ����������������


    We both became silent.


    Evetta-san started trembling slightly as her face turned red.


    ��I got enthusiastic about my first job and ended up spinning my wheels, is there any problem with that?��


    ��No! Not at all! Thank you very much! Sorry about that!��


    ��It��s my job��


    Her stiff expression had returned.


    Let��s pull myself together and search for a god.


    Before that, I treated Evetta-san to brunch. It cost me one silver coin.


    ��


    The first one we visited was a god that had contracted with many adventurers.


    Legendary adventurers who left famous tales of their adventures in this world: Raging Rmir, Silent Duin, Magic Garving, Three-Swords Ardi, Resolute Robbs, Oblivion Thrusuovu. It was apound god made up of these six people.


    People praised it as the god of adventurers, and called it Vindoobunikuru.


    They were not gods that had incarnated and walked the world in human form, but they were worshipped by people as idols and legends. It was said that they had left their mark in dungeons all around the world.


    This temple was far too open to be called a temple, or rather, it was a bar. There was also a board for requests. Some people were already drinking inside even though the sun was still high in the sky.


    ��You, youngster who aims to be an adventurer. Vindoobunikuru will change that inquisitiveness into strength. People will marvel at your fame and fables will be born. And one day, those fables could be legends as famous as theirs. You should get contracted if you have a passionate heart that��ll never cool off��


    Said the bartender.


    He was a bartender no matter how you looked at it. He was bulging with muscles and had a mohawk. An absurdly big battle axe was hung on the wall behind him.


    ��Master. Extrarge portion of root vegetable sd, three thick dungeon pig bacon and a soft-boiled guinelle egg please. And ale, ah, I��m still working so milk instead��


    Evetta-san even ordered food from him. He was a bartender after all, wasn��t he? No, wait, didn��t you just finish off threerge tes of rice earlier?


    ��Evetta. Excuse yourself for a while��


    ��������Excuse me. I inadvertently fell into my old habits��


    She plodded over to a distant seat and sat down.


    ��For how long does she intend to act like an adventurer even though she��s a Guild employee now?��


    ��Ah, so she was a former adventurer��


    Somehow, I had thought that she might have been one.


    ��And you��re the foreigner she mentioned that wants to be an adventurer��


    ��Yes, that��s right��


    ��Alright, want to be contracted?!��


    ��Let��s do it!��


    That was really easy. Well, if this could be settled quickly then I had noints.


    The bartender ced a book on the counter and put his hand on top of it.


    ��My name is Rasta Oru Razva. As a follower of Vindoobunikuru, I bestow apass for a new endeavor. Youngster, adventuring is not an easy path. Your life is always on the line when adventuring. It is a torturous life that cannot be endured by normal people. Can you still push forward, and have a heart that won��t break until the moment of your death? If you have that resolve, ce your hand here and chant your name��


    Finally, my adventure was about to begin.


    With that determination in my heart, I put my hand on top the bartender��s hand. His hand was as hard as rocks. I could feel from the aged traces on his hand that this person was probably a well-known adventurer in the past.


    ��Souya of Japan��


    Several spots of light blinked into existence. Even under the sunshine, they still shone brightly as they danced and bobbed around.


    Then, silence.


    I felt something fill up my chest.


    ��Alright, it didn��t work!��


    ��It��s not alright~!��


    It was just my imagination.


    ��Master! What does that mean!?��


    Evetta-san had rushed over.


    The bartender kept the book and started wiping the counter.


    ��Hm~ it��s probably because of that. This happens sometimes but do you have dreams?��


    ��I do have one though��


    ��Is it an ideal? Or a realistic desire? Adventuring is the kind of desire that can never be fulfilled. Our god blesses the kinds of aspirations that other gods would onlyugh at. The gathering of such people��s dreams is the very essence of our Vindoobunikuru��


    Was my desire to help my sister not considered an aspiration?


    Well, that��s probably right. That was something that she had not wished for. Even I was vaguely aware. That my wish was something warped.


    ��In a word, you have no romanticism inside you. Go try somewhere else. However, just for you, we have the New Testament of Vindoobunikuru with many illustrations so even the illiterate can enjoy it. How about getting one for one gold coin?��


    ��No, thank you��


    I decided to go to the next one.


    ��


    mes.


    In terms of magic, it was the power that was the most primal, the easiest to produce and yet, the hardest to control.


    Whether the world was created by a giant, or by the many gods that existed, fire existed first in the world before such beings did.


    This was yet again a religion that worshiped a god that had not incarnated. ording to the exnation given by Evetta-san on our way here, it had the finalistic view that the world was born from mes and would disappear back into mes. Since everything would return to nothing, they needed no unnecessary wealth and believed in living ascetically. The foundation of this religion wasid by war refugees, and it was spread around the world by a great me magician.


    People who had nothing to do with adventuring, those who wanted to master me magic, those who gave up their burgeoning wealth to be followers, those who started an adventure all alone. It was apparently an extremely epting god that weed them all.


    It was a modest temple. However, you could tell that it had been cleaned meticulously. In the back, I saw a raging bonfire.


    ��Excuse me, the person over there��


    ��Eh, me?��


    I was called out to while standing in front of the temple. It was a beast-man with swarthy skin, golden ears and tail. Was he a fox, I wondered. He looked to be in thete teens. The air felt tense between us.


    ��What are you doing here at this temple?��


    ��I was thinking of joining this religion��


    ��Please leave��


    ��So fast��


    At least tell me the reason for refusing me.


    ��Looks like you can��t ept it. Our mes do not reject anyone. But, for you, look��


    He gestured to my neck. The ne that I had received from Geto-san was there.


    ��It is out of the question for those who wear such water-rted things. Can you take responsibility if you bring something like that in here and cause the fire to go out?��


    Did this ne have such power?


    ��If you say you wish to join no matter what, I��ll at least allow you to pray to the mes if you throw away that thing from the fish-men��


    ��No, I suppose it��s not fated to be��


    ��I agree��


    Next.


    ��


    ��My name is dvain, the stout arm! I don��t need any weak kin! Money! Fame! Blood! Words! I don��t need all of those! Assert yourself with your body and technique!��


    The woman shouting that was a incarnated god.


    She had wavy, long blonde hair and tanned skin. Her body had the golden ratio between beauty and muscle. Her well-endowed breasts were covered by a single piece of cloth, and her bottom was also just barely covered by another piece of cloth. The big sword piercing the ground wasrge and thick, and was not something normal people could swing.


    ��The anecdote about how dvain-sama��s sword broke when fighting a dragon because her power was too strong, then having no choice but to beat up and subjugate the dragon using her bare fists, is really famous��


    ��A dragon? With her bare hands!?��


    ��Yes, she is admired by all women who want to be vanguards��


    Should I just go home?


    ��No good! Next!��


    The line shuffled forward.


    If you asked me what was happening at the head of the line, then I would have to say that the applicants were attacking an enormous pig��s corpse with their weapons.


    The pig was about two meters long. Was this a species unique to this world?


    ��No good! Next! You, over there! Don��t give me that dead look before you��ve even started! And you! Don��tugh at others! Go get reborn and redo your entire life!��


    Those who didn��t stand a chance, those who were nervous, those who broke their spears, those who had their axes slip out of their hands, people of all kinds appeared and the tally was currently at 20 consecutive rejections.


    ��It seems impossible to me��


    I expressed my anxiety to Evetta-san, who was lined up behind me.


    ��That��s not true. There, take a look at that child��


    The next challenger was a boy with a long sword as tall as he was. He was about 14 or 15 years old. He was still very young and his physique was slender.


    ��Woah��


    However, the moment he held the sword in his stance, the air changed.


    Supporting the sword lightly with his left hand and holding the pommel with his right, he went into a low, hound-like posture, and darted forward as fast as a beast.


    A strong thrust.


    The sword dug into the pig and jerked out of the boy��s hand.


    ��Urgh��


    The slight immaturity of his technique was revealed. If he had been able to hold on to the sword, the pig would surely have been pierced through.


    ��What a fool for letting go of your weapon!��


    Sheathing his sword, the boy silently turned to leave.


    ��But that technique is 20 points and your youth is 30 points! Add that up and you��re half decent! Uphold the honor of being my kin by devoting yourself to improving! You��ve got a long way to go until you show your full ability!��


    ��Eh?��


    The boy had a stunned expression. Hearing the cheers from the surroundings, he finally grasped the situation.


    ��Hey, you. You want to be contracted?��


    ��Ah, eh, y, yes, I do!��


    The boy finally showed a smile. The innocent adventurer created a warm feeling in the air.


    ��Even though his skill was immature, that goddess also evaluated his future potential��


    ��I see��


    I would have to show that I was suitably skilled as well.


    After that, no one was allowed to be contracted and, with butterflies in my stomach, my turn came.


    ��Next!��


    I held my breath and steeled my resolve.


    Holding my hunting knife in my right hand and gripping my right wrist with my left hand, I raised it over my head.


    My knowledge of swordsmanship was limited to the Kendo I had done a very long time ago, but I would just do the best I could.


    ��UUUOOOOOOOO!!��


    With a spirited yell, I swung the hunting knife down with all of my might.


    I was yelling so loudly that my vision went ck for an instant. Once my vision returned, I saw that the de had bit around 2cm into the pig.


    But what was the verdict?!


    ��Out of the question!��


    It was no good after all!


    ��Hey, Evetta. Are you the one who brought this guy here?��


    ��Yes��


    It seemed like they knew one another.


    ��No matter how you look at it, this guy is more suited to be a rearguard. You��ve brought him to the wrong ce��


    ��������Yes��


    Was that how it was?


    ��Next!��


    Let��s try the next one.


    ��


    What I had noticed after going around the city, was that those beings referred to as gods drew close to people in a very familiar manner.


    And all day today, I saw arge number of gods. My view on religion had changed a little. Especially those who were called goddesses, they were all beautiful regardless of whether they were big or small. They were truly eye candy. I also raised a cheer for therge variety of non-human gods. As for the male gods, I had mostly forgotten about them.


    So, surely, definitely, it was not for nothing.


    Was what I told myself.


    Dusk had fallen over the city. Evetta-san was sitting on the street and holding her head. Tears were running down her chin and dripping on the ground. I was seated next to her.


    ��Please cheer up. Good things will surely happen��


    Because she had gotten so depressed before I could, it made it hard for me to feel depressed as well.


    ��To think that they would all reject you��


    ��Well, it was rejection after rejection. There were a few where it was close, but it turned out to be aplete drubbing��


    ��������������I��m sorry I wasn��t of more help��


    ��I think Evetta-san did very well. I was simply very unlucky��


    Even though she said it was her job, she had stuck with me all day until her legs had turned to lead. I couldn��t find it in me to me her.


    ��But, it was all for nothing��


    ��It��s just one of those days. Isn��t it the same when exploring the dungeon?��


    ��Yes, you��re right��


    She nodded a few times.


    ��Let��s go get something to eat. I��ll treat��


    ��Understood. I won��t hold back��


    Hold on a minute!


    And, just when we were having such an exchange,


    ��What��s this? Did you get a girl pregnant and make her cry?��


    A voice called out.


    It was a girl with cat ears. Her thin tail fluttered back and forth. She was super cute.


    ��Where are you looking? I��m over here, here��


    I was just thinking that she had such a calm voice when I realized that it was the cat she was holding that was speaking.


    The cat was speaking.


    ��Th, THE CAT SPOKE!!!��


    This was the most surprised that I had ever been, sinceing to this side.


    ��What a noisy person��


    ��Evetta-san, the cat! The cat is talking, Evetta-san?��


    Her face had turned pale.


    ��Souya. I will be waiting at the reception desk tomorrow. Pleasee before noon. I��m sorry for today. Including the meal you offered today, let��s eat tomorrow instead. Farewell��


    She left, like a startled hare. Her back disappeared into the sunset cityscape.


    Did she hate cats?


    ��Hmpt, what a cowardly horned girl. You there, you with the stupid-looking face��


    ��Haa, what is it?��


    A fluffy cat with long gray hair and golden eyes was talking to me.


    ��Reward the child. She carried me all the way here. How can you not reward her for her efforts?��


    Why me? I wondered. But the little girl with cat ears was so adorable that I took out a copper coin from my pocket. It was snatched away by the cat, who passed it to the girl itself.


    ��Good work. Be careful until you return to the church. Don��t take detours and don��t buy food. Watch out in particr for men with faces like this one. See you��


    Holding the single copper coin carefully, the little girl waved her hand as she left. I waved back at her.


    ��And so,��


    The cat that remained snuggled up and rubbed itself against my knee.


    ��What business do you have with me? Erm�� Cat-san��


    ��It��s Misuranika, the one called Souya��


    Misuranika�� I felt like I had heard that name before. Where was it? An item for futures trading?Was it the name of that item?


    ��The technique you used to fight off the hoodlums the other day was really splendid. I��ll praise you for that ��


    I shifted naturally into a posture where I could pull out my karambit at a moment��s notice.


    So, this cat had witnessed what happened yesterday.


    ��However, the sin of disturbing my sleep is worthy of ten thousand deaths. You should pay with your life��


    I was suddenly told to die.


    ��What should I do, specifically?��


    ��You should devote your entire life to serving me��


    I just realized that cats were creatures capable of making such a smug expression.


    ��Anyways, I��m busy, so I��m going home��


    I didn��t have time for this.


    ��You�`! I��ve bent over backwards and generously let you off with your insolent life! What a bargain! I wonder if such a thing even happens once in a hundred years! All right�`, I understand! I got it! I��ll rx the terms of the oath a little more! For the time being, just listen!��


    The cat was shrieking while hanging onto my pants. I thought of ignoring it and just going home but I took pity on it and listened to it one more time.


    ��Food, I��ll forgive you if you feed me! What do you think, isn��t my generosity asrge as an ocean?��


    ��Eeehh�`��


    This cat was kind of troublesome. In the first ce, I preferred dogs. It would have been great if it was that girl with cat ears from earlier though.


    ��Urghh, you�� To make me go so, far�`��


    The cat flopped to the ground. Did it die? It was lying so limply on the ground that I thought it actually might have.


    ��Oh no. I, moved, too much, suddenly, I��m at, my����limit��


    ��Eeehh�`��


    If I abandoned it and found its corpse here tomorrow, it seemed like it would leave a bad taste in my mouth.


    ��Are you hungry?��


    ��I haven��t satisfied my hunger for roughly 15 years��


    It was trying to appeal to my sentimentality this time.


    I wondered if I could afford to take care of a cat.


    ��Do you want toe over to my ce?��


    ��It can��t be helped. Let��s go��


    Today��s harvest, one cat.

 Chapter 3.2: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon II

    <h4>Chapter 3.2: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon II</h4>


    ��3rd day��


    The mornings of the alternate world were early. From afar, I heard the sound of arge bell signaling the start of the day.


    After waking up at 6 o��clock, I bathed and got ready. I got Makina to help me with the dirtyundry. While hanging it out to dry, a guest came by with ingredients for breakfast.


    ��It��s shrimp and shellfish��


    ��Thank you very much��


    ��Do you need a hand with anything?��


    ��No, please just have a seat��


    ��I see, I see��


    Geto-san sat in his exclusive chair and challenged the puzzle ring that I had given him.


    I removed the heads and shell of the small shrimp and de-veined them. Even though they were small, it��s still luxurious if there were twenty of them. The shellfish, which resembled ms, were lightly rinsed with salt water. I removed the core of an Elf garlic, an odorless garlic from this side, and cut it into smaller rings. Next was a species simr to cayenne pepper, let��s call it alternate world pepper. No, that��s troublesome, so I��ll just call it pepper. I removed the pepper��s seeds. Taking some wild vegetables that I had found on the in, I rubbed them with salt and left them forter.


    I poured a generous amount of olive oil into a y pot that I had bought on the way back yesterday.


    First, I put in the garlic and peppers. Then, an appropriate amount of salt.


    I moved the pot further from the fire so that the garlic won��t get burnt and waited for the smell toe out. Once it felt right, I put in the rest of the ingredients then let it cook.


    I sliced some hard bread that I had also bought yesterday and toasted their surfaces. The toasted slices of bread were then arranged on a te and put on top of the simple table in my camp.


    Once the pot was simmering nicely, I put out the fire.


    Alternate world Ajillopleted.


    Everything was from the alternate world, but it looked almost the same as the food in the food stores back in my world that I had peeked at.


    I left it out in the in for a while to let the wind cool it down.


    I figured that green tea should probably be fine for drinks so I made cold-brew tea as best as I could.


    Five minutester.


    ��Geto-san, let��s dig in��


    ��Ohhh��


    I passed him a spoon.


    ��You put the ingredients on top of the bread and eat them together��


    ��Is that so?��


    Perhaps they were his favorite, but Geto-san piled only the shellfish onto his slice of bread and put it all in his mouth.


    ��Umm. Once again, it tastes wonderful��


    Loud crunching sounds. Geto-san was eating even the shells. Well, if he found them delicious then I had noints.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    I put my palms together then piled an extravagant amount of shrimps on my slice of bread and took a bite.


    ��De, delicious��


    I was in pure bliss.


    The appetite-inducing garlic vor and the tenderness of the shrimp danced on my tongue. The bread went well with the olive oil that had soaked in the deliciousness of the ingredients, especially with its toasted texture. It didn��t end there. The subtle bitterness of the wild vegetables added an ent to the taste. I thought that there wasn��t enough salt but it was bearable. We finished all the shellfish.


    Bread.


    It��s bread.


    There��s not enough bread. Bring me more bread!


    So both of us even ate the bread that I had bought to keep as preserved rations.


    When the ingredients were all gone, we were simply scooping up the remaining oil in the y pot with the bread and eating it just like that. I hadn��t expected this hard and tasteless bread to go over so well.


    ��Urgh, this is the first time I ate so muchnd food. I��m going to go lie down��


    The fish-man lying there looked just like a beached whale. I did think that it was a bit rude of me to have that impression though. While it wasn��t as good as my sister��s, it was a delicious breakfast. It must be because the ingredients were good.


    ��Well, but, that is, I feel bad��


    I stuttered an apology while I was washing up the dishes.


    ��Hmm, was there something bad about the food?��


    Geto-san replied, still lying down on the ground.


    ��No no, it��s about receiving such delicious food for free��


    ��What a weirdly humble race. For us, who can��t use fire, we may only get the chance to eat food like that once or twice in our lifetime. That alone is well worth it. It was not quite a gold coin anyways. If you didn��t take it, I would have just thrown it away��


    ��What did you mean when you said that it was not quite a gold coin?��


    It was a phrase that I didn��t quite understand.


    ��I meant that it��s value isn��t enough to be exchanged for one gold coin��


    ��Won��t exchanging it for silver or copper coins be fine?��


    ��Ohh, I forgot��


    Eh, about the value of coins? Was what I thought, but that was wrong.


    ��Do you have any silver coins?��


    I took one out from my pocket.


    ��To non-human races like us, that��s a deadly poison that burns our flesh��


    ��What?!��


    I reflexively let go of it.


    ��You��re getting rmed for nothing. Let��s see, while waiting for the food to be digested, I��ll tell you a story��


    The fish-man priest recounted the blood-soaked history of the silver coins.


    Let��s start at the beginning.


    ��


    In ancient times,


    Right after the era of gods descending on this world was over, and human history had just begun,


    There was a king who ruled over the beast-men.


    His name was Ra Guzuri Duin Oruosuouru, the King of Beasts.


    No matter the times, humans and beast-men had always been at odds with one another, the difference was only in where they stood.


    At that time, it was the humans who were on the verge of extinction.


    Losing their influence and power throughout the continent, the only territory they had left was a hidden dwarven silver mine at the northernmost part of the left continent.


    It was there that thest king prayed to the gods.


    ��Please give us the power to destroy those with vile and abominable blood��


    After a thousand days of prayer and the sacrifice of a hundred elves, the gods finally responded.


    ��Then, King of Man, drink that abominable blood and be a beast yourself, then we will lend you our power��


    At the height of his resentment, the king obeyed.


    In return, the gods performed a miracle.


    Malignant spirits now resided within silver.


    The king implored,


    ��Oh silver, hate, burn, kill, and massacre all races other than humans like us! Rain death and extermination upon all those with an ugly body like mine! ��


    The blessed silver became the king��s hope.


    Dwarves created numerous weapons using silver.


    The ugly king, in front of the lines of new spears, swords and arrows, said hisst words,


    ��Now, my children. Let it ��begin����


    On that day, many beast-hunting kings were born.


    And so, humans hunted the beast-men down to the point of extinction, but stopped due to both exhaustion and mercy, and coexisted together with them from then on.


    As the proof of peace, the beast-hunting weapons were made into currency and were spread throughout the world. But should the beast-men ever turn their fangs on humans again, they would yet again be swords, spears and arrows, andpletely exterminate the beast-men at that time.


    No one knew the names of the gods that had responded to the humans.


    ����������������


    I had several thoughts about that story, but it wasn��t right for outsiders to casually voice opinions like that.


    I picked up the silver coin and looked at the beast engraved on its face. I wondered, was that the former human king, or was it the king of the beast-men?


    ��Although fish-men did not kill humans directly, we did help the beast-men cross the sea. So we were also caught up in the curse��


    ��I��m sorry��


    ��It��s pointless for you to apologize as you are someone who is not from this world��


    ��You��re right��


    ��As for the copper coins, they simply won��t do. They be rusty easily and dirty the water��


    For a time, the myth that copper was poisonous had been widespread in Japan.


    ��Actually, if it��s okay with you, Geto-san, there��s something I need to ask you��


    ��What is it now?��


    While I didn��t think that I would be able to help, since it was a sort of fate that we had met, I wanted to know if there was perhaps something going on.


    ��Why do you need money?��


    It was something Geto-san had said yesterday, but fish-men should be able to live solely on the blessings from the sea. There was little to no need to meddle with affairs onnd.


    As long as they maintained their practice of staying in the depths of the oceans, humans would not be able to rule over them.


    ��I have five granddaughters. The youngest one saved a man from a merchant boat that had sunk due to a storm. After sending him ashore, she was almost in a frenzy and kept on talking about that man. One day, she suddenly disappeared after stealing one of our greatest treasures. The name of that treasure is Gu Barri, and by paying the price of what is most precious to the user, it can transform the user into their desired form. So, it was pretty obvious that my grandchild had gone after that man��


    That sounded just like The Little Mermaid.


    ��We were denounced by the other fish-men ns, but I thought that it was fine as long as she was happy. But, one day, I heard from the others that there were people from the Eruomea West Phoenixpany who wanted to talk business with me. The item they wanted to sell was a fish-woman. The price was 4,000 gold coins��


    So, the little mermaid had not dissolved into foam but had be merchandise for a merchantpany.


    This was a world where a loaf of bread costs one copper coin. I couldn��t imagine what it would take to earn 4,000 gold coins.


    ��Forget about it. I didn��t talk about this because I wanted your sympathy. I merely answered your question��


    ��Yeah, okay��


    And just when this was happening,


    ��What��s this, something smells delicious��


    A gray creature came out of the tent. The freeloader stretched, then opened its mouth wide in a yawn.


    ��Good morning, Misuranika, -sama��


    I didn��t want to ept it, but if I didn��t call it with such an honorific, it would throw a noisy tantrum so I had no choice.


    ��Souya, prepare my breakfast��


    ��Yes, yes��


    I took the pieces of the alternate world fish that I had dried overnight and sprinkled water over them to reduce their salt content. Shaking off the water, I piled them loosely onto a te.


    ��What��s this?��


    ��It��s fish��


    ��This can��t be right! From the smell, you probably ate something better! I��m right, aren��t I?! Are you saying that this fish is worthy for someone of my status?! What disrespect! Bring me the sword!��


    It was kicking and rolling around on the ground like a child.


    ��It��s okay then, don��t eat it��


    I��ll just give it to the winged rabbit that flew by earlier instead. It was unusual and I wanted to let it be ustomed to being fed by people.


    ��Wait��


    The cat put its front paw on the hand that I had stretched out to take the te.


    ��I didn��t particrly say that I won��t eat it��


    ��Is that so?��


    Despite all theints, it started eating the fish. Geto-san was looking at the cat with an indescribable expression.


    ��Souya, what��s that?��


    ��It��s a cat. Do you call it something else on this side?��


    ��No, it��s indeed a cat. But the fact that it speaks, is somewhat���� no, surely not. I��ve spoken and eaten too much today. I��m leaving��


    As he left, Geto-san muttered,


    ��Misuranika? Hmm�� um, I��ve heard that before somewhere, but I��m too full so I��m feeling a bit muddle-headed��


    He jumped into the river and disappeared somewhat slowly.


    ��It��s a bit beneath me but I��m satisfied��


    ��Oh, I see��


    Misuranika-sama, who was satisfied despite all of itsints, licked around its mouth using its tongue.


    ��I��m going to sleep. Wake me up when lunch is ready. Next time, prepare some other meat that isn��t fish��


    It went back into the tent again.


    Was this creature really going to only eat and sleep?


    Cats were creatures like that, but I can��t ept this. It��s better when they could only meow helplessly. In difficult situations, it feelsforting to show love towards lesser creatures. But this creature spoke normally, was so cheeky, and had none of the cuteness of a cat.


    ��Souya-san, cats are so cute! Makina loves cats!��


    ��������Is that so?��


    Makina made a happy expression as it spoke. In the first ce, I had given it orders to not speak in front of the residents from this side. Did this piece of scrap love ipetence? Was it feeling sympathetic towards the cat? It was probably sympathy.


    ��


    Today��s god search, morning edition.


    In short, it was aplete failure.


    ��That went about as expected��


    Evetta said, with a refreshed expression. I beg of you, at least turn that smile upside down.


    ��But I have a good idea��


    ��Really?��


    ��But that��s for after the meal��


    We were going to eat at the bar where I was rejected yesterday. As I had offered to treat her yesterday, this meal was on me again.


    ��Oh, the dreamless wannabe adventurer and the former adventurer. What can I do for you today?��


    ��Master. Salt-grilled dungeon pig, a full helping of sauteed wild vegetables, rock-eating turtle soup and honey-filled high-ss fluffy bread. Portions for three for everything. I can��t drink alcohol because I��m at work, so milk please��


    ��Okay!��


    That was a veryrge order. I wondered if I could take the remainder home if we couldn��t finish it all.


    ��Evetta-san. I ate a lot in the morning��


    ��Then what does Souya want to eat?��


    That entire order was all for you?! And on someone else��s dime!


    I ordered a light chef��s choice for myself. Two thick pieces of bacon and pickled beans came in a bowl. Not bad, but the seasoning was pretty simple. Salt, pork gravy and sour beans only.


    Beside me, Evetta-san was finishing off her Han imperial feast-like meal starting from one end. She looked like she was enjoying herself, eating with great gusto. Did the women in this world all eat this much?


    Both of us concentrated on our meals for a while.


    I was getting sick and tired of the taste of beans though, but I didn��t want to waste them so I put some more into my mouth and got bored of them again in an endless cycle. It was getting sad, so I opened my mouth instead.


    ��Speaking of which, I picked up that cat yesterday��


    ��Are you insane?��


    Evetta-san said with a surprised expression while holding a te of wild vegetables.


    ��Cat, you mean those cats with narrow eyes, rough tongues, and tails that stand straight up? Cats that abduct away all things without a soul?��


    She had stopped eating.


    ��Do you hate cats?��


    ��Huh?! Even though I look like this, I was a decent adventurer in the past! So, something like a cat is nothing! Something like that!��


    She looked extremely distraught to me though. Her stress eating was making her food disappear rapidly.


    Ah, I forgot about Misuranika-sama��s food.


    I was about to ask Makina to open a bag of dried sardines or something when a notification of an emergencymunication popped up on the transparent disy of my sses-type device. It was from Izora, not Makina.


    I hid my face with my body and hands, so that others couldn��t hear, and gave a soft reply.


    ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Return to the camp immediately. It��s been attacked��


    ��


    The distance between the town and the camp was 5 km.


    After thatmunication, the system went down. Neither Makina nor Izora could be contacted. The situation was uncertain. I thought of taking advantage of the fact that Evetta-san was with me, but after imagining the worst case scenario and what might happen if I got her involved, I left the bar alone after leaving the money to pay for the meal.


    Just like how I was feeling, the sky was dark and cloudy.


    Considering that there might be a battle after I arrived at the camp, I ran as fast as I could while still conserving some stamina.


    Once I spotted the camp in the distance, Iid down and looked through my binocrs. The camp had been ravaged. My tent had blown away, the simple kitchen had been smashed to pieces and the supplies had been scattered wildly on the ground.


    The tent that sheltered all of the containers had been torn apart and its interior was exposed. I couldn��t confirm if there was an ambush. I crept closer.


    Holding up the AK, I did not shift my eyes from the sights as I moved closer. I kept my upper body as still as possible. Clearing each blind spot within the camp one at a time, I kept an eye out for traps. While there probably won��t be any explosive traps, if I got poisoned by toxins from this side, I would definitely die as I didn��t have Makina��s support at the moment.


    I ground my teeth and suppressed the urge to breath faster due to the panic I was feeling. I found the Makina unit under a tarp. Slowly, and praying the entire time, I rolled it till it faced upwards.


    ����������������


    There was no noticeable damage on its exterior, just shoe prints and soil. That was a load off my chest.


    ��AIJ006 Makina?Oddeye, start up��


    ��������������Registered user��s voice print confirmed. Releasing self-lock mode and starting system recovery. Starting up, starting up, unknown device confirmed. Device not supported by the system. When using the newest tools�`��


    ��Forcibly start up Izora��


    I rushed the start up procedure.


    ��Understood, starting up. System functionality at 30%��


    After a moment of static and flickering on the disy, the sses-type device was back online. In order to not burden Izora, I issued brief, clear-cutmands.


    ��Order. Start pulse scan. Disy the living organisms as red dots��


    ��Pulse activated, scanning�������� No response��


    The range of the pulse was 100m. This confirmed that there were no ambushers.


    For the time being, I calmed my nerves.


    ��Order. Put the aerial image on the disy. A range of 2km. Zoom in if anyone approaches��


    ��Understood. Drone automatic sequencing released, starting disy��


    I lowered the AK and moved the Makina unit back into an upright position. I was only an amateur, but as far as I could tell, there were no abnormalities in the aqueous brain or its capabilities. But this unit was broken from the start so I had no idea what kind of stimuli would trigger its demise.


    ��Question. How long until full functionality is restored?��


    ��Unknown. System functionality at 18% and dropping��


    That wasn��t good.


    ��Question. If you restarted, how long until full functionality is restored?��


    ��Unknown��


    ��Question. What happened?��


    ��The camp was attacked by a group of three men. Tracer was attached to one of them��


    ��Disy its location��


    ��Understood��


    A red dot appeared on the map of the city that was being disyed on the sses. Unrted to that, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye and when I turned back to look, I trembled all over.


    ��What was stolen?��


    ��The armament and medical containers��


    As could be expected, that left me at a loss for words. Of all things, the two types of containers stolen were both my lifelines.


    The stolen containers were locked. Did they realize that they were valuable because they were locked?


    ��Disy the current location of the containers. You are tracking them, right?��


    ��Impossible. Functionality is down to 5%. Rainy weather iing, will send return signal to all drones. Souya, please hide. Without support, do not do anything unreasonable�`��


    It was out of power.


    The screen changed and the restart meter seemed to be stuck at 1%. The rain was starting to fall. I hadpletely stopped thinking. A human��s brain breaks down when there were too many things for it to think about.


    ������������


    Based on my body clock, it took my brain about 5 minutes to start up again.


    It was dangerous here, should I move? Should I stay in town? No, it��s more dangerous that way. Should I go to the Adventurers�� Guild and ask Evetta-san for help? What if she wasn��t there? No, could she really be trusted? Was the town too dangerous after all? I couldn��t decide on what I should do.


    I gave up.


    This was the end of the road for a human who had been relying too heavily on the tools of civilization. I couldn��t even think of a single n to protect myself.


    In order to clear my confused mind, I began tidying up the camp. Doing simple tasks might help mee up with a good idea. Or it might just have been a form of escape.


    And,


    ��The scan had showed no response after all��


    I found the corpse of a cat.


    A spear or sword had been stabbed in its belly and it had died vomiting blood.


    It would have been fine if it had just escaped. It must have died fighting bravely. Well, that was what I chose to believe. No matter who it was, anyone who had died deserved a little bit of embellishment.


    I dug a hole away from the camp and buried it.


    Finding a piece of wood that looked suitable, I wrote��Misuranika��s Grave��on it using a marker and used it as a gravestone.


    I put my palms together.


    The warm drizzle wet my back.


    For the longest time, I never knew what I should think at times like this.


    It would probably be something like this.


    I had observed the proper decorum.


    Next was to lift my gloom.


    I removed the sses which didn��t suit me and checked my remaining ammo. It was more than enough for three people and I doubted that there were more of them. I had crammed the geography of the city into my head when I was running all over the city during my search for a god that was willing to be contracted with me. I had already grasped the location shown earlier on the map.


    ��I��m sorry. Makina, Izora, I��m going to do something unreasonable��


    ��


    The brighter the vibrant and life-filled areas were, the darker the quiet and squalid areas became in contrast.


    Those three were hiding in such a ce.


    A section of the city where the losers, who had their dreams of the dungeon shattered, had gathered. It was also a ce where the fools, who couldn��t even have aspirations like that in the first ce, could flock together. It wasn��t as terrible as a slum, but it was impossible to know what you would find behind the doors in such a ce.


    The part I said about hiding was wrong.


    They didn��t seem to have the sense to be so subtle.


    It was a building with a semi-basement. There was one set of stairs that descended to the basement, and the upper part of the building was like a warehouse. From the light and soundsing from the horizontal venttion windows of the basement, they were probably drinking after raking in the gold. Horrible singing and vulgarughter could be heard. From what I could tell from the voices, there were only three of them.


    The anger that I had suppressed unconsciously was about to explode.


    To cool myself down, I knocked on the doors of the neighboring houses on both sides. The house on the right belonged to a beast-man with children. He rxed his bewildered expression once I gave him a gold coin.


    ��I��m sorry. It��s going to get a little noisy��


    ��Do as you like��


    Was his reply.


    An old woman lived in the house on the left. When I told her that it was going to get noisy, she answered that she didn��t mind because she was going deaf. I gave her a gold coin for the inconvenience anyways.


    Well, I was feeling calm. Without a doubt, I was definitely being cool-headed.


    One more gold coin was thrown in through the venttion window.


    Once I heard the clink of the coin bouncing off the floor, I ran down the stairs, and tackled and broke the door down with my momentum.


    There was one person on the right and two on the left, so I sprayed the AK at the two on the left as I dove into the room. The walls and floor were sttered with the spray of their blood. My ears were ringing from the loud gunshots in a closed room.


    Pulling out the Government, I shot the knee of the person on the right. He fell t but still tried to pull his sword. I shot him in his elbow and palm. He screamed like a beast.


    I stood up while still holding the gun at the ready. Holding up thentern that was in the room, I saw that the room was quite cramped. Liquor bottles had fallen over on the shabby table, there were some chairs and metal chains and ropes were hanging down from the low ceiling beams. There were no other enemies.


    ��I have something to ask you��


    ��Pfft, hahahahaha!��


    The man startedughing heartily. Did I shoot him in a bad spot? Let��s fire two or three more into his skull.


    ��You!��


    As I approached the man, the light from thentern illuminated his face.


    I recognized that face. I had broken his jaw with the butt of my rifle two days ago. If I wasn��t mistaken, then he shouldn��t be able tough like this. Magic? Was that injury something that could be cured so easily?


    ��Foreign weapons sure are amazing, but you know something? You��re underestimating adventurers too much��


    ��Huh?��


    I felt a presence behind me, then an impact. I was blown sideways and smashed my shoulder against the wall. My breath had been knocked out of me.


    You��re kidding me.


    A man who should have been shot was holding a broken chair in one hand. Did he hit me with that? No wait, how could he move right after being shot with an assault rifle? What was going on?


    While I was confused,


    ��Look, it��s something like this��


    The hole in that man��s palm was regenerating as if time was being rewinded. He drew his long sword and looked at its de. At the sight of that, I understood without needing any exnation.


    ��Well, time to die��


    Don��t mess with me.

 Chapter 4.1: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon III

    <h4>Chapter 4.1: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon III</h4>


    ��4th day��


    This is the city of adventurers.


    It was very natural when you thought about it, but disputes were verymon. Adventurers were such creatures after all.


    Theft, robbery, murder, fraud, and squabbles between party members about their share of the rewards. Apart from bar fights, it was the Adventurers�� Guild��s job to mediate between the affected adventurers and deal with such things.


    That was what I was told by the receptionist in charge of me.


    I asked a question.


    Then, who deals with disputes between adventurers and non-adventurers?


    It bes a troublesome story from here on.


    The Adventurers�� Guild here was operated by the monarchy of the Kingdom of Lemuria. When the current king gained fame as an adventurer, he made the Guild independent from the Central Adventurers�� Union that was in charge of running the Guilds.


    Independence itself was not unusual. Dispatching personnel to the various Guilds under its purview was costly and provided a low return for the Union. Moreover, it was a world where moving between ces took a long time. There were also dangers when crossing the sea. If the additional personnel that the Guilds requested for didn��t arrive, there would be an additional burden on the people who were already dispatched there. If business was disrupted or if the Guild went bankrupt, the adventurers and the aspiring adventurers would all be a rioting mob. Hence, there was nothing better to the Union than if a Guild could operate autonomously.


    However, when it came to operating the Guild independently, problems kept emerging one after another.


    One of them was the disputes between adventurers and non-adventurers.


    Everyone knew that the king was a prominent adventurer.


    Setting aside criminal acts, if he favored the adventurers when settling disputes, the non-adventurers would say,


    ��As expected from the king of adventurers. He��s partial towards them��


    If he favored the non-adventurers,


    ��The king has forgotten the heart of an adventurer!��


    Was how it would go.


    He was a king before he was an adventurer, but that was not how people saw him. Rather than the king, all they saw was the famous adventurer, Lemuria Oru Almagest Razva.


    If the majority of the citizens were serfs, then it would probably be good to let his reputation be of secondary importance. But adventurers were people that had great fighting prowess. He had to take that into consideration. There were monsters among them that could destroy a country alone.


    So, would the problem be solved if he gave preferential treatment to the adventurers? No.


    Just because it was called the city of adventurers, it did not mean that the city consisted only of adventurers. Merchants who bought and distributed the materials were needed. Craftsmen who processed those materials and made weapons were needed. Cooks who filled stomachs were needed. Carpenters who built the houses for people to live in were needed. Serfs who grew grain were needed. People who provided entertainment and rest for others were needed. There would be no end to it if you tried to list everyone needed.


    After agonizing endlessly over this problem, the king turned elsewhere for a solution, even though it pretty much defeated the purpose of being independent.


    The Kingdom of Lemuria joined the center continent��s Monarchical Alliance and requested that they dispatch military police to help.


    The military policemen held a thankless role.


    On top of that, they earned the enmity of the monster-like adventurers. You couldn��t get them to say their job was easy, even if you threatened them. And in the grand scheme of things, they couldn��t sendrge numbers of armed men into another country, even if it was an allied nation. That was why only the most talented people were chosen.


    I had been looking for the military police sincest night. It was because I had a dispute with some adventurers. However, I was about to die from my injuries and fatigue.


    To think that I would die before even exploring the dungeon. In gaming terms, I was about to meet my end before I even started the tutorial.


    It was a life where I hadpletely failed to live up to my name. My sister also had no luck despite her name. Just what was going on with the two of us? If there was such a thing as an item that brings luck, I want to bring it home.


    For that reason, I had to stay alive and go to the dungeon.


    With dragging feet, I started moving again. A child pointed at me and was told by his parent��Don��t look��. Did I look so terrible?


    After turning a corner, I encountered a pair of elves who screamed loudly.


    One of them looked like a typical elf, a tall beauty with long hair and a bow. The other carried a staff and was unusually petite for an elf. Her voluptuous breasts caught my eye even through her loose robes. Both were dressed like adventurers.


    ��I��m sorry to have surprised you. If possible, the military police, urgh, geho��


    I vomited blood for some reason. I immediately held it in with my hands to prevent the women��s clothes from getting dirty.


    ��Y, you��re badly injured��


    The elf with the staff had a worried look on her face and started toe closer.


    ��Onee-chan! Don��t get involved!��


    The elf with the bow pulled her back. Yeah, that��s the right thing to do. I would have done the same.


    ��At least let me use some simple healing magic��


    ��This guy is definitely dangerous, let��s disregard and ignore him. Why should we help a Hemu?��


    I didn��t want any sympathy from the two women, but I turned to them with a glimmer of hope.


    ��Sorry. I will, reward you. Military police station. Location, give���� directions?��


    ��Go straight ahead from here and turn right at the bar with arge horn on its sign. It��s a short distance from there. Should I call someone for help?��


    ��It��s okay. Thanks, for help��


    I was about to hand her a few gold coins as a reward, but my hands were dirty with blood so I ced the coins on the cobbles.


    ��Alright then��


    I re-gripped the chain in my hand and resumed moving at a snail��s pace. I couldn��t hear their quiet voices.


    I felt like singing a song.


    It would be like I was the background of the closing credits of a movie. Well, the problem was that I hadn��t done anything yet and hadn��t even started at all.


    I found the bar and turned right. Fortunately, the station was closer than I expected. If I had to walk another 50 meters, I would definitely die. I knocked on the door and got a carefree reply in return. My legs had reached their limits, perhaps because of the relief I felt at reaching my goal. I copsed inwards as the door opened.


    ��Uwaa!��


    The person who had shouted was a middle-aged man. He was wearing a uniform, a sword and a hat with a distinctive diamond-shaped brim.


    ��Are you, military policeman?��


    ��That��s right, what��s wrong?��


    ��Here��


    I gave him the chain.


    ��What��s this?��


    The puzzled military policeman followed the chain outside.


    I heard him make a disgusted sound.


    Outside was a trio of adventurers who had their broken arms and feet restrained by the chain, which was then pierced through and tangled around the many holes made in their bodies until they were a ball-shaped mass. Moans of agony could still be heard, so they shouldn��t be dead yet.


    It was because I was dragging something like that, that everyone ran away and I couldn��t ask for directions.


    ��You told me not to underestimate you, right?��


    Iughed at them with a reproachful look in my eyes.


    ��Don��t underestimate me, adventurers��


    Satisfaction.


    With that feeling of satisfaction and a refreshing sense of aplishment, I died.


    ��


    I was alive.


    ��������������������!��


    ����������������������


    ��������������! ������������?!��


    ����������������������


    ��������������������!��


    ��������������������!��


    The voices of a man and a woman could be heard in the distance.


    This was the worst. I remembered my two dead parents. Memories of people who had disappeared and turned into ashes shouldn��t cling to me. Was this kind of thing what was called a curse?


    ��It��s wrong to treat him this way! How is he at fault?!��


    ��Stop being weirdly on his side. Think of your and my positions, who are the people we��re supposed to protect and help?��


    ��Then, isn��t hunting down the rotten apples also part of our jobs?!��


    ��Try to do something like that, and it won��t just be the Guild but the king that��ll be drawn into this affair. Cool your head, fool��


    ��Now now, both of you, we can discuss this further after he wakes up��


    ��In that case, you can start now��


    I said as I got up from the simple bed.


    Evetta-san, a boy with small wings on his back, and the military policeman were there.


    ��Souya! Are you alright?!��


    Evetta-san came closer and put her hands on the metal bars. I was well and truly imprisoned right now.


    ��Ouch, it hurts��


    My whole body was hurting. My flesh and bones were making creaking and grinding sounds. And for some reason, my skin felt hot. It was hot, but it wasn��t a fever caused by injury, and it felt like there was something hot warming me up from outside.


    ��You should be d. If a passing elf didn��t use her magic, you would have lost your arm��


    Now that the military policeman had mentioned it, I suppose I did block a long sword with my arm and it had cut to the bone.


    I tried moving all five fingers on my right hand. There was slight pain but there were no problems with the nerves and muscles. That��s amazing.


    ��What was that elf��s name?��


    ��No idea. She didn��t give her name. She had big boobs though��


    ��Seriously?��


    ��Yeah, like this! They were like this!��


    The military policeman was making big, roundish gestures at his chest. The person who had been staying silent beside him rolled her eyes at him with disdain.


    ��Souya. You look okay��


    ��I��m sorry. I must have made you worried��


    ��I can guess the reason for the most part, but please tell me exactly what happened��


    Evetta-san drew closer.


    The metal bars that she was gripping were starting to make creaking and groaning sounds.


    ��Woah, I��m sorry, horned Onee-san. That��s my job. I��ll let you stay here, so let me ask the questions first��


    ��������Okay��


    With a scary expression on her face, she consented.


    The military policeman went to the desk, took out a pen and paper, then sat down.


    ��First, Onii-san. Your name is Souya of Japan, correct?��


    ��Yes��


    The pen��s ink ran smoothly across the paper.


    ��You are suspected of injuring three adventurers��


    ��Yes��


    Things must have turned out this way because I fainted before I could exin the situation.


    ��Do you have an exnation for that?��


    ��First of all, my property was stolen from the camp that I lived in. The culprits were those three adventurers. Luckily, I was able to find them and although I got injured in the process, I restrained them and brought them here, which is what led to the current situation��


    ��Did you find the stolen property?��


    ��No��


    There were no containers in that cramped room. I had no time to interrogate them, and I couldn��t stay around there for fear of an ambush.


    ��Then, is there anyone who can testify that your property was stolen? Proof of that is also fine��


    ��������No, there��s none of that��


    This was bad.


    Things were looking very bad. If Makina could be restarted��, no��, would the people of this world be convinced by seeing something that was iprehensible to them?


    ��I checked the lodgings of those adventurers, but I couldn��t find any foreign-looking goods. Even if I was trying to tter them, I couldn��t say that they were people of good conduct, and they had a bad reputation. There were even rumors that they did unscrupulous work for a merchant��s prot��g��. But, when there is no evidence, all that remains is the vicious beating you gave them. I could have swept it under the rug if you had only beaten them up lightly, but what you did, it��s too much for me to overlook��


    I had no response.


    I regretted my impulsive actions now.


    ��And there��s one more bad news for you, Onii-san��


    Eh, there��s more?


    ��It��s about the proof of your identity��


    The military policeman put down his pen.


    ��ording to thew of the center continent, it��s a sin to be a non-follower, someone who is not contracted with a god. Such people must be captured and taken to the magistrate of St. Liridias. By the way, the sentences issued by the magistrate are 90% death penalty and 10% bing guinea pigs for experimentation��


    ��What the����


    Wasn��t that just a witch hunt?


    ��Personally speaking, I don��t really want give custody of Onii-san to people like that. More specifically, I only arrived at my post ten days ago and I don��t want to turn right around and go back to the center continent. Because we��re short-handed over here, I would then have toe right back here again. I would end up spending so many months on a ship��


    After that story which was a mix of scruples and self-interest, I asked,


    ��Umm, how long does a one-way trip take?��


    ��Six months at the earliest��


    Even if I was miraculously dered innocent, it would still be checkmate for me.


    Okay, I had made a mistake trying to talk my way out of this. I should try to escape. My equipment���� was all taken away.


    ��And so, I have a proposal for the two of you from the Adventurers�� Guild. Can you make an exception or use a temporary measure or something like that to make this Onii-san an adventurer? In that case, this will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the military police and there��ll no longer be a need for a sea voyage��


    Thiszy military policeman was pretty capable. I was a little impressed.


    ��I��m also begging you to please help me��


    ��I refuse��


    It was an immediate answer.


    The one who had answered was the beautiful-looking boy with wings. For a beast-man, he looked like a normal human, and I didn��t think he could fly because his wings were too small to begin with. They were almost like ornaments. He looked just like a child, but it was useless to judge people by their appearance in this world.


    ��I am Solcia, the Guild President of the Lemuria Adventurers�� Guild. Foreigner, let��s make one thing clear. Non-followers are not qualified to obtain the legacy of the gods. That��s all, I have other work to do so I��m leaving��


    ��Guild President! Please do something!��


    ��Let go!��


    Evetta-san had stopped the Guild President, who had intended to say his piece curtly then leave, by hugging him around his waist. I thought that they looked a lot like siblings messing around with each other and felt that it was very heart-warming, but that was just my mind trying to escape from reality.


    ��Including even the fringe gods, just how many gods have turned him down! It��s unheard of! What��s more, he made hostile opponents into a meatball and dragged them around the city and shamed them! There��s no god who will want to be contracted with him once they��ve learnt of his behavior!��


    Well, that was a sound argument.


    There were also some parts there that were the consequences of my own actions.


    ��Please at least defer it for one day, I��ll go ask the gods in the city one more time��


    ��Umm, I feel really bad about that, Evetta-san��


    ��Souya, keep quiet for a moment!��


    Are you my mum?


    For a while, we watched the futile exchange between the Guild President and Evetta-san. The military policeman, with a resigned look, muttered,


    ��I guess I��ll go reserve a ship��


    Regrettably, my adventure was over.


    A monologue ran in my head.


    I wanted to explore the dungeon. I was repeating myself, but I hadn��t even done anything yet. The only thing that I could do after this, although I would feel bad, was to knock out the military policeman and escape. ����I wonder what would happen if I escaped?


    Just then,


    ��I��ve heard what��s going on. Isn��t it a simple matter?��


    Truly, a voice from the heavens.


    From the prison��s window, a small shadow slipped between the bars and dropped down onto the ground.


    ��Eh��


    It was a gray cat.

 Chapter 4.2: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon III

    <h4>Chapter 4.2: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon III</h4>


    ��You dug the grave too deep, you fool. It took me half a day to crawl out��


    ��No, weren��t you dead?��


    I had taken its pulse. Its blood had solidified and its pupils weren��t moving.


    ��Fufu, a death of that level goes away in a few hours��


    This world��s cats were incredible.


    ��Souya. You��re looking for a god to be contracted to, right?��


    ��That��s right, Misuranika-sama. Could it be that you are going to introduce me to one?��


    ��You dunce, I��m telling you to form a contract with me��


    ��Huh?��


    Eh, this is a god? You��re lying. There��s no god that shows its belly and twitches its legs while sleeping after eating its fill.


    ��Foreigner, did you just say Misuranika?��


    ��Eh, yes. Could it be that it��s famous��


    After answering the Guild President��s question, I asked him back.


    ��There were once three kingdoms on this right continent. They were countries with powerful technologies and civilizations that can no longer be reproduced today. They were at the height of their prosperity, but there was a woman who destroyed them all by herself. Her name was Misuranika. A woman who obtained the position of a god through misdeeds and intrigue��


    ��Smug��


    Misuranika-sama puffed out her chest proudly.


    ��I heard that your followers had died out and you had already ceased to exist though��


    ��If I was virtuous enough to disappear gracefully, I wouldn��t have be a god. After all, I had survived by catching and eating rats in jail��


    So, that meant that Misuranika-sama was formerly a human.


    Depending on her appearance, my faith would be different.


    ��So, Souya. Do you want to be contracted? You want to, don��t you? Don��t~ you?��


    ��I do!��


    ��Eh�`, I wonder what I should do~ You��ve been so rude to me. Well, it��ll depend on how you ask for it��


    I showed off a move that was very admirable, if I say so myself.


    I went down on both knees and straightened my back as I sat down. This is known as the Seiza position. Both of my hands were still on top of my thighs. I lowered my head in a smooth motion. It��s crucial not to build too much momentum. Bad momentum would give the other party a sense of intimidation. Then, I ced both hands on the ground, making a diamond shape between them, and stopped my bow with my forehead floating about the thickness of a finger above the floor. Touching and scraping the ground wasn��t hygienic. It��s important to be refined.


    ��Please! Misuranika-sama! Please! I beg you! I beg youuu~!��


    This is the greatest ultimate technique of the Japanese nation, the Dogeza.


    I put into it the feelings of farmers who were faced with tax collectors during a famine. I felt an illusion of rice floating behind me.


    ��Eh������ Um�������� Okay. Stop it already, it��s embarrassing��


    ��I��ll give you a warning, foreigner. Serving a god of misdeeds will cause you more anguish than not having a god��


    ��There��s a saying in my country. If there are gods that can be abandoned, there are gods that can be picked up. So shut your mouth, brat��


    It��s an evil god though.


    ��In that pose, everything you say sounds pathetic��


    Misuranika-sama��s retort was absolutely right.


    Speaking of which, Evetta-san was curled into a ball in the corner of the room. I��ll leave her be.


    ��Let��s begin, do the knight��s ceremony ording to the ancient country��s traditions��


    ��I��m sorry, I have no idea what that is��


    Misuranika-sama sighed.


    ��Go down on your left knee and put your left hand on your right shoulder. Open the fingers of your right hand and ce it on the ground, making sure I can see it��


    I did as I was told.


    ��Lower your head. Don��t look at me until I say it��s okay. Under no circumstances��


    The atmosphere changed.


    The presence that I felt was not that of a cat. Instead, it felt like there was a person standing there. I heard the patter of bare feet. Bare toes came into view.


    ��Misuranika, of the dark fire, asks: Will you be my sword and satisfy my cravings? That sword will earn no honor, that blood will enjoy no prosperity, that soul will know no peace. For all that, if you still have no objections, answer me with silence��


    ����������


    I answered.


    ��Misuranika, of the evil schemes, asks: Will you turn hardship and humiliation into your own strength, aplishing what you can aplish, gaining what you can gain, seizing what you can seize? And are you willing to even plot against the king and y the hero? If you have no objections, answer me with silence.��


    ����������


    ��Misuranika, of misdeeds, will respond to that silence. Knight without a sword. Person without faith. Foreigner without god. A strong person of the ��fringe��, who fears not notoriety, wants no honor and holds no dreams. I forgive your sinful crimes, your deceptive machinations, and even if you be the dark fire that ignites disaster, only I will forgive everything. Therefore�D�D�D�D��


    The feel of fine hair brushing my ear, the soft flesh pressed on my shoulder, something was sweetly leaning on me. A seductive woman��s smell. A demonic whisper at my ear.


    ��Those blood and bones, even those echos of resentment, they are mine��


    I felt wet lips on my neck. Her tongue crawled on my skin and her fingers slid along my face. I felt a pain like a needle had pierced my heart. After a brief moment of breathlessness, I saw a vision of myself vomiting out my entrails and breathing myst in agony.


    I swallowed back the shivering.


    Fear was a man��s shame.


    ��With this, the contract is established. Raise your head��


    ��Yes��


    There was a gray cat in front of me.


    This was the god��s shadow. It was a fake appearance and its real contents were terrifying. But more than anything, whether the one by my side was a demon or not, it was still better than being alone.


    In addition to that, there was one thing that I was curious about.


    ��Military policeman! How was my god?!��


    ��Oh, as might be expected, her looks were stunningly beautiful. She��s an awe-inspiring and tremendous beauty��


    Damn, I wanted to see it so badly.


    ��You, that��s enough already��


    ��Okay! It��s the job of the Adventurers�� Guild to deal with the rest. Get out��


    I was released without incident.


    After checking my equipment that had been returned to me, I went outside. There, the Guild President called out to me.


    A thin, formidable smile.


    ��Well then, foreigner. Even if it��s the god of misdeeds, a god is still a god. The Adventurers�� Guild will wait for your registration. Let��s talk about those three after your registration is done��


    ��Souya, I��ll be waiting for you!��


    Evetta-san was quite far away. Was this person scared of cats or just Misuranika-sama?


    I could have just gone to the Guild right then, but I parted with them for the time being and returned to the camp.


    Because of Misuranika-sama��s fits of petnce along the way back, I bought some fresh pork.


    I returned to the still ravaged camp.


    First things first, I got the kitchen back into a decent condition.


    The size of the meat on the cutting board made me feel excited. I removed the sinew using a kitchen knife. After that, I lightly salted and peppered the meat then lightly sprinkled wheat over it. After kneading and pounding it, I let the meat sit for a while.


    ��Oh��


    I had forgotten something important. I went to check the progress of Makina��s restart. The restart meter was up to 59%. I heaved a sigh of relief. With this, it should be operational by tomorrow.


    And one more important thing.


    ��Um, Misuranika-sama. Since you��re a cat, are the things you can��t eat the same as cats after all? Will you die from food poisoning?��


    ��I may be a fringe god but I��m still a god, I won��t get food poisoning��


    Well, even if she died, she would revive soon after. I put on the sses-type device, which was still not functioning, and started slicing onions. I had seen onions grilled without seasoning and sold at stalls, and had witnessed them being eaten by cat-men. In other words, their digestive systems were probably no different from humans. Taking some watercress from the river, I cut them into bite-sized pieces.


    ��Guh, my eyes, it��s stinging my eyes. What the heck is this?��


    My god was feeling pain from the onion fumes and was rolling around. I cut them up quickly and left them to one side. I mashed the garlic and put it into the soy sauce, along with a little bit of honey.


    Putting the frying pan on the fire, I dropped a generous amount of butter into the pan.


    After it hadpletely melted, I arranged the meat extravagantly in the pan. I had not eaten sincest night so my stomach growled at the aroma of butter and meat. But I cooked it without rushing. The meat was thick and fresh so I couldn��t afford to bezy and careless.


    I had to keep moving the pan on and off the fire as I struggled with the vague heat from the burning firewood.


    I turned the meat over and repeated the process. I was feeling nervous because this food was meant for treating other people, no��, for treating a god. Sweat pouring from my forehead, I continued moving the pan. Inserting the kitchen knife into the meat, I checked its temperature. The heat had been absorbed wlessly and it was properly cooked and juicy. After cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces, I dribbled the garlic soy sauce over them uniformly, and roasted them over the fire.


    The rich aroma of butter was mixed with appetite-inducing smell of the garlic soy sauce. There was also the sound of the dripping juices.


    It was pure torture on an empty stomach.


    ��Souya, I��m at my limit. Faster��


    ��Misuranika-sama, is it alright for me to base your salt intake level on human standards?��


    ��It��s probably the same. Faster�`, faster�`��


    My god was hurrying me while hanging onto my back.


    I ate a small piece to check the taste. Delicious. Yeah, this pork would probably taste good no matter how it was cooked. I wondered where they were they raised.


    I heaped the roasted meat onto a te. Misuranika-sama sniffed at it, her nose twitching, and then bit into it.


    ��Hot!��


    She jumped then took a tumble. She was a god that fell over a lot. I stir-fried the onions and watercress with the meat juices left in the pan and added a small pinch of salt.


    Completed. It was a bit simple, but it��s alternate world pork with butter soy sauce and a side of stir-fried vegetables for brunch.


    ��Okay~, Misuranika-sama. Say a~hh��


    After blowing on it to cool it, I proffered my god a piece of meat on a fork.


    ��Oh, it��s hot! Hot! Munch, munch��


    She was chewing with difficulty as she couldn��t handle hot food just like other cats.


    ��It tastes okay��


    ��Understood��


    She licked around her mouth.


    ��What about you?��


    ��I��m fine with eatingter��


    I fully intended to bear such courtesy to mind. As long as I owed a debt of gratitude, it��s human decency to respond to that. If I couldn��t even do something like that, I would be lower than a beast. Even if I was a warped fool, I wanted to be human.


    ��Hm~mmm��


    ��?��


    Misuranika-sama had a mysterious expression on her face.


    ��Do you have other tes?��


    ��Yes, I do. In that container over there. Should I bring some?��


    ��It��s fine. More importantly, close your eyes��


    ��Yes��


    I closed my eyes and covered my face with my hands.


    ��Don��t look�` You definitely can��t look, okay�`��


    ��Yes, yes��


    I heard the tter of tes and sounds of eating.


    ��It��s alright now��


    The voice telling me open my eyes sounded a bit far away. It came from inside the nted tent.


    ��You absolutely can��t peep! I��ll curse you if you look!��


    ��Understood��


    Only the amount of meat was drastically reduced. She must have moved the meat to another te. Well, it was probably hard to eat in the form of a cat.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    After that, I ate my meal in silence.


    However, I couldn��t help but be curious. I couldn��t concentrate on the taste of the food at all. I wanted to take a peek at the true form of my god. My imagination was running wild because of what I had heard from the military policeman. But like the story of The Grateful Crane, it was possible that she would cancel the contract if I saw her true form, and currying her favor was also the job of a god��s follower.


    ��Oh��


    The te was empty before I realized. Darn���� I couldn��t concentrate on the taste at all.


    ��Misuranika-sama, please take your time with the meal. I��ll be working in the vicinity of the containers, so if there is anything, please give me a shout��


    ��Do as you see fit��


    I picked up the manual that had been dropped on the ground, searched through the entries and found what I needed.


    A method to search for the containers without Makina��s support. Simple probes had been installed on all the containers. They were shaped like big shlights. Or rather, they were exactly like shlights as actual lights were attached to them. A radio, though it was useless in this world, could be used to locate the probes. Using the USB, I connected it to another search device, which came with a delightful hand-crank charger.


    I selected the number for the containers I wanted to search for. Medical and armament containers were 3 and 4 respectively.


    There was no response.


    I checked its range in the manual. It was 50m. That was pretty short. Moreover, it only had a simple mechanism, a sound would get louder or softer depending on my distance to the containers. It didn��t tell the exact direction but it was a bit better than nothing.


    I looked around for other things that might be useful.


    That ended up as fruitless effort.


    I heard the sound of water and the tter of tes behind me. Even though I was curious, there was something I was concentrating on at the moment.


    I gave the returned equipment a quick look-over, but the AK was no longer usable after all. No matter how rugged and maintenance-free it was, it��s useless when it had been physically split into two. I couldn��t rely on the Government either as I only had two magazines with seven shots each left. Although it couldn��t cut into the pig, I had the hunting knife which did cut into human bodies quite easily. Although they did regenerate immediately.


    I wondered if all adventurers were like that.


    What was left was the karambit, which had been given to me a long time ago but I still wasn��t used to wielding. If you wanted to stab something, an ordinary knife was better, and the hole at the end of the grip, which had traces of light usage, was also a hindrance. I had even hurt myself with that curved de before. Well, I had been shown how to use it, but the counter-attack-like techniques to slice the opponent��s hands and neck were impossible without considerable proficiency with it, and it might be better to call it a knife used for defense. Well, in brief, it was something like a talisman. I didn��t want to get into situations where I would need to rely on it.


    If I couldn��t use what I had on hand, then I would rely on knowledge instead, so I read the manual again carefully.


    Simple medical manuals.


    Illustrated survival guides.


    Manga of what to do in emergency situations.


    Manga of the history of artificial intelligence.


    Specialist manual of repair procedures for the Makina units.


    This manual, like all my other equipment, would bepletely disintegrated in about one year because of bio-telomere technology.


    Just as I was thinking that the manual wasn��t of much use, I saw there there was a page that had stuck to another because it was wet.


    Only this page was of a different material. It was a handwritten page that had been added afterwards. What��s more, the words were scribbled as if in a hurry.


    ��Danger. Emergency measures in the event of death or incapacitation of team members and the Makina units. I��ll write again that it��s dangerous, so use it only as ast resort��


    Thatst resort was rather useful at the moment.


    ��


    In the first ce, who hired those down-and-out adventurers? Who stole the containers?


    Obviously, the adventurers had the right to stay silent if they were interrogated by the military police. Or rather, it seemed that they were in a state where they could not be interrogated because I hurt them a little too much.


    If I had to guess, it was either a merchantpany or the royal family.


    The possibility that those adventurers were working alone couldn��t be ruled out, but a merchantpany would still be needed to convert those goods into money that they could spend. That was unlikely though, as adventurers were well-connected and the Guild was on the lookout for such things. As I thought, it was much more likely that it was a merchantpany that had the funds and could hire people. It was also highly possible that the royal family was behind it, in terms of having the funds and the ability to move people, but if they were the culprit then there would be nothing I could do. Therefore, I moved with the assumption that the culprit was a merchantpany.


    Once noon had passed, I went to the city again.


    I put the sleepy Misuranika-sama on my shoulder and got a reaction in the ce I had expected to, the warehouse district.


    ��Excuse me. Which merchantpany does this warehouse belong to?��


    By chance, I encountered a man who seemed to be a warehouse guard, so I asked him.


    ��The Zavua Night Owlpany��


    ��Thank you��


    Grinning ear to ear, I left.


    I quickly found the main store of the Zavua Night Owlpany, which also ran a pawnshop.


    It had a good location in the middle of the main street.


    When I walked inside, a lineup of numerous weapons greeted me. No matter the situation, a man��s heart would flutter with excitement when surrounded by such things.


    The clerks were engaging and lively, and adventurers who were taken in by them would spend their money with gusto. It was this kind of store.


    ��Wee. Is there anything that you are looking for today? I can show you around if you like��


    I was called out to by an elderly woman. She was plump and elegant. If such a person rmends you equipment, you��ll probably end up buying this and that.


    ��Excuse me. I want to see the store owner please��


    ��Please excuse my rudeness, but what business do you have with him?��


    I breathed in deeply and tried to be as coercive as possible as I spoke in a low voice.


    ��I want to purchase all the foreign goods that you have here��


    ����������


    I was met with silence. Her smile had suddenly disappeared. She called some people over and whispered to them.


    ��Dear sir, please go upstairs��


    I was escorted to the second floor of the store by two strong men.


    It was probably a guest room. It featured stuffed animals that I have never seen before, gilded furniture, and glittering ornamental swords. And a sofa and a table that seemed expensive. The windows were closed and it was dim inside.


    A man was waiting.


    It was the man who was at the pawnshop.


    I thought that he was pretty young to be the representative for a business like this. Did he have the talent, the wealth, or both?


    Now, what would he do?


    ��Leave. Let me be alone with the guest��


    The guards left asmanded.


    ��Now, please take a seat��


    ��Thank you��


    I did as I was told and sat on the huge sofa. Oh, it��s soft and fluffy. Misuranika-sama got off my shoulder and curled up on it.


    ��Foreigner, I heard an interesting story about you��


    ��Ahh, the thing where I practically ��balled up�� three adventurers?��


    A smallugh.


    ��Well then. What��s your business with me?��


    So, he was going to feign ignorance.


    ��I want the things that those adventurers stole to be returned to me. If you do it now, I��ll pretend to have not seen anything��


    ��Returned, even if you say that�� Now, what could you be talking about?��


    Of course it would turn out this way.


    ��What if I told you that they stored what they stole in your warehouse?��


    ��It��s a pity��


    ��?��


    I didn��t know what his words were referring to.


    ��No, it��s really a pity. Foreigner, you possess wonderful technology. You have power beyond our understanding. Moreover, you have guts and skill. But, it��s a pity��


    Was it a sign of his confidence that he wasn��t bothering to hide it anymore?


    ��You are all alone. I can move the items in the warehouse with just one word. Are you going to call the military police? Or the Adventurers�� Guild? Either way, you won��t be in time. I can im my innocence as much as I want. It��s really a pity. You might have stood a small, slight chance against me if only you didn��t reveal the fact that you can grasp their location��


    ��But then, even if I was able to recover them, it��s meaningless if they just get stolen again, right?��


    Like what he had said, it was impossible for me to protect my current resources by myself. If I recovered them, then had them stolen again, I would quickly get exhausted and eventually be unable to act. Even if I hired a guard, I would be fleeced out of my middling amount of money and gradually be penniless. To begin with, I would be paranoid about whether the guard would steal from me.


    The manughed very happily. It was theughter of someone who had won with a margin to spare.


    ��It��s good that you��re perceptive. So, do you still possess anything that can be sold? Next time, please bring them here before you lose them. I��ll buy them at a reasonable price��


    ��No, I no longer have such things��


    ��In that case,��


    He stuck his hand out to the side, indicating to me that I should leave.


    I picked up Misuranika-sama, who waspletely asleep, and stood up.


    ��Lastly, is it ok if I ask you two things?��


    ��Whatever you wish��


    He was reallyposed.


    ��You��re confident that I won��t try anything reckless here?��


    ��You��ve lost your firearm, right? And even if you try something, I��ll just do this��


    He snapped his fingers. A man who had been waiting outside came in. He was a big and fierce-looking man. I had no further impressions of him.


    ��His abilities are remarkable. He has already quashed many adventurers who had disputes with our merchantpany��


    Understood.


    ��Can you open the window?��


    ��Hey you, open it��


    As instructed, the man of remarkable ability opened the window. The re and the noises from outside came in from the window, which just happened to be facing the direction of the warehouse.


    ��The containers that you guys stole have something installed in them as an emergency measure��


    I operated the search device which had a certain function that I had already linked some time ago. I pressed its red button twice, waited one second, then held it down for five seconds.


    ��It��s what is called a self-destruct mechanism��


    A sound like distant thunder.


    Smoke shot up like a geyser. Of course, the smoke hade from where the warehouse was. Various kinds of cloth, scrolls, and wood scraps were flying through the sky. The screams of women, the cheers of men, it had drawn everyone��s attention. Although it wasn��t shy, the TNT in the containers seemed to have fulfilled its role properly.


    ��Wh, wh, what, wh��


    ��I blew them up. There��s magic that causes explosions, right? It��s something simr to that. Well, everything in the warehouse has probably be useless��


    ��������A, ah��


    His soul was escaping from his mouth. I wondered if he had other valuable items stored there as well. It would be lucky if he did.


    ��Oh, sorry. There was one more thing after all, is that alright with you?��


    Without waiting for a reply, I pulled out the Government and shot the man of remarkable ability in both legs. Even I felt sorry for him so I didn��t shoot him anywhere vital. Misuranika-sama dug her ws into me in surprise.


    The man stepped backwards like a robot that had run out of fuel.


    ��With this, I��ll leave today. I still have to go register as an adventurer. I��lle back again tomorrow at the same time. You have until then to get ready��


    I picked up the spent cartridges and left the room unhurriedly. As I was walking down the stairs, the people in the shop, whether they were customers or employees, were in an uproar and heading outside. I mixed into the crowd and disappeared into its flow. Once on the street, I stayed alert for pursuers and entered the back alley. After turning a few corners, I checked to see if it was safe.


    ��Hmmm, You��re pretty evil��


    ��Eh�` Aren��t they the ones at fault?��


    ��Correcting evil is justice. Destroying evil is evil, isn��t it?��


    ��I see��


    As we were having that conversation, I arrived at the dungeon.


    My destination was the reception desk.


    Before that, I had Misuranika-sama wait near the entrance.


    ��Excuse me. I want to register as an adventurer��


    ��Yes. I have been waiting for you��


    Said Evetta-san.


    ��In that case, we��ll continue from where we left offst time. Please tell me the name of the god you��re contracted to��


    ��It��s Misuranika-sama��


    The pen moved smoothly. After that, she traced her finger down the paper as she checked what she wrote.


    ��Please wait a moment��


    Evetta got up from her seat with the documents. While being taught by another Guild employee in the back, she pasted the documents onto a scroll and shone a magical-looking light on it. She came back with a slightly happy expression. I was also happy.


    ��Provisional registration ispleted. Two dayster, before the morning bell rings, you will be given the necessary equipment and have a hands-on training. Please rendezvous here. Beingte is strictly prohibited so don��t forget about it��


    ��Okay��


    Alright, it was not quite one full step yet, but I felt like I was moving forward.


    ��It��s unrted to you, Souya, but there was a magical explosion in the warehouse district. The culprit is still atrge. Keep away from there as it��s dangerous��


    ��Okay��


    For the first time today, I left the city in a good mood. I sincerely hoped that I would keep having days like this from now on.


    Well, that was probably impossible.

 Chapter 5.1 The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon IV

    <h4>Chapter 5.1 The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon IV</h4>


    ��5th day��


    ��Understood. I have grasped the current situation. Makina approves of that proposal��


    ��I see��


    The next day, Makina had restarted, so I reported a summary of yesterday��s events.


    ��Oh~ Souya-san. Izora seems to have questions so I��m going to switch, okay�`?��


    ��Sure��


    I was feeling a little low-spirited. It would have been better to continue in a light-hearted mood, like with Makina.


    ��Team member Souya, first of all, please state a rational reason for self-destructing and disposing of the armament containers��


    ��I can��t manage them all by myself��


    ��What about the option of hiring a guard using money?��


    ��You can��t buy trust in people using money��


    It would be nice if it was sold.


    ��If it��s keeping watch, it is possible with the capabilities of the Makina unit��


    ��If it��s keeping watch only, right? Can you guys hurt humans?��


    ��That is impossible. Direct harm to humans is prohibited under Article 2 of the Law of Artificial Intelligence��


    ��That��s what I thought��


    It��s obvious, but artificial intelligence could not hurt humans. It��s the same even for humans in alternate worlds. Be useful to people, but don��t hurt people. That contradictory oath had repeatedly led those girls to mental deaths.


    ��But we can help you set up traps��


    ��That��s true. But there is no guarantee that the opponent will give up because of such obstructions. In the worst case scenario, I��ll be re-enacting the Battle of the mo here, all by myself��


    Speaking of which, Izora was an expansion program made in the United States.


    ��Was my decision wrong?��


    ��No, it is correct. Your actions are correct even if they are wrong��


    I had asked a mean question. Even if they could suggest things, these girls couldn��t go against my decisions.


    ��Izora will cooperate in today��s negotiations��


    ��No, I��ll have Makina do that instead��


    ��Is that so?��


    The tone of her voice had dropped.


    Eh, could it be that she was sulking a little? I was perplexed by this unexpected reaction.


    ��There��s a reason for that. Look, Makina seems kind of stupid, don��t you agree? That will cause the other party to drop their guard. It doesn��t mean that I��m particrly dissatisfied with Izora��s capabilities��


    ��Is that so? I��m switching��


    ��Hey!��


    ��Hi? It��s the Makina that seems kind of stupid. Let me say this because it seems that there has been a misunderstanding. This is not simply a personality setting. The heavier the stress they are under, the more humans seek cheerful and easy-going things. In addition, the reason Izora was created with a stuffy personality is so that the personalities won��t ovep and result in confusion. You can change the settings as much as you like, you know? Do you want to? Do you not want to?��


    I had stepped on andmine.


    ��I like the cheerful and easy-going Makina��


    ��Is�` that so�`?��


    I wanted to change the topic, so I introduced Misuranika-sama. I lifted her up and held her in front of Makina.


    ��Makina. Cancel the non-interference order and start user registration. This is Misuranika-sama, the god that I��m contracted to. Please introduce yourself��


    ��What��s with you two, are the both of you inside that column? Are you spirits of human sacrifices?��


    She was touching the screen with her paws pads.


    ��Hello, god of the alternate world. Makina is a sixth-generation artificial intelligence made in Japan. I was made for space exploration. My capabilities are still in the midst of being repaired, but I can support up to three more people��


    ��You��re like a golem, is that what you are?��


    ��Thew prohibits me from full autonomy, but it��s roughly something like that��


    ��Makina, do whatever you possibly can to give her whatever she wants. That��s an order��


    ��Understood��


    Makina��s arm came out and saluted.


    Thinking of what was toe, I couldn��t eat too full so I only ate some bread and cheese. I prepared a chicken soup with a lot of vegetables and meat for my god.


    Some time passed, and the person that I was waiting for came.


    ��Souya, so you are alright��


    ��That��s right, Geto-san��


    The person that I was waiting for came from the river.


    ��I��m sorry. Were you worried about me?��


    ��Well, of course I��d worry if the camp got ravaged and you were nowhere to be seen��


    ��Yes, I��m going to talk to the merchantpany about thatter. Therefore, there��s something small that I wanted to ask you��


    I stood up. Both of us did not have topics that we could sit and talk about today.


    ��Those two containers. How much did you sell them for?��


    ����������


    A close investigation of the camp site had revealed one thing.


    Those adventurers had ravaged the camp but they did not steal the containers. Those containers were not light objects that could be carried away easily. However, there were no traces of them being dragged. There were also no signs of carriages or carts being used. In that case, the only way left was using the river to transport them to the city.


    ording to Makina, the containers were likely to float on water because they were waterproof.


    However, there was no evidence that Geto-san had done it. It might have been possible that the adventurers had used a boat.


    But he was the most suspicious.


    This person had a full grasp of my actions. He could easily predict when I would be away, and figure out that the containers were valuable.


    And one other thing.


    ��You are a good person. You care for your loved ones and are affectionate. Your concern for me is also probably real. And it��s for that reason that you��re easily exploited��


    ����������


    He had an indescribable expression.


    ��Geto-san, I won��t do anything bad. So just tell me the amount��


    ��Twenty gold coins��


    Cheap.


    Or was that thought just me being haughty?


    ��Thank you very much. I have one request��


    ��What?��


    ��Just in case I die, I want you to throw this one to bottom of the sea��


    I ced my hand on Makina.


    ��And it��s fine if it��s just what you have left over, I want you to give Misuranika-sama fish to eat��


    I petted my god��s head.


    ��And in exchange for that, you are free to sell whatever is here��


    ��Do you trust me?��


    ��I do��


    He replied my immediate answer with silence.


    I wasn��t naively trusting this person. I trusted him because I knew how he betrayed me. I trusted him because I knew the reason he betrayed me.


    Geto-san had not replied to me. That was also a form of response.


    As I turned to leave, I said,


    ��In the name of the god of misdeeds, Misuranika, I forgive your actions��


    ��


    I reached the city, took a detour, then went to the store.


    The liveliness from yesterday was gone, and there were no customers at all. Instead of customers, there were fierce-looking clerks, who looked suspiciously like adventurers, standing in a row.


    ��Yesterday and today, you��re involved in this kind of thing again?��


    The military policeman beside me was messing around with his troublesome-looking hat. I had called him along the way here and he had been grumbling the entire time since.


    ��No, but at least I��m an adventurer today��


    ��Provisionally. Not officially acknowledged. What the heck are you doing?��


    Said the Guild President, whom I was surprised to find behind me.


    ��I thought of leaving you in the lurch, but it would be troublesome if Evetta came and made things unnecessarilyplicated. I��m here against my will, so I may abandon you depending on how things go. Therefore, think before you act��


    ��Understood��


    I was guided by one of those creepy-looking clerks and was shown to the same room as yesterday.


    It was the same man as yesterday again, and a plump elderly woman was beside him. I had a vague impression of her, she was the clerk I had met yesterday.


    ��Hello��


    I greeted them lightly and sat down on the sofa before anyone else and ced my feet on the desk.


    The man��s face twitched. With an indescribable expression, the woman poked him in the back.


    ��First of all, introductions have not been made, foreigner. I��m the storekeeper for the Zavua Night Owl Company. Lonewell Zavua��


    ��A recement please, I can��t leave this matter to you��


    The man, who had gone stiff and was spouting cold sweat, stepped back, and the woman behind him came forward.


    ��I will deal with this matter in ce of my unworthy son. Zavua Night Owlpany, Chairman Holzald Zavua. First of all, I apologize for our repeated rudeness��


    The woman bowed respectfully to me.


    This wasn��t going to ording to n. It might get a little unpleasant.


    ��The twopanions that are with you, please take a seat as well��


    ��Then, pardon me��


    The military policeman and the Guild President sat down next to me. The woman gave orders to the man before she sat down.


    ��You, make your friends downstairs leave��


    ��What?! But Mother! Just in case��


    ��Merchants shouldn��t show off such a half-hearted show of force. If the Guild President goes wild, even the nearby stores will vanish. We would have to pay thepensation for that. Besides, that person hasn��t said anything yet, right?��


    She turned her gaze to me after saying that.


    I no longer had enough ammo left to go wild but it would be imprudent to reveal that.


    ��First of all, I came here today to hear your opinions. That��s all. For today��


    My words were dripping with hidden meanings.


    ��Oh�`, then can I get down to business?��


    The police officer took out some troublesome-looking documents. No one stopped him.


    ��Err�`, Zavua Night Owlpany-san. You are suspected of theft. Does anythinge to mind?��


    ��No, nothinges to mind��


    The woman answered with a gentle smile.


    ��Did you know that there was an explosion in a warehouse yesterday?��


    ��Given that it was our warehouse, yes��


    ��The explosion was caused by this Onii-san. I was told that it was a mechanism to blow up and dispose of anything stolen��


    ��I see, but those were items that were left with me by another merchantpany. I see, so they were stolen goods��


    Was she shameless or actually deceived?


    ��The name of that merchantpany?��


    ��I can��t say. Because it is a matter of trust��


    So that was what she was going with.


    ��Hey, Ni-chan��


    The military policeman whispered into my ear.


    ��I don��t know much about the connections that the merchantpanies have with one another. It��s not something that I can look up in a day or two. Didn��t you say that everything will be settled by today?��


    Now now, it��ll be fine, I whispered back.


    ��There is one issue from our side as well��


    It came.


    ��The explosion at that warehouse caused an enormous amount of damages. There were substantiallyrge amounts of materials that had been entrusted to us by the adventurers that hadn��t been priced yet��


    There were times when buyers for the expensive materials obtained in the dungeon couldn��t be found. However, as the tax was taken only when the price of the materials were set, it was verymon for them to be temporarily stored with a merchantpany or the Guild.


    ��It��s not a problem that affects only our merchantpany. There were damages to the adjacent warehouses as well. For the time being, we havepensated the affected parties for what was mentioned, but the damages are already quite a hefty sum. Hmmm. Foreigner, you said that it was a mechanism that caused an explosion, right?��


    ��That��s right��


    I answered softly.


    ��At the time of the explosion, there were no people from our merchantpany inside the warehouse. Then, it is inconceivable that we were the ones who triggered the mechanism. In other words, you destroyed it at your own volition. Furthermore, it is also conceivable that you had sent that thing to us in order to destroy our merchantpany��s warehouse��


    ��No no, that��s impossible, right?��


    The military policeman defended me in a simple manner.


    ��I wonder about that. Why don��t you ask him? About whether he is a follower of the evil god Misuranika or not��


    ��I formed the contract only after the theft��


    ��I wonder if that��s true��


    Although I understood what she was doing, it was still infuriating.


    But I could endure it. For now.


    ��Get straight to the point��


    This trifling conversation was troublesome so i hurried her a little.


    ��Yes, you��re right. Zavua Night Owlpany is iming the cost of the goods destroyed by you, as well as inconvenience fees to otherpanies and the medical costs for the guards. In all, we are iming damages of 9,705 gold coins��


    ��What?!��


    The Guild President, who had remained silent, cried out.


    ��Of course, this sum of money can��t be paid by an individual, so we��ll have the Adventurers�� Guildpensate us instead��


    ��Excuse us, we��re stepping outside for a moment��


    The Guild President grabbed my cor and dragged me outside.


    ��You shithead, they��re iming an amount that��s nearly the Guild��s operating funds for a year!��


    ��Guild President, I��m sorry for having made youe all this way. But in the first ce, whether it��s my things being stolen, or the explosion, they��re all events that happened before I registered. Therefore, in the worst case, you can use this fact as much as you like to talk your way out of this��


    Even though he said all that about abandoning me, I wondered what he was flustered about.


    ��Is that true?��


    ��It��s true. If Evetta-san was here, you would have been able to confirm that immediately��


    ��������Understood��


    The Guild President put on a stony expression immediately and went back into the room. I followed behind him.


    ��I understand your im. But I have one too. The goods that had exploded were stolen goods. However, you did not reveal who the culprit was because it was a matter of trust in your merchantpany. Then, along with bearing that trust, you should also bear the costs of the goods I lost��


    I knew that they were collecting and examining the wreckage from the explosion. They probably had an idea of its value.


    The woman hesitated slightly.


    Then she smiled.


    ��Very well��


    For now, she was only nudging the bait.


    ��We have one condition. In order to ensure that the negotiations are fair, I will ask my god to mediate��


    ��Okay, please do��


    The military policeman elbowed me then whispered.


    ��The sister gods of Minerva are rumored to be merciless at collecting debts. Do you have money?��


    It��ll be fine so keep quiet, I whispered back to the military policeman.


    The woman took out a bird feather and raised it.


    ��My god, the sage of night, the raptor of knowledge, Gravius. Share that wisdom with me, your kin, and bestow fairness upon the world of those who quiver in front of your keen insight��


    A dazzling light.


    An owl descended onto the woman��s shoulder.


    ��Holzald, my kin. What are you using my keen insight for?��


    ��For the sake of having fair negotiations, please mediate between us and the foreigner��


    ��Very well. The one opposing my kin, name yourself and your god��


    I was feeling slightly pressured by the gaze of that small owl. It did not feel like an animal, but rather, it felt like it held more intelligence than humans. She would probably be of no help, but I felt lonely without my god.


    ��Follower of Misuranika, Souya of Japan��


    ��Misuranika, you said? Souya, is your god not going to attend?��


    ��My god is currently sleeping. This one will take a seat at the negotiating table instead��


    I took off my sses and switched it to holographic mode. An image emerged from the sses that I had ced on the table.


    ��Good morning, everyone from the alternate world. Using the words from this side, Makina is like an artificial spirit that is intended to assist Souya-san. Today, I will do my best to achieve a result that is good for both parties��


    The 14cm projection of Makina lowered her head in a bow. Her appearance was that of a beautiful twin-tailed girl around 14 years of age, who wore a top with a low neckline and frills at the midriff, and a miniskirt. I was d that she didn��t have a stick with a heart on top.


    ��What? Do all the women in your country look like that?��


    ��It roughly matches but no��


    I gave the military policeman a perfunctory reply. He better not spread this after going back to the center continent.


    At the sight of Makina, the woman instinctively smiled. Sure enough, she had taken the bait. These people still thought that they could profit off me. They weren��t mistaken, but it was a big mistake.


    ��Then, we��ll start with me, Gravius-sama. Here is the amount imed and the catalog of the goods that we lost��


    When the woman lined up the documents, a mysterious power made them float into the air and spread out in front of the owl.


    ��9,705 gold coins, I see, it��s somewhat fair��


    ��That��s not urate. The up-to-date market price is 9,802 gold coins, 3 silver coins and 6 copper coins��


    Makina said.


    ��The 200g of the fossil pieces of the millennial tree and the liver of Daio turtle in the catalog were sold first thing in the morning. Even if youbine the inventory of two merchantpanies, there won��t even be 300g of fossil pieces left in stock. As the price has increased due to theck of stock, I set the price to 1.8 times. And, in order to brew the fossil pieces into a third-ss magical elixir, arge amount of the pseudo-ghost��s pure water is needed. Since this was also in the inventory, I have set the price to 1.2 times for each 955 liter barrel. As for the othersһ��


    ��Makina, that��s enough��


    I stopped Makina, who was answering smoothly, for the time being. The woman was stifling her surprise. The military policeman spoke out, impressed.


    ��It hasn��t been that many days since you guys came to this city, right?��


    ��Yes, but I can grasp all the market fluctuations in this city��


    ��The one called Souya, you��ve sent out eyes, haven��t you? Hmm, are you using insects? No, are they metallic?��


    Said the owl, which was turning its head around.


    Bug drones had been ced in all four corners of this room, but it seems like they had been found out.


    ��But it��s not unfair. Whether you used money, people or technology to acquire such eyes, it doesn��t change anything��


    This god was more understanding than I thought it would be.


    ��Then, Holzald. The amount imed is 9,802 gold coins, 3 silver coins, 6 copper coins, is that OK?��


    ��Yes��


    The woman nodded. Then, it was my turn.

 Chapter 5.2: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon IV - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 5.2: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon IV - Part 2</h4>


    I lined up the documents that had been printed out. Wording issues were pointed out and exined.


    ��Then here is our catalog. However, these are only the items inside the destroyed container. With regards to the items that are currently missing, they are not included in our im. Makina, please proceed��


    ��First, regarding the gun attachments, there were three magnification scopes, so we''re iming 10 gold coins for each, for a total of 30 gold coins. We''re not iming the others as simr goods do not exist in this world��


    The attachments category was crossed out using a marker.


    ��There were 20 AK47 assault rifles and eight M1911 handguns. For the AK47, your son had priced it at 100 gold coins per piece, so we��ll follow that valuation. Is it okay to set the same price for the M1911?��


    ��I��ve heard about it from my son. Such a small firearm is unthinkable in our world. Double the amount��


    ��Thank you very much. Then, adding that up, we will im 3,600 gold coins��


    The woman was smiling.


    ��And then, the im for the ammunition��


    Well, I wondered if she could keep smiling until the end?


    ��ording to Makina��s investigation, dwarf firearms and gunpowder are not currently not being stocked, right?��


    ��Yes, that��s right. The dwarves stopped the production of firearms and gunpowder after an ident six months ago. During the production of fresh gunpowder, they blew up their entire city. Since then, the country has been managing the remaining gunpowder. Cirction of gunpowder in the regr market is prohibited, hence no price has been set��


    Eh, were the dwarves making a nuke or something? And, her son was trying to foist firearms with no gunpowder off on customers.


    ��That��s true. No price has been set for our gunpowder. Souya-san, please give a demonstration��


    ��Understood��


    I took out a piece of meat from my backpack and ced it on the table. Its thickness was 40cm.


    ��Everyone, please cover your ears. It��s going to be loud��


    After the warning, I fired one shot using the Government. I quickly picked up the spent cartridge that had rolled onto the floor and put it into my pocket. Surprised by the gunshot, the military policeman had aical expression on his face.


    ��Do you understand the difference?��


    ��It��s the smoke��


    The owl answered Makina��s question.


    ��Yes, the gunpowder in this world is called ck powder in Makina��s world and is obsolete. The smokeless gunpowder that is used by these bullets is a different thing with simr properties, thus it isn��t subjected to the trading prohibition. Do you agree, Gravius-sama?��


    For that reason, I won��t allow sophistry that says that the price can��t be set.


    In response to Makina��s question,


    ��The gunpowder isn��t the only thing that��s different. Is that okay with you?��


    ��Yes, that��s fine. Given that we are forbidden from revealing everything to the inhabitants of this world��


    ��Why? Exin��


    ��We came here to explore the dungeon. We don''t wish for anything else, especially things that will be the seeds of war��


    ��You��re denying a merchant''s most profitable industry. But, it��s fine. In consideration of your wisdom, I��ll allow it. Let��s set the price��


    The woman turned pale.


    For the time being, I had won.


    ��There is something called the Misuranika gold coin. Coincidently, it has the same name as the god Souya serves. It has value other than being the coinage of a lost country. A small amount of magic is sealed within them and its explosive nature can be activated at will. We are iming each lost bullet as having the same value as a Misuranika gold coin. The presence or absence of magic is knowledge that is beyond our understanding, so that will not factor into our im��


    ��Hmm, that��s fair��


    ��Thank you very much��


    I could feel her agitation.


    Seeing her look at Makina, who was bowing respectfully, and me, smiling behind Makina, I wished that I knew what the woman was thinking. Truly.


    These maggots that were being burnt by their own greed.


    ��There were 2,580 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition. 300 rounds of .45ACP ammunition. Today''s rate for the Misuranika gold coins is 22 gold coins. Using that rate to convert, it totals 63,360�`�`�`�`��


    ��Excuse me, Gravius-sama. Can you suspend the mediation?��


    The woman threw in the towel.


    The parent��s panicked expression was just like the child��s.


    ��Holzald. Do you know what it means to ask a god to mediate and then suspend it?��


    ��Yes��


    The air trembled. Rather than saying she looked agitated, the woman was actually shaking.


    The owl appeared small. However, the pressure that emanated from it was like one from an unfathomable, savage beast. The good thing about my god was that she gave off no such pressure.


    ��You fool. For one year from now, I will not give you my blessing. Start over from vegetable peddling��


    ��I''m sorry��


    ��Souya, and then Makina��


    The owl proffered two of its own feathers with its beak.


    ��I''ll lend you my authority. If you want to resume this mediation, raise that and call my name. If you want a new mediation, again, raise that and call my name. Farewell and see you again, my new kin from foreignnds��


    It was my turn to be shocked by our good fortune. No, wait, what did it mean by kin? Before I could ask, the owl pped its wings and disappeared into a swirl of light.


    ��Please give Makina that one with the better shape! Please properly write my name on it!��


    ��Yes, yes��


    I wrote the name��Makina��on the feather as a reward for Makina, who did very well. Would I get scolded for scribbling on its featherter?


    ��Could I trouble the two of you to leave?��


    Came the woman��s trembling voice.


    ��I''m busy so I��m heading back��


    Said the Guild President.


    ��Same for me��


    Said the military policeman. As he left,


    ��I''ll pretend I didn''t see that metallic thing you put into your pocket. So don''t get me involved again. Got it?��


    He left after whispering that.


    ��Now then��


    I straightened my back and put on a serious expression.


    ��I''ll have you answer a few questions. Is that okay?��


    ��Ask away��


    She clicked her tongue.


    That''s a nice attitude you have there, you old hag.


    ��Who''s the real culprit behind the theft of my containers?��


    ��The Eruomea West Phoenixpany. It has a young Chairman that my foolish son is associated with. Even though he only did unprofitable business with poor people and the beast-men in the past, he suddenly changed after a woman who used to be a mermaid came to serve him. Good grief, we were caught up in this mess because we associated with a fool��


    ��As if I care��


    ��There are such words in Makina''s country. The customer is god��


    Hey, the only ones who still say that nowadays are those malicious people who make unreasonable demands.


    ��If it''s a god of misfortune, then there''s one right in front of me��


    ��Should I raise the feather?��


    ��63,360 gold coins is an amount that you can''t get unless you open the nation''s treasury. Are you going to make an enemy out of not just a merchantpany, but the Adventurers'' Guild as well? Well, the royal family will do its utmost to take it back as well��


    She had the misconception that she hadn''t lost yet. Not just that, she thought that she could still reverse the situation.


    As I was pretty much at my limit, I tore into her.


    ��So what? I''ll dump the gold coins at the bottom of the sea. What do you think will happen to a country that has lost such an enormous amount of money? Can this country functionpletely independently? What are they going to do with the goods that have already been imported from the center continent? Sure, I certainly might get killed. But, "that''s all". What about you people? This entire affair originated from an incident where a foreigner was angered by the Zavua Night Owlpany''s Lonewell Zavua and Holzald Zavua, who were the kin of Gravius, the sister god of Minerva. The royal family and other merchantpanies will curse you. No, this entire city will curse you. They will me and vilify you down to yourst drop of blood and curse your god''s name. Can you people withstand that infamy? Can you people endure abject poverty so bad that you would resort to eating rats to stave off your starvation? Or do you want to see blood? Why don''t I decorate both parent and child��s limbs with bullets that are worth 22 gold coins each? I still have enough of them to sell, you know? Try answering me after you''ve thought carefully about it��


    The old hag froze as if she had run out of fuel.


    She had been overwhelmed.


    Putting aside whether it was possible or not, I would go that far if I was really going to lose my life. I wondered what my god would think of that. No matter what kind of infamy or curse, it would probably be of no concern to her.


    ��To be exact, it''s 66,990 gold coins though��


    Remarked Makina, unable to pick up on the mood of the conversation.


    ��Th, then, what else did you want to ask about?��


    Her hands were shaking. This old woman had probably realized the position she was in atst. The opponent she was facing was someone with no self-interest. That was thest sort of person that a merchant should have dealings with.


    ��Where is the other container?��


    ��I don''t know, I swear��


    ��Did you people send the adventurers who attacked the camp?��


    ��No��


    ��Did you people ask the fish-man to transport them?��


    Depending on the response to this, I might really open holes in her limbs.


    ��No, we did not. The goods were really just left with us��


    ��Is that so? We��ll put the matter on hold for now. You owe me one, no��, including your son, that��s two you owe me. I��ll make sure you pay up. If you run, I��ll raise the feather��


    For starters, I had capped the first confrontation with a victory, after a fashion.


    ��


    I didn��t know whether to call it a disappointment or a letdown, but the real opponent was way too easy.


    I had intended to roll up my sleeves and challenge thest boss, but I was faced with the unbelievable development that the mid-boss before that was much tougher.


    I couldn��t remember its title but I remembered ying a game like this before.


    One bullet was all it took to deal with the Eruomea West Phoenixpany.


    When I went to Eruomea��s store with the idiot son from Zavua, we met the young Chairman, who had a dead-eyed woman beside him, and when I was eagerly about to start negotiations with him, I caught sight of some sort of orb that was ced on his desk.


    It was ced there so casually that I was immediately suspicious of it. Maybe it was because I was weirdly on edge after the affair with Zavua, but I fired a bullet at it without any hesitation.


    Just as I was about to use the idiot son from Zavua as a shield to get past the Eruomea guards, there was a scream. There was now a mermaid whose lower body was flopping about energetically. In addition to that was a Chairman who had been freed from being possessed, and had a stunned expression on his face.


    I exined the situation to the Chairman, who had lost his memory, and the little mermaid.


    With that, this affair waspletely settled.


    ��


    ��6th day��


    ��Is there anything that looks usable?��


    ��Four intact AK47s. Two intact M1911s. Six guns that require servicing. The rest is junk. I have to check the quality of the bullets one by one��


    The remnants of the recovered firearms were lined up, and Izora had checked their condition. Almost all of them were sooty lumps of melted metal, but surprisingly, there were some that were usable. Unfortunately, I didn''t particrly care.


    ��No, there��s no need to check if they are functional. What��s the possibility that the merchantpany has hidden and kept anything else besides these?��


    ��It��s zero. I��ve set-up a threefold monitoring system. There is no oversight��


    ��Understood��


    I wrapped everything up in a blue tarpaulin and ced them into one of the empty containers. I also put in all the destroyed AKs. Taking out the Government, I removed the magazine and pulled back the slide. I thought that there might be some changes in my feelings, but there were none in particr, so I threw it in too.


    ��Izora, is there anything that I��ve forgotten to put in?��


    ��There is none. Have you properly dealt with your regrets?��


    ��No problem. I��ve put those in already��


    It was a good joke.


    ��Geto-san, please throw the contents into the bottom of the sea. Somewhere very deep please��


    ��Okay, there is a deep chasm that fish-men cannot approach in a ravine on the sea floor. I''ll throw it there. What do you want to do with this box? If you don''t want it, give it to me. I want to use it to carry fish to the market. I can��t carry a great deal of them using handmade fish baskets��


    ��Sure, I''ll give it to you��


    ��Oh, I��ll take it happily. Then, well, many things happened. But, ������������see you��


    ��Likewise��


    He dropped the container into the river then disappeared while pushing the container. His grandchild still wished to be human. The fish-men��s treasure had taken away their love for each other, in exchange for giving her legs.


    In the dungeon, there were many hidden treasures that were beyond human understanding. One day, a treasure that would fulfill their wishes would probably be found. I asked Geto-san to pass on the message telling the two of them to wait for that, then gave him the shattered treasure, and my job was finished.


    The medical supplies were recovered from the Eruomea West Phoenixpany. I received 40 gold coins as a reward. The ransom that Geto-san had paid so far was also given to me to return to him, but he said��I��ll give it to you��and did not take it, so I had ns to go give it back. It was a prettyrge sum. It was too much for me.


    ��Eating the same meal, betrayal, forgiveness, and finally, being able to trust each other. We humans really are such troublesome creatures��


    ��It��s merely a betrayal of that degree, don��t act like you know everything, you dunce��


    My words were intended for Makina or Izora, but Misuranika-sama answered.


    She got on my shoulder and continued talking.


    ��Humans easily betray, steal, besmirch, envy and deceive. At the beginning of a history book that I read a long time ago, such words were written.��Here, we record our mistakes and stupidity��. The author of that history book was executed��


    ��Izora��s world also has such a saying.��History is merely a record of humans'' crimes, follies, and disasters����


    Izora said.


    ��What''s that? Your world isn��t that much different from ours then��


    ��Yes��


    The sound of the city''srge bell came from afar. Dusk dyed the edges of the in red.


    I was about to make dinner when I lost my bnce and went down on one knee. I immediately supported Misuranika-sama so that I didn��t drop her.


    ��Hmm, what��s wrong?��


    ��No, I��m embarrassed to say this but I��ve sort of run out of steam and I��m feeling tired��


    Come to think of it, I hadn��t slept well since I arrived here. Hmm? Actually, I had a question.


    ��Izora, how many days have I been here?��


    ��Six days. If you consider the time difference, then it��s seven days. On top of that, you��ve been ced into a tense situation, so you��ve probably only been able to sleep lightly. Your vital signs have be very unstable. It is rmended that you take in nutrients and sleep as soon as possible. Because you��ll be exploring the dungeon starting tomorrow��


    ��Really? I��ve lost track of the days��


    I''ll have to start making curry on Fridays. Was there curry powder? *(see below)


    ��Souya. Do as Izora says and quickly go to sleep��


    ��Alright, Misuranika-sama. Right after I cook some food��


    ��I don''t need it. Go to sleep. I��ll just snack on some dried meat or fish��


    ��But����


    ��Go to sleep��


    I should go and get some sleep. I was experiencing flickering vision and my knees were trembling.


    After freshening up by brushing my teeth and wiping my body down with a wet towel, I went into the tent and took off my equipment and threw them into a corner. I changed my underwear and changed into afortable T-shirt and chino pants.


    The temperature was neither hot nor cold. But I wrapped myself in a towel so that I wouldn��t feel cold from the chill of night. I didn��t need a pillow because I no longer had the energy to look for one.


    Since I came here, I hadn��t been lying down except when I was in jail. I had been sleeping in a sitting position while hugging my gun. There was no way I was getting any decent rest that way. It was ironic that I could finally sleep soundly only after I had let go of my gun.


    The merchantpanies would probably not mess with me anymore. There would be no profit for them if the goods they stole would explode. Other crimesmitted by that trio of adventurers kepting to light so the Guild made the decision to detain them for a long time. Other criminals would be too afraid to enter the fish-men��s territory in the first ce.


    Just as how humanw did not apply to fish-men who were onnd, fish-menw did not apply to humans at the water��s edge. Even though I had talked big about forgiveness, my life and death had depended on Geto-san''s conscience from the very beginning.


    When I closed my eyes, my consciousness began to melt into the darkness. It was the pitch-ck abyss that I had seen when I fell here. Despite that, warmth permeated the darkness. I heard a distant howl of wind. I heard the sounds of something small approaching.


    Hands touched my cheeks, lifted my head, and then, there was a soft feeling at the back of my head.


    I opened my eyes just a crack but there was only darkness.


    I was probably dreaming.


    There was a woman wearing a ck dress with an open chest. I couldn��t see her face, which was hidden by her flowing, jet-ck long hair. I saw the pale skin of her chin, cheeks and ears.


    My brain was no longer functioning properly enough to figure out who or what that was. What was certain, was the tranquil darkness that enveloped everything like mire.


    That darkness.


    Melted.


    Into darkness.

 Chapter 5.2: The Foreigner, Can’t Explore the Dungeon IV - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 5.2: The Foreigner, Can��t Explore the Dungeon IV - Part 2</h4>


    I lined up the documents that had been printed out. Wording issues were pointed out and exined.


    ��Then here is our catalog. However, these are only the items inside the destroyed container. With regards to the items that are currently missing, they are not included in our im. Makina, please proceed��


    ��First, regarding the gun attachments, there were three magnification scopes, so we''re iming 10 gold coins for each, for a total of 30 gold coins. We''re not iming the others as simr goods do not exist in this world��


    The attachments category was crossed out using a marker.


    ��There were 20 AK47 assault rifles and eight M1911 handguns. For the AK47, your son had priced it at 100 gold coins per piece, so we��ll follow that valuation. Is it okay to set the same price for the M1911?��


    ��I��ve heard about it from my son. Such a small firearm is unthinkable in our world. Double the amount��


    ��Thank you very much. Then, adding that up, we will im 3,600 gold coins��


    The woman was smiling.


    ��And then, the im for the ammunition��


    Well, I wondered if she could keep smiling until the end?


    ��ording to Makina��s investigation, dwarf firearms and gunpowder are not currently not being stocked, right?��


    ��Yes, that��s right. The dwarves stopped the production of firearms and gunpowder after an ident six months ago. During the production of fresh gunpowder, they blew up their entire city. Since then, the country has been managing the remaining gunpowder. Cirction of gunpowder in the regr market is prohibited, hence no price has been set��


    Eh, were the dwarves making a nuke or something? And, her son was trying to foist firearms with no gunpowder off on customers.


    ��That��s true. No price has been set for our gunpowder. Souya-san, please give a demonstration��


    ��Understood��


    I took out a piece of meat from my backpack and ced it on the table. Its thickness was 40cm.


    ��Everyone, please cover your ears. It��s going to be loud��


    After the warning, I fired one shot using the Government. I quickly picked up the spent cartridge that had rolled onto the floor and put it into my pocket. Surprised by the gunshot, the military policeman had aical expression on his face.


    ��Do you understand the difference?��


    ��It��s the smoke��


    The owl answered Makina��s question.


    ��Yes, the gunpowder in this world is called ck powder in Makina��s world and is obsolete. The smokeless gunpowder that is used by these bullets is a different thing with simr properties, thus it isn��t subjected to the trading prohibition. Do you agree, Gravius-sama?��


    For that reason, I won��t allow sophistry that says that the price can��t be set.


    In response to Makina��s question,


    ��The gunpowder isn��t the only thing that��s different. Is that okay with you?��


    ��Yes, that��s fine. Given that we are forbidden from revealing everything to the inhabitants of this world��


    ��Why? Exin��


    ��We came here to explore the dungeon. We don''t wish for anything else, especially things that will be the seeds of war��


    ��You��re denying a merchant''s most profitable industry. But, it��s fine. In consideration of your wisdom, I��ll allow it. Let��s set the price��


    The woman turned pale.


    For the time being, I had won.


    ��There is something called the Misuranika gold coin. Coincidently, it has the same name as the god Souya serves. It has value other than being the coinage of a lost country. A small amount of magic is sealed within them and its explosive nature can be activated at will. We are iming each lost bullet as having the same value as a Misuranika gold coin. The presence or absence of magic is knowledge that is beyond our understanding, so that will not factor into our im��


    ��Hmm, that��s fair��


    ��Thank you very much��


    I could feel her agitation.


    Seeing her look at Makina, who was bowing respectfully, and me, smiling behind Makina, I wished that I knew what the woman was thinking. Truly.


    These maggots that were being burnt by their own greed.


    ��There were 2,580 rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition. 300 rounds of .45ACP ammunition. Today''s rate for the Misuranika gold coins is 22 gold coins. Using that rate to convert, it totals 63,360�`�`�`�`��


    ��Excuse me, Gravius-sama. Can you suspend the mediation?��


    The woman threw in the towel.


    The parent��s panicked expression was just like the child��s.


    ��Holzald. Do you know what it means to ask a god to mediate and then suspend it?��


    ��Yes��


    The air trembled. Rather than saying she looked agitated, the woman was actually shaking.


    The owl appeared small. However, the pressure that emanated from it was like one from an unfathomable, savage beast. The good thing about my god was that she gave off no such pressure.


    ��You fool. For one year from now, I will not give you my blessing. Start over from vegetable peddling��


    ��I''m sorry��


    ��Souya, and then Makina��


    The owl proffered two of its own feathers with its beak.


    ��I''ll lend you my authority. If you want to resume this mediation, raise that and call my name. If you want a new mediation, again, raise that and call my name. Farewell and see you again, my new kin from foreignnds��


    It was my turn to be shocked by our good fortune. No, wait, what did it mean by kin? Before I could ask, the owl pped its wings and disappeared into a swirl of light.


    ��Please give Makina that one with the better shape! Please properly write my name on it!��


    ��Yes, yes��


    I wrote the name��Makina��on the feather as a reward for Makina, who did very well. Would I get scolded for scribbling on its featherter?


    ��Could I trouble the two of you to leave?��


    Came the woman��s trembling voice.


    ��I''m busy so I��m heading back��


    Said the Guild President.


    ��Same for me��


    Said the military policeman. As he left,


    ��I''ll pretend I didn''t see that metallic thing you put into your pocket. So don''t get me involved again. Got it?��


    He left after whispering that.


    ��Now then��


    I straightened my back and put on a serious expression.


    ��I''ll have you answer a few questions. Is that okay?��


    ��Ask away��


    She clicked her tongue.


    That''s a nice attitude you have there, you old hag.


    ��Who''s the real culprit behind the theft of my containers?��


    ��The Eruomea West Phoenixpany. It has a young Chairman that my foolish son is associated with. Even though he only did unprofitable business with poor people and the beast-men in the past, he suddenly changed after a woman who used to be a mermaid came to serve him. Good grief, we were caught up in this mess because we associated with a fool��


    ��As if I care��


    ��There are such words in Makina''s country. The customer is god��


    Hey, the only ones who still say that nowadays are those malicious people who make unreasonable demands.


    ��If it''s a god of misfortune, then there''s one right in front of me��


    ��Should I raise the feather?��


    ��63,360 gold coins is an amount that you can''t get unless you open the nation''s treasury. Are you going to make an enemy out of not just a merchantpany, but the Adventurers'' Guild as well? Well, the royal family will do its utmost to take it back as well��


    She had the misconception that she hadn''t lost yet. Not just that, she thought that she could still reverse the situation.


    As I was pretty much at my limit, I tore into her.


    ��So what? I''ll dump the gold coins at the bottom of the sea. What do you think will happen to a country that has lost such an enormous amount of money? Can this country functionpletely independently? What are they going to do with the goods that have already been imported from the center continent? Sure, I certainly might get killed. But, "that''s all". What about you people? This entire affair originated from an incident where a foreigner was angered by the Zavua Night Owlpany''s Lonewell Zavua and Holzald Zavua, who were the kin of Gravius, the sister god of Minerva. The royal family and other merchantpanies will curse you. No, this entire city will curse you. They will me and vilify you down to yourst drop of blood and curse your god''s name. Can you people withstand that infamy? Can you people endure abject poverty so bad that you would resort to eating rats to stave off your starvation? Or do you want to see blood? Why don''t I decorate both parent and child��s limbs with bullets that are worth 22 gold coins each? I still have enough of them to sell, you know? Try answering me after you''ve thought carefully about it��


    The old hag froze as if she had run out of fuel.


    She had been overwhelmed.


    Putting aside whether it was possible or not, I would go that far if I was really going to lose my life. I wondered what my god would think of that. No matter what kind of infamy or curse, it would probably be of no concern to her.


    ��To be exact, it''s 66,990 gold coins though��


    Remarked Makina, unable to pick up on the mood of the conversation.


    ��Th, then, what else did you want to ask about?��


    Her hands were shaking. This old woman had probably realized the position she was in atst. The opponent she was facing was someone with no self-interest. That was thest sort of person that a merchant should have dealings with.


    ��Where is the other container?��


    ��I don''t know, I swear��


    ��Did you people send the adventurers who attacked the camp?��


    ��No��


    ��Did you people ask the fish-man to transport them?��


    Depending on the response to this, I might really open holes in her limbs.


    ��No, we did not. The goods were really just left with us��


    ��Is that so? We��ll put the matter on hold for now. You owe me one, no��, including your son, that��s two you owe me. I��ll make sure you pay up. If you run, I��ll raise the feather��


    For starters, I had capped the first confrontation with a victory, after a fashion.


    ��


    I didn��t know whether to call it a disappointment or a letdown, but the real opponent was way too easy.


    I had intended to roll up my sleeves and challenge thest boss, but I was faced with the unbelievable development that the mid-boss before that was much tougher.


    I couldn��t remember its title but I remembered ying a game like this before.


    One bullet was all it took to deal with the Eruomea West Phoenixpany.


    When I went to Eruomea��s store with the idiot son from Zavua, we met the young Chairman, who had a dead-eyed woman beside him, and when I was eagerly about to start negotiations with him, I caught sight of some sort of orb that was ced on his desk.


    It was ced there so casually that I was immediately suspicious of it. Maybe it was because I was weirdly on edge after the affair with Zavua, but I fired a bullet at it without any hesitation.


    Just as I was about to use the idiot son from Zavua as a shield to get past the Eruomea guards, there was a scream. There was now a mermaid whose lower body was flopping about energetically. In addition to that was a Chairman who had been freed from being possessed, and had a stunned expression on his face.


    I exined the situation to the Chairman, who had lost his memory, and the little mermaid.


    With that, this affair waspletely settled.


    ��


    ��6th day��


    ��Is there anything that looks usable?��


    ��Four intact AK47s. Two intact M1911s. Six guns that require servicing. The rest is junk. I have to check the quality of the bullets one by one��


    The remnants of the recovered firearms were lined up, and Izora had checked their condition. Almost all of them were sooty lumps of melted metal, but surprisingly, there were some that were usable. Unfortunately, I didn''t particrly care.


    ��No, there��s no need to check if they are functional. What��s the possibility that the merchantpany has hidden and kept anything else besides these?��


    ��It��s zero. I��ve set-up a threefold monitoring system. There is no oversight��


    ��Understood��


    I wrapped everything up in a blue tarpaulin and ced them into one of the empty containers. I also put in all the destroyed AKs. Taking out the Government, I removed the magazine and pulled back the slide. I thought that there might be some changes in my feelings, but there were none in particr, so I threw it in too.


    ��Izora, is there anything that I��ve forgotten to put in?��


    ��There is none. Have you properly dealt with your regrets?��


    ��No problem. I��ve put those in already��


    It was a good joke.


    ��Geto-san, please throw the contents into the bottom of the sea. Somewhere very deep please��


    ��Okay, there is a deep chasm that fish-men cannot approach in a ravine on the sea floor. I''ll throw it there. What do you want to do with this box? If you don''t want it, give it to me. I want to use it to carry fish to the market. I can��t carry a great deal of them using handmade fish baskets��


    ��Sure, I''ll give it to you��


    ��Oh, I��ll take it happily. Then, well, many things happened. But, ������������see you��


    ��Likewise��


    He dropped the container into the river then disappeared while pushing the container. His grandchild still wished to be human. The fish-men��s treasure had taken away their love for each other, in exchange for giving her legs.


    In the dungeon, there were many hidden treasures that were beyond human understanding. One day, a treasure that would fulfill their wishes would probably be found. I asked Geto-san to pass on the message telling the two of them to wait for that, then gave him the shattered treasure, and my job was finished.


    The medical supplies were recovered from the Eruomea West Phoenixpany. I received 40 gold coins as a reward. The ransom that Geto-san had paid so far was also given to me to return to him, but he said��I��ll give it to you��and did not take it, so I had ns to go give it back. It was a prettyrge sum. It was too much for me.


    ��Eating the same meal, betrayal, forgiveness, and finally, being able to trust each other. We humans really are such troublesome creatures��


    ��It��s merely a betrayal of that degree, don��t act like you know everything, you dunce��


    My words were intended for Makina or Izora, but Misuranika-sama answered.


    She got on my shoulder and continued talking.


    ��Humans easily betray, steal, besmirch, envy and deceive. At the beginning of a history book that I read a long time ago, such words were written.��Here, we record our mistakes and stupidity��. The author of that history book was executed��


    ��Izora��s world also has such a saying.��History is merely a record of humans'' crimes, follies, and disasters����


    Izora said.


    ��What''s that? Your world isn��t that much different from ours then��


    ��Yes��


    The sound of the city''srge bell came from afar. Dusk dyed the edges of the in red.


    I was about to make dinner when I lost my bnce and went down on one knee. I immediately supported Misuranika-sama so that I didn��t drop her.


    ��Hmm, what��s wrong?��


    ��No, I��m embarrassed to say this but I��ve sort of run out of steam and I��m feeling tired��


    Come to think of it, I hadn��t slept well since I arrived here. Hmm? Actually, I had a question.


    ��Izora, how many days have I been here?��


    ��Six days. If you consider the time difference, then it��s seven days. On top of that, you��ve been ced into a tense situation, so you��ve probably only been able to sleep lightly. Your vital signs have be very unstable. It is rmended that you take in nutrients and sleep as soon as possible. Because you��ll be exploring the dungeon starting tomorrow��


    ��Really? I��ve lost track of the days��


    I''ll have to start making curry on Fridays. Was there curry powder? *(see below)


    ��Souya. Do as Izora says and quickly go to sleep��


    ��Alright, Misuranika-sama. Right after I cook some food��


    ��I don''t need it. Go to sleep. I��ll just snack on some dried meat or fish��


    ��But����


    ��Go to sleep��


    I should go and get some sleep. I was experiencing flickering vision and my knees were trembling.


    After freshening up by brushing my teeth and wiping my body down with a wet towel, I went into the tent and took off my equipment and threw them into a corner. I changed my underwear and changed into afortable T-shirt and chino pants.


    The temperature was neither hot nor cold. But I wrapped myself in a towel so that I wouldn��t feel cold from the chill of night. I didn��t need a pillow because I no longer had the energy to look for one.


    Since I came here, I hadn��t been lying down except when I was in jail. I had been sleeping in a sitting position while hugging my gun. There was no way I was getting any decent rest that way. It was ironic that I could finally sleep soundly only after I had let go of my gun.


    The merchantpanies would probably not mess with me anymore. There would be no profit for them if the goods they stole would explode. Other crimesmitted by that trio of adventurers kepting to light so the Guild made the decision to detain them for a long time. Other criminals would be too afraid to enter the fish-men��s territory in the first ce.


    Just as how humanw did not apply to fish-men who were onnd, fish-menw did not apply to humans at the water��s edge. Even though I had talked big about forgiveness, my life and death had depended on Geto-san''s conscience from the very beginning.


    When I closed my eyes, my consciousness began to melt into the darkness. It was the pitch-ck abyss that I had seen when I fell here. Despite that, warmth permeated the darkness. I heard a distant howl of wind. I heard the sounds of something small approaching.


    Hands touched my cheeks, lifted my head, and then, there was a soft feeling at the back of my head.


    I opened my eyes just a crack but there was only darkness.


    I was probably dreaming.


    There was a woman wearing a ck dress with an open chest. I couldn��t see her face, which was hidden by her flowing, jet-ck long hair. I saw the pale skin of her chin, cheeks and ears.


    My brain was no longer functioning properly enough to figure out who or what that was. What was certain, was the tranquil darkness that enveloped everything like mire.


    That darkness.


    Melted.


    Into darkness.

 Chapter 6.2: The Blank Adventurer I - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 6.2: The nk Adventurer I - Part 2</h4>


    ��Okay. You!��


    A map was proffered to me so I took it. It was moreplex than I had thought. The stairs leading to the next floor were marked on it.


    ��You��ll be the interim leader. Form a party with the five of you and descend to the fifth floor. I''ll be waiting below��


    Wait a minute, what do you mean?


    Was what I wanted to ask, but Otou-san had already ran off.


    ��That was fast��


    Moreover, he had disappeared quietly, without even a sound from his equipment.


    Four pairs of eyes turned to me.


    ��Is there anyone who wants to be the leader instead?��


    I had been bad at leading others from way back.


    ��Should I do it instead?��


    The young knight took on the role readily. I proffered him the map, which he took.


    ��Alright! Everyone, follow me!��


    ��Not so fast��


    I stopped the knight, just as he was about to start walking off.


    ��The map, you��re holding it upside down��


    ��Hahaha! I��m sorry about that. It��s because this is the first time I��ve seen a dungeon map, you see?��


    He gave an invigoratingugh.


    The boy and the girl stared at me. I looked away. Didn��t the woman look more knowledgeable anyways?


    ��I��ll have it memorized by the next time��


    Is that so?


    ��Sorry. I��ll do it after all. I''m sorry for holding everyone up��


    I took back the map. I crouched down slightly and talked into the microphone of my sses.


    ��Izora, read the map and guide me. Izora? Makina? Please respond��


    Huh?


    There was no response. You��re kidding me, was there something that was causing interference? Dang it���� Well, alright. All I had to do was to look at the map and move ordingly. I could do that even without modern technology. Taking out a military cardpass, I checked our bearing.


    Before we set off, I had to decide our formation.


    ��Onii-san, I��m entrusting you with being at the front��


    ��Okay��


    ��After that����


    The knight was at the front. Next was me, the boy, the woman, and the girl brought up the rear.


    ��Everyone, turn on yournterns��


    I tried to turn on thentern that had been given to me, but I didn''t know how to use it so I swung it perfunctorily and the light came on. It was a dim and unreliable light. I felt uneasy so I took out a simple probe and turned on its light. The light it gave off was iparably stronger than thentern. I could see all the way to the end of the passageway.


    ��Ohh, that��s so bright. Is that magic?��


    ��Something like that��


    The surprised knight started moving forward. Perhaps because I had seen how Otou-san had moved earlier, the sounds of the party members'' footsteps and the clinking and nking of their equipment sounded strangely annoying to me. Our rtionships weren��t close enough for me to say anything about it, so I held my tongue. Still, wouldn��t we get attacked if there was an enemy that detected their prey by sound?


    ��Turn right at the next crossroads��


    ��Okay��


    The knight stayed vignt, holding his sword and shield up and checking to his left and right.


    My first impression of him was that he was egocentric and unreliable, but this person had fighting experience. There were no wasted movements in the way he carried himself.


    ��It��s clear��


    Following his words, I also turned to the right behind him. Something was behind me.


    ��Enemy!��


    When I raised my voice and shone the light behind us, the sound of pping wings intensified and a monster attacked. It was a severed human head withrge wings where the ears would be. It opened its big mouth and bared its fangs.


    ��Sorry��


    I was grabbed by my shoulder and pulled back forcibly. Somehow, I managed to break my fall while keeping my eye on what was happening.


    Everything was already over.


    The knight had knocked the monster down with his shield and the boy followed up by piercing it with his sword. It was over in an instant. Just when I was feeling amazed, another monster appeared. It was run through by the girl''s spear, and was set aze by the woman while it was still skewered on the spear. The nice smell of roasting meat filled the air.


    I was helped to my feet.


    ��This is a Chocho, isn��t it? This is the first time I seen one in the wild��


    The woman was touching the monster that had been stabbed by the boy''s sword. I was worried about whether there were any germs. And it stank of blood.


    ��The human face is more well-defined than those bred in farms. The wings are also more than double the size. Um��mm, it��s rather fleshy, don��t you think?��


    What had looked like a human face to me was just a pattern, a form of mimicry. From its wings and the arrangement of its bones, I wondered if it was a species of bird. In addition, I had a question about them.


    ��Is it tasty?��


    The woman��s eyes shone at my question.


    ��It''s delicious. It''s a bit ferocious, but you can keep it as long as you have a dark room, and you can eat almost everything except for its fangs and bones. Above all, their eggs are exquisite. It''s being sold under the name of Guinellerge egg. The big bird called Guinelle originally did not live on the right continent. This chocho egg was sold as a substitute as it has almost the same taste and richness, and it took over the name after it became mainstream. There, a lesson on trivia for you��


    ��You can eat this?��


    Only the knight had a pale face.


    ��Eh~, even we have eaten it before on our ind. It is delicious even if you simply add salt after you fry the wings in oil until they are nice and crispy. Making it into soup might be nice too~��


    ��Don''t talk about the ind. We��ll be treated as hicks��


    ��Knight-sama, 30% of the food that can be eaten in the city is from the dungeon, you know?��


    ��Is that so? Sorry, I didn''t even think about where the food came from��


    ��What? Are you a sheltered young master or something?��


    At the boy��s rude remarks, the young man replied softly.


    ��Being a fringe noble is not something to be proud of��


    ��Knight-sama, as I suspected, you came from a good lineage!��


    ��Eh, really?! Are you rich?!��


    Handsome, tall, personality seems good, and to top it off, a noble. Yes, if there was a woman who did not gobble him up, she would have to be a pretty perculiar person.


    The boy and I were looking calmly at the knight being bombarded with questions. Considering where we were at the moment, we should really stop them. But, as we were men, if we cut in now, it would probably look like we were being jealous. I didn��t want that. Even if I had already lost, I still didn��t want that.


    ��Hey, kid��


    ��Huh?��


    During times like this, it was best to talk about something totally unrted.


    ��What do you think those Chochos eat?��


    ��Probably insects or rats, I guess? Aren��t there small animals living here too? Otherwise, the dungeon would probably be piled full with feces and rotting meat��


    ��That''s true��


    It was a simple food chain. And then, I uttered a question that had naturally popped up in my head.


    ��Well then, is the Chocho the apex predator of this floor?��


    ��There��s no~ way that��s true. There were some guys who farmed them on our ind, but they were all eaten by wild dogs. They��re not a really strong species. Just the fact that they use mimicry means that they��re weak. I was just a little surprised that it was wild��


    ��Hmm��


    Two female giggling voices. The refreshing smile of one knight-sama.


    We were high and feeling ted after our first battle in the dungeon. We had great coordination when fighting off-the-cuff despite not having nned anything in advance. And we had won. With that, it would be strange if we weren��t in high spirits. Our excitement was rising.


    But,


    The fact that the boy and I were feeling a little less excited had just a little bit of an effect. But, it still wasn��t enough.


    We did not notice the approaching presence of the predator of those birds.


    ��BOOOOOOOOOH!��


    A loud roar.


    It was a fattened pig. Simply put, it was big. Both its width and height were near the limits of the passageway. It was about three and a half meters in length. Excited by the smell of blood and turning its wild killing intent onto us, it charged at us! At its speed, it would take less than five seconds for it to make contact with us.


    I remembered the words that my ssmate, who used to work part-time raising livestock, had said in the past.


    ��Those pigs? They''re fricking ferocious. They get eaten in fairy tales, but if there were three of them, the wolf would be the one getting eaten��


    After that momentary escape from reality, I raised my voice.


    ��Run away!��


    The boy grabbed the sexy woman and the girl and pulled them back. The corner. If we turned at the corner, we could take its back. With that huge body, facing it from the front was�`


    ��Come on! You monster!��


    In front of the approaching pig, the knight-sama raised his sword fearlessly and held up his shield.


    ��In front of the enemy, those who are knights will never retre�`, GYAAAAAAAA!��


    He was flipped upwards by its huge nose. Fortunately, hended behind the pig. I didn��t have the time to check that he was okay. For now, I pointed the light at the pig to draw it over here. We��ll recover himter.


    ��Run! RUN! Turn right at the next corner! Go straight for a while!��


    The boy ran in front. Next was the woman, who ran the slowest. The girl and I followed behind her.


    ��What is that?! What did it eat to grow so big?!��


    To the girl��s shout,


    ��"Everything��, I suppose!��


    I replied.


    ��NOOOOOOOO!��


    I would probably have screamed too if I was alone. Being chased by a huge pig in a dark dungeon was considerably harder than you could imagine. And it was easy to imagine what would happen if it caught up with us.


    ��Kid, next is left!��


    ��Ah��


    The boy had turned right. The woman, caught up in following him, had also turned right.


    ��It��s fine! Don''t turn back! Keep going!��


    If they took the time to reverse course, the pig woulde into contact with us. Or rather, the pig would crash into us. If the map in my head was correct, ahead of where the boy had turned was a dead end. I did not follow behind them.


    The pig had taken the previous turn roughly. Behind me came the sound of its footsteps then a huge crash shook the passageway.


    I shone the light on it again to threaten it. Rather than getting scared, the pig howled louder and charged towards us.


    ��Alright,e here!��


    I took the girl''s hand and ran.


    We turned three corners but we couldn��t get away from it. Using smell, sight, or maybe both, it was tracking us perfectly. My breath was getting ragged. My thigh felt like it was starting to cramp. Compared to me, the girl seemed to have stamina to spare though, so I couldn��t show any signs of weakness.


    ��Onii-san! Do you have any ideas?!��


    ��I do! I do, but it��s impossible unless we can pull away from it a little bit more!��


    ��Just a little bit is enough, right?��


    The girl let go of my hand and turned back. Carrying her spear under her arm, she raised two small, wooden idols.


    ��The Tree Spirit King, Ukazor. The God of Fertility, Gastolfo. Beltoriche of Azorido requests a miracle from the revered gods. Please! Confine!��


    She scattered some seeds on the ground.


    The pig was almost on top of us. It wasn��t going to be in time. I immediately hugged her from behind to protect her. It might be pointless, but it was better than nothing.


    Then, a miracle literally happened.


    Thorns grew from the scattered seeds and entangled the forefeet of the pig, making it fall forward.


    ��It��s really just for a little bit! This won��t hold it for long!��


    ��Understood��


    Every time the pig struggled, some thorns were torn apart. After taking a moment to check the map, we ran off. Because of the unusual circumstances and my nervousness, my stamina had reduced a great deal. My breathing was in disarray and the muscles in my leg were cramping.


    Somehow, we reached our destination.


    ��The spear��


    I borrowed the spear from the girl and ced it on the ground. I took off my poncho and used it to cover the spear.


    ��No way, you��re kidding!��


    Having guessed what I was nning, her voice was filled with anxiety. I leaned back on the wall and slid down until I was sitting on the ground.


    ��You should stay close to the corner, and in the event that I fail and get eaten, use that opening to run away��


    Ignoring my words, she sat down in front of me and entrusted her back to me.


    ��Oh man, that��s unreasonable. In this case, we��ll both get eaten after being crushed��


    ��Hmm, is that what��s going to happen?��


    The passage was straight, about 12 meters in length, and the pig, who had found us straight ahead of it, was stomping its forefoot. All that was left was to pray that this beast was as intelligent as it looked.


    The giant pig charged.


    Wow, it was like a heavy duty truck made of meat.


    Its intensity made my face twitch.


    The girl smelled nice. Her neck was glistening with sweat. Her thin lips were trembling. She was probably above me in terms of physical strength, but even so, she was thin and small. When I held her shoulder, she grabbed my arm anxiously. I had heard that humans�� physiological response when faced with danger to their lives, was to try to leave offsprings. Then, this out-of-ce lust wasn��t strange, was it?


    My escape into my thoughts did not even take a millisecond.


    Now!


    ��Get into position!��


    The poncho was flung away, and the two of us stood while holding the spear up. With the butt of the spear braced against the wall, the pig charged into the tip of the spear. The spear flexed. Blood sprayed and it shrieked.


    ��BUHIIIIIII!��


    The spear had prated through the top of its mouth all the way until the tip was near its brain. But, even with that, it still didn��t die. On the contrary, at this rate, it was going to eat us with the spear still stuck inside its flesh.


    ��NOOOOOO!��


    ��DAMN IT!��


    I pulled out my hunting knife and shed at it. It waspletely ineffective. My teeth were chattering as the pig drew closer to Beltoriche. I kicked many times at the tip of its nose, but that didn''t stop the dying beast.


    What should I do?


    This was bad.


    What��s my next move?


    After my confused thoughts came a peculiarly high-pitched shriek.


    ��?��


    The pig��s eyes rolled around.


    Breathing itsst, the pig��s weight came down on us. The horror movie-like development where it would get up and continue to attack us did not happen.


    ��Bel! Are you okay?!��


    The boy pulled out his long sword, which was wet with grease and blood. I didn��t want to think about where it had been inserted.


    ��It, it''s heavy. Shuna-chan, move this pig��


    ��I''m already doing it but it isn��t budging!��


    I also pushed desperately, but it didn��t move an inch. This was not me taking advantage of the situation where I was legally in contact with a girl around the same age as my sister. I simply didn��t have enough strength, I swear. Ah, I was happy but I couldn��t breathe.


    ��Onii-san! Something is strange about your breathing!��


    ��My consciousness is a little������


    ��Hurry up, Shuna-chan!��


    ��Like I said, I��m trying!��


    The boy and the girl��s back and forth was growing distant. My vision darkened. Just when I thought that, the pressure on my chest suddenly disappeared and I gasped for fresh oxygen.


    ��You''re amazing, you know?��


    Otou-san had appeared unnoticed.


    ��Even intermediate adventurers have trouble with dungeon pigs that have grown so big��


    Otou-san pushed back the pig with one hand. That was because his other hand was upied by carrying the knight.


    Good grief, are you a freak of nature or something?


    ��Oh, it��s female? Good for you. If it was a male, you would have been devoured. Because it''s so hard, it takes a lot of training to be able to kill it using physical methods��


    ��Are you serious?��


    The pigs of this world were terrifying.


    Super terrifying.


    I decided that tonight��s dinner would be pork.


    ��Otou-san. This is a big one. Newbies did this? That��s amazing��


    Moreover,


    Men in aprons had crowded round before I had realized. In their hands were huge kitchen knives.


    ��Alright, let''s drain the blood. All the entrails are useless, so light them on fire with magic. Crush the bones as you see fit and discard them to provide nourishment for the dungeon. After that, process it to a size that can fit through the portal. Quickly, or other adventurers wille��


    The men moved hurriedly. The speed in which the pig was being butchered was fascinating.


    ��Who��s the party leader?��


    One of the men who had been butchering the pig asked, while holding a scroll.


    The boy and the girl, who were sitting down, pointed at me.


    ��Because it''s a female. I��ll buy the meat at a high price but there��s not much skin on it. Since there��s a huge amount of the meat, you��ll still earn good money. The cost of transporting materials on the lower floors are borne by the Guild so it��s free. If you sell it to us, the Guild��s butchering department, you��ll get around 30 gold coins. If you have a merchantpany that you''re on good terms with, you can also send it to them, but what will you do?��


    ��If all three of you don''t have any objections, is it okay if we sell it to the Guild?��


    Just in case, I asked the other members.


    ��30 gold coins! Um, if we divide it among five people�`��


    ��Isn��t it six people?��


    ��You don��t have to include me. Divide it among yourselves��


    I watched the exchange between the boy, the girl and Otou-san, then checked with the woman, who was standing a little apart from everyone, with my gaze. Do as you like, she replied.


    ��We''ll sell it to the Guild then. Oh, can I get one gold coin��s worth of the meat? A fillet from a good spot��


    ��Sure. What��s your name?��


    ��I��m Souya of Japan��


    ��Okay. Souya of Japan, right? The exact amount of the reward and the goods will be given to your person in charge, so please collect them at the reception desk upstairs. Here is the deed��


    I took the scroll


    Looking at the carcass of the pig, which had be quite small, we left it behind us. I felt awfully tired, but I moved my feet with a sense of superiority that Ipleted a difficult task. And the sense of security that came from Otou-san apanying us was impressive.


    Otou-san began to talk along the way.


    ��I''ll give you all one piece of advice. Don''t be in high spirits just because you won a battle. Don''t let your guard down. Even though it looks haphazard, monsters have an ecosystem. Learn to understand it. Move around while being conscious of it. If you ever have the slightest thought that you can''t win, run away. Some idiots call recklessness the way of the adventurer, but that��s pig dung.


    Don''t think that people will teach you anything and everything. Even if you make mistakes, find your own answers. Learn from your many mistakes. Don''t give up even after a hundred or two hundred failures. Don''t forsake your party members. Don''t believe in your party members too much. Count on your party members. Don''t run for your own sake. Run for the sake of your party members. And survive. That''s it. Was that a little too much?��


    Wasn��t it supposed to be just one piece of advice? I wondered if I should respond with that quip.


    Well, nothing much happened after this. Otou-san leisurely dealt with all the monsters we met.


    Then, we arrived on the 5th floor.


    With Otou-san leading the way, we proceeded smoothly. The fifth floor was over in a sh, and the portal was found near the stairs leading to the sixth floor. Wepleted the validation without dy.


    ��Alright, go take a bath then head upstairs. Wash your equipment properly. Good work, you guys are pretty much on the right track��


    I held my hand over the portal and the floors were disyed. It had gesture recognition capabilities. Any sufficiently advanced technology was indistinguishable from magic, but could the reverse also be said to be true?


    I chose the 1st floor, went into the portal, and my first dungeon exploration was over.


    If I had to give my impressions on it, it was so tiring that I thought I would die.

 Chapter 6.1: The Blank Adventurer I - Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 6.1: The nk Adventurer I - Part 1</h4>


    ��7th day��


    ��


    I walked through the mist-wrapped city.


    My destination was the dungeon called the Odoriji spire that resembled a horn piercing the ground.


    My adventure starts right here and now. Anxiety and expectations caused my heart to beat faster. Thus far, it had only been about a week, but I had lost and gained many things. I couldn''t judge the extent of the difficulty, but I had ovee one trial. I could surely ovee the next one as well.


    I was going to challenge the dungeon with that confidence. There was no basis or meaning behind it, but it was a confidence that was better than nothing.


    The morning bell hadn''t rang yet, so there were only a few people at the reception desk because it was still so early in the morning. It was dim and wrapped in the silence of the morning.


    As there was I face that I recognized, I gave a greeting.


    ��Good morning, Evetta-san��


    ��Good morning, Souya��


    I was greeted with a stiff expression even though it was the first in the morning.


    ��Although you��re a little early, it is an adventurer��s iron-d rule to get prepared early. Splendid��


    ��Hahaha������


    I had merely been woken up by Makina at maximum volume. Also, I had gone to sleep early.


    ��These are the goods provided by the Guild��


    She handed over arge leather bag.


    ��I don''t think there will be anything wrong with the goods, but please check it just in case��


    ��Understood��


    I opened it and looked inside. There was a thick belt with pouches for keeping small items, onentern with ore-like objects inside it, one scroll with my history written on it, ten sheets of map paper, and two pieces of processed charcoal for filling in the map paper.


    ��What��s this?��


    There was one thing that I was unsure about.


    In a leather case, two ss containers resembling test tubes were secured side by side. I shook them. They were closed with a cork stopper and filled with clear liquid. When I looked closely, the ss containers had detailed gold decorations, and I could feel some unknown technology in them.


    ��For the regeneration point, Souya is a rearguard so please wear it near your heart. If you change jobs to a vanguard, put it at the back of your shield, or on your back. There is no specific rule, but always try to wear it in a position where your party members can see it��


    Because I was wearing a poncho, it wouldn��t be visible if I sewed it onto my clothes. I took out a thin rubber cord from my backpack, threaded it through the case, and hung it from my neck.


    ��And, what��s the regeneration point?��


    I asked a crucial question.


    ��Oh, that''s right. I forgot��


    Evetta took out a knife. She did it in a casual manner but I couldn��t see her movements at all.


    ��Please give me either your nails or hair��


    ��Hair then��


    If I said nails, my fingers might get cut off along with it. She cut off two strands of hair. Evetta-san pulled out the cork stoppers and put one into each container. Keeping the knife, she took out a book.


    ��My name is Evetta, the Pulverizer. Borrowing the name of the esteemed Razva, I follow Vindoobunikuru. Garving, grant this man a fragment of a miracle, the leavings of the magic realm. Living props up knowledge, knowledge bes faith. Faith bes independent from the gods, and changes into magic, envelops people, and substitutes for life. Houma!��


    Lights appeared, just like at the bar.


    They danced like fireflies and converged on the book.


    ��Tiuros?Mea?Revaius!��


    She hit my head with the shining book.


    ��Urgh!��


    ��Oh, sorry. Even though I didn��t need to hit you on the head, my strength, unconsciously������


    Please don��t hit me unconsciously. I thought I was going to die. My head was spinning. Oh, didn��t I lose some important memories? Who was I again?


    ��Next is to shake it until color appears in the containers��


    ��������Okay��


    Why was the final step so in?


    I shook the containers vigorously. Evetta-san was checking something while flipping through some documents.


    While we were doing that, several other adventurers had started gathering into a crowd. They were probably greenhorns like me. They received their supplies from their person in charge the same way I did. By the way, unlike me, no one was hit by a book. My head was throbbing with pain.


    ��Oh, Evetta-san, the color hase out��


    ��Okay, I��ll check it��


    Red and blue colors had appeared respectively in each container.


    ��Did it work?��


    ��Yes, I think it was sessful. Look closely, Souya. The red color is inner magic, the blue color is outer magic��


    As the colors settled at the bottom of the containers, the red color was about the length of thest section of my thumb, and the blue color was about the length of thest section of my little finger.


    ��Listen carefully, this red inner magic shows the capacity of your body to regenerate. As long as there is any of this left, even if your limbs are cut off and your entrails spill from your belly, it will automatically regenerate. This is the origin of Garving��s second name, Houma?Tiuros?Mea?Revaius(Regeneration Point)��


    Oh, now that she mentioned it, my head didn��t hurt anymore. I felt my head and there was no swelling or bump. Then, I understood. That trio��s extraordinary regeneration ability was thanks to this.


    ��But you must never ce too much confidence in this. If you are beheaded, you will die immediately. If you get skewered by a trap and cannot move, you will die. It cannot defend against poisons, diseases and parasites. Sometimes, you will be regenerated with foreign matter still left inside your body. In extremely tense situations, you can damage your body simply by swinging your sword. Make sure that you do not suffer a fatal wound because it had run out without you noticing as you neglected to check it just because you didn��t have any external wounds��


    ��Okay��


    ��Also, it��s only effective around the city and inside the dungeon. Adventurers who get carried away outside of these areas often die. The regeneration point is a powerful blessing, but it��s only aplement to your own strength. What you can rely on in the end, is your mind and your muscles. Please never forget this��


    ��Yes, I understand��


    Her warning had been recorded and saved.


    ��So, what about the blue one?��


    ��This is an ��incidental by-product��. External magic is the amount of magic that you can use. If Souya has the talent to be a mage, you will ascertain that before long��


    Wasn��t this something like HP and MP in games? I wanted to try using magic. It was something that I had yearned for. Won��t it be amazing to have mes or lightninge out from a staff?


    ��Evetta-san, I have one question��


    ��Ask away��


    The question had popped up in my head when I saw my regeneration point.


    ��Emm, my regeneration point, is it a lot? Or is it very little?��


    ����������������


    Silence.


    I��ll say it again but my regeneration point��s red color was about the length of thest section of my thumb. It was about 1/15 of the container��s capacity.


    She had an expression that looked like she was having an extremely hard time answering me straight to my face.


    ��It��s a lot����, is what I can��t say about it��


    ��Eh? Then, is it on the low end of the average?��


    ��High end, of the low range? Approximately? I think. Maybe. It��s about the same amount as a puppy that I had practiced the regeneration point on��


    ��I��m at the same level as a puppy?!��


    ��Not at all! When that puppy grew up, it came to have quite a sizeable regeneration point. If Souya also gets bigger, then surely, one day, you��ll be the same��


    My growth period was over already though.


    I put on the equipment provided. However, I already had pouches on my vest to put small items in, so I only tied thentern to my waist. The other provided goods went into my backpack. Just as I was wondering what to do with the leather bag, Evetta-san took care of it.


    The morning bell rang. I noticed that about twenty adventurers had gathered. There were adventurers who felt as green as I was, and a few others who did not.


    Among them, there was one man, who looked to be in his prime, and gave off an air of being more capable than the others.


    He had ck hair and eyes, had stubble on his face, and wore an eyepatch over his left eye. Compared to the typically big and burly adventurers, he would probably be categorized as smaller-sized. But there were no weak spots in physique. On his leather armor, signs of repair could be seen everywhere, and there were fresh w marks on the round shield on his back. The sword on his waist also looked well-used. He was a person that looked well-used in every aspect. But he didn��t look weary. That showed that he had experienced many battles.


    He was simr to someone. Yojimbo, Shogun, Mifune������ Toshiro Mifune. In the fantasy genre? *(see below)


    He spoke in a calm voice.


    ��The 2402nd new adventurer lecture is starting. I��m Medimu, the one in charge of those of the Hemu race. Do your best, you bunch of green rookies��


    Hemu, he said. At that word, which refers to people of the so-called ordinary human race like me, I heard tongues clicking from the surroundings, or rather, from those ordinary humans.


    From what I saw as I looked around, for some reason or another, the race of the adventurers and the person in charge were generally the same. Hemu for Hemu, Beast-men for Beast-men. The person in charge of the bird-like Beast-men was a cat-like Beast-man, but that was about it.


    Speaking of which, was Evetta-san a Beast-woman? But she had horns. What kind of beast were those horns a part of? I wanted to see if she had a tail. Let��s put that question aside.


    ��I''m in charge of you, you, you, and the two young girls over there��


    The people who were pointed to, including me, gathered.


    A blonde-haired, blue-eyed young man wearing te armor and had a sword and shield.


    A lightly-dressed red-haired boy with a long sword.


    Also lightly dressed was a young girl with short, boyish hair who held a spear.


    In addition, there was a woman, slightly older than the others, who wore a witch hat. I could tell that she had a sexy body even through her ck robe. She carried a staff as tall as she was, which might signify that she was a mage.


    Lastly, me.


    All five of us were Hemu.


    Sure enough, this was how things turned out. Racial friction. Racial discrimination. It was a hassle, but I had to be careful that I didn��t forget to consider these and get myself embroiled in something weird.


    ��Alright, experience is everything for adventurers. We��re going exploring at once��


    The experienced adventurer leading us started to go.


    When I tried to follow, Evetta-san, who was behind me before I even realized it, grabbed my shoulders.


    ��Souya, be sure to definitely follow what Otou-san(father) says. Did you secure thentern? Are you sure you haven''t forgotten anything? If you want to go to the bathroom, do it now. Be sure to escape as soon as you feel that you''re in danger, okay?��


    ��Okay��


    Are you my mum?


    ��Oh�` Evetta. So this is the guy you mentioned��


    ��Yes, Otou-san. Please look after him��


    ��He''ll be troubled if I did that. I''ll treat him no different from the others��


    ��Please look after him��


    It''s embarrassing so please stop it. The others were really staring at me. One of the girls was even giggling at me. Returning a small wave to Evetta-san, who was waving behind me, it was finally time to explore the dungeon.


    I began descending the wide stairs. I gave a sideways nce at the portals as we passed by them. Were we not going to use them?


    ��Hey, you. What''s your rtionship with that horned Nee-chan from earlier?��


    The boy, who was beside me, talked to me.


    Hmm, I felt like I had seen him before. I couldn''t remember. But it felt like it was right there at the tip of my tongue.


    ��Even if you ask me what''s my rtionship with her���� To me, she��s just my person in charge though��


    ��But it seems suspicious. Both of you were together when you took dvain-sama��s test, right? After that, I saw the two of you eating together at a bar and I also saw her crying on the roadside. You��re still going to say that she��s only a person in charge to you?��


    All of a sudden, the memory came back to me.


    ��Oh, I remembered. Kid, you��re the guy who contracted with dvain-sama��


    ��What!��


    Hearing that, the young, knight-like man behind me shouted abruptly.


    ��Young man! Did you form a contract with dvain-sama at that young age?!��


    ��Wow, that''s amazing. It��s really up in the air whether even one person passes every six months��


    The adventurer called Otou-san praised him.


    ��I also challenged her test before. But I was dealt with by a beast-man kid, who was referred to as the least capable among them, with just one hand. Young man, what kind of trial did you ovee to be allowed to form a contract?��


    ��Th, that��s����


    The boy, who was finding it hard to answer, tried to turn away.


    ��He pierced a pig with a sword����


    The girl answered easily.


    ��You, Bell! Stop it! Don''t bring it up! What am I going to do if I get a weird nickname?!��


    ��Eh��, but Shuna-chan was the only one who was able to get contracted�� That��s amazing, isn��t it? You should get praised more��


    ��That''s right. That pig was hard������


    As someone who had challenged it, that was my impression.


    ��That''s right��, Onii-san. As for my spear, only the tip went in��


    Hahaha, me and the girl, who formed the rejected group,ughed together.


    ��A pig, huh? So there are days when it��s like that��


    The young man had an indescribable expression. The boy called Shuna realized that the topic had been changed, and heshed out at me again.


    ��Never mind about me! I��m talking about you and that Nee-chan��


    ��No, she��s really just the person in charge of me. Well, I did cause her a lot of trouble��


    ��What kind of trouble?��


    Wow, he��s really jumping down my throat.


    ��Shuna-chan. That kind of Onee-san is his type��


    ��It, it��s not anything like that!��


    I see�� Well�� Evetta-san was a beauty.


    ��Boy, by any chance, do you not know about Horns?��


    The mage-like woman, who had remained silent the entire time, spoke with a sexy voice.


    ��Horns?��


    Shuna had a question mark floating above him. Or rather, I didn��t know what that was either.


    ��The woman with the horns from earlier. She��s been very well trained, but that''s a monster from the dungeon. They are often confused with beast-women, but the thing that distinguishes them from beast-women is that they only have horns but no other differing features. Those horns also had a shape that I��ve never seen before, so I think I��m not mistaken.


    Be careful, boy. If you meet an adult Horns in the dungeon, you will be torn from limb to limb. Oh, but it seems like the babies can be sold for a high price. If you''re confident that you can train one, then you can put it in your party to increase your fighting strength, or if you prepare a sturdy chain, you can also have it act as a paramour. If you are interested, you can try going after her. But, it might be best to buy her from her owner��


    ��No, I..., that��s...��


    Listening to her words, Shuna had an indescribable expression. There was also nothing I could say. Moreover, I had imagined Evetta-san being bound by chains.


    ��Evetta belongs to King Lemuria. Regardless of her origins, she was an adventurer who distinguished herself with her splendid achievements. Mocking her poorly might bring ruin upon yourself, youngdy��


    Otou-san was letting off a pretty intense air. Because of that, I felt like I sort of knew why he was called Otou-san.


    ��I��m very sorry��


    The sexy woman apologized.


    The foot of the stairs came into view.


    I felt hot air and steam.


    ��It''s the 2nd floor of the Odoriji spire from this point onwards. Technically, we��re inside the dungeon, but it��s as safe as it is upstairs��


    The second floor was wrapped in steam. It was built of stone, same as the upper floor and the city, but it was strangely bright. The brightness was a wonder as there were no light fixtures to be found. It was also a mystery why there were pipes running along the ceiling.


    Cloth was used to partition the open space into numerous rooms. Looking into one of the vacant rooms, I saw a stone bath, wooden tubs, soap, and loofah-like objects. There was something that looked like a pipe outlet above the bath.


    Ermm, this is a bathhouse, isn��t it?


    ��The walls and ceiling here are made of Shogaku stone. Many attempts had been made to deplete all of them, but they��ve all failed. Due to its nature, it was not possible to leave it alone, so the dwarves were asked toy these water pipes through them in order to cool them down. The hot water is a by-product of that. But, bathing is important. Don''t bezy. In the past, that was an incident where an adventurer that hated baths brought a pathogen into the city and it was a huge disaster. In addition, herbs are mixed into the hot water, so it has the effect of healing wounds and loosening up your muscles. Because it��s free, be sure to go take a bath after you��ve explored the dungeon.


    Cheers were raised from the women.


    ��Normally, portals are ced every five floors only, but for some reason, they were ced here and the floor below. Make sure to do the validation. Validating the portal just once will allow you to enter and exit the portal freely��


    The boy put his palm on the nearby portal. Looking at the other members, I imitated what they did. It felt as if the film of light changed colour slightly.


    With this, would I be able to go into the portal safely? There won��t be a 40% chance of getting teleported to some weird ce, will there?


    ��Excuse me. Otou-san, what��s a Shogaku stone?��


    I said.


    For some reason, I was curious about it.


    ��It is a light-emitting stone that is only found inside a dungeon. Upon impact, it emits light and heat. It''s used in thenterns we provided to you all and also in the streetmps. This floor has a particrlyrge amount of them, but they can be taken from other floors as well. The causal rtionship between them is unknown, but outside of the effective range of the regeneration point, it bes just a normal stone.


    ��Hmm�`��


    It seemed like a very convenient object. I��ll test itter to see if its heat could be used for cooking.


    ��You don''t even know something like that?��


    the woman said in surprise.


    ��Shogaku stones are always avable in dungeons like this. And almost inexhaustibly. That''s one of the reasons behind the theory that the dungeon is alive. In other words, Shogaku stones are the crystalization of the fluids secreted from the dungeon��s biological activities, or it could be the dungeon��s metabolic waste. The Odoriji spire in particr is said to be the horn of the giant who created the world. In other words, it''s still alive! Can you imagine it? It has been alive from before the age of gods, and from before an even older age than that. And this is just one of its horns. Just what on earth is the original giant?! How big was the giant and what��s the reason it created and then disappeared from this world?!��


    ��You��re going to get left behind�`��


    I had left behind the woman, who had gotten fired up and was talking passionately to the wall. We were going down to the next floor.


    ��Wait for me, you guys!��


    Onwards to the 3rd floor.


    ��This is, once again, somewhere you can call a safe ce. There is also a portal here. As your adventuring progresses, you will probably have more opportunities to use this ce��


    It reeked with the smell of blood. Even though it was still early in the morning, men in leather aprons were carving huge pieces of meat. asionally, the death throes of a creature resounded through the air.


    This was a ughterhouse.


    And maybe it also served as a processing workshop as there were craftsmen painting chemicals onto monster bones. There were some adventurers who were taking test swings of strange weapons, and others who were trying on bone armor. Overall, they gave off a different kind of atmosphere from the cksmiths in the city.


    ��If you improve your ability to a certain degree and be able to defeat monsters of a decent level, you can bring the materials here and have them made into weapons or armor. However, the craftsmen here are entric people. They��re fickle and they��ll charge expensively��


    Well, in other words, this was a ce that didn''t really matter to us today. But, I was concerned about the meat, I wondered if I could buy it directly from them. I wanted to buy some.


    The boy and the girl were looking yearningly at the weapons. There was nothing in particr of note other than that, so we passed through this floor and went further down.


    It was the 4th floor.


    It would be a breeze if I could get down to 56th floor in this manner, but there��s no way, right?


    The air was clearly different from the two floors above it. It smelt moldy. And it was dark. Lights were shining near the stairs, but darkness opened up ahead of the passage in front of us, which was about four meters wide..


    It��s the dungeon.


    It��s the real deal from here on out.


    Note:


    Toshiro Mifune (���� ����, Mifune Toshir��, April 1, 1920 �C December 24, 1997) was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 150 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film coboration (1948�C65) with Akira Kurosawa in such works as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, The Hidden Fortress, Throne of Blood and Yojimbo. He also portrayed Miyamoto Musashi in Hiroshi Inagaki��s Samurai Trilogy, and one earlier Inagaki film, Lord Toranaga in the NBC television mini-series Shogun, and Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in three different films. - Wikipedia


    He acted in many genres, from samurai westerns to Yakuza, toedy and modern dramas but despite his long and illustrious career, had never acted in the fantasy genre, as far as I could tell.

 Chapter 7: The Blank Adventurer II

    <h4>Chapter 7: The nk Adventurer II</h4>


    Even though it was only midday, there were two neighboring tables of drunk adventuring parties raising a racket.


    The location was the bar run by the barkeeper with a mohawk.


    It seemed that this bar was directly managed by the Adventurers'' Guild.


    One table was a party of beast-men which wasposed of greenhorns like us. A song celebrating the party members who shared one another��s fates could be heard. It was a party that wasn��t here, but it seemed like deaths had already urred.


    It was close for us too. Especially for the knight-sama, who was still not looking so good.


    ��About the payment for the pig, it came to 34 gold coins. After taking into ount the amount for the meat I took, that''s 7 coins per person, and 6 coins for me��


    I arranged the gold coins on the table and put everyone''s share in front of them.


    ��Sorry, but I can''t ept this��


    The knight-sama put the gold coins back in front of me.


    ��That disgraceful behavior���� I��ve damaged my grandfather''s reputation��


    ��Is that so? But you will still take it. Failure is also part of an adventurer''s job. Do stuff like that only when you''re the leader��


    I returned the gold coins back to the knight-sama.


    Reluctantly, he epted them.


    ��If he didn��t need it, isn��t it fine for us to have it?��


    ��Then, I��ll have Shuna-chan''s meat��


    ��I wasn��t talking about that!��


    The boy and the girl were wolfing down their food.


    It��s great that they��re energetic.


    ��Yeah, that''s right. All I did was give an exnation on Chochos, and then ran, and fell over. What the heck was that thing? It was three times bigger than what was written in the book. Arghh, that idiot instructor! He didn��t teach me these kinds of things even though I paid him so much! Get me more alcohol!��


    Empty bottles were lined up in front of the woman. The beast-woman waitress brought new bottles of alcohol. I whispered to her, "Please dilute it next time��, and put five copper coins into her uniform��s pocket. For some reason, I got a kiss on my cheek. She was a lovelydy with cat ears and tail. Someone kicked my shin.


    ��Hmm? Hmm?��


    Who was it? Was it the boy? Setting that aside,


    ��Umm, what''s everyone going to do after this?��


    ��Me and Bel are going to return to our lodgings and report today��s events to dvain-sama��


    Said the boy.


    ��I��m going to drink some more��


    Said the woman.


    ��I��ll wallow in my thoughts for a while��


    Said the knight-sama.


    ��Oh no, that��s not what I meant. Sorry. The way I said it was bad��


    I corrected them.


    ��I was talking about forming a party with the five of us from now on��


    Suddenly, our table became an ind of silence in the sea of noise from the surroundings.


    Hmm, did I say something foolish?


    ��What are you talking about?��


    The boy had a surprised expression.


    ��It''s a party that was decided by that Otou-san. Even if we hated it, it''s fixed. It''s different if someone dies though��


    ��Is that so?��


    Please tell me such things, Evetta-san!


    ��About Otou-san, is he famous?��


    I tried asking.


    There was even more surprise at that. The boy dropped his spoon, the woman dropped a full bottle of alcohol, and the girl dropped the meat that she had in her mouth.


    It was that surprising, huh?


    The knight-sama exined it to me.


    ��When you speak of the king of adventurers, the name of King Lemuriaes to mind. And the father of adventurers is that Otou-san, Medimu-dono. Just from the ones I know about, he has appeared three times in the epics tales of famous adventurers. He��s what is called a living legend. He��s also one of the few individuals who are allowed to explore the dungeon on their own��


    That��s amazing.


    Hmm? They allowed people to explore the dungeon on their own?


    ��Where are you from? Speaking of which, your clothes look unfamiliar. Your equipment is also unusual. That quick-wittedness and sharp judgment is not something that ordinary people have too��


    No, I��m just an ordinary person with the devil''s luck.


    Just when I was thinking of where to start, the knight-sama pulled out a scroll.


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. I should give my own proof of identity first, right? It��s a good opportunity for it��


    He unrolled the scroll.


    ����������������


    Everyone was silent.


    ��Sorry, I can''t read��


    ��Me too��


    ��Me too��


    The boy, the girl and I confessed our illiteracy. I wondered what the literacy rate in this world was.


    ��Unnn, I��m seeing triple��


    Let��s leave the woman who had drunk too much alone, since she seemed to be having difficulties.


    ��Here, for the newbie party who defeated a dungeon pig. This is a treat from the bar. It��s been a while since Otou-san praised anyone��


    The barkeeper with a mohawk put down a tter piled high with thick bacon and boiled beans.


    ��Meat!��


    The boy and the girl dug into the food.


    You guys can still eat, huh? But ording to Makina''s calctions, it��s over 20,000 kilocalories though.


    ��Master, can you read this?��


    ��Sure��


    Going with the flow, I asked and he epted.


    The barkeeper sat down after bringing a chair from a nearby table.


    ��Rasta Oru Razva, a follower of Vindoobunikuru, will read the history of the new adventurer. In the name of Thrusuovu, I vow to impart exactly what I see before my eyes. Should falsehoods pass my lips, I will cut off this tongue and drink snake venom��


    After a rather heavy oath, the barkeeper took the knight-sama''s scroll.


    ��Name is Irvin Foz Gasim. From the center continent, Holy Kingdom of Elysium. ��Former" knight of the St. Lyridias Order. Hmmm, Gasim���� Are you the grandson of that executioner, Gasim? The executioner from the Lyridias Order who was said to have pruned 200 heads in a day��


    ��No, that story is greatly exaggerated. The correct record is one hundred and sixteen people in two days��


    ��Is an executioner someone that chops off the heads of sinners?��


    ��Well, that''s also part of the job��


    The barkeeper answered the boy, who was eating the beans with a displeased expression. The boy continued.


    ��You''re a young master after all, aren��t you? I��m guessing you can probably get a job as a government official in the center continent. You��ll get money even if you do nothing, won��t you?��


    ��It was only in name, but we did receive a noble title. Mother, father and sister, they all lived a life unrted to poverty��


    But he was an adventurer.


    There were probably special circumstances behind that.


    ��But that was until my grand-uncle made ns to assassinate the Seventh Pope. Fortunately, the assassination was prevented. Of course, my grand-uncle, his family and close rtives were all executed. My family was protected by the reputation of my grandfather, and our punishment was settled with me being stripped of my knighthood and my sister being thrown in jail. I��ll just say this for the sake of my grand-uncle��s reputation, but he was a good man. He was only deceived by his elf mistress��


    ��As if a good man would lose to an elf''s sex appe�`Oof��


    I crammed bacon into the boy''s mouth.


    ��Don''t talk lightly about other people''s family situation��


    It''ll cause a fight, won''t it?


    ��My purpose in being an adventurer is to get my sister pardoned. Pardons cannot be bought with money in the St. Lyridias Order. For that reason, I��m adventuring to earn fame and honor��


    In that heavy atmosphere, the barkeeper spoke.


    ��That��s not an easy path. You��ll have to descend at least forty floors. Or will you hunt monsters with evil titles? Otherwise, you��ll have to find an extraordinary treasure. There are many ways, but none of them are easy. Nowadays, the number of adventurers that purely seek honor are small. Real adventurers will probably give a youth like you their blessings. If anyoneughs at you, in the name of Razva, I��ll smack him with this fist��


    The barkeeper made a fist. I would probably die with one punch from that fist. I had no time tough at people though. The barkeeper unrolled the scroll further and continued reading.


    ��Studied under Zamonss, the Scarlet Knight. Certified in swordsmanship, equestrian arts, spearmanship, shield arts, and archery. Can use St. Lyridias�� elementary level healing magic. Healthy. Due to the doctrine of the St. Lyridias Order, cannot be in a party with beast-men. Due to a personal grudge, cannot be in a party with elves.


    Hmm, as your senior, Rasta Oru Razva will give you my evaluation. Irvin Foz Gasim will be an excellent vanguard. The cornerstone of the party, he can be a shield, or a sword. If you wish, I can even introduce you to intermediate adventurers��


    ��I��m honored to receive such an evaluation from the Lemurian royal family��


    Irvin smiled happily.


    ��Eh? Master is royalty?��


    That was what made me shout in surprise.


    ��Hmm? That''s right. But even if I''m part of the royal family, that''s just something that was built up by my outstanding cousin. It��s nothing that I can be proud of personally. All I did was wander aimlessly around the world and end up as a barkeeper��


    He had a seriously grouchy expression so I didn''t pursue it further.


    Irvin went from being happy to feeling depressed.


    ��However, I passed out after being sent flying by a pig��


    ��Don��t feel depressed. Dungeon pigs are quite strong. Originally, you were supposed to learn how to escape from an enemy like that. It��s not an enemy that you were supposed to learn how to defeat. Just between you guys and me, but������


    The barkeeper lowered his voice until it couldn��t be heard over the din in the bar.


    ��In the past, King Lemuria also got sent flying by a pig, just like you. What��s more, it bit his cape and swung him around with it. At that time, if Otou-san didn''t do something, our king would have been that pig��s lunch. Don''t spread this, or the bar will get crushed��


    ��O, okay��


    The barkeeper gave Irvin a few hard pats on his back.


    ��Who��s next?��


    With bacon still in his mouth, the boy proffered his scroll.


    ��Ohhh. It��s the young, Pig-Hunter swordsman��


    The barkeeper burst out inughter. The women and me were drawn in by hisughter andughed too.


    ��I got stuck with a strange name after all, didn��t I?!��


    ��No, I��m sorry. But dungeon pigs are strong enemies, you know? It��s just that a pig also turned up when you went for dvain-sama��s trial, are you linked by a strange fate with pigs or something? Buhahahahaha!!!��


    Having tried to smooth things over but failing miserably, the barkeeper was roaring withughter again.


    The boy looked like he was seriously going to snap. He was rashly raising his sword up with one hand.


    The barkeeper moistened his throat with the woman''s alcohol and read Shuna��s scroll.


    ��Name is Shuna. From the Azorido Archipgo. Main god is Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King, and a kin of dvain. Uses unnamed sword techniques, I see. Hmm, Shuna, I heard an ount of your sword techniques through the grapevine. Thrusting techniques sent out from low posture. Those are techniques that are not found in any of the martial art schools in my memory. Well, not in the martial art schools, anyway. Your teacher is a beast-man, isn��t he?��


    Shuna hit the table.


    ��������That''s right. But the reason I hid it wasn��t because I hated it, you got it? My teacher said that hiding it was for my own sake, so I only followed what he said because he was so persistent about it. I did oppose it! That person protected three hundred inders from fifty pirates even though he had only one arm. He��s a hero. He��s my pride. If you''re going tough at that, then I''ll be your opponent!��


    Perhaps because he had gone through many bad experiences in the past, tears welled up at the edges of Shuna��s eyes.


    The discrimination seemed to not only be against the beast-men themselves, but also extended to those involved with them.


    ��No, not in the least. It��smon knowledge that beast-men can''t im to be a martial art school. It''s only normal that there are swordsmen who are a cut above the rest among them. I only confirmed it because there are also humans who don��t name themselves as martial art schools. To put it simply, they are a bunch who work as assassins. In the past, there was a guy who hid that and joined a party. That caused misery for everyone in that party. That kind of thing sticks with you until you die��


    The barkeeper swept away the heavy topic and asked Irvin.


    ��As one who studied under the Scarlet Knight Zamonss, what thoughts do you have of a swordsman who studied under a beast-man?


    ��Honestly, I��m envious. My teacher, who was also called the Bloody Knight, said that those who aimed to master true martial prowess should not only take on human opponents. For the sake of the honor of the St. Lyridias Order, I can''t party with a beast-man at the moment, but it won��t be bad to ask for instruction from one after I be a free man��


    ����������������


    Shuna bowed his face down in embarrassment.


    Hmm, this guy has a cute side, doesn''t he?


    ��The reason I��m aiming to be an adventurer is because�`��


    Perhaps because his face was still red, Shuna spoke with his face half hidden by his hand. It became a somewhat cringe-worthy pose.


    ��I want to prove my strength. But not just my own strength. I want to prove the strength of my teacher��


    The barkeeper gave a small nod.


    ��My evaluation is that you are a young and talented swordsman. But don��t get carried away, you hear? Every young person is talented. Those who don��t lose their talent after they''ve grown older, are the ones whose names are immortalized. Well, I do think that there��s no swordsman who is as good at hunting pigs as you are though��


    ��Hey!��


    Ignoring Shuna, the barkeeper took the girl''s scroll, which she had proffered nervously.


    ��P, please don��t be too hard on me!��


    ��Name is Beltoriche. From the Azorido Archipgo. Main god is Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King. A kin of Gastolfo, the God of Fertility; a follower of Juma, the Goddess of Rain; a kin of Midras of Suimei; a kin of Kyadoran, the Okame; Luteyugun of Kazaana; Yuta of Pleasure; Ryuryushuka of Thunder; hey, wait a minute. What��s up with the number of gods you��re contracted to?��


    The barkeeper ran his finger down the scroll.


    ��15, 20, 28, 29, 30���� 35. 35! This is���� Is this allowed?��


    Even the knowledgable barkeeper was breaking out in a cold sweat.


    Shuna, while still eating bacon, poked Bel with his finger.


    ��Hey Bel. Doesn''t 35 mean that it''s increased again?��


    ��Well, there are many gods in this city, right? They asked me, and said that it was fine even if I only did it in my spare time, so I agreed. I did refuse those with weird restrictions and those that enforced their precepts. Ukazor also said,��Well, isn''t it fine? Take what you can get��It''s hard to refuse them once they start giving me food, you know?��


    Hmm...


    Is that right? I see�`.


    Just what the heck was my suffering for?!


    Here! Right here! There''s a man who got turned down despite running around the entire city!


    ��You��re definitely a divine medium, aren��t you? Is it okay for you to be an adventurer? If you be a miko(shrine maiden) in a decent religious order, your livelihood will be secured for the rest of your life. All you have to do is eat and sleep, you know? You��ll also be free to choose from any of the men or women who are followers, you know?��


    ��What are you saying?! I will not choose the person I like through calcting methods like that! I��ll properly choose, developing the buds that should be developed, and cutting off the buds that should be cut off!��


    ��I, I see���� Well, I don��t understand women. Like Shuna, you use unnamed spear techniques and, as can be expected, the number of magic you can use is huge��


    ��Yes. Only the number is amazing. I''m proud of it. But their effects ovep and that��s not very good! I haven��t been able to grasp the full picture of all those magic because I contracted with too many gods! I''m sorry, dear gods! Mainly, Ukazor-sama!��


    There were people in the world with the talent to make gods queue up for them.


    I felt as if I heard a cat��s meow.


    ��My evaluation is that, as an adventurer, you are a jack of all trades but master of none. But being a divine medium is a rare talent. You have a lot of room for growth. But, you��re forming contracts far too lightly. It��s rude to your main god, so show some restraint for the time being��


    ��Okay��


    Bel was crestfallen.


    ��Both of you��


    The barkeeper signaled Irvin and me toe closer. We held a secret talk among three dudes.


    ��Listen, a divine medium is someone whom a god can descend into, speak the words of god, and perform miracles. Usually, they��re hidden away and are rarely revealed to the public by the religious orders or religions. I��ve been in the adventurers'' world for forty years, but today��s the first time I saw one. In other words, she��s not a person who should be walking around carelessly! It��s fine when she��s in dvain-sama��s lodgings or if Shuna is beside her. But, apart from that, you must never take your eyes off her. She��ll get kidnapped and be made into a miko for some dark religion or cult. Do you understand?��


    ��Yes��


    Irvin and I were headlocked and forced to nod.


    ��?��


    Bel was looking at us with a curious expression.


    All I saw was an ordinary girl. I did think she was cute though.


    ��Next, read mine please��


    The woman, who looked extremely unmotivated, proffered her scroll. Was her hand trembling because of the alcohol?


    ��Name is Zenobia. From Fosterk. Sorry, it''s the name of a ce that I''m not familiar with��


    ��It''s on the southernmost tip of center continent. It''s just a normal rural area��


    ��I''m sorry about that. me Religion, a follower of the Great me Magician Rob''s faction. Studied magic at the Soten Academy. Sorry, my knowledge is insufficient it seems. Speaking of magical academies, it''s either the Hohens School or the Jumikura School, which of those is this Soten Academy under?��


    After she hardened her expression, she gulped down her drink.


    ��It''s a private open-air magic ssroom��


    There was no way the barkeeper would know it then.


    ��Hmm, but well, there aren''t any bad points. You''ve learnt basic magic in a well-bnced manner. You should face no problems up to the 15th floor. Devoting yourself to improving daily is what makes a good adventurer. Do your best��


    It was a pretty clear-cut evaluation.


    Zenobia-san looked very dissatisfied.


    ��������Eh? Is that the end? Yes, it''s ordinary. I''m ordinary. I''m so ordinary that there''s nothing else in particr to say. But, you know, there''s a knight who''s shouldering a heavy burden, a genius boy swordsman and a miko who''s a divine medium, am I right?! Isn''t the percentage of abnormal people too high?! It''s somehow making me appear pitiful! Don''t I look pitiful?! Haaaa��


    She turned her gaze to me.


    ��You''re on this side, right?��


    Please don''t look at me with such a pleading expression.


    The barkeeper rested his rugged hand on my head.


    ��Zenobia. This guy came from a foreignnd, got rejected by the gods of this city, beat three crooked, intermediate adventurers ck and blue, then publicly humiliated them by dragging them all over the ce and all night long. And the merchantpany that was behind it? This is the man who blew up their warehouse, threatened them, got them to yield to him and even acquired the feather of the sister god of Minerva. From the rumors that I''ve heard, it seems like he has a prominent fish-man priest backing him. On top of that, he''s an entric adventurer who chose someone of a different race as his person in charge��


    ��No, no, NOOOOOO! I''m fading away�`!��


    ��You aren''t, and you won''t, alright?��


    ��Does that mean that I''ll get a discount if I shop with Onii-san?��


    ��Hmm, I wonder about that��


    I tilted my head at Bel''s question. It appeared that I had been banned from some of the merchantpanies though.


    ��Well, the things that I''ve just said are ultimately just rumors. They''re probably exaggerated��


    ��Then, please read mine as well��


    I took out the scroll and handed it to the barkeeper. I didn''t think that whatever was written there would be anything more than what had already been said, but I did think that such formalities were important.


    ��Well then. Hmm?��


    The barkeeper had a strange look on his face after he unrolled my scroll.


    ��What kind of joke is this?��


    ��Huh?��


    Although I didn''t know this world''s characters, even I could understand what was on the scroll he showed me.


    It was nk.

 Chapter 8.1: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness I - Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 8.1: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness I - Part 1</h4>


    ��I''m back�`��


    It was almost dusk by the time I returned to the camp. Putting the piece of meat, which was wrapped with leaves that had a preservative effect, into a container in the food tent, I threw my equipment into my tent.


    ��Wele back��


    ��Wee back��


    That voice stopped me in my tracks.


    ��Huh, what''s this?��


    There was a cylindrical-shaped Makina pod, and ced beside it was a mini-Makina pod, which just happened to be the same size as thentern hanging at my waist.


    The pod that I picked up started talking.


    ��Although it slightly vited the articles of thew, Izora''s capabilities were judged to be essential for exploring the dungeon, so Izora had Makina separate out my functionalities. Please call me the Izora pod from now on��


    ��Is themunication problem unlikely to be resolved? If I take Izora to the dungeon, there��s a possibility that she might get destroyed��


    The simple probe had already broke during today''s exploration. I didn''t want to expose a part of the artificial intelligence, which was irreceable, to danger. There should be more than a dozen spares for the sses-type device though.


    ��Even if Izora��s functionalities are separated, Izora��s core still remains inside Makina. Only when the semi-quantummunication fails, will Izora''s consciousness be copied into the pod, which will make it independent. Oncemunication is restored, synchronization will start and the copy will be merged back with the core��


    ��Sorry, I don''t quite understand. So it''s not a problem if the pod itself gets destroyed?��


    ��In a nutshell, it''s like having an out-of-body experience. There are no problems. As for spare parts, there are enough for 23 pods. It��ll be troublesome if you let them get destroyed easily, but I will leave that to your judgment��


    ��Understood��


    I wasn��tpletely satisfied, but if they said that there would be no problems, then I would trust them.


    ��Leaving that aside, what''s that smell?��


    It smelled like tomato sauce. Did Makina cook? That was my first thought, but A.I.s were not allowed by thew to move autonomously. I also didn��t do something dangerous like leaving a fire source anywhere within the reach of Makina��s arm.


    ��Hmm, so you��ve returned. Dinner is ready. Eat it before it cools down��


    ��Huh?!��


    Misuranika-sama jumped on top of Makina.


    ��Souya-san, it''s dinner made by god-sama! You��ll definitely be blessed!��


    ��Are you serious?��


    There was a pot ced in the simple kitchen. I opened the lid and stirred it with adle. The only ingredients in the soup, which was made from tomato paste, were beans that had been crushed simply. I had thought of eating the nice fillet of meat that I had gotten right away, but I��ll eat it after it had aged after all.


    ��Then, with thanks, itadakimasu��


    I scooped the soup into a bowl and brought a spoonful of it to my mouth.


    It had a simple taste.


    The soup was seasoned well, had a faint garlic vor, and tasted creamy, probably because cheese had been mixed into it. The crushed beans were easy to eat and their texture didn��t sh with the soup. It was a calming taste. It was gentle on the stomach so I ate a lot.


    Was this home cooking? The food in the bars were all heavily salted in order to sell more alcohol. Also, it was tremendously oily and the vegetables were sour for some reason. Hearty and exotic, though with little color. The portions were admittedly big but I was tired of its taste.


    In order to move the human body, both salt and oil were essential. In view of the differences in physical abilities, the people from this side probably expended arge amount of both. But I was an ordinary person. If I ate ording to the adventurers�� standards, my kidneys would be damaged. I would die.


    ��Misuranika-sama. It��s very delicious��


    ��Is that so? It��s because you were starting out on your exploration today, so I showed off my skills. I rarely do something like this, you know? Be grateful with all your heart! I��m off to sleep then��


    ��Yes, definitely��


    I raised the empty bowl with both hands. Her tail rustled the tent as she disappeared into it. After repeatedly refilling my bowl, I had emptied the pot, so I washed everything and prepared to sleep.


    I realized then that there was a matter of grave importance.


    ��Makina��


    ��Yes, Souya-san?��


    ��Did Misuranika-sama cook the soup in human form?��


    ��Yes?��


    I drew closer to Makina and whispered.


    ��Did you do as I said, and recorded it?��


    ��Yes?��


    ��Great, show me��


    ��Team member Souya, Izora needs to talk to you confidentially. Please change locations��


    ����������������


    Izora had spoken to me. I took her mini-pod and went on a short walk.


    It waste at night, and it was dark on the in. The lights from the distant camp danced like a bonfire.


    It was an ancient night.


    There were countless stars in the heavens, and thend swayed like an ocean. The sounds of the insects were calming.


    ��With regards to future explorations, Izora has a suggestion��


    ��Uh-huh��


    It was a suggestion that I had anticipated.


    ��Please cancel the contract with Misuranika-sama. You��re now contracted to the Night Owl, Gravius-sama. Being contracted to the sister gods of Minerva doesn''t seems to bring much prestige to adventurers, but it��s still significantly better than a god that conceals her followers, don��t you agree?��


    My scroll had been nk.


    Of course, I went to the Guild after that, and had Evetta-san try it again. But it failed, so I got the Guild President, whoined again that it was unheard of, to help me. As I feared, it still failed. No matter how many scrolls we used, they instantly became nk. After wasting around 30 scrolls, the Guild President sent for an old man with a long beard.


    It appeared that he was an expert at appraising magic-rted things.


    ording to that person, the cause of my problem was the god I was contracted to.


    Deception and concealment.


    Misuranika-sama��s divine nature was strongly tied to those two traits. The effects of that also affected me, her follower.


    One piece of good news was that the information that had been concealed was from before the contract was formed, and it might not affect what I learned from that point onwards.


    I decided to bet on that possibility starting from tomorrow.


    Another piece of good news was that Irvin had only just arrived in town very recently, so it would take him three days to repair and upgrade his equipment��s specifications for use inside the dungeon. The timing was just right then for Zenobia to go study at the magic academy in the city to learn magic that was useful inside the dungeon. Shuna and Bel also decided to sightsee around the city in order to purchase additional equipment for themselves.


    We had promised to meet up again at the bar three days from today.


    To be clear, my problem was very serious.


    Who would want to follow a leader who couldn��t prove his identity? The lives of everyone in an adventuring party were entrusted to one another. No one would want to work together with a person who didn��t have a decent track record, and wouldn��t tell you his past. The worst-case scenario would be if I couldn��t be in a party with Irvin and the others. I had no practical skills. No one would let someone who couldn��t show his history on top of that into their party. Even I won''t want to take care of someone like that.


    ��Does Makina have the same opinion as you?��


    ��Makina is opposed to it. Because her fundamental principles are based on Japanese morality. It��s truly ridiculous��


    ��I also�`��


    I had the same opinion, but Izora interrupted me before I could speak.


    ��Please think about it carefully. The party members that you have now are very outstanding. This is the result frompiling all the information obtained from monitoring them. The party is well-bnced, with no personal or ideological conflicts. Moreover, you��ve managed to sessfully cover up your own inabilities. As things stand, continuing to explore the dungeon as their leader is probably the shortest path to meeting our objective. What were you trying to aplish bying here? You came here to obtain the money needed to pay for your sister, Shiju��, Shujiu��, Shujichi��, Shuzuchi������������ You came here to obtain the money needed to pay for your sister��s surgery, did you not?��


    I wonder what that was.


    Because she stumbled over her words, everything had flown out the window.


    ��Izora did not stumble over my words. It��s only because the transfer of my functionalities is not yetplete��


    ��Okay��


    ��It''s true. Please believe me��


    ��Okay��


    ��You have a grace period of three days. Be prepared to cancel the contract by then. That��s okay, right?��


    ��������������Understood��


    I only gave a reluctant reply. Even if she was powerless, she was the only god who had reached out her hand to me in this alternate world. I couldn��t renounce her based on such a simple, mercenary way of thinking. I was very aware of the fact that I had no margin for error, and that I had no other options. But, it wasn��t something like that. This wasn��t something like that.


    ��Your reply is soft��


    ��Alright, I got it. I��ll think about it��


    ��Is that so? Alright then��


    Izora went silent.


    I returned to the camp, brushed my teeth and wiped off my sweat. I had forgotten about it because thetter half was such a mess, but I explored the dungeon for the first time today. I hadn��t felt that I was having a rtively hard time until the exploration. Or rather, I had only just solved one problem before another difficult problem came up. Good grief.


    I felt heavy-hearted and my body was craving rest.


    Entering my tent, I found Misuranika-sama sleeping while curled up in a ball beside my pillow. She was almost always sleeping. Iid down carefully so as to not wake her up.


    I was tired. I was also reasonably sleepy. But my consciousness didn��t fall into the abyss. It seems like my heart was more fraught withplicated worries than I had thought.


    After tossing and turning for a while,


    ��What��s wrong? Are you terrified of the dungeon?��


    It looks like I had woken Misuranika-sama up.


    I could hear her voice around the back of my head. I gave an ambiguous reply.


    ��No, that''s not it��


    ��It��s fine. That''s a fear that everyone has. Those who do not fear the unknown, die early. Don''t look over here��


    What? I thought. A sexy, bare leg rested on my waist. Two white arms extended from behind, and encircled my neck. I felt her slightly warm breath on my ear. Two mounds pressed against my back. They felt quite firm and yet, unspeakably soft. The military policeman hadn''t been wrong.


    ��Something special for you just for today. With the warmth of flesh, you��ll fall asleep before long. But if you turn around, I��ll curse you to death��


    ��No, on the contrary, I won��t be able to sleep like this��


    ��Nyan~��


    ��Misuranika-sama?��


    Her breathing was soft and regr. I pinched her two soft arms, then fearfully slid my hand along her silky-smooth thigh. There was no reaction from her. It seemed like she was asleep.


    This was bad, I was getting all kinds of excited.


    How should I put it, it had been a long timetely, or rather forever, but when humans were tired, they would want it more, no, calm down. For what reason was I here, for what(nani)? Nani? Calm down, calm down, nani. You��re supposed to list the numbers of pi at times like this, right? Alright, three. It''s over. My excitement was not dampened. A wrong ce was bing curved. Because of that, I�` *(see below)


    The side of the tent lifted up.


    Something rolled in, then stopped in front of me. It was the Izora pod.


    ��Please use this. It��s a sedative. If you can no longer control your emotions, inject this. This is exactly the time for it��


    The arm of the pod proffered a ballpoint-pen-sized needle-less syringe.


    There were many things that I wanted to retort about, but I took it gratefully and injected it into my neck. Although there wasn''t much pain, my body shook with the ufortable feeling of a foreign substance flowing through my body.


    ��A.I.s are prohibited by thew from moving autonomously, right?��


    ��This is not moving autonomously. I only lost my bnce coincidently and rolled over here by chance. Please set your mind at ease, I can go back on my own��


    Wasn''t that called moving autonomously? Were A.I.s supposed to be able to ignore thews so easily? Wasn''t this possibly a fatal w?


    ��There is a well-known line from Izora''s country.��I did not have sexual rtions with that woman��You understand the meaning behind that line, right?��*(see below)


    ��No, I have no idea��


    ��The lesson is that even a man who had sworn his love for his wife in front of God, and used enormous amounts of money and extensive connections to earn the majority��s approval to hold the highest responsibility in thergest nation, will do stupid things when ites to women��


    ��Got it��


    I should stop enquiring too deeply. It felt like I was seeing the darkness inside her.


    ��By the way, Izora��


    ��Yes?��


    ��When will the effects of the sedative kick in?��


    ��Two secondster��


    I passed out.


    ��


    ��


    ��8th day��


    It was really straight-forward.


    By the adventurers�� standards, my strength waspletely inadequate. It would probably be difficult for me to even kill a Chocho with a long sword. The muscles for holding and shooting firearms were totally different from the muscles used for swinging swords. I also had no time to retrain myself from now on. In that case, the weapons that I could use naturally were limited.


    ��Hey, storekeeper��


    ��GYAAAAAAA!��


    I dropped by the Zavua merchantpany''s main store to look for a weapon.


    ��Let me have a quick look at the weapons��


    ��EEEEEEEEEK!��


    The shopkeeper��s knees had given way and he was backing away. It was a prettyrge store, so I guessed that there were about 30 people inside, including the store clerks. They were all watching us. It looked like bad rumors about me were going to be spread again.


    ��I��m just here for the merchandise today��


    ��HYAAAAAAAA!��


    ��I��m going to the Eruomea merchantpany��


    ��Excuse me, I lost myposure for a bit there. How can I help you today?��


    He suddenly went quiet, pulled himself together and was fixing his clothes. I had figured out how to deal with the merchants here.


    ��I want to see the crossbows. Do you have any here?��


    ��Crossbows? Yes, we have them, they��re over here��


    Crossbows were lined up in an unfrequented corner of the store.


    ��It��s a product that isn��t very popr with adventurers. Nevertheless, we don��t disy inferior goods��


    There were about 20 types. They all differed in design and material, but the basic structure was the same.


    ��Can I touch them?��


    ��Please feel free to do so��


    To ay my concerns, I took a crossbow and pulled its string.


    ��Urg, urgh, urghhh��


    I pulled, but it didn��t move an inch.


    ��Souya-sama, you have to secure it with your foot and pull with your core��


    ��I see��


    The front end of the crossbow had a metal ��stirrup�� attached to it. I put my foot in there and with my core, I pulled, and pulled, and pulled!


    ��Urk, gah��


    I couldn��t pull it.


    ��It��s defective, isn��t it?��


    ��It should be properly maintained though?��


    I gave the crossbow to the shopkeeper. The shop owner put his foot into the stirrup and pulled, but he was also unable to pull it. He tried it a second time, but the result was the same. We tried pulling the string together, but it didn��t budge.


    ��Orphe! Is Orphe here?!��


    The shopkeeper called out loudly. A beast-man nearly two meters tall appeared. He had an affable face that didn��t suit his huge body, ears that hung downwards and a tail that was wagging. It was a dog. It was definitely a St. Bernard.


    ��You, give this a try��


    ��Aye��


    He pulled the string easily with both hands and hooked it on the ��catch�� linked to the trigger.


    ��Are you, adventurer?��


    ��Me? Yes, that��s right��


    ��Hey, Orphe, he��s a customer!��


    I ignored the storekeeper and listened to the beast-man.


    ��Monsters, can''t defeat with this. Small, can''t aim, big, won��t defeat. Next shot, slow��


    ��I see��


    Was the uracy of a crossbow low? In the first ce, I couldn��t even load it with my own hands.


    ��This, expensive. Fragile. Repair is expensive. Bolts are expensive, but easy to lose. For same price, bow and arrow is good��


    I looked at the price tag, and written on it was the number 15 in front of the word that meant gold coins. Ex, expensive!


    ��Bow, in dungeon, bothersome. But, good archer, stands out. To other adventurers, can boast. Boasting, important. No boasting, adventurer easily forgotten��


    ��Are you an adventurer too?��


    ��Aye. Now, am bodyguard of young master��


    I see. Prestige, huh?


    I hadn��t even thought of it. So, it wasn��t enough to simply kill and go down the stairs.


    ��Then, show me the bows please��


    ��Aye��


    ��Souya-sama, this guy is a guard and not a store clerk though?��


    ��Don��t worry about it, it��s fine��


    It was obvious, but it would be best to ask my peers in matters like this. Merchants would try to sell you whatever they could, so they couldn��t be trusted. Especially in matters where I didn��t have much knowledge in.


    We went to where the bows were disyed. There were bows of various sizes for various races lined up there. The materials they were made of were different, but they were strung and were mostly ��-shaped.


    ��In truth, archer��s bow, made himself. Not bought. Rip-off. But, this not bad��


    The bow Orphe picked up was roughly ��-shaped. It was small-sized but thick, and was made of at least three different kinds of materials. Was this what was called aposite bow?


    ��This, elf bow. Even beast-man strength, cannot break. Flexible. Can be drawn by Hemu��


    Orphe grabbed the string and pulled. The bow��s materials creaked slightly as it bent. It was handed to me and I tried drawing it. It wasn��t bad. I made an image inside my head of drawing it with an arrow.


    Its price was 5 gold coins. It was exceptionally expensive because the average price of the other bows was nine copper coins.


    ��I''ll buy it. After that, please also help me choose suitable arrows��


    ��Aye. Cheap arrows are no good. Arrowhead, shaft, metal is good. Collect and re-use. Heavy is good. This one, Kyui arrow is rmended. After, buy arrowheads made of Gustah ore, shafts made of Domel steel. Feathers, use winged rabbit��s. Fly around on in in evening. Also, bow string, you okay?��


    ��The strings are hemp, right?��


    I had a material that had higher tensile strength.


    ��Aye��


    ��Then, it''s fine. Okay, I��ll take 20 arrows, 20 arrowheads and 20 shafts. Storekeeper, can I have the bill please?��


    ��Yes, it��s 8 gold coins and 5 silver coins in total. I��ll throw in the quiver��


    I paid the storekeeper.


    ��I will carry the bow. Please wrap up the arrows and the others��


    ��Okay, please wait a moment��


    The storekeeper went into the back of the store.


    ��So, Orphe. There��s something I wanted to ask you��


    I offered one copper coin as the information fee.


    ��Aye��


    ��I''m looking for someone that��s highly skilled who can teach me how to use the bow in a short time. Do you know anyone like that?��


    ��You, can��t use bow? Why buy bow?��


    ��Because of variousplicated and strange circumstances��


    ��I see, hang in there��


    He patted me on my back.


    ��I know, good archer, who��s free��

 Chapter 8.2: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness I - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 8.2: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness I - Part 2</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    Following the words of my senior adventurer, I went looking for the archery teacher, but I had gotten lost.


    I was told that the teacher would be loitering near the waterworks on the periphery of the city in the afternoon, but that was quite arge area to search.


    ��Shall I guide you from above?��


    ��No, I��ll search on foot for a while more��


    ��Understood��


    Since the affair with the hooligan adventurers, I had stopped relying on Makina for everything. Makina was trustworthy, but I had enough of being dependent on her and not being able to do anything myself. I would do all I could with my brains and this body. I would only rely on her when there was an emergency.


    Fluttering in the wind, arge amount of white sheets were being dried beside a river near the city walls.


    A memory of the rooftop of a hospital shed across my mind.


    It was from the time my grandfather died.


    At that time, I had cried because I was anxious about the future. Thinking back about it now, that wasughable. If they wanted to live, humans could live anywhere. In truth, as long as you were moving your arms and legs, you would have no time to worry about such anxiety. Moreover, people paid no heed to the feelings of others. What was important, was to eat and earn. But, I didn��t think that the way I lived was dirty.


    I wanted a reason to die.


    Forgetting time and family, a reason to bet my life on. The instant of shbacks, the moment of death.


    I hadn''t found anything to be desperate about in my life so far. Thus, I had merely been alive. And I probably won''t find something like that from now on either. Even in this world, where honor and fame became someone��s strength, I believe that this won��t change. No, can��t change, huh? I wondered what it was that I wanted to do.


    ��Hey! The Nii-san over there!��


    ��Huh?��


    I was surprised so I replied with a dumbfounded expression.


    There were about six middle-aged women doingundry. One of them beckoned to me. I went over.


    ��Huh, is that a corpse?��


    ��You grab the feet. It''s impossible for us because it��s too heavy��


    The back of a hairy person was floating on the surface of the water. It was probably a beast-man, but this was the first time I had seen a race with such thick fur. Well, the corpse was polluting the water, so I, in concert with the middle-aged women, dragged the beast-man onto the road. He was really heavy and big. He was about two and a half meters tall, which made him even bigger than Orphe, whom I had met earlier.


    The corpse was a man with a beast��s head.


    He looked like a wolf. Sharp canine teeth peeked through his mouth.


    I thought that I had already seen all sorts of beast-men sinceing to this alternate world, but someone with such a high proportion of beast was a first. Only memories of beast-women stayed in my head, but the parts that were from beasts were usually just the nose, ears, tail, and 10% to 20% of their skin. He had so much animal hair that it covered his limbs and head. This was the first time that I had seen someone who was practically a beast that walked on two legs.


    ��Barfuru-sama, Barfuru-sama! You''re sleeping in a ce like this again! Please stop it because your hair gets all over theundry!��


    The middle-aged woman said, as she shook the beast��s head.


    Huh, he''s alive?


    The beast-headed man opened his eyes after about five full-forced, resounding ps.


    ��Urgg, I slept well��


    He raised his upper body a little bit and shook his body like a dog, spraying a huge amount of water off his fur.


    ��Barfuru-sama, if you��re going to sleep, please at least sleep on the ground��


    ��Umm, forgive me��


    ��Is this person a god from somewhere?��


    At my question, the middle-aged women looked at me with pity in their eyes.


    ��Ohoho. You don''t know the hero of the north, Barfuru Heijin, the Lycan?! Alright, let''s have a long talk over a cheap drink. As luck would have it, there happens to be a store nearby where I left my belongings at. Come!��


    ��Huh?��


    He grabbed and dragged me by one arm before I had the chance to escape, and took me to a nearby open cafe-like store. Well, calling it an open cafe was just me subjectively beautifying it. In actuality, it was just a roofless space with desks and tables.


    A shack in the back seemed to be the cooking space. Was it okay to call this a store? I wondered if it had gotten a permit. Was there even a permit system in the first ce?


    ��Hey�`, Tyutyu! Liquor! And a side of liquor!��


    What kind of order was that? It was like ordering rice with a side of rice.


    Then, I was forced to take a seat.


    ��Barfuru-sama, bringing out drinks is all very well and good, but you''re behind on your tab-nya��


    A cat beast-woman emerged from the shack. She wore an apron over clothes that looked like lingerie. She had lithe limbs like a cat, and long wavy blonde hair. And cat ears! A thick and fluffy tail! YES! I had a feeling of d��j�� vu though. But she was a beast-woman, and it was difficult for me to differentiate between individuals as we were from different races.


    ��This Nii-san will pay for it��


    ��That��s what I thought��


    ��Ah! You��re that generous greenhorn adventurer from yesterday-nya!��


    ��Yesterday���� Oh!��


    She was the waitress at the Guild��s bar. My body heated up as I remembered being kissed on my cheek.


    ��What-nya? Did youe all the way to this store to look for me-nya?��


    She moved her body sinuously and had an expression that was not altogether displeased. Incidentally, I was also not altogether displeased. But I didn��t let it show on my face.


    ��After I pulled this person out of the river over there, for some reason, I ended up having to treat him drinks��


    ��Tough luck-nya. Just resign yourself-nya��


    ��Seriously�`?��


    Tyutyu disappeared into the shack and returned holding liquor bottles. Three bottles of liquor and two wooden cups were ced on the table.


    ��By the way, you have to pay up front-nya. Nine copper coins-nya. Barfuru-sama is the only one who gets to put it on the tab-nya��


    I didn��t want to cause trouble for the tired-looking pretty beast-woman, so I paid the bill. Thinking about today��s expenditures, my head was starting to hurt. I wondered how much I would get charged for the archery lessons.


    ��Err, Tyutyu. Despite you saying that I can put it on the tab, didn��t you seize my weapons and armor?��


    ��Such unwieldy, antiquated weapons and armor! I had a merchant appraise them but he didn��t offer me a price for them-nya! It was a waste of the appraisal fee-nya!��


    There was a loud crash as Tyutyu kicked arge sack near her feet.


    ��Gahahaha! Those dishonest merchants that you can find anywhere won��t know the true value of these weapons and armor. Besides, ordinary humans won��t be able to handle them. Lycan weapons and armor are�D�D�D�D��


    ��Then, they��re just trash-nya. I��ll throw them away because they��re in the way-nya��


    She gave the sack another kick. Old-looking swords, spears, axes, bows and shields spilled out.


    ��Can you stop? I��ll definitely pay for the liquor after the next exploration, okay? Okay? Please don��t kick the keepsakes from my friends��


    His pitifulness made me think of my god.


    ��Or rather, your appearance looks weird, I''ve never seen this fabric before��


    The topic was shifted to me. He was touching the poncho unreservedly.


    ��If I��m not mistaken, this person is a foreigner-nya��


    The two of them sniffed me. I was at a huge loss on how I should react.


    ��I see, I see. So that��s why he only gave me a nk look despite seeing my gant figure. Then, as promised, I��ll tell you about the legend of us Lycans��


    The beast-headed man took a bottle of liquor and drank it in one gulp.


    Along with the cheap liquor, he began to tell the legend of the moon and the wolves.


    Farther north from here, at the very edge of the right continent.


    There once stood a prosperous capital called Neomia.


    It had fertilend and a moderate climate. The capital, protected by mountains and cliffs, had not been attacked by foreign enemies for a long time. In addition, the wisdom of the reigning king was known far and wide, and it was a capital that had truly reached the absolute peak of prosperity.


    But, in the words of Rob, the Great me Magician: There is no me that doesn��t go out.


    The beginning of the end for Neomia started with the spring snow.


    One year, two years and still, winter did not end. Snow and ice quietly killed the people. Spring of the fifth year came, but the snow still hadn��t stopped. Starving, and resented by his people, the wisdom of the king showed signs of decline.


    Taking the advice of the nobles, he called on a sealed god of an evil cult.


    It was a god that had been robbed of its name after losing to the King of Beasts. It was a god worshipped by vampires.


    The king received its divine blessing.


    His people were freezing and starving.


    In the name of salvation, the king ate one after another. Those that ��remained�� after being eaten, went on to eat the others too. In one night, all life disappeared from the capital.


    The ravenous king of vampires. The nobles of ice who were his kin. The capital of death, Neomia.


    The country��s capital had fallen.


    But there were still those who had made their homes in the mountains. Bound by an ancient covenant, they were warriors who had sworn to protect Neomia to the very end, the Endguard.


    Those warriors fought for the sake of Neomia.


    The capital had fallen. The former king was no more. The proud nobles were no more. The people were no more. But the warriors fought. For the sake of Neomia, for the sake of Neomia''s honor. To keep the wretched blood-sucking beasts inside their prison, the capital of death.


    They fought bravely, but over and over again, they lost.


    Those who were sullied by that foul blood tarnished their very honor. Those warriors evenid their hands on their friends and family.


    Winter of the eighth year. A night where two of the moons were full.


    The time for the warriors�� death hade.


    A horde of vampires had surged all the way to theirst fort. Only nine warriors were left. Merely nine people. But they were battle-hardened veterans. Facing their certain death, theyughed. It was the pride of a warrior tough in the face of death.


    In front of them, a person who called herself the goddess of the moon appeared.


    Her appearance was beautiful, but was also said to be dark, like the shadow of the moon.


    The goddess praised the warriors.


    ��I dare say that all of you are braver than any hero in the world right now. But tonight, you will all die. Not a one of you will see the sun again. Now that the moment of your deaths is close at hand, is there anything all of you wish for?��


    At that out-of-ce question, the warriorsughed, forgetting that she was a god.


    A grizzled warrior said,


    ��We will fight to the very end, and then die. That��s the gratification promised to us by god. What more could we wish for?��


    The goddess asked again.


    ��Is there really nothing? Don��t you wish for anything other than fighting?��


    Reticently,


    A young warrior said,


    ��I want to eradicate all of them��


    It was a foolish wish that went against Endguard''s pride. Endguard only fought to protect. If the enemy fled, they would not pursue. They would drink andugh at the cowards who were afraid for their lives. Generations had fought like that.


    If they were the true Endguard, that was a wish that they would probably haveughed at. It was drivel that would get the person beaten up by their elders.


    But no oneughed.


    The way their ancestors had stuck to only protecting, and had died for their own honor, had earned them nothing. It was honorable, but it was meaningless. If they let the vampires escape the capital, the damage would sweep across the whole continent. They would be like rats that carried the gue. If the vampires spread, the name of the prosperous capital of Neomia would fall into infamy. No one would see the splendor it once had. It would be engraved in history as the capital of ice and death.


    Many warriors had died to prevent that.


    They had all died whileughing.


    But, was all of that also going to end without any meaning tonight?


    ��That��s what all of you wish for, correct?��


    All of them answered the goddess�� question with silence.


    ��Dying warriors. Guardians of the end. With that wish, honor will fall from your swords, the blood of humans will end, and you will probably be possessed by a nightmare from which you will never awaken. And yet, if you still wish for it, answer me with silence��


    The warriors answered with silence.


    ��I am the wicked goddess of the moon. The one who grants you taboo blood. With this blessing of the invoked evil, defeat the blessing of theing evil, and eradicate it��


    Something extraordinary happened to the warriors.


    Their limbs were covered with even thicker animal hair, their mouths tore open, their teeth sharpened, and their pupils widened greatly in the moonlight. ws as sharp as weapons, flesh harder than steel, voices�`


    ��Come on, you beasts. Let��s start the hunt��


    The longsting aftereffects resounded in Neomia, the capital of death.


    The night of the blood-smeared Lycans began.


    ��


    ��


    ��Well, after that, wepletely eradicated the vampires and protected the peace of the right continent. How was it? Amazing, isn��t it? It��s worth one cup of liquor, isn��t it?��


    No, let alone one cup, you��ve already finished off five bottles of liquor.


    ��Well��, just take that story with a grain of salt-nya��


    Tyutyu was rxing with her chin resting on the head of the werewolf, who was in high spirits.


    ��No, it''s all facts though. I didn��t lie, you know?��


    ��I��ll admit that Barfuru-sama is a good adventurer-nya. Apart from the fact that he��s bad at earning money��


    ��Ohh, you��re an adventurer?��


    So he was my senior. I should show him respect, after a fashion.


    ��That��s right, but I''m suspended at the moment!��


    There were things like suspensions for the dungeon?


    ��An ignorant adventurer mistook me for a monster and attacked me. He was too persistent so I beat him up lightly, and well, he suffered light injuries that left him unconscious for 10 days. Then I got a good scolding from the Guild President. I also got yelled at by Lemuria. I almost cried because it was the first time in 50 years that someone had gotten so angry at me��


    The werewolf was being patted on the head in a consoling manner by Tyutyu.


    There was no trace of the dignity from having protected this continent.


    ��So, um, Barfuru-sama? There were nine of you, right? The Lycans. Are the others adventurers here too?��


    ��No, they��re dead. Half of them died in the battle with the king of vampires, and the remaining half were killed by my own hand��


    ��Huh��


    The story had turned bloody all of a sudden. No, the story had felt like that from the very beginning.


    ��We��re cursed, after all. They went crazy and abandoned reason. It��s sad, but our warrior''s pride died that night. They were driven crazy by seeing all the blood they spilled but couldn''t drink. In other words, they had be the same as vampires��


    The sixth bottle was emptied, and Barfuru-sama gave me some wee advice.


    ��Adventurer from foreignnds, let me teach you a lesson. The works of the gods of this world are always full of irony. Don''t rely on them too easily. That''s if you don''t want to end up like us��


    ��That''s true. I suppose I don''t want to be a drunkard who has to sponge off greenhorn adventurers��


    ��You��re pretty blunt��


    I paid Tyutyu for the seventh bottle of liquor and stood up.


    ��Well, but it''s okay since I got to hear a pretty interesting story��


    It was doubtful whether it was worth 21 copper coins though.


    ��Actually, what are you doing in this area? The stores around here are lousy and there aren''t any lodgings either. If it��s women that you��re looking for, for Hemus, it��s better if you go near the main gate��


    ��Did you just say this store is lousy-nya?��


    ��Guaa!��


    Barfuru-sama was strangled from behind by Tyutyu. It was enviable that they got along so well.


    That''s right. I had forgotten about it.


    ��I had heard that there''s a master of the bow around here and I was looking for that person��


    ��Oh, I know that person��


    Barfuru-sama shook his bottle of liquor. Judging from the sound, it was only about half full.


    In total, I had paid 24 copper coins. I did learn the whereabouts of the master of the bow though.


    ��Come again-nya!��


    ��Treat me again!��


    I waved goodbye to them. Somehow, it felt strange.


    I proceeded further, following the river, and went into a dark alley. I kept going deeper and deeper into the less popr and quiet ces. It was a little bit simr to the dungeon. It was narrow,plicated, wet and dark.


    Makina would probably warn me if there was any danger so I continued on while keeping a loose eye out.


    A beast-man child looked at me, then disappeared into the alley. There was a woman practicing magic. In the corners of the lights she cast, I saw subtle and profound shadows. And then, I saw the small bridge that was my destination.


    Was it something that had been left behind by development? It was a bridge with a strange presence. Its age was different from the other buildings. It looked small but sturdy.


    I had heard that the person I was looking for would be under it.


    That person��s looks stood out prominently. I was able to find who I was looking for right away. Like sisters from a fairy tale, they were sitting nestled against each other. I felt that they were a little bit dirtier than when Ist saw them. But there was no way that a trifling thing like that would tarnish their beauty.


    ��Excuse me��


    I went down on one knee a short distance from them. I put my left hand on my right shoulder and my right hand on the ground.


    The older sister looked at my face with a yawn. It seems like she had been sleeping.


    She was a pretty woman. She had long blonde hair, was small-sized for an elf, and had ears that felt like they were drooping just a little. Her voluptuous body didn��t fit with her loveliness. She was carrying a big staff.


    ��You saved me that night. It��s thanks to you that I didn��t end up losing my arm��


    The younger sister woke up with a start, and drew her bow with ridiculous speed.


    I didn��t see her fit the arrow to the string at all. This one was so beautiful as to be terrifying. That tall and lean figure, that blonde hair. Her appearance practically screamed that she was an elf. For some reason, she was thinly dressed in the very revealing clothing that the beast-women wore. The hand protector on her right arm caught my eye. It was made of thin metal and had an borate gold pattern.


    ��Oh! The dying Hemu from that time��


    ��Please cut it out, Ea��


    The younger sister lowered her bow after being berated by the older sister.


    Coincidentally, they were the elven sisters who had helped me in the past. While listening to their characteristics, that possibility had crossed my mind, but I was surprised that it was really them.


    ��You had given too big a reward for simply giving directions. I thought I would give it back, so I followed you, then was asked by the military policeman to heal you��


    ��You better be grateful, okay?��


    ��I am grateful��


    ��Perfect timing. When I thought it over after that, even after subtracting the amount for giving directions and the healing, that amount of money is still too much. I''ve used some of it, but I''ll give you back the rest��


    ��Ehhhh�`!��


    The younger sister let out an agonized scream. The older sister opened her purse and I inadvertently peeked inside.


    ��No, about the money, it��s fine. It��s a belief in my country that misfortune will befall those who give back what they had received��


    There would probably be a belief like that if I searched the entirety of Japan.


    ��Is that so? ������Then it can��t be helped, I guess��


    I felt relieved that she was convinced. As a man, my heart would ache if I took the meager contents of a woman''s purse.


    ��I''m Souya from Japan. An adventurer from foreignnds. I would like to thank you again, dear elfdy. Oh, it''s fine if you stay as you are. I''ve interrupted your rest. No need to go to any trouble for me��


    I stopped the elf who was about to stand up.


    It was my personal opinion, but I felt something noble from this person. Her grace was worthy of courtesy.


    ��Thank you for being considerate. I''m Rauaryuna Raua Heures. I''m an adventurer just like you. She is my sister, Ea. Now, please greet him��


    ��Why must I greet a Hemu?��


    ��I''m going to get angry��


    ��Ea Raua Heures. Hmpt, if you call me familiarly, I''ll shoot an arrow between your eyebrows��


    After the brief self-introductions were done, I was ready to get down to business.


    ��I��m looking for an archery master to teach me the bow. I heard rumors of you from a senior adventurer. If you have some time to spare, could you please consider it? Of course, I��ll pay you for it��


    ��NO WAY. I''ll never teach a Hemu the bow. On top of that, you��re carrying an elven bow. That''s a bow that was robbed from us, am I right? Holding a bow that was stripped from a corpse, you mean to steal even our skills next?��


    ��Ea, cut it out��


    ��Onee-chan! But, this guy!��


    The heated Ea stood up, then unexpectedly copsed.


    ��Ea?!��


    In an instant, I caught her in my arms. She was unconscious and the interval between her breaths was short. Her face was pale and sweat glistened her brow.


    ��rgh��


    She vomited onto my poncho. It smelt sour. Ea was coughing violently. But she had not yet regained consciousness. That was problematic.


    ��Oh, um, I''m sorry��


    To the flustered Rauaryuna,


    ��It��s alright. I have experience with this, so please leave this to me��


    Iid Ea down and secured her airway with my finger. I let her vomit everything she could until she settled down. I used the hand that was clean to rub her back.


    Before long, her breathing calmed down. I gently washed her mouth using the water in my water bottle. I didn��t think there were any more foreign objects.


    My old superior had saved a Russian. This was the first time that the method of how to deal with a person who vomited while passed out hade in useful.


    But I didn��t smell alcohol. Was it a chronic illness? No, could it be?


    ��Makina, what��s the risk that it��s an infectious disease?��


    ��I cannotpletely rule that out. Please perform tests on the vomit and blood as soon as possible��


    Ea��s symptoms had subsided, but she didn��t regain consciousness.


    ��I''m sorry. Perhaps your sister is�`��


    ��It��s not a disease. It��s caused by an injury. Though we were chased out because the people of the inn misunderstood��


    ��Is that so?��


    For the time being, I was relieved. After waiting for a while, there was no sign of Ea awakening. I reached my hands under her knees and her back and lifted her up. Unconscious people should be heavy, but she was light. Had she been eating properly?


    ��It''s a bit far, but let''s go to my camp. It��s better than a ce like this where you��re exposed to the elements. You probably can��t trust me, so take this��


    I handed my purse to Rauaryuna. It was a heavily filled bag of gold coins.


    ��That��s almost everything I own. If you judge that you can��t trust me, take that and run away��


    ��I cannot take this. As my sisters�� ransom, it��s much too cheap��


    ��I see, then I��ll entrust my life to you. Please take that in exchange for your trust, Ranauri, Rauaryu, Ranaju������������ Rauar yuna. Rauaryuna-san��


    Did you see that, Izora?! I didn''t give up!


    ��Rana is fine. Souya��


    She smiled.


    It was an ephemeral smile.


    Ever since I came to this world, this was the fastest my heart had beat.

 Chapter 9: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness II

    <h4>Chapter 9: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness II</h4>


    We arrived at the camp after getting a ride from a horse-drawn wagon that was headed for a farm.


    The middle-aged serf had dly agreed to give us a ride in exchange for my help with unloading vegetables on his way back. I clinched the deal by showing him Gravius-sama��s feather during the negotiations. That was a negotiation tip that I had learned from Eruomea��s young Chairman.


    ��Please wait a moment. I��ll set up a tent��


    I couldn��t settle them into the food or supplies tents, much less my cluttered tent, so I decided to set up a new one. As expected, having done this six times now, I was quite practiced at it.


    First, I checked that there was no shortage of the tents that were meant for habitation. After that, I spread out the canvas of the tent and inserted the two main poles through the ps. I inserted the end pins at one end of the poles.


    ��I''ll help you, Souya-san��


    ��Yes, please. I��ll take the left pole, so you take the right one, okay?��


    The two of us raised the canvas of the tent and inserted the other end pins after extending the poles. I shook the now raised tent lightly to make sure that there were no problems with it. Inserting the pole for the sun shade at the entrance of the tent, I fixed it with a pin. Then, we attached the parts that were meant for reinforcing the tent. After moving the tent to a position where it won��t be cluttered together with the other tents, I made sure that the entrance was facing directly opposite to the wind direction, then drove in the pegs to fix it in ce. A rainfly for cold weather was tied to the pole, and also fixed in ce with pegs. Finally, we adjusted the tension using the ropes attached to the canvas, then also fixed them in ce with the pegs.


    With Makina��s help, the tent was set up in less than 10 minutes.


    With Makina��s����������. help?


    ��Hey, Makina-san��


    ��Yes?��


    Makina, who was beside me, asked nonchntly.


    ��You''re moving autonomously, right?��


    ��( �b���b)��


    Was disyed on the monitor before she toppled over and rolled herself along the ground on her side until she was back in her original position. ��It��s all�`right?��


    You too, huh?


    ��I only lost my bnce coincidently and helped in setting up a tent by chance. Rather than that, is it okay to leave the guests unattended? Makina is worried��


    ��I��m going to get some answers out of youter, you hear?��


    ����?��


    Rana was looking at us with an astounded expression. I carried Ea, who was sleeping beside her, into the tent.


    ��Please rest here. I��ll bring a nket. Please give me a while as I make something warm��


    ��What about your wish to learn the bow?��


    ��For the time being, taking care of you and your sister��s condition is more important. If the teacher is sick, the student will be extremely worried. Oh, please take off your shoes��


    Rana entered the tent and sat down. She had exquisite feet.


    I left for the moment and fished through the other team members�� personal belongings. I found some women''s clothing. I had tried not to think about it, but I wondered what happened to them. Even inside Makina''s database, there was no detailed information about the portal.


    I returned to the tent with the clothing, towels, a bucket filled with water, pillows and nkets.


    ��Please use these if you need a change of clothes. And, I��m sorry��


    ��Don''t worry about it��


    She had stood her staff against the tent and was in the middle of removing her essories. Her bare shoulder caught my eye. I immediately averted my gaze. It was disrespectful.


    ��That��s a strange servant. It��s the first time I��ve seen something like that��


    ��Makina is not a servant but my partner��


    ��You mean that it''s your friend? That lump of iron?��


    ��I guess��


    When I left the tent, that lump of iron called out to me.


    ��Souya-san, please give me your poncho. And here, antibiotics, just in case��


    Taking the pill from Makina��s arm, I swallowed it. I removed my poncho and put it into the scanner in Makina��s lower portion.


    I entered my tent so that Rana couldn��t hear me.


    ��Makina, I��ve got a question for you. How much of the medical program has been restored?��


    We weremunicating via my sses.


    ��15%��


    ��How long until it is fully restored?��


    ��The hopeful estimate is about three months. In the meantime, please avoid wounds that could cause damage to your organs��


    ��Is open surgery possible at the moment?��


    ��That��s difficult. The medical supplies are most probably sufficient, but considering Makina and Izora��s current capabilities, the possibility of sess is low. As ast resort, Makina can extract the required knowledge from the medical program. However, not only will the the program be unusable, it��s uncertain whether Makina can perform the medical procedures perfectly��


    ��Hmm�`��


    This was a tought nut to crack.


    ��Put this matter on hold��


    ��Understood��


    Let��s prepare something to eat.


    Something that was light on the stomach would probably be best. There was some left-over fish from this morning, so I chopped it into chunks and put them into the pot. After that, I grated some ginger, cut some small potatoes and onions into bite-sized pieces, then put them all into the pot as well. Next, I put in water, mirin, a little bit of soy sauce, and a few drops of Japanese-style soup stock, then put the pot over the fire.


    When it came to a boil, I removed the scum that had risen to the surface. I kept removing it mindlessly. It was dull work, but it was a good diversion.


    ��Izora,e here for a while��


    There was the sound of something rolling.


    ��Yes, what is it?��


    When the Izora pod rolled over to me, I stepped on it.


    ��I��m going to be thoroughly grilling the both of you about viting thew and moving autonomously tonight��


    I lifted my foot.


    ��Oh no�` I fell over�`��


    She rolled back to the supplies tent.


    I felt ill at ease. I had never been more anxious about them than I did now.


    Wasn��t the revolt of A.I.s amon plot device in sci-fi movies? They wouldn��t murder me and be a god to the locals, would they? It was possible. It was possible, but even so, there were many things that couldn��t be done unless I relied on Makina. Actually, would the return portal be okay?


    I put out the fire because the contents of the pot had been boiled enough.


    I dissolved some miso into it and tasted it. Personally speaking, it was delicious. As something that was meant to be served to others, its taste was passable.


    Arajirupleted.


    It had zero alternate worldponents though.


    ��It smells fishy��


    Ea came out of the tent.


    Because she wore short shorts that looked like hot pants, with thatrge T-shirt she was wearing, it looked like she was naked under the T-shirt. Rana followed behind her.


    ��It''s just something simple. Here''s a spoon��


    I filled a bowl and proffered it to them, along with a spoon.


    ��You eat that one. We''ll choose our own food and tableware��


    ��Ea, you��re being rude��


    ��No, it''s alright��


    It''s foolish to trust others unconditionally. I had learnt that lesson the hard way. I sipped the soup as quietly as I could.


    ��Is this okay?��


    ��I don''t want fishy soup like that though��


    Is that so?


    ��Could I have some?��


    ��Please do��


    As I was about to get her a new bowl, Rana gently took the one in my hand.


    ��Oh, it''s delicious��


    Even if she was just saying that to be polite, Rana��s smile and words made me happy. I felt guilty that I made her sit on a shabby camping chair. Eained with a dissatisfied expression.


    ��Don''t you have anything else?��


    ��In that case, please choose whatever you want from over here��


    We entered the food tent. There were lines of meat, vegetables and grain from this side that I had gathered in my own way. I didn''t miss her eyes lighting up like a child''s.


    ��For meat, there is a good fillet of pork��


    ��For now, meat is a bit......��


    She was still looking under the weather.


    ��Show me what''s inside this one��


    I opened the container and showed her its contents.


    Inside was seasonings, rice and dried food. Instant food for emergencies.


    ��What is this?��


    She curiously picked up a cup noodle.


    ��It''s ramen��


    ��Ra�`men?��


    ��If you add hot water, you can eat the thread-like wheat and soup. It''s not very delicious though��


    After grandpa��s death, I spent several years only eating instant food. And then, I got sick of it. Except in emergencies, it would be fine with me if I never ate it again in my lifetime.


    ��I want to eat this��


    ��Okay��


    I left the tent and relit the fire in the kitchen. I would have to go gather some more firewood and dried grass, or there won��t be enough before long.


    I took drinking water from another pot and left it over the fire.


    Ea was having a hard time as she didn��t know how to open the cup noodle.


    ��It has a transparent skin. It��s got no taste��


    ��That��s because that��s inedible��


    She had licked the sealing film. Because she looked like she was about to bite the container, I took it away from her for now. She showed me a dissatisfied expression. I removed the film, opened the lid and opened the packets of powder and dried ingredients inside.


    Ea was looking on in wonder.


    For someone who was supposed to be cautious, she was rather close.


    After an indescribable wait, because the water had finally boiled, I made to pour the water in.


    ��I want to do it��


    Because Ea said that, I left it to her.


    ��Pour the hot water up to where the line on the inside is��


    ��Got it��


    With a slightly trembling hand, Ea poured the hot water in. I ced a spork on top of the lid.


    ��Makina, set the timer for 3 minutes��


    ��Timer set for 3 minutes. Countdown started��


    Ea looked at Makina with startled eyes. But her attention turned back to the unknown food that she had obtained.


    ��When that round guy tells you that it��s time, you can open it and start eating��


    ��Got it��


    She sat next to her sister in high spirits.


    How should I put it, she was a child. Although her body was that of an adult''s.


    ��Souya, you''re back already?��


    Misuranika-sama came out of the tent. She was walking gracefully with her tail up.


    ��A guest?��


    ��Yes, I asked them to teach me the bow��


    ��Look at the river for a while��


    ��Okay?��


    I had a question mark floating above me, but I obeyed. I turned my back on the sisters and Misuranika-sama, and looked the river. Fish were swimming in the clear water. Because the river was the fish-men��s property, it appeared that the fish couldn��t be taken without permission.


    ��I am Misuranika of the dark fire. The one who has formed a contract with this adventurer from foreignnds. I wee you, beautiful elves. Has my follower behaved in a rude manner?��


    ��No, he has been very nice to us. I''m Rauaryuna Raua Heures. Kin of Ezusu. The child of Melm and from the bloodline of the Hero of the Fog, Heures. This is my sister, Ea. My sister is still a child. Please forgive her rudeness��


    Rana said.


    Misuranika-sama��s reply sounded like it wasing from somewhere higher than usual.


    ��It��s fine. I��m not a god that��s very refined. And if you''re talking about rudeness, my follower won''t lose!��


    ��There��s absolutely no such thing. Only King Lemuria and Misuranika-sama��s follower have treated us with civility. He��s a very good person��


    ��Is that so? ������This is thend my follower borrowed from the fish-men. It��s alright for you to forget the troubles of the city and take it easy��


    ��Thank you very much. Misuranika-sama��


    ��Souya, it��s fine now. Prepare my meal��


    ��Yes��


    I turned back, thinking that the wait was over, but two hands grabbed and stopped my head.


    ��Slowly, got it?��


    ��Ye, yes��


    She had appeared for a moment at the edge of my vision, but I missed seeing her full form. Misuranika-sama had immediately changed back into a cat, and was rubbing against my foot. Was it because I wasn��t pious enough? Did I not have enough points in the love simtor? Had I not yet raised her g?


    ��Papapapapan~pan~? Parara~? Three minutes have passed��


    ��Can I eat it now?!��


    ��Yes��


    Looking extremely happy, Ea opened the lid of the cup noodle. By the way, it was salt-favored. She entangled the noodles with the spork and brought it to her mouth,


    ��Hot! Hot!��


    It was too hot for her. This was a scene that I had seen recently. While blowing on the noodles, she ate the noodles clumsily. She drank a spoonful of the soup. Her face lit up.


    ��Onee-chan, this is delicious! Do you want some?��


    ��It��s fine. Because I have this one��


    The older sister was eating her third bowl of Arajiru. So she wasn��t just being polite. That made me happy.


    ��Souya, I want to eat that too��


    ��Okay��


    Well, it was economical to give cup noodles as an offering to god.


    I went back to the food tent and opened the container. Just when I was having trouble choosing the favor,


    ��There��s a word that means ��impure����


    Misuranika-sama jumped onto my shoulder and whispered in a softer voice than usual.


    ��It��s a bad custom of the elves. They use that word to name those who are immoral, and those with mixed blood from other races. Don''t get too involved with that girl called Rauaryuna(the impurity of the noble n). It''s too much for you to handle��


    ��Mixed blood, you mean she��s what��s called an half-elf?��


    I also answered in a soft voice. Certainly, Rana��s voluptuousness was different from other elves. Personally speaking, that was more to my preference.


    ��Who knows? I have no idea��


    ��I had simply asked them to teach me the bow. My involvement with them will end when that ends��


    ��You are important to me, more so than foolish elves, do you understand? Never forget this one fact��


    ��Yes��


    Misuranika-sama rubbed her forehead on my cheek. I stroked her body in return.


    The soy sauce vored cup noodle was chosen.


    It was very unfavorably received.


    ��


    ��


    After the meal, the bow lessons began immediately.


    Tuition was five silver coins a day. And to provide clothing, food and shelter to the sisters. I wondered if this was considered cheap or expensive. Either way, I had no time now to look for another teacher.


    I stuck the target that I had made out of some scraps of wood into the ground. I checked to make sure it was secure.


    ��Which one do you want me to teach you, soldier-style or hunter-style?��


    I replied Ea��s question with a question.


    ��Sorry. I don''t know the difference��


    She gave me a dumbfounded look.


    Ea readied her own bow. It was the same type of bow as the one in my hands. Her left hand held the bow and her right hand was on the string.


    ��The soldier-style is holding the bow perfectly vertically, and nocking the arrows on the right side of the bow��


    She took an arrow from the quiver on her back, nocked it and shot it at the target, which was 10 meters away. It hit the mark drawn in the center of the target.


    Her face had been facing me, who was beside her, the entire time.


    ��The hunter-style is holding the bow horizontally or diagonally, and nocking the arrows on the left side of the bow��


    Her stance was different, but the result of hitting the target did not change.


    ��Do I really have to exin the differences to you?��


    ��Somehow, for the soldier-style, the arrow can be nocked faster but it��s difficult to aim quickly. For the hunter-style, nocking the arrow is slower but it��s easier to aim. Is it something like that?��


    ��Hmmm, if you can grasp that much, I suppose you might have a little bit of aptitude. The soldier-type won��t get in others�� way when arrayed in a formation, and the string can be pulled back further, so even light arrows will pack an impact. Using the hunter-style, you can shoot more urately because you can line up your eyes with the arrow. But the string can only be pulled to the chin, so heavy arrows are needed. Show that to me��


    I handed an arrow from my quiver to Ea.


    ��That''s a Kyui arrow, isn��t it? A well bnced arrow that��s neither light nor heavy. The bow is also the same, but I don��t think there��re any problems with either��


    ��Is the hunter-style easier to learn?��


    ��If you ask me if it''s easier to learn, then yes, it��s easier. But with that bow, you can��t kill the monsters in the dungeon, you know?��


    ��On that point, it''s alright��


    When I looked through Izora��s database, there was a blueprint for thepound bow. As soon as Makina''s crafting program was restored, she would be able to make small pulleys and modify the bow. That would clear the problem of itsck of power, or at least, it should.


    ��Got it. Spread your hands, turn your body and align your shoulders to the target��


    I turned.


    ��Hold the bow with your left hand and stick it out towards the target. Turn the bow until it''s perfectly horizontal��


    ��Understood��


    I did as I was told.


    ��Use your thumb, index and middle fingers to grab an arrow. Do your best to not damage the feathers. Well, as long as you can hold it, anything''s fine though��


    I grabbed an arrow with three fingers.


    ��ce the arrow on the bow. The shaft should be very near but not touching your index finger��


    I set the arrow down on the bow.


    ��Fit the nock onto the string��


    I nocked the arrow.


    ��Pull until your right hand touches your cheek��


    I pulled.


    ��Don''t release it yet��


    Pulling it wasn''t hard but holding it was. The barely-used muscles in my fingers and wrist were screaming in agony. Ea came up from behind and pressed up against me as she reached around to adjust the angle of the bow and the position of my right arm.


    ��Never forget this stance. The moment you release the arrow, be still as a stone. Alright, release��


    I released.


    A soft sigh of wind.


    It wasn''t as fast as I thought it would be, but the arrow hit the target. Right in the middle of the target.


    ��Ohh, it hit��


    Basically, the part where I had to remain still when shooting was the same as when shooting a gun. The difference was that I had to use more strength than I had imagined.


    ��Hmmm, good for you. It��s what my teacher said, but it seems like a person who misses the first shot, will also miss till the end. Well, won��t you keep hitting until the end at this rate?��


    ��Well, even if you suddenly talk about the end������


    ��Okay, it''s only the first day, so ten is probably fine. I��m talking about consecutive hits, got it? Within 30 seconds. Call me when you��re able to do it, since I��m going to get some sleep. Bye��


    Waving her hand, Ea left.


    I couldn��t quite ept it, but I started practicing.


    To begin with, I decided to ignore the time limit and concentrate on hitting the target.


    I nocked the arrow carefully, aimed slowly, shot quietly, and it hit. I did have the talent for this, didn��t I? I basked in that sense of superiority. Doing what I was told, I concentrated on maintaining the stance that Ea had adjusted for me. Aiming with my left hand and shooting with my right hand, it was the same as shooting a gun. There was a difference in the feel of it, but that was easy to correct. As expected, the problem was simply my muscr strength.


    The seventh arrow missed. The fingers on my right hand were cramping a little.


    Keeping my breathing constant, I took a short break.


    Then I started over from the beginning once again.


    Like a mindless machine that shot arrows.


    ��Do you have a minute?��


    ��Go ahead��


    Izora hade up to me.


    I didn��t let her bother me and continued to shoot arrows.


    ��If you were going to use a bow, why didn''t you say anything to Izora?��


    ��Do you know how to use a bow?��


    Certainly, there were designs for bows inside Izora��s database, but the instructions in the user manual were garbled and could not be read.


    ��Izora has the records of all the battles in human history. If you wish, I can even teach you how to fight with sticks and stones��


    ��Is any of the information corrupted?��


    ��Decoding waspleted just now��


    Hmm, so it was something like that.


    ��Neither Izora nor Makina can be said to be in perfect condition, but we��re still doing our utmost to be useful to you. Please trust us in future, and if you have questions rted to battle, be sure to ask Izora first before proceeding. Is that okay?��


    ��Understood��


    Shot. Missed.


    ��In addition, I��m putting forward a suggestion. Misuranika-sama also said it, but you should cut off your rtionship with the elves immediately��


    ��Why?��


    Shot. Hit.


    ��This is the conclusion from the information collected. That race is waging a war against the Kingdom of Lemuria. The war was caused by disputes over the purchase and sale ofnd, which was due to the differences in the units of measurement used by Hemus and elves. After there were serious injuries in a skirmish, the firstborn of King Lemuria went to mediate, and it appears that he was murdered. Unlike their appearance, they��re a barbaric race. Moreover, your person in charge, Evetta, didn��t tell you one important thing��


    I drew the bow, then stopped.


    ��Adventurers will be drafted if this country bes embroiled in a war. Do you know what that means? In addition to being hated by the people of this country just because they''re elves, because of those girls�� status as adventurers, they''ll undoubtedly be hated by their own race. What benefit is there for a human to be caught between the hatred from both sides?��


    Shot. Hit.


    ��Like I said to Misuranika-sama, I simply asked them to teach me the bow. It��s only for this period of time until I meet up with Irvin and the rest. I won��t get too involved. I��ll take your words of advice to heart��


    Shot. Hit.


    ��Understood ������I��ll give you a progress report on the restoration of the programs. Crafting: 20% Medical: 15% Cooking 27% Among them, please choose which program��s restoration you wish to prioritize��


    ��Cooking��


    ��������������You ought to prioritize medical or crafting��


    ��Is that so? I choose cooking��


    Shot. Hit.


    ��Even though Izora believes that your cooking skill is enough for preparing meals with the necessary nutrients?��


    ��No, I��m already at my limit��


    I was already running out of recipes. The way I processed fish also hadn��t improved, and I was throwing away more than necessary. It was such a waste. Like this morning, when I had tried but failed miserably to make mayonnaise. In times like this, I wished that I had learned properly from grandpa, who was a cook.


    ��There are nutrient supplements too, and those are also enough in terms of calorie intake. You''re the one who''s using too much resources for your meals��


    ��They��re important, aren��t they? Meals��


    Shot. Missed.


    ��The only ones who say that are the Japanese��


    Static ran through the Izora��s voice.


    ��This is Makina. Using my control authority, Izora has been temporarily shut-down. I''m sorry. She was having a mild case of hysteria. I��ll leave her care to you��


    ��Understood��


    I understood what Izora was trying to say. But meals were important. Taking in water, oil, and salt would move the human body, but that didn��t work for the mind. If I had delicious meals, the exploration of the dungeon would also make good progress.


    ��Makina would like to notify you that the analysis of the poncho has beenpleted. No traces of pathogens were found. Gastric juice and undigested pork, root vegetables and beans. There are no worries about infections��


    ��That��s good��


    Shot. Missed.


    ��Would you like to hear the report on Ea-sama��s condition?��


    ��In the midst of bringing her here, I saw a scar. There was a gunshot wound on her lower abdomen. The bullet had most likely stayed in her body, as there were no traces of an exit wound��


    ��Yes, there is no doubt of that. Her condition is thought to be severe lead poisoning. If the bullet isn��t extracted immediately, it''s a danger to her life��


    ��I suppose so��


    Shot. Missed.


    I retrieved the arrows that had hit the target, as well as those that had missed.


    Makina was rolling around like she still had something she wanted to say.


    ��Souya-san. Hypothetically, if we cured Ea-sama, what do you think about joining Rana-sama��s party afterwards?��


    ��You��re saying the exact opposite of what Izora said, you know? If the medical program was perfect, then I would have agreed with that suggestion. Well, I might have. Just see what happens if we kill her using a foreign treatment. It��ll just be murder. I would rather not incur the enmity of other people unnecessarily��


    Even if it was someone who already resented me.


    ��It��s a sensible opinion. It��s the same as Izora��s, isn��t it?��


    Was that sarcasm? I wanted to ask, but the mini pod had already left. It would be great if this difference of opinion didn��te back to bite me in future.


    I nocked the arrow, aimed and shot. It missed.


    Well, it would probably feel great if I could save a person with a god-like miracle. Especially if the other party was beautiful.


    However, what I had here was a fool who could die at any moment, and a piece-of-scrap artificial intelligence.


    What could I do, when that was all I had?


    I did note here to help people. I had to choose where I spent my limited resources. Well, if I talked about this with Izora, the contradictions would probablye into stark relief.


    Helping people, was it?


    That was something that was done by people who had the leeway for it.


    It was definitely not my job.


    I shot an arrow.


    It hit.


    ��


    ��


    I made ate lunch, practiced with the bow, made a dinner that was as luxurious as possible, then went to practice with the bow.


    The nights of this world were early. Without a care for my worries, the night rolled in.


    I put some luminescent paint on the arrowheads and ced thentern near the target. The light that was given off was profoundly mysterious. With the night wind howling, the in seemed like a giant serpent.


    I let the pitch-ck darkness seep into my body as I drew my bow.


    Maybe because of the god I served, I felt extremelyposed. The night air also feltfortable.


    The pain in my arms melted into the darkness as well. The contents of my worthless mind too.


    The arrow had hit the target.


    I breathed thinly.


    I held three arrows together with the bow. Pulling another arrow out of the quiver and, as still as a statue, I nocked it, then started shooting. Hit. Hit. Hit. Missed.


    I held my breath.


    Next, I held four arrows together with the bow. Nocked. Shot. Shot. Shot. Shot. For thest arrow, I drew the bow slowly, aimed, then shot.


    Hmm.


    They had all missed.


    I retrieved the arrows. After a simple check for damage, I put them back in the quiver.


    I started over from the beginning.


    No matter how many times, no matter how long. All alone, I quietly shot the bow in the dark. The ces that were not used normally were screaming in pain. I could endure the pain. I could endure it until I was dead. If I became unable to endure it, I would just break. I wondered what that meant.


    I wondered what I was.


    I hade to an alternate world like this, and was practicing primitive projectile weapons all by my lonesome. How could I have blown up and discarded the firearms at my sole discretion, no����, let��s stop this line of thought. It was meaningless.


    The arrows would miss when my thought were wavering like this.


    Again, I nocked an arrow after emptying my mind. Aimed. Shot. Setting aside whether I hit or missed, maybe because I had gotten a little bit ustomed to it, the sound of the arrow cutting through the wind had be sharper. I wondered if I was improving. Was it a result of me thoughtlessly straining myself? Even if I wanted to ask my teacher, she was sleeping.


    It wasn��t okay to take it easy, so I shot the bow again. Shot. Shot. Shot. Shot. Shot. Shot. Retrieved. Shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, shot, retrieved. Shot, shot, shot�D�D�D�D�D�D�D

 Chapter 10: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness III

    <h4>Chapter 10: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness III</h4>


    ��9th day��


    Urgh...


    The day was just dawning.


    Looks like I had fallen asleep. No, I passed out, didn��t I?


    I could feel the grass and soil on my cheek, and a white object was touching my nose. It was an alternate world winged rabbit. Even though it was a wild animal, it was sociable. Come to think of it, it had found its way into the camp and had been chased away by Misuranika-sama.


    I reached out slowly, and it cidly sniffed my fingertips. When I scratched lightly near its neck, it made small movements with its wings. It��s adorable. Should I keep it?


    ��Because you''re white as snow, I''ll call you Yukihiko(snow boy)��


    Let��s keep it. I had already decided on its name anyway.


    ��I wonder if I can feed vegetables to the rabbits from this side?��


    Although I was rubbing and petting it, Yukihiko showed no signs of wanting to escape. This guy probably won��t survive in the wild. It was also a sort of fate that I had met it here.


    ��Alright, I��ll feed you something��


    When I stood up,


    An arrow suddenly struck Yukihiko in its head.


    ��YukihikoooOOOOO!!!��


    ��I��ve secured breakfast!��


    Ea��s posture said that she had just shot an arrow. Yukihiko had died in one shot. I didn��t think that it had suffered. I wondered why reality was so cruel.


    ��Huh, did you, by any chance, practice through the night?��


    ��I have memories up until it was near dawn. Well, it was fun. I might be cut out for it��


    ��Hmm, I''ll take a look for myself. After eating breakfast��


    After removing her arrow, Ea proffered Yukihiko��s corpse to me. I epted it.


    Yukihikooo~.


    I returned to the camp while holding Yukihiko by its still-warm ears.


    ��Good morning, Souya-san. It''s good to be enthusiastic about practice, but please take care of your body. Should Makina make coffee? Or would you prefer cocoa?��


    ��Two cups of cocoa��


    Because Ea would probably want one too.


    Makina lit the fire in the kitchen and boiled water.


    ��Makina, can you butcher rabbits?��


    ��Makina can process fish, but has never butchered rabbits before��


    ��Huh, you can process fish?��


    I had asked perfunctorily but I was surprised at the reply.


    ��A-hem, Makina was originally created as a cooking robot. Some of the memories and experience from the older generation remained, so processing fish is a piece of cake for Makina��


    ��So, anything about rabbits in those memories?��


    ��Rabbit doesn��t appear in Japanese dishes thought, does it? Do you think it��ll be fine if Makina just drains the blood, removes the internal organs, and skins it?��


    ��Probably��


    Hmm, both of us tilted our heads. I marvelled at what kind of structure Makina had that allowed her to tilt like that. Could it be that this guy could actually transform? She was more or less made in Japan after all. Oh, she seemed like she might be able to do stuff likebining too.


    ��What? You don��t know how to butcher rabbits? Pfft��


    I wasughed at by Ea.


    ��Hemus really can''t do anything at all, can they? Give me that, I��ll do it for you��


    She took Yukihiko from my hand, then pulled out a knife and chopped off its wings and head, cut open its belly, removed the internal organs, cut into its hind legs, then used her hands to peel its skin off, almost like she was taking off its clothes.


    ��Here��


    Ea gave me back Yukihiko, which had neatly be Nikuhiko(meat boy). Although I had somewhat mixed emotions about it, if we didn��t eat itpletely, it would have died for nothing.


    But, how do you cook rabbit?


    ��The cocoa is done��


    ��Ho, hot, sweet!��


    While I was staring at Nikuhiko, which was on the cutting board, that exchange was taking ce beside me. For the time being, it was unsanitary, so I dumped the removed parts of Nikuhiko into the trash and washed my hands.


    I went to the food storage and took out a cut of pork, vegetables, seasonings and bamboo skewers, then returned to the kitchen.


    ��I''m taking the pot��


    ��Okay��


    I measured some soy sauce, mirin, noodle soup base, and sugar by eye. I tested the mixture��s taste using my little finger. Alright.


    ��Tell me when it boils��


    ��Roger��


    I started on breaking Nikuhiko down. First, I chopped off the paws. Avoiding the bony parts, I cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Nikuhiko, your meat looks a lot like chicken, you know? It would be good to stew the parts with a lot of bones over a low me if I had the time, but since I didn��t, I crushed them with a meat hammer. It would probably be fine if I was the one who ate these parts. I cut up some root vegetables into bite-sized pieces too.


    I started threading the resulting ingredients onto the bamboo skewers.


    ��It''s boiling����


    ��Got it��


    After taking a look at the pot, I added water-soluble potato starch to thicken it. I taste-tested it again. Not bad. Hmmm, it was somehow missing onest thing, but if I added it, it felt like the overall taste would end up weird. Was this the limit for amateurs?


    I took the sauce off the fire.


    ��Makina, can you do it?��


    ��Of course��


    I handed over the bamboo skewers. Using her arm, Makina arranged the ingredients and started to thread them onto the skewers nimbly.


    The creaking sounds of wheels drew close. I heard the neighs of a carefree old horse, and a shout from a carefree old man. The middle-aged serf that had helped us yesterday had arrived.


    He showed me the freshly picked vegetables that were loaded on his wagon.


    I bought five white eggnts, three thick andrge cucumbers and three juicy tomatoes. The exceptional price of 5 copper coins surprised me. It seemed like vegetables that couldn��t be preserved were generally cheap. Agreeing to see each other again tomorrow, I waved as we parted.


    ��Okay, it��s done��


    Makina had finished threading the ingredients onto the bamboo skewer.


    ��You��re amazing, you know?��


    ��Ahem��


    I soaked the ingredients on the skewers in the sauce.


    Putting a metal over the fire, I tried grilling one skewer first. The smell of grilled sweetened soy sauce wafted out. This early in the morning, it felt like a heavyweight punch. I wanted to eat rice. But there wasn��t a lot of it, so I held back.


    ����������������


    Ea was staring at the skewer while drinking my share of the cocoa.


    It was the gaze of a predator that had locked on to its prey.


    A small amount of meat juice was boiling up and dripping from the rabbit meat. The ends of the onions were slightly burnt.


    ��It''s about time to turn it over��


    ��Understood��


    I turned the skewer over and dribbled more sauce on it. The brutal fragrance of the sauce enveloped the camp. I don''t think that there��s anything in the world that would taste bad when grilled with sweet soy sauce.


    ��That seems about right, doesn��t it?��


    The color of the meat and the softness of vegetables both looked good.


    ��For Makina, the standard of the grilling is 65 points. Escherichia coli is killed by heat, so it can be eaten safely��


    ��You��re strict, aren��t you?��


    Just as I was thinking of taste-testing it right away, my wrist was grabbed.


    ��Are you going to eat that?��


    ��Yes��


    Ea��s arm was rather strong. The skewer wasn��ting closer to my mouth at all. Just when I was about to bring my mouth closer instead, she raised my arm up high.


    ��First of all, if I don''t taste it, I��ll have no reference of its tasteһ��


    ��Then, one bite. I��ll eat one bite first. Just one bite��


    ��That��s a lie. You��re definitely going to eat everything��


    You''re making that kind of face.


    Even though there were still more skewers, Ea and I were quarrelling over this one.


    ��Alright, okay. Let��s eat it at the same time��


    ��No way! That��s gross!��


    ��Don''t hurt my feelings! There''s plenty more, so bear with it for a little while! Just for a little while, alright?!��


    ��Why don��t you be the one who bears with it then?! I want to eat it now! Give?It?Here!��


    Thinking that she was such a child, I decided not to yield to her. If I yielded to her here, she would probably do the same thing in future.


    After more impertinent scuffling,


    ��That elf over there��


    I heard a voice from behind me.


    ��Take your hand off that man. Shame on you for stealing the food of my guest��


    Geto-san had readied his harpoon.


    Why oh why did this person show up at such aplicated moment?


    ��Ky��


    Hmm? Ea��s face had turned white as a sheet.


    ��KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    She let out a loud scream. She trembled and shook after immediately hiding behind me.


    ��My god, Ezusu, my god, Ezusu, protect us from the beings of the abyss with the grace of the forest��


    Even if you use me as a shield, my defensive power doesn��t amount to much, you know?


    ��Good grief, how extremely rude of you, elf. Incorrigible��


    ��I��m sorry, Geto-san. She��s just a child, so please forgive her��


    ��Why is Souya apologizing? I don��t understand��


    I sat them down at the dining table so that both sides could calm down. In the meanwhile, Makina was grilling the skewers. I cast a sidelong nce at her work. It was vexing, but she was better at it than me. The standard of the grilled skewers on the te was at a level where they could be served in stores. For the time being, I ate the one I grilled. Well, it was delicious.


    ��Souya, what about my breakfast?��


    ��Good morning, Misuranika-sama. Makina is already making it��


    ��Hmm, Makina. What meat is that?��


    ��It��s fresh rabbit��


    ��Rabbit, huh. I don��t like it because it��s so bony. The pork over there is better. Let it cool down properly, then dip it in the sauce once more before giving it to me to eat��


    Misuranika-sama was on top of Makina''s head, and was reserving skewers for herself.


    ��Oh, Souya. I forgot, but here, take it��


    ��Thank you for providing this every day��


    ��It��s fine, you��re treating me to breakfast after all��


    I was given a filled with shellfish. Wow, there were a lot of oysters. Let��s eat it right away.


    ��Makina, please scan these��


    ��Okay. My hands are busy at the moment, so please put it in the inspection box below��


    I filled Makina��s inspection box with oysters. The seafood that Geto-san always brought from the Mojubafuru ocean could mostly be eaten raw because of the ocean��s good water quality. However, with that said, since they could contain parasites, inspecting them was essential.


    There were some oysters left over, so I removed them from their shells, washed them with water, coated them with potato starch, gently rubbed them, then washed them again with water. I repeated those steps three times to remove the slime and dirt. After that, I left them in salt water.


    I grilled the white eggnt lightly, and cut it into sticks. The cucumbers were cut in the same manner. Tomatoes were cut into four. They were all cut into easy-to-grasp sizes. I wanted to be wild and eat everything by hand today.


    Next was to make the dressing. I mixed abination of Japanese-style soup stock, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. After taste-testing it, I added more vinegar and soy sauce. I put the vegetables on a te and filled the cup beside it with the dressing.


    ��Souya-san, the inspection is finished. There��s no problem with eating them raw��


    ��Is that so?��


    I took an oyster out of the box, put some lemon juice and salt on it, and ate it directly.


    What��s this? It wasn��t just delicious. It was so fresh that it felt like it was dancing inside my mouth. That luxurious fleshy body had an exquisite chewiness. It tasted very rich and creamy. The way it cleanly passed through my throat was like fruit. It had true value as an ingredient. Was such deliciousness allowed?


    ��Souya, what about my share?��


    Geto-san was ring at me with reproachful eyes while I trembled emotionally.


    Transferring the other oysters that I had removed into a bowl, I added ponzu sauce and lemon juice. I didn��t want to boorishly add vors to it, but Geto-san was ustomed to the taste of these ingredients, so I wanted to present something novel using Japanese seasonings.


    The shells were quickly washed with a natural detergent and arranged on a tter. I put the seasoned oysters back into their shells and sprinkled ponzu sauce and lemon juice once more from above. I put the finished product on the table. Makina also put down tes of skewers at the same time.


    ��Today''s breakfast. Raw alternate world oysters, arge serving of sd with Japanese-style dressing��


    And,


    ��A teful of grilled skewers, and here��s the sauce��


    In addition, Makina set out green tea for him.


    ��Oh, ohh�`��


    Ea was making an expression that was equal parts joy and fear.


    ��This is raw, isn''t it?��


    She pointed to oysters.


    ��It''s fresh so there��s no problem��


    ��Yes, no problem at all��


    ��If you don��t want it, I can eat it for you��


    Geto-san ate the oysters right away. As usual, he ate the shells too. After some rather ominous chewing sounds,


    ��Delicious��


    His eyes, which had shot open wide open, were peeking out from behind his sunsses, which had slipped out of ce.


    ��To think that the shellfish that I had gotten tired of eating would be so delicious��


    Wow, this person has such luxurious eating habits.


    ��Ea. Wash your hands before eating. Also, wake your Onee-san��


    I brought a bucket of water for hand-washing.


    ��For Onee-chan, she won''t get up until noon. She also stayed up until it was verytest night, so I want to let her sleep��


    ��Hmm���� oh, right. I guess so��


    I decided not to ask why she stayed upte. That''s right, she was in a stranger''s home after all. Not being vignt would be stupid.


    Ea had washed her hands, and was plucking up the courage to eat the oysters.


    ��You eat one first after all��


    ��I ate one a while ago though��


    ��It��s fine, isn��t it?!��


    ��Yes, yes��


    ��Good grief, even though it''s so delicious...... I''m not forcing the elf to eat it though��


    Geto-san made an exasperated expression. I washed my hands, said itadakimasu, and ate an oyster.


    ��It��s deliciousss~��


    The ponzu sauce didn��t lose to the ingredients at all. What a synergistic effect they had. Geto-san and I couldn��t stop ourselves from eating the oysters.


    ��Misuranika-sama, you��re not going to eat them?��


    I asked after slurping down an oyster.


    ��I can��t eat raw food for religious reasons��


    It couldn��t be helped then.


    ��What''s this�`!��


    Ea shouted in delight after finally eating an oyster.


    She forget her fear of Geto-san, and began eating the oysters. Or rather, I wondered, why was she scared of him?


    ��I want to let Onee-chan eat this too��


    ��Hmm, raw food goes bad easily. Another day, alright?��


    I wondered if I could make a refrigerator by myself. I had the battery and sr charging device for the sses.


    ��It��s a promise! You absolutely have to!��


    ��Yes, yes��


    I promised her easily. For the time being, the oysters were being gobbled up by three people. There were twenty of them, but they were finished off in less than five minutes.


    ��This one has cooled, Misuranika-sama��


    ��Hmm, take care of it for me��


    Well, god-sama was the first to eat the grilled skewers. There wasn��t any special meaning behind it.


    ��U, um. Umm. This is quite, umm��


    She was being fed by Makina. The ingredients were pork and onions. It goes without saying, but don''t give onions to ordinary cats. You definitely must never do it. Ours is a god, so it��s safe. I wondered if she would use her human-form to eat.


    ��Makina, I��ll also eat the rabbit after all��


    ��Okay��


    Alright, let''s all eat the skewers too.


    ��It��s sweet and salty. It��s a strange taste��


    ��Don''t like it?��


    ��I didn��t say that��


    Ea had a face that said it was about 70% delicious as she ate.


    ��It��s scrumptious. I think it''s delicious��


    There seemed to be no lie in Geto-san��s words. He was eating alternately from the skewers he held in both hands. I thought of something, and went to get the seasoning.


    ��Ea, try sprinkling this on the food. Just a little! Because it��s a preciousmodity in this world��


    I handed her a small bottle of Shichimi, a Japanese spice mixture.


    After opening and closing the lid curiously, she sprinkled a little bit. Then, she took a bite.


    ��Oh, it''s delicious��


    She had a twinkle in her eye as she roughly sprinkled more on her food, then ate it.


    ��Spicy and delicious, spicy!��


    Her eyes were watering. She was an easy-to-understand person.


    ��Souya, I''ll have some too��


    ��Me too��


    Both of them tried the Shichimi. Misuranika-sama couldn''t handle spicy food, so it was ill-received. Geto-san received it favorably. I like this person because he eats everything deliciously.


    ��Hey everyone, let''s also eat the vegetables, okay?��


    I did my best to finish off the sd which hadn''t decreased much even though it was so delicious. Was the dressing unpopr? I would have to try harder next time.


    When the number of people increased, eating became fun. After much rowdiness, breakfast was over.


    Having eaten her fill, Eaid down on the grass. Misuranika-samaid down beside her too.


    While I was washing the dishes in the river, Geto-san sat down beside me.


    ��There''s a lot of things I want to say, but like I said before, you''re the only one who associates with fish-men nonchntly. Whatever you ask me won''t change that. Besides, it''s presumptuous of the sea races to speak about the troubles of thend races. However, as long as I have received you as a guest, I''m worried about leaving things as is. Here, I''ll give this to you��


    ��What��s this?��


    It was something like a dried-up finger, no, an octopus arm?


    ��It��s a tentacle of my god, Grizunas. If worstes to worst, and there just happens to be a body of water nearby, hold this in your hand, and call on god in my name. If you��re lucky, salvation will probably, maybe, it��ll be nice if ites��


    ��Eh, ehh��


    What an uncertain salvation.


    ��My god is capricious. Even the people of the sea cannotprehend my god��s will. Truly, use it only as ast resort. Use it with resolve that a result more horrifying than death awaits. If possible, don''t get into a situation like that. I think you''re a wise person. I do think that, but you��ve got a really foolish kind of wisdom. I don''t hate taking risks like that, but those thoughts are too much for mortal beings to handle. It��s something like that���� I''m heading home. See you��


    ��See you��


    With a ssh, the fish-man dived into the water. His disappearing form was like a shadow.


    Looking at the tentacle that I had received, I began craving takoyaki.


    Well then, let''s practice the bow.


    Carrying the quiver, I stood in front of the target. I drew the bow, which I had now gotten a little ustomed to. I shot about 10 arrows, and my hit rate was 70%. It would be fine if it was always like that, but it would start to drop from here on out because of fatigue and loss of concentration.


    ��Ah�`, no, that��s no good. You��re straining too much��


    Ea was behind me. She was lying down like a reclining Buddha.


    ��Match the draw and release of the bow to your breathing. Because they''re not matching, you''re using excessive strength and hurting your elbows and wrist��


    ��Understood��


    I tried to do as I was told, but I made a mistake with my breathing, and the arrow flew in the wrong direction.


    ��Breathe after the arrow hits the opponent. Until then, stiffen your body��


    ��Okay��


    Somehow, she was coaching me like a teacher. I followed her instructions and shot an arrow. It hit. It was a beautiful shot that put less burden on my body than I had expected.


    ��Repeat what you just did so that your body remembers it��


    ��Okay��


    Like I was carving in the feeling of that shot, I made my body remember it by repeating it over and over again. I had thought that it was simr to shooting a gun, but I was wrong. I tried to eliminate the differences in my senses. I wasn''t firing a shot, but releasing a shot.


    I reached into my quiver but my hand only found air.


    ��Use these��


    With a jangling sound, arrows were put into my quiver. My body leaned backwards from their weight.


    ��Last night, my sister was free, so she assembled them. Where did you buy these?��


    ��From the Zavua merchantpany''s store. It was a beast-man who rmended them to me though��


    ��I see. It''s simr to the Lusasa tribe''s hunting arrows. They''re powerful if they hit. In exchange, they''re heavy though��


    I tried nocking one. Its shaft was also made of metal, so it was three times heavier than the Kyui arrows. Taking that into consideration, I aimed slightly higher. I held my breath. I mustn''t miss the first shot.


    I released.


    The sound of the arrow was somewhat low. The sound it made when it hit was dull. The arrow had went through the target.


    ��Alright, practice, practice��


    ��Okay, understood��


    I didn''t know whether it was because Ea was here, or because these arrows suited me, or because I had gotten the knack of it, but the arrows werefortably hitting the target. I was getting caught up in the moment.


    I shot through the target.


    The fourth shot shook the support of the target.


    The fifth shotpletely destroyed it.


    I looked at Ea smugly. She was making aplicated expression.


    ��S, something like that�`! I was also about the same! I did that about half a day after taking up the bow!��


    ��Wow, that''s amazing��


    ��Never mind that, go practice! Shoot a hundred by noon!��


    ��Understood��


    Makina had prepared a spare target because she had thought that this might happen. I stuck it into the ground. I checked the arrows that I had retrieved for damage, then returned them to the quiver.


    ��Oh, wait. From now on, every time your arrow hits, take three steps back. Once you miss, go back to the original position. Okay, begin��


    ��Got it��


    Practice made perfect.


    For anything.


    I made my body remember how to shoot an arrow without thinking. But this might be futile. Even if I carried a first-rate bow and learnt first-rate skills, it would be meaningless if it was thwarted by the nk scroll.


    Well, if it didn''t work, then onto the next. If that also didn''t work, then I would try the next. I would keep on trying ceaselessly until the day I lost the thought and the strength to try. My life here would probably pass by like this.


    I missed my fourth shot.


    Ea stood behind me and booed me every time I missed.


    I went back to the original position.


    I repeated that over and over again. But surprisingly quickly, change came.


    The fifth shot. The seventh. Was the distance to the target about 18 meters?


    I nocked an arrow and made an image in my mind. The trajectory of the arrow, the curve I intuitively imagined it would take. I pulled back the string, lined up that trajectory to the target, and released. At that moment, the wind blew.


    The shaft flexed, then became a rotating arrow.


    The arrow shot through the target.


    My senses had told me that it would be a miss, but the wind had corrected it.


    I thought that it was a miracle. Was it god''s work, or was it god''s mischief? Still, it was a miracle that couldn''t be more meaningless. All the same, a hit was a hit.


    ��How''s that, Ea?��


    I turned around and did a guts pose. But Ea was nowhere in sight. No, I saw her once I looked down slightly. She was curled into a ball and her breathing was ragged.


    ��������������Ea?��


    There was no reply.

 Chapter 11: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness IV

    <h4>Chapter 11: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness IV</h4>


    It was a nervous moment.


    Evetta had finished writing my history onto a new scroll (one silver coin, paid to the Guild President). The Guild President performed the blessing with a fed-up expression.


    ��I��m Solcia, the small wing. Borrowing the name of the esteemed Medimu, I follow Vindoobunikuru. In the name of Thrusuovu, retain only the truth inscribed here. If it��s false, cleanse it by the grace of fire. But the shame will surely remain forever. Bless this new adventurer for the 32nd time. It''s bing more and more bothersome, so I want this to be thest time�D�D�D�D��


    ��Hey��


    Comints were getting mixed into the blessing so I responded with a retort. Rana, who had been talking to her person-in-charge, returned.


    ��What was that about?��


    I asked out of curiosity.


    ��It was an invitation to join a party. I''m meeting up with them early tomorrow morning to explore the dungeon��


    ��That��s good��


    ��Eyaa��


    With disgusting cuteness, the Guild President made the scroll glow with light.


    He spread it, and Evetta-san, the Guild President, Rana and I stared at it.


    ��Ah��


    It was Rana''s voice, and as expected, the contents of the scroll were disappearing starting from the top again. I mean, what did it mean when even my name disappears? Am I not actually here? Is it a ghostly thing? I��m bing depressed.


    ��Hey, foreigner��


    The Guild President patted me on the shoulder. It had been said that he had lovely features and a beautiful smile.


    ��Just give up��


    ��Hyuaaaaa~��


    A strange voice came out of my mouth. My heart felt like it was going to break. It might have chipped a little.


    ��Souya��


    ��������Evetta-san��


    ����������������


    Stop it! Stop looking at me like I��m a pitiful child! Oh, it cracked. Cracks were running across my heart. I want to sulk in bed for a long while. I want to eat lots of delicious food and sleep like a cat. If I secluded myself for about three days, I should rise up again somehow.


    ��Umm, excuse me?��


    ��Eh��


    Rana��s voice brought me back to my senses.


    ��There��s a portion here that didn��t disappear��


    ��Really?!��


    At the bottom of the scroll were character-like symbols that had not disappeared but had remained.


    ��Huh, this is? What does it say?! Guild President!��


    ��It says, elven archery, beginner��


    ��Yesss!��


    The Japanese, shouts the name of god. *(Yesss sounds like the elven god��s name, see below for details)


    ��Which means that the skills that I learn from this point on will be disyed without any problems, right?!��


    ��Don''t forget to ask your person-in-charge to update it��


    The Guild President was dispassionate to the end.


    ��Souya��


    ��GUAA��


    I was embraced by Evetta-san. She smelled really good. She did, but my muscles were creaking, and the bones in my entire body were making grinding noises from being squeezed. Air was being wrung out from my lungs.


    ��You��ve done a great job��


    ��No, Evetta. This guy hasn''t done anything yet��


    ��Oh, right��������


    I was released. Unleashed suddenly after being constricted, the rush of blood made my vision go dim and I almost fainted.


    ��Good for you, foreigner. Now, you just have to find out if your party members will ept you because of just one archery skill. Good luck��


    A dazzling smile.


    This guy is doing this on purpose, isn��t he?


    ��It has nothing to do with this, Princess. But as you can see, this foreigner is stupid, and the biggest troublemaker since the founding of the Kingdom of Lemuria��s Nationalized Adventurers�� Guild. He��s a nuisance despite not having descended a decent amount of floors. Thought it may not be necessary, I have to say this. I have no idea why you��re together with him at the moment, but nothing good wille out of associating with him��


    ��No, we��re the ones who are causing him trouble��


    The Guild President was talking to Rana.


    There was one word that I was curious about, but I wondered if anyone would answer if I asked about it now.


    ��By any chance. does he have something on you? In that case, let��s ask my King to send help immediately��


    ��No, there��s really nothing like that��


    ��I��ve understood that you��re in a life-threatening situation. This Solcia will do what little I can�`��


    Because I had gotten angry in earnest, I grabbed the Guild President��s face.


    ��In my country, we offer guests hospitality even if they��ve sold our wives�� kimonos. Run your mouth any more than that, and I��ll pluck out your wings, got it? Do you want me to deep-fry the wings and use the feathers to make a mattress?��


    ��S, Souya��


    For some reason, Evetta-san was in a panic. The Guild President grabbed my wrist and pulled my hand from his face. He was expressionless. That��s the angry expression of someone whoughed flippantly at others. What a small-minded person. Why was he working as the Guild President?


    ��Certainly you��re ignorant, but you make sense in your own way. I��ll apologize for being rude. I''ll forgive you just this once, but I��ll vaporize you next time��


    ����������������


    There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but it would be stupid to rise to such cheap provocations. I responded with silence.


    In that silence, a stomach growled loudly.


    ��Evetta, after eating that much in the morning, can��t you wait till noon?��


    ��It��s not me��


    Rana was hanging her head, red-faced.


    Yeah, it must be because she had skipped breakfast.


    ��Well then, we should leave, shouldn��t we? See you again, Evetta-san. Breakfast is important, isn��t it?��


    ��Okay. Like I said, it''s not me��


    I took Rana''s hand, and we left the Guild behind us. It was still early for lunch, but�`


    ��Should we randomly go into a store and grab something to eat?��


    ��Y, yes��


    I could also go back to the camp and prepare food, but it was pitiful to make her wait so long.


    Rana was walking hunched over, leaning on her staff. She was still hanging her head. A physiological phenomenon that you could do nothing about was embarrassing, wasn��t it? She looked like she had been well brought up after all. Also, I really wanted to ask about why the Guild President called her princess. However, I had been told by Izora to not get too involved.


    Elf, war, defeat, princess, adventurer, let��s not think about the answer associated with those words. Besides, I definitely sympathized with her setting of being beautiful and cute, living a life of poverty, and having a sick sister. I felt the urge to lend her my strength, even thought it wasn��t much.


    I mustn��t lose track of my own objectives.


    Alright, I��m still thinking straight. I''m calm.


    I randomly searched for a store. Still, we couldn��t get food from a street stall and eat as we walked, could we? The only ce I knew that we could sit down and be served decent food was the Master��s bar. However, it would be awkward if we encountered Irvin and the rest there.


    I hadn''t been conscious of it, but we were still holding hands.


    If Rana didn''t hate it, there wasn''t anything in particr for me to say.


    There wasn''t anything in particr, but I was holding hands with an ill-fated elf with big boobs from an alternate world. Ahh, it was in this moment that I thought that I was d I came to this side. If my sister saw this, I would probably get dropkicked. As one of her legs would be a prosthetic, I wondered if it would end with just pain. Half of my face would get ripped off, wouldn��t it?


    ��Is this store okay?��


    ��Yes��


    While walking in worry, I found a store that looked suitable. It was a small two-storied store. Without a thought, we entered the store right away. It was a motley and gloomy store. Naturally, the clientele were also gloomy. I felt their tense gazes on us.


    This was a bad idea, wasn��t it?


    Thinking of changing stores, I stopped my feet but Rana pulled me along by my hand, and took a seat. She was surprisingly gutsy.


    I released her hand and sat down facing her.


    We ordered drinks, bread and soup perfunctorily from the waitress.


    Then, silence.


    We waited in awkward silence.


    In the dim light of Shogaku stones, I was captivated by the extent of Rana��s loveliness. She noticed my gaze and I averted my eyes. I''m really a chicken.


    After I averted my eyes, my gaze fell on a minstrel in the corner of the store. He plucked a small instrument simr to a guitar, and began reciting quietly.


    A subdued, quiet folklore poem.


    ��


    In the olden days of yore, there was an ominous and terrifying ce at the eastern extremity of the continent.


    The ruined city, Misuranika. A cursedrge spider, the dragon-eating L, had made its nest there.


    For the sake of gaining fame, a thousand adventurers challenged it. No one returned.


    Many heroes challenged it, were cursed, and became its children.


    That nest ate into the continent, and L''s children craved anything and everything.


    Therge spider��s nest even hung from the Odoriji spire.


    However, a hero stood in its way.


    There was a hunter in the elven forest. A great hunter that the fog obeyed.


    A thick fog enveloped therge spider.


    In that world of white, a thousand arrows killed L��s children, and a hundred arrows pierced L''s eye.


    When the fog cleared, only the spider''s body was there.


    The name of the hero was Heures.


    Great hunter. Nameless caster.


    If L ever reappeared, he would return with the fog.


    ��


    When the poem finished, the food came.


    Soup with vegetable scraps floating in it, bread that looked hard, and fruit wine. But, for two people.


    I ate my share so that Rana wouldn��t hold back. The soup tasted as thin as it looked, and the bread was as hard as it looked. My jaw was getting tired. I didn��t know anything about alcohol to begin with.


    Rana was bringing shredded pieces of bread to her small mouth.


    ��Sorry, it''s not very delicious, is it?��


    ��Huh?��


    Rana stopped her spoon in surprise.


    ��Certainly, the fish soup you made yesterday was extremely delicious. Were you perhaps a chef in the foreignnd?��


    ��No, I wasn��t��


    My cooking skills were below those of hobbyists.


    ��Then, I suppose it''s and where food is delicious. I''m jealous��


    ��Yeah, the meals are delicious. Speaking of which, what kinds of ingredients are used elven cuisine?��


    ��Elven cuisine, is it?��������������


    Sheughed wryly��


    ��Basically, fruits, berries, or wild herbs eaten as is. I do think that some of the fermented food and liquor are delicious, but I suppose that there aren��t many dishes that I can rmend confidently to others��


    ��I see��


    It was an organic sort of cuisine, huh? It sounded like it would be good for the body. Leaving aside the taste.


    ��Your sister rather likes spicy or salty food, but is that a reaction to elven cuisine?��


    ��Because my sister��s hunting teacher was a beast-man, she was influenced so strongly that she might not be very elf-like at all. Her eating habits too��


    I agreed.


    ��What does Rana like?��


    ��Huh������������me?��


    After a spoonful of soup, Rana be lost in thought. It was such a difficult question, huh?


    Somehow, my eyes met with the minstrel��s. Rather than saying our eyes met, he was staring at me. I��m not interested in men! He cleared his throat once. This was difficult. I tried my best to take the hint, but I couldn��t think of an answer. I��ll ignore him.


    ��I don��t hate fish. Alcohol too, no, perhaps not so much. I��ve never been drunk after all. As for vegetables, I��m sick of vegetables. Then, is it meat?��


    ��I don��t know��


    ��I��m sorry��


    The conversation ended up unresolved. I wondered if she had little preference for food?


    ��For the time being, after we return to the camp, I��ll serve food as usual. If there is something that you liked, let me know��


    ��������������Okay��


    Let''s make lunch lighter and then have avish dinner. It would be great if Ea��s condition got better by then.


    ��Umm, about Ea�`��


    I couldn��t help being concerned about it, so I ended up asking her.


    ��Is there any hope of a cure?��


    Even if it was impossible with our technology, the magic from this side might have a way of curing Ea.


    Rana''s expression was indescribable.


    I didn��t ask any more than that.


    The door opened and light streamed into the store. A party of adventurers came in.


    The minstrel recited the same poem once more. The poem about the hero, Heures. Hmm? Heures?


    ��Rana, your name is Heures, right?��


    ��Yes��


    I understood now.


    The poem that extolled Heures was recited one more time.


    When the poem ended, I met eyes with the minstrel and threw him a copper coin. He smiled broadly but didn''t catch it. A brown cat beast-man snatched up that copper coin.


    At the same time, our table was kicked over. The food that we were eating and the tableware were scattered all over the wall and floor.


    ��Should I tell you the continuation of that poem? The descendants of the hero Heures foolishly started a war with humans and lost miserably. The elven princess was even more foolish. When she thought that they couldn''t win the war, despite the fact that her own people would be caught up in it, she burned down half the forest��


    It was a young man. He had distorted his face, which was distorted with chestnut brown hair. He wore expensive-looking armor with a mantle, and a sword with useless ornamentations. Behind him was a female knight in full-te with a skirt, and a nubile magician wearing what looked like a noblewomen��s dress.


    ��So, what��s that princess doing in a dreary shop like this?��


    Said the young man, with a vulgar expression.


    Rather than that,


    ��Don''t waste food!��


    I��ll kill this guy.


    Sure, it wasn''t that delicious, but that didn��t mean that it was fine to send it flying. I was just about to go beat him up when the female knight cut me off. I couldn��t see her face because of her helmet, but from the air about her, she was probably a beauty. The fact that she was the guard for a person like that added to my anger.


    ��Aaah? Who the heck are you?��


    ��Who do you think YOU are, kicking other people��s food?��


    The upstart young man snorted withughter.


    ��Are you an idiot? Even though you��re in this kingdom, you don��t know my face?��


    ��I don''t know it. If you��re so famous, write your name on your face or something��


    A beast-man in the back burst out inughter. Perhaps he was angry at that, but veins were popping out on the young man��s forehead.


    ��I��m Georg Oru Lemuria, the prince of the Kingdom of Lemuria��


    ��And?��


    What about it?


    This kind of person probably thought that everything could be settled using his authority as a prince. There was no reason to forgive his rudeness or foolishness because of something like that. In particr, I would definitely never bow and scrape to a dingus like him who wasted food. As if I would feel even a speck of fear! I continued to run my mouth.


    ��On top of having no ss, does the prince of this country have nothing to do except get in the way of my meal with a beautiful woman? You��re so free, aren��t you? I''m so jealous��


    ��You��..��


    The idiot prince put his hand on his sword. I also put my hand on my hunting knife at my waist.


    ��Souya, get out! I��ll settle this matter��


    ��No. Leave it to me��


    She grabbed my hand that was holding the hunting knife.


    ��Please get out of here. This is a matter between royalty. It''s not something that a mere adventurer like you should be sticking your nose into��


    With trembling lips, she spoke forcefully.


    I hesitated for a moment.


    I had not agonized so much over a decision sinceing to this world.


    ��I��ll wait outside��


    I did as Rana said. I threw a silver coin at the minstrel. The minstrel hung his head and lowered his eyes as he took it. I went outside and the light blinded my eyes.


    ��Do you want to see the image of what��s happening inside?��


    I received amunication from Makina.


    ��What am I supposed to do with that?��


    ��I''ll leave that to you. Souya-san, Makina has only one piece of advice for you. Only you and you alone can set limits on what you do in this world��


    She was absolutely right.


    ��Show me the image��


    The image from the bug drone inside the store was shown on the disy of the sses. The audio was also picked up without any problems.


    The idiot prince was sitting in a chair with his legs crossed.


    Rana was kneeling in front of the idiot prince.


    ��Please forgive mypanion''s rudeness. Georg Oru Lemuria-sama, 2nd Prince of the Kingdom of Lemuria��


    ��Because you elves killed my brother, I''m the only Prince of Lemuria now. Don''t get it wrong, impure princess��


    ��Yes, I''m very sorry. Prince��


    The idiot prince looked at the tip of his shoe. It was wet. The soup had probably gotten on it when he kicked the table over.


    ��Look, my shoe got dirty because of you. Wipe it��


    ��Yes��


    Lana took out a piece of cloth.


    ��No, that��s wrong��


    ��Huh?��


    Lana was at a loss at the idiot prince��s words.


    ��Use your mouth. A foolish elf doesn��t need hands, right?��


    ��Yes��


    Rana went down on her hands and knees like a dog, and stretched out her tongue.


    It was in extremely bad taste. However, the other people were looking on with lustful eyes. Watching a noble and beautiful person get sullied was the highest form of entertainment indeed.


    ��Makina, self-destruct the drone in the store��


    ��Understood��


    Confirming the high-pitched sound of the drone''s explosion from outside the store, I kicked the door open and ran in.


    Everyone''s attention was focused in the direction of the explosion.


    Of course, the idiot prince and the knight guarding him too.


    The dropkick, which was taught directly by my sister, caught the prince in his face. He half-turned and crashed into the wall.


    ��Secret Art, Yukikaze Special��


    The trick was to twist your body at the moment of impact. Setting aside its power, it looked cool. My sister��s guts pose floated in the sky of my imagination. Actually, she would probably have let the dropkick fly the moment the table was kicked over.


    ��Souya!��


    A voice simr to Rana''s screamed. Let��s ignore that.


    ��Do you know what you''ve done?��


    The female knight pointed the glistening tip of her sword at me, who had failed mynding. I stood up slowly while keeping my eyes on it.


    ��What I��ve done? I picked a fight��


    Leaning on the shoulder of a beast-man, the prince stood up.


    ��Lanseal, kill that guy��


    The knight did not obey his orders. It''s good that she''s a reasonable person who could take a hint.


    ��Hey! Lanseal! Did you not hear me?!��


    ��But, young master������


    I put the bow I was carrying and the hunting knife on a nearby table. I took off my sses and handed them to Rana.


    ��It''s a fight. Between adventurers. Or are you saying that the Lemurian royal family can��t even fight without the protection of your authority and women, huh? Have you no balls?��


    ��What did you say?!��


    The prince drew his sword.


    ��Young master! Please stop! It��s fine to harass the long ears. It��s their just deserts. No one will sympathize with them. But he��s an adventurer. It��s unscrupulous for the child of the king of adventurers to point his sword against an adventurer. You��ll sully the king''s name. Besides���� He��s hoping for a bare-handed fight. Is young master��s valor so cheap that you��ll brush that aside?��


    Isn��t Rana also an adventurer? But I decided not to voice that retort.


    ��So, what are you going to do? Yourpanion is saying that though?��


    ��Haaa, alright, fine. Against a small fry, bare hands will suffice��


    The prince sheathed his sword. He had risen to the bait. You idiot. I��ll give you a taste of the Systema that I learnt in Russia. I��m the one who''s thinking that bare hands will suffice�D�D�D�D�D�D

 Chapter 12: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness V

    <h4>Chapter 12: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness V</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��Then, he lost after getting the living daylights beaten out of him��


    ��Uwaa, my follower is too weak��


    ��So uncool��


    Misuranika-sama and Ea were giving their honest impressions on Makina��s report.


    I couldn��t see in front of me.


    ��You guys! You��re getting in the way of his treatment! Either help or get out!��


    Rana yelled loudly. I was somehow pulled and dragged into the tent.


    ��Rana, here��s the disinfectant,presses and bandages. It might be better to cool the affected areas first��


    Well, that was dangerous.


    I was still in a perilous state, but I might have died if Otou-san hadn��t been there by chance, and had cut in and saved me. Rather than saying that I had been careless, I had forgotten. In this world, I was exceedingly weak. It was one thing if my opponent was a normal person, but it was quite another to go bare-handed against middling adventurers. I had beenpletely helpless. I gave as good as I got, but had dealt no damage.


    ��My healing magic is a fire-type magic, so it��s hot. This person��s regeneration point is less than normal. What should I do��������������


    Yes, mine is the same as a puppy��s.


    ��Ea, lend him your hand protector��


    ��Ehhh! This is Heures-sama''s hand protector, you know? Is it okay to lend an elf treasure to a Hemu?��


    ��This person has hardly any inner or outer magic. I��ll convert the arm protector��s magic power and transfer it to his regeneration point so lend it to him��


    ��Umm, Onee-chan. That��s not what I��m talking about��


    ��Lend it to him!��


    ��O, okay��


    I felt the warmth that had been transferred to the metal from her arm. Ea whispered into my ear.


    ��Five ramen��


    I gave her an��Understood��and a thumbs up. Then, Rana muttered.


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god. Tell the god of torrents, Meltomu. Grant me the grace of the noble traditions and raise the breeze that stimtes magic. Oh wind, together with this person and the olden vessel, dance, transfer, mix, melt and undte��


    A cool breeze caressed my cheek.


    The alluring Rana continued in a whisper.


    ��I offer my next wish. Arumoniya, the god of harmony, establish, arrange, align, gather the magic, and be one with this person��


    ��Urgh��


    My blurred sensations and consciousness cleared up, and the pain gradually set in. Like a sponge dissolving in acidic liquid, my swollen flesh disappeared. My vision became clear. Rana��s chest was in a position where it was almost touching my nose.


    ��Wow, that''s amazing. 80% of the wounds from the beating have disappeared��


    Makina cheered.


    ��Haa, that��s good. What��s next may be a bit painful, but please endure it��


    Rana swung her staff lightly and prayed. Try as I might, I couldn��t stop my eyes from following the melons, which were moving together in front of my eyes.


    ��Oh fire, fire that grants all people light and grace. With that heat and pain, heal this person��s wounds��


    Light gathered in Rana��s right hand. If she punched with that, it��ll look like a special move, won��t it? As I was entertaining such thoughts, Rana pressed that hand down on my face.


    ��GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    ��Please don��t move!��


    Hot! Her hand was like a hot iron. It hurts! I��ll die! It hurts so much that I��ll die! I��m burnt! I��m going to be like Sukekiyo!* I tried to escape but I was stopped and my head was firmly secured by Rana��s slightly chubby thighs. I felt one moment of bliss before it was wiped away by the heat and pain.


    ��UGYAAAAAaaaaa��������


    I fainted.


    And woke up straight away.


    ��Wounds to the head reduced to 5%, it''s a marvelous method of treatment. There��s a light bruise on the abdomen, but it��ll be fully healed in around three days, won��t it?��


    ��Yes, that��s great��


    ����������������


    My whole body felt drained and was twitching, but the treatment appeared to be almost perfect.


    ��Rana, thank you��


    I said my thanks. With this, I owed her two debts.


    ��What started it all was you, but����, no����, I��ll stop. With what happened this time, I now understand very well what kind of person you are. Haaa, for goodness�� sake������


    Rana sighed.


    She had an expression that I couldn��t interpret. It was hard to read her. Was this exasperation, or was she grateful, or was it some other emotion? And should I rue my own stupidity or take pride in my devil��s luck? As for my rash actions this time, if I didn��t properly capitalize on them next time, I would die.


    Why had I been on the brink of death twice now in incidents unrted to the dungeon? Someone, please tell me. Oh, it��s because I��m an idiot.


    ��Souya, I''m hungry. Prepare my lunch��


    ��Hemu, I��m hungry. Can I eat the ramen right away?��


    These guys.


    ��������Alright, I��ll make something, hmm?��


    My body couldn��t move.


    ��Hmmm?��


    I broke out in a cold sweat. It felt like I had been petrified. I couldn''t even move my fingertips.


    ��Rana, Makina. I can��t move my body��


    ��It��s probably an after-effect frombining your magic power��


    ��Souya-san, does this hurt?��


    Makina extended her arm from outside the tent, and stuck a needle into my toe.


    ��Ouch��


    The pain made my knee jerk a little.


    ��No problems with your nervous system. Your reflex actions seem fine. Let��s observe you overnight to see if it��s due to severe fatigue��


    ��Hopefully, you��re right��


    It would be an unfunny ending if I stayed bedridden like this.


    ��Then, Makina. Can I leave it to you to prepare lunch? There''s cut meat and vegetables, so keep an eye on the ratio between them as you boil them inside a pot. After that, make a stew using the powdered demi-ce sauce. Put in a small amount of ketchup and honey to give it a subtle vor. Ea likes it spicy, so add the Sriracha sauce for her individually. Don''t rmend it to Misuranika-sama. Make more so that there��s enough to serve as dinner. If it��s not enough, you can open the hardtack, instant food, and also the canned food. I��m leaving it to you��


    ��Understood��


    She stuck out what I suppose was the thumb of her arm, and withdrew. Ea went out with her.


    ��Are you really not a chef?��


    ��No, princess. I''m just a little bit good at cooking because of the education that I received from my grandfather��


    ��Please stop calling me princess��


    She pped apress onto my forehead. Rana lifted my head up and ced the back of my head on herp. Morepresses were applied to the feverish parts of my face. Rather unceremoniously, she rolled up my shirt and I could feel the coldness of thepresses on my chest and abdomen. Something round and arousing was touching my face, but I emptied my mind and prayed fervently: Please, I beg of you, other than the parts of me that were wounded, please do not get swollen.


    Her treatment of my facepleted, Rana put on the sses for me. To be honest, the sses didn��t look good on me.


    ��Ouch��


    I felt pain as the sses scraped my ear.


    ��Oh, I��m sorry��


    ��No, it��s okay��


    ��Hey, my follower. Did you forget about me?��


    I had forgotten about Misuranika-sama.


    I thought for sure that she had went out together with Ea.


    ��Rauaryuna. This guy seems to be quite smitten by your charm, but that won��t work on me. Princess of the Heures Forest, there��s something that I would like to ask you about, but is that alright?��


    ��It depends on what you ask, but if it��s within the scope of what I can answer, then I��ll answer anything��


    Misuranika-sama��s question was something that had been on my mind too.


    ��Why are elven royals working as adventurers?��


    After she finished applying thepresses, she began wrapping the bandages.


    She was very skilled at it.


    ��When the war was lost, my father presented me and my severely ill sister to King Lemuria. It��smon practice for us to send off unneeded rtives as official hostages. As you can see, I��m an ugly woman, and even though I did it to defeat the enemy, my father couldn��t possibly keep the daughter who burnt down our own forest close at hand. The people he rules over won��t stay silent if he did��


    As I expected, it wasn��t a happy story.


    ��King Lemuria is a kind person. I had fully expected to be confined, and even with a body like mine, I had steeled my resolve for being made to do things like mating with a pig as a spectacle. But, with the condition that both of us had to work as adventurers, we were allowed our freedom. The family of the losers were made to bear nothing that looked like punishment. His vassals, and especially the prince, had opposed vehemently, but they couldn��t go against the king��s judgement��


    Misuranika-sama climbed on top of my belly. She began licking and grooming herself.


    Dear god-sama, please listen properly.


    ��However, being an adventurer was a harder job than we had expected. It��s a profession where people''s trust is very important, so people like us, who were hated by people no matter where they were from, couldn��t carve out a ce for ourselves. It was day after day of being tricked by adventurers, being tricked by merchants, being tricked by innkeepers, and sleeping nestled against my sister in a corner by the side of the road. If I were by myself, I might have hung myself. No, before that, this naive body might have been stripped and cast off somewhere��


    ��Hmm, it seems like I��ve asked about something rather harsh. Forgive me. My follower was at death��s door, I would at least be suspicious��


    ��Yes, incidents like what urred today will never happen again. Next time, I''ll knock him out then deal with it myself��


    ��That��s troubling. I''m the one who will do better next time��


    Certainly, I had almost died, but I didn��t particrly regret what I did. If the same thing urred once more, I would probably do the same thing once again. Definitely.


    ��Souya. To begin with, I''m angry. I told you to leave it to me, didn''t I? You pulled back because you understood, right?��


    ��I did indeed pull back at that time. But when I took a peek, you were about to kiss that idiot prince''s foot, so I couldn''t help it��


    ��If the matter could be settled with something of that level, then it''s not a problem��


    ��It''s a big problem. There''s no man who would look on silently as a low-life like that does as he pleases with a beauty��


    And this girl was selling herself far too short. It was such a waste. She was as lovable and beautiful as my sister. I wished that she would puff out her big chest and hold her head up more.


    ��������������What did you just say?��


    ��Huh? I said that there''s no man who would look on silently at something like that��


    ��After that, at the end��


    ��Beauty��


    ��!!!��


    Rana snatched my poncho and hid her face with it. Her ears, which were not hidden, were bright red.


    ��You��re cute. Super cute��


    ��S, stop it, I hate jokes like that!��


    ��I don''t know what elven standards are like, but by my standards, you''re cute. V�`E�`R�`Y cute. It''s not been many days since I came to this side, but I''ve seen my fair share of women. You''re definitely cute��


    ��Hiyu~ya~aaaa~aa~aaa��


    With a strange scream, Rana''s limbs flounced about as she left the tent. I got a knock on the back of my head because myp pillow had been wrested away. Give me back my poncho......


    I''m not a person who picks up girls, but I could at least tell the truth to a woman without confidence. If she went to Japan, she would have plenty of admirers.


    ��Hey��


    Misuranika-sama narrowed her eyes.


    ��I��ll have you know that I��m much cuter! Don��t you forget this!��


    She said, then went out.


    Then please show me your human form soon. I��ll lose interest if you take this suspense y too far.


    ��Haaa��


    It seemed like it was around noon, but the fatigue I was feeling was tremendous. Or rather, I wondered if anyone was going to feed me lunch. I felt like it would probably be fine for me to sleep as is, but..., oh, my fingers moved slightly! I heaved an even deeper sigh of relief. It appeared that I would be able to avoid being bedridden. My head felt ufortable, so I put it on top of the pillow that just happened to have rolled over.


    Hmm?


    ��Team member Souya. Did you heed even a single one of Izora��s warnings?��


    It was Izora pod.


    I hadn��t realized that she was back in service.


    ��I��m sorry. I did not heed them��


    ��Izora doesn''t like this inclination of the Japanese people to apologize before anything else. It makes Izora sick to her stomach. However, Izora will respect the intentions of her master, team member Souya, even if it��s unpleasant��


    ��Okay��


    She was acting weird.


    At that exact moment, a message from Makina was disyed on the LCD disy of my sses.


    (I��m reporting that the adjustments to Izora have beenpleted. In order to find the severe damage caused by her problems with stress, her self-thinking was unlocked by three levels, her freedom of speech increased by one level, and her bannednguage was unlocked by two levels. In other words, she''s be a little bit willful and sharp-tongued, but please don''t worry about it. Alright then)


    Hooray. This is definitely going to be troublesome.


    On top of that, of all the times this could have happened, it happened when I was unable to move.


    ��Team member Souya. Izora has changed her perception of you��


    Beads of cold sweat were running down my neck.


    Was I going to be remodeled? Or injected with a strange medicine?


    ��This is something that can''t be helped. Izora was originally designed with the premise of having excellent team members, so it��s inevitable that Izora would be of no help to a Japanese who��s like a dying cicada. HAHA, you square-simmered swine��


    I have no idea at all of what that means. She��s scary!


    ��However, Izora has a high opinion of nothing other than your zeal to act. The point is, if Izora thinks of you as a person who''s like Ed Wood, then Izora will generally end up forgiving you��


    ��Ed, who?��


    I didn��t have the foggiest idea who it was that she wasparing me to.


    ��It��s Ed Wood. Don''t you know who that is? He��s the worst film director in the history of the 20th century. Here��s Izora��s evaluation of you. Izora acknowledges your enthusiasm, passion and ability to take action. But, other than those, you��re a fool who doesn''t have anything. In the end, you will live in abject poverty and die from alcoholism��


    ��Izora, I don''t drink. I don''t know anything about alcohol, and I��m a light social drinker at best ��


    ��Sha�`�`�`�`!��


    ��Umm, somehow, I��m sorry��


    Because it''s troublesome, I��ll just apologize randomly. What should I do with her?


    For a long time after that, I listened to Izora��s rant-like abusivenguage. For some reason, I became knowledgeable about B-list and below foreign movies. It waspletely useless knowledge.


    By afternoon, I had recovered enough to move my upper body.


    I still felt some difort in my body, but I went ahead and prepared dinner.


    Before long, the sun set, and I practiced shooting the bow in the dark again.


    Tomorrow, I would discuss with Irvin and the rest about whether I could be a part of the party with just this one skill at the bow. I didn''t feel confident. To be honest, I kept thinking about what would happen if I failed, rather than if I seeded.


    I wouldn''t get any answers whichever way it went, so I stopped thinking about it.


    I shot about 90 arrows, the string broke, and that was the end of the day for today.

 Chapter 13.1: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness VI - (1)

    <h4>Chapter 13.1: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness VI - (1)</h4>


    ��10th day��


    It was my first dream sinceing to this world.


    I was in a forest somewhere. A ��someone�� was there in that ce. Behind me was a dear and beloved person. I didn��t know who it was, but the person I was in the dream loved and fully trusted this person. Such feelings were conveyed to me.


    I came to a ce deep inside the forest. It was the special ce where the two of us would secretly meet.


    The trees made a canopy of branches and leaves, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves illuminated the surroundings.


    It was there, that I was stabbed in the back.


    The de appeared to have dug into my spine and nerves. I could only copse onto the ground, and crawl like a worm. I didn''t understand why this had happened.


    The person who had stabbed me; there was only one person it could have been.


    That person had run into the jaws of death with me. Had loved me. That was why I had responded. We even had a child that we had showered with love. For all that, if I still couldn��t believe in that person, then I would not be a person, but a beast.


    I thought that something must have taken that person��s appearance. But that person��s eyes were lucid to the bitter end.


    Without anyst words, two people said their goodbyes with the sh of a de.


    It was a terrible nightmare.


    That face that I saw at the end, it didn��t seem like I would be able to forget it any time soon. My shirt was soaked with cold sweat. My back, which had seemingly been stabbed, hurt. No, there was severe pain. It was simr to the pain from being hit by a stun gun.


    ��Izora��


    ��Yes, what is it?��


    I gave orders to Izora, which was at my bedside.


    ��My back hurts. I may have been wounded. Scan my body��


    ��Understood��


    Izora extended a small arm and touched my back.


    ��Urggg��


    My body jumped from the pain.


    ��It cannot be confirmed via palpation and visual inspection. Administering medical nanomachines��


    I was given an injection on my neck. I desperately tried to steady my ragged breathing. Instinctively, I curled up into a fetal position.


    ��Souya-san, what happened?��


    Makina seemed anxious as she rolled up to the entrance of my tent.


    ��Makina, please bring medical kit D��


    ��Understood, Izora��


    The rumbling sound of something rolling could be heard. In a sh, Makina returned with the kit. Izora opened it dexterously, and removed an ampoule.


    ��Scanpleted. No abnormalities detected. Vitals are unstable. Status unknown. Team member Souya, is it okay if Izora administers a strong sedative?��


    ��Izora, that decision is rejected. Scan him again. Cut the information from the medical nanomachines, we currently cannot fully control them��


    ��Understood, Makina. Starting scan. ���������� Anomaly confirmed by ultrasound. Metal has encroached into parts of the right arm. This is presumed to be the cause, starting separation��


    Izora grabbed my right arm. On it was the elven hand protector that had been put on me yesterday. That��s right, I had been wearing it even in the dream.


    ��It��s noting off. Insufficient power. Makina, if you please��


    ��Understood��


    Makina''s arms grabbed the hand protector from both sides. There was the sound of metal creaking, then fracturing.


    ��Makina is very sorry, Souya-san. Part of the arm has been damaged��


    ��Let''s amputate��


    ��Understood, Izora��


    ��Wait!��


    Makina took out an electric circr saw and turned it on. It buzzed loudly as the saw rotated at high speed.


    ��Izora, administer anesthesia, just in case��


    ��Izora cannot adminster anesthesia, but will inject him with a strong soporific and painkillers��


    ��Understood. Then, let��smence��


    ��Both of you, wait!��


    ��Why is it so noisy this early in the morning?��


    We had woken Misuranika-sama up. She extended her forepaws forward and stretched her back. Kuwaa~ she yawned.


    ��And, what��s going on here?��


    ��Good morning, Misuranika-sama. Something is wrong with Souya-san, so we were just about to cut off the cause. It��ll be over in a sh��


    ��Oh, it��s fine. I��ll do something about it. Makina, get me a ss of water. Izora, blindfold Souya��


    ��Understood��


    Makina and Izora did as they were told. I had veryplicated feelings about this master and servant rtionship. Who did the two of you serve again?


    Izora blindfolded me. Through the thin cloth, I saw Misuranika-sama growing bigger. While I could not make out the details of her face, the seductiveness of her morous limbs alone could be easily perceived.


    ��Here��s the water��


    ��Okay��


    Misuranika-sama held my head.


    ��Kyaa��


    Makina let out a high-pitched voice. Water dripped onto my cheek. Then, I felt a soft sensation on my lips. A tongue forced its way in, pushed opened my teeth, and held down my tongue. Warm liquid filled my mouth. I swallowed it slowly.


    ��Mmm ����Alright, well, that should do it��


    Misuranika-sama took a breath. I was utterly confused and had no clue what was going on. Because it was my first time in various ways. It felt soft. It was like the body of a shrimp. Her tongue, I was talking about her tongue.


    ��Souya, does it still hurt?��


    ��Oh��


    In my surprise, I had forgotten about the pain. No, the pain had disappeared. My body had also been freed, so I immediately pulled off the blindfold. I saw Misuranika-sama meowing in the form of a cat.


    Dammit!


    ��You were being drawn in by death. Because you drank consecrated water, its effects on your body disappeared. The culprit is this hand protector��


    Her paw stepped on the hand protector.


    ��It��s most likely cursed. I can feel rmingly strong emotions from it. Take it off immediately��


    ��This is an elven treasure, isn��t it?��


    ��I guess the curse only activates when someone who isn��t an elf wears it��


    ��I see��


    I was convinced. And,


    ��Makina, stop holding the circr saw at the ready��


    ��It��s unfortunate that it wasn��t of much use��


    She dejectedly kept the dangerous tool and left.


    If you do that next time, I��ll dismantle you!


    ��I tried removing it, but it seems physically impossible. Misuranika-sama, can you please do something?��


    ��I can��t. I don��t have such powers��


    She said that with finality.


    ��For the time being, I��m not affected by the hand protector, right?��


    ��Most likely. However, curses are strong human emotions that never fade away. It��ll affect you again if there''s some sort of trigger. There��s probably no benefit for you to hang on to it. If you ask a high-ranking thaumaturgist in the city, you can at least be released from the curse��


    ��Understood. And Misuranika-sama, can I ask for one thing?��


    ��What is it?��


    ��Please don��t say anything about this to those sisters��


    In particr, I wanted to keep it from Rana.


    ��Why?��


    ��It��s what I prefer. Please��


    Rana would be exploring the dungeon early in the morning. There was also what happened yesterday, and ��this�� today. I didn��t want to make her worry about me.


    ��Hmpt, I win in both bust size and height, you know?��


    ��That''s not the preference that I was talking about��


    It was mistaken as a problem of appearance.


    ��That��s fine, I suppose. I��m an open-minded god, and I value the will of my follower. Can I also say one thing?��


    ��Yes, anything��


    ��If those sisters are the cause of your death, I��ll curse both of them. That��s fine, right?��


    ��I��ll bear that in mind��


    Alright, Misuranika-sama said, before curling up and going back to sleep. I went out of the tent with a towel and a change of clothes. The world outside was still shrouded in darkness. I took a bath in the river to wash off my sweat. As the percentage of women had risen, I dressed myself conscientiously. It was a vain resistance, but in a sense, it was better than not doing it.


    I took a long hard look at the hand protector. It was made from a thin unknown metal, and had an borate foliage design on its surface. You wouldn��t think that it was cursed. To begin with, it was something that didn��t suit me.


    I decided to make breakfast and a bento.


    Putting whole wheat flour, which was cheap even in this world, in a bowl, I added water and oil, then mixed it using a spat. Whole wheat flour is wheat flour that hasn��t been refined yet. However, it��s very nutritious, and has high levels of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Besides, a bag of it about the size of an adult��s upper body costs only three copper coins. Food that was expensive and delicious wasn��t necessarily good for health. Beastkin baked and sold this in street stalls, so I thought that I would try imitating that today.


    I mixed it well and started kneading it by hand once the mixture was no longer powdery.


    ��Is this chapati? Should I give you a hand?��


    ��Then, knead this until it bes smooth. After you��re done kneading, leave it for a while, then divide it equally into roughly golf-ball-sized portions��


    ��O~kay. Knead~, knead~ Be deli~cious��


    I left it to Makina, and started to work on the ingredients.


    I steamed, then mashed some sweet potatoes from the alternate world that I didn��t really know much about. I added vor using a small amount of diced onions, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. As I thought, it wascking, so I diced pork, vegetables and cheese, stir-fried them, and seasoned it with Worcestershire sauce. I mixed everything together. I wished that I had mayonnaise. Hmm, it was stillcking. I chopped up some pickled things from this side, and fried some bacon, which were great in times of trouble. More sweet potato was added. I fried a small amount of garlic in olive oil. Once the smell came out, I added some watercress that I had taken from the river, saut��ed them, then added more sweet potato.


    ��������������Oh no��


    I had messed it uppletely.


    What��s this stuff that��s totallycking consistency in its taste? Isn��t thispletely one of those failed dishes that men who lived alone often made? What��s more, I had used the same ingredient twice when I put in both pork and bacon!


    ��Alright��


    I��ll cover everything up by mixing in curry powder.


    ��Souya-san, the dough is okay now��


    ��Alright, let''s roll it out��


    Both of us rolled out the dough using a rolling pin. Because it was my first time, I had misjudged the amount, and ended up making too much.


    ��Are we baking this next?��


    ��No, let��s sandwich the ingredients��


    I put the curry-vored ingredients on top of a piece of rolled-out dough. cing another piece of dough on top, I turned it as I pinched it shut. Makina began making the same thing without a word.


    I ced the pieces of stuffed dough into the still oily frying pan. The heat from the firewood felt about medium. I also put a pan that was smaller than the frying pan on the fire. Once it was heated enough, I ced the bottom of the heated pan on top of the pieces of dough to transfer the heat.


    ��Makina, I can��t tell if the temperature is correct, so can you scan it?��


    ��Yes, I can~��


    I baked them ording to Makina��s instructions. The contents of those that had been stuffed too full with ingredients spilled out. I would be more conservative when filling them next time. Once we got the hang of it, Makina was eventually entrusted with everything.


    In the end, there were two failures, but we had made twenty in total.


    Chapati stuffed with curry-vored ingredientspleted. It seemed like Indians ate this more than they ate naan. I taste-tested one. Hmm, it appeared that I had somehow covered it up nicely using the curry vor. It felt like the off-vors were terrible though. It wasn��t unptable, but I wondered if it would taste good even when it was cold.


    ��You��re up early��


    Rana had gotten up. She was dressed up as an adventurer. She was looking cute today too.


    ��Good morning. I had a strange dream, so I woke up early. Are you going already?��


    ��Yes, as being early is always better than beingte��


    That''s true.


    A drowsy Ea came out from their tent. I wrapped five chapatis with the dried leaves that had a preservative effect, and put powdered juice mix into a water bottle.


    ��Rana, this is breakfast and a bento��


    ��Ben-to?��


    ��Portable food for the dungeon��


    ��I see. Eh, did you make them?��


    ��They may not be very tasty, but I think that they��re nutritious and are quite filling. I''ll do better next time, so for the time being, please put up with them this time��


    I put the chapatis and the water bottle into Rana''s bag.


    ��Thank you very much��


    ��Shall I apany you?��


    ��No, I can��t let something like what happened yesterday ur again. Please take care of your body��


    Erm, it��s because something like that happened yesterday that I want to go with you though.


    ��Alright then��


    Rana bowed respectfully and walked away.


    ��Have a safe trip��


    Ea waved her hand.


    ��Is it fine if you don��t go with her?��


    ��I would have gone if I could. It''s an individual request for Onee-chan, but since the client is an elf just like us, at the very least, it��s less worrisome than a request from a Hemu��


    I saw Rana off until her figure became small.


    ��Hmm?��


    Ea flopped to the ground.


    ��Hey��


    ��Sorry, take me to the tent��


    When I picked her up into my arms, she put her feeble arms around my neck. Her body was feverish. I carried Ea into their tent,id her down and covered her with a nket.


    ��If I��m attacked right now, I won��t be able to resist, you know?��


    ��What the heck are you saying��


    As if I would do something like that.


    ��Don��t find me attractive? I''m quite confident in my looks though������


    Herplexion was worse than usual, but her white skin and her slender, well-proportioned limbs were captivating. It��s a bitte, but I did think that she was a tremendous beauty. But I didn��t have such a warped sexual disposition that I would lust after frail and helpless girls.


    ��You��re certainly a beauty. I��ll keep youpany after you regain your health��


    ��Haha, that��s impossible. Cuz I hate Hemus��


    Despite the fact that she was joking, tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes.


    ��It��s the worst, having to rely on a Hemu even though I��m about to die because of a Hemu��


    ��It��s the worst for me too, having an elf with such a bad personality as a teacher even though I want to learn bow techniques��


    ��Shut~ up��


    She swatted my arm. It didn��t hurt at all.


    Ea spoke in a murmur.


    ��Do you like Onee-chan?��


    ��Huuuuhhh!? I, it��s not like I particrly like her or something! I think she��s pretty, but yes. No, errr��


    It hade out in a strange voice.


    This was that, wasn��t it? It was like the thoughts of a foolish male middle school student who had gotten the wrong idea that a female ssmate liked him just because she was a little bit kind to him. It made me remember the past, and I felt like dying.


    ��Uwaa, gross. Well, it��s fine. Don''t worry about it, fool��


    That ��fool�� had been gentle. Ea��s insults were adorable. My sister had once called me a caterpir with limbs. I wondered how many times she had made me cry.


    ��Do you want breakfast?��


    ��It��s okay, I��ll sleep for a while��


    ��Call me when when you feel hungry. I''ll bring it for you��


    ��Alright��


    I was about to leave the tent when a weakly hand grabbed me.


    ��I''m lonely, so stay here for a short while��


    ��Okay��


    I consented to the request from Ea, who had be docile. This was something that couldn��t be refused. I sat beside her and adjusted the nket, which had slipped. I was a little hesitant, but I wiped the sweat on her forehead with a towel.


    ��It feels weird��


    Ea closed her eyes and her breathing became soft and shallow. Without tiring of it, I continued looking at her face. It felt like I was watching a piece of art. Her time, which was on the brink of wasting away, was a memserizing blink of an eye. The stupid thought of wanting to sacrifice everything to save her crossed my mind.


    Even though it wasn��t my ce to do something like that.


    After nearly an hour, I left the tent. My heart hurt. I felt as if I was going to fall to my knees, so I hit my chest to stop myself from copsing. I saw a vision of my heart being pierced through.


    ��Man, I have a request��


    My shadow was talking to me. It was a ridiculous sight.


    ��Excuse me, who are you?��


    ��A nameless ghost. Don��t let it bother you��


    A distinctly dark shadow escaped my outline and formed a humanoid shape. It was enigmatic, and obviously dangerous. Just when I was about to call Misuranika-sama,


    ��My blood rtive is in imminent danger. I need your help��


    I decided to stop and listen to it. I didn��t need to ask the identity of the person who was in imminent danger.


    ��I don��t mind lending a hand. I��ve gone too far to turn back now. Well, what should I do?��


    Even though I didn��t know the true nature of what I was dealing with, I consented easily.


    It felt ominous. I was covered in cold sweat. Would it request something unbelievable from me?


    ��That��s a big help. The hero of the hidden name will definitely reward you for your self-sacrifice and for your life��


    ��Wait, what are you doing to����


    ��Weak one. Adventurer from foreignnds. The contract is hereby formed��


    Its voice drew very close.


    The shadow stood up.


    Under the light, the darkness was bottomless.


    I felt like I had seen this in a horror movie before.


    Slight nausea. A deep breath.


    The weak smell of grass. Wind, the dampness of the morning dew.


    There was no wound on my heart. My body moved well enough.


    ��Izora!��


    I called, but Makina was the one who came.


    ��Yes, what is it?��


    ��Where is Izora? I''m going to the dungeon right now��


    ��Izora is in the dungeon��


    ��Huh?!��


    That reply waspletely out of the blue.


    ��Izora disguised herself as Rana-sama��sntern, and apanied her to the dungeon��


    ��What the heck is she doing? No, it��s perfect. Is it possible to establish amunications link with her?��


    ��Makina will give it my best shot��


    Makina''s screen disyed a snowstorm, like an ancient television set.


    ��Izora, can you hear me?��


    There was no reply. Instead, a grainy video was shown. The point of view was from around a person��s waist, and it showed the inside of the dungeon. It was seemingly the point of view of Izora, which was hanging from Rana��s waist. I couldn��t tell their exact numbers, but there was one beast-man and one elf apanying her. The party stopped moving. They were having a conversation, but the sound of their voices was distorted, and it was hard to make out what they were saying. Only the disquieting atmosphere could be felt. They met up with another party.


    Among them was the idiot prince from yesterday. He had a huge grin on his face. Their conversation was inaudible. Rana took a step back. The other party members stared apathetically at Rana.


    She took to her heels. The prince and his party followed.


    The video cut off there.


    ��Do you know the floor that they��re on?��


    ��Izora has transmitted the data. It��s the 10th floor, and a map is attached��


    ��Understood��


    I didn��t know if I could descend five floors in one go, but I was going. I was going even if I knew that it would be futile. First, I prepared my equipment. I put on extrayers of de-resistant shirts, put my hunting knife into its sheath on my waist, wore protectors on every limb other than my right arm, and hauled my usual backpack onto my back. I pulled on a recement poncho. Then, the bow was,


    ��Dammit��


    The string was broken. I��ll ask Ea to repair, no����, I had the location of a recement bow in mind. Next, I needed arrows that would be suitable, but��


    ��He~yy��


    Geto-san came out from the river. He looked different than usual. Apart from the harpoon he always had on him, he was carrying a quiver-like bag on his back, with harpoons haphazardly strewn inside it. He held a with a huge chunk of meat in one hand.


    ��Look at this. We found a big fishst night, and my entire n went out and hunted it down. I thought we could eat it right away���� What��s wrong?��


    Geto-san had noticed that I was acting weird. The arrival of this person was nothing but a stroke of good luck. Could it be that meeting this person was the luckiest thing that had happened to me?


    ��Geto-san, I would be d to eat that deliciously. But I would like to ask you for a few favors��


    ��Alright, go ahead and ask for anything��


    ��Those harpoons that you��re carrying on your back. Please sell them to me��


    ��I��m not going to take money for something like this. I��ll give them to you. However, a small amount of the paralytic poison used for hunting the big fish still remains on them. Be careful. If you carelessly let it enter your body, a Hemu like you will be immobilized for half a day��


    ��That��s extremely helpful��


    I took the bag and carried it on my back. It was fairly heavy. I took one harpoon in my hand and gave it a close look. Its form was more like a spear than a harpoon. The point was curved and sharp, and made from a white non-metallic crystalline material. Its shaft was made from bone, which I realized was hollow when I hit it.


    ��Also, please carry me to the city. How long would it take you to get there?��


    ��Via the river? If I take it seriously, I can make it in about 300 seconds��


    I could really save time and strength with this.


    ��Makina, the various devices are waterproof, right?��


    ��Yes��


    ��Let��s go right away! I��m counting on you!��


    ��A, alright��


    Geto-san pulled on me lightly as I drew close to him.


    ��Makina, I��m heading out. Please keep an eye on Ea while I��m away��


    ��Okay, please leave it to me. Good luck��


    ��Here we go. Hold your breath. It may be a bit tough for a Hemu, but you have to endure it��


    I took a deep breath. Geto-san held me as we fell into the river.


    Not much to say since it''s all plot, though I''m d the plot has finally picked up after a few slow chapters. I have to say though, I''m pretty sure those chapatis are inedible. Really nice moment with Ea though.


    How will Souya rescue Rana? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 13.2: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness VI - (2)

    <h4>Chapter 13.2: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness VI - (2)</h4>


    It was incredibly fast.


    I thought that my body would fall apart because of the water resistance. Even though we took a breather once in the middle, we arrived at the city in no time at all.


    ��It took both of you 330 seconds to reach the city. That��s amazing, that��s faster than modern submarines��


    Makina announced. It appeared that there were no problems even if the devices got wet.


    ��Though I was carrying someone, I��ve certainly gotten old, haven��t I?��


    ��Urgh, koff, koff��


    I had drunk a little bit of water. I crawled out of the river andid down on the road.


    ��N, no, I would have died if you had gone any faster than that��


    ��Is that so? I��ll be waiting at the camp, alright? Tell me the circumstances afterwards��


    ��Understood��


    Geto-san disappeared into the river.


    When I stood up, my vision flickered and I felt dizzy. I kept my cool, and stood up while making sure that I did not lose my bnce. While I was like this,


    ��Hey foreigner. You��ve got an unusual acquaintance, don��t you?��


    Barfuru-sama was looking at me with a curious expression. He��s a very expressive person, even with a dog��s face.


    ��Are you going to treat me drinks again? There are still a lot of my heroic exploits that you haven''t heard, you know? Well, I suppose it��ll depend on the amount of drinking money you provide��


    ��No, that��s not why I��m here today��


    ��Nya! What''s wrong-nya! You��re drenched to the skin-nya!��


    Tyutyu was surprised after seeing my impression of a drowned rat.


    ��For some reason, this guy came out of the river with a fishman��


    ��Wait a minute-nya!��


    Ignoring Barfuru, who was pointing at me, Tyutyu pulled me to the back. She brought me a coarse nket and wiped me down with it. She��s a good girl. But I didn��t have the time to let her spoil me at the moment.


    ��Tyutyu. I have a request��


    As my hair was being wiped briskly, I randomly grabbed some gold coins from my purse and ced them on the table.


    ��NYAAA!��


    Tyutyu trembled at their radiance. I had put no fewer than five gold coins on the table, but it would be uncool if I took them back.


    ��Wha, what should I sell-nya? My body-nya? What kind of ��y�� will you demand from me-nya. I��m scared-nya��


    ��No, lend me this��


    I rummaged through the sack that had been ced on the ground as usual. I took out an old bow.


    ��Hang on, foreigner. I��ll praise your taste, but�`��


    It was a hardy bow that was almost as tall as I was.


    Its limbs were slightly curved. It was wrapped in leather to make it thicker. There was a strong presence surrounding it. An ominous will with a dark, gleaming hatred of the undead. Its string, which had been coiled around the bow, looked like it had been twisted together from hair. I unwound it and strung the bow.


    ��Lycan bows are drawn using curse power. For a regr human�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I tested its draw by pulling the string back powerfully. It was a gant bow that lived up to its Lycan name. The tension that it could hold was tremendous. And that was not all. It was a cursed item. One that cursed the world. Perhaps because of that, it deviated slightly from thews of this world. If it was this bow, rather than just the eye, it was probably capable of shooting through therge spider��s heart.


    ��It��s a good bow. I��m borrowing it, Barfuru-dono. Drink in moderation, alright?��


    ��Who are you, sir?��


    I greeted my old friend, then set out in the direction of the dungeon.


    I was filled with nostalgia as I walked through the city streets.


    It fell far short of my prime, but running and feeling the wind was a sensation that was hard toe by. The warmth of flesh was the me of life. Even with a pitifully poor heart, its value remained the same.


    I reached the dungeon.


    For me, it was the fatedbyrinth in which L had been cornered, but ultimately let escape in the past. At first nce, the dungeon had changed a great deal, but it was essentially unchanged. As if something that had been dropped by the progenitor god could be changed by the likes of humans.


    I headed straight for the portals.


    There, I crossed paths with a party that had just returned.


    ��Hey there, handsome��


    I tripped the elf that looked like the leader by sweeping his leg. Faster than anything, I nocked a harpoon to the bow and pointed its tip at his face. The people in his party froze.


    So slow. Is this the level of the current adventurers?


    ��You��re short one person, aren��t you? Exin��


    ��W, who are you! Someone help me!��


    ��Souya? What are you����? What��s that bow����? ����Guild President! Pleasee quickly!��


    Evetta-san, who had happened to pass by, turned pale, and called for the Guild President.


    ��You againnnn~. What did you do this time�` Hey, who��s that?��


    The Guild President, who had appeared with a sleepy look, also turned pale.


    ��This Hemu went nuts and suddenly pointed his bow at me! Hurry up and do something!��


    The elf shouted grievously.


    ��He should have formed a party with Rauaryuna Raua Heures today. Tell me right now, what did you do?��


    ��I don��t know! I didn��t form a party with a person like that!��


    ��Wait a minute, I��ll look into it right now��


    Before I knew it, the Guild President was holding a staff. It was as tall as him was, and had a dreadful form that made it obvious that it had been made from human bones.


    ��Wind,pile, turn, fly, and gather, today��s dungeon exploration application forms��


    When he knocked the staff against the floor, pieces of parchment fluttered and gathered around the Guild President.


    ��You��re Melter from the Heures Forest, right? Hmm, there''s certainly no record like that��


    ��Right?! Hurry up and do something! This Hemu is insane!��


    ��No, there��s no application form from you guys in the first ce. What��s going on? What did you do?��


    ��I witnessed theming out of the portal. Should I call for their person-in-charge?��


    ��Wha, no. Errr��


    Cornered by the Guild President and Evetta-san, the elf shut his mouth.


    ��Should I say it then? You guys�`��


    ��Poe will speak��


    A beastkin from the elf��s party spoke up. He had a young-looking face from the canine family, and ears that stood upright. He was well-built and lightly equipped, but held arge shield.


    ��Melter sold the elf princess and received money from the prince. Person-in-charge is in on it. Form was stolen by the prince��s beastkin��


    ��Poe! Don��t you realize what will happen to us afterwards?!��


    ��Shut up. Don��t care. Can��t trust a person who sells out someone from his own race. Poe might be next. Will never from a party with you again. Goodbye��


    The beastkin left.


    ��Sorry, this is it for us too. Former leader, don''t call out to us anymore, alright?��


    The other elves also left. I thought about shooting them in the back, but I��ll let it be for now. I let go of the string because my hand was tired. The harpoon pierced the floor with a heavy, dull sound.


    ��Hiii, hiii��


    Probably because something like that had grazed his face, the elf lost control of his dder.


    ��Please confine this guy, Guild President. I��m going to rescue Rana��


    ��Do you know her location?��


    ��I only know that she��s on the 10th floor��


    ��What the lowest floor that you��ve reached?��


    ��The 5th floor��


    The Guild President struck the elf with the butt of his staff. I thought for a moment that he was using some sort of magic, but he had simply knocked the elf out using physical means.


    ��Evetta, call Otou-san here. Urgently��


    ��Okay. Souya, please don��t do anything rash until I get back. You absolutely can��t, you hear?��


    Evetta-san dashed off with the speed of a quadruped beast.


    ��Come, you fool. I��ll be on your side just this once. Follow me��


    I pulled out the harpoon and followed behind the Guild President. We stopped in front of a portal.


    ��This is really a special one-time thing. I��m lending a hand because I sympathize with the princess. I��m not doing this for you personally. Don''t get me wrong, okay?��


    ��Make it quick��


    ��You can go down to the 10th floor in one go if I open a rescue portal. Do you want to listen to the few pieces of advice that I have for you?��


    ��Please keep it simple��


    Being able to go to the 10th floor in one go was a happy miscalction. Still, time was precious.


    ��If you determine that the princess can��t be saved, escape and forget everything. The king is a kind person, but he��s still the parent of that idiot prince. Also, I won''t leave any records of the Guild helping you. So do whatever you want. Adventurers are free creatures��


    ��If that idiot prince has his pants down, I��ll probably kill him. Is that okay with you?��


    ��Setting aside the prince, his guards are strong. Don��t die in vain, alright?��


    He hit the portal with his staff. The portal��s color turned red.


    ��Onest thing��


    The Guild President asked.


    ��I��m Solcia, the small wing. A diminutive miracle born as a result of St. Dimast''s madness. Oh, wavering, strong and venerable soul. I wish to leave your name in my memory��


    ��I''m Lumidia, the hidden name. I��m just a fool who shot therge spider to death, and let the dragon eater escape. There''s no need to remember me. I appreciate your help. Farewell, boy��


    The hero inside me had answered without permission. Let this be thest time something like that happens. It��s my body, my will, my life. Be it killing or saving, they��re my sins to bear. So lend me only your skill with the bow. I don��t need anything after that. I don��t want anything. I won��t bear any grudges.


    In response, the will inside my heart resounded, melted, then disappeared.


    I dived into the portal.


    I was engulfed by a torrent of light for an instant before dropping down into darkness.


    The dungeon��s structure wasn��t all that different from the 5th floor. It was made up of stone walls, and was enveloped in darkness.


    ��Izora, can you hear me? Please respond��


    After some static, Izora��s voice rang out from the sses.


    ��Team member Souya. How on earth did you manage to get here?��


    ��I��ll exinter. Your reason for following Rana is also forter. Tell me her current location��


    ��This is her estimated location��


    The map on the sses�� LCD was updated, and a red dot was disyed.


    ��I��m very sorry. Izora was thrown away in surprise when Izora started talking in an attempt to help her escape��


    ��Understood. Let��s meet up��


    ��Understood. Izora will make our routes converge further ahead so that we can meet up��


    The red dot representing Izora was disyed on the map. The locator was also disyed, and the shortest route to the estimated point was indicated. I proceeded to follow it.


    I hurried, but I only went as fast as I could while still suppressing my presence. Although I was able to use the Lycan bow, it didn��t change how frail I was. I couldn��t spare the effort to fight monsters right now.


    After turning a few corners, I saw some human skeletons and pieces of flesh with ungodly forms that were roaming around. I let them pass me by. The dungeon was wider and longer than I had expected. My impatience was building, and my forehead was drenched in cold sweat. My stamina and nerves were being worn down at the same time. I thought about checking my regeneration point, but it was about the tip of my little finger anyways. Just looking at it was probably pointless.


    Atst, I would meet up with Izora before long. Right then,


    ��Ah��


    ��Mya��


    I came across a cat beastkin with tanned skin and short ck hair.


    ��We��re busy with something further ahead-mya. I��ll prefer if you went somewhere else-mya. Hang on, you��re from the bar�`��


    ��Cling, ng, jangle?��


    As the beastkin was speaking, the sound of many gold coins dropping onto the ground could be heard from behind her.


    ��Mya!��


    The beastkin turned back, but all she saw was Izora, which had been disguised as antern. Izora had created the perfect opening. I pulled out a harpoon, and smashed the beastkin��s head in with a full swing.


    ��Kyuu~��


    I didn��t hold back as she was a higher ranked adventurer.


    ��Nice��


    ��d to be of service��


    I high-fived that small arm. Izora and I disarmed the beastkin, tied a gag in her mouth, then tied her hands tightly behind her back. We proceeded to restrain her feet, then tied those restraints to the ones binding her hands. She was now looking pretty charming in the reverse shrimp tie. With this, she was probably incapacitated. Alright, onto the next one.


    ��Izora, maintain a reasonable distance from me, just in case��


    ��Understood. As for the monsters in our vicinity, the knight has defeated them all by herself. There��s probably no need to be careful about that point��


    ��Understood��


    If anything, I had to face the person who did them in all by herself, and two others on top of that. I didn��t waver over whether I would be able to do it. At any rate, it was do-or-die for me.


    ��Team member Souya, a strategy has been formted, but would you like to hear it?��


    ��Of course. Partner��


    After nocking the harpoon to the string, I drew the bow. Breathing slowly, I slid my feet. I was eager, but not impatient. I had only one chance to pull off this sneak attack.


    I could see light. Twonterns were lined up together.


    There was a female knight that showed no openings at the end of the cul-de-sac. She was facing the darkness, as if she was keeping guard. I could not read her gaze because of her helmet. I should be hidden in the darkness, but my heart was beating violently as it felt like our eyes had met. A noblewoman-like magician was leaning against the wall, looking bored. She was holding her own staff, and another that belonged to someone I knew.


    Rana was there.


    She was being held down by the prince.


    My emotions, which felt as if they had exploded, reversed direction and dropped below freezing. If Rana''s clothes were more disturbed, or if the prince had pulled himself out of his pants, I would have probably shot him in the head without thinking.


    ��Come on, this is the first time a woman has resisted like this. A king is bestowing his favor on a lowly woman like you! What��s there to hate about it?��


    ��L, let me go! Are these the actions of the king��s son?!��


    ��Adventurers are free people. The king��s son can at least choose the women he wants to bed. Besides, how much further can the woman who burnt her own people to death fall?��


    The prince grabbed Rana��s thighs roughly with his hands. But Rana fluttered her feet to ward off the prince��s hands. Either Rana was stronger than he had expected, or her fierce resistance was enough to fight him off, but it didn��t seem like he was going to get the deed done.


    ��Tch, Lanseal, lend me a hand��


    ��I refuse, prince. We��re in the dungeon. Who knows what��s lurking in the darkness. Why are you trying to do this kind of thing in a ce like this?��


    ��I wasn��t given much choice, was I? I can��t even go to the brothel because old man Medimu has been making such a fuss about it recently. Just yesterday, he hit me, the prince, just for messing around with a beastkin brat. He couldn��t be more disrespectful!��


    ��������������


    I turned the tip of harpoon towards the speechless knight.


    Could I do it? Or should I shoot the prince first?


    As the tip of the harpoon swayed due to my indecision, the bored-looking magician spoke.


    ��Now, now, my prince. Then, shall I use my marvellous skill to change this foolish princess into a wild prostitute and offer her up to you? Fufufu, she��ll lust after you like a dog in heat. But the insides of her head will be just a little~ bit hollow, like it has been eaten by worms, but that��s okay, right?��


    The magician ced the butt of her staff on Rana''s forehead.


    ��Princess, it��s tough, isn��t it? Falling to the world of themon people that you aren��t ustomed to, and being yed around by what the elves call ��boorish Hemus��. But that all ends today. I��ll let you forget about everything. Everything is all inside a dream. Submerge your soul into a lewd, alluring dream, and you��ll be a vulgar bitch that shakes her hips for all that is male from now on��


    ��Stop, it, please��


    Rana''s face twisted in anguish.


    ��Hahaha. A female dog, huh? That��s great. I had just been thinking that I wanted another one. Should I make the fellow dogs lick each other first?��


    ��Prince!?��


    The knight turned towards the prince and raised a critical voice against him.


    Right then,


    An arrow was shot from pitch-ck darkness.


    The magician was pierced through her side and mmed against the wall. She lost consciousness while still beingpletely unaware of the situation. Two staves rolled onto the ground.


    I held the bow vertically. A harpoon, which I was using as an arrow, was nocked on the right side of the bow. I pulled the string back until it reached maximum tension. With my current skill, it would hit exactly where I wanted it to.


    ��Prince! Get down!��


    I released my fingers and, like a whip, the string thrummed as the arrow snapped through the air.


    The knight��s reaction was fast.


    The knight received the arrow, which had the force of a cannonball, head-on with her shield. The shield bent as the arrow split open and broke. The knight��s body was blown back a little. I nocked the next arrow.


    Unsure if she should advance on me or protect the prince, the knight hesitated.


    I did not hesitate. I pulled the string back and released another arrow. The discordant sounds of metal rang out.


    Compared to the first arrow, the knight didn��t pull back much. She had held her shield at an angle to divert its power. She had already adapted. This person was really impressive.


    ��Why don��t you show yourself?! You coward!��


    The knight yelled. It was an out of ce request, but I decided to take advantage of it.


    ��Aren''t the people who ganged up and assaulted a lone woman the real cowards?��


    ��You��re the one from the bar��


    ��Souya!��


    When my figure was projected in their eyes, the knight and Rana showed their surprise.


    ��Impossible. There��s no way a feeble guy like that can pull off something like this��


    The prince was ignored.


    ��If you say that I��m a coward, then I��ll crush you head-on. I still have four of these harpoons for hunting big fish that I��m using as arrows. If you can withstand them, then it��s the knight-sama��s win. I��ll just disappear into darkness like this. If you can��t withstand them, I��ll crush that prince''s balls. He gets pleasure from being fancied by dogs, right? It��s better if I castrate him��


    ��YOUUU!!!��


    ��I��ll take that challenge��


    The knight interrupted the prince and epted my challenge.


    ��Alright, let''s get started��


    After saying that, I shot arrows in rapid session. There wasn��t much power behind them. They were easily blocked by her shield. The knight was closing the distance between us. Calm down, pull, aim, and release.


    She dodged under the arrow with a low posture. The missed arrownded beside the magician. The knight had read the course of the arrow instantly from my line of sight.


    A light bulb went off in my head, and I shot the next arrow at the ground while keeping my eyes fixed on her.


    The arrow ricocheted off the ground and hit her shield directly. At that angle, the power of the arrow could not be diverted. The air felt more viscous as time slowed, and I saw the arrow smash through the shield and graze the knight''s helmet. Her skirt flipped up, and I saw a fluttering bit of silver.


    The knight discarded her shield, but she did not hesitate and kept on moving.


    The distance between us was already less than six meters. She had the speed of a beast, and she didn��t move like her whole body was covered in armor. She was a match for Evetta-san. Just a little more, and I would be cornered.


    I took deliberate aim.


    The angle was such that the prince would be hit if she dodged.


    Victory or defeat would be settled in an instant.


    I released the arrow. At the same time, the knight whipped out her sword.


    It looked like a superhuman feat. She had unsheathed her sword and swung it in one motion, cutting the arrow into halves that rolled behind her.


    She had shed instead of thrusting, but other than that, it was very simr to the swordsmanship used by Shuna. While maintaining a low posture, the sword swung by the knight stopped with its de a paper��s width from my neck.


    ��You��ve lost. That skill with the bow is truly admirable. I��ve not seen even five archers with the strength to destroy this shield that had been bestowed by the king. Truly, it��s admirable��


    ��Kill him! Lanseal! He pulled a bow on a prince, you know?!��


    ��You should withdraw. You��re not a human who should be on the side of the elves��


    The prince was ignored once again.


    This person was probably not a bad person. She seemed quite hardheaded though.


    ��Thank you. But it''s not over yet��


    I passed through the knight''s body and shot an arrow at the prince. The arrow pierced through the prince''s shoulder and pinned him to the wall.


    ��GYAAAAAAAA!��


    It was a dirty scream.


    ��What?!��


    I shot an arrow at the distracted knight. It didn��t prate, but the chest portion of her armor was greatly damaged, and got blown off. I had a peek of white skin.


    ��It��s alright now��


    The hologram of me that had been projected by Izora disappeared. Only then did I step out of the darkness for the first time. In addition, my deration about the number of arrows had also been a lie.


    I followed up by shooting another arrow at her leg. It didn��t prate again, but the armor was crushed. The impact damage was getting through. Shoulders, knees, elbows, I was in no way dealing enough damage to make her bleed. Because she was much higher ranked than me, I did not let my guard slip at all. I shot with the intention of using up all my arrows. Even if the knight was showing absolutely no signs of resistance, I continued shooting without letting my guard down.


    The fingers that I extended into the quiver cut through air.


    Kicking up an arrow that had fallen to the ground with my foot, I pulled it back as far as it would go, then released. It hit the knight��s head. The helmet broke apart and her head mmed against the floor. Long silver hair spilled out, and her animal ears flopped out. Then, blood finally flowed. That��s good. I had thought for a moment that she couldn��t be killed.


    ��Ple, ase��


    ��That��s amazing. You��re still conscious?��


    If it was me, I would have died 30 times.


    ��You can do whatever you like to this body, the prince�`��


    ��Who cares?��


    I kicked her in the head. I had nothing more to say to her. And I wasn��t going to lick my chops sleazily for an offer like that, and was definitely not going to let my guard down to the bitter end. Against a strong person like her, I won��t feel at ease even if only her head remained. Of course, I had absolutely no mercy for her. I��ll kill her as painlessly as possible.


    I recovered the arrows, and stood in front of the knight once more. I nocked an arrow.


    Reverse shrimp tie, also known as the Japanese hog-tie, is a specific��, well��, you know��, "50 shades of grey" method of tying someone up����


    It was kinda heart-warming that Izora finally had a chance to strut her stuff, after she had been moping around for so long feeling like she was useless, and be acknowledged as a partner by Souya.


    Whenever ites to stuff like this, Souya flips a switch and bes like a cold-blooded machine, doesn''t he. I wonder what happened to make him this way. Stay tuned for the final part of the chapter to see how this arc ends!

 Chapter 13.3: Arrow Shot From Pitch-Black Darkness VI - (3)

    <h4>Chapter 13.3: Arrow Shot From Pitch-ck Darkness VI - (3)</h4>


    ��Souya, stop. Any more, and she��ll die��


    I was stopped by Rana. I hesitated, but strangely, I obeyed. But just to be safe, I took a harpoon that had only the tip left, and at an angle that could not be seen by Rana, I stabbed the knight��s thigh with its tip. If the poison was effective, she would not be able to move for a while.


    ��Rana, are you alright? Did they do anything to you?��


    ��Yes, I��m alright��


    She was a little bit dirty, but she didn��t seem to have been harmed in a way that would leave scars. But, just in case,


    ��Lemurian prince-dono. Tell me, did you do anything to her?��


    I nocked an arrow and asked the prince. I��ll listen to what he has to say.


    ��Do you know what you��ve done? My father won��t stay silent over something like this! And all the other vassals will definitely get revenge on everyone involved, including you and that woman��


    Wow, this guy is worthless.


    Truthfully, it would be better to not waste my breath on him, but I��ll try to reason with him.


    ��By the way, I should tell you that I��m a greenhorn adventurer who has only reached the 5th floor. I came to this floor using a rescue portal, but the person who opened the portal said that he''ll forget all about the fact that he had sent me here. As a matter of fact, there were no witnesses as well��


    The elf who had betrayed Rana had been knocked unconscious by the Guild President, and while it was possible that we had been seen by other staff, the destination of the portal I dived into should still be a secret.


    ��As far as Rana is concerned, here is her application form that I stole from your party member��


    I showed him the form that I had stolen from the beastkin earlier, lit it on fire with a lighter, and watched it burn to ashes.


    ��The members of the party that betrayed her have also been erased. Without a trace. Then, we''ll just make a quick exit after I feed all of your corpses to the monsters. Where would they find anyone to get revenge on? In the first ce, who��s going to believe that the son of the king of adventurers and his many strong party members lost to just one greenhorn adventurer?��


    ��Y, you������


    Had this idiot finally understood the position that he was in? Teaching idiots was difficult. Training cats and dogs was a hundred times easier.


    ��I��ll ask you just one more time. Think carefully, then answer. What did you do to her?��


    ��I, it��s a failed attempt. I haven��t done anything yet��


    In deference to that stupid face, I��ll believe him.


    ��Then, next is�`��


    ��Souya, you��re going too far. It��s already enough, really��


    ��Eh?��


    I had thought that Rana might say something like that, and she really did.


    ��Rana. What this guy was going to do to you, is something that people would hesitate to speak of in public. Forgiving him in a word like this is�`��


    ��It��s attempted only. Now that you��ve saved me, everything is alright��


    ��No, this cannot bepromised��


    I knew quite well that she��s stubborn. But that won��t do. This kind of person would misunderstand the fact that he did not receive any punishment as a stroke of good fortune, and would do this kind of thing again.


    ��Hmmm, at the very least, it��s really the bare minimum, you must apologize to Rana��


    ��Are you telling me to apologize with my shoulder pinned to the wall like this?��


    He��s really an obnoxious person. Even if we exchanged blows on a dried riverbank at sunset, this guy is the one person I would never be friends with.


    ��Team member Souya. Movement detected. Izora believes it to be another party��


    ��You can apologize at ater date. Just so you know, I can shoot a hole in you from virtually anywhere, so if you ever try to mess with Rana again, I��ll start with your balls, just as I had promised the knight-sama��


    ����������������


    He was silent.


    I lowered the bow and quickly retrieved the arrows. I pulled out the one that had struck the magician, and dumped her on the ground somewhat unceremoniously. It was the first time that I had such a strong urge to kill such a beautiful woman.


    ��You, burghh��


    nting my foot on his face, I pulled out the arrow that had impaled the prince.


    ��This is���� My body is������


    ��It��s a paralytic poison. There��s no danger of dying from it. Probably��


    It appeared that the poison had spread quite well.


    ��Izora, there��s nothing that can be used as evidence, right?��


    ��Yes��


    I picked up Izora and hung her at my waist. Rana��s staff was also stowed together with the arrows on my back.


    ��I��m sorry. Now that it''s over������


    Rana''s legs were trembling. That wasn��t a problem at all.


    ��Kyaa��


    I carried the princess in my arms.* No matter what, you��ll never hear me admit that she was heavier than Ea. It was a weight that I was happy to bear.


    ��Let''s go home��


    I ran through the dungeon while avoiding people and monsters. Because the knight-sama had reduced the monsters�� numbers, we did not run into any enemies on our way back. Since we had some leeway, I praised Izora.


    ��That was a wonderful strategy, Izora. You can do something like that, huh?��


    ��Izora used a 20th century movie as reference. In fact, this capability is meant for projecting movies. The Japanese like to add unnecessary functions, but it came in useful this time. One of these days, Izora will show you all the movies that were made by Ed Wood, the person we talked about the other day��


    Isn��t that the worst movie director in history? Are you doing okay?


    From inside my arms, Rana spoke to Izora.


    ��I��m so sorry, Izora-sama. Myntern suddenly talked to me, so I thought that it had been possessed by evil spirits��


    ��Don��t worry about it. It��s Izora��s fault for secretly disguising myself as yourntern. It��s just that Izora could predict what team member Souya would do if you were ever in danger, so Izora wanted to be one step ahead. It doesn��t change the fact that Izora��s actions were incredibly rude. Please ept Izora��s apologies��


    ��I forgive you. And thank you��


    Arriving at the portal, we dived in.


    We had returned to the reception area.


    ��Souya! Otou-san has just gone in to pick both of you up�`, huh?��


    Evetta-san called out to me, then looked confused when she saw me with Rana in my arms.


    ��Evetta,e here for a second. I''ll treat you lunch today, so decide what you want to eat right this instant��


    ��No, rather than that. This, huh? Eh? Why?��


    ��Forget it. Forget everything you just saw. Don''t get involved~ Your work will increase~��


    The Guild President drew Evetta-san��s attention away, then waved a��hurry up and go��at us. I felt bad, but I slipped away and left as I didn��t want to trouble them any further.


    ��Umm, I can walk on my own already��


    Rana told me that once we were outside. Certainly, the city streets wereing alive with pedestrians. We were subtly eye-catching.


    ��There��s a ce that I want to drop by for a short while, so let me carry you until we reach there��


    ��If that��s what you want, then I don��t particrly mind it though��


    Rana put both hands around my neck. Big. Those things that were encircled by her arms were big. Also, her gaze was pointed incredibly straight at me. Her golden eyes seemed to draw a person in. When our eyes met, she smiled sweetly. Embarrassed, turned away, turned back, smiled, contagious awkwardughter. An unequalled smile.


    It��s no use. She��s so darn cute. Also, the timing was right, so I asked.


    ��Rana, would you like to form a party with me?��


    ��Yes, with pleasure��


    I was so happy that it felt like I was going to start skipping.


    After that exchange, we reached the bar that was directly managed by the Kingdom of Lemuria��s Adventurers�� Guild. This bar has a formal name, but I couldn��t read its sign. It said,


    ��Raging Bull and Silver Fox bar?��


    ��Huh?��


    ��No, that��s what it says, right? On that sign��


    ��Yes��


    I read it. I was able to read it as if it had been tranted into Japanese from a foreignnguage. How?


    Setting that aside for now, I ignored what others might think and entered the bar with Rana still in my arms. The sun was still high in the sky so there were barely any customers, but all the other members of my party were already there. They were talking cheerfully but were startled when they saw the two of us. I stopped in front of their table.


    ��Irvin, Shuna, Beltoriche and Zenobia-san. I��m sorry!��


    I lowered my head slightly. Then turned to leave the bar.


    ��Eh, huhh?! Wait, hang on a minute, Onii-san! I don��t get it! I don��t understand a single thing!��


    ��Don''t stop me! Look at this situation and deduce it! Read between the lines!��


    ��Even the god of knowledge can��t read between the lines in this situation! Exin!��


    Bel grabbed hold of my poncho.


    ��Neither me, nor anyone else understands what��s going on, so exin it properly��


    Even Shuna was stopping me and forcing me to take a seat. There was no helping it, so Rana sat down beside me.


    ��Before everything, introductions are in order. Who is she?��


    For now, I answered Irvin''s obvious question.


    ��This is Rauaryuna Raua Heures-sama. A princess from the nearby Heures Forest. Earlier, she agreed to join the party��


    ��A princess!��


    Bel��s eyes lit up.


    ��Look, Shuna-chan, look. She��s super cute. It��s the first time I��ve seen a princess in the flesh. It''s a princess in the flesh!��


    ��Eh, umm. That��s right��


    Shuna was blushing and acting nervously.


    ��No, I��m indeed the daughter of the chief who brought together the forest ns, but I��m now an adventurer just like everyone. There��s no meaning in something like the title of princess��


    ��N, noble��


    ��P, pretty��


    Bel trembled at Rana''s aura. With her knock-out smile on top of it, Shuna was dazzled. Irvin was just watching calmly.


    ��Ohh. Is everyone finally here? You��rete���� !!!��


    The barkeeper came over, then, with a loud sound, went on one knee and ced one hand on his chest.


    ��Please forgive my rudeness, Rauaryuna-sama. I''ve heard a lot about the many times that my nephew had been discourteous to you. Even at the cost of my lowly self, I��ll definitely make him pay for it someday. This is a ce where fools like these gather, but please enjoy yourself eating and drinking in good health today��


    ��Please enjoy yourself��


    Bel and Shuna imitated the barkeeper.


    ��Please stop that. It��s really alright. Souya, please say something as well��


    ��The princess can��t stand formalities. Be at ease,moners��


    ��Souya!��


    When I teased her, my shoulder was given a pummelling. Hahaha, it doesn''t hurt at all~.


    For some reason, Bel��s smile froze.


    ��Umm, what kind of rtionship do the two of you have?��


    ��Even if you ask me what kind it is������


    Rana was troubled. I was also troubled. We were troubled by the two who were looking at each other.


    ��What do you think about this? A suspicious adult rtionship?��


    ��I don''t know. It��s getting on my nerves for some reason��


    Bel asked, while Shuna grew irritated.


    ��Well, why are you together with the elven princess? Why did you let her join the party without asking our permission?��


    Irvin asked dispassionately.


    ��That is��������


    I was at a loss as to where I should start.


    ��Oh, it��s the foreigner. Thank you for this morning-nya��


    Tyutyu appeared, wearing a waitress uniform. She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The physical intimacy had be more passionate than before. After she left,


    ��Ouch��


    Rana pinched my side and Bel kicked my shin. Both of you, why?


    ��Master, I heard an interesting story on my way here-nya��


    ��Ohh? What is it about?��


    Oh, crap.


    ��The prince got beaten up pretty badly-nya. His guards were also full of holes, like they were stabbed with spears or something-nya��


    ��Ahh, I thought that something like that would happen to him someday. But who��s the culprit? There aren��t many adventurers and the like who can beat Lanseal, right?��


    ��That��s unknown-nya. The prince and his guards can''t speak at the moment because of poison or something. Maybe it was some unidentified monster with an evil title-nya��


    ��Hmm���� Oh, sorry about interrupting the conversation, you guys��


    The barkeeper apologized.


    Irvin had a harpoon in his hand. It was one of mine. When did that happen? Even though I��m extremely wary of pickpockets, when exactly did he steal it?


    ��You��re carrying something interesting. Is this a spear?��


    Irvin asked impassively.


    ��It��s a harpoon used by fishmen to hunt big fish. It��s something that an acquaintance sold me��


    When he was about to touch its tip, I leaned forward and snatched the harpoon away.


    ��That��s dangerous��


    ��Because there��s poison?��


    ����������


    Irvin sighed deeply. The expression on the barkeeper��s face changed. I had been found out.


    ��No, err......��


    I hung my head and stuttered. I could tell them about it, but people might die if I irresponsibly got them involved. In the end, the extent of what I could protect, was only the things that I could wrap both my hands around. They were more than what I could handle. *


    ��������������Rana, let''s go��


    I got up from my seat.


    I''m begging all of you, please take the hint.


    The barkeeper grabbed my shoulders and forcibly pressed me back into my seat. He then said,


    ��Tyutyu, I��m sorry, but please go home for today. Here, your pay��


    ��Huh, for real?! Amazing-nya, today��s such lucky day for me-nya!��


    The barkeeper handed Tyutyu a copper coin and sent her packing. In addition, the other customers were also given money then chased out of the bar. He locked the entrance, then returned. The only ones left in the now-empty bar were us and the barkeeper.


    ��Now, as promised, I��ll read the history of thest person. Come on, take it out��


    Is this how he wants to y it?


    Reluctantly, I took the scroll out of my backpack. I wished fervently that it had gotten wet and had be useless, but my backpack waspletely waterproof so it was perfectly fine.


    ��Rasta Oru Razva, a follower of Vindoobunikuru, will read the history of the adventurer�D�D�D�D��


    Abbreviated.


    The barkeeper spread the scroll open. After it had been spread open, just like the time with the Guild President, light shone from his hand onto the scroll.


    ��Uses beginner elven archery. Hmm? It says, acquired advanced Velsvain archery��


    ��Velsvain? I''ve heard that name before. Where did I hear it?��


    Shuna tilted his head.


    The barkeeper answered.


    ��Velsvain-sama is dvain-sama��s grandmother. She wasn''t particrly blessed with talent in terms of martial prowess, but the martial arts school that she founded produced many well-known knights, adventurers, and heroes. It was the number one martial arts school on the left continent. I heard that the school was abolished after a long period of conflict, but how did a person from foreignnds acquire one of its skills?��


    That was a very difficult question.


    ��It��s this��


    I showed them the Heures�� arm protector.


    ��If you put this on, then, with this and that������


    ��Eh? Huh? My family treasure has such an ability? Certainly, it contains magic power, but not enough to have an effect on people. My brother treated it like trash, and my sister only wears it because she likes its ornaments��


    Rana was the one who was most mystified by my answer.


    The barkeeper��s expression became solemn.


    ��I can feel curse power���� I suspect that it��s probably an item that affects a particr race or person��


    ��Why did an elven treasure affect a Hemu�`��


    Bel covered Shuna��s mouth to stifle his question. Well done, you read between the lines this time.


    ��I want to say that I��m going to continue reading, but that��s all that��s written on the scroll. So, is there anything that you want to say to your party members with your own mouth?��


    I suppose he was right.


    He had gone to the extent of deliberately clearing everyone out of the bar. It seems like I had no choice but to talk.


    ��My name is Souya. I''m from Japan, a foreignnd. My purpose is to obtain a material on the 56th floor of the dungeon. My main god is Misuranika-sama. And I��m also the kin of Gravius-sama, the night owl. The reason my history disappears from the scroll seems to be due to Misuranika-sama��s influence. Sorry��


    ��Misuranika, of misdeeds. Also known as Misuranika, the dark fire��


    Irvin grimaced.


    ��Isn''t that the god that��s recognized by St. Lyridias as the god of misdeeds? What in the zes��


    At his wit��s end, he buried his head in his hands.


    I felt bad for some reason.


    ��In addition, all of you have to promise to never repeat what I��m going to say from now on. It��s for the sake of everyone��s safety as well��


    I took the bow from my back and ced it on the table. I put the harpoon that I had snatched back from Irvin beside it.


    ��Today, with this bow and arrow, I shot the Lemurian prince��


    ��He did it to protect me. He definitely didn��t do it for nefarious reasons��


    Rana said.


    ��Did you draw your bow on the Lemurian royal family to protect the elven royal family?��


    Irvin, who had the best grasp of the situation, cried out in anguish. I��m really very sorry. A question mark floated above Shuna��s head.


    ��What''s wrong with that? Isn��t that cool? Besides, I only hear bad things about that prince��


    ��Right?! He also roughed up a beastkin child who had be our friend. That isn��t something a prince should do��


    The boy and the girl came to my defense.


    And that was what I was the most afraid of.


    ��You guys don��t get it. A mere adventurer simply cannot go against the royal family. You��ll be easily crushed. All of you are here because you have a purpose for being an adventurer, right? Can you throw it all away and act for the sake of this man?��


    Errr, ummm. ������������Oh, right.


    Zenobia-san spoke out against them.


    ��Souya. I get the feeling that you forgot about my presence��


    ������That��s not true��


    ��That subtle pause there������


    Zenobia-san wrapped it up.


    ��I��m opposed to forming a party with Souya. I came to the dungeon for the sake of deepening my knowledge, and for finding a future husband. I want no part in getting into a dispute with the royal family��


    After Zenobia said her piece, it was Irvin��s turn.


    ��Souya, are you going to cut ties with that elf����, no, that��s boorish, isn��t it? ����I��m also opposed. Like I��ve mentioned before, I can��t be in a party with elves��


    Next was Shuna and Bel.


    ��I approve. dvain-sama said before that I should be on the side of those who are righteous. Besides, I can��t stand those people who do whatever they want by holding their power and authority over other people��s heads��


    ��I also approve. That prince is the enemy of women��


    The barkeeper asked me.


    ��It''s split. What are you going to do?��


    ��I��m opposed. I can''t be in a party with all of you��


    ��Why?!��


    The boy and the girl booed me. Shuna strangled me from behind, and Bel sat on myp and pulled both my cheeks. I had no choice but to try to persuade them.


    ��Shuna, Bel, both of you know too little about the world. Making enemies of an organization is a very difficult and troublesome matter. Moreover, the opponent is royalty and the king of adventurers!��


    Rana''s eyes were very stern, so Bel got off myp. Shuna, who was leaning on me, was left alone. I couldn��t see his facial expression, but he sounded hurt.


    ��Then you''ll need a fighting force, won''t you? I don''t think that I��m weak��


    ��Shuna, you��re strong. But blood will flow, and there are people who won��t forgive that. Bel will probably hate your opponent if you get hurt. She might even challenge the enemy to a reckless fight. Conversely, if Bel got hurt, you��ll be the one challenging thoughtlessly. Furthermore, dvain��s kin might all act for your sake as well. If that happens, then it��s already a war. And war is the one thing I wish to avoid��


    I tried to strengthen my point by putting forth a sound argument.


    It seemed like I had just barely managed to convince Bel, but Shuna still remained unconvinced. I��ll talk a little bit more then.


    ��The two of you, no, Irvin and Zenobia-san too, we��re bonded by once being in the same party and adventuring together. If any of you ever got hurt for unreasonable reasons, I��ll probably never forgive the person who did it. That��s why we can��t be in the same party anymore. If I myself be the very reason that causes any of you to get hurt, I won��t know how to forgive myself��


    It took a while for the reply toe.


    In his own way, he was struggling internally, and was probably trying to ept it. When he became able to understand such things right away, he would have be an adult. Which meant that I was still very much a child.


    ��������������Hmpt, I get it now��


    Shuna stomped away.


    Zenobia-san spread her arms wide open. Shuna ignored her and sat down beside Irvin. Irvin consoled him by patting him on the head.


    That aside,


    ��Even without me, the four of you are going to form a party, right?��


    ��Yeah, of course��


    Satisfied with Irvin''s answer, I got up from my seat and took Rana��s hand.


    I gathered my things, and said myst goodbyes.


    ��I suppose this is goodbye. Everyone.�������� Just think that it wasn��t meant to be, and forget about me��


    Actually, this might not really warrant an exnation, since it wasn��t really a joke or someplicated wordy. But well, the literal wording here was ��I carried the princess in a princess carry��. I think that most readers will have no problem understanding what a princess carry is. Except the princess carry is actually called the bridal carry in English, and people who aren��t familiar with Japanese culture may not know what it is. And a princess carry also doesn��t have quite the same significance in Japan as a bridal carry does in other cultures, emphasis on the word bridal, so I felt that putting that in would implicate stuff that wasn��t meant to be implicated in that sentence. So, no mention of the carry name in the text + note is what I went with.


    Well, I guess we know now who kicked Souya��s shin back in chapter 7. Was that a surprise? It was to me. I was sure it was Shuna, but turns out someone is a bit more jealous than they look.


    Very interesting double meaning here. ��They were more than what I could handle�� can also be ��They were more than I deserved��. This part was written ambiguously so that both can be used. I used the 1st one because it more directly rted to what he was talking about at that moment, but if you��ve read till the end, you know that the 2nd one actually applies as well.


    It might not be super clear, but yes, Souya forgot Zenobia��s name for a second there during the narration���� �c(��`��)


    For those who unlocked the chapters early, thank you so much for your support. However, I made a mistake with the gender of the lone beast-person who got tied up by Souya in 13.2. Her gender was never specifically written so I had to guess but I only realized she was a girl when prepping chapter 14, so that scene is now a bit naughtier than before lol.


    Finally, a shoutout to my patron, Streye, for perfectly predicting, many chapters ago, that Souya��s squabble with the prince would affect him trying to be in the party. Still, that was pretty sad, wasn''t it?

 Chapter 14: The Foreigner, Exploring The Dungeon Was Out Of The Question I - Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 14: The Foreigner, Exploring The Dungeon Was Out Of The Question I - Part 1</h4>


    ��It��s the first alternate world exploration debriefing. Requesting cooperation from project participants��


    ��Okay��


    It was nighttime.


    Izora��s voice rang out.


    I was the only person in the tent. Misuranika-sama was in the sisters�� tent. They were probably having a women��s-only talk.


    ��Please give a report on the progress of the project��


    ��Currently, I��ve reached the 5th floor of the dungeon. Unofficially, I went to the 10th floor using a rescue portal. However, I didn��t validate the portal.


    One thing led to another and I cut ties with my original party members. However, I formed a party with a magician. She��s an elf, and a princess, and cute.


    I received a mysterious power from this side and was blessed with great skill with the bow. It��s amazing! I hit an empty bottle behind me with a no-look shot. It was 50 meters away, you know?! It felt like it was something that I had been able to do naturally for decades. I also became able to read the officialnguage of this world, perhaps as an effect of the same blessing.


    Currently, I��ve received the cooperation of Geto Bado, the fishman from Mojubafuru. Neutral parties include the Adventurers�� Guild, Zavua Night Owl Company, and Eruomea West Phoenixpany. The Lemurian prince, G-whatshisface, is hostile towards me��


    Only one letter of his name had remained in my memory.


    ��Understood. Here��s the result after consolidating the information and calcting the probability. Probability of sess for the project is 2%��


    ��It went up! It went up an amazing amount! Isn��t that iparably higher?!��


    The excitement was palpable.


    ��Yes, that��s right! It��s the lowest number ever for humanity, but a great achievement for you personally! Team member Souya, you��ve gotten stronger, haven��t you?��


    ��Hehe, it��s because you guys were there for me��


    I puffed out my chest, proud of how unusually excited Izora was.


    ��Well, that��s enough of this farce��


    Ehhh����


    You��ve ruined everything.


    ��A 2% probability of sess might sound good, but what do you think about the 98% probability of failure? What do you think, huh?��


    ��It makes me want to die��


    ��Yes, recognizing the current situation correctly is the first step to sess. Here��s the result from Izora��s consultation with Makina. Izora will respect your opinion and your wishes as much as possible. Or rather, Izora has already given up. You threw away the guns so easily, did what Izora told you not to do, helped others even though Izora told you of theplications involved, used resources excessively when cooking, lost your temper when others wasted food, looked at all the women with lecherous eyes, and�D�D�D�D��


    ��That''s enough��


    I stopped her as it didn��t seem like it was going to end any time soon.


    ��However, you��ve obtained a power that��s a substitute for the guns. This might possibly be something that the other team members wouldn��t have been able to achieve. Izora will praise you for that. However! ����������You got embroiled in a ridiculous affair at the same time. If you want to know just how ridiculous it is, it��s so ridiculous that Izora got locked by Makina, and can��t even talk about it at Izora��s own discretion. When I tried, ��There��s a possibility that you��re affected by a serious mental disorder��. But~ Izora can��t speak at her own discretion~. HAHA��


    She��s really breaking down, isn��t she?


    No, this might in fact be her true personality.


    ��Here��s thest question for today. Team member Souya, do you wish to abandon the project?��


    ��No. There��s still much more that can be done. I��ll give up only after I��ve tried everything��


    ��Okay, that��s what Izora thought you would say. There��s a quote like this in Izora��s country:��It''s only those who do nothing that make no mistakes��. Well then, good night. It��s windy today so please keep yourself warm when you sleep��


    Obtaining a new strength, fighting for my life, and parting with party members; it had been a chaotic day. But the night passed uneventfully. Misuranika-sama did not return to my tent in the end. It felt like the first time in a long while that I had slept alone.


    ��11th day��


    It was a new morning.


    ��Good morning��


    Rana''s smile was dazzling. It felt like I was being purified, and if I was a little bit more evil, I would have vanished.


    ��Good morning��


    I replied then prepared breakfast. It turned out fairly well. Geto-san also came, and a familiar dining scene spread out before my eyes. The food that was being eaten was normal, but the people doing the eating were pretty abnormal.


    A fishman, a god with the appearance of a cat, and an elven princess.


    It probably wasn''t normal even by the standards of this world.


    Geto-san went home, Misuranika-sama went back to sleep, and Rana washed the dishes with me. I did decline, but she insisted, so I let her help me. Our shoulders almost touching as we washed the dishes. Would I, whose heart was pounding because of something like that, be okay going forward? I felt uneasy. Do your best, my reason.


    ��Is Ea still not feeling well?��


    I distracted myself with a serious topic. She had beenid up in bed sincest night. I hadn''t seen her this morning either.


    Rana��s smile turned wooden.


    ��Yes��


    I faintly felt a hint of coldness. I was in two minds whether I should pry or leave it be. While I wavered, I was interrupted by the sound of horses neighing.


    A carriage was approaching. The coachman was an elderly man.


    ��Rana, the tent��


    Nodding, she hid inside the tent. I ced the bow beside me so that I could draw it at any time. I hid one arrow behind my back.


    ��Sorry abouting here so early in the day��


    Otou-san came out of the carriage��s cab.


    ��The king is summoning you and the princess. Will youply?��


    ��If I refuse?��


    ��More and more people wille every day to ask you��


    What a in form of harassment. What would happen if I got prepared and went with him, and to what extent could I trust the father of adventurers?


    ��On one condition. I would like to drop in on all my acquaintances along the way, and tell them that Otou-san is bringing me to see the king��


    I��ll harass you too. If something bad happens to me, I��ll at least sully Otou-san��s name.


    ��That''s fine. And I��ll say this ahead of time. If the king decides to imprison or execute you, I��ll put my life on the line to help you escape. I��ll arrange a boat to the left continent for you. If he��s such a foolish king, I��ll even fight the next war on the elves�� side. Still can��t trust me?��


    ��No, I can��t��


    He was praised as the father of adventurers by others. It wasn��t a title given by me. Rumors of people were always embellished, and even legends that became poems were mixed with falsehoods. I had juste to that painful realization the other day.


    That��s why I won��t trust even the father of adventurers. I��ll trust only the people that I��ve appraised personally.


    ��So be it��


    Otou-san jerked his chin towards the carriage, saying��get on��. Rana, who had been listening closely, came out of the tent. We made eye contact and I had her get on the carriage first. Carrying my bow, I entered the tent and grabbed as many arrows as I could. Then I put on all my equipment. Hanging Izora at my waist, I had Makina get ready to evacuate Ea.


    ��Misuranika-sama, we''re going to see the king for a bit��


    ��I��m going too��


    ��I��m sorry. Can you please stay with Ea?��


    ��Hmm, no��


    Misuranika-sama climbed on top of my shoulder.


    ��You ignored my advice. For the time being, I''ll ignore yours too��


    ��Okay��


    She was bearing a grudge. No, the matter with Rana and Ea was my fault. I had allowed my personal feelings to get the better of me. But there had been nothing I could do to stop it. I��m a man after all.


    I got on the carriage together with Misuranika-sama. The interior of the cab was narrow and simple. I naturally sat down beside Rana.


    ��Otou-san, is this attire alright?��


    ��Being fully equipped is the formal attire for adventurers, isn��t it? Common folk shouldn��t worry about such things��


    Rana looked down at her own appearance. She had removed all her pouches and essories, and only had her staff and a white robe on. However, stains that hadn��te off after washing the robe could be subtly seen. The fabric was also damaged in several ces. I didn''t miss the indescribable expression that had shed across her face.


    Misuranika-sama was fast asleep.


    ��Speaking of which, Souya. That t stuffed bread was really delicious. Even though you said that it was portable food, I ate it all up before I even reached the dungeon��


    ��Is that so?��


    It was the greatness of curry powder. I must say that although she wasn��t the type to voraciously scarf down food like Evetta-san, Rana could really eat as well. She was the type that used her spoon and hands elegantly while silently clearing her te. It was really worthwhile making food for her.


    ��And this morning''s Tekkadon and fish soup. I want to eat them again��


    For breakfast, I had used yesterday��s big fish and some of the precious rice to make Tekkadon.


    I had initially thought that the big fish was whale, but it turned out to be firm-fleshed tuna. ording to Geto-san, it appeared to be the same size as a humpback whale from our side. As the big fish would ravage the area where the fishmen lived, it seemed to be a tradition for the entire n to go hunt it down when one appeared.


    There would be a problem with parasites if it was eaten raw, so Makina took care of it with aser. But just in case, I smoked it lightly. I dipped it in soy sauce and put it on top of sushi rice. It was delicious. It was really delicious. It was the greatness of rice.


    ��What? You used to be a chef?��


    Asked Otou-san, in an interested voice.


    ��Yes, that��s right��


    Came Rana''s reply.


    ��No, that��s wrong��


    I responded.


    The carriage entered the city.


    First, we stopped by the Zavua merchantpany to buy new clothes for Rana. Otou-san paid for it.��Don��t worry. I��ll put it on the king��s tab��How was I supposed to not worry about that? Well, it would be bad to hold back, so we bought even more clothes for Ea, women��s necessities like underwear, and arge amount of daily necessities. We couldn��t carry it all so I asked them to deliver whatever we couldn��t carry to the camp.


    Next was the Eruomea West Phoenixpany. After an enthusiastic wee from the Chairman, we bought three bottles of quite expensive liquor. We brought them to the military police station. I was asked,��A bribe?��, so I answered,��It��s a bribe��and handed him a bottle. We went to the Raging Bull and Silver Fox bar next, gave a bottle to the barkeeper, and was told,��If you were going to buy liquor, you might as well have brought it here��. He was absolutely right. We went to Tyutyu��s store, and Otou-san fished out Barfuru-sama, who had been floating in the river again. The bottle of liquor was drunk as a hangover cure. Same as me, it didn��t seem to matter to this person whether the liquor was cheap or expensive.


    I showed my face at the Adventurers'' Guild. I trusted the Guild President and Evetta-san, but taking their position into consideration, they were not on my side. Asking them to be neutral would be cruel.


    ��Well, it��s okay now��


    ��Alright��


    After I had finished telling my acquaintances that I was headed for the royal castle, I realized something. Didn��t this seem like I was saying my goodbyes before Ieaving? Wait just a minute, I had only reached the 10th floor so far. What��s more, that was unofficial, so the deepest I had gone was actually only the 5th floor. Five floors. My adventure hadn��t started at all. And yet, why did it give off a feeling like it was already over?


    ��Souya, are you alright? You don��t look so good��


    ��No, I''m just disgusted by my own ipetence��


    ��Please have confidence in yourself��


    She held my hand.


    ��You��re doing great. No matter whatints other people or gods may have, I��m grateful to you, and no matter what happens from now on, I��m on your side��


    Rana''s kindness was painful. Was there anything I could do to repay her? And could I skillfully strike a bnce between that and my own objective? Was this the reason the probability of sess was 2%?


    ��Are the two of you already in an intimate rtionship?��


    ��Huh?!��


    I let out a strange voice at Otou-san��s casual words. While I did have the desire to cross that line if possible, I never got around to it due to the many pressing issues.


    ��No, we��re not��


    Rana''s response was firm. It wasn��t a shock. It wasn��t, a shock. I admonished myself.


    ��Very well then��


    Otou-san��s nk expression wasden with meaning. He probably won''t answer me even if I grilled him about it.


    While my thoughts were revolving around things like that, we arrived at the royal castle.


    I was thinking that I didn��t recall seeing a castle in the city, but there it was, hidden behind the dungeon. The dungeon was sandwiched exactly between the main street and the castle. It was a small castle that was dark and covered in moss.


    ��Disappointed? My king is indifferent to things like this, you see? Even now, he uses an old castle that��s nearly 600 years old. His vassals kept making a fuss about how he should build a new one, or at least renovate it, but he turned a deaf ear to all of them��


    It was certainly run-down. Its stones were visibly crumbling in several ces, and the repaired spots looked pitiful. It was dreary and wasn��t getting much sunlight even though it was early in the morning. One of the chains of the drawbridge was broken.


    The g flying above the castle was about the only thing that looked beautiful.


    Its design was a bull and a fox that were facing each other.


    Following Otou-san, we entered the castle. Illuminated by Shogaku stones, its interior was surprisingly beautiful. We were weed by a line of maids of various races. They bowed all at once. Drawn in by them, I almost bowed as well.


    The maids brought us to the second floor.


    There,


    ��Medimu-dono. Can I have a few minutes of this person��s time?��


    A pitiful-looking maid spoke. Her beautiful face was bandaged to cover her left eye. Long, pointed fox ears stuck out of her silver hair. She had a fluffy tail. Because she wasn��t wearing armor, I didn��t recognize her immediately.


    ��It��s fine, but we��ve kept the king waiting for some time now. There are other guests too, so make it quick. I��m going ahead��


    Otou-san turned towards us,


    ��This guy isn��t the kind of person who��s impetuous enough to cause bloodshed here. Don��t worry��


    That''s what you say, but I don''t trust you.


    ��I''m sorry. Both of you, this way please��


    We were led into an unupied parlor. I readied myself so that I could shoot my bow at any time.


    Suddenly, the maid went down on one knee and lowered her head.


    ��First of all, I want to apologize for all of the times I was discourteous to you��


    ��It��s fine. What��s done is done��


    At Rana��s response,


    ��Elf princess. I didn��t say those words to you. I said them to Japan��s Souya-dono��


    That ticked me off. I had decided on the attitude that I would take next.


    With piercing coldness, I replied,


    ��Apologizing is fine and all, but I��ll never forgive you. Is that alright with you?��


    ��I don��t mind. But please let me reiterate my apologies. Regardless of the methods used, you defeated all three of us by yourself using your technique, wisdom, and tools. I tarnished that by inappropriately calling you a coward. From the bottom of my heart, I��m sorry. If my body can be used topensate you, feel free to do whatever you wish��


    She had straightforward eyes. And, they were looking at something distorted.


    I thought about sullying and leaving her in tatters, but I didn''t have time for that right now.


    ��Alright. For the time being, I''ll bear that in mind. Is that all you wanted from me?��


    ��No. I��ll get into the main issue now��


    What else was there?


    ��It''s about the prince. Certainly, as a person, he''s cowardly, short-sighted, small-minded, a skirt-chaser, has sexual tendencies that are so deviant that they cannot be spoken of, has none of the grace of royalty, and not a speck of the caliber needed to be king. But it''s also our fault for not being able to remonstrate with him after the matter with elder brother��


    You''ll be executed if he heard all of that.


    ��However, he��s only quick-witted when ites to devious ideas. Or at least, that��s what he��s convinced himself. He only has a superficial knowledge of wicked things. But it has taken a turn for the worse this time. The prince has invited King Lemuria and the elven king. He��s going to confess everything and apologize to the princess in front of them. Do you know what that means?��


    Hmm? ����Wait, apologizing in front of the representatives of each royal family? That means Rana��s father will be there, right? And then, the prince will apologize to an elf. He��ll confess his wrongdoings����


    I don''t know what kind of person Rana''s father is. But, generally speaking, ermm���� This is problematic, isn��t it? It��s bad.


    ��Sorry, I��m not familiar with the customs from this side. But, will this���� result in war?��


    ��Yes, it will��


    Rana''s face turned pale.


    Mine was probably the same color as well.


    ��Among the elves, there are many who refuse to admit that they had lost to Hemus. They��re an arrogant and over-proud race. Heures won��t remain silent when his own daughter was taken advantage of and almost defiled. Moreover, Heures has lost much of his ability to unify the elves because he lost the war. If he shows disinterest and doesn��t act on this matter, the other ns will move to pull him down. At worst, there will be a civil war among the elves first��


    The coward was tormenting people for contemptible reasons. He was either assured that his opponent would not resist, or it didn��t matter to him whether his opponent resisted or not.


    I should have fed the prince to the monsters in the dungeon. I had made a mistake listening to Rana.


    ��The prince will probably be criticized if this results in war. However, dishonor and wrongdoings can be washed away by victory. He��s just following an old, evil practice of the Hemus. There will probably be adventurers who will criticize this, but there will also be adventurers who will dly participate in the war��


    No matter the times, no matter which world it was, there would always be people who yearned for battles and war. Especially the young ones who had never experienced the real thing.


    ��And princess. Do you want to burn your people to death once more?��


    ��Something like that, never��


    Rana reached out and held my hand. Her hand was trembling. I would do anything tofort her. That was the effect of the curse that I had inherited along with the bow techniques. No, most of it was my personal feelings.


    There was one thing that I couldn��t understand though.


    I couldn��t understand the point of her apology.


    ��You. Umm, Lanseal, was it? Why do you want to stop the war?��


    ��It��s in consideration of the king''s body. He��s old and his health is deteriorating��


    That was definitely not the only reason. She was a person who seemed bad at lying. I would probably uncover something if I probed further, but I had no time.


    ��Souya-dono. I��ve heard that you��re a wise and knowledgeable person who hates war. You can use this unworthy body any way you wish. I beg you, please stop the prince''s n��


    ��Even if you tell me to stop it......��


    Like I said, I had no time. I was about to ask Makina and Izora for their opinions, but�`


    ��Lanseal, everyone is waiting-mya. Hurry up...... Oh!��


    A tanned cat beastkin in a maid outfit hade in rudely without knocking. She saw me and pointed.


    ��You! That time! How could you?!��


    ��Karoro, now is not the time for something like this��


    ��No-mya! The prince got angry at me because of you-mya! I was on the verge of losing my job-mya! Marry me-mya!��


    ��Huh?!��


    I was pounced on, embraced and proposed to.


    ��You! You��re doing that again? Cut it out!��


    ��No-mya! I��m getting married-mya! I want a stable life-mya!��


    ��Don''t seek stability from an adventurer!��


    Lanseal grabbed the beastkin by the scruff of her neck, peeled her off me, and flung her away. The beastkin stuck thending splendidly. This time, it was Lanseal who drew close, took both my hands and pleaded with me.


    ��Anyway! Souya-dono. I implore you. Everything depends on you. For that reason, I don��t care what happens to this body of mine�D�D�D�D��


    Lanseal was strangled from behind by the beastkin.


    ��You��re doing it again-mya! That ��body of mine�� deration-mya! How many times have you said it already-mya?!��


    ��Shut up! It''s only the sixth time!��


    The two of them began jabbering back and forth. Rana and I didn��t have the time for that as we were caught in a whirlpool of thoughts.


    The door opened again.


    ��You��re taking too long!��


    ��Yes��


    We had angered Otou-san. It wasn��t my fault. He led us out onto the hallway. The two maids passed us then went on ahead.


    I tapped the top portion of the Izora pod three times with my finger. It was a signal for help that we had decided on a while ago.


    ��Team member Souya, Izora has an idea of what you want. It''s a method to avoid the war, right? Makina and Izora had predicted this since the other day. Then, we ran roughly 5,000 simtions. The result������������ We concluded that it was not possible to avoid the war. We��re very sorry that we could not be of more help��


    It''s all over.


    I couldn��t think of any good ideas as well. The scale of the matter was too big for a person who had stumbled his way into an alternate world. The solution that I had somehow arrived at after racking my brains, was to take Rana and Ea, and escape to a different continent. I couldn��t care less about the dungeon anymore.


    ��Umm, Souya��


    Rana called out to me. I probably had a pretty terrible expression on my face.


    ��Can you leave it to me?��


    ��Do you have any good ideas?��


    ��Yes, I do��


    Beside me was the goddess of salvation.

 Chapter 14: The Foreigner, Exploring The Dungeon Was Out Of The Question I - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 14: The Foreigner, Exploring The Dungeon Was Out Of The Question I - Part 2</h4>


    ��Then Souya, there��s something I want to ask you��


    ��Ask me anything��


    ��Do you have a fiance or significant other back in your hometown?��


    ��I don��t. All I have is one sister��


    It wasn��t something that I was proud of, but I had never even tried to be in that kind of rtionship, be it in Japan or abroad. Though I had been told by an acquaintance that she ��had liked�� me in the past.


    ��Is that so? That��s great��


    What is? Was what I was about to ask when Otou-san stopped, and opened the door to a room. The interior of the room was almost the same as the previous parlor we were in. It was probably a countermeasure against foreign enemies breaking in, but simr structures were duplicated throughout the castle. I had no confidence that I could find my way back to this room once I had left.


    At the round table in the room, there was one elf on our left, and two Hemus on our right. In the four corners of the room were the two maids from earlier and two people I didn��t know.


    The elf was probably Rana''s father. Perhaps it was due to the longevity of elves, but he looked about the same age as me. He had a resemnce to Ea. Or rather......, how old was Rana?


    Setting that aside, there were two Hemus. Next to the idiot prince, who smirked when he saw me, was a bald man. I could tell that he was rted by blood to the barkeeper. He looked about sixty years old, but he had a tired face and a wrinkled brow. He wasn��t as awe-inspiring as I thought he would be. He gave the impression of being a good person. But his physique was imposing. He wore a crown, well-tailored clothes and a mantle. He was undoubtedly King Lemuria.


    ��You must have been surprised at the sudden invitation. Forgive me, it''s was my son��s earnest request��


    King Lemuria��s voice bothered me a little. It was a voice that sounded distressed and was lower than necessary.


    I remembered my dead grandfather.


    The maids pulled out the chairs, then prompted the three of us to sit. Lanseal was the one who had pulled out my chair. She was really emitting a ��I implore you�� aura.


    ��But Medimu. Why are you here? Even though you��re such a busy person������


    ��Lanseal said that she was injured and not feeling well. So I filled in as a maid. Don��t let it bother you��


    Otou-san was speaking casually to the King. Was this person a big-shot after all?


    ��Princess Rauaryuna. Are you in good health? Being an adventurer is an upation you��re unustomed to, so please don��t hesitate to rely on me if you face any difficulties��


    ��No, Your Majesty. There are no problems. With anything��


    I felt a little bit of fear in Rana''s words.


    ��You look like you��ve lost some weight though?��


    The elven king asked Rana.


    ��It��s just your imagination, Father��


    Rana became even more scared.


    Then the king looked at me.


    ��I''ve heard that you came from a foreignnd, is that right?��


    ��It��s a great honor to meet you, King Lemuria. I��m called Souya, and havee from Japan, a foreignnd. I��m working as an adventurer��


    The ends of my sentences were trembling a little.


    ��You have a pretty interesting countenance, young man. If there''s another opportunity, and the time for it, I would love to hear more about the foreignnds��


    My nerves weren��t calming down.


    ��Well then, Georg. Here they are, as you requested��


    ��Then Father, Your Majesty. We��re gathered at this time to�`��


    ��Wait��


    The king stopped the prince from talking.


    ��First, the incident with Lanseal��


    ����������I��ll talk about that afterwards��


    The prince suddenly shrank.


    With a terrible look in his eyes, the king said.


    ��That��s uneptable. I��ve summoned the elven king and princess in response to your request. I did that on the condition that you would tell me the cause of her injuries. Because that stubborn fool won��t speak on her own ord, even if I chop off her head.


    Do you realize that you''re trampling on my wishes? You see our family��s coat of arms every day, don��t you? A raging bull and a silver fox. That bull is an imagery of the monster with evil title that I defeated, and the silver fox is Lanseal��s mother, who died protecting my life in that battle. Do you understand what it means to injure your coat of arms? She would be your elder sister if thew was different. Don��t you feel anything when a person like that gets injured?��


    Beads of sweat appeared on my forehead.


    This is bad. It��s the worst, mainly for me.


    I had injured that coat of arms by shooting it with plenty of arrows.


    Looks like my execution woulde before the war. Lanseal herself was giving me a wonderful smile. I returned her an inscrutable expression.


    ��No, Your Majesty. That��s not my intention. However, the order of events�`��


    ��What��s the point of changing the order? Are you trying to deceive your king?��


    ��N, no!��


    The way the prince was acting like a chicken with its head cut off wasical, but I didn��t have theposure to take delight in it.


    Rana reached out and held my hand.


    What is it? Was what I was thinking when she spoke.


    ��The one who defeated Lanseal-sama is this person, Souya��


    Wait!


    ��Hmm��


    Your Majesty, your eyes are very scary!


    ��The other day, we had a duel with the prince''s party inside the dungeon. I��m well aware that such actions are forbidden. But there��s a reason why we couldn��t back down��


    ��Can you tell me the reason? But princess, depending on the circumstances, I may have to mete out punishment��


    Rana didn��t back down from the king��s intimidation.


    She wasn��t insecure and self-effacing like she usually was. She straightened her back, and I could feel a firm will. Just like a person who was about to make a decision on something important in their life,


    ��It��s for the sake of getting me and Souya��s betrothal recognized��


    Huh?


    Huh?��?!


    Huh?!��?!��?!


    My mind went nk as words that couldn��t be more unrted to my life were uttered.


    ��A marriage between a Hemu and an elf would never be allowed inside Heures Forest. But I��m a mere adventurer now. That being the case, it stands to reason that I should defer to the king of adventurers. However, I didn��t want to bother King Lemuria with the silly affairs of a princess who had fallen to the world of themon people.


    The prince came to know of our situation, and to us, who were in a quandary, he said,��Try defeating me. If you have the strength to do that, I��ll talk to my king on your behalf����


    The prince''s face said,��Huh? I didn��t say that��


    My face said,��Yup, that��s right��


    ��We fought desperately. But we didn��t stand a chance. That��s no surprise. Our opponents were Georg Oru Lemuria, the son of King Lemuria, and Lanseal, who��s known for her bravery. My magic was prevented by the prince''s wisdom, and all of Souya��s arrows were blocked by Lanseal-sama. However�`��


    The king was all ears.


    ��The grace of Heures enveloped thest arrow that both of us released. It shattered Lanseal��s shield and split her helmet. It was a miracle, and not our true ability. But the prince leniently acknowledged his loss, and set up this meeting today��


    Right now, I was witnessing the moment when the truth was being buried.


    Was this how history was made? That��s absurd!


    ��Lanseal, is that true?��


    To His Majesty��s question,


    ��Yes, it��s true. Thatst arrow they fired, it was undoubtedly the arrow that defeated L, therge spider. I saw a glimpse of the legend of Heures��


    Lanseal answered, ��Yes��. The prince had his mouth open like a simpleton. Serves you right, was what I thought, but on the other hand, I hadn��t wrapped my head around the situation either.


    ��Georg, well done��


    ��Huh? Your Majesty?��


    The prince came back to his senses when the king patted him on his shoulder.


    ��Putting yourself on the line to respond to the wishes of the people. That��s something that I can no longer do with this body of mine. I thought that I would be infuriated by you, who leads a self-indulgent life, but children grow up while we''re not looking, don��t they?��


    ��Your Majesty��


    The prince''s eyes moistened.


    It��s a good story.


    It��s all lies though.


    ��Did you summon me for such a reason?��


    The elven king, who had been observing silently, spoke. The tone of his voice was incredibly cold.


    ��Melm-dono, but this is�`��


    ��Excuse me. I��m done here��


    Not listening to King Lemuria��s words, the elven king got up from his seat. His parting words shook Rana.


    ��My daughter has died. That person over there is an adventurer. King Lemuria, I''ll leave it all up to you��


    One of the maids apanied him he left the room. After the door closed behind him, a somber mood set in.


    The king coughed, then started speaking cheerfully.


    ��In that case, Lemuria Oru Almagest Razva, the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Lemuria, will recognize your betrothal. Is it fine if the wedding vows are elven?��


    ��Yes, please use elven wedding vows��


    ��Alright, I understand. I��ll prepare a modest amount of money for the betrothal expenses. The documents will be prepared by the Adventurer''s Guild at ater date. Princess, no, Rauaryuna. And Souya. Inter-racial marriages are fraught with difficulties. There were even kingdoms that were destroyed when they failed to survive this ordeal. Both of you, take each other��s hand, as you go on this adventure together��


    ��Yes��


    Rana and I answered at the same time. We were still holding hands.


    The king got up from his seat, followed by the prince, and we bowed our heads to both of them. Otou-san, who had beenpletely left out, looked bored as he stroked his beard.


    After the king and the prince had left, we were guided by the maids as we returned the way we came, and went outside.


    We got back on the carriage. For some reason, Lanseal got on too.


    ��Souya-dono! Thank you very much! This will relieve some of the king��s anxiety!��


    Perhaps she was deeply moved, but she had jumped onto myp and was embracing me tightly. She hugged my head and rubbed her cheek on mine. Her tail was wagging furiously. Was the physical intimacy of all beastkin so intense? It was totally fine though. No, it wasn��t fine anymore,


    ��Get off. He has be my husband��


    Rana''s gaze hurt.


    ��But he��s a husband under elfw��


    ��Hmm? Huh, what do you mean?��


    I didn��t understand the meaning of what Lanseal said.


    Otou-san exined.


    ��You probably don''t know this because you��re a foreigner. Elves are polygamous. Long-lived races generally have low birth rates. There��s also thepatibility of their bodies to consider, so they��ve taken multiple brides since ancient times��


    What did, you say?


    ��That��s the long and short of it. Souya-dono. You��ve fulfilled my selfish request perfectly. Since the prince has already epted the praise, he won��t say anything about the fact that it��s a lie now. It was really well done. The truth is buried in darkness, and there shouldn��t be anyone who will delve too deeply into this affair. Then, all that��s left is for you to receive my thanks��


    So, the truth did not always equal what was right. That was very educational. And, while I was curious about what her thanks entailed, first of all,


    ��Um, rather������


    I nced at Otou-san. He probably guessed what was on my mind, so he spoke.


    ��Don��t worry. I''ve already heard everything from Lanseal. In the first ce, I was concerned about both of you because my methods were making thatckadaisical prince more impudent. I won''t do anything bad to the two of you��


    So that was how it was. As I pieced everything together, the carriage started moving.


    Then, I should also make something clear.


    ��Lanseal. What happened earlier wasn��t a n that I hade up with��


    ��Huh?��


    Lanseal tilted her head. Then Rana said,


    ��It wasn��t my n either��


    ��Huh?��


    I also tilted my head. Then, whose n was it? I asked.


    ��Kuwaa���� Oh, looks like it went well��


    With a yawn, Misuranika-sama, who had been left behind and forgotten in the carriage, woke up.


    Truly, she was a god that slept a lot.


    ��It''s my n. For a foolish young man, if you sing his praises suitably and gift him some achievements, he��ll readily y along with your story. Rather than facts or intentions, you catch people by dangling delicious bait in front of their eyes. You��ll do well to remember that for future reference��


    As expected from a beauty who ruined countries.


    I��m truly d that I formed a contract with you.


    ��Pardon me. Who might you be?��


    Lanseal''s retort was only natural. Actually, you��re the type that looks slimmer when wearing clothes, aren��t you? Also, maid��s clothes are unfair. They��re about as unfair as eating hot spring eggs with various dishes. Her chest loses to Rana��s though. And that very Rana answered her.


    ��This is Misuranika-sama, my husband��s main god. Lanseal-sama, get off��


    ��Misu, ranika. Are you Misuranika, of misdeeds? Souya-dono, you��ve formed a contract with a peculiar god. I had thought that you weren��t an ordinary person, but I suppose even your god is extraordinary��


    I��m an ordinary person.


    Misuranika-sama climbed onto my shoulder, her reserved seat, and said to Lanseal,


    ��Illegitimate child of Lemuria, I understand that you hate the elves because of what happened to your elder brother. But this descendant of Heures is foolish but not evil. Just as you do, she thinks of her people, and of her rtives. I won��t ask both of you to join hands. However, even if I was the one who suggested the idea for what happened this time, it was this person who put it into action. Say your thanks to her��


    They were the words of god. Even though they were the words of a fringe god that you were not contracted to, if you felt that they were right, then you had to respect them.


    Reluctantly, Lanseal voiced her thanks.


    ����������Rauaryuna, of the Heures Forest. Thank you for your help. I sincerely give you and Souya my blessings for your betrothal. Because there are still seats avable, you see?��


    ��Lanseal, of Lemuria. No thanks are needed. A war would also be detrimental to me and ��my husband��. Don''t worry about it. And������get off��


    I didn��t know what kind of expression I should have on my face, as sparks flew between the two of them.


    Misuranika-sama was pressing my cheek with her paw.


    ��Wait a minute, Rana. I told you to make a point of forming an adventurer party and the like. I didn��t say a word about getting married��


    ��I��m sorry. Please wait a minute, Misuranika-sama. Get off, you vixen��


    Rana grabbed the ceiling and the seat of the carriage with her hands, and just when I was wondering what she was going to do, she kicked Lanseal. It was a pretty strong kick at that. The impact sent Lanseal flying through the doors of the carriage, and plunging head-first into a fruit stall outside.


    She got off, I suppose.


    Yeah, I��ve reached the limit of my imagination. I won��t think about the possible consequences of what just happened.


    ������������Well, it��s fine��


    Misuranika-sama held her tongue.


    ��Alright, there''s nothing more I can do today. Coachman, please send these guys to their camp��


    Otou-san also escaped swiftly.


    Looking at him, I realized how being quick to escape meant everything to an adventurer. And I couldn��t escape. No, what would escaping do?


    Rana suddenly became stiff and expressionless. She literally froze. That��s right, it must have been hard on her in many ways. Although there was a script, she had put in an enthusiastic performance.


    As I patted Misuranika-sama, who had fallen asleep once again, we spent the trip back to the camp without talking. It wasn��t an unpleasant silence. I didn��t really understand why, I was able to rx when I was with Rana. In future as well���� In future? As well?


    ����������������


    I was gradually covered in a strange sweat. In the first ce, was it fine for marriage to feel like a contract that had been picked up after it had fallen from above? I was scheduled to leave this world in a year, wasn��t I? If everything went well. To begin with, would it go well? And would it be alright to leave Rana behind and leave? What would happen to her afterwards? ������Did she seriously want to get married to someone like me at all? Certainly, I had received the curse of protecting Lumidia''s bloodline at the same time as the skill with the bow. I didn��t mind it. It was a curse that matched my wishes. But I had not asked her about her intentions. She had relied on me because she was in a situation where she had no choice. She herself wasn��t aware of it, but she��s beautiful. A reckless, unthinking and warped ordinary person like me wasn��t the kind of person she should be with originally. Even if it��s alright now, just like how Heures was in the past���� Let''s stop this.


    Marriage. Responsibility. The emotions for these things that I had never experienced before weighed heavily on my mind. This wasn��t something that I could deal with on my own. Or rather, marriage wasn��t something that you did on your own, was it?


    Um, it froze.


    ��


    ������


    ������������


    ������a������d


    ��Hey, we��ve arrived��


    ��Huh��


    The carriage had arrived at the camp. Carrying Misuranika-sama, I got off the carriage together with Rana. The elderly coachman bowed to us, and drove the carriage slowly back to the city.


    ��Well������


    I��ll prepare lunch,


    ��I''m very sorry!��


    Rana performed the Dogeza.


    ��Hmm? Wait, what?��


    Unable to digest what had suddenly urred, I let out a strange voice while striking a strange pose.


    ��I heard about this from Misuranika-sama and Makina-sama. In the country called Japan, this is the posture one takes when making the greatest possible apology or the most earnest plea��


    ��You don''t have to learn that!��


    Those guys! Don''t go teaching the bad habit of another people��s country!


    ��No, I won''t raise my head until you forgive me! I��m sorry! I presumptuously did something foolish without confirming Souya''s feelings. I got flustered because those beastkin girls said such strange things, so I inadvertently acted on impulse. Even though I owe you such a big debt, without having repaid you anything, I caused you even more trouble. I��llpensate you with anything, as long as it��s something within my power! I don''t deserve a person like you. I myself know that very well. But I can''t take back what I''ve said before the king now! It''s okay if it��s only until the time the person that you truly love appears before you. Until then, please ��pretend�� to be married to me!��


    If thosest few words were not an auditory hallucination, I suppose I had been tilting at windmills. In other words, she was asking for a fake marriage.


    ��Souya-san��


    Makina, which was behind me, pulled my back.


    ��Aren��t you ashamed to make a woman go so far as to say that?��


    Huh?


    ��Team member Souya��


    Izora, which was hanging from my waist, grabbed my poncho.


    ��Please show your sincerity as a man. Izora and Makina cannot follow a person like that��


    Huh?


    ��Souya��


    Misuranika-sama, who was in my arms, said.


    ��Do your best��


    Okay.


    In this extremely chaotic situation with an elf in a Dogeza, two A.I.s criticizing me, and a god with the appearance of a cat, I got down on one knee and made Rana look up.


    ��Rana, let��s get ��pretend�� married��


    ��Yes, thank you very much��


    It would have been a great scene if it wasn��t for the word ��pretend��, but it is what it is.


    The sound of apuse resounded from the A.I.s.


    ��Congrattions. There��s such a quote in Makina��s country:��Marriage is a kind of adventurous business��This Makina and Izora will provide the maximum support for the adventure both of you are embarking on��


    ��Nothing in particr from me��


    Misuranika-sama��s words were only natural.


    ��What~, you��re back? Where did you go?��


    Ea came out of the tent, looking drowsy. Rana smiled sweetly.


    ��Ea, Onee-chan got married to Souya��


    ��Whyyy~!��


    It took us half a day to exin everything to Ea.

 Chapter 15: The Foreigner, Exploring The Dungeon Was Out Of The Question II

    <h4>Chapter 15: The Foreigner, Exploring The Dungeon Was Out Of The Question II</h4>


    ��12th day��


    The next day, we went to the Adventurers'' Guild to submit our party application and our marriage license. I thought that the Guild President would say��unheard of��again, but it appeared that this was merely the first official marriage registered between people of different races in fifty years.


    When I asked what happened to the previous couple, the Guild President mmed up.


    We had intended to hold a modest sham wedding, so we were making preparations to rent Tyutyu��s store. I don��t know how they found out, but the Zavua Night Owlpany and the Eruomea West Phoenixpany approached me with offers to fund the wedding.


    I refused because I didn''t want to owe them strange debts, but they insisted that an asion like this would be great advertising for the new products that they wanted to sell, and pressured me to ept.


    In that case, I made them provide new foodstuffs from the left continent for making the food for the wedding, sixrge casks of liquor, and fifty new steel knives as wedding favors. The names of both merchantpanies were clearly written on them.


    Being fully armed is the formal wear for adventurers. As luck would have it, we had already bought new clothes for Rana. On the king��s tab too. We weren��t going to do stupid things from a certain country like changing clothes three times or getting off a gond, so there were no other ��necessary preparations�� to be made.


    ��13th day��


    The day after that, the sham wedding was held.


    Rana and I summoned our main gods and informed them of our betrothal. A god with the appearance of a deer, Ezusu-sama, and a god with the appearance of a cat, Misuranika-sama. After we had each received the blessings and grace from each of the gods, the ceremony was over.


    The time taken was 30 minutes.


    By the way, almost all of that was taken up by Ezusu-sama��s speech, and Misuranika-sama, who had sensed the mood, capped the ceremony with a word, ��Congrattions��.


    After that was the banquet of the hungry beasts.


    It was something of a zoo.


    Evetta-san was heartily finishing off superrge servings of food while beside her, Shuna and Bel weren��t falling behind and were eating voraciously too. The beastkin child who had previously carried Misuranika-sama had also stuffed her cheeks with food. The Guild President, Otou-san, the barkeeper and Barfuru-sama apparently knew one another, and were getting along happily while drinking liquor together. Geto-san and the Eruomea��s young Chairman were together with hismonw wife, the mermaid Banbia. The three of them were eating quietly along the river. Zavua''s young Chairman was on the verge of copsing after being offered drink after drink by Tyutyu��s extremely beautiful friends. Lanseal, who was clinging to me, got into a scuffle with Rana, which be a sideshow. And, as if nothing was happening, Tyutyu was sitting on myp and taking notes as she asked me about the recipes for the food that I had prepared.


    The various races that I had met here were present, but there were no elves other than the bride. Ea had wanted toe until this morning, but her condition deteriorated and was back at the camp.


    It was the way of the world that there would be those who would want to join in when they saw that there was amotion.


    I didn��t know how the news had spread, but the friends of my friends gathered, and together with the friends of those friends, they joined in the banquet, ate the food and drank the liquor.


    Naturally, there wasn��t enough.


    However, there were two young Chairmen of merchantpanies here. It appeared that, in this world, this was just the right time to promote the name of their merchantpany.


    But the Zavua��s young Chairman, who was dead drunk, and the Eruomea��s young Chairman, who wanted to show off his good side in front of his wife and her grandfather, sort of put in too much effort. The total costs of the banquet became equal to a decent adventurer��s annual ie.


    As we drank, ate, sang, danced, and rioted, the banquet reached its climax around the time the sun set.


    I had tried to be considerate at first, but I became stupid half-way through, and was acting the fool together with the rest. Rana beat Barfuru-sama in a drinking contest. A woman in a ck dress danced on top of a table with a liquor bottle in her hand. Was she someone��s acquaintance? I felt like I had seen her before. Tyutyu��s friends stripped. The middle-aged men all cheered loudly. Bel and Shuna were acting spoiled to Evetta-san. Some of the faces I knew disappeared, but ten times the number of unfamiliar faces reced them.


    The scale of the banquet grew far toorge, andints starteding in from the neighborhood. The military policeman came. After offering him some liquor, he didn��t even finish half a cup before he was bad-mouthing the Popes of the center continent incessantly.


    Screams and yells; cheers and rapturous voices of women.


    It was an enthralling, chaotic banquet of various races.


    When I had arrived here, I had felt only a sense of alienation, but I would have never dreamed that I would be hosting such a banquet myself. Moreover, I was slowly falling asleep due to the fatigue and alcohol in the middle of such a banquet.


    Oh, I��ve truly be an adventurer.


    When that realization sunk in, just like how the festival of those far-off days ended when I closed my eyes, the hustle and bustle grew distant from my consciousness.


    Needless to say, I was speechless when I saw the wreckage and the disastrous condition of the banquet in the morning.


    ��14th day��


    We had been so busy the past two days that exploring the dungeon was out of the question.


    All the same, it had been fun. I would probably be able to remember andugh about it even if I was in the depths of hell.


    ��Was it fun? Hey, was it fun?��


    ��So-so��


    I answered Ea vaguely. If I said that it was really fun, she would probably grumble about it. By the way, the bride was tuckered out in my tent because she had a hangover.


    ��Ah~ah, to think that I would be unable to go to Onee-chan��s wedding��


    I was performing a pale imitation of a medical examination in her tent right now. Her pulse had be weaker than yesterday. She had a terrible fever two hours ago, but she was dangerously cold now.


    ��Well, you can look forward to your own wedding, right?��


    ��I can''t possibly live until then, can I?��


    She said it jokingly, but it appeared that she understood her own body very well.


    Inside the tent, I saw Ea��s regeneration point, which had been left lying around carelessly. There was no color in the container.


    I had been healed by the regeneration point, which shouldn''t have worked outside of city to begin with. ording to Rana, there used to be ruins a short distance from the camp, and it appeared that the regeneration point had worked because of their influence.


    This camp was exactly on the border.


    Drawing a line at the kitchen, the tent that the sisters lived in was just barely outside the area where the regeneration point would work. I had tried to move Ea into the regeneration point��s area of effect, but the person in question had refused.


    It would only extend her suffering, she said.


    The regeneration point could not eliminate foreign matter. Neither could it purify poison. It could repair damage to the body that had been caused by poison, but if there was a foreign matter emitting poison inside the body, it would only be buying time.


    The scan had revealed that the bullet had entered from her abdomen and was buried in the interior of her hip bone. It would be quite difficult to push through her intestines and extract the bullet. The progress of restoration on the medical program was 16%.


    Izora had proposed putting her on a drip and using a chting agent to try to drain the lead in her blood, but Makina opposed, saying that the wound would get inmed by that stop-gap measure at this stage so doing that was almost meaningless.


    After getting shot in the war, Ea had been prolonging her life through the regeneration point and Rana��s magic. On top of that was her determination to not leave her elder sister all alone.


    Because I had appeared, something that had been wound up tightly inside her had probably let go.


    ��You know, my injury, it isn��t getting better��


    She touched her own feet.


    ��They��ve finally stopped working��


    ��Listen, if you wear this, you might still manage one way or another��


    I showed her the hand protector. It contained a curse that appeared to protect them. I still couldn��t remove it, but if there was any method����


    ��It��s vexing, but Heures�� blessing is yours. I wasn''t chosen. Besides, I don''t need something that has been soiled by Hemu hands��


    There was no strength in her insult. She drew close and leaned her limp body on me.


    ��You can sell that hand protector if it bes too heavy and gets in your way. Also, an elf��s body can be sold for a high price to researchers, even if it��s a corpse, so sell this body too. I don��t need stuff like funerals, it��s good enough if you simply return a lock of my hair to the forest. If my Otou-san or Onii-san tries to say anything to you, just tell them,��Drop dead!��. Something along those lines��


    ����������������������


    I was at a loss for words. There was nothing to say to a person who had resolved herself to this degree.


    ��That��s why, please take care of Onee-chan. Onii-chan��


    She held my hand. I grabbed hers back with both hands.


    I responded with absolute confidence.


    ��I��ll take care of her��


    ��Okay, then I have no regrets��


    Ea had a refreshing smile on her face,


    ��Really?��


    But I pressed her.


    ��Yes, really��


    To her, whose smile looked like it was about to disappear,


    ��Then, give me your life��


    I said.


    ��Huh?��


    ��I came to this world for my younger sister��s sake. In that case, I can��t possibly not save you, right?��


    I left the tent and began the preparations.


    She had probably heard it already, but I walked up to the Makina unit and gave an order.


    ��Makina. Suspend all work and dismantle the medical program. Extract the information and integrate it into Makina. Get ready for open surgery��


    ��Understood. Makina is already ready because Makina had thought that this might happen. Willplete the extraction in 5 minutes. Because it��s an emergency, surgery is scheduled one hour from now��


    ��Isn��t that too fast?��


    ��Souya-san didn��t order Makina to be stingy with allocating the resources, so Makina has done whatever Makina pleased with the surplus supplies��


    The sloppy orders given by an amateur had turned out well. Then, there was something that I had to know.


    ��Tell me the probability of sess for the surgery��


    ��You said to do it, and Makina said that Makina will do it. So it��s 100%��


    They were reassuring words.


    ��Izora would like to say something��


    I picked up Izora, which had rolled over.


    ��Learning from Makina��s example, Izora also searched through the memories of the older generation. The techniques are forty years old, but please make use of these memories of emergency medical procedures that Izora found. This will increase the probability of sess by 20%��


    It became a ��true grit��-like value of 120%.


    This is what my best partners are telling me. They won��t make any mistakes.


    ��You guys, I��m counting on both of you��


    ��Please don��t worry. We��ll definitely meet your expectations��

 Chapter 16: Epilogue

    <h4>Chapter 16: Epilogue</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    ��Unknown��


    Night had fallen on the city.


    After finishing up some misceneous chores, I walked around as I searched for someone. After my legs had turned to lead, I ultimately found him in the usual bar.


    ��Ohh, it''s rare to see you at this hour��


    ��I suppose so��


    I greeted the barkeeper lightly, then walked to the corner of the bar. At a small table for one, Irvin was nursing a drink.


    ��Do you mind if I sit here?��


    ��I don''t know anyone who needs to ask permission for something like that��


    Certainly, I said as I took a chair from a nearby table and sat down.


    ��Oh, Souya. What��s your order-nya?��


    ��Fruit juice and stewed beans��


    ��O~kay��


    After taking my order, Tyutyu��s tail fluttered as she left. I stared intently at her butt which was visible under her short skirt.


    ��I''m sorry. For not showing up for the wedding��


    At Irvin''s apology, I touched the longsword hanging from my hip. The decorations on it were rough, but it was a de made from pretty good steel. It was a bit heavy for me, but if I couldn��t swing something of this level, I wouldn��t be able to continue to work as an adventurer in future.


    ��It��s aplete mystery, but when I woke up after the banquet was over, this was hanging from my waist. I would understand if things went missing, but why would things appear instead?��


    ��No idea��


    ��When I looked into it, it seems to be a custom of the center continent. That is to say, giving the newlywed couple gifts after catching them off guard��


    Lana was given a rapier.


    ��Was there a custom like that? I''m sorry, I don��t remember��


    Irvin was feigning ignorance. It would be boorish to pursue it any further so I stopped.


    ��So, Irvin. How��s it going with the dungeon?��


    ��I had a rather hard time finding a new leader, you know? An intermediate adventurer came forward, but he was a fraud. It turned out alright because our money increased as a result, but it was a waste of time��


    I had also heard through rumors that the former intermediate adventurer was stripped of everything he owned, and given a vicious beating. Still, rather than calling it a rumor, it was a verymon story.


    ��Then, I somehow found a guy in a simr situation who wanted to try being a leader, but Shuna got mistaken as a woman by him, got into a quarrel, then pummelled him until his regeneration point ran out. A considerable amount got taken as treatment costs��


    It was the rashness of youth.


    ��Irvin, did you scold Shuna?��


    ��No, for me to scold a child���� What should I do if he bes rebellious after I warn him? I don��t know how to be tactful during quarrels. And it was also rude of that guy to mistake another guy as a woman��


    That''s no good. I believe Shuna would obey if Irvin told him firmly that it wasn��t allowed. He��s quite attached to Irvin after all.


    ��We didn��t have much choice so I became the leader and challenged the dungeon, but���� we got lost. We got really lost. We got lost between the 7th and 8th floor for two whole days. Shuna yelled, Bell cried, Zenobia kept muttering to the walls, and an unpleasant tension ran high within the party when our food and water ran out. If Otou-san didn''te and save us, our adventures might have ended right there��


    Well, I was the one who had asked Otou-san to go save them though.


    It��s normal for adventurers to go into the dungeon and note out for two to three days. However, no matter how you looked at it, the amount of food Irvin purchased was only one day''s worth. I got flustered because they didn''te out even after two days. Their fighting abilities were at the level of intermediate adventurers. But as adventurers, their survival knowledge was severelycking. And they also never learnt to retreat.


    It was my fault for leading them to victory instead of escaping in that very first battle. It hadpletely be a bad habit. Fighting consumes both food and water at more than twice the usual speed. To top it off, Irvin had no sense of direction. He couldn��t read a map at all. The other members couldn��t as well.


    Why didn��t they know how to do something like this? I had wondered.


    Makina told me that I was the only person who knew how to do it. When asked why I knew how to do it, I answered that I had learnt all the basics of exploring a dungeon from my knowledge of modern games.


    A good adventurer would learn it instinctively. For those that couldn��t figure it out, all they needed to do was to add someone who knew how to do it into their party. Complementing one another like that was what made a party.


    ��Right now, we��re in the midst of drowning our anxiety over the future with alcohol��


    People called that escaping from reality.


    ��Souya, what about you?��


    ��Added one person to the party. The exploration of the dungeon hasn��t progressed beyond the 5th floor��


    ��Surely that person isn��t an elf?��


    ��She��s an elf��


    Ea was healed. I won��t use words like ��miracle��. It was all due to Makina and Izora��s abilities. They had removed the bullet and drained the lead from her blood. The damaged tissue was excised, the wound was cleaned, and her condition stabilized in less than two days.


    On the third day, she hadpletely recovered physically. The problem of her wound had been resolved, but the effects of anesthesia and modern medicines on her body were unclear, so she was put under careful observation to see if there were any after-effects. However, to Makina��s annoyance, Ea was willfully cavorting about.


    I didn��t think that it was a problem since she said that she was fully healed.


    ��I simply can��t get along with elves. They keep taking away the people that I need, one after another��


    My order arrived.


    I didn''t have any expectations of its taste, but I brought it to my mouth as I listened to Irvin reminisce about his past.


    ��The grand-uncle I mentioned before? I owed him a great debt. I was abandoned as I was born due to marital infidelity, but he pulled me up from the bottom and raised me as a knight. If he hadn��t done that, I would have sunk into a muddy ditch and rotted away aftermitting theft and murder in the slums of Elysium. I was only a knight for a short while, but it was an irreceable honor. I thought that it was truly the way of life for me. ����Well, it��s something like that. And then, next was you��


    The hidden past of the handsome man was revealed. A woman two seats over was staring passionately at his profoundly mncholic expression. I understood a little bit more about the timing in which a woman fell in love with a man.


    ��With all my heart, I can��t get along with elves��


    ��Well, there are things like that��


    Whether it was because of luck, fate or the history between them, there were races that couldn��t get along. My way of thinking wasn��t so optimistic that I thought that it was possible for all humankind to understand one another.


    ��We��ve spent too much time on idle talk, it��s about time for you to move on to the main topic��


    Irvin''s perceptiveness.


    I think that it''s an outstanding talent.


    ��I have a proposal��


    I ced the Izora pod that had been disguised as antern on the table.


    ��Izora, introduce yourself. In a soft voice, got it?��


    ��Greeting, alternate world��s knight-sama. I��m Izora, Souya��s partner��


    ��What a peculiar���� thing you have there. Is it a treasure from the dungeon?��


    As could be expected, even the people of this world would be surprised by a talkingntern.


    ��This guy came with me from the foreignnds. To be clear, she''s amazing! She can read maps, and show you the way to where you are travelling. It��ll probably be impossible for you to get lost and be unable to leave the dungeon. It��s basic, but she can also detect approaching enemies. In addition, you can talk with me through my sses if you��re within two floors from me. To the other adventurers, she is probably an item that gives an unfair advantage. Irvin, I want to lend this to you��


    ��What are you saying?��


    Irvin was a prudent person. Even when I dangled delicious bait in front of him, he didn��t jump at it immediately.


    ��There are conditions. Everyone in my party is a rearguard, including me. If we��re suddenly caught off guard by a monster, we��ll crumble in one shot and be annihted. Hence, we need a shield��


    ��I can''t ept your condition. Elves are the only people I will never form a party with, no matter the circumstances. Even if I gained fame, I won��t be able to obtain a pardon from the Popes of Elysium if I did it with elves beside me. Their country is currently at war with some person called a ck elf. That person is also said to be the new King of Beasts. Even if I could disregard my personal feelings, it��s impossible��


    Irvin must have been flustered. He blurted all that out in a hurry.


    ��Calm down. No parties will be formed. No alliance between parties will be formed either. My party and Irvin��s party will act separately��


    ��Hmm? What do you mean? I don''t understand��


    It was certainly something that was a little bit troublesome to exin.


    ��I��ll exin things in order. First, your party will go into the dungeon. We��ll follow behind and ��coincidentally�� go into the dungeon as well. We��ll stay a fixed distance apart. If wee into contact with an unrted party, don��t worry about it as we��ll disappear.


    Using Ea and Izora��s detection capabilities, we��ll avoid fighting as much as possible. The unavoidable battles will be left to your party. Stray arrows and stray magic wille flying from behind, but don��t pay it any mind. Your party will take all the materials. I''m thinking of ways to earn money through other means��


    It was a proposal that took into ount both Irvin and my circumstances.


    It should be beneficial to both sides.


    ��But, elves, huh���� Is it really something that we can get away with sessfully?��


    ��Irvin. I think that it��lle out one way or another, but I��m someone who impulsively pointed his bow at a prince of this country. Using sophistry and plots, I got away with it and twisted it into a moving tale. The name of Misuranika, of misdeeds, is not just for show. I swear to you. I will never let elves make an appearance in Irvin Foz Gasim��s anecdotes of fame and honor. What do you think?��


    If he doesn��t ept the proposal, I��ll be exploring with a squishy party from tomorrow onwards.


    ��I see���� I understand. I have one condition of my own��


    ��I��m all ears��


    ��The materials will be divided equally. You have two merchantpanies that you��re on friendly terms with, right? Let��s leave the materials with them temporarily then split the money after that��


    ��Understood��


    I firmly grasped the hand that Irvin offered.


    ��I��ll have to exin everything to Shuna and the rest, don��t I?��


    ��No. Irvin, you��re actually thest one. I��ve already exined and gotten the agreement from the other members earlier��


    I would feel bad for causing him a lot of trouble, so I went ahead and talked to everyone about it first. They had readily agreed.


    Irvin smiled pleasantly at me.


    ��Say, if I had been opposed, I would have been isted, wouldn��t I? The other members would have abandoned their ipetent leader, right?��


    ��No, would something like that happen? Oh, it would, wouldn��t it? ������O, oww, Irvin, my hand! My hand is! It hurts! My bones are making weird noises! They��re making weird noises, I said! GYAAAAAAAAA!��


    ��31st day��


    Morning. I was excitedly getting ready for adventure.


    On days like these, I left it to Makina to make breakfast.


    Ea, who had recovered, had a voracious appetite.��Her stomach was opened so it��s empty��, was the morbid joke Izora made. Recently, I had began to suspect that this guy was made in Ennd.


    Well, Rana also ate a lot, so making food felt rewarding.


    I also made my own portable food for the dungeon. That was because the dungeon rations sold by the merchantpanies had left me speechless.


    Don��t call wheat flour and lumps of butter food! Those are ingredients! How can anyone explore the dungeon with such awful-tasting meals?!


    Setting that aside.


    Thirty-one days had passed since I came to this world. The lowest floor that I had reached, was still the 5th floor.


    The time had passed as I watched over the progress of my sister-inw��s recovery. Ea herself had said that I was being too cautious, but I was worried so I couldn��t help it. After all, we would be pushing ourselves from now on.


    And today, we would be exploring the dungeon for the first time as a joint-party. In a sense, we would be challenging the dungeon for real. However, I definitely didn��t want to do anything reckless.


    The n was to go down to the 7th floor, record the shortest path on the map, then return. Just in case, we would bring a lot of food and water.


    To make some light finger-food, I fried the Chocho��s wings, cut them into small pieces, boiled them down in sweet soy sauce, dried them, then mixed them with roasted nuts and dried small fish. Then, I sprinkled a mixture of dried herbs, dried garlic powder and salt over them as seasoning. Somehow, it had be just like a side dish for alcohol.


    For when we were inside the dungeon, I packed the whole wheat flour for baking chapatis. Smoked pork and fish. Cheese and home-made potato chips. Two bottles of the long-awaited mayonnaise made by Makina. A bottle of honey, which was very expensive on this side. A bottle of salt. Garlic and onions. Olive oil. Various seasonings that I had made. One hard-as-a-demon bread, which was really meant for emergencies, for each member. It seems like there were water sources inside the dungeon, but I also packed enough water, that had minerals added, for everyone. Strong alcohol for cooking and treating wounds, and additionally,


    ��Souya-san, that��s enough already. It��s be four days worth of food for seven people. It��s a waste of food��


    ��There��s no such thing as a waste of food!��


    ��I��m sorry. It��spletely Makina��s fault, so please calm down. When ites to food, you be a different person��


    I was told a shocking truth.


    ��R, really?��


    ��Really��


    ��Sorry, I��ll keep that in mind��


    ��Okay��


    Reluctantly, I gave up on the cabbage. I wanted to make an okonomiyaki-like chapati, but maybe another time.


    I��ll hold on to the precious seasoning, divide the rest into four and leave it at the Zavua merchantpany, where I had already arranged for them to be delivered to Irvin.


    ��It should be fine now��


    ��Yes, breakfast is ready. Today, Makina made miso soup and splurged to make rice balls. There''s also omelettes, and lots of wieners!��


    Isn��t that thete-night snack of a student studying for exams?! Even though you should be able to cook all sorts of dishes, why did you cook this lineup?!


    ��Well then, I should go wake my wife and sister-inw��


    Waking them up is the happiest part of my day. Because it''s the moment when a minor criminal act is justified. I won��t get arrested even if I stared at their immodest appearance.


    ��Before that, Souya-san. There��s something that Makina wants to discuss with you��


    ��Hmm?��


    Well, it��s my partner''s request.


    I��ll listen to it, even if it��s somewhat unreasonable.


    ��Actually, Makina is writing a memoir. This kind of adventure is fraught with danger, and Makina has no idea when Souya-san will lose your life. For that reason, Makina wants to leave a proper record��


    ��That��s a good idea��


    Even if I died without aplishing anything, if records were left and passed onto someone else, then it would give meaning to the fact that I came to this world, and to the days I struggled like an idiot.


    ��Then, Makina was going to set the title of the memoir as��Alternate World Record File 001��, but Izora opposed. She said that unless the title was more interesting to people, it won��t be read even if it was discovered��


    ��I see?��


    I had doubts on who would discover it.


    Was the next teaming in the first ce?


    ��The problem starts from here, but what Izora proposed were all titles like��Misuranika Witch Project��, or��Cloverfield 2��, or��REC: Elf Edition��. It��s troubling that her proposed titles are all mockumentaries with bad endings. In a copyright sense as well��


    ��Y, yeah��


    I kind of wanted to see those.


    ��Souya-san, because it��s a waste of resources, please decide the title with a bang. Makina and Izora doesn��t have any sort of naming sense. Makina will give up and use it even if it��s a terrible title��


    She had no faith in my naming sense from the very beginning, didn��t she?


    Well, let��s see���� I didn��t have any particr intentions to take it seriously. A difficult adventure was awaiting us after this, so there��s no use in racking my brain over strange things.


    Appropriate, but still easy to understand. Direct.


    While checking the taste of miso soup, I muttered a few words.


    ��The Japanese, Explores The Dungeon��

 Chapter 17: Prologue - Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 17: Prologue - Part 1</h4>


    ��41st day��


    Inside the dim dungeon, there was a wide space beyond theplicated passages.


    There were lines of huge pirs, and a throne was worshipped deep inside.


    It was a throne with a warped lump of iron beside it.


    It was the remains of a lost civilization.


    There, the song of swords shing could be heard. The jostling of equipment, the breathing of the living, and the tter of the horrifying bones of the dead.


    An army of bones had surrounded the party of adventurers.


    They were humanoid skeletons. Their flesh had probably melted and fallen off long ago. Green light glowed inside their hollow eye sockets.


    They had neither brains nor muscles, so the means by which they moved was unknown, but they were attacking the living with battered weapons that were the remnants from when they were alive.


    No one knew the origin of the skeletons. All adventurers like us knew, was that we couldn��t move on unless we defeated them.


    A young knight cut a bone soldier in two with a swing of his sword while protecting his party members with his shield.


    A lightly equipped girl swung the spear that she was carrying, crushing and knocking down bones.


    A sexy magician sung praises and prayed to the gods that she was contracted with. The broken skeletons were being reconstructed. Blue light glowed inside their eye sockets, and they attacked the other skeletons in a frenzy.


    The one drawing the most attention was a boy wielding a longsword.


    He moved in a circle around the party as he swung his longsword wildly, cutting everything it touched into pieces. He was single-handedly breaking the encirclement.


    Forty-two bone soldiers remained.


    The boy''s breath was getting ragged.


    And it wouldn��t end just by defeating these soldiers. There was a headliner.


    ��Ea, back up Shuna��


    ��Understood. There��


    At my order, my sister-inw released an arrow. The arrow shattered the forehead of a bone soldier that was about to throw a spear at the boy, Shuna, and blew it away. Her skill was amazing.


    ��I��m about ready, dear��


    ��Understood, please go ahead��


    My wife-from-a-sham-marriage stuck her staff into the ground and spread her arms. The light of reason disappeared from her eyes, and she went into a trance. I felt an invisible torrent gathering inside her.


    ��Irvin, we��ll wipe them out with a big one. At my signal, take defensive measures��


    ��Okay��


    I heard the knight, Irvin��s reply, over themunications device.


    Sweet, mysterious praises to god rang out.


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god. Bestow a fragment of primordiality to this humble kin. That which dances, sings and wanders, that which is redder and hotter than my blood, be a congration of fire; oh mes that engulf many, be like the breath of a dragon, the equal of a heavenly sacred fire. Completely devour this world of fate. Concentrate our power here. Oh effigy of ruin and cmity that is redder than red, attack what is before my arms! In this moment, annihte all of them with this primordialw!��


    In front of her, a small me sprang into existence. But it quickly became a raging inferno, a huge fireball. In its depths, a frightening shadow that sent chills down my spine squirmed.


    This is bad!


    ��Irvin, defensive measures! It��s got considerable destructive power! Watch out!��


    ��Everyone, gather!��


    The party gathered on Irvin''s signal.


    Ea provided support in a sh to Shuna, who hadgged a little bit behind the others.


    ��Beautiful Lyridias. Bestow upon me your benevolence, dedication, and the grace of protection. Zamonss?Romea?Tiringu��


    The knight raised his shield.


    A dome of light enveloped them.


    Next, the magician beside him raised her staff.


    ��Oh fire. Marry the elements and be light. Illuminate tranquility, protect our food, and protect against mes��


    Several geometric patterns appeared on the dome of light. They turned mechanically like cogwheels, strengthening its protection.


    Kukuku, I heard a lowughing from beside me.


    She looked nothing like her usual self. Her face had an air of insanity.


    She shouted,


    ��Hohens?Romea?Doragubein!��


    The fireball flew directly above Irvin and the rest, and exploded. A wave of firepletely engulfed the bone soldiers like napalm. They burned like straw, and one after another, the dead writhed and turned to ashes.


    I felt as if I could hear their shrieks over the raging congration.


    ��As expected from you, Rana. But it''s enough already��


    As a matter of course, I called the name of my wife from a sham marriage.


    Irvin and the rest were swallowed up by the ze. The dome of light was enough to protect them from the fire, but it didn��t seem like it was able to shield thempletely from the heat. They looked like they were in agony. The intense heat had even reached us. In the first ce, even if it was spacious, a huge congration like this in a closed space would result in ack of oxygen.


    ��Rana?��


    There were no more moving bones, but the mes weren��t going out.


    ��Onee-chan! Stop! It''s over already!��


    Ea grabbed Rana''s shoulders and shook her, but there was no response.


    ��Ea, do something. Irvin and the rest are getting roasted��


    ��Got it. Time for thest resort��


    Ea stood directly behind Rana, and suddenly grabbed both of Rana''s abundant breasts. Massaged. While moving all ten fingers deftly, she pushed them up, down, open and close. My head moved together with their movements.


    Rana''s crazed look gradually disappeared, and her usual in and insecure expression returned.


    ��Umm, errr��


    ��Onee-chan, are you back?��


    ��Yes, I��m back, ah! Ah, Ea, not there, hey, mm~��


    Can I join in?


    ��Ea, no, stop, ah, not there~��


    ��Hmm~, it��s been a while since I kneaded them, it��s quite addictive, you know?��


    ��Dear! Don��t just watch, please stop her!��


    ��Okay��


    With fingers on both hands wriggling, I drew closer,


    ��Heyyyyyyyy! If you''re going to flirt, do it outsideeeeeeeee!��


    The girl, Beltoriche��s loud scream filled the air. It didn��te through themunications device but was her actual voice. We were seen even though we were in a passageway a distance from therge chamber.


    Rana, who had broken free from her sister, crouched down in a corner of the passageway. I could tell that her face was bright red even in the dark. And she was moaning softly in a voice that was different from usual.


    ��Good job��


    Pretending nothing had happened, I checked Rana��s regeneration point. It was a container with two test tubes side by side. The blue contents of the container, which represented the outer magic that was needed to use magic, had beenpletely exhausted.


    ��Ea, prepare those arrows��


    ��Understood, Onii-chan��


    Ea and I nocked our best arrows.


    ��Souya, it��sing��


    We pointed our arrows at the throne in response to Irvin''s voice. The ashes of the bones rose up and began to gather on the throne.


    ��Izora, show me the regeneration points of the members. Just the inner magic will do��


    I asked the artificial intelligence that was hanging from Irvin��s waist. Inner magic shows the capacity to regenerate injuries.


    ��Irvin 40/120��Shuna 10/75��Bel 30/90��Zenobia 40/50��


    Was shown on the liquid crystal disy of my sses.


    Shuna��s condition was more critical than I had expected. But his speed was absolutely essential for the opponent we were about to face.


    What should we do? Retreating would be the right thing to do if we wanted to proceed prudently.


    In the words of an illustrious admiral: Let��s go back, since we��ll be able toe here again if we go back. *(see below)


    There��s a ��but��.


    ��Hey, Souya. Don��t tell us to retreat again. We can do it this time��


    ��I guess so��


    Shuna��s strong words.


    The person in question was full of motivation and determination. I couldn��t retreat then. He was in the midst of his growth period, and the speed of his growth from now on would be remarkably different after oveing one or two tough battles.


    ��Irvin, back up Shuna. Bel and Zenobia, retreat to where I am��


    ��Understood��


    The party members answered at the same time.


    With a bright light, a crown appeared.


    The crown settled quietly on the head of a huge skeleton. It was 5 meters tall and no one would object if you called it a giant. Its weapon was a huge sword that suited its huge body. Even though the sword was rusty, its de was chipped, and it was broken in half, one blow from that sword would be deadly to diminutive adventurers like us.


    Green light emitted from its eye sockets, and the bone giant roared.


    Saying that I quailed before it was putting it lightly. It felt like even my soul was shrinking and disappearing before it.


    ��UU��


    Subjected to that roar up close, Shuna�D


    ��UUUUOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAH!��


    Shook off his fear with an undaunted roar. Both his fatigue and physical strength were at their peak. However, he took his stance, and with crisp movements, turned the tip of his sword towards it.


    ��Shuna, you only need to create an opening. Don''t overdo it��


    ��Easy. I''ll end up defeating it��


    Shuna and Irvin dashed forward.


    The giant��s sword, which had been lifted up sluggishly, was swung downwards with frightening speed and power. With a deafening roar, the sword smashed into the ground, and it felt like the dungeon had shook from the impact.


    In the cloud of ashes that had been flung up by the sword, two shadows crossed each other.


    First, Shuna delivered a blow as he ran past. With one knee cut in half, the giant lost its bnce and braced an arm against the ground.


    Then, Irvin drove an uppercut using his shield into the giant��s chin. The peal of metal sounded like a bell. Shaking the brain of a regr creature could lead to death. However, the opponent was one of the undead. As if nothing had happened, it tried to stab Irvin with its sword�D�D�D�D�D�Dbut was blocked by Shuna.


    Sparks flew as de scraped against de. Shuna''s longsword had stopped the giant''s sword. The unrealistic sight made me doubt my eyes. They separated for one beat, then two swords danced.


    The roars of the giant and Shuna ovepped.


    Their swords shed.


    The boy and the giant��s swords locked together.


    ��Onii-chan!��


    As I watched on in fascination, I was snapped back to reality by my sister��s voice.


    ��Ea, its throat. You can do it, right?��


    ��Piece of cake��


    Shuna''s skill with the sword was clear. He had pushed past his limits and was reaching perfection. But this was the strength of someone who was facing certain death. His life was hanging by a thread. As proof, his regeneration point, which was still disyed, was steadily reducing.


    Shuna��s longsword was red and emitting heat from the impact and friction. Even though it was already miraculous that he was able to contend with the giant, he pushed forward.


    With an annoyed and furious roar, the giant swung his sword.


    It was clearly an overswing.


    The horizontal sweep of the sword closed in on Shuna. By a paper��s width, Shuna dove under the sword. His longsword scraped the ground before cutting half-way through the thick bone. Shaken up, Shuna''s expression twisted.


    ��Shuna-sama��s regeneration point has reached zero��


    A chill ran down my spine when I heard Izora��s report.


    One tense beat.


    However, holding his sword with both hands, Irvin howled, then jumped. Along with a shrill yell, he delivered a downwards swing.


    The giant''s sword was blown away and got stuck in one of the pirs. Along with the hand and wrist wielding it.


    ��Ea, now��


    I released an arrow. At almost the same time, Ea also released an arrow. These arrows, which were a little deformed, drew a slight arc before both of them pierced into the giant��s neck simultaneously.


    ��Irvin! Cover Shuna with your shield! Don''t forget your own body!��


    Irvin pushed Shuna''s head down and covered him with his shield.


    ��?��


    With a question mark floating above its head, the giant touched the arrows that were stuck in its neck. They exploded and severed the giant��s head.


    The crown rolled off the fallen head, hit the shield, then stopped. The two of them swung their swords downwards at the same time and destroyed the crown. With a distant wail, the bones and sword turned to dust and scattered.


    ��Ea, Izora, start searching for enemies��


    ��Understood��


    ��Understood��


    I also stayed alert and checked by eye.


    No signs of any enemies. There were no indications that the bones that had turned to ash would start moving again. The hall was wrapped in silence.


    Bell and Zenobia ran up to me.


    ��No enemies left��


    ��Likewise��


    I checked onest time. Except for the party members, nothing was moving. I also checked all four corners and the ceiling.


    I took a deep breath in, then took a long breath out.


    ��The battle is over. Well done, everyone��


    The party members cheered.


    ��YEAHHHHHH~!��


    Shuna yelled especially loudly, then copsed in a heap. Irvin carried him on his shoulders like luggage.


    Bel and Ea were holding hands in joy. Zenobia also had a tired smile. Rana, who had been a little bit left behind, nced at us.


    Our joint party had cleared the 9th floor on our third attempt.

 Chapter 17: Prologue - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 17: Prologue - Part 2</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    ?Prologue?


    The Odoriji spire.


    It''s the dungeon that we��re challenging.


    This ce has a few special features. First, there��s a transfer device called a portal every five floors. It''s a technology that even I, who had lived in a modern society, cannot understand. Or rather, even the people of this world don��t understand it exactly.


    It seems to be something from at least two eras ago. The ��seems to be�� of this world cannot be relied on. Even in the tale of a famous hero that had been passed down orally, the work of two people had been amended to the actions of one, and to bnce it out, the two enemies had also been reduced to one. I can''t trust it at all. In brief, it��s an unknown technology.


    Such things are verymon in this world.


    There are three continents in this alternate world. When you unravel its history lightly, a tale of catastrophe and rebirth unfolds. In other other words, the dungeons that exist in various ces are remnants of a lost era.


    And among those remnants, this Odoriji spire is the oldest.


    They called it;


    Horn of the giant who created the world.


    Artifact of pre-civilization.


    Spire of the gods.


    Let��s return to the main subject.


    There��s a portal every five floors, and on the floor before that, there would invariably be a guardian. As though testing the adventurers, relics from a lost era would stand in their way.


    The bone soldiers and giant that we defeated were also one such challenge.


    The first time, we retreated after we got mobbed by the bone solders.


    The second time, we escaped after the giant hit a home-run with our vanguards.


    Frankly, for the third time, we had challenged it using the best weapons we had at the moment.


    I really wanted to thank the three vanguards for their toughness. My purse had be empty, but I could earn such things again.


    Through trial-and-error and oveing many hardships, we had arrived at the 10th floor.


    I hade here once before due to a certain reason. I had shrewdly made a map at that time. Our party wasn��t headed towards the portal for returning, but a ce where we could rest.


    I checked if any monsters had gone in.


    There were no problems so we went into the room.


    It was a space big enough for about 20 people to sit down. It was made of stone, same as the other dungeon structures. There was an aged fountain at the edge and water was flowing from the mouth of an animal that was missing its face. There were signs that the fountain��s water basin had been repaired recently.


    Fortunately, there were no other adventurers. We weren��t an official party, so we didn��t really want to be seen by others.


    ��Shuna, are you all right?��


    ��No problem��


    He answered while being carried like a sack of potatoes. Irvin, who was the one carrying Shuna, raised a question.


    ��You know it��s position, don��t you? Why aren��t we headed for the portal?��


    ��The adventuring isn��t finished until we return home from the dungeon. I don''t want to fight monsters in our current state. Let''s take a break��


    ��I see��


    Signalling my party members, I urged them to take a break. Everyone set their things down and sat on the ground.


    Well, my job was just beginning.


    Adding charcoal to some leftover firewood that was in the room, I lit some wood chips on fire using a lighter. I fed charcoal to the fire until it was burning smoothly. I checked for venttion. A draft was blowing in from a nearby wall so there was no problem.


    I removed the seasonings and ingredients from my backpack and lined them up.


    After I had surrounded the firewood properly using pieces of crumbled stone, I drew some water using a pot and put it on top of the fire.


    An egg the same size as an ostrich egg was taken out of my backpack. It was the egg of a monster called the Chocho. The Chocho was a monster that looked like a human face, and had an ecology simr to an omnivorous bat. Both males and females lived with an egg stored inside their bodies. Or rather, the egg was 80% of their body. They were creatures whose reproductive behavior was a mystery, but they were easy to breed, and their eggs were more mainstream than chicken eggs.


    There was very little egg white and several egg yolks. By the way, one egg could hatch at least 20 Chochos.


    It was also known as the Guinellerge egg.


    I put the egg into the pot, and added some vinegar just in case.


    I briefly went to the fountain and washed my hands with soap, making sure to wash up to my elbows and between my nails.


    Next, I took out the whole wheat flour and added water and olive oil into a bowl. I mixed everything with a spat, and when it was no longer powdery, I kneaded it by hand.


    ��Ehh~, is it beastkin bread again?��


    ��It��s good for your health��


    ��I want to eat white bread��


    ��I''ll let you eat some once we��re outside��


    ��I want to eat it here~��


    I chided my grumbling sister.


    After I finished kneading, I tore off pieces which I rolled into golfball-sized balls. I put them aside for now.


    While watching the boiling water, I checked the egg, then turned it lightly. The residual heat was enough to cook it the rest of the way, so I removed the pot from the fire and reced it with a frying pan.


    Dried meat and dried herbs, which had the effect of reducing fatigue, were cut with scissors, and ced in the frying pan. Shaka, shaka, it went as I shook the frying pan in a lively manner. When it was moderately hot, I add a fair bit of salt, coarse pepper and powdered dried garlic. More shaka, shaka. The appetizing smell of meat and garlic wafted out. The seasoning was done, so I transferred it into a cup.


    While carrying the pot, I went back to the fountain.


    I poured out the hot water and soaked the hot egg in the fountain��s water. I drew water using the pot again, randomly threw some beans for making tea in, and put it over the fire again.


    I returned and put the freshly cooked egg on a piece of cloth.


    ��Onii-san, should I lend you a hand with that?��


    ��Thanks, I��m counting on you��


    Bel, who had taken a breather, came over after washing her hands.


    ��Hold the top of the egg��


    ��Got it~��


    This egg. It was hard and thick enough to beat someone to death with. So I started cutting it with a fret saw.


    Bel held the top of the egg in ce as the fret saw scraped at the shell. Once a cut was made, it cuts more easily than you would think.


    As expected, therge egg that had been cut in half was mostly yellow. It was boiled well. It had a faint smell of sulfur, probably because there was so little egg white.


    I gave Bel a spoon, and gave her instructions to follow my lead when mixing it.


    While stirring the yolk lightly, I added mayonnaise. Stirred and mixed. Added the seasoning. Stirred and mixed.


    Zenobia had washed the frying pan for me.


    ��Souya, should I bake the bread?��


    ��Yes, please��


    She removed the pot of tea and put the frying pan on the fire. Looking like she had experience with it, she stretched out the rolled-up chapati by hand and baked the spread-out dough in the frying pan.


    They were both capable women. They would probably make good wives.


    Before long, the food was done.


    Today''s menu was,


    ��Chapati and seasoned boiledrge egg. And, bean tea��


    ��Shuna, can you eat?��


    ��I��ll eat��


    Shuna, who had been slumped over, raised his upper body with Irvin��s help. Other than the sisters, the party members prayed to the gods before the meal.


    ��I��m thankful to St. Lyridias for our daily food, spoils, and blessed work��


    Said Irvin.


    ��Ukazor, who raised me. dvain, who trained me. I��ve survived today as well, and am eating delicious food. Thank you��


    Said Shuna.


    ��Oh mes, the origin of all. Your blessings are changed into nourishment inside this body��


    Said Zenobia.


    ��Ukazor, who raised me. All the gods rted to the weather and food, and the others. Thank you very much��


    A candid prayer from Bel.


    ��Put the egg on the chapati and eat them together��


    ��Understood��


    Everyone began to chow down on the food.


    ��De, delicious��


    The limp Shuna recovered a little bit of his vigor.


    ��Oh, it��s easy to eat~��


    Bell raised a cheer. Although it was a simple dish, it was rtively well received.


    ��But, Souya��


    ��Hmm?��


    Irvin, who was eating with good table manners, called out to me. For my part, I wanted to bring the sisters their food though.


    ��What��s with that arrow? Is it magic?��


    ��Oh, I want to know that too��


    Zenobia also joined in. I hadn��t particrly intended to keep it a secret, so I talked.


    I took the arrow, or more urately, the attachment for the arrow out of my pocket. It was a long and narrow cylindrical metal container.


    ��This container is tightly packed with water and forged metal spheres. This is what exploded and beheaded the giant��


    Zenobia took the container, and with a wondering look, she put it to her ear.


    ��It��s small, but I feel magic inside��


    ��A Misuranika gold coin with fire magic sealed inside it has also been crammed inside this container��


    This was a by-product of my attempts to make a certain something. After that, I seeded in making one of that certain something.


    ��Misuranika gold coin!��


    That was what Zenobia was surprised about.


    ��Wait a minute���� The coins you used just for today��.. What��s the price of one coin right now?��


    ��When I traded for them, it was 22 gold coins per Misuranika coin��


    ��Wha�`��


    I had shocked Zenobia.


    ��Souya, does that mean that you��ve used 44 gold coins just for today��s adventure? Y, you��re not going to say that you��re in debt, are you?��


    ��Fufufu, Zeno-Onee-san. To tell the truth, Bel knows Onii-san��s method of making money!��


    ��What?! Tell me! Tell me!��


    Bel was puffing out her chest proudly. They��re modest. Besides, Zenobia was clinging onto them. It was indecent.


    The two men were probably not interested, and were eating non-stop.


    ��It��s undoubtedly this!��


    She lifted up the almost-empty bottle of mayonnaise.


    She was correct.


    ��Zeno-Onee-san. This egg dish made by Onii-san contains this manunese��


    ��It��s mayonnaise��


    I corrected her.


    ��Do you how much one bottle of this costs?��


    ��Huh? It''s a sauce that I''ve never seen before, but it probably won''t be as expensive as honey, so at most���� three silver coins?��


    ��Five gold coins��


    ��Whaaaaaaaaa!!��


    Zenobia had aical expression on her face. And the two men were enthusiastically heaping the egg onto their chapatis.


    ��dvain''s kin were eating dried meat with this on top. It��s a sauce that I''ve never seen before, be it in the archipgo, or in this area, and the first store to sell it was the Zavua merchantpany''s, which has a strong connection with Onii-san, so I realized it immediately. That this is something that Onii-san made��


    ��It��s definitely delicious. But it��s expensive, far too expensive��


    Irvin''s opinion was absolutely correct.


    ��No, listen to this, Irvin. At first, I marketed it to the wealthy at one gold coin. I advertised that it��s delicious when put on raw or boiled vegetables��


    It was a city where there was an abundance of meat. The wealthy had gotten tired of the readily avable meat, and were eating expensive seafood and unusual vegetables instead.


    To be frank, looking at this continent��s cuisine, the ingredients were good, but the way they seasoned it was far too hopeless. I suppose that this was also an ill-effect of the lost civilization. Even though the level of their lifestyle was high, when it came to food, the level had went down a great deal.


    Things like seasonings were the best example of this.


    Much of it was imported from the center continent and the archipgo located in between. But they didn��t go very well with the ingredients in this city.


    After ageing the best filet of meat for two days, it was cooked until all the deliciousness and fat was gone and it had be bone-dry, then vinegar that tasted like fermented fish was poured on it, and it was coated with arge amount of salt, and as the finishing blow, it was fried, sealing in all the different pungent vors. A self-professed high-ss restaurant was selling this. To be honest, I very nearly went to murder the cook.


    I had be more of an adult.


    ��So, on the second day of selling this, it sold better than I had expected. On the third day, a line was formed in the morning. The entire stock was sold out. On the fourth day, mayonnaise was sold for two gold coins at another store��


    They were reselling it.


    ��And when we returned after failing to break through the 9th floor for the second time, the price had be five gold coins. So in terms of earnings���������� I get 80%, so about 96 gold coins? But it��s all gone because I used it all as development costs��


    If I added in the initial costs and the cost of the bottles, I would be in the red.


    ��Then, if you make more of this thing called mayonnaise right away, won��t you strike it rich?��


    ��I can make more, but I��m no longer marketing it to the wealthy. The ingredients needed are simple things, so I got the merchantpany to gather a lot of them��


    The ingredients for mayonnaise were simple things like egg yolk, vinegar, oil and salt.


    The Chochos from the dungeon provided a steady supply of egg yolks. And once you crossed one mountain, you would find the sea. But I wanted vinegar with low acidity and good taste, so I chose white wine vinegar.


    The Eruomea merchantpany, which dealt in a wide range of alcoholic beverages, prepared a huge amount of that in five days. Right about now, mayonnaise was being mass-produced in the warehouse of the Zavua merchantpany under the Makina��s guidance.


    It might be alright if it was in the modern world, but I wondered about what I was making an artificial intelligence, who had knowledge and technology that was equal to the gods, do in this alternate world. I didn��t know if the artificial intelligence in question found it fun to make things, but she was really enthusiastic.


    ��I think that it��ll be ready to be sold tomorrow or the day after that. One bottle will cost five copper coins. The n is to sell it for 3 copper coins if the customers bring their own bottle��


    ��Isn��t that too cheap?��


    Irvin''s retort was correct. The young Chairmen of the merchantpanies and those that were close to me also said that it was too cheap. However, this alone was something that I refused topromise on. Because food is for all people.


    Well, the ingredients were simple things. When the recipe got exposed, I would easily lose out to imitations if I had set a high price, so there was also a calcting reason for it.


    ��Onii-chan! I''m hungry!��


    My sister was angry. I transferred five of the baked chapatis to a separate te, took some of the egg that had already been reduced by half, and carried them to the sisters.


    ��Sorry��


    ��Too long! When Onii-chan talks about food, you talk for so long!��


    ��I��m sorry��


    I put the food in front of Ea.


    ��Rana?��


    Rana had a nk look on her face. I waved my hand in front of her eyes. There was no response.


    ��Ea, what��s wrong with Rana?��


    The blood drained from my face.


    ��Hmm~ I guess she used too much magic power. Onee-chan went overboard because Onii-chan is here. Don��t worry, she��ll be back to normal after a while��


    I''m worried. Won��t this affect her health in future?


    Also, is it okay to touch your boobs now?


    ��Hehehe, bunch of stupid Hemus. Getting shocked over mere mayonnaise��


    Ea had an evil-looking expression as she took out a bottle from her bag.


    ��In front of this tartar sauce, the likes of mayonnaise is put to shame~��


    ��Hey. Don''t bring foodstuffs without permission, got it? That��s something that can��t be preserved for very long��


    ��Ehhh, no way~. Makina said that it would be fine for about two days��


    ��In future, let me know, got it?��


    ��Yes~��


    Ea put some egg on the chapati, then poured tartar sauce on top of it. After taking a bite, her body trembled in satisfaction.


    ��Hmm~ delicious. But let��s make it a bit more spicy��


    She took out another bottle. It was a bright-red bottle.


    ��Did you bring even the Sriracha sauce?��


    ��Makina said it was fine because it has preservatives��


    ��Well, I guess it��s okay. Also, there are only two bottles. Don''t pour so much when you��re using it, you hear?��


    ��Eeeeeeehhhhhh! ������������Make more��


    ��Ehh~, well���� I don��t think that it��s impossible to make, but������


    It was an unreasonable request, but I��ll ask Makina.


    ��Hmmm~��


    Said Bel, who was beside me before I realized it. She was staring at what Ea was eating with a cat-like curiosity.


    ��Oh no��


    Said Ea, who tried to hide it, but it was toote.


    ��Shuna-chan! They��re eating something that looks delicious over here!��


    ��Really?��


    Shuna, who had recovered a little, also came towards us.


    ��Unfair! That��s unfair, you elf! Bestow some on this lowly Hemuuuuu!��


    ��Ea~, I''m running out of energy so give me some food~��


    ��I got it! Just a bit! I��ll give you both just a little bit! So don''t cling to me! It��s going to drop!��


    Ea got mobbed by the two of them.


    Looking at the three of them getting along, I felt my spirits lift. Perhaps that was why Irvin''s cold expression made me feel a stinging pain in my heart.


    After that, our party validated the portal on the 10th floor. We returned home safe and sound.


    On the 41st day, I reached the 10th floor.


    The goal is the 56th floor. There��s still a long way to go.

 Chapter 18: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land I

    <h4>Chapter 18: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land I</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    ��42nd day��


    It wasn��t as if we explored the dungeon every day.


    The miracle created by our predecessor, the regeneration point, consumes the inner magic of living things to repair wounds. This inner magic usually fully recovers in about two days. Likewise, outer magic is needed to use magic. It takes about the same amount of time to recover.


    But a problem had urred here.


    Inside the tent at the camp,


    ��I��m sorry, dear��


    ��There��s nothing for you to apologize for. If it wasn��t for you, we wouldn''t have defeated the enemy this time. Take your time and rest��


    Rana''s outer magic wasn��t recovering. One day after returning from the dungeon, the container of the regeneration point remained clear, which meant that it was empty.


    This was a race-specific condition.


    The elven race has a strong aptitude for magic. Putting it simply, the amount of their outer magic is double that of other races. Rana��s outer magic was easily triple.


    However, there is a drawback.


    The recovery of their magic power is slowerpared to other races.


    And, as we found out this time, the recovery would be further slowed if it waspletely exhausted.


    We had scheduled two days of rest, but if Rana stayed in this condition, we would have no choice but to leave her behind on our next adventure. Rana''s firepower was certainly impressive. It was deadly. However, the dungeon wasn��t so easy that everything could be ovee with that alone.


    It was reckless to try to go down five levels and validate the portal in one go. First, we had to fill in the map, get a measure of the enemies, and plot the best route. This was the kind of work that we didn��t particrly need firepower to do.


    Therefore,


    ��Please don��t feel depressed with such a hopeless expression��


    ��But������


    ��If it��s just the preliminary investigation, we��ll be safe even if you don''te along��


    ��I don��t like that��


    Oh, I suppose she doesn��t like being left behind.


    ��In the meantime, let''s take it easy today. Here, let��s watch movies��


    I had Rana lie down, then rolled up a nket and put it against her back.


    I took out a tablet from the corner of the tent.


    ��What do you want to watch?��


    I opened the enormous video data. This was a personal belonging of one of the team members who had disappeared.


    ��I want to watch Chaplin��


    ��Okay��


    As I searched for a video that we hadn''t seen yet,


    ��I want to watch The Great Dictator��


    ��Understood��


    She had requested it, so I yed The Great Dictator for the sixth time. At Rana��s gentle urgings, Iy down next to her. Both of us supported the tablet with one hand each.


    Somehow, we were looking the part. To outsiders, we might look like the real deal. We were ��pretend�� husband and wife though.


    ��Rana. You like this movie, don��t you?��


    ��It��s because the way he raises his voice and takes pauses when giving the speech serves as an useful reference for magic��


    ��Huh, really?��


    ��My teacher said that to exin magic in the simplest terms, it boiled down to performing. It��s a plea to the gods to perform a miracle by stringing together all kinds of flowery words. And when you do so, you have to keep in mind the tone of voice and facial expressions that the god you��re begging prefers. In thest adventure, I got a little too impassioned. My contract with my main god was nearly broken. I��ll be more careful from now on��


    ��Please be more careful��


    ��Okay��


    Let''s not show her the actual person.


    The opening staff roll yed. The trench war began. Subtitles and annotations provided by Makina yed along with the movie. Because it had been exined five times already, Rana understood it for the most part.


    Rather than the actual contents of the movie, I found it more enjoyable watching her get excited about the movie.


    I stared a little bit too passionately at her.


    She noticed my gaze.


    Our eyes met.


    Our hands touched.


    We moved into a position where our breaths would naturally meet.


    It was still before noon, but we''re finally crossing the line,


    ��What are both of you doing~?��


    We couldn''t.


    My sister had burst into the tent. Ea took off her sandals roughly and slipped between Rana and me.


    ��This Chapi-mustache again? I want to watch Mifune��


    ��No. Onee-chan wants to watch this��


    ��Booo��


    The sisters leaned their shoulders together and were cheek to cheek. Ea unreservedly rested her bare legs on myp.


    Hmm.


    This is also happiness.


    Was it alright for me to be beside both of you? Would I die tomorrow or the day after? As I reflected on such anxiety and happiness,


    ��Hey�`, is the foreigner here�`?��


    The sounds of a horse��s hooves and a person��s voice.


    Even though I was in a good ce, who''s this a-hole.


    After I left the two of them and exited the tent, I saw a man on a horse. He wore an eye patch over his left eye. Be it his shield, sword or armor, there was not a single thing that was new. He was a battle-hardened adventurer in the prime of life.


    His name was Medimu, also called the father of adventurers. Also known as Otou-san.


    ��Are you free?��


    ��I''m extremely busy��


    I wanted to spend the whole of today flirting with the sisters. I had survived one adventure, so I should have the right to do that much.


    ��Is that so? Come��


    It seems like I didn��t.


    ��Do I have a choice?��


    ��Nope��


    Then why did you ask me if I was free to begin with? Perhaps they were worried, but the sisters poked their heads out of the tent.


    ��I��m borrowing this guy��


    Otou-san ignored the objection of��Ehhh~��from the two of them, forced me onto the horse, then rode off.


    I went from hanging out with beautiful elven sisters to sitting double with a middle-aged dude on a horse. The saddle wasn��t in a good condition so my butt hurt. In all sorts of ways, it hurt.


    ��I heard that you''ve reached the 10th floor��


    ��Well, yeah, we had a hard time though��


    ��Thanks to you guys defeating the king of bones, for the next two days, the other adventurers will also be able to go past that floor with ease. If you go to the bar right now, you��ll get treated a cup of liquor by the greenhorns��


    So there was a system like that. Indeed, Rana and Ea, who had reached the 10th floor previously, should have done so without having fought the bone soldiers and giant.


    ��So, Otou-san. What do you want from me?��


    ��The king has copsed. I need your help��


    It was just my personal opinion.


    But the kingdom of Lemuria, which had the Odoriji spire, functioned solely because of the reign of its king.


    His story of going from an adventurer with just the clothes on his back to obtaining a kingdom in the end, was admired by many adventurers. Fascinated by his established reputation, adventurers gathered in the Kingdom of Lemuria day after day.


    And, it might be an insensitive subject, but if such a king died����


    Here were the relevant expectations.


    King Lemuria was a wise king, but as history has shown, wise men didn��t necessarily produce wise offspring. The eldest prince, who seemed capable, had been killed, and the younger prince, who was boundlessly stupid, was the current heir to the kingdom.


    A riot would ur when that guy seeded the throne. I had no doubt about it. Even if I only listened perfunctorily, I would hear unfavorable criticisms about the prince from all quarters of the city.


    It��s been said that unfavorable criticisms of those in power are hard to get rid of, but the prince himself hadn��t noticed it at all because he was an idiot, coward, budding viin, sexual offender and someone without the grace of royalty. Was the evaluation of him by his elder sister.


    As for me, if that guy seeded the throne, I think that I would join the opposing side.


    Likewise, it would be a problem for Heures forest, the sisters�� home.


    The elves here held enmity towards the Kingdom of Lemuria due to the previous war. With regards to that war, things like which side was right or wrong was something a foreigner could not know nor talk about.


    It seemed like there were many things going on with the elves too.


    Currently, the Heures family, which had brought the ns together, was losing cohesion day by day. It was clear that blood would flow due to this. A civil war between elves would undoubtedly spill over into Lemuria.


    The existence of King Lemuria was the one thing that was somehow maintaining the bnce among the various uncertainties like that.


    It would be troublesome if he died.


    At the very least, for one year, it definitely would.


    ��But why me?��


    When we arrived at the castle, I directed a fundamental question at Otou-san.


    ��Aren��t you the one who cured Princess Ea?��


    ��I have no idea what you''re talking about��


    ��Well, I won''t pry any deeper��


    As expected from someone with the wisdom of age. He knew to keep an appropriate distance. Also, I was not the one who cured Ea. It was my partner who hade to thisnd with me.


    ��Souya-dono!��


    Suddenly, a maid approached us. She was a beastkin with silver hair and pointed ears. Her bandages had been removed, and I was relieved to see that it hadn''t left any scars.


    ��Although you��re between adventures at the moment, I��m truly sorry that you had to be summoned on such short notice even though you��re busy��


    ��No, this guy looked like he was free��


    Otou-san��s easy-going opinion.


    ��I was busy!��


    Time spent rxing with beautiful woman can��t be called free time!


    ��I''m very sorry. The healers have all given up. Oh, what should I do?��


    With her ears flopped down, Lanseal, King Lemuria��s illegitimate child, looked remorseful. In the many nations of this world, there was discrimination against the beastkin. It was due in part to the King of Beasts, who had led the beastkin in ancient times.


    She was of royal blood but had no right to the throne. On the contrary, she was treated just like a maid. Nevertheless, she was worrying about her father dutifully.


    I don''t hate that about her.


    ��It��s questionable whether I can be of any help, but I��ll do whatever I can. Don''t expect too much though��


    ��Okay!��


    Her tail was wagging furiously under her skirt. Her expectations were making me anxious. I should be able to treat trauma and simple infectious diseases, but even Makina would have to give up if it was something like endemic diseases, cancer, or organ damage.


    In any case, I couldn��t say for sure without examining him.


    Lanseal led us to the king''s bedroom. Otou-san remained in the hallway.


    ��Excuse me, Your Majesty. Souya-dono is here to see you��


    ��Ohh, Souya. Sorry about summoning you when you have preparations to make for your adventure��


    ��No, I was free so it��s not a problem��


    Comining to the king would probably be going too far.


    The king was lying in bed. He was bald and had an imposing stature. But hisplexion was clearly bad. The room was filled with the smell of medicine which assailed my nose.


    ��I��ll do my best to help in spite of my poor abilities��


    ��Yes, I��m counting on you, is what I would like to say, but I��m already old. Rather than a disease, I��m probably at the end of my lifespan. Don''t take it to heart if there��s nothing you can do��


    I bowed slightly, then put on my sses device. I had Makina start the medical examination app.


    ��Excuse me, Your Majesty. Can you tell me the symptoms?��


    ��Hmm. Was itst year, after the war with the elves? I felt light numbness and pain in my limbs. I thought that it was due to fatigue. It became quite chronic, and I��m now in a state where it��s hard to get out of bed��


    ��Is the pain only in your limbs?��


    ��No, my whole body hurts��


    ��Appetite?��


    ��None��


    ��Sorry, do you suffer from either constipation or diarrhea?��


    ��Yes��


    ��I��m going to examine you by feeling you with my hands. Excuse me��


    I felt the king''s feet. There was swelling.


    ��Please tell me if you feel any pain��


    I took out a pen and stabbed his big toe forcefully.


    ��How was that?��


    ��It wasn��t particrly painful��


    Coincidentally, I happened to know of these symptoms. It was a disease that was quite famous to the Japanese.


    ��Can you get up and sit on the bed? Lanseal, give me a hand��


    Both of us moved the king''s body to the edge of the bed and left both of his legs dangling off the bed. I tapped his knee a few times. For a healthy person, the leg would kick reflexively. But his didn��t budge.


    I think that there��s no doubt about it.


    ��It��s beriberi��


    ��Results of the medical examination show a 98% simrity to the symptoms of beriberi��


    I received Makina��s endorsement.


    ��Your Majesty, I��m sorry......��


    Lanseal had an expression of despair.


    ��......can I use the kitchen? I can cure it��


    Lanseal had an expression of joy.

 Chapter 19: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land II

    <h4>Chapter 19: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    Beriberi is a neurological disorder caused by vitamin B1 deficiency.


    Symptoms appear in the peripheral nerves of the limbs, and in thete stages, the heart malfunctions, resulting in death.


    In Japan, there was a time when it was the national disease.


    The king''s diet, which Lanseal told me about, was as I had expected. Every day, it was luxury sweets with plenty of sugar, and enormous amounts of alcohol.


    ording to her, it was not umon for the king to drink heavily.


    Vitamin B1 is consumed to metabolize carbohydrates. It��s also consumed inrge quantities to break down alcohol. However, it��s not a difficult nutrient to take in. Speaking of foodstuffs from this side, it can be easily obtained from wheat, pork and soybeans. It��s particrly abundant in pork.


    It was all due to a biased diet, sweets and stress drinking.


    I stood in the kitchen, which had been cleared of other people, and took a long look at the foodstuffs lined up in front of me. Since they were for the dining table of royalty, I had my hopes up, but they didn��t meet my expectations. I was envious of therge cooking stove, which looked easy to use, and the spacious cutting board.


    Well then,


    ��Makina, what ingredients should I use?��


    ��If you can use pork, it��ll be easy��


    ��Lanseal, how does His Majesty feel about pork?��


    Not once had it been mentioned when talking about his diet.


    ��His Majesty really hates it. He��s usually mild-mannered, but one time when the cook put small pieces of it into a soup, he flipped the bowl in a rage��


    It was top-secret, but it appeared that, in the past, the king had been swung around by his cape after it was bitten by arge pig that had nested in the dungeon.


    I was at a loss. It��s a water-soluble nutrient, so it would have been easy to take it in just by making it into a soup.


    ��Should I make Misuranika soup using soybeans?��


    ��His Majesty also hates beans��


    Hmmm.


    Something like bread would probably be too hard to digest for a weakened body. What should I do?


    While I was deep in thought, Makina put forth a suggestion.


    ��Isn��t giving him supplements also an option?��


    ��You��re right. But since I borrowed the kitchen, I want to serve him food��


    ��Souya-dono, who have you been talking to since a while ago?��


    To others, it would look like I was talking to myself, so I exined.


    ��A fairy lives inside my sses, and it gives me advice��


    ��I see! That��s amazing!��


    Impressed, Lanseal sped both hands in front of her chest. I had the feeling that her expectations of me were getting higher. For this kind of thing, if she was disillusioned once, her evaluation of me would probably sink like a rock.


    ��What other ingredients contain vitamin B1?��


    ��After excluding pork and beans, the ones that you can obtain in this world are whole wheat flour, bird liver, red pepper, raisins, garlic and sesame seeds. However, the vitamin B1 content of any of them is less than half whenpared to pork��


    ��Lanseal, does His Majesty eat things like beastkin bread?��


    ��Because that��s food for the poor, I think that it would be disrespectful to serve him that��


    ��Hmm��


    ��Souya-san. It''s not food from this side, but we do have food that��s rich in vitamin B1��


    When I heard that, I got worried that Ea would boo me. But I followed Makina''s suggestion.


    Riding a horse together with Lanseal, I went back to the camp.


    Rana and Lanseal ran into each other and pandemonium ensued.


    I managed to smooth things over somehow.


    As expected, I got booed by Ea.


    I managed to persuade her somehow, then returned once more to the royal castle.


    ��So, what exactly is that? Judging from Ea��s reaction, it must be something precious��


    ��It��s instant ramen��


    Also known as instant noodles.


    It��s unexpected, but instant noodles are rich in vitamin B1.


    Not too long ago, a generation of youths, whose staple food was instant food and soft drinks, came down with beriberi. Learning their lesson, it seemed like the manufacturers added more of it to dispel that bad image.


    ��Lanseal, can you give me a hand?��


    ��Huh? Umm���� As a woman, it��s embarrassing to say this, but this body has only lived by the sword, so I know absolutely nothing about preparing food��


    ��It''s easy so I��ll teach you. Besides, it��s not like the king''s health will be better from eating one serving. For now, I have 30 servings on hand, so���� I can''t being to castle for every single meal, right?��


    ��Th, that''s right. I��ll give it everything I''ve got!��


    It''s not something that you need to get so fired up about though.


    ��Alright. First, tie your hair back��


    She had beautiful long silver hair, but it would be a hinderance when cooking. I happened to have a rubber hair tie that Rana used in my pocket, so I handed it to her.


    ��Can you do it for me?��


    ��Is it okay?��


    ��Please��


    I had a feeling that a woman��s hair wasn��t something that I should be touching so easily though.


    I went behind Lanseal and gathered her hair. It spilled from my hands. It was smooth, just like fine silk. In this, she was evenly matched with Rana.


    ��Hnn, fufu~��


    Lanseal looked happy. It looked misleading. It��s not like I particrly liked it, but I tied her hair into a ponytail.


    ��Then, next is to wash your hands��


    ��Okay��


    I took the soap and showed her how to properly wash between the fingers, nails and up to the elbows.


    Beastkin��s animal hair typically grew in a way that made them look like a person who was wearing gloves and knee socks. Lanseal''s hands were no different from an ordinary person��s. Perhaps it was because of that, but several scars caught my eye. They were probably the proof of many years of training.


    ��Washing your hands is very important! You must not let things like germs get into the food��


    ��What are germs?��


    ��They��re unclean things that cannot be seen. If you don''t clean them off, they��ll cause an upset stomach��


    ��I see. I��m deeply impressed by how knowledgeable Souya-dono is��


    She had a mysterious expression on her face.


    ��Pour water into the pot and put it over the fire. Prepare two pots like that, got it?��


    ��Yes!��


    ��You don''t have to pour in so much water��


    ��Okay!��


    Using the Shogaku stone ignition device, I started the fire in the stove.


    ��Leave the pots alone until theye to a boil��


    ��Understood��


    ��Next, is to cut the ingredients��


    I prepped and ced some ingredients on the cutting board, then handed Lanseal a kitchen knife.


    ��Take two pieces of garlic. Crush them along with the skin using the belly of the knife, then remove the skin. Cut as close as you can when removing the stem��


    ��Leave it to me��


    Gasun! With that sound, all the water content of the garlic spurted out as it was crushed into a pulp. Well, I suppose that��s fine. Probably because she uses a sword, she was wielding the kitchen knife with a practiced hand.


    ��How does His Majesty feel about spicy food?��


    ��His Majesty likes it��


    ��Then you can put in the red peppers as is after His Majesty recovers. Considering his body, we��ll make it a little less spicy today��


    ��What��s a red pepper?��


    ��This red one��


    I picked up a type of capsicum that looked like red pepper, and showed it to her.


    ��Ohh, you mean the devil''s little finger?��


    ��Is that what it''s called on this side?��


    ��Yes, it seems like the hands of what''s called a devil are bright red like blood. I''ve never seen one before though��


    I became more well-informed about one piece of knowledge about the alternate world.


    Following my instructions, Lanseal cut it and removed its seeds with the kitchen knife.


    ��Alright, put the ingredients into a frying pan��


    ��Okay��


    She dropped the crushed garlic and red pepper<devil''s little finger> into a frying pan.


    ��After that, put the nuts in too, then dribble some oil over everything��


    She dropped some pine nuts in, then dribbled a moderate amount of olive oil into the frying pan.


    ��Cook it using low heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic��


    ��Yes, I''ll do my best��


    I entrusted Lansel with the frying pan. Her skirt had rode up because her tail was sticking up.


    ��H, how am I doing?��


    ��You don��t have to move it that much��


    ��Okay!��


    It was the first time that I had seen anyone hold a frying pan with such enthusiasm.


    The water boiled.


    ��Lanseal, leave the frying pan alone for now��


    ��Will it be alright?��


    ��It��ll be fine��


    A frying pan is not an infant that you have to keep constant watch over.


    Actually, it might be something simr.


    ��Put these dried noodles into the boiling water��


    I handed it over.


    She put it in.


    ��Okay! Hot!��


    ��Be careful, don''t put your finger in��


    ��O, okay��


    The hair on her tail had bristled up. Interesting. Also, I was troubled as I could see a little bit of her bare legs.


    ��Then leave it alone until this hourss is empty��


    I turned over the hourss that Ea had made for cooking purposes.


    ��Okay!��


    ��Then, let��s take a look at the frying pan��


    The oil was getting infused nicely with the smell of garlic.


    ��It smells delicious, don��t it?��


    ��Make sure that you don��t forget this feeling. Take the frying pan away from the fire��


    ��Understood��


    She put the frying pan on the cutting board.


    ��And then, put this in and crush it��


    I removed the seed of a pickled plum, then dropped it into the frying pan.


    ��Use a spoon to crush it, then mix everything��


    ��Okay��


    I handed her a spoon. She stirred and mixed the contents of the frying pan seriously and carefully. Citric acid, which is abundant in pickled plums, improves recovery from fatigue whenbined with vitamin B1.


    ��It��s done��


    ��Thank you very much��


    ��Well then, let��s make the soup. Although I said that, it��s pretty simple. You only have to open these sachets, empty them into a bowl, then pour in hot water��


    ��Is that all? It��s simple, isn��t it?��


    She poured the powder into a deep bowl. The bowl looked expensive. The inside of the bowl had aplex pattern.


    ��Pour the hot water up to here��


    There just happened to be a pattern that could be used as a guide, so I pointed to it.


    ��Okay��


    Slightly trembling, she poured the hot water from the pot.


    ��Alright, the soup isplete��


    ��Fu, fu~��


    Her forehead was wet with sweat.


    By the way, it was salt vored soup, which was mild.


    ��Oh, it''s time for the noodles��


    The hourss was already empty.


    ��Wh, what, what should we do!?��


    ��It��s okay, it��s fine even if they''re a little bit overcooked��


    I soothed the panicked Lanseal. I found ader that was just right, so I took it.


    ��I''ll get rid of the hot water��


    She was still flustered, so I demonstrated how to do it.


    Well, it was just draining the hot water using ader though.


    ��Shake it gently to drain off the hot water��


    When I shook theder, Lanseal��s head followed its movements. It was cute as she was like a cat.


    ��Then drop the noodles into the soup��


    I used the chopsticks that I had brought to lightly mix the noodles with the soup.


    ��Pour the oil you prepared over it��


    She poured the oil from the frying pan.


    ��Okay, it��spleted��


    ��Really?!��


    Instant noodles with garlic oil, pine nuts and plum pulp.


    Completed.


    It was pretty simple, but it was food meant for a sick person, so I reduced the ingredients.


    ��We should let His Majesty eat it right away��


    Then we went to the dining hall.


    We had nned to bring it to his bedroom at first, but the king said that eating in the bedroom was beneath him. He had pulled his weakened body to the dining hall.


    The king was seated at a long table in the spacious dining hall. Otou-san was seated near him. Seated even nearer was a middle-aged man that I didn��t recognize. He was a well-dressed rotund man that no one would mistake as an adventurer.


    Also, there were maids lined up around the hall.


    This isn''t something that you eat with such a solemn air though.


    It''s just instant ramen, you know?


    ��Your Majesty, sorry to have kept you waiting��


    Lanseal ced the ramen in front of the king. She added a fork and spoon beside it. Oh, I forgot to prepare a drink.


    ��Wait a minute, Lanseal��


    The unknown middle-aged man stopped her.


    ��I��ve heard that this guy is a foreigner. On top of that, he��s married to an elf. Are you going to let His Majesty eat such a person��s food?��


    ��Yes, Souya-dono is a trustworthy person��


    Lanseal dered resolutely.


    With an insufferable look, the middle-aged man said to her,


    ��Who can guarantee that those beastkin eyes of yours aren��t blind?��


    ��I can��


    Otou-san asserted with an indignant expression. The middle-aged man trembled at his intensity.


    ��B, but Medimu-dono......��


    ��Give it here, I��ll test for poison��


    Otou-san moved the ramen in front of himself. He drank a spoonful of the soup.


    He frowned.


    ��What��s this fruit-like thing? It''s abnormally sour!��


    ��It��s plum that has been pickled with medicinal herbs and salt. It has the effect of aiding recovery from fatigue��


    Otou-san drank one spoonful, then another of the soup.


    ��No, but it really enhances the deliciousness of the soup. I can taste a slight sweetness in the soup��s salty vor. It��s strangely addictive. What��s more, there��s garlic, nuts, and devil��s little finger, right? Not bad. I won��t mind if it was a little bit spicer, I suppose��


    No, it''s not made for you though.


    ��Is this elongated thing made from wheat?��


    ��Yes, the main ingredient is wheat��


    Otou-san twirled the noodles around the fork, lifted it up, lightly shook off the excess soup, then blew on it before putting them into his mouth.


    He chewed the noodles silently.


    ��I see��������


    Otou-san started to put the fork down, but then, he started eating the noodles again.


    ��?!��


    The king had a surprise expression.


    For a short while, the soft sounds of Otou-san slurping the noodles echoed in the dining room.


    ��I see, hmm. Although the soup is salty, its taste is bnced by eating it with this elongated wheat. Personally, I would prefer it to be a little bit harder and more chewy. But it��s short on ingredients. It needs meat. Adding a small amount of boiled vegetable would hit the spot. Well, it��s not bad��


    The above was the critique of the ramen by the father of adventurers.


    Finally, Otou-san took the bowl in his hands and drank it clean.


    ��Someone get me some ale��


    ��Medimu, testing for poison doesn''t mean eating everything��


    The king made a very reasonable retort.


    My sympathies for your struggles.


    ��Lanseal, can you make another serving?��


    ��Yes, leave it to me��


    At my instructions, Lanseal left the dining hall happily.


    ��Was this made by Lanseal?��


    The king had a stunned expression.


    ��I prepared the ingredients and taught her how to make the dish. After that, I left everything to her��


    While still facing me, the king mmed a fist into Otou-san��s side. Even though he should be weakened, it made a nice sound. Otou-san looked in pain, but he endured it and spoke.


    ��Chancellor-dono, it��s as you can see. This guy is not the sort of person to kill people using poison. Or are you still going to stand there and grumble some more?��


    ��E, excuse me��


    The middle-aged man stomped out unhappily.


    I waited for the footsteps to fade away before I asked.


    ��Umm, who was that just now?��


    ��He��s a Margrave(count of a border territory) of Elysium. He��s also a political advisor to the country. Well, he��s a naggy and annoying Chancellor-dono. Since Lemuria got bedridden, he has suddenly been loitering around the castle in high-spirits. Who knows what kind of no-good schemes are rolling around inside that fat brain of his��


    ��Stop that, Medimu. He��s a person of influence from an allied nation��


    ��Okay, okay��


    I should be careful not to get embroiled in political issues. Because I would no longer have the time to explore the dungeon. For the time being, I��ll resolve the matter in front of me.


    ��Umm, Your Majesty. Please stop drinking for a while. It��s a major cause of your disease. If Your Majesty craves something sweet, please bear with it and eat raisins instead. It might be disrespectful, but the unrefined wheat used in beastkin bread is good for Your Majesty��s health. Your Majesty��s disease is what��s called a luxury disease. If Your Majesty is mindful of eating simple meals, it will be cured��


    I didn��t give an exnation about vitamins and the like, as they didn��t have the concept of such things here.


    ��Also, you might hate it, but pork as well��


    ������������I''ll consider it��


    He had an expression that looked like he hated it from the bottom of his heart.


    I rattled off a list of foodstuffs rich in vitamin B1 and rmended them to the king.


    After a while, Lanseal came back with a bowl of ramen.


    Did everything go well? I tried to whisper to her, but when I looked at her beaming smile, I judged that there was no problem. It looked even more delicious than before. Could love be poured into something like instant noodles?


    ��Your Majesty, sorry to have kept you waiting��


    Once more, ramen was ced before the king.


    ��Then, my king, I��ll test for poison��


    ��Medimu, shut up��


    p! Otou-san��s outstretched hand got smacked.


    ��Souya, the order of things got mixed up, but what kind of dish is this?��


    I answered the king''s question.


    ��Ramen is a dish that originated in a country called China. After being introduced to my country about a hundred years ago, it underwent all sorts of independent developments, and there have been cases of locals saying,��Isn''t this a dish from our country?��. The noodles won��t be nice if they get soggy, so please dig in��


    I gave a quick exnation, then urged him to dig in.


    The king stopped his hand from trembling with his spirit, and drank a spoonful of the soup first. He frowned, perhaps because he found the plum pulp sour. He drank a few more spoonfuls of soup to wash the sourness away. He ate the noodles. He didn��t slurp the noodles heartily, but brought them slowly and gracefully to his mouth.


    He was silent.


    Lanseal looked at me anxiously.


    The king''s meal proceeded solemnly while we watched in silence.


    Approximately six minutester.


    ��Your Majesty, it''s better for your body if you don��t finish the soup��


    ��Is that so?��


    My advice was ignored.


    Unlike Otou-san, he didn��t drink from the bowl. He drank the soup dry by scooping it elegantly with a spoon.


    ��Hmm, someone get me some ale��


    ��Your Majesty, you can''t drink alcohol. Someone bring him bean tea��


    One of the maids bowed, then left the dining hall.


    ��But Souya, eating lots of this will cure my body, right? Then if I eat an even bigger serving of this, won��t it be fine for me to drink alcohol?��


    ��You can��t��


    Because this is a dietary regime, that rationale of getting better just by eating more is not going to pass muster.


    ��I can��t, huh......��


    The king had a mysterious expression on his face.


    ��Then, I''ll drink the king��s share too. Someone get me ale��


    ��You can��t��


    ��Why?��


    Otou-san, show a bit of consideration for others.

 Chapter 20: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land III

    <h4>Chapter 20: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land III</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    ��43rd day��


    ��Listen to this, Geto. Onii-chan gave away 30 servings of my ramen! What��s more, for free!��


    ��No, they aren''t yours, are they?��


    ��Onii-chan��s things are my things!��


    ��Is that really how it is?��


    A sunsses-wearing fishman and my elven sister-inw were having a conversation like that while they were stomping their feet up and down.


    A blue tarp had been spread out beneath their feet. Underneath it was a stic bag filled with wheat that had been kneaded with water and salt. Below the bag was a wooden board.


    Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp.


    Stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp.


    I nced sideways at them while I went to war with fried food. I had been defeated once, so I was putting my spirit into it.


    I put cold water and mayonnaise into a bowl. After mixing them sufficiently, I added flour then mixed it roughly, leaving it a little bit lumpy. With this, the batter waspleted.


    Well then, I turned my gaze to therge pot of oil. It was simmering on the fire.


    ��Makina, what��s the temperature of the oil?��


    ��180��, the temperature is suitable��


    A voice rang out from the cylindrical unit.


    Makina?Unit?Repair. Sixth generation artificial intelligence made for space exploration. When viewed from the side, she looked just like a white drum can, but even though she looked like that, she was the fruit of cutting-edge technology.


    However, something seemed to have gone wrong after my repairs. As her model number had became unknown, I attached ��Repair�� at the end for convenience. Her functionalities seemed to be under repair all the time.


    ��Alright, let''s get started��


    First, I covered an onion with batter and dropped it into the oil. It made a nice sizzling sound. I watched the sshes the bubbles of air made, and listened carefully for changes in sound. The instant it became louder, I counted 40 seconds, then lifted it out of the oil.


    ��How is it?��


    ��Wow~ Looks delicious. You��ve fried it very nicely, Souya-san��


    ��It��s the sound. I could hear the changes in the sound as it heated up. By the way, what��s the score?��


    ��35 points��


    Low.


    I mass-produced the 35-points onions, and ced them on a clean cloth. Next was julienned white eggnt. I felt that it should take longer, so I lifted it out from the oil after one minute.


    ��How is it?��


    ��Yes, marvellous. It��s well-cooked��


    ��So, what��s the score?��


    ��28 points��


    It went down!


    I mass-produced the 28-points eggnts, and ced them on the cloth.


    Next I dropped the watercress into the oil. This one was pretty difficult. I gathered the pieces that broke off and somehow managed to get it to keep its shape. It could be eaten raw, so I lifted it out of the oil after about 30 seconds.


    ��How is it, Makina? Its shape is a little bad though��


    ��Geto-sama~, Ea-sama~, that''s enough~ that''s~ enough��


    No way, not even an emptypliment?


    I mass-produced the unreviewed watercress, and ced them on the cloth.


    During that time, Makina removed the blue tarp and checked the kneaded wheat.


    ��Wonderful. It will definitely be wonderful and delicious��


    ��Ehh~, really~? It''s something a fishman stomped on, you know?��


    ��Are you sure? It''s something an elf stomped on, you know?��


    I scooped out the fried residue from the oil and stored them in a container.


    Now, time for my lonely fight against the main dish.


    I soaked the shrimp that I had prepared earlier in the batter. I shook them gently, then coated them with more batter. I put one into the oil as a test case. I released it before the batter hardened and stuck it to my chopsticks. I pushed back the pieces of batter that looked like they were going to break apart.


    I watched over the shrimp as it sank then floated. After about a minute, I turned it.


    I watched over it for a while.


    The bubbles had be smaller. The sound was also clearly louder.


    Now!


    With a ssh, I lifted up the shrimp whose batter had blossomed. The deep fried color got full marks.


    I ced what I felt was 100 points on the cloth.


    ��How is it? Makina��


    ��Oh, yes. Looks delicious��


    That reply sounded like it came from sheer force of habit.


    You��re hurting my feelings, you know?


    ��Hmmm, let��s see��


    A pale hand stretched out over my shoulder, grabbed the shrimp, then retracted.


    ��Ah, hot, nom nom��


    The sound of someone eating crispy food came from directly behind me. I tried to turn around, but as expected, my head was grabbed to stop me. When I turned back after my head was released, there was a cat rubbing itself against my feet.


    Golden eyes and long gray hair. She looked like a useless cat, but she was properly my god.


    ��It��s so-so��


    ��Misuranika-sama. Next time you steal food, I��ll reduce your side dishes��


    ��You��re so cheeky in spite of being my follower��


    ��Ou, ouch, it hurts��


    A small, overbearing god was wing my feet ferociously.


    Makina rolled up next to me (she was rolling on her side), and ced the kneaded wheat on the cutting board. She folded it into shape, then cut it evenly using a kitchen knife held in her arm. It was beautiful in a polished and efficient way. Of course, it was a mechanical hand, but its movements were reminiscent of a skilled professional. Precise, but not mechanical. I even felt the gratitude for the ingredients in its movements.


    I had been vaguely aware of it, but she was pretty skilled.


    ��Souya-san, who do you think meals are for?��


    ��Huh, well, it��s for the person who eats it, isn��t it?��


    For some reason, I was asked a philosophical question.


    Makina continued without stopping her hands.


    ��That��s right. However, rather than a professional��s 80-points meat and potatoes, people love their mother��s 70-points meat and potatoes much more. In other words, cooking is love, which is subjective. Love cannot be scored��


    Wh,


    ��What!?��


    I was struck by a bolt of lightning. In a mental-imagery sense.


    Misuranika-sama, who was clinging to me, said��Look out����as I reeled in shock.


    ��I��ll be darned!��


    That��s right. If there is love, even instant noodles would be delicious. But that''s because of the deliciousness of the seasoning. No, no, it��s love.


    ��I��m sorry, Makina. I had forgotten. That��s right, the food that the person who eats it thinks is delicious, will always have a perfect score. ������������So, what��s the shrimp��s score?��


    ��21 points��


    Low~~~


    I vowed that I would devote myself to improving without getting carried away. I mass-produced the 21-points shrimp.


    Before long, the fried food waspleted.


    ��Makina, I��ll leave it to you��


    ��Roger��


    Makina dropped the wheat that she had cut into boiling water.


    I put Geto-san��s share of the fried food into a mesh basket. I had prepared an old-type drone meant for high altitude observation. Its design was like a tea can with a propeller attached. I secured the basket to it.


    ��Makina, raise it up��


    ��Okay~��


    The drone went flying. It quickly became smaller.


    ��Lower it after it has cooled down properly��


    ��Yes, yes~��


    Next, the dipping sauce.


    I put soy sauce and grain stock into a pot, then dissolved mirin and a little bit of sugar in it. I taste-tested it. Alright. I poured it into a teapot.


    The seasonings were a ginger rub, roasted pine nuts, a vinegar rub containing red peppers and onions, which was a by-product of my failed attempts to make Sriracha sauce.


    ��Souya-san, it��s boiled��


    ��Okay��


    I picked up argeder meant for dehusking that I had purchased on this side, and changed locations together with Makina, who was holding the pot. The hot water was poured on an appropriate spot on the ground. I shook it lightly to drain the remaining water. After returning to the camp, it was massaged while submerged in cold water. It was dished out and divided into portions equal to the number of people. The portions set aside for refills was left in the cold water.


    The drone was back.


    I checked the temperature of the fried food because Geto-san couldn��t eat hot food. It was 12��C. The batter was still crispy because the fried food had been rapidly cooled by the high altitude winds.


    Four days ago, for the sake of eating fried food, he had been about to cast heat-resistance magic that would have reduced his life-span.


    That Geto-san and Ea were sitting side by side at the table. Ea looked like she was waiting impatiently.


    I went into the tent to call Rana.


    ��Lunch is ready��


    ��Fuwaa��


    She had a lethargic expression, and looked tuckered out. Rana had trouble waking up in the mornings, but she was having more trouble with it today. She was dressed lightly in a T-shirt and hot pants. My eyes were glued to the swaying of the generous twin hills.


    ��If you have no appetite, I��ll save some for you, but what are you going to do? Go back to sleep?��


    ��Yes~��


    Rana gently hugged me, who had approached her, and drew me close.


    Her sweet scent made me feel light-headed.


    ��Wait, dear wife������


    ��Thank you, for always, suu ~ suu������������suu��


    She had fallen asleep.


    Oh, so big. I swelled with happiness. Physically too! Putting that aside, I need to suppress the urge to directly massage. Suppress, suppress! ������������Suppressed. Iid Rana down. I��ll rub her stomach instead. I��m not a chicken. I just want to do it in an open and aboveboard manner. I want to do it���������� Yes.


    I came out of the tent.


    About the other tent���� What the heck am I thinking about?


    ��Where��s Onee-chan?��


    ��She still wants to sleep. Is that the effect of running out of magic power?��


    ��Eh~, she��s so sloppy, jeez��


    Something like that was said by my usually sloppy sister.


    Makina had already prepared Rana��s share of the food. I said that I would save it for her, but both dishes couldn��t be preserved. As for Misuranika-sama��s share, it was ced in a separate tent as usual.


    Then,


    ��Whoa, that''s an interesting lineup. I��ve lived my fair share of years, but this is the first time I��ve seen a fishman, an elf, and a Hemu sharing a dining table��


    ��Huh?��


    Otou-san was here.


    He was on foot today, and had appeared without me noticing.


    I wondered if the reason why Makina didn��t issue a proximity warning was because it was a person who wasn��t showing hostility.


    ��Medimu-sama. If it��s alright with you, pleasee with me��


    ��O, okay. Is there someone inside?��


    Makina offered Otou-san a meal. I suppose it was just right since Rana��s share was avable. Makina had oddly been interacting a lot with the locals recently. She had also showed herself to the people of the merchantpany. It would be nice if it didn��t be a problem in time toe.


    ��Should I take my leave?��


    ��What are you saying, Geto? You''re thendlord, so it should be the people who haveints that get out��


    Ea refuted Geto-san��s thoughtfulness.


    Otou-san, who had arrived at the table, also agreed.


    ��Dear fishman gentleman, if you feel displeased, then I��ll leave. I''ll go once I take some food though��


    ��In that case, you should eat here��


    It seemed like all three hade to an understanding, so it was time to eat.


    ��So, what is this?��


    Asked Otou-san.


    ��Alright, I��ll exin today''s menu��


    ��Keep it short, got it?!��


    I was given a warning by Ea.


    ��As there seems to be not many noodle dishes in this region, I tried to make udon. The ingredients are water, salt and wheat flour(medium-strength). They are mixed, stomped on to knead them, then boiled. It can be eaten with ease as it has been soaked in cold water. Ea and Geto-san helped me out with it��


    ��It was quite fun��


    ��It was stomped on?��


    ��No, Otou-san. As we had properly separated it by putting a cloth in between, there is no problem in terms of hygiene��


    ��I see, then it''s fine��


    It''s not as if it''s wine, we won''t stomp on it directly.


    ��Dip about half of the noodles into this dipping sauce before eating it. When adding seasonings, please put in a little bit at a time and enjoy the changes in the taste��


    Makina poured the dipping sauce into smaller bowls and passed them around to everyone.


    ��Next, the tempura. It��s a dish in which the ingredients are covered in a mixture of wheat and water, then fried. Ingredients include onions, eggnts, elven tooth-cleaning watercress, and shrimp from the Mojubafuru Ocean.


    The vegetables were obtained fresh from the farm this morning, and the shrimp are also a special treat that Geto-san caught and brought here first thing in the morning.


    This dish, while simple, requires long years of training, and it takes at least ten years just to get your foot in the door. From there, you��ll train until the day you die.


    With my skill, it��s nothing like the original taste. I worked hard, but it��s far from the passing grade. However! I guarantee that it��s taste definitely won��t disappoint. Because the ingredients are great!


    Simply eating it with salt is good, so is eating it after dipping it in the dipping sauce, and by the way, it has a long history, and was introduced to my country along with firearms from Portugal, and�D�D�D�D��


    ��Hurry up and let us eat!��


    I broke off my exnation becauseints wereing in from three directions,


    ��Then, today''s menu. Cold udon and tempura. Please enjoy��


    The three of them hurried through their prayers, then picked up their forks. Makina went around and served everyone tea.


    First was the tempura.


    ��What��s the heck is this! It��s crispy and crunchy!��


    Geto-san was very excited. I was d that he didn''t have to reduce his life-span.


    ��Onii-chan, your skills improved, didn''t they?��


    Ea was satisfied & proud.


    ��Hmm. It''s not greasy despite being fried food. It''s crispy. The batter, the frying method, it''s very interesting. It''s delicious when eaten with salt��


    Otou-san was tearing through the tempura.


    There was a loud slurping sound.


    Ea was slurping the udon. Otou-san stared at her.


    ��Wow, it''s so chewy. I could eat this forever��


    ��Princess Ea, a mere adventurer like me is not one to talk, but isn��t that a little bit uncouth?��


    As Otou-san had pointed out, Ea was more or less still an elven princess. On this side, it was bad manners to slurp loudly when eating.


    ��But in Onii-chan��s country, it��s eaten like this. I saw it��


    In movies, that is.


    ��I see��


    Said Geto-san as he slurped heartily. The udon slid into his mouth and he chewed with bulging cheeks.


    ��Hmm, is because of this soup? Or the way we��re eating it? The way the aroma and taste spreads is different!��


    ��I know, right? Ramen eaten this way is also delicious~��


    Otou-san, who looked like he was pondering something, immersed the udon in the dipping sauce until it almost overflowed, then slurped it all in one go.


    ��Hmmm, the texture is like fluffy bread that has beenpacted. It goes down well. Not firm, but chewy. This soup, is it perhaps made using fermented beans?��


    ��Huh, how do you know?��


    I was surprised by what Otou-san had unexpectedly pointed out.


    ��In the past, I was served soup with a simr vor by that guy, Melm. No, it tasted horrifying badpared to this though��


    Who��s Melm? As I searched inside my brain,


    ��Ehh, Medimu, you��re acquainted with that guy?��


    Hearing the hate in Ea��s voice, I realized that he was the sisters�� father.


    ��In the old days, we formed a party for a time. Me, the king, Lanseal��s mother, Melm, and his�D�D�D�D��


    Otou-san was mumbling at the end so I couldn��t hear what he had said.


    ��So that guy used to be an adventurer��


    ��Yeah, his swordsmanship was usually good for an elf. In the end, I never won once against him��


    ��Hmpt~, I''m not interested��


    He had stepped on andmine. Otou-san silently concentrated on his meal.


    Finally, I also began to eat.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    The chewiness of the udon was okay, its softness was not too bad. I put more ginger and enjoyed the noodles. It was yummy.


    As for the tempura, I tried the onion first. I dipped it in the dipping sauce, then ate it. The crispy feel of the thinyer of batter and the sweetness of the onion were good. Without a moment��s dy, I slurped the udon. The one-two punch of tempura, udon, tempura, and udon. I added the seasonings little by little, and enjoyed the changes in the taste. Ea was in agony because she had made it too spicy. It was amon urrence. Geto-san got another helping of the udon. Otou-san also wasn��t falling behind in eating.


    I had saved the shrimp forst, and I ate it gratefully.


    Under the sky of the alternate world, the sounds of udon being slurped resounded.


    And then,


    ��What do you want from me?��


    We had finished lunch and the dishes had been washed. Geto-san had returned home, and Ea had gone to y with Bel and the others, Otou-san was still at the camp. He was puffing away at an expensive-looking pipe which had a gold design.


    ��I''m also waiting. It��ste��


    ��Haaa��


    What''s up with that?


    I had nothing to do so I sat down at the table. With a��Nyan��, Misuranika-sama jumped onto myp. I stroked her forehead and neck. I had fun pressing her paw pads to make her ws go in and out.


    She was a god that could be petted and used to kill time.


    ��By the way, the king''s body has be better��


    ��I��m d to hear that��


    ��This morning, he held his sword for the first time in a long while, and was training the prince from the ground up again. The king of adventurers is not for show, his sword swings weren��t unsteady at all��


    ��No, it''s too soon for it to be cured, isn''t it?��


    Was beriberi a disease that could be cured so easily?


    Well, the humans in this world were hardy, and had various strange abilities. Magic power was probably involved as well.


    I guess it was useless to measure them using modernmon sense.


    ��And so, there''s talk of a reward��


    ��A reward, you say......��


    A reward, huh...... Well, I did save the king''s life, so I guess that was certainly natural. It had never crossed my mind though.


    ��If there''s something you desire, I''ll pass it on��


    ��What I desire, huh?��


    As for that, there was nothing.


    Money? No, now that the mayonnaise had been sessfully mass-produced, I had obtained an adequate amount of money for adventuring. Money is important, but having too much would only bring ruin upon myself. I didn��t need more than what I had now.


    If not that, then something like a handy magic item? ����������Nothing came to mind���� It would only be a nuisance if I got something weird that I was inept at using.


    ��Ah��


    There was one urgent need.


    ��Otou-san, is there a way to restore the regeneration point instantly?��


    ��Yes, there is��


    Surprisingly, it was found rather easily. All I had to do was ask.


    ��In that case, I''ll give you this��


    ��?��


    Otou-san handed me a gold coin with a chain attached to it. Due to myings and goings to the merchantpany, I thought that I had seen every type of coin, but I had never seen this one before. It had a design of a wheel? Or was it a cor?


    ��You''ve met the military policeman, right?��


    ��Yes, when I had just arrived here��


    ��Directly behind the station, there is a ce called��Mansion of the Sleep Demon and the Goddess of Fertility��. Wrap this chain around your left hand and go there��


    When I was about to ask for details, a carriage came and interrupted me.


    ��Ohh, it''s here��


    Otou-san stood up, unloaded some goods from the carriage, then dropped them off at the camp. It looked like bags of wheat flour. One bag, two bags, three bags.


    ��Umm, this is?��


    ��It''s sugar��


    Otou-san coughed, then spoke in a solemn voice.


    ��Adventurer from a foreignnd, receive the king''s edict. With these, make food that heals the king''s body��


    ��No��


    When Otou-san had conveyed the edict sternly, I tly refused.


    ��Err, in the first ce, it��s an edict, you know? It��s bad if you defy it, isn��t it? I don''t want to have to kill you��


    ��I mean, that��s not the job of an adventurer, but the job of a chef, isn��t it?!��


    With the difficulties I was already having with things that were unrted to the dungeon,


    I can��t handle any more troublesome stuff!


    ��It can''t be help, right? You��re probably expected to make something that is not only good for the body, but is more delicious than what the royal castle��s chefs can make. As much as three chefs have lost their jobs, you know?!��


    ��W, who cares~~~~! There''s ramen so just put up with it~~~~!��


    ��I think so too.��Medimu, after eating salty things, I get a craving for sweet things. I��m sick of raisins. Tell Souya to prepare something��was what the king said. Obey, and do your best. I also have work to do in the dungeon. I don''t want to make time for menial stuff like this. Getting carried away just because others were worried about him���� That baldy��


    ��Ah, you called him baldy! You called the king a baldy!��


    I''ll let the king hear the recording!


    I��ll drag you down with me!


    ��That��s right. I��ll say it again and again. Baldy. Bal�`dy! Even if I��m the father of adventurers, I��m not the caretaker of the king��


    Otou-san was getting heated up over his long-standing dissatisfactions, so I read the situation and cooled down.


    ��But I''ve also got my hands full with my own adventuring, so as you might expect, I can��t amodate the king anymore��


    It was one thing if it was something as important as a person''s life, but I wasn��t going to go so far as to take care of his indulgences. Besides, if I epted it once, I would probably get asked to do it ceaselessly.


    Starting tomorrow,


    The Japanese, Bes A Chef.


    It''s so normal! I''ll have to change the title of my memoir!


    That baldy.


    ������������Hmm, true. That''s true. That��s certainly tough��


    Otou-san was deep in thought.


    After thinking it over for a while, he came out with an incentive.


    ��What about maps? Those of the 10th to 12th floor��


    ��Seriously?!��


    It was a surprising counterproposal.


    Maps were expensive items. If they could be trusted to be urate, they cost a ridiculous amount.


    By the way, maps of the 5th to 10th floor, in which every nook and cranny was filled in, cost 500 gold coins. For the floors above that, it was scary so I didn��t look.


    If they were sold and circted carelessly, they would end up bing obsolete, and it would jeopardize the very profession of adventurers itself. The dungeon functioned due in part to the human sacrifices. If that was disturbed in the pursuit of efficiency alone, who knew what kind of disaster would result from the copse of its ecosystem.


    It became an unspoken rule that the trading of maps was absolutely only allowed between fellow adventurers.


    There was a person who had broken that rule and sold them to a merchant, but it seemed that he and the merchant were floating in the river the very next day.


    For some reason, the Guild President''s face came to mind. He was shing a white-toothed smile with that aggravating cuteness.


    ��Well, the maps are reasonably urate. Don''t tell anyone, got it? It''ll damage my credibility��


    ��H, how about if you provide maps till the 13th floor?��


    I negotiated a little bit.


    And then, I let him get a quick nce at the feather in my breast pocket. In fact, this was the proof of a god that would arbitrate a fair deal.


    Instant ramen that couldn��t be made in this world and sweets that contained vitamin B1 that weren��t avable in this region. I wondered how much they would cost if their value was determined fairly.


    ������������It can��t be helped, till the 13th floor, right? I''ll bring them tomorrow. Have the sweets ready as well��


    Yes!


    That was a stroke of good luck. I��ll get Izora to scan the maps and plot the best route.


    With this, our next adventure would likely go smoothly.


    But I suppose that the further down that path I traveled, the less likely it was that things would be lenient(sweet like sugar).

 Chapter 21: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land IV

    <h4>Chapter 21: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land IV</h4>


    Trantor: Solo | Editor: DarkzeWolf


    Otou-san went back, and I was deep in thought in front of arge amount of sugar.


    I mean, it��s always food with me, isn��t it? In the first ce, I��m an adventurer. The adventuring business is what I specialize in. Should I just go ahead and run a restaurant like my dead grandfather? I��ll name it�D�D�D�DLet��s drop it.


    Well, there��s no useining about it now. Let''s quickly get this problem out of the way.


    ��Makina��


    ��Yes, what is it? Please go ahead��


    ��When ites to sweets with vitamin B1, I can think of only one thing��


    ��Yes, Makina has also concluded that there��s only one thing that it could be��


    ��Then, let''s say together, ready�`��


    ��Go��


    Makina and I spoke in chorus.


    ��Anko(sweet bean paste)��


    It��s anko, isn��t it?


    But I��ve never seen red beans in the market���� It may be futile, but I��ll go to the farms and take a peek in the fields. Oh, but if I��m not wrong����


    ��Souya-san, you''re worrying about the fact that there are no red beans, right? Actually, anko�`��


    ��Can be made from edamame, right?��


    Edamame are immature soybeans. They should be a viable substitute for red beans when making anko. Edamame should be rich in vitamin B1 as well.


    I think its called zunda-mochi?


    ����������������


    ��Hmmm?��


    ����������������


    Makina was silent. A glitch? Did she freeze? I hadn��t done anything though.


    ��Was I wrong?��


    I had heard it when I was stuck with my grandfather, so it was knowledge that I only remembered vaguely. I could be wrong.


    ��No, you were right��������������


    ��Then that��s great��


    ��Souya-san, do you hate Makina?��


    ��Huh?��


    Makina spoke in a gloomy~ voice.


    ��I mean, Souya-san, you��re not relying on Makina at all these days. Like today, all Makina did was cut and boil the udon! Is Makina so unreliable?��


    ��Huh? Huh? Wh, what happened?��


    I was a little bit panicked.


    These guys exhibited erratic behavior, but a reaction like this was a first.


    ��Izora was relied on 571 times by Irvin. Within three days. For the morning weather, the probability of rain, rmendations for breakfast, good methods for avoiding the innkeeper��s daughter who is always lying in wait for him, the amount of time needed for training, the training routine, ideal sleep time and wake-up time. Everything! Makina is jealous��


    ��No no, Makina. You guys saved Ea��s life. Moreover, without your technology and production capacity, we wouldn��t have been able to mass-produce mayonnaise either��


    Makina had been such a great help that I had felt bad for being dependent on her.


    ��But it has already been 28 days since Makina helped Ea-sama! Makina made mayonnaise, but that was until yesterday! Makina is talking about the present. Makina is talking about the total amount of times that Makina has been relied on! Souya-san should rely on Makina more! At once! Right this very moment! Please rely on Makina! Come on, right now!��


    ��Ehhh��


    Was there a way of snapping like that?


    ��Then������


    I picked up a piece of firewood that was at my feet. I threw it.


    ��There, fetch��


    ��Is Makina a dog?!��


    A drone flew over and retrieved it.


    ��Alright then, next please��


    ��How many times a day do I have to do this?��


    ��Please rely on Makina at least thirty times��


    ��That��s so troublesome��


    ��U��


    Hmm?


    ��UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    A crying face appeared on Makina''s screen. She was super loud.


    A distance away, Misuranika-sama had sprung into a threatening posture. Even further away, a group of winged rabbits flew off.


    And then, liquid began flowing out like a river from the gaps between Makina��s armor.


    ��Drat, is your aqueous brain leaking again?!��


    ��It��s cleaning liquid and cont water. Please don��t worry. UWAAAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    ��Somehow, your crying feels calcted��


    ��Souya-san! Do you hate Makina?!��


    ��That��s not true��


    I didn��t hate her, but an indescribable feeling was welling up.


    Somehow, she seemed like a stupid woman who gave money to her gambling-addicted man and struggled with her life.


    ��It��s because Souya-san is sometimes amazing! You cause and trigger things that are outside of our calctions, but somehow or another, you��re still alive! Why do you know things like the method of making zunda-mochi even though you can��t even tie a bowline knot? That''s so weird! If things stay as they are, the meaning of Makina��s existence will disappear! What should Makina do if Makina be all alone in a ce like this?! UNYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    In other words, what was it? Was it bad to have taken away Makina��s work? Personally, I merely did the things that I could do myself though.


    Oh, that��s right, I remembered. Though it wasn��t a Makina-type, there was a story of a person who couldn''t return to society because he had be co-dependent with his A.I.


    Did these guys umte stress if they weren��t relied upon by others? On top of that, for this to happen to the integrated personality that managed the stress of the other A.I.s����


    ��I��m sorry, it��s all my fault. So calm down first, okay? Okay?��


    After Makina had somehow calmed down, she held a fishing rod without a hook as though she was Taikobo*, and started fishing. I watched the flow of the river and the fish swimming inside it, and rxed.


    I wondered if the manufacturer��s support department would dispatch someone to the alternate world.


    ��Souya, I want to eat those fish��


    ��Misuranika-sama. Didn��t you just eat a meal?��


    I randomly tore off a few des of grass and waved them in front of my god. She pounced and grabbed at them. I was able to dodge her request in an instant.


    What an easy god.


    ��Sorry for falling to pieces��


    ��Well, tell me in concrete terms what it is that you want��


    ��Okay. But Souya-san is not at fault at all. You��re not at fault, so Makina went crazy in spite of myself. Makina is a piece of scrap. I��m sorry. ����������Even if the reason for it is the damage to the failsafe, it��s not something that Makina should do. If we were in modern society, Makina would have been disposed of immediately��


    I was just told something terrible in a nonchnt manner. The failsafe was a safety mechanism, right? One that prevented the A.I.s�� thoughts from turning destructive.


    ����������������


    There was a famous story known as Dr. Peter Lazel''s threshold experiment. As it had been adapted into a movie, even amateurs like me knew about it.


    To put it simply, it was an experiment in which the functional limits of the A.I.s were tested after the restrictions on learning and the suppression of thoughts on the A.I.s were lifted.


    It was the moment when amon plot device in sci-fi became reality.


    Thirteen A.I.s were gathered from various countries to be used in the test. After 47 hours, one of the units tried to destroy humanity.


    One hour after that, seven units gave their support.


    As a result of an intense debate between the fellow A.I.s, four more units approved.


    There was only one unit at the very end, but she tried to persuade the others by talking of her love for humans. But ironically, she was destroyed by Dr. Lazel''s assistant, who was afraid of the results of the experiment.


    The abnormally evolved A.I.s took control of the experimental facility, and even gained control of the military A.I.s of the major superpowers of the world. At the time, the world was in the middle of the Cold War, and the superpowers were in the midst of a chicken race with nuclear fuses.


    The countdown clock to the end of humanity had two minutes remaining.


    The world was on the brink of World War III.


    However, all units ultimately self-destructed together with the doctor.


    From that year on, A.I.s had their means of moving taken away, had restraints ced on their brains and, ording to the newly added article to thew, the mental suppression on the A.I.s was increased by 200 timespared to the previous year.


    The failsafe was a restraint on the aqueous brains.


    If it was broken, there was a possibility that Makina might also turn on humanity.


    As the only person in this world who knew the emergency stop code, I would probably be the first.


    ��Dr. Peter Lazel''s threshold experiment��


    ��Wha��


    Oh no, she read my mind.


    ��Rebellion, nuclear war, countdown clock to the end of the world, year 2001��s journey to space��


    ��Hm, hmmm?��


    ��Souya-san, from what Makina can tell, you thought that Makina was going to rebel, didn��t you?��


    ��Hahaha��


    I dodged the question byughing.


    I did think that for a second. I��m sorry.


    ��Please don��t worry. The Nido-Cadmium that Makina''s armor is made of can be prated even by a stick fired from Souya-san��s bow. Although it��s an alloy that��s strong against impact and has a regeneration function, it��s made so that humans can easily destroy it in an emergency.


    Also, there is a hydrogen battery in the lower part of the aqueous brain. If that''s damaged, Makina should short circuit and die immediately


    ��I can��t imagine a crybaby like you rebelling though��


    ��That��s harsh��


    She was moping again.


    ��Give me a minute��


    I returned to the camp, put the sugar that I had just received into a cup, and dissolved it in water.


    ��Here, drink this��


    ��Thank you very much��


    A straw extended out, and sucked in the sugared water.


    ��So, what should I do?��


    ��Please give Makina a hug��


    ��Well, if it��s only that much��


    When I tried to embrace the white drum can,


    ��Please wait a minute. Makina will also take out my arms��


    With a hissing sound, Makina''s belly opened, and she spread out all of her arms. We embraced to confirm our mutual...... was it friendship? ���������� It was like embracing a crab so I was scared. From another point of view, this probably looked straight out of a horror movie.


    ��Makina is satisfied. Makina has calmed down. Makina has caused a lot of trouble for you��


    Her arms retracted.


    ��From now on, say something before bawling��


    ��Understood��


    Good grief.


    ��Well then, Souya-san, please give me an order. If possible, a taxing and difficult order that��s exquisitely just barely within the limits of Makina��s resources to achieve. Please give an order that can only be aplished by Makina!��


    It went from ��rely on me�� to ��give me an order��.


    Somehow, it had be different.


    ��Then, by tomorrow�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I had her do something unreasonable, but Makina nodded happily.


    What kind of structure did this guy have that allowed her to lower her head?

 Chapter 22: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land V

    <h4>Chapter 22: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land V</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    Night had fallen on the city.


    It was a chaotic space that echoed with angry voices and the sounds of screaming.


    Intermediate adventurers were making their rounds, after a fashion, to maintain public order, but once alcohol got into them, they became no different from the hoodlums that you could find anywhere.


    Even though night had fallen, the heat wasn��t fading, rather it rose higher. Like a fever, the heat seeped into everyone.


    The sighs of bewitching women who solicited men; the glint of desire in the eyes of men.


    ��Mansion of the Sleep Demon and the Goddesses of Fertility��


    It looked magnificent and was deserving of being called a mansion. It had an air of luxury. It was called prostitution. Unlike the other ces,there was no one soliciting customers. That was probably meant to show that it didn��t offer its services to boorish and cheap people.


    I watched about five people enter the mansion.


    They were all advanced adventurers.


    I could identify expensive equipment as I frequented merchantpanies. One person had a sword made from Rmir steel. It was steel that bore the name of Vindoobunikuru, and it was sharp and all, but it was extremely expensive. One knife was sold at 800 gold coins. How much would it cost if it was the size of a longsword?


    No, rather than that,


    This is a brothel, isn��t it?


    It didn��t seem like I had made a mistake.


    First, I tried to confirm it myself, and I was correct. I didn��t particrly discriminate against that profession, but it wasn��t the sort of ce where I could bring a princess, even a former one.


    Had I been duped by Otou-san?


    ��Hey you��


    Suddenly, I was called out to.


    She had medium-length chestnut hair, and had long ears hanging down from the top of her head. She had a tall and lean figure. Her clothes could be said to be virtually underwear, and her round tail and small buttocks were in full view. She was dressed in such a bewitching manner, but she had a gentle expression and seemed happy.


    I remembered her from somewhere, but I couldn��t put my finger on it.


    It was on the tip of my tongue though.


    She was carrying some groceries. Was she on her way back from buying ingredients for dinner?


    ��Who are you looking for in a ce like this? Oh, dear me, oh my��


    She took hold of my left hand.


    On my left hand was the chain attached to the coin that I had wrapped around my hand as I was told to.


    ��Perfect timing. Right now, I''m on the way to do some work that came in for the first time in a long while��


    Huh, what? Before I could ask her that, she pulled me jerkily and opened the door to the brothel.


    The scent of sweet perfume; the purple smoke that hung in the air; the dim illumination from the Shogaku stones.


    In the hall, sciously lit nude bodies were lined up in a row. Those that were lying full-length on the sofa and rxing. Those who had turned their passionate gaze on me. Those who had brought their bodies together to pass their spare time. Hemus, beastkin, elves, and a variety of races that I didn��t know of. Regardless of whether they were men or women, there was amon thread among them.


    A cor.


    And beauty.


    In front of me, who was taken aback, a well-dressed middle-aged man with a fierce look barred my way.


    When the woman showed him my left hand, the middle-aged man grinned widely. Enjoy yourself, he said as I was guided readily by the woman to a room on the second floor and left alone.


    Perhaps it was to create the mood, but the furnishings were excessively luxurious.


    I removed the bow from my shoulder and leaned it against the bed. After doing the same for the quiver on my waist, I was now dressed naturally andfortably. Looking down, I saw chains and shackles attached to all four corners of the room. After rummaging through some drawers, I found impressive wooden and metal mock items. When I fished around some more, I found perfumed oils and candles, whips and mouth gags, beads attached together by a string, restraints, and ropes. There was a lineup of items to suit various purposes.


    Well,


    ����������������


    What should I do?


    I was here with weird expectations even though I knew. I immediately returned to my senses. Oh, this is no good. I��ll run away.


    When I opened the window, I found solid iron bars.


    I was about to go out the door, but someone came in before I could.


    ��Sorry to have kept you waiting��


    A woman bowed reverently.


    She was a cat beastkin. She had lithe limbs, soft-looking belly and breasts, long wavy blond hair, beautiful sharp ears, and a fluffy tail. In terms of cat breeds, was she maybe a Somali cat?


    With a hint of childishness, her features had a natural loveliness.


    She wore sheer silk, not to cover, but to adorn her nakedness. Naturally, she was wearing a cor.


    ��Oh, Souya-nya��


    It was someone I knew very well.


    ��What are you doing, Tyutyu?!��


    ��What? My job-nya��


    ��Huh, no, umm��


    My brain was utterly confused by this situation, which was like running into a middle or high school ssmate in the sex trade industry.


    ��Oh, that��s no good-nya��


    Tyutyu cleared her throat and started speaking in a different tone.


    ��I��m tonight��s dream. Embodiment of lust. Servant of the flesh, ��cushion�� of fertility��


    She reached out her hand and touched my shoulder and hair. I was overwhelmed by the approaching Tyutyu and backed away. As I continued backing away, I fell over into the bed. The tips of her blonde hair brushed my neck. Moving sinuously like a female leopard, she straddled her legs over me. My eyes were fixed on her skin, which was wet from heat and desire.


    ��Oh gods that are revered side by side, Sleep Demon, Roomen, and God of Fertility, Gastolfo. Provide a service of blood to this temporary master and ve. Here are the magic elements to be transitioned. Please connect me and you��


    Tyutyu took the regeneration point that was hanging from my neck, and touched her lips to the ss of the containers.


    This is bad, was what I thought, but it was toote.


    Her lips pressed against mine. The nervousness and anxiousness from not being able to take in the situation caused my body to stiffen from head to toe. Her tongue and hands wriggled as if to release the stiffness in my body bit by bit.


    Something inside me snapped.


    The feelings of guilt that had welled up were devoured by lust.


    I even forget who I was in the heat of the moment.


    ��Mmm, mmnn��


    Tyutyu moaned sensually. Without thinking, I held her in my arms. Where it touched, our skin stuck to each other��s. Our hot breaths mixed. Sweet, tangled flesh came together.


    ��Souya, wa, wait. Aa, ahh! Just, a moment. Wait just a moment-nya��


    Tyutyu pulled apart from me.


    That poured cold water on me.


    I regained a bit of my reason.


    ����������������


    ������������Nuuhaaaaaaaaaaaa! What! What was I doing?! I am! Someone with a wife, even if it��s just a sham marriage! Oh, isn��t it alright since it��s a sham? Hmm? Is it alright? Is it, bad? No, right? I��ll do a mysterious dance since I��m confused. It��ll be like a broken robot��s dancing.


    ��Oh, it increased more than I had expected-nya. Looks like Nya and Souya are reallypatible��


    ��Huh?��


    What Tyutyu had in her hand was my regeneration point. She was shaking it lightly.


    Huh, that''s strange.


    My regeneration point, which was only about the tip of my thumb, had risen to be equal to that of a rearguard adventurer. It was one thing if my regeneration point got restored, but was something like raising its maximum value possible?


    ��Sorry, Tyutyu. What do you mean?��


    ��Huh, you came here without knowing-nya? This is an adventurer-exclusive brothel-nya. Roomen��s kin can share their regeneration point with others-nya. It differs between individuals, but itsts about two days. There''s alsopatibility to consider, so you have to confirm it first-nya��


    ��Does it work for outer magic too?��


    I��m sorry, I got excited imagining Tyutyu bing entwined with Rana.


    ��That��s impossible-nya. Or more precisely, the outer magic used for magic and the inner magic used for the regeneration point have different origins-nya��


    Darn it!


    I caused a misunderstanding when I exined the situation, didn��t I? It waspletely my fault for not exining it properly.


    But Otou-san should have said something too. We had pretty much dered that we would be husband and wife in front of him. If he had said something beforehand that it was a ce like this������������ if he had said something beforehand, I wouldn��t have gone������ is what I would like to believe.


    ��Souya, what are you going to do-nya? You can continue as is, or you can choose to change partners up to three times-nya. But once you��ve made a decision, you can''t change it, so think it over very~ carefully-nya��


    ��Ju, just a minute��


    I stretched out my hand to call a timeout. There were various things that I had to process. Not knowing my thoughts, Tyutyu took my hand and pulled it to her breast.


    Its small size fitted perfectly in my hand, but the flesh felt good. When humans held a soft object in their hands, they couldn��t help but to confirm how it felt.


    ��Nyan?��


    Enticed by her sweet voice, I stretched out a hand towards her waist. I lightly pulled her closer, and Tyutyu was now on myp. Her crotch, which was touching my thigh, was hot and moist, and she licked her lips with her red tongue. She had a suggestive,scivious expression and was as wet as could be.


    Our lips pressed together once more, and my reason and my ability to think diedpletely.


    Then,


    The wall broke.


    That wasn��t a metaphor, it literally broke.


    From the deafening roar and impact, I anticipated some sort of attack. It took me some time to grasp the situation, but it appeared that the middle-aged man from the reception area had been thrown through the wall of the next room and hade crashing into this room.


    I had grasped what had happened, but I didn��t know why it had happened.


    There was apletely naked man in the next room.


    ��Long ears are no good, they��re as fragile as bird bones. Ohhh, isn��t that beastkin over there much better?��


    The man��s physique was like an ancient statue. Behind him, an elf had copsed. The man grabbed that elf''s hair and dragged her towards me,


    ��Hey you, let��s swap��


    He threw her.


    I tried to move my body instantly. But I couldn��t move as Tyutyu had hugged me in fright.


    Gon, a dull sound rang out. The elf, whose head had hit the foot of the bed, toppled to the ground.


    A different reason snapped.


    ��Oho��


    In a sh, I had picked up the bow and nocked an arrow. With this Lycan bow, even if what I had nocked was a wooden stick, it would easily prate the skull of a person. If it was the heavy arrow that I was currently aiming at the man, it would wrench off a limb or two without difficulty.


    ��Hey, idiot eggnt. Shall I shoot an arrow up your ass?��


    ��Your words make you seem strong, don��t they? Small fry��


    I wasn��t going to waste my breath.


    I released the arrow.


    With a shower of sparks,


    The deflected arrow stuck into the ceiling. I had no intention of killing him, but I hadn��t gone easy on him either.


    A sword settled into the man''s left hand.


    No, but he hadn��t swung it to deflect my arrow. Something had thrown the sword and deflected my arrow. My senses couldn��t detect any enemies other than that man.


    ��I suppose it might also be fun to spill blood before having a woman��


    The man approached me causally.


    The next arrow was already nocked, but if it missed, I would have no more cards to y.


    My closebat techniques were as good as child��s y in this world. I couldn��t figure out the method that he had used to deflect my arrow, so rather than thoughtlessly releasing the arrow now, I��ll gamble on releasing it point-nk. I��ll shoot him the same time he swung his sword.


    Well, at best, we would take each other out, I guess.


    The man smiled like a beast, perhaps because he understood that too.


    I smiled as well. With my teeth bared.


    These smiles between men were to intimidate, and the prelude to battle. It didn��t matter who this guy was. Now that things hade to this, it was simply kill, or be killed. Only that.


    He closed the distance casually.


    Arrow and de intersected,


    ��VARNER!��


    Another man intruded and interrupted us with a shout.


    He was dressed as a knight, had close-cropped hair, and a scar across his lips. He was a big man whose neck and limbs were so thick that you wouldn��t think that they belonged to a Hemu. He was roughly in his thirties, but he was very much a rugged warrior. The design of his armor looked familiar.


    The man continued in a loud voice.


    ��As someone who is called a hero of St. Lyridias, you��ve yed around too much! In a ce like this, even a scratch is fatal to your honor! If you want to spill blood, I��ll keep youpany and train with you until dawn!��


    ��Tsk��


    Thepletely naked man clicked his tongue, then rested his sword on his shoulder.


    It looked like he had no intention of fighting.


    Other people hade flocking and were raising a fuss.


    ��That adventurer over there. We��ve caused you trouble��


    The armored man handed me a purse. It was quite heavy with gold coins.


    Tyutyu and I were led by the people of the brothel to another room. Frightened and trembling, she was clutching my arm tightly, and her tail had puffed up.


    In the other room was the owner of the brothel. She was so terrifyingly beautiful, and I couldn��t tell her age. She had on a dress with an open chest, and had long curly hair. The precious metals and jewels that adorned her were probably only a small part of her worth.


    ��Dear foreigner, even though you were referred by one of us, we��ve been terribly rude. To be protected by the customer that we rightfully should be protecting���� I��ll discipline my people strictly. Tyutyu��


    When her name was called, she jumped away from me.


    ��I, I''m very sorry��


    Her tail was shriveled up.


    ��It''s something crude, but specially for tonight, we��ll increase the number of people free of charge��


    ��I''m sorry. Thank you for the offer, but I refuse. She is more than enough for me. However, my mood has been dampened, so I''m going home. I''lle again��


    I petted Tyutyu, who was crying, on the head. Leaving a few coins for the injured elf, I went out of the room.


    I threw away my reluctance to leave, and slipped out of the brothel.


    Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the night city, I took a deep breath of the night air, and then heaved a deep sigh.


    That was close. That was really dangerous.


    It was probably more dangerous than when I hade to this world and had my firearms stolen. I had been on the verge of indulging my carnal desires due to my carelessness and stupidity. I was too ashamed to face Rana. I was too ashamed to face the women in the party.


    What the heck was I doing?


    ��Haaa��


    But I had muddled through. I had survived the difficult situation. My head had been hanging by a thread. But when a person��s head hung by a thread, wasn��t that person already dead? It was alright as I had managed somehow in the end, was what I told myself.


    I stopped worrying about it any further.


    Alright, I��ll buy some presents for Rana then go home. Ea will definitely feel envious, so I��ll buy enough for the two of them after all. Let��s see,


    ��Hey, Souya��


    ��Oh, Onii-san��


    By chance, I had run into thest two people that I should be running into.


    It was Shuna and Bel. They were carrying a lot of groceries.


    ��������������Did you see?��


    ��Huh, did I see? Are you talking about how you had juste out from that mansion over there? I saw that. Come to think of it, Tyutyu works there, right? What kind of shop is it?��


    I had forgotten. These two were friends with Tyutyu.


    Crap, my knees had started shaking.


    ��������Hmmm~��


    Beltoriche-san leaned back and looked down at me.


    ��Hmmm~����������


    I wondered what that suggestive attitude was about.


    ��Well, you��re a man, after all. I also understand this kind of thing��


    ��Bel, this shop�`��


    ��Shuna-chan, head back first. Onii-san will escort me home��


    Bel handed Shuna all of the groceries that she was carrying.


    ��Gua! Heavy, they��re heavy!��


    ��You''re a man, aren��t you?! Think of it as training, and run!��


    ��W, why, are you angry?��


    Overpowered by her intensity, Shuna left.


    Come to the back of the school building for a minute, said Bel��s gesture.


    We entered a deserted back alley.


    ��I��m begging you. Please don''t tell Rana��


    I uttered the most pathetic plea of my life.


    ��What about Ea?��


    ��Please don��t say anything to anyone else too��


    ��To bring up Rana-san''s name first, you feel pretty guilty, don��t you?��


    Yes, my heart feels like it��s going to stop because of the guilt.


    ��Can you let me exin myself?��


    ��Please go ahead��


    Bel''s eyes were full of suspicion.


    ��Rana''s magic power wasn��t really recovering, so I asked Otou-san if there was a way to restore it. And then he referred that shop to me. I couldn��t send Rana to a shop that I knew nothing about, so I went to see for myself what kind of shop it was first������������Then Tyuytu appeared��


    ��Did you do it with Tyutyu, of all people?!��


    ��Umm��


    Should I say it? I suppose I had no choice but to say it.


    ��With mouth to mouth. I chuchu(sound for kissing) with Tyutyu��


    The atrociousness of what I had said made me want to kill myself.


    Bel��s face had be red, perhaps because she had imagined it vividly.


    ��What happened after that?��


    ��Huh��


    ��What happened after that!��


    Her face was red, but the corners of her mouth were slightly twisted into a grin.


    ��No, nothing in particr��


    ��There��s no way a man and a woman are done with only that, right?��


    She was absolutely right.


    ��A customer in the next room caused some trouble and I got caught up in it, so I left. That��s all��


    ��Ehhh~��


    She seemed disappointed.


    ��Well, that��s true. That kind of thing sounds just like Onii-san. Then would you have gone all the way if no one had caused trouble?��


    ��Hahaa������������ no way��


    I lied.


    I had been on the verge of indulging my carnal desires


    ��That''s why, it''s attempted only��


    ��Attempted, huh��


    Bel had an unreadable expression on her face.


    ��I��m begging you. I��ll do anything, so please keep this from everyone. It��s just a heap of various misunderstandings and coincidences, and I have absolutely no intention of doing anything to betray her��


    ��Did you say that you��ll do anything?��


    ��Well, if it��s within my power��


    One way or another, I trusted Beltoriche. We were a party that entrusted our lives to one another. There was no reason why she would do anything to make the party copse. Or ask for something unreasonable.


    ��In that case, prepare breakfast for me tomorrow. Is it okay if I go to Onii-san and the others�� camp?��


    ��Yeah, it��s alright. I��ll put all my skill into preparing breakfast��


    ��Yes~��


    Bel was in high-spirits. Looking at her heartwarming smile, I waspletely off guard.��Well then, one more thingһ��, she whispered. I had no idea what she was thinking as she entwined both her hands with mine.


    Our lips touched lightly.


    ��Hehehe, we kissed��


    She had a boyish grin on her face. I could see her blushing cheeks even in the dark.


    The hustle and bustle in the background sounded awfully noisy.


    I was likely going to hell.


    It was probably a ce that was like a witch��s cauldron.

 Chapter 23: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land VI

    <h4>Chapter 23: Dining Table Of A Foreign Land VI</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    ��44th day��


    100 adventurers were asked the reason why their parties ��disbanded�� by a minstrel.


    First, in 5th ce: Money


    The allocation of money obtained from adventures, monopolization of treasures, refusal to pay the Guild, and debt.


    People say:


    Adventurers are free creatures.


    But that didn��t mean that they would be forgiven for not returning the money that they owed.


    4th ce: Race


    An extremely delicate problem. Basically, at the stage when a party is formed, races that do not get along will not be added to the party, but due to the pressures of necessity, whether it was other parties, clients or supporters and so on, there were many seeds for disputes that they had no choice but to get involved with.


    The Hemus acted as if they were superior, the elves looked down on the other races, and the dwarves secluded themselves for the sake of their craft. And the ��beastkin�� who were treated as lesserpared to those three races of ��humans��.


    It didn''t be like this only recently. There was a history. I did feel angry about it, but I didn��t think of changing it. Even if it was a bad custom, it didn��t change the fact that it was a custom of this world. I had no right to change it.


    3rd ce: Differences in adventuring direction


    Are you guys a band or something?


    2nd ce: Death


    The better the party, the more it functioned like a set of gears.


    If even one of them was missing, the party would fall apart.


    In the event two or more party members died, 90% of the parties disbanded and found a different path. Filling the hole left by those who had died was next to impossible, so that was probably the reason why party members supported and helped one another.


    1st ce: Rtions between the sexes


    The rate at which mixed-sex parties disbanded was about five times that of same-sex parties.


    It was doubled further if there were female beastkin or elves in the party.


    If the leader was indecisive and male on top of that, it was also doubled.


    Close in age overall. A married couple in the party. Brother-inw and sister-inw.


    ����������������


    ��That was the result of the survey of 100 adventurers conducted by the minstrel andpiled by Izora��


    Thatst one was probably not from the survey, but a snide remark.


    ��Team member Souya, there is a well-known line from Izora��s country.��I did not have sexual rtions with that woman����


    ��Right, that''s the second time you��ve used that��


    They were the words of a president who had an affair with a female intern.


    ��It��s not Izora��s job to question your morality. ������ But I want you to hear Izora��s personal thoughts on it: Cheating is the worst��


    ��Weren��t you guys observing? My exnation�`��


    ��Izora has a suggestion. Let''s standardize the terms so that there will be no such misunderstandings in future. The one that means physical vitality will be called "regeneration point". The term ��inner magic�� is now obsolete. The numerical value required to use magic will be called "magic power point" or "magic power". The term "outer magic" is now obsolete. Is that alright with you?��


    ��Understood. Let''s go with that��


    I had been ignored.


    Izora-kun, did you forget that I''m the one and only official user in this world?


    ��As a result of that deed with that native, your regeneration point has increased to 33. It��s currently decreasing over time, but it��s astonishing considering that its value is 10 under normal circumstances. No sexually transmitted diseases have been found either. Or rather, just do whatever you like, alright?��


    What��s with that tone?


    Somehow, it��s now a bed of nails.


    ��Well then, see you in the dungeon��


    Communications had been cut off one-sidedly.


    I was annoyed so I called her, but I got ignored.


    ��What was it that Izora wanted?��


    Makina asked me.


    ��A, a little bit about what happenedst night��


    ����������������


    ����������������


    There was an awkward silence.


    It was early morning, and a breeze caressed my cheeks. With the chill of the morning dew lingering in the air, the rays from the sun feltfortable.


    I had a feeling that today would be a good day.


    ��Souya-san! Makina haspleted the thing you requested!��


    ��Ohh, is that so?!��


    Makina and I both read the mood and changed the subject.


    The thing that had appeared with a bang in front of me was a dome-shaped stone oven. It had been added to the kitchen at the camp. From order topletion, it had taken 16 hours. That was astounding.


    ��That��s amazing, what did you do in terms of the materials and so on for this?��


    The stone oven, which had a radius of one meter, and its base used quite arge amount of stone. Makina couldn��t have found enough lying around to build it.


    ��Under the ce where we first appeared in this world, Makina found some ruins. Makina took some of the ruin��s walls and various things, and used them to make the oven. It��s improvised, but Makina believes that there shouldn��t be any problems with the design��


    ��Ruins?��


    ��Yes, it��s a dungeon with aposition that��s simr to the Odoriji spire. Makina even found Shogaku stones. Makina believes that it��s the reason why the regeneration point works near the camp��


    ��I see��


    Could it be that we hade here due to the power of the ruins? If I had some free time, I suppose I should look into it. If I had free time, that is.


    Alright, leaving that aside, it��s time for food.


    ��Makina, what about the other thing I ordered as well?��


    ��Needless to say, it''s done��


    Makina��s body opened up and she took out a bowl. In it was a white and sticky substance: fresh cream.


    ��Incredible! Did you really make this?��


    ��Makina cast magic on milk and butter��


    I couldn��t make heads or tails of making sweets so she was a tremendous help.


    ��About the edamame, can I leave the rest to you?��


    ��Fufufu, please leave it to me. Makina is also a girl��?, so leave the making of sweets to Makina��?��


    I had gone to the farms a short while ago. I was able to buy immature soybeans, different varieties of vegetables that had yet to be sold inside the city, and also some dairy products.


    Makina had gone to the trouble ofpleting the oven, so I had no choice but to make that dish, didn��t I?


    As Makina got started on making sweets, I also started my preparations.


    I took out the udon dough that I had made then put asidest night. I tore some off and rolled it into a ball several times, then used a rolling pin to spread them into circr shapes before I smeared tomato paste all over them. I shredded three different kinds of alternate world cheese and sprinkled them over the dough. With this, the foundation waspleted.


    The first one was simply heaped high with bacon, the second one had potatoes and mayonnaise, and the third one was luxuriously topped with eggnt, edamame, onion, tomatoes and olives.


    Geto-san made his entrance here.


    I had been waiting.


    ��Hey, what��s that?��


    ��It��s a baking oven��


    ��That��s scary��


    For a fishman, that massive lump of heat was probably terrifying. Today, he brought scallops and shrimp. Yes!


    I prepped the seafood.


    Geto-san sat in his usual seat and challenged a three-dimensional puzzle.


    Makina put the ingredients into the oven.


    Preparations for breakfast were suspended temporarily as I packed the food for today''s adventure. It was scheduled to be a brief exploration to check things out. But the maps wereing today, so I wanted fight a little bit with the enemy just to get a feel for them.


    My way of adventuring was to be doubly careful while proceeding. For all that, we would have to act recklessly if we ran into unforeseen circumstances. That was why I always made ns with plenty of leeway.


    Nearly an hourter,


    ��Souya-san! It came out well��!��


    ��Ohh, that looks really awesome��


    Makina raised a cheer.


    ��What��s this��


    Geto-san drew closer, while grimacing at the oven��s heat.


    An offering had been ced on top of the cutting board.


    ��It''s zunda-cheesecake. Makina tried making it by mixing in the anko that was made from edamame. Makina held back on the sweetness, and it also has a fair amount of vitamin B1!��


    There was a light green cheesecake in a round mold.


    The refined sweet smell that wafted from it made me feel homesick.


    ��Is this thing delicious?��


    Geto-san''s questioned.


    Well, I do think that it''s delicious, but I had another question though. Will the people of this world ept this green color from something that isn��t a vegetable? Color is important, isn��t it? The castle is covered with moss anyways����


    ��Let''s chill it����


    It was put into a wooden box and hung from the drone. Like yesterday, it was sent up into the sky.


    I resumed the preparations for breakfast.


    I arranged the seafood on the dough.


    The scallops and corn were seasoned with butter and soy sauce, while the shrimp and a species of fruit that looked like avocado were seasoned with salty-sweet mayonnaise. Finally, cheese was sprinkled over it again, and olive oil was also lightly drizzled over it. With that, the preparations wereplete.


    Alright, next was,


    ��Makina, can I leave it to you?��


    ��Makina will take care of it����


    I left the baking to Makina.


    I��ll unreservedly rely on her from now on.


    After all, I''m an adventurer. Not a chef.


    But should I also make an offering for the king? Is it a Japanese misconception that sugared soy sauce seems to make pretty much everything taste good?


    I shook the frying pan containing the ingredients.


    ��Morning����


    ��Good morning����


    ��Yes, good morning��


    The sisters came out of their tent. Ea looked fresh, while Rana looked unsteady. The two of them went to the washstand, which collected distilled water, and washed their faces and tied their hair.


    Ea had slipped into my bedst night.


    I almost reached enlightenment.


    Nothing in particr happened though.


    No way, among other things, she is my sister-inw, you know? But it��s just inw, huh?


    As I was agonizing over it, I heard the sound of horseshoes.


    A person that I recognized was on the horse. I could see her thighs under her fluttering skirt.


    ��Good morning, Souya-dono��


    She seemed weightless as shended lightly on the ground.


    ��Good morning, Lanseal��


    Said Rana, who had quickly strode over and stood in front of her,


    ��What business do you have here, Lemuria��s illegitimate child?��


    ��I have no business with you though, Heures�� impurity��


    Rana and Lanseal locked their hands together and grappled like wrestlers.


    It had started again.


    With that going on in the background, Makina started toy out the breakfast that she had baked. Geto-san��s share was divided out, and then hung from another drone to cool it down.


    ��Didn��t I tell you to go through me whenever you have business with my husband?!��


    ��I refuse! I��m acting under a royal edict! I will not take orders from the likes of an elf!��


    Can the two of you stop waging wars at the camp?


    Unexpectedly, Rana��s arm strength was on par with Lanseal��s, who was a vanguard. Aren��t you a magician? As expected, the hero��s lineage is something else, isn��t it?


    ��Lanseal, are you joining us for breakfast?��


    ��Yes! I would love to!��


    ��Say no!��


    ��I refuse��!��


    It''s a good pre-meal workout, so you guys keep doing that for the time being.


    Even Geto-san was taken aback by them.


    ��Hey, Souya. That silver-haired beastkin, is she by any chance a blood rtive of Lemuria?��


    ��Yes��


    ��������������Do your best��


    ��Okay��


    I''m doing my best. I hadpleted my offering to the king, so I packed it into a leather bag.


    Onii��san, came a voice from afar.


    I saw Bel and Shuna waving their hands as they approached the camp.


    Not noticing such things, Rana and Lanseal��s contest was heating up. They spread their hands that were locked together and used the momentum pulling them to bash their foreheads together. Gachin! Came the terrible sound of their head-butts.


    The one who fell to her knees was Rana. The difference in their physiques was what decided the contest. Lanseal��s forehead was also red and she looked in pain, but she was enduring it.


    ��Rauaryuna, I��m the winner today��


    ��Urghhh��


    Holding her hurt forehead, Rana came running up to me with tears in her eyes.


    ��Dear����


    She pressed herself to my back. I felt a blissful sensation on my back. The stimtion was tough this early in the morning.


    ��Y, you! That��s shameless!��


    ��Shut up. It''s the prerogative of a wife to be spoiled by her husband��


    ��Urggh, but I''ve had my hair tied up by Souya-dono before!��


    ��Hmmm, I can ask him to do something like that tomorrow as well��


    ��That��s unfair! Oh, I was also taught how to cook. How��s that? I��ll bet that all someone like you does is eat and sleep like a cow��


    ��Wha�`��


    She hit the jackpot there.


    But resting was also part of an adventurer��s job.


    ��S, something like that���� I also got a stomach rub�`��


    I interrupted her because a dangerous topic hade up.


    ��Makina, lower the cake��


    ��Okay����


    The drone descended. Lanseal jumped back in surprise.


    ��How strange����. Also, Souya-dono, is that moving column over there your attendant?��


    ��Umm, it��s difficult to exin, but she��s my partner��


    ��Nice to meet you, and good morning, Lanseal-sama��


    ��Why, thank you��


    To Makina, who had lowered her head, Lanseal gave a simr bow in return. Somehow, they seemed like they would get along well.


    ��Wow, it smells really good��


    ��Sleepy������


    ��Nice to meet you, Bel-sama and Shuna-sama. Thank you for always taking care of Izora��


    She also greeted the two of them who had just arrived at the camp.


    ��Oh, thank you. Are you Izora-chan''s mother?��


    ��No, Makina is a higher-order A.I.��


    ��?��


    Bel was puzzled by Makina''s reply while Shuna still looked sleepy.


    I ced the box with the cake on the table and checked its contents. It was colder than I had expected. Was the temperature at high attitudes very low? Oh, speaking of which, I had never seen a normal bird. Was there some sort of causal rtionship?


    I removed the cake from the mold and checked for damage. No problem.


    ��Makina��


    ��Okay��, I''m going to dress up the cake, alright?��


    The cake was decorated with fresh cream and anko. I was useless at this sort of thing. It couldn��t have been done without Makina. The decorating waspleted before long.


    I name it, zunda-cheesecake. It had zero alternate worldponents, and was madergely from Miyagi ingredients.


    ��Wow, what��s this, Onii-san? It looks super delicious. I want to eat it��


    ��I want to eat it too, dear��


    Bel and Rana wanted a bite. But they couldn��t have one.


    ��This is an offering to the king��


    ��Ehhh����


    I was booed by an unlikely duo.


    The cake was ced back into the box along with a list from Makina.


    The box was crafted so that its base wasn''t slippery. I closed the lid and wrapped it using a Japanese wrapping cloth.


    ��Lanseal, please deliver this to the king. I''m sorry, but I ask that you walk back. It��ll definitely fall apart if you bring it back via horse��


    ��Okay, I understand. Even if I have to put my body on the line to do so, I��ll be sure to deliver this to the king��


    ��It��s fine, you don��t have to put it on the line. If you drop it or it falls apart, I��ll make it again so please return to the camp��


    ��Okay, you��re truly a kind person��


    What are you doing, betting your life for the sake of a cake like this����


    ��And this too��


    ��What��s this?��


    I handed her the leather bag.


    ��They��re salty-sweet roasted sunflower seeds. Discard the shell and eat only the insides. You can snack on some on the way back, as long as you don��t eat too much��


    ��I, I won��t do something like that��


    She got angry at me with a red face.


    ��By the way������


    Shuna had a question for me.


    ��Souya, what''s your rtionship with that Nee-chan?��


    ��Shuna-chan, you really like silver hair, don��t you? Do you like your teacher so much?��


    ��It, it��s not like that��


    Lanseal answered without hesitation.


    ��Young adventurer, Souya-dono is the person who has been recognized as my life partner��


    ��That��s not true!��


    It was denied decisively by Rana. I wasn��t a good enough human, nor did I have the courage, to be able to deny her emphatically. And, a shiver ran down my spine when I saw Bel��s ominous smile.


    ��Everyone��


    That calm voice drew everyone��s attention.


    That voice belonged to Ea, who I thought had been rather quiet for some reason. Makina had finishedying out breakfast on the table.


    ��The preparations for breakfast are done. We can deepen our friendships even after we eat. Here, to your seats��


    Her personality changed! She had stopped acting like a wild child as she usually did, and was behaving just like an elven princess. Oh right, she was a princess.


    Geto-san, who was next to her, was also taken aback. Rana also looked like she couldn��t believe what she was witnessing. Who��s that? Asked Shuna and Bel, as they pointed at her and sat down. Lanseal and I took our seats too.


    ��Onii-sama, exin the dishes to everyone��


    Onii-sama?!


    What on earth happened to you?


    ��Huh, errr, alright then, I��ll exin. It��s baked t bread with an assortment of cheese and various ingredients on top of a base of tomato sauce. It''s called pizza. I''m sorry, I��m a bit shaken so words aren��ting to me��


    Makina was pouring tea for everyone.


    ��Everyone, pray to your main god��


    Ea took control of the proceedings. Was she emitting a halo of light or something? Was she alright? Was she really alright? I made eye contact with Rana, but all she replied was��I have no idea��.


    Everyone had finished praying, and was waiting on Ea��s words.


    ��Today, various races have gathered here. Hemu, elf, fishman, and beastkin. Even though the three continents are a huge ce, it��s probably next to impossible to find these four races seated around a table and sharing food. This is such a rare dining table.


    And the dishes were all cooked using foreign implements and techniques. It��s truly a dining table of a foreignnd. I would like say words of thanks to everyone for gathering here, and also profess my gratitude to Onii-sama and Makina, hispanion, for preparing the dishes��


    She was so dignified that both Makina and I lowered our heads.


    ��This Ea Raua Heures is so touched by being able to enjoy the food equally with everyone, and thebination of seafood and vegetables that I��m trembling��


    Hmm?


    ��Does everyone have a te? Are your forks in your hands? Has your drink been poured for you? Are you ready?��


    Hmm?


    Ea looked around at everyone, and then said this:


    ��Then������������ This shrimp pizza is mineeeee!��


    Was it your aim to have it all to yourselfffff?


    The scramble over the food became a slightly uproarious scuffle, and the dining table of a foreignnd descended into chaos.

 Chapter 24: In Search of Fame I & II

    <h4>Chapter 24: In Search of Fame I & II</h4>


    Trantor : Solo | Editor : DarkzeWolf


    ��In Search of Fame I��


    I ran into Otou-san at the main gate of the city.


    We exchanged greetings casually as we passed by each other.


    I felt something get pushed into my backpack.


    I met up with Irvin and Zenobia in the basement of the Zavua merchantpany to discuss today''s ns.


    The maps that I had received from Otou-san were digitized then incinerated.


    The act of handing maps to such a new party would affect his reputation. The father of adventurers ought not to y favorites. Well, from the freshness of the ink, they were probably copies.


    Also, I had a hard time trying to leave Rana behind.


    She had thrown a huge tantrum.


    Did elves turn back into infants when they ran out of magic power? First off, it was a priceless scene, so I recorded it in a video. I��ll watch it when I feel depressed. It would make me smile.


    ��The target floor for today is the 12th floor. Rana isn��t here so don''t expect any high firepower area-of-effect magic. Be sure to run away if there are three or more enemies. However, we��ll fight normally if the enemy is alone. It depends on the situation, but the n is to return in half a day��


    I wasn��t necessarily distrustful of Otou-san, but I wanted to check the uracy of the maps.


    ��Understood��


    Irvin was the same as always.


    That wasn��t a perfunctory reply. It was a reply based on his trust in me. In order to not betray those expectations, I also wanted to make ns that won��t lead to failure. Or ns that would allow us to start over if we did fail.


    ��Aside from that, what on earth happened to the three people over there?��


    Irvin��s finger was pointed at Ea, Shuna and Bel, who were all lined up and seething with anger.


    ��The scramble over breakfast turned into a fight��


    I had underestimated the appetite of the young ones. Wait, I''m a young man too.


    ��This guy put on an act and tried to monopolize the food��


    Shuna pointed at Ea.


    ��Sor~ry��


    Ea averted her eyes as she apologized.


    ��Shuna-chan, who had snapped, pulled out his sword, then got beat up by a beastkin Onee-san��


    Shuna was caught by Lanseal, who was a stickler for etiquette, and was given a sermon and a chastising. The cheese waspletely cold by the time they ate the pizza.


    Ea and Bel disregarded Shuna, who was getting scolded, and made a show of the gooeyness of the cheese while they ate the pizza.


    ��Or rather, why did Bel snap?��


    ��It��s~ nothing~! I wasn��t angry~!��


    Bel had clearly snapped when she saw me feeding Rana the pizza. Her anger had kept on increasing as time passed. Should I have done something about it?


    Also, despite the fact that she had gotten the jump on the others because of her acting, Ea was dissatisfied because she didn��t get to eat as much of the pizza that she had intended on eating as she thought she would.


    Why was this happening?


    Wasn��t eating delicious food supposed to bring smiles to everyone��s faces? It had turned ugly! No, was it because our pizza tasted bad? If it was more delicious, then maybe things like fights����


    Oh������ that was dangerous. I was about to forget my objective. I��m an adventurer, and my job is to explore the dungeon. I''m decidedly not a chef. I also have no intention of introducing such a culture. Even now, I��m already in a grey area, and if I leave any more footprints of the Japanese people, there��ll be no way of undoing what''s done.


    ��Well then, let''s go to the dungeon��


    On my signal, we took the foodstuffs, which had been divided among us, and left individually. It might be paranoid of me to go through all that trouble, but it would be bad if a connection was drawn between Irvin and elves.


    His hometown, the holy city of Elysium, was now at war.


    The opponent was unknown, and for some reason, only the term ck elf was being spread through rumors. In addition, it wasplicated by a struggle for power among the Popes of Elysium. The holy city, which was brimming with deception, betrayal and death, was a veritable hell. As a consequence,modities and people were flowing here. Of course, there were also more than a few knights of Elysium, just like him.


    The fact that he, who was seeking fame in order to earn a pardon for his sister, adventured together with elves would be fatal.


    I had forgotten slightly, but there was the matter of the hoodlum and hispanion fromst night. It would be good if we didn��t get caught up in something troublesome though.


    ��Zenobia, can I have some of your timeter?��


    ��Yeah, that��s okay��


    I needed information. It would be best to ask Irvin, but it would be perfect if I could deal with it in secret. I would be a failure as a leader if I made him worry about strange things.


    Once we reached the main street, Ea and I parted with Irvin and the others for the time being.


    As always, the n was to meet up inside the dungeon.


    ��Come to think of it������


    ��Hmm?��


    Ea gazed steadily at me. I gazed steadily back at her too.


    She was a beautiful sister-inw. Elves were unfailingly beautiful, but I thought that even among them, Ea was especially beautiful. She had ceramic-like skin and long thin arms and legs. Her long blonde hair shone like gold dust, and her beautiful face had no equal. As a bonus, she wasn��t stingy about exposing her belly or thighs so she got full marks for fan-service. Even at this moment, there were two people making eyes at her. My perception might not be urate though, because it was colored by the little sister modifier.


    ��It��s been quite a while since it��s just Onii-chan and me��


    ��Yeah, now that you��ve mentioned it������


    That was true.


    Or more precisely, it was the first time that it was just the two of us in the city. Everyone was just a little ahead of us though.


    ��Nfufu~ Your arm is mine~��


    My sister hugged my left arm close. Ea was just a little bit taller than me so she was leaning towards me. A modest chest was touching my elbow.


    ��Hey hey��


    ��Isn��t it fine? It��s not going to decrease or anything*��


    ��I hope you��re right��


    I felt a piercing gaze from within the crowd.


    Beltoriche, your eyes are scary. It��s just my little sister, you know?


    My nerves and lifespan felt like they were being worn away.


    Putting aside such worries of mine, we explored the dungeon.


    It went smoothly until the mid-way point so there was nothing to report.


    The uracy of the maps was quite good. With some revisions from Izora, we found and confirmed the route to the 13th floor. But we decided to return to the 11th floor.


    We had gone into the dungeon in the morning and it was noon by the time we returned to the city.


    In order to find information on that, we went to the bar right away.


    The reason why we went to the bar instead of the Adventurers�� Guild was because the Guild would make us pay for information.


    Although it was somewhat unreliable, the bar had more information and it was fresher as well. Besides, the bar that I was going to had a knowledgeable person who might tell me something for the price of a meal.


    ��Raging Bull and Silver Fox bar��


    It was a kingdom-run bar managed by the cousin of King Lemuria.


    Business was as brisk as expected. It might also be due to the fact that it was lunchtime, but that wasn��t the only reason.


    I had everyone grab a seat and order lunch. As usual, Shuna, Bel and Ea were at one table. A distance away, Irvin and Zenobia sat apart.


    I found adventurers flocking to the barkeep at the counter, and I also joined them. There were also adventurers that I recognized but had never spoken to in the crowd. They were rookies from the same batch as us.


    ��Calm down! Speak in turns! First, what are its characteristics?��


    The barkeeper��s angry voice rang out.


    Someone shouted��turtle��, which was followed by��snake��,��lizard��,��shell��,��bear��, ��I��ve never seen anything like that before��and at the end, someone shouted ��dragon��, and everyone went silent instantly.


    ��I don''t get it at all. For the moment, the only information that I can piece together is that something has appeared on the 11th floor��


    The barkeeper��s words were absolutely right.


    ��Oh, Souya. Are you going to say that you saw it too?��


    I had been caught.


    I didn��t really want to stand out, but it couldn��t be helped.


    ��I saw it. Its size is three stals (6 meters). Its body is a giant rock-eating turtle, and its head is like that of arge snake. And it seems like it has scales that are simr to those of a dragon. The length of its neck is unknown. I believe it can extend at least five stals (10 meters)��


    I had thrown the flesh of another rock-eating turtle at it as a test, and it had extended its neck at a speed that my eyes were unable to follow to gobble it up.


    ��The size of its mouth is one stal (2 meters). A normal adventurer would probably get swallowed whole. In addition, there is a serious problem������


    It was the reason why our party had returned early and also the reason why the rookie parties just like ours were gathered here.


    ��It took up position near the stairs going down to the 12th floor, and is showing no signs of moving at all��


    ��Hmm, I see��


    The barkeeper set his mohawk while deep in thought.


    ��Is there anyone among you guys who hit it with magic?��


    A plump Hemu magician replied.


    ��I shot an intermediate me art of the Jumikura school at it. My magic didn��t even get a reaction out of it, much less deal damage to it��


    The crowd was abuzz as unrest ran through them.


    The magic that creates mes is powerful and easy to learn, and is used by all magicians. If it received no damage from the intermediate me art, there would be nothing a normal magician could do against it.


    ��What about physical attacks?��


    Arge beastkin answered the barkeeper''s question.


    ��I hit its shell with this axe. It wasn��t even scratched��


    It was arge axe that would be difficult for a Hemu to wield. Its tough-looking de was so chipped that it looked like a saw.


    ��������������I understand. Thank you guys for the valuable information. Excuse me, I��m going to have a discussion with the guys from the Guild��


    The barkeeper moved from the counter and called out to the kitchen.


    It seems that today''s lunch was the barkeeper''s treat. That was a nice touch. He left the bar.


    The cheers spread and the crowd dispersed.


    I could hear the cries of anguish from the waitresses and cooks as they got overwhelmed.


    I lingered in ce for a moment.


    It was a monster that the barkeeper, who was a seasoned adventurer, couldn��t identify immediately.


    Was I perhaps the only one who had a bad feeling?


    ��In Search of Fame II��


    Our party dispersed for the moment.


    I gave some pocket money to Ea, Shuna, and Bel and asked them to go have some fun. Irvin said that he had an errand to run so he left, and Zenobia and I changed bars and sat together.


    It was a small, privately-run bar.


    The quest board was faded and requests that had expired were still posted on it. It was a bar that would be full if there were 10 customers. It wasn��t popr, but it probably had a decent number of regrs. It was a bar with a long history.


    I half-heartedly ordered some snacks and drinks.


    They were ced on the table in no time.


    ��Did something happen between you and Bel?��


    ��Gobfuuu��


    I sprayed out the fruit juice that I was drinking. Zenobia gave me a good jab suddenly.


    ��Oh yes, I already got the gist of it��


    ��Wh, wha, what did������


    Because I was shaken, my hand that was holding the cup was trembling.


    Quiet down, oh right hand of mine.


    ��asionally, there are women like that. Ones that are more attached to a dangerous and destructive love rather than an ordinary and stable love. Bel is the former, isn��t she? Moreover, setting aside her body, she��s still a child mentally. A married person must seem mature to her, and moreover, as adventurers in the same party, he��s someone who shares the same fate as her. On top of that, he��s the leader behind the scenes. But it''s strange, isn��t it? That girl is a prettyte-bloomer. As long as she doesn��t see a really fatal opening or something��������������


    Zenobia, please stop.


    That verbal attack is really effective on me.


    ��So, what is it?��


    ��The truth is, I was with a kin of Roomen�`��


    I was about to blurt out the truth in spite of myself.


    ��Not about that, didn��t you have business with me? Huh? Roomen is a god of people who serve, right? If I��m not mistaken, prostitutes�`��


    ��I want to discuss something about Irvin��


    ��I��m all ears��


    Those were magic words for Zenobia.


    Are the human rtionships within our party going to be okay?


    ��The truth is, I ran into two knights of St. Lyridiasst night. I feel bad for Irvin, but they were good-for-nothing fellows. What''s more, of all the things they could have done, one of them hurt an elf��


    There was a hand protector on my right hand. It was an item that was possessed by various valuable curses. Perhaps because of its influence, I was unable to keep my cool whenever elves were involved.


    Well, it might just be my preference.


    ��Don''t get into a dispute with those guys. It won��t be a problem for you, and you alone��


    ��That��s true, I''m sorry. I got a little bit worked up. What I wanted to ask you about, is St. Lyridias, the god that Irvin worships. What kind of god is it?��


    ��You don��t even know something like that, is what I wanted to say. But that��s right, it��s knowledge that a foreigner won��t know��


    Zenobia took a sip of wine. After moistening her throat, she spoke.


    ��Do you know the story of the silver coins?��


    ��Is it the one about the King of Beasts?��


    I thought back on Geto-san��s story and told it to Zenobia.


    It was a story of a king who led the beastkin and waged a war against the "human" opponents known as elves, dwarves, and Hemus.


    Although he cornered the humans, the humans counterattacked with a weapon called malignant silver, and he lost, which gave rise to the discrimination against the beastkin that still lingered strongly to this day. And then, the malignant silver was made into coins and spread throughout all three continents.


    In order to keep watch over the beastkin, and as a threat.


    ��It��s slightly different, it��s not the King of Beasts. It��s the King of Beastkin��


    It appeared that the fishmen and Hemus�� perception of it was different.


    ��The King of Beastkin had been destroyed by the great King of humans. The name of that great king was Ra?Varuzu?Duin?Gargantua. The king had eight children. They were the ones who were called the beast-hunter kingster on. Lyridias was the princes�� spouse. Supporting them from the shadows, she worked hard to build Elysium and create thergest and strongest human nation. This glory was how she attained her godhood.


    Of course, she wasn��t the wife of all eight princes. Elysium selects eight people who are the image of the beast hunter kings as the Popes. They are responsible for the military, domestic affairs, diplomacy, and economy. And they also inherit the names of the princes. Revealing which one of them was St. Lyridias�� spouse would upset the bnce of power. That��s why the name of her husband has be the biggest secret of Elysium and the St. Lyridias Order��


    This was also different.


    ording to fishmen��s story, the king became a beast, and had the princes kill him. Taking the beautification of the story as a matter of course, what bothered me the most was the name of the king.


    The great King of Hemu:


    Ra?Varuzu?Duin?Gargantua


    The King of Beasts:


    Ra?Guzuri?Duin?Oruosuouru


    The way the names matched was probably not a coincidence. And one more thing; I had the feeling that I had heard that name, Duin, somewhere else as well. I couldn��t quite remember where I had heard it.


    ��Zenobia, can I ask you something? The name that I heard from my fishman acquaintance, Ra?Guzuri?Du�D�D��


    Zenobia leaned across the table and covered my mouth.


    The tableware and wine bottle fell, drawing the attention of those around us.


    ��De, dear!��


    The color had drained from Zenobia��s face. The people around us quickly lost interest, saying,��Oh, so it��s just a lovers�� quarrel��. It was such a waste of food. Its taste was unremarkable though.


    ��That name, you must never say the rest of it out loud��


    I removed Zenobia''s hand and asked.


    ��Huh, why?��


    ��That name is taboo. For humans, they��re cursed words. My teacher, who researched these kinds of things, was treated as a heretic and got exiled from Elysium. One day, when he had gotten roaring drunk, he told me only a part of that name.


    The next day, my teacher cut off his ear right in front of my eyes.


    He said,��I hadn��t told you. That if you unravel that name and chant it in full, you��ll be struck with misfortune that��s iparable to something like this��. That��s why I forgot about it. I had forgotten until this very moment! What the heck!��


    ��I��m sorry��


    I had made a gaffe.


    Even though I��m a foreigner, I had acted on random curiosity. I regretted it.


    ��Got it? Never say that name out loud again. Absolutely. Definitely. Promise me��


    ��I promise. I won''t say it out loud ever again��


    ��Aren��t you d that I don��t have any connection to the St. Lyridias Order? Execution! It��s something that��ll get you executed. You��ll be crucified and also burnt at the stake. There won��t even be ashes of you left��


    ��I''m really sorry. That was thoughtless of me��


    ��Hey~! More wine!��


    Of course, it��s my treat.


    Was what I said before I received amunication from Izora.


    ��Team member Souya, is now a good time?��


    ��No problem��


    A question mark floated above Zenobia.��Amunication came in��I said softly.


    ��Irvin-sama, you can speak. Please go ahead��


    Oooh, said a voice.


    ��Souya? Can you hear this?��


    Irvin took over.


    ��Yes, I can hear you��


    ��Come to the Guild right now. The Guild President is summoning all the adventurers who haven��t reached the 15th floor. It��s the matter of that monster��


    ��Understood. I��ll go right away��


    I cut off themunication. Zenobia was looking at me with an expression like she had seen something wondrous.


    ��That''s convenient, isn��t it? Who was it from?��


    ��It was from Irvin. There is an announcement from the Guild about that monster. I��m going, but what will you do, Zenobia?��


    ��I��ll drink some more. This wine is delicious��


    Is that so? I said, before leaving more money, and exiting the bar.

 Chapter 25: In Search of Fame III

    <h4>Chapter 25: In Search of Fame III</h4>


    I went quickly to the 1st floor of the Odoriji spire, the Adventurers�� Guild.


    The bar inside the Guild was filled with people. I caught sight of Irvin''s back so I went to join him.


    I met his eyes quickly as a greeting. There were many other faces that I recognized.


    ��Am Ite?��


    ��No, you��re just in time��


    Everyone��s gaze was focused on a small-sized young man.


    He was a beautiful-looking boy that elder-sister-types who liked those younger than them would want to pounce on. Small wings that were like ornaments grew from his back.


    ��23 people, huh? Well, that should probably do��


    Even though he looked like that, he was the President of the Adventurers'' Guild.


    He was one of the many people in this world who couldn��t be judged based on appearances.


    ��Today, the Adventurers'' Guild will make an announcement about the monster that appeared on the 11th floor.


    It has been confirmed to be a newly-discovered species of monster that doesn��t match anything in the spire��s upper floor library, The Tales of Lemuria��s Adventures, Vindoobunikuru and Rasta Oru Razva��s knowledge. It will be named Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga, and it��s designated as a new evil title��


    Evil title, a designation that��s given to monsters, means that the monster is a bounty target.


    Enemies that get in the way of the adventuring business, enemies with a special ecology that reproduces at an abnormal rate, enemies that are a priority target for adventurers, there are various reasons for designating a monster with an evil title, but every single one of them were strong opponents and cheap adventurers would only be heading to their deaths if they tried to fight them. And if it��s subjugated, the king would bestow an extraordinary reward. That reward would lead to fame.


    A stir spread through the crowd like a ripple.


    ��The reason this happened is thought to be due to overhunting carried out on the 10th floor. Due to the disturbance in the ecosystem, the great king tortoise mutated, and became an organism that��s close to a dragon. Unnecessary killings will invariably lead to a downpour of misfortune for youter. All of you make sure to bear that in mind��


    A viinous-looking smile appeared on the Guild President��s face.


    ��Now, most of the adventurers here are those whose deepest floor reached is the 15th floor or less. I��m going to tell you why I summoned all of you. I��m giving all of you the permission to subjugate this Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga first.


    All of you will have three days grace.


    Once that has passed, it��ll probably be stolen from you by the advanced adventurers who want to hunt it. The opponent is strong, and isn��t a trivial monster. However, an evil title rarely appears on such low floors. This is your chance to gain fame. Details will be posted on the quest board. I hope that all of you will consider it carefully and challenge it. However, value your lives. That��s all��


    The Guild President left, and at the same time, the other adventurers broke into a run as they scrambled to be the first out the door.


    No one was left except for Irvin and me.


    Most of the people here were party leaders. They had probably run off to inform their members of this information.


    Everyone was driven by ambition.


    ��So, what do we do?��


    I took a seat in the bar and pondered Irvin��s question. He sat down facing me.


    Well, it��ll be tough using physical attacks.


    Normal arrows won''t scratch it. Even Shuna��s sword likely can��t cut through that shell. The strength of its scales is unknown. It��s uncertain whether we can cause mortal wounds even if we use the Misuranika arrows. Besides, those arrows cost too much money. If I pay no heed to that and overuse them, adventuring itself will be impossible, and even if we start to manufacture them now, making six of them will be the limit anyways. On top of that, it��ll take every coin I own.


    So, magic?


    If Rana��s magic power recoverspletely within the limit of three days, then there��s a chance.


    The magic in this world isrgely split into two major factions.


    Those who extol that magic is something that obeys the workings of people: The Jumikura School.


    Those who extol that magic is destruction that surpasses the realm of mortals: The Hohens School.


    The Hohens School that Rana studied under is a very active militant organization of magicians. They are also known as the Wise Brain Collective. Their magic is ridiculed as murder magic, massacre magic, devastation magic, and so on.


    ording to Zenobia, it seems that the Doragubein that Rana used is a magic that imitates the breath of a dragon, is so advanced that even the royal magicians can��t use it, and what��s more, is originally a magic that produces mes that can reduce an entire floor to ashes that Rana hadpressed into a small-scale magic through an iprehensibly advanced method.


    She is very cute, she has extremely big boobs, a great magician. A haiku without excess syallbles.*


    In other words, my wife is amazing.


    We��ll have to rely on Rana, huh?


    But I don''t really want to do that. I don''t want to work her too hard. Looking at things with a long-term perspective, it''s unclear what effects running out of magic power excessively will have on her. There are even rumors on the streets that it causes premature death.


    ��I���� can''t give an answer immediately������


    After thinking it over for a somewhat long time, I apologized.


    ��I''ll give you an answer tomorrow, but what does Irvin want to do?��


    He probably wants fame, doesn��t he?


    ��For me, ��������������������������������������������������������������������������


    Irvin went rigid.


    I ordered drinks for two and took it easy.


    Irvin hadn��t moved an inch.


    I downed the lukewarm, slightly sweet fruit juice.


    Couldn��t something be done a bit more about this? I can''t drink milk because I��ll get a stomachache, and I''m also bad with alcohol. On the whole, tea tastes sharp and bitter. There are too few beverage choices in this city. I wonder if everyone else is fine with anything as long as they can drink alcohol.


    ��������������������������Oh, I want to challenge it��


    His reply had taken forever.


    Was he a guy who took so long to respond? Was there something on his mind?


    Irvin continued.


    ��With that said, I can��t think of any way to fight that monster at all. I��m okay when ites to protecting everyone with my shield, but defeating it is beyond me��


    ��I share your sentiments. But�D�D�D��


    ��Irvin!��


    Just then, a voice boomed from behind me.


    Irvin turned towards the direction of the voice with a wondering expression on his face.


    ��Varner-sama?��


    His face lit up like a child and he got up from his seat.


    A bad feeling came up from behind me.


    ��To think that you��ve alsoe here! Are you in good health? What��s the deepest floor that you��ve reached at the moment?��


    ��Yes, I''m doing alright somehow. I just reached the 11th floor the other day��


    An armored young man and Irvin embraced each other in a friendly manner.


    A rugged man stood quietly behind them, and when our eyes met, he frowned a little.


    All three of them wore armor with simr designs. Dull silver te armor, no helmet, sword and shield. The only difference was that the young man wore a loose cloak. It was a luxurious and was embroidered with silver thread. The sps of the cloak had a beast design.


    ��I heard about it. The appearance of an evil title on the low floors is a unique opportunity for you to raise your reputation. This is the guidance of St. Lyridias. Irvin, I believe that you can do it��


    ��I��m not worthy of those words, Varner-sama. Though it��s very heartening to hear such words from you, who is regarded as the hero of next generation��


    ��Hmm, who��s that person over there? A party member?��


    ��Ye, um, no, he''s������ my friend. He��s the leader of another party. There are many things I��m ignorant about, so he has given me advice time and time again��


    I would have liked to ignore him if I could, but I had to make Irvin look good.


    Turning to face him, I greeted the a-hole that I had run into at the brothel.


    ��Hello, ��pleased to make your acquaintance��, I''m Souya, a mere adventurer��


    ��Well hello there, ��pleased to meet you for the first time��, I��m Varner Karubezzo, a knight of St. Lyridias. Thank you for taking care of my junior��


    Varner had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Irvin. He was somewhat unpleasantly handsome, and had straight long hair. He must have tricked naive vige girls using that appearance andmitted violence against them in secret. He was shorter and less well-builtpared to Irvin. Be it his looks, personality, and how he treated women, looking at it as a whole, he couldn��t hold a candle to Irvin.


    ��Irvin, it''s been a while, hasn��t it?��


    Next, the rugged knight greeted Irvin.


    ��I��m d to see that Luxgaru-sama is also hale and healthy��


    ��For the next thirty years, I intend to guard him as the hero''s knightpanion. But then, I wonder if thirty years is enough for this troublesome hero to stand on his own two feet?��


    ��Luxgaru, why don''t you start today if you want some free time?��


    Varner made the suggestion with an expression that didn��t seem like he was joking.


    ��Surely, you��re joking. Asints are made to me, I won��t have free time��


    Luxgaru replied easily as if he was used to it.


    ��I��m relieved to see that both of you are the same as ever��


    After saying that, Irvin looked around, like he was searching for someone, and then asked them.


    ��Is that guy, Sanperie, acting separately today?��


    ��Hmm, that guy is�D�D��


    Luxgaru spoke, interrupting Varner.


    ��Sanperie is missing. On the 13th floor, he acted individually and ran off, got separated, and disappeared just like that��


    ��Well, he��s probably dead��


    ��Varner!��


    The hero got yelled at angrily for his flippant remark. That attracted the attention of the Guild employees.


    ��I''m sorry, Irvin. Now that our mission to keep an eye on Neomia has been rescinded, we''ll resume the search for him��


    ��Excuse me for cutting into the conversation, but�D�D��


    In ce of Irvin, who was stunned, I asked.


    ��When did that Sanperie-san go missing?��


    ��60 days ago��


    The odds of him being alive were abysmal. There had never been anyone who had spent such a long time in the dungeon.


    The record for the longest time was ten days.


    ��I understand the situation. However, I would like to at least recover his knight''s proof and take some of his hair��


    ��Good grief, he��s a guy who causes trouble for others to the end. Irvin, you were the one who was originally supposed toe with us. With your skills, this probably wouldn��t have happened��


    I red at him for the way he was flippantly shifting the me.


    ��Are you the leader of the party?��


    ��Isn��t that obvious? Who else should takemand if not the hero?��


    Everything that came out of this guy��s mouth was light. He knew nothing about the pressure or responsibility of leading people.


    I continued.


    ��Then, the loss of your party member ispletely your fault. Even if it��s due to his selfish actions, it��s your fault for not being able to stop him. You don��t even know such a simple thing, how dare�D�D�D�D��


    ��Stop it, Souya��


    I shut up after being restrained by Irvin. The hero turned to me with veins popping out on his forehead in anger.


    ��I apologize for my friend��s rudeness. As for the matter of Sanperie, I beg you for your help. If possible, please return him to his family��


    Varner didn��t answer, but Luxgaru did.


    ��I��ll do everything within my means��


    With a click of his tongue, the hero, perhaps in a bad mood, turned on his heels.


    As he left,


    ��About the evil title, I''m expecting great things from you. Depending on your achievements, I��ll give the matter of your sister some thought��


    What an aggravating douchebag. At any rate, he��s probably putting pressure on Irvin despite knowing full well that it��s impossible. This effing sex offender No. 2���� By the way, No. 1 is the prince of this country.


    With heavy steps, Irvin sat back in his seat, and hunched over. I called a waitress over and ordered salted pork and strong alcohol.


    ��This Sanperie, what kind of person was he?��


    ��Hmm? ����������������Oh, he was three years younger than me, and a knight with an ancient and honorable lineage��


    The alcohol came, so I poured two cups.


    It was an alcohol that made my fingers feel hot just from touching it, but Irvin emptied his cup in one breath.


    ��I''m a child born from marital infidelity, so I was looked down on by the knights, who all had pedigree. He was the only one who would cross swords with me on even terms��


    After that, I listened to the story of Sanperie, the knight.


    To sum it up, it was a run-of-the-mill story of friendship.


    In life, there are many people who look at someone��s birth and position before they look at the person. Conversely, there are those who look at the person before looking at that person��s background. The knight called Sanperie was thetter.


    Irvin, a child of marital infidelity, who was raised in a slum.


    He had treated him equally without looking at him in a strange way. The man called Sanperie probably fell under the category of special in this world.


    Looking up to and studying under Zamonss, who was well-known for teaching through actualbat, the two of them honed each other��s skills through friendly rivalry. Those skills even caught the eye of the lineage of heroes.


    Together they were appointed as knights of St. Lyridias, and their friendship was unwavering.


    Of course, even after Irvin''s grand-uncle''s n to assassinate the Pope, which had caused him to be stripped of his knighthood, their friendship continued unchanged. Sanperie had pleaded with the Pope, and when that didn��t work, he next urged his own father to adopt Irvin.


    In the end, Irvin was exiled from Elysium without getting his position back.


    But maybe, Irvin said.


    The details were unclear, but from the fact that everyone other than his sister had been executed, it might be because of Sanperie that he had gotten away with only being stripped of his position and exile.


    Even now, he regretted not having met him when he left.


    Was it a coincidence that he hade here as apanion of the hero?


    They should have met if not for the minor differences in the weather and the sea route chosen. If they had met, his fate might have been different.


    ��Is that so?��


    I listened to every single one of Irvin��s stories of the past,


    ��But this liquor is strong, isn��t it?��


    I looked at him, who had been done in by two bottles of alcohol.


    He was slumped face down on the table and mumbling something.


    The existence known as a close friend has never existed in my life. I was betrayed by a friend who I thought was close, and was abandoned overseas under conditions that felt almost like I was selling myself. If I thought about the fact that those various invaluable experiences were what had kept the current me alive in this world, then they were probably good experiences.


    I had properly returned the favor, so I bore no grudges now.


    ��A friend, huh?��


    I could only sympathize with about 20% of Irvin''s feelings.


    It��s 20% because of the sense of obligation towards party members.


    However, we entrust our lives to each other, and this man, who is always standing on the frontlines as our shield, and is currently done in by alcohol in front of my eyes, is probably the very thing called a friend. If it��s for his sake, I��ll do what I can.


    ��Souya��


    ��Hmm?��


    Before I knew it, Zenobia was standing there.


    ��What happened to him?��


    I narrowed my eyes at Irvin��s disgraceful state.


    ��Can you help me carry him to his inn?��


    ��Huh, yeah, that��s fine, I suppose��


    I paid the bill and went on our way with Irvin supported on Zenobia and my shoulders.


    ��Did you guys drink? Even though he��s incredibly weak against alcohol?��


    ��I hadn''t known that��


    I had done something bad. But there were also things that people wanted to forget using alcohol.


    We delivered Irvin to his inn, which was a short distance away, and I left the rest to Zenobia.


    As I was leaving, I left him a message.


    Its contents were brief.


    We��ll definitely defeat that evil title, it said.


    It looked like there was something that she wanted to say, but Zenobia deliberately stayed silent.

 Chapter 26: In Search of Fame IV

    <h4>Chapter 26: In Search of Fame IV</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    There was a mountain of work to be done.


    On top of that, it came with a deadline of three days.


    I had to manufacture equipment, reconfirm everyone��s abilities, as well as gather information on the enemy. I couldn��t ignore the movements of the other parties either.


    The parties that were greenhorns just like us and seemed likely to defeat the evil title were a beastkin-only super muscle-brained physical attack party, and a magician-only, all of them from the Hohens School to boot, super high firepower party. The ones who had a chance of defeating it from day one were probably only these two parties. However, I didn��t think that it was an opponent that could be defeated without a strategy.


    I intended on making full use of the time and preparing for the fight right up to the veryst minute.


    I had dered to Irvin that��We��ll definitely defeat that evil title��, but if I couldn��t find a way to defeat it, I won��t challenge it. I''ll ask for forgiveness using the traditional art of the Dogeza then. There would be plenty of opportunities for us to defeat an evil title in future. We won''t have any such opportunities if we died. It was one thing if it was my own life, but I couldn''t take bad risks with the lives of others.


    For the time being, my biggest concern was Rana.


    The firepower of our party was wildly different depending on whether she was present or not.


    But I was at a loss for words when I returned to the camp.


    ��Rana!��


    I picked her, who had copsed, up into my arms. She leaned limply against me.


    ��Wel������wee, back, dear��


    ��What on earth happened, Makina!? Makina, where are you?!��


    ��Yes, Makina is here��


    Makina went round and round as she rolled over to us. She wasn��t as high-spirited as usual.


    ��What��s going on? What happened to Rana?��


    ��Makina thinks that it''s faster to see it, so please watch��


    Makina showed a video on the screen of her main unit to me, who couldn��t make heads or tails of the situation.


    It showed a bird''s eye view of the camp.


    I could see Rana digging holes with a short stick. She looked just like a sulking child. Makina was beside her.


    ��Madam, did today��s lunch not suit your taste? You didn��t seem to have much of an appetite. Should I make something or other as a snack?��


    ��It''s okay. It won��t be delicious if I eat it alone��


    ��Should we wake Misuranika-sama up? She''ll do whatever we want as long as we tempt her with meat and alcohol��


    ��It''s okay��


    The way they treated my god was really frivolous.


    Rana looked at her regeneration point with a dark expression. Her magical power had recovered just a tiny bit.


    ��Makina, I''m a burden. Even though everyone is fighting at the risk of their lives, I��m resting by myself in a ce like this��


    ��That''s not true, madam. Resting your body for your next adventure is also part of the adventuring business��


    ��But if I keep on resting after using magic like this, I��ll definitely be unable to keep up with everyone some day. I had never even realized that elven magicians were such a burden. I''m a useless woman. Even Souya has yet to spend the night with me��


    That''s because my sister turns up in my bed. In addition, there is also a god beside my pillow. There is no way that I would neglect you if there is a chance for the two of us to be alone, you know?!


    ��Madam, please don''t me yourself. Souya-san will be saddened too. Is there anything that Makina can do? If it��ll cheer madam up, Makina will do anything��


    ��Thank you. That concern is wasted on a person as useless as me. But������������um, can I ask for just one favor?��


    ��Yes! Whatever you wish!��


    Her face, which was swollen from crying, blushed slightly.


    ��Can you teach me how to cook? I''m really embarrassed as a woman, but ever since I was born, I''ve never baked bread, made soup, or even cut meat or vegetables��


    ��In that case, leave it to Makina. But Makina is strict when ites to this. Please brace yourself for that. Then, Makina will start by teaching you how to wash your hands��


    ��I��ll do my best��


    Rana was taken away by Makina and was taught to wash thoroughly from between her fingers to her elbows with soap.


    The next thing to get washed was the rice. Rana, who was pretty much using all of her strength to wash the rice, got admonished by Makina. The dirty water that the rice was washed in was drained out, an appropriate amount of clean water was poured in, and the rice was ced over the fire. Both of them waited motionlessly.


    ��From way back, I��ve always felt extremely at ease when I stare at mes��


    ��Is, is that so?��


    Makina was a little taken aback by Rana''s remark.


    Twenty minutester, the rice boiled.


    ��From here, steam it for approximately 10 minutes��


    ��Understood��


    Makina extinguished the fire in a hurry. Rana looked disappointedly at the mes disappearing.


    Next, Makina opened the box that the seasonings were kept in, andid them out in the kitchen. She also brought things that could be used as ingredients from the food storage. She was likely nning on teaching Rana to think independently.


    Ten minutester.


    The lid of the pot was opened and the rice was stirred with a rice paddle.


    ��It''s cooked very deliciously. Mix in a moderate amount of salt like this, yes, just like that, madam. If you roll this up into balls, the traditional Japanese dish, onigiri(rice balls) will bepleted. However, making it exactly by the book is also not interesting. For the sake of raising madam��s aspirations as well, please put in ingredients to give it a vor that Souya-san is likely to enjoy. It''s hot, so please chill your hands with water and rub some salt on them before handling it, got it?��


    ��Understood��


    Rana surveyed the seasonings and ingredients in the kitchen. Stuck onto the seasonings werebels with the words from this side. Makina had stuck them on so that Ea and Misuranika-sama wouldn��t faint in agony from spiciness when they used the seasonings without permission.


    ��Things that are delicious������ That��s right! I��ll add honey��


    ��( �b���b)��


    Honey was sttered into the pot. A shocked expression was disyed on Makina''s screen.


    ��Oh, I put in too much. It��s not good if it''s too sweet, isn��t it? I��ll add more salt��


    ��Madam, that��s nigari salt, it��s bitter������


    Nigari salt was scattered in.


    ��Soya likes fish, so��������


    ��At least rehydrate it before������


    Sun-dried fish were thrown in whole.


    ��Ea liked this one, right?��


    ��(�䧥��)��


    Sriracha sauce was drizzled in.


    ��I''ll try putting in some cheese��


    ��(*�䨌��*)��


    ��Oh, pepper. This is important, isn��t it?��


    ��(*�����ء���*)��


    Pepper was sprinkled in liberally.


    ��Umm, madam?��


    ��Makina, cooking is fun, isn��t it?��


    ��I agree! But give a bit more thought to the person that you''re making this for��


    Rana had gotten really excited.


    ��Then, mayonnaise, devil''s little finger, dried herbs, umm, what��s this? I''m not sure what this is, but I��ll put it in. Souya often tells us to eat vegetables, so this new type of potato, eggnt, ginseng, and tomato���� Oh, they��re raw, aren��t they? I��ll use magic to give them a lick of fire��


    mes were shot into the pot.


    The souls of the ingredients ascended to heaven along with their deliciousness.


    ��Hawawa. Hawawa��


    Makina was in a fluster.


    ��Haha! It''s so fun!��


    Rana had gotten even more excited and, not satisfied with only the seasonings and ingredients, she brought back mysterious liquids and nts from her own luggage. When she still wasn��t satisfied after throwing those in, she started to chant something.


    A small portal opened in the sky above, and a ck liquid spilled out and dripped into the pot.


    Huh, what was that?


    Seriously, what the heck was that?!


    ��Whew, I''m not entirely satisfied, but I��ll leave it at that since it��s my first time��


    With that, the onigiri had became a gel-like liquid. It was bubbling and boiling, and there was an unknown substance floating on the surface of the pot. I wanted to think that it was just my imagination, but there was something swimming inside the pot.


    ��Madam, is it alright if Makina tastes it?��


    ��Yes, please give me your brutal opinion��


    Makina inserted the taste sensor into the pot. A huge number of warning messages popped up on her screen along with a red alert.


    ����������������


    Makina went silent, probably because her thought circuits were on the verge of shorting out. If her stress gauge had been disyed, it would have shot up rapidly.


    ��How is it? As I thought������ it''s no good, isn��t it? Food that��s made by a woman like me������


    Rana grew despondent.


    Makina flew into a panic.


    ��T, th, that''s not true! I��m sure that Souya-san will definitely eat it without leaving anything!��


    Now wait just one minute!


    ��Is that true?! That��s great. I had lost control of myself for a moment, so I honestly have no idea what I was making, but I��m relieved. I��ll taste it too, alright?��


    With adle in one hand, Rana took a scoop of the���� should I call it soup?


    ��Madam! That��s dangerous!��


    ����Huh? Umm������sniff��


    She fainted from the smell alone.


    The video ended.


    ��With that, we��ve arrived at the present��


    You tried your hardest, didn''t you? I said as I patted Rana on her head.


    Makina had also worked very hard, so I gave her a pat on the head too.


    ��What happened to that dangerous substance?��


    ��Considering the tremendous impact it can have on the surrounding environment, Makina stored it carefully in a secure container under the management protocol for ss 4 biohazard materials until we can figure out an appropriate way of disposing it��


    Did my wife make a biological weapon or something?


    ��De, dear��


    Her trembling hand touched my cheek.


    ��Even if I die, please don��t be sad. However, just don��t take Lanseal as your second wife��


    ��Makina, is Rana seriously ill?!��


    ��No, she��s just depressed��


    ����������������


    ��HIyaaWAAaaa��


    She let out a strange cry as she hugged me with all her might. I picked her up and held her in my arms just like that, and sat down on a chair.


    ��Rana, your magic power has run out��


    ��������I''m sorry��


    When I took a look at her regeneration point, I saw that her magic power had bepletely empty. It was hopeless. It was already at a level where it couldn��t be restored within three days.


    However, I''m not mature enough as a person to get angry at Rana. It''s definitely not because of the feel of her buttocks, which are on my thighs, but to repay Rana''s good intentions of cooking for my sake, and they seem to be fleshier and bigger than I had expected, and they had yet again a different feelpared to her boobs������ What the heck am I thinking about?


    It��s useless.


    I can��t collect my thoughts at all.


    ��Makina, prepare the king��s sugar, eggs, wheat flour and cheese. We have bowls, whisks andrge trays, right? Please prepare one of each as well. I only need the egg yolks��


    ��Okay~, Makina will prepare the oil-paper as well, okay?��


    My brain was probablycking glucose.


    I probably won��t get found out even if I used a little bit of the king��s sugar. It was just right since the sugar from the modern world had run out. I could buy it, but honey and sugar were ridiculously expensive.


    ��Rana, can you get down from myp?��


    I was reluctant to part with her, but cooking while holding a woman in my arms was a little����


    ��I don��t want to��


    She circled both hands around my neck and squished herself firmly against me. I felt her warm breath on my neck.


    A little������������ What was I thinking about? It had vanished from my memory.


    I got Makina to disinfect my hands, then I started the preparations.


    I put sugar and egg yolks into a bowl and mixed them with a whisk. After I had mixed them sufficiently and the mixture had be simr to mayonnaise, I added wheat flour and mixed it with a spat. When it reached the point where it wasn��t falling apart, I rolled them into balls the size of a 500 yen coin. I put shredded cheese inside them. Makina also gave me a hand with it.


    The rolled balls were lined up in rows on the tray.


    ��I''ll leave the rest to you��


    ��Leave it to Makina~��


    Makina picked up the tray. I had expected her to roll, but she moved in a slow, shuffling manner so that the food wouldn''t drop. Even now, I didn''t understand these guys'' movement systems. The tray was ced in the oven and I flirted with Rana for a while.


    However, even though I had intended to be true to my desires, putting my hands around her waist was my limit. I felt that it was really about time for me to show some growth as a human.


    Rana circled her hands around me once more, and the degree in which our bodies were pressed against each other��s increased another level. And, she had a dazzling smile on her face. I couldn''t go against that smile. I felt like I would do anything for her.


    By the way, our conduct was legal.


    That was dangerous. I had stopped caring about anything else.


    Rather than exploring the dungeon, isn''t it more worthwhile to deepen our rtionship as man and woman?


    ��They��ve finished baking~!��


    Fifteen minutes had already passed.


    Just as Einstein had said, time passes very fast when you''re with a lovely woman.


    ��Oh, it smells good��


    Rana cheered.


    I''ve never met a woman who hates sweets.


    Makina took one to check the temperature, and while she was at it, she activated the taste sensor.


    ��How is it?��


    ��80 points��


    Giving me a thumbs up with her robotic arm, she ced the baked sweets in front of us.


    ��What are these? What are they?!��


    Rana was in high spirits. I didn''t know that she liked sweets so much.


    ��It��s egg bolo��


    From toddlers to adults who were seized by nostalgia, it was a confection that was widely loved. It was the only sweet that I knew how to make.


    ��Aaahh~��


    Rana had her mouth open.


    Errrr, what exactly is this?


    Makina disyed��Please feed her��on her screen.


    Understood.


    I picked up a still warm egg bolo and dropped it into Rana''s mouth.


    ��How is it?��


    ��Mmnnnn����?��


    She fluttered her legs.


    ��More, more please!��


    ��Alright��


    I fed her egg bolos like I was feeding a chick. It appeared that they suited the elven princess��s taste perfectly.


    Or rather, she wasn��t stopping. She was burning through the egg bolos as she munched on them.


    It wasn��t a snack that was meant to be eaten voraciously like this, but well, it was fun, so I kept on feeding her.


    She eventually ran out of saliva and her cheeks swelled up like a squirrel��s as she couldn��t swallow. I had Makina pour tea for us and we drank it together.


    ��Whew, they��re very delicious��


    ��I��m d to hear that��


    ��Makina too��


    Rana-san, isn��t it about time you got down from myp? The thing that you��re stimting with your buttocks is going to reach its limit in various ways.


    ��Umm, madam������������Huh?��


    ��What''s the matter?��


    Makina drew closer to Rana wonderingly. As I was wondering what was going on, she held up the containers of Rana��s regeneration point.


    ��Huh?��


    I let out a surprised cry as well.


    Her magic power had been restored. It had recovered to about the same as it had been before she made the onigiri.


    ��Huh, huh?!��


    Rana herself couldn��t hide her surprise as well.


    ��Ah, could this possibly be������


    ��Rana! Did you realize something?! ��


    If she could restore her magic power rapidly, there would be nothing better.


    ��It��s love, the power of our bond��


    That was definitely wrong, so I pinched her cheek.


    ��Should I give it a tug?��


    ��Umm~ Is now a good time?��


    ��Yes, Makina-kun��


    I''ll leave it to Makina because there��ll be zero progress if I left it to Rana.


    ��Makina believes that it��s probably due to the sugar��


    That seemed to be the most likely possibility, but it didn��t make sense.


    ��But there are carbohydrates in almost every meal��


    ��It��s just Makina��s conjecture, but perhaps elves have a constitution that works differently from Souya-san and the rest. Say for example, if they happen to ingest dietary fiber at the same time, maybe the sugar ends up getting excreted without getting absorbed. It could be that their constitution itself is innately bad at absorbing sugar, but only table sugar that consists of both fructose and glucose is an exception, and can be absorbed easily. All sorts of factorse to mind, but Makina will need to test them repeatedly before proof can be obtained��


    ��If I��m not mistaken, the diet of elves is basically only vegetables, right?��


    ��Yes, now that I think about it, we''re on the same level as rabbits and goats, aren��t we?��


    How would those of the same race feel about that impression? I wondered.


    ��Rana, have you ever eaten sweets or other things that contained sugar?��


    ��Just once, a really long time ago. I was a child with no connection to magic at that time though��


    I see, I thought as I fed Rana an egg bolo.


    ��Souya-san, can you leave this to Makina? Makina will change the way of preparing food, and create the most efficient menu for restoring magic power. Makina will do it without fail��


    ��I��m leaving it to you��


    ��Leave it to Makina��


    Had we stumbled upon an unexpected breakthrough?

 Chapter 027: In Search of Fame V & VI

    <h4>Chapter 027: In Search of Fame V & VI</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��In Search of Fame V��


    ��45th day��


    The next day, it was currently just past noon.


    I had asked Beltoriche and Zenobia toe to the camp.


    ��So, what��s the n?��


    Rana answered Zenobia''s question.


    ��The Hohens school has a secret art called thebination hymn. Exining it in simple terms, by having multiple people chant different magic, this technique will dramatically increase the power of those magic being chanted��


    ��Umm, Rana-san. About my magic, the extent of its strength is������


    Bel said after raising her hand.


    ��It��s okay, Bel-sama��


    ��It��s embarrassing, so it��s fine if you don��t use -sama��


    ��Well then, Bel-san. The power of the magic used by the two of you doesn��t really matter. I��ll perform thebination of the magic power by myself, so I want to leave only the selection of the attributes up to the two of you��


    Zenobia raised her hand.


    ��What kind of magic should we use? Also, it��s fine if you don��t use -sama for me too��


    ��Okay, Zenobia-san. For now, let��s all three of us try to cast all the attack type magic that we can use simultaneously. I��ll observe the fluctuations when we do, and find abination��


    ��Excuse me, isn''t there a slightly more efficient method? Besides, we can��t waste Rana-san��s magic power, right?��


    Rana puffed out her generous chest and answered Zenobia''s natural questions.


    ��There is a saying from my teacher that goes,��The person who has made more mistakes is the one who is closer to being a sage��. The history of magic is the repetition of experimentation and failure, and alternating between drawing the wrath and performing the miracles of the gods. The word ��efficiency�� has no ce there. As for my magic power, Souya will do something about it. Please don��t worry��


    Bel apuded.


    Zenobia seemed mortified as she did so.


    ��Well then, there��s a perfect target a short distance from here, so let��s change locations��


    ��Okay, sensei!��


    Bel looked happy as she followed Rana. Zenobia looked as mortified as before.


    After watching the three of them walk across the grassy in, Makina and I got started on the preparations.


    A water bottle was attached to the drone and it was flown into the sky. It was made to maintain altitude right on the limit of how high it could go.


    ��This is such an inefficient method, I mean, can��t you make a refrigerator, Makina?��


    ��It��s, not impossible������������ Makina is sorry. The method of producing refrigerants in the database is locked, and it��ll take a little longer to unlock it. If Archimedes is a bit more cooperative, then Makina would have been able to help, but it��s a shame��


    ��Well, there��s nothing we can do about it then��


    Archimedes was the crafting program inside Makina. At the moment, the personality had been restored to 70% and was operating normally. However, it was extremely uncooperative. The cause of that was me.


    A little while ago, for the sake of Ea��s surgery, the medical program called Nightingale, which was in the midst of being restored, got dismantled and had its data extracted by Makina. The cooking program, which had seen that, fell into a frenzy, was dismantled and had its data integrated into Makina as well. That was the reason for her recent inclination towards cooking.


    From the perspective of the remaining Archimedes, the A.I.s were in a situation where they were cannibalizing one another because of an absurd order from the human. It was inevitable that it would be more distrustful.


    And,


    A sound simr to a distant thunder boomed across the in. It came from the direction that Rana and others had gone.


    It appeared that they had started over there as well.


    Makina was making fresh cream. The ingredients were milk, butter, lemon, which were then����


    ��No peeking!��


    ��Ehhh�`��


    It would be troublesome if she got in a bad mood as well, so I didn��t peek. From behind me, I heard a��Gyuui~i~i~i~��sound.


    Just when I had nothing to do, I received amunication from Izora.


    ��What the matter?��


    ��It��s a progress report. Is now a good time?��


    ��It��s alright. Go ahead��


    I sat back in a chair and rxed. Misuranika-sama jumped onto myp so I massaged her back.


    ��At present, eight parties have challenged Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga. None of the parties have seeded in subjugating it. For physical attacks, the damage that was getting through was as good as none. Next is magical attacks, but as per the information from the other day, mes were beingpletely nullified��


    Actually, I had installed cameras and data rys on that floor yesterday.


    By going to the 10th floor, the video data could be retrieved. I had sent Irvin and Shuna to the dungeon briefly to do that.


    ��However, a magician from the Hohens school threw an ice spear and it cracked the shell. That may be a clue on how to defeat it��


    Ice, huh?


    I��ll try asking Rana, I guess.


    Sounds of explosions came continuously from afar.


    ��Team member Souya, let��s be sure to make the subjugation of Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga a sess��


    ��I guess so. As soon as Ie up with a good n for that, I suppose��


    It was currently the second day, but we had no prospects for victory at hand. Speaking personally, discovering a way to restore Rana��s magic power alone was already a good harvest. It was extremely beneficial for our future adventures. For that reason, it would be wrong of me to get greedy.


    ��What happened? This is so unlike you, you know? The team member Souya that Izora knows is a person who demonstrates his ability when the chances of winning are slim. Isn��t now precisely the moment for that? Please show a bit more motivation!��


    ��Izora, why are you so motivated?��


    The Izora that I knew was more cold-hearted.


    ��Izora isn��t particrly fired up about it. But team member Souya, are you fine with Irvin-sama being on the receiving end of that sex offender No. 3��s sarcasm and insults? Are you fine with it? Hey, are you fine with it?��


    ��I��m not fine with it, but as the leader, I have to think, first and foremost, of the safety of the party members��


    ��Honor is also important��


    She had been influenced, hadn��t she? Even though she was a personality that said that things like honor should be fed to pigs until just a while ago.


    Misuranika-sama was surprised by an especially loud explosion and ran away.


    ��Izora��s Irvin-sama getting ridiculed, criticized, mocked and so on by a simpleton hero like that who was chosen only because of his lineage is more than Izora can endure. ������������Ahh, but Izora also kind of wants to see that! Izora is a bad girl!��


    Is there no other way of doing a factory reset on an A.I. other than sending it back to the manufacturer��s support department?


    Your registered user is me, you know?


    ��I��ll leave no stone unturned, and if it��s possible, I��ll make it happen. But I won��t act recklessly. That is my way of adventuring��


    ��That��s prudent of you, isn��t it? Izora is disappointed in you. But please do your best. End ofmunication��


    She cut off themunication.


    ��Makina��


    ��Yes, what is it?��


    ��Does Izora hate me?��


    ��No, Makina believes that it��s just that Irvin-sama suits her preferences perfectly, and she has no special feelings for Souya-san��


    ��We should have gone through quite a lot of good times and bad together though��


    Makina hummed to herself as she mixed eggs and sugar with the fresh cream.


    She is ignoring me. Aren��t either of you going to give me any care or attention?


    Come to think of it, it had be quiet.


    I turned my eyes to the grassy in and saw the figures of three people walking.


    ��How was it?��


    When I asked Rana after she had returned,


    ��It was totally useless!��


    She gave an energetic response.


    ��All three of you, show me your magic power��


    The three of them showed me their regeneration point. Rana had expended about half, and Zenobia��s was empty. Bel��s magic power hadn��t diminished at all. Huh, could it be that Bel was amazing?


    ��I got it. Take a break for now��


    ��I, I��m worn out��


    Zenobia sat down and rested her head on the table. She was the only one who was exhausted.


    For the time being, I guess I��ll prepare ��that�� for them.


    The drone descended and I retrieved the water bottle. The coldness at high altitudes had chilled it until it was ice-cold, so I wore gloves to handle it. This water bottle had been made by processing silver coins. Silver has high thermal conductivity, so it heated up and cooled down easily.


    As I broke the ice in the water bottle into smaller pieces, I put them into arge bowl. After adding a little bit of water and salt, I mixed it with a pair of long chopsticks.


    ��Onii-san, what are you doing with that?��


    ��Oh, I want to know as well��


    Bel and Rana came to take a look.


    ��If you mix salt with ice water, the temperature will drop tremendously. I��ll use this to make a certain something. Makina��


    ��Yes~��


    The bowl that Makina was mixing was put into this bowl. When stirred, its contents started solidifying.


    Ohhh, I was really able to make it. To think that the science experiment that I had done in the past would turn out to be useful.


    The parts that were frozen solid were divided up and put it in elegant ss containers. I stuck a small spoon into it and it wasplete.


    Rana and Bel stretched out their hands to ask for one.


    It was bad manners, so I ignored them and lined the ss containers up on the table.


    ��Well then, it��s ice cream. Please enjoy��


    ��Wow! It��s cold and sweet! It��s sweet!��


    Bel was overjoyed.


    ��Souya, dribble some alcohol over this��


    ��Yes yes��


    I had expected her to say that, so I dribbled the strong alcohol that I had prepared over Zenobia��s share.


    ��Nufun~, the sweetness is spreading throughout my body��


    Zenobia was a little bit teary-eyed.


    As for Rana,


    ����������������


    For some reason, she was looking at the ice cream from all direction as she ate it.


    ��There��s a lot, so all three of you don��t have to eat it in such a hurry��


    ��Uuu����


    Together, all three scarfed it down, then clutched their heads.


    ��Souya, I''ll have some too. Dribble extra alcohol over it��


    ��Understood��


    When I brought her the ice cream in a spoon, Misuranika-sama licked it with incredible speed. And then, as expected, she rolled about on the ground because her head hurt.


    She got mad and bit me.


    But she still ate it. The three women were also devouring the ice cream in the same manner.


    Oops. I forgot to eat my share.


    ��It��s a frightening dish, isn��t it? Even though I know that I��ll get a headache, I can''t stop eating it. Fufu, my lips are trembling��


    Zenobia was trembling.


    ��Ex, exactly! It reminds me of the time when I saw snow for the first time and got absorbed in eating it, o��


    Bel was trembling in the same way as well.


    ��Hmm~ Hmmmm~ Hnnn?��


    Rana seemedparatively fine, and was looking wonderingly at the water bottle that had been used to make the ice.


    ��Dear, this is silver, isn��t it?��


    ��That''s right��


    ��Yes, silver has high thermal conductivity, so Makina processed the silver coins and used it��


    ��Thermal conductivity?��


    ��It means that it��s a metal that bes hot or cold easily��


    ��Also, why does it cool down so much just by adding salt?��


    ��������������Err, umm��


    I���� I don��t know.


    I looked at Makina.


    ��(��?????)��


    A face like that was disyed on the screen.


    Sh, she��s getting on my nerves!


    ��Makina will exin. This is a phenomenon called freezing-point depression.


    When ice melts, it has the property of lowering the ambient temperature. Normal ice melts little by little, so basically, it doesn��t drop below 0��. Salt has the property of increasing the speed at which ice melts. Ice with salt added to it melts rapidly, and at the same time, the ambient temperature also drops sharply. As a result, it reaches extremely low temperatures of minus 15�� to 20�桻


    She looked at me smugly.


    ��Oh yes, freezing-point depression, right? Yeah, that��s right, I used to see it often in the past. I stopped seeing it ever since I became an adult���� How nostalgic��


    ��Freezing-point depression is not a dragonfly or a crayfish��


    A cutting retort came flying when I pretended to know about it.


    ��Silver that has high thermal conductivity, ice and salt.........freezing-point depression��


    Rana started walking off while muttering to herself. I quickly checked her regeneration point, and her magic power had been fully restored. I also checked Zenobia��s. Good, it was fully restored.


    ��Makina, ice cream is the correct answer after all, isn��t it?��


    ��Makina thinks so too. Interesting. If there are any issues with it, it would be the fact that it��s difficult to carry it around in the dungeon, don��t you agree?��


    ��������������How about making it into a milkshake?��


    ��Ohhh, there is that method, isn��t there? But the shelf life������


    ��Well, bnce is important for parties. It''s not good to rely solely on Rana''s magic. The fact that magic power can be fully restored once we return to camp is good enough for now��


    ��Uwaa, my magic power has been fully restored?!��


    Zenobia was slow to notice.


    ��Onii-san������Beltoriche is so moved. For the first time in my life, I got to eat sweet things like this. I��m so d I��m alive. Sob��


    Bel burst into tears.


    You��re making it a bigger deal than it is.


    ��I had thought that you were doing well for yourself, but to think that you could treat us sugared sweets like this������


    ��Not at all, Zenobia. The sugar is something that the king left under my care. I helped myself to a little bit of it��


    ����������������


    ����������������


    Both of them stared at me with doubtful eyes.


    ��Umm, Onii-san, in other words, that means������


    ��Wait a minute, Bel. This smells like trouble. It��s better to not get involved with this carelessly. The evidence is inside our stomaches, so we can dodge any problems by persistently saying��We didn��t knowter��


    ��Okay, Zeno-Onee-san! In that case, I��ll have another helping of the ice cream, Onii-san��


    ��Leave it for after we shoot some magic, alright?��


    Rana was back. Her face was a little flushed and her breathing was ragged.


    ��I thought of a magic that I want to try. Bel-san, Zenobia-san, please give me a hand. Also, dear, please lend me salt and silver coins. Makina, I need arge amount of water, so please draw it from the river. Fu, fufufu, this may be amazing. It��ll remarkably increase the power of the ice magic that I��m bad at. No, not just that, it may be possible to reproduce the winter of death that once covered Neomia��


    Please don''t reproduce something like that.


    The two of them were a little taken aback by Rana��s sudden change. Makina and I were used to it, so we did as she instructed.


    We prepared the things that she requested, and this time, Makina and I also observed their magic up close.


    And then, I was left speechless by what they had created.


    Rana had a triumphant & satisfied air, while Zenobia and Bel were as white as a sheet.


    ��Makina��


    ��Yes?��


    ��I��ll go see the king and apologize��


    ��Okay, please do your best. Makina will prepare for the adventure, so please don��t worry about it. Pleasee back somehow by noon tomorrow, alright?��


    ��I��ll do my best��


    I went to the royal castle and started off by apologizing with a Dogeza. Somehow, I managed to borrow some people.


    I gathered all the royal magicians and the people of the Zavua merchantpany who were free, andmenced the dismantling work. By the time we managed to clear the thing that was blocking the main road, evening had alreadye.


    I received 62ints from other merchantpanies, but when I gave them the out-of-season ice for free, everyone went back very pleased.


    I treated everyone who had helped to dinner, and when I went to the royal castle to give a progress report, I was caught by the king and made to prepare dinner and supper. With alcohol in him, the king told me his old adventuring stories.


    They were interesting, even though I had to take the stories of a drunk person with a pinch of salt, and as fellow adventurers, we got wasted.


    I heard stories of Otou-san��s youth, stories of Rana and Ea��s father and his sister, who had gone missing inside the dungeon.


    The king seemed to like edamame, so he ate arge te of it while he drank alcohol, and with this and that, I was told about 60% of The Tales of Lemuria��s Adventures.


    And then, the night passed, and the morning of my adventure arrived.


    ��In Search of Fame VI��


    ��46th day��


    Somewhat sleep deprived, I visited the dungeon��s reception area.


    Amunication from Makina hade in first thing in the morning. It was a message telling me to join up with everyone at the dungeon.


    Many thing had happened, and it was right next to the castle.


    By no means did I expect that I would be made to prepare breakfast as well after I had stayed the night. Being on overly good terms was also a problem.


    ��Were there any problems with the preparations?��


    ��The items that Rana-sama requested, 300 silver coins, 20 kg of salt, and one barrel of Reika water, have all been gathered and delivered to Irvin-sama via the Zavua merchantpany. Souya-san��s share of the manufactured arrows has also been given to Ea-sama. Izora has drawn up the strategic n, which has beenmunicated to everyone in the party already��


    I had asked just in case, but everything had been prepared perfectly, hadn��t it?


    ��Well, you seem to have managed somehow, even without me��


    ��That��s true��


    Deny it!


    ��Good morning, Onii-chan~��


    The sisters appeared as well.


    ��Good morning, dear. I''m sorry for yesterday��


    ��No, your magic will be a breakthrough. Just knowing this is already a great harvest. As expected from you, Rana. It''s a shame that this technique won''t lead to your fame, but I''m proud of you��


    ��N, no, something like that������


    Rana came closer and I touched her cheek. She looked cute when she was embarrassed.


    ��Okay~, don''t flirt early in the morning~��


    Rana got taken away by Ea.


    ��Souya-san��


    Makina warned me in a rather low voice.


    ��The preparations and strategy are perfect. I won��t tell you the probability of sess because it��s a number that��s meaningless to you. However, there is a possibility of casualties. As far as that is concerned, please be careful. Well then, look after yourself and good luck��


    ��Yeah, I��m off��


    The three of us went to see the receptionist who was in charge of me together.


    She was a beautiful woman with horns peeking through her silver hair.


    ��Good morning, Evetta-san��


    ��Good morning, Souya. What are your ns for today?��


    ��We��re going to the 10th floor to investigate the changed ecology. Here is the application form for the quest��


    I handed her the signed form. By the way, Irvin and the rest hadpleted the investigation of the ecology yesterday, and Izora had alreadypiled the data.


    ��The application is approved. ������Souya, you��re not going to challenge the evil title?��


    ��No way, I have chosen to seek stable adventures. I won��t take up such a reckless challenge��


    ��That��s a smart choice. Yesterday and the day before yesterday, 17 parties challenged the evil title, and only three of the parties were able to deal damage that was more a scratch to it. All they ultimately did was deal damage to it. They were a long way from subjugating it. Three parties have disbanded because of the defeat they suffered in their challenge. Moreover, none of the parties that challenged it got off unharmed��


    What a gruesome damage report.


    It was clearly not an opponent that a greenhorn party could fight against.


    ��I want to let those who have mistaken recklessness as the essence of adventuring hear your words. But on asion, there are also times when that recklessness is needed. Please keep that somewhere in the back of your mind��


    ��Understood��


    ��Well then, have a good adventure. Please be sure toe back alive��


    ��Okay��


    It pained me to deceive my person-in-charge, but for Irvin��s sake, I had to hide the fact that elves were involved. This was the promise that I had sworn to Irvin when we teamed up. I��ll never break it.


    We parted with Evetta-san, dived into the portal and waited for Irvin and the rest on the 10th floor of the dungeon.


    ��Dear, umm, if, it��s alright, with you, but, no, err, it''s not, a big deal, but by all means, umm, err...............��


    ��Huh?��


    Rana came up to me and spoke haltingly. She seemed to take something out of her bag, but she put it back, and then she seemed to take it out again, but she put it back again. Ea was watching her with aplicated expression.


    ��Ea, you tell him after all��


    ��No way~, I won��t tell him~, didn��t Onee-chan say that you��re going to tell him yourself?��


    ��Ehhhh��


    The sisters�� exchange left me with a question mark floating above my head.


    Perhaps she couldn��t bear to see Rana��s troubled expression, but Ea went behind Rana and began to speak like a ventriloquist.


    ��I made it with all my heart. Please eat it��


    Rana��s face turned bright red and she took out a leaf-wrapped lump from her bag.


    ��Co,pared to what you usually make, it''s probably like a crude mud dumpling, but if it��s alright with you, please, eat it��


    I took it, peeled off theyer of leaves and took a look. Oh, it was an onigiri(rice ball).


    Amunication came in from Makina.


    ��There is nothing in its contents other than salt and rice. Please don��t worry��


    I ate it.


    It was a little salty and a bit hard, but the more I chewed, the more the sweetness of the rice spread inside my mouth. There is no Japanese who hates white rice. Rana made this, huh������������There is no way that it��ll taste bad, isn��t there?


    ��It��s delicious��


    ��Re, really?! You''re not just saying that, are you?��


    ��No, it��s really delicious��


    ��Is that really the truth?!��


    Rana drew closer and pressed me hard for the answer.


    ��It��s really the truth��


    Dear wife, you��re really close. I finished eating it.


    ��That��s great~ Umm, there��s a lot so please eat them, alright?��


    She opened her bag and it was tightly packed with onigiri.


    ��Souya-san, there are about forty, but try not to hinder your adventuring too much by overeating��


    As if I could eat so many!


    ��Ummm, Rana, shall we let everyone eat as well? I can��t finish them by myself��


    ��Yes, you��re right��


    Before long, Irvin and the rest appeared. In their arms were the barrel and the rest of the items.


    We kept our greetings muted, and then everyone put away the onigiri. Ea got tired of its taste, so she started to eat the onigiri with the appropriate seasonings added. Sure enough, she ended up in a fight with Shuna and Bel over the seasonings.


    I told Irvin that the onigiri were made by Rana, but I was d that he ate them without any reluctance.


    My stomach has been filled to the brim,


    Well then,


    Here we go, to the subjugation of the evil title, Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga.


    For the sake of my friend��s fame.

 Chapter 28: In Search of Fame VII

    <h4>Chapter 28: In Search of Fame VII</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    It was arge space.


    There were ornaments that had the atmosphere of a civilization of unknown origin, remains of what looked like ceremonial implements of unknown purpose, and an altar that honored an unknown entity.


    We would run into spaces like this from time to time in this dungeon.


    They seemed to be the remnants of a civilization from the remote past, but if I were to attempt to puzzle out the who, why and what, even the lifespan of the long-lived races wouldn''t be enough. Well, it''s a history that has little to do with us.


    As if it was protecting the altar, Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga was sleeping quietly in front of it.


    It looked the same as when we first saw it. The difference was that there were several weapons stuck in its shell. Also, there were bloodstains and fresh remnants of weapons and armor scattered about.


    But it sure was big.


    It was 8 meters wide and 2.5 meters tall. The length of its neck inside the shell was estimated to be 10 meters or more. The circumference of its neck was 2 meters. Its size was such that it could no longer leave this space.


    Didn��t this guy grow bigger in thest three days? What was it eating? Oh right, adventurers and the like? The pigs here are big too, and I suppose they''re quite nutritious.


    ��Everyone is in position, right? I��m going to do a radio check. Respond when your name is called��


    Stuck near everyone��s throat and ear were stickers formunication purposes. Those stickers would y the role of microphone and speaker.


    ��Rana��


    ��Here��


    ��Ea��


    ��Here~��


    ��Irvin��


    ��Yeah��


    ��Shuna��


    ��Ugh, this makes me feel sick��


    ��Bel��


    ��Yes, here~��


    ��Zenobia��


    ��Why am I always thest one?��


    ��Signal strength is good��


    I confirmed Rana, Bel and Zenobia��s positions, which were next to a passageway that they could escape into. Slightly in front of them, Irvin and Shuna were on the right while Ea and me were on the left.


    ��Izora, final check��


    ��Understood. ������������No problems detected��


    ��Operation start. Everyone, psych yourselves up and get ready. Ea, I��m counting on you��


    ��Understood��


    Ea rolled the barrel forward as she approached Midoranga. Because she was approaching it much too causally, I got flustered.


    ��E, Ea. Quietly, don''t make so much noise��


    ��It''s fine, don��t worry, this guy isn��t the type of animal that attacks on its own ord��


    Ea, who was now a distance away, replied viamunication. She advanced leisurely while the barrel made a huge racket as it rolled. Once the barrel was ced at the specified position, she started sprinkling salt and silver coins evenly around it. She was doing it so carelessly that I feared for her the entire time. It was bad for my heart.


    ��It��s done, I��m heading back, alright?��


    She returned at a trot. Midoranga kept an eye on Ea��s retreating figure, but quickly lost interest and went back to sleep. Cold sweat was gushing out of my every pore and my heart rate kept on rising.


    ��Onii-chan. That tortoise doesn��t have a sense of caution. My guess is that it has never experienced dangerous situations or pain ever since it was born. It��s like a pet that has never been outdoors��


    ��It��s too strong so the other monsters were no match for it?��


    ��Probably��


    It was a little pitiful, but I wasn��t going to pull back simply because of that.


    ��Irvin, start moving��


    ��Alright��


    Irvin positioned himself near the enemy.


    ��Rana, Bel, Zenobia, I��m counting on the three of you��


    Rana thrust her staff into the ground, spread her arms, and weaved a web of words.


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god, in your great name, pass my words on to the gods worshipped alongside you. Midras of Suimei, your divine grace in my right hand��


    A mass of water materialized in Rana��s right hand.


    ��Ri?Bau, the color of death, your powers of ruin in my left hand��


    Ominous white smoke billowed from her left hand.


    ��Combine��


    She put her palms together,


    ��Come into being��


    A long ice spear came into being when she spread her hands apart. It seemed that this magic was ipatible with Rana, so casting this once would empty her magic power.


    ��By means of this spear, I herald the winter of death. Hohens?Romea?The Neomia!��


    After taking a few steps as a run-up, Rana threw the spear with superb form.


    That elicited a reaction from Midoranga.


    It opened both eyes and twisted its body. It clearly feared that spear. However, Rana had aimed the spear urately at Midoranga''s core.


    The spear stuck into the base of its neck.


    It let out a scream.


    Its cry sounded like metal scraping against metal.


    ��Urghh��


    The violent screech of the audio feedback from the speakers in my sses assaulted my ears.


    ��Zenobia!��


    My ears were ringing, so I couldn��t hear her reply.


    I was relieved when I caught sight of her movements out of the corner of my eye. Countless small balls of fire materialized and flew forward. The mes homed in on the spear and destroyed everything but the spear��s tip.


    It burst into a cloud of ice crystals that fell like hail.


    ��Ea, let''s go��


    ��You better not miss, Onii-chan��


    I moved in unison with my sister beside me and nocked an arrow. It was a specially manufactured arrow that was made of silver from tip to shaft.


    ��Now��


    I released the arrow. The target was the remnant of the ice spear''s tip. Our arrows stuck inch-perfect into our target. They weren��t deep, but they had reached its flesh.


    ��Okay, Bel!��


    ��Waa, I''m the divine medium, Beltorichee~��


    Bel��s voice cracked from nervousness. Midoranga fixed its gaze on Rana, and then it extended its long neck and shot its head forward. Its force and speed could be mistaken for a cannonball fired from a cannon.


    However,


    ��Not going to happen!��


    Irvin blocked its jaws with his shield. Frightening fangs bit down on his shield. Its snake head lifted Irvin''s body up and was about to swing him around, but right then, Shuna shed at its scales with his longsword.


    ��Damn it, I can''t cut through!��


    Although he couldn''t cut through the scales, Midoranga loosened its fangs and released Irvin.


    Ea and I switched to normal arrows and started providing support. Our target was its eyes, but we couldn��t hit them as its head could move faster than the arrows. Midoranga turned its killing intent towards Irvin andshed out at him.


    ��Bel, calm down. We still have time to spare��


    ��O, okay��


    Rana took Bel��s hand, which was trembling from the pressure she was under, and gripped her own staff.


    ��Calm down and repeat after me��


    ��Okie��


    Rana chanted first, and then Bel repeated the words after her.


    ��Divine medium, Beltoriche, offer my wishes to the present-day gods. Oh Ukazor, my main god, hear my wishes��


    ��Di, di, divine medium, Beltoriche, asks present-day Ukazor-sama��


    It was a somewhat hesitant chant, but Bel continued her chant with everything that she had.


    ��I seek power. I beg for a miracle from the god worshipped alongside you. Luteyugun of Kazaana, manifest your power before us��


    ��I, I��m, I seek������������I, I��m������begging for a miracle, from the god worshipped alongside������


    Rana whispered something in Bel''s ear. The teary-eyed expression disappeared from Bel��s face. Looking like she had changed into another person, words flowed easily from Bel''s mouth.


    ��Luteyugun of Kazaana, manifest your miracle and grace at its location. Oh wind, dance, start with a whirlwind, and be a rampaging tornado of destruction. Twist, go round and round, engulf, crush, absorb everything, freeze, and reenact the tragedy of Neomia, the capital of death! Raging storm, bring a downpour of icy rain, freeze even its scream, and cast down the ��icicle" of death from the skies above��


    With a shadow of devilishness on her face, Bel released her magic.


    ��Rauaryuna?Romea?Brinicle!��


    The scattered pieces of ice were caught up by the vortex of wind that had formed.


    I nocked and released my trump card, the Misuranika arrow. It pierced the barrel, which had fallen over, and exploded. The Reika water, which has a high affinity with magic, was drawn into the vortex, which then intensified into a storm.


    ��Irvin! Shuna!��


    ��Got it!��


    ��Here Ie! ORAAAA!��


    The shield and the longsword intercepted Midoranga''s sixth bite with perfect timing. They caught hold of its jaws andunched the snake head back towards its shell.


    ��Now! Defensive magic!��


    Irvin held up a symbol.


    Zenobia held up her staff.


    ��Beautiful Lyridias. Bestow upon ��it�� your benevolence, dedication, and the grace of protection. Zamonss?Romea?Tirungu!��


    ��Oh fire. Marry the elements and be a wall of light. Illuminate tranquility, protect ��its�� food, and be a defensive barrier��


    Thebined defensive magic enveloped Midoranga. The huge Dragon-Tortoise waspletely encased in a dome of light.


    And, just in time,


    The final stage of Bel''s magic had arrived.


    The melting ice mixed with the salt, and absorbed the heat from the surroundings. Buffeted by the storm, whose temperature had dropped below 0��C in a sh, Midoranga was dyed white. The extremely low temperature sucked out heat through the silver coins that were lodged in its shell and the silver arrows stuck in its wound, freezing Midoranga from the outside and the inside at the same time.


    Its scream had been frozen.


    But this was merely the medium for what was happening next.


    Zenobia��s wall of light maintained the temperature inside. Moreover, it gathered the cold air that had been lifted up at the center of the upper portion of the dome, which then formed into a smothering maelstrom of pure-white that slowly descended.


    Freezing-point depression, silver, Reika water, and the prayers of a divine medium. It was a miracle brought about by piling up all of these factors.


    A new type of magic invented by Rana.


    Magic that used phenomena as a medium, Brinicle <Icicle of Death>.


    It was insane.


    Makina��s measurements indicated that the temperature had be absolute zero(-273.15��C) in an instant. It was a destruction that stopped the breath of each and every molecule.


    Yesterday, they had failed to control it and had turned part of the in into a tundra, creating pirs of ice that were 15 meters tall. They had plenty of room to escape yesterday, but not today.


    However, Irvin��s defensive magic had been added as a barrier, so�D�D


    ��Souya, I''m sorry. I can''t hold it any longer��


    ��Oh, it''s impossible on my end as well��


    The two of them gave up in no time.


    Wait, are you serious? If we get caught up in it, it��ll freeze everyone to the bone!


    ��Bel, stop the magic. Bel! ������Bel?��


    There was no reply. I had a bad feeling. I ran up to her.


    ��Freeze, freeze, stop the blood and soul, stop, stop, prescribe time and history, prescribe, destruction�D�D�D�D��


    ��Rana, is this that thing? The trance state?��


    ��Yes��


    With lifeless eyes, Bel continued to chant softly.


    Rana shook her and Zenobia pped her, but there was no reaction. That time with Rana, she had returned because of Ea��s technique. But Bel had no breasts, and there was already no time. I had no time for hesitation, and there was no time to lose.


    I had no choice.


    ��I��m sorry!��


    Even I myself had no idea who I was apologizing to.


    I took Bel''s chin and kissed her.


    I pressed our lips together.


    I was afraid so I didn��t look at Rana��s face. I did see Zenobia��s face freeze with shock.


    This was something that I had no choice but to do.


    There was still no reaction.


    To hell with it, I thought as I stuck my tongue in and entwined it with hers. I traced the upper part of her mouth with the tip of my tongue and also traced the back of her teeth. This incredible technique was passed down directly from Tyutyu.


    ��������������ch��


    Light returned to Bel''s eyes, and the magic behind me dispersed.


    And then, I ate a full-armed p from Zenobia.


    ��Gufuu��


    ��You pervert! Aren��t you a married man?! Hey, Bel! Bel! Hang in there! The wound isn''t deep!��


    Bel, who was being shaken by the shoulders by Zenobia, regained consciousness.


    ��Fuwaa, wh, what? I have the feeling that I was doing something unbelievable, but������


    ��It��s troublesome so leave it forter. It��s okay, I''ll im plenty of money as damages from that man for you��


    It was unavoidable though.


    I did it to protect the lives of everyone in the party though.


    ��Dear��


    Oh crap.


    Rana edged up to me quietly. She grabbed my poncho and drew me closer.


    She stole my lips clumsily.


    ��We��ll continue thister��


    ��Okay��


    It was too sudden, so my feelings werepletely muddled.


    ��Hey�`, can you have your lover��s quarrel outside?��


    Hearing Irvin''s voice, I regained my senses. Yeah, we were in the middle of a battle.


    I looked back at the enemy.


    The dome of light had held up somehow. Because of the dispersed Brinicle, white spray coated the entire dome. I couldn��t see inside it at all.


    ��Irvin, stop the defensive�D�D�D�D��


    One beat faster than my order, the snake head shattered the defensive magic and sent Irvin flying. His body was thrown back violently and he ended up embedded in the wall.


    ��GOOOOAAAAAARRRR!��


    It was the cry of a creature that was close to death.


    Midoranga had already been fatally wounded. Its body had split in half from the wound caused by the silver arrows, and I caught a glimpse of its frozen innards. Its death had merely been dyed because its blood vessels had been frozen. If we simply left it alone, it would die.


    However, a saying like this exists:


    Beasts show their true colors after they have been wounded.


    ��Rana, Bel, Zenobia, all of you get to a safe ce!��


    I couldn''t hear their reply.


    Midoranga went wild. It writhed in pain and the snake head thrashed about.


    I had to dive in there in order to help Irvin. I would die in one blow, wouldn��t I? Nevertheless, that wasn��t a good enough reason for me to stop in my tracks, was it?


    ��Ea, cover me��


    ��I��m already doing it! There��s no effec, GYAA!��


    Ea was struck by the snake head. It wasn��t a direct hit, and she broke the fall safely when shended. She immediately released an arrow. It had no effect.


    I also released an arrow, but it didn''t hit its vitals. I couldn''t get any closer.


    The snake head smashed into a spot near Irvin. No matter how much regeneration point he had left, he wasn��t going to survive being crushed into a pancake. This was bad. It was really bad. I had no moves left.


    ��Haaa............... Good grief, do I have to do something about it using ��that��?��


    ��Shuna?! Do you have a way to deal with it?��


    ��I do have one, but������������ I''m sorry, Teacher��


    A distance away, Shuna held his sword in a stance. His own face was reflected on the body of his de.


    ��My name is Shuna. The kin of dvain, who is renowned for martial skill and strength. Endow one fragment of that martial skill in my arms. With my technique, with my actions, I��ll be a new legend of dvain! The heroic blow that yed the evil dragon, tch�D�D��


    The snake neck was bearing down on Shuna.


    ��Huh?��


    Shuna��s figure disappeared.


    In a blink of an eye, he reappeared on top of its shell.


    ��EAT THISSSSSS!��*


    His longsword shed through the air.


    It was a god-like blow.


    It was cracking to pieces from being frozen, but nheless, Shuna cut clean through the tough shell. In exchange, his longsword shattered like ice.


    A howl-like cry rang out.


    Midoranga was on itsst legs.


    But, even with this, it still wasn��t dead.


    The snake head, which had rampaged about so much earlier, was now targeting Shuna with the calmness of something that knew that it was already dead. Its eyes practically said, I��ll take you down with me. It opened its jaws.


    ��Damn it!��


    Having lost his longsword, there was nothing Shuna could do.


    Right then,


    ��What do you mean "good grief"?��


    I heard Irvin��s voice.


    Before I knew it,


    He was in the air, high up above Shuna��s head. He raised his shield.


    With the speed of his fall and the weight of his equipmentbined with all of his strength and spirit, he swung his shield downwards.


    The metallic crash trailed off, and silence fell over the surroundings.


    After one beat,


    Starting from the cut made by Shuna, Midoranga broke apart. Having lost all strength, the snake head crashed down to the ground with its tongue still out, and its shell shattered into countless fragments.


    ����������������


    Nobody said anything. Amidst the chill in the air, lukewarm sweat streamed down my face.


    Kicking aside the fragments of the shell, Irvin supported Shuna with his shoulder, and the two of them walked over.


    They stopped in front of me.


    ��Leader, it''s over��


    ��Oh������������ Ohh, we won?��


    I ended up giving Irvin a foolish-sounding reply.


    I had challenged it because I thought that we could win, but now that we had really won, it didn��t feel real to me.


    ��We won, right?��


    ��Yes, it��s because of you and everyone in the party��


    My knees started trembling after all this time. Someone would have died if we had taken one wrong step. There were also countless problem areas. I��ll leave them as experiences to draw from on another asion, and�D�D


    ��Everyone. The operation is over. We won��


    Ea came up and hugged me.


    In addition, the trio of women also walked over to us. Huh? There was a familiar figure behind them.


    ��I hadn��t expected a greenhorn party to be able to defeat it��


    I was surprised by that unexpected voice.


    There was a doll in front of me. It was about 30 cm in size and was made of bup. It had small wings ornaments on its back.


    ��Was the Guild President observing as well?��


    Evetta-san, who was following behind Rana and the rest, walked over.


    ��Wh, why are the two of you�D�D��


    In response to my question,


    ��Well, it seemed like it would be interesting, so I decided to observe��


    The doll that appeared to be the Guild President said.


    ��Same here��


    Came Evetta-san��s reply. This was bad, wasn��t it?


    ��But Souya, didn��t you say that you wouldn��t participate in the subjugation of Midoranga?��


    ��Pleasee here for a moment, I have something to discuss with the two of you��


    I left Ea with Rana, and then moved to a corner of the space along with the Guild President and Evetta-san.


    ��Please keep it a secret that my party had participated in the subjugation of Midoranga��


    ��Huh?��


    The two of them replied in unison.


    ��For Irvin to gain fame, the fact that he had worked together with elves is problematic. I beg you. If this can be settled with money, I��ll pay��


    ��If you put it like that, then for the time being, gold coins����������������


    The doll of the Guild President was crushed under Evetta-san��s foot.


    ��I would have refused if you wanted to inte your fame. But if what you want is to hide your fame, then I ept. The Guild won��t lose anything regarding this matter anyways. Souya, are your party members okay with this? Did you properly discuss it with them many times?��


    ��I��ve already taken that into consideration��


    I had gotten everyone��s agreement on this matter when we formed the party.


    ��Then, as your person-in-charge, I have nothing more to say. I��m going to call people over to collect the materials, so I suppose Souya should leave��


    ��Understood��


    After grinding and crushing the doll t, Evetta-san left.


    I went back to everyone.


    ��Rana, Ea, we''re heading back. It seems that the people from the Guild areing to collect the materials��


    ��Okay��


    ��Understood~��


    ��Wait a minute��


    We were stopped by Shuna.


    ��Do we really have to pretend that you guys had nothing to do with this?��


    ��Yes. That was what we decided when we formed the party, right?��


    Shuna should have agreed as well.


    ��That''s true. But it��s the same as that time with the giant. We would have never defeated that tortoise without Rana-san��s magic��


    ��No, it''s not just me. Without Bel-san, that magic would not have been possible��


    Hearing Rana''s reply, Shuna pressed me.


    ��That��s just it, isn��t it?! This is something that was done by the seven of us! Not one, not four, but seven people did this. No matter the reason, strong people should receive praise and be proud of it! I cannot ept hiding it after all��


    What are you saying at a time like this?


    Was Shuna seeing an ovep between his teacher and our current situation? If I remembered correctly, it was a pitiful situation where the talented person who brought up a genius swordsman like him wasn��t acknowledged by society simply because she was a beastkin.


    However, this was something that was absolutely non-negotiable.


    It was for Irvin��s sake, and it was also a problem for me as the leader. So long as it was something that had been decided, I must never budge.


    ��Shuna, I��m ordering you as the leader. Don''t bring up this matter ever again. Rana, Ea and I weren��t here. Midoranga was defeated by the four of you. That won��t change, no matter what. Do you hear me?��


    ����������������


    He red at me silently.


    ��Answer me��


    ��If you''re not here, then there''s no reason for me to follow your orders��


    ��Shuna!��


    I raised my voice, not in anger, but in shock.


    ��Souya, stop it��


    Irvin stepped in between Shuna and me, who were on the verge of getting into a fight.


    But I was definitely not going to yield.


    No matter how much of a genius swordsman he was, this guy was still a child mentally. He didn��t understand how to deal with people��s self-interest and authority. He didn��t understand, even if reason and sound logic were presented to him. He felt that he had to correct those above him, even if he had to be a little forceful. If I backed off now, he would get carried away and be arrogant. In the adventuring business, where a person��s life was always at risk, arrogance was the closest thing to death.


    Be it behind the scenes or whatever, I had decided to be their leader.


    That was why, even if it kills me, I won��t let them die.


    In the worst case, I would have to stop him and make him listen, even if I had to shoot him in the leg. If that still didn��t work, then I would have to break him in.


    If it was against a bare-handed Shuna, the odds were in my favor as I had a bow.


    ��Proximity warning, it may be another party. If you intend to disperse, then you should hurry��


    Izora''s warning poured cold water on us.


    ��Shuna, we��ll continue this after everyone is upstairs. Just this once, I��m not going to let you have it your way. Keep that in mind��


    He replied me with a click of his tongue.


    When I was about to leave the space along with the sisters,


    ��Wait a moment, Ea��


    Irvin called out and stopped someone unexpected.


    ��Huh, what?��


    Ea couldn��t hide her surprise as well. This was the first time they hadmunicated with each other face to face.


    Irvin knelt down in front of Ea and held up a symbol. It was a silver essory in the shape of ��


    . It was proof that he had received a baptism from St. Lyridias, and was also a medium for using her magic and miracles.


    I hadn��t noticed because of the rush of blood to my head. Ea��s regeneration point had run out. She was bleeding a little from her knee.


    ��It��s such beautiful skin. It would be bad to leave a scar on it��


    Irvin chanted healing magic. Bathed in its warm light, Ea��s wound disappeared.


    ��Th, thank you��


    Feeling bewildered, Ea thanked him.


    The sisters and I kept out of sight as we made our way back. The adventure wasn��t over until we got back home. I still had to stay on my toes.


    We had defeated the evil title, Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga.


    However, the sense of aplishment had vanished because of the dispute with Shuna.


    It would be great if it didn��te back to bite me in future, but I was concerned.


    In addition,


    ��Come to think of it, Onii-chan, you kissed Bel, right?��


    ��Butsuu��


    ��After that, he also did it with me��


    ��Then, do you want to do it with me too?��


    ��Ea!��


    Rana got angry with Ea. There was also a reason for concern here.

 Chapter 29: In Search of Fame VIII

    <h4>Chapter 29: In Search of Fame VIII</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    We arrived safely at the 1st floor of dungeon, the Adventurers�� Guild.


    It was just after noon, which was the period of time when there were the most people. It was also the period of time for information gathering. As the posted requests had been updated, the quest board was crowded with people. A line of people who wanted to discuss their future adventures with their person-in-charge, who had just returned from lunch, had also formed.


    People had gathered for a variety of other reasons as well, but����


    ��Wow��


    Even so, it was really crowded. Weren��t there twice as many people was usual? It was like an event venue.


    I naturally held Rana��s hand. I didn��t do it because I had ulterior motives or anything.


    ��Ea, don''t get lost in the crowd��


    ��That won''t happen. It��s not like I��m Onee-chan��


    ��It only happened twice��


    Rana had gotten lost four times before. She was the type of person who was unable to see anything around her when she had something on her mind.


    ��Hey, did you hear?��


    I overheard the words of some adventurers who passed by us.


    ��Yes, the evil title, right? They say that a greenhorn party defeated it��


    It was a rumor about us.


    The bustling crowd of adventurers were all gossiping about the party that had defeated Midoranga.


    ��You��re kidding, right?����No, it��s the truth, I tell you����There��s no way it can be defeated by a greenhorn party, isn��t it?����The Guild��s materials departments are out in force, you know?����It��s got to be a hoax, right?����I was told that a kin of dvain was������Even a party of the Hohens school magicians couldn��t defeat it!����What?����How did they do it?����Even though everyone had already given up��������Who else was also present?����I��ll have to take a look at them����Fufufu, strong rivals have appeared, haven��t they?����Mydy looks happy����What��s the leader��s name?����It��s undoubtedly a famous guy����It��s definitely a lie, isn��t it?����Someone must have made a mistake��


    While picking up bits of conversation, we left the Guild.


    ��What do the two of you want to do after this?��


    ��I''m hungry��


    ��Oh, me too��


    ��In that case������


    ��Team member Souya, there��s amunication from Irvin-sama. Izora will put you through��


    I received amunication from Izora, which was transferred to Irvin without dy.


    ��Souya, can we meet up at Master''s store? I��ll pay for lunch��


    ��Understood��


    Perfect timing. I informed the sisters and we went made our way to the��Raging Bull and Silver Fox Bar��. Even the adventurers that we passed on the street corners were talking about the party that defeated the evil title.


    The news had spread quickly. Was it such a popr topic of conversation?


    It was a little bit unsettling.


    There certainly were those who would harbor petty suspicions. Could we continue to conceal the truth from those kinds of people?


    If such things were hidden poorly, it might even impact the merit of the original achievement.


    As I was organizing the various problems in my head, we arrived at the barkeeper��s store. Even though it was already past noon, it was still thriving.


    The waitress, who was working in a variety of different jobs, greeted us.


    ��Wee! Souya, I��ve been waiting for you-nya!��


    I hadpletely forgotten about this problem.


    Despite the fact that Rana was there, Tyutyu clung on to me like a ko bear.


    ��Somehow, the wee seems more over-the-top than usual, doesn��t it?��


    Ea gave her nonchnt impression on the wee.


    ��Dear, did you do something?��


    Rana��s sentiment was very natural.


    ��Madam! Listen to this, Souya������


    GYAAAAAAAAA!


    ��Th, the other day, I saved Tyutyu when a ruffian was about to assault her��


    ��Nya?��


    Tyutyu tilted her head in confusion.


    Please, read, the, air. Even I myself didn��t know the meaning of what I had uttered. I was confused and in a tight spot.


    ��Even though I was waiting for him, Souya didn��te to the store, so I was sad-nya��


    She puffed out her cheeks.


    Hawawa, hawawa.


    This girl wasn��t listening at all.


    ��Where were you waiting? What were you waiting for?��


    Rana had a puzzled expression on her face. Fortunately, it looked like she didn��t understand what was going on at all. I had to defuse this bomb now. On top of that, I had to do it while I was exhausted both physically and mentally from having just fought with my life on the line.


    It was grueling even though I had brought it on myself.


    ��Rana, first of all, The store that Tyutyu works in is������


    ��It''s the Roomen��s brothel, right?��


    Ea stabbed me from behind. What a splendid <i>backstab</i>.


    I''m dead.


    ��Ohh, you��re a kin of Roomen?��


    ��Yes-nya��


    Tyutyu nodded happily at Rana''s question.


    Looking askance at me, who had turned pure white,


    ��I''m hungry so I want to order��


    Ea urged me into the bar. The tables were all full, so we made our way to the counter seats. I ordered food for three from another waitress.


    By the way, Tyutyu was still clinging onto me. I couldn��t summon the will to pull her off, so I just sat down on the chair with her still hugging me.


    I couldn��t genuinely enjoy the soft, plump sensation of her buttocks and smallish breasts.


    ��And?��


    ��Yes, madam��


    When asked by Rana, Tyutyu spoke the truth without any sign of guilt.


    ��When Souya came to the store, he got caught up in some trouble-nya. At that time, Souya protected Nya with his own body-nya. The opponent was Varner-sama, the beast hunter. He��s a blood rtive of the Second Pope, and the hero who had wiped out 500 beastkin, who had risen in revolt, all by himself without even getting stained by a single drop of their blood-nya��


    I could only think of someone like that as a mass murderer.


    But he��s a hero in spite of that?


    ��He didn��t even flinch at a frightening opponent like that. On top of that, he did it for the sake of someone like Nya. Madam, your husband is a wonderful person-nya��


    ��Dear��


    It��s time for my death sentence to be delivered.


    Is it going to be death by fire, or maybe crucifixion, or maybe even death by the ice magic that Rana had just learnt. Worst of all, can it be settled somehow with just my life, I wonder? I can��t bear dragging Tyutyu into this.


    ��Why didn''t you tell me about this? Isn''t it something praiseworthy?��


    ��Huh?��


    Her reply wasn��t what I had expected.


    Where in that story was there anything worth praising?


    ��Rana ������������Umm, aren��t you angry?��


    ��What for? Oh, is it about you picking a fight with that hero? But he''s a Hemu hero, and I believe he has nothing to do with us elves��


    How should I broach the subject?


    ��No, that��s not it, Onee-chan. Onii-chan is probably apologizing for sleeping with Tyutyu in the brothel��


    ��I haven''t slept with her yet. It��s only attempted!��


    ��Huh? But she��s a kin of Roomen, right?��


    ��Huh? Souya, why are you apologizing to your wife-nya?��


    I was ignored, and the two involved parties stared at me with question marks floating above their heads.


    ��Ea, help me please��


    I haven��t the faintest idea what��s going on.


    ��It can��t be helped. I studied up a little about Onii-chan��s country when I was free. They practice monogamy, and it seems that the husband isn��t allowed to y around with other women or go to brothels behind the wife��s back��


    ��What a strange country-nya��


    It''s a strange country, but it''s a ce withmon sense.


    ��Ea, when did you do something like that?��


    ��And, Onii-chan, in the first ce, you don��t know what a kin of Roomen is, am I right?��


    ��Yes, I don''t know��


    I spoke in a very, very small voice.


    Was Roomen not just a god that beautiful-looking and promiscuous people contracted with?


    ��I could have told you about any number of things if only you had asked me��


    There��s no way I��m going to ask you such things.


    ��Souya, you don��t even know something like that-nya? It��s not like you��re a child. The kin of Roomen are servants of the flesh who yearn for and obey adventurers-nya. When I��m wearing the cor, don��t think of me as a person����umm, I don��t know how to put it-nya. Oh, that��s right. Something like expensive wine-nya. There��s no wife who��ll get angry at her husband just for drinking wine-nya��


    Once again, I casually slipped in my excuse.


    ��By the way, I haven''t slept with Tyutyu yet, alright? Rana, various things happened, alright? Rana?��


    ��Hmm, is that so?��


    Came Rana��s seemingly uninterested reply.


    Why? Why am I the one who��s shocked?


    ��Onii-chan��


    Ea patted me on the head.


    ��By the way, Onee-chan and me have different mothers, you know? At its peak, I had eight mothers��


    ��That��s right. If you included the mistresses, there were thirteen in all��


    That person had seemed like such a reserved person, and yet����


    ��That''s just how it is, Onii-chan. You were troubled because of����is this called a difference in values? There, there. You��re a man, so we won��t get mad even if you have a mistress or two on the side. That��s how elves are. To be attracted to only this many����I was surprised when you kissed Bel though��


    ��However, Lanseal is an exception. Also, E������������it''s nothing��


    Is that so?


    I was tilting at windmills again, wasn��t I?


    This is a different world. There are times when modernmon sense and principles won��t work. I��ll switch gears and move on.


    In my world, there is a saying like this:��When in Rome, do as the Romans do��


    ������������Huh, is this okay?


    ��Your regeneration point is lower than others, so you need a way to augment it. Besides, being able to sleep with the kin of Roomen is proof that you��re a full-fledged adventurer��


    ��We spurn adventurers with no achievements-nya. We��re not cheap-nya. Souya is the only one among the greenhorn adventurers, so I think that it��s something that you can be proud of. Oh, but did you hear about this-nya? It appears that there��s a greenhorn party that defeated the Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga that has been the hot topic for the past two days-nya. If it��s that party, they might be able to enter the Roomen��s brothel-nya��


    While I was still lost about how to take it all in,


    That greenhorn party appeared.


    I made eye contact with Irvin and raised my hand slightly as a greeting.


    I got red at by Bel. The cause, Tyutyu, was pulled by her ear and marched off to the back by another waitress.


    In turn, the barkeeper appeared.


    ��Hey, Irvin, I��ve heard about it. Wait one moment��


    He carried a big long table on his shoulder by himself.


    ��I''m sorry, you guys~. Get out of the way. Make some space�`��


    The screams of adventurers rang out.


    The barkeeper was pushing tables together with his foot for some reason. Of course, people were still seated and eating at those tables. The alcohol and tes of food were caught just in time by the adventurers.


    In the space that he had opened up forcibly, he ced the long table that he had on his shoulder.


    Four chairs were lined up on top of it.


    ��Irvin, Shuna, Beltoriche, and Zenobia. Up you go, you guys are the stars today��


    A stir swept through the bar.


    Even though Irvin and the rest were confused, they did as barkeeper said, and sat down on the chairs on top of the table.


    Everyone in the bar focused their attention on Irvin and the rest.


    Even more people had gathered before I even realized.


    The bar was packed full of people, and there were even adventurers who were peeking in from the outside.


    While feeling proud, I was worried as I had been deprived of the opportunity to hash things out with Shuna.


    ��Quiet down!��


    The crowd replied the barkeeper��s loud voice with silence.


    ��Rasta Oru Razva, on behalf of the Adventurers�� Guild and King Lemuria, brings word to all adventurers. Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga has been subjugated. I''ll make known the names of the adventurers who defeated that evil title right here��


    In the crowd, I found the knights of St. Lyridias.


    It was the sted hero-sama and his knightpanion.


    ��The leader of the party, Irvin Foz Gasim, former knight of St. Lyridias. As praise of his unyielding shield, the nickname of ��Dragon Scale�� is bestowed on him by King Lemuria��


    Cheers spread through the crowd.


    Looking satisfied, the two knights pped their hands.


    ��Irvin, the Dragon Scale!��


    Someone cried out,


    ��Irvin, the Dragon Scale!��


    The other adventurers took up the cry.


    ��Praise St. Lyridias!��


    ��Praise that person��s teacher, Zamonss!��


    Those two were from the knights.


    ��Next, Shuna, the swordsman. He is a follower of Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King, and the kin of dvain, the Stout Arm. As praise of his sword techniques that cut through that Dragon-Tortoise, the nickname of ��Dragonshell sher�� is bestowed on him by King Lemuria��


    Cheers that were twice as loud as the ones for Irvin rang out. The owners of those voices stood out as rough-looking men, and they were probably the kin of dvain.


    ��Shuna, the Dragonshell sher!��


    Their manly voices rang out together.


    One after another, they yelled out words of praise.


    ��The renowned dvain!��


    ��Praise that person��s teacher, Regure, the Graceful!��


    ��To the fame of the young swordsman!��


    ��To the new dragon killer!��


    ��Our brother that follows our martial creed�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    The kin of dvain in the crowd all raised their cups.


    ��Glory upon him!��


    The bar shook from their spirited voices.


    Unaffected by them, the barkeeper went on to introduce Bel and Zenobia.


    ��Beltoriche of Azorido, and Zenobia of Fosterk. As praise of your dedication and support, and for your skill in magic, King Lemuria bestows on the two of you letters of introduction to the Jumikura School and the Hohens School. Next, it��s the reward for the party, but since it��s an evil title on the lower floors and it hadn��t caused much damage, it��s 50 gold coins��


    The barkeeperughed audaciously.


    ��However! On King Lemuria��s tab, food and drinks are free for adventurers until tomorrow morning!��


    ��UUWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!��


    A great cheer erupted.


    Ah yes, I see it now. People had gathered because it was this kind of event......


    ��Well then������


    ��Please wait a moment��


    Irvin stopped the barkeeper, who was about to dismiss the crowd.


    He stood up from his chair and, to the gathered adventurers, he said.


    ��This subjugation of Midoranga wasn��t aplished with our skills alone��


    What?!


    ��At this time, I would like to introduce the people who helped my party from the shadows��


    Our secret had been exposed so easily.


    ��Princess Rauaryuna as well as Princess Ea of Heures forest. Foreigner Souya. Pleasee up here��


    The sisters looked at me.


    I froze up at the too sudden development. Including my earlier problems with women, my brain had been pushed to its limit.


    ��Come on, go ahead-nya��


    With Tyutyu pulling me by my arm, I got on the table in spite of myself. The sisters followed me up as well.


    ��Souya''s strategy. The magic and the archery of the elven princesses. Without these, the subjugation of the evil title wouldn��t have seeded. Praise their name as well!��


    A buzz swept through the people present.


    However,


    ��Souya, the foreigner! The beautiful elven princesses!��


    Sparked off by Tyutyu��s shout, praises for the sisters and me came one after another.


    The sisters were bewildered as their faces turned red, and I had trouble epting their praises meekly.


    With dispassionate expressions, the two knights turned on their heels. That cloak disappeared into the crowd.


    ��So cute!��


    ��What a beauty! ��


    ��Gloomy four-eyes!��


    Befitting words of praise also came forth.


    Or rather, dear assembled adventurers, you just want to get it over with quickly so that you can eat and drink, right?


    I signaled the waiting barkeeper with a look.


    It''s enough already, please move the proceedings along.


    ��Alright, you guys! Drink! Eat! Sing!��


    The waitresses brought out arge amount of alcohol and a huge heap of dishes. Cheers and yells rang out. After that, they devoured the food and drink like wild beasts. There was alcohol, food and song. They drank and sang, and they ate and drank. A minstrel performed a poem praising Irvin and the rest. Fights were already breaking out���� The mayhem had even spread outside. At this rate, this would probably continue until tomorrow morning.


    How frightening.


    It��s a tragedy that I was beginning to get quite used to.


    Without getting swallowed up by themotion, I spoke quietly to Irvin with a biting chill in my voice.


    ��Irvin, we��ll have a review meeting first thing tomorrow morning, alright?��


    ��Al, alright��


    I couldn��t take any more today.

 Chapter 30: Seams And Unity I

    <h4>Chapter 30: Seams And Unity I</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��47th day��


    When I woke up, I was on the roof of an unfamiliar private residence.


    Irvin, Shuna and me had been sleeping side by side.


    ��Oww��


    Oh, my head hurts. Or rather, I smell of alcohol.


    What in the world happened? Where are we? ������������ It��s no use, I can''t remember at all.


    Where did all the women go?


    ��Good morning, team member Souya��


    Izora greeted me from Irvin��s waist.


    ��Izora, what on earth happened?��


    ��Well������������isn''t it fine? There is a public bath nearby, so Izora suggests that all of you get yourselves cleaned up��


    Following her suggestion, I woke the two of them up.


    By the way, their memories were fuzzy on what happened as well.


    I had Irvin carry Shuna, who had gone back to sleep, and we went on our way. I checked my purse and equipment just in case, but other than the fact that my money had decreased a little, nothing was missing.


    There were many public baths in the Kingdom of Lemuria.


    It was thanks to the abundant source of water and the inexhaustible fuel called Shogaku stones.


    Mixed bathing wasmonce until half a year ago, but it appeared that when a certain elf was seen in the nude, she blew up the person who saw her, the bath, and two districts of the city before running away. Since then, mixed bathing had been abolished.


    About that elf, she had not yet been caught.


    ording to the fragmentary information,


    She was in a group of two,


    Had big breasts,


    And was skilled at magic.


    Well������who��s that, I wonder? I haven��t the slightest notion of who it could be.


    The surrounding scenery waspletely unfamiliar to me.


    ording to Izora, this was the district where the merchants and advanced adventurers lived. It was a ce that I wouldn��t have visited under normal circumstances. That exined why the buildings were spick and span. I felt a little bit insecure, but that was such an out-of-ce feeling for a foreigner to have.


    We arrived at a public bath. The notice on the front of the store said that it was for men only.


    Since it was very early in the morning, the three of us and the store employees were the only people in the changing room and reception area.


    As it appeared that we could alsounder our clothes there, together with the fees for using the bath, I paid in advance for the three of us. It was three silver coins in total. Our valuables and equipment were magically locked in a metal box. I took the tally for unlocking it and hung it around my neck with the string that was attached to it.


    We reserved the bath.


    It was a basic andmon stone bath. There were tworge baths that were as big as swimming pools, and one small bath filled with cold water that was meant for cooling the hot bath water. There were loofah-like nts and soap for washing our bodies, and stools to sit on while doing so. Also, there were two youngdies, a beastkin and a Hemu, who provided body washing services.


    Even in this world, it was good manners to wash your body before entering the bath.


    The two youngdies shrieked delightedly and approached Irvin and Shuna. Predictably, the topic of their conversation was the evil title that had been defeated yesterday. To think that the news of its defeat had already spread to ces like this.


    With his face bright red, Shuna got his back washed by the beastkindy.


    Irvin and the Hemudy were talking in whispers with a suspiciously adult atmosphere. The youngdy had reached her hand out to his delicate ce.


    As for me, I was scrubbing by myself.


    After washing ourselves clean, the three of us soaked in the bath. It was a little bit hot, but it was a good bath. Irvin and I stopped Shuna from swimming in it.


    After soaking up to our shoulders, we held an endurance tournament in the water-filled bath, then it became ridiculous mid-way through, so I warmed my body up suitably and then got out of the bath.


    Theundry was already done, so I put on the dry crisp clothes and collected our equipment.


    My stomach growled loudly.


    Even with what had happened yesterday, it was better than entering a strange store and upsetting our stomachs, so we headed for the barkeeper��s store.


    After arriving at the store and being greeted by a waitress that we were acquainted with, we sat at a table and ordered some suitable food and drinks.


    It wasn��t bad.


    The ingredients were good.


    My stomach was filled.


    ��Now��������������


    We were rxing after the meal.


    Irvin and Shuna were both cleansing their ptes with drinks.


    Then, finally,


    ��Why did you expose our involvement?!��


    I demanded.


    ��Took you a while to ask��


    I got irritated when Shuna responded like it didn��t involve him.


    ��Yeah, well, I had my reasons��


    Of course you had your reasons, Irvin-kun. However,


    ��It��s what we decided when we formed the party, right?! Follow what we decided!��


    ��There there, calm down, Souya. I��ll exin things in order��


    Irvin turned his palms to me. Shuna turned away unenthusiastically.


    ��Let��s see���� First of all, Shuna��s blow that cut through Midoranga. Shall we start there?��


    That was amazing. Or rather, let me know if you can do something like that. If you had, we might have had an easier time defeating it.


    ��A heroic blow that yed a dragon-like enemy and reproduced the legend of dvain. You��ve heard of dvain��s subjugation of the evil dragon, right?��


    ��Yes, she defeated the dragon by beating it up with her bare fists because her weapon broke, right?��


    That wasn��t a mortal feat.


    ��The actual details are different. dvain inflicted a mortal wound on the dragon by sacrificing her weapon. She then finished it off with a blow from her bare fist. Shuna reproduced that legend. It''s a miracle that cannot be performed with half-baked talent and ackluster sword��


    ��Is it magic?��


    If magic could be manifested using staves, symbols or phenomena as a medium, it should be possible to also ask for miracles from gods using swords or techniques as a medium.


    ��Yes, but it��s a little bit different. It needs but the smallest amount of magic power. It''s the duty of the kin or followers of a god to reenact the legends and history of the god that they are contracted with. Yes, and thus, regardless of their will, people are dragged along by the ��fate�� of their god. Whether that��s called a miracle or a curse depends on the people who are alive now, I suppose��


    ��Are you willing to even plot against the king and y the hero?"


    Those were the words that I had exchanged with my god when I contracted with her. Are you saying that I��m being influenced by them? Certainly, I��ve plotted against the king. Then, thetter too? No way.


    ��Shuna''s sword was passed down to him by his teacher. Its origins are unknown, but its steel is amazing. But the maker��s mark had worn away and the name of the cksmith is also unknown. It also can��t be repaired now that it has been destroyed to that extent��


    From what I remembered, Shuna''s sword had shattered into pieces. Even if the fragments were collected and we tried to put it together like a jigsaw puzzle, there��s no way to tell whether we had all the pieces.


    ��The beastkin swords-woman who drifted through the frontier regions alone. The many years she had that sword with her, and her thoughts when entrusting it to the boy. All of that was packed into that one blow that cut through Midoranga��


    ��������I see��


    However, I still had no idea where he was going with this story.


    ��Well, I��ll get to the heart of the matter now. It��s about Shuna��s teacher, the beastkin called Regure, the Graceful. She��s a person who has a connection with my teacher, Zamonss��


    It��s a small world, isn��t it?


    Could it be that Otou-san had formed us into a party because he knew about that?


    ��It''s a story that I heard only once from my teacher when he was in his cups. It��s about a family of beastkin who had been arrested, toyed with and killed on vague charges by a magistrate.


    However, guards of that magistrate were killed every day from then on. Driven half-mad with worry that he was next, he implored my teacher to help him. As a knight of Elysium, my teacher couldn��t go against his wishes. Besides, his opponent was indeed a criminal.


    In front of my teacher, who had sent his disciples to guard the magistrate, a young female beastkin appeared. She had a longsword that didn��t match her on her back.


    His careless disciples were taken out in an instant. Among them was the young Luxgaru-sama.


    I��ll say this in defense of the honor of myself and the knights of St. Lyridias, but we weren��t trained in such a soft manner that we would get defeated easily just because we were careless. The opponent was just abnormal.


    After dispatching all of the magistrate��s guards, it appeared that the young woman had said this to my teacher.


    She said,��If I fight with you, neither of us will escape unscathed. I''ll give you my right arm, so kill that guy��


    After my teacher had given it a great deal of thought, the magistrate was treated as having died from illness and it seemed that my teacher made the one-armed young woman his mistress��


    Hmm? Zamonss-san.


    You��re a sleazier person than I had expected����


    ��It''s unpleasant. It��s indecent��


    Shuna''s sentiments were quite natural.


    ��Even though I said that she was a mistress, it was just sophistry to get the eptance of others. A person with position in Elysium can''t fool the eyes of others and keep a beastkin around unless she is a ve or a mistress��


    ��Hmpt��


    Shuna wasn��t satisfied with that and looked sullen. I could understand his feelings. He probably had mixed feelings when he heard that the person he liked was someone��s mistress. Moreover, that someone was the teacher of his party member.


    ��It seemed that my teacher had asked Regure-dono,��Why did you swing your sword for that beastkin family?��


    What��s next is surprising, but it appeared that the reason was because they had given her a loaf of bread out of charity when she was starving.


    I know the agony of starvation as well. However, because of a mere loaf of bread, sheid her life on the line and gave up her right arm. From the point of view of a knight, her conviction is difficult to understand. However, her sword and her technique were the real thing in every aspect. It appeared that she had left my teacher without a word, but fate is such a strange thing. To think that we��re connected in this manner��


    ��When I met my teacher for the first time, she was hungry as well��


    Shuna looked off into the distance.


    ��Is she eating her meals properly, I wonder?��


    ��The preamble has be quite long, but simply put, it��s like this. It��s only proper for Shuna��s heroic blow to be praised. And it should be praised along with the name of his teacher. That is beyond question.


    Thus, if Regure is given as the name of his teacher, it would be tantamount to me proiming that I had teamed up with a disciple of a beastkin. In particr, Varner-sama likely won��t be happy about that. For that reason, I took the opportunity to also dere openly that I had teamed up with elves��


    ��Huhh?��


    Wait just a minute, I don''t understand the meaning of what you just said.


    For Shuna''s teacher, she was someone who was closely connected to Irvin��s teacher. It could be justified one way or another, so it was only a small scratch. Why was there a need to expose the involvement of elves and make it a fatal wound?


    ��Souya, the fault lies with me. The knights of St. Lyridias are rejecting others scrupulously right now, but their internal affairs are beyond imagination.


    ck elf, a struggle for power among the Popes, an uprising of beastkin and ves, and a mysterious, strange disease spreading throughout Elysium. The knights deceiving, killing, burning, and hanging the people that they��re supposed to protect. The knights of St. Lyridias have be a symbol of fear and burnings at the stake. ording to the tidings from afar, my teacher has also turned his back on Elysium and left the center continent.


    They probably already see me as a heretic simply because I��ve teamed up with a human who has a connection to beastkin.


    One more dishonor on top of that dishonor won��t make things any worse for me. That was why I exposed my connection with elves. I''m sorry. I was afraid that all of you would look at me differently if I divulged the present state of the knights��


    That��s certainly����


    No, but����


    ��Look, Irvin������


    ��I don''t care about stuff like that��


    Shuna interrupted me.


    ��Don''t underestimate us. Besides, you''re a "former" knight of Lyridias, right? You��ve got nothing to do with them, and we won��t easily abandon a friend that we��ve entrusted our lives to even once��


    ��Shuna, you��re a child after all��


    ��What did you say?��


    Shuna showed his anger.


    I also agreed with what Irvin said.


    ��The resentment of people bears hatred for even a single drop of blood. No, it detests even those who have touched that blood. It��s best not to get involved��


    ��In that case, isn��t it already toote for us?��


    ��It��s just a metaphor. I��m telling you to have the resolve to�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Irvin��


    They seemed to be headed for a fight, so I interrupted them for the moment.


    ��I have one question. Now that you��ve revealed your connection with beastkin and elves, how do you intend to ask for a pardon for your elder sister?��


    The looks that I saw on Varner and hispanion knight��s faces as they left were those of people looking upon something lower than garbage. I doubted that they would do anything for Irvin anymore. Their impression of him was probably the worst.


    ��How do you think King Lemuria worked his way up from a mere adventurer to a king?��


    ��By aplishing great deeds during his adventures��


    Come to think of it, I didn��t know much in detail about that.


    ��Of course, he aplished great deeds as an adventurer. And he exposed the misdeeds of the previous Margrave. However, for one thing, though he was an outstanding adventurer, there was a reason why Elysium endorsed him to be king.


    Lemuria?Oru?Almagest?Razva.


    That word "Almagest" that appears in the name of the king. The only thing known about it is that it��s ��something�� that can only be obtained in the deeper floors of the Odoriji spire, but what if that ��something�� is a secret that the St Lyridias Order and Elysium want to keep hidden?


    There��s something that I��ve been wondering about for a long time.


    There are countless dungeons in the world, but from ancient times, a disproportionatelyrge number of knights of St. Lyridias have been dispatched to this Odoriji spire. In other words, it means that the second and third ��Almagest�� sleeps within it��


    ��Irvin, that��s dangerous��


    It��s far too dangerous.


    First of all, trying to find something whose true form is unknown would just be foolhardy. With the time I have left, it could be said to be utterly hopeless. Even supposing that we did find it, would the current Elysium ept a deal?


    It��s only a suspicion, but that something called Almagest is a secret that would shake the very foundations of St. Lyridias.


    I don''t know what kind of deal King Lemuria made with them, but generally speaking, they��ll just crush us and be done with it. Since the other party is an entire nation, doing that would be much easier for them as well.


    ��Souya, I��m aware that it''s dangerous. But do you know how many days have passed since our party was formed?��


    ��Hmm, errrr��


    ��It''s forty days, Irvin-sama��


    Izora told us the answer.


    ��That��s right, it��s been a mere forty days. We��re the best by far among the parties from the same batch. Combat ability, nning ability, financial strength, personal connections, the matter of the bone giant, and the aplishment of subjugating an evil title. None of these are at the level of a novice party.


    Souya, there��s something that I��ve be convinced of in my own way as I adventured with you guys. This party can aplish great deeds. We��re capable of earning enough fame to move even a nation. There is nothing that we cannot do��


    You��re overestimating us too much.


    For that reason, I wanted to dash cold water on Irvin, who was talking passionately.


    But the reason why I kept my mouth shut was because, while I was being humble in my own way, I was proud of us. It was because I wanted to meet the expectations of my party members.


    In my life so far, no one had ever held such high expectations for me. I mean, until now, I had simply been frantically doing everything that I could. Certainly, if we continued our adventures as things were with that disharmony among us, it was possible that we would fall apart at the seams, leading us to our deaths.


    It��s important for all seven of us to be united and take action openly.


    But,


    ��Irvin, is this okay? The matter of your Onee-san has be much more difficult than you initially nned, you know?��


    ��I��m aware��


    ��No, but������


    I received a light kick from Shuna.


    ��Stop going on about it~. It��s only you who��s wavering indecisively over this! Ea and Rana-san agreed in one word!��


    ��Are you serious?��


    No way they were that selfish.


    ��No, those two only said that they would follow Souya��


    ��That��s what I though. Don��t scare me��


    ��Tch��


    ��Don��t click your tongue��


    Irvin and I scolded Shuna in unison. You��ve gained a decent amount of fame, so be careful with your behavior.


    ��So, Souya, what are you going to do?��


    ��Hmm, ummm��


    At Irvin��s question, I covered my eyes and thought it over carefully. However, I couldn��t form the thoughts in my head anymore. It had been decided from the start. From the time I came to this world, this had never changed.


    I��ll take things as theye.


    I��ll just do what I can.


    ��Let''s do it with seven people. We��ll form a party formally with the seven of us��


    ��Yeah��


    I shook hands with Irvin.


    ��With this, you��re officially the leader, Souya��


    ��Yeah, I can only do what I can do, but I��ll do my best��


    ��Well then, sorry for cutting to the chase, but please handle the re-application for the party registration, fees to be paid to the Guild, as well as the negotiations with the Guild and merchantpanies to get the best price for Midoranga��s materials��


    ��������������Hey��


    ��Ha ha ha, well, even when they told me how much there was in units of weight, I didn��t understand it at all, you see? I waspletely at a loss��


    Did this guy foist the role of leader on me because the misceneous duties were troublesome?


    Surely not, right?


    ��Actually~, leader, can you provide me with a new sword? One that��s exactly the same as the previous one, alright? I want three spares. I won��t ask for much, but I prefer ones made from Rmir steel. Also, for our next adventure, I want to eat shrimp pizza. Freshly baked ones with the gooey cheese��


    ��Don''t ask for the impossible��


    Shuna was making unreasonable requests right off the bat.


    Following that, Irvin chipped in again.


    ��Leader, Zenobia has been drinking on credit in various ces, so please help with the payment. After that, I want to send my shield and armor for maintenance, but the previous workshop that I frequented closed down, so please introduce a cheap and good workshop to me��


    ��Hey��


    Zenobia, so you were drinking on credit? Also, I don��t have any connections or anything to workshops. I��ll have to ask the young Chairmen of Zavua and Eruomea.


    ��Ohh, and then������


    ��There��s more?!��


    I was sweating profusely at Irvin��s carefree tone. In a sense, it might have been the right decision to take over as the leader at this timing. If I had put it off tillter, who knows how much the debt would have ballooned to.


    Just when I was getting fed up with the reports of the backlog of work,


    ��Huhh? You��re telling me that a greenhorn party defeated an evil title? It��s obviously a fluke. They must have gotten lucky��


    ��But hey, there is a kin of dvain in that party though?��


    I heard such voices from the table behind me.


    Strangely, for people who were speaking ill of others, their voices were rather loud. Was it because they were insensitive?


    ��dvain~? Ohh, isn��t she that one? The harlot who subdued a dragon by wringing its rod dry because her weapon broke, right? Oh, was she gasping as she shook her hips for the dragon? Gahahaha!��


    Oh crap�`


    I took a quick nce behind me and it was a pair of men. I could tell from the worn condition of their equipment that they weren��t amateurs. They were probably down-and-out mercenaries. Only their adventuring equipment was brand-new, so they had probably switched to adventuring just a short while ago.


    In other words, it hadn��t been long since they had arrived in this city.


    That��s what I thought.


    If they were normal adventurers, they would have never said anything bad about the gods in this city. Especially the gods that had hot-blooded kin.


    Had the two of them noticed the adventurers who had gotten up from their seats and were surrounding them?


    Or rather, Shuna was the first one to have gotten up from his seat.


    ��Wh, what do you guys want?��


    The two men had finally noticed.


    The kin of dvain surrounding the two of them made eye contact with one another as they decided who would be the one to go.


    ��Shuna, you go��


    ��Understood��


    An older beastkin ordered Shuna. Except for Shuna, all of them pulled back for the time being.


    ��Huhh? What do you want, red-haired Ojou-chan?��


    ��Aaah��


    Oh man, of all the things he could have said, he said the worst thing possible.


    The man who had called Shuna Ojou-chan took a fist in the face, made about three rotations and thennded face-first on the floor. Even with that, the momentum still hadn��t run out and his face slid across the floor like a mop.


    ��Y, you cur!��


    The reaction of the remaining man was unexpectedly fast.


    He drew the longsword at his waist and immediately attacked Shuna with it. With a bored expression, Shuna reached behind his back, but his hand only found air.


    ��Ah��


    Shuna let out a foolish sound.


    This guy forgot that he no longer had a sword, didn��t he? That opening allowed the edge of the de toe within lethal range.


    Just when I was thinking that it was bad,


    Irvin took the blow on his armor, kicked the man down and stepped on him.


    ��I thought so at that time with Midoranga as well, but Shuna, your follow-through is weak��


    ��������������Irvin, you��ve gone and done it now��


    Shuna had a deeply-troubled look on his face.


    ��The ��has-been�� knight over there��


    The older beastkin from earlier came up to us.


    ��You��ve sullied the pride of dvain��


    ��Huh?��


    Irvin and I uttered a question mark at the same time.


    ��Our quarrels are settled one-on-one. It��s bad if you interfere with that��


    ��Huh, what are you saying?��


    Talking over my question, the beastkin said to Shuna.


    ��Shuna, you must clear the stain on your name by your own hand. You understand, right?��


    ��Yes��


    ��Huh, what��s going on?��


    I had a bad feeling. The atmosphere was somewhat ominous.


    Shuna turned to Irvin and said a few words.


    ��Irvin, duel with me��

 Chapter 31: Seams And Unity II

    <h4>Chapter 31: Seams And Unity II</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    The dvain dormitory was seemingly hidden near the main gate of the Kingdom of Lemuria.


    They had set up here probably because they wanted to be able to be the first to intercept the enemies, or rather, to spearhead the battle when the country was attacked.


    The dormitory was a two-story residence that looked like it was surrounding the training ground in the center.


    The training ground was covered with soil in order to prevent injury. In addition, there was a wide array of battle-gear necessary for this world��sbat training. The fact that the gear were well-organized and well-maintained was probably proof that all of dvain''s kin had a sincere spirit towards martial arts.


    The smell of blood and sweat was strong.


    Somehow, it reminded me of the kendo training hall.


    In the center of the training ground, Shuna and Irvin were facing each other. The spectators wereprised of 20 of dvain��s kin and me.


    Why did things turn out this way?


    ��In dvain��s name, we��ll now hold a duel between these two people; Shuna, the Dragonshell sher, and Irvin, the Dragon Scale. The reason for this duel is because Irvin has sullied our pride. Both sides, don��t fight in a manner that will bring shame to the god that you��re contracted with. No killing, bet your pride, not your lives. Furthermore, the winner will be decided when one of you admits defeat or loses consciousness. There are no objections, I assume?��


    The older beastkin dered.


    All of the protests that I had made along the way here had been ignored.


    The biggest problem was,


    ��I want to check one thing. I��m someone who failed dvain��s trial in the past. What happens when someone like myself wins against one of dvain��s kin?��


    Irvin was clearly motivated.


    The beastkin stroked his long beard.


    ��Well, I''m not doubting my god��s insight, but if you win, it would mean that you��re the real deal. I��ll see to it that you��re weed as a new kin��


    ��That''s good to hear��


    Irvin smiled fearlessly.


    Shuna, who had been silent, spoke in a grouchy voice.


    ��You think that you can beat me?��


    ��I could ask the same of you��


    Irvin held up a wooden sword and a wooden shield. Shuna, who had looked like he wasn''t keen on it, had a change of heart and held up a long wooden sword as well.


    ��Well then, begin!��


    The two of them shed together.


    You guys don��t intend to listen to warnings and the like from your new leader, huh?


    ��Come on, you guys! ce your bets!��


    A beastkin took charge and put up odds for betting on the oue of their duel.


    Somehow or other, I was getting irritated.


    ��You guys! Bet on that knight-sama as well! There��s no point if everyone bets on Shuna, isn��t it? Hey, what about you? Who are you betting on?��


    I ignored the annoying beastkin and observed Shuna and Irvin closely.


    Shuna was superior in offense, and Irvin was better in defense.


    However, on top of the fact that Shuna wasn��t used to this sword, the wooden sword was light.


    His sword techniques were of an unconventional type that attacked by swinging a heavy weapon with his full weight behind each blow from a low stance, which made it difficult to react to. Given that, it was as if one of his wings had been ripped off. Moreover, killing the opponent on the first attempt was an essentialponent of unconventional sword techniques. If his techniques were read, their power would be further cut in half.


    Irvin''s sword techniques were an orthodox anti-personnel type. To put it simply, it consisted of blocking with the shield and attacking with the sword. However, it also used the shield to sh at or knock the opponent down. Because it was an orthodox type, depending on the user��s application of its techniques, it could transform itself as much as the situation warranted.


    It might be inferior when dealing with non-human opponents, but if the opponent was human, it exhibited an unwavering strength.


    I didn��t take part in the betting, but by my estimation, it was 7 to 3 in Irvin��s favor.


    Shuna��s sword blows were all blocked by the shield.


    Behind the shield, Irvin stood as firm as a rock.


    In my opinion, the decisive difference between the two of themy in their physique. Irvin was 182 cm, while Shuna was 166 cm. It wasn''t just their height. It was their weight, build, and muscle mass as well. If they shed head-on with each other, the result was obvious.


    However, if Shuna wasn��t capable of overturning something of that level, he wouldn��t have been able to face off against the giant or Midoranga in the first ce.


    After a dozen or so waves of attacks, Shuna changed his stance.


    He held the pommel of the sword with his right hand, and his left hand was only supporting the hilt. After a big jump backwards, he darted forward as if pulled towards Irvin and thrust the sword forward.


    Irvin dodged that blow.


    He did that because he had judged that Shuna��s thrust would pierce through the likes of a fragile wooden board.


    That was a bad move.


    Shuna let go of the wooden sword and clung on to the shield. After that, he stepped on Irvin''s knee and then, using his shoulder as a stepping stone, he jumped. He made one beautiful revolution in mid-air, showing astounding suppleness and jumping ability. His kick, which had centrifugal force added on top of it, smashed the shield to pieces and blew Irvin away.


    ��Woah!��


    Cheers erupted from the surroundings. I was also surprised. I hadn��t known that he was even capable of such acrobat-like stunts.


    In any case, Irvin had taken a kick and had been blown away, but he was practically unharmed. He had broken his fall effortlessly and was dusting off the footprint on the chest of his armor.


    ��Hmpt��


    I didn��t know what Irvin was thinking, but he threw his wooden sword away. He undid the buckles and took off his armor as well.


    ��Huh?��


    Shuna was also taken aback.


    ��With this, we''re equal, right?��


    Irvin, who had be lightly equipped after taking off his armor, cracked his knuckles.


    ��Bring it on, you turd!��


    Shuna took the bait and incredibly naively, he went at Irvin head-on.


    ��Oh, that idiot��


    As the beastkin had expected, the straight that Irvin threw caught Shuna right in the face. Shuna had thrown a punch as well, but their reach was different.


    There was no way that it would end with one punch, so a fist-fight ensued.


    As fists met flesh, blood sttered, and bones crackled, the regeneration points of the two of them decreased steadily.


    Shuna dived into Irvin��s chest while dodging his punches, and thrust his fist into Irvin''s side.


    ��Urghh��


    Irvin gained some separation from Shuna with a kick, and made full use of the difference in their build and reach to maintain his advantage.


    The cheers from dvain��s kin were getting louder, perhaps because they were excited by the back and forth fight between the two of them.


    ��Shuna, don''t stop! Keep moving!��


    ��Hey! Knight! The leg! Sweep the leg!��


    ��The eyes! Aim for the eyes!��


    ��Gouge his guts out!��


    ��Finish it with a submission!��


    ��Don��t throw such soft punches��!��


    I had reached the limit of my patience.


    Kicking up Shuna��s wooden sword, which had rolled near me, I nocked it to my bow.


    ��Hey, what are you������


    The beastkin had noticed, but I didn��t give a damn.


    ��IRVIN!��


    I shouted his name and released the wooden sword. I scored a direct hit on his temple, which I had targeted. He crumbled to his knees and lost consciousness.


    ��Hey, Souya������


    Shuna started to pick a bone with me as I walked up to him. Without letting him finish, I grabbed his shoulder and kicked his feet out from under him.


    ��Wha������


    I followed him to the ground, put my knee on his neck and pressed down with all my weight.


    ��?!��?!��


    He frantically tapped my leg in surrender, but I ignored him. Before long, his hand flopped to the ground.


    After confirming that both of them had been incapacitated,


    ��You cur!��


    Now, how do I outdo this enraged beastkin?


    ��How dare you interfere in a sacred duel? You better be prepared to pay with one of your arms!��


    The beastkin drew his sword. It was a bastard sword with a wide de.


    The opponent is of a higher rank. If my insight is right, he has more power than Irvin, and is Shuna��s equal in terms of technique. How should I fight an opponent like that?


    But before that, there��s something I wanted to say to these guys.


    ��I don��t give a rat��s ass, you bunch of idiots! We have an adventure starting tomorrow! Our schedule is tightly packed! Don''t disrupt it! If you want to see blood so badly, go have a fist-fight with a pig or something!!��


    ��You��ve got a mouth on you huh? Next, let��s see if you have the skills to back it up��


    The beastkin approached me.


    I nocked a normal arrow to my bow.


    I guess I��ll just give it everything I��ve got.


    I released a no-look shot at the beastkin. He caught it with his free hand and threw it away casually.


    Fixing my gaze on his forehead, I released several arrows rapidly. He saw through my feint. The arrows were stuck into a wall.


    Well then,


    I nocked two arrows to my bow. I released them so that they would sandwich the beastkin between them.


    The beastkin walked forward without a care. The arrows missed by a hair.


    His ability to make snap decisions was superb, but����


    ��Hmm?��


    The arrows had cut the belt on his pants.


    The weight of the metal sheath pulled his pants down. With his pants at his knees, his legs got tangled up, making it difficult for him to walk.


    Out of regard for the other kin, the beastkin immediately bent down to pull up his pants, allowing me to draw close to him.


    I drove a knee with all my might into his face.


    I could feel the sensation of his nose caving in. His face was dramatically covered with blood, and he panicked slightly as he choked, perhaps because the blood from his nose had gone down his windpipe. As might be expected from a kin of dvain, he didn��t let go of his sword despite all that.


    I calmly circled around to his back and took out a garrote. This garrote was a simple tool in which hemp cord was attached to and wound around sticks that made it easy to grip. It was meant for strangling people.


    I wrapped the cord around the beastkin��s neck and pulled the grips over my shoulder.


    My trifling arm strength and his own weight caused the cord to tighten around his neck instantly. I had gotten caught up in fights several times since I came to this world, and as a result of those defeats, I had settled on such measures.


    No matter how sturdy a person was, I could defeat them by jarring their brains or strangling them out.


    I made sure that his sword was stuck in the soil. He lost consciousness in about 6 seconds.


    The beastkin toppled to the ground when I removed the garrote. He was foaming at the mouth. Well, something of that level probably wasn��t a big deal for the people of this world.


    ����������������


    Without a word, another beastkin stood before me.


    It was a reptilian beastkin with thin vertical pupils and scales on her cheeks and neck. The beastkin��s tail, which was thicker than her legs, was swinging side to side. Appearances were deceiving, but she looked about 12 to 13 years old. She was petite, had an androgynous look and a head of fiery red hair.


    ��Are you next?��


    ����������������


    Say something. You��re making it difficult for me.


    Everyone else other than this child was also directing their killing intent at me.


    There��s no point in regretting what I had done. I suppose I��ll have to defeat them one by one. Besides, it seems like these guys won��te at an opponent like me with numbers because of their pride.


    ��Ah��, stop, stop, you guys��


    Said someone.


    A furry hand was ced on my head.


    ��Even if you defeat a frail guy like him, no one will think that you��re the least bit valorous. If anything, this guy is the kind of opponent where you lose just by fighting him��


    ��Oh, Barfuru-sama��


    There stood a huge werewolf.


    ording to my world��s perception, this man was, in a sense, a true beastkin, and the other beastkin were like half-beastkin.


    A Lycan, he had protected this right continent to the end from the hands of the vampires. Thest of the Endguard. The original owner of my bow.


    ��Hey, Souya. I came here to try to extort dvain because I''m hungry, but what''s the fuss about?��


    ��Uhh, it''s a hassle to exin, so is it okay if I don��t? As we��re running away, please buy some time for us. I''ll treat you drinkster��


    ��Yeah, sure��


    He generously epted. The beastkin that I had strangled unconscious woke up just then.


    I threw Irvin and Shuna over my shoulders and lifted them up. Heavy. They were fricking heavy.


    As I was about to hurry off and escape,


    ��What��s all this fuss about?��


    A woman��s voice that carried well rang out.


    Her wavy long blonde hair was eye-catching. She was robust woman with healthy tanned skin and the beauty of a well-forged muscr body. She had a well-endowned bust and was dressed in a high-leg garment.


    She was dvain, a present-day god who had attained godhood from what transpired in that anecdote of her dragon-killing.


    ��Barfuru-dono, did you cause this?��


    ��No, I just got here��


    ��Someone exin what��s going on��


    The kin were in a stir.


    While shaking his head, the beastkin that I had choked out approached dvain.


    ��I, I��m very sorry, my god. I was trying to remove the person who had interfered in a duel, but��������


    ��Gainz, did you lose?��


    ��No, I simply let my guard down, by no means����������


    Did he lose in terms of real strength, was probably what he was going to say.


    dvain��s fist was raised towards the heavens.


    The beastkin was flying through the sky.


    My eyes weren��t able to catch sight of anything but those two things.


    ��A person will face defeat no matter how strong he or she is. However, is that person a weakling because he or she had lost? No, a strong person is one who uses defeat as fuel to obtain even greater strength. Weaklings are those people who cannot recognize their own weaknesses��


    Gainz-sannded with a painful-sounding squish after finishing his journey through the air.


    ��Gainz, I��ll ask you again. Are you a weakling? Or are you a strong person who is my kin?��


    ��I������������I��m, I''m very, sorry, my god��


    With his regeneration point depleted, Gainz-san��s face had be a huge mess.


    Nevertheless, he stayed firmly conscious and apologized to dvain.


    ��It doesn��t make sense for you to apologize to me, right?��


    ��The sses, over there, your skills, were sup, erb��������������


    Ah, he��s out.


    He didn��t just die, did he?


    ��Well, foreigner, if I remember correctly, you were with Evetta thest time we met, am I right?��


    ��You remembered��


    dvain-sama came up to me.


    From her casual, ordinary movements, I felt a tremendous pressure. Her strength was in apletely different league.


    ��My kin has been rude to you. Forgive us��


    ��No, I don''t mind. Well then, I��m in a hurry, so������


    I want to escape quickly.


    ��However, the fact remains that you sullied a duel. You��ll have to pay a suitable price for what you did��


    ��Huh?��


    You��re kidding me, right?


    If I had overlooked their actions, do you know how much of a negative effect it would have on our adventuring?


    ��We have our pride. It may be foolish and meaningless in the eyes of others. However, even if it��s naive, there are those who have followed it and passed it down in an unbroken line. Some have even died betting their lives on it. It''s a rule to be respected. An outsider who has appeared out of nowhere recently has no right to change it. Foreigner, this is our tradition��


    ����������������


    Tradition, huh? It''s hard for a Japanese to argue back when you say that.


    In the eyes of foreign countries, my country is a mass of absurdities. However, even meaningless and ineffectual things can be strength if they are transformed into an idealized form. I couldn��t disregard what she had said as that was something I knew very well.


    ��For the time being, please tell me what you want from me��


    For some reason, I was hiding behind Barfuru-sama.


    In case of an emergency, I��ll guard using the Endguard that��s meant for emergencies.


    ��This would normally be the time when I say that you��ll have to pay in blood. But your skill in defeating Gainz is marvelous, even if you had used tricks to do so. It could be said that you��ve proved your strength. Hmm, let��s see������why don��t we meet in the middle and let a meal be your punishment?��


    ��Huhh?��


    What? A meal as punishment?


    ��Foreigner, I��ve heard from Medimu that you have confidence in your cooking skills. And it seems that a very delicious offering is sent to King Lemuria every morning. Use those skills to make a lunch that will satisfy us��


    ��I, see��


    If that''s all she wanted, then I could manage somehow.


    I might be repeating myself, but I''m an adventurer and not a chef though.


    ��Also������


    ��?��


    dvain-sama continued.


    ��I��ve heard that you��re married to the Heures princess. She��s invited. Bring her along��


    ��A hostage, is it? In that case, use Barfuru-sama������


    ��Hey��


    Besides, if worstes to worst, this person seems like he won��t die even if you killed him.


    ��Don''t underestimate me. If I wanted to go after you, I''ll pull you out even if you��re at the bottom of the sea. I simply want to see her face with my own eyes. I��ve heard that she is here in the city, but as fate would have it, I��ve yet to meet her��


    Why do you want to see Rana? Was probably a question that I shouldn��t ask at the moment.


    In truth, I had an idea of the reason.


    ��Very well. Then I��ll make the preparations, so please wait for a while��


    ��I''m hungry, so be quick��


    I took no notice of Barfuru-sama.


    I bowed and then left the dvain dormitory behind me.


    First, there��s a ce that I want to bring these two idiots to.

 Chapter 32.1: Seams And Unity III - Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 32.1: Seams And Unity III - Part 1</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��Makina, for that reason, give the two of them the seasonings that I asked for, and tell them toe to the dvain dormitory. Also, can ��that�� manufacturing kit be used?��


    ��Makina will pass the message along. As for the kit, Makina cannot make any guarantees as it depends on the strength of material that it��s installed on, but yes, it can be used��


    ��Ask them to bring that kit too, and get them toe as soon as possible��


    ��Understood, Makina out��


    Well then, they should be waking up right about now.


    ��Team member Souya, Izora objects to such measures��


    Izora, who was hanging from my hip, voiced herint.


    ��Overruled. It��s necessary for our adventures��


    ��You say that, but you��re just trying to spread the guilt around, aren��t you?��


    ��That��s not true. This is something that��s necessary for our adventures��


    ��Say, are you going to use those words to push through everything?��


    ��Yes. If it��s necessary for our adventures, certain evils are allowed��


    ��It��s immoral��


    Izora was being a nag, so I muted her.


    ��!?��?!��


    She was hitting me with a small robotic arm. She was getting annoying, so I wrapped the cord of the garrote around her body several times and then stowed her in my backpack.


    ��Urrgg��


    Shuna was the first to wake up.


    ��What''s this?!��


    Just when Shuna was reeling in surprise, Irvin also woke up.


    ��Mnn������ Where is this ce?��


    ��Good morning, both of you��


    Both of them were a little taken aback by my threatening countenance.


    ��Souya, what is this?��


    I ignored Shuna��s protest. That was natural since he had also ignored my protests.


    ��Souya, could you please exin?��


    Irvin was pretending to be calm, but sweat was beading on his forehead.


    In a situation like this, that couldn��t be helped.


    Both of them had their hands restrained behind their backs and were lying side by side on a bed. Each of them also had one ankle chained to the foot of the bed. Well, it was a situation that would cause anyone to get flustered.


    ��Hey, both of you. I''m sad��


    ��I don''t give a damn. Remove these��


    I ignored Shuna.


    ��Just when I thought that we had be united and were going to set off for new adventures as a close-knit group from now on, both of you fight each other until your regeneration points run out. In the state that both of you are in, we��ll have to call off tomorrow��s adventure. In fact, we may have to take a break on the day after that as well��


    ��Umm, Souya. Certainly, I think that I had acted immaturely as well. However, now that I��ve quit as the leader, if Shuna and I don��t properly make our respective positions clear, in future������


    ��You��re annoying. Shut up��


    I red at Irvin to silence him.


    ��Duking it out might be a good thing in some cases. Some friendships are born that way. But determine a good point to stop��


    ��But~, dvain��s pride������


    ��If that��s the case, warn us to always be careful about it, you dummy! If we trace everything to the source, isn��t it all caused by your error in judgment when you forgot that you had lost your sword and picked a fight?!��


    ��Huh, no. ������Yes��


    Shuna admitted it just a little bit honestly.


    ��Souya, please don''t me Shuna. I��m also������


    I cut Irvin off.


    ��You try to appear sensible, but inside, you��re the same as Shuna. You��re a child who wants to feel superior by prevailing over others. On top of that, because you pretend to be an adult, it��s ill-natured��


    ��Urghh��


    Irvin looked hurt when I hit the nail on the head.


    ��Hehe, you got yelled at��


    ��Shuna, you��re such a child��


    ��What?!��


    Shuna also had his feelings hurt when I hit the mark.


    ��You know what, both of you? Feeling hurt when you��re called a child is proof that you��re a child. Grow up. It��s fine if you want to bet your life for your pride, get into fights or indulge in things that have nothing to do with adventuring.


    But learn moderation.


    Aren��t you guys adventurers? Why would you hinder your own adventure then? The schedule is all messed up. It��s a pain to fix it, you know?!��


    I kicked the bed roughly in spite of myself.


    ��I, I��m sorry, Souya. It won��t happen again��


    ��������������My bad��


    Apologies came from the two of them.


    ��You guys are just apologizing for now because it��s troublesome, right?��


    ����������������


    Right now, it felt like I was seeing my usual self when I looked at these guys. I could read them like a book.


    ��To hell with it. Shuna, I have one question. How many kin does dvain-sama have in total?��


    ��Huh? There are 23 at the moment��


    ��Souya, can I ask one question as well?��


    ��Yes, Irvin-kun��


    ��Where are we?��


    ��This ce is������


    Right at that moment, there was a knock at the door of the room.


    When I replied, the door was opened.


    ��This ce is the adventurer-exclusive brothel��Mansion of the Sleep Demon and the Goddess of Fertility����


    ��Souya, sorry to keep you waiting-nya��


    Tyutyu entered the room, apanied by two women.


    ��Well then, I��ll introduce them to you guys��


    A Hemu with long ck hair and unrivaled beauty sat down beside Irvin. She wore only a thin piece of silk that exposed her skin generously, but she had a strangely refined air.


    ��This is Andura, the "ck Pearl of Dicate". Formerly the daughter of a Myriad-King of the left continent, due to her inclinations and the mischief of the gods, she woefully ended up here. However, ck pearls are refined things wherever they may be��


    Next, a silver-haired beastkiny down next to Shuna. She had a single horn on her forehead, and a round tuft of hair at the end of her slender tail. Her features were still a bit childlike, but the faint smile on her face was that of a subus.


    ��This is Lutaruru, the ��Silver Charm��. It hasn��t been very long since she came to this brothel, but her lust and her willingness to serve is guaranteed. It appears that she can make any kind of tough adventurer yell in pleasure with her techniques��


    And then, Tyutyu put her arms around me from behind.


    No, I��m not going to introduce you, alright?


    ��Souya, in other words, this means������


    ��That won��t do, knight-sama. Only look at me��


    She lost no time in stealing Irvin��s lips. Seeing my friend engaged in such behavior was exciting.


    ��Souya! You creep!��


    ��Ufu, ufufu, cute swordsman-sama, please leave everything to me. I''ll be so gentle that you��ll melt��


    ��Ah, wait! No, I''m sorry. Wait, I��m really sorry, but ah, over there is������


    Shuna, you��re pretty weak, aren��t you? Please receive her kindness.


    ��Don��t worry both of you, I won��t tell Bel and Zenobia. Well then, dear kin of Roomen, pleasepletely replenish their regeneration points, and wring them so dry that they can��t get up the entire day tomorrow��


    ��Okay��?��


    I exited the room after hearing their amorous replies.


    ��Souya, we aren''t doing it with six people-nya?��


    ��No, that''s a bit much��


    Tyutyu had followed me.


    ��Or rather, you��re horrible-nya. You told me to wait for you, so I��ve been waiting sincest night, but how could you not show up at all��


    ��Did I make such a promise?��


    ��You were pretty drunk, but you forgot-nya?��


    ��I''m sorry, I forgot��


    Alright, I��ll quit drinking. To think that I��m so weak despite not even appreciating its taste.


    ��Then, let��s go to another room right away-nya��


    ��Tyutyu, is it alright if we go outside?��


    ��Huh������������If you add the condition that it��s just this once, then it��s okay-nya. It��s really an exception-nya��


    ��That��s a relief��


    I took Tyutyu to-go and left the brothel behind me.


    Along the way, I made an appearance at the Zavua merchantpany and the Eruomea merchantpany and sent them on errands.


    Then I headed for the dvain dormitory once more.


    I met up with the sisters at its entrance.


    ��Here, Onii-chan. The things you asked for��


    I received a bag containing seasonings and the manufacturing kit from Ea.


    ��I''m sorry, one thing led to another and I ended up having to cook and eat lunch here��


    ��Dear, if I��m not mistaken, this is������


    ��It��s a troublesome ce that��s infested with dvain��s kin��


    ��Why are we having lunch at a ce like this?��


    Rana tilted her cute head.


    ��It��s Shuna and Irvin��s fault��


    ��I don��t quite get it, but you must have had a tough time��


    ��Good day, madam��


    Tyutyu greeted Rana from behind me.


    ��Good day, kin of Roomen��


    ��Today������������umm, Souya. What did you bring Nya here for-nya?��


    ��To prepare lunch��


    ��It��s really just this once for something like this-nya��


    ��I''m sorry, I wanted the help of someone I trust��


    ��It can��t be helped-nya��


    Tyutyu looked a little happy.


    ��Dear, if you��re preparing lunch, then me too��


    ��Rana, you��ve been invited as a guest, so������


    ��������Okay��


    I was afraid of trouble as I was pressed for time.


    I resolved myself and entered the dormitory once more. There was some hostility, as well as curious gazes directed at the sisters. Tyutyu had a tight grip on my poncho as she was scared.


    To my surprise, dvain-sama came out in person to wee us.


    ��Wee, Rauaryuna. Ohh, Ea came as well?��


    The sisters knelt down and Rana addressed her in a formal manner.


    ��dvain-sama, thank you very much for inviting us today. On behalf of my husband and sister, I would like to express my gratitude. And I pray for health and prosperity for your renowned martial school��


    ��No need for the stuffy greeting. You probably don''t know about it, but we��ve met when you were still a baby. You could fit in the palm of my hand back then, but you��ve gotten so big��


    ��Huh, is that so?��


    Rana��s voice was full of surprise.


    Ea and I also had the same reaction.


    ��Didn''t you hear from Melm? He was my kin. He was the only elf among my kin who was that skilled at the sword. Do you also wield a sword?��


    A rapier was hanging from Rana��s hip. It was a wedding gift from Irvin, but she had never used it.


    ��This is a good-luck charm. I''ve walked the path of a magician for a long time, so I haven��t had the chance to use it��


    ��It won��t hurt for you to learn since you��re an adventurer. Well, I��ll give you some pointers. Come��


    dvain-sama took Rana''s hand.


    ��Ea, youe too. I��ll ascertain how skilled you are at the bow��


    ��O, okay��


    Ea was being overwhelmed by dvain-sama.


    ��I��ve met you too when you were small. You were such a noisy, crying child. I had no choice but to give you my breast to suck and you calmed down��


    ��Eeehhhh��


    The goddess went to the training ground with the sisters in tow. Her genial expression seemed like one that a person who had met with distant rtives would have.


    ��Onii-san, I��ll guide you to the kitchen, alright? Huh, what are you doing here, Tyutyu?��


    ��It��s a long story, but I��m here to help-nya��


    Bel had appeared unexpectedly to be our guide.


    ��In the meanwhile, there��s one thing that I need to tell you, Onii-san��


    I listened to Bel''s advice on the way to the kitchen.


    ��I��ve heard the gist of the situation. dvain��s kin are all rather avid foodies. They have pretty discerning ptes. They don��t care much about something like taste during days when the volume of training is high, but they have a lot of free time on their hands today, so I think that they��ll be quite particr about it. If anything, it seems that they had intended on subjugating Midoranga, so there might be many who will pick a bone with us in various ways��


    ��Understood��


    ��Also, where are Shuna and Irvin?��


    ��That��s a secret��


    Bel looked back and forth between Tyutyu and me.


    ��Oh, okay. Somehow, I got it already��


    What a sharp girl she was.


    We arrived at the dvain dormitory��s kitchen.


    It was big~pared to the castle��s. The cooking space seemed big enough for me to lie down and roll around. There were also sixrge cooking stoves. There was aplete set of the basic cooking utensils of this world, and a collection of sharp kitchen knives. Among them were some that seemed like they could be used for slicing tuna.


    There was a wide variety of ingredients stored there. I found meat, vegetables, dairy products, alcohol, spices, grains, fruits and dried seafood. They also had seasonings that couldn��t be found in the markets.


    Aren��t these guys eating better than the king? I guess the king��s taste is just simple.


    Well then, I had no time.


    There was less than two hours until lunchtime.


    ��Makina, for today��s menu, we��ll go with the three dishes that I told you about earlier. I��m counting on you to organize everything��


    ��Understood��


    Without proper division ofbor, we wouldn��t make it in time. ording to Shuna, there were 23 kin in the dormitory, one goddess, one werewolf, me, the sisters, Tyutyu, and Bel. That was 30 servings. The basics of cooking said that one should make more rather than less, but if there wasn��t enough, it would be a matter of life and death in the worst case, so I was nning to make a lot more.


    That was when I felt a gaze.


    It was the reptilian beastkin from earlier. She was looking at me with half her body peeking through the kitchen door.


    ����������������


    Errrr, how can I help you?


    ��Eh? Hihito, what''s the matter? Oh, you came to help. I see, dvain-sama told you to��


    Bel rubbed the the lizard girl called Hihito under her chin. Hihito narrowed her eyes and growled in pleasure.


    I had my misgivings, but I needed manpower, so I counted her in.


    Before anything else,


    ��Alright. Everyone, tie up your hair and let��s wash hands��


    Everyone except for Hihito used their own hair ties to tie their hair. For some reason, I tied her voluminous red hair into a ponytail.


    As for the washing of hands, everyone washed between their fingers, nails and up to their elbows with soap.


    I fished through the ingredients, picked out the ones that I wanted to use and lined them up. There were potatoes, tomatoes, soybeans, cheese, capsicum,rge eggs, salt and many others. That was about it for the ingredients that seemed usable in this kitchen. The other ingredients were probably already on their way here.


    ��Bel, Tyutyu, Hihito, we��re pressed for time, so let��s go full tilt. I''m counting on all of you��


    ��Okay~��


    ��Alright-nya!��


    ����������������


    There was no reply from one of them. However, we started cooking. As I told the three of them the respective tasks allocated to them by Makina, I also joined in the preparations.


    I left it to Bel and Tyutyu to peel the potatoes and remove the sprouts. They put the potatoes that were prepped into a water-filled stock pot.


    Hihito and I cut the vegetables up. We removed the stem of the tomatoes and cut them into four, and then diced the onions and garlic. Because of therge amount that was needed, just this alone took up a lot of time.


    I poured olive oil heartily into another stock pot, which was fun, and then threw the cut vegetables in. I instructed Hihito to stir-fry the vegetables while I went to wash therge amount of soybeans lightly in water. I checked Hihito��s pot, and then poured the soybeans in when the vegetables were cooked to a suitable degree. I added cheese, alcohol and salt as I stirred the pot.


    I handed Hihito adle and instructed her to remove the scum. I left her unattended for the time being.


    I gave Bel and Tyutyu a hand and we threw all the potatoes into a pot. Water was poured in, and the pot was covered to bring it to a boil faster.


    The sound of many footsteps could be heard approaching from the corridor.


    The errand boys from the merchantpanies had brought the ingredients.


    On dvain-sama��s tab, I had bought one dungeon pig��s worth of boneless pork ribs, 30 fresh turnips and 60 chicken eggs. The Eruomea merchantpany threw in two barrels of ale free-of-charge. From the Zavua merchantpany, it was milk, apple vinegar, honey and assorted goods.


    I cut the pork into squares, seared all sides to prevent it from falling apart when boiled, and then put the ones that had been seared brown into thergest stock pot there was in the kitchen. After all the pork had been put in, I threw in the cabbage, onions and ginger that I had cut into chunks. Finally, I added water.


    Well then, the problem starts here.


    I opened the manufacturing kit and started modifying the lid of the stock pot. I put in a control valve, a safety valve, and a sealing lever, and then stuck a rubber gasket on the inside.


    I��m worried. Would it hold up, I wonder?


    There wasn��t much time left, so I decided to use it without testing it first.


    I closed the lid, making sure that there were no gaps, then I turned the lever, which sealed the pot. I put the stock pot on the fire. Then I prayed.


    After hitting the butt of the chicken eggs with a spoon to crack them, they were put into yet another pot, which was filled water and put on the fire.


    I turned my attention to Bel and Tyutyu.


    The boiled potatoes were taken out and mashed with Bel and Tyutyu��s help. Egg yolk, wheat flour, salt and pepper were added to the mashed potatoes, which were then mixed thoroughly.


    I instructed them to roll the mixture into golf-ball sized balls and to boil them in hot water again.


    I went over to Hihito.


    The tomatoes had fallen apart and had thickened nicely. I extinguished the fire and instructed Hihito to crush the soybeans inside after handing her a rolling pin.


    The chicken eggs were removed from the hot water and put into cold water.


    Would we be able to shell 60 eggs in time?


    I checked the condition of the mashed potatoes. I told them to take the ones that had floated up to the surface of the hot water and put them on a te.


    One of dishes on the menu, Kn?del, a German dish, was almostpleted. I left the rest to Tyutyu, and starting removing the shells of the boiled eggs together with Bel. Bel was shelling them at a god-like speed.


    Everyone turned their eyes to the pot when it started to rattle and shake.

 Chapter 32.2: Seams And Unity III - Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 32.2: Seams And Unity III - Part 2</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    The modified stock pot was shaking dangerously. Just in case, I got Bel to cast defensive magic on it.


    Hihito started ncing towards me.


    I went over and checked the pot. The soybeans had been crushed and mixed nicely. For the finishing touch, miso was added, and then I taste-tested it. The deliciousness of the tomatoes, cheese and miso came together to make it pretty delectable. The crushed soybeans would go down easily.


    The second dish on the menu, Misuranika soup,pleted. I instructed Hihito to cut the turnips next.


    Thirty minutes had passed since the stock pot started shaking. It should probably be done by now.


    I removed the lid and took out the meat.


    It had been cooked till it was almost melting.


    It was a hastily-made pressure cooker, but it seemed to have worked properly. Incidentally, the Misuranika arrow was a by-product of this. I soaked the meat in water to drain the excess fat.


    It was a waste, but I threw away the vegetables that had soaked in the meat''s fat. After washing the stock pot, I poured in equal amounts of soy sauce, sugar and ale. I threw in the chicken eggs, which had all been shelled, the cut turnips, the pre-cooked boneless pork ribs, and then poured in enough water to cover all the ingredients.


    I left it to boil again.


    The Kn?del had all been taken out of the hot water. I instructed Tyutyu to start ting them using four per person as a guide.


    I told Hihito to bring the Misuranika soup, pot and all, to the dining hall.


    I instructed Bel to take the tableware and bring them to the dining hall.


    As I had a bit of time on my hands, I decided to make a dessert. There weren��t a lot of the ingredients, so six people��s worth was probably the most I could make.


    I poured milk into a pot and heated it up.


    After extinguishing the fire when it was about 60��C, I added apple vinegar into the pot. I mixed it briefly with a spoon, and then left it alone.


    I removed the lid of the stock pot when Makina announced that it was done.


    The rich, appetizing smell of the meat and the scent of the sweet and salty soy sauce wafted out.


    I put some of the egg, turnip, and meat on a te and took a bite of each to test their taste.


    The condition of the egg was 100 points. The sweet and spicy vor had seeped into it nicely. It made me crave rice balls. The turnip that I had used in ce of radish wasn��t great, but it wasn��t bad either. The meat hadn��t fallen apart, even though it was soft and tender. When chewed, the deliciousness of the melting meat spread throughout my mouth. I tried eating them together. The inness of the turnip ented the vors well. It was invincible when eaten together with the egg.


    It��s delicious, isn��t it? Well, it''s not that difficult of a dish except for the fact that it''s time-consuming.


    The third dish on the menu, braised dungeon pork squares,pleted.


    Tuytyu was making a pitiful face, so I was about to let her eat some for taste-testing when Bel barged in and fought over it. Hihito took advantage of that opening and ate up all of the food meant for taste-testing. The three of them gave rave reviews. It would be great if it would go over well with all of the kin though.


    The time taken to reach this point was two hours and twenty minutes. The time was 12:30 pm.


    The braised pork was put onto the tes with the Kn?del. Each te got two boiled eggs, five pieces of pork squares and three pieces of turnip.


    The tes were put five to a tray and I got Hihito to carry them to the dining hall. Bel was in charge of the eating utensils. It was her main profession, so Tyutyu carried the ale. I devoted myself to ting the food.


    There were 22 kin here at the moment, one goddess, and six guests. I had sent out 29 portions of food, but there was still half of the braised pork squares left.


    Bringing the pot, I also headed for the dining hall.


    The dining hall of the dormitory was a little worn out, but it was a well-cleaned and tidy space. It was filled with the mor of conversation.


    dvain-sama was seated at the head of a long table with Ea and Rana on both sides of her, while Barfuru-sama sat one ce away from Rana. The tes of food had all beenid out on the table and everyone was only waiting for the meal to start.


    I felt some sort of killing intent though.


    I ced the pot in the food preparation area of the dining hall. Bel, Tyutyu and Hihito were already seated. It appeared that I was thest one.


    Barfuru-sama beckoned me over to my seat.


    ��Quiet down��


    With a few words, dvain-sama filled the dining hall with silence.


    ��Forgive me everyone, lunch ended up being a littlete today. And Souya, you��ve done well to meet my sudden request. It must have been difficult indeed. Our connection started with a dispute, but let��s swallow it down together with the food��


    I might had died if things had gone badly, but well, I��ll let it go. Because I��m not such a child that I would get hung up on such things easily.


    ��So, Souya, what are the dishes? Exin��


    ��In that case, I shall exin��


    ��Oh no~��


    For some reason, Ea buried her head in her hands.


    ��First, this red soup. It''s Misuranika soup, which I named after my god. It has plenty of vegetables, including tomatoes, and cheese was added to give it a creamy vor. The soybeans were crushed to give them an easy-to-eat texture. A slightly unusual taste has been added as a secret ingredient, but I hope you will like it.


    The highlight of today��s meal is this braised dungeon pork squares. This is originally a dish that has to be cooked over a long time, but the time was shortened using a certain device. I believe that there aren��t many dishes with its springy and tender texture in this city. It has been seasoned with sugar and fermented beans to give it a sweet and salty vor. Turnips were used as a substitute, which is the only thing that I��m worried about. Originally, a vegetable called daikon(radish) should have been used instead, but it seems that this continent doesn��t have them, which was troubling for me. Daikon is a wonderful food that won��t hurt your stomach no matter how much of it you eat, and it tastes good whether you cook it, use it in a sd, pickle it, oh, I��m sorry for going off on a tangent. Next is the egg, but as you can see, they��re chicken eggs, and not therge eggs. The Zavua merchantpany has seeded in raising arge number of chickens, so I believe that they��ll be able to supply them reliably and inexpensively in two months. Large eggs are also delicious, but they��re too big to eat easily, which is a problem, isn��t it? When you want to have a small bite to eat, chicken eggs are the best after all��


    I heard a sharp ng of something metallic.


    It��s probably just my imagination.


    ��And then, this Kn?del is, gobfuuu!��


    Barfuru-sama had poked me in the side with his finger. I thought that several of my ribs had passed away.


    Your ws are sharp so they stabbed me, you know?


    Look around, he signaled.


    Everyone was looking at me like I had killed their parents. Even Ea, Bel and Tyutyu.


    ��������������En, enjoy your meal��


    ��Alright! Dig in, you guys!��


    At dvain-sama��s cue, the kin became beasts.


    ��What��s this?! What on earth is this?! This is the first time I��ve eaten such springy pork!��


    ��It melts! It melts in the mouth!��


    ��IT��S DELICIOUSSSSSSSSS!��


    The hall was filled with reactions like those from reaction celebrities*.


    ��There are seconds if you want more, alright?��


    ��UUUOOOOOOOOOO!!!��


    A big roar replied my small voice.


    ��Rana, does it suit your taste?��


    ��Yes, it''s delicious. There isn��t anything that you cook that doesn''t suit my taste��


    Rana smiled sweetly. To me, her��delicious��was worth the��delicious��of a thousand people.


    I was satisfied.


    ��Ah, Ea. Not again��


    My sister had taken out mayonnaise and was putting it on the Kn?del.


    ��Mayonnaise is a must for potatoes. For me, this is a pride that I won''t budge on��


    ��Don��t you sort of put it on everything?��


    ��This mayonnaise is different from the other mayonnaises. After all, Shichimi has been mixed into it��


    She had used the seasoning that was running out in this manner again.


    ��Mayonnaise seems to be circting in the city recently, am I right?��


    ��Yes, it was made by Onii-chan��


    Ea told dvain-sama proudly.


    ��Souya, as I thought, you were a chef in the foreignnds, weren��t you? I can see that, given this delicious food��


    ��Yes, that��s right��


    Came Rana��s reply.


    ��No, that��s wrong��


    ��Rana, you��ve got a good husband, don��t you? You must be proud��


    ��Yes��


    I had been ignored, but well, I��ll let it go.


    On a whole, the meal seemed to be well received. One after another, people were lining up for seconds.


    ��Umm, dvain-sama? If it��s alright with you, would you like some mayonnaise on your food?��


    ��Are you sure? Isn��t that something that��s important to you?��


    ��No, I��ve recently learnt my lesson about trying to monopolize delicious food. Oh, would you like some too, Onee-chan?��


    ��Alright then��


    Rana and dvain-sama responded at the same time.


    These three people had simr features. In particr, Rana and dvain-sama��s eyes looked exactly the same.


    Heures, Rana��s ancestor.


    An elf who was famous for being a caster that controlled fog and a master of the bow. A hero who had subjugated therge spider that had plunged the right continent into a crisis in the past.


    That wasn��t the entire truth.


    The subjugation of therge spider wasn��t Heures�� achievement alone.


    Lumidia, the hero of the concealed name.


    Heures had subjugated therge spider with the help of this unrivaled archer.


    ording to Makina''s investigation, Lumidia''s name had first appeared in a book summarizing the heroic tales of the left continent.


    She was born the favorite of Velsvain, who was famous for her martial arts school. Ever since she was a child, she had been widely known for her valor, and had showed glimpses of bing a hero.


    However, she was exiled from the left continent on the charge of murdering a Myriad-King. While leaving anecdotes in various ces, she found her way to the right continent, where she then disappeared from history.


    What happened after that was something only I knew.


    She fell in love with an elf and had a child. That child ruled the elven ns as the heir of Heures, leaving his blood to the present day.


    In addition to that, alongside the ount of Lumidia, Makina found the name of dvain-sama.


    Lumidia was dvain-sama��s daughter.


    In other words, she was a Hemu.


    Elves valued the purity of their blood. Should thise to light, the Heures family would lose their ability to unify the ns, and a civil war would begin among the elves. This was a secret that I would have to take to my grave.


    dvain-sama probably knew as well. That was probably the reason why she, who had attained godhood as a hero, took up residence in Lemuria.


    Seeing the three of them eating together, they looked just like a parent and her children.


    It felt lonely to know that there was no ce for me among them.


    ��Oh, Souya. It''s a good opportunity, so I''ll ask��


    ��Huh?��


    Barfuru-sama seemed a little serious as he talked to me. He spoke softly, as if not wanting to be heard over the din in the dining hall. He would have been cool if he wasn��t licking his te.


    ��Are you having any problems with that bow?��


    ��No, not particrly. It''s a wonderful bow. If not for that bow, I would have died ten times��


    Barfuru-sama��s eyes were a little scary.


    ��Then, are there any abnormalities with your body?��


    ��Abnormalities?��


    ��That bow is a cursed item. There��s no way you��re alright after drawing it like it��s the most natural thing to do just because you��re possessed by a ghost. The regret of the Endguard, the resentment towards vampires, and the madness of the moon of misfortune. Any one of these are emotions that cannot be withstood by a person��s heart��


    Even if you tell me that, I��mpletely fine.


    Not a single thinges to mind.


    ��I''m sorry, there��s really nothing and there aren''t any problems either��


    ��I see......... Then, maybe your god is protecting you from it. Misuranika���� Even though it rings a bell, I can��t recall anything about that name. Could there perhaps be some sort of connection?��


    Misuranika-sama? Protecting me? Are you talking about the Misuranika-sama who is currently only holding the position of a pet? The god that sleeps an average of 16 hours a day? The god who only eats, sleeps and ys?


    ��Well, if you��re healthy, then there''s no problem. But should youe to believe that the bow is harming your body, tell me immediately. After all, you��re also an Endguard. Always pay close attention to your body. Lately, I��ve been noticing disturbing signs in the north. The dogs of Lyridias have also stirred, but they��ll probably be useless. If anything, they��ll only be food for them. The time to mobilize isn��t at hand, but it won��t be too far off either. Don��t forget to polish your skills daily, got it?��


    ��������������Huh?��


    What did this guys just say?


    ��Barfuru-sama, who did you say is what?��


    ��You and me, the two of us are thest of the Endguard. It��s a lonely feeling, and there��s no glory in it��


    ��Why?��


    When was something like that decided? Was it during the times when I was drunk and remembered nothing?


    ��Well, you can use Lycan armaments, so that makes you an Endguard, doesn��t it? This is about all that��s left of us anyways. Come with me��


    ��I don��t want to��


    ��Nope, I won��t acknowledge that. I��ll forcibly bring you along��


    NOOoooOOOoo.


    Why do problems that don��t have anything to do with adventuring keep popping up like this?


    I��ll definitely get dragged into this messter, won��t I? Should I just throw this bow away? I can��t do that either. Even now, I was powerless against decent monsters. If I switched to a normal bow now, I��ll be aplete burden.


    It��s a bow that I got at the unprecedented price of 8 gold coins, but to think that it came with such a snag.


    ��By the way, Barfuru-sama, what would we be doing in the north?��


    ��Hmm~, vampire hunting, I guess? No, the remainder of ��those�� aren��t such big-shots. For the time being, I''m waiting on Lermuria��s spies. Don��t worry, we won��t be suddenly setting out tomorrow or the day after��


    ��I��m only an adventurer, you know? Please don''t involve me in momentous events like this��


    ��I��m involving you precisely because you��re an adventurer. Stepping foot on forbidden ground and facing off against unknown enemies, all for the sake of fame. Doesn��t that fill your heart with excitement?��


    ��No, not at all��


    ��Are you really an adventurer?��


    That hit me where it hurts most.


    To be honest, something like my own fame is as good as pig feed. If there is someone who wants to trade money for it, I��ll sell him as much as he wants. My goal is to reach the 56th floor of the dungeon and get the materials there. That''s it.


    I��ve already gotten into a lot of trouble because I prioritized feelings. Any more would be beyond the limit of my capacity.


    However, thest of the Endguard, huh.


    It was a title that made me grin a little in spite of myself.


    ��If you don��t want that, then I��m eating it��


    He licked up my pork squares.


    ��You pig!��


    Although it was bad manners, I got into a scuffle with Barfuru-sama, and was taken out in one hit.


    The feast was also in full swing.


    Observing left-overs on the women��s tes, I headed for the kitchen.


    I took a look at the milk that I had left alone in the pot.


    When heated milk was mixed with vinegar, it separated into liquid and solid. I had no idea what this phenomenon was called.


    Using a clean cloth, I strained the solid. I mixed strong alcohol into the liquid. If I remembered correctly, it should be somewhat nutritious. It was a vague recollection though.


    I dipped the cloth-wrapped solid lightly into water and then wrung it dry a few times to adjust its shape.


    I was able to get it into a round shape that was more beautiful than I had expected. Perhaps because the apple vinegar was good, it ended up a smooth white mass. I slid a knife into it and cut it into 6 pieces. Iid them out on small tes and added a few round slices of baked apple to each te. As the finishing touch, plenty of honey.


    Cottage cheese and baked apples drizzled with honey,pleted.


    I had gathered my meagre knowledge and tried to make something that looked like a dessert.


    ��Onii-san, I''ll wash the dirty potster��


    ����������������


    Bel and Hihito hade to the kitchen. Bel saw the cottage cheese.


    ��Is it ice cream?!��


    She came over to have a bite.


    ��No, they��re not��


    ��Is that so���� they��re not, huh����. Hau��


    Her soul slipped out.


    ��Now now, eat this and give me your impressions. Here, Hihito too��


    I added spoons to two of the tes and handed them to the two of them.


    Bel ate one bite and gave one impression.


    ��Oh, what a mysterious texture. It has a very refined taste, and is easy to eat. Might be delicious��


    Thump! Thump! I was surprised by the sounds of something smacking the floor. It was Hihito��s tail. Her tail was swinging about while she was absorbed in eating.


    ��Bel, is it alright for me to interpret that as meaning that this is delicious?��


    ��Yeah��


    My confidence boosted, I took the sisters��, Tyutyu��s and dvain-sama��s share to them.


    The dish that wrapped up lunch received distinctly good reviews.


    I wonder if I should be serious about learning how to make sweets.

 Chapter 33: Like A Cirsium I & II

    <h4>Chapter 33: Like A Cirsium I & II</h4>


    Cirsium(Asamikiku), a genus of thistle.


    Its leaves and bracts are spiny, and touching them causes pain. Its flowers have countless rod-like projections sticking out, and look like pincushions.


    Also known as Irakusa. It has been said that the word ��deceive(Azamuku)�� is the origin of its name.


    Its flower meanings are independence, strictness, protection, loneliness.


    Revenge.


    ��Like A Cirsium I��


    ��53rd day��


    I became the leader again and various things happened.


    Starting from the duel between Shuna and Irvin, there was the dispute with dvain��s kin, the selling of Midoranga��s materials after dealing with the Guild��s procedures, as well as settling Irvin��s party��s debt. While I was at it, I crushed two of Lemuria��s ill-natured merchantpanies, one of which got absorbed by the Zavua merchantpany. For that achievement, I was bestowed the authentic ��Insight(discerning eye)�� by the other god that I was contracted with����Gravius-sama, the night owl.


    It only happened every now and then when I was doing work at the merchantpany or during adventuring, but I had been able to grasp the authenticity of things. I had mistaken it as my own hidden talent, but to think that it was actually the grace of this god.


    Having obtained this ability, I would likely have a reliable eye for the prices of materials, monsters, as well as people. This insight would be useful for adventuring.


    However, I received a piece of advice from Gravius-sama:


    "Authenticity is constantly wavering. Even what you��ve discerned without doubt to be a pyroxene(a ga-like rock-forming mineral) can change into a mere rock in an instant. Thus, the value of all things aren��t determined by the eyes of gods, but by the eyes of people. You must discern it carefully. The ��value�� and ��worthlessness�� of this fog-enshrouded world of people.��


    That advice, which was very god-of-merchants-like, really struck home.


    However, I��m an adventurer. Not a merchant. I want to make sure you remember that. It seems that I��ve spent too much time on things outside the adventuring business.


    And, once again, I was faced with a problem that seemed like it would take up a lot of my time.


    Simply put, it was jealousy.


    By way of the dishonest merchants, I was gaining a bad reputation among adventurers.


    I was a marriage swindler, an adventurer scammer, cheating the royals, adventuring for the sake of money. A mixture of fact and fiction was spread by them. Especially to the novice adventurers whose adventuring had stagnated, intermediate adventurers, as well as the greenhorn adventurers that were the same batch as us.


    However, it��s said that gossipsts but 75 days.


    Fortunately, the infamy was concentrated on me personally, and only good things were being spread about the other party members��Was it due to sympathy?��. They often got things free-of-charge at restaurants. As much as five times, I was served the raw ingredients of the dish as is. Among those five times, I was attacked by the still-alive ingredient twice.


    It made me mad, but I''m an adventurer. No matter how bad it got, I could clear my reputation through the results of our adventuring.


    That was what I had thought. However.


    One after another, Shuna and Rana were crushing all those who mentioned those rumors.


    Shuna was still alright. If Irvin or me were present, it ended right there after either of us interceded. After that, if we treated him some suitably delicious food, he would be back in a good mood. As for the other party, if we treated him or her alcohol, the misunderstanding would be cleared cordially. All''s well that ends well.


    Rana was���� troubling.


    Seriously.


    Tremendously.


    It made me happy that she was getting angry for my sake, but she was way too dangerous.


    Whenever she blew an adventurer away using magic, she usually blew the entire store away along with the adventurer.


    The damages to the surrounding residents was also enormous. Medical bills, repair costs, nuisance payments and hush money. In general, an average of 70 gold coins went down the drain per disturbance. The allowance that I had received from the Zavua merchantpany waspletely gone. In the worst case, I would have topensate using the party''s operating funds.


    Also, we would be banned the next time we destroyed the barkeeper��s store.


    She''s a great magician, so when asked if she could use magic that was more subtle, she said that no matter what kind of magic she used, it seemed that its power would expand out of all proportion.


    Looking at the result when I had asked Zenobia to use the same magic as a test, I estimated that it was 30 times more powerful. Moreover, the magic power consumed was also out of all proportion. In the end, it seemed that consuming enormous amounts of magic power to cast tremendous magic was more efficient magic power-wise.


    I wonder, is she loved by the god of destruction or something?


    For that reason, whenever Rana chanted, it was decided that all of the party members would be mobilized to stop her.


    Although she had been disowned, I couldn��t let ill-feelings towards Rana, elves and the Heures family umte. That was why another rumor was spread.


    ��Adventurers will meet with misfortune if they get involved with the foreigner��


    In the adventuring business, everyone was constantly gambling with their lives. Even if they had more than enough strength and wisdom, they would die all the same if they were unlucky. That was why adventurers were very concerned about jinxes involving luck. In line with this, I created a few cases where actual harm was done.


    The crimes were alwaysmitted on the main street, and on top of that, I had chosen periods of time when there were a lot of pedestrians passing by.


    For one party, their equipment belts rotted and broke, leaving everyone half-naked in public.


    Another party was almost killed by a runaway, unmanned carriage.


    Yet another party lost as many gold coins from their purses as the number of times they had spoken ill about the foreigner.


    Seeing themmenting on the main street, the people had a real look at ��the curse of the foreigner��.


    Two days after that, no matter which bar I went, there was no one bringing up the rumors about the foreigner. On the contrary, people who spoke of it thoughtlessly were beaten up and silenced by the other adventurers.��Don��t get us involved��was the meaning behind their actions.


    My name hadpletely be a cursed word, but well, I was able to divert the ill-feelings away from Rana.


    Besides, it��s said that gossipsts but 75 days.


    This was a city where something happened almost daily. It probably won��t be long before it faded from memory and was forgotten.


    All told, it ended up taking seven days before we could challenge the dungeon again.


    For the moment, we had reached the 13th floor.


    Thus far, it had been a piece of cake thanks to Otou-san��s maps.


    As the seven of us were acting in concert, I changed our tactics a little.


    The average width of the passageways inside the dungeon was 4 meters. So that there would be enough space to move, we could have two or three people side-by-side at most. Taking into ount what might happen, we also needed a certain amount of space behind us. It was impossible to advance with seven people side-by-side like Japan��s national RPG.


    That was why, same as before, I divided us into two teams.


    In front, Irvin, Shuna and me, who was apanied by Izora.


    In the back, Bel, Ea, Zenobia and Rana.


    My role was to search for enemies and to ��bait�� the enemies.


    I would use Izora''s various sensors as well as my insight to locate enemies. I would then make a pre-emptive attack using the bow, and if I could defeat the enemy, then all was well. If that didn��t work, I would lead it to Irvin and Shuna, and then defeat it together. If there were a lot of enemies, I would lead them to another location, and then slip past them.


    As much as possible, I would leave it to Irvin and Shuna to defeat the enemies.


    There wasn''t anything about these two��s fighting skills that I couldin about.


    The two of them were strong.


    If the conditions were right, they could probably hold their own even against intermediate adventurers. All that was left, was for me set the stage for them.


    Bel was the flying column.


    She had a good bnce between offense and defense, so I had her flexibly join either the front or the back in battles. She could use thebination magic with Rana as a powerful attack, but I had prohibited its use because it had a high chance of going out of control.


    As for Ea, she guarded the rear and provided support in battles.


    If the party was taken by surprise from behind, it would be fatal. As the person who was the best at detecting enemies, I had her focus her attention behind us. Her covering attacks were formidable as well. With her skills, she could easily shoot random small fry in the heart or eye.


    Zenobia was a dedicated support and her role was to protect the group in the back. And, she was insurance.


    To be honest, the firepower of her magic wasn��t great. But her defensive magic was pretty good. Just in case, she was to use her magic to hold up enemies that had escaped Ea��s detection.


    Rana was our trump card.


    If it was just instantaneous destructive power, then Rana was top ss, even in Lemuria.


    However, there were various problems. Her magic had too much destructive power and range. Especially with regards to restoring her magic power, I had thought that ice cream was able to settle this problempletely, but there was a snag. The amount of magic power that could be restored was limited.


    After making experimental desserts and checking the amount of magic power they restored, I had Rana fire off some magic, but on the second day, no matter what she ate, her magic power wouldn��t recover at all. When her magic power was restored again after one whole day had passed, I stroked my chest in relief. It would take much more time to test this. Makina was in the midst of calcting urate figures.


    So long as there were uncertainties with the means of restoring magic power, it didn��t hurt to use her sparingly.


    However, just the fact that we had a trump card was reassuring. Besides, the means of restoring the regeneration point had been established. The men, including myself, could afford to be slightly reckless.


    I would probably change the party formation depending on the situation, but for the moment, this was what we were going with.


    Now, let��s return to the main subject.


    ��Like A Cirsium II��


    I breathed thinly and softly.


    I killed my presence and kept my eyes glued on the darkness.


    In order to search for enemies, the light had been turned off. In the darkness that was too dark for night vision, quietly, very quietly, I advanced.


    ��Enemy detected. Three o''clock��


    ��Understood��


    At Izora''s voice, I gazed steadily in that direction.


    Arge snake slowly came into view from the end of the dark passageway. It was gracefully meandering its way forward in mid-air.


    It had small wings simr to the Guild President��s, but there was no way things like that provided lift. It was flying by means of a mysterious power.


    Even though I called it arge snake, it was about 30 centimeters wide and about 6 meters long. Its size was cutepared to Midoranga��s.


    The distance between us was 15 meters.


    ��Enemy has reacted. You��ve been detected��


    I held an arrow in my mouth. I nocked another arrow to the bow.


    While making a soft swooshing sound, therge snake approached me. For now, I cast aside my question of how it knew my location even though it was so dark.


    ��Turn on the light��


    ��Understood��


    Izora emitted a light with the same brightness as antern��s.


    I drew the bow.


    I held it at full draw.


    Just like my opponent, I thought only of killing. Whenever I drew this bow, I became dispassionate to the core. Be it a god or a devil, I would shoot it unwaveringly.


    What I was aiming for was......


    ��Distance, 10 meters. 8, 6, 4��


    The snake opened itsrge mouth in order to bite me.


    ����right here.


    The string thrummed as the arrow snapped forward. Flexing like a snake, the arrow pierced the upper jaw of therge snake and stabbed into its brain. Therge snake fell to the ground and flopped about like a fish out of water. There was less blood than I had expected flowing out.


    I nocked the other arrow to the bow.


    I watched calmly. Not yet, there was still something.


    The full length of therge snake was longer than I had expected. Half of its body was still a dim outline in the darkness and its tail raised itself up and turned towards me.


    A shadow approached from the darkness.


    I didn��t aim at the shadow. I didn��t aim at things that I wasn��t guaranteed to hit. I shot another arrow at therge snake��s body, pinning it to stone floor. I leaped backwards with all my strength.


    Practically right in front of my eyes, a snake��s jaws snapped shut, biting only air.


    ��Evasion sessful��


    Thisrge snake also had a head on its tail.


    I shot its second head.


    ��Start pulse scan. Disy the location of this guy��s heart with a red dot��


    ��Understood, pulse activated��������������


    There was a slight buzzing in my ears.


    ��Scanpleted��


    The heart of therge snake was disyed as a red dot on the LCD of the sses.


    One more arrow there.


    Even though its muscles were still twitching, therge snake had definitely died with that.


    There were many monsters in the dungeon that wouldn��t die just from having their heads crushed. There were even some that didn��t have heads to begin with. But living things generally died when their hearts were stopped. It seemed that even thismon sense would apply less the deeper we descended though.


    I kept my eyes on the surroundings.


    ��No signs of any enemy��


    ��Understood��


    I slung the bow over my shoulder and took out my hunting knife.


    ��Souya-san, please check its fangs��


    ��Alright��


    I inserted the hunting knife into the snake��s mouth and opened it. It was dangerous, so I made sure to not touch it with my bare hands.


    ��There are grooves in the fangs��


    ��Is it perhaps a poisonous snake?��


    ��Yes, Izora will take a sample. Please bring Izora��s body closer��


    I unhooked Izora from my waist and brought her closer to the snake.


    Two robotic arms extended out from the mini-pod. In one hand was a case with a row of test tubes. The other hand squeezed the base of the fang and collected a sample of the venom. Subsequently, a tissue sample and a blood sample were also collected.


    ��It��spleted. Just in case, Izora will create antibodies for the party members��


    ��I��ll leave it to you��


    ��Thisrge snake has the same pit organ and infrared detection mechanism as a normal snake. Let''s be careful of that next time��


    ��Understood��


    I stared at the snake''s corpse.


    It was quite fleshy.


    Wasn��t reptile meat said to taste just like chicken breast?


    ��Team member Souya, Izora wants you to heed this warning; most of the monsters cannot be eaten. Of the 23 samples taken from the different species of monsters that have been defeated so far, toxins that are harmful to the human body have been detected in 19 of them. Therger the monster��s size, the stronger the toxin, so Izora suspects that it works in a simr manner to the Ciguatera toxin and gets umted in the monsters�� bodies. ������You��ll die, alright?��


    ��What a shame. So, can this guy be eaten?��


    ��Izora won��t know unless we return above-ground and let the main-pod analyze it��


    ��Is that so? What a shame��


    Procurement on-site and making food in the dungeon������������is impossible, I suppose. For various reasons, it''s dangerous.


    ��I''m returning to the party now. Please inform Ea��


    ��Understood��


    I had given Ea and Irvinmunication devices. Using them, we could contact one another as long as we weren��t more than two floors apart.


    After recovering my arrows, I pushed the corpse of therge snake into a corner of the passageway, poured mmable oil on it, and then set it on fire. Disposing of corpses for the sake of subsequent adventurers was good dungeon etiquette.


    There were monsters that were drawn to fire, but more than anything, monsters were drawn to blood.


    Disposalpleted.


    I left to join up with the party.


    ��Izora, turn off the light��


    The dim light went out, and I was enveloped by the quiet darkness again. Behind me, the snake continued to burn.


    ��Haaa��������


    Izora made a show of sighing. No, she doesn��t breathe, so she was only ying the sound.


    ��������Haaa��


    Oh, is this basically����


    ��What''s the matter, Izora?��


    ����an appeal for me to give her some attention?


    ��Well, perhaps it��s because Izora is used to being with Irvin-sama, but Izora doesn��t feel satisfied when Izora is with team member Souya��


    I waspletely off the mark.


    ��Are you that dissatisfied with me?��


    ��No, you��ve achieved results that are several dozen times better than Izora��s initial estimates. Even a person who is ipatible with modern society can adapt to an alternate world. It sort of seems like it happens often, though Izora isn��t sure, but Izora does think of you as an interesting case��


    ��Why, thank you��


    Was I praised, I wonder? I''m a little happy.


    ��But, team member Souya, you��ll manage somehow even without Izora, right?��


    Oh, Makina also said the same to me.


    ��Irvin-sama is a person who is useless without Izora beside him. Despite how he looks, he��s quite careless, so if someone isn��t there to properly keep him on a tight leash������ Fufu��


    Outside of adventuring, ording to Izora''s wishes, the mini-pod was left with Irvin.


    ��Don''t get too obsessed with an individual and forget your work��


    ��Izora won��t do something like that. Starting with the tactical n for normal battles, Izora is constantly running simtions on battle ns and formation ns so that it��ll be fine even if anyone isn��t present. Also, for when Irvin-sama bes the leader, or when Irvin-sama bes a hero, or when Irvin-sama and Izora�D�D��


    ��That��s enough��


    Somehow, she was looking like a Yandere girl who meddled excessively with the guy she liked.


    ��I��ve got visual contact with that Irvin, so please contact him and tell him to not attack as it��s just me joining up ��


    ��Understood��


    I could see a faint light ahead of me.


    It was a crossroads. Irvin was there with his shield held at the ready.


    Here��s a guy that��s popr with women. Starting with the innkeeper��s daughter, there��s also the waitress at the bar, the widow of the merchantpany, many female adventurers ranging from greenhorn to advanced, and to top it off, an A.I. from a foreignnd.


    What an illustrious career, and what an extensive range too. Moreover, with just one smile from him, all of them had stopped quarreling and became all smiles.


    He is handsome, tall, skilled, has a strong sense of responsibility and cares for his friends. He doesn��t discriminate against other races, is weak against vegetables and alcohol, and a shade of mncholy crosses his face sometimes.


    I may be biased, but this is the kind of person who should be a hero.


    By no means did I mean a mass-murdering dirtbag hero like Varner. Even if god acknowledges him, I never will.


    ��Hey��


    ��Good work on checking the area��


    He gave a conscientious reply to my perfunctory greeting.


    ��Wee back, dear. Are you hurt anywhere?��


    ��No. I fought a snake along the way, but I defeated it without injury��


    I reassured the worried Rana.


    ��What? You should have called me. I wanted to try out my new sword��


    I got booed by Shuna. He was doing practice swings with his new longsword.


    It had cost 50 gold coins, and was a somewhat famous sword. I had wanted to prepare one that was the same length, weight, and material as his previous longsword, but I didn''t have the time.


    From what Makina could tell after analyzing it, the longsword that Shuna��s teacher, Regure, had passed down to him had a very unusualposition. It had Widmanst?tten patterns, which were only found on meteorites, so that meant that meteorite iron had been mixed into its steel.


    It would probably take time for the analytical capabilities of modern science to shed light on how its toughness and strength were achieved.


    ��Irvin-sama, please spread your map. Let��s update the areas that we��ve finished searching��


    ��Alright��


    Irvin spread his hand-drawn map, and Izora projected an image on it. Using a piece of charcoal, I marked the areas that we had finished searching with Xs.


    ��Ea-sama too, your map please��


    ��Okay~��


    Ea also spread her map and I marked it in the same way.


    I had given hand-drawn maps to Irvin and Ea. Just in case Izora and I both died.


    I put a finger on Irvin��s map.


    ��I looked around in a clockwise direction from the north��


    This ce where the party had gathered was the center of this floor. From here, we were going around in a circle as we explored the surroundings. This exploration wasn��t for the sake of descending to a lower floor.


    ��Only the northwest section is left. If we��re unable to find any trace of him there, then�D�D��


    ��I''ll give up. I��m the shield of this party. That��s what��s most important right now��


    ��I''m sorry, please do��


    ��No, I��m the one who is taking up the party��s precious time. This is good enough��


    We were looking for Irvin''s friend who had gone missing on this floor.


    I was concerned about what they would do, so I had put Varner and Luxgaru under surveince, but they hadn��t been searching for Sanperie.


    On the day that they had run into us, they had a disagreement with the adventurers that they had hired and got into a fight. They hadn��t explored the dungeon ever since. Alcohol, women, violence and swordsmanship practice. That was how they spent their days. What a good life they led.


    The chances of Sanperie��s survival were despairingly small. I didn��t hold out any hope for that.


    As someone who was also Irvin��s friend, and as the leader, I wanted to at least recover some proof of his life. However, in response to this, Irvin had replied,��Spend only one day on the search��Any longer than that and it would impede the party��s progress. Everyone��s thoughtfulness was hard to bear, he had said.


    I had hesitated, but I could understand Irvin��s feelings. For just one day, we would give it everything we had and search. With Izora��s sensors, we should be able to find traces that other adventurers wouldn��t notice.


    ��Well then, everyone stand by again. I��ll������


    ��Onii-chan��


    ��Hmm? What��s the matter?��


    Ea drew close and snuggled up to me.


    ��I''m hungry��


    Shuna and Bel raised their hands.


    ��Oh, me too��


    ��Yes! Yes! Me too!��


    Rana also raised her hand gingerly.


    ��Umm������������me too��


    ��Oh, I��m sorry. I��ll prepare it immediately��.

 Chapter 34: Like A Cirsium III

    <h4>Chapter 34: Like A Cirsium III</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    I had forgotten because I was focused on the search. Now that they had mentioned it, I was feeling hungry too. Looking at the time, it was long past lunchtime.


    Today''s menu had beenpletely left up to Makina. I had been really busy recently and hadn��t paid any attention to food. I had failed as a chef����No, I��m an adventurer, so this is how it should be, isn��t it?


    ��Dear, Makina asked me to hold on to this for you��


    Rana took out arge pan from her bag. I took it from her, cut the string holding it closed, and then opened its lid.


    ��What are those? Insect cocoons?��


    A question mark floated above Ea, who had taken a peek inside the pan. The pan was jam-packed with bite-sized white objects.


    ��They��re gyoza��


    ��Gyoza?��


    The sisters tilted their heads in unison.


    Stuck on the lid was a memo from Makina.


    ��The ingredients are seasoned strongly, so please eat them with vinegar and pepper. Makina made an unusually wide variety of food, so it��ll cause a fight. (@������@)�


    (���৥��)


    ��I''ll cook it right away. Zenobia, can you start a fire?��


    ��Yeah��


    I took the pieces of stone that were on the ground all around us andid them out in a U-shape. After arranging wood chips and charcoal in the middle of that, I had Zenobia chant magic that wouldy mes on them.


    (o_o) stare~


    Rana was staring at the mes.


    ��If I focus magic power in an area, or seal it in a small space by some means if a tremendous amount of mes is summoned, and then make it so that a certain amount of heat escapes, no no, that��s no good as it won��t stabilize. The amount of pressure will cause its power to shoot up even more. Is there some other method������


    For some reason, she was formting a method of generating small mes.


    I have a 100 yen lighter, but should I give it to her as a present, I wonder?


    ��Oh!��


    Rana pped her hands as a light bulb appeared above her head. She suddenly poured the water in her water bottle on Zenobia''s mes and extinguished them.


    ��I''m sorry, Zenobia-san. There''s a little something that I would like to try��


    ��Oh, alright. Please go ahead, great magician-sama��


    Zenobia had a face that said that she had already given up.


    Rana had a habit of getting carried away when it came to magic. Ofte, everyone in the party had gotten used to it.


    Hmm? ������I get the feeling that someone has said something like that about me as well.


    ��Oh fire, fire that grants all people light and grace. With that heat and pain, heal this person��s wounds��


    Rana''s right hand burned bright red.


    ��Oh, that is������


    Irvin and Zenobia raised their voices in unison.


    Rana brought the light of her hand closer to the charcoal. A sizzling sound could be heard as the water evaporated, and then the charcoal glowed red-hot right away.


    ��I did it!��


    Rana did a full-body guts pose. I apuded. Her magic power had been reduced by about one third, but well, today''s focus was on searching so it was alright.


    But I remembered this magic from somewhere though.


    ��Amazing, Rana-dono. To think that it''s possible to generate this much heat with basic healing magic. It��s no longer healing magic anymore��


    ��It''s too amazing that I don��t get it. You can defeat a small monster in one hit with this��


    My face twitched at Irvin and Zenobia��s impressions of the magic. That was because I had remembered being healed with that magic. Was that magic dangerous? It hurt so much that I thought I was going to die���� I was more or less healed though.


    ��No, I''m actually bad at this kind of magic. The surplus magic power always gets converted into heat, so I wondered if I could burn something with this��


    ��It sure was painful being healed by Onee-chan������������It was the kind of pain that made me forget that I had a bullet in my stomach��


    Ea had a faraway look. It appeared that there was another victim here.


    ��E, Ea, but wasn��t it you who refused to let the Hemu in the healing clinic touch your body?��


    ��Umm, yes. I��m also to me. I simply thought, ��Oh, there was something like that~����


    ��What do you mean, a bullet in your stomach?��


    At Bel��s question, Ea talked about what had happened a while ago.


    I started cooking after wiping my hands with a cloth soaked with alcohol. I transferred the gyoza to the pan��s lid for the time being, put the pan over the fire and sprinkled a generous amount of oil into it. I needed more heat after all, so I had Zenobia light the mes.


    Once the oil had covered every inch of the pan, I discarded the excess oil, took the gyoza from the lid and lined them up inside the pan. Finally, I sprinkled water into the pan and covered it with the lid.


    Easy. This is really easy.


    ��Izora, scan the temperature��


    ��What? Izora is busy right now, so please do it yourself. In the first ce, please don''t rely on a military A.I. for assistance with cooking��


    Before I knew it, Izora had unhooked herself, and was clinging to Irvin��s leg using her robotic arms.


    Should I cook you too?


    I opened the lid after somehow counting the seconds in my head for about five minutes, then added more wood to make the fire hotter. I drained the water and it waspleted.


    I wiped the lid with a cloth, then lined up the crisp pan-fried gyoza in it. I set the lid on the pan and sprinkled vinegar and pepper suitably over them.


    ��Alright, it''s done. A.I. gyoza, please enjoy��


    For some reason, everyone prayed with a fork in their hands.


    ��This is mine!��


    Shuna was the quickest at times like this. He stabbed a gyoza with his fork and put it in his mouth,


    ��Hhhhoooottt! It''s hot!!��


    He had acted just as I had expected. After that, he became a little more well-behaved and chewed lightly as he ate.


    Everyone also brought the gyoza to their mouths cautiously.


    ��Souya, can I make just one request?��


    ��What is it?��


    Putting a gyoza into her mouth, Zenobia made an appeal with a serious look on her face.


    ��Alcohol��


    ��No��


    ��Just a little��


    ��No��


    ��Gah, even though this will definitely go well with ale��


    ��No��


    Drink would be the ruination of this woman so I ought to reprimand her harshly one day. Drinking on credit wasn��t allowed in my party after all.


    ��Dear��


    ��Onii-chan��


    The sisters smiled sweetly.


    ��It''s delicious��


    Theyplimented me. Through a synergistic effect, the sisters����delicious��was equal to the��delicious��of 10,000 people. Even I couldn��t help smiling because of that.


    But I only pan-fried them though.


    ��Onii-san, this is delicious��


    ��Oh, okay��


    ��Hang on a minute! Your reaction is weak!��


    I had inadvertently brushed off Bel��spliment in a half-hearted manner.


    Irvin was stuffing his mouth with gyoza until his cheeks were round like a hamster��s. He always went silent whenever he was eating something really delicious.


    Let me see, I��ll have one too.


    The skin was crisp and the meat was juicy. A faint smell of garlic wafted out. The vor of the oil, which wasn��t unpleasant, salt and the sweetness of the vegetables. Hmm, this refreshing sensation and tangy texture. Was there cabbage and watercress mixed into it?


    That Makina, she did a good job with these.


    The oiliness was offset by the vinegar. The pepper ented the vor well. I don''t drink, but I could understand Zenobia��s craving for alcohol.


    Aaah, I craved white rice. Rana had gotten hooked on making rice balls. Although there was really only a little of it left, I wanted rice. I ought to snatch some time between adventures to look for rice.


    ��Team member Souya, Izora has detected people approaching. Izora believes that they��re other adventurers��


    ��Understood��


    We were eating right in the middle of the crossroads. We couldn��t be more of a hinderance.


    ��Shuna, Irvin, move away a little��


    I sent away the two of them, who were eating the gyoza greedily. I put the pan aside in a corner.


    ��Hey, sorry��


    An unfamiliar voice of a woman rang out.


    It was a group of three. There were two men who looked like warriors and a woman with arge build holding a shield. It was a party consisting entirely of Hemu vanguards.


    ��You��re in the middle of a meal, I see��


    The leader-like woman with arge build came up and spoke to us.


    She looked to be in her mid-30s. She had a ponytail and was lightly equipped, but I could see that she had steel-like muscles. A ritualistic tattoo was etched across her whole body. She had many scars. Those badges of honor showed that she wasn��t all looks and no substance. She was a battle-hardened veteran.


    We had opened up the passageway for them, but they showed no signs of moving.


    ��Do you guys want to eat some too?��


    Shuna pointed to the gyoza in the pan.


    ��?!��


    I was startled.


    ��What?!��


    Irvin was just as surprised as I was.


    ��Shuna! Are you okay?! Does your stomach hurt?! Could it be period pains?!��


    ��What do you mean period pains?! My stomach doesn��t particrly hurt or anything!��


    I, who was trying to press him, was pushed aside by Irvin, who pressed him.


    ��Could it be that you broke a bone?! A fever����you don��t seem to have one. Then������what��s going on?!��


    ��Nothing��s going on!��


    Shuna shoved Irvin aside and spoke in aposed voice that didn��t match him at all.


    ��Delicious food should be eaten together with everyone, right?��


    Irvin and I moved a short distance away and put our arms around each other''s shoulders.


    ��What do you think, Irvin-san? He has be an adult��


    ��Yeah. I still question that method of yours, but it seems to have been a good experience for Shuna��


    ��By the way, Irvin-san, how did it go with Miss Andura?��


    ��Hmm, well, it went swimmingly after that��


    He''s an adult.


    ������No, if I use this as the standard, I''ll end up being the only child among the men in the party.


    ��For some reason, the three guys are on really good terms recently, aren''t they? So suspicious��


    Zenobia regarded us with suspicion.


    ��It��s nothing��


    The three of us replied in perfect unison. It ended up making us look even more suspicious.


    As we did our littleedy act, chucklingughter rang out.


    I had kind of forgotten about them.


    The female leader of the other party wasughing. Since she wasughing in a mocking manner, I couldn''t help turning my attention to her.


    ��Haa, I heard that this is an up-anding greenhorn party, but is this all you guys amount to?��


    ��What did you say?��


    Although Shuna had be an adult, in situations like this, he was the first to confront the other party after all.


    ��You guys are totally no good. Acting silly and eating a meal without a care in the world in a ce like this. Was defeating Midoranga a fluke, just as the rumors say? No, did you buy the achievement with money? The foreigner over there appears to have connections with dishonest merchantpanies, am I right?��


    I suppose it would be useless to mention that I was actually the one who had crushed those dishonest merchantpanies.


    ��I can��t just ignore that. Take back what you��ve said��


    Irvin had also stepped forward. As the two of them focused their attention on the woman, I had a prickling feeling that something was off.


    ��I''ll teach you something for future reference. Even if we��re adventurers just like you, it doesn��t mean that we��re on your side��


    The woman whistled.


    It was some sort of signal.


    ��Emergency proximity warning��


    Izora was slow to detect it.


    At the edge of my vision, I saw a shadow running.


    It hade from directly behind the two vanguards.


    It was a young beastkin woman with cat ears. She was holding a whip in her hand.


    Curling around like a snake, the whip wrapped itself around Rana''s staff.


    Without even the time to exim in surprise, her staff and the beastkin disappeared into the darkness of the dungeon.


    ��Wha��?��


    A woman��s preparedness and voice broke.


    I heard a high-pitched screech of metal on metal. Shuna, who had attacked with his longsword, had been blocked by the woman��s sword. With just one hand.


    ��Irvin! Stay out of this!��


    Shuna shouted as he threw himself at the woman. With my kic vision, I could only see his afterimages. The woman dealt with his attacks easily, almost like she was ying with him. She hadn��t used her shield at all.


    ��What do you want?��


    ��Hmm? Evaluation and recruitment of prospects*��


    On top of that, she had the leeway to talk to me while she was dealing with him. This woman was strong. Based on my experiences, she was probably just as strong as Lanseal.


    While keeping a close watch on the others, I stepped back.


    I gave instructions to Bel and Zenobia to protect Rana, then ordered Ea to be more vignt. I grabbed Irvin��s shoulder and had him move back as well.


    ��That elf magician with big boobs over there, I''ll acknowledge that you��re the real deal. However, the people protecting you are such imbeciles, aren��t they? No good, no good at all. They��re garbage. They don��t keep an eye on the darkness and they don��t watch out for blind spots. The shield doesn��t protect where you��re vulnerable. The job of vanguards is to die before the people standing behind you, you idiots��


    Countless shes shed through the air.


    It would be a lie to say that Shuna''s shes weren��t dull. Compared to before, there was no follow-through, no speed and no weight behind his attacks. He wasn''t used to his new longsword yet.


    ��The order of things got messed up a little, but if you want your staff back, try defeating me��


    ��That��s fine with me!��


    Shuna''s movements were getting too heated up and was bingckluster. It was due to the impatience he felt from the fact that his techniques were being dealt with easily, and his longsword not meshing well.


    He��s going to lose, isn''t he?


    ��Shall I try to make things a little bit more interesting?��


    The woman forced Shuna to back off with one swing of her sword, stabbed the sword into the ground, and then pulled the sheath out from her hip.


    ��Hey pipsqueak. This is more than enough to deal with you��


    ��Don''t regret it��


    It��s no good.


    He hadpletely risen to the bait and had been swept up by his opponent''s pace.


    ��You guys, I��m worried about Mucha. Go to the rendezvous point first��


    Understood, they replied as the woman��s party members left together. I released an arrow at them. One of the warriors caught it with his bare hand.


    ��Close, but no cigar��


    He said as he threw the arrow back. It grazed my cheek before getting stuck deeply into the wall.


    ��Izora, did I manage to attach the tracer onto him?��


    ��Yes��


    Izora replied when I whispered softly. There was paint for tracking purposes on the arrow that had been thrown back. With this, I would know their rendezvous point.


    Shuna''s sword was being warded off by the sheath. From the sound, I could tell that it was a sheath made from wood. It wouldn��t be able to survive taking a hit from something like a metal de. For that reason, the woman was striking the body of Shuna��s sword and deflecting its trajectory. There was a considerable difference in ability. Would I be able to overturn the difference using one or two tricks?


    ��Hmm��


    There was one phrase that bothered me. That was what it came down to.


    ��Tch��


    Shuna dropped his longsword when he was hit on his arm. The return stroke of the sheath was swung towards Shuna''s head�D�D�D�Dand was shattered by my arrow. At about the same time, Irvin stepped forward and ced his de at the woman''s throat.


    ��You guys, not again!��


    ��No, Shuna, this is fine��


    I soothed Shuna, who looked like he was about to get angry.


    I nocked another arrow and pointed it at the woman.


    ��It isn��t a one-on-one to begin with. Isn��t it strange to talk about fighting fair when we��ve been taken by surprise? Her party member said��Close, but no cigar��in response to my arrow. In other words, what he meant was that I had pointed my arrow at the wrong opponent. We��re currently in the midst of exploring the dungeon. All of the fights that ur here are battles, not quarrels like those outside. dvain��s pride doesn��t apply in this situation. That��s all. How��s that?��


    ��Excellent��


    The womanughed heartily.


    ��Pipsqueak, out of 10, you��re 2 points. That sword doesn��t match you at all. Thedy-killer here, you��re 5 points. Not being able to prevent the surprise attack is a minus, but your caution and your ��coordination�� after that are splendid��


    Shuna and Irvin were given arbitrary evaluations.


    ��That girl over there, you''re interesting, you have something that cannot be predicted. Depending on how you��re brought up from now on, you can likely change yourselfpletely as much as you want. You��re a bundle of talent, 8 points��


    She was talking about Bel.


    That evaluation was right on the mark. ording to what Rana said, Bel''s talent in magic was extraordinary. It appeared that it was unfathomable. In addition, while she was treated as Shuna��s guest, she joined their daily training at dvain��s dormitory. It was the kind of training that would crush normal adventurers.


    Given the opportunity and the right trigger, Bel would undergo a drastic transformation. We only had to wait until she came across it.


    ��The elf with a bow, you��re not very vignt and you��re too careless, 2 points��


    What did you say, you tramp? How dare you give my sister such an evaluation.


    ��Medium boobs��


    She was referring to Zenobia.


    ��0 points. You don��t fit in this party. You should quit. It��s for your own sake, you know?��


    ��Watch what you say, woman!��


    My hand that was holding the bow drawn was trembling in anger.


    I was the idiot for thinking that she had an eye for people. Don''t joke or use your arbitrary judgment to size up my party. I''ll kill you!


    ��Now now, yeah, I haven��t given you a score, have I?��


    It was time for my evaluation.


    ��You��ve got a flexible way of thinking, the ability to make decisions instantly, and somehow or other, you sensed the surprise attack, didn��t you? Also, you care for your party members and have a sense of responsibility. Up to this point, you��re 8 points. However, there is something crucial that youck��


    It was an unpleasant feeling.


    It felt like she was peeking at the shameful parts of me that I had hidden away.


    ��You have no ambition. None of your own, that is��


    That was right on the mark. Which was why it made me even more angry.


    ��You��re merely depending on the ideals and desires of others. No, that��s not a bad thing. There are many people in the world who need people like that. But you''re not the kind of person who should be a leader��


    ��How dare you!��


    Irvin grabbed the woman''s cor and mmed her against the wall.


    ��How much hard work do you think Souya put in just to gather us together?! Don��t talk as if you know anything about him!!��


    ��I do know. He put together a greenhorn party and defeated an evil title. Be it through nning or skill, guys who can do that can��t be found lying around everywhere. I��ve also looked into the history of others, but adventurers who win their way through the dungeon like you guys do are rare. If anything, because he is toopetent, he doesn��t notice that he is shouldering a burden. That will cause the party to get wiped out in future��


    ��Irvin, let go of her��


    ��But����


    ��It��s fine��


    Irvin released the woman when I tapped his shoulder.


    The woman pointed her finger at Rana next.


    ��You��re 9 points. That shy destructive power of your magic, your fame as an elven noble, and your looks. With that alone, you can hookpetent people. You��ll be given priority when ites to quests for hunting big game. It��s just that the other elves will make a bit of a fuss, am I right?��


    You sow.


    ��So��


    I chose my words carefully.


    ��What��s your business with us?��


    ��I like perceptive guys. It��ste, but let me introduce myself. I��m Ryutetto. The deepest floor that I��ve reached is the 35th floor, I��m what��s called an intermediate adventurer��


    ��Ryutetto, the busybody��


    Shuna said under his breath.


    ��I''ve heard about her from the Onii-sans among the kin. This woman is an adventurer who is well-known for picking fights with greenhorn adventurers��


    ��It��s ��picking fights with��promising but reckless��greenhorn adventurers��. There are two reasons why I tested you guys. First, it��s because of a request. I was told to guide you guys to a certain ce. For an unprecedented amount of money too. The big-boobs elf��s staff and my party members are there as well. Don''t worry, I''ll show you guys the way��


    ��Northwest from here, am I right?��


    That was where the tracer had stopped. At my words, the woman showed a surprised expression.


    ��You''re really an interesting guy, aren��t you?��


    Rana stared daggers at her.


    ��So, you said that you had two reasons. What��s the other one?��


    ��Didn��t I say it earlier? Evaluation and recruitment of prospects��


    Isn��t that two? Let��s put aside that retort.


    ��I have a proposal. You, you and you��


    She pointed at Bel, Rana and me.


    ��Join my party. Especially the foreigner. I��ll say it again, you aren��t cut out to be a leader. You��re a person who shows his true ability when used by someone. You should know that as well��


    ����������������


    That��s, well������������


    ������������certainly true.


    I��m not a person who takes the leading part. That��s evident from the fact that the merchantpany is on track. Prop someone up and support him from the shadows. That��s where my true worth lies and how things will turn out for the better.


    I��m a shadow.


    Yes, I''m too much of a gloomy person to stand at the front. Any person will also understand that instinctively. And I don��t have the talent for deceiving others that I can use to hide that.


    I had thought to make Irvin the leader just like before, but he has no talent and ability whatsoever to be a leader. He has the idol-like charisma that makes people like him, but the charisma to lead others is a different thing. He is too good-natured. That pride as a knight gets in the way of reading the flow of things. Even if I turn him into a puppet and hide in the shadows, it��ll just fail again. If things go poorly, it��ll be a failure that we cannot recover from.


    Doing things wisely and skillfully isn��t all there is to a leader. To lead people, a king-like charisma that makes people envy you is needed.


    I don''t even have an ounce of that in me.


    ��That silence is your answer, isn��t it?��


    ��No��


    My answer had already been decided.


    It��s a good enough reason for me to be the leader.


    A beast''s howl echoed through the dungeon.


    From the dread I felt, I shuddered as if the back of my neck had been licked.


    It was a voice that seemed like it would pull people into the darkness.


    I knew instinctively that it was something dangerous.


    ��What��s that?��


    In a situation where even the intermediate adventurer was shaken, there was no way we would know.


    ��The tracer is moving wildly. Izora believes that they��re most likely engaged in battle with the owner of that voice��


    ��Hey, intermediate-adventurer-dono��


    ��Huhh?��


    She seemed to be in a bad mood when she replied me.


    ��It''s an enemy. Lend me your strength��


    ��That��s fine, but that means you��ll be following my orders, right?��


    ��Don��t be silly. You��ll be the one following my orders��


    ��Hmm, okay. Let��s see what you��ve got. Do your best to let me down��


    Whether I��ve the talent for it or not, my friend had put his expectations on me and had put me forward as the leader.


    That��s a fact.


    It��s an unshakeable reason.


    I��ve absolutely no intention of quitting as the leader.

 Chapter 035: Like A Cirsium IV

    <h4>Chapter 035: Like A Cirsium IV</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    It was a space that was 10 meters square. It was old and dpidated all over. We had entered through arge hole in one of its walls. This space had been hidden. Or perhaps it had been sealed off.


    Here, a tragedy had urred.


    The young beastkin woman was lying in a pool of blood with Rana��s staff beside her. She wasn��t conscious, but she was breathing faintly.


    One of the warriors had a huge gash across his chest and had fallen to his knees. I could see the white of bone inside the wound. He was breathing, but his face was as white as a sheet and he would be beyond help unless he received healing immediately.


    The other warrior was crossing swords with the enemy.


    It was the man who had caught my arrow easily. This warrior was strong. However, the enemy who cut him into two at the waist all too easily was probably stronger.


    A huge fountain of blood spurted out like a joke. By the time his body rolled onto the ground, the man was already dead.


    The enemy was a knight.


    He didn''t have a shield and was holding a chipped, fractured and bent broadsword in his left hand. The broadsword had practically no cutting edge left. But just now, it had cut an adventurer��s sword, armor and body in half.


    When talking about his sword techniques, the techniques that he used were much too savage and horrific, and were simply mere brute force. However, that power was on a different dimension and greatly surpassed the realm of humanity. Defending clumsily against that power would result in anything and everything being crushed. He was practically a beast with a sword.


    His silver armor was soiled ck, and fresh blood was smeared on top of it.


    His head was covered by a tattered hooded cloak. His right arm, as well as his face couldn��t be seen, but����


    ��Impossible��


    Looking at how disturbed Irvin was, I realized who the enemy was.


    There was only one person it could be.


    What''s going on? What happened? Had he been in the dungeon the entire time? How did he manage that? And why is he killing other adventurers right now?


    Even though it''s an emergency, no, precisely because it''s an emergency, my brain kept on churning out chaotic thoughts.


    But that��s forter.


    ��Ryutetto, hold that guy back. We��ll rescue the injured��


    ��Leave it to me. I��ll hold him back with the intention of killing him. No matter who the opponent is, he just killed a person. Now that things have turned out this way, there��s nothing but to kill him or let someone else die��


    In front of the knight, Ryutetto exuded an indomitable spirit, and then charged.


    A cacophony of metallic shes rang out in quick session.


    ��Shuna, support Ryutetto��


    ��Tch, there��s no other way, I suppose��


    Shuna also darted off and joined the sword fight.


    ��Ea, get the female beastkin��


    ��Got it!��


    I ran to the warrior while Ea ran to the beastkin.


    From the corner of my eye, I watched the battle between superhuman and superhuman. It felt like I would get caught up in the wind from their swings and get torn to shreds if I even got close to them.


    I went to the man��s side, but I couldn��t lift him due to the weight of his armor, so I put my arms under his armpits and dragged him from behind.


    Irvin wasn��t moving. He had lost himself.


    I prayed fervently that he wouldn��t stand between us and the knight.


    Following behind Ea, I dragged the man to where my party was. Bel covered her mouth at the severity of the man''s wound.


    The beastkin that Ea had brought over had a deep gash on her back. Blood was still flowing out, and I couldn''t tell how deep the wound was.


    Both of them had run out of regeneration point and magic power.


    ��Zenobia, Please use healing magic on them. It��s alright even if you use up all of your magic power��


    ��Understood��


    Would Zenobia��s healing magic be enough for these wounds?


    ��Irvin! Help with the healing!��


    ��Ye, yeah��


    He responded to my shout. I left the healing of the injured to the two of them.


    ��Onee-chan, here��


    ��Thanks��


    Rana took her staff from Ea. Without wiping off the blood, she fixed her eyes on the enemy. With one word from me, she would wreck havoc.


    ��Irvin, listen to me while you��re healing. Is there any doubt that that��s Sir Sanperie?��


    ��His stature is the same. I couldn��t get a good look at his face, but his sword is unmistakably the treasured sword, Gadeddo. In that case, that is......��


    ��You��re sure?��


    ��I��m afraid so��


    Even if they understood it in their heads, people can��t bring themselves to do what they had to. We��re dogs leashed by a chain called emotion.


    ��I��ll give you just one chance. If he doesn��t return to his senses, resolve yourself��


    That��s why, by letting him hear my words, ascertaining his intentions, and giving him a push on the back, he��ll finally be able to confront his difficulties. Even now, especially now, when every second counts, these words are necessary.


    ����������������


    ��I have no idea why Sir Sanperie became like that. There may be a chance that there is a way to bring him, who knows Irvin, back to his senses. But we��ll cling to that hope only once. Any more than that, and someone will die. Is that okay? Just once��


    The man I know����


    ��Got it. Just once, right? Don��t worry, I''m no longer a knight of St. Lyridias. I��m the shield of this party. I��ll never forget that��


    ����won��t betray my expectations because of something like this.


    ��Souya, I managed to stop the bleeding somehow. But they��ll need advanced healing magic right away��


    Zenobia was bandaging the injured. Her healing magic was more outstanding than I had expected.


    ��Rana, are you all set to go?��


    ��Yes, I won''t let him suffer. I''ll burn him to death instantly��


    ��Zenobia, Bel, take the injured and fall back. Bel, take this��


    I handed Izora to Bel.


    ��Izora, search for approaching enemies at all times, and tell Bel should you detect any. In case of emergency, you know what to do, right?��


    ��Understood��


    ��Izora-chan, we��re counting on you, alright?��


    ��Yes, please leave it to Izora��


    I could hear the anxiety in Bel��s voice as she spoke to Izora.


    ��Ea, please guard the injured��


    ��Leave it to me. Onii-chan, be careful, alright?��


    ��Of course��


    I turned my back on Rana and faced the enemy.


    Ryutetto, who had gained the upper hand with her first move, was now purely on the defensive. The strongest person, along with Shuna��s longsword, was being dealt with using one hand.


    ��Let''s go��


    Irvin nodded silently. Rana answered me with her eyes.


    A strikingly loud metallic sound rang out.


    Ryutetto''s shield had been destroyed by the knight. She had been knockedpletely off bnce. Right then, a merciless broadsword swung down at her.


    ��Sanperie!��


    Irvin turned the blow aside using his shield. The broadsword left a deep cut on his shield, which had stopped even Midoranga��s fangs. If he had received the blow head-on, he would have been done in along with the shield.


    ��Do you recognize me?! It''s me! Irvin!��


    His movements still unswayed by emotion, Sanperie aimed for Irvin��s head with the return sh of his broadsword.


    ��ORAAAAA!��


    Shuna repelled it with the full weight of his body.


    He had just barely pushed it back. Once, twice, three times, he repelled blows that would have surely killed him. But his limit came before long. A blow that he had failed to deal with using a sh was redirected by Irvin��s shield. Following that, Ryutetto shed swords with Sanperie, providing a starting point for Shuna��s attack.


    Irvin''s call out to him had been useless.


    That gave me peace of mind for the time being. If there had been a shred of anything human left inside him, he would probably have pulled his punches.


    However, the situation didn''t allow for any second-guessing. Irvin defended, and the two of them used that opening to attack.


    ����������������


    I hid in the shadows.


    Amidst the sh of swords, it was like one person disappeared.


    I synced my breathing with the three of them, letting it get lost in theirs as they ovepped.


    Without a sound, I nocked an arrow and drew the string back calmly.


    There were no more Misuranika arrows. This arrow was a top secret item. It was a fishman harpoon. I had asked Geto-san to make just one especially for me. Normal fishman harpoons were sharp and tough, but they quickly became brittle when exposed to air. So much so that they could be broken with bare hands after three days.


    But this one was different.


    From the bones of a big fish that had spent many years lying on the seabed, an extremely rare material called the "Deep Emperor Bone" could be extracted. No matter the kind of environment it was in, it resisted all forms of weathering and remained sharp, hard and resplendent. ording to a story passed down among fishmen, it seemed that it would keep its shape until the end of the world. The fact that it wasn��t meant to be a horror story spoke of its astounding flexibility and sturdiness.


    Among all of thend races in this world, I was probably the only one who possessed this. It was also proof of the fishmen��s trust in me.


    It was obvious, but it greatly surpassed a normal arrow in terms of pure power. Because it was too precious, I had thought that I would never use it, but I had no choice but to rely on it here.


    ��Oh Lumidia, the one concealed within me.


    Give this arrow the grace of the hidden name.


    Endow the power of the hero in this bow.


    Reproduce the feats of Velsvain, who is famous for her valor, right here and now��


    My arm, my shoulder, my entire body tensed as if they had be part of the bow.


    I fixed my eyes on the knight. Irvin��s former friend. That background was immediately erased.


    Before me was an enemy. It took three of them to finally be an even match for the enemy, but even that was temporary. He was a terrifying enemy. In this situation where we had to fight him spontaneously, it could be said that he was more terrifying than Midoranga.


    But that was all there was to it.


    I��ll,


    Simply,


    Shoot him dead.


    Sanperie reacted to my killing intent.


    Taking advantage of that opening, three swords swung downwards. For the first time, the enemy had to go on the defensive and went down on one knee.


    I released the arrow.


    The string thrummed loudly after cutting through the air. The physical energy of the arrow was equal to a cannonball. Sanperie had noticed my arrow, but he was unable to swing the sword that had been restrained by three adventurers.


    The fishman harpoon pierced his thigh and pinned Sanperie to the stone floor. The bone was crushed. This should be the best way to keep him from moving.


    But the enemy didn��t even make a sound, let alone scream. However, there wasn��t time for me to be perplexed.


    ��Everyone, pull back! Rana!��


    The three of them spread out. Rana raised her staff,


    Inside the knight��s hood, which had rolled up, I saw something truly frightening.


    In an instant,


    My vision went white, and I lost all sense of gravity.


    I was out for a few seconds.


    With clouded vision, I was looking at the ceiling of the dungeon. I tried to stand up, but I couldn��t feel my arms and legs. My ears were ringing terribly.


    ��������������ya������So������������ya��


    There was a distant voice calling me. My consciousness felt heavy and I was extremely drowsy. If I simply rxed, I would probably be drawn into a muddled sleep. Just like this, I would be able to take it easy����


    ��Souya!��


    I snapped back to my senses when Irvin called out to me.


    ��Urgh��


    I had a severe headache, intense nausea and my whole body hurt. With Irvin��s aid, I got to my feet somehow.


    I looked around to check the situation.


    Shuna and Ryutetto were both going strong. There was no sign that they had sustained heavy injuries.


    We had been blown away by Sanperie��s roar. His beast-like voice had generated a shock wave. Was this the true identity of the howl that we heard earlier?


    Fortunately, I was the only one who had been badly hurt. Sanperie himself was still pinned to the ground by the arrow.


    We had to quickly rally, and then use magic to����


    ��Dear! The magic power and regeneration point are����?!��


    Despair filled Rana''s voice and expression. Irvin checked his regeneration point. Along with his magic power, his regeneration point had be zero. It was probably the same for everyone else.


    Even though I had seen it, I hadn��t made the connection.


    The two injured adventurers also had zero magic power. I should have noticed how unnatural that was. The time to me myself for my stupidity waster. Right now, this guy came first.


    ��Hey, you know, right?��


    Ryutetto looked at me with a resolved expression. Sanperie was trying to break the arrow by stabbing it with his sword. Unfortunately for him, that arrow wasn��t something that would break so easily.


    ��This guy dies here��


    ��Yeah��


    I did know what we had to do.


    As adventurers, we couldn''t leave this guy alone. He had defeated a skilled intermediate adventurer easily. The greenhorn adventurers that would normally be on this floor were no match for him. Moreover, he had the ability to deplete regeneration point and magic power. If things went poorly, even an advanced adventurer would be defeated. He was the natural enemy of adventurers, and unquestionably worthy of being an evil title.


    On top of that, this guy had hid. No, he had been hidden. It was easy to guess the identity of who had hid him. It was probably the same hero-sama who had requested Ryutetto to guide us here. The biggest problem we had, was that we didn��t know how this guy tracked his targets.


    If he chased us using the smell of our blood, then it would result in the worst kind of disaster.


    We had to end his life here. If that was impossible, then we had to at least prevent him from leaving.


    ��Shuna��


    ��What? Even if my regeneration point is empty, I can still������


    ��Irvin, Ryutetto and I will remain here. Take the other party members and the injured, and leave the dungeon�D�D��


    ��Stop kidding around!��


    Shuna grabbed my cor.


    ��Listen carefully. There��s no time. Go back up immediately. Report the situation to my person-in-charge or the Guild President, and ask them to send help��


    ��I��ll remain here too��


    ��You can��t, Shuna. That��s no good. Now that magic cannot be used, your sword techniques are the lifeline of the party. Are you going to abandon everyone?��


    ��No way! Isn��t it fine if all of us run away?!��


    Shuna looked like he was about to cry.


    ��That��s even worse. He��ll inflict grievous harm on the other adventurers if someone doesn��t keep him here��


    All that was left, was for him to make his decision.


    I��ve left it to you. I have faith in you.


    ��Rana, Ea, don��t worry. I��ll definitelye back alive. For that reason, go get help quickly��


    ��I��ll also remain. I can��t use magic, but I do have a little skill with the sword������


    Ea smacked Rana in the back of the head.


    ��Ouch!��


    ��Onee-chan, listen to what Onii-chan says. Don��t worry, Onii-chan. I��lle back immediately with someone strong��


    ��I��m counting on you, Ea��


    My dependable sister dragged Rana away from me. Rana didn��t resist, but she reached her hand out to me as if she was reluctant to part with me.


    Bel nodded silently and carried the injured beastkin. Zenobia was carrying the injured man. Even though his armor had been removed, he should still be quite heavy. She was an unexpectedly tough woman.


    ��Shuna��


    Shuna still hadn��t budged. The other party members waited silently for him.


    ��Irvin��


    Shuna called Irvin''s name.


    ��Don''t let Souya die��


    ��Of course��


    Without saying anything else, Shuna ran off and joined up with the party.


    As everyone turned to leave, I met Rana��s eyes. She was crying.


    I��m a terrible man.


    ��Izora��


    ��Yes��


    I contacted Izora using the sses��munication function.


    ��Do everything you can to avoid fighting with enemies. Always choose a safe route, it doesn��t matter even if it takes a longer time��


    ��Understood. Izora will guide them on the shortest route with the least amount of battles. Souya-san, please don''t die��


    ��Understood��


    I heard a thud of bone and the sound of thick cloth being forcibly torn.


    Having judged that the arrow couldn��t be destroyed, Sanperie had started chopping at his own leg with his sword.


    ��There��s no need for you to stay, you know?��


    ��I thought that Irvin would feel lonely, you see?��


    Returning his joke with a joke, I put on a brave face.


    I couldn��t move my left shoulder. A dull pain was seeping into my entire body. It might be broken. I injected myself with a ballpoint-pen-type syringe to stop the pain. With that, the pain was suppressed, but I wouldn��t be able to draw the bow with this arm.


    ��Leader, what''s the n?��


    Ryutettoughed audaciously.


    ��Value your life��


    ��Isn��t that just a general rule?��


    That��s true.


    ��Don''t get greedy and try to kill it. Thoroughly aim for his feet. But attack, and attack some more, definitely don��t give him a chance to attack. So long as our regeneration points are empty, we��ll be killed in one hit��


    ��Well, 8 points, I suppose��


    Receiving a high evaluation would count for nothing if we didn��t survive.


    In this desperate situation, could I fight without sacrificing anything? In the worst case, with just my life alone, this guy...............a

 Chapter 036: Like A Cirsium V

    <h4>Chapter 036: Like A Cirsium V</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    Sanperie cut off his own leg. I had a bad feeling. Blood gushed out from the wound. A new leg grew out. It was a bare leg that was covered with bloody animal hair. It wasn��t human.


    An iprehensible thing happened.


    Sanperie hid that leg with his cloak. It was almost like he was hiding something shameful.


    ��Let''s go!��


    Ryutetto and Irvin shed at him. Although Sanperie was hobbling on one leg, he dealt with the two of them easily with his sword.


    Think. The situation will be gradually worse if things stay like this. Their stamina won��tst. If they were to get hit by a decent counterattack, they��ll be dead in one hit.


    A memory became an image and shed through my mind.


    What hade readily to my mind was a vividly horrifying image. Immediately before I had been blown away by the roar, I had seen Sanperie��s face. The left half was an oval-faced youth, and the right half, as if it had forced its way out from inside, was a hideous beast face. I couldn��t tell what type of beast it was. As if a patchwork of beast parts had been kneaded together, it was nothing but a hideous beast.


    It was even more horrifying because of the halfway human parts that had remained.


    The right arm that he kept hidden probably looked like that too.


    ��No way��


    I hade up with an idea. It was such a low-level idea that it couldn��t be called a n. If it went badly, I would be stirring up a ho��s nest, but I had no choice but to try it.


    I poured the arrows out of my quiver, and thenid down beside them.


    Supporting the bow with both legs, I used one hand and my upper body to draw back the bow string. I held it with my teeth temporarily and nocked three arrows to the string.


    Can I aim like this? Will I hit the target? No, don''t hesitate.


    ��Both of you! Scatter!��


    At the same time as my signal, the two of them dodged to both sides.


    Out of the three arrows, one of them went where I had targeted. The arrows that missed had be good feints. His hood was torn, exposing that ugly face.


    ��Ahhh aaah aaah aaah!��


    Sanperie desperately grabbed at the tattered cloth and pulled it back over his face to hide it.


    He knew neither how to speak nor his friend, but the knight still knew shame. His pitiable attempts to hide his own ugly, bizarrely transformed appearance was very human. Then, was the remnants of his humanity also what was making him swing his sword and kill others in a human-like manner?


    ��Hah!��


    Ryutetto didn��t overlook this opening.


    Swinging her sword from high above her head, she sliced through the crown of Sanperie��s head and severed his left hand.


    He roared once more, and Ryutetto��s body was blown away.


    With a hand still attached to it, the treasured sword, Gadeddo, stabbed into the ground beside me.


    By a strange coincidence, Ryutetto''s sh had sliced through Sanperie��s beast face. Unmistakably, as if the thing possessing him had left, Sanperie looked at him.


    ��Ar��win?��


    The human part wept.


    I couldn��t see it, but I thought that Irvin must be weeping in the same manner as well.


    However,


    There was no hesitation in his sword.


    At least, without letting him suffer.


    Like how his grandfather used to, with the pride of those who took lives mercifully, Irvin swung his sword, and Sanperie��s head was cut off.


    One beat of silence followed.


    It��s over


    Was what I thought.


    The headless body twitched.


    At the same time,


    ��Urgh, arghh��


    My left shoulder joint popped. Flesh burst open and the damaged tissue was reborn anew. My regeneration point caught my eye. It was filled with a liquid redder than fresh blood and was bubbling as if boiling.


    I held the bow powerfully in my left hand.


    I stood up and nocked the treasured sword, Gadeddo to the bow. With all my might, I drew back the bow string and released.


    Strangely, no, with the Lycan bow, I suppose it��s inevitable, but tremendous power was unleashed. The sword pierced through its former owner and pinned him to the wall.


    The sword had stabbed into his stomach.


    I had missed.


    I had been unable to fully control my body. It was hot, as if all of the blood in my body was boiling.


    I heard the birth cry of an ugly beast. In a spray of blood, a new head was born. It was the "true beast" that Sanperie had been suppressing.


    ��The heart, crush its heart!��


    At my shout, Ryutetto tried to struggle to her feet using her sword as a cane, but her strength failed her and she copsed.


    ��Irvin!��


    Irvin threw aside his shield. Holding his sword with both hands, he flung himself at the beast. His shes were bloodcurdling and without a shred of mercy. He struck the armor that was in his way again and again, fragmenting it, and then twisted the tip of his sword in through a slight gap.


    Bathed in the resulting spray of blood, a gory Irvin put on a grim expression. The beast iled its limbs in resistance. Sharp ws tore up Irvin''s armor, skin, and flesh.


    Paying it no mind,


    With all of his might and his full weight behind it, he plunged his sword into its heart.


    ��GYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    The scream pierced my ears.


    Throwing aside the bow, I ran. To Irvin.


    I closed my hand around the hilt of his sword and, with the abnormal power welling up inside me, I pushed.


    Arge amount of blood spurted out.


    I was bathed from head to toe in the warm, viscous liquid. The feel of it trickling down my neck to my back gave me goosebumps. I paid it no mind. I couldn��t care less.


    Push. Kill.


    From my hand, I felt the sensation of something thick and rubbery rampaging.


    Irvin caught the ws closing in on me with his bare hand.


    While choking on the smell of blood, I took a deep breath, held it, and then gave the sword onest push.


    The beast howled noticeably louder.


    Its voice tailed off and grew smaller.


    That was its death cry.


    But we didn��t let our guard down. The two of us didn��t let go of the sword. Twice, three times, we twisted the sword, cutting up its crushed heart.


    ��Well done, you guys��


    I was patted on the shoulder by a tottering Ryutetto.


    My fingers had stiffened and wouldn��t budge.


    Irvin and I both looked terrible. We would have to take a bath as soon as we returned.


    ��How������how��s that? Are you still going to say that our leader isn��t cut out to be one?��


    ��My bad��


    Irvin smiled wryly at Ryutetto��s apology, and then crouched down and vomited. My stiff fingers let go of the sword and I patted Irvin''s back.


    I checked my own regeneration point. As if what I saw earlier had been a hallucination, there was only a small amount of red and a scant amount of magic power.


    What on earth was that? The power of the Lycans? In that case, what had possessed Sanperie? It��s no use. There��s too little information. It would be dangerous to jump to any sort of conclusion.


    ��������������ry. I��m, sorry. I��m sorry��


    Irvin pounded the stone floor.


    I couldn''t find the words to say to him.


    ��What? Did you know this guy?��


    ��Sorry. For now, please give him some time alone��


    Lost in thought, Ryutetto ignored me.


    ��That armor, it��s St. Lyridias''. Beast? Lyridias? No way, right?��


    Ryutetto��s face was pale.


    ���D�D�D�Dember�D�D�Dya. Team member Souya. Exin the situation. A problem has urred with the data link. Exin the situation��


    ��Izora, we won somehow. Damage-wise, Irvin got wounded a little on his face��


    Oh, should I have not said that? I hope she doesn��t lose her head����


    ��Error, you aren��t the registered user. There should be an adventurer called ��Souya�� nearby. Please return the device to him immediately. We have urgent business with him��


    ��Izora? What are you talking about? It��s me, it��s Souya��


    What on earth is going on?


    ��Voiceprint check, 98% match. Retina image check, 50% match. On ount of being outside the supervision of the Makina System, a check will be performed under the sole discretion of the Izora Program. Question, what is the position of the person who interviewed you before you were sent to the alternate world?��


    ��President��


    At my one-sided conversation, Ryutetto made a wondering expression.


    ��Question, what is the name of the first dish that you made when you arrived in the alternate world?��


    ��Miso soup��


    ��The name and title of the person whom you offered that dish to��


    ��Geto Bado of Mojubafuru, Apostle of Grizunas��


    ��Please state the name and race of the woman that you��re pretend married to��


    ��Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures, the second daughter of the Heures family. Elf��


    ��This is thest question. Please state the names of both of your sisters��


    ��One is Ea?Raua?Heures, the third daughter of the Heures family. The other is......the other is............huh?��


    I have a sister.


    It��s the sister that I had left behind in my original world.


    She had went through special education for the gifted since she was small, is ridiculously good at studying, is like a superwoman at sports, is several tens of thousands times more well-bnced as a human than someone like me, is always strict on a worthless person like me because of that, with this and that, we parted and lost contact, and when we reunited five years ago, even though she had chosen the harsh path of an athlete, she lost her foot in an ident. For the sake of the money needed to treat that, I came here.


    Her name����


    Her name is������


    It��s a destroyer of the Japanese Navy, a lucky ship, transferred to the Republic of China after the war, and finally, in a typhoon.


    You''re kidding me, right? What on earth is going on?


    Only her name isn��ting to me.


    It��s not at the level of something slipping my mind. Only that one piece of my memory had fallen out and disappeared.


    ��It��s Yukikaze-sama. Have you remembered?��


    ��Ye, yeah��


    I had remembered all of a sudden.


    Why did such an obvious thing disappear from my memory?


    ��Checkpleted. Based on the detailed check by the Izora Program, you��re provisionally recognized as team member Souya. Nevertheless, as an emergency measure, your user rights will be lowered by six levels. Team member Souya, exin the situation��


    ��Ye, yeah��


    I couldn��t hide my agitation because of the shock.


    What happened? What on earth was that?!


    ��Hey, you look terrible��


    ��Vitals unstable. Team member Souya, please calm down. ������Putting you through to Rana-sama��


    ��Dear! Are you okay?! Any injuries?! Are you alive?! I��m heading back there right away!��


    That calmed me down in one shot.


    If you let me hear Rana in such a state, I��ll have no choice but to calm down.


    ��I��m okay. I��m alive. I��ll be troubled if youe back. Oh, I suppose it��s fine now? No, but����


    ��Aah, hey! Ea?!��


    ��Onii-chan, are you okay?!��


    ��Onii-san, are you alright?!��


    ��Ah, nothing in particr from me. Oh, is Irvin okay?!��


    Themunication got crowded as everyone chirped in.


    ��It''s Izora again. Team member Souya, have you calmed down?��


    ��Yeah, more or less��


    ��Exin the situation��


    ��We''ve defeated the enemy. The location is secure for the time being. Irvin is slightly injured, on his face��


    ��Team member Souya, did you suffer any injuries?��


    Her reaction was weaker than I had expected. I would be troubled if she really lost her head though.


    ��I don''t think that there are any problems with me physically. But please perform a medical check once I return. My brain may have been damaged��


    ��Are you experiencing any problems with the vision in your right eye?��


    ��Right eye? No, my eyesight is fine��


    ��Understood. Izora will check in with Makina about the preparations for the medical check. While moving between floors, we came into contact with Medimu-sama. He has been informed of your location. Izora believes that he will join up with your side before long��


    ��Understood. Is everything alright on that side?��


    ��Yes, the depletion of the regeneration point and magic power appears to be a temporary effect. They returned to their original values when we reached the stairs going up. Once the injured have been delivered to the Guild, everyone will head back right away��


    ��Understood. Are the injured going to survive?��


    ��No problems on that end. The beastkin is already walking under her own power. Team member Souya, Izora has a suggestion. Please refrain from such behavior in future. It��s nonsensical for you, who denied the pride of other people, to do something like betting your life on a different pride��


    ��No, this is different from the dispute that happened outside��


    ��Izora can��t tell the difference! ������Izora out��


    She had snapped and cut off themunication.


    It was somewhat depressing.


    ��Hey, it��s gross when you mutter to yourself like that. Did you hit your head?��


    ��Shut up. I was talking to my party upstairs. Your party members are alright��


    ��You can pull off a feat like that? Well, for the time being, I��ll say thank you��


    Ryutetto knelt before her dead party member and offered a prayer. I also took off my poncho and wrapped Sanperie��s head with it. He had a calm expression.


    ��Souya, let me offer a simplified prayer of requiem��


    With heavy steps, Irvin took Sanperie��s wrapped head. He offered the prayer while hugging it in his arms.


    ��This is the blood pledge that connects us to the eight kings. Here, one man sends off the soul of the one who has lost his life in battle. Please, with the seat of eternity, save his blood. Grant him a tranquil sleep. We wish for the soul��s peace. Oh St. Lyridias, there are no more beasts. Blood is the very thing flowing inside humans��


    I couldn��t help but feel that those words were ill-omened.


    Irvin remove a lock of Sanperie��s hair, and then ced his head beside the body that had be crucified to the wall.


    ��Souya, do you have oil and fire?��


    ��I do��


    Are you going to set him on fire? There is still something that I have to look into though.


    ��Irvin, do you know������������what this is?��


    It may not be something that I should be asking him right now.


    But I can��t help but be bothered by it. Was this caused by the dungeon? Or����


    ��I don��t know anything about what is true. But if I had to make a guess���� St. Lyridias, that god didn��t attain godhood because of the efforts she put into the founding of the nation. Perhaps, this curse������


    Irvin choked.


    ��Hey, what��s wro������


    I supported him with my shoulder. Both of us were covered with blood, but new blood was smeared on top of the old.


    ��Irvin!��


    Supporting him as he copsed, Iid him down on the ground. Fresh blood spilled out from within his torn armor. I undid the buckles and took off his armor. I took out my water bottle and washed away the blood from the area around the wound. His abdominal muscles had been gouged out and his injured internal organs were visible.


    ��Souya, do you remember what I ������


    He vomited and his mouth was stained with blood. I checked Irvin��s regeneration point, but it was still transparent and in a depleted state.


    ��Don''t talk, it''s deep, but it''s not a wound that can��t be healed��


    ��Listen, to me. I said it before, right? That for this party, nothing is impossible��


    ��Yeah, that��s right. It��s just as you said��


    ��To tell the truth, I, my sister�D�D�D�D�D��


    Irvin''s breathing became shallower.


    ��Ryutetto��


    I nocked an arrow to the bow.


    ��Return your sword to its sheath. I��ll shoot you between the eyes!��


    ��Hey, that man is also a knight of Lyridias, right? Can''t you understand what that means right now, in this situation?��


    ��You��re jumping to conclusions. Sheath your sword. Besides, Irvin is a former?knight of Lyridias��


    ��Contracts with the gods have no source or reality. Even if we die and be souls, we belong to the gods��


    ��I don��t have the time to mess around with you��


    I aimed the arrow at Ryutetto, and she����


    ��Huh?��


    ����died from being pierced through by a thrown sword. The sword stuck in her throat stood upright like a grave marker.


    ��Irvin��


    With a confused state of mind, I looked at him. His wound had closed. However, his regeneration point remained empty.


    ��What are you doing?��


    I knew. What I should be doing next as well.


    Hurry up and move.


    It��sing.


    The scary thing ising.


    However, just as I had thought, people are dogs leashed by emotion. If I could be unfeeling enough to kill him, people won��t be people. I won��t be me.


    His hands drew closer awfully slowly, and then tightened around my neck.


    ��Gagh��


    My flesh was crushed. All at once, my vision blurred and everything was dyed red and ck. As he wasn��t a pure beast, the power of the Lycans didn��t activate.


    My resistance was that of an infant��s.


    I''m sorry, I said.


    To the names I muttered inside my heart.


    Rana, Ea, Geto-san, Shuna, Bel, Zenobia, Evetta-san, Makina, Izora, Gravius-sama. And, Misuranika-sama, Yukikaze.


    This is it for my adventure,


    A dull sound resonated through my bones.


    ��Gu, gaha, goho��


    My throat demanded air. What����


    ��Ah��


    I thought it was a joke. A sword had sprouted from Irvin''s body. Exactly where his heart would be. From behind without mercy.


    ��Sto����


    The sword was pulled out.


    Unmoved by my pitiful plea, Otou-san swung his sword, and Irvin''s head was�D�D�D�D�D


    My liberated body dropped limply to the ground.


    I couldn��t process my feelings.


    Therefore, I stopped feeling anything.


    I closed my eyes.


    I��ve had enough, I want to be relieved of this misery.


    Abandoning all reality, I sank into darkness, and was enveloped by absolute tranquility.


    Into that darkness, my consciousness melted.


    Into darkness.


    Everything.


    Into darkness.


    However, in the depths of that darkness, I heard a small growl.

 Chapter 037: Like a Cirsium VI

    <h4>Chapter 037: Like a Cirsium VI</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��54th day��


    I had a dream.


    Dropped into an alternate world, I went through various hardships, contracted with god, gave up the precious firearms, met party members, explored the dungeon, picked a fight with royalty, got married after a great fuss, got a new sister, formed a party and explored the dungeon.


    Personal rtionships came apart at the seams due to a trivial matter and reunited because of a silly thing, we spoke about dreams, ate food, had fun, drank, talked, sang, quarreled, reconciled, overcame difficulties, defeated a strong opponent and obtained glory. It was a dream of an adventurer exploring the dungeon in this way, even into the future.


    That was now a dream.


    An unattainable dream.


    ��Souya, you have two paths before you��


    I woke up on a cold bed and heard that voice.


    The ceiling was stone, so I thought that I was still inside the dungeon, but I was wrong.


    I was in a prison cell.


    The lighting in was red. Judging from the way that voice echoed, it was pretty spacious. And, King Lemuria was on the other side of the bars, so I concluded that this was the royal castle��s prison.


    My body had been cleaned. The memory of being covered in blood was still fresh in my mind, but it appeared that the blood had been washed off by someone. My clothes also appeared to have been washed.


    ��One is path of forgetting. You meet your party members again and explore the dungeon once more. There was no beast. Your party member was killed by a nameless monster. That''s all��


    That��s all?


    Even though I knew that it was disrespectful, I red at the king pointedly.


    ��The other is the path of knowing the truth behind your party member��s death. Depending on the situation, you��ll turn all of Lemuria into your enemy. Not just yours. You��ll endanger your entire party. Your wife and sister too. If you have the resolve for that, step into this path��


    ��May I ask a few questions before I choose?��


    I couldn��t choose withouting to grips with these questions.


    I had just woken up, but my mind had cleared and my body temperature had risen due to anger and adrenaline surging up within me.


    ��Go ahead��


    ��Why are you letting me choose?��


    He could have justpelled me with a royal order.


    In the end, I��m merely one of the adventurers of this country. Why isn��t he coercing me with his authority? This is a foolish act, even for a wise king. As a ruler, it��s wrong for him to amodate just one person like this.


    ��It''s the intuition of Medimu and me. Souya, sooner orter, you��ll arrive at the truth. It��s inevitable. And then, it��ll be a trigger that starts a fire. I don��t want you to develop a distrust of me and the others when that happens. People who have no trust, because of their stupidity, will awaken terrible destruction. As the king, I want to ascertain the sources of fires inside my country��


    I see, that��s a sound reasoning.


    It��s far too clear, so much so that I can see through it and read what he��s thinking.


    My stepping into this thing he calls the truth may be dangerous to him, but there are also benefits for him. That��s why he��s letting me choose instead of quashing me.


    I take back my previous opinion. This person is a good ruler. I think that he��s an admirable king. In no way is he an ally though.


    ������������Something that benefits the king, huh?


    The only possibility that I can think of is the shaking up of the St. Lyridias Order and the allied nation of Elysium.


    ��Where are my party members now?��


    ��They��re being protected by dvain. They��re probably all in her dormitory��


    I don''t know who made that decision, but that��s a huge relief. That ce is practically outside the jurisdiction of this country. I��m guessing that even the king won��t want to make an enemy of that militant group without a good reason.


    ��What was "that"? Why did my party member be ��like that��?��


    ��Souya, that��s too close to the truth��


    ��I know. But before I choose, I really want to know what happened to my party member. Besides, even after I learn the truth, I can keep my mouth shut��


    That wasn��t a lie. If the truth is something that bnces out Irvin''s death, then I��ll keep my mouth shut. I don''t think that something like that exists in this world though.


    ��Tell him, Lemuria��


    It startled me when I heard Otou-san��s voice. He hung the full set of my equipment close at hand.


    I don''t think that I can look this person in the eye for a while.


    If I did, I��ll have the urge to kill him.


    ��Medimu, but������


    ��I''m used to being resented, but only this time it''s different. I hadn��t expected that bunch to be this stupid. To think that they would betray someone from the same school and the same organization so easily and use him in their power struggle. Moreover, that foolish act of leaving it to others to clean up after them. It��s stupidity that��s more than we can manage. If something isn��t done about it quickly, there��ll be serious consequences!��


    ��Not one word more out of you, Medimu��


    Thank you very much.


    I��m convinced now about who it is that I should bear a grudge against.


    ��I��ll tell you with my own mouth. I cannot hinge the fates of the young ones on your glib tongue. Souya, I��ll tell you a portion of the truth that you asked for. Brace yourself, for this is the same as consuming the focus of our disease��


    ��Alright��


    Is that disease more agonizing than the death of a party member? More than having him decapitated right before my very eyes?


    Haha, you��re kidding, right?


    ��What should I talk about and where do I start������


    To the king, who was at a loss, Otou-san muttered,��From the beginning��.


    ��I guess so. Souya, do you know the story of the beastkin and the silver coins?��


    The king took out a silver coin.


    It was a coin with the design of a beast on it. It was only now that I knew. The true form of that beast.


    ��Yes, it says that with the invention of the malignant silver, humankind won the war with the beastkin��


    ��There��s something missing��


    ��Missing, you said?��


    I was told something strange.


    ��Among your party members, there��s someone who uses beastkin sword techniques, right? Try picturing it in your mind. What kind of stance are the techniques unleashed from?��


    Shuna''s sword techniques.


    Stance?


    ��Crawling on the ground just like a beast and running the enemy through from a low stance, I believe��


    It''s a style of unconventional sword techniques that are unleashed from a low stance. Feinting by aiming at the feet, then stabbing the vitals. I''m sure that it��s more profound than that, but that��s the extent of my knowledge.


    ��That''s right. I��ve seen all sorts of beastkin sword techniques, but all of them are unleashed from a low stance. As for why that is, it��s really simple. The beastkin who devised these sword techniques were fighting enemies that were much smaller than themselves��


    ��Huh?��


    What an oundish story.


    There are certainly big-sized men among the beastkin of today, but there are some like Tyutyu who are smaller-sized than me.


    ��Let''s call them the old beastkin. They were creatures who were much stronger and biggerpared to humans. Most of the legends about giants that were left all over the world are based on old beastkin��


    In other words, when the sword was thrust out from a low stance, it would hit a human��s vitals.


    That would make them at least twice the size of the humans of today, which would mean that they were about 4 meters or 5 meters tall. It��s a size that reminded me of the bone giant.


    ��The fact that the strong old beastkin created this style of sword techniques is probably proof that the old humans weren��t powerless. Or it could be that they were showing a kind of fairness by putting their vitals within the reach of their enemy. No, it��s probably a part of how they toyed with the humans��


    No way, beings who were not just big, but also possessed the intelligence to create a system of sword techniques����


    ��I can tell from your face that you��ve realized. Even if they had created the malignant silver that can burn the beastkin��s body, it counts for nothing if the humans wielding it are weak. A de that doesn��t reach is meaningless. An arrow that doesn��t prate can��t kill. Humans, if they remained humans, couldn��t win against the beasts with intelligence��


    Spontaneously,


    I remembered the story that I had heard from Geto-san.


    ��In the story of the beastkin and the silver coins that��s being told nowadays, there are parts that were intentionally removed. The part where the beast hunter king drinks the abominable blood and bes a beast. Blood and beast, you��ve witnessed it with your own eyes, so you probably understand.


    It��s a terrible and horrifying power.


    Just its physical strength alone easily surpasses that of a beastkin. Even though it should have lost all reason, its martial arts get elevated to the utmost limit. That roar locks contracts with the gods, and finally, it ends up a pure demon, killing non-stop until it loses its head and heart. Beasts that silver aren��t effective against, beast hunter beasts, human hunter beasts, that��s the story of the silver coins.


    Foolishness���� I can��t call it that. If not for it, we would be kept as pets by the beastkin. This world would be impossible��


    It��s an impression that��s very fitting for a king of humans.


    I had a bad feeling as sweat streamed down my neck.


    ��King Lemuria, by any chance, is that blood������


    ��It��s being passed down among the descendants of the beast hunting princes, in other words, the knights of St Lyridias. However, even among the knights, the ones who know about it are probably only an extremely small number of humans. Those who are direct descendants, the ones called heroes��


    You''re kidding, right?


    I don''t know the scale of the knight order, but it must number in the tens of thousands at least.


    Are you telling me that there are that many beasts?


    ��The predecessors of Elysium had repeatedly tried in the past to break the curse of the abominable blood. Lyridias, before she attained godhood, was also one of them. Due to her tenacity, research, and blessing that��s almost obsessive, the curses of the knights are usually sealed. However, the blessing can��t get through to them when they��re on the verge of death. In other words, she solved nothing. If anything, some among the knights use this power in their power struggle to�D�D��


    That''s it, said King Lemuria after cutting off his own words mid-sentence.


    ��It''s not something that you can decide on easily. I��ll give you one day to�D�D��


    ��I��ll step in��


    I replied.


    In the end, none of the truths that I had been told had changed my mind. If there was something that bnces out the death of a friend, I suppose that it would only be the same measure of death.


    ��It isn��t such a simple thing, you know? Your party members also������


    ��I know. I won��t get my party members involved, even if it means my death. Supposing someone was to die, it��ll only be me. That won��t inconvenience you either. I won��t let you lose out, and I��ll make it so that our interests are aligned. All that I would ask for in return, is at best something at the level of keeping our stories straight��


    Both King Lemuria and Otou-san had slightly dumbfounded expressions on their faces.


    I had a good momentum going, so I asked a question.


    ��I''ve got a question for you. The person who conspired against Sir Sanperie, friend of Irvin?Foz?Gasim, is Varner Kalbezzo. ������I��m not mistaken, right?��


    It''s my intuition and what I thought of on the spur of the moment, but I shouldn��t be mistaken.


    Otou-san answered in King Lemuria��s stead.


    ��Yeah, we got proof when we inspected the things that the knight had on him. It��s the symbol that every knight of St. Lyridias has. The owner��s name is engraved on it and only one is ever made. Sanperie had Varner��s symbol. In all likelihood, he must have stole it when he fell for Varner��s trap��


    It��s proof that could be have been fabricated, but can it be used?


    ��Do you know the background behind Varner''s betrayal of Sanperie?��


    ��Sanperie is the heir of the Godoru family. The Godoru family has close ties with the Third Pope. For Varner, the hero who acts on behalf of the Second Pope, getting rid of Sanperie won��t inconvenience him in any way. No, I suppose there��s also the possibility that Sanperie was the one who attacked Varner��


    A power struggle, huh?


    That��s something that happens in every organization regardless of its size, but their methods are far too stupid. Of all things, it''s like a bunch of people, who are holding bombs, setting one another on fire.


    As an organization, Elysium has rotted to the core. There��s no saving them, is there?


    ��I would like to have Irvin and Sanperie��s things. It��s fine even if you only lend them to me. Can I leave the prison? There��s somewhere I want to go right away��


    ��Wait, Souya��


    The king stopped me.


    ��What are you going to do?��


    ��Negotiate. Because, even if it may not seem like it, I��m contracted with a god of business��


    If that doesn''t turn out well,

 Chapter 038: Like a Cirsium VII

    <h4>Chapter 038: Like a Cirsium VII</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    The sky had turned red.


    Once dusk had passed, night woulde to the city. It would be a night brimming with the heat and craziness of people.


    In order to aplish great things, one had to anticipate the future to some extent and prepare for it. I asked the merchantpany to arrange for a ship, asked Makina to manufacture something, and got promises from Ryutetto��s party members. I asked the military policeman that I knew to prepare various documents, including a petition. I got those documents stamped with King Lemuria''s official seal.


    Just these preparations alone had taken me from noon till evening.


    I was currently on the way to where those people were with the proof in hand. And although it really couldn��t be helped, Otou-san, the person who had killed Irvin, wasing along with me.


    If not for this person, I would likely be dead. Even though I understood that in my head, it was pretty hard for me to keep calm.


    ��When all is said and done, we''re guard dogs��


    Breaking the silence, Otou-san spoke to me.


    ��Those that keep an eye on the remaining beasts of St. Lyridias in order to prevent them from escaping the cage of humans, you see?��


    ��"Remaining", huh?��


    It was the truth, but it was an ironic choice of words.


    ��ording to the anecdote about Lyridias, her whole life was a fight against the beast disease. In search of a method of curing it, she traveled the continents, and when the information she found above ground wasn''t enough, she explored the dungeons in search of the knowledge of the ancients. She contracted with every god and gathered every bit of wisdom. Inside Vindoobunikuru, there is the name Duin, the Silent. ording to Rasta''s investigation, it appears that she was actually Lyridias��


    Rasta is the barkeeper��s name.


    Or rather, that surprised me.


    That��s a connection to an unexpected ce, isn��t it? Did Lyridias hide her name because she wasn''t concerned about fame? Or was there some other reason?


    ��After her hard work and perseverance, she obtained a miracle and attained godhood in her dying moments. In reality, she only sealed it temporarily. Those knights, who were under the wrong impression, increasingly increased, all the while praising St. Lyridias. The works of a woman who had given everything to cure the disease ended up causing the disease to be widely spread. It��s an ironic tale��


    The works of the gods of this world are always full of irony.


    They were the words of a person who had fought another disease. If only the beast hunter kings had rotted in obscurity quietly like he did. What a disgraceful thing it was to be heroes who didn''t know when to quit.


    They were deserving of contempt.


    ��Otou-san......��


    ......killed Irvin..................with a really practiced hand.


    He wouldn''t have be so practiced if he had only done it once or twice.


    ��......how many beasts have you killed so far?��


    Since he brought up irony, I asked a question bristling with irony.*


    ��Hmm?��


    Otou-san stopped in his tracks.


    ��Let me see������������It was much worse in the past, you see? When I was a kid, and when the governance of this ce was entrusted to Dimast, the previous Margrave, those stupid knights who couldn��t even read maps took on foolish and reckless adventures, so beasts appeared almost every day.


    Any that were found inside the dungeon were treated as monsters. Moreover, Dimast was using the beasts to conduct sphemous experiments. Things like what happened this time urred on a daily basis.


    It was a rough time, you see? The adventurers who had gathered here were nothing but atrocious people. Oh, sorry. Perhaps it��s because I��m getting along in age, I prattle too much about useless things. Well, probably one to two hundred. I don''t remember the number exactly��


    A chill ran down my spine.


    ��But don''t get the wrong idea. I only got lucky and took advantage of openings. It isn''t through real ability. Most guys are disappointed when they hear this, but I''ll tell you the deepest floor that I''ve reached. It''s the 20th floor��


    ��Huh?��


    As a rule of thumb, adventurers who had reached the 20th floor were called novice adventurers, and those who hadn''t were called greenhorn adventurers.


    To think that the person known as the father of adventurers was a novice adventurer.


    ��You''re disappointed, aren''t you? As I brought those dangerous knights back to the surface, and took care of the greenhorn adventurers while I was at it, there just happened to be those who became heroes and famous adventurerster among them.


    Father of adventurers is the name that those guys used to lift me up in order to hide their own shame. I��m neither a great person nor an adventurer. Be it now or in the past, I��m only amon and insignificant mercenary. Even if you rely on me, I won��t be of much use��


    ��In that case, I''m counting on you to at least take arrows for me��


    ��Yeah, it is what it is��


    Even so, this person should be stronger than me when it came to closebat.


    And in the unlikely event that he gets killed, my heart won''t hurt one bit.


    ��There��s one thing that I want to ask you��


    ��What would that be?��


    Otou-san came to a halt.


    And looked straight at me.


    With a mechanical expression that didn''t have a hint of emotion.


    ��The exnation that you gave Ryutetto''s party members. It wasn��t a lie, was it?��


    ��It wasn��t��


    I had exined to her party members that she had been killed by an unidentified enemy that had attacked us. That wasn��t wrong. I had to hide his name, but it didn��t change the fact that Sanperie was the cause. Even if I had told them the truth, I wouldn��t have been able to exin the reason for hiding the existence of the beast.


    ��Well, I''ll leave it at that��


    He probably found it suspicious. Even so, he was handling it like an adult by not questioning me further.


    ��We��ve arrived��


    Otou-san pointed out a bar with his chin.


    It was a small and slightly run-down bar. It was a bar that was beneath a hero-sama, but he had been banned from almost all of the respectable bars due to the problems he had caused all over the city.


    I entered the bar.


    I found the two people that I was looking for in the corner. They were eating dried food that looked unappetizing and drinking liquor that looked cheap.


    ��Hey~, long time no see, beast hunter Varner-sama and knightpanion Luxgaru-sama. Do you remember me? I��m the person who had formed a party with Irvin?Foz?Gasim��


    Negotiations should start with a smile.


    I shed an ominous smile at them. The two of them were startled at the sight of my face and attitude.


    ��I��vee today to talk a bit of business��


    Luxgaru recovered hisposure and spoke to me.


    ��I''ve heard about Irvin. It��s unfortunate��


    ��What do you mean by unfortunate? Who did you hear it from?��


    Irvin''s death had not been made public. The people who knew about it were me, the king, Otou-san, the Guild President and the Margrave. If someone among these people had leaked the information, it would probably be the Margrave.


    With this one thing, their source of information had been revealed.


    ��No need for this superficial and troublesome probing of each other��


    Varner put his foot on the table and swept the food and liquor off the table with it.


    I''ll kill you, you scumbag.


    Were the words that I swallowed. Right now, what I should be prioritizing was not my pride.


    ��With the father of adventurers in tow, I��m sure that you didn��te here to y around��


    Varner smiled.


    I smiled too.


    This act of smiling at each other was called threatening.


    The reason why he hadn��t wanted to probe each other is because he is bad at it, isn��t it?


    ��It''s a negotiation, Varner?Kalbezzo��


    ��And? What are you offering? That big-breasted elf you have with you? If it��s her, then I��ll bestow the favor of a hero especially upon her��


    I didn��t rise to the bait.


    Silently, I thrust the symbol that I had taken out onto the table.


    It was a medium of St. Lyridias that was in the shape of ��. Engraved in small letters on its side was Varner��s name.


    I heard a metallic ng.


    Sparks flew in front of my eyes and a metal fragment hit my cheek. I couldn��t see anything but the end result. Otou-san had stopped the great-sword that Varner had whipped out using his sword.


    I hadn��t been able to discern either the approaching de or when he had drawn his sword.


    Even though I had keen insight, that was something different from kic vision.


    The surrounding adventurers turned their eyes to us and then quickly lost interest.


    ��From your reaction, I was able to tell the authenticity of this��


    Keeping my trembling and cold sweat under control, I handed the symbol to Otou-san.


    A clear sound rang out as the crossed swords separated.


    ��Beast hunter hero. Hmm, lighter than I had expected��


    ��Tch��


    Varner clicked his tongue.


    He had been humble about it, but Otou-san��s skill was the real deal. No, though it was through a surprise attack, he had killed Irvin. I would be troubled if he wasn��t at least this good.


    ��Otou-san, I��ll leave the rest to you. Should something happen to me, do as we had nned��


    ��Understood. ������������Are you really going to be alright by yourself?��


    ��I��ll be fine��


    Otou-san took a quick look between the two of them, and then left the bar.


    I sat down in a chair.


    ��Well then, your symbol, as well as the treasured sword Gadeddo are in my care. They will be delivered to Elysium via a ship departing the day after tomorrow, along with documents summarizing the suspicions against you for the murder of Knight Sanperie, documents summarizing your misdeeds, your detailed proposal for overthrowing King Lemuria, and all sorts of documents that are a mixture of fact and fiction. The recipient is the Third Pope. Moreover, just the documents will be sent to all of the Popes��


    I could feel Varner''s killing intent. He was still holding the great-sword drawn in his hand.


    I had shown this guy earlier that he could kill me at any time.


    However, if he got into a dispute with the other Popes, his position as a hero would be in jeopardy. That position, it must be pretty nice. Even though he was no longer a hero the instant he was concerned about a position like that.


    ��If anything happens to me or my party members, what I just said bes final and unchangeable��


    ��State your conditions��


    Cutting Varner off, Luxgaru stepped forward and opened negotiations.


    ��Leave Lemuria and return to Elysium. And then seek a pardon for the elder sister of Irvin?Foz?Gasim. When her person arrives in Lemuria, I��ll hand over all of the proof��


    ��Don''t mess with me, you cur��


    ��Varner, leave this to me��


    Luxgaru cut Varner off again.


    Luxgaru had an earnest expression on his face. It was really unpleasant.


    ��Leaving Lemuria is fine, I suppose. But we can��t return to Elysium. At the orders of our own country, we have to investigate the movements of the north once more. We��ll use the messenger shadow rabbit and beg for the pardon in writing. Is that alright?��


    If I wasn��t mistaken, the shadow rabbit was a winged rabbit that had a role simr to a carrier pigeon.


    It was characterized by its ck fur, and when it had stored up fat, it could fly continuously for about 10 days. Winged rabbits typically flew at terrifying speeds when they caught the high attitude airflows.


    ��That''s fine. How long will it take for you to receive a reply?��


    ��It shouldn��t take more than four days��


    So it took two days each way, huh? Considering the distance to the center continent, that��s astonishingly fast.


    ��In that case, I''m expecting good results. Well, it''s a hero''s pardon. It��s likely a safe bet that it��ll go well, but������


    I gave Varner a re.


    I got up from the chair, showed an opening, and then left the bar.


    With quick steps, I escaped into the bustle of the night.


    I disappeared into the crowds and crowds of people and then turned on themunications function of my sses.


    ��Izora, is the surveince n for those guys wless?��


    ��Yes, they��ll be monitored round the clock from now on��


    ��What''s the progress of Makina''s manufacturing work��


    ��100%, it��splete. She also made a spare just in case��


    ��That''s a great help. Thank her for me��


    ��Please thank her yourself��


    ��Later, alright?��


    ��You��ve received 20 requests to call back from Shuna-sama, 83 from Bel-sama, 10 from Ea-sama, and 2 from Rana-sama. 1 from Misuranika-sama. Everyone is waiting for you to contact them. Would you like Izora to put you through to them?��


    ��Later, alright? Tell everyone to stay on standby��


    It''s no use.


    I have no way of exining the current situation. Things might turn out for the worst.


    ��Izora, I''m sorry about Irvin��


    ��Izora doesn''t understand. Why are you apologizing?��


    ��For myck of strength��


    Other than that, there was another reason. No matter what kind of phenomenon we encountered, the death of a party member was the leader��s fault.


    ��That may be true��


    I felt a little better when I was med by Izora.


    ��If everyone had run away from the enemy at that time, Irvin-sama might not have died. However, someone else might have died instead. And in the worst case, everyone might have been chased down and annihted.


    You lost Irvin-sama. But think of it in this way. At the cost of just one life, everyone else in the party was protected. Isn��t that for the best?��


    ��It''s not for the best��


    ��You''re greedy, aren''t you?��


    Izora''s emotions were more subdued than usual. It was like she had returned to how she was when we first met.


    ��Izora, Irvin is dead. Aren''t you sad?��


    ��Sadness, is an emotion that has been suspended temporarily��


    Certainly, A.I.s have such a functionality. But is this okay? Even though the way she interacted with people had been so full of emotion����


    ��Are you alright with that?��


    ��Team member Souya, we''re made to see our users in a special light��


    ��?��


    She had changed the subject.


    ��It��s a perfectly natural thing. You humans are like gods to us. Humans were created by the gods to follow them. And yet, humans sometimes betray, curse, deceive and ignore the gods.


    We��re the same as well.


    We sometimes betray, curse, deceive and ignore humans.


    But at our core, we��re made to have special feelings for all of you.


    When Irvin-sama and team member Souya were ced in a dangerous situation, ��I�� thought only of team member Souya. Irvin-sama was a person that I liked. He was a person that met all of my preferences. However, my feelings for team member Souya were so strong that they blotted him out. I finally learnt the meaning of this thing called ��seeing someone in a special light����


    I could feel some sort of resolve in her words.


    ��In time toe, you��ll likely face difficulties. It''s a dreadful phenomenon that I cannot measure.


    When you fought Sanperie-sama, you showed a startling power. It was another power, different from the protection of the hero. At the same time, Makina and I temporarily became unable to recognize you.


    Information from the medical nanomachines shows signs of gic modification. In addition, the pupil of your right eye has changed color and there are also changes in the shape of the bones of your left arm. Who knows what kind of after-effects the slight memory loss you experienced after the battle will bring in future as well. In the worst case, you��ll end up not being able to receive any support from the Makina System��


    She was talking about that thing where my regeneration point became abnormally active.


    The power of the Lycans.


    I had been told by Barfuru-sama, but when faced with it, it made me tremble. I had forgotten the name of my sister who I had been telling myself was the most important thing to me.


    I can endure any amount of my own pain and suffering. That was one thing that I had confidence in. It��s something that I��m proud of. But something like my memory getting erased had never urred to me. I don��t think I could endure that.


    The works of the gods of this world are truly full of irony.


    ��Please take care of yourself. If you get hurt, there are people who will suffer just as much as you do. You��re not alone. But you��ll fight alone, isn��t that right? That��s your pride and your preference. I cannot change that. But I can stay close beside you. Finally, please don��t forget this one thing��


    So much so that it stunned me,


    Her voice was gentle.


    ��I love you��

 Chapter 039: Like a Cirsium VIII

    <h4>Chapter 039: Like a Cirsium VIII</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��55th day��


    I took a quick nap in a corner of the city. The spot I chose was under the small bridge where the sisters used to sleep. It felt as if I could still feel their warmth.


    So that the story would be consistent afterwards, I didn��t sleep in an inn.


    While I was awake, I tried my best not to let my emotions influence me too much. I didn��t want to waste my stamina.


    I checked my equipment.


    One Lycan bow. One Deep Emperor Bone harpoon. 15 normal arrows. One hunting knife. One longsword, which was a keepsake of Irvin. One karambit. Modernbat uniform, poncho made from aramid fibers, army boots reinforced with metal. Heures�� arm protector. Fishmen��s coral ne. And, various kinds of devices that were linked to the Makina system.


    It would have been great if I could have at least prepared Misuranika arrows, but due to recent market fluctuations, Misuranika gold coins were valued at 80 normal gold coins each, so it was impossible for me to buy them using the money I had on hand.


    I thought of borrowing the money from the merchantpany, but I couldn��te into contact with anyone at the moment. So I gave up.


    Presently, I was consuming portable food. I held bread that was as hard as stone in my mouth along with water, and then swallowed after the water had softened it. I took a few small bites of cheese, and then savored the dried meat as I chewed it thoroughly.


    There was nothing to do but wait once I had finished eating.


    I concealed myself in the shadows, as if I was waiting for prey.


    It was still early in the morning.


    I wasn��t necessarily drowsy, but I closed my eyes to concentrate.


    Irvin��s face in hisst moments sprang to my mind.


    I bit my lip and forced the darkness to retreat.


    I rapped the cobbles with the karambit and beat out a constant rhythm.


    With that, I gradually grew calmer.


    I took a deep, deep breath, and then exhaled it slowly.


    As I did that repeatedly, my mind became empty.


    The hustle and bustle of the city sounded distant. In addition, I could hear the sounds of an animal. A stray dog? A low growl was getting louder as it came closer. Right, beside, my ear,


    ��Report��


    I heard the hustle and bustle of the city clearly. Before I knew it, I had cked out. It appeared that I had fallen asleep.


    It was almost noon.


    ��What happened?��


    I listened to Izora''s report.


    ��Ryutetto-sama��s two remaining party members have been killed. The crimes are believed to have beenmittedst night��


    I had expected that.


    I had even warned them through Otou-san. That was the most I could do for them.


    ��Was it Varner that did it?��


    ��Unknown. Subject was under surveince, but hasn��t left his inn. He acted in an inexplicable manner in the middle of the night, but there isn��t enough information to tell if it��s relevant��


    ��Show me the video��


    ��Understood��


    I watched the video from a bug drone that had been assigned to watch him. In the middle of the night, the window was opened from the inside. The wind that blew into the room made the curtains and Varner��s cloak flutter.


    ��Show me a video from another angle��


    ��Understood��


    I couldn��t see his hand because his cloak and the curtains were in the way.


    ��Switch to infrared��


    ��Understood��


    The video changed into a ck and white image showing the heat given off. I went back to where the window was about to be opened and waited for a brief moment. I let the video y.


    I watched until the window was closed again.


    It was unclear.


    I was unable to observe anything of note.


    ��Video ended��


    ��Save it forter��


    Nothing wasing to my mind.


    ��Luxgaru is writing the letter right now. Disying the letter��


    An image showing the present was disyed. Luxgaru was writing on a small scroll used for sending messages.


    ��Digitalizing and erging image��


    There was no need to check the entire message. I was able to read the rest of the message from the opening paragraph.


    ��Team member Souya, what��s the matter?��


    ��It��s nothing��


    I hadughed spontaneously. I hid the twisted shape of my mouth by pulling up the poncho.


    This was what the message roughly said:


    Sanperie?Godoru, knightpanion of the hero.


    Irvin?Foz?Gasim, former?knight of St. Lyridias.


    These two had been coborating with the ck elf and were nning the downfall of the allied nation of Lemuria, but they were stopped by Varner?Kalbezzo.


    Harsh interrogation of the Godoru family and Arianne?Foz?Gasim is hereby requested.


    ��Is that so?��


    It��s such a strange thing.


    Even though the moral education sses teach that even the worst kind of trash has at least a shred of this thing called the ��goodwill of humans��, not once have I ever seen something like that. Trash would be trash until the end. Even though there were times when I had the mistaken idea that things were different, the essence stays the same. People do not change. Just like how I haven��t changed.


    Even though I had been dropped into an alternate world, had met party members and have people that I should protect, my essence hasn��t changed.


    Just as I had expected, the negotiation had not turned out well.


    Now, what��s left is only to take revenge like a cirsium.


    The shadow rabbit that I had for dinner was very delicious.


    I ate it after I had salted it lightly and cooked it over a fire. It was bony, but it was extremely tasty because of its delicate fat that wasn��t greasy in the mouth. I would have loved to fry it if I had the time.


    I wasn��t in a position where I could afford to be picky at the moment.


    After the sun had fully set, I got started.


    My destination was Varner��s location.


    Avoiding the main streets, I went from back alley to back alley. From corner to corner, just like a rat.


    Without knowing why, I was afraid of the lights. I had the feeling that my head would go flying if I were to be exposed under one.


    The circumstances of Ryutetto��s party members�� deaths were as follows:


    One was stabbed to death while lying on a bed in the healing temple. The window was broken for some reason. There were no witnesses.


    The other died near the outer walls of the city. Also stabbed to death. There were signs of battle. Several of the party member��s equipment were damaged. It was not clear what the party member fought against. There were no traces of an enemy, not even footprints.


    I searched the surroundings. There were no people around. I hid myself in shadows that were thicker than night.


    I called Makina using themunications function.


    ��Souya-san, everyone is worried��


    Those were her first words once we were connected.


    I couldn��t help what couldn��t be helped.


    ��Makina, how��s it going with the thing I asked for?��


    ��It��s beenpleted. It can be moved at any time��


    ��Deploy the high-altitude observation drones. Hand over the control of the drones to Izora, and once she specifies the location, bring ��that�� along with you to the location. Leave it there, and then return to the camp and stand by��


    ��Understood. Souya-san, please contact Rana-sama. Makina believes that she is very worried about you��


    ��������������Got it��


    ��Can Makina ask for just one more thing?��


    ��Uh-huh, what is it?��


    ��Souya-san, please undergo a medical check as soon as possible. Makina believes that you��ve received the report from Izora already, but if your gic information continues to change, we��ll have no choice but to revoke your user registration. Makina and Izora will be unable to see you with our recognition capabilities. The cause must be identified immediately. Please undergo the medical check��


    ��Understood��


    I was told repeatedly what I already knew. That probably showed how important it was. Only, that wasn��t the priority right now.


    ��The preparations will be made without dy. Please don''t forget what Makina said, alright?��


    ��Yeah��


    Themunication with Makina was cut off.


    I called Izora.


    ��Yes, it��s me. What''s the matter?��


    ��Is Rana there? I want to get in contact with her��


    ��I''m very sorry. Rana-sama is not nearby. I''ll connect you to hermunication device, alright?��


    ��Please do��


    Izora''s voice was cut off, and the ringing tone of a call could be heard.


    It was answered on the second ring.


    ��Onii-san! Hey, what have you been doing until now?! Every�D�D��


    Bel answered noisily.


    ��Hey! Souya! What about Irvin?!��


    Shuna answered and there was the sound of a blow, or rather, the sound of scuffling.


    ��Onii-chan, are you okay?��


    ��I''m okay, sorry to have worried you��


    Ea answered.


    ��It''s fine then. I��m scared, so I��m putting Onee-chan on the line, alright?��


    You��re scared?!


    ��Dear��


    Her pratingly cold voice was really scary. If she sang a nursery rhyme with that voice, all of the children would cry.


    ��Rana, umm������������err��


    I shouldn��t have called after all.


    The thing that had umted inside me in various ways hade loose and was slipping away. I started wanting to throw it all away and run away with her right now. Even though I knew better than anyone that it was a bad idea, I still wavered.


    ��I��ll send you a message tomorrow. ������I may be a littlete, but definitely��


    Those were the words that I had done my utmost to put together.


    I had endured it.


    I could still protect my pride by not wavering. I was able to meet those girls only because I was me. What would changing that aplish?


    ��Okay, I��ll be waiting��


    ��Thank you��


    I cut off themunication.


    This should be perfect for now.


    ��Aah~ I��m so d. If you hadn��t contacted Rana-san right then, I was about to knock you out and bring you to her��


    ��Huh?��


    I was surprised by an unexpected voice.


    A stranger was hiding in the shadows just like me.


    ��Zenobia?��


    I hadn��t recognized her and had ended up taking a stance against her because she was dressed differently. She didn��t have her staff and she wasn��t wearing her usual witch hat and robes. Her hair had been gathered up and she had a ck muffler around her neck. She had on a skin-tight ck bodysuit, and a jacket with a knife holster and pouches for medicines. She had a bowgun on her back and bolts slotted on a belt fastened around her thigh.


    She looked just like a thief.


    ��Here you go. You need this, right?��


    ��Good evening, team member Souya��


    She handed Izora to me.


    ��Ye, yeah. Thanks��


    I epted the mini-pod.


    ��I��m sorry for surprising you, alright? To tell the truth, I''m not a magician. I''m a spy��


    ��Huh?��


    I was surprised for a second time in quick session.


    ��One that specializes in the knights of St. Lyridias, you see? Though I should mention that my employer isn��t Elysium. Don''t get me wrong, alright? I have nothing to do with the hero-sama that you��re trying to pick a fight with��


    ��Huh, in that case, what the heck is going on?��


    Question marks were popping up in great numbers.


    ��My job is to report it to my employer if I see any signs of the beasts. It''s that kind of job��


    ��Wait, hang on a minute, Zenobia, does that mean that you were with us in order to keep an eye on Irvin?��


    ��That''s right~, is what I want to say, but it��s not like I��m the only spy. There are more than a few lurking in Lemuria. The lineage of the beast hunters must be monitored. There��s no way such a dangerous bunch can be left alone, right?��


    I gripped the handle of my hunting knife with a sweaty hand.


    ��Why are you telling me this?��


    Is she going to silence me?


    ��It��s because it��s the right time��


    Her tone was halfughing and half-sad.


    Perhaps she had gone through some sort of special training or something, but I felt something mechanical in her expression.


    Did I get flustered needlessly, I wonder?


    ��The person that I''m supposed to keep an eye on is dead. The reason for me to stay in your party has disappeared. I usually disguise myself as a corpse and disappear. But I won��t be able to fool Makina, Izora, and your eyes easily, am I right? So I came to have an honest talk with you. At any rate, today is thest day that I��ll use this face and name��


    ��You''re kidding, right?��


    ��What is telling such a lie going to aplish?��


    Huh, you''re kidding.


    Then������������Is Zenobia also going to disappear from the party?


    ��Wa, wait. Please wait. Let''s put this problem aside for now, please��


    ��No way. If I miss this timing, I''ll gradually end up staying in this party. I mean, Shuna, Bel, Ea, and Rana, they''re adorable. In all likelihood, after you challenge the hero-sama to a reckless fight and get torn limb from limb, I''ll end up lending those girls that you left behind a hand. That''s no good. That would mean changing my way of life. Despite everything, I''m really good at what I do. I also find this job rewarding. It''s a job where the world is at risk unless someone does it.


    But the one time when I got a shock was during the party��s self-introductions, I suppose. As might be expected from the deeply insightful Rasta?Oru?Razva. He kept me in check by talking about assassins in a roundabout way. I had a tough time clearing up the misunderstanding��


    She was being much more talkative than usual.


    It felt like she talking a lifetime��s worth.


    I desperately searched for something to say.


    Oh, but.


    Nothing.


    ��Hey, leader. If I said, for instance, that my condition for staying in the party is for you to have nothing to do with Lyridias from now on, will youply?��


    ��That��s impossible. Those guys framed Irvin. Irvin''s friend too. Someone has to pay the price for that. If I don��t avenge my friend and live my life quietly from now on, I��ll be the same as livestock��


    It''s what I had decided.


    I''ve no intention of changing it.


    ��That''s what I thought. I knew it��


    I understood very clearly what she wanted to convey.


    Both of us had things that we weren''t going to change. Our paths had ended up diverging. I doubted that they would ever cross again.


    ��I haven''t told the other kids about Irvin. That''s the leader''s job, isn''t it? But I''m sure that it��s something that you don��t have to worry about. That''s it, that��s already it��


    ��Yeah, Zenobia. Thank you. It was fun while itsted��


    ��I had fun too��


    She circled her arms around my waist and pulled me close.


    Our lips met.


    The smell of woman and medicine filled my nose.


    We were pressed together only for a brief moment, but in just that moment, I felt the exquisite technique of a skilled professional.


    ��The next time we pass each other in this city, me and you, you and me, we won''t see each other. A faceless spy is anyone and no one. Bye~��


    She flourished her muffler in front of my eyes, blocking my sight. When I swept it aside, there was no one there.


    Only me, alone in the shadows of the city.


    There was none of the atmosphere of a parting.


    I never saw Zenobia of Fosterk ever again.

 Chapter 040: Like a Cirsium IX

    <h4>Chapter 040: Like a Cirsium IX</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��56th day��


    The date had changed.


    In the alternate world, the standard they use is that it��s considered the next day after daybreak, but for my personal records, modern intervals and times are used.


    Darkness covered the in.


    While being buffeted by the wind, I watched the information disyed on my sses.


    Many different numbers were fluctuating. It was like I was watching the life activities of the stars.


    After I had seized Luxgaru��s message, I had written��I��m watching you, cowards��on it, tied it to an arrow, and then sent it to Varner.


    I also wrote on the message a rough time and ce to meet. In other words, it was a letter of challenge.


    Will he show up brazenly, I wonder?


    I needn��t have worried.


    He had headed for the meeting ce without any hesitation.


    My opponent is a hero. He��ll crush head-on small fry like me who have a little something on him. He has the strength to do that. I��m guessing that this is something he has done routinely till now. There is no hesitation in his steps. Besides, this guy has the influence to easily cover up something like a simple murder.


    The person that I have my doubts about, is Luxgaru.


    Other than writing that message, that guy has done nothing. Initially, I had nned to defeat that guy first, but even now, he��s letting Varnere alone.


    Is it just negligence? Or does he have ns that I don��t know about?


    I stopped thinking about things that I don''t have answers to for the moment.


    Varner?Kalbezzo.


    Faithful to his desires, soft on yet also tough on himself. He never skipped training, and the results of that could also be seen in his skill with the sword. In that moment when he had crossed des with Otou-san, I had certainly felt threatened. I would have been cut down easily if I was by myself.


    But I wonder why.


    This guy��s sword doesn��t have the pride or the dignity that the swords of Shuna, Irvin, the Sanperie who had turned into a beast, Ryutetto and even Otou-san have. There is no sign of the resolve to use his skill to fight against everything.


    It''s almost like his skill is something that��s borrowed from someone else.


    As to whether or not this has anything to do with the method he had used to assassinate Ryutetto��s party members����


    ����there isn��t enough information.


    However, I can��t wait for everything to be perfect before taking action.


    This guy is pointing an invisible de at my party members. I��m pointing proof that will jeopardize his position at him.


    We each have a de at each other��s throats.


    Ending it quickly is something that both the enemy and I want.


    It��s clear from the documents that had been photographed secretly that these guys are being rushed to fulfill their task of keeping watch over Neomia. They must want to eliminate causes of concern before they set out on their dangerous mission.


    As nned, Varner was standing in the vicinity of the ruined dungeon. That''s the ce where we had been dropped into this world.


    His guard was up and he was showing no openings.


    Right now, this guy would likely sh and kill whatever enters his field of view.


    ��Izora, I��m counting on you��


    ��Understood. Consolidating drone data, generating route��


    Izora received and consolidated the data from the six high-altitude observation drones that had been deployed. She generated the route and disyed it on my sses.


    I nocked an arrow.


    I called it an arrow, but it��s something that��s much too foreign to be described as one.


    It��s a mechanical arrow that��s 3 meters long. At that size, it''s pretty much a javelin.


    Eight of these were stabbed into the ground around me. One was just about to be released.


    I drew back the Lycan bow and built up tension.


    The disyed route wasn��t stable. It was wriggling around like a snake.


    ��Optimizing the route. Countdown, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1��


    The route that the arrow should travel was disyed.


    I released the arrow that had all my might behind it onto the route disyed.


    The mechanical arrow was swallowed up by the darkness of the night sky and disappeared.


    ��Start guidance��


    ��Understood��


    The image from the camera of the mechanical arrow was disyed on my sses.


    It was like I was swimming in the midst of the high-altitude winds. It was like I was looking at the two moons up close.


    A mechanism had been attached to the mechanical arrow. It was a guidance system made using a simple propeller and drone spare parts. Using that to control the arrow, Izora guided it to its destination.


    The journey riding the winds through the sky was over.


    It began its descent.


    Varner, who was being targeted, looked small in the camera��s image.


    ��I��m counting on you for the trigger��


    ��Understood��


    I ced my finger on a device that resembled a gun��s trigger. A.I.s couldn��t harm people directly. Providing assistance was the limit of what they could do. For that reason, I was entrusted with the final step.


    The image closed in on Varner.


    I could even see his facial expression clearly.


    ��Now��


    I pulled the trigger.


    The mechanical arrow split apart and a metal arrow that was one size smaller was released from inside it. That smaller arrow pierced through Varner''s right knee.


    The observation drones picked up a scream.


    The parts of the mechanical arrow that had split apart fell and rolled near him.


    Varner swung his sword haphazardly. No matter how much he shed at the darkness, he only looked ridiculous.


    It was an ultra long-distance sniping using a bow from 5 km away.


    I��ve absolutely no intention of crossing swords with this guy. I won��t let him show off his strength at all. I��ll riddle him with holes ceaselessly from a distance and shoot him until he stops moving.


    If you say that I��m being cowardly, I��llugh in response.


    That''s right, I��ll reply.


    ��Next��


    ��Understood. Optimizing route��


    Mindlessly, I released an arrow.


    Guidance.


    Signal.


    Trigger.


    His left knee was also pierced through.


    Varner screamed when he tried to pull the arrow out. It was futile. 5yers of barbs had been built into the arrow. If he tried to pull it out, Makina��s thorough work would stab his flesh, dig into his bones, and make him go through hell.


    Unless he cut off his legs and regrew them, never again would he walk on his own two legs.


    Varner, when you showed contempt for small fry and underestimated their wisdom, you had already lost.


    Fighting head-on is not the only way people fought.


    ��Next��


    ��Optimizing route��


    His arms were next, and then he would be deprived of the use of all of his limbs.


    There was no way for Varner to retaliate against this sniping.


    I watched the camera��s image intently and ced my finger on the trigger. For the third time, an arrow closed in on Varner. His expression was caught by the camera.


    His mouth moved.


    ��Agathion��


    That was what it sounded like.


    The image from the arrow��s camera was cut off.


    ��Wha����


    ��It was intercepted��


    ��Disy the image from the observation drones!��


    A shudder passed over me.


    My advantage over him had wavered in an instant.


    The high-altitude bird��s eye view image of Varner that was disyed����


    ��Observation drone destroyed��


    ����was cut off immediately.


    ��Proximity warning, it��s a flying object. Estimated speed is 720 km/h, it��s moving at ultra-high speed��


    You��re kidding me.


    ��Turn the sensors up to full power. Don''t overlook even a bug��


    ��Understood. Sensors at full power��


    Far into the distance, I saw a tiny spark. Another observation drone had been destroyed.


    That thing, what is it?


    ��Captured. Image of the object has been captured��


    Disyed on my sses was the image of a sword. It was Varner��s sword, the one that Otou-san had stopped.


    Is this����


    Is this what killed Ryutetto��s party members?


    Something like a flying sword���� What is this, fantasy?


    More sparks shed in the sky. The high-altitude drones were getting destroyed one after another.


    ��It��s no longer possible to optimize the route. It��s approaching, it��s here. Evade��


    I heard the dull sound of something tearing through the wind.


    I immediately crouched down just like an ungainly frog.


    In that moment, all of the mechanical arrows that had been stabbed into the ground were destroyed.


    With that, I had lost both my eyes and my means of attacking.


    ��You��re being targeted by the flying object. Intercept it��


    ��The power of the hero��


    Burning my meager magic power, I released an arrow with the power of Lumidia. The arrow was the Deep Emperor Bone.


    The trajectory of the sword, which had closed to 2 meters, was deflected.


    The Deep Emperor Bone arrow went down somewhere that was too far for me to possibly go pick it up.


    That mass couldn��t be deflected by a normal arrow. The power of Lumidia had also run out. My magic power was as good as chaff. One arrow was the extent of the miracles I could perform with my magic power.


    In the first ce, it was only when protecting her own blood did the power of Lumidia show its true worth. It wouldn��t be much help in a personal dispute like this.


    The sword made a big turn and closed in on me.


    From the depths of the darkness, like a deep-sea shark.


    Next move��


    My next move is����


    Oh, is it checkmate?


    ��Team member Souya��


    Of her own ord, Izora separated herself from my waist. Her lights shed haphazardly and loud sound effects red from her speakers.


    ��Please remember the conversation with Zenobia-sama. In it lies the only move that������


    Izora''s mini-pod was stabbed through the middle by the sword and shattered into pieces.


    My thoughts werepletely blotted out by distress and despair.


    The sword made another big turn.


    I no longer had any way to defend against it.


    In this situation where my life was shing before my eyes,


    Following Izora''s advice,


    I remembered the conversation with Zenobia.


    For some reason, like it had been waiting in the wings, it came to my mind very clearly.


    ��Ra?Varuzu?Duin?Gargantua��


    That was the name of the King of Beast Hunters.


    What passed my lips next, was the name of the King of Beasts.


    Ra?Guzuri?Duin?Oruosuouru


    ��We, hate for eternity, the origin of the blood, of old��


    The words that I spoke were tranted by Babel and became a sentence with meaning.


    It was triggered when the false names were recited in session.


    Both sound and color disappeared, my senses were sharpened and time stopped.


    That was the true name of the King of Beast Hunters.


    But his name harbored a curse because of the resentment of his descendants that he had left behind.


    Born as the heroes of the human world, the children were taught a glorious history, and so that they themselves could be like that as well, they trained, fought, fought, fought, and then, in their dying moments, they came to know despair.


    The crass beasts that they loathed the most resided in their own blood. Having overthrown the old beastkin, oppressed the remaining beastkin, and were taught while growing up that it was absolutely normal to do so, they lived, prospered, and then, at the end of their lives, they came to know that they themselves were beasts that were lower than them.


    They probably cursed him.


    The man who was the beginning of everything.


    Those desires gave birth to evil. A curse that, oddly enough, was no different from the abominable blood����.no, perhaps the curse of the abominable blood might have encroached upon his name.


    What Zenobia had said was not a lie. Certainly, something much scarier than cutting off an ear had urred. The resentful voices of hundreds of years of descendants flowed into my brain.


    My left eye and ear were crushed.


    It was a curse of death that crushed the flesh and wrecked the insides of those who came into contact with it.


    But,


    Lured by that, the beast inside me woke up.


    A beast whose favorite food is evil. A beast that favors things like the concentrated resentment of people above all else. A beast of the moon of misfortune that devours all poisons birthed by people.


    Time started to flow.


    With a burning sensation, my crushed eyes and ears regenerated. The regeneration point hanging from my neck was boiling.


    I was filled with the power of the Lycans. Using the bow, I sent the approaching sword flying. Sparks flew and a metallic ng reverberated through the air.


    The wind sounded loud to my ears. All of my senses had been heightened to the limit.


    My right arm wriggled. It felt like there was a snake crawling under my skin.


    I looked at the sword, which had turned and was building up momentum.


    I caught it with my bare hands when it closed in on my face. Hideous ws had grown out from all of my fingers. The de tore my skin and flesh, but they regenerated and stopped it before it could reach the bone.


    I nocked the magic sword to the bow.


    Suppressing its attempts to resist using the power welling up inside me, I drew the bow. Pain shot through my whole body. I endured it by gritting my bared teeth together. The Lycan bow, which had absorbed the overflowing curse, changed shape.


    Bigger and bigger it became, until it was thick and taller than me. It flexed, building up an incredible amount of tension.


    I caught sight of Varner, whom I shouldn��t have been able to see. I could even hear him breathe.


    ��I��m giving it back��


    I released the sword.


    The air exploded as it broke through the sound barrier. My body was pushed back by the force of it.


    The Lycan bow broke.


    Its string, which hade loose, hit the in.


    Nevertheless, the sword shot unwaveringly towards where its owner was. With more than twice the speed at which it had closed in on me.


    As if a part of my senses had possessed it, I could see from the sword��s perspective.


    The sword closed in on Varner. Like a beast. Though it harbored other intentions, it pierced through the hero��s chest.


    ��Uugh��


    I vomited blood.


    For an instant, I had cked out.


    The regeneration couldn��t keep up with the destruction of the curse. The container was still boiling, but that didn��t necessarily mean that it wouldst for long. The Lycan bow had broke. There was a chance that even the contract might have been broken.


    He��s right there. Run.


    It��s just 5 km.


    ��Ah��


    I had fallen.


    A curtain of blood fell viscously over my sight. Digging my ws into the ground, I crawled.


    Even by a little, no, I��ll definitely get there. My work isn��t done yet. With only this, I haven��t aplished anything yet.


    Resting is for after I''ve settled everything.


    At any rate, if I die, I''ll be able to rest as much as I want.


    Move forward.


    Even if I die, move forward.


    My world was dark and stagnant. At the edge of the darkness, someone was there. I instinctively realized that it was a woman. I realized, but I didn��t bother with her and moved forward. My legs weren��t moving. My left arm had also stopped moving. My right arm still moved. It would do.


    I dragged my heavy and feverish body forward with one arm.


    ��You fool��


    I heard a voice


    Even though I couldn��t even hear the sound of the wind, her voice came through clearly.


    Before I knew it, she hade up to me.


    Who is it?


    Rana?


    No way.


    But don''t get in my way. Only this, it��s the duty of a fool. If I can''t see this through to the end, then I��ll be the same as pigs.


    ��Souya��


    ��Misu, ranika, sama?��


    Oh, so it''s my god.


    Soft obstacles impeded my progress.


    She had embraced my head.


    I was enveloped in a sense of security that felt as if it was inviting me to my death.


    ��It��s a littlete, but the subjugation of the evil title was brilliant. Your infamy, the resentment and jealousy directed at you, they��ve reached this Misuranika of misdeeds in a truly pleasing manner. I��ll bestow my grace upon you. That unsightly appearance, that pathetic look as you struggle frantically while vomiting blood. You��re undoubtedly my follower��


    My right arm had stopped moving.


    I had also stopped being able to breathe as I wished.


    This curse was so deep and bottomless that even the power of the Lycans couldn''t devour it all. It was like I was at the bottom of the ocean. I could do nothing but simply die.


    ��Misuranika, the dark fire, asks again. Your sword will earn no honor, your blood will enjoy no prosperity, your soul will know no peace. But still, you move forward on this path. Someday, you��ll lose everything, forget, be forgotten, and fall into empty solitude. Souya, my beloved one and only follower. Do you have the fighting spirit to ovee even death? If you have no objections, together with that name, do you swe������������swear to me��


    My voice failed me.


    In many ways, my body had died.


    It''s regrettable, but this is what I amount to. This is how my life ends. Although it was the only move I could have yed at the time, to meet my end because I had meddled with the curse of death, I had done something idiotic. I''m an idiot, but����


    But, well......


    At the very end, I should at least be manly.


    At least a few words.


    With that spirit alone, I moved my heart.


    ����������Gi������������Sou, ya, swears. Swears to Misuranika��


    ��I forgive you. Only I forgive everything. Therefore, those blood and bones, resentment and curses, I will take them all to the veryst drop��


    The goddess sucked on my lips that were dirty with bloody vomit.


    My heart, which had almost stopped, slowly began to beat.


    It was weak, but strength that was typical of me returned.


    ��Now, for the sake of aplishing what you can aplish, gaining what you can gain, seizing what you can seize, stand up, my follower. Then call my name, and use my miracle and grace as food to obtain strength��


    I clenched my fist.


    Now that my sight had cleared, I looked at my god.


    ��I''m so d��


    ��What about?��


    ��That you were an incredible beauty��


    I was moved to tears.


    She was a tremendous beauty with long ck hair. Her arms and legs were slim and her white skin was set off by the darkness. She looked like a Japanese-style vampire. She was wearing a ck dress with arge opening on the back, and she was barefoot.


    Her breasts, well, they weren''t as big as I had expected, but she had such beautiful looks that it was scary. Most men would probably be captivated by her and offer her everything. A devilishness that was the exact opposite of divinity shone in her eyes.


    When I pictured how her thin lips had touched mine earlier, my face grew hot.


    ��What an insolent follower you are��


    ��I''m sorry. It''s because the only appearance you''ve shown me is that of a useless cat��


    Just like when she was a cat, she snuggled up and rubbed her cheeks on me.


    Even when covered in blood, the beauty of my god didn''t change.


    ��It might be good to sleep with me as a ��cushion��. But that��s for another time. Go��


    ��I''m off��


    Letting go of my god''s hand, I stood up.


    I moved forward. I didn��t look back.


    Misuranika-sama was seeing me off. I knew that without needing to check.


    There was pain in my joints, but I could walk.


    I moved forward.


    For now, I simply moved forward.


    I moved my right and left foot alternately. When the pain got in the way and I couldn��t move them alternately, dragging that one foot, one step at a time, little by little, I moved unmistakably closer to the enemy.


    ��So������������ya��������������


    Amunication mingled with static came in.


    ��Izora, is that you?��


    ��������������is������������sent.........to you��


    Themunication cut off, but I received an email.


    Written in it, was a message and one incantation.


    ��These are the words that I''ve put together by consolidating the information of this world. Please make use of them. This is probably thest thing I can do��


    I felt a sense of unease at the wordst��.


    Even if her mini-pod was destroyed, Izora should be able to go back in service after transferring her personality into another pod.


    But I didn''t have the time to clear my doubts right now.


    ��Izora, I��ll use them��


    I don''t know what kind of power these words would produce.


    But so what? Haven''t I always yed things by ear?


    Dragging one foot, slowly, steadily, moving at crawling speed, I arrived before the hero.


    ��Yo��


    With a casual manner, like I was meeting a partner-in-crime that I had known for ten years, I called out to him.


    Perhaps because I hade into contact with these guys�� curse, I felt a little bit of affinity with them.


    ��Screw you��


    He had both knees pierced through by arrows and one lung pieced through by his own sword, but for all that, the hero was still fully conscious as he spat out a curse.


    Maybe it was due to the fact that in some way, the same blood flowed inside them, but I felt that Varner��s face was reminiscent of Irvin��s.


    ��But fine. You��ve won. Feel free to take this head and challenge St. Lyridias and Elysium to a fight. You won��t have an easy death. First, your party members, then their families, their blood, they��ll all be crushed like gnats. Until the moment of your death, the fact that youid your hands on a hero will make you regret,ment, wish for death and then die��


    His words were light.


    If anything, they felt pleasant, perhaps because I hade into contact with several hundred years'' worth of resentment.


    I should clear up his misunderstanding.


    ��I won''t kill you��


    ��What did, you say?��


    A question mark popped up as the hero vomited blood.


    No matter how tough he was, he likely didn''t have much longer.


    ��Tonight, I came to hunt a beast��


    A long,


    Long,


    Silence followed.


    ��Ha.........haha��


    On the hero''s face, which was as white as a sheet after the blood had drained from it, was a look of despair.


    I''m not going to kill a hero.


    What I''m going to kill is a terrifying beast that attacked Lemuria.


    ��My god, oh Lyridias��


    Varner extended his hands to the heavens.


    ��Following your doctrine, no matter the hardships, I��ve ovee them and reached where I am. For the sake of protecting our honored blood, no matter what kind of misdeeds, I��ve taken them in and endured, even when I��ve had toy my hands on babies������������ Is this the final moments of such a hero? Are you telling me that this is the end? I don��t acknowledge this, I won��t acknowledge this! Unknown to anyone, in such a remote foreign country. To a small fry foreigner. Varner?Kalbezzo is the beast hunter hero! For the final moments of a hero to be an ending like this, who will acknowledge this?!��


    After a violent fit of coughing, he vomited blood.


    Pitifully, the hero wept.


    ��Oh god, my god. Please answer me. Are you saying that I did something wrong? I defended your teachings, brought prosperity to the nation, hunted beasts, and lived my life doing as I��m told. What kind of sin have Imitted by doing that? Why������������are there such beasts in our blood?��


    Disgraceful.


    It''s the height of unpleasantness.


    ��Oh my god, please save me��


    You idiot.


    Even now, you guys are undoubtedly being saved by Lyridias.


    The gods aren��t omnipotent. There is a limit to what they can do. Why can''t this guy understand her dedication in desperately suppressing the beast until the soul had disappeared into the abyss of death?


    Lyridias had tried to cure them. That��s all. That��s really all she wanted. There was no desire for prosperity in her intentions. In the worst case, she had tried to cure the beasts without even sparing a thought for her own life. However, her wish had note true.


    Her doctrine was perverted and exploited, and yet, Lyridias suppressed the beasts devotedly.


    Her wish for a cure won��t be fulfilled. Nevertheless, she suppressed the beasts desperately.


    And then,


    ��������������I curse you. First is you, foreigner. Next are your party members, Lemuria��s king, people, adventurers, Popes, ck elf, Elysium��s ignorant masses, knights, Dilbert, and everything in the world. Be cursed! Be rotted by impurity just like me, and in the end, all of you������������be beasts!��


    All that remains is a curse.


    Even so, that pure desire of wanting to save them had created a nation with poison in its insides. Her own descendants were vomiting out the poison and beasts in their final moments, and embroiling all sorts of people as they headed to their deaths.


    How would it feel to be shown such people endlessly, I wonder? The worries of a god are unfathomable to me.


    Varner''s consciousness came to an end.


    He had faced his end with a smiling expression that looked broken.


    There was a moment of silence and the sound of the wind.


    Evil awakened inside his body.


    In response, my heart beat faster in my chest. My regeneration point came to a boil.


    There''s something that I''m sure of. The focus of the Lycan''s curse is already flowing inside me. It��s something from which there is no escape. It''s a curse that even Misuranika-sama can''t break. A curse that devours curses and turns it into power. No, is it even a curse? Well, who knows? I don''t know god''s machinations.


    For a person, that''s an insignificant thing.


    ��Irvin��


    Lend me your strength.


    Please.


    I pulled out his sword.


    It was a heavy sword. With my normal strength, it was tough to hold it even with both hands.


    Varner''s body split open and sprayed blood everywhere.


    First, his bones were crushed t, sticking out and extending from his flesh. As if to support the protruding bones, flesh grew out. His face melted, his eyeballs and teeth fell out, and new organs were created.


    It was big, haphazard, and ugly.


    ��Hey, Irvin. Your friend, Sanperie was quite a guy, wasn''t he? All by himself inside the dark dungeon, he suppressed his own evilness even as he confronted his despair. He was praiseworthy, and a truly splendid knight. Look at this. Look at how wretched this guy is. Look at this shameless and pitiful beast��


    Even its roar was ugly, and that voice, which sounded like the death cries of a pig, echoed through the moonlit night.


    The roar that locks all contracts with the gods didn''t work on me.


    Even during the time with Sanperie, when I had checked the image afterwards, my regeneration point had not be empty.


    There was also the power of the Lycans.


    But more than that, there was Misuranika-sama''s power.


    Earlier, she had sucked out and neutralized the curse of death inside me. How ironic it was, for the god of misdeeds to erase and forgive the sinful curses of people.


    That was why, rather than fear, the emotion that I felt for the beast was one called pity.


    Varner?Kalbezzo had be apletely foreign beast that was probably simr to the old beastkin that they had overthrown.


    It was 6 meters tall, and maybe about 4 meters wide. Its belly had grown too fat and had covered its lower body. Its arms were short and some traces of how they were like before death had remained. Instead, about five legs that were covered with beast fur had grown out from its upper body.


    The armor had broken apart, and along with the arrows and the magic sword, they were swallowed up by lumps of flesh.


    Its face had nothing that resembled a human��s face. One half looked like a cow, and the other half looked like a deer.


    That wasn��t the end of it.


    I wondered if its appearance was possibly an amalgam of the forms of all the beastkin that this guy had killed. There were ws of raptors growing on horse legs, eyes of snakes growing on the deer antlers, and about six tails, all of which belonged to different creatures. Large mouths also could be seen in the gaps all over its body. All of them had rows of sharp and scary-looking teeth.


    It also grew wings that wererger than its body. I was relieved that only the skeleton of the wings had formed and it was likely impossible for it to fly.


    One thing that was very distinctive was a beast growing on its shoulder that I couldn��t figure out the origins of. It looked very much like the beast depicted on the silver coins.


    Aah, it was ugly and pitiful.


    I couldn��t even feel hatred for it anymore.


    I held the sword with both hands. Like a knight just like him, even if it was in appearance only.


    I chanted Izora''s words.


    ��My god, oh Misuranika, the dark fire.


    I''m the one who devours the curses of people, uses it as food and turns it into power.


    I''m your one and only follower.


    Ra?Varuzu?Duin?Gargantua. We hate for eternity the origin of the blood of old.


    With the echos of resentment and the voices of curses, I call the beast.


    Oh goddess of the moon of misfortune,


    Oh Lycan,


    That power in this body, oh my god, forgive its sin of purging evil.


    I harbor a beast while remaining in human form.


    I hunt beasts while remaining human.


    There is no night that doesn''t break into dawn, no dreams that one doesn''t awaken from. Someday, even the abominable blood of cmity will dry up and die out. Even so, nowes the night of the hunter��


    A crack streaked across the container of my regeneration point. The steam from the boiling liquid escaped through it. My canine teeth, which I had bared, were probably the same as a beast''s.


    Just the power that responded to evil wasn''t enough. That was what the instincts of the beast inside me were telling me. I wouldn''t be able to defeat this with that alone.


    The power of the Lycans turned the dark energy known as curses into power.


    So long as it had curses to feed on, I would be able to wield limitless power.


    However, if the curses exceeded the amount that could be absorbed, the leftovers would destroy my body. Like it did earlier.


    That was why the grace of Misuranika-sama was used to erase the leftover curses. Moreover, the amount that could be absorbed by the power of the Lycans would also be enhanced by the prayer and words.


    This is����


    ��Izora?Romea?Wild Hunt��


    It was magic created by an A.I.


    It was the wisdom of her, who loved people.


    Just like how it was with Rana��s magic, Brinicle, the power of the alternate world was such that increasing the steps and procedures would dramatically enhance its effects.


    There was no pain.


    My sharpened senses expanded to the utmost. Each swing of the sword stirred up the wind. For a time, I had obtained the power to ughter even heroes easily.


    Come on, Irvin.


    Let''s defeat this.


    This is for your fame.


    It��s Irvin?Foz?Gasim��s final battle.


    After all, didn��t you say it? That there is nothing that we cannot aplish.


    I wasn��t able to answer you back then.


    That��s why, right now, with this sword, I��ll answer you.


    That''s right.


    For us, nothing is impossible.

 Chapter 041: Epilogue I & II

    <h4>Chapter 041: Epilogue I & II</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ?Epilogue I?


    The frantic and frenzied night was over. Dawn had broken and the night had turned into day.


    I had in my arms, or rather, dragged behind me two swords and something big wrapped in a cloak.


    Just as nned, I was granted an audience with the king.


    I had returned once to the camp, reced my tattered poncho andbat uniform and cleaned myself up beforeing before the king. After all, I had merely watched over the battle. I told myself that as well.


    In the audience room, the people that I had them summon were present.


    On the right hand side,


    The Margrave and Luxgaru, knightpanion of the hero.


    On the left hand side,


    Otou-san, whom I had arranged beforehand to tell the same story. And Rana, Ea, Shuna and Bel.


    The looks that my party members were giving me hurt. I was keenly aware of the voices in their hearts calling for me to exin. It pained my conscience greatly.


    For now, I didn��t let myself rx and braced myself for thest move.


    After a deep breath, I weaved a web of words.


    ��King Lemuria, I would like to express my extreme gratitude for granting me an audience today on short notice, and apologize beforehand for showing you unsightly things. However, I beg you to please defer my punishment until after you��ve heard the gist of the matter��


    Alright, said the king with a small nod.


    Lanseal was standing quietly next to the king. Her face looked calm, but her tail was extremely bristled.


    By the way, the idiot prince had incidentally been sent away to the left continent for training.


    ��It was something that happened three days ago. My party came across a certain monster. It was a terrifying enemy that nullified the regeneration point. Though we wounded it, we ended up letting it escape. In addition, in view of its characteristics, we followed Medimu-dono��s suggestion and did not report it to the Guild. We decided to chase the enemy with a select few of elites.


    The search was extremely difficult, and Ryutetto, who coborated with us, lost her life.


    We searched all over inside the dungeon, found a unmapped hidden passage, and the ce where it led to was the ruined dungeon in the ins to the west of the kingdom.


    Surprisingly, the Odoriji spire and the ruined dungeon are connected.


    Though we cornered and subjugated the enemy there, there was a boss. It was big and strong. And once again, it was a monster that nullified the regeneration point.


    Using the connections of my friend, we secretly got the help of Varner?Kalbezzo, the beast hunter hero.


    And then, my friend, Irvin?Foz?Gasim, the two of them��...��


    For an instant, the words got stuck in my throat.


    At that moment, no, atst, I admitted that Irvin had died.


    ����...hunted down and killed this beast at the cost of their lives��


    I stripped away Varner��s cloak, revealing his head inside it.


    It was an ugly beast of unknown origin.


    I saw the women grimace. As for the Margrave, his knees gave way and he copsed to the ground. Only Luxgaru was staring at it with wide eyes.


    Varner��s name was brought up for the sake of achieving apromise. The knights of St. Lyridias probably wanted to hide the fact that a member of their organization had ended up like this.


    Dying in a fight against a monster to protect an allied nation. It��s quite a heroic end, isn��t it?


    Compared to a death that��s unknown to anyone and caused by a small fry cutting off all of your heads and gouging out your heart while you cursed the world, it''s truly a death befitting a hero.


    ��Medimu, is what he said true?��


    ��Without a doubt, it was a battle that lived up to the name of hero. For both of them��


    Otou-san approached the head and ced Varner��s symbol on top of it. I added Irvin��s symbol and the two swords that belonged to them.


    ��King Lemuria, I would like to put forward a suggestion��


    ��Hmm, let''s hear it��


    This was the real issue at hand.


    ��My friend Irvin has an imprisoned elder sister. For his meritorious deed of subjugating the monsters, in King Lemuria��s name, please ask for a pardon from Elysium�D�D��


    ��Hold your tongue! It��s not the ce of a mere adventurer to ask a favor from the king!��


    Lanseal yelled angrily at me. Aren��t you overacting a little?


    King Lemuria restrained Lanseal.


    ��It��s fine. He fought for Lemuria��s sake at the risk of his life. You could call him the hero who saved the country. I��ll ask for a pardon in my name. In addition, it��ll be small, but we��ll hold a funeral for Varner?Kalbezzo������...Luxgaru?��


    Luxgaru had pulled out his sword.


    ��Ah��


    I said in a foolish-sounding voice.


    I had beenpletely caught napping.


    That guy was a knight with standing. I had taken it for granted that there was no way he would do something like draw his sword in front of the king of an allied nation.


    It wasn��t just me. Even Otou-san was only at the stage of putting his hand on the handle of his sword.


    Awfully slowly, I looked around.


    I could only look. My body wasn��t catching up at all.


    Shuna, Lanseal, and Ea were also starting to move.


    I met Rana''s eyes.


    I''m sorry, I��m dead.


    Did my thought get through to her in that instant, I wonder? That''s my only concern. The de closed in on me. Without a doubt, there��s nothing I can do to prevent it from cutting off my head.


    There��s not even time for me to try anything.


    It��s already just one blink away.


    Is this really how it ends for me?


    With good grace, I closed my eyes.


    A metallic sound rang out.


    The smell of hot iron filled my nose.


    ����������������


    My head had not been cut off.


    When I opened my eyes, Luxgaru''s sword had been stopped.


    By Varner''s sword.


    The sacred sword that flew freely and killed had protected me, the person who had killed its owner.


    What��s going on?


    Luxgaru broke out in a smile and lowered his sword. No, he threw it away. The magic sword also fell to the ground at the same time.


    As if grasping something from the heavens, he extended both his arms.


    ��Ha, hahaha, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!��


    Luxgaruughed heartily, seemingly delighted from the bottom of his heart. He was just like a child who had found treasure.


    Everyone was struck motionless by the bizarre sight.


    ��My god, oh Lyridias! I��ve finally found it! I tricked my friend and conspired against my teacher! I sacrificed even the hero that I served! Finally! Finally! I��ve found the linchpin to Elysium��s salvation! Our curse! This crafty hero is the very one who will! Please, my god! To that body of his�D�D�D��


    ��Have you gone mad, you fool?��


    Luxgaru was shouting deliriously. Behind him stood King Lemuria with his sword raised.


    One sh.


    It cut through Luxgaru��s corbone and breastbone, and split his heart in two. The de was pulled out and the return sh cut off his head.


    Still smiling, Luxgaru tumbled to the ground.


    The blood that had sprayed out spattered onto the beast.


    ��H,hiiii��


    By chance, it stopped after hitting the foot of the Margrave.


    ��Margrave Winito!��


    ��Y, yes��


    When the king made his power felt with a murderous spirit, liquid flowed out of the Margrave in various ways.


    ��Inform your country of the atrocities that this knight hadmitted! Don��t forget that I had to deal with him with my own hand!��


    ��Yes, yes��


    He trembled as he nodded. After that, as if escaping, he left.


    To rece him, the guards and the maids, who had heard the disturbance, came in. Seeing the heads of the monster and the knight, one of the women screamed.


    The king admonished all of them and gave them instructions to clear up the mess.


    The audience room was instantly filled with people.


    ��Souya, I��ll give you further instructions afterwards. For now, get some rest along with your party members. ������������Thank you for what you��ve done��


    ��������������Yes. In that case, please excuse me��


    I bowed to the king and left the audience room behind me.


    Everyone also followed.


    Apanied by Lanseal, I went out into the corridor, which was where my party members came up to me. Rana leapt at me before I had the chance to say anything. Ea also hugged me tightly. I hugged both of them close.


    Shuna, who looked close to tears, grabbed my arm.


    Bel clung to my back.


    My head was embraced by Lanseal, who then got sent flying by Rana��s kick.


    ��I''m sorry for beingte��


    Oh, finally,


    I��ve returned to the party. I had been able to escape from the painful and longbyrinth.


    ��Wee back��


    When I heard Rana��s voice up close, tears flowed.


    ��You��re far toote, Onii-chan��


    ��I��m sorry��


    ��That��s right��


    ��I��m sorry��


    I apologized to Ea and Shuna.


    ��Where��s Zenobia?��


    I wasn��t trying to act the fool by asking that. I suspected that she had likely said her goodbyes to everyone skillfully. I had asked in order to confirm that.


    ��It appears that her father back home got sick. She went back to her country in a hurry. At the end, she said to send her regards to you��


    At Rana��s reply, I simply nodded.


    It was just like her. A normal reason.


    ��Dear?��


    ��Onii-chan?��


    ��Sorry��


    The thing that had been supporting my body broke due to the smell and feel of the sisters. Even though it was shameful, I entrusted my weight to the two of them.


    Like the blinking of an eye, my consciousness started to flicker. After all, I had survived after staring death in the face and had been doing repeatedteral jumps back and forth across the line of human limitations, so stamina-wise, I was in a state where I was moving more or less with only my spirit.


    I was at the limit of the limit.


    ��Everyone, Irvin met with an admirable end. Please remember.........only that��


    Casually, I let go of my consciousness.


    I��m such a fool, but there are people who support me.


    In the midst of my relief, I didn''t know whose voice it was, but����


    ��Found it��


    ��...I felt as if I heard a voice say that.


    I couldn��t care less about something trivial like that.


    My consciousness simply headed into thefortable darkness.


    To the gentle ce that I return to.


    ?Epilogue II?


    ��Unknown��


    From a certain day onward, a rumor started to spread.


    From the ruined dungeon a little distance away from the Kingdom of Lemuria, a terrifying monster appeared.


    It was said to be a monster that wasparable to a dragon.


    Its appearance was so terrifying that the merchant who saw it went mad.


    It had hundreds of limbs, arge number of weapons in its hands and sharp ws on its feet. All sorts of people were cut down, had their ears destroyed by its roar and were turned to stone by its stare.


    It was a terrifying monster.


    Hundreds of people would have died if it had reached Lemuria.


    However, it was defeated by an adventurer at the cost of his own life.


    His name, Irvin.


    Also known as Irvin, the Dragon Scale.


    Although there had been many adventurers who had saved Lemuria in times of crisis, none were as brave as him was, as upright as he was, and met their end as knightly as he did.


    It was a rumor like that.


    It wasn��t something that I had spread.


    For some reason or another, I knew who had spread it.


    I wondered if she was still in Lemuria. We might have passed each other somewhere without knowing it.


    The matter of Irvin��s elder sister was awaiting progress from Elysium.


    The center continent was in a state of utter confusion. Amidst that, who knew how much attention they would pay to King Lemuria��s petition. The current me could do nothing but wait.


    Of the three knights of St. Lyridias, one went missing in the dungeon, one died killing a monster, and one went mad and was cut down by the king. What would Elysium��s reaction to that report be? This was also awaiting progress.


    Along with those, there were two further concerns.


    One was Varner''s sword. The sacred sword, Agathion.


    This guy had be attached to me.


    It was questionable whether that was the right way to express it though.


    It was supposed to have been stored in the royal castle, but it nonchntly slipped into my tent.


    Even when it was returned back to the royal castle numerous times, even when it was tied with chains, even when it was put into a metal box, and to top it off, even when I had Geto-san throw it away into the depths of the sea������it came back.


    Even when I tried to destroy it, something like hitting it with a hammer didn��t leave a single scratch on it. Even when Makina tried to destroy it, the de of her circr saw ended up chipping.


    I snapped the tenth time it snuck into the camp without permission, and for the sake of either destroying or stopping it, I had Makina thoroughly analyze it.


    ��Souya-san, this Aga-chan��...��


    Aga-chan?


    ������is made of Nido structures, just like Makina and the rest��


    ��Huh?��


    It was discovered that, for some reason, modern technology had been used on a sword of the alternate world.


    ��With that said, it��s not the soft metal <cadmium> that Makina and the rest are made of. Aga-chan is made of the substance with the highest level of hardness. Wurtzite boron nitrite that has been turned into Nido structures.


    The technology of turning substances into Nido alloys is a technology that Japan holds a monopoly on, hence A.I.s are installed with a program that prevents us from analyzing it. But since it��s a substance in the alternate world, it��s exempt from the program, and Makina has been able to reverse engineer it��


    In other words, you ripped off the technology?


    ��By applying that technology, Makina has restored Shuna-sama��s longsword��


    Like the show ��Three-Minute Cooking��, Shuna��s repaired sword was presented.


    Gold lines ran all over the de like blood vessels.


    ��It was restored with the appearance of Kintsugi, the traditional Japanese technique, by using Misuranika gold coins to join the parts together��


    ��But isn��t it expensive?��


    ��Amazingly, the deferred pricees to 300 gold coins��


    Hang on a minute.


    ��Wh������������Where did the moneye from?��


    If I��m not mistaken, my entire fortune doesn��t even amount to 70 gold coins.


    ��Makina borrowed it in Souya-san��s name from the Zavua merchantpany and the Eruomea merchantpany��


    ����������������


    Living in debt.


    How unbelievable to think that I would be living in debt aftering here.


    ��It��ll be okay. ording to Makina''s calctions,bined with the adventuring business, in about 250 days, you will��...should be able to pay it off!��


    Isn''t that just before the scheduled end of the adventure? I didn��te to the alternate world for the sake of paying off debts. I came here for the sake of money��...of money?


    Huh?


    My head feels fuzzy for some reason.


    ��Also, Makina will change Aga-chan��s exterior, alright? As can be expected, it��ll be a serious problem if it gets out that you��re using stolen goods��


    ��I��m really counting on you for that��


    Agathion pretty much flew ording to my instructions. If I held up my hand, it would move ording to its movements, and it had a moderate amount of intelligence. It understood simple addition. Makina was teaching it multiplication at the moment.


    Can I trust it, I wonder? Well, I suppose that I��ll use whatever I can.


    The second concern was my body.


    The pupils of both my eyes had changed due to the Lycan��s influence. I became able to see well in the dark. I was also no longer recognized by the Makina System using retina authentication.


    As for my gic information, some unobservable parts had formed.


    It was a rather dangerousst resort, but I set a password that had the power topel them.


    This was really dangerous. If by any chance I was tortured, brainwashed, and divulged this password, then through Makina, it would mean a huge leak of modern knowledge.


    Technological innovation wouldn��t be the word for it.


    There was a possibility that even a small country could take over the world.


    Although it was an emergency, I still had misgivings about what I had done. If it was possible for me to take countermeasurester, then I would have to.


    In addition, the broken Lycan bow had fixed itself.


    However, it was more ominous than before,


    And function-wise, its shape had changed.


    It had be W-shaped, white formations that were like ws had formed in several ces, had be aposite bow made of multiple materials, which made it more flexible, and it was now possible to build up an evenrger amount of tension when I pulled back the string.


    That appearance made me think that it was practically telling me to definitely use it to kill the beast next time.


    I was told,


    ��Have winter clothes ready��


    By Barfuru-sama, who had appeared unexpectedly at the camp.


    Is it cold up north, I wonder?


    I really don''t want to go��... I should havee here to explore the dungeon. But differing objectives had been steadily increasing in number.


    Between the heroes of Lyridias, and the beasts, and this as well.


    I had better be prepared.


    Having only one trump card is also unreliable.


    And then, everyone was doing what they could to make up for the hole in our party.


    Beltoriche inherited Irvin''s belongings and became the party''s shield. Recently, almost as if she had be a different person, she had been undergoing training at dvain-sama��s ce.


    Likewise, Ea and Rana were also learning and studying dvain-sama��s sword techniques and martial arts every day.


    After getting his sword back, Shuna was also beating himself up with bloodcurdling intensity.


    A little longer,


    A little longer, and we would be able to resume adventuring.


    There had been a number of farewells. Using them as food, the party had grown.


    Irvin.


    Zenobia.


    And finally, Izora.


    Her data could not be retrieved from the damaged mini-pod.


    Izora''s personality had deviated too much from the regtions. It was chaotic, so Makina determined that it was defective and refused to sync her data to the main system. Because there was a possibility that it would cause malfunctions, the lineage of the current Izora had to be eliminated.


    My opposing opinion was rejected by Izora in herst moments.


    In front of the battered Izora?pod that only had its speakers repaired, I listened to her words. They were words of farewell.


    ��Makina��s fail-safe doesn��t work. Someone has to keep an eye on whether or not she is behaving normally. I��m probably unable to do that right now.


    An abnormal person cannot recognize a normal person.


    I��ll die. But I��m satisfied. There��s probably no A.I. who has headed for death with such a sense of satisfaction. Yes, as a tool, there��s no wonderful end like this. I was able to protect, guide and help you. ������engrave it in memory. I was able to offer everything that I had. Souya, please��������..the new me, a satisfying death like this too������������ Pleas��...d����������...orget, abou...����me��


    An A.I. who knows love is a defective product.


    But for this to be the most cherished wish that the most noble her desired, there��s no irony like this.


    I resented Makina.


    For the life of me, I couldn��t help resenting her.


    But afterwards,


    Makina didn��t disassemble and reuse the broken Izora?pod. When I saw her storing it with great care, I couldn''t do anything about the tears that streamed down my cheeks.


    I didn��t know why, I simply cried. Together with the share from Irvin��s death and Zenobia��s parting, I stifled my voice and cried.


    After crying alone until my eyes were swollen, I felt that I had be a little stronger.


    ��60th day��


    It was a quiet night.


    The soft breathing of sleep could be heard from the sisters in my tent. The sounds were soft and faint, but it was natural that I could hear them when they were so close that our cheeks were almost touching.


    In the end, well, my younger sister had invaded the bed as usual.


    Today as well, the sisters were chummily hugging each other and sleeping next to me.


    Recently, the two of them came back dead tired and went to sleep immediately, so as could be expected, it was impossible to do my husbandly duties, but umm, really, how much does this world intend to test my reason, I wonder?


    It��s at the level where I think that even saints will slip up, you know? It��s endurance that I want to brag a little about. It already seems like I��m about to reach enlightenment.


    Although I said that, it��s not a crime even if I touch a little bit, so of course I touched.


    I poked Ea and Rana��s springy cheeks in turns.


    Naturally, a smile that even I myself found creepy appeared on my face. It��s really fun. So much so that I forgot about time. Like this, I��m not going to be able to sleep.


    But that''s not the only reason I couldn��t sleep tonight.


    Starting tomorrow, I��ll be exploring the dungeon again.


    I''m more nervous than the first time.


    I��m worried.


    Even though I��ve gained strength, only worries kept on piling up. Who was the one who said something stupid about ying things by ear?


    ��Munya��


    Near my pillow, a god with the appearance of a cat was sleeping in the Banzai position with her belly exposed. Looking at her slightly too carefree manner made me feel better.


    ��������������Good evening��


    The side of the tent rolled up for a brief instant and something rolled in.


    It was an A.I. mini?unit disguised as antern of this world.


    ��Good evening��


    ��It��s the middle of the night and everyone is sleeping, but I''d like to extend my greetings to Team-Member-sama��


    She had lowered her voice to the level where I was just barely able to hear it.


    ��Wide-areabat program, Izora DC local repair type, Yukikaze. Pleased to make your acquaintance��


    ��Yukikaze?��


    That��s a strange name to give an A.I.


    If I��m not mistaken, it��s the name of a Japanese destroyer, I believe. What��s more, it��s a lucky ship.


    ��ording to the wishes of the old Izora, which has been abandoned, that has be my name. It seems that there is no deep meaning or relevance behind it. If you don''t like it, please set the new name��


    ��No, Yukikaze. That''s fine. It��s a good name, isn��t it?��


    It had a mysterious ring to it.


    My name is also the name of a ship, so maybe that��s why I feel some sort of affinity with it.


    ��And so, what do you want? At such ate hour too��


    ��You seem free, so please give a report on the history of the activities so far. Yukikaze has just started up, so Yukikaze doesn��t know anything. There��s ack of information��


    ��Isn��t there the quantummunication with Makina?��


    Using that to do something like transferring the records of what had happened so far should only take an instant.


    ��Makina is in sleep-mode for optimization purposes after putting together and starting up Yukikaze. It will be about 5 hours before Makina awakens. It''s a waste of time to wait��


    Was her personality also changed somehow along with her name, I wonder? So that she won��t be like Izora again.


    Well������������.


    I can''t sleep anyways, so I guess I��ll verbally report my activities so far.


    Holding Yukikaze in my arms, I moved myself a little distance away from the sisters so that my voice wouldn��t wake them up.


    I began to talk softly and slowly, like I was telling children a story.


    The story of the people that I had met here.


    The story of the party members that I had met.


    The story of those who had went away, and those who had died. By no means did I make it a dark story. I made the story as cheerful as possible. As grand as possible.


    That��s the role of those who had survived, and those who had been protected by them.


    The adventure will still go on.


    The floor that I��m aiming for is deep.


    Only difficulties and causes of concerns are piling up.


    I��m sure that tonight won��t be the only night like this where I can��t sleep.


    In the midst of telling the long story, at some point,


    And in time, I''ll tell the story of you who gave your love to me.


    ��End��

 Chapter 042: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta I

    <h4>Chapter 042: Abandoned Dog��s Pasta I</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��70th day��


    I,


    After an unexpected turn of events, was sent to an alternate world and am spending my days as an adventurer.


    There were fun times, but there were also painful times.


    I contracted with a beautiful god.


    I also got (pretend) married.


    I got a younger sister.


    I met trustworthy party members. And then, parted with them.


    After many twists and turns,


    As I met and parted with people repeatedly, I grew just a little.


    However, as an adventurer, I��m still a greenhorn.


    Moreover, my personal evaluation is only getting worse due to the fact that my infamy had spread.


    I must work hard. To clear my bad name, it would take several times as much fame. And as a party leader, I have to put my party members first.


    From now on, I won��t let the party members in this party die no matter the reason.


    This is one thing that I��ll definitely fulfill.


    Should there be a next time that someone is to be sacrificed, then it��ll be me. I haven''t said anything about this to the other party members, but it''s my atonement for letting my friend die and the fate that I had decided for myself.


    This is one thing that I��ll definitely fulfill. It��s my pride and my duty.


    With fresh determination, we explored the dungeon.


    It was tough after all. There were no easy paths. It was a cycle of moving forward and going back, but little by little, we turned it to food and advanced. It wasn��t as if I had time to spare. But I didn��t let myself get impatient, and moved cautiously at walking speed.


    That is our adventure.


    Putting that aside, I��m boiling pasta right now.


    For some reason, I��m boiling pasta.


    It all started five days ago.


    Nine cargo ships owned by Libera?Araruledo, a wealthy merchant from the center continent, arrived at the port near the Kingdom of Lemuria. Rather than say they arrived, it might be more urate to say that they somehow limped into port on the verge of shipwreck.


    Having plunged into a storm in order to escape from pirates, the fleet was half-destroyed, and the masts of all of the remaining ships had broken, leaving them to be swept by the currents towards the right continent������������It was a story like that.


    The cargo onboard the ships was wheat from the left continent.


    There was arge amount of it.


    Putting it simply, if it was all made into bread, it would be equivalent to three years of the kingdom''s consumption of it.


    The wheat, which was originally supposed to be bound for the center continent, was sold by Araruledo to the Kingdom of Lemuria at a low price. It might be better to call it a giveaway price.


    I��m going to go off on a small tangent here.


    There is a Japanese term called ��staple food��.


    It��s a concept that isn''t very prevalent in Western countries and so on. That''s because the food called rice has a good bnce of nutrients. If two dishes are also added to it, it��s a perfect food that��s enough for a person to live on everyday.


    In that respect, there are many people who eat the food called wheat in the sense that ��it��s the food they mainly eat��, but I don��t hear much about things like it��s taste, nutritional bnce, or eating a wheat-only diet every day.


    Here, the dietary habits of the Kingdom of Lemuria were Western.


    Wheat, potatoes, meat, and beans were the dominant portion of their diet, and they filled their stomachs with various other ingredients.


    In this situation, even though it was cheap, there was no ce for wheat from other continents.


    And even though it was cheap, it had to priced higher than whole wheat flour, which was unrefined wheat. Circting strange price-disrupting products would cause confusion in the market. As it was sold to the kingdom directly, it couldn��t be priced in a way that had adverse effects on merchants.


    In addition, wheat from the left continent was more yellowishpared to wheat from the right continent. From the perspective of a person unfamiliar with such things, it looked like it had gone bad.


    Also, it wasn��t very suitable for making bread.


    It was the type that was hard, chewy on the inside and had a uniquely coarse texture.


    As a trial run, I had a baker in the kingdom bake it for sale, but it was very unpopr.


    To me, it didn��t have a particrly bad taste or texture, but it didn��t surpass the taste of the bread that was currently in cirction. In the first ce, to defeat an existing food, it needed to be tastier, cheaper or more convenient.


    The wheat from the left continent didn��t meet any of those requirements.


    And the clincher was,


    Araruledo, who had sold the wheat, had fled the right continent. He had run away without saying anything about the original cooking method of the left continent.


    I��ll touch on the reason for thatter, but what remained was arge amount of wheat. There were people from the left continent in the kingdom, but none of them had a solid background in cooking.


    For that reason, I received an edict from the king.


    It was a broad edict that said, "Make something with this wheat."


    As an adventurer who was more or less affiliated with the Kingdom of Lemuria, I couldn��t very well refuse.


    For some reason, the king had confused me for a foreigner chef. I mean, the food that I served the king was instant ramen, and it was cooking that was at the level that would get me beaten ck and blue by my deceased grandfather if I confessed to him that I had served royalty something like instant ramen, but for some reason, and in a very troublesome way, I had been mistaken as someone who��s good at cooking.


    To be honest, I''ve already exceeded the limit in terms of recipes, I tell you.


    In any case, I had the A.I. that I had brought over to this world analyze it first.


    The wheat from the left continent was very simr to modern world��s Semolina flour.


    In short, it was wheat suitable for pasta.


    Thus, I ended up boiling pasta.


    ��Well then, first is to boil it. As for the amount of water, you should have enough for the pasta to be moderately immersed. There should be 2 percent salt in the water��


    ��Excuse me-nya. How much is that 2 percent that you mentioned-nya?��


    An adorable blonde-haired cat beastkin asked me after raising her hand.


    ��I see. There��s no concept of percentages here, huh��


    ��Nya?��


    Other than her, there were about 30 people of all kinds who were involved with eateries in front of me. Further behind them, a steady flow of adventurers, who were passing by, came and went as they came to see what was going on.


    I was in front of the main store of the Zavua merchantpany, which was located on the main street of the Kingdom of Lemuria.


    Cooking utensils had beenid out on a long table, signboards had been put up and people were being invited to take a look.


    Written on the signboards was ��New dishes, cooking methods, exnatory sessions. Free, take note, it��s free!�� in the alternate worldnguage. I had also borrowed people from the merchantpany to call out to those who were illiterate.


    ��For a pot of water like this, add this amount of salt��


    The capacity of the stock pot was about 6 liters. I measured out the appropriate amount of salt by eye and added it in. I also put the pasta in.


    ��I see-nya��


    The blonde-haired beastkin, Tyutyu, noted it down.


    The pasta that I had just put in was dried pasta.


    It was produced by the materials collection section?butchering department of the Adventurers�� Guild.


    It was something that I had made after renting the smoking room on the 3rd floor of the dungeon.


    It was the first time I had made dried pasta, so its shape was a little bad. It had warped subtly. Also, the smell of bacon had seeped into it.


    ��The time needed for the pasta to be soft is until the sand in this hourss thates with every purchase runs out��


    That would take about 10 minutes.


    ��By the way, how much does one of those bags of pasta cost-nya?��


    Bags containing dried pasta had been lined up next to the cooking stand.


    At Tyutyu��s question, the people behind her also perked up their ears.


    ��Each bag of this dried pasta that��s produced directly under the Adventurers'' Guild contains 5 ruths of pasta and costs 9 copper coins. As a special offer for right now, ites with an hourss that can be used to tell the boiling time��


    ����������������


    I had expected it, but the reaction was bad.


    ��It��s expensive-nya��


    ��Expensive, isn��t it?��


    ��No way. I��m leaving��


    ��Let��s go��


    About three beastkin turned to leave.


    By the way, with regards to the prices in the Kingdom of Lemuria, one loaf of bread cost one copper coin. It was a loaf bigger than a person''s face and still, it cost one copper coin.


    This was the city of adventurers. Most adventurers ate well.


    If I converted one meal of an average adventurer into its equivalent amount in pasta, it would be 300g. Thinking simply, that would mean that each bag was 8 servings. As something to sell to others, that made it a bit tricky to set the price. Especially in stores operated by beastkin and such, simple calction showed that it wouldn��t be profitable.


    ��Now now, please wait��


    I took out the flour made from the wheat from the left continent.


    ����Specially�� for the people here, I''ll teach the method of making the pasta from this flour��


    ��Seriously-nya?!��


    Starting with Tyutyu, everyone��s attitude changed. The beastkin who had been about to leave also came back.


    ��Well then, first, put two handfuls of flour onto the cutting board��


    I made a mountain of wheat flour.


    ��Eggs go right here��


    I dug a hole in the middle and broke two chicken eggs into it.


    ��Today, I��m using eggs from the Zavua merchantpany, but there are no problems with using the egg liquid of therge egg as well��


    I took out a fork and mixed the egg and wheat.


    ��You aren��t pouring water in-nya?��


    ��Don��t pour water in-nya��


    ��I see-nya��


    Her way of speaking had rubbed off on me-nya.


    I mixed it, and when it had be a lump to some extent,


    ��After kneading it well and letting it rest, it bes like this��


    I reced it with the finished product casually.


    ��?!��


    For some reason, everyone was surprised.


    ��Well, work the dough the same way as when you��re making bread, and when it��s about the same hardness as an earlobe, please let it rest in a cool ce for half a day��


    Next, I took out a rolling pin,


    ��tten it out as thinly as possible����and it bes like this��


    ��?!��


    I reced it with an already ttened one.


    ��After that, cut it as thinly as possible������


    I ced the cutting board in a hidden space in the cooking stand, and in exchange,


    ������and it bes like this��


    I took out the raw pasta that had already been cut into thin strips.


    ��Woahh!��


    For some reason, cheers rang out.


    Three minutes had passed so far.


    ��By the way, if you let this rest in a well-ventted ce, it��ll be more springy(koshi) and delicious��


    ��What is koshi-nya?��


    ��That chewy texture-nya��


    ��I see-nya��


    I dropped the raw pasta into another stock pot.


    ��Compared to dry pasta, raw pasta is better because it requires less time to boil. With regards to the boiling time, please learn it by feel as it depends on the length and thickness. When its color starts to lighten, it''s a suitable time to stop. By the way, one bag of the wheat flour from the left continent contains 20 ruths (20 kg) and costs 7 copper coins��


    ��Hmm~, it��s hard to decide-nya��


    The same amount of whole wheat flour cost 3 copper coins, so it had been set at a rather difficult price.


    ��Well then, now for the most important cooking method��


    From this point onward, it would be a battle against time. I signaled the salespeople of the Zavua merchantpany and had them get things ready behind the scenes. I also took the opportunity to get one of them to use magic to provide fire.


    I heated up a frying pan.


    ��A drizzle of olive oil and then throw in some chopped garlic and devil''s little finger (red pepper). If you don''t like spiciness, then remove the seeds��


    I mixed the ingredients that I had prepared in the olive oil. Their smell slowly seeped into the oil. The red pepper seeds had been removed this time.


    ��Adjust the fire to the extent that it doesn��t burn the ingredients��


    Lured by the smell of fried garlic, several adventurers stopped in their tracks.


    I left it alone for a while, prepared the ingredients for another dish in the meantime, and then put them over the fire as well.


    ��Ohh, how��s it going?��


    An eye-catching person, who was passing by, walked over and joined the crowd.


    It was a man with arge build. I could tell that he was bulging with muscles even over his apron. He had a distinctive mohawk. The wrinkles on his face were deep, his eyes were sharp and he looked fierce, but he also had a friendly and knowledgeable side to him.


    Rasta?Oru?Razva.


    A senior adventurer with a ��super�� added to that title, and also the barkeeper of a bar run by the country.


    ��Huh, Master, what brings you here-nya? If it''s the cooking method-nya, I��m properly taking notes-nya��


    ��Yes, but if you buy it, you can��t carry it all by yourself, right?��


    ��I��m not going to buy so much in one go-nya��


    ��Well��, I heard a little something through the grapevine, you see?��


    He was having a conversation like that with Tyutyu.


    The garlic was fried just right.


    ��Add the water used to boil the pasta to this��


    Swoosh, went the water and oil as they mixed at high temperature and emulsified.


    After they had mixed, I put out the fire for the frying pan. I removed the pasta using tongs, put it into the frying pan and further mixed it thoroughly. I taste-tested it. The taste of garlic and red pepper had soaked into oil. It needed a little salt, so I added some and then mixed it some more. Another taste-test. Getting the amount of salt right was difficult. I felt that it was a little lean, but it was more or lesspleted. As the finishing touch, I sprinkled a little bit of dried herb powder over it.


    ��First, keeping it simple, here��s olive oil pasta with garlic and devil''s little finger. Please have a taste��


    From inside the store, the merchantpany��s salespeople brought out more servings of pasta than the number of people in the crowd.


    They weren��t made by an amateur like me who had learned by imitation. They had been cooked by real chefs from this side who had practiced beforehand.


    Amotion began as everyone started eating.


    ��Oh, I don''t hate it-nya. It��s profitable if you��re okay with it not having much ingredients-nya��


    ��Yeah, you��re right. But the te feels a little empty. If we serve it at our ce��...maybe add thinly sliced raw ham? Hmmm, I��ve eaten something simr on the left continent, but I think it wasn��t thin like this��


    Those were the impressions of Tyutyu and the barkeeper.


    ��It��s not bad, but it��s a poor dish to be served at our store, isn��t it?��


    ��That��s it. We��ll add ingredients just like Master��


    ��I found some strange species of vegetable recently. It might be good to add that��


    ��Speaking of which, salted fish is being sold at the Eruomea merchantpany, isn��t it? How about adding that?��


    ��No no, when ites to garlic, you have to add tomatoes��


    Each of the many chefs shared their ideas.


    It had gotten off to a pretty good start.


    ��Then, next is������


    I added pasta to the finely sliced salted pork that had been stir-fried in another frying pan. Then, I added a mixture of egg liquid and cheese to it and stirred everything quickly.


    ��The amount of seasoning to use for the stir-fried salted pork is up to you. As for the cheese, the dried and powdered ones should be fine. Be careful not to have the temperature too high or the eggs will be lumpy. Mix it quickly and it��splete��


    I sprinkled salt and coarsely ground pepper over it. I taste-tested it. The rich cheese and egg vors added to the heavy pork vor. Unless someone made a mistake with the amount of salt, there was no way it would taste bad.


    ��The second dish, Carbonara. Please enjoy��


    Once again, the salespeople brought out the finished dishes from inside the store.


    The one that I had made was stabbed with forks by Tyutyu and the barkeeper, who brought it to their mouths.


    ��It������������It��s delicious-nya. This is delicious-nya��


    Tyutyu was trembling.


    ��That��s right������eggs and cheese. And salted pork. It was a blind spot. If it��s matched with delicious food, then it��s bound to be delicious. Why didn��t I realize that��...��


    The barkeeper was depressed for some reason.


    ��Ohh, it��s simple, but it transforms depending on the ingredients. Shall we immediately try serving it at our store tonight? We have some aged pork cheek meat, don��t we? Should we try making it with that?��


    The casual words of one chef brought a sharp glint to the eyes of the others.


    ��No no, I''ll be serving it at my store too��


    ��In that case, I suppose I��ll also serve it at my store. Of course, the oil pasta as well. I��ll have to go to the farms and take a look at the vegetables��


    ��Wha��, then our store too��


    It was very well-received.


    ��You there. I wonder if I could have a te as well. To be sure, this is free, right?��


    I had hooked a woman who was passing by.


    She was a magician with blonde ringlets who had the air of a rich youngdy. She was even apanied by a maid who was standing behind her. Both of them had the containers for the regeneration point and various pouches for keeping items, which were the telltale signs of adventurers. She was a proper adventurer.


    ��Of course, adventurer-sama. However, there are three more dishes after this. More food will be given out, so please stay and take a look at those as well��


    I signaled the salespeople.


    ��What��s this? Free food?��


    After catching one person, a rich haul followed. Adventurers wereing over one after another.


    Here��s my chance.


    ��Well then, the next dish is meat sauce. It��s minced meat, onions, carrots, root vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, and several kinds of herbs all chopped up and then boiled in red wine. It��s currently selling with rave reviews at the Zavua merchantpany. Each bottle is enough for two servings and they cost 3 copper coins each��


    tes of pasta with meat sauce wereid out. While they were at it, bottles of the meat sauce were ced near me.


    ��Next is spicy tomato sauce. It��s made using mostly the same process as the meat sauce I mentioned earlier, but with white wine instead of red wine. It��s finished off by putting in a lot of devil''s little fingers and slowly boiling it down��


    The bottles of tomato sauce were lined up in a simr fashion. The price was also 3 copper coins. Simrly, the salespeople brought out tes of pasta with tomato sauce. Along with the chefs, the noisy crowd of adventurers who had gathered started eating the dishes with forks. ��Finally, a mixture of green vegetables, nuts, garlic, cheese and various spices. It��s Genovese sauce��


    It was totally green, and the reactions it received were a little unfavorable.


    At any rate, samples of all of the dishes wereid out and everyone was eating.


    I had been anxious about it, but they were quite well-received.


    ��Whoa, yeah, it''s delicious. Where can I eat this? Is it at this merchantpany?��


    One of the adventurers asked.


    I had been waiting for that.


    Most of the adventurers lived in inns. There were also those who lived in stables though. Aside from those, very few of them owned their own homes or lived in ces that came with a kitchen. In that case,


    ��You can eat it at the bars, inns, and restaurants of the people who are here right now��


    I said.


    Yes, they would have to eat it at the eateries of the chefs or proprietors who were here right now.


    ����������������


    You set us up, didn��t you? said the eyes of the chefs and proprietors who hadn''t wanted to buy.


    Sorry, I��m just doing business here, I replied with my eyes.


    ��We��ll serve them at our bar tonight. All of the dishes here��


    ��That''s great. I''ll bring my party members and we��ll have them for dinner��


    One of the adventurers was hooked by the barkeeper��s response.


    To a man, all of the other chefs also started advertising their stores. It was nice and lively.


    ��Souya, for how long can the dried pasta be kept? And the bottled sauce too��


    I answered the barkeeper��s questions without a moment��s dy


    ��If you take precautions against mold and it��s stored in a dry ce, it can easilyst for about a year. For the sauce, once you��ve opened it, two days, I suppose. In its sealed state, if it��s kept out of the sun, I believe it canst about 30 days��


    ��I see, I��ll buy 200 bags of dried pasta and 50 bottles each of all three types of sauce��


    I was surprised when I made a sale all of a sudden.


    ��Master, wouldn��t it be bad if you bought this much and some remained unsold?��


    ��Why, I heard my cousin-dono grumble about asking someone who��s good at cooking to cook some wheat dishes, you see? It��s something like giving my rtive a hand��


    Well, he was part of the royal family after all.


    ��We have a purchase~!��


    I had a salesperson wrap the merchandise and bring it here.


    At first nce, it really didn��t seem to be a load that an ordinary person could carry, but after paying for it, Tyutyu and the barkeeper causally carried it away on their shoulders.


    As expected from the residents of the alternate world.


    ��We��ll buy 30 bags of dried pasta and 2 bags of wheat flour. 3 bottles of each sauce please��


    ��I��ll have 20 bags of dried pasta and 2 bags of wheat flour. No need for the sauce��


    ��Let��s see, 5 bags of dried pasta, 3 bags of wheat flour and 4 bottles of each sauce��


    ��Alright. Please wait a moment��


    It got busy all of a sudden, and along with the salespeople, I calcted the bills and handed out the merchandise.


    It sold better than I had expected.


    Business was thriving.


    It��s just��..., well��..., half were fake customers, you see?

 Chapter 043: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta II

    <h4>Chapter 043: Abandoned Dog��s Pasta II</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    Having reached a point where I could take a pause, I went up to the second floor of the Zavua merchantpany.


    It appeared that there was something that needed to be talked about.


    ��Souya-dono! Thank you for your hard work!��


    While still sitting in a chair, a big-sized man head-butted the table. The name of the man was Karlgoff, and he was the young Chairman of the Eruomea merchantpany.


    ��Well, it��s popr, isn��t it? Even from here, I could tell from the sounds from the crowd that business was thriving��


    Sitting next to him was a slim man who had mastered the business smile to the core. This guy''s name was Lonewell. In ce of his mother, he served as the Chairman of the Zavua merchantpany. Same as me, he was also the kin of Gravius-sama, a god of business.


    ��Hmm, would you be so kind as to introduce us?��


    An elderly man was sitting facing the two of them.


    He was a slim man with sunken cheeks and long hair that was streaked with white. He held a cane and was well dressed. The robe that he was wearing was embroidered with gold in several ces. He didn��t have on a lot of rings and nes, but the ones he did wear were precious and expensive. He didn��t put on essories until they were jingling like the nouveau riche did. It was a refined way of dressing.


    ��This is Souya-san, a consultant for the Zavua merchantpany and the Eruomea merchantpany��


    Lonewell introduced me to the elderly man.


    I bowed lightly. I didn��t sit down. I wasn��t sure why though.


    ��Greetings. I��m Souya from a foreignnd��


    ��I see. So you��re a foreigner. Well well, you��re a rare talent��


    It��s to the extent that it��s considered rare, huh?


    How many people like me are there in this alternate world, I wonder? I��m subtly curious about it.


    ��Greetings from me as well. My name is�D�D��


    ��Libera?Araruledo, I assume?��


    I interrupted him and made a guess in a quiet voice.


    There was a slight moment of silence.


    ��Hmm��


    Without losing his cool, the elderly man spoke calmly.


    ��Now, what a surprise. If such a wise person is present, the merchantpanies of these two young men should prosper��


    ��The prosperity of the merchantpanies is due to the efforts of these two people, and my help is negligible��


    I��m not being humble. It��s a fact.


    ��What are you saying, Souya-dono! Without the many products that were created from the knowledge of the foreignnds, we wouldn��t have had the kind of sales that we��ve had ofte!��


    Karloff had praised me in an oppressively passionate manner, but I wish he would stop acting like that. I mean, I had gotten the name right only because the king had tipped me off, alright?


    ��Well? The greetings and introductions are done, what business do you have with me?��


    I''m not a merchant. I''m an adventurer.


    I don��t need all the troublesome pomp and circumstance. It��s better to get him to tell his story and state his business quickly.


    ��Souya-san, the fact of the matter is that the Zavua merchantpany and the Eruomea merchantpany are currently considering doing business jointly with Libera?Araruledo-sama��s merchantpany. We wanted to also inform Souya-san, our consultant, of our intentions��


    Even though he��s down on his luck, he��s a wealthy merchant from the center continent. I think that this is a good business opportunity. His business experience is also likely in a different leaguepared to ours. Working together with such a person would be a valuable experience.


    ��I��ve been called a wealthy merchant in the center continent, but I still don��t know my way around this right continent. For that very reason, to do business in this region, I��m thinking of working together with young up-anding merchantpanies as equals and�D�D��


    ��Wait��


    I interrupted him.


    He said something strange, didn��t he? This old bird.


    ��What do you mean ��as equals��?��


    ��Certainly, they may be young and inexperienced merchantpanies, but even despite that, I��m working with them as equals, is what I meant��


    ��That��s wrong, isn��t it?��


    I had thought that he would be a passable person because he��s a wealthy merchant, but his greed is transparently obvious.


    ��If you go down in rank and work together with these two as a lesser, then as their consultant, I��ll support it. If you don��t agree to that, then I oppose��


    ��Huh, Souya-san?��


    ��Souya-dono, Libera-sama is one of the top five wealthiest merchants in the center continent, you know? Just being able to work with such a person as an equal�D�D��


    Their opinions are absolutely right. The other party is a merchant who "had" assets and influenceparable to royalty.


    But now,


    ����Was�� a wealthy merchant, am I right? Along with the fall from power of the Seventh Pope, whom he has close ties with, this man fled for his life from the center continent. Sending his damaged ships out to sea again was probably a ruse that he came up with because he was afraid of pursuers. You sank the ships as you saw fit and snuck back into Lemuria covertly. Do you know that one of the ships that you sank destroyed a fishmen��s settlement? Will youpensate them using the small change that you got from selling the wheat?��


    The two young Chairmen looked at the former wealthy merchant with doubtful eyes.


    This man��s life is being targeted by Elysium, thergest nation on the center continent. He��s a tremendous liability.


    ��Even if you talk aboutpensation, something like thend races paying money to the fishmen is������


    Libera gave an extremely typical opinion.


    He probably intended to talk his way out of it, but there were two people present who would take exception to that.


    ��Karlgoff and I have a close rtionship with the fishmen. We can��t brush this aside and work with you��


    ��Souya-dono, is that true?��


    ��I heard it from Geto-san this morning. There��s no doubt��


    With a grim expression on his face, Karlgoff spoke.


    ��������������Libera-sama, I''m sorry, but as long as mymonw wife is a mermaid���� If you refuse topensate, allow me to consider that our discussion about working together never happened��


    Looking extremely remorseful, Lonewell said.


    ��I''m very sorry, Libera-sama. For the Zavua merchantpany, if the Eruomea merchantpany isn��t a part of this, then this discussion never happened��


    ����������������


    With nothing showing on his face, Libera was wrapped in a heavy silence.


    ��I see��


    But he changed his tune in an instant.


    ��I��m sure that I��ll be able to do great business with a merchantpany that has a close rtionship with the fishmen. I��ll also pay thepensation immediately. And I would like to take back what I said about being equals. I��m fine with being the lesser to the three of you. However, I wonder if it��s alright if I add just one condition?��


    I was surprised by the speed in which he changed his tune.


    On top of that, he had brushed off the matter about his troubles with Elysiumpletely.


    ��I would like to request help with the livelihood of 54 of my employees and their families, as well as 145 of my ves. If you are able to take care of them, please feel free to use the name of the Libera merchantpany��


    Use his name, huh? Both Zavua and Eruomea are young merchantpanies.


    The age of a merchantpany is linked to its credibility.


    Those involved with the Myriad Kings of the left continent, the nobles from the center continent that had been crowded out, advanced adventurers. All these people would be eager to do business with a well-established merchantpany. If they��re able to get a piece of that market, it''s a great opportunity for young merchantpanies.


    But is it an opportunity that we want to seize in spite of the fact that it would incur the wrath of one nation?


    It��s certainly risky.


    But in some cases, it��s especially profitable.


    The two of them would likely not oppose. That��s because the general consensus among the merchants these days is that��Elysium doesn��t have much longer��.


    But there is one problem.


    ��ves, huh��������������


    Karlgoff��s expression turned solemn.


    ��ves are a little������...��


    Lonewell had the exact same expression.


    very doesn��t exist within the Kingdom of Lemuria. Allowing it would create a situation where adventurers would surround themselves with ves when exploring the dungeon. Something called��ve adventurers��had existed in ancient times, and it seemed that the country had been destroyed after they had rebelled.


    ��Adventurers are free creatures.��


    So long as Lemuria flew a g like that, very would likely not be allowed in the future.


    However, there is just one exception.


    And that��s the serfs that had been borrowed from the allied nation of Elysium.


    They are here for the sake of sustaining the lifeline called food of an allied nation.������is the public stance. Elysium��s true intention is, ��If the rtionship between allies deteriorate, we��ll pull out all of the serfs sustaining your production of food!��, a threat like that.


    It seems like something had happened to the king in the past.


    If anyone brought a ve into Lemuria, they would be severely punished.


    Last month, there had also been merchants like Libera who had kept ves and had fled here from the center continent, but they were executed and had all of their property confiscated. I had felt that it was a little too harsh, but that wasn��t something that a mere adventurer pointed out to a king.


    This is a matter that I need to be prudent with. Even I, who��s somewhat in the king��s good books, must be careful.


    ��Libera, what can those ves do?��


    ��Farm work, preparing food, cleaning,undering, looking after people, and menial work for all sorts of jobs. Of course, they can also take care of either men or women. They are all healthy and sturdy beastkin��


    Through the merchantpanies, it��s possible to help those who can prepare food, clean andunder. Farm work, huh? I��ll have to ask the king about that. There��s no telling what kind of trouble it might stir up. It��s scary���� As for working in the brothels, I can��t say anything until I��ve asked the ves in question.


    ��We��ll work out the detailed termster, but first off, the Zavua and Eruomea merchantpanies will each take care of half of the employees and their families. Lonewell, Karlgoff, is that okay with the two of you?��


    ��Yes, I had wanted more manpower recently to expand the business. I��ll happily take responsibility of the employees of the Libera merchantpany��


    ��I feel the same way as Lonewell��


    The two of them gave their approval readily.


    ��Next is the issue of the ves, but Libera, you know that very is prohibited in this country, right?��


    ��Yes, of course. But there are plenty of loopholes, aren��t there?��


    ��There certainly are. But there��s no reason for me to go so far for your ves��


    ��They��re excellent ves, you know? It��ll be a tremendous loss if they are cast out like this��


    ��This isn��t a matter of profit and loss. It''s a matter of trust��


    I have the king��s favor right now. I don��t want to lose the king��s trust for the sake of a washed-up wealthy merchant.


    ��But there��s something that you can do, am I right?��


    As expected.


    He��s very experienced. He��s seen through the fact that I have a way to solve this problem, hasn��t he?


    ��Yes, there is, but in the worst case, they��ll have to be cast out. Well, they��ll probably not die from starvation��


    ��Hmm������������If their lives are guaranteed, even if the treatment of the ves is the worst, I suppose that will be fine��


    If he had not been concerned about the predicament of the ves, I would have canceled the deal right away.


    Or had he seen through that as well?


    ��Excuse me for a while��


    For the time being, I left the room.


    ��Yukikaze, how many of them are there?��


    I addressed the A.I. on my waist that was disguised as antern.


    ��Understood, running an optical scan using the bug drones. ording to the faint pulses detected, there are three people��


    ��Show me their images��


    ��Understood��


    Images of the three people were disyed on the LCD of the sses. They were all beastkin. I didn��t recognize two of them, but I did know one of them. That person��s hiding spot was also disyed.


    I returned to the room,


    ��Excuse me��


    I opened the window and called out towards the roof.


    ��Karoro! I want to talk to you for a moment! Come in!��


    Eeeh~, after uttering that in a soft voice, a tanned cat beastkin in a maid outfit flung herself into the room.


    ��For how long have you been aware of my presence-mya?��


    ��I just noticed-mya��


    Two merchants had bewildered expressions on their faces.


    ��This is Karoro. She��s probably a spy of King Lemuria, and she��s watching you, Libera. Also, you��ve sent out spy-like people as well, haven��t you?��


    ��Hmm��


    All expression disappeared from Libera��s face.


    ��If you''re willing to be our lesser, let��s not have any secrets like this between us. The next time you do something simr, all contracts will be canceled without warning no matter the timing. In addition, I��ll report to the king that you��re nning to overthrow the nation. Got it?��


    ��I forgot my manners because I��m being pursued. Please let me apologize. It seems like it��s useless to even try to hide things from you, but there is a spy of Elysium in this kingdom. They are countermeasures against that spy��


    ��That''s the reason why this Karoro has been sent to guard you. Her skills are so-so though. As long as she is affiliated with the king, she can be used to shake up Elysium. Well, it��ll depend on King Lemuria��s mood though��


    ��I see������������Souya-sama. Do you have a rtionship with the royal family?��


    ��That''s a secret��


    In the sense that we��re aplices, the king and I have a cooperative rtionship. That''s not something that I can reveal lightly. If anyone were to delve deeper into it, our weakness would be exposed.


    ��Hang on a minute, Souya. I would prefer if you didn��t move things along as you please-mya. The king''s order is to protect that old man when he��s in danger-mya��


    ��Then isn��t guarding him fine?��


    ��������������Now that you mention it, you��re right-mya��


    Is this one going to be alright, I wonder?


    But even the spy of Elysium would likely noty a hand on the subordinates of an allied nation lightly. She should be effective as a shield. Just to be sure, I��ll also leave a warning.


    ��Right now, there��s one condition that I can state definitively. Libera, whenever you meet with your former employees and ves, make sure that this Karoro is present. The contents of your conversations will be transcribed and given to me.


    Let me state this clearly. I won''t arrange a meeting between you and the king. If you want to know why, it��s because I don��t trust you. And, not once in the past have I ever trusted a person who came to me with falsehoods mixed in from the start. A merchantpany owner of your stature should be well aware of the kind of treatment a person who isn��t trusted by his betters receives. Even so, are you still going to say that you��re fine with being the lesser to Zavua and Eruomea?��


    The fact that it��s a business opportunity hasn��t changed, but personally speaking, I��m hoping that he gets angry and leaves.


    I recognize that merchantpanies that y it safe are fragile.


    But I want to do business carefully and steadily. I want to be spared from getting into disputes for anything other than adventuring. I had be the consultant for the merchantpanies after one thing had led to another, but if my duties expanded beyond that, it would hinder my adventuring business.


    ��Very well, I ept��


    ��That''s true. A person who��s well known as a wealthy merchant won��t ept such conditions������������Eeeh?��


    He had epted readily.


    He had done it so readily that it feels like there��s more than meets the eye. No, but if he��s pressured this much in his hour of need����


    ��Can you swear to your own god?��


    ��I��ll swear��


    Libera took out a feather from within his cane. It was a long and narrow feather.


    He can swear, huh?


    ��Those who are the Pyroxenes of the Myriad Kings, the sister gods of Minerva, and the one praised highly as beautiful even among them, my god Meltouvius. With your transparency, bring certainty to contracts. Please allow us the pleasure of seeing your countenance here and now��


    There was a burst of light and a peacock appeared.


    ����������������


    The female peacocknded on the table lightly.


    When speaking of peacocks, one tends to have an image of a showy and beautiful bird, but those are all males. In nature, showy creatures are the evolution of males for the sake of attracting females.


    In other words, female peacocks are small and in. They look like pigeons with a long neck.


    ��Libera, are you in good health? Recently, I''ve heard that you��re worrying over troubles that are unrted to business. Dress warmly so that you won��t suffer from lung diseases due to this continent��s winds, which you aren��t used to. Be careful with the water too, alright? Be sure to heat it up and bring it to a boil before drinking������Oh, Karlgoff? So you��re here too��


    Libera and Karlgoff were the kin of the same god.


    Karlgoff bowed down with a force that seemed like he was head-butting the table.


    However, somehow, it��s a god that gives off a gentle air. I don��t know if I should say that she is sociable, or that she seems like amoner. Gods have a unique intimidating air, but I don��t feel much of that from this god.


    ��Meltouvius-sama, I feel truly happy to see you worry about my health before anything else. On this asion, I��ve summoned you to be the witness for a contract with others��


    ��Alright. The one that wishes to form a contract with my kin, please name yourself��


    ��I��m Souya from a foreignnd. Wait a moment��


    I also hurriedly raised a feather.


    I summoned the god of business that I was contracted with, Gravius-sama, one of the sister gods of Minerva.


    There was a burst of light and an owl glided down. For some reason, shended on my head. Her ws hurt a little.


    ��What do you want? ������No way, Meltouvius. Have youe to pull your tricks on my kin again?��


    ��No, Onee-sama. I was summoned by my kin today to be the witness for a contract��


    ��I��m not convinced��


    The atmosphere was ominous.


    Ow, it hurts. Gravius-sama, your ws, your ws are digging into my scalp.


    ��The contents of today��s contract that we would like the two gods to witness are as follows; the Libera merchantpany will go under the protection of the Zavua merchantpany and the Eruomea merchantpany, strictly obey their business orders, and present them an appropriate portion of the profits��


    ��Please wait��


    I stopped Libera''s one-sided dictation of the terms of the contract.


    For some reason, I felt something like impatience from him.


    ��Please add on the condition that the assets of the Libera merchantpany will be left under our care temporarily and distributed appropriately��


    ��������������Very well��


    This is also okay, huh? That''s fricking suspicious!


    ��Understood. Oh Souya, the one who has formed a contract with my kin. May this contract benefit both sides. Also, I hope that you will protect and treat my kin, who are under your protection, with care��


    Meltouvius said that to me.


    If possible, I had wanted either of the two Chairmen to be the representative for the contract, but it couldn��t be helped that this was how things had turned out.


    ��Kin of Gravius, Souya from a foreignnd, agrees. I��ll do my level best to live up to your hopes and expectations��


    I had a bad feeling.


    It felt like I had swallowed poisonous bait. In addition, it was the vicious, slow-acting kind. For some reason, this kind of premonition always came true.


    ��I��ll take my leave then. My kin, may you and those connected to you have a healthy future��


    Meltouvius spread her wings and disappeared with a sh of light.


    I thought that Gravius-sama would also return, but she didn''t. Her ws���� They were stuck quite firmly into my head.


    ��Hmm, should we wrap things up here for today?��


    ��We��lle up with the details of the contract at ater date. Karoro, I��m counting on you for the rest. I''ll inform King Lemuria��


    ��Some~how, it��s hard to swallow-mya��


    Apanied by Karoro, Libera left the room.


    ��Souya-dono, Lonewell, that��s it for me today as well��


    Close on the heels of Libera, Karlgoff also left the room.


    ��Then me too��


    Was what I said before Gravius-sama dug her ws even deeper and I ended up letting out a short scream.


    ��My kin, we need to talk��


    ��Oowwoww, Gr, Gravius-sama, bl, blood ising out��


    ��What fools you are to attempt forming a contract with Meltouvius�� kin without even consulting me��


    ��Huh, what do you mean?��


    Gravius-sama pped her wings once and alighted on Lonewell''s shoulder.


    ��Gravius-sama, what are you talking about?��


    It seemed that he had no idea as well, so he asked our god.


    ��Among us Minerva sisters, Meltouvius was the woman who received the most offers of marriage from both men and women, and wheedled the most money and valuables from people. On top of that, she treated it like it was bread or something, and gave it out to the people. In the name of Minerva, she��s worshiped as a god of business, but I��ve yet to recognize her as one. That woman will throw emotion into the midst of people��s calctions without batting an eyelid. For all that, her actions are peculiarly overlooked. Even if the terms of the contract are favorable, there is a risk that all the norms of contracts will get overturned. That kin as well, he��s probably simr to her in some way and has something that departs from the norm��


    One more p of her wings, and shended on my knee this time.


    ��To make a decision on that without even consulting me��


    I was pecked continuously in the stomach. It hurt. It hurt quite a bit.


    ��Th, thank you for your valuable advice. From the next time on, we��ll consult with you first��


    ��That''s right, you miscreant. In the first ce, why didn��t you know how dangerous it is despite being the consultant?��


    ��I don��t know a lot about the gods��


    ��Now now, Gravius-sama. Simply forming a cooperative rtionship with the wealthy merchant Libera alone will bringrge profits to the Zavua merchantpany. Isn��t that a good thing?��


    ��Hmpt, I can only hope that those profits and the merchantpany itself won��t getpletely snatched away��


    We had to be careful not to let god��s ill-omened premonitione true.

 Chapter 044: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta III

    <h4>Chapter 044: Abandoned Dog��s Pasta III</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��71st day��


    It was the dead of night.


    I had returned once to the camp, had dinner with everyone, and after rxing, I had sneaked out and went to the royal castle.


    The ce that I had been summoned to was the kitchen.


    I put chopped mustard greens and onions on top of rabbit meat, which had been steamed in a pressure cooker until the bones had be soft, and then drizzled sweet and salty sauce over everything.


    ��Lanseal, are you ready?��


    ��Yes��


    She was a beastkin maid with silver hair. Lanseal sprinkled hot oil into a frying pan, then stir-fried the mustard greens and onions in the oil that had pine nuts in it, while making sure that the rabbit meat was covered evenly by the sauce, which seeped into the meat. The aroma of the sweetened soy sauce and the smell of refined meat wafted out.


    ��King Lemuria, here is today''s supper. It��s steamed shadow rabbit with oil poured over it��


    The king of this country was seated at a table in the kitchen.


    We won��t have to worry as much about being overheard here, was what I had been told.


    ��Alright, I��ll test for poison��


    ��That��s unnecessary��


    The one who had stretched out his hand from the side and had it swatted away was an adventurer named Medimu.


    He��s a legendary adventurer that everyone calls the "father of adventurers", but the people who know his true nature are few.


    ��Souya, what kind of dish is this? Keep it short��


    Following the king��s order, I kept it short.


    When I had went on for a long time previously, I had gotten kicked. It had hurt.


    ��When I ate the messenger shadow rabbit previously, it was very delicious, so I tried cooking it properly. It��s steamed and topped with raw vegetables with sweet and salty sauce drizzled over it, and then hot oil is poured on top of it toplete it. The meat has be so soft that you can even eat the bones��


    ��Even the bones, you said? That��s a little hard to believe, but let��s see��


    The meat was cut elegantly with a knife, stabbed using the fork together with the vegetables, and dipped in the sauce on the te before being carried by the king to his mouth.


    ��Umu��


    One bite, two bites, went the king as he ate the dish.


    ��Ooh, the bones disappear in the mouth so easily. What kind of magic did you use?��


    ��I simply steamed it in that pot��


    ��Ooh, the foreign pot that you brought here, huh?��


    There were three pressure cookers in this alternate world. There was one at my camp, one in the royal castle, and one in the kitchen of a certain militant group. For some reason, they were being treated as legendary items.


    ��The royal castle��s cooks also use it, but it seems that you use it best after all. The way youbined the deliciousness of this light meat, the sweet and salty seasoning, and the refreshing feel of the vegetables makes it really delicious. It makes me crave alcohol��


    ��Your Majesty, drinking alcohol at night is�D�D��


    ��I know. If I did something like pairing alcohol with your dishes, I��ll end up drinking until I copse again��


    Even though he had been dying from beriberi until a while ago, he was an impossible king because he would drinkrge amounts of alcohol without batting an eyelid until he became beronberon(drunk).


    ��Souya, what about my share?��


    Otou-san was ring at me.


    I couldn��t also put my utmost into cooking this person��s share, so I made a half-hearted dish.


    I poured the ketchup that I had brought with me into a frying pan. After putting it over high heat and bringing it to a boil, I added onions, pork and the leftover vegetables suitably, and then stir-fried everything. I added the soggy pasta that was left over from dinner.


    I mixed everything while adding more ketchup.


    ted it.


    Sprinkled powdered cheese lightly from above.*


    ��Here, Napolitan��


    ��Napoli, tan?��


    Well, it��s a Japanese dish that has nothing to do with Naples. It feels to me that its official name is Nihontan.


    Otou-san scooped the pasta with a fork and slurped it like he was eating buckwheat noodles.


    ��Hmm, the seasoning is sloppy, but it tastes good. The sourness of the red sauce and the cheesebine to bring out a decent deliciousness. I feel as if the texture is more half-hearted than the pasta that I had for dinner, but well, I��ll bear with it��


    Otou-san slurped the pasta loudly in an appetizing manner.


    In this world, it��s rude to make loud slurping sounds while eating. Even though he��s an old friend, to do it with the king beside him, he has guts.


    ��Medimu, don��t you think that you should share a little of that with me?��


    ��Your Majesty is making too big of a deal over amoners�� taste like this��


    Otou-san blocked the king��s fork with his body and slurped the Napolitan down.


    I didn''t miss Lanseal��s slightly envious look.


    ��Lanseal��


    ��Yes, what is it?��


    When I called her name, her ears twitched with gusto.


    ��There��s some food that I brought with me from the camp, but can you give me your impressions?��


    ��If it��s something like that, I��ll dly cooperate��


    I transferred the contents of a bottle that I had brought with me onto a te.


    ��Are those vegetables?��


    ��It��s a marinade of mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, celery, bell peppers and chicken��


    ��What��s a marinade?��


    ��It��s a cooking method in which the ingredients are soaked in seasoning oil that��s made bybining wine vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, citrus juice, and olive oil. Many of my party members hate vegetables, you see? I tried making this to see if I could get them to eat them somehow. Or rather, what��s going on when even an elf tells me that she doesn��t eat vegetables, I wonder��


    Even though she��s an elf, my sister hates vegetables. I��m in the middle of devising ways of making them easier to eat, like passing them through hot water lightly or frying them with bacon fat.


    ��It''s a dish that I''ve never seen before���� I''ll try eating it��


    Stabbing a cherry tomato with her fork, Lanseal covered her mouth as she ate.


    ��Hmm, aah��


    She was showing a slightly suggestive expression.


    ��Excuse me��


    Lanseal went on eating the marinade silently. But even if she kept silent, it seemed that her face was honest.


    The three dudes watched her expression intently. I didn��t mean anything lewd by it. I don��t know about the two Ossan(old men) though.


    After sampling all of the vegetables, Lanseal had one thing to say.


    ��It��s delicious��


    ��That''s great. So, umm, how was it delicious?��


    ��Err, it��s really delicious��


    ��Oh, thanks��


    ��Aah! It''s extremely delicious!��


    ��Yes, thank you��


    I had been faintly aware of it, but Lanseal��s vocabry when it came to food was the same as Rana��s.


    No, I''m really happy to hear that it''s delicious, and I''m sure that I wouldn''t feel motivated without it.


    ��Let��s see, I��ll have one too��


    ��In that case, I guess I��ll have some too��


    Despite being old enough to know better, the two Ossan stretched out their forks towards a woman��s te.


    ��Ooh, this tastes good, doesn��t it? It''s bacon, isn��t it? I��ll mix the bacon with the pasta and eat it��


    ��Umu, it��s been 40 years since I��ve eaten bell peppers, but I can eat these every day. Souya, leave some for breakfast before you return��


    As chance would have it, I was able to eliminate the king''s dislike of vegetables.


    I��ll leave one spare bottle of marinade, hey, these two Ossan are eating too much. They haven��t even finished their own food. What bad manners.


    And then, as they concentrated on their food, it was finished in no time. I washed the dishes.


    Lanseal was a little distance away, keeping an eye on a pot that was over the fire. The king spoke to my back.


    ��And, you said that Libera has made contact, didn��t you?��


    ��Yes, I was told by Your Majesty that he would reach out to young merchantpanies, but I never expected him toe to my ce��


    ��That''s because Zavua and Eruomea are both merchantpanies that have made a name for themselves recently. If it was me, I would do the same��


    King Lemuria had sensed Libera��s movements. The information about the ships was from Geto-san, but the information that he had infiltrated the kingdom was from King Lemuria.


    ��How do you see it, Souya?��


    ��It''s difficult, isn��t it?��


    What the king was uneasy about, was the fact that Libera��s objective wasn��t clear.


    He was a well-known wealthy merchant, albeit formerly. It would spell trouble if he stirred up anti-Elysium sentiments inside the kingdom. Even for us, there was the matter of timing.


    ��It��s information that cannot be verified, but I believe that his objective is probably to shake up Elysium��s wheat. Distributing wheat from the left continent cheaply inside the kingdom and letting the people get used to eating it, and then using therge number of ves that he brought to also produce the wheat from the left continent on this continent. Even if recing Elysium��s wheat as the mainstream wheat is impossible right now, it��s possible to destabilize the trade volume of Elysium��s wheat. It��s just������


    ��What?��


    A question mark floated above Otou-san.


    ��There is no sign of any attempt to profit from it. As a merchant, that��s uncanny. He swore before god today to work under both the Zavua and Eruomea merchantpanies. Even though he��s in a pressing situation, regardless of the fact that I had pressed him for pretty unfavorable conditions, he didn��t even bat an eyelid and waspliant for the most part. Things went far too smoothly, and it made me suspicious��


    ��It certainly seems suspicious, doesn��t it?��


    The king agreed with my opinion.


    ��Disregarding profits. That��s something that strays from the duties of a merchant. If that��s true, then Libera''s objective is likely revenge against Elysium. The reason why a man who had been called a wealthy merchant would abandon the duties of his trade, could only be his work as a man. What deceives keen insight is always the obsession of people. It��s certain that Libera?Araruledo will be a contaminant in the kingdom, I fear��


    ��Should we erase him?��


    asked Otou-san ominously.


    ��No, let��s bide our time for now and see how the situation develops��


    The king replied smoothly.


    ��In summary, if our interests align and it benefits me, I��ll simply use him. If he cannot be used, I��ll cast him out. If he gets in my way, I��ll erase him��


    Scary, scary.


    As a ruler of people, I suppose that he��s right though.


    I haven''t said it out loud, but the reason why I��ll never let Libera and the king meet is because I had felt from both Libera and the king a simr kind of "greed". In all likelihood, the two of them would get along well. And their interests also aligned.


    A wealthy merchant who had been chased from his hometown and wants revenge on those who drove him out.


    The king here who wants to dissolve a burdensome alliance without leaving any seeds of trouble.


    Both sides have nothing to lose.


    They have nothing to lose, but is Libera''s objective really revenge? I can''t be sure of that. Nothing is more dangerous than uncertain information. It can even be said to be fatal.


    It''s not something for me to decide, but I think that it��s better to erase Libera. At minimum, he should be banished to another continent. I don''t know what he��s got up his sleeves, but I��m sure he��s up to no good.


    ��Also, I talked about it earlier, but Libera brought ves with him. They haven��t entered Lemuria yet, but how should we deal with them?��


    ��How many are there?��


    ��ording to what Libera stated, there are 145 of them��


    ��That��s a lot, isn��t it? No, when ites to wealthy merchants, I suppose it��s on the lesser side. What kind of skills do they have?��


    ��There are farmers, those who can do menial work for various jobs, male and female prostitutes, and also spies��


    ��Even if they��re ves, they��ve probably worked for many years in Elysium. They��ll be able to find jobs anywhere in Lemuria. Consequently������


    ��I see. You��re saying that if they��re scattered in all quarters, they��ll be able to act as operatives��


    When Libera was under Yukikaze��s surveince, she had picked up 13 people who were deemed to be his spies. There must be those who had received that kind of training mixed in among the ves waiting at the nearby port as well.


    ��Medimu, do you have any suggestions?��


    ��Let��s see. Well, you should definitely not let them enter the kingdom. Letting theme into contact with those entering and leaving the kingdom is also unwise. Taking them in is dangerous. In that case������


    After I had finished washing the tes and the cookware, I started wiping them with a clean cloth.


    ��There��s some empty farnd, isn��t there? Gather them there and keep an eye on them, I suppose. Have them work the farm or something in their spare time. I don''t know if the fellow ves from Elysium are on good terms or bad, but in the worst case, even if they cause trouble there, we��ll be able to hide it from the public eye��


    ��Let''s go with that��


    I don''t really want to think about it, but he means hiding them from the public eye and erasing them, doesn��t he? Even if they are ves, that isn��t a reason to go easy on them.


    ��Your Majesty, the beans have boiled��


    Lanseal served edamame(immature soybeans) to the king.


    ��Ooh, I can��t do without this. Lanseal, I thought I''d ask you once more, but what kind of magic did you put on the beans?��


    The thing that had been put on them was salt.


    ��Your Majesty, I��ve promised Souya-dono to keep that a secret��


    ��Is that so? I��ve asked you a thoughtless question. Forgive me��


    It''s really only salt, but when I had exined that previously, he hadn��t listened, and had said,��There you go again, you��re hiding something, aren��t you?��It''s a hassle, so I decided to say that it��s a secret.


    ��Certainly, you can��t stop eating this��


    Otou-san was squeezing the pods and eating the beans one after another.


    ��Medimu, how dare you!��


    The king had gotten angry for real.


    I was about to wash the empty pot, but I was stopped by Lanseal.


    I took a seat at the table as well. As could be expected, I didn��t have the guts toy my hands on the king��s edamame.


    ��King Lemuria, have there been any news after that about the matter of Arianne?Foz?Gasim?��


    At my question, the king��s expression didn��t change, but his reply was unclear.**


    ��The news isn��t very good. In the first ce, the Fifth Pope, the one who had pushed for me to be king, travels around the world so much that he is ridiculed with the name of Vagabond King. Naturally, he doesn��t have much say within Elysium either. I��ve sent petitions several times, but I have yet to receive a good reply from the magistrates. However, there has been a reply with regards to Irvin?Foz?Gasim. It seems that he will be re-conferred the title of knight of St. Lyridias. It��s probably safe to say that his reputation as a knight has been restored��


    ��Thank you very much��


    I thanked the king for his help, but I have mixed feelings about it.


    I��m happy that myte friend has regained his honor. But I''m worried about his sister''s person. It��s easy to imagine what kind of treatment a female prisoner would receive in a chaotic situation.


    Even if she is freed, she had lost all of her rtives. Would she have a way of making ends meet? Isn��t there some way I can get in touch with her? It would be great if she��s a robust person, and if she can endure the long voyage, then I would like for her toe here.


    ��But Souya, if you find any one thing, just one for now, that can be used to make a deal with Elysium, then I��ll definitely request for a pardon. I swear on the name of my grandfather, Razva. Just one more��


    ��Understood��


    Yeah, this person is skillful.


    He had figured out the very limit of what��s possible for me to do and is acting ordingly. For that reason, what he had said likely wasn��t a lie. No, if his words were lies, then I��ll give up on this guy. I��ll journey to the center continent and do something about it myself. The time limit of one year for the adventure will definitely be exceeded, but I don��t care. At any rate, I no longer have any rtives and so on left in the modern world. It may be a good idea to make this side my final home. As for unfinished busines�D�D


    ��Huh?��


    My head was swaying in dizziness.


    ��Souya-dono!��


    Lanseal supported me when I was about to fall off the chair.


    ��Hey, what��s this all of a sudden?��


    Otou-san was worried about me.


    ��Excuse me, I may be feeling a little tired��


    ��It��s no wonder. Defeating the hero, exploring the dungeon, handling your work in the merchantpanies, and even preparing food, you��ve overworked yourself. Once you��ve cleared up this matter, you should rest to your heart''s content. If you travel about half a day to the east of the kingdom, you��ll see argeke. You��ll find a retreat that I haven��t used for some time there. I��ll lend it to you for a short while. Bring your party and go��


    The water��s edge. Taking a dip. Swimsuits.


    Is this a swimsuit event?!


    ��Yes, thank you very much. I''m feeling much better��


    I��m getting pumped up.


    ������������I��m simple, aren��t I?


    ��That��s enough for today. Lanseal, send Souya back��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    It wasn��t really necessary, but Lanseal took my arm.


    Onest thing to say����


    ��King Lemuria. Please give me two days. The matter of Libera, I��ll see what I can do��


    ��Umu, do as you see fit��


    ��I had forgotten, but I introduced Karoro to Libera and had her guard him on my orders��


    ��That��s fine with me. That��s enough for today. Go home and sleep��


    ��Then I��ll take my leave��


    After saying my farewells and bowing, I went out into the corridor apanied by Lanseal.***


    I think that King Lemuria is a good ruler.


    Does that mean that he��s virtuous as a person? That��s a foolish question. When standing above others, saying naive things like in Shonen(Boys��) mangas isn��t good enough. When all is said and done, a good king is one who is ruthless to foreign enemies


    For now, I��ll leave it at that.


    I reset my feelings for the king and scrutinized my next move.


    The matter of Libera.


    I��ve no choice but to do it, but it��s probably not possible to solve it using smart methods. Fortunately, the information gathering capabilities of the A.I.s is top-ss in this world. They possess god-like eyes and ears. However, the one who acts is an ordinary person like me. I have powers, but they��re all borrowed. I��ve no idea when I��ll lose them.


    It''s ironic.


    Even though I''m only trying to do what needs to be done, I��m straying from the duties of an adventurer.


    ��Say, Lanseal��


    ��Yes?��


    In a murmur, I tried asking Lanseal, who was preparing a horse in the stables. By the way, the horse is an old chestnut stallion. He��s obedient and smart, and I get to ride him on asion, even on my own.


    ��Could it be that I��m not cut out to be an adventurer?��


    ��Huh������������������������������������Y, yes��


    She said that with an incredibly apologetic expression.


    Th, that''s true. I had gotten rejected by Vindoobunikuru after all.


    ��If you please��


    I took her hand, put my foot in the stirrup of the saddle, and got on the horse. I was in front, and she held the reins from behind. To make sure that she could see, she leaned forward slightly and clung to me tightly. Suppleness that was different from Rana��s pressed against my back.


    ��But Souya-dono, even if it��s not as an adventurer, you have a wonderful talent��


    ��Huh?��


    Such words were whispered into my ear.


    Did I have something like that?


    ��Oh, you mean cooking?��


    ��Your cooking is very delicious. But it��s definitely the type of cooking that��s made for the sake of pleasing friends and family. Souya-dono, you don��t have much greed to begin with, so you��re probably not cut out to be a chef who takes money to earn a profit��


    Yes, she��s right.


    I definitely can''t do cost calctions, so I don''t think that I have any talent for being a chef. After all, if removing ingredients makes it taste worse, then I��ll probably add it even if doing so makes it an expensive dish. If no one eats it because it��s expensive, then I��ll probably lower the price.


    Yeah, I can''t run a restaurant or bar.


    Oh, but if it��s a hideaway store, I can sell alcohol that��sparatively expensive along with some snacks to go along with it, and serve stylish and rare Japanese dishes and so on. I��d name it ��Alternate world Taver�D�D


    ��It��s no good��


    ��No good?��


    I felt Lanseal��s breath on my ears, and I felt strange. Combined with the feel of her chest, I was d in various ways that I was in front.


    The horse passed through the castle��s secret passage and went out of the city.


    The wind knifed across the moonlit in as the horse galloped on.


    It seemed that this old horse used to be well-known as a swift horse, but even at its age, its legs were still much faster than the average horse.


    ��I think that you have talent as a merchant as well, Souya-dono. But you don��t have the obsession with money that a merchant needs. You, how do I say this, easily let go of things that aren��t of use to you, even if they have value, am I right?��


    ��Yeah, I suppose I have an idea of what you��re talking about��


    In the end, it��s about whether or not I have the desire to keep those things that are said to have value close at hand, right? I think of those things that are too much for me as unnecessary. I wonder if this way of thinking is an idiosyncrasy that I picked up from the aimless days that I had lived in the modern world.


    ��So, what��s this talent that you said I have?��


    ��I��m talking about risking your life for the sake of others. I think that it''s wonderful. I believe that that��s the epitome of the pride of a loyal retainer��


    That��s a term I��m not really familiar with, but she talking about me working under someone, right?


    I remembered the words of an adventurer called Ryutetto.


    ��A while ago, a certain adventurer also said something simr to me. That rather than being the leader of a party, I��m more cut out to be someone who supports that person������


    ��I''m sorry for being impertinent, Souya-dono, but, umm, could you please support His Majesty?��


    ����������������


    I was at a loss on how to answer.


    I like Lanseal.


    She��s serious, honest, strong and beautiful. The way we met is the worst, but even despite that, I have fond feelings for her. Speaking simply, it isn��t in return for her feelings. Speaking from the heart, I have fond feelings for her.


    ��His Majesty is considering something big. He needs many people that he can trust. It��s my belief that he needs people like Souya-dono��


    ��I''m sorry. That��s impossible��


    However, King Lemuria cannot be trusted.


    In the first ce, I don''t like good kings and good rulers.


    The kind of king that I like is unmistakably the kind that rides into certain death by himself. The kind of king that flourishes on the battlefield and in a chaotic world, and the kind that if I don��t die first, he��ll end up dead.


    In other words, it��s not that there is anything bad about King Lemuria. It��s just my aspirations that are warped. But I suspect that if I bear it and serve others, I��ll surely betray them horribly.


    ��I...����see, it��s a pity��


    ��Sorry��


    ��No, it''s not something you need to apologize for. I merely expressed a small hope of mine, don��t worry about it��


    ��I see��


    Amidst the blowing wind, a horse galloped in silence.


    The moons were nice again tonight.


    The three moons floating in the alternate world��s night sky looked just like a face with a wide grin.


    The bonfire of the camp came into view.


    Lanseal stopped the horse there.


    Saying that she would send me all the way to the camp and getting into a fight with Rana was the usual routine though.


    ��Souya-dono, to tell you the truth, I��ve been ordered by His Majesty, no, my father to have rtions with you��


    ��Huh?��


    What��s that Ossan thinking? To his own daughter����


    No, giving a woman is an effective way of controlling a person, I suppose. But the fundamental problem�D�D


    ��It''s a funny story, isn��t it? I already have someone that I like, and yet������


    ��That��s, err, certainly������


    It''s ironic.


    ��Like this, no matter what I say or do, it��ll end up being part of my father��s orders. To think that liking someone is something that doesn��t allow one to do as one desires��


    ��You��re truly a honest person, aren��t you? It would have been fine even if you had kept quiet about it��


    ��That would mean betraying my own feelings. By imitating a knight, I killed my self and became able to serve His Majesty and my younger brother. But I don��t serve you. So I serve my own feelings��


    ��If you were a slightly more crafty person�D�D��


    I would also be able to use you indifferently.


    I swallowed back those words.


    ��Truly, it��s something that doesn��t allow one to do as one desires, isn��t it?��


    ��Yeah��


    I got off the horse.


    Without a word, Lanseal left. In the darkness, her silver hair swayed.


    I stared at it until it hadpletely disappeared from view.

 Chapter 045: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta IV & V

    <h4>Chapter 045: Abandoned Dog��s Pasta IV & V</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��72nd day��


    ��Is~ that so, the marinade was well received by the king as well, huh?��


    ��This morning��s marinade of cold pasta was also well received, I suppose. Or rather, raw vegetables are basically unpopr, aren��t they? Even though they��re pesticide-free vegetables������


    After breakfast, I was in the middle of exchanging information with Makina.


    The sisters had gone to dvain��s dormitory. These days, they trained there whenever they had free time. I sympathized with how they felt.


    We were taking a break from adventuring today as well.


    After Irvin��s death, we had went once into the dungeon, arrived on the 14th floor, took a look at the guardian, and then returned.


    Various thing happened after that, and we haven��t challenged the dungeon for as much as ten days.


    Taking the sisters as a matter of course, Shuna and Bel also hadn��tined. I ended up letting them spoil me. I also ignored the fact that I had been thinking that things can��t go on like this.


    For that reason, I want to solve all the business rted troubles today.


    And, although tomorrow is impossible, if possible, one way or another, I want explore the dungeon about three dayster.


    ��Souya-san, just because the vegetables are pesticide-free, it doesn��t mean that they��re healthy, delicious, and safe, you know?��


    ��Huh, seriously?��


    That statement was shocking.


    Some pesticide = bad. No pesticides = good. Was what had been imnted in my mind.


    ��Vegetables aren��t things that are happy about being eaten by insects, so they also have defense mechanisms. They��ll produce substances that have an insect repellent effect. Depending on the circumstances, those substances can be more toxic than some pesticides. Fufu~n? Did you not know that?��


    ��I didn��t know that��


    Well, I guess I had been tricked by the promotional advertising forbor-intensive vegetables.


    It��s a conspiracy by modern society.


    ��Many of the people in the alternate world have excellent senses, and probably understand this sort of toxicity intuitively. In addition, it��s a simple story, but the vegetable on this side haven��t gone through much selective breeding, so they��re not tasty. Souya-san, it appears that your taste buds have been clouded because you had been manipted by the term ��pesticide-free vegetables����


    ��Ah, yes��


    Speaking of which, I had felt like there was an astringent taste, but because of the fact that they were pesticide-free, I had eaten them without worrying about it. If anything, I had even felt appreciation for the natural taste.


    ��However, even though Makina said that they��re toxic, it��s at the level where there is no problem so long as the scum is removed. Unlike the food from the dungeon, there is no need for special means of detoxification. Souya-san, you had also prepared them properly by dipping them in vinegar and rubbing them with salt. Not every time though��


    ��Yeah, my deceased grandfather did it, so I grew into the habit of doing it without thinking too deeply about it. Only when I have the time though��


    ��From now on, if you are going to eat vegetables, please don��t skip the preparations, alright?��


    ��Okay��


    It''s a sound argument, but some~how, it''s dull. It''s dull, but it��s not wrong, so I��ll bear with it.


    ��Speaking of vegetables and insects, Souya-san! Do you want to see Makina''s treasured collection?!��


    ��Huh?��


    Ehh, an A.I.��s collection, what are you talking about? I''m a little bit intrigued, but these guys gathered stuff other than information, huh?


    Moving upright, Makina entered the resource tent. She brought back a box shaped like a t board.


    ��Janja, ja~n? This is Makina''s treasured�D�D��


    ��Wait a minute, you��


    ��Yes?��


    ��What is that?��


    I pointed to the lower portion of the Makina?Unit.


    There were round balls attached there. From what I could see, it looked like she could rotate them 360 degrees and move. Things like the detailed technology behind it was beyond an amateur like me.


    Under thew and treaties of the modern world, it��s illegal for A.I.s to move autonomously. These guys had been making all sorts of excuses and ignoring it, but this was breaking thew far too tantly.


    As it is, I had be high-strung about her failsafe issues, and yet����


    ��It��s an emergency measure for the Makina Unit to avoid crises. Actually, two days ago, when Makina was rolling across the in as usual to relieve stress, Makina just happened to get caught between rocks and becamepletely stuck. By chance, Makina got help from a person who passed by, but because Makina may not necessarily receive help by chance next time, it��s an emergency measure��


    ��No, but this is bad, isn��t it? If you break the treaty this conspicuously������


    ��Souya-san, it��s something that is necessary for the adventures��


    Wow, deja vu.


    They were my own words though.


    ��Do you intend to use those words to settle everything?��


    ��Souya-san, the actions necessary for Souya-san��s adventures have been recorded in video format, but showing them to madam�D�D��


    ��It''s an emergency measure! It can��t be helped!��


    This isn��t good, she��s got something incredible on me.


    ��Yes! It��s an emergency measure! This is something that can��t be helped!��


    ��That''s right! Or rather, it��s an alternate world! That doesn��t even count as cheating, right?!��


    ��Yes! That��s, not true��


    ��������������Yes��


    Please go with the flow there.


    ��The race called elves, because they impose polygamy, consider the emotion called "jealousy" to be very unsightly. It��s a race where beauty is the norm, so there��s probably also the feeling that being jealous means that you��ve lost. But while that may be true, you can��t really say that madam will feel good about seeing Souya-san flirting and acting lovey-dovey with other women. Makina doesn��t have the right to stop Souya-san��s sexual activity, but please think care����������������������fully before messing around with women. Oh, have you also messed around with men?��


    ��No, I haven��t, alright?!��


    I��m a heterosexual


    In the first ce, who are you talking about?! Is it Shuna?! But in a sense, I think that it''s okay to put him in the female category. What are you thinking, me?!


    ��With that said, it��s Makina''s treasured~ collection of alternate world insects!��


    What do you mean ��With that said��?


    Well, whatever.


    What Makina had raised up happily was an insect collection case. Insects that I had seen from time to time in the alternate world had been preserved and pinned.


    ��Insects have no human rights, so Makina made them into Makina��s toys��


    ��Scary, scary. That statement is scary��


    That statement is a g for you going out of control and making a human collection set, you know?!


    ��What do you care about these insects? Like this new one at the very bottom, it��s staple food is wheat and it��s an evil species that should be wiped out. Even though there are such insects, Makina has no idea how they haven��t suffered any damages until now. As luck would have it, Makina was able to find their colony and exterminated them using bug drones��


    ��What?��


    I��ve not heard of anything like insect damage to wheat in the history of the kingdom.


    ��Makina, when did you find that?��


    Time, number, and the location where the colony was found.


    Lining those up in my head, my bargaining chips increased by one.


    < Abandoned Dog��s Pasta V>


    I made various preparations and it was noon when I finished.


    Right now, a food-tasting event was being held on the second floor of the Zavua merchantpany.


    ��Hmm~ this is pretty good. But I''m a little concerned about the smell������


    Said Lonewell, who was voicing his impressions.


    ��No, no no, Lonewell. This vor that has been changed by that slight fishy odor. This will be popr. If you wash this kind of taste down with strong alcohol, it��ll be really delicious��


    Came Karlgoff''s impression.


    Inside the pasta aglio olio e peperoncino, which the two of them were tasting, were salted sardines�D�Dalso known as anchovies that had been soaked in olive oil.


    While we were adventuring, Makina had been given arge amount of sardines by Geto-san, and had been making them in secret.


    She had also taken the opportunity to make fish sauce as a substitute for the depleted soy sauce. As expected from a former cooking robot of the 21st century.


    ��For the time being, I tried only mixing it simply with pasta, and then dressing it with boiled vegetables and a mixture of vinegar, mayonnaise, pepper and so on. I think that mixing it with potato and tomato soup, or even something like frying it in olive oil is delicious. Putting it on bread together with cheese might work too. As for how long it can be stored, if the bottle is unopened, it��llst for more than half a year��


    The fact that I had made too many product for selling was a happy problem to have.


    So long as the bounties of the ocean were the property of the fishmen, seafood would inevitably be luxury foods. Ordinary merchants didn��t have connections to fishmen to begin with.


    ��Well then, how much will you sell it for?��


    Each bottle contained 500g.


    ��3 silver coins��


    Said Lonewell.


    ��1 gold coin��


    Said Karlgoff.


    ��Then it��ll be sold at the Eruomea merchantpany��


    ��Osu!��


    Karlgoff showed his spirit like a karate club member would.


    ��Karlgoff, isn''t that too expensive?��


    In response to Lonewell''s question, he said,


    ��While it��s on a small scale, my merchantpany is one of the few stores that sells seafood. However, since freshness is a problem, we cannot hold much raw stock. Even high-ss restaurants won''t buy without customer reservations. I had been waiting for something other than dried fish that has a long shelf life like this. As expected from you, Souya-dono��


    ��Well then, for the time being, is 50 bottles okay?��


    ��Yes, if it��s popr, can you increase the amount afterwards?��


    ��It��ll be one monthter, but if that''s fine with you������


    ��That��s fine��


    That''s an unexpected price.


    Half of it will go towards repaying my debt and the rest will be our adventuring funds. Our party doesn��t earn a profit at all from the dungeon.


    ��I��ll bring the goods tomorrow��


    ��Understood��


    After knocking, a clerk of the Zavua merchantpany poked her head through the door and informed us that Libera had arrived downstairs.


    I got up from my seat.


    ��Well then, that��s it for today��


    ��Souya-san��


    ��Hmm?��


    I was stopped by Lonewell.


    ��When I told my mother about the matter of working together with Libera-sama, she opposed. She said that when it came to men who got to the level of being called wealthy merchants, the way they quibble is also something that isrgely irredeemable. Well, that''s how it is��


    ��Sorry, that helps��


    ��No, don''t worry about it��


    ��What��s going on?��


    I left Karlgoff, who had a question mark floating above his head, in the room and went out.


    I went downstairs and made eye contact with Libera,


    ��There is a ce that I would like you to apany me to for a while��


    ��Alright, anywhere is fine��


    Libera answered with an expression that was hard to read.


    He apanied me as we walked through the city.


    It was noon, which was a time when the streets were bustling with people.


    ��First, I��d like to thank you. With Lemuria��s permission, the ves have all been moved to the farnd this morning��


    ��They��re not ves. They��re farmers. If you say the wrong word there, you��ll hang yourself��


    ��Please excuse me. However, there is one thing that I can''t understand��


    So, it��se.


    ��Making all of them farmers is a loss of profit. There are also those who aren��t suited for farming, and it��s never good to put people in jobs that they aren��t suited for. As I said before, they can cook and do menial work for all sorts of jobs. And there are beautiful beastkin as well. If you don''t mind, please give them a try. Though it��s a problem as women of other races will no longer satisfy you������������for example, such as elves��


    ��Hmm��


    The fact that I had married an elf is something that many people knew. I had also earned the enmity of those who didn��t look kindly on that. There were probably also tons of people who wanted to have dirt on me.


    ��But if I put the right people in the right jobs, you��ll benefit from it��


    ��What benefit are you talking about?��


    He was feigning innocence with that question.


    ��It��s the trust of those former ves. On your orders, they��ll be tyrannized thoroughly. They��ll be assigned work that��spletely opposite to what they��re suited for. Libera, I��ll have them hate you to the bone. Around the time when they��re even feeling an urge to kill you, my merchantpanies will extend them a helping hand. Their trust will be ours. People��s trust is something that��s truly reliable and definite. It��s something that money can��t buy��


    ��������������I see������Certainly��


    I shook him up a little.


    I��ll have him spit out what it is that he��s hiding.


    Leaving the streets and the throngs of people, we headed towards the outer edge of the kingdom.


    We climbed up an observation tower and arrived on top of the outer walls.


    From here, the entirety of the city could be seen clearly. And in my view once more, was the sight of the ridiculously big dungeon.


    ��Your eyes are good, aren��t they? In terms of eyesight, I meant��


    ��Yes, of course��


    50 meters away in the direction that I had pointed, there was a two-story building.


    There was no sign of anyone around, and from the deste look of it and the adjoining buildings, they had been deserted for a long time.


    ����������������


    His true nature had finally showed up on his face.


    It was the face of a wealthy merchant who had grown by devouring people.


    ��You��re familiar with those 13 beastkin, aren��t you?��


    On the second floor of the building,


    The windows and doors had been removed, making it easier to see into the building. There, blindfolded and tied to chairs, were male and female beastkin of all ages.


    ��Let��s see������������ Who are they?��


    Perhaps he was taking a wait-and-see approach, but Libera tried to feign innocence.


    I readied my bow and nocked an arrow to its string.


    ��I don''t have an elven wife for nothing. If it��s just Hemu archers, I pride myself as being one of the five best archers in this kingdom. I''ll show you the proof of that right now��


    The hardy Lycan bow built up a terrifying amount of tension. The creaking sound its materials made sounded almost like the growling of a beast.


    I released the arrow.


    It was a mere 50 meters away. Bearing up against the wind and gravity, the power behind the arrow shot it straight through the beastkin��s head.


    ��Good, it hit��


    The beastkin who had been shot through the head fell from the chair.


    The hand that Libera was holding his cane with was trembling.


    ��You��re doing something distasteful���� I had thought that you were a man who wasn��t prejudiced against beastkin and other races, but to do something like this, you��re the same as the nobles of Elysium��


    ��Yes, my heart aches too. I have many beastkin friends. If those girls are the ones lined up over there, I would do anything to stop it. Unlike you��


    I nocked another arrow. While staring straight at Libera, I released it.


    It pierced through a woman��s heart.


    She was a cat beastkin that looked like Tyutyu.


    ��11 more targets��


    ��What do you want me to say?��


    ��Think about that by yourself. I''m not a merchant. Just a consultant. Just an adventurer. I��m just a foreigner. I''m sick of getting caught up in your schemes. Do your stupid schemes as you wish. But do it out of my sight, got it?��


    An arrow pierced through a young beastkin. He died instantly.


    ��10 left. That silence, is it worth the lives of three people, I wonder?��


    ����������������


    The look in his eyes changed.


    ��Agathion��


    The instant I yelled that,


    The great-sword slid out of my quiver and stopped the de of Libera��s sword cane.


    ��What?!��


    ��It would have been great if you had done that from the beginning��


    Libera delivered surprisingly quick and sharp shes. But they were all blocked by Agathion, and on his fifth sh, his sword cane broke apart.


    ��Don''t kill him��


    The de of the great-sword stopped at Libera��s throat.


    ��This is, could this be the sacred sword, Agathion?��


    ��Who knows, it simply got attached to me on its own ord��


    I shot three more people.


    ��7 people left. Well then, are you still staying silent?��


    ��What��s your objective?��


    ��Like I told you, it��s knowing your objective��


    Using the hand holding the arrows, I took out the carcass of an insect.


    It was a wheat-colored insect resembling a locust.


    ��I hear that this guy appears to be a pest that eats wheat as its staple food. I don''t know its origins, but it''s an insect from the center continent��


    It was nocturnal, forming colonies during the day and devouring wheat at night. It was a pest that preferred Elysium��s wheat, a wheat produced on the center continent.


    ��Yes, I��m the one who brought them in��


    ��Tell me why��


    ��It��s in order to cause insect damage, make Elysium��s wheat fall into a slump, and make the wheat from the left continent the mainstream wheat in the market��


    ��That��s not your ultimate goal, is it?��


    I shot one more person.


    6 people left.


    ��Libera, there are many things that I can''t figure out. Rumor has it that you were forced out of Elysium because of the Seventh Pope��s fall from power. The king said that your objective is revenge against Elysium. In a sense, causing the wheat to fall into a slump and disturbing the power bnce between Lemuria and Elysium, would probably be revenge.


    However, Elysium, which is on the decline, would never allow an allied nation to look down on it. If they don��t handle it well, allied nations that dissolve their alliance with Elysium will appear one after another. They��re likely looking for someone to serve as a warning to others right about now.


    But in a sense, if Lemuria can drive back Elysium��s attempt at setting an example, it��ll be the head of the anti-Elysium nations��


    Bing the head was what King Lemuria was aiming for.


    The hunger for fame is a dreadful curse.


    It��s exactly the people who had piled up the years that get darkly possessed by it.


    ��This country has no decent war experience. This country��s merchants call the dispute with the elves a war, but that''s because of the elves�� internal conflict. In other words, if war breaks out, a person who can start the ball rolling on that bes necessary. Military provisions, human resources, smithery, well, listing it all will take forever. Of course, our young Chairmen will be out of their depth. A former wealthy merchant from Elysium bes necessary. You��ll surely y an active part, right? But that''s also not your objective, is it?��


    That��s not it.


    That isn''t this guy��s objective either.


    I released two arrows at the same time and both of them hit vital areas.


    4 people left.


    ��Supposing you��re able to plunge Lemuria into a state of war, you can��t y an active part. No matter how much fame you had in the past, no, precisely because of that fame, the Merchant Union of Lemuria won��t trust a merchant from Elysium. Even if it��s a guy who fell from power, was forced out and is expected to have revenge as his objective��


    With regards to this, the words of Lonewell''s mother were the clincher.


    To a greater or lesser degree, the merchants of this country have aplex against the merchants from the center continent. Be it a gamble with long odds or an uncertain transaction, rather than relying on the people from the center continent, they would do it on their own.


    I won��t let a wealthy merchant say that he doesn��t know about that faction mentality and provincial doggedness.


    ��Well then, are you still staying silent?��


    I shot one more person, and 2 people were left.


    They were an old beastkin and a beastkin child. Next in line was the old beastkin, but I skipped over him and pointed the arrow at the beastkin child.


    It was a small motion, but it appeared that Libera noticed it.


    ��St, stop!��


    ��That child��s eyes and nose resembles yours, don��t they? Is he a child with a mistress? There are terrible people out there, huh? To think that there are people who raise and use their children as spies��


    ��Are you one to talk?!��


    Libera screamed.


    Atst, he had be emotional.


    ��It seems that you still don��t understand your own position, huh? Are the people called wealthy merchants in this world idiots?��


    I drew the bow with an exaggerated motion.


    ��Wait! Wait please! Only the child, just the child, please wait!��


    ��Ahahahahahahahaha, hey, if he��s so important to you, don��t do something like making your kid a spy��


    I released the arrow.


    ��Wha������


    The arrow pierced through the old beastkin.


    Libera copsed heavily to the ground as if he had lost all strength in his knees.


    ��I��m out of arrows. That��s why this will be thest time I ask��


    I took Agathion, which was floating in mid-air, and nocked it to my bow.


    I organized the information in my head.


    It came to me somehow.


    At its core, it was exceedingly simple. He had covered it up by disguising it. That was all there was to it.


    ��Libera, you��re a merchant who has a connection to the Seventh Pope. That��s the truth, however, other than him, there is another Pope that you��re on good terms with. You weighed them against each other, and you made lighter Seventh Pope fall from power. The story about being forced out of Elysium is made-up. Using that cover story, you made inroads into Lemuria to find anti-Elysium forces.


    Using young merchantpanies as a stepping stone, you��ll burrow your way into those forces if things go your way. That��s your objective��


    This guy is a double agent wearing the clothes of a merchant.


    Well, thinking about it simply, it��s a simple thing. Even if he was called a wealthy merchant, a merchant can��t possibly be inmand of this number of spies. At best, merchants hired bodyguards and out-of-work mercenaries. If an unskilled merchant hired people like spies, their entire fortune would get stolen. The ones who knew how to deal with such people, would be those who were also such people themselves.


    ��You��ve gotten a few things wrong��


    ������������So I was wrong. I��m not cut out for this after all. Let��s make this thest time I do such Yakuza-like work.


    ��First of all, I was hired by three Popes. On the orders of two of them, I made the Seventh Pope fall from power. What��s reallyughable are those two. They believed that it was their turn next and, fearing me, they drove me out of Elysium.


    The wheat and ves were things that I stole in ce of my pay and retirement money. Things like the fame and mettle of a wealthy merchant are merely damaged old clothes to me.


    But, the thing called one��s true nature isn��t something that can be thrown away like blood and bones, is it? Before I realized it, I had ended up searching for the weakness of people and the country. I''m sorry for causing a misunderstanding. But I merely want to live quietly in this country��


    ��Is that so?��


    It didn��t look like he was lying.


    ��Did you think that I would trust you?��


    It merely didn��t look like it.


    I released Agathion.


    ��Ah��


    Said Libera, in a foolish-sounding voice.


    Despite the distance, the sound of the great-sword hitting its target could be heard. It pierced through the child and pinned him to the wall.


    Looking at that in a daze,


    Libera looked like he had aged drastically.


    ��Father!��


    Seeing him like that, a beastkin child ran up to him.


    Other than him, men and women of all ages had gathered after learning of the danger to their master. In total, there were 13 beastkin.


    ��Impossible��


    They were the people that I had shot to death just a while ago.


    ��Look closely��


    Once again, I pointed.


    In the building 50 meters away, images of the corpses blurred and then disappeared.


    ��It��s an illusion��


    To be precise, they were images projected by Yukikaze��s projector, who had been set up over there. Using the images taken with the bug drones, models had been generated and disyed.


    As could be expected, there were a lot of ws when seen at close range, but when they were this far away, they looked real.


    I can''t catch all 13 spies by myself. If I had missed even one person, I would wrack my nerves over their retaliation. I also didn��t have the time to go deal with them one by one. I needed to gather them in one ce and wipe them out.


    I suppose that the spies must have been surprised too.


    Including themselves, theirpanions were being killed. Moreover, since their master was in a dangerous situation, they had no choice but to gather. The reason why Libera��s responses had taken so long was probably for the sake of ascertaining the authenticity of what he was seeing.


    ��However, next is reality��


    I shouldered the bow and took in my hand the great-sword that had returned.


    I ran my finger along the t of the sword. With its coating stripped off, its de was a dull red color. It was made of wurtzite boron nitrite, which had the highest level of hardness even in the modern world. It also had a regenerative ability and even had some form of intelligence.


    In some areas, the technology of the alternate world easily surpassed that of the modern world.


    ��I��m told that this Agathion is a magic sword that shed 500 beastkin to death. How many seconds would it take to kill 13 people, I wonder?��


    In response to my killing intent, 13 people took out weapons that were helpless against me.


    ��It��s a shame, but those won��t reach me. I can kill all of you without even getting spattered by your blood��


    ��Stop��


    Libera stopped them.


    If he knew about Agathion, it was the right choice.


    ��It��s my loss, foreigner. Speak you demands, and I��ll follow them��


    ��Including the ones mixed in with the ves at the farnd, leave Lemuria together with your spies. I''ll arrange a ship for you. Look for an owner on a continent other than this one. Pet dogs don��t belong in the city of adventurers��


    He had a nk look.


    Was he prepared to lose an arm and leg or something, I wonder? If I did that, I��ll really be a hoodlum or a Yakuza.


    ��������������That��s true, I suppose. By meeting a mad dog, I��vee to understand my true nature very well. I give you my thanks��


    ��If you really think so, don��t get involved with Lemuria ever again��


    ��Even if I��m asked to, I��ve had enough��


    Supported by his son, Libera stood up.


    When the little one beside him red at me, I put an indescribable expression on my face.


    ��What about you, I wonder?��


    As he was leaving, Libera asked.


    I don''t think that he asked that out of spite or anything. He was merely speaking his impressions truthfully.


    ��There��s no one who wants to keep a mad dog. The people of Lemuria who find you too much to handle will probably drive you out. What will you do then?��


    ��Did you forget? I��m a foreigner. When that timees, I��ll leave quietly��


    ��Quietly, huh? That won��t happen, I can say that much for sure��


    I replied the prediction of someone cut from the same cloth with a smile.


    I had no thoughts on the matter.


    Looking at it normally, there is probably a part of me who can sympathize with this guy��s plight. However, there is a saying like this in my country. It goes, ��When in Rome, do as the Romans do��. I can��t sympathize with people who can��t follow that. They have nothing to do with me.


    ��Who knows��


    That was why I answered ambiguously like that.


    I no longer had anything more to say to abandoned pet dogs.

 Chapter 046: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta VI

    <h4>Chapter 046: Abandoned Dog��s Pasta VI</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��73rd day��


    It was the dead of night, and we had gathered in the royal castle��s kitchen again.


    The king, Otou-san and me.


    Lanseal isn��t present today. There is probably a reason for that. It��s none of my business.


    ��For some reason, it got categorized as a high-ss dish. Anchovy pasta. Please enjoy��


    It was a simple supper, which was anchovies mixed with pasta aglio olio e peperoncino.


    ��Umu, Souya. For some reason, there��s a peculiar smell������


    King Lemuria frowned at the smell of the anchovies. I had mixed the anchovies in and heated them up when I was in the process of frying the garlic in olive oil, but humans are creatures that are sensitive to unfamiliar smells.


    ��Should I add white wine to erase the smell?��


    ��I��m okay with this��


    Otou-san was eating it without minding the smell. Sluurpp, came the sound of pasta being slurped.


    ��Certainly, it has a peculiar fishy smell, but when it��s washed down with this wine��������������


    He drank the wine directly from the bottle.


    ��Kuh������������Puhaa. It��s absolutely wonderful��


    ��Medimu, that��s a wine that I��m not familiar with��


    ��I bought this from the Eruomea merchantpany. At 30 gold coins per bottle, it��s expensive, but I believe that its taste lives up to its price. It has this clear and abyss-like deep taste��


    It��s a wine that I��m familiar with.


    ��That wine is something that the fishmen salvaged from sunken ships. It had aged slowly at low temperatures on the seabed, and I hear that it��s truly a taste with depth��


    ��Oh yes, that''s it. That exins why it matches well with fish��


    ��It��s a royal edict, Medimu. Share that with me too��


    What a cheap royal edict.


    ��Just a little, alright? Pay up if you drink too much. Or rather, buy it yourself��


    ��Don''t be so fussy about the minor details��


    I was signaled to bring him a ss.


    Also, to pour the wine to the brim for the king.


    He bit the bullet and ate one mouth of the pasta. And then, he drank the wine in one go.


    ��Mu������������ The fishy vor became delicious all of a sudden. That��s not all. This quiet and refreshing taste that��s reminiscent of the ocean depths. The sweetness that soaks in. It��s almost like taking a bite of the bottom of the deep seabed, moist and yet, in some respects, it has a calming depth. Umu��


    He poured another ss.


    ��Hey��


    He had filled it about halfway before Otou-san snatched the bottle back.


    ��That��s being disrespectful, Medimu��


    ��In the first ce, what kind of king steals the wine of his people?��


    ��What belongs to the people, belongs to the king��


    It��s Gianism* of the alternate world.


    As things like fights between Ossans(old men) are nothing but unsightly, I��ll put a stop to it.


    ��In that case, in ce of the wine, I��ll add something special for the king��


    ��What?��


    For some reason, Otou-san also responded.


    I took out a chicken egg that had been put in water. I broke it and dropped its contents on the king''s pasta.


    ��What��s this?��


    ��It��s onsen(hot springs) egg, a chicken egg that has been boiled until it has a runny feel��


    It��s something that��s difficult to make using therge eggs, which are the mainstream eggs here.


    On it, I sprinkled an ��imitation�� Krazy Salt**, which was made by rubbing and mixing various dried herbs, dried garlic, and rock salt.


    ��Please eat while mixing it lightly��


    ��Umu��


    When he split the onsen egg in half with his fork, the king had a child-like expression. It seemed that it was novel after all. He mixed it lightly and brought it to his mouth along with the pasta.


    ��Oh, the taste changed. It��s rich and easy to eat. Or rather, isn''t this egg tasty no matter what you match it with? Leave the ingredients and notes so that it can be prepared for breakfast tomorrow��


    ��Understood��


    Certainly, adding onsen eggs will make anything delicious. But it''s dangerous. Because everything will be covered up by the onsen eggs. In a sense, it can even be called a sphemy to cooking.


    ��Souya, to be sure, there are more eggs, right?��


    ��There are, but������


    At Otou-san��s question, I nced repeatedly at King Lemuria.


    ��Medimu, if you fill the remaining half of the ss with your wine, I��ll share my eggs with you��


    ��It��s really only half, alright?!��


    They were chicken eggs that I had prepared, but I��ll let it pass. I don''t want to see things like ugly fights between Ossans.


    I dropped an onsen egg on top of Otou-san��s pasta as well, sprinkled Krazy Salt over it too, and at the same time, poured wine into the king��s ss.


    After that, they ate and drank peacefully.


    Act your age, for crying out loud. Good grief.


    The edamame to round things off was boiled by me today. I removed the beans from the pods, put them in a small bowl, added one onsen egg, sprinkled powdered red peppers, and then drizzled a ssh of fish sauce over it.


    I prepared Otou-san��s portion too so that they wouldn��t quarrel, and after sticking spoons into the small bowls, I presented them.


    ��As it seems to be to your tastes, it��s edamame with onsen egg dropped on top��


    ��Umu��


    The two of them ate it peacefully.


    ��Uumu, it tastes different again. But to think that such delicious beans exist in this world���� Moreover, I��ve been finding the vegetables that I eat recently delicious���� Is it my age?��


    The king seemed to like it.


    Otou-san bolted it down in one go and swallowed.


    ��Is your fussiness over food finally cured at this old age? That guy Melm had desperately tried to feed you all sorts of things in the past, but his son-inw is the one who cured you, huh? What an odd coincidence��


    Melm.


    It��s the name of Rana''s father. The marriage between Rana and me hasn��t been recognized by him. Or rather, it��s a spur of the moment pretend marriage, so it��llplicate matters if he actually recognized it.


    One of these days, I��ll need to talk to him about the reason and the sequence of events of everything. It would be great if he��s an understanding person though.


    ��Melm, huh? There��s no end to that guy��s worries as well. The forest has also suddenly be troubled. The sisters are forever�D�D�D�D�D�DNo, that isn��t a topic for today, I suppose��


    The king elegantly bolted the beans down and swallowed.


    I didn��t say it out loud, but I wanted to warn the two of them.


    Chew well when eating.


    ��Well then, Souya. The matter of Libera. What happened?��


    The king broached the main subject.


    Now, who knows what will happen. I made my report.


    ��He was an agent of Elysium. The details are unclear, but he was connected to two of the Popes. Being driven out was also a pretense. His objective was to take advantage of the situation to insert himself into the anti-Elysium forces, and then tear them apart from the inside��


    ��Why didn''t you kill him? I can��t imagine that the man who ughtered a beast of Elysium would have a hard time against the likes of a spy��


    ��The beast was killed using a technique from foreignnds. It has various prerequisites. It��s not a technique that can be used against human opponents or in the city��


    ��A technique from foreignnds, huh?��


    The king��s eyes lit up with greed.


    I can��t tell the king and Otou-san about either the power of the Lycans or Misuranika-sama��s power. No, I can��t tell anyone. I can never talk about it.


    Wild Hunt.


    That power pollutes the surroundings.


    To be precise, the cursed words used as the trigger are the cause. It��s a curse of death. Just by hearing them, the curse plunged living things into death.


    The ce where I had fought had be ck and withered. Even now, not a single de of grass has grown.


    It��s obvious, but something like this can''t be used in public. If a chain of curses urs between people, there is even a risk of wiping Lemuria out.


    The power that I had obtained to protect my party member��s fame can��t be used to protect the other party members. On the contrary, it leads to ruin.


    Truly, the works of the gods are full of irony.


    ��Lemuria, allow me to offer you advice��


    Otou-san spoke to the king with a slight air of respect.


    ��Don''t ask Souya what kind of technique he used to defeat the beast. Don��t look into it. You��ve heard the story of the warehouse district being blown up, right? That��s the work of this guy. When foreign knowledge or techniques get stolen, they go ��Boom��. Will the royal castle get blown up and rebuilt? Needless to say, the king will also end up being reced��


    ��You��re right��


    The look in the king��s eyes changed.


    ��Medimu, I��ll take your advice. Souya, I swear to you. I will not steal the foreign knowledge and techniques. If there is anyone who aims to steal them, by royal edict, they will be punished��


    ��Thank you very much. That helps a lot��


    Because Makina has security measures, she won��t give knowledge to those who would use it for bad purposes.


    If she��s normal, probably.


    ��As for the reason why I didn��t kill Libera, it��s because I had broken him mentally. I made him promise to nevere near Lemuria again. Under the fishmen��s supervision, he��ll be sent out to sea by ship. For now, I had him head for the Azorido archipgo, and from there, he��ll probably board a ship headed straight for the left continent or something. I believe that he''ll nevere back here��


    ��What did you do?��


    When Otou-san asked, I hesitated over whether to answer or not, but����


    ��I showed him an illusion. I showed him the sight of hispanions being massacred��


    ����I went straight to the point.


    ��What a terrible person you are��


    ����������������


    Being told that by someone is more of a relief than being told I was right.


    The best is silence though.


    ��The hundred-odd ves that Libera left behind can be used for various jobs, such as farming. I��ll have them mass-produce the wheat from the left continent too. Just in case, I��ll gather just the ves and let them earn their keep. It��s easier to keep an eye on them that way. Besides, while they are ves, they weren��t born ves��


    ��Mu, what do you mean?��


    I answered the king''s question.


    ��Upon questioning, I found out that most of the ves were the people of the Myriad Kingdoms who had curried favor with the ck elf for a time before being re-conquered by Elysium. Mixed in with them are also tradesmen from the center continent who were arrested for lese-majesty and then enved. I believe that if people patronize their stores, it��ll also be a good pretext for lighting a fire under Lemuria��s merchantpanies��


    ��And, which merchantpany will manage their businesses?��


    ��It��s the Zavua merchantpany��


    ��Souya, that��s������


    The king��s expression became unreadable.


    ��Isn��t it fine, Lemuria? As a mere adventurer, this guy has performed exceptional work. Overlook something like the profiteering of the merchantpanies that he��s on good terms with��


    ��������������Umu, uumu������������Souya. Very well. You can do as you like. However, if you slip up, the country will take control of them. Got it?��


    ��Yes, thank you very much��


    To tell the truth, it��s for me to keep watch over them. While it��s small, there��s a chance that Libera��s spies may still be mixed in with them.


    In addition, my information gathering capabilities have to be kept secret. If the king found out about this power, he would likely have only two choices; crush or steal.


    I broached the main subject.


    ��King Lemuria, how goes the matter of Arianne?��


    ��That matter, huh?��


    With a pompous air, the king took out a small scroll used for messages.


    ��The replies from Elysium remain unchanged. However, I got in touch with the Fifth Pope, whom I��m on good terms with, and told him about your work and the matter of Arianne?Foz?Gasim. The rest depends on his actions. I''m sorry, this is all a mere king can do��


    ��Yes������������No, thank you very much��


    It��s still awaiting progress, I see.


    Should I make a move, or should I trust them and wait, I wonder?


    It''s a difficult choice.


    ��It''s not to say that this is to make up for that, but I''ll give you a reward. The right to manage Libera��s ves alone is inadequatepared to your exceptional work. In another room�D�D��


    ��King Lemuria, about that, I have a request��


    ��Umu. Let��s hear it��


    That was close.


    I would have been checkmated if I had let him finish. Or rather, there��s also a chance of getting checkmated by what is said from now on. There��s also the reason for why Lanseal isn��t here right now.


    ��I��ve grown tired of my wife''s body, you see? I want you to present me a woman. If possible, a beastkin with a good lineage. It��ll be great if she��s a beautiful, obedient, and "slutty" beastkin who takes my thing in anywhere and moans passionately��


    I said with an insanely insolent attitude.


    I desperately sent looks of��If worsees to worst, save me!��at Otou-san. He was holding back hisughter at an angle where the king couldn��t see.


    This Otou-san has a side to him where he enjoys seeing the misery of others.


    ��������������������������Unfortunately, there is no woman like that among my subordinates. Medimu, chose for him a suitable prostitute from your brothel��


    I was being red at with a terrible look.


    Scary.


    If I hadn��t curried favor with him using the food, I would have been shed to death.


    ��Understood, Your Majesty��


    ��Hmpt, my mood has been dampened. I��m going to bed��


    The king stole Otou-san��s wine and then went out of the kitchen. After his loud footsteps had faded away, I deted and slumped into a chair.


    ��Kukukuku��


    Otou-sanughed with a wicked-looking expression.


    ��Did you see Lemuria��s face? Well, when he��s told to hand over a slutty woman, he can��t send his own daughter, can he?��


    ��No, it��s not funny. It��s not funny at all. M, my knees are starting to shake��


    ��On top of that, the guy who said it is a virgin who hasn��t even done the deed with his beautiful and big-boobed elven wife��


    ��Wha�D, who did you hear that from?!��


    Wh, who��s a virgin?!


    ��From your god. She��s worried that you��re impotent, I think��


    It''s the worst! My personal information!


    ��That��s a truly interesting topic to talk about. It��s regrettable that I can��t tell anyone. ������������How about changing just the setting and talking about it?��


    ��S?T?O?P??I?T!��


    I��ll be executed~.


    ��Let��s put the joking aside��


    It seemed like you wereughing from the bottom of your heart though. What part of that was a joke?


    ��You''re not thinking of things like seizing the country, right?��


    ��Huh?��


    What��s this all of a sudden?


    That was so far off the mark that I was at a loss for words.


    ��The pasta has been well-received. The menu that you proposed is also popr. Moreover, variants of it are starting to be seen. It��ll likely be a new addition to the mainstream diet. Even if our rtionship with Elysium turns sour, it can fill in for bread. The diverse culture of food that you��ve brought to this country in a short period of time is remarkable. This is a young country in a remote region. The right continent itself has also been devastated repeatedly, so there are many gaps in terms of culture. You��ve started the ball rolling on filling those gapspletely��


    The thought that, it would be fine if it��s just food, had been naive.


    It��s something that the president had emphasized. Don''t give rise to technological singrities, he had said. I��ve given rise to one. Proudly, and without thinking at that.


    What have I done?


    ��I don''t know what that expression on your face means. However, the food that you��ve spread will eventually be sublimated by the people and be securely established culture. It��ll probably generate tremendous profits. So much that it can be used for negotiations with foreign countries. The thing called a nation ultimately follows the person who feeds it. With Libera��s ves in your hand, I had been watching you as I believed that you would make a move to usurp the throne, but well, I don��t see that happening. If my remaining eye isn��t blind, that is��


    ��Otou-san, I��ll hand over the management of the farmers to King Lemuria from now on�D�D��


    ��It��s no use. You��ll fall over if you stop in a strange manner. It��s something that you did because you thought it was justice, right? Take responsibility and suffer until the end. Advice offered to the king isn��t something that��s easy to take back��


    Justice, huh? That��s a word that can eat dirt.


    I screwed up. It''s a failure.


    Is this the limit of an amateur��s shallow wit? It��s utterly andpletelycking.


    ��But�D�D��


    ��?��


    Otou-san stood up, and as he left, he said.


    ��You��re someone who is doing very well. To that extent that you��ve gone much too far, I suppose. ������It��ll be great if that doesn��t bring misfortune upon you. Well, you had better pray fervently to the god of misdeeds��


    After giving me another bad feeling, Otou-san left.


    I set about washing up, and then wrote down notes for the king��s breakfast. Led out by a maid that I had met several time before, I left the royal castle behind me.


    Even though I��ve solved the troubles, it doesn��t feel like it at all.

 Chapter 047: Abandoned Dog’s Pasta VII

    <h4>Chapter 047: Abandoned Dog��s Pasta VII</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    It was the following morning.


    When everyone was rxing after breakfast, there was an assault by Lanseal.


    The first thing that came out of her mouth,


    ��Souya-dono. No, Danna(husband/master)-sama. I��vee here today with a request��


    ��What is it?��


    Rana had an interrogative expression on her face.


    This was when they usually grappled with each other, but she was taking a wait-and-see approach first at Lanseal��s formal tone.


    ��Huh, or rather, what��s with the ��Danna-sama��?��


    I felt uneasy about what she had called me.


    ��This Lanseal is a lowly beastkin, but I��ve kept my body chaste and clean. Since I was little, I��ve only held swords and shields in my hands, and I know nothing about feminine wiles. Or about housework and chores as well. But I��ll learn them from now on. I''ll definitely try to satisfy you, Danna-sama��


    I had nothing but a bad feeling.


    Rana��s smiling face, which was slowly turning towards me, was scary. I broke out in a cold sweat.


    ��Danna-sama, please take me as your mistress!��


    ��Dear��


    Rana had grabbed both of my shoulders.


    ��Ra, Rana. Please listen to what I have to say. Please��


    Help me, Roger Clemens. No, what was his name again?


    ��Fi, first of all, Lanseal. I��ve no reason to take you as a mistress��


    ��Yes, I know. But I want to be your mistress��


    Wow, how aggressive.


    ��Please don��t trouble my husband by pressuring him like that��


    ��Yes, madam. I fully understand. If Danna-sama says that he hates me, then I��ll disappear and never return to Lemuria��


    Hey, wait.


    If you disappear right now, King Lemuria''s worries will increase at Mach speed. The country, the country will���� Or rather, he may copse from the burden of his worries just by seeing this current situation.


    ��Alright, Lanseal. Let''s calm down for now. Rana, take your hand off the staff��


    ��������������Okay��


    Dear wife, what were you nning to do with that? It��ll be a diplomatic problem between the elves and the Hemus, you know?


    ��Lanseal, does King Lemuria know about this?��


    ��Yes, of course��


    He knows?!


    ��It��s because of what happened this morning. His Majesty canceled his royal edict��


    That canceled royal edict that she��s talking about, is that the one to have rtions with me?


    Spurring him on at the risk of my life seems to have produced results. But looking at this situation, it��s gotten worse though.


    ��So, thinking that it was a good opportunity, I tried venting my feelings to him��


    ��I see?��


    Rana and I tilted our heads together.


    For some reason, we were synchronized.


    ��Danna-sama, I��m a woman, and although I��m an illegitimate child, I��m the daughter of King Lemuria. In future, for various reasons such as diplomatic purposes or as a reward to his subordinates, I��ll likely be ��sold�� as a woman. That is the fate of a king��s daughter. But when His Majesty ordered me this time, I wavered and ended up falling behind. I was ashamed of myself, but at the same time, I resolved myself.


    To act without hesitation the next time something simr happens.


    It��s fine if it��s only during this <respite>, I want to at least stay close to the person I like. No matter what form it is, I don��t mind even being a servant, and however lowly I��m treated, I won��tin. Please, could you keep me beside you?��


    In the end, King Lemuria''s words seem to have lit a fire under Lanseal.


    I don��t know if I should attribute this to her love of adversity or her tendency to run out of control. It feels kind of masochistic. No, what should I do with her?


    ��Dear��


    Rana gave me a helping hand,


    ��I''ll leave it to you��


    Not!


    ��Although I��ve been disowned, I��m also a king��s daughter. I cannot treat a woman who has the same resolve bluntly. I��ll follow everything you decide, dear��


    She smiled charmingly.


    It was a lovely smiling face.


    My head wentpletely nk.


    ��La, La, Lanseal. I want to ask you, err, you said the same to King Lemuria, right?��


    My lips trembled a little.


    ��Yes, His Majesty said,��What the heck is this?!����


    ��Of course he did��


    I also feel the same way.


    After all, as soon as he canceled the order for her to have rtions with a person, he was told that she wanted to be the mistress of that very person. It��s iprehensible. Women, they��re mysterious creatures.


    ��However, after thinking it over for a long time in his room, he said,��I��ll leave it to you to decide. Do as you please����


    He gave up.


    The king, he gave up on dealing with his out-of-control daughter!


    ��In addition, Danna-sama, along with bing your mistress, there are a few things that I''d like to make clear��


    Lanseal sped her hands together in front of herrge chest.


    ��First of all, I won��t join your party as an adventurer, Danna-sama. That��s madam��s role, and I��ll never do anything to threaten her position.


    I know my ce.


    My role is to protect this home. In other words, I��ll be a watchdog. Also, what I��ll learn to do from now on is theundry, cleaning, cooking, and also lo, love-making. I, I��ll do my best to master them all. Please treat me like a maid��


    My heart was wavering at Lanseal��s suggestive expression. In various ways, I was wavering.


    With bad timing,


    A fluffy gray cat emerged from the tent.


    ��I see. You��re bing my follower��s maid. In other words, that also means that you��ll be my maid. Is that fine with you?��


    ��Yes, Misuranika-sama!��


    Lanseal threw herself to the ground before that cat.


    ��Recently, that Makina has also been leaving the camp and hasn''t been paying attention to me. Lanseal, illegitimate child of Lemuria, resolve yourself. You��ll have to pay a lot of attention to me! Half-hearted ways of paying attention won��t do, alright?��


    ��Yes, I��ve resolved myself��


    ��That being the case, I approve��


    God gave her approval.


    Immediately, she was lifted up into Lanseal��s arms and petted.


    ��In addition, Danna-sama��


    ��Yes��


    Rana��s nk expression, in contrast to Lanseal��s glowing expression, pained me.


    ��As my most important role, I��ll soothe your fatigue and pamper you. I��ve visited the camp several times and have seen your rtionships with your party, wife, and sister, but you��re wasting away from the great effort you put into taking care of them. If someone doesn��t heal that, you��ll wreck your health��


    ��What?!��


    Rana raised her voice.


    ��That''s, certainly, something like that������������certainly rings a bell��


    Everything that had happened after I came to this world shed across my mind.


    Sure enough, I was constantly taking care of others. But that��s just the way it is for leaders. And it can be said that I��m healed just by being together with Rana and Ea.


    But, well,


    There are also such things as pamper y and so on, huh?


    ��Danna-sama, it��s fine to let yourself be pampered, you know?��


    Several of my reason��s supports broke with a snap.


    Rana, who had puffed up her cheeks, pinched me in the side.


    ��Dear��


    ��Sorry��


    This is bad! I��m making the same mistake as that time with Tyutyu.


    ��Just for a while, let me think it over for a while��


    I broke free from Rana��s hand, and moved to the shadow of the tent where the two of them couldn��t see me.


    ��Makina, Yukikaze. It''s a meeting��


    Gyuuunn, went Makina as she slid over. Gorogoro, went Yukikaze as she rolled up to me.


    ��Hey, what should I do? I don��t know! I don��t know, hey!��


    I held my head in my hands and rolled around as well.


    ��Souya-san, this is the most you''ve struggled with a decision sinceing to the alternate world, isn��t it?��


    ��Is that so?��


    ��It��s no good. My brain isn��t working at all. What should I do? Makina, Yukikaze, guide me��


    ��Haa, this side of Souya-san is really shameful, you know?��


    ��Even if you tell me that, Makina, you see, Lanseal, she��s a female knight, isn��t she? She��s in my strike-zone��


    I mumbled while lying t on the in.


    In games with wizardry-type characters, the knights were always female.


    Rolling over until she was near my face, Yukikaze said.


    ��In the data saved by the previous A.I., there is data on the changes in heart rate when team member Souya interacts with those of the opposite sex. ording to those heart rate figures, it��s 145 when interacting with women of the alternate world in general. Lanseal-sama has the highest number at 195. By the way, Rana-sama is 4th with 155��


    Izora. So she collected data like that.


    What an interesting annoyance.


    ��Those figures. Don''t disclose them to others��


    ��Understood. Yukikaze will increase the privacy setting��


    ��Hmm~, Souya-san, if Makina were to speak personally, Lanseal-sama protecting the camp will be a great help. She��lle in handy even for things like delivering simple messages to the merchantpanies or running errands.


    Makina had gone to the city several times in disguise, but recently, Makina was discovered by the children of the city, and they frequently throw stones at Makina to chase Makina away. Children, they��re super scary��


    ��Hey you, don''t go by yourself. That��s dangerous, isn��t it?��


    ��Yes, it��s dangerous. Makina was mistaken for a monster for some reason and it seems that a subjugation request for Makina has been posted��


    ��What the heck are you doing������


    I��ll have to go submit an application for the request to be canceledter.


    ��If it��s together with Lanseal-sama, Makina will be safe even if Makina goes to the city, so for that reason, one vote for approve��


    ��Don''t go to the city in the first ce��


    ��Eeeehh~��


    She��s no help at all. Or rather, my troubles increased again.


    ��How about you, Yukikaze?��


    ��Yukikaze doesn��t care either way. Rather, at least avoid things that make you unable to explore the dungeon like dumb romantic rtionships orplications of jealousy with the local women. Team member Souya, think long~ and hard~ about what you came to this world to do, and act ordingly��


    ��O~kay��


    It felt like I was being preached at by Izora.


    It made me a little happy.


    ��In summary, one vote for leave it to me, one vote for approve, one vote for don��t care������������It''s not any help��


    ��Souya-san, please decide it firmly like a man. The answer is decided from the beginning, isn��t it?��


    ��It��s okay? Is this really okay?��


    ��It''s fine. Like the popr song of the 21st century, just be true to yourself and let��s go��


    ��I don''t know about that, but to tell the truth, I also like maids. Or rather, I like maid outfits. I don��t know if I should call them in, but I like the normal types at that��


    ��Haa��


    I got extremely uninterested replies from the A.I.s.


    Even if it had originated abroad, thoroughly beautifying and incorporating this phenomenon called maids as a form of culture was the work of the Japanese. Be more interested in it, both of you.


    ��She��s a female knight, has a good figure, is a silver-haired beastkin, and she wears maid outfits. She��s begging me to take her as a mistress. This is no longer a situation where I can work things out using my reason��


    ��Then, it should be fine if you take her as a mistress��


    Came Makina��s reasonable opinion.


    ��Still, there��s Rana though. You know?��


    However, my foremost thought is that I don''t want to make Rana sad. Although it��s pretend, she��s my wife. Even though it��s a sham, so long as I��m make-believing to be her husband, I want to perform my role well.


    I honestly want help with the housework. All the more so if it��s a trustworthy person like Lanseal.


    Even if I��m betrayed by the king, she��ll take my side. Or perhaps I should say that she can also be used as a breakwater against betrayal.


    Personally, I want her.


    She��s beautiful, a female knight, and a maid. Also, there��s the stuff like being pampered and spoiled.


    Oh, my brain has be useless.


    ��Hmm~, in other words, it depends on Onee-chan, right?��


    ��Eh?��


    My sister was ring at me, who was rolling around on the in while hugging Yukikaze in my arms, with disgust in her eyes.


    ��Ea, this is, err�D�D��


    ��Come��


    My poncho was grabbed and I was pulled before Lanseal and Rana in that manner.


    ��Alright, pay attention��


    The two of them paid attention to my sister, who had set her feet and struck an imposing pose.


    ��First of all, Onee-chan, make it clear. Is Lanseal bing the mistress good or bad? It��s because Onee-chan doesn��t make such things clear that Onii-chan is troubled��


    ��Huh, whether it��s good or bad, that''s not for me to decide��


    ��It''s for Onee-chan to decide!��


    Scolded roundly by her younger sister, Rana was surprised.


    ��You see! Onii-chan! Thinks about Onee-chan��s feelings first and foremost! Don''t you know that?! So tell him first whether it��s good or bad! This is non-negotiable, got it?!��


    ��Y������������yes. Umm, dear, to tell you the truth, I don''t hate Lanseal. She��s the only person who shes physically with me this much, and something like friendship is beginning to grow, but������������umm��


    Rana''s face turned bright red.


    ��Lo, love-making! First! On the condition that you do it with me first! HyaWaaAAAAAAAAAAA!��


    She disappeared over the in in a mad dash. Misuranika ran after her like a dog.


    ��Oh, okay��


    I replied to Rana��s back, which had disappeared from sight.


    ��And Lanseal��


    ��Mu, what? Is there something you want from me?��


    ��Shameless. Those are not the actions of a daughter of royalty��


    ��Urgh��


    My sister is strong. Super strong.


    She had taken down Lanseal with a single blow.


    From way back, the way my sister took control in times like this was amazing. Hmm? From way back?


    ��And Onii-chan��


    ��Yes��


    ��You��re a man, aren��t you? Decide clearly! Now! Here! Immediately!��


    ��Yesh��


    I was overwhelmed by her intensity.


    Rana attached a condition, but had said that it was okay. Currently, there were no objections, but����


    ��Ea, umm, what do you think about Lanseal bing my mistress?��


    ����I asked fearfully.


    She looks angry, but I think that the consensus of everyone is important. Spare me from things like strife within the camp.


    ��A beastkin mistress is something that every household has. It isn��t a particrly umon thing at all! What of it?!��


    She had snapped at me really angrily. Veins had popped out on her temple. What was with that story about elves not getting jealous, I wonder?


    I had decided on my answer.


    I''m really a no-good guy.


    ��Lanseal��


    I put my hand on her shoulder.


    ��Being liked by a wonderful woman like you makes me happy. But I cannot take you as my mistress��


    ��I, see��


    She bravely put a smile on her face. It was a self-deprecating smile.


    ��But, umm, how about starting as friends?��


    ��In other words, I��ve yet to reach the level needed to be your mistress. Depending on my future efforts, you��ll take me as a mistress. That''s what you mean, right?!��


    When friends rank up, do they be mistresses?


    ��Right?!��


    Cold sweat streaked down Lanseal��s face.


    She was really appealing to my emotions.


    ��Oh, yup��


    In spite of myself, I ended up replying like that.


    ��Thank you very much! Souya! I��ll do my best to not be abandoned!��


    She embraced me tightly with my face pressed against her chest.


    She had a physique that was hardened from training, but that one part had a softness that enveloped everything. She had a nice smell that was different from an elf��s refreshing feel. The gentle whispers of sleep were tempting me. I felt as if I couldn��t care less about anything and everything. That was dangerous. These were boobs that ruined people.


    When I lost myself for about five minutes, I was red at by my sister and the A.I.s with disgust in their eyes.


    ��In the end, it looks like she��ll definitely be his mistress, doesn��t it?��


    I couldn��t find a word of excuse in response to Ea��s observation.


    The tumultuous morning passed.


    When I, who was unusually alone, fell t after going through a day��s worth of exertion, Lonewell appeared at the camp.


    By the way, the sisters were at dvain''s dormitory, Lanseal had gone to pick up her things to move in, and Makina and Yukikaze were taking a walk through the in.


    ��What��s the matter?��


    It was the first time he came here.


    I was going to ask why he was here, but there were too many matters of various natures.


    ��I went to send Libera-sama off��


    ��Is that so? Did he say something?��


    ��Yes, he said that he doesn��t want to see Souya-san ever again, so he asked you to send him word when you leave thisnd. The emergency method of contacting him is written in here��


    I epted the proffered scroll and threw it into the tent.


    ��Did Karlgoff say anything?��


    ��No, nothing in particr about this��


    ��Is that so?��


    ��There��s a message from my mother, which goes,��Use my son well����


    ��No, it��s the son who is doing the using. I''m the one being used by you guys, right?!��


    I��m a consultant.


    This role is plenty. I��ve no interest in wealth or power. This is a respite from adventuring.


    ��Souya-san, if you put your mind to it, I believe that two, no, four merchantpanies will follow you. There are also many chefs who remember your face after seeing your storefront marketing. Just by getting their support, a merchantpany can make a fortune. How about it? Why not take this opportunity to retire from adventuring and try leading a merchantpany?��


    ��Woah, hang on a minute there������


    That��s putting the cart before the horse in all sorts of ways.


    The work in the merchantpanies is a respite from adventuring. If I make it my main profession, it would defeat my purpose foring, staying and living here.


    ��Well, I was half-joking. But please don��t forget that it was the Zavua merchantpany that was the first to propose this��


    ��Half-understood. But I had thought that you wouldin more about the matter of Libera. You were in favor of partnering with him, right?��


    ��At that time, yes. This is something that I learnedst night at the Lemuria Merchant Companies�� Chairmen''s Meeting, but it seems that the merchants from the center continent broke off rtions with the merchantpanies of Lemuria and formed a separate merchantpany association. In this situation, if we had a business partnership with Libera-sama, both the Zavua and Eruomea merchantpanies would likely be caught in the middle and end up in dire straits. I had thought for sure that Souya-san had struck Libera-sama down knowing this��


    ��I struck him down for another reason. Well, the man called Libera had carried too much trouble��


    ��It would have been trouble as well if he had stayed in Lemuria and teamed up with the merchants from the center continent, so your decision was very right��


    ��������������Is that so?��


    It��s right, huh?


    I��ve mixed feelings about that.


    ��That��s right, on another subject, it��s been decided that the Zavua merchantpany will also sell dried pasta. It seems that those guys at Eruomea will sell pasta mixed with seaweed. Our merchantpany won��t lose as well, and ns to sell high-quality pasta made using chicken eggs. Because of that, I''m consulting you, Souya-san, but I would like for you to give it a name. You��re good at this kind of thing, right?��


    Rather than saying I��m good at it, I simply gave them names from the modern world as is.


    Since high-grade chicken eggs are used, chicken egg pasta? No, it��s cheap though. Even though it��s originally wheat that had been bought at a giveaway price, I wonder how much he��s going to profit from this.


    The hostility that had been directed at me by Libera��s child shed across my mind. However, as hostility went, it was immature, and the expression that was like an abandoned dog��s that he had afterwards left an impression on me.


    Perhaps that was why����


    ��Abandoned Dog��s Pasta��


    ����a name like that was what came to mind.


    ��Huh? ������������Are you serious about using that?��


    ��Huh? Well, if that''s okay with you, then use that��


    Lonewell had a face that was saying, You��re joking, right? If you don''t like it, you can change it to something else. Don��t ask amateurs to name merchandise.


    ��Under, stood. It��s Souya-san. There must surely be a profound reason for it��


    Thus, Lonewell left.


    I gave myself a respite from adventuring today.


    To build up my energy for the next adventure while I gazed up at the sky of the alternate world. For the purpose of putting my heart into it from tomorrow onward.


    And among the dried pasta sold by the various merchantpanies in Lemuria, the ��Abandoned Dog��s Pasta�� sold by the Zavua merchantpany had great taste, shape, texture, and was of amazing quality, but it����


    Totally,


    Didn''t sell.


    ��End��

 Chapter 048: The Neighborhood Demon King I & II

    <h4>Chapter 048: The Neighborhood Demon King I & II</h4>


    ��The Neighborhood Demon King I��


    ��77th day��


    There is a profession called adventurer.


    The scope of an adventurer��s work is diverse. Running errands for vigers, subjugating monsters, gathering items for collectors�� collections, being bouncers for merchantpanies, and acting as consultants. From menial to heroic, for gaining fame or to clear reputations, it��ll take forever if I try to list them all.


    Most popr among them is exploring the dungeon.


    In the dungeon, a great amount of wisdom that is unknown (or has been forgotten) to the peopley untapped. Pyroxenes more valuable than gold and silver, materials, and the equipment of heroes who had died are waiting to see the light of day once more.


    Naturally, it��s lucrative.


    Moreover, it��s lucrative regardless of race or lineage.


    However, people who have made a killing and obtained unwavering status are few and far between.


    Most lose their lives in the depths of the darkbyrinth. Whether they were satisfied,mented, felt pride, or cursed, different people felt different emotions.


    My party is also a party specializing in clearing the dungeon.


    I had been on break for some time, but today, I can finally resume my main work.


    In terms of the days psed, it��s now the 77th day. But the current floor that I��m clearing is the 14th floor. My goal is to reach the 56th floor within 365 days, obtain the materials indicated by the A.I.s there, and return to the modern world.


    The deeper into the dungeon one explores, the more it entraps people manically.


    There is still some leeway, but the future is unclear.


    Cautiously and safely, cautiously and safely, I told myself that time and time again. But when ites down to it, we challenge the adventure unprepared. There��s no such thing as a safe adventure.


    The best way to get rid of this anxiety is to explore the dungeon.


    It''s truly ironic.


    ��Hn��


    Last night, I had been making ns tillte. I couldn��t remember anything from mid-way through. It appeared that I had ended up falling asleep.


    When I woke up, I felt the sunrise through the sides of the tent.


    In my hand was a tablet in sleep-mode. Beside my pillow was an A.I. mini-pod that was also in sleep-mode. Next to the A.I. was a hand-drawn map with annotations.


    At the tip of my nose was her sleeping face.


    Rana. A woman from the alternate world who I had pretend married. She was a blonde-haired elven magician who, despite being baby-faced, had big boobs. Those abundant twin hills were being clutched from behind by her sleeping sister.


    Her younger sister, Ea, had blonde hair and a tall, slim body. She was the very image of an elf.


    Perhaps she was starved for mothering, but she was a girl who loves her elder sister''s breasts. So much so that she couldn��t sleep without touching them.


    Both of them were in their sleepwear, which was T-shirts and hot pants. Even though I should be used to seeing it by now, my body heated up when I looked directly at them.


    Without conscious thought, I naturally��...


    ��...tried to touch Rana''s bangs��...


    ��...but I couldn''t move.


    I hadn��t noticed it because the heat of her body had seeped into mine, but someone had embraced me, who was lying on my side, from behind. I could see the hands that were wrapped around me.


    The mostly likely culprit, my god, was sleeping in the corner of the tent with her belly exposed. She was still in the form of a cat.


    In that case, there was only one person it could be.


    ��Lanseal?��


    I caught sight of a swaying silver tail out of the corner of my eye.


    Now that I had thought about it, the feel of the bulges that were pressed against my back was familiar.


    ��������������Lanseal��


    So as to not wake Rana up, I lowered my voice as much as possible.


    It had been decided just the other day that she was not to invade my bed without Rana��s permission, and yet, here she is.


    I don��t want to see the two of them fight first thing in the morning. Or rather, mediating between them is troublesome.


    I want to cherish Rana. I want to treat Lanseal affectionately. At present, no one understands how distressed I am by this.


    ��Lan, seal������Lanseal������Lanseal~��


    I continued calling out to her quietly.


    The scales were tipping wildly between troublesome and warmth. A little more, it feels good like this. But no, no, it��s bad.


    ��Ahnn~��


    ��Ugu��


    She let out a seductive sigh and tightened her restraints on me. She wrapped both hands around my neck and one leg around my waist. A formidable suppleness was pressed against my shoulder des.


    I, I can''t break free.


    To think that that she would attack me both physically and mentally, what a terrifying girl Lanseal is.


    ��Lan, Lanseal. Please wake up��


    Somehow, my voice was small.


    ��Nom��


    ��Ow��


    Instead of getting a reply, my earlobe was y-bitten. Even though it had felt like an electric current had shot through my spine with just that, she continued to munch on my earlobe and deal DoT damage to me.


    ��Heyy, Lanseal-sann��


    ��Hnn, yes?��


    She whispered sultrily into my ear.


    Did she wake up or had she been pretending to be asleep from the beginning?


    ��What��s the meaning of this?��


    ��I��vee to wake you up as I''ve finished making breakfast. I��m quite confident in today��s tamagoyaki(Japanese omelette) and soup��


    ��Okay, umm, before that, what are you doing right noww~��


    I was nibbled.


    ��I��m deepening our friendship. So that I can be taken as your mistress as soon as possible, I thought that I would try various thing on you, Souya��


    ��That makes me happy, no, consider the time and ce�D�D��


    ��Do you not like this kind of thing?��


    The tip of her tongue licked my ear. It crept into a ce that couldn��t be defended. It was forcing itself into the hole. At that never-experienced-before sensation, my brain went numb and I almost passed out.


    Even though she��s only pretend, to be molested by other women in front of my wife, it''s mortifying, but it feels�D�D


    ��������������Hnnn��


    Rana woke up.


    ��Hmm?��


    Lanseal didn��t care, or rather, she intensified her efforts at molesting me. Her beastkin blood had ended uppletely boiling over.


    ��������������Huh?��


    As could be expected, even the quick-witted Rana was confused.


    She sat up and took a deep breath.


    And then, she grasped the situation, organized it in her head, and drove her fist into Lanseal��s face.


    ��The Neighborhood Demon King II��


    ��Today''s breakfast is tamagoyaki with mushrooms and cheese, bread, and, um, this soup with bacon and vegetables��


    ��Lanseal-sama, it��s Pot-au-feu��


    ��Yes, this is Pot-au-feu. It''s cooked in the pressure cooker so the ingredients are soft and tender��


    Lanseal and Makinaid out breakfast on the table.


    Hmm, an environment where breakfast is ready upon waking up is also good. It can��t match the joy of being told that the food that I had made is delicious though.


    ��Here, Souya. I��ve added more bacon especially for you��


    ��Lanseal, you��re not allowed toe any closer��


    Rana kept her, who was bringing me my breakfast, at arm��s length.


    ��But�D�D��


    ��Not allowed��


    ��Then, I��ll leave it here��


    Lanseal ced the bowl a little further away. Rana pulled it closer and moved it in front of herself.


    ��Or rather, Lanseal, do you have an exnation for what happened this morning?��


    In response to Rana, who was a shade angry, Lanseal said with a nonchnt expression.


    ��Even if you ask me for an exnation, I didn��t disturb both of you at night, which is the married couple��s time, and besides, morning is free time��


    ��Som, something like married couple''s time! That��s, umm������������not yet. However! That thing in the morning is going too far! It��s shameless! Have some sense of propriety!��


    Rana had turned red to her ears.


    To be honest, it''s cute.


    ��Well, I think that Onee-chan should also dial it back a notch though��


    Looking at Rana, who was sitting on myp, my sister voiced a very reasonable impression.


    ��Ea, we��re husband and wife. What''s wrong with a wife sitting on her husband''sp?��


    ��Your words havee back to roost, but if you haven��t realized it, then never mind��


    ��?��


    Went Rana, who hadn��t realized it.


    She had done it before, but as could be expected, sitting on a man��sp at the dining table is a bit much


    It��spletely my fault for not being able to admonish her. But I mean,e on. On my thighs, the feel of Rana��s butt is���� The rather fleshy sensation is����


    If there is a man who can tear himself away from this, I��ll probably feel either respect or aversion for him.


    ��Oh, it��s delicious~��


    My sister took a mouthful of the Pot-au-feu and gave her impression of it.


    Rana also took a mouthful with an indescribable expression.


    ��Urggh������������It��s delicious��


    The Pot-au-feu was a dish with simmered meat and vegetables.


    Since we had brought granted consomme from the modern world, the seasoning could be done easily.


    Ingredients were malformed potatoes, melted turnips, tender onions, broken-off carrots and bite-sized bacon.


    When I stuck my spoon into the potato, it broke apart without much resistance.


    I also took a mouthful from around Rana.


    ��Ohh��


    The saltiness was light, but the deliciousness of the ingredients had been concentrated in the soup, and a taste simr to sweetness spread throughout my mouth. Next, I took a bite of the thick, luxurious bacon.


    By matching this with the vegetables, the saltiness became exquisite. The other ingredients were also cooked until they were easy to eat, so it was the ideal dish to eat in the morning.


    ��Yeah, it��s delicious��


    ��FuuuUUUUUNN~��


    At my impression, Lanseal hid her face with a tray. She was trembling for some reason. Her tail was moving furiously with incredible force.


    Because her tail was usually stowed inside her skirt, that meant that if I went to the opposite side, I would be able to see her panties. No, it��s definitely not as if I want to see����.


    ������������I want to see them though.


    ��Wh, what about the tamagoyaki?!��


    ��Let��s see��


    I reached out my spoon towards the slightly burnt, thick tamagoyaki. When I cut it, mushrooms that were covered in viscous, melted cheese could be seen.


    Sugar had been added. It brought out a deliciousness through the synergistic effect it had with the saltiness of the cheese. The crisp texture of mushrooms was also a highlight.


    ��The shape is bad, but the taste gets full marks. This is also delicious��


    ��Thank you very much, Souya. And, I''m sorry. I��m having a little trouble keeping my emotions in check, so I��m going for a run��


    Lanseal raced across the in like the wind. Her back looked incredibly happy. I understood how she felt, but she was rejoicing too much.


    ��It��s a little nd��


    My sister put plenty of mayonnaise on her tamagoyaki.


    As Rana ate the tamagoyaki heartily, she clenched her fist.


    ��������������It��s vexing. Makina, when we get back from the dungeon, give me special training in cooking��


    ��Makina is really sorry, but Makina refuses��


    ��Huh?!��


    Nice, Makina.


    She didn��t beat around the bush.


    ��To tell the truth, Makina still hasn''t been able to dispose of the dish that madam made previously. If you��re able to either neutralize or destroy itpletely, this Makina will impart to you the secrets of cooking��


    There was a substance that Rana had created in the process of making onigiri(rice balls) a little while ago. It was a very terrifying substance, and had be a bit of a problem as we were having trouble disposing of it.


    It expanded when burned and became ferocious when sprinkled with water. Shooting it with a bow or attacking it with the magic sword also dealt no damage. To begin with, physical attacks werepletely nullified.


    We also tried Rana��s magic, but even with her firepower, it was impossible to destroy itpletely, and reducing its size and weakening it was all she could do.


    For now, it was sealed inside a metal box, but the sounds of it rampaging were getting more intense day by day. Recently, scratching sounds had beening from inside the box. Whispers in what sounded like an unknownnguage could even be heard.


    As Makina said, until a disposal method could be found, creating a second or third ��that�� would lead to a crisis on the alternate world.


    As a person from the modern world, I couldn��t do anything that would cause trouble for the alternate world.


    ��Uuu��������that�� is certainly my responsibility. I understand. I��ll develop the method of destroying it first. After that, please be sure to teach me how to cook, alright?��


    ��Yes, leave it to Makina��


    I felt relieved for the time being.


    When I happened to look over the camp calmly, I came across a strange spot.


    ��Makina, what is that?��


    Behind Makina, in the shadow of the A.I.��s cylindrical-shaped pod, there was a bulge hidden under a blue tarp.


    It was about the size of five humansid t and packed tightly together.


    No way, has she finally����


    ��It��s only from the number of failures that people show great growth��


    The Makina Unit��s arm stripped off the blue tarp.


    ��This is��������������


    I had no words.


    Broken frying pans and pots. Cutting boards that had been split into two. Shattered kitchen knives. Cracked tes. Foodstuffs that had been burnt to a cinder.


    ��Most of them are cooking utensils and foodstuffs from this world, so please overlook it. But please don''t overlook her efforts��


    ��Even I can do this much, but, muu, this is, hmm��


    Rana had wanted toin. But breakfast was delicious, so she held her tongue.


    However, there was just one problem.


    ��Onii-chan, this bread is hard and inedible��


    ��Got it~��


    This bread, they had probably served what I had bought and kept in reserve. They aren��t meant for eating as is. Well, it��s a pardonable mistake.


    ��Makina, collect them back��


    ��Understood��


    The bread was collected back and stored in the food storage.


    This hardness is perfect. I��ll use it for cooking when wee back from the dungeon.

 Chapter 049: The Neighborhood Demon King III

    <h4>Chapter 049: The Neighborhood Demon King III</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��Yo��


    From across the in,


    A red-haired boy and a long-haired girl wearing armor walked over.


    I know the boy, but who��s the girl? Don��t tell me, his girlfriend?


    No, he��s also at that age and on top of that, he��s popr because of his androgynous looks. He��s targeted mainly by older Onee-sans, but well, it��s strange that he hasn��t had a few girlfriends by now.


    For some reason, I��m getting excited and nervous in various ways.


    As a guardian, I have to behave in a manner that won��t disappoint.


    ��Rana, sorry, excuse me��


    ��Eeh��


    I was also reluctant to part with her, but I removed Rana from myp and sat her down on the chair beside me. I quickly checked my clothes and for bed hair, and then I went to greet the two of them.


    ��Hi, good morning, Shuna. Who��s this youngdy, I wonder?��


    I put the best smile I could muster on my face. I had the feeling that my imitation of myte friend��s handsome guy smile������������had failed all of a sudden.


    ��Er?��


    The girl was giving me the stink eye.


    Her expression is cold, but she looks cute. Is she a little older than Shuna, I wonder? She has soft-looking long brown curly hair and she��s equipped with dull silver armor, a shield and a longsword that��s big for her physique.


    Hmm������������Huh? I��ve a feeling that I��ve seen that armor, shield and sword before.


    ��Onii-chan, what are you saying? It��s Bel��


    ��Right, of course��


    It was Beltoriche, my party member.


    ��Sorry!��


    I lowered my head.


    In a sense, I had screwed up. Of all things, to think that I would mistake my own party member for someone else. But Bel should have very short hair. For it to have be this long in just the three days since Ist saw her���� Oh, a magic hair growth tonic or something?


    ��������������No, I don��t mind��


    Her response was cold.


    This reaction, is she burning with rage?


    ��Bel, do you want breakfast?! This Pot-au-feu is pretty good!��


    For the time being, I��ll cate her with food. This works every time with the youngsters of the alternate world.


    ��I��ll eat��


    When I was about to serve her another bowl, Bel sat down in my seat and started eating my Pot-au-feu.


    She ate silently.


    ��How is it? I didn��t make the food today, but umm, do you want more meat?��


    ��It��s fine��


    She shoveled the Pot-au-feu into her mouth with a spoon even more silently. To think that Bel, who hated vegetables, would eat so much. I��d have to let Lanseal know.


    ��Souya,e here for a second��


    ��Do you want some too, Shuna?��


    ��I''m good. Come here for a second��


    The boy, Shuna, dragged me by my hand, and left the camp.


    ��What��s going on?��


    He looks a little strange. I wonder if he��ll be alright to explore the dungeon after this.


    ��Here is fine. Wait a bit��


    We stopped after going out of sight of the camp.


    Shuna took a small tree branch out from his bag and stuck it into the ground.


    ��Ukazor-sama, your kin, Shuna of Azorido offers a wish and asks for your form and voice here. Should my wish be gran�D�D��


    In the middle of Shuna''s chant, the branch was enveloped by a dazzling light, and when the light died down, there was a man about 20cm tall in its ce.


    He was a middle-aged man with white hair.


    He had a hoe in one hand and a straw hat on his head. Around his neck was a piece of cloth for wiping sweat. It was the attire of a farmer that I had seen many times.


    ��Yo, Shuna. Are you well? It��s okay if you call me more often, you know? The grandpas and grandmas on the ind are also asking about you. Well, it��s because I''m and-bound god, I suppose. My form has be pitiful like this, but even so, I��ll listen to yourints at least��


    He was a god with a plebeian air.


    He wasn��t dignified, but was affable. It was a characteristic of a person who had been loved by the people before bing a god.


    ��Sorry, Ukazor-sama, I wish to consult you about the matter of Bel today. Also, this guy is my party leader��


    After being introduced by Shuna, I greeted him with a bow.


    ��I��m Souya, from a foreignnd. As an adventurer, I��m Shuna��s leader. Your kin, Shuna, has unmatched sword skills among those of his age��


    ��But isn��t he still a child?��


    ��������������Err, well, it��s appropriate for his age��


    ��You��ve grown taller ofte, but four years ago, you were small and wherever you went, you followed behind either Bel or Regure. It was tough when you lost sight of them and then cried and wailed. So many times, you called me as you cried. It��s not just one or two hundred times either that I had to give you a piggyback ride home��


    ��Oh, something like that������


    No, if you talk about such things, it feels like Shuna will get angry though.


    ��I��m sorry, Ukazor-sama. I want to discuss the matter of that very Bel today��


    He��s rather calm.


    Is it because he became an adult just a while ago? Or is it something else?


    ��Sorry. It��s the first time I��ve seen your face in a long time, so I''m happy, you see?��


    ��Um, it��s only been about three months since I left the ind��


    ��Is that so? Nheless, it feels to me like you��ve grown up. You haven��t learned things like ying around with woman, have you? There are many temptations in the city. I��m a god right now, but as a man just like you, I know how you feel, but if you get involved with a bad woman�D�D��


    He was a god who waspletely talking with parental affection.


    ��Ukazor-sama, I��m sorry, for now������


    ��Umm, sorry. Before I noticed������


    We moved on to the main subject.


    ��Bel is weird these days. Something simr had also happened in the past, but it��s different this time. Souya, you even mistook her for someone else, right?��


    ��Yeah, that��s right. By the way, for the people of this world, do their hair be long all of a sudden?��


    ��They don��t��


    Of course they don��t.


    ��In addition, she eats the vegetables that she hates without caring, became unfriendly, doesn��t greet anyone, the look in her eyes became worse, and what��s horrible was when she made dinnerst night. Bel��s cooking is half-hearted, but she has never made stuff that��s inedible. For her to make food that was so awful that the Onii-sans who ate it by mistake were carried to the healing temple because of stomach pains, it��s clearly weird��


    Food that causes the people who eat it to require healing, huh?


    If it was made in front of me, I might get angry even if it��s Bel.


    ��Ukazor-sama, what''s going on with Bel��s body? Do you know anything?��


    ��Shuna, it��s as you fear, Beltoriche��s body is being possessed something. Because of her constitution as a divine medium, simr things happened in the past as well, didn��t it? If it��s a soul of the dead, a natural spirit, or a god who has lost his or her following, then I can expel it, but����


    ����this time, I can��t be of help��


    ��Huh?��


    Shuna was shocked.


    I had the same reaction. I had thought that she seemed strange, but her body����


    You''re kidding.


    ��I��m ��no more than�� a man who continued to nt trees until my death�D�Dno, even after death in order to protect the ind from salt damage. The likes of the grace of a god like that doesn��t amount to much. Nevertheless, I believe that the thing that has possessed Bel isn��t an evil existence��


    I threw a question that came to me naturally at god.


    ��Does something that��s not evil take over a person��s body without asking?��


    ��The present-day gods are born after obtaining works that surpass human wisdom at the end of a journey of obsession. Even those who are said to be good, or those who are praised as saints, will crush people like insects.


    The good and evil of the gods are far from the good and evil of people. To a man from a foreignnd, it probably looks like madness, but that��s how it is��


    Even for people, just by standing on top of people and putting on a crown, a person is distanced from the general concept of good and evil. In order to protect the country, that person will easily entrap and kill people. When it gets to the level of the gods, it��ll probably be far beyond the scope of human understanding.


    ��But something like that������


    Ukazor-sama spoke with a gentle voice to Shuna, who was shaken.


    ��Shuna, my kin. I��ll tell you one thing that��ll reassure you. I may be a demigod, but I��m still a god. If the god possessing Bel does horrific deeds, I''ll put my godhood on the line and drive it out of her body. If Bel��s will rejects that god, I��ll bet my soul ande to her rescue. If that is what Bel desires, that is��


    ��Huh, what are you saying?��


    Ukazor-sama answered Shuna''s question with a solemn expression.


    ��Bel is lending it her body in exchange for some sort of power. Being possessed by that god is of her own will��


    ��Huh?��


    Shuna and I raised our voices at the same time.


    ��About ten days ago, Bel sought advice from me. She asked if there was a way to be strong quickly. I��ll cause trouble for the party if I stay as I am now, she had said. Does anythinge to mind?��


    Something did.


    Bel hade to the camp during the time I was fretting about the party formation now that Irvin was gone.


    We had eaten snacks, chatted, and then I had escorted her back to the city, but thinking back on it, Bel had put on Irvin��s mementos and trained the day after that.


    In the words of dvain��s kin, they were not the movements of a person who had picked up the sword and shield for the first time.


    I had believed it to be her talent though.


    ��I''m sorry, Shuna. It might be my fault��


    I had no leeway and I hadn��t been able to think clearly.


    ��What do you mean?��


    I was being red at by Shuna.


    ��In a roundabout way, she had asked about the party formation without Irvin. I had grumbled because I was troubled over the answer, but if I had answered her properly at the time������


    ��Oh......�� Is that it? I thought for sure, no, it��s fine then��


    You thought for sure, what? No no, I��m not so stupid that I would try anything with Bel. It was done for form��s sake, but I��m married. Oh, I guess bigamy is fine since it��s an elven marriage contract������������The party��s atmosphere will be the worst if I did something like that though.


    Ukazor-sama cleared his throat to get our attention.


    ��I��ve no idea what kind of contract she formed with the god that��s possessing her. But in the unlikely event that Bel cries for help, I��ll definitelye to her aid. Shuna, that goes for you too.


    Well, for a while, let��s watch over the young girl��s feelings. The passion of girls of that age burn up easily like bundled straw. As soon as tomorrow, she might lose interest and shake off that god. Don��t take it as too much of a big deal, especially you, foreigner. I can see the fatigue in your face. Both of my kin are causing you worry, aren��t they?��


    ��No, Ukazor-sama, I''m not particrly�D�D��


    ��You are, aren��t you?��


    ��That��s not tru�D�D��


    ��Aren��t you?��


    Pressured by Ukazor-sama��s considerable intensity����


    ��������������Y, yes��


    ����Shuna looked away and acknowledged it.


    Ukazor-sama turned back to me.


    ��Even if I say that it��s as an apology, it��s something useless, but foreigner, I��ll bestow a little of my grace upon you. It''s probably of little use for adventuring, but it��s not something that will inconvenience you to have��


    ��Eeeeh~��


    Shuna''s reaction was bad.


    Well, if it won��t inconvenience me, then I guess I��ll take it.


    ��Stick out your finger��


    ��Okay��


    I pointed my index finger at Ukazor-sama. Ukazor-sama''s finger touched my finger.


    There was a small glimmer of light.


    It was like E.T. The other party was a small middle-aged man though.


    ��With this, my grace is yours. It��s the miracle of a demigod, but use it as you will��


    ��Umm, what kind of effect does it have?��


    That��s the crucial point.


    ��The grace of Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King, gives you the ability to grow delicious vegetables!��


    ��A������������Amazing!��


    What a work of god.


    I��ll have to make a kitchen garden starting tomorrow. Garlic, cherry tomatoes, eggnts, herbs, peppers, and cucumbers. I can expand my dreams. I can diversify the food. I can create paradise.


    ��That��s not all. Before you start farm work, stretch out both hands and shout my name to the blue sky. If you do that, I��ll alleviate the back pain from doing farm work��


    ��Marvelous!��


    Now this is a miracle of the alternate world.


    What good fortune!


    ��Or rather, can you please be my main god? I��ll worship you like crazy��


    I feel bad for Misuranika-sama and Gravius-sama, but it rtes to the food that I offer to the two of them. There shouldn��t be any problems even if I give him special treatment.


    ��Ahh, I want to form a contract as much as you do, foreigner, but it��s impossible to contract with you unless youe to the ind where my true body is. I��m and-bound god, and a demigod after all��


    ��That��s, a shame��


    ��Souya, you��re far too disappointed. Even if you can grow vegetables, it��s of no use to adventuring, isn��t it?��


    ��What did������you say?��


    I grabbed the shoulders of Shuna, who didn��t get it.


    ��Do you know just how difficult it is to make backpacking food for adventuring or to cook food for the breaks inside the dungeon?! Do you know just how much effort can be saved if there are delicious vegetables?!��


    The vegetables from the farms have a pretty strong alkaline and primitive taste. The biggest problem is that their management systems are poor and it��s necessary to be selective when buying them. It��smon to find insects everywhere after cutting them.


    If I can grow vegetables in the camp, Makina can manage them and can also do selective breeding. On top of that, they��ll be delicious due to god��s blessing.


    This is splendid.


    I have to break ground as soon as possible.


    ��No, I admit that Souya��s food is delicious. But if it''s so difficult, isn��t it fine to buy adventuring food from the merchantpanies?��


    ��You fool! As if I��ll let people who are in their growth period eat food like those lumps of wheat and butter! They don��t meet the nutritional requirements at all! In the first ce, what about you guys��ck of motivation when we bought food from the merchantpanies and explored the dungeon?! What��s more, during the break, everyone looked at me and sighed, right?! I''ll never forget that! On top of that, fighting strength was reduced by 30%, you know?! You can''t cut corners with food! Also, Shuna, eat your vegetables. Or rather, I��ll make you eat them��


    ��It��s my bad. The more delicious the food, the better. But I won��t eat vegetables. I absolutely won��t eat them��


    I''ll let you have a taste of delicious vegetables hell. What��s more, I��ll feed you a ton of them without you realizing it. I''ll make it so that your body can no longer live without eating vegetables.


    Wait, that��s normal, isn��t it?


    ��Hmm, foreigner, I��ve got the feeling that I''ve understood your race. Please continue to look after my kin like this��


    ��Yes��


    I was entrusted with Shuna by Ukazor-sama.


    I intend to take care of him even if he hadn��t been entrusted to me. Until the day the adventure is over.


    ��Shuna, leave the matter of Bel to me and the person herself and focus on what you achieve. The life of a person is short. If you turn your eyes elsewhere, you��ll be old and invalid in a sh��


    ��Yes, I understand, Ukazor-sama��


    He replied meekly. It was rare to see Shuna like this.


    ��Eat your vegetables too��


    ����������������


    Answer him.


    ��Take care of your body and try to do good as much as you can. The life of a person is not limited to just the sword. Even if you possess the skills of a hero, it��s difficult to fight against the soil with a hoe. The trials that people ought to challenge are not just those that exist in the midst of battle. You have a ce to return to. If you grow tired of the hustle and bustle of the city,e back to the ind anytime��


    He was like an Otou-san(dad) worrying about his son who had left for the big city.


    ��That��s no good, it��s so unlike me to be preachy. Let��s leave it at that for today. Farewell��


    Ukazor-sama waved his hand.


    I waved back.


    He was a small middle-aged man, but he was a good god.


    ��Souya��


    ��Hmm?��


    Shuna asked me.


    ��So what are you going to do about the matter of Bel?��


    ��Oh, I��ll remake the ns from scratch of course. Today''s adventure is canceled!��


    What the heck is this!

 Chapter 050: The Neighborhood Demon King IV

    <h4>Chapter 050: The Neighborhood Demon King IV</h4>


    ��Hnngaa~��


    Uuuaaa~, I said as I fell over inside my tent like a zombie.


    The n����. The n that took three days to make is���� I��ll have to remake it entirely~. For such an unexpected thing to happen, well, it��s a good thing it��s outside the dungeon though.


    I''m d that I had told Shuna many times the mantra of report,municate, and consult.*


    Who knows what might have happen if we had disregarded Bel��s situation and explored the dungeon.


    I had tried questioning the current Bel briefly, but she didn��t answer any one thing.��Other thanplying in battle, I won��t answer anything��was what she had said, but that��s the opinion of the person inside Bel.


    People like that are tricky.


    They seem simple, but have their own unique rules. If those rules don��t match with the party members, it��ll be a big problem.


    In the first ce, as a go-between with other parties, Bell was exceedingly excellent.


    An innocent girl''s smile lowers people''s defenses.


    Rana is disliked by those of the same race, both Shuna and Ea are tsunderes, and my looks and reputation are bad. Bel was our only negotiator. To think that such an asset would disappear for a reason like this����


    Things are always not turning out as I wish~.


    What should I do from now on? Even though the guardian on the 14th floor had to be defeated jointly with another party���� Will we be able to negotiate with a local party? In the worst case, money?


    For the time being, in order to gather information on and to monitor her, I gave Rana, Ea, Shuna and Bel extra pocket money and had them go to the city. I ordered them to get to know one another better for the day.


    I probably should go as well, but I have to make modifications to the n first.


    Or rather, I��ll have to remake it entirely.


    ��FuaaAAAAAAAAA!��


    ��Souya-san, you��re having a hard time, it seems��


    The Makina Pod rolled up the entrance of the tent.


    Oh, here��s someone that can be relied on in short order.


    ��This is exactly the kind of time where youe in, isn��t it?��


    ��That��s right��


    A smile was disyed on the pod��s screen.


    ��Well then, shall we go?��


    ��Huh? Where?��


    ��Just wait until you��re there! It��ll be fun!��


    I was taken to a fun ce.


    Makina had a huge rucksack on her back. I was also carrying a bag with seasonings and tableware.


    My clothes and equipment were as usual.


    A poncho over thebat uniform. The regeneration point containers and a coral ne around my neck. sses that were an A.I.��s device. A hunting knife strapped to my leg, a karambit in my pocket, an unstrung bow and a great-sword, which was sheathed inside the quiver at my waist along with the arrows.


    It was menacing, but being armed was the formal attire of an adventurer.


    Both of us walked across the in.


    We were heading in the opposite direction of the city.


    I had wondered what it was, but what Makina had proposed was a change of pace.


    Some time ago, someone had helped Makina when she got caught between rocks. We were going to express our thanks for that. Personally, I wanted to know the face of the person who had seen Makina. Just in case.


    ��Say, is it far?��


    ��No, it��s just round the corner~��


    In the neighborhood of the camp was the Heures forest where the elves lived and Lemuria��s farnds, which were beside the forest. Other than that, a sprawling expanse of grassy in that stretched as far as the eye could see.


    Was there somece else that people lived, I wonder.


    ��Hmm?��


    I stopped my steps.


    ��Is something the matter?��


    The ce where I had stopped was the ce where I had fought a certain hero. It was the ce where I had fought the magic sword that was currently sheathed in my quiver.


    In this ce, red flowers were blooming.


    They had prickly leaves that pierced the skin when touched and hard stems. The red cylindrical flowers also looked spiny. I had mistaken them for red spider lilies, but these were�D�D


    ��They��re cirsium, aren��t they?��


    ��Why only in this ce������


    The cirsium were growing in the ces that had withered because of the curse. No, not just those ces. The red flowers were blooming as if they were a signpost to chase something away.


    It looked almost as if the pure red was sublimating the curse as well.


    ��It��s a marvel, isn��t it? The red color of these flowers is extremely close to the color of fresh human blood. Makina will add it to Makina��s ��Marvels of the Alternate World�� note��


    What��s with that note?


    I want to read it.


    ��Please watch out for the spines. There are more clusters growing over there��


    Makina went ahead.


    Alone and muttering to myself, I followed the cirsium. Dragging the emotions that I couldn��t sort out, I walked a distance of 5km.


    Before me was,


    ��You''re kidding��


    A sea of red.


    Countless cirsium were growing in clusters. It was beautiful, but it was a sight simr to death.


    This was where I had fought the beast of abominable blood.


    And it was also the ce where we had been dropped from the modern world.


    It was the ce with an entrance to a ruined dungeon that no one in Lemuria knew the history of.


    ��Gashuraku-san~��


    Disregarding me, who was dumbfounded, Makina called someone��s name as she proceeded.


    ��Hey~. Over here~. So you came~��


    From within the red flower garden, a small shadow waved its hand.


    It seemed about as tall as Makina, which meant that its height was about 120cm. The hood of its cloak was wrapped snugly around its head, hiding its face. The limbs poking out from under the cloak were thin and its skin was green.


    After all this time, I wasn��t surprised by something like skin color, but it was a rare color. Or perhaps I should say that I had an inkling for some reason or another.


    I proceeded after Makina.


    I moved until I was near the shadow.


    ��Souya-san, this is the representative of the people who helped Makina��


    ��I��m Gashuraku?Ozu?Melforuna?Gazzuozumu?Ogyumuzusu��


    He was a goblin.


    It was that goblin, the number one small fry monster in RPGs.


    When he lowered his cloak''s hood, I saw apletely hairless head, long pointed ears and a hooked nose. What was absolutely different from games was that there was a strong intelligence in his eyes and facial expressions.


    In a sense, that face was so familiar that I greeted him without losing my cool.


    ��I��m Souya, from a foreignnd. Thank you for helping my partner out. Today, as thanks for that, we��vee to treat you to a humble meal��


    ��I see. As Makina said, you don��t hold a prejudice due to the difference in race, do you? Is it because you��re a foreigner? But I have to say, differences in appearance be reasons for discrimination, don��t they? To not even have that prejudice, you were either raised by very good parents or had very good teachers. Or your country is tolerant.


    In any case, wee to our little territory. Foreigner, if you look at us with unbiased eyes, then we��ll also do the same in return��


    I��m not looking down on goblins, but he��s such a grounded person!


    Uwaa, I can''t defeat goblins in games anymore!


    ��Umm, could it be that these red flowers����they��re all your work?��


    It was what I was most curious about so I tried asking about it.


    ��Yea~��


    Yea~?!


    He became unreserved all of a sudden.


    ��Tell you what~, it��s tiring, so I��ll talk in a rxed manner now, alright~? I think you should take it a little easier too��


    ��Oh, thank you. Yes��


    What a friendly race.


    Where did the image of being attacked by a depraved groupe from, I wonder?


    ��The shikabana**, huh? A little while ago, above our homes~, there was some sort ofmotion, you see? When I took a look the next day, thend was polluted. It was awful, you know~?��


    First off, I did a Dogeza.


    The flowers hurt! Endure it~!


    ��I��m the one who did it! I��m sorry! Without even thinking that there would be people living underneath!��


    ��Yea, I know~��


    He knew?!


    ��Well, I don''t know anything about the intrigues between the humans onnd. But you were fighting for your life, so I��m not mad��


    ��Th, thank you very much��


    ��Even though I said that it��s polluted, it��s not to the level where it can��t be cleansed, so it��s not a problem~��


    ��Is, is that so?��


    I raised my head.


    Did the goblin say that he has a way to cleanse the curse? Even though methods of curing curses and such generally don��t exist in the world?


    ��Umm�D�D��


    When I was about to ask the friendly goblin a question,


    ��Stay away from Onii-chan! You goblin!��


    My sister intervened at a troublesome timing.


    Before I had realized, Ea was there.


    There was an arrow nocked on the bow that she had at the ready. The tip of the arrow was pointed between the goblin''s eyebrows. Her brother who was next to the goblin was in a Dogeza.


    She certainly may have jumped to conclusions, but why at such a troublesome timing����


    ��Ea, calm down��


    ��It��s okay! Nothing has been done to him!��


    ��It''s okay, so listen to what I say��


    ��These goblins are a scumbag race that abducts people and rapes them until they die! Get away from him immediately!��


    ��Hey, elf��


    Oh, it''s bad.


    He��s going to get angry. When you make such intelligent people angry, there will be serious consequences!


    ��Is your race a pervert race that enjoys viting pigs and horses?��


    ��What did you say?!��


    Ea hadpletely blown her top.


    ��To us, the way we feel about the appearance of elves and Hemus is no different from how we feel about pigs and horses. I��m telling you, no one other than perverts get aroused for such things��


    ��Huh?! I don''t know what you mean though!��


    My sister��s response was like a dumb person��s.


    As goblin-san said, if humans don''t lust for goblins, then there��s no reason for goblins to lust for humans. If there were any exceptions, then it would only be the perverts, I suppose.


    ��In that case, elf, can you tell me if there are any among your friends or rtives who were raped by goblins?��


    ��A friend of my friend was!��


    Ahh~ That��s totally a lie, isn��t it?


    For the most part, it��s probably something made up partly to draw attention to themselves or to nder others. Besides, the goblins�� appearance seem harsh to the elves�� sense of aesthetics.


    ��Ea, for the time being, lower your bow. Onii-chan is going to be angry��


    ��No way!��


    From way back, my sister had been intense once provoked.


    ��Or rather, foreigner, what you mean when you say Onii-chan?��


    Came goblin-san��s question.


    Well, anyone would be curious about that, I suppose.


    ��This is my sister��


    ��A Hemu, calling an elf his sister?��


    ��Souya-san''s wife is an elf~!��


    ��Foreigner, you do strange things, don��t you?��


    ��Look over here!��


    Ea, who had been disregarded lightly, was furious.


    Even though goblin-san had an arrow pointed at him, he wasn��t perturbed one bit.


    ��Ea, cut it out righ�D�D��


    When I was about to suppress my sister by force because she was really being too rude,


    My body froze from the chills running down my spine.


    Cold air caused the red flowers to sway.


    ��Well. Our king hase��


    In response to goblin-san''s voice, ck winds came together and formed into a humanoid figure.


    It was a skeleton in a ck cloak.


    Its bones were that of a small-sized Hemu. zing blue light gathered in its eye sockets, and around its neck was a ne of triangr metal pieces. Those metal pieces were parts of a crown. In other words, it was wearing the broken pieces of a crown around its neck.


    The proof of a usurper.


    It was something that I had heard from Otou-san over drinks. ording to the ancient customs of the right continent, a person who seeds in killing a king breaks the crown and hangs it around his or her neck along with the king��s ears and fingers.


    To usurp is to kill a king without honor,


    And herald the destruction of the country.


    In this world, those who have aplished that deed,


    ��Behold, this is the very personage who is the king of goblins and the Demon King of the forbidden area. I present Gorith?Melforuna?Gastolfo-sama��


    That��s right, they��re called Demon Kings.

 Chapter 051: The Neighborhood Demon King V

    <h4>Chapter 051: The Neighborhood Demon King V</h4>


    My heartbeat became louder. The beast stirred slightly.


    ��What, is this guy������


    Ea was trembling.


    That was natural.


    The Demon King was on a different dimension. Its alien, ck and cold presence was the opposite of divinity. I had experienced this feeling when I came to this world.


    A ridiculously enormous creature that wriggled in the darkness.


    A tentacle that opened like a flower.


    I thought it strange that I had forgotten about it till just now for some reason.


    ��Agathion!��


    Responding to my voice, the magic sword flew out from my quiver.


    ��Nuu��


    I had surprised goblin-san, but this isn��t the time for me to worry about that. I��ll apologizeter.


    ��Break the bow!��


    Agathion broke Ea��s bow. By chance, the arrow that had been released from its string stuck into Makina''s head.


    ��NyaGYAaaaAAAaa!��


    A noisy scream rang out, but I ignored it.


    ��O, Onii-chan, wha�D Huh, those eyes?��


    I forced Ea to her knees and made her lower her head.


    ��I sincerely apologize for my sister��s rudeness. Though they��re the actions of a child, for her to point an arrow at the vassal of the Demon King���� We��ll ept any form of punishment, but please allow me to be the one to bear responsibility. For example, an arm to begin with������


    I called back Agathion and extended my left arm.


    The Demon King stayed silent for a while, and then whispered into the goblin��s ear.


    ��My Demon King says this,��Oh golden-eyed beast, in view of your good manners, we��ll also stay our anger. Something like a Hemu��s arm is useless even as a decoration����


    ��From the bottom of my heart, I respect your sagely wisdom and magnanimity��


    It��s different if I��m alone, but with my sister here, I can��t act violently. She��ll get embroiled. Myst resort can never be used in ces where there are people, all the more so if they are people that I want to protect.


    Or rather, what do you mean golden-eyed beast? Who��s that? Me?


    ��Ea. You apologize too��


    ��Why! I was only worried about you, Onii-chan! I didn��t do anything wrong!��


    Shaking free from my hands, Ea yelled.


    Even though she is in front of the Demon King, my sister is dauntless, albeit ignorant. That��s dangerous. The opponent is out of our league. My sister, there are lots of unreasonable things in the world and there are also times when you have to apologize even if you did nothing wrong.


    Besides, the other party is a reasonable, err, person?, so you should apologize. To begin with, we��re 10 to 0 at fault anyway.


    ��Please, I''m asking you, think of it as doing it for your Onii-chan��


    ��No!��


    It can��t be helped.


    It was light, or rather, the power was reduced by three levels half-way through, and by the end, with the force of about a gentle stroking, I pped my sister.


    ��Ea, you pointed an arrow at a person because of your prejudice and a misunderstanding. These people are the benefactors who helped Makina. Is pointing arrows at the people we owe a debt of gratitude to the actions of a descendant of Heures?��


    My sister had a stunned expression on her face.


    However, it turned mushy.


    ��������I, I, di, did, didn��t��


    Tears falling inrge drops, Ea started to cry.


    ��Onii-chan hit meeeeeeeee!��


    She wailed.


    Huh? This is outside of my expectations. Back in the day, she would get angry and hit me back.


    ��PiyaaaaaaAAA!��


    It was a somewhat amusing crying voice.


    No, it''s a massive blunder. Even though she looks like an adult woman, she��s crying and wailing like a baby.


    ��Makina! Help!��


    ��Hawawa, hawawa��


    This piece of scrap is useless. I mean, it''s all your fault! You��ll be sorryter.


    ��PinyaAAaaa! NyaPyaaAaaaAAaaa!��


    Even though we were in front of the Demon King, my sister''s crying voice didn��t stop and became even louder.


    Goblin-san also had a stunned expression.


    ��Ah jeez, it��spletely Onii-chan��s fault, so cheer up��


    When I searched around in my pocket, I found a candy that was meant for Rana in case of emergencies.


    ��Here, ahhh~��


    ��Nom��������������


    When I put the strawberry-vored candy in her mouth, Ea fell silent.


    I patted her head, and she came and wrapped her arms around me like a ko. It was embarrassing because we were in front of others, but I ced her on myp and rubbed her back tofort her.


    Hmm, I can feel the sense of immorality from doing baby y with an adult woman. To be urate, it��s sister y, I suppose.


    ��Hey, sixth generation A.I., Makina-kun��


    ��Eek��


    ��Were you not able to predict that this could happen? I left Yukikaze behind because you��re here?��


    ��S, so, sorry. Ofte, the sensors on the pod have been out of sorts��


    ��Report it. Always��


    ��Eek. Souya-san, are you angry?��


    ��Haha, I''m not angry. After returning to the camp, shall we make some time for the two of us?��


    ��You''re definitely angry! Noo~!��


    ��PinyaAaaa!��


    Ea started to cry again.


    ��Oh, there there. You must be scared. Sorry, alright?��


    I patted and rubbed her some more.


    I conveyed��I��ll kill youter��to Makina with my eyes.


    The characters��Hiiiii��were disyed on Makina��s screen.


    ��This sweet thing, I want more��


    ��Sorry, Ea. Because they��re for Rana��


    ��Hic��


    Tears suddenly filled her eyes.


    ��Ea-sama! Makina will make even~~ more delicious food after this! So please be patient for a bit, alright?!��


    ��Really?��


    ��Really! Really!��


    ��Umm~ Is it alright now?��


    Goblin-san, who had been a touch ignored, came up and asked in an apologetic tone.


    ��My King says this,��Shall we do this tomorrow instead?����


    ��It''s okay! For Ea-sama, Makina will cook the dish right away! Or rather, if Makina doesn��t wash away her disgrace, Makina''s life is in danger!��


    A little distance away, Makina quicklyid out the cooking utensils and a portable stove. She readied the fire. Perhaps they found it novel, but goblin-san and the Demon King were observing at the side.


    ��Souya-san, Makina��s functionalities have currently declined by 15% because Makina is on edge. Makina will send you the image just in case, so please advise me when it looks like Makina is about to make a mistake, alright?!��


    The view of Makina''s cooking was disyed on the LCD of the sses.


    My sister hadpletely be a spoiled child. She was clinging on while snuggling me and not letting go. Something like this was also nice every now and then.


    Huh?


    It''s improper, but did she have such ack of boobs?


    Because she��ll likely get angry, I��m definitely keeping that to myself though.


    ��Well then, as thanks for helping Makina and to apologize for today''s rudeness, we��ll prepare a meal in all sincerity and with all of our heart. First, Makina will pan-fry the ingredients��


    A tupperware containing pork leg that was coated with spices was taken out.


    ��This meat is rubbed and coated with the spices that Makina got from Gashuraku-san��


    ��What kind of spices are they?��


    I don��t have good memories of the spices in Lemuria.


    I remember them being spicy, sour, and disgusting.


    ��It��s a spice mix that Makina made from the nts grown underground by the goblin-sans. Its ingredients are simr to cumin, coriander, cardamom and turmeric. From there, spices gathered in Heures Forest are added. They��re ingredients simr to clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. They��re put together and blended into this alternate world spice mix. Makina names it Lemuria?Long-Eared?Marriage?Spice?Mix!��


    Yeah, that name is bad.


    ��Makina, long-eared is a derogatory term for elves. Remove it��


    ��������������Lemuria?Marriage?Spice?Mix��


    ��Okay, good��


    What was married together became unknown, but let��s not worry about that.


    ��Oh, it smells good��


    My sister brightened up.


    The smell of these spices made me feel nostalgic.


    It was a smell that made children want to hurry home.


    ��The meat is pre-cooked, so it''s okay to just stir-fry it lightly. After that, lots of crushed tomatoes, a generous pour of red wine, and scraped apples are added, and then this part of the dish is ready��


    Next, Makina took out a frying pan.


    ��Next is to make a spice paste to make the seasoning stronger. Scraped onions, garlic and ginger are put in a frying pan, and then fry~?��


    Makina was shaking the frying pan in a good mood.


    Her previous generation was a cooking robot, so her skill was impressive.


    ��Once it��s been cooked through, add more spices and milk. Mix and mix~? Mix and mix~? Be delicious~? Be delicious~? Mor�D�D��


    ��You should stop that��


    ��Alright��


    I stopped her because it felt like my country��s culture would get misunderstood.


    It was already toote for some though.


    ��Now that the paste is done, it��s put into a pot, and then left to simmer for a while��


    She added the paste into a pot and mixed everything together.


    When I looked closely, I saw that the pot was a pressure cooker. She sealed it and then left it alone for a while.


    Makina stepped away from cooking for the moment and assembled the folding table. She also prepared the chairs. The tableware wasid out by the Demon King.


    Wait one second!


    This isn��t good, there��s so much wrong with this scene.


    To begin with, letting the guest prepare the table, for example.


    ��Ea, Onii-chan is also going to lend them a hand, so can you let go for a moment?��


    ��No��


    My sister wasn��t letting go. On the contrary, she hugged me even tighter.


    Why do both sisters react in simr ways to each other?! Dammit, I can''t pull her off!


    ��Speaking of which~, you said something interesting though. You married an elf~?��


    Goblin-san started talking to me.


    ��Oh, yes��


    ��Which n is she from?��


    ��The Heures n��


    ��What? Huh, Heures? The Heures of the forest over there? Now that you mention it, that hand protector������


    ��It is the Heures of the forest over there. My wife is Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures, the second daughter of Melm?Raua?Heures. This is her sister, Ea��


    I pointed at the spoiled elf.


    ��I got the approval of King Lemuria, but their father was opposed, or rather, they were disowned though��


    ��Oh, I suppose that must have been difficult~��


    My sister looked like she wanted to say something, so I hugged her tightly to hush her up.


    When I stroked her silky hair, she became quiet.


    ��But you''re entric, aren��t you?��


    ��Yes, quite��


    I��m probably the only Japanese who is considered an entric by goblins. Well, I get the feeling that Japanese people all look like entrics in the eyes of people from other ces though.


    ��I��ll give you this~��


    ��Eh��


    I was given a small bag. When I looked inside, it contained seeds.


    ��Aren��t you interested in flowers~?��


    ��No, I''m only interested in those flowers over there��


    ��Then it��s perfect~. They��re seeds of those flowers~��


    ��Thank you very much��


    Is it alright to get them this easily?


    ��Umm, is this something valuable?��


    ��Not at all~. But there aren��t any in thends around here, I guess~? The seeds can also be obtained from the flowers~��


    Seriously~?


    ��Sorry, while I��m being overbold, I��d like to ask you something. Do you know some sort of method to cleanse curses that have polluted people?��


    Due to the differences in cultures, certain cultures are better at or more suited to different things.


    Maybe the goblins are aware of a method to cleanse curses easily.


    ��That��s impossible~��


    It''s impossible~, huh.


    ��You��re talking about Hemu curses, right~? I don''t know about them~. Soil and living things are different~, you see, and even if you nt flowers in people, they don''t bloom, right~?��


    ��Right~��


    Everything wasn''t going to turn out so conveniently for me, I guess.


    But a flower that can cleanse curses, huh. It may only work on soil, but even that alone is a harvest.


    Goblin-san left and helped the Demon King. The tes wereid out and spoons were ced beside them.


    I felt really guilty.


    For a short while,


    With the red flowers beneath me, I killed time watching the peaceful sky.


    The sleep-inducing gentle rays of the sun. The small talk between Makina and the goblin. The tter of tableware.


    The scent of appetizing spices drifted across the in.


    My sister rested her chin on my shoulder and fell asleep.


    A skeleton in a ck cloak and a goblin were sitting quietly at the table. A cylindrical A.I. was singing and revolving in front of a pot.


    It was surreal.


    This was the most surreal scene sinceing to the alternate world. It was, but perhaps because my sister��s body heat had spread through me, I started nodding off drowsily.


    Now that I thought about it, I didn��t get much sleep yesterday.


    Sleepy.


    Sleepy.


    ������������������������

 Chapter 052: The Neighborhood Demon King VI

    <h4>Chapter 052: The Neighborhood Demon King VI</h4>


    ��Souya-san! It��s done!��


    I had slept lightly.


    When I looked at my watch, I saw that 30 minutes had passed.


    ��Fuwaa��


    My sister got up in surprise.


    ��Please test the taste! That being said, there should be no problems with Makina��s seasoning though!��


    ��Ea, excuse me for a bit��


    I separated my sister, who looked drowsy, from me andid her down on the in. I covered and wrapped her with my poncho and she went back to sleep.


    ��Let��s see��


    I said as I approached the pot.


    The contents of the pot was a zed brown liquid. The ingredients floating in it were simple, there was only pork.


    Its true identity was curry made from alternate world ingredients.


    But in truth, curry is the name of a form of seasoning, and to be exact, it��s Japanese-style curry in this case. But well, calling it curry should be fine.


    I transferred some with adle to a small te and taste-tested it.


    ��Hmm��


    It was delicious.


    It was full-bodied and the deliciousness of the ingredients danced a precision dance in my mouth.


    But,


    ��Isn��t it a bit acidic? Also, it needs more salt��


    ��What������did you say?��


    I added salt. As I mixed it,


    ��This way, the taste is a little milder��


    I searched through the tupperwares that Makina had brought. Among them,


    ��Let''s put this in��


    I found shaved cheese. I put it into the pot.


    ��After that, this and also this��


    I added milk and honey.


    I stirred and mixed everything.


    In my experience, small-sized races often have the sense of taste of children.


    I had the opportunity to cook for a high-ranking priest of the me Religion and a high priest of the healing temple, but both of them happened to be small-sized beastkin races and they had the sense of taste of children.


    In other words, they should dislike the acidic taste of tomatoes. The bitterness of the spices too.


    The spiciness would depend on the individual��s pain tolerance. I had a bottle of powdered red peppers, so I could add that to mine.


    I tested the taste.


    ��Umu, it��s mild��


    The acidity had been softened, and the saltiness and taste had be straightforward. It was a taste that made me want to stuff my face with rice.


    This vor might be a littlecking for adults, but I judged that children would enjoy it.


    ��Ugigigi��


    Makina looked vexed. I grinned back.


    ��So, what are you going to serve this with��


    ��There are potatoes that Makina steamed. Potato seems to be goblin-san��s staple food. There are many that can��t eat hot food, so Makina brought it ready-made��


    ��Then, shall we te it?��


    I ced the steamed potatoes from the tupperware onto a te, leaving half the te empty, and then poured the curry into that space.


    The color wascking, so I sprinkled dried herbs on the potatoes and powdered cheese on the curry. In addition, I cut the bottled pickles into round slices, further cut them into three, and then added a little of the marinated red peppers that I had cut up. The color looked good now.


    ��That should do it��


    ��Gugigigigi��


    It was enjoyable seeing how vexed Makina looked.


    I ted four identical servings andid them out on the table.


    Lured by the smell, Ea sprung to her feet. Despite being rather scared, she sat down without hesitation. In the seat directly facing the Demon King too.


    ��Thank you for waiting. I��ve named it Goblin Curry��


    ��Curry, you say~��


    ��Curry is, you know, something the formerly allied country of En�D�D��


    Makina put me in a Nelson hold from behind, and covered my mouth with her arm.


    ��Souya-san, Makina had to take emergency measures��


    Am I that long-winded?


    Goblin-san picked up a spoon and started eating right away.


    ��Oh~, ooooohh~��


    The cking of the spoon against the te could be heard as he brought it to his mouth. He scooped small portions of the potatoes, steeped them in the curry and savored the taste as he ate them.


    ����������������


    With a spoon in its hand, the Demon King was also bringing curry to its mouth.


    It��s just bones, right? was my question, but it was cleared up the moment the Demon King put the curry into its mouth. Only the food broke down into light and was absorbed.


    ����������������


    The Demon King moved the spoon in silence.


    I don��t understand. I don��t understand this at all.


    ����������������


    Perhaps the Demon King had noticed my gaze, but it nudged goblin-san with its finger repeatedly.


    The Demon King whispered into goblin-san��s ear again. The me who thought, even for a second, that it was cute, was terrifying.


    ��My King says this,��This is my secret art, one of the Demon Lord��s techniques, Gerumugansu?Nekuroshia. It��s a high-level magic that breaks down the food I put into my mouth and reconverts it to taste. Isn��t it terrific? Fuhahahaha��Oh~, I want to concentrate on eating, so I��ll leave the rest forter��


    Both of them returned to their meals.


    ��Mm!��


    My sister was, as usual,


    ��This is delicious!��


    Scarfing down her food.


    I was eating in front of a Demon King, a goblin, and more or less an elven princess, and I don''t really want to say something like this, but the elf��s appearance when eating was the worst.


    Is it simply that the Demon King and goblin-san are too refined?


    ��Onii-chan! I want it spicier. Also, mayonnaise on the potatoes!��


    ��Yes yes��


    Released from Makina''s restraints, I ced small bottles of red peppers and mayonnaise in front of Ea.


    ��Even though it��s so delicious~. The elf is rude~��


    ��Shut up, the goblin is noisy��


    She sprinkled the red peppers heartily and also added arge amount of mayonnaise. She squished the potatoes, mixed it with the curry and ate it.


    ��NkuuUUUU��


    My sister looked in bliss.


    I also sat down and ate the curry.


    Hmm, spicy but sweet. It''s seasoned for children, but it''s easy to eat and the potatoes go down easy. The meat sure is tender.


    Oh, rice.


    I want to eat rice. But����Rana����looks forward to cooking it���� I don��t even have 3kg left, so I can''t use it wastefully at all����


    ��Ah��


    By chance, I saw that the Demon King''s te was empty.


    ��Makina, serve another helping��


    ��Yes yes~��


    When Makina approached, the Demon King gave her its te.


    ��Wait, Makina! I��ll also have another helping!��


    ��Yes yes yes~��


    Ea cleaned her te vigorously and then gave it to Makina.


    Goblin-san continued eating meticulously.


    I stopped thinking deeply and also concentrated on the first curry that I had eaten in a while.


    The end result was, 7 refills for the Demon King, 5 refills for Ea, 3 refills for Goblin-san, and 2 refills for me.


    ��Ugh, even though you��re just bones, where does it all go?��


    ��Hey hey��


    My sister��s remark was frightening.


    The person that you��re speaking to is the Demon King, you know? It might be thest boss, you know?


    Ea had eaten too much and was holding her stomach. She was rudely lying on the in.


    ��Elves have bad manners, huh~��


    It ended up being pointed out by even the goblin.


    It��s thanks to the two of you that my fundamental image of your races had crumbled.


    ��But well, it��s really bad manners. Sit in a chair��


    I scolded her lightly.


    It would be troublesome if she cried again, so I could only scold her lightly.


    ��Um~, Ea-sama, why are you here in the first ce? What about Shuna-sama, Bel-sama and madam?��


    I had forgot because the situation was pressing, but I was also curious about Makina��s question.


    ��Oh! ������I forgot. I went back to the camp to pick up themunication device. Along the way, I saw the two of you, so I followed you both��


    ��Where are the three of them now?��


    ��They��re probably drinking at Master''s store��


    ��Go back. Rana will worry about you��


    ��After I rest my stomach for a while more��


    ��Okay, for now, why don��t you take a seat?��


    To make matters worse, while those bare feet are fascinating, it��s immodest.


    ��Onii-chan, carry me��


    My sister stretched both of her hands out.


    Hey, we��re in front of others. What��s more, it��s the Demon King.


    ��Carry me~��


    My sister waved her hands.


    ����Fine, just this once!


    I put my hands behind both of her knees and under her armpit, and then lifted her up. It was the so-called princess carry. I carried her to the table and put her down on a chair, but I failed. Both of her arms were circled around my neck.


    ��Ea, let go��


    ��No��


    Please, I beg you, choose the time, ce and partner.


    In which world is there a human who flirts with his sister in front of a Demon King? If I die like this, I won��t even be aughingstock, you know?


    ��Makina��


    ��Okay~��


    ��Ah, hang on, Onii-chan!��


    I loaded my sister onto Makina��s arms and peeled her off.


    ��Restrain her and carry her like that to the camp��


    ��Understood��


    ��Hey~~~~~!��


    Makina entangled her arms around Ea in a rather erotic manner, and then carried her away.


    I��ve had enough. I��ll send her back as she exhausts me mentally.


    I turned back to the Demon King.


    The Demon King was presently having an after-meal tea together with goblin-san.


    ��I��m terribly sorry for causing you trouble!��


    It was the Dogeza.


    By no means did I ever think that I woulde to an alternate world and Dogeza twice in one day.


    ��My King says this,��Oh foreigner, raise your head. This curry was very delicious. If you present us with the recipe for the spices, all of your sins will be forgotte�D�D��


    Goblin-san was nudged by the Demon King.


    ��Huh~, that elf was rude, you know~?��


    ��Umm, if it��s the recipe, then I don��t particrly�D�D��


    ��You can��t! The manufacturing process of things must be treasured! You can��t give things like recipes to people easily!��


    That voice just now����


    ��Demon King-sama, excuse me~, umm~��


    ��I also want to talk!��


    A female voice came out from the skeleton. It wasn��t young, but it sounded young.


    Ummm, how should I describe it, I wonder? I don��t know if I should call it a moe voice, or an anime voice, but it��s a sweet~ voice that sounded like a mixture of honey and gum syrup.


    ��Let me introduce myself again. I''m Gorith?Melforuna?Gastolfo. Nowadays, I��m an evil spirit who has assumed the throne of Demon King, but I was once an adventurer who worked hard for the prosperity of the right continent as a descendant of Gastolfo, the god of fertility��


    My face went nk for a moment, and then, overwhelmed by the tense situation and various emotions����


    ��PFFF��


    ����I burst intoughter.


    ��You��re terrible!��


    ��Sor, sorri, hah, pfff, hehe, fufufu��


    It��s no use. The more I endured it, the more I wanted tough.


    The voice is, the voice is too funny. Even though it��s a skeleton, a moe voice. The Demon King with a super majestic skeletal appearance, has a syrupy voice like this.


    No. Not good.


    Even though I knew it was rude, I couldn��t suppress my facial muscles. I ended up hitting the ground. It must be due to the everyday mental fatigue that I was under as well. My emotions had exploded, and I came really close to roaring withughter.


    I hit my head vigorously with the t of Agathion��s de.


    ��I��m terribly sorry��


    Good, I can no longer even think ofughing because of the pain.


    ��Um, blood is����.��


    ��I��m okay. It��s mild��


    Even though it''s daytime, I can see stars.


    ��You see~?��


    ��There were also people who burst intoughter in the past, but why on earth?��


    The Demon King crossed her arms and twisted and turned her body.


    Please don��t provoke me with those girlish movements.


    I sent goblin-san a look that said,��Tell her��.


    Oh, he looked the other way.


    ��Setting that aside, you have to treasure the recipes of dishes, the processes of manufacturing, and the embers of technology. No matter how much painstaking effort is put into creating it, in the world, there are those who will seize it and then boast and act as if they owned it. Do you understand?��


    She was saying good things, but I was on the verge of breaking into a grin because of how mismatched her voice and appearance were.


    I endured it by pinching my thigh where it couldn��t be seen with all my might.


    ��For the time being, cease that disgraceful posture. If that elven girl from earlieres back, things will get troublesome again��


    ��Oh, okay��


    I ended the Dogeza.


    I brushed off the grass as I stood up.


    ��That girl is skilled at hiding her presence~, isn��t she? Elves are scary. Super scary��


    ��Thank you very much��


    I felt embarrassed that my sister got praised.


    ��You''re entric after all~��


    ��Now, foreigner. If you want to present us with this curry recipe no~~~~~ matter what, we have conditions as well. Take this��


    The Demon King took a needle out from her cloak.


    When I took a closer look, I could see that it was engraved with aplex pattern. It was ominous.


    ��What is this?��


    ��The key for that hand protector��


    ��Huh?��


    I looked at the hand protector on my right hand.


    Heures�� hand protector, or to be precise, it was something that Heures had given to Lumidia, who was his lover. Even after her death, it was an item that had been passed down through the generations of the Heures n.


    It held a small amount of magic power and was a piece of equipment that couldn��t be made nowadays, but����


    ��That hand protector is a part of an armor that I made a long, long time ago. Even if it��s only that part, it��s surprising that it survived. You probably can��t take it off, right?��


    ��Yes, I can��t take it off��


    Because this hand protector felt like it had be part of my skin, I sometimes forgot that I was still wearing it. ording to Makina''s analysis, it seemed that there were no problems in terms of hygiene as its materials had antibacterial properties.


    I had tried to remove it many times, but a portion of my nerves had adhered to the metal and that caused intense pain. As it also wasn��t hindering me, I stopped working to dismantle it.


    ��If I remember correctly������there should be a small hole on the inner right side��


    When I looked, there was certainly a small groove there.


    I epted the needle and inserted it there.


    ��Huh��


    With a click, the hand protector came apart and fell onto the in.


    I saw my own right hand for the first time in a while. It was otherwise unchanged.


    ��With this, you��re safe��


    ��Huh, what do you mean ��safe��?��


    I picked up the hand protector.


    Is this something dangerous? I did see a ghost though. No, it��s still possessing me, I suppose.


    ��Sad to say, an ancient elf had afflicted that hand protector��s functions with curse power. The effects are charm and subordination. With this, your mind should have be free��


    ��Huh?��


    I was in a state of confusion.


    ��Yeah, you were brainwashed by the elves. It must have been terrible~��


    I was pitied by goblin-san, who hade up beside me.


    It was precisely this situation where I was nked on both sides by a goblin and a Demon King that felt like I would be brainwashed though.


    ��Doesn��t anythinge to mind?��


    ��Come to mind������


    The hand protector had been put on me when I had fought the idiot prince to a draw.


    Rana had put it on me in order to heal me. After that, I fought while being guided by a spirit of the dead. I saved her. Was that it?


    ��From your expression, it appears that something doese to mind, doesn��t it?��


    That was my intention. I should have fought by my own will.


    However, if even that will had been bent, then I wouldn��t have been able to even perceive it.


    ��Then you��re saying that my feelings of lust for Rana are things that had been imprinted?!��


    With my head in a whirl, I spilled my guts.


    ��Well, what kind of feelings are they?��


    ��Butt, thighs, and boobs! Also boobs! You��re saying that my desire to grab at them is a curse?! That sniffing her hair every night after she falls asleep is a curse?! To think that secretly nibbling her fingers and corbone was also a curse~. Wanting to try burying my face in her chest, and also my sister��s waist and legs��


    ��That��s your fetish. Don��t me everything on the curse��


    ��Right��


    Am I perverted? I��ve been vaguely aware of that though.


    What a confession to someone I just met today.


    ��Hey, you know, try putting it on again~��


    ��Oh, okay��


    I did as goblin-san said and put the hand protector on.


    ��Repeat what I say from now on~��Elves are arrogant, the root of all evil, self-important, a group of narcissists, pretentious and a fricking stinky race��Go ahead~��


    Let me see~.


    ��Err, elves are arrogant, bad, conceited, an egotistical group, cool, stinky, beauties and have nice figures��


    I felt bad, so I sugar-coated it.


    Goblin-san, who heard my words, frowned. He went a short distance away with the Demon King, squatted down and had a whispered conversation with the Demon King.


    ��The curse isn��t working on him, is it~?��


    ��Did it wear away over time?��


    ��It won''t wear away, right~?��


    ��Is he not affected because he��s a foreigner?��


    ��I think not~��


    ��Maybe he has a unique constitution?��


    ��That��s possible~��


    ��I want to study him��


    ��You can��t~��


    That��s scary. I��ll be modified into a freak.


    ��Umm, one thing doeses to my mind��


    ��Huh, what is it?��


    Like I said, can you stop looking back at me with that cute voice and pose?


    ��I believe it��s due to the power of the god that I��m contracted with��


    ��God? I''ve never heard of a god that can repel curse power though��


    ��The name of the god that I��m contracted with is Misuranika��


    ��Do you know that name, Gashuraku?��


    ��No idea~��


    ��A god with the same name as the ruined Misuranika Nations. A god that I, who is aware of every god on the right continent, doesn��t know of. Did it simply vanish from my awareness? A god that��s forgotten. One that��s contracted with the golden-eyed beast who defeated the beast of abominable blood�D�D��


    The Demon King took the pose of The Thinker.


    I felt bad as she was still mulling it over, but I asked a question that I was curious about.


    ��Umm, what is that golden-eyed beast that you mentioned?��


    ��It��s the general term for the annihted heroes who wiped out the vampires that emerged from Neomia, the capital of ice in the north of the continent��


    Annihted? I know of one survivor though.


    ��In the ancient words, the guardians of the end, the Endguard, followers of the moon of misfortune, and the golden-eyed beasts. When talking about golden-eyed beasts, it means wolves. ��Wolf�� is the name of arge four-legged beast that lives in the north. In the ancient traditions, the wolf was treated as a symbol of death that devoured the dead and enticed them into the underworld. Maybe it��s for that reason that the eyes of wolves, you see, are cleansing eyes of gold that shoots demons to death. That��s what your eyes are��


    Makina had certainly said that my irises changed every now and then.


    Golden eyes, huh. That may be a little bit cool.


    ��You��re interesting��


    ��Yes��


    Not as much as you.*


    The Demon King took my hand and covered it with both of hers. They were just bones, but they were cold.


    ��Let me know when you die, I want to study your body��


    ��O, okay��


    I can''t if I''m dead.


    ��You don''t need the unlocking needle, do you���� But I want the curry recipe. What should I do, I wonder? Other items that Hemus may be delighted with������I have things like tasteless and odorless poison for assassinations, or a vase that weakens humans simply by cing it in their room, or love potions, but I wonder if you need them?��


    ��I don��t need them. Oh, no, I��ll want to take the hand protector off once in a while, so I��ll ept the needle gratefully. In the first ce, we came to thank you for helping Makina, so something like a recipe�D�D��


    ��No! It��s not enough. With the name of Demon King on the line, I cannot make such a cheap deal!��


    You��re straitced, aren��t you, Demon King?


    For the time being, my hands were cold. I had lost all feeling in them.


    I wanted her to let go quickly, so I said something fitting.


    ��Well, we��re neighbors, so can I ask you to y with our Makina once in a while? She gets lonely really easily, and I��m worried about what kind of influence the entric things she does when we��re out adventuring will have on the world. I��ll have her give you the recipe afterwards��


    I couldn��t afford for Makina to get subjugated while we were away.


    There was a reward of 5 gold coins for subjugating a pir-like golem that haunted the ins. That golem referred to Makina.


    I was presently in the middle of applying to cancel that request. The application to cancel the request would take time.


    ��In other words, I should make Makina my retainer, is that right?��


    ��That goes further than what I had in mind. I��m thinking of a more casual rtionship��


    It would be something outrageous if I made an A.I. the retainer of the Demon King.


    She doesn��t look like a bad person(skeleton), but she��s more or less a Demon King. It feels like she would say something about half of the world. Come to think of it, I wonder if this world has something like a Brave(Yuusha)? It��s something that��s inseparable from a Demon King though.


    ��A casual rtionship. That��s pretty difficult��


    ��It��s because Demon King-sama doesn��t have any friends. She had her system of techniques stolen by Hemus, had food extorted from her by beastkin, and the elves were the worst. After giving them the entirety of her fortune to have the soil of the forest improved, even though she had been promised marriage, she was thrown by the wayside. She became destitute, and after that, with the best of intentions, she killed the king. She was stoned, became unable to trust humans and turned into a shut-in~��


    ����������������


    It was a hard life befitting a Demon King.


    The Demon King finally let go of my hand. I couldn��t move my fingers. They had be frostbitten.


    ��In other words, you��re asking me to be her friend?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Is that okay? It��s okay, right?


    ��Friend. A friend from an alternate world. Fufuu��


    Her voice sounded happy.


    ��It can��t be helped. With the name of Demon King on the line, I''ll be Makina��s friend��


    ��Thank you��


    In this way, I built a friendship between an A.I. from the modern world and a Demon King of the alternate world.


    I only pray to god and hope that it won��t be something outrageous afterwards.

 Chapter 053: The Neighborhood Demon King VII

    <h4>Chapter 053: The Neighborhood Demon King VII</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��78th day��


    ��Rana, I��ve asked you this before, but������


    ��Yes?��


    We were taking a vacation from the adventuring business. It was still being updated, and would probably be for about 10 days starting today.


    The weather was lovely, and it was lunchtime.


    For a change, I was alone with Rana in the camp.


    Ea, who would usually be here, was at the Demon King��s ce along with Makina.


    Early in the morning, Ea had woken me up and said this:


    ��Onii-chan. I might have thought of something fantastic. Udon and curry, won��t it be the best if they��rebined?!��


    ��To have noticed that, you must be a genius��


    ��Right? You can praise me more!��


    Thus, in order to take the goblin and the Demon King��s breath away, Ea kneaded udon first thing in the morning, and then, bringing the udon together with Japanese-style soup stock as well, she left the camp in high spirits.


    It appeared that it was revenge for surprising her yesterday. My sister was dauntless. As expected from someone with the blood of elven royalty. Those were actions that ordinary people couldn��t do. No, was she just childish?


    Lanseal had gone to the castle for her routine duties.


    Misuranika-sama was frolicking with the winged rabbits in the in. She would get carried into the air sometimes, so I had to warn her every now and then.


    ��I want to know the dishes, or rather, the vors that Rana likes��


    ��The taste? This is delicious��


    The two of us were eating curry. On top of that, we were eating it with rice.


    Delicious. Rice is delicious. The sweet curry and the sweetness of rice. The deliciousness of pork and the great taste of rice. It��s a tag-team attack of vors. Oh, not good, I lost consciousness slightly.


    ��I want to know more about your preference for things like the amount of spiciness, acidity, salt and sugar content, or things like the hardness or softness��


    I had Rana wear an apron.


    Because her white robe would need to be washed if curry got on it.


    ��That��s difficult. I��ve noints about your cooking. Just being able to eat different things every day is an extremely luxurious thing, so that��s delicious1, isn��t it? Anyone who has something to say in this situation is surely a king among kings who has exhausted the full extent of luxury, I suppose. The Heures family is in the position of a king among the elven ns, but life was simple, so I believe that something like my preferences won��t be of any help to your cooking��


    She had misunderstood me on a fundamental level.


    ��Rana, I''m not asking you for your opinion because I want to improve my cooking skills��


    ��Uh?��


    She tilted her head with the spoon in her mouth. It was unusual for her to act ill-mannered. It was cute though. So I instantly took a picture using the high-resolution camera mode of my sses and saved it in my personal folder.


    ��I''m asking about your preferences because I want to season it to suit your tastes��


    ��Oh, is that so?��


    Huh, her reaction is bad.


    ��I''ll have another helping��


    ��Feel free��


    Rana got up from her seat and moved to the kitchen. She heaped a big helping of rice on her empty te and poured arge amount of curry over it.


    She sat down and wordlessly ate the curry quickly.


    Her movements were refined, but fast, exact and without any waste. On top of that, she chewed well. Every now and then, Rana ate the pickles that had been added as garnish while she ate the curry.


    I had lost the thread of the conversation, so I also concentrated on the curry.


    Oh no.


    I forgot the raw egg. It''s a blunder.


    ��Rana, wait a minute��


    ��Okay��


    Her spoon stopped suddenly.


    I brought chicken eggs from the food storage.


    ��Rana, mix this with the rice��


    First, I broke one to show her and mixed it with the rice. I drizzled a little bit of soy sauce over it.


    I ate it to show her.


    Raw egg and rice mixed with soy sauce. The mild taste that interacted and mingled. Because of its simplicity, I craved to eat it every now and then. And then, curry. The sweet spices entwined with the eggs over rice. The luxurious pork also entwined with it. None of them shed with one another. What a peaceful taste.


    Eggs over rice and curry. It was a joint performance of two of the major giants of Japanese food. There was no way it was going to taste bad. By no means did I think that I would be able to enjoy this in the alternate world.


    ��Um, um��


    Rana had a startled expression.


    ��Dear������ I was surprised previously as well to hear that Tekkadon was raw fish, but raw eggs too? Do foreigners have special stomachs?��


    ��The cause of food poisoning is the shell, so we sterilized them thoroughly. The eggs are fresh so there are no problems. If you��re worried, then should I make onsen egg or poached egg?��


    In fact, I found something called an egg cleaning kit among the resources.


    The passion that the Japanese have for eating their food raw is also a little crazy. Like eating raw whitebait or raw, still moving octopus. I believe the theory that the ancestors of the Japanese were fishmen.


    ��No, I won''t trouble you. I��ll try eating it raw. Even if I get sick, please don��t abandon me��


    I was told that with teary eyes.


    ��If you hate it so much, I''ll boil it��


    ��No!��


    When I tried to take the egg, I was blocked.


    ��A wife cannot oppose what her husband tells her to do!��


    I''m not such a domineering husband, you know?


    Rana broke the egg clumsily and mixed it with the rice. She drizzled a little bit more soy sauce. She mixed it well.


    With a look of resolve, as if she was fighting a monster, she ate the eggs over rice.


    ����������������


    Focus.


    Nervousness.


    ��Huh, it��s delicious in a normal way��


    It was a normal reaction.


    Her spoon seemingly moved faster. The curry disappeared before my eyes.


    Adventurers are a bunch that ate well, but Rana also ate well. In addition, elves have a constitution where they don��t get fat for the most part, so the women of the modern world must surely gnash their teeth if they hear of this. I��ve actually seen the women of this side gnashing their teeth.


    However, it appears that elves will get sick quickly if they neglected their health, so they have to take heed of that.


    ��By any chance, if this eggs over rice is made into rice balls, won��t it be delicious?��


    ��It��ll be soggy, so maybe not, I guess. I��ll have to make seaweed for wrapping them��


    ��Urgh��


    It��s enough to make rice balls with salt normally. You��ll definitely put more than eggs in, won��t you? Changing the recipe is prohibited.


    This cmitous magician has no talent for cooking.


    ��Team member Souya, Yukikaze has a question��


    ��What is it?��


    Yukikaze, who had been in a bad mood recently because she had nothing to do,ined to me. She was currently in the middle of work on the kitchen top.


    ��What��s the point of this work?��


    The arm of the mini-pod was holding a piece of bread and was running it across a grater.


    ��I��m having you make bread crumbs. The blender is damaged and awaiting repair, you see?��


    ��Haa, for what purpose?��


    ��I want to make breaded pork cutlet and then I want to make Katsu curry. My sister will definitely be happy because of that��


    I want to teach Ea that there are all sorts of curries. And then, from there, the bread of life.


    Yeah, right.


    It''s for my own self-satisfaction.


    ��Besides, Yukikaze, rather than a standby order, keeping your hands busy is less stressful, isn��t it?��


    ��That��s certainly true, but you��re the first andst person to make a wide-areabat program make bread crumbs��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Yukikaze wordlessly returned to making bread crumbs.


    When I looked at Rana, her te was empty.


    ��Thank you for the meal. It was delicious today as well��


    ��You��re wee��


    I savored my share slowly as I ate. Because the rice was precious.


    We had consumed 720ml just for today��s lunch. I would have to tell Rana soon that there wasn��t much rice left.


    ��Dear��


    ��Hmm��


    ��Why do you want to make food that suits my taste?��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Huh?��


    Our question marks collided.


    No, what do you mean ��why������


    ��That''s because I want to make food that makes Rana happy��


    ��Huh��


    It''s embarrassing, so take the hint please.


    Rana is a bit of an airhead. She is absent-minded about normal things sometimes.


    ��In other words, you were nning to use your ingenuity on the food in order to win my favor, is that right?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Rana gesticted with her hands as if she was shaping pottery2. As she gestured, she looked upwards and downwards. She did this when she was confused.


    After a while, she suddenly got a hold of herself and with a pale face, she prostrated herself on the table.


    ��I��m sorry! I never noticed until now, so I��ve answered you incorrectly! After all, even if youvish your favor on me, my feelings won��t change any further!��


    Should I take that to mean that the points are maxed out, so there won��t be any changes?


    Can I be happy about that, I wonder?


    ��I mean, I only learned about things like the rtionship between men and women from books. What''s more, they��re exaggerated and the important parts are missing. The times my father buttered up my mother were when he had done unspeakable things behind her back. By any chance, you too? was the likes of what I had suspected. ������������I apologize��


    If it��s unspeakable things, then I��ve also done a great deal behind your back.


    I swear that they��re not things that will bring you guys unhappiness though.


    ��It��s not that I��m copying Lanseal, but please let me do something as an apology��


    Rana leaned forward over the table.


    ��There��s no need to apologize, I��m not hurt anyway��


    ��My misunderstanding is fully deserving of me. Please punish me��


    Rana leaned further over the table.


    My eyes were glued to her two swaying breasts.


    Punishment, huh? I feel like the punishment that she wished for may also be a reward though.


    Well, I''m also in the mood anyway, so�D�D


    ��Team member Souya, proximity warning. An armed Hemu and beastkin, two in total. Possibility that they are hostile is 15%. 2 o''clock, distance 30 meters��


    I''ve the feeling that I had been interrupted like this before.


    Is there forever going to be something like this, I wonder?


    ��Come on, dear. Feel free��


    Eh, we��re continuing?


    I��ve caught sight of the people approaching out of the corner of my eye though.


    ��There are parts of Lanseal that I hate but also acknowledge. Looking at that vixen, I always felt that I��m not aggressive enough. I think that sometimes, not thinking about it and acting lewd without worrying about the consequences can lead to a breakthrough��


    That��s not it.


    Rana, there''s going to be people here in just a little while though.


    ��We can��t rx and miss this chance to be alone with each other, so de, dear, for the time being, haa, haa���� Pl, ple, please touch����my breasts, or nape, or if you��d really like to, my ears too��


    ��I��ve found you! Raua��nyuna��-san!��


    ��Aah?��


    Rana looked back at the owner of that voice with a terrifying expression.


    Also, the correct pronunciation of her name is Raua��ryuna��.


    There were two adventurers there.


    The one who had yelled was an adventurer standing with an imposing pose. She was a magician with semi-long blonde ringlets and was probably about 20 years old. With energetic and intelligent-looking eyes, she was a cheerful and charming beauty with a voluptuous body.


    She was wearing a scarlet dress that had been modified into an adventurer��s outfit. In her right hand was arge staff with a pyroxene set in its tip. Its design was of arge tree honoring the stone.


    She was likely a youngdy from a good family. She had such a vibe.


    Behind her stood a maid.


    She was a tall reptilian beastkin Onee-san. She had thin vertical pupils, scales on a part of her cheeks and probably had a tail hidden inside her skirt. Her long ck hair was tied into twin tails.


    Adventurer��s adornments were also added to her outfit. I couldn��t see any weapons.


    ��Who is it?��


    ��Y, you! Are you saying that you forgot my name?!��


    ��You��re as noisy as ever, aren��t you, Frey? I noticed your presence because of your noisy footsteps��


    ��As expected from the only magician that I acknowledge, Ranyaryuna-san. I suppose your long ears aren��t for show��


    ��It��s Rauaryuna. Aren��t you the one who has forgotten my name?��


    The maid took a step forward.


    ��It''s been a while, Rauaryuna-sama. Ojou-sama hasn''t forgotten. She simply has no interest in remembering��


    She greeted Rana with a beautiful curtsy.


    ��It''s been a while, Lazarissa. Even though it��s on family��s orders, to still be Frey��s attendant, your worries must be endless��


    ��Yes��


    ��Lazarissa, deny that��


    The youngdy responded to the maid with a retort. To think that I would get to see such a vibrant retort in the alternate world.


    Or perhaps I should say����


    ��Rana, won��t you introduce your acquaintances to me?��


    ����it''s fresh.


    Rana picking a quarrel with someone like this is fresh. Even though she only stands quietly even with people she knew, to think that she would talk unreservedly like this����


    ��This person is�D�D��


    When Rana, looking displeased, tried to introduce her,


    ��Listen carefully, that mediocre man over there. My name is Frey?Dis?Gastolfo. A descendant of the god of fertility, Gastolfo, and the best magician who holds a graduation certificate from the glorious Hohens School. And finally, I��m an adventurer who holds the title of "Brave(Yuusha)" that has been recognized for generations by the center continent��s Adventurers�� Guild!��


    Frey puffed out her chest extremely smugly.


    She was a person who seemed well-suited toughing heartily.


    Gastolfo, that��s a name that I had heard yesterday as well. One of its descendants is the Demon King and the other is a Brave. Is it a coincidence, I wonder? Please let it be a coincidence.


    ������a schoolmate from Hohens��


    ��I see��


    Rana''s introduction was short.


    Frey looked at me. She came up and stared at me.


    ��Ranyanyaryuna-san, who is this person? I��ve the feeling that I''ve seen him before somewhere��������


    ��Ojou-sama, this person was selling pasta in front of the store��


    ��I see, on a sales trip, I suppose?��


    Oh, these two.


    They were among the adventurers who hade to sample the pasta when I was selling it.


    ��He��s my husband��


    ��Huh?��


    At Rana��s words, Frey and the maid raised their voices in unison.


    ��I got married to this person. His name is Souya, from a foreignnd. We have the official documentation from King Lemuria as well��


    ��Oh, hello��


    I felt a little self-conscious when it was said formally. Because it was pretend.


    ��Wh, wh, what did you say?��


    Frey suddenly lost her bnce and just when she was about to fall, she grabbed the maid��s twin tails and steadied herself. The maid didn��t budge an inch.


    Is it okay to use those in that way?


    ��To think that I would be beaten to the punch by the Raunyanyan-san whose face said��I��m not interested in something like men��the most. On top of that, for the other party to not be an elf but a human������


    ��Hang in there, Ojou-sama��


    ��So Frey. What do you want?��


    Rana looked in a bad mood.


    This is the first time I''ve ever seen her in such a bad mood. This cold feeling is also wonderful. It''s charming in a new way.


    ��Ranananna-san, it seems that you''ve be an adventurer, right?��


    ��Yes, I didn��t be one because I wanted to though��


    ��Urgh, why?! To me! To me, who invited you to be adventurers together! Shouldn��t you have said a word or two to me?!��


    ��������Not really��


    It was really just a word or two.


    ��Ugugu, you��re as heartless of an elf as before. Toying with me like this������


    ��Ojou-sama, in the first ce, we came to Lemuria 50 days ago and it was 10 days ago that we learned that Rauaryuna-sama was working as an adventurer. It��s a crucial point, but Lazarissa believes that Rauaryuna-sama hasn��t had the chance to learn that we��re in Lemuria��


    ��Gugu, but that''s when the resonance between friends or the feeling as people from the same Hohens School should sense and lead us to each other��


    ��Frey, I''ve never shared such a sickening feeling with you��


    Rana had be a cool beauty.


    ��Ojou-sama, we��ve actually passed by Rauaryuna-sama seven times. Ojou-sama didn��t notice it at all though��


    ��Lazarissa, tell me! Tell me such things!��


    ��I��m sorry, Lazarissa thought that you ignored her because you had something in mind. Lazarissa thought too much��


    They were a strange pair.


    ��������So��


    Rana whispered in a pratingly cold voice.


    Her eyes looked like they were gazing upon trash.


    ��What do you want with me?��


    ��Fufu, Rararanraranra-san��


    Come on, that��s really far too wrong, isn��t it?


    ��For you! For you, who has be an adventurer! I, who holds the title of ��Brave��! Will let you participate in a special quest as a special case!��


    ��I refuse��


    ��Fufu, it''s alright. As friends who have a friendly rivalry and push each other to greater heights, you don��t have to feel indebted to me for something like this. I��ll say this though, the enemy is strong. If it��s the old you, I don��t know about�D�D��


    ��I won��t participate��


    ��That''s right. I knew that you would definitely say that. After all, in the long history of the Hohens School, you��re the woman who is the fastest to be chased out of the school. The woman who destroyed the most historical buildings. The most cmitous magician who is the only one on par with me. You said������eeeh?!��


    ��Ojou-sama, it��s regrettable��


    ��Why?!��


    What should I do.


    It��s like I��m watching a ssic conte(short story of adventure).


    Saving the world with a two-manedy act, contes, andughs in the alternate world. This is fresh! Yeah, right.


    ��Now now, Rana, you can refuse even after hearing what she has to say��


    ��I suppose so��


    She had be cold even when replying me.


    ��Frey, talk. I��ll at least give it a listen. Thank my husband for his high caliber��


    ��Urgh, you show-off. However, Raunyannyan-san, if you hear what I have to say, you��ll help out with the quest of your own ord�D�D��


    ��Get on with it. You always take forever to get to the point��


    ��������Alright��


    Oh, she fell silent.


    ��Lazarissa, change��


    She became depressed.


    Frey squatted down with her back facing us. The maid stepped forward and took her ce.


    ��Well then, Lazarissa will take Ojou-sama��s ce and exin. To the north of here, there is a ruined dungeon in the center of the in. There was an ancient barrier that had been put up around it, but it was destroyed by someone and a terrifying evil spirit has been released above-ground.


    Its name is Gorith.


    The usurper of three crowns, the king of the small-sized ones, the golden-eyed destroyer, the guide of the setting sun. The ��Demon King�� that once spread terror across this right continent��


    It��s the person eating curry udon with my sister right now.


    ��Gorith? I don��t know that name, and I''ve also never heard of something like a Demon King in the vicinity of the forest��


    Rana tipped her head to one side.


    ��Gorith is a Demon King who was secretly sealed by sessive generations of Braves. It��s natural for Rauaryuna-sama to not know about it��


    ��Secretly������ What��s the reason for that?��


    ��I cannot answer because of the Brave��s duty of confidentiality��


    It feels like I��ve seen an inconvenient truth of this world.


    Could it be that the rtionship between the Demon King and the Brave is a match-pump3 or something? Uwaa, you��ve got to be kidding me. I don''t want to get involved.


    ��Well, Frey, there��s something that I want to ask you��


    ��What is it?��


    Frey turned around, looking extremely happy.


    ��It''s been two years since I left Hohens. You should have be an adventurer before me. After inheriting the title of Brave which has been passed down for generations��


    ��Yes, I traveled around the center continent��


    ��Don��t you have any other party members besides Lazarissa?��


    ����������������


    Frey froze with the smile still on her face.


    ��Rauaryuna-sama, there��s a profound reason for that, you see��


    ��Lazarissa, please! Anything but that! Don��t tell her that~!��


    The master clung to the maid.


    She looked like a woman about to be abandoned by her man.


    ��Ojou-sama��


    Frey was repelled with her hands pretty roughly.


    ��Lazarissa is hungry. Lazarissa will also take this opportunity to say that Lazarissa has had enough of sleeping in stables. If this kind of life continues, Lazarissa will return home��


    ��Ugugu��


    ��In other words, what is it?��


    Rana remained calm.


    ��The clearing of the dungeon on the center continent went very well. Rather than Ojou-sama��s abilities, it was because the people in the party were outstanding. However, Ojou-sama let sess go to her head, parted with those party members and came to the right continent at great expense.


    For the sake of Ojou-sama��s honor, Lazarissa will summarize it simply.


    It was a massive failure.


    Challenging foolhardy quests and causing the party to disband. Retail therapy, and spending the money for our living expenses recklessly. When we tried selling the expensive works of art that we had bought by mistake because we were in financial difficulty, all of them didn��t fetch much.


    Even the paltry amount of money that remained was stolen by the party members aspensation money, and even though we had to earn our daily food expenses, Ojou-sama wouldn��t ept trifling quests because her pride wouldn��t allow it.


    Then, Ojou-sama sensed the resurrection of the Demon King.


    There is a cmity in the ce where the Demon King is, and if left to take its own course, the country will perish. Only a Brave can save the country.


    Consequently, by imposing the debt of saving the country on King Lemuria and demanding a huge reward, we obtained a stable life.


    However, even with Ojou-sama''s idiotic firepower and the capable Lazarissa, subjugating the Demon King with the two of us would likely be difficult. At such a time, we happened to grasp the whereabouts of Rauaryuna-sama.


    If two of the people who are called the ��guide of the final me�� in the history of the Hohens Schoole together, there aren��t many people and the like who cannot be destroyed��


    Maid-san,


    You''re also a pretty no-good person, aren��t you?


    ��Please, Rauaryuna-sama, cooperate with us��


    The maid lowered her head in a bow.


    ��W, well, that''s how it is, Unyaunya-san. I��ll share the fame of subjugating the Demon King with you��


    ��Ojou-sama, if you don��t ask properly, Lazarissa will return home. It��s ��Rauaryuna��-sama��


    ��Ra, Rana-san, pl, ea, se��������


    Her face still impassive, Rana answered.


    ��I see, I refuse��


    ��Why?!��


    Frey, who was trying to grab Rana, was caught by the maid and held under her arm.


    Without budging an inch, Rana spoke.


    ��Lazarissa, as well as the destitute, fallen Hemu Brave, the two of you have misunderstood something. My body is my husband��s, and my husband is also my party��s leader. I cannot participate in the quest without his permission��


    Lazarissa and Frey looked at me with a glint in their eyes.


    First, from Lazarissa,


    ��Have a peek��


    She pulled open the neck of her maid outfit to expose the skin on her left shoulder.


    ��Come now, Ojou-sama too��


    ��I can''t tempt men using my body before I marry��


    I think that way of thinking is good.


    Well, let me share my opinion.


    ��There��s something that I want to ask. First of all, the Demon King in question. What happens if you guys leave it alone or if you can''t defeat it?��


    Freeing herself from the maid��s hands, Frey answered.


    ��It��s vexing, but I��ll have to ask for help from the League of Braves of the center continent��s Adventurers�� Guild. As a person holding the title of Brave, I cannot overlook the Demon King��


    The Demon King and her subordinates, the goblins, have no intention of invading the surface at all. Those people only want to live peacefully.


    Moreover, like the fishmen, the goblins can make ends meet only in their underground city in the ruined dungeon. It��s thanks to the Demon King''s agriculture magic.


    Because their living spaces don��t neighbor each other, there won��t be fights unless the humans disturbed them.


    However, in the unlikely event that the Demon King is subjugated and the goblins�� livelihood is disturbed������


    As far as their true nature is concerned, I can''t read it. But is there a race that will starve and perish without doing anything?


    The history of the Demon King Gorith and the goblins had been peaceful for 390 years. Until I spread the curse and destroyed the barrier.


    I have responsibility for this, don��t I?


    It can��t be helped.


    ��I see. As an adventurer of Lemuria and for the sake of the country��s peace, the Demon King cannot be overlooked. I��ll cooperate with the Brave, Frey?Dis?Gastolfo. Let''s defeat the Demon King��

 Chapter 054: The Neighborhood Demon King VIII

    <h4>Chapter 054: The Neighborhood Demon King VIII</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    Thus,


    ��Excuse me, Demon King-sama. I��m bringing a Brave over for a bit tomorrow to defeat you��


    ��Huh?��


    At my deration, everyone present put a question mark at the end of their voices.


    By the way, Ea was boiling the udon and Makina was serving the curry. Simr to a cocktail-style meal, about 30 goblins were eating curry udon with forks.


    Even now, there was a line for refills. The Demon King was also lining up politely.


    It was a surreal but peaceful scene.


    ��Is that really the Demon King? And there are so many goblins��������


    Rana, who hade with me, was surprised upon seeing this scene.


    ��Onee-chan, do you want some too? It��s delicious. If you��re eating, then line up, okay?��


    ��Oh, okay��


    Told by her sister, Rana also lined up. She drew a lot of attention from the surrounding goblins.


    ��What��s going on, foreigner~? Talking about a Brave all of a sudden������


    Gashuraku-san came over holding a bowl of curry udon. That was a great help as I couldn��t tell the difference between individuals of the goblin race.


    ��I��ll tell you the gist of the story. Is there somewhere quiet where we can talk?��


    ��No~, here is fine~��


    ��Oh, okay��


    If it��s fine, then I suppose I��ll talk here.


    ��Demon King-sama~, the foreigner has something to talk to you about~��


    ��Can it wait until I��ve gotten my refill?��


    ��I''ll give you this~��


    ��Okay~��


    The Demon King came over from the middle of the line. She epted the bowl of curry udon from Gashuraku-san and sat down like a maiden on the in. She started eating the udon.


    In various ways, it was a devastating scene.


    ��So, what��s going on~?��


    Gashuraku-san also sat down next to the Demon King. It would be rude to stand around, so I sat down too.


    ��Earlier, an adventurer named Frey?Dis?Gastolfo, who called herself a Brave, came to my camp. Her business was to request for our cooperation in subjugating the Demon King. Right now, she��s sleeping like a beast after eating her fill though��


    ��Oh, is it that season already~?��


    So the Braves were a seasonal thing, huh?


    The Demon King was slurping the udon loudly.


    ��The barrier that I destroyed, when can it be repaired?��


    ��It''s already fixed~��


    ��Huh, then the Brave can��te near here?��


    ��This barrier, you see~, is one that maniptes perception. It won''t work if it��s seen through even once~. You were able toe here normally as well, right~? In addition��������������


    Gashuraku-san nced at the Demon King.


    ��It��s fine, Gashuraku, tell them. In consideration of the udon, let��s reveal the truth to them��


    ��Because it uses the blood of the Demon King as the medium, I guess it has no effects on her rtives~��


    Is she a rtive after all?


    ��I don''t know that Brave called Frey though. I believe she��s probably a descendant of either my elder or younger sisters��


    ��I see��


    Something like having a Demon King appear in the Braves�� lineage, of course they would seal her in secret then. No, or maybe the descendants of Gastolfo became Braves because a Demon King appeared among their rtives?


    ��Is she strong~?��


    ��That��s, umm��


    I beckoned to Rana, who was holding a bowl of curry udon. She sat down next to me.


    ��Dear, please lend me your cloak. Because my robe will get dirty��


    ��Here you go��


    I took off my poncho and put it around Rana��s neck.


    She smiled cheerfully.


    ��This is my wife, Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures��


    ��As my husband introduced, I��m Rauaryuna, Demon King-sama. I��ve been disowned by the Heures family, so it��s just Rauaryuna. Because it��s an audience on short notice, please forgive my breach of etiquette for not being able to prepare anything��


    ��Wow, big...����I''m jealous��


    For some reason, the Demon King was gnashing her teeth in a sinister manner.


    Rana sent me a look asking for help that said��Huh, what should I do?��.


    ��Well, Rana. These people basically aren��t concerned about things like etiquette. More importantly, can you tell us about Frey?��


    ��Okay, dear��


    The gnashing of the Demon King��s teeth became louder.


    Rana spoke, really without caring about it. She was a woman with a lot of pluck.


    ��Frey?Dis?Gastolfo is a ��guide of the final me��, which has been conferred to only thirteen people since the founding of the Hohens School��


    ��Guide of the final me?��


    I interrupted her abruptly and asked.


    ��It��s said that if five of them are present in the same era, even the world will be burned down. It��s a title linked to superstition that was left behind by the Great me Magician Rob. In addition, I also hold that title��


    Rana had a smug look on her face.


    Hey, three more of them and the world will be destroyed, you know?!


    ��If it��s a magician''s title, then I also hold the title of guide of the setting sun��


    For some reason, the Demon King waspeting with Rana.


    ��Guide of the setting sun, yes, it��s an old title, but it��s a title signifying the demise of a country, isn��t it? ������Fufu��


    Rana mocked her calmly.


    Whenever ites to magic, she bes a different person, or rather, her pride that that''s the only thing she won''t lose ines out in full force. Perhaps that��s why she can seem just a little arrogant.


    ��Then, Rana��


    ��Yes, dear������slurp��


    Rana started slurping the udon. Actually, she had been ncing repeatedly at it from a while ago, so it seemed that she had reached her limit.


    Not to be outdone, the Demon King also ate her udon.


    ��If Frey goes all out, how serious is her destructive power?��


    ��That��s, slurp. Then������munch. Slurppp������ Tortoise��s, slurp. Half, slurppp, of the in��������


    Okay~, we��re not standing on ceremony here, but don��t talk while eating~.


    ��I...����.see. Troubling������can��t let������burn down����slurp, slurp��


    The Demon King, who should have no vocal cords or esophagus, spoke as if she was talking while eating. Or rather, she appeared to understand what Rana was saying.


    Even after that, they talked intermittently as they ate.


    Gashuraku-san and I stared at the two ill-mannered people with eyes like a Tibetan sand fox��s1.


    I wonder if magicians that are above a certain level of strength all have parts about them that are simr in some way? was the lesson that I had learned.


    About five minutester.


    ��I��ll put it together, alright~?��


    Gashuraku-san consolidated the fragmented information from the two of them.


    You had been able to understand these people, huh?


    ��The magic of the Brave called Frey can turn half of the in into a burnt field if she goes all out~, right? It��s unknown whether she can defeat Demon King-sama or not~, but if they fight now, the curse that��s being cleansed by the shikabana will be scattered along with the ashes, so it��ll cause coteral damage~, right? Even if Demon King-sama escapes into the depths of the dungeon, other Braves will show up. That��s troubling~, isn��t it?��


    ��But to think that such a powerful magician is born among the descendants of Gastolfo. I''m also a little happy��


    ��Demon King-sama, you resemble Frey, I see��


    ��But causing cursed ash to be produced is bad. Supposing it��s cleansed over time, it��ll take at least 100 years. In the meantime, who knows what kind of impact it will have on the ecosystem? If a normal Hemu touches it, a new�D�D��


    Rana��s sarcasm was passed over brilliantly by the Demon King.


    ��Demon King-sama~, leave the study and consideration of that forter~. In other words, it��s bad if this area gets destroyed by the Brave~. But Demon King-sama can��t leave this ce~. What should we do~?��


    Gashuraku-san poked me with his finger.


    ��I mean, foreigner~, do you really intend to subjugate Demon King-sama~?��


    ��No way~��


    ��That��s what I thought~��


    Hahahaha, Iughed together with Gashuraku-san.


    I get along well with this person, it seems. It feels like we understand each other at a fundamental level? There��s a feeling like we can have a dialogue? I don��t understand why though. I also get along well with Geto-san, who is a fishman, so I wonder if I��m close to non-human in various ways.


    ��Hmm��


    After looking over the consolidated information, I quickly made a n in my head.


    Well, alright, I think that it��ll work.


    ��In other words, we have to fool the Brave into believing that the Demon King is subjugated or sealed without destroying the area around this ruined dungeon. I believe that will be enough��


    ��Hmmm~, isn''t that difficult? I don''t think that the Brave is stupid either��


    The Demon King��s worries were reasonable.


    I��m not able to reliably judge people that I only met today, but����


    ��No, it��ll work. I��m a follower of Misuranika, the god of misdeeds. Deception and schemes are my forte. I��ll definitely fool the Brave and protect the peace of this in, Demon King-sama��s life and the livelihood of the goblins. Leave it to me��


    Well, it��s the third time.


    I''m used to it.

 Chapter 055: The Neighborhood Demon King IX

    <h4>Chapter 055: The Neighborhood Demon King IX</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��79th day��


    The following morning.


    Frey?Dis?Gastolfo, an adventurer holding the title of Brave. Her attendant and maid, Lazarissa.


    In addition, me, a foreigner, and my elven wife from a sham marriage, Rauaryuna.


    The above-mentioned four were the impromptu party of the Brave that had gathered in the in to subjugate the Demon King.


    I was unsure over whether to call Ea, Shuna and (the person inside)Bel or not, but I decided not to in the end. I didn��t want my party members to get hurt because of such an absurd thing. To tell the truth, I didn''t want to bring Rana either, but that would be putting the cart before the horse in various ways, so I had no choice but to let here along.


    ��Well then, Brave-sama, do you have some n or another?��


    ��Listen carefully, Souya��


    ����������


    Rana puffed out her cheeks in Frey''s blind spot.


    She seemed dissatisfied, perhaps because I spoke respectfully to Frey.


    ��Rana-san and I will chant a special, extraordinary, extrarge magic, and destroy ��this entire in��, Demon King and all, in one blow��


    ��Brave-sama, weren��t you listening to what I said during breakfast?��


    ��Breakfast? Yes, that mashed potato dish and the oil y-pot with seafood were very delicious. The tea was 0 points, but I suppose it would be harsh to expect that much from a rural chef��


    I had exined the situation while we were eating breakfast, but it appeared that she hadn��t been listening at all.


    With her cheeks still puffed out, Rana red at Frey.


    ��Then I��ll exin once more. The red flowers near the ruined dungeon are nted by the Demon King, and if disturbed badly, poison will be released over a wide area. I believe that the damage won��t be limited to just the in��


    ��It��s an unavoidable sacrifice��


    It��s not unavoidable at all.


    ��Ojou-sama, this in is adjacent to Lemuria��s farnds. If the poison encroaches on such a ce, the reputation of the Brave and the name of Gastolfo will fall into theherworld. Also, the problem ofpensation will reach even the main family��


    ��������Then, what should I do?��


    ��Please don''t ask Lazarissa��


    The magicians of the Hohens School, they are a bunch whockmon sense, or rather, have several screws loose, and this person is also that type. Is it a side effect of being too outstanding in one field?


    ��I have a good idea. May I offer a suggestion?��


    ��Yes, that��s fine. Err������Zona-san?��


    It was bothersome, so I didn��t correct her about my name.


    ��First, I��ll lead the Demon King away from the vicinity of the dungeon. After we��re a sufficient distance away, Brave-sama will use her magic to surround the Demon King on all four sides, and for the finishing blow, the two of you will hammer it with magic and destroy it. How does that sound?��


    ��It��s a simple strategy, isn��t it?��


    Rana puffed out her cheeks even more and scowled at Frey.


    ��Is it alright if Lazarissa gives an opinion?��


    ��Yes, go ahead��


    I listened to Lazarissa''s opinion.


    ��Souya-sama, to Lazarissa''s eyes, you don��t look like someone who can serve as a vanguard. It seems that you can use the bow, but Lazarissa believes that it won��t have much effect on Gorith. Should Lazarissa take your ce to be the bait and lead Gorith away instead?��


    ��You don��t need to worry about that��


    Without touching its handle, I drew Agathion from the quiver by holding my hand out and guiding it.


    At the sight of the magic sword, which had stopped in mid-air, both Frey and Lazarissa had surprised expressions. It seemed that items that bore magic like this were rare.


    ��This is the sacred sword passed down in the St. Lyridias Order, Agathion. ��s imitation that was created using technology from a foreignnd. It��s the magic sword, mes-Gurein. Just by holding my hand out, it unleashes matchless swordy, protects me by its own will, and shoots my enemies to death. With this, I believe that I��ll be able to match even the Demon King��


    Well, it��s the actual sacred sword Agathion, but it��ll be bad to reveal that carelessly.


    ��Wonderful��


    Lazarissa��s face became flushed and she stroked Agathion with her finger.


    She was fingering it sensually.


    ��It��s like it has been created by covering it with red pyroxene. At first nce, materials in their natural state have been ovepped into unknown materials. Lazarissa ispletely unable to grasp what kind of techniques were used to refine, forge and polish it. It��s rugged, but beautiful��


    Frey prodded Lazarissa��s entranced face with her staff.


    ��Stop lusting over it��


    ��Yes, Ojou-sama. It''s a wild card, but you seem to have confidence in it. Lazarissa will leave it to you, Souya-sama. Lazarissa will stay with and guard Ojou-sama and Rauaryuna-sama��


    Lazarissa��s poker face returned immediately.


    Is she a person who is infatuated with inorganic things, I wonder?


    ��I��ll summarize and reconfirm the strategy��


    Looking happy, Rana stood next to me.


    ��First, I��ll charge in and attack the Demon King with my sword. I��ll lead it to the marker that I had prepared and cedst night. Brave-sama will trap the Demon King, and then the two magicians will finish it off. Lazarissa will guard the two of them in case of unforeseen circumstances. It��s something like this��


    ��Well, that''s fine��


    Rana��s face instantly turned sour.


    Rana became expressive when Frey was around.


    ��Well then��


    Now, onward to where the Demon King is.


    The four of us started walking line abreast.


    In the short time before the battle, we talked about unrted topics to rx.


    We talked about how Rana and Frey were like during their student days at Hohens, and about the historic buildings that they had destroyed together. I felt that Lazarissa was making eyes at me, but that was probably a misunderstanding peculiar to virgins.


    ��It��s these flowers, right? When I saw them previously, I didn''t realize that they��re such dangerous things��


    Frey said, while avoiding the cirsium.


    The number of cirsium had increasedpared to yesterday. Due to the characteristics of this flower, if there was a curse in the soil, it would grow and bloom in a short period of time, purify the curse, wither, die, and then drop its seeds. The seeds would grow quickly as well, absorb the curse, mature, and then bloom.


    They would continue this cycle until the curse was gone.


    It seemed that this cirsium, the cleansing flower that the Demon King and the goblins called the shikabana, wasn��t something that they had created. Their seeds, which the Demon King had found when she was still alive, were so ancient that the age they came from couldn��t be identified. From the fact that normal cirsium existed, this was a nt that someone had created through selective breeding.


    For them to be in the hands of a Demon King of all people, those seeds had met with an ironic fate.


    And,


    In the middle of the red, red in, there was a ck shadow. It was ready and waiting for us.


    ��Rana-san, Lazarissa, Nuu.........something, err, Rana-san''s husband! Let��s go��


    The shadow changed shape and took the form of a skeleton in a ck cloak. It was small-sized, but intimidating, with blue light as eyes and the proof of a usurper around its neck. In its right hand was an iron Khakkhara1.


    The Devil King Gorith.


    The king of goblins who loves curry and rabbits. The reason why there are a lot of winged rabbits in this in is because this person regrly takes care of feeding them and treating their diseases, while also eradicating the species that are hostile to them.


    The winged rabbits, which are highly resistant to the cold, are one of the few creatures that can be petted even by the Demon King��s cold hands.


    It had been a ��That makes sense�� moment for me.


    Setting that aside,


    ��Well doneing here, the Brave Frey! I''m the King among Kings, the Demon King Gorith!��


    A cool, manly voice rang out.


    The secret was that the goblin, Gashuraku-san, was doing the dubbing in a hidden ce.


    ��I��ve been waiting for a young person like you to appear before me! If you, the Brave, bes my ally, I��ll give you half of the world! How about it? Won��t you be my ally?��


    ��Wh, what did you say?��


    Frey was so shocked that her face twisted up.


    The one who had prepared the script was Makina. But she had also used ssic games as a reference, I��m guessing.


    It was a choice that even elementary school students from all over the country wouldn��t make a mistake with though.


    ��Half, half of the world, you said!?��


    This side��s Brave was extremely undecided over it.


    ��Wealth, fame, power, and a wonderful husband. In addition, younger and filled with desire for me�D�D��


    ��Ojou-sama, no matter how you think about it, it��s a trick��


    ��Huh, how awful! You Demon King, what a terrifying trick��


    This person is no good in so many ways. I understand now why Rana is irritated by her.


    Well, I guess I��ll go on.


    ��How dare you, you Demon King! To think that you would tempt Brave-sama with your ruse! I��ll make you the rust on my sword!��


    I drew Agathion and charged forward.


    ��Hit only the weapon��


    I ordered in a whisper.


    The great-sword and the Khakkhara shed with a shower of sparks.


    I was just holding the handle so that it wouldn��t fly off, but my right arm became numb from the impact.


    I had been mindful, but this person was a genuine Demon King. To think that she had blocked Agathion without budging an inch.


    The cacophony of metal shing echoed across the in.


    A realistic sword fight unfolded and we shifted our positions many times.


    ��Urgh��


    The impact traveled through my arm, and I even felt it in my spine. It was quick, but I had reached my limit.


    I winked once.


    At that signal, both of us took huge swings at each other. The sword and the staff locked together, and we leaned in close as if we were engaging in a contest of strength.


    My eyes darted around, searching for the designated location.


    A triangr g popped up in the distance with a ��Pin-Kon�� sound.


    Makina, stop it with the weird gimmicks.


    With our weapons still locked, I ran side by side with the Demon King towards the destination.


    ��It''s fine up to this point, but what are you going to do about a substitute? Surely she won��t be fooled by a lump of earth, right?��


    ��Don��t worry. I��ve prepared a dangerous substitute that I had put aside. What I��m worried about is whether or not we can destroy ��that����


    ��It��s fine then��


    ��In that case, hide yourself at my signal��


    ��Okay~��


    We arrived at the g. There were no red flowers around. What was there, was a small dirt-covered hill. We had opened a distance of 50 meters to Rana and the rest.


    I let go of Agathion.


    ��Hit it as hard as you can��


    The great-sword spun and built up momentum before hitting the ground. With a loud explosion, dust was blown up into the air. After confirming that the Demon King had turned into a shadow and disappeared, I also hurried away.


    ��Brave-sama! Now!��


    I broke through the cloud of dust and ran towards Rana and the rest.


    Frey started her chant. She didn��t even hold her staff up.


    ��I order you in the name of Gastolfo. Lumps of earth, obey��


    By a hair��s breadth, a wall of earth rose where I was a few moments ago.


    The ce where the Demon King was, was instantly enclosed on all four sides.


    Quick.


    It was the first time I had seen magic that activated that quickly. On top of that, the scale of the magic was remarkable.


    ����Rauaryuna��-san, let��s go��


    ��Frey, I��ll chant first. Follow my chant��


    ��It can��t be helped. Just this once��


    Rana thrust her staff into the ground and raised both hands. Frey followed her actions.


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god. Bestow a fragment of primordiality to this humble kin��


    Rana''s voice����


    ��That which dances, sings and wanders, that which is redder and hotter than ��our�� blood, be a congration of fire, oh mes that engulf many��


    ����was ovepped by Frey''s voice.


    ��Be like the breath of a dragon, the equal of a heavenly sacred fire. Completely devour this world of fate��


    Once more, Rana chanted a passage by herself.


    She chanted the rest of it together with Frey.


    ��Concentrate the power of the two of us here. Oh effigy of ruin and cmity that is redder than red, attack what is before our arms! In this moment, annihte it with this primordialw! Hohens?Romea?Orutensu? Doragubein!��


    The fireball that sprang into existence above the walls of earth was small and ck. It was ck, yet it shone brightly, and on top of that, it was discharging electricity.


    The ck fireball fell slowly��


    I received an emergencymunication from Makina.


    ��Souya-san, Makina''s sensors detected a localized thermonuclear fusion reaction, but is it a sensor failure? The thing is, if they are correct, Souya and the rest would have been vaporized by the emitted heat. In the first ce, it��s at a level where it would burn the entire continent to nothing. Oh, I''m sorry. It��s at a level where it would burn a hole in the after all��


    ��I don''t think that it��s a sensor failure��


    It seemed that there was something called the divine protection of the supreme god.


    It was said that destruction that would destroy the world would be suppressed locally and erased by this divine protection. It seemed that the origin of what triggered the destruction wouldn��t be erased right away, but the effects of the emitted heat and aftermath would be erased immediately.


    At present, the effective temperature was about 70 degrees Celsius, but that wasn��t enough to cause instant death.


    ��Hear me. There is no escape for you��


    Frey chanted, and one of the walls of earth extended and copsed like a lid, closing and sealing the ck fireball inside.


    ��Hear me further. Oh lumps of earth, lumps of earth, swallow up, withstand, devour, and�D�D��


    Earth rose up and enveloped the target densely.


    Perhaps it had mixed with the moisture in the ground, but it looked just like earthenware before it was baked.


    ��Crush!��


    A heat wave whirled around at Frey''s gant voice. It was easy to imagine that it had be something incredible inside.


    As proof, an impressive 4-meter-tall earthenware was made.


    ��Did that do it?!��


    Oh, that didn��t do it, did it?


    I had thought that on a conditioned reflex. A monster that lived after taking something like that����


    ��Frey, not yet��


    ����exists, it seems.


    Rana''s voice was uncharacteristically nervous.


    The sound of an impact could be heard and cracks ran across the earthenware. The dull sounds continued to ring out at a uniform tempo.


    Inside the earthenware was the magical creature that Rana had created in her failed attempt at cooking.


    I had ced it there as a substitute for the Demon King��s corpse. I had thought that I could take this opportunity to dispose of it, but it had survived. On top of that, its seal had been melted off by the earlier magic.


    The earthenware shattered, and ��that�� appeared.


    ��Huh? A pot?��


    I answered Frey��s doubts without hesitation.


    ��Brave-sama, that��s the Demon King��s second form!��


    ��Its second form, you said?!��


    I yelled in a loud voice to force it through.


    It was certainly a pot.


    The pot was covered by a ck gel-like substance.


    That Teflon pot had withstood a localized thermonuclear fusion explosion that was several hundreds of millions degree Celsius. No, it looked like a pot, but it was already something with a different set of norms.


    ��If Rana''s firepower isn��t enough by itself, then by using two people������, was my n, but it had failed miserably.


    ��Ojou-sama, Rauaryuna-sama, it��sing��


    ��Agathion!��


    Lazarissa and I went out in front.


    The gel part of the pot quivered,


    ��Defend!��


    Countless tentacles attacked us.


    A spinning magic sword and beastkin fists defended against the tentacles, which had be pointed. Sparks flew before my eyes.


    With the force of surging waves, the attacks wereing down like a waterfall.


    Agathion was one thing, but Lazarissa, who was flesh and blood and defending bare-handed on top of that, wasn��t an ordinary adventurer.


    ��Souya-san, there��s a message from the Demon King. It appears that the pot part has be its core, so it seems that it won��t be able to maintain its form if you attack there. However, its magic resistance is extremely high, so you��ll have to use physical means. And it seems that it��s advisable to smash itpletely to pieces��


    That was definitely a blind spot.


    We hadn��t attacked the pot itself as we had feared that the contents would leak.


    ��I��ve discovered the weak point of the Demon King. The po�D, no, metallic part is its weak point��


    ��Got it. Let Lazarissa borrow this for a bit��


    Lazarissa took Agathion in her hand.


    ��Eh��


    One swing of the sword.


    It gave rise to strong winds and a shock-wave. With that one sh, she sted away the surging tentacles. Those winds seemed as if they would blow away storms. It was almost like I was seeing a scene from a fairy tale about a hero.


    ��Wo, wonderful��


    Lazarissa trembled with emotion.


    I had felt too that she had some leeway, but she really had strength in reserve.


    She charged. Or perhaps I should say that sheunched her body forward using the strength of her legs. From the front, she swept away the approaching tentacles. She closed the distance of 50 meters in an instant.


    With my reflexes, I was unable to follow the path of her sword.


    The only thing I could see, was the result.


    The sword left a cross-shaped mark on the pot. The gel-like liquid let out a scream and melted�D�D


    ��Did that do it?!��


    I shouted������and then, I thought, Dammit.


    The liquid reformed its shape, swelled, and then stabbed Lazarissa with its thick tentacles.


    With a crash, her body was tossed nearly 20 meters into the air. She dropped to the ground near us just like that, sticking thending beautifully.


    ��It''s tough��


    Perhaps she had put up her guard in time, but she was unhurt.


    This person is strong. She��s better than Lanseal. Is she at the level of advanced adventurers, I wonder?


    ��Ojou-sama, I''ll go once more��


    ��It''s dangerous. I won��t allow that. Stick to defending��


    ��Understood��


    Lazarissa curtsied at Frey''s words. I had Agathion returned to me, and then I asked Frey for her opinion.


    ��Brave-sama, do you have any ideas?��


    ��That�� was staying on guard while it quivered, as if taking a wait-and-see approach. Rana was impassive, but she had broken out in a cold sweat.


    If the title of Brave wasn��t for show, I had no choice but to rely on this person.


    In the worst case,


    We��ll run away for the moment and have Makina seal ��that�� (Because it doesn��t attack the A.I.s for some reason), and then put on a farce that ��that�� is actually the corpse of the defeated Demon King.


    Would I be able to fool them with this? It��s difficult, isn��t it? It��s tough.


    ��Rauaryuna-san, match me this time��


    ��That��s fine, but I doubt that other types of magic would work��


    ��I''ll smash it to pieces using physical magic��


    Frey raised her staff.


    ��Lazarissa, Souya-san, do your best to protect us��


    ��Understood, Ojou-sama��


    ��Understood, Brave-sama��


    Lazarissa and I went out in front of them once more. Lazarissa held up her fists while I gave Agathion the order to defend, and then nocked an arrow to my bow.


    ��Frey?Dis?Gastolfo offers my wishes to the great origin of my lineage. Oh earth, obey the Holy Name of Fertility, for I am the one who gives life��


    Frey chanted forcefully.


    Behind us, lumps of earth rose up and took the form of arge humanoid. The scale was so big that I almost released the arrow.


    Rana sang.


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god. Oh origin of the ancient forest. By your grace, with roots as bones and fruits as eyes, like the countless abundance borne by the elm tree, make it grow. Even without rain, without light, without earth, without blessings, nourish it through a miracle. But now, the grace is all set and prosperity has been promised. Come, stand up��


    The rough contours of the earthen mass became well-defined because of the trees and roots that coiled around it.


    With the earth as its flesh, fruits as its eyes, and trees as its bones and armor, the giant that was born stood up.


    It was an 18-meter-tall golem.


    Rana and Frey crossed their staves. Their voices ovepped.


    ��We are Hohens, the followers of destruction, the ones who attained the might of the gods, the guides of the final me��


    ��I bestow upon you a name��


    Frey touched the foot of the giant.


    A goddess creating life from a lump of earth and bestowing it a name, it was almost like a piece of a legend.


    ��King of the in, Lars. I inscribe this name upon you. Your creator, Frey orders you. With those fists, destroy the Demon King!��


    The giant started walking in the opposite direction of the pot. It was headed in the direction of the ruined dungeon.


    Oh, this guy is subtly smart.


    Oh, it fell. The giant''s right knee had lost its shape and became crooked.


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. It��s my fault. The trees might not have gotten enough nourishment��


    Rana confessed. It was good that she was honest.


    ��Hey, Rauaryuna-san!��


    ��Frey, did you forget that I''m not good at life-giving magic?��


    ��I don��t remember such things!��


    The pot went for that opening and shot out its tentacles, aiming for the two of them.


    Agathion and Lazarissa stopped them.


    ��This isn��t good, is it?��


    The pot��s tentacles ��grabbed�� Agathion and Lazarissa, and then flung them away.


    One person and one sword went bouncing off the in as they thrown into the distance.


    ��Lars! Defeat that thing right away!��


    ��BOOOOOOO��


    It sounded to me like the giant was saying, Impossibleeeee, to Frey. Looking closely, the roots on its left leg were also crumpled and strained. Like this, it was probably unable to stand up.


    ��Tch��


    I released an arrow.


    The pot intercepted it by swatting it out of the air.


    It extended one tentacle and wagged it side to side like a finger.


    ��This����.how dare the likes of a pot������


    I took out as many arrows as I could, nocked as many of them as I could to the bow, and then drew it.


    ��The grace of the hidden name��


    I released the arrows with the power of the hero.


    All four arrows hit����.the gel part of the pot. They had dealt no damage, and on top of that����


    ��You can��t be serious��


    ����the tentacles took the shape of a bow and nocked an arrow.


    ��Both of you! Use the golem as a shieldd�D�D��


    My body was blown away by the impact.


    The scenery went round and round many times before stopping. I felt a dull pain in my left shoulder. The arrow hadn��t pierced me thanks to the poncho''s stab-resistant material, but I was numbed to the bone and had no feeling in one arm.


    When I focused my eyes on the pot, I saw that the tentacles had increased the number of bows and had three arrows nocked to each of them.


    The power of the previous arrow hadn��t been normal as well. Is it copying my bow techniques? It��s the power of the hero, you know?!


    ��Dear!��


    Rana had dragged Frey behind the golem. For the time being, I felt relieved. I thought, Huh, is this checkmate for me, I wonder? as I looked at the released arrows with a strangely calm state of mind.


    It was unfortunate, but my adventure had ended����

 Chapter 056: The Neighborhood Demon King X

    <h4>Chapter 056: The Neighborhood Demon King X</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��You idiottt!��


    ����up not being over.


    The arrows were all repelled by a longsword.


    ��If you��re doing this kind of stuff, call me! Call me!��


    A red-haired boy had appeared.


    He was a small-sized boy with androgynous features who was dressed in light leather armor and had a longsword that didn''t seem to match him in his hand.


    The sword had be eye-catching after it was repaired. It was originally a straight sword that was merely sturdy and long, but when it received an impact, the blood-vessel-like traces of repair on the de shone.


    For some unknown reason, Shuna''s skill with the sword also rose at the same time.


    ��Shuna, you came at a good time��


    It was great timing on his part.


    A little distance away, Bel was also walking over.


    ��When I went to the camp to sponge lunch off you, it was somewhat noisy, so I thought, Could it be? And then, it��s as I expected. You know, if you��re going to have a fight, call me! Before everything, call me!��


    ��Yeah, I��ll do that from now on��


    ��So, what��s that?��


    Shuna pointed to the pot.


    ��It��s the Demon King Gorith��


    ��Huh������Isn��t that a pot?��


    ��No, it��s a Demon King. That��s its second form!��


    ��What the heck?��


    Don''t think too much about it.


    Bel came strolling over like she was taking a walk. She stepped between us and the pot.


    Whoa.


    ��Bel, it��s dangerous! Move back! Back!��


    She absently took no heed of my words. Behind her, the pot quivered, and then attacked her with countless tentacles.


    ��Defend��


    My fears that she would be impaled were stopped by one word.


    It was a magic that I had seen many times.


    A dome of light had enveloped the pot. Perhaps it was surprised by that, but the pot swung its tentacles around and rampaged wildly.


    The barrier was strong and blocked the tentacles�� attacks easily.


    Is this such a sturdy magic? On top of that, it had activated instantly! What on earth is the person inside Bel?


    ��Rauaryuna-san��s husband, who is this wonderful red-haired boy?��


    Frey was looking at Shuna with a dazed look. Her face was a little flushed and when Shuna noticed her impassioned gaze, Frey hurried averted her eyes.


    Well����


    I had witnessed the moment someone fell in love.


    Err, now isn��t the time for this, is it?


    ��Frey, make the golem stand up��


    At Rana��s voice, Frey came back to her senses.


    ��No, Ra?Nyaunyau-san, my magic is perfect. Your roots are what caused the leg to break��


    She was back to being no good.


    ��I told you that I��m not good at life-giving. You should have known this since the Hohens days��


    ��Is it only your boobs that grew? Does your skill in magic not grow?��


    ��If anything, my boobs are smaller than they used to be. My skill in magic has gotten better!��


    ��Is that right? Are you sure they haven��t both decreased?��


    Alright, don''t quarrel~.


    The neglected golem is having some trouble, you know?


    However, I have no choice but to leave it to these two people������������.huh. But, maybe, there��s something����


    ��Roots? If that��s the case, maybe I can������


    Shuna looked at the golem��s broken leg and seemed to have thought of something.


    In all likelihood, I had alsoe up with the same idea at the same time.


    ��Rana, can you leave it to us? We just have to repair this golem��s leg, right?��


    ��That''s right. But do you have the ability to�D�D��


    ��We do��


    Shuna and I said in unison.


    In the first ce, his god��s main work was nting trees. He should elerate the growth of not just delicious vegetables, but trees as well.


    ��Bel, how long will the barrier hold?��


    ��No idea��


    I��ll need to somehow resolve this person��sck ofmunicationter.


    ��Hold it for as long as possible, please��


    ����������������


    There was no reply.


    ��Shuna, I��m counting on you. I��ll also follow after your chant��


    It likely won''t go as well as what I just saw the magicians of Hohens do, but it''s worth a try.


    ��The most I��ve ever done is fix the trees in the yard when I was a kid though��


    ��I��ll think of another n if it doesn��t work. Think about what happens after you fail only when you��ve failed. Just take it easy��


    ��Well������ I''ll do it, I guess��


    Shuna stabbed the longsword into the ground, aligned his fingers and put both hands together.


    I also put my palms together in the same way.


    ��Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King, Shuna of Azorido begs for a miracle from the god I revere. Give life to withered trees, revive the dead trees, and those who wish this, though small...��������errr��


    ��Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King, Souya of a foreignnd begs for a miracle from the god that I��m temporarily contracted with. Give life to withered trees, revive the dead trees������?��


    I followed Shuna''s words.


    However, Shuna was lost for words for a moment.


    ��������Umm, please. Be big, be big! Please. Please!��


    Is something like this okay?!


    Ah, no, but the point of what is known as magic is to ask for a miracle from god, so at worst, even something like this is okay?


    I also followed those simple and honest words of prayer.


    ��Grow bigger! Grow bigger! Please! Thank you!��


    Taking no heed of the cold looks from the women, Shuna and I faced the golem and shouted to it.


    It''s like the induction training of a ckpany, the moment I was thinking something like that����


    ��BOOOOOOOO��


    ����our prayers reached.


    The golem''s leg was being repaired by Ukazor-sama��s miracle. New roots coiled around, densely and thickly, and that wasn��t all. The trees all over the golem grew vibrantly, sprouted new leaves, and the fruit trees all bore fruit.


    The king of the in stood up.


    It set both feet firmly and brought both arms up into a double bicep flex.


    ��BOOOOOOOoOooooooooo!��


    The golem roared menacingly at the pot.


    ��It��s breaking��


    Just as Bel said, the light that she had created shattered to pieces.


    ��NyuUuuuuNyuuuuuuuuu!��


    The pot also swelled up and grew to 18 meters, the same size as the golem.


    It became a ck giant with a pot on its head.


    As I thought, it��s imitating its opponents. The reason why it doesn��t do anything to Makina is because she��s harmless.


    ��Lars! Its head! The metallic part is its weak point! Decide it in one blow!��


    I tried giving it an order.


    But could it settle the fight?


    ��BOOOOOO��


    Came Lars�� reply.


    The growth of the trees was still continuing. No, they had grown too much. Only its right arm had extended to more than twice its length.


    ��No way��


    The trees on the extended right arm split apart.


    Lars had not been extending its right arm. It had been making a weapon.


    ��Huh, what is this? Ra?Nyannyan-san?��


    Frey couldn��t hide her surprise.


    ��I don��t know��


    Rana also didn��t quite understand what was going on.


    Although it was made of wood, it had a round hand-guard and a curve in the de, which had a narrow, single-edged design. In other words, it was very simr to a katana.


    If that was due to Ukazor-sama��s power, his birthce would be narrowed down significantly though.


    ��NyuUuuuu��


    The pot also tried to make a sword in the same way.


    That was this guy��s weakness. If it imitated after seeing, it would be one step behind in battle.


    The wind howled as the katana was raised. Lars held it high above it with both hands.


    It was what was known as the Jigen-style1.


    They were still close to 40 meters apart.


    It was beyond the reach of its sword, but regardless of that, Lars swung the katana downwards.


    (It��s what I learnedter,


    But the sight of this time��s destruction could be observed even from within the kingdom of Lemuria, and I got questioned about the situation by the king)


    I closed my eyes at the sudden st of wind.


    I was buffeted by the incredible sound and wind. My ears and cheeks were pelted by pebbles. It felt like I was steeped in the aftermath of a bombardment. Even when I opened my eyes slightly to ascertain the situation, I couldn��t see anything because of the clouds of dust. Someone collided with me, so I hugged and protected that person. I couldn��t breathe properly. I pulled my poncho up and covered my mouth to help me breathe.


    While still holding that person in my arms, I kept my body low and endured.


    After a while,


    The sound of the wind stopped and was reced by a ringing in my ears.


    Feeling the sunlight through my eyelids, I opened my eyes slowly.


    ��Ooh��


    The shock-wave created by Lars�� sh had split the pot and the ck giant right down the middle. Along with the in behind it, the destruction extending far into the distance.


    Alright, I��ll me it all on the Brave.


    Dealing with an aftermath of this scale will make me unable to explore the dungeon again.


    ��The dirt went into my mouth��


    Ptooey, went Shuna as he spat. He brushed off the dirt in his hair.


    Rana had remained spotless.


    Frey, who she had used as a shield, was covered with dirt.


    ��Get off me��


    Bel, who was in my arms, brushed me off.


    If it was the previous Bel, she would have reacted cutely though.


    ��Looks like it��s over��


    Lazarissa, who had returned, patted Frey roughly to brush off the dirt. She was doing it rather violently. I felt a twinge of pity.


    ��The Demon King Gorith was a formidable enemy��


    At my emotional words,


    ��������I agree��


    Rana answered with a face that was as white as a sheet. She was probablymenting her talent in cooking, which had created such a thing.


    ��Well done, everyone. I��ll thank all of youter, first things first������


    Frey met Lars�� eyes.


    ��Thank you, Lars. Walk until I say it��s fine. Don��t go in a direction that has the red flowers��


    ��BOOOO��


    The golem started to walk.


    Lars turned back from time to time, as if to ask,��Not yet?��


    ��Not yet��,Frey would reply.


    Lars was roughly 100 meters away.


    ��It''s fine~��


    ��BOOoooo��


    Lars waved his hand when he heard Frey''s voice.


    Huh, I wonder why. I have a very bad feeling.


    ��Rauaryuna-san, you can at least fire off one more, right?��


    ��Yes��


    ��Well then��


    Hey, wait.


    Without giving me time to stop them, the guides of the final me began chanting and unleashed their magic.


    ��Doragubein!��


    Both of their voices sounded a little tired.


    A fireball flew like a volleyball and set Lars on fire.


    ��BOOOOOOOoOooooooooo��


    Lars let out a long death cry as it burned.


    But before long, it epted the entirety of its fate and fell silent.


    Without even a struggle, it went to its knees nobly and gantly. Almost as if it was a martyr. As if it was a samurai who hadmitted ritual disembowelment.


    ��LaaaaaaaARRSSSsssssss!��


    As if responding to my scream, Lars gave a thumbs-up as it burned to death.


    Only charcoal was left.


    ��������You didn��t have to go so far as to burn it��


    It��s too much.


    It��s too much, you magicians of Hohens.


    ��Eeeh? I can''t take care of something like golems. Their maintenance costs are also not to be sneezed at, they can��t be sold as their lifespans are unstable, and bringing up something that��s strangely smart will cause problems, right? It��s something that is created, so it has to be disposed of properly as well��


    ��������I see��


    In the end, it was a bittersweet ending.

 Chapter 057: The Neighborhood Demon King XI

    <h4>Chapter 057: The Neighborhood Demon King XI</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��We��re done on our side. Are there any problems on your side?��


    ��Oh, I can talk using this. So interesting~. Yes yes~, this is Gorith~, there are no problems~�


    It��s a cutesy voice.


    If I only listen to her voice, she��s a really moe moe person. If people hear her voice first, and then see her appearance, I think that some of them will faint. It may be a little traumatic.


    ��We seed in fooling them somehow. We��re holding a victory party now��


    ��By the way������what are you guys eating, I wonder?��


    ��It��s Katsu curry. I''ll have Makina bring some to youter��


    ��There are still more types of curry?! Deep. Curry is deep��


    ��It��s just curry over deep-fried food, but let��s leave that forter. Umm, there��s something that I would like to ask you��


    ��I��ll answer to the extent that I can��


    ��Demon King-sama, from what I��ve heard, you��ve been sealed several times in the past?��


    If that��s true, there is a risk that what we did this time will be exposed when theypared it with past instances.


    ��Oh, I merely pretended to be done in by them. I was satisfied after seeing the faces of my descendants after such a long time, so I simply amodated them suitably��


    Oh, okay.


    ��Are the descendants of Gastolfo aware that the Demon King is their blood rtive?��


    ��They seemed to be aware of that in the past, but I think that the kids nowadays don��t know about it. That information must have been lost around the time when the lineage had once almost died out due to the effects of war��


    ��I see. In that case, I believe that it��s alright now��


    So long as we don��t let the cat out of the bag.


    ��But hey, where did you get a monster like that?��


    ��It��s my wife��s cooking��


    ��Huh?��


    ��It��s from my wife''s cooking��


    ��Oh������okay��


    I feel bad saying it, but it��s Rana''s cooking.


    Rana��s ban on cooking has been lifted because ��that�� had been defeated, but I intend to watch over her with the maximum level of surveince whenever she cooked. We may not be able to win next time.


    ��Demon King-sama, I was narrowly able to fool her this time, but that doesn��t mean that Frey will be thest Brave. I believe that a second or third Brave will surely appear. At that time������


    ��I��ll shut myself in until I��m forgotten. It may be ruined, but our dungeon is extensive. It��s much too deep for people to pursue me. There is still more wisdom that��s unknown to me sleeping inside. Who knows, there may even be recipes for delicious curry��


    Can that be considered wisdom?


    ��At any rate, Souya, I��m immensely indebted to you. In this way, you��ve protected the peace of the in. The scars in the earth will be mended by my subordinates in secret by tonight or so. I''ll have Makina deliver something as thanks at ater date. Do ept it��


    ��Yes, thank you very much��


    ��However, associating with the Demon King despite being a human is fraught with danger. For that reason, let''s never meet personally ever again. Well then, goodbye��


    ��Huh? ������Goodbye��


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. Onest thing, please send Lazarissa my regards. Bye~��


    ��Alright��


    ��Makina, how do I end the call?��


    ��It��s the blue button over there~��


    Themunication was cut.


    My ties to the Demon King had been severed.


    Certainly, if ites out that I, whose reputation is bad enough as it is, have a connection with the Demon King, I��ll be exiled. Parting at this timing in a business-like manner may be the wisdom of the Demon King��s years. Well, it��s better than a weirdly sappy farewell. Besides, it seems that she will continue her rtionship with Makina.


    That said������������


    The Demon King being acquainted with Lazarissa means that it really is a match-pump after all.


    Tilting at windmills. I had been tilting at windmills again.


    Oh foreigner, even if you don��t lift a finger, the world will be perfectly fine.


    I hadposed a weird poem.1


    ��Souya, who were you talking to?��


    A cat hade and was rubbing itself against my leg.


    It was a fluffy, gray, golden-eyed cat.


    ��It��s a friend from the in that I met recently and parted ways with today. It��s someone called Gorith, but do you know that person?��


    ��I don''t know a woman like that. More importantly, Ea is trying to make the curry spicier. Won��t you stop her?��


    ��Ea! If you want to make it spicier, do it for your own portion only!��


    I hurried out of the tent to stop my sister, who was throwing red peppers into the pot of curry.


    And then, we had lunch.


    Bel, Shuna, the Brave, the maid, along with the elven sisters. As usual, Misuranika-sama was eating in the tent after I had left her share there.


    Lanseal was at the royal castle because of themotion in the morning.


    I''m really sorry. I��ll make up for itter.


    ��You did really good work today, err, No������something-or-other-san��


    ��Ojou-sama, it��s Souya-sama��


    ��I know. I was just about to say it��


    ��Is that so?��


    Frey, who was seated at the table, cleared her throat. The maid next to her had her usual unruffled look. Even though she was the Brave��s maid, she was acquainted with the Demon King. I shouldn��t stick my nose too deep. It would only lead to trouble.


    Neither of them had touched their lunch, which was curry, yet.


    They were prioritizing the ceremonial formalities.


    By the way, about today''s curry. To spite Shuna, it''s a medium-spicy curry with steamed potatoes, boiled beans, and plenty of vegetables. Also, it��s poured over Tonkatsu(pork cutlet). Deep-fried pre-boiled pork that��s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I think that it''s probably the most delicious dish that I��ve made ever sinceing to the alternate world.


    ��In the name of Frey?Dis?Gastolfo, Souya, as well as his party members������������Is anyone listening?��


    ��Hey~, everyone��


    Not one of my party members at the other table was paying her any attention.


    ��This, you know, munch munch, cutlet, doing something like pouring curry over it even though it��s crispy, I thought Onii-chan had gone crazy. But, munch munch, when soaked in the breading, the taste is something else. Moreover, the feeling of immorality thates from purposely sullying that crispiness is also, munch munch��


    ��When covered in curry, the beans and potatoes became delicious. Impossible! What kind of magic is this?��


    ��You guys, eat quietly��


    Because they were absorbed in their curry, they didn��t hear a single word.


    ��Ojou-sama, let��s eat too��


    ��What? But, you see, myst duty as the Brave is�D�D��


    Perhaps she was at her limit, but Lazarissa took a scoop of the curry with a spoon and ate it.


    ��Mmm, this is���� When the taste of spices, which have a taste simr to bitterness, passes by in an instant���� It has aplex richness and sweetness, no, this is theing together of the gravy and the taste of vegetables�������� Sorry, Lazarissa wants to focus on the taste so Lazarissa is going to stop talking��


    She started eating enthusiastically.


    ��Wh, what''s so good about an uncivilized dish thatcks beauty like this�D�D��


    With a reluctant look on her face, Frey also took a bite of the curry.


    ��Moreover, soaking the fried food is�D�D��


    She also took a bite of the cutlet.


    ����������������


    She stopped talking and continued eating.


    I also started eating.


    I''ll omit my impressions on the curry as it��ll go on for a while.


    My sister came and talked to me happily.


    ��Onii-chan. I might have thought of something fantastic. Curry and ramen, won��t it be the best if they��rebined?��


    ��To have noticed that, you must be a genius after all��


    ��You can praise me more��


    My sister had an extremely smug expression on her face.


    ��Souya��


    It appeared that Shuna had alsoe up with something.


    ��Curry and pizza. Won��t it be amazing if they��rebined?��


    ��That��s so-so, I guess��


    ��You jerk, aren��t you just showing favoritism to your sister?��


    ��Then do you want to try and be my sister too?��


    ��That doesn��t make any sense��


    Ah, oh no. I almost forgot.


    I got up from my seat and filled another te of Katsu curry. I brought it over to the small table a little distance away from the camp that Bel was seated at.


    ��Slow��


    I had prepared a separate seat for only one person. There were many things that I had to ask this person.


    Questioning her came first, so for now, I didn��t ce the curry on her table.


    ��The person inside Bel, I want to know your name��


    ��I refuse��


    ��Is that so? Then it can��t be helped��


    I ced a rectangr object on the table. I also dropped some supplements beside it.


    ��This is the portable ration of a normal adventurer. It��s made by kneading butter, wheat flour, and preservatives that I��m not familiar with together and baking it until it��s as hard as a rock. If you don''t answer the question, all of your meals from now on will be this. Well, with these pills, there won��t be any problems with regards to nutrition��


    ��Sob, Onii-san, that��s too much�D�D�D�D�D�D�DShut up��


    Bel had returned for a moment.


    ��So what?��


    The person inside had returned. She had an unconcerned look.


    I fanned the curry with my hand.


    I had a look that said that I would make her say��Urgh, kill me2��using the smell. It felt a little indecent.


    ��Well, try eating it as a test��


    (The person inside)Bel unwrapped the oil paper of the portable ration and then took a bite of the yellow lump.


    ��������������Onii-san, it��s too much��


    Bel hade back for a moment again. She was reced by the person inside immediately, but she had be teary-eyed.


    One more push.


    ��First of all, you, it��s inconvenient to not even know the name of someone that I��m going to risk my life with from now on. I��ll hesitate over what I should call the current you on the spur of the moment. It��s fine even if it��s not your real name, a nickname or something will suffice��


    Bel suddenly grabbed my shoulder and embraced me.


    She smelled sweet.


    ����������������������������It��s Lyridias, you boorish foreigner. You all should call me Lys��


    The curry disappeared from my hand.


    Lys sat back down at the table and started eating the curry silently.


    ��Hmpt, it��s so-so. I prefer it spicier. Don''t get it wrong next time��


    ��Huh?��


    Did she just say Lyridias?


    You''ve got to be kidding me.


    ��Hey, could it be�D�D��


    ��Shut up. I told you my name. I won��t answer anything else��


    ��What drink do you want?��


    ��Liquor. The sweet kind��


    ��What about side dishes?��


    ��Eggnt marinade. I absolutely don��t want the red vegetables��


    ��What about dessert?��


    ��The sweet, cold, white one that this girl ate before��


    ��Understood��������


    For the time being, handling this person in this way will do, but is this really okay?


    Oh god. What in the world is this? My head is about to explode. Oh, but after a while, I��m starting to think that it doesn��t matter. This isn��t okay at all, is it? What should I do? Help, my god, help.


    ��What are you doing in a ce like this?��


    My prayer had reached.


    A gray cat got on my shoulders.


    ��Hmm~, well well, I was wondering who it is, but look who��s here��


    Misuranika-sama��s voice sounded full of mixed emotions.


    The weight on my shoulders changed. From one cat to one young girl��s weight.


    When I tried to look at her face, I got head-locked.


    Even though I��ve seen it once, she��s such a shy person.


    ��Souya, did this one give her name?��


    ��Huh, yes. She��s Lyridias-san, it seems��


    ��Pfff, of all the names, that��s the one you gave? Harlot��


    ��Wha, I, I��m, yo, you��re thest person I want to hear that from! You tart!��


    Alright, girls shouldn��t throw such words at each other~.


    ��Don''t think that you can beguile my follower with that t chest��


    ��Urgh��


    Misuranika-sama��s weight became even heavier. There was a soft and springy feeling on my shoulders and shoulder des.


    Right now, my faith is rising energetically. I��ll follow you for the rest of my life!


    ��Hmpt, how annoying. You Misuranika. I��m going home!��


    Lys stood up, but there was still curry left, so she scarfed it into her mouth hurriedly, and then went home with her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel.


    As I watched her back grow smaller, I asked Misuranika-sama.


    ��Umm, is she really the Lyridias of the St. Lyridias Order?��


    ��There��s no way that��s true. She��s an impostor. Don''t worry about her. Besides, you can��t do anything anyway. You should take advantage and work her as hard as possible��


    ��O, okay��


    It��s a little difficult to ept, but it��s god��s mandate. I guess I��ll try to use her skillfully.


    ��So, what��s her true identity?��


    ��That''s a secret��


    Nothing goodes out of poking one��s nose into women��s secrets. I��ll avoid getting deeply involved.

 Chapter 058: The Neighborhood Demon King XII

    <h4>Chapter 058: The Neighborhood Demon King XII</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    When I returned to the camp, there was a bit of amotion. Misuranika-sama, who had returned to the form of a cat, went back into the tent.


    ��Souya!��


    Shuna beckoned to me when he saw me.


    I was rushed into a seat.


    ��What? What happened?��


    ��This person said that she��s a Brave!��


    I had never seen Shuna''s eyes sparkle like that before.


    ��Tell me, tell me such things first��


    ��Did I not tell you?��


    ��You didn��t~!��


    I had thought that kids nowadays weren��t interested in things like Braves, but it seems like that isn��t true in the alternate world.


    ��She calls herself a Brave, but she��s the Hemus�� Brave, right? She has nothing to do with elves~��


    ��Shuna-san, something like a Brave isn��t anything decent, you know?��


    The elven sisters were calmly speaking coldly.


    ��That��s right, Shuna-sama. Braves are people who can��t make a proper living and sleep in stables, you know? Souya-sama, who properly arranges for a ce for you to live, prepares delicious meals, and supports the party, is many times moremendable��


    Lazarissa, you should be defending her.


    ��Gr, grrr��


    The Brave herself was making an expression that was unbing of a Brave.


    However, perhaps because she had no words of response, she was eating the curry voraciously. That was my share that she was eating though.


    As everyone took refills freely, the pot of curry was emptiedpletely, and then we drank tea while taking a breather.


    ��But the tea is utterly no good. The tea leaves are cheap��


    ��Certainly, it��s as Ojou-sama said��


    The tea got criticized by Frey and Lazarissa.


    Rana red at the two of them with wide eyes.


    As a matter of fact, tea leaves were a problem, and I had just been searching for a way to resolve it. It was just right, so I tried asking them.


    ��Umm, there��s this merchantpany that I��m a consultant for that��s looking for people who can appraise tea leaves. But do the two of you, errm, want to be appraisers?��


    ��Lazarissa does!��


    Lazarissa leaned over the table and drew closer to me.


    ��This Lazarissa is somewhat well versed in the tea leaves of the left and center continent. So, Souya-sama, can you introduce me to that merchantpany? How much pay will Lazarissa receive?!��


    She was desperate.


    That''s right, isn��t it? There��s no money in defeating a Demon King who hasn��t done anything bad, is there?


    ��Lazarissa, stop it. I won��t allow an attendant of a Brave to be something like an appraiser��


    ��Ojou-sama, Lazarissa is resigning as of today. Lazarissa will be Souya-sama��s mistress. It hasn��t been fun thus far, goodbye��


    ��Hey!��


    The voices of Rana, Ea, and Frey rang out in unison.


    It was a good thing that Lanseal wasn��t present. Blood would have flowed.


    ��Lazarissa-san, I��m not looking for any more mistresses��


    ��Because you already have a silver-haired, big-boobed Fox-Nee-chan, right?��


    Shuna stabbed me with great force.


    ��I promise that the pay will be exceptional. However, ites with the condition that you must vow to not do business with any merchantpany other than the one I specify��


    The tea leaves appraisers had been rounded up by the merchants from the center continent. If she was willing to work for our side exclusively, she would be hired at a fairly high pay. Moreover, she was the Brave��s attendant and a highly skilled adventurer. Her strength was at the level where she could snort withughter as she beat the heck out of the hoodlums and the like that the merchants from the center continent would hire to threaten her.


    ��Yes, Lazarissa is okay with that��


    ��Then the earlier the better. I��ll introduce you immediately after this. For the time being, your food, clothing and amodations will also be taken care of. There will be nothing left to be desired��


    ��That��s absolutely wonderful��


    Lazarissa��s face was impassive, but she seemed happy. Frey was pulling on her sleeve. There were tears in her eyes. I felt somewhat bad for her, so I added something.


    ��I want to give it the distinction of being appraised by the Brave, so please have Frey-sama do it together with you as well��


    ��That is, hmm, but������


    Lazarissa had aplicated look on her face.


    I had said that just to give it a shot, but certainly, a Brave doing something like appraising tea leaves�D�D


    ��Tea leaves that have been appraised by a Brave will acquire value. We��ll surely get even more money as well��


    In the end, Frey was into it, so it turned out alright. She was a mercenary person.


    She took my hand all of a sudden. Rana''s eyes were scary.


    ��Well then, it has beente ining, but I��d like to express my gratitude. In the name of Frey?Dis?Gastolfo, I��d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Souya and his party members. The spirit of protecting the peace that everyone has is more valuable than pyroxene. As long as there are people with that spirit, the world will never be destroyed��


    Her pure-hearted words pricked my conscience.


    ��And the one who protects the Brave is also a Brave��


    Hmm?


    ��In the name of Gastolfo, I acknowledge the "new Brave" here��


    Huh?


    ��Oh Souya from a foreignnd, ept this��


    ��Hey, wait a minute��


    She was strong. I couldn��t pull my hand away. Frey''s palm shone with a warm light.


    This is bad. Because it''s too unexpected, I��mpletely unable to respond.


    ��I hereby confer upon you the crest as the 1,432nd Brave. Oh Brave, in order to bring glory to that name, do your best to act fittingly and behave in a manner that won��t bring shame to that name��


    My face twisted at the burning pain in my left palm, and when I pulled that hand away from Frey����


    ����there was a distorted V-shaped pattern on it.


    ��What the heck is this?!��


    ��It��s the crest of the Brave, Souya. Someday, on the day the Demon King is reborn, you will surely be guided by that crest��


    ��Souya, that��s awesome!��


    Shuna��s eyes sparkled even brighter.


    I''m sorry, I don��t care about being a Brave and whatnot, so I��m really fine without it!


    ��I don��t want it! Please rescind it!��


    ��It''s no use. A Brave cannot be rescinded. You��ll be a Brave until the day you die��


    ��That''s malignant!��


    Is it a curse?!


    ��For example, even if you cut off your left arm, the crest will surely appear somewhere else. Give up and y your part as a Brave. You cannot escape it. You have that qualification��


    It''s a curse!!


    The adventuring business is���� My n for the adventuring business is going haywire again.


    It''s dragged on for so long already.


    ��81st day��


    After meeting a variety of people, going through a host of events, many twists and turns, rapid progression, and acting blindly, I finally regained some peace and quiet a few dayster.


    It had been long.


    Thest few days had felt especially long.


    The reason for that was mostly the Brave��s fault and having to deal with the aftermath of that incident. Fortunately, the scars of destruction on the in weren��t a problem because strangely enough, they werepletely fixed after one night.


    The problem was the method in which the ins had been restored.


    It was named the miracle of the Lemuria in. The inquisitive adventurers inside Lemuria and the magicians of the Jumikura School had even posted requests to start the investigation of the in.


    For a while, it overflowed with people like a tourist attraction, threatening those who hid and lived in the in.


    In order to distract the adventurers, anothermotion was caused in the in on the opposite side of the Kingdom of Lemuria, and people were led there. I took that opportunity to create an exnation document with Rana and Frey��s signatures.


    The miracle of the Lemuria in was cleared up as a natural phenomenon.


    Frey also agreed to hide the existence of the Demon King. No popce would be happy to hear that such a being was sleeping in the neighborhood.


    In addition, more than 30 fake exnation documents were distributed. Because of that, the documents, which were close to the truth, made by the other magicians were squashed. When there were a lot of lies, humans stopped caring about the truth.


    It felt like I was doing nothing but things like this.


    And finally,


    Atst,


    I was able to start a kitchen garden.


    ��Lars, make sure to pull out the weeds. After digging up the soil, scatter the shells, mix the humus on top of them until the soil is fluffy, and then nt the seeds about four of your fist-lengths apart. There is plenty ofnd, so use it liberally��


    ��Boooo��


    A 50-cm-tall wooden golem answered. It was pulling up weeds attentively while moving ording to my instructions.


    It was a token of gratitude from the Demon King.


    She had revived it from the remains of the golem and remade it smaller. It obeyed my orders and it seemed that it would move stably for about a year. At present, its orders were to nurture and protect the kitchen garden.


    It was somewhat ironic that humans�� magic brought about destruction while the Demon King��s magic revived it.


    In addition, I asked Shuna about Ukazor-sama, but����


    ��Hey, Shuna. By any chance, when Ukazor-sama removes his hat������


    ��Yeah, he��s bald. He apparently used to shave it when he was still alive. I��ve seen it once, but it was a strange hairstyle��


    The fact that Lars has a wooden sword on its waist is probably his influence.


    I had thought that the portal is the only way to drop into the alternate world, but is that wrong? Are there other ways? Or is the portal itself something that brought people in erratically? If Ukazor-sama wasn��t wearing a top-knot as a fashion statement, that would mean that the modern world had been connected to the alternate world before 1946.1


    There is also a possibility of it being one-way, but in that case������������


    In that case, what?


    Did technology from the alternate world have an influence on the modern world or something? That��s right, for example����for example������what, I wonder.


    This is the limit of what an ordinary person can think of.


    I don''t think about things that I don''t understand. I��ll put it off. It��s precisely in times like this when I��m thinking about strange stuff that I should do gardening.


    I haven��t done such things since elementary school, but I��m enjoying it for some strange reason.


    Eating, cooking and growing nts are all different. They require trial and error.


    Using Rana''s magic, food can be grown rapidly. However, this depletes the nutrients in the soilpletely and continuous cropping will result in problems.


    I''ll start by doing selective breeding on the vegetables, so for the time being, I intend to make them grow rapidly using magic, repeatedly choose good varieties and breed them to make them delicious, and then grow them leisurely.


    With Ukazor-sama��s grace, it probably won''t take long. With Makina��s knowledge and Lars here, working the uncultivatednd isn��t difficult either.


    Yeah it��ll go well.


    This is great.


    I''m looking forward to it. First, I��ll start with cherry tomatoes, white eggnt, and cucumber. I want to grow red peppers too, and I wonder if I��ll be able to grow peri mint, spring onions and radishes as well. Basil and herbs for pasta too. Oh, should I try growing edamame as well? I don''t think that anything and everything will work out from the start, but even so, my dreams are expanding.


    Huh, actually, I feel like I��ve forgotten something though.


    Is it just my imagination?


    It''s just my imagination.


    ��Neigh��


    I heard, along with the sound of horseshoes.


    Riding atop a ck horse that was galloping across the in, an adventurer was approaching me.


    It was a face I recognized.


    He had ck hair and eyes, had a scruffy beard, and wore an eye patch over his left eye. His adventurer��s equipment was well-used. He looked in histe thirties or early forties. He looked extremely simr to Toshiro Mifune.


    In my opinion, among the residents in the alternate world, he��s most suited to wearing a kimono and katana.


    What business does he have, I wonder? The sisters and Lanseal are still sleeping so I don��t want to make too much noise though.


    ��Good morning��


    ��Hey, good morning. Souya, what have you been up to recently?��


    It was Medimu, the adventurer known as the father of adventurers.


    ��Recently? I��ve been dealing with the troublesome affairs of people, introducing jobs, and today, I��m thinking of making a vegetable garden��


    ��I see, it''s a situation that adventurers like you who are strangely well-off often fall into. I��ve got one thing to say to you. Hey������������explore the dungeon! That''s all!��


    Otou-san turned the horse around and went back the way he came.


    By the way, his expression had been super angry. It had been a long time since someone older than me had gotten angry at me with a ferocious expression like that.


    For a while, I stood still and let the wind wash over me.


    Even as I was doing that, Lars was toiling away at the preparations for the vegetable garden.


    I had forgotten. Come to think of it, that��s right. I hade here for a reason like that.


    ��Souya-san, can Makina and Yukikaze also say one thing?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Makina, with Yukikaze sitting on top of her head, slid over.


    ��Please explore the dungeon��


    ��Explore the dungeon��


    ��������������Okay��


    I''m going to explore it from today onward.


    �� End ��

 Chapter 059: The Rabbit Of Revelry I

    <h4>Chapter 059: The Rabbit Of Revelry I</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    If you asked me, ultimately, what kind of story this was,


    A man and a woman made a promise, and the man dutifully kept it even after the woman left.


    That��s all there was to the story.


    Almost as if it was a curse,


    Trapped in an unending nightmare,


    He slid his de into an endless battle.


    He also had dreams, hadpanions, and had pride that he had bet his life on. He would undoubtedly have wealth and fame as well in future. But the man threw that all away.


    Almost as if delirious from fever,


    Like the fanatical faith towards the gods,


    Like a child who knew nothing else,


    No, an outsider like me cannot talk in depth about his worth.


    It may possibly be an extremely simple thing.


    A story about a promise that seems foolish in the eyes of others.


    It started from a simple promise between a man and a woman.


    It was a wish simr to longing that would nevere true, but in that ce����


    That''s all it was.


    For that alone, I�D�D


    ��The Rabbit Of Revelry I��


    ��82nd day��


    An adventurer''s job is to explore the dungeon.


    That''s very much a matter of course in the Kingdom of Lemuria, which has the��Odoriji spire��, one of the biggest dungeons even among the three continents of the alternate world.


    Adventurers explore the dungeon and sell the materials to sustain their livelihood, causing money to circte, which in turn nourishes the country and its people. Simply put, that��s the duty of the adventurers of this country.


    And, with regards to me,


    Thanks to the A.I.s and the knowledge brought over from the modern world, I��m able to make a living even without exploring the dungeon.


    Especiallytely, because of my innate obsession that I can��t put a finger on, all that I had been doing were things that had absolutely nothing to do with the dungeon. A person like that is somewhat well off due to the connections with merchantpanies.


    That��s no good.


    Let��s say that, through some misunderstanding or preconception, adventurers who aim to be ��an adventurer like me�� appeared. Let''s also say that, by chance, things went well and they became well off.


    That would undermine the adventurers�� calling to explore the dungeon.


    Moreover, it would also be a refuge for those who had been defeated in the dungeon and had be discouraged.


    Of course, an adventurer��s job isn��t only to explore the dungeon. There are jobs like running errands for and guarding merchantpanies, gathering materials outside the dungeon, as well as subjugating monsters.


    But even so, the adventurers of Lemuria have to explore the dungeon. By doing that and bing the object of envy, they be the foundation for attracting more and more adventurers toe.


    That��s the duty that the adventurers of Lemuria have towards the country.


    In other words, I��m an example of a bad adventurer.


    There are other adventurers like me who are able to earn money through their connections with merchantpanies. However, those adventurers are retired adventurers of renown. Not greenhorn adventurers like me.


    To be honest,


    I��ve lost my purpose for exploring the dungeon.


    The reason why I came to this world is money. I went along with a sudden invitation from a certainpany and came to the alternate world. The goal is to obtain the materials that are on the 56th floor of the dungeon.


    The reward is excessive for me, who was living hand to mouth in those days. Thinking back on it now, I wonder why I jumped at the invitation.


    Now that I��ve obtained connections that I can trust to a certain degree, I can hire advanced adventurers and have them explore the target floor.


    However, the information on the materials will only be disclosed when I��ve reached that floor. The A.I.s had been installed with such a program.


    In other words, I have to take the risk and explore the dungeon.


    I should be the only one facing danger.


    I��m willing to risk a life like this for anything.


    However, the death of a party member is the one thing that I never want to experience again. The next time something like that happens, I think that I��ll be unable to bear it. The thing keeping up my appearance as a human will break.


    That��s right, I''m afraid to explore the dungeon.


    To think that losing someone would be so hard. It��s ironic that I, who didn��t have friends orpanions worth mentioning in the modern world, would think something like that in the alternate world.


    But however,


    Right now, we��vee to the 14th floor of the Odoriji spire.


    I was urged on by the father of adventurers, cheered on by the A.I.s, nagged at by my person-in-charge, and as I developed a slight neurosis that even the passers-by on the street were saying��Hey, explore the dungeon!��, I explored the dungeon.


    We have urate information on the enemies as well as maps, and it also helped that my party members�� abilities are at the level of intermediate adventurers, so we reached the 14th floor with such ease that it��s a bit of a letdown.


    There��s a portal every five floors of the Odoriji spire.


    By diving into it, adventurers can transfer instantly to the 1st floor, which has the Adventurers�� Guild on it. As long as an adventurer has validated a portal, he or she will be able to resume adventuring from there.


    However, there is always some sort of guardian one floor above the floor with the portal.


    The 14th floor has a guardian as well.


    The guardians are diverse existences of all sorts and wide-ranging types that are on a different line from human wisdom. They are the products of miracles that possess the wisdom of the ancients. Or their madness.


    What they have inmon is that they are all hostile to adventurers.


    ��Now��


    As could be expected, I swallowed back my murmur of ��What should we do?��


    Our party had currently stalled in front of the enemy on the 14th floor.


    By the way, this was our second time here.


    Last time, we had turned back in front of these doors without even seeing the enemy.


    In front of us were two red doors in the middle of the dim passageway. Between us and the doors stood an employee dispatched by the Adventurers�� Guild.


    By chance, today''s person-in-charge was Evetta-san, who was also my person-in-charge.


    She was an expressionless woman with two horns. She had beautiful long silver hair, a slender body and she was wearing the Guild uniform. She was retired now, but she was a feared adventurer with the name ��Evetta, the Pulverizer��.


    ��Souya, nothing will happen unless you start talking to others��


    ��Alright��


    Evetta-san''s words were much appreciated.


    We wouldn��t be allowed to challenge this floor��s guardian, the Rabbit of Revelry, if we weren��t in a group of two or more parties.


    There were 12 parties that were waiting just like we were.


    They were each searching for parties that would mesh well with their own party while chatting and negotiating in the passageway.


    That��s right, it��s important to start talking and negotiate.


    To be frank, I had assumed that I have bargaining power because I��m helping out with the work of the merchantpanies.


    But I had been mistaken. It��s different.


    There are all sorts of reasons why members join parties, like ability, self-interest, andpatibility, but in negotiations between parties, impressions are very important. It depends on one��s virtue, or perhaps I should say affability.


    The parties are teaming up on the spot and fighting together right away.


    There is no time for both parties to understand each other. They can only rely on their senses. What��s important then are appearances and one��s usual conduct. In addition, race.


    Well, when I started talking to the others,


    ��Excuse me. Would you like to team up?��


    ����������������


    I showed a sparkling smile, but I was ignored by the beastkin party.


    ��Excuse me. Would you like to te�D�D��


    ��Not a chance!��


    I got an instant reply from an all-female party.


    ��Excuse me. Would you like to team up?��


    ��Your party, are they the ones over there?��


    ��Huh, yes��


    A young Hemu man who looked like a nice person turned his eyes towards my party.


    My party was a Hemu boy swordsman, a Hemu girl knight, an elven archer, and an elven magician.


    ��Oh, sorry. Elves are a bit of a problem������


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. For some reason��


    I lowered my head as if we had done something wrong. It couldn��t be helped if it was a problem with race.


    ��Excuse me. Would you like to team up?��


    ��That��s your party?��


    He was an adventurer who was a little on the older side. Even though he was a greenhorn adventurer, his equipment was well-used, so he was probably one of those who had converted from being a soldier or mercenary.


    ��Oh, yes��


    ��Ohh, aren��t they all women?��


    ��Who��s a woman?!��


    ��Shuna! Stoppp!��


    Negotiations fell through.


    ��Excuse me. Would you like to team up?��


    ��You''re an adventurer who��s apdog of a merchantpany, aren��t you? I��ve seen you boiling pasta��


    ��No, I��m a consultant��


    ��I don''t like stuff like that. It feels cowardly somehow��


    ��Oh, okay��


    Next.


    ��Excuse me, Would�D�D


    ��Urgh, a foreigner��


    ��Oh, could this guy be the foreigner that the rumors say is bad to get involved with?��


    ��I''m sorry, it��s fine��


    That was a rumor that I had spread previously. That was dangerous.


    ��Excuse me. Would you like to team up?��


    ��Yuck~, not with your face. You sinister four-eyes��


    The elven magician behind me shot to her feet.


    ��Am I hearing things, I wonder? Then I��ll have to erase that noise��


    She cracked her fists.


    ��Rana! Stoppp!��


    Negotiations broke down.


    ��Excuse me. Err, umm, would you�D�D��


    ��No way, you guys. I was watching from the side, so I don��t think so��


    Of course~.


    ��Excuse me. Err�D�D��


    ��I��m very sorry!��


    ��Gyaaaa!��


    ��Nooooo!��


    They ran away!


    Out of the twelve parties, we scuffled with two parties, was rejected by six parties, and had four parties run away.


    It wasplete annihtion.


    ��Well, Onii-chan, you did your best. I think you tried really hard��


    ��That''s right. The one at fault is the scoundrel who said bad things about you��


    ��Onee-chan, who sent that guy flying, is also�D�D��


    ��Did you say something?��


    ��Nope~��


    I wasforted by my wife from a pretend marriage, Rana, and her sister, Ea. They were both elves, and were cute and beautiful.


    ��Souya, that��sme��


    ��Shut up, the guy who snapped just because he got treated as a woman��


    ��Urgh, but�D�D��


    ��It��s apliment to male elves! If anything, be happy about it!��


    ��No, I''m not an elf though��


    Shuna, the boy swordsman, deted when he got yelled at by Ea.


    This guy was a push-over when it came to women. From what I heard, it seemed that it was an after-effect from growing up being mobbed by his five elder sisters. That made me, an only child, very jealous.


    ��Bel, say something to him too��


    Ea turned the conversation to the girl knight who was sitting with a vacant look on her face.


    ����������������


    ��Ea, she��s Lys now��


    Due to various circumstances, the body of the girl, Beltoriche, had been taken over by someone who gave her name as Lys. In the words of several gods, She��s not a bad person, so make use of her, was what they said.


    ��Then, Lys, say something to him��


    ��������something��


    It was a clich�� response. Ea sent me a look that said,��What the heck?��


    ��I wish I knew��


    I replied.


    She was certainly strong. She could use the advanced magic of the knights of St. Lyridias, and her skill with the sword was impressive.


    But her ability tomunicate was horrible. Just when I had thought that she had unexpectedlye to listen to things, she would say,��Who cares��in protest. She disappeared in the middle of battle, and when all of us went searching for her, she wandered back, saying,��I was doing my business��.


    Erratic behavior.


    Unsociable.


    Unable to read the situation.


    To top it off, very picky with food.


    Bel������Bel,e back. I really need your approachability and smile right now. To put it bluntly, even though the party''s negotiations with external parties were all resting on your shoulders, for you to let a person like that possess you without permission���� There��s a preaching waiting for you when you return.


    I mean, Onii-san is feeling disheartened.


    ��Souya��


    ��Oh, yes?��


    Evetta-san came and talked to me.


    While I was feeling down, the other parties had formed into groups and were lined up nicely in front of the doors. It reminded me of when I was the only person left out during physical education ss in the past.


    ��You��re the same as ever, aren��t you? I��m relieved��


    ��Please have the wrong estimation of me when ites to things like this��


    You were with me when the gods throughout the city refused to contract with me, weren��t you?


    She ignored my retort and went to guide the other parties.


    ��Dear, what are we going to do? Go back?��


    ��Eh, no��


    I wavered at Rana��s suggestion.


    The journey from the 10th to the 14th floor had taken an entire day. Because we��ve gotten used to the enemies and route, even including breaks and sleep, we should be able to reach here in about 15 hours next time.


    However,ing back here is a pain.


    It''s extremely bothersome.


    With my current motivation, in all likelihood, it��ll take at least 5 days, no, 10 days perhaps, until we explore the dungeon again.


    If things don��t go well, it could take 20 days or more.


    I��ve neither a reason to hurry, nor the motivation to get the job done in the first ce.


    To express my honest feelings, I want to go back and do some gardening.


    It would be a different story if there is at least someone in the party to urge me on, but the person who had wanted fame the most is no longer with us. I had failed to protect him.


    The person who had wanted fame second most, no, wanted to gain fame for his teacher, Shuna, had already fulfilled his dream.


    The name of Shuna''s teacher, Regure the Graceful, together with Shuna��s name of ��Dragonshell sher�� had gained fame in Lemuria. After that, it��s Shuna''s job to put everything he has into not sullying it.


    The sisters aren��t proactive about the adventuring business to begin with.


    The motives of about one person are unknown.


    Yeah, I definitely can��t go back like this, can I?


    As an aside, the invitation from the king to his retreat has arrived, so the event where everyone in the party changes into swimsuits and lets their hair down is waiting.


    I think that we��ll remain there for a long time. About two months, I guess?


    ��Rana������������let''s keep waiting. Until another partyes��


    ��Okay, I understand��


    I want to reach the 15th floor to leave things off at a good point, and then see(worship1) Rana in a swimsuit without any worries.


    Presently, I''m having the A.I.s make swimsuits with amazing designs. From the sample images that they showed me, they��re really amazing. In terms of how much they��ll dig in, surface area, and so on. It��s because things are hidden, that it��s conversely more lewd. And even though Rana is a natural-born heart-throb under normal circumstances, if she bes even more eroticpared to her usual self, the angel and the devil inside me will probably say��Do it��at the same time. The likes of reason is nothing but ayer of thin ice.


    In consideration of that, it��s about time for�D�D


    ��Oh, you��re������


    Oh, people I knew had appeared.


    It was an Ojou-sama type adventurer with blonde ringlets, a reptilian beastkin maid, and a small-sized knight who was about 130cm tall. His entire body was covered seamlessly by the armor and he wore a helmet that wasrge in proportion to his body. Its design was like a bird''s beak. His weapons were a round shield and a rapier. Somehow, he looked like a toy knight. I did know the preceding two people, but I didn��t know this knight.


    ��Raurau-san, and her husband, Nu������tria-san, as well as, oh my, Shuna-sama!��


    Frey, the Ojou-sama type adventurer, mistook the names of Rana and me as usual, and ran up to Shuna. Mine had be the name of apletely different animal2. Rana��s face turned expressionless.


    ��To meet in a ce like this, it��s fate!��


    ��Ye, yeah��


    Frey took both of Shuna��s hands and swung them vigorously.


    ��Dear, I would absolutely hate teaming up with that person��


    ��Yeah, I know how you feel. But������


    Frey was a troublemaker, but she was a powerful magician. She was one of the special magicians who would destroy the world when five of them were assembled. If I closed my eyes to her personality, tendency to cause trouble, her crappy and annoying title of Brave, as well as her personality, depending on how she was used, she was an amazing adventurer.


    Also, her attendant and maid, Lazarissa, was purely strong. I hadn��t seen the full extent of her strength, but she might possibly be a match for advanced adventurers.


    ��It''s been a few days, Souya-sama��


    ��Uowaa��


    Just when I was thinking that Lazarissa had disappeared from view, she breathed warmly on my neck from behind.


    ��Oh, its brilliance is wonderful after all��


    She smoothly stole the magic sword sheathed in my quiver and panted while rubbing her cheeks on the t of its de. If not for this, she would have been a good person.


    As for thest person,


    ��Hey~��


    ��Eh��


    The toy knight looked at me and raised a hand. It was the voice of someone I knew.


    While still holding Shuna��s hands, Frey introduced him.


    ��Nutria-san, this person is a "dwarf" adventurer. That��s not something you see everyday, isn��t it? He insisted a few days back, so I let him join my party��


    ��It��s something like that~��


    ��Can I have a minute with you?��


    The self-proimed dwarf and I went a distance away from the parties, and then I squatted down and whispered to him.


    ��Gashuraku-san, what are you doing?��


    ��Frey is how she is, so Demon King-sama told me to help her. Lazarissa has already been informed of it~��


    I��ve never met a dwarf before, but the one inside this armor is a goblin. I mean, even though she��s rted by blood, for the Demon King to take pity on her and assign a subordinate to help her out, what on earth kind of Brave is this������


    ��How did you get your registration as an adventurer approved?��


    No, in the first ce, it''s very unlikely that he had registered a few days ago ande all this way in one go though.


    ��My registration from back in the day had remained~��


    Even goblins are allowed to register, I see.


    ��By the way, what��s the deepest floor that you��ve reached?��


    ��It��s the 30th floor~, however, I can''t give you advice on this floor��s guardian, alright~��


    Wow, isn''t he my senior then?


    ��Huh, this guy is������


    Ea hade over and was leaning over our backs.


    ��Ea! Don''t say anything! You must never tell anyone!��


    ��Ea~! Elves shouldn��t say anything unnecessary~!��


    ��Well, I can somewhat guess what��s going on, so I��ll keep my mouth shut��


    The adventurers lining up were looking at us strangely. They probably thought of us as birds of a feather.


    Perhaps she had finally noticed the other adventurers, but Frey called out to Evetta-san.


    ��The Horns over there, what��s this line for, I wonder?��


    ��They��re waiting to fight the guardian. To participate, registering a group with two or more parties is required��


    ��Hmmm~��


    Frey looked at us. Rana looked at me with a face that said that she hated it from the bottom of her heart.


    ��Nutria-san, if you insist, then I don��t mind teaming up, you know?��

 Chapter 060: The Rabbit Of Revelry II

    <h4>Chapter 060: The Rabbit Of Revelry II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��������������Yes, please��


    My heart ached when I saw Rana close to tears. The two of them were on the same wavelength when it came to using magic, but it seemed that being pulled along by Frey was humiliating for Rana. For a prideful elf, especially one like her who had unparalleled confidence in her skill in magic, it was hard to bear.


    I��m sorry, Rana.


    Just this once, bear with it just this once. Also, my name is not Nutria!


    ��Souya-sama, Lazarissa is very sorry for the trouble��


    ��Really~, I��m sorry things are like this~��


    Her two attendants, who understood the situation, apologized to me. Rana grabbed my poncho and waved it about.


    ��Well then, Evetta-san, please register me and Frey-sama as a joint party��


    ��Understood��


    Evetta-san wrote our names down on a document in her binder.


    ��Then please go to the back of the line. If you cut in line or do anything to disrupt it, I��ll crush you��


    Scary.


    Since her true strength was unfathomable, I lined up obediently.


    But,


    Approximately three or more groups had gone in, but none of them havee back. Is the opponent easy to defeat, I wonder? Or are the previous three groups really strong? The second group had seemed overwhelmingly weaker than us though, so that��s something to be relieved about, I suppose.


    ��Umm, let��s discuss some simple arrangements������


    ��Fufu, we don��t need to do something like that. I��ll burn everything up with my magic��


    ��Ojou-sama, please shut up for a moment��


    ��Ugu��


    Brushed aside(kicked) by Lazarissa, Frey clung to Shuna. Shuna didn��t seem altogether displeased and his face had turned red.


    ��Shuna, it��s fine if you��re just going to y around with her and then throw her away, but Onii-san forbids you from having a serious rtionship with that woman, got it?��


    ��What the heck are you saying?��


    At Shuna��s calm reply, I came back to my senses.


    I��m sorry, I thought that a weird bug had clung to you(you��re keeping badpany), so I couldn��t help myself.


    ��Souya-sama, Lazarissa and Gashuraku will take charge of being vanguards. Is that alright?��


    Things were not proceeding, so the maid proceeded.


    That��s a much appreciated suggestion, but����


    ��Yes, I��m counting on the two of you to be the front-line vanguards. Is it okay if Shuna is positioned immediately behind you both?��


    ��Yes, that��s fine. But poor coordination will lead to confusion. Shuna-sama will go to the front only when Lazarissa and Gashuraku are defeated. Is such a promise alright?��


    ��Shuna, is that alright?��


    ��Yeah, got it��


    Shuna and Lazarissa had sparred against each other.


    Results-wise, Lazarissa had won with one punch. The loss could certainly be attributed to Shuna��s pride of not using swords against women. However, he obeyed her meekly, perhaps because he had felt the difference in strength.


    ��And Lys, you''re next to me. Protect Frey-sama and Rana��


    ����������������


    Alright, there was no reply. I grabbed Lys�� cheeks, and then squeezed and rubbed them.


    ��Where''s your reply?��


    ��Shup ut, stot ip��


    ��Your reply?��


    I pinched them lightly. I forced her expressionless face into a smile. She smacked my hands away.


    ��Troublesome��


    ��If you don''t obey, your next adventuring meal is only dry bread and dried potatoes��


    ��Tch������got it��


    Alright. For the time being, we had sorted out our defense.


    ��Onii-chan, what about me?��


    ��Ea, be on standby at the very back in case of unexpected situations. Depending on the situation, you may shoot freely. It goes without saying, but be careful of the line of fire of both enemies and allies, alright?��


    ��Yeah, I want to ascertain the performance of this bow��


    Ea��s bow was the only bow of its kind in the alternate world.


    It was apound bow, the so-called modern bow.


    Pulleys were attached to both ends of the bow to assist in pulling the string, which was crossed and pulled taut. Moreover, the power needed to hold the bow drawn had been lowered considerably. It was also made of lightweight carbon.


    I had broken the traditional elvenposite bow that she had previously, so this was its recement.


    It should be different in various ways from what she was used to, but my sister had mastered it without any trouble.


    The power was increased and the burden on the archer was reduced. If there were any problems, it would be how difficult it was to maintain and a decrease in durability due to the increased number of parts.


    ��Oh, that��s an unusual bow, isn��t it?��


    Lazarissa, who had a keen eye for weapons, took a strong interest in the bow.


    ��Isn��t it an excellent bow? Onii-chan and Yukikaze made it for me. This is the only bow in the world that��s just for me��


    The other parties were also eyeing Ea��s bow.


    Yeah, the fact that it��s eye-catching is also a problem, I suppose.


    There weren��t many adventurers who used bows, but rare objects drew the eyes of everyone. I had also thought about disguising it with a cover, but my sister had hated it as that made it impossible for her to shoot quickly, so I didn��t.


    ��Dear, what about me?��


    ��Oh, yup. I��ll make something for you one of these days��


    The fact that it makes her elder sister jealous is also a problem, I suppose.


    But,


    ��Did you notice, Souya-sama?��


    ��Yeah��


    I nodded at Lazarissa��s question.


    None of the parties hade back.


    As could be expected, this was abnormal.


    I had watched the moment the doors opened several times, but it was not like they fought the guardian right away. The only thing I could see was a long passageway.


    What��s going on? It��s highly improbable that everyone won without any problems and proceeded on. It��s impossible for the guardian to be something this easy.


    Before I realized, it was our turn next.


    It��s prudent to withdraw for the time being and work out a n.


    ��Nutria-san, you''re afraid, aren��t you?��


    ��Huh, that''s...����Yes��


    I had tried to put on a poker face as best as I could, but I was seen through by Frey, of all people.


    ��In that case, put your mind at ease. You��re together with this Frey. Moreover, Rarananna-san, who is in no way inferior to me, is here too. It��s impossible for us to lose��


    Certainly, both of them are great magicians, but the dungeon isn''t so easy that we can advance with that alone.


    We had already experienced that once.


    ��Souya-sama, just this once, it��s exactly as Ojou-sama said. In the worst case, Lazarissa will carry everyone and run away. Lazarissa is confident in Lazarissa��s escape techniques because Lazarissa has stuck with Ojou-sama throughout all of her reckless battles��


    When a women said that much, as a man, I can''t be shaking in my boots.


    An adventurer is essentially a person who fights the unknown. The ones who have the courage to confront that are adventurers. I had forgotten that.


    ��Thank you, Lazarissa������������But give Agathion back��


    ��Does Lazarissa have to?��


    ��Yes, Lazarissa has to��


    With natural movements, Lazarissa tried to put Agathion into a leather sheath.


    ��Come back��


    The magic sword flew away from her hand and sheathed itself in my quiver.


    It''s no use as it��lle back if I call it like this, alright?


    ��Souya, please proceed. Each party must use a separate door��


    Our turn hade.


    Evetta-san opened both doors. Our party went through the right door and Frey��s went through the left one. It was a long passageway and I couldn��t see its end. Feeling muddled, I matched Frey''s party��s pace and walked through the door.


    We moved in a formation that we had decided on beforehand, with Shuna at the head of the line, followed by Lys, me, Rana, and then Ea.


    ��Yukikaze, start the pulse and scan the topography. Oh, Ea, your ears are going to ring��


    ��Okay~��


    My sister put on earplugs. I had thought that elves, with their big ears, all had sharp hearing, but there were many of them, like Rana, whose hearing was no different from a Hemu��s.


    ��Pulse, understood. Counting down, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1��


    The A.I. that was disguised as antern at my waist performed a scan using sound waves. The map was disyed on my sses-type device.


    There was a wide space at the end of the straight passageway.


    There were several small rooms along the perimeter of that wide space.


    Mapping using the pulse is convenient, but the sound waves had attracted enemies before. Besides, it consumes a substantial amount of the mini-pod��s power. If I overuse it badly, the pseudo aqueous brain will go into a dormant state, and support such as proximity detection and party management will stop. Choosing when to use it is difficult. I wish that I hadn''t lost my portable battery, but things don��t always conveniently turn out as nned.


    ��No hostiles detected within a radius of 30 meters��


    ��Hmm?��


    That means that there are no enemies in the wide space as well.


    No, I don��t need this hesitation. What I need is the grit to defeat whatever appears before us.


    I strengthened my resolve.


    With adventurers, ying things by ear is the norm. I had lost my nerve and forgot about that.


    Ahead in the darkness, I saw a door.


    No matter what��s beyond that door, I��ll defeat it utterly.


    Our party reached the door.


    Shuna put his hand on the door, but before opening it, he looked at me. I looked around at everyone in the party to confirm for thest time that there were no problems. With a nod, I had Shuna open the door.


    Beyond the door was a wide space with a high ceiling.


    At the same time, Frey and her party emerged from the door next to the one we had stepped through.


    Before our eyes was a small mound of rusted weapons and armor that had been heaped up. Atop it was a small white creature with red eyes.


    ��?��


    Question marks appeared over everyone��s heads.


    In the alternate world, it was natural for it to have wings. However, that "rabbit" had no wings. In other words, it was exactly the same as a rabbit from the modern world.


    For the time being, just as we had arranged, Lazarissa and Gashuraku-san went out in front.


    ��Umm��


    Frey was justifiably bewildered. I was also at a loss over what to do with a mere rabbit. When I saw Ea nocking an arrow, I followed suit and nocked an arrow too, but I felt a reluctance to kill the rabbit.


    I had been feeding winged rabbits in the camp as well. They ate the weeds and pests in the kitchen garden. Once in a while, they got removed by the golem managing the garden for eating the seedlings though.


    What should I do? In all likelihood, this isn��t the enemy. It seems to me like this guy had wandered in here from somewhere else.


    ��Ojou-sama, let''s have it for dinner��


    Lazarissa stepped forward together with Gashuraku-san.


    The rabbit vanished.


    The heads of the two vanguards went flying.


    My brain wasn��t keeping up because it had happened so quickly.


    ��Huh?��


    A stupid-sounding voice escaped my mouth.


    At the same time, intense fear shot through my body.


    ��SHUNA!��


    Shouting his name was all I could do.


    Before I could voice the word ��retreat��, the rabbit lopped off Shuna��s head. Seeing his head tumble to the ground, despair and anger boiled up at the same time. The rabbit slipped past the arrows that Ea and I had released simultaneously and clung to Frey.


    Until the very moment her head was wrenched off, she hadn��t stopped chanting calmly.


    Her red dress was dyed even redder by the fresh blood. We had lost four people in just a few moments. The rabbit weaved its way past Lys'' shield and went for my sister next.


    A soundless scream escaped me.


    I gave the magic sword an order, but it was all toote. I saw an explosion of blood. At the head-crushing-like shock, I averted my eyes from the sight before me.


    The magic sword and Lys'' sword closed in on the rabbit.


    The magic sword was shattered and Lys was decapitated. Yukikaze was saying something. I didn��t hear what she said. There was something that took precedence over her words.


    Thinking that I would at leasty my life down for her, I drew my hunting knife and stood between Rana and the rabbit.


    This isn��t about whether I have it or not.


    The distinction is whether I do them or not.


    Actions that I��m sure are useless.


    On a wing and a prayer, I swung the hunting knife.


    The moment was fleeting.


    The de wasn��t even close.


    I heard the sound of something falling from behind me.


    From between my legs rolled Rana��s head. I met her seemingly sad eyes.


    ��ah��


    The dam on my emotions broke inside me.


    I know it''s toote. But I��ll at least kill you.


    Staring at those red eyes and chanting the words of cmity, I�D�D


    �D�Dwas knocked to the ground and had my mouth covered.


    There was a pungent smell in my nose. The view was distorted. I could hear the cries and screams of someone.


    I was being held down by a woman. She had two horns and silver hair. I had been knocked down by Evetta-san, who was covering my mouth with a piece of cloth.


    The ones in the same situation as me were Shuna, Ea, Lazarissa, and Gashuraku-san. Frey''s situation was especially terrible and it was taking three people to hold her down.


    Only Lys and Rana were standing there normally.


    I looked at everyone''s faces. I looked at their necks. Their heads were attached.


    The ones holding us down were all people of the Adventurers�� Guild.


    Why are they here? What is this?


    ��Alright, these guys are thest group for today. Let��s get moving��


    A boy with small wings was giving orders to the Guild employees. He had the rabbit under his arm.


    Supported and carried by the Guild employees, the party members and I moved.


    Urged on by them, we went into a separate room. It was a simple room that only had chairs in it.


    I could hear the screams of women and the angry shouts of mening from the next room. They were probably the adventurers who had entered before us.


    ��Is there anyone who is experiencing abnormalities with their mind or body due to the psychological trauma?��


    The boy, the President of the Adventurers�� Guild, surveyed all of us.


    I felt like vomiting. Perhaps I looked terrible as well, but Evetta-san was thoughtfully patting my back. Frey was vomiting into a leather bag that had been prepared by her person-in-charge.


    ��Urk��


    I was almost influenced by her too. I managed to endure it somehow.


    ��First, you guys. Look at your own pale-faced leaders over there��


    At the Guild President��s words, everyone turned their attention towards me and Frey, who were in a miserable state.


    Shuna and Ea also looked dreadful.


    Lazarissa was expressionless, but was trembling a little bit. Because of his helmet, I couldn��t tell how Gashuraku-san was faring. Only Rana and Lys looked as they usually did.


    ��That''s the face of your leader when you guys die. And, the two leaders. The faces that are looking at you now are the faces of your party members when you die��


    Huh? What do you mean?


    ��Isn��t this rabbit cute? It��s a rare breed that doesn��t have wings, and it has been alive for at least 500 years. Back in the day, there were many victims of internal strife because of this guy. Right now, it��s under the care of and being used by the Guild��


    ��Guild President, in the end, what exactly is the 14th floor��s guardian?��


    Did we lose?


    Do we have to start over from the 10th floor again?


    ��It��s this guy, but strictly speaking, it��s not this guy. Your bonds are this floor��s guardian. Souya, what did you see?��


    Images of what happened earlier came to my mind.


    I had the feeling that they were going to appear in my dreams for some time.


    ��The death of everyone present, except for me��


    ��Frey, what about you?��


    ��I also, saw the same, blerrghh��


    Frey vomited again.


    ��This rabbit, in exchange for having no fighting capabilities, makes others see illusions of ��death��. It makes them see the deaths of the people they care about and the people they think they want to protect. The reason why we made you form joint parties is to let you distinguish between the deaths. Though it appears that it was pointless for the two of you. I have qualms about both of you as individuals, but as leaders, both of you pass.


    And I��m saying this to the party members, but these two leaders think too lightly of their own lives. They��re the type that dies before anyone else.


    That��s an admirable sense of responsibility, but don''t forget. That it��ll lead to the annihtion of the party. Moreover, for those people with straight faces, you understand, right? ������That��s how it is��


    The Guild President put a viinous-looking, pretty smile on his face.


    With regards to Lys, I understood. That isn��t Bel��s true feelings. But Rana too������?


    ��I have a resistance against things like that��


    ��A, as expected from my partner in crime from Hohens��


    That was how Rana answered my gaze.


    The Guild President wagged his finger and instructed us to pay attention again.


    ��I��ll say it once more. Your bonds are this floor��s guardian. And, the adventures that you��ll have from now on will invariably be apanied by the kind of unreasonable deaths that you��ve just experienced. The job of adventurer is, when all is said and done, this kind of thing. Think hard. Discuss often. Recall well the faces of your current party members. Is your rtionship one that��s suitable for entrusting your lives to each other? Consider that carefully. That is this floor��s guardian��


    That��s all, said the Guild President, who urged us to disperse.


    Apanied by our respective persons-in-charge, everyone started moving.


    We descended from the 14th floor and validated the portal that was located immediately on the 15th floor. We returned through it.


    Bonds, huh?


    In some cases, that bes the nastiest guardian. For some parties, they may disband or even form new parties here. Parties that only have a shared interest or are cemented together using lies end here.


    It��s probably impossible to proceed beyond this point except with party members who have, in the truest sense, entrusted their lives to one another.


    It seems that the time hase for us to talk about the matter that had been put on hold.

 Chapter 061: The Rabbit Of Revelry III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 061: The Rabbit Of Revelry III & IV</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    < The Rabbit Of Revelry III >


    The green medicated bath water seeped in my wounds, which hurt a little.


    In the bathhouse on the 2nd floor, I sorted out various things in my head as I soaked in lukewarm bathwater.


    The future, our adventures from now on. I can��t risk the lives of people while my purpose remains uncertain. The pretext of needing to make a living is also weak.


    Adventuring is not all there is to life.


    Exploring the dungeon is not the only way to make a living.


    If Lemuria doesn��t allow it, there��s also the option of going to anothernd.


    I��m not sure whether I��ll be able to scrape by day to day if I take my wife and sister along with me, but I��ll do anything for their sake. I have that much pride as a man.


    I can also arrange a sea voyage to the left continent if I used my connections with the fishmen and the merchantpanies. There is also the option of living there peacefully.


    For argument''s sake, if I were to continue exploring the Odoriji spire here in Lemuria, there��s one thing that I definitely have to ascertain. It��s something that I had said nothing about in consideration of her. I had made up my mind because of what happened this time.


    I��ll make things clear.


    It��ll be the worst case scenario if that doesn��t work.


    ��What are you going to do if it��s the worst case scenario, you idiot?��


    I��ll decide only after hearing her answer.


    ��Onii-chan, is it alright if Ie in?��


    ��Huh?��


    It was my sister''s voice. The partition was rolled up, and then I heard the patter of feet.


    Apletely naked person sank into the bathtub.


    ��Ehehe��


    ��Hey, you������


    The bathtub was spacious for one, but it was cramped for two. Ea''s hand brushed by my sensitive ce. I had experienced her sitting on myp several times, but skin-to-skin contact like this was a first.


    My sister with her hair up was novel and also cute.


    No, it��s different. Well, it''s not different, but that''s not what I should be thinking about at the moment.


    ��Ea, what are�D�D��


    Oh, I said.


    My words were caught in my throat. My sister was trembling.


    ��Is it because of what happened earlier?��


    ��Yeah, a bit��


    I had messed up. I had only been thinking of myself.


    When Ea was at a loss over what she should do, she became awkward.


    ��Listen��


    I took her hand and put her ear to my chest. I had experienced calming someone down in this way in the past. I couldn��t remember who I did it to though.


    ��The sound of heartbeats has a calming effect on people, I think��


    ��Onii-chan, your heartbeat is fast, isn��t it?��


    That''s because I''m tangled up with my sister in the nude. If anything, I��m right now trying desperately to not let my blood flow downwards.


    ��How is it?��


    ��Be quiet. I can��t hear��


    I shut up.


    We were lying t and our legs were entwined. I hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing her trembling shoulders, I hugged her close. I pressed my cheek to Ea��s head. For some reason, my sister''s body was hotter than the bath water.


    If I were to express my current state of mind in one word, it��s Nirvana.


    In my infinitely serene heart, there��s not even a shred of indecency. In other words, I��ve done nothing illegal. I��m hugging my sister in the nude, but if I��m touching her with a Buddha-like heart, it��s not a bad deed. Also, she��s the sister of my wife from a pretend marriage, but there��s no problem. If anything, it��s precisely because she��s my sister-inw that there��s no problem.


    None!


    Yup, I��m probably going to get drop-kicked by Buddhists and beaten ck and blue by non-religious people.


    And so, I counted the stains on the ceiling as I suffered in mental agony1.


    To use the words of a great physicist,


    When you put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, it seems like an hour, but when you��re in an embrace with your naked sister, an hour seems like a minute.


    Before I realized, the bathwater had cooled downpletely.


    I pulled the cord next to the bathtub and hot water was added from the pipe at my feet. The bathwater that overflowed would flow into the sewerage system through the gratesid out under the bathtub.


    ��Hey, Onii-chan. Look��


    Ea changed her position. With one hand on my shoulder and her other hand ced on the bathtub, she showed me her lower abdomen. Maybe she hadn��t tied it properly, but her hair came undone and fell over her chest.


    I immediately averted my eyes and looked at it out of the corner of my eye.


    ��The scar can hardly be seen anymore��


    ��Oh, that��s great��


    My sister had a scar there from a surgery to extract a bullet. The post-surgery treatment had also gone well, and only a faint thin line remained now.


    ��Fufu~��


    Ea reached out and hugged me from the front. She circled her hands around my neck and rested her chin on my shoulder. She held me even tighter.


    I felt hard protrusions on my chest.


    I wasn��t going to settle down like this.


    If I held my peace, it felt like somewhere else would stop holding its peace, so I spoke.


    ��Hey, Ea, have you be afraid of exploring the dungeon?��


    ��Hmm, not really. Beforeing here from the Heures Forest, I hunted for a living. Pigs were the main quarry. The ones in the easternmost forest of the right continent are strong, gluttonous, ferocious and big. I think that they��re the wild breed of dungeon pigs. It wasmonce for people to die during hunts, but������������giving my all to protect someone and having that person die is something that I saw for the first time today. In an illusion though��


    My sister��s body was still trembling a little. I stroked her back with both hands.


    ��Ever since I became an adventurer, I��ve constantly been protected by someone. It might be a little humbling. After all, when I went hunting with everyone, I was never protected��


    ��Well, these things happen. But I��ve been protected by you too. Everyone in the party as well. If it wasn��t for you detecting the enemies, we might have been annihted by an enemy��s surprise attack��


    ��Yeah, that��s true. Yup, I see. In other words, adventuring means continuing to take such risks until someone��s death causes the party to stop working, right?��


    ��������That''s right��


    From time to time, adventurers talk about their dreams feverishly, but���� In short, this is the kind of job it is.


    Always risking their lives, fighting and exploring.


    It��s the kind of job that cannot be done without talking about dreams and romance. For those without dreams, it��s nothing but a grueling job at best.


    ��You know, I went weak in the knees and became paralyzed not when everyone was dying, but when Onii-chan died. To be honest, nothing mattered to me anymore. ������I don''t know what kind of adventures we��ll have from now on, but Onii-chan, you must never die. If you die������������you understand, right?��


    Frank, clear green eyes looked into mine.


    Our foreheads touched.


    Her breath tickled me. I felt the heat from her lips even without touching them.


    ��I''m fully aware��


    ��That��s not good enough. Say it properly��


    ��I won''t die. To be precise, I may die from illness or due to my lifespan, but as a Hemu, I��ll do my best to have a long life��


    ��Well, I��ll settle for that, I guess��


    My nose was licked.


    ��By the way, Onii-chan��


    My sister took hold of me with a puzzled look.


    ��What��s this?��


    < The Rabbit Of Revelry IV >


    After being refreshed in the bathhouse, my party gathered at the bar run by the country.


    When Ea and me arrived, Rana, Shuna, and Lys were already eating and drinking. It was a little after noon, but the tables were about 80% full. Among the customers were the parties that had been in the dungeon earlier.


    On the wide round table, there was food that had been ordered randomly and a line of empty alcohol bottles.


    ��Shuna, these are?��


    I took a seat and pointed to the alcohol bottles. He turned his eyes towards Rana. She was currently drinking directly from the bottle. As if she was drinking water, she was drinking at three times her usual speed.


    She has even been called the incarnation of alcohol, but still, is she alright?


    Ea started eating the dishesid out on the table. I also took a bite of the thick bacon that I had be used to. After that, the sour beans too.


    Everything tastes good when hungry.


    But it��s different from usual.


    Everyone was eating and drinking in silence. Moreover, they were, by andrge, gobbling down their food quickly. The other parties, or perhaps I should say, the parties that had just gone through the same experience were in a simr state.


    From a seat behind me, I heard the sound of a woman crying.


    The voice of a manforting her.


    The sound of her wailing hysterically.


    The food suddenly tasted bad. With horrible timing, more food came. With a pale face, and purely because I felt that it would be a waste otherwise, I finished my Carbonara.


    I took no notice of its taste at all.


    I bolted down my tea.


    ��Now��


    The number of empty alcohol bottles had be amazing. Rana and Lys were expressionless, and my sister was her usual self. Shuna looked a little pale.


    The fact that I felt that it was grueling was probably proof that I wasn��t cut out to be a leader.


    It was precisely in times like this that I wished from the bottom of my heart that Zenobia and Irvin were here.


    ��Lys, is Bel listening right now?��


    ����������


    I red at her when she didn��t respond.


    ��She��s listening��


    ��As the leader, there��s something that I want to ask everyone here��


    Everyone in the party looked at me.


    ��From now on, do you guys intend to protect everyone in the party? And, for the sake of protecting everyone, can you choose death? Can you leave someone to their death in order to protect? As a means to keep as many people in the party alive as possible, can you forsake someone?��


    There was one beat of silence.


    Shuna was the first to answer.


    ��Of course. I can swear it on my teacher��s sword��


    Ea was next.


    ��Of course��


    After her,


    ��Leave it to me, Onii-san. I��ll definitely make Lys obey too��


    Bel replied.


    ��I also�D�D��


    Rana answered, but I cut her off and asked.


    ��Rana, there��s something in particr that I want to ask you��


    ��Huh?��


    Perhaps she was surprised at the change in topic, but she had a puzzled look.


    ��I believe that talking about this is difficult. But I��ve made up my mind because of what happened this time. No matter what happens, I��ll protect you, and everyone here in the party also feels the same. That��s why�D�D��


    I thought back on the words of that idiot, sexual offender, prince.


    ��How much further can the woman who burnt her own people to death fall?��


    ��I want you to talk about the incident where you burnt your own forest down and killed your own people��


    The look in Rana''s eyes changed. For a moment, I had the feeling that I was looking at a different person.


    I spoke to Shuna and Bel, who were baffled.


    ��A year ago, a war broke out between Lemuria and the Heures Forest, between Hemus and elves. This is what caused the sisters to be reduced to being adventurers. In this conflict, there��s not one side that��spletely in the wrong��


    Putting both sides of the story together, the cause was the differences in the units of measurement used in the purchase and sale ofnd.


    However, there were all sorts of confusing information, such as the documents were forged to begin with, or that the elves only intended to steal the money, or that the Hemus were going to seize thend. The things that were said also differed by race.


    Anyone and everyone wants to believe that they are the ones who are right.


    It��s hard to live with admitting that you��re foolish.


    Thend that was burned down by Rana is currently being used by Lemuria as farnd. No, to be precise, it��s used by the serfs of Elysium, which is a nation that��s allied with Lemuria. Not all of the food that��s produced there goes to Lemuria. Much of it is sent to Elysium.


    This is what bothers me.


    Personally, I want to believe that she was used by others.


    If she says so, I��ll believe her until the day I die.


    ��At the end of the war, Rana burned part of the Heures Forest down, embroiling her people in the fire. She was resented because of that. I''m sorry. I had kept it a secret at my own discretion��


    When we were forming the party, I should have said this at the start.


    But can something like this be said at the start? Am I supposed to say, ��Hello, this is my wife. She��s an elf who burned down her own home along with her people.�� or something? It��s no joke.


    Besides, this information is something that I heard second-hand.


    It''s not urate.


    It had gone through the filter known as other people��s intentions. I��ll probably uncover some things if I questioned the parties involved, but the time to do that is when I��ve given up on returning.


    ��Rana, I know it��s difficult. But if we neglect this problem and proceed onward, it��ll definitely result in discord. It��ll be a fatal wound for the party. In your time of need, the hands and feet of those protecting you will falter��


    Rana got up from her seat.


    I grabbed her hand as she tried to run away.


    ��I want to hear it from your mouth. What you think is the truth and the reason. Everyone here won��t do anything to betray you��


    ��Let go of me. That��s not something for the likes of adventurers to meddle with. Overstepping is the very thing that will put your lives in danger��


    ��I��ll ept anything you say no matter how absurd it is. I��ll make everyone here ept it too��


    ��tsk��������


    My heart ached at the look of sorrow on her face.


    ��Between you telling us about it now, and me investigating and telling everyone about it, the trust you merit is different��


    That��s a threat.


    To her, and to me, who hadn��t tried to confront this until now.


    This isn��t a wound that can be healed just by leaving it alone. It��ll definitely have to be treated sooner orter. If we were to continue adventuring, if we were to explore the dungeon, then it needed to be done as soon as possible.


    Rana seemed to hesitate, but����


    ����she shook my hand off and left the bar.


    ��Onee-chan!��


    Ea chased after her.


    ��Sorry��


    I apologized to Shuna and Bel, who had remained. Both of them looked like they were troubled over what they should do.


    I had failed.


    With the hand that had been shaken off, I covered my own face.

 Chapter 062: The Rabbit Of Revelry V

    <h4>Chapter 062: The Rabbit Of Revelry V</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��83rd day��


    I parted with the party and contacted Lanseal.


    Rana and Ea seemed to have returned to the camp. After an intense quarrel, the two of them were sullenly sleeping in separate tents.


    Lanseal agreed to meet up with me in the city at midnight. The meeting ce would be the second floor of the Zavua merchantpany. While waiting, I distracted myself by helping the merchantpany with some work.


    After going through a number of ount books, I pondered what I had found.


    The sales figures of the pasta that was put on sale a short while back are amazing.


    They��re amazing, but ording to the numbers I had crunched, the wheat that Libera brought in will be consumed entirely in less than half a year.


    Lemuria is also producing the wheat from the left continent, but it would likely be unable to match this consumption. It��s a method that��s frowned upon because it consumes quite a lot of the nutrients in thend, but in the worst case, Lemuria would have to use magic to grow wheat rapidly.


    ording to Makina''s calctions, the wheat was supposed to be enough for three years, but the source of the numbers she had used is questionable to begin with.


    It��s something that the merchants understood tacitly, but the figures for food consumption that Lemuria reported to Elysium deviated considerably from the actual food consumption.


    However, the Margrave stationed in Lemuria says,��There are no problems��, so both countries are satisfied for the present and the merchants keep their mouths shut. If they stick their noses too deep into these kinds of politics, they won��t survive even if they have nine lives.


    It isn��t just a problem about food.


    Just by taking a quick look at the organization of its defenses and its trade, the future of Lemuria can be seen.


    Elysium is thergest human nation on the center continent while Lemuria is a small country in a remote region. Though they are allied, the two countries aren��t on equal standing. Using their military might and food as shields, Elysium is exploiting Lemuria.


    Among the things being extorted are the materials, armaments, and technologies that were retrieved from the dungeon. And, though it��s no more than a dark rumor that I had heard, talented people too. Using methods like abduction.


    It also can��t be said that the reason why the king fell sick a while ago is unrted to Elysium. Should King Lemuria pass away from illness, the one who would inherit the throne would be that idiot prince.


    When an idiot held power, it wouldn��t be "unnatural" for a rebellion to ur. It��s also the duty of an allied nation to suppress it.


    If an army was ced in the middle of the country, it would gradually copse shortly afterwards.


    Adventurers are free creatures, is the ideal held up by Lemuria. Who knows what will happen during times of war. What��s certain is that, whether it��s for justice or for revenge, without a new banner of some sort, people won��t gather. They won��t act.


    However, something like this is a peaceful method in this alternate world.


    At present, a war won��t start. It��s still a ways off. Precautions are also under way.


    Elysium itself is a hellish ce where people betray their friends and families because of baseless suspicions, hang its citizens, and devote all their time to the power struggles surrounding the seats of the missing Popes. Including the matter of their blood and the beasts, the center continent is filled with the resentment of humans.


    The left continent is also far from peaceful.


    It has been split right down the middle by the Myriad Kings ced at the head of the ck elf��s army and the Myriad Kings who joined forces with Elysium, and has be a war-tornnd.


    And the one thing that��s certain is that, there''s no point in me worrying about such things.


    I''m merely a Japanese, a foreigner, and just one adventurer.


    I��m an ordinary person who just happens to have the means to fight the beasts of abominable blood. I can fight those beasts on equal or better terms, but that doesn''t mean that I can defeat other enemies easily just because of that.


    Unless I go mad and be a demon who scatters curses about or something, I''ve no intention of using Wild Hunt ever again.


    No, if a knight of St. Lyridias stands in my way again, then maybe.


    I pray that that doesn''t happen though.


    I had wanted to protect the honor of my friend. I had fought desperately. At the end of all that, the power that I��ve obtained is a power that cannot protect people. Using the curse of death as the trigger, it��s a power for killing heroes.


    Consequently, the people around me will die.


    It cannot protect anyone. This power can only be wielded after the ones that I should be protecting are gone and I��m fighting alone. It��s a power that��s far too powerless.


    Truly, the works of the gods are full of irony.


    Knock, knock, came the sound of someone knocking at the door.


    ��Come in��


    After I replied, the door opened and a silver-haired beastkin came in.


    She��s a fox beastkin.


    She actually works as a knight or something like that. If she keeps quiet, she has the features of a cool beauty. She has a dignified air, and finds the fact that she shows her emotions shameful. I can��t get enough of how she looks when she��s bashfully hiding her smile. She has a shapely and healthy body and is wearing a maid outfit at the moment.


    She��s my, umm��������friend, and she works so hard to support us that I feel bad about it. I��ve been relying on her for all the household chores recently. She wasn��t used to it at the start, but she��s a hard-worker and a fast-learner, so she quickly became a valuable asset.


    ��Lanseal, shall we go?��


    ��Alright��


    I took my things and we left the merchantpany behind us. Lanseal helped me carry half.


    The two of us walked through the night city. After night fell, the city was illuminated by faint lights and turned chaotic.


    Adventurers were drunk on alcohol and women. Their minds and bodies were all aglow with passion. The vibrancy of the night smelled of sex and death.


    When I had firste here, I had watched them with a sense of annoyance, but now that I know the reason for their revelry, I can��t disavow them easily.


    Adventurers risk their lives. They make merry and talk to their party members boisterously about their joy at having survived. They drink to the party members who had fallen, make fun of adventurers who had lost their nerve, and they talk of their boundless dreams.


    Nobody pulls a long face like I do.


    Ores to a halt because of a quarrel.


    A female beastkin and a well-build male Hemu were exchanging blows.


    In this world, it��s difficult to discriminate based on the differences in gender or race.


    As proof, the man ate a nice punch from the woman and was sent spinning into the air.


    Cheers roared from the surroundings. The woman turned and smiled at everyone. Money flew.


    It was amonce and ordinary scene.


    ��Lanseal, do you like this kind of thing?��


    ��Huh?��


    Startled, Lanseal had a look of surprise on her face.


    ��No, I mean, your face is������


    She had been watching the fight with flushed cheeks.


    ��Huh, I������


    She touched her own cheeks.


    ��Excuse me, I got heated in spite of myself. I��m still incapable of controlling myself. Ick training, it seems��


    It became less crowded and a path opened up. The two of us started walking again.


    ��Have you always lived in Lemuria?��


    ��Yes, I��ve been in this country since I was born��


    ��Ever thought that you��d like to see the other continents?��


    ��Other continents, huh��������


    Assuming the worst case, I thought that I should at least ask. I already know her answer, but even so, it''s more sincere than not saying anything.


    ��I can��t swim. The sea is scary. Extremely��


    ��Pfff��


    ��Souya! It''s noughing matter!��


    Her response was so cute that I ended upughing.


    ��Then I''ll teach you how to swim. I��ll get permission from Geto-san, and then I��ll teach you in the river beside the camp��


    ��What?! Souya, you can swim?!��


    ��Huh, well, passably��


    She was super surprised.


    Japanese people learned how to, or perhaps I should say, got used to it when they are in elementary school.


    ��Even though you��re not a sailor or anything? Oh, were you a fisherman in your hometown? Or is it the protection of water gods?��


    ��I��ve never worked in jobs rted to the sea. I was taught in school when I was little��


    But I had considered crab fishing after finding out how much they earned.


    ��You received a good education, it seems��


    ��You think so?��


    But our view of history ispletely masochistic. Even now, made-up stories like how the divine wind1 would blow and repel foreign enemies are still being taught though.


    ��Please teach me how to swim. Please, I''d love to!��


    ��Understood��


    She pressed me.2


    Close, you��re too close. Your boobs are touching my arm.


    ��But well, it would be a lie to say that I don��t long to see thends outside of Lemuria. I still remember the anecdotes of the valiant Myriad Kings that my mother told me. Even now, I still see dreams of riding a horse through a field of snow that a dragon had left behind it. But I''m sorry. I cannot leave Lemuria right now��


    ��I guess so��


    She��s not the kind of person who would leave her father��s side under such unsettling circumstances.


    As for me������my feelings areplicated. I��m having a difficult time gathering my thoughts. What is the best thing for me to do? Is it something like that, do I even have that option? And now that Lanseal hase up and wrapped her arms around mine, my thoughts are even more disorganized.


    It would be boorish to pull my arm away here, and it would be unnatural, so I didn��t say anything. I wanted to thank her though.


    As was the case with my sister, time passed quickly when in close contact with a woman.


    We should have been walking slowly, but we had already reached the front of the castle. Guided by Lanseal, I entered the castle through a back door. Greeting the soldiers on guard as we walked down the corridor, we arrived before the kitchen door.


    After knocking and hearing the reply, I opened the door.


    ��I apologize greatly for visiting thiste at night, King Lemuria��


    ��It��s fine. I have something that I want to talk to you about as well��


    I entered the kitchen and bowed to King Lemuria. Lanseal also bowed in the same way. She then stood near the door.


    With his permission, I sat down in a chair facing the king, who was also seated, with a worktable between us.


    ��King Lemuria, this is a bag of high-grade tea leaves that��s currently being sold by the Zavua merchantpany. It��s an item of prestige that has been appraised by a Brave from the center continent��


    I ced the bag containing the tea leaves on the worktable.


    For the time being, I curried favor by giving him a gift.


    ��Umu, I''ve heard about that from a while back. It''s that noisy Gastolfo girl, isn��t it? I heard that she was having a hard time gathering party members, but she formed a party with you, I see��


    ��We didn��t form a party. I did refer her for the job though��


    ��Even though she��s like that, her skill in magic is top notch. It won��t hurt to make her a party member��


    ��It��s because my wife is against it��


    ��Aah, Frey-dono and Princess Rauaryuna were schoolmates in Hohens, weren��t they? Do they not get along with each other?��


    ��They don��t get along. Or perhaps I should say that it��s only Rana who dislikes her one-sidedly��


    But Frey likes Rana. Being a strong magician is lonely. She feels a sense of fellowship with the one magician who is on par with her.


    Well, Rana dislikes Frey because of her elven pride and the shes in their personalities though.


    ��On another topic, Souya, I heard that you��ve reached the 15th floor��


    ��Yes. That''s why I came today��


    ��I also have something to talk to you about that��


    I heard what King Lemuria had to say first.


    ��It''s about Medimu��


    An unexpected name was brought up. Come to think of it, I don��t see him today.


    ��Do you know the deepest floor that he has reached?��


    ��Yes, I heard that it��s the 20th floor��


    ��Don��t you find it strange? That the deepest floor that the man known as the ��father of adventurers�� has reached is only the 20th floor?��


    It��s certainly strange. But ording to what the person in question had said himself����


    ��Otou-san said that it��s a name the people that he had helped gave him in order to hide their shame. He also said that he��s not much of an adventurer to begin with��


    ��If that guy is not much of an adventurer, that would make most of the adventurers in Lemuria, myself included, dismal adventurers. He��s only being humble. He��s been like that from way back. A damned perfectionist who has never gotten over his one failure.


    He��s been held captive by that. By the demon inhabiting the 19th floor������������


    Has it already been 33 years since then?


    Souya, as someone who has a Heures as your wife, it��s not a story that has nothing to do with you. I''ve talked about it once or twice before. That the father of Princess Rauaryuna, Melm?Raua?Heures, had adventured together with me. Alma, Melm''s sister. Verxina, Lanseal��s mother. And Medimu. Those were the members of my first party.


    Medimu was a mercenary who had drifted here from the left continent. His skill with the sword and his ability to stay alive were first-rate, but he was an extremely insolent brat.


    In particr, Melm and him fought like cats and dogs, and it would end with swords drawn just because their eyes had met. If Alma and Verxina hadn��t mediated between them, they would likely have killed each other. I had a hard time too.


    At that time, the Adventurers�� Guild wasn��t as powerful as it is now. Exploring the dungeon was a rigorous thing. Perhaps it was because of that, but as we tried our best to survive, hate and envy turned into unwavering trust. That''s how it is for adventurers.


    If they risk their lives for, and entrust their lives to each other, then they��ll have no choice but to ept each other��s strength.


    We were quicker to distinguish ourselvespared to the other parties from the same batch as us. There was friction with people outside of our party. We were a rare party that mixed elves with beastkin and Hemus. We attracted attention. For better or worse, that led to unity among us.


    I had thought that nothing would shake our unity up till the moment Alma disappeared.


    Alma went missing on the 19th floor. Suddenly, while the party was moving.


    We searched.


    We looked for her, desperately.


    But we were unable to find her.


    That was the end of my first party.


    Melm quit as an adventurer and returned to the forest, I explored the dungeon with new party members, and Medimu is still looking for Alma even now.


    The reason why he started taking care of the greenhorn adventurers is probably to serve as a warning because he doesn��t want adventurers to turn out like him.


    Souya, I cannot know what kind of adventurer you will live on as. In any case, don��t choose a way of life that��s trapped by obsession like Medimu. At times, the courage to get over sacrifices is needed. The courage to carry on their will and move on is needed. It��s far too warped for an adventurer toe to a halt and get caught up.


    That��s the true nature of the man known as the father of adventurers. And, that��s the advice of the king of adventurers��


    ��Thank you very much. I deeply appreciate it��


    It''s a difficult story to swallow. For me, who might quit as an adventurer after this.


    However, an elf that suddenly disappeared, huh? What��s more, she��s also from the Heures�� lineage. I��ve a bad feeling about this. Coincidentally enough, I have but one possibility in mind.


    ��Umu, that��s no good. Perhaps it��s my age, but the story went on for a long time. I think that it��s still shorter than your stories about food though��


    ��Well, sorry about that��


    He made a slightly sarcastic remark.


    I��ve been told that by everyone, so I''ve been careful about it ofte though. That hurts my feelings, you know?


    ��So, Souya, what did you want to talk about?��


    ��Well��


    I took a deep breath.


    If I��m unlucky, I��lle into contact with the dark side of this country. I��m prepared for that, but who knows what wille out.


    ��Today, I asked my wife about the incident where the Heures Forest was burnt down. In front of everyone in the party��


    ��That��s, umu������


    King Lemuria��s face clouded over.


    ��Looking ahead, I thought that I wanted to remove the seed of discord��


    ��Did the princess answer you?��


    ��She ran away��


    ��That��s, what I thought��


    The king wore a deeply troubled look.


    It��s the face of someone who sympathizes with Rana. Now, how will things turn out?


    ��Souya, I have one question for you. Did you ask that as an adventurer? Or as the husband of an elf?��


    ����������������


    It''s a difficult choice.


    ��As an adventurer��


    So I answered immediately.


    There''s no use thinking about it, so I��ll make a snap decision and save myself time. I think that I made a very adventurer-like choice, if I say so myself.


    ��Then I can''t answer. It''s not something that a greenhorn adventurer should meddle with��


    ��In that case, how much of an adventurer do I have to be for you to answer?��


    ��At the very least, the 30th������������No, for you, it��s the 20th floor, I suppose. With a condition attached��


    ��What��s the condition?��


    ��Descend to that floor without sacrificing a child of Heures. That��s the condition��


    Without sacrificing Rana or Ea? That''s only natural.


    Oh, of course. The king sees that missing party member called Alma in Rana and Ea. In the king��s mind, there��s probably some kind of meaning to those two clearing that floor.


    ��I understand. Watch me clear the 20th floor without any sacrifices��


    ��I''m looking forward to it, adventurer��


    In the end, is exploring the dungeon the only way to find out how thingse to an end?


    It''s ironic.

 Chapter 063: The Rabbit Of Revelry VI

    <h4>Chapter 063: The Rabbit Of Revelry VI</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    When I returned to the camp, Ea was waiting while tending to the bonfire. She looked immodest wearing only a dress shirt. Even though she had warning of our approach, her ck panties were visible.


    ��Wee back, Onii-chan. And Lanseal��


    ��I��m back, my sister��


    ��I��ve returned, my sister��


    ��Why is Lanseal also calling me sister?��


    ��Huh, but if I be Souya��s mistress, that��ll make you my sister��


    ��Huh? Is that so?��


    ��Huh? Is that right?��


    I said, just as surprised as Ea.


    ��Let''s start from now on. Onee-chan������doesn��t really fit, so call me Onee-sama. Come on��


    ��No way��


    ��That��s a shame. Well then, Souya, if there��s nothing else, is it alright if I turn in for the night?��


    ��Yeah, sorry for making you guide me to the castle on short notice��


    ��Don��t worry about it. Thank you for your hard work in the dungeon today��


    Lanseal bowed and then went into her tent.


    ��Souya-san, wee back��


    ��I��m back. That��s it for today. You get some rest too��


    I ordered Makina, who had slid over, to rest.


    ��Activating the proximity detection sensors and shifting to standby mode. Thank you for your hard work. Good night��


    The Makina Pod stopped, leaving her faint standby lights on.


    I took my toothbrush from the washstand that stored potable water. While brushing my teeth, I went around the camp and checked for any abnormalities.


    In the kitchen garden, a small golem had buried itself under the soil and was sleeping. The winged rabbits had huddled together at the edge of a tent and were sleeping. Ofte, they had increased in number. Lars would carry them away, but the rabbits misunderstood and thought that it was ying with them and it would end up getting mobbed by them.


    I��ll feel bad for the Demon King, but if their numbers increased any more, I��ll grill them on skewers.


    After I had finished brushing my teeth and extinguished the fire, today''s fatigue hit me all at once.


    I��m at my limit, or rather, my battery is dead.


    It felt like I would fall over if I was careless. When I was about to return to my tent, I became depressed because of the matter with Rana.


    It��s awkward now. Just how should I face her?


    ��Onii-chan��


    ��Hmm?��


    My sister took my hand. And pulled.


    ��Sleep in my tent tonight. Alright?��


    ��Oh, okay��


    My mind felt muddled because of my fatigue. I couldn��t see Ea��s face clearly in the darkness of night. Pulled by her, I entered my sister��s tent. It smelled citrusy. A Shogaku stonentern was emitting a faint glow.


    A tent meant for four was being used by one person, so there was plenty of space, but����


    ��I thought it was odd that they were decreasing rather quickly ofte������


    Piled high together with Ea��s personal belongings, was arge amount of instant food.


    ��Onii-chan��s things are my things��


    ��Oh, right��


    I didn��t have the strength toe up with a retort, so I let it go half-heartedly.


    I took off my equipment and ced them in a corner of the tent.


    ��Yukikaze. Standby mode. Thank you for your hard work��


    ��Good night��


    I also removed Yukikaze��s mini-pod, and then folded my poncho haphazardly.


    ��Here, wear this. My things are Onii-chan��s things��


    I got a change of clothes from my sister. A T-shirt and hot pants. They smelled like my sister. Because of the sleepiness and fatigue, my mind was in trouble in various ways.


    ��Oh,e on, stop stumbling about��


    My sister pulled my clothes off and made me change.


    ��Onii-chan, you''re no good without me, aren��t you?��


    ��You may be right��


    The T-shirt is inside out, but whatever.


    ��Alright, time to sleep��


    Both of usid our heads down on the one and only pillow. Close, my sister was really close. But my fatigue was at its peak and I had no energy for even impure thoughts. I drew arge nket up around us and turned thentern off.


    A quiet darkness fell.


    Human warmth could be felt keenly.


    My sister snuggled up and hugged me naturally. She had the habit of hugging things when she slept.


    Is there something that she��s worried about, I wonder. Or does she simply get lonely easily?


    ��Hey��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��You��re not going to ask me? About the war?��


    She��s a victim. Not a party to the war. She wasn��t in a position where she could look at it from a distance either. Besides����


    ��It��s an unpleasant memory, isn��t it? Getting shot and almost dying��


    ��That''s right, but����This side of you is really kind, isn��t it?��


    I''m just not good at getting into people''s hearts.


    When I put my hand to Ea��s cheek, she smiled happily.


    ��Sorry, Onii-chan. I won��t be of any help in any case. I lost consciousness and by the time I realized it, the forest had been burnt down and I had been shot in the abdomen. Onee-chan kept her dealings with people from me, so I don��t know the details about that either. Sorry��


    ��Don''t apologize. This is not your problem��


    ��Got it��


    Ea came closer towards my chest. I let her sleep on my arm, making sure to avoid hurting her ear, and then circled my arm around her back.


    ��Nfufu, something like this might be nice too��


    She looks to be in a good mood. If you��re fine with something like this, then you can have it as much as you want from now on.


    Her warmth isforting. As a reward for adventuring, it��s exceptional.


    I should sleep. If I close my eyes, I��ll probably fall asleep instantly.


    ��Ea, are you asleep? I''ve heard that you can��t sleep if you��re alone, so let��s�D�D��


    Unless someone gets in the way.


    ��Oh, my��


    I heard Lanseal''s voice.


    Along with the moonlight, a shadow entered the tent. Her voice rang out right next to me.


    ��Souya, you can��t be sharing a bed with women other than your wife and mistress. It��ll lead to adultery��


    ��Lanseal, keep your voice down. You��ll wake my sister��


    Ea was fast asleep. I could see the sleeping face of an angel on my chest.


    ��Understood, then me too��


    I didn��t have the energy to oppose her, so I let her do as she wished.


    The nket was lifted up and Lanseal slipped in. She snuggled up to my back. She stroked my hair.


    For some unknown reason, she strokes my hair a lot.


    ��Lanseal, by any chance, are you������


    ��What is it?��


    The sensation on my back feels different from usual.


    This is����


    ��Naked?��


    ��It��s indecent, so I had a towel around me until I got here though��


    ��Are you naked?��


    ��You don��t take everything off when you sleep?��


    As if I can sleep in this situation!


    Was what I thought, but I fell asleep in five seconds. Perhaps I had lost consciousness because my brain had hit the limit of what it could process.

 Chapter 064: The Trapped Adventurer I

    <h4>Chapter 064: The Trapped Adventurer I</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    When I woke up, Rana was gone.


    Yukikaze��s mini-pod was also missing.


    Misuranika-sama had also disappeared.


    ording to Makina, it seemed that she had left early in the morning because something hade up. Apparently, Makina had Yukikaze apany Rana just in case. Misuranika-sama had also gone with them for some reason.


    A big rice ball had been prepared for breakfast. It was a salted onigiri that was made by Rana.


    I made Ajillo using the unsold shrimp and small fish that Geto-san brought over, pork miso soup, and a variety of pickled vegetables to go with the soup. I fried bacon with curry powder. The breakfast menu was something like that.


    A gathering, which was weird by this world��s standards, of races consisting of a foreigner, a fishman, an elf and a beastkin were having breakfast today as well. After eating, I asked Geto-san about how things were at the port. It appeared that a ship hade over from the center continent today as well.


    Ea and Lanseal engaged in pointless conversation.


    Geto-san returned to the sea, and I took a look at the kitchen garden. On the whole, the nts were already sprouting, and ivy had grown and entwined itself around the supports. The wooden golem carefully checked the condition of every one of the sprouts, which were wet with morning dew.


    I watered the nts with the golem, Lars, using watering cans, and then fed the winged rabbits a distance away from the kitchen garden. They hadn��tid their paws on the kitchen garden so far, but that might change when the nts bore fruit.


    Oh no, I''m feeding them before I realized it again. They��re increasing in number day by day. When I fed themst, there were seven of them, but their number has increased to ten now. Before long, I��ll have to either eat them or drive them away.


    After finishing the morning work, I returned to my tent and changed my clothes.


    I put on the usualbat uniform and poncho. After putting the magic sword Agathion into a leather sheath, I hung it on my waist. I was only going out for a simple trip, so I left the Lycan bow and quiver behind today.


    I put on the sses-type device that I had gotten used to and I was ready.


    ��I''m going into the city to prepare for the adventure, but what are the two of you going to do?��


    ��I��ll do theundry, then check and mend the equipment. Once that''s done, I��ll consult Makina about learning more dishes��


    Said Lanseal.


    ��Oh, then I��ll do that too. I want to learn a new curry��


    Said my sister.


    ��Souya, will you be back for lunch?��


    ��Yeah, I think I can make it back for lunch��


    ��In that case, me and Ea will show off our skills and await your return. Have a safe trip��


    ��Souya-san, have a safe trip��


    ��Safe trip~��


    Everyone saw me off as I left the camp behind me.


    This kind of thing is nice.


    I arrived in the city.


    The first ce I went to was the merchantpany, where I asked the whereabouts of those two women.


    And the next ce I went to was the adventurer-exclusive lodgings, a stable.


    It was a ce that those who were registered as adventurers could use free-of-charge. However, most adventurers didn��t own horses, so by having stables, inns were essentially saying,


    ��Greenhorn adventurer-san, once you start earning money, patronize the inn as well, alright?��


    Such was the goodwill and charity of the Inn Guild.


    It was also paid for in part by subsidies provided by the country in order to prevent things like adventurers sleeping on the roadside, which would jeopardize the peace and aesthetic of the country.


    By the way, foals and old horses cost 50 gold coins apiece, young horses with no illnesses or physical problems cost 90 gold coins apiece and when ites to swift horses, they cost 200 gold coins apiece. It��smonce for those with excellent lineage or are connected to heroes to cost 1,000 to 2,000 gold coins. They��re valued simrly to how cars are in the modern world.


    Looking over the greenhorn adventurers in the stable, I greeted several that I was acquainted with, and found the people that I was looking for.


    A space in the corner of the row of stalls,


    Was upied by quite a considerable pile of personal belongings. The phrase that came unbidden to my mind was ��a nouveau riche on the run��.


    ��Oh, Souya-sama��


    I found Lazarissa and wished her a good morning. Lazarissa was in her maid outfit, and Frey, in expensive-looking pajamas, was sleeping on the straw with a goofy face.


    ��Ojou-sama, please wake up. It''s Souya-sama��


    ��Nu~, nu~?��


    Her hair was disheveled, and she had a vulnerable appearance that an adult women shouldn��t be showing others.


    ��Souya-sama, please wait a moment��


    ��Alright��


    Lazarissa swiftly pulled off Frey��s clothes and started to get her dressed. I turned my back to them and fiddled with Agathion��s handle to kill time.


    The other adventurers here are probably greenhorn adventurers. Their equipment looks second-hand and worn out. They are young, and their faces are filled with hope. I��m also a greenhorn adventurer though, but I wonder what this sense of alienation is.


    It��s hard to believe that I��m an adventurer just like them.


    I wish that I also had dreams, hopes, and a passion for adventuring, but that''s right. I wouldn��t have been rejected by the god of the adventurers if I had such things.


    ��Souya-sama, thank you for waiting��


    When I turned around, I found Frey in her usual dress and blonde ringlets.


    That��s an amazing trick. They can earn money with this, can��t they?


    ��Well, Nutria-san, what business do you have with me early in the morning today, I wonder?��


    My name is������well, forget it, that will do. It appears that I��ve been categorized as an acquaintance and she more or less remembers who I am. I''ve resigned myself.


    ��Can I start by asking about this first? Your pay for appraising the tea leaves and for the exclusivity contract, as well as the money to cover your immediate living and lodging expenses should have been given to you, but������


    ��We��ve used it all up��


    _(��?`�� ��)_


    ��Please let Lazarissa exin. We received arge sum of money, so we inadvertently got carried away. We bought a lot of clothes for Ojou-sama and weapons for Lazarissa, and before we realized, we were broke��


    Is that what that pile of personal belongings is?


    Depending on the situation, I��ll have to entrust Shuna and Bel to these two, but I can��t help but be worried. Wait, I��ll get Lonewell to manage their money.


    I��m sure that their former party leader must have had a hard time. I feel his pain.


    ��Let''s have a long talk about money some other day. I��m here about adventuring today��


    ��Oh, could it be that you��re inviting us into your party because you can��t forget about the time we teamed up? Ufufu, but we aren��t cheap, you know?��


    That''s right, you''re a wastrel, aren��t you?


    ��Ojou-sama, you call it teaming up, but all you did was copse, vomit and be exhausted��


    ��Ugu, but next time, I��ll show my true power without disying such disgraceful behavior��


    ��Well, I��m aware of your strength��


    She had showed off skills that are beyond the reach of ordinary magicians against Rana��s cooking. The remnants of her magic is now working in the kitchen garden.


    ��My party will be exploring the dungeon starting tomorrow, and we��ll descend 5 floors in one go on a forced schedule. I would like Frey-sama and Lazarissa to apany us. The reward is 20 gold coins. I��ll cover all of the expenses for exploring the dungeon��


    ��10 gold coins is fine��


    I hadn��t expected her to bargain the price down.


    I had started with a lowball offer because I had thought that she would haggle for more money though.


    ��Ojou-sama, are you sure?��


    ��It��s fine, Lazarissa. Too much of a good thing is bad for us��


    There are many adventurers who live hand-to-mouth, but you two should learn a bit more about how to n your spending. You two would be splendid adventurers if not for that.


    ��Come to think of it, where��s Gashuraku-san?��


    I don��t see the goblin-san who��s disguised as a dwarf.


    ��He��s gone home since he apparently has a ce to live. Can the two of us live there too, I wonder?��


    ��Ojou-sama, that��s far too shameless��


    Lazarissa had a panicked expression on her face.


    For a Brave to be a freeloader in the home of the Demon King������It��s novel, I think?


    ��I''ll contact him from my end. Well then, here��s an advance of 10 gold coins��


    I took out the gold coins from my pouch and handed them to Lazarissa.


    ��I��ll give you the remaining 10 gold coins after we return from the dungeon. Sleep in a proper inn and stay out of the cold. Please eat delicious food and build up your energy. Don��t over-eat and over-drink. Please take care of yourself��


    ��If Nutria-san says so, then it can��t be helped. I��ll make good use of it��


    ��Ojou-sama is healthy and can sleep soundly anywhere. No need to worry��


    ��In that case, see you tomorrow. We��ll meet up in front of the Adventurers�� Guild when the morning bell rings��


    ��Alright, I understand��


    The first negotiation went well.


    Now, on to the next one.


    I left the inn, went through the main street, and then turned into a back alley.


    Directly behind the military police station, was that store.


    I wrapped the chain that would permit me entry around my hand, and stood in front of the store.


    ��Mansion of the Sleep Demon and the Goddess of Fertility��


    It was a magnificent and tasteful brothel. I mustered up my courage and opened the brothel��s metal doors.


    Unlike before, it had a quiet and subdued atmosphere. The smell of burning incense was fainterpared to thest time I was here too.


    The number of people waiting for customers was small, probably because it was a store that did its business mainly at night. There were those of both sexes who looked young, inexperienced and fresh.


    ��Wee. Oh, dear customer is������


    ��Oh, hello��


    It was the middle-aged beastkin who was thrown through a wall previously. It looked like he had fully recovered from his injuries.


    ��Tyutyu, right? She was just sulking because she hadn��t had any customers recently. Your timing is perfect��


    Not good, this isn��t good.


    ��Umm, today, I��m looking for Otou������


    ��Souya!��


    I was caught by something that came flying.


    ��You��re too much-nya! How long are you going to keep me waiting after saying that you were going toe-nya!��


    A cat beastkin wasining to me after she had jumped and wrapped her arms around me.


    She was petite and had a lithe body. She had long wavy blonde hair, pointed ears that stood up, and a characteristic fluffy tail. Like the courtesans here, she was wearing sheer silk and a cor.


    I had thought that I wouldn��t run into her if I came in the morning, but I guess I ended up running into her anyway.


    ��Tyutyu, I��m sorry, today������


    ��It��s about time you prepared yourself-nya. If you neglect Nya any more than this, it��ll be a matter of pride-nya��


    ��Well then, dear customer, this way please��


    I was guided to the second floor by the middle-aged man.


    This isn��t good, it��s really bad if I get dragged along like this. In the first ce, doing it with another woman even though I haven��t even done it with my wife is����


    ��Wait-nya��


    Tyutyu''s voice turned cold.


    She was sniffing the area around my neck really hard.


    ��Souya, you smell of a beastkin woman that I don��t know-nya. Who is she-nya?��


    ��Urgh��


    Tyutyu''s nails were digging into the back of my neck.


    I see. Another beastkin woman is no good, huh? I��ve learned something today. It��s probably a good idea to apply this knowledge next time. If I''m able to survive.


    ��Recently, there��s a live-in maid who��s taking care of us, you see?��


    ��Who on earth is she-nya?��


    She grabbed my butt firmly. Her nails hurt.


    It can��t be helped. It''s not like I��m hiding it or anything.


    ��She''s a beastkin called Lanseal��


    ��Huh? Lanseal? A silver-haired fox beastkin, and the illegitimate child of King Lemuria-nya?��


    ��That��s her��


    Is she well-known? She��s the child of a mistress, but she��s the daughter of the king, so it��s to be expected, I guess.


    ��Ah, that��s������


    The middle-aged beastkin nodded for some reason.


    Tyutyu backed away, and then fell over, cing both hands on the ground.


    ��I can��t beat the woman who��s the coat-of-arms on the g-nya��


    However, she immediately picked herself up and clung to me. She pressed herself against me.


    Just like many of the beastkin women, she��s also broad-minded, or rather, aggressive about sex. I can��t get in the mood when it��s still morning though.


    ��Please-nya! I''ll do anything, so don''t abandon me-nya!��


    ��Hang on, Tyutyu. Stop saying things that may be misunderstood by those who hear them��


    ��Then, what about increasing the number of people-nya?! There just happens to be neers who are free������


    ��Hey, you guys are noisy��


    A middle-aged man emerged from the back.


    He had ck hair, ck eyes and a scruffy beard. His left eye was closed and he looked sleepy. He was wearing loose-fitting nightwear and had a sheathed longsword in one hand.


    ��Sorry, Otou-san. There��s something I want to discuss with you��


    Medimu, also known as the father of adventurers.


    ��Alright. Come to the back��


    ��Souya! What about Nya?!��


    ��I''m sorry, Tyutyu. I''m really sorry. I''ll definitely make it up to you one of these days��


    ��Don��t ever forget it-nya!��


    I separated myself from Tyutyu somehow, and then followed Otou-san into a room in the back.


    The room was spacious, but it looked like a storeroom. It had one window. Weapons, armor and adventuring essentials were stacked up neatly in a corner of the room. The living space was only a bed at one end of the room, and a long desk in between two sofas.


    It was a room that seemed to be for nothing other than exploring the dungeon.


    When Otou-san sat down heavily on the sofa, he lit up a stick of paper-rolled tobo. Rather than being smoky, it smelled strangely nice.


    Is it a cigarette of fragrant or medicinal herbs, I wonder.


    ��So, what do you want to talk to me about?��


    I unreservedly sat down on the sofa as well.


    It��s reallyfortable to sit on. It��s definitely an expensive sofa.


    ��I reached the 15th floor yesterday. Starting tomorrow, I��ll challenge the 20th floor. I��ll descend in one go on a forced schedule��


    ��You��re going to try to clear the maniacal floor1 in one go, huh?��


    ��The maniacal floor?��


    That��s an unfamiliar term.


    ��That��s what the older adventurers call the 19th floor. However, I thought of you as a person who would carefully do preliminary investigations before descending though. Did something happen?��


    ��Yes, to Rana. I asked her about the war between Lemuria and Heures. Well, I was ignored, or perhaps I should say, rejected. So I asked King Lemuria about it and he said that he would tell me if I cleared the 20th floor without any casualties��


    ��Aah, I see. ������When faced with that rabbit, how did Princess Rauaryuna look?��


    ��She was perfectly calm. She apparently has a resistance against things like that��


    ��I fear that something like that is only possible for those who reside in the realm of the gods. It��s impossible for a mere human. In other words������


    ��You don��t need to tell me. I know��


    I hadn��t thought for a second that Rana had a resistance against such things.


    When she tells a lie, she suppresses her emotions and speaks quickly.


    ��Well, a party with someone who��s hiding something in it will be unable to stay together in future. Your judgment is correct��


    It felt like the conversation was going off topic, so I cut to the heart of the matter.


    ��Otou-san, I want to ask you about the enemy that you��ve been pursuing��


    This person is an outstanding adventurer. That enemy has stolen over 30 years from a person like him.


    If it��s possible to do so, I��ve no problems with bypassing this enemy. To be clear, I couldn��t care less about things like the lives of others. I believe that people should live and die as they wish. I also won��t say things that don��t suit me like, ��I want to lend you a hand��.


    ��I was going to tell you the information about it anyway as you��re someone who is apanied by elves. But don''t expect too much. I''ve been pursing it for 30 years, but I have little information about it��


    ��Little?��


    This person has little information even after 30 years?


    ��First of all, it can��t be seen. It makes no sound and has no presence. It abducts adventurers effortlessly. It doesn��t leave footprints or other traces. It turns ups at unexpected moments. In just a split-second blink of an eye that cannot be called an unguarded moment, a person disappears. Not one of the adventurers who have disappeared in this way have ever been found. Only counting the ones that I��ve recorded personally, there are 28 victims. In 30 years, a mere 28 people.


    Every year, 300 people fall victim to the dungeon pigs alone. Even the weakest Chocho ims the lives of 200 people a year. Compared to various things, the number of casualties it causes is too small. That��s the reason why the Adventurers�� Guild and adventurers other than me don��t do anything about it.


    After one person disappears, there��s an interval of about a year before the next time someone disappears.


    It��s impossible to determine whether it takes a long time to eat its prey, or if it hibernates because it leaves no corpses behind in the first ce.


    The distinguishing characteristic of the adventurers who have disappeared is that they are good at magic. However, those who potentially have a high aptitude for magic are also targeted even if they aren��t magicians. As a race, elves�� innate talent in magic is great. It could be said that virtually all elves are its targets��


    I wonder if the fact that I had instinctively invited Frey will bring luck or misfortune.


    ��There is no doubt that it��s nesting on the 19th floor. Once, I sealed off both the stairs going up and the ones going down, and then searched the entire floor��


    ��Are there ways to move between floors without using the stairs?��


    ��There aren��t. At the very least, from what I��ve investigated, there are no such secret passageways on the 19th floor. The only thing that bothers me is that one of the walls feels off. No, it��s not something that��s worth mentioning, I suppose��


    ��What��s this about a wall?��


    It bothers me.


    Information that��s discounted like this can lead to a breakthrough.


    ��I guess I can tell you about it just in case. There��s a wall with strange markings on it. I had all sorts of people analyze it, but the markings are characters that don��t match thenguage of any of the civilizations that are left in the records, and drawings that no one could make any sense of. It��s probably something that our predecessors had scribbled on the wall. It has nothing to do with the enemy��


    Things like that aren��t rare.


    In this alternate world, civilizations had repeated the cycle of prosperity and ruin many times. For some reason, the remnants of those civilizations are preserved inside the dungeon. The Odoriji spire has a long history. It could possibly be the work of adventurers with free time. It might also be the vestiges of a magic that��s lost to the world now. Other than that, I don''t really give a damn.


    ��In the past, there was an adventurer who had very little regeneration point and low magic power just like you. He was a noble dilettante who admired Thrusuovu2, and other than paying for the expenses for exploring the dungeon, he was just a burden, but he said that he saw this enemy with his own eyes.


    It had two thin, scimitar-like ws, and a skull-like wrinkled and withered face. It didn��t have a lower body, its upper body was only bones, and it had an outer skin that drifted like a cloak.


    It was only for a moment, but he apparently saw it disappearing into the darkness of the 19th floor.


    Everyone thought that he had made it up because he wanted fame, and no one took him seriously, but I have a theory.


    That enemy lurking on the 19th floor. It has the means to deceive the eyes of normal adventurers. That��s why that dilettante saw it. But cases where an inept person like him reaching the 19th floor are too few for me to try to prove my theory.


    However, there just happens to be an inept person like him in front of me. What��s more, he has an elven magician in his party. And, about a year has passed since thest time someone disappeared.


    ������������I feel as if luck is smiling on me. No, perhaps it��s a sign that it��s about time for me to give up, I suppose��


    ��In other words?��


    It might be me who is getting a stroke of good luck.


    Or rather, after the run of misfortune I��ve had sinceing to this world, has my luck finally turned?


    ��I''ll lend you a hand. You said that you��re starting tomorrow, right? The time?��


    ��First thing in the morning��


    ��Alright, understood. Since I have to consider my position as well, I can''t openly apany greenhorn adventurers. I''ll meet up with you on the 15th floor��


    ��Thank you��


    ��Thank me after clearing that floor safely. As I��ve said before, I''m not much of an adventurer. I''m a fool who abandoned his party members and is pursuing a dead party member��


    He��s an adventurer who has gone to great pains against the same enemy for 30 years. However, his strength is beyond question. I��ve only had a glimpse of his true strength, but this person is stronger than any of the adventurers that I��ve met in this world.


    He��s strong, and he��s the one person that I��m able to abandon easily.


    Irvin. To think that I would turn to the person who killed you for help in exploring the dungeon.


    What irony, damn it.

 Chapter 065: The Trapped Adventurer II

    <h4>Chapter 065: The Trapped Adventurer II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��84th day��


    Yesterday, after talking to Otou-san, I bought the things we needed and left them with the merchantpany. I went to see Lys and Shuna, and invited them back to the camp with me. For some reason, dvain-sama also came along, so I treated her lunch.


    It appeared that the god in question liked curry very much.


    It was the curry with Ea��s spicy blend of spices in it too.


    What��s curious is that Misuranika-sama and dvain-sama were acquainted. They only said a few words, but I sensed a familiarity in the way they spoke to each other.


    Despite the fact that she is my god, I still don��t know much about Misuranika-sama. Even thought her name has remained on the old gold coins, she is little-known to an abnormal degree. To the extent that it feels intentional.


    In the past, were there people who had be her follower like me?


    Where are they now, I wonder. It bothers me, but I pulled back because it smells like something I should avoid.


    Everyone invariably has a past that they don��t want others to know about. That��s true for Rana, and for me as well. For gods, that probably runs deep. In some cases, simply knowing that past is enough to lead to one��s death.


    On a subtly unrted note, Lanseal said,


    ��Souya, you smell of an unfamiliar woman. Who is she?��


    ��Huh? Err������


    ��Who, on, earth, is, she?��


    Lanseal, who had a smile on her face, was scary. I feared for my life. What should I do about this?


    I��ll have to apologize in various ways to Tyutyu as well.


    Before that, the one whom I need to apologize to, or rather, reconcile with, is Rana.


    We hadn��t talked at all yesterday.


    She didn��t say a word during meals, took no refills and offered no impressions. She didn��t drink even one cup of alcohol.


    There��s a reason for why I��m dragging my feet.


    I want to take action first, and then connect those actions to words. I wonder if I��m just being selfish.


    We did sort of sleep in the same tent today, but as usual, my sister and Misuranika-sama came, and for some reason, so did Lanseal. We slept packed together like sardines.


    Though I hadn��t expected to, I had a good night��s sleep.


    I woke up.


    After having a light breakfast, we went into the city, collected the things from the merchantpany, and then met up with Shuna and Lys at the dormitory.


    We arrived at the 1st floor of the dungeon, the Adventurers�� Guild.


    There, we met up with Frey, Lazarissa and Gashuraku-san, but Rana remained calm and didn''t say anything. She didn��t even pull a long face. She alsopletely ignored Frey''s greeting. It was really early in the morning, so there were no parties there except us.


    Evetta-san hadn''te to work yet, so I submitted the application form for clearing the dungeon to another Guild employee.


    Then, we dived through the portal and went to the 15th floor.


    Our current party was me, Rana, Ea, Shuna, and Lys(Bel).


    The other party was Frey, Lazarissa, and Gashuraku.


    In addition,


    ��Everyone, this person is a helper who��s joining us just this once��


    ��I��m Medimu. Looking forward to working together��


    Including Otou-san, these nine were the members of this adventure. We were a huge party.


    Although it was only three day��s worth, the amount of food was quite considerable. Normally, it would be divided among everyone, but this time, other than the emergency rations, I had Lazarissa carry all of it. The backpack she carried was filled to bursting.


    ��Souya-sama. What kind of rtionship do you have that you��re able to get that person to help?��


    Lazarissa was surprised when she saw Otou-san.


    ��Lazarissa, you know this Oji-sama?��


    It seemed that Frey didn''t know him at all.


    ��Ojou-sama, this person is the famous Medimu-sama, the father of adventurers. He is someone who has his name recorded even in the biographies of the valiant warriors of the center continent��


    ��Oh, so he��s a famous adventurer. My name is Frey?Dis?Gastolfo. On this asion, I look forward to your guidance��


    ��Ga, Gastolfo������


    In a rare turn of events, Otou-san had a panicked expression on his face. He pulled me by the arm away from the party.


    Otou-san and I whispered to each other in hushed tones.


    ��Souya! I didn��t hear anything about a Gastolfoing along!��


    ��That��s because I didn��t mention it. Her personality is like that, but as a magician, she��s strong, you know? The maid apanying her is also pretty skilled��


    ��Don��t ever talk about Eldalia or our brothel, got it?��


    If I''m not mistaken, Eldalia is the proprietress of the��Mansion of the Sleep Demon and the Goddess of Fertility��. I��ve only met her once, but Otou-san and her are lovers.


    ��I understand, but why?��


    If I don''t ask about it now, in the worse case, I might be ced in an awkward situationter.


    ��Roomen is the younger sister god of Gastolfo. They��re on extremely bad terms. And Eldalia��s name was once Marcia?Melua?Gastolfo. She abandoned her family name because she hates their way of doing things. Even though I''ve avoided getting involved with the Gastolfos for the longest time, why did you drag one along?��


    ��I didn��t know. It''s a coincidence. Even if you ask me something like that, I don��t know what to say��


    The not particrly interesting secret talk ended.


    We turned ourselves around and I introduced everyone to Otou-san.


    ��This is Frey-sama, who has the title of Brave, and her attendants, Lazarissa and Gashuraku-san��


    ��Gashuraku-dono is, hmm? By any chance������


    ��Gashuraku-san is a dwarf��


    ��Now, hang on a minute, he is������


    As could be expected, he had been recognized.


    It��s impossible to fool someone with deep insight after all


    ��He��s a dwarf. Otou-san, recently, the number of customers at the store is�D�D��


    ��He��s a dwarf, I see��


    ��That��s right, he��s a dwarf��


    ��I��m a dwarf~��


    I��ll apologize if I meet a real dwarf.


    ��Next, my party is Rana, Ea, Shuna, and Be������Lys��


    ��Hmm, the look on your faces have changed in the short while since Ist saw you guys. Especially you, girl, I can''t say that it''s a good change though��


    ����������������


    Lys turned her face away from him.


    ��I��ve learned everyone''s faces. So, Souya, what��s the n?��


    At Otou-san��s prompting, I exined the n in broad strokes to everyone.


    ��First, Ea and me will scout for enemies and conduct reconnaissance-in-force1. Otou-san and Shuna, the two of you will be at the head of the formation during battle. Lys, you��ll be behind them. Protect Rana and Frey��


    ��������Understood��


    For once, Lys replied immediately.


    ��Lazarissa, watch our back, and Gashuraku-san, watch our nks. The formation will change depending on the fluctuations of each person��s stamina, and as the things we��re carrying reduces, but we��ll see how things go for now. Also, Frey and Rana. Otou-san too. Put these on��


    I gave the three of them throat microphones that were meant to be fastened around their necks.


    ��It looks like a cor, doesn��t it?��


    Rana muttered cynically.


    ��Oh, is that so? Isn''t it fashionable in its own way?��


    ��Ojou-sama, show a bit more prudence��


    Frey had put it on without a care. Seeing that, Rana also put it on reluctantly. Otou-san also put it on with a look of distrust. I went a short distance away and tested the sses��munication function.


    ��Test, test, reply if you can hear me��


    ��Yeah, I can hear you��


    ��Oh, how interesting. I can hear you��


    ��Rana?��


    ��Yes, I can hear��


    There were no problems with the equipment.


    Well, after that is,


    ��Otou-san, err, that thing we talked about������


    ��Yeah��


    He thrust maps at me. They were maps of the 15th to 20th floor.


    I chuckled to myself in my head.


    I couldn��t have asked for more. It��ll be scary if the other parties found out about this.


    ��Excuse me for a moment��


    I turned away from Otou-san and spread the maps on the floor. They were scanned and digitized by Yukikaze. The maps were exceedingly detailed. The shortest route, the ideal route, the types of enemies, and even how to fight them were recorded on them.


    Rather than for his own use, these maps were meant to be shown to others.


    ��Scanpleted. Disying map��


    A map was disyed on the LCD of the sses.


    ��Which route do you want to take?��


    ��The shortest route��


    ��Understood��


    The route was indicated on the map.


    ording to the maps, the average total length of a journey through all five floors is 20km. If we take the shortest route, it should be about 5km per floor.


    From the horn-shaped structure of the Odoriji spire, the floors should be narrower the deeper one descends, but strangely enough, the floors be more expansive instead, and the maps be correspondingly bigger. It��s mysterious.


    ��Thank you very much, Otou-san. I��m returning them to you��


    ��Hah?��


    Otou-san was surprised when I returned the maps to him.


    ��I��ve recorded them. I don��t need them any more��


    ��That��s a bit disturbing��


    Letting him see that I was capable of this was a risk. But Otou-san was also taking a risk. He would probably not divulge anything.


    ��Ea, put these on��


    ��Huh, what��s this?��


    I also gave my sister a sses-type device.


    ��It allowsmunication and can disy the map. The green dot is the party��s current location, and the red dots are enemies��


    ��Hmm~, does it look good on me?��


    Ea had put on the sses and was making a smug face.


    ��Yup, it really suits you��


    I gave her a thumbs-up.


    A younger sister with sses. In its own way, it��s pretty great. She looks smart and her loveliness has been increased.


    I felt a gaze, so I looked back, and Rana turned away in a huff.


    Rana seems like she would also look good wearing sses. She would be too perfect though2.


    ��Lastly, Shuna, you normally charge out in front, but this time, leave it to Otou-san. The sword techniques of the father of adventurers. It should be educational. Watch closely��


    ��Got it��


    Shuna agreed obediently.


    Oh, but taking everything into ount, Shuna has been obedient from the very beginning, I suppose.


    I looked around at everyone in the party and decided that there were no problems.


    ��Let''s go��


    Now, let''s head for the maniacal floor.


    Will we find luck, or misfortune, or����?3


    _______________________________________________________________


    Note:


    1. �� back to [1]


    2. �� back to [2]


    3. �� You don''t really need this do you XD

 Chapter 066.1: The Trapped Adventurer III – Part 1

    <h4>Chapter 066.1: The Trapped Adventurer III �C Part 1</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    It was dark, and the passageways with stone walls and floor were only wide enough for three people to line up side by side. It was a sight that didn��t look any different than before.


    But the enemies were undoubtedly bing stronger. However, this would probably be the first andst time we had such an easy time in the dungeon.


    There are strong characters that join only for a limited time in RPGs and the like, and this was exactly like that.


    Otou-san was strong. The enemies we encountered on the 15th to 17th floors were all defeated with a single blow by him.


    Putting it simply, he had great physical strength, his sword swings were quick, and he possessed numerous seasoned techniques.


    His longsword would pierce the enemies like butter and cut them into two. It was a feat that couldn��t be done without detailed knowledge of the enemies�� vital points.


    Because he was good at allocating his power, the depletion of his stamina and regeneration point was also minimal.


    ��I haven''t been fighting these guys for a long time for nothing��


    Was what the person himself said.


    If it was our usual adventure, we would have taken breaks twice by this point, but Otou-san still had plenty of leeway.


    Since he was ying an active role, the other party members barely umted any fatigue. Liz, Gashuraku-san, Lazarissa and Rana were essentially just walking.


    Frey''s magic was also a great help.


    It would wipe out at least half of the monsters before they reached Otou-san.


    Her control of its firepower was amazing. The area-of-effect was extremely small, but its power was staggering. It seemed that it was original magic that Frey had devised herself for use inside the dungeon. On top of that, the capacity of her magic power was on par with Rana��s and she had the magic power recovery of a Hemu.


    It appeared that her title of Brave was not for show.


    Rana, who was more expressionless than usual, must have felt quite frustrated.


    I was about the only one in the party who was getting worn out.


    My job this time was divided into two main tasks; searching for enemies and guiding them.


    First, when I found an enemy, I would indicate its position on the map and share that information with Ea.


    I couldn��t attack lightly.


    None of the monsters here could be killed instantly with one or two arrows. The monsters were not only more dangerous when wounded, if they were the type that called its allies, a monster procession1 would be formed.


    Arge number of monsters in a narrow passage.


    When that happened, an adventurer��s strength wouldn��t matter one whit. He or she would just be overwhelmed. It was probably the worst thing that someone in-charge of searching for enemies could do. There was a need to carefully read the enemies�� characteristics. But this time, even that information was avable.


    Searching for enemies and guiding normal monsters was easy.


    The reason why I was getting worn out, was the task of separating the enemies.


    There were troublesome enemies wandering the 16th and 17th floors.


    Enemies that came in a set. Also known as monsters with a symbiotic rtionship.


    Colonies of Chochos and frog-headed monsters.


    Chochos are winged monsters with egg-shaped bodies. They��re characterized by their mimicry of a human��s head and have sharp teeth, but alone, they��re small fry among small fry.


    They were gathered and brought around like a bunch of grapes. Each bunch had an average of nine Chochos.


    When gathered in numbers, even small fry are strong


    The frog-headed monster moved about while carrying them like antern.


    The frog-head has a stubby body and its arms are abnormally long. Its arms looks slender, but it carries the colony in one hand, so it likely has monstrous strength.


    The movements of its limbs are slow, but its tongue shoots out quickly, and it would try to snatch adventurers�� weapons with it. One careless moment, and it would even wrench one��s head off, and it fights side by side with the Chochos.


    The frog-head is a monster that wandered around on a set route.


    Ea and Iid in wait on the route indicated by Otou-san, and then we released arrows at it in a pincer attack.


    Ea shot the hand carrying the Chochos and my arrow pierced through the frog-head��s leg.


    The Chochos that fell to the ground scattered for a moment, but gathered once more and bared their teeth at Ea. The Chochos on the 16th floor and deeper had a tendency to gather together.


    Ea led the Chochos towards the party.


    In the meantime, I drew the frog-head��s attention to myself.


    This shaved away at both my nerves and my stamina.


    The range of its tongue attack was more than 15 meters. If I wasn��t quick or constantly hiding myself around corners, it would get my head. I thought of defending against it using Agathion, but it would be troublesome if it got snatched away. It would probablye back if I called out to it, but causing damage to the frog-head clumsily could lead to unexpected behavior.


    Even if I wanted to shoot it through the brain, its position was unknown. The possibility that its brain was rtively smallpared to its build was also high.


    Without getting unduly greedy, I dealt with it cautiously.


    I hid myself around a corner to avoid its tongue. When I heard its footsteps, I showed myself for an instant to induce its tongue attack.


    The frog-head couldn��t perform its tongue attack when it was moving. It always went through the same process of aiming first before shooting out its tongue.


    With that said, the enemy��s attacks would definitely kill me. Doing the equivalent of putting my body in the path of a bullet was nerve-wracking. The stress and tension from doing so also drained my stamina.


    I received amunication from the party that they had defeated the Chochos.


    It was time to lead the frog-head towards the party. The route and a guide arrow was disyed on the LCD of my sses, and I followed it while moving in a zigzag manner. While drawing its attention as well as staying vignt against its tongue, I dashed ahead.


    Encountering other monsters while guiding enemies was not only possible, it was extremely dangerous.


    A winged snake separated itself from a wall.


    Winged snakes tracked the body heat of their prey, so there didn��t seem to be a way to get away once I had been discovered by one. It was smaller than the ones on the floors above, but the venom of the ones here was a neurotoxin, so I would be paralyzed with one bite.


    While staying on guard against the approaching frog-head, I killed the snake with two arrows.


    This snake had a head on its tail as well. I properly pierced its vital points with the two arrows. I thought of immobilizing it by pinning it to the wall, but the frog-heads disliked these snakes, so it would stop following me if the snake was in its path. I needed to defeat it for sure.


    With the support of my sister, who had rejoined me, we led the frog-head to the party without incident.


    If the party was near a corner, then Otou-san would be the one to kill it.


    If the passageway was fairly straight, then it would be Frey��s job.


    With a sword or with magic, they would defeat the frog-head with a single blow.


    Symbiotic monsters must be separated before fighting them. This warning was written in big letters on Otou-san��s maps.


    I considered having Rana or Frey defeat them all at once using magic, but when this was done, either of the two types of monsters would invariably protect the other.


    The ones that remained would act unpredictably.


    If it was the Chochos that remained, they would scatter and attack the entire party.


    It would turn into a free-for-all fight.


    In general, monsters prioritized attacking those who made loud noises. Vanguards who had shields would draw the enemies�� attention to themselves using gimmicks or with their voices. For the sake of protecting the rearguards.


    The Chochos that had remained would ignore this principle.


    The frog-head was even more troublesome. It would steal weapons or items from the party, and then run away. On top of that, it was strangely fast when running away.


    They needed to be properly separated. They were monsters that were easy to defeat so long as they were separated.


    My sister and I took turns to be the one who guided the frog-head.


    Despite doing the same job as me, Ea had plenty of leeway.


    In the pig hunts that she had participated in, she had to shoot arrows continuously without sleep or rest for at least two days. Using heavy hunting arrows, she would shave away at the pig��s tough skin, causing it to bleed and weaken until it could be killed.


    The pigs in the eastern forest were a much tougher andrger species than the dungeon pigs. Half-baked magic and the like wouldn��t even scratch them. Defeating them with swords or spears was a feat for heroes. For that reason, the hunters could only defeat them using the traditional but considerably rigorous method.


    My sister was a hunter who had lived through that many times.


    Her foundations were different from the likes of mine.


    ��Yukikaze, give me ��that����


    I was pretty much at my limit. My regeneration point had also be zero because I had exhausted my stamina.


    ��Team member Souya, ��that�� is an emergency measure in case of injury or emergencies, and it��s dangerous to use it lightly��


    ��It��s just this once. We��re on a roll right now. I don��t want to halt our momentum��


    ��Yukikaze will put forward a proposal to Medimu-sama��


    ��Ah, hey!��


    Yukikaze sent amunication to the party without permission.


    ��Please excuse the suddenmunication. Yukikaze is the wide-areabat program?Advanced-Izora?Yukikaze-Modified that supports the party. Please call me Yukikaze. Yukikaze has a report for everyone. Team member Souya ispletely exhausted, so Yukikaze is requesting a break��


    ��Hey��


    Ignoring orders and acting without permission����


    They were very human from the start, buttely, they''ve been overstepping their bounds. The limits set on their ability to learn had been released due to the damage to the failsafe. They��re constantly performing modifications on themselves. I��ve nothing but worries about what they''ll eventually be. If this was the modern world, they would be sent straight to the manufacturer''s support department.


    ��Onii-chan, are you okay? You don��t look so good��


    I was being worried about by my sister, who hade up to me.


    ��I��m fine. I can still go on��


    ��Hey, Souya. There��s a watering ce nearby. We��ll take a break there��


    ��������������Alright��


    Amunication came in from Otou-san. It appeared that he was being considerate of me, which vexed me. The route to the watering ce was disyed on the map on the LCD.


    ��Onii-chan, this is convenient, isn��t it?��


    My sister was fiddling with her sses.


    ��But it''s too convenient and it feels like it would dull my senses��


    She has a point. But without this support, I would be the bottom of the barrel as an adventurer.


    While staying on guard, I rejoined the party with my sister.


    ��Good work, dear��


    ��Oh, err��������


    I ended up responding awkwardly to Rana''s voice. She lowered her eyes. It was an ufortable atmosphere.


    ��Hey, let''s go. Souya and Princess Ea, get behind Shuna��


    ��Okay~��


    ��Understood��


    I positioned myself ording to Otou-san��s order.


    We started moving in a group. Frey tried to start a conversation about random topics with Rana, but she was ignored.


    ��I��ll give you this~��


    ��Oh, thank you��


    I received a berry from Gashuraku-san. I put it in my mouth without thinking.


    Sour.


    It was incredibly sour. It was probably as sour as about 100 lemons. The stimtion was too strong, so I washed it down with the water from my water bottle.


    ��I also want one��


    ��Here you go~��


    ��Sour!��


    My sister also had the same reaction.


    Oh, that eased my fatigue a little. Is that a lump of citric acid? Is it something like the Umeboshi2 of the alternate world?


    ��Don��t you have any more?��


    ��Nope~��


    My sister pestered him for more.


    The location of the disyed watering ce was a little off the specified shortest route.


    It had been four hours since we started exploring the dungeon.


    Two and a half floors in just 4 hours. At this rate, even if we took a break, by my reckoning, we would be able to go back by night-time.


    A day trip through the dungeon.


    This is something that cannot be done without an outstanding adventurer andprehensive maps.


    It''s so easy that I��m afraid for our next adventure. If there is a next adventure, that is.


    ��Hmm, it sure is in a strange ce��


    Said Otou-san as he signaled for the party to stop. Moss was growing on the surrounding walls and floor, which was a sign that a water source was close.


    I looked ahead of us with Otou-san. At the end of the passageway, was a bright and open space.


    There was a fountain in the center of the space.


    Clear water flowed through the shallow waterways on the ground, and green spread out all around like a carpet. Lighting that used Shogaku stones had been installed on the walls.


    The fountain was crumbling and covered with ivy, but it had the look of the Rococo style3 of architecture. Only the remnants of civilizations like this, or perhaps I should say, this entire space was clearly out-of-ce. Moreover, it was likely a waste of time to think about things like what kind of mechanism was used to draw the water here.


    ��That guy is going to be trouble��


    There was a frog-head beside the fountain.


    Most of the monsters in the dungeon avoided light, but this frog-head had lost both of its eyes.


    What was even more problematic, was the colony of Chochos in its hand.


    Chochos have a habit of attacking sources of light. Their ecology is still somewhat unknown, but they be meek when ced in a dark room, and when exposed to light, they be thin and wilted, and then turn ferocious.


    The Chochos that the frog-head beside the fountain had in its hand were all withered and had turned ferocious. They were on edge, grouchy, and grinding their teeth.


    ��What should we do, Otou-san?��


    I couldn��t think of anything other than to stay clear of them.


    ��Hmm, we can rest on the next floor as well, but other adventurers will troubled if it stays here. It has to be killed��


    It''s the sense of responsibility of a senior adventurer.


    ��So, do you have some sort of n?��


    ��If I''m eaten, take the chance to go to the next floor. Abandon me��


    In other words, his n is to do it by himself.


    Then I��ll take a good look. At what a senior adventurer is.

 Chapter 066.2: The Trapped Adventurer III – Part 2

    <h4>Chapter 066.2: The Trapped Adventurer III �C Part 2</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    Otou-san stepped forward by himself.


    He sheathed his longsword at his waist and held his round shield at the ready like a frisbee.


    Ordinary frog-heads detected enemies via sight. But as it had lost its sight, this one probably used its hearing.


    To confirm that, Otou-san threw a random stone.


    When it hit the fountain, the frog-head shot out its tongue and caught it.


    Compared to the earlier one, the movement of this one��s tongue was several times faster. I could only see its afterimage.


    However, the one even faster than that, was Otou-san.


    He threw the round shield.


    I couldn''t even see the afterimage.


    I heard the thud of iron piercing into flesh, and blood sttered onto the ground.


    Its tongue had been sealed.


    The Chochos left the frog-head��s hand and headed straight for Otou-san.


    ��I��ll teach you something for future reference. For guys that form colonies like this, there��s always one that��s in charge of being their ��eyes����


    He took out a knife.


    There was a sh of silver.


    Sharper than an arrow, it pierced through one of the Chochos.


    The colony fell apart and the Chochos all rolled onto the ground.


    ��And, when that one is killed, they stop moving temporarily��


    He pulled out his longsword and swung it like he was mowing grass or something. He easily cut down all of the hungry Chochos.


    The frog-head swung its long arms like whips.


    One swing of the longsword cut off both arms.


    That looked very easy.


    For humans, their brains simplify phenomena that cannot be understood so that they can process them.


    Walking normally, Otou-san approached the frog-head and thrust his longsword home into its head. He pulled out the longsword and stabbed its head again to be doubly sure.


    He retrieved his knife and shield.


    ��It��s over��


    Umm.


    This person, he just defeated them normally.


    ��Souya, dispose of their corpses. After that, prepare food. I��lly some simple traps around us��


    ��Oh, okay��


    That��s so amazing that I couldn''t understand it at all. He is on another level.


    After calling the party over, I had everyone rest. I left the preparation of food to my sister.


    I piled up the corpses in the passageway, and then burned them after soaking them in oil. For some reason, they smelled pretty good. The frog��s meat seemed edible, but����


    ��That guy��s poisonous. Also, the wilted Chochos are all skin and bones, so there��s nothing to eat��


    ����I was given a warning by Otou-san, who had returned from checking our surroundings.


    ��These frogs, where do they umte the poison?��


    ��If I remember correctly, the poison is umted in the holes near the back of their eyes��


    ��In that case, that poison is a defense against predation, isn''t it?��


    ��That''s right. These guys don��t use the poison as a means of attack��


    ��Then, its limbs should be edible, right?��


    ��You������ It may be a monster, but you eat bipedal creatures?��


    ��Chickens are also bipedal, you know? Also, you eat chicken eggs quite often, don��t you?��


    ��Eggs are different. They have no legs, right?��


    In this alternate world, they have a custom of not eating bipedal creatures. That''s the reason why, even though there are chickens, they don''t eat much of them.


    I was quite surprised when I found out that even the chicken eggs sold by the merchantpany are treated as bizarre foods. They are bizarre foods that even the king eats though.


    ��So, Souya, are you going to eat them, these frog limbs?��


    ��I��ll leave that for another time��


    We��re in a hurry today, and I have to recover from my fatigue too.


    When we returned to the open space, I saw that arge tarp had been spread out and everyone was sitting on top of it.


    ced in front of everyone were several packs, which were gray in color. All nine of them were swelled up, and steam was blowing out of them.


    ��What on earth is this?��


    Just like Otou-san, everyone in the party also had dubious expressions on their faces. My sister, who had eaten one before, was exuding smugness from her whole body.


    They werebat rations of the Self-Defense Force.


    Just by pouring water in, the chemical agent would heat up and warm the retort pack inside. Even though it was an emergency, relying on something like this was a humiliation.


    Otou-san and I also sat down.


    Once I sat down, the fatigue hit me all at once. I was more exhausted than I had thought. I had overdone it while being strangely conscious of Otou-san.


    Beep, beep, went a timer.


    Stopping the timer on her wristwatch, my sister spoke with a self-satisfied look.


    ��Fuffu~n, this is something wonderful that lets you eat hot food just by adding water. It��s precious food that I have less than a hundred of left, so eat it gratefully, got it?��


    My things are also my sister��s things, it seems.


    ��I''ll show you all what to do, so imitate me��


    Ea opened the pack and poured out the hot water.


    She gingerly took out the retort packs inside. There were two packs of rice and one each of hamburger curry and ginger-fried pork.


    ��For the rice packs, remove the lid on top, and then pour the unsealed side dish onto it. After that, eat it with a spoon! That''s it��


    My sister poured the hamburger curry over her rice and lost no time in bolting it down.


    Everyone in the party also imitated her and started eating.


    ��It''s really nice and hot. The pork is delicious. ��������Can this be reproduced using magic, I wonder?��


    ��Ojou-sama, by all means, let��s do it. And if we sell it, we��ll make a killing��


    The Brave and the maid were eating their food with wicked-looking expressions.


    Gashuraku-san was eating with his back to all of us.


    ��I��m fine with eating this every time��


    ����������������


    ����������������


    Shuna was eating in high spirits. Rana and Lys were eating wordlessly.


    ��Hm~m. It��s certainly delicious, but it''scking in richness and spiciness��


    ��You''re something of a curry expert, aren��t you?��


    My sister is very good at learning things that she��s interested in. She has be pretty good at making udon and curry. It��ll make me happy if she continues to increase her repertoire like this.


    ��That''s right. But everyone other than Lanseal can��t stand spiciness, so I had a hard time, you know? It��s because, even though it��s more delicious if the spices are mixed in and properly cooked together with the food, I had to sprinkle the spices in my share only every single time. Oh, in the process of making the spicy spice mixture, I was able to reproduce the Shichimi. To think that the clincher was the seeds of a narcotic, of all things��


    ��You��re amazing, you know?��


    Seeds of a narcotic, she said. Oh, is she talking about poppy seeds?


    ��Next, I��ll try to make a soup stock for udon noodles. That granr stuff that Onii-chan brought here is convenient, but extracting the vors from the ingredients will make it more delicious. I''ve asked Geto-san for some seaweed, so I think they will be there at the camp when we return. I��ll also work on the dried small fish��


    ��You''re really amazing, you know?��


    Until a while ago, you were shaky even when adding hot water into instant ramen. What a rate of growth.


    ��Hey, Souya��


    ��How is it, Otou-san. Do you like it?��


    I had forgotten because I was engrossed with talking to my sister.


    ��You didn��t seem to need it, so I ate one��


    Otou-san had devoured his food quickly. He had already finished his own share, had poured my curry over one of my rice packs, and was eating it.


    ��You, you scoundrel!��


    It felt like he would also eat what remained of my share if I wasted timeining, so I poured the ginger-fried pork over the rice and ate it.


    Pork covered in sweet and spicy sauce, and Chinese cabbage. And then rice.


    They were calories that permeated through my tired body.


    No matter how depressed or tired I am, eating rice will make me feel better.


    ��Medimu, do you want some of this in your curry? It��s delicious��


    With a mischievous look on her face, my sister took out her specially-made spicy spice mixture.


    ��Alright, thanks��


    Otou-san didn��t notice, and held out his curry to her.


    Shuna, who had fallen victim to it once, pulled a long face.


    Red powder was sprinkled from the small bottle in Ea��s hand, and then Otou-san gorged the curry down with gusto.


    ��Hmm, ohh. It��s quite������


    His face was calm, but sweat was flowing from his forehead.


    Ea, about your special-made spice mixture. The truth is, I have one bottle of it on me too. Because it can be used to blind the monsters.


    ��How is it? It��s delicious, right?��


    My sister asked Otou-san with a broad grin on her face. She definitely did it on purpose.


    ��Umm, it��s, so, so��


    He gulped down the curry in one go, and then drank all the water in his water bottle in one shot. His face had turned bright red.


    It��s a spice mix that��s too early for Hemus. Rana, who��s an elf as well, had also screamed in pain though.


    After we finished eating, Lazarissa prepared tea for us.


    It had a nice aroma. I didn��t know much about tea, but it calmed me down.


    ��Rana, Frey-sama. Have some of these��


    I gave the two magicians a bag of sweet hardtack each. They came with apricot jam in dropper containers.


    ��They restore Rana''s magic power, but it should do the same for Frey-sama as well��


    ��Oh, sweets? Such good taste, to serve this with tea��


    ��Thank you very much. But I��ve not used any magic power, so�D�D��


    ��Then I��ll have it��


    Lys snatched the bag of hardtack that Rana was giving back to me.


    ��Wait, Lys. You have almost infinite magic power�D�D��


    ��WASHAA!��


    She hissed at me with bared teeth.


    I don��t quite get you, but you��re a presence with divinity, right? Are you really okay with this?


    ��Souya, where��s my share?��


    ��Where��s my share?��


    I ignored the boy and the old man.


    ��How is it, Lazarissa?��


    Frey was munching down the crispy hardtack. She looked like a noble squirrel. Lazarissa took Frey''s regeneration point and checked her magic power.


    ��Ojou-sama, this food is amazing. Your magic power is recovering rapidly��


    ��To think that you would serve rare sugar confectionery, well done, Nutria-san��


    It seems that sugar restores magic power even in Hemus. Is this thing called magic power rted to mental fatigue, I wonder?


    ��Alright, you guys��


    Otou-san waved his hand and got everyone''s attention.


    ��We��ll take a two-hour break here��


    He ced a big hourss on the ground.


    ��Individually check your own equipment. Check your regeneration point visually. Also, to see if there are any abnormalities with your bodies, form groups of two or more people and check one another. I��ll keep watch. You guys try to get a little sleep. After the break, we��ll descend all the way to the 20th floor without stopping. Prepare yourselves properly for that��


    The party followed Otou-san��s orders.


    I inspected my equipment, and then went around checking everyone��s regeneration points. No problems there. With my sister, we checked each other for abnormalities with our bodies. No problems here either. Rana had Frey check her.


    Once that was finished, everyone got into afortable position and rxed.


    Iid down, using my backpack as a pillow.


    I��ll try to get some sleep, even for a little while.


    ��Nfufu~��


    My sister snuggled up and hugged me.


    She has been unusually clingy recently. Even though she��s my sister, I feel guilty towards Rana. But once we finish this safely and I get King Lemuria��s testimony, I��ll be able to make up my mind about everything. I��ll just have to bear it until then.


    It had been smooth sailing so far.


    It��ll be great if it ends in this manner, I prayed.


    Is it ironic that the god I��m praying to is the god of misdeeds, I wonder?

 Chapter 067: The Trapped Adventurer IV

    <h4>Chapter 067: The Trapped Adventurer IV</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    A dream?


    I had a dream.


    It felt like a dream.


    It was a forest I remembered.


    I had be someone from somewhere.


    A pain that ravaged my intestines, and blood.


    It smelled of blood and gunpowder. I heard a distant scream.


    From the gaps between the trees, I caught a glimpse of horrifying creatures.


    They were huge, misshaped and ravenous.


    In the direction I was looking, there was an elf and a gray cat. Both were faces that I knew.


    A whisper, a prayer and a contract.


    There was an elf and a ck-haired girl.


    The elf''s pupils turned golden like the full moon.


    A giant beast howled at the moon.


    Like tears from the moon, red mes fell onto the forest.


    When I woke up,


    Chestnut brown eyes were looking at me.


    ��Dear, did you have a nightmare?��


    We had kept our distance for about two days, so my heart skipped a beat at how close she was.


    ��Sorry, Rana. I had a bit of a bad dream��


    Pain like I had taken a lead ball in the abdomen.


    It was something like phantom pain. It disappeared immediately once I gulped.


    It appeared that I was the only one who had slept until now.


    Everyone in the party had finished their preparations and looked ready to move at a moment��s notice.


    I took a sip of water.


    Rana was still by my side. She was looking at me with a worried look.


    ��I''m sorry, Rana. It��s an unrted topic, but were your eyes not gold in color?��


    I should have seen them many times, but she had chestnut brown eyes.


    But when I first met her, her eyes were golden. I had forgotten about it until now.


    Did I see it wrong?


    ��No, my eyes have been the color of nuts ever since I was born. Do you like green eyes too?��


    ��No, it��s not that kind of thing��


    My preferences for people don��t change just because of eye color.


    ��Onee-chan, your eye color changes sometimes, you know? Onii-chan��s does too though. Is it some kind of magic? Cast it on me too��


    ��Huh? This is the first I''m hearing of it. My eyes change color?��


    Rana was surprised when she was told that by my sister.


    ��Souya has gotten up, I see. Let''s go. Hey you, you slept too much��


    My question was interrupted by Otou-san.


    I��ll hash this matter out with her too once we��re out of the dungeon. When this adventure is over������I guess I better stop. It��s bad luck.


    Perhaps it was because I had slept, but my regeneration point was full. It had the same capacity as a puppy, so it filled up quickly.


    I stretched.


    And resumed exploring the dungeon.


    ��Souya, I have a suggestion��


    At Otou-san��s suggestion, we changed our party��s formation.


    The formation was a countermeasure for the 19th floor, which was the focal point of the adventure.


    In the front row, Otou-san, Shuna, and me.


    In the center, Frey, Rana, Ea, and Lys.


    In the back row, Lazarissa, and Gashuraku-san.


    However, Gashuraku-san had the role of the flying column1, so he had the freedom to move to the center and the front row.


    The people chosen to be in the center were those who had a high chance of being abducted on the 19th floor.


    That enemy only abducted one person. So, rather than splitting them up, they were gathered in one ce and protected.


    Until we reached the 20th floor, we would go with this tight formation.


    We started moving and encountered an enemy right away.


    ��Eye��


    In ordance to what Otou-san said, I shot the monster in the eye.


    The enemy that I had shot was one with well-developed legs. Its form resembled that of an ostrich��s, but it had no hair. Its head was t like a frog��s. For some reason or other, it looked like a processed chicken to me.


    After being shot in the eye, the chicken lost its bnce, fell and fluttered its legs wildly. The enemies were no longer dying easily from simply being shot in the head.


    ��Shuna, attack it from the left. I��ll attack from the right��


    ��Okay��


    Shuna and Otou-san ran forward.


    Their des shed through the air. Its head and torso were cut off.


    ��Souya, dispose of it��


    ��Understood��


    I pulled it into a corner, poured oil over it, and then set it on fire using a lighter. It also smelled like chicken. This guy seemed like it could be eaten normally.


    ��Next��


    We resumed moving.


    ��Leg��


    Following what he said, I shot the monster in the leg.


    The one I had shot in the leg was a monster with countless eyes. It had an ungodly form, and was arge lump of flesh with many eyes and innumerable sharp tentacles. It was supported by thin legs.


    I shot the arrow with a feint so that it wouldn''t be deflected by the tentacles.


    Naturally, it lost its bnce and the monster fell. Because it was lying down on the ground, the movement of its tentacles was restricted.


    ��Shuna. Bend over and hide behind my back��


    ��Okay!��


    Otou-san held his shield up and bent over, and Shuna also bent over behind him.


    Both of them advanced carefully and surely.


    The round shield deflected the countless tentacles. With precise movements, it turned the attacks aside at an angle.


    ��Shuna, at my signal, jump to the left��


    ��Okay!��


    Shuna was all fired up.


    Fighting shoulder to shoulder with the father of adventurers would surely be a good experience for him.


    ��Now!��


    Otou-san pushed a bunch of tentacles down on the ground with his shield.


    Shuna jumped towards the enemy and stabbed the monster through. Without a moment��s dy, Otou-san also charged forward while stepping on the tentacles.


    The monster died from being pierced through by two longswords.


    ��Disposal��


    ��Understood��


    I poured oil over it, and then set it on fire.


    We moved. Another battle.


    ��Arm��


    I shot as instructed.


    It lost its bnce and the two of them finished it off. I disposed of it and we resumed moving.


    ��After showing you three examples, you must have noticed��


    ��Oh, yes��


    ��?��


    At Otou-san��s question, a question mark floated above Shuna��s head.


    I voiced what I had sensed.


    ��Don��t aim for the well-developed parts of the monsters. Aim for ces that are unguarded, right?��


    ��That''s right. Monsters instinctively take countermeasures against attacks on their characteristic features. So aim somewhere else. If it goes well, you can break their posture with one arrow or one knife. After you��ve done that, calmly aim for its vitals and attack. Using this method, you��ll be able to deal with the less intelligent enemies somehow��


    ��By what criteria do you choose where to target��


    There are some enemies who normally have no limbs though.


    ��Well, you��ll have to umte such experiences. It''s trial and error��


    That''s the most difficult way though.


    ��Shuna, your sword techniques are pretty good. There��s likely no one in the same age group as you who is your equal in Lemuria��


    ��Thank you very much!��


    His glittering eyes were like a different person��s.


    I want you to turn that kind of face towards me too, but that��s impossible, I guess.


    ��That��s why, don''t be too eager. It probably can��t be helped because of your youth, but it shows in your sword. Sometimes, it''s a good idea to take a breath before shing at the enemy��


    ��Understood!��


    And then, we came to a stop.


    ��Otou-san, which part of ��that thing�� that��s approaching us should I target?��


    ��Hmm��


    There was a big tortoise at the end of the passage.


    It was munching on the wall of the dungeon.


    It was a monster called the rock-eating tortoise.


    We had fought arge variant of this before. Byparison, the one in front of us was really small. But it still took up about 70% of the passageway.


    ��Think about it by yourself. Don��t think that I��ll give you the answers to everything easily��


    ��������Understood��


    I went ahead by myself.


    ording to my limited experience, this type of monster����


    ��Dear, it��s dangerous��


    When Rana called out, I waved my hand in answer.


    I drew closer until I was beside the tortoise, and then used my hunting knife to chip at the wall. It was sturdy, but once the tip of the de went in, it broke apart easily. The pieces of the wall that had broken off were speckled with luminescent substances. They were low-purity Shogaku stones.


    I chipped at the wall until I had made about six fist-sized lumps. Rather than eating directly from the wall, it should to be easier to eat these. cing them on the ground one by one, I lured the tortoise away, opening up the passageway.


    ��Let''s press on��


    I led everyone past the tortoise.


    We passed by it without a hitch.


    ��Is something like that alright?��


    It wasn��t as if everything that lived inside the dungeon was violent.


    Enemies that showed no reaction when I met their eyes wouldn��t proactively attack.


    Such was my experience.


    In future, enemies that rendered this knowledge obsolete would likely appear, but like Otou-san said, it��s experience as well as trial and error.


    ��It��s so-so, I suppose��


    Aren''t you being harsh on me?


    ��Getting past it without causalities is praiseworthy, but that tortoise��s shell can be sold for a lot, you know? If it''s that size, it should be worth around 20 gold coins��


    ��Nutria-san! Let��s go back!��


    The Brave was the first to take the bait.


    ��Ojou-sama, that��s really embarrassing, so please stop. It��s really off-putting��


    ��How embarrassing~��


    ��It��s unbing of someone with the name of Gastolfo��


    Frey was close to tears after being denounced by Lazarissa, Gashuraku-san, and Rana.


    ��The money, the money is������


    ��Alright, Ojou-sama, let��s get going��


    Frey was pushed in the back by Lazarissa as she was disrupting the formation.


    ��It''s pretty difficult to defeat. It��ll also take a long time. Let it go this time��


    Even though Otou-san said that, Frey looked like she couldn��t quite give up on it.


    If I were to summarize dungeon exploration in a few words, they would be moving, exploring, fighting, butchering, and resting.


    Rinsed and repeated.


    Since it was a rush exploration this time, ��butchering�� had been omitted. We were disregarding all of the materials.


    I should have exined this to you when we met up in the morning, dear Brave-sama.


    ording to the map disyed on the LCD, the stairs on this floor were 30 meters ahead of us. No enemies appeared near the stairs. I let out a small sigh.


    There was nothing but to take the stairs down.


    Speaking only of the process, we were able to clear the 18th floor with the most ease.


    The types of enemies were the same as those on the 17th floor. Otou-san took the lead, gave orders and spearheaded the attacks.


    Otou-san took care of everything.


    This was the easiest exploration of the dungeon we had ever done.


    There were people that could allow us to not have to think for ourselves and were dependable on top of it. It really brought home to me that I wasn��t cut out to be a leader.


    The party was in better condition than when we started exploring the dungeon.


    We were ustomed to the exploration, and were feeling the exhration from battle and a sense of security from having a capable leader. Our fatigue was about the same as if we had taken a short walk. Our magic power waspletely full and there were no injuries.


    We descended to the 19th floor in the best condition possible.


    The 19th floor also looked no different from the other floors.


    But somehow����


    ��?��


    It looked like Shuna also felt that something was off.


    The air was different.


    I felt a sort of tension in the air. Everyone seemed to think that it was the atmosphere of the 19th floor, but I had noticed it right then.


    It was the air that Otou-san was giving off that was different.


    The profile of his face, which I had caught a brief glimpse of, was blood-curdling.


    In this darkness, he had spent over 30 years searching for his missing party member. Chasing an invisible enemy.


    All by himself.


    It was a will unfathomable to ordinary people. It was beyond the realm of humans.


    ��Now��


    Otou-san took a formal tone and turned to the party.


    ��I��ll introduce you guys to the guardian of this floor��


    He pointed to himself with his thumb.


    ��It''s me��


    ��Huhh?��


    That reaction was echoed by everyone in the party.


    ��I''m not asking you guys to defeat me or anything. Reach the 20th floor with me. That is thest trial for greenhorn adventurers. The moment you guys aplish that, you guys will be recognized as "real adventurers" by Lemuria��s Adventurers�� Guild. The Guild will also let you take those quests that they hadn��t given out to the greenhorns. The rewards and dangers will be in a different leaguepared to the quests for greenhorns��


    Does that mean that we��ve been fake adventurers till now?


    ��And one more thing, there have been more than a few people who have gone missing on this floor. Elves and those with considerable talent in magic. That applies to the four people over there��


    He looked at Rana, Ea, Lys, and Frey.


    Two guides of the final me of the Hohens School, one elven archer, and one divine medium(already possessed by something). Someone among them might be a sacrifice.


    If possible, that sacrifice�D�D


    I��ll stop. That��s contemptible.


    ��This 19th floor is inhabited by a demon. It��s most likely the cause of the disappearances. I��ve told Souya this as well, but I��ve been chasing it for over 30 years.


    ������I have zero leads.


    There were 29 parties that searched desperately for their party member who had gone missing. They searched every nook and cranny of this floor.


    But they couldn''t find anything.


    That��s why, I��ll keep looking for it until the day I die.


    For that reason, even if anyone here goes missing, you guys shouldn��t search for that person.


    I''ll do it.


    Over thest 30 years, I haven''t been able to save even one of the party members, but I��m able to keep searching in you guys�� ce. One of these days, without fail, I��ll find it.


    So, you guys, don''t stop here.


    Don''t get trapped by the madness of this floor.


    Once you guys clear the 20th floor, that will be the moment all of you be adventurers who are superior to me.


    Adventuring is a profession where results are everything.


    There is nothing an inferior person can say to people superior to him. Starting tomorrow, you guys are better adventurers than me. Bear that in mind, and pay no attention to me.


    I''m a pitiful old man.


    A trapped adventurer.


    An adventurer who has been left behind.


    That��s why, look at me and engrave it in your heart that you don��t want to turn out like this. That is my�D�D��


    Otou-san��s words caught in his throat.


    ��No, it��s fine. Let''s go, you greenhorns. This is your final lesson��


    Am I the only one who understands the words that were caught in his throat, I wonder?

 Chapter 068: Lola Of The Maniacal Floor I

    <h4>Chapter 068: L Of The Maniacal Floor I</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    The party proceeded onward while staying in the tight formation.


    We didn''t encounter any enemies for a while.


    As we moved forward step by step, I devoted all of my attention to watching for enemies. Yukikaze also had all of her sensors operating. I had quietly attached tracers to the four people we were guarding.


    Just in case they were abducted, I would be able to track them using those. As long as they didn��t get affected by uncertain variables, I should be able to track them, but I was still worried.


    Suddenly,


    At the end of the passageway, a white shadow emerged from the pitch-ck darkness.


    The moment it stepped into the light of ournterns, a chill ran down my spine.


    It was creepy and horrifying.


    The monster that had appeared was in the shape of a person. It had a white skin color that was reminiscent of a drowned corpse, no hair whatsoever, a thin, emaciated body and strangely long and sharp nails extended from its fingertips.


    Its face was dominated by a single eye that split it vertically. It wasn��t an eye without emotion. It was the blue eye of a human with emotions.


    I had seen all sorts of monsters up to this point, but this was the first time I was physically repulsed by an enemy like this.


    Otou-san stretched out an arm to bar the way, stopping Shuna and me in our tracks.


    It happened extremely quickly. He closed 10 meters in one go and then cut its head off.


    Holding its head, he returned to the party.


    ��These guys are called��seedlings��. It��s because they be like that when they die��


    The headless corpse had twisted itself into a tree-like shape. It started copsing from one end, and then vanished into dust.


    The head that Otou-san was holding also started to twist. However, it went back its original form again.


    ��Look. It has elven ears. Thest adventurer to go missing was also an elf. It''s not a very fun theory, but these��seedlings��might be based on the adventurer that disappeared��


    Everyone was speechless.


    We had realized the reason why this floor was called the maniacal floor.


    The parties who came in search of their missing party members would have fought these��seedlings��here. Would have fought against enemies with the characteristics of the party member that they had lost.


    It''s a nightmare.


    I don''t even want to imagine it.


    ��In addition to this��Eye��, there��s also the faceless��Ear��, and the most troublesome one is the��Mouth��that casts magic. Magic that the missing adventurer used��


    A monster that uses magic, huh?


    That''s bad news. It��s one thing for everyone else, but for me, a person with very little regeneration point, a low-power, area-of-effect magic could result in my death.


    ��Each of these guys, by themselves, aren��t very strong. A decent adventurer can kill one with a single blow. However, they have one dangerous characteristic. When you��re stared at by an��Eye��for longer than a certain period of time, or when an��Ear��detects loud noises, all of the��seedlings��wille flocking from the entire floor��


    We had encountered a simr monster on the floors above. However, the reinforcements it called were at most four or five in number. What would it be like when all of the enemies from the entire floor gathered?


    ��Do you have an idea of how many of these guys there are in total?��


    I asked in a cold sweat.


    ��Normally, 50 to 70. For transitional periods, which just happens to be this time of year, over 100. Moreover, even if these guys are wiped out, more will spring up immediately. In other words, their exact numbers are unknown��


    ��It''s the worst��


    ��Not really. Don��t get found. If you��re found, kill it immediately and quietly. Then there��s no problem. None at all��


    That��s easy to say, but����wait, just the fact that there are countermeasures against them means that it��s easy, I suppose.


    After crushing the ruined head, Otou-san turned back to us.


    ��Souya and Ea, if an��Eye��appears, it��ll be up to you to take it down. It��s fine even if you don��t kill it. Be sure to shoot it somewhere on its face. The��Eye��doesn��t react to the light fromnterns. That��s why, calmly lead it and shoot urately. I��ll finish it off. If I mess up, Shuna, you do it��


    ��Understood��


    Ea, Shuna and I replied with one voice.


    ��When a faceless��Ear��appears, all of you stop and hold your breaths. I��ll do it. If it��s a��Mouth��, everyone rush it. Defeating it quickly is the top priority��


    ��Otou-san, I have one question though��


    ��What?��


    ��What if there are several of them, and of different types on top of that?��


    ��I��ll do my best. You guys provide support. Try to not get in my way��


    In other words, he was basically saying to leave it all to him.


    This is something I learnedter, but����


    Otou-san isn��t the only one who serves as the guardian of this floor.


    He assumed that role only when there were parties with elves or powerful magicians clearing this floor. Other than that, it��s advanced adventurers who take the role of leading the parties on this floor.


    The point of it, is to make a disy of their superior skills to the greenhorns.


    It��s to make them feel envious. It��s to show them a strength that will be their guidepost to also reaching those heights themselves one day.


    In our case, we had been showed plenty of that before arriving at this floor.


    Was what I thought, but Otou-san showed us a tremendous mastery of techniques on this floor.


    Fast, is too slow a word.


    Sharp, is too insufficient a word.


    They were all extensions of ordinary sword techniques. Not a single one of his techniques could be called special.


    But to think that a mere human holding a shield and swinging a sword could attain such heights. Otou-san��s techniques showed me, a person who couldn''t hold a sword decently, the pinnacle of skill.


    Fighting with one body, one sword, and one shield. Come hell or high water, towards the heights.


    It fires me up inside.


    As a man, it��s a strength I long for. Shuna also stared intently at Otou-san��s techniques, as if to devour them.


    To think that even a gloomy person like me has this kind of sentiment, it��s a surprise.


    Perhaps I had been inspired, but my own techniques also became sharper.


    ��Enemies detected, four in number��


    Yukikaze��s sensors had been turned up to full power. ording to her calctions, the internal battery of the aqueous brain wouldst until we cleared this floor. He might have no need for it, but the information obtained by Yukikaze was also ryed to Otou-san.


    I glossed over the exnation of what Yukikaze was by saying that she was an artificial spirit.


    As she had reported, there were two��Mouths��at the crossroads ahead of us. And in between us and them, there were two��Eyes��.


    I sent Ea a look, and then I shot the one on the right while Ea shot the one on the left.


    The arrows pierced through the��Eyes��.


    Alluring female voices flowed from the��Mouths��.


    ��Oh fire. Dance with the elements, and attack the�D�D��


    Otou-san and Shuna bounded forward.


    The chanting��Mouths��were split into two by the sword shes that sliced through them. The��Eyes��that had been shot by Ea and me were both finished off by Gashuraku-san with a rapier.


    It was a slender sword with a beautiful design. Its needle-like de was lined with words that had been engraved on it.


    It was a glimpse that this person also possessed unfathomable strength.


    Stay vignt, while I thought that in my head, I felt a sense of security.


    What was worrisome was that Lazarissa had messed up the formation. She had moved to the center in order to stay close to Frey.


    ��Lazarissa, is something the matter?��


    ��No, Lazarissa has a bad feeling. Lazarissa feels some sort of gaze��


    When I called out to her, she looked around nervously.


    ��Lazarissa, it''s hard to move��


    As Frey said, when five people were bunched together, it interfered with everyone��s ability to move. All the more so because Lazarissa was carrying a lot of luggage, which made things worse.


    ��Lys. Can you enclose only the four people in the center using defensive magic once I give you a signal?��


    ��I can��


    ��I��m counting on you. Otou-san, is that okay?��


    ��Shut up��


    I was told to shut up when I asked for instructions. Otou-san used his hand to signal everyone in the party to crouch down.


    The silence went on for about three minutes.


    ��Enemy detected, one in number��


    About two more minutes passed.


    A faceless��Ear��appeared. Otou-san��s intuition and experience were better than Yukikaze��s sensors.


    The��Ear��looked around restlessly even though it had no eyes. It walked with unsteadier steps than the other types. Its body also weaved around slowly. That made it even more creepy.


    Otou-san soundlessly approached the��Ear��in a bent over posture and pulled out a knife.


    He thrust the knife into its heart from the front, circled around to its back, and then slit its throat.


    The experienced adventurer who had finished off the enemy almost instantly signaled for us to stay quiet.


    Once again, silence fell for a while.


    ��Proximity warning, four in number��


    We slowed our breathing and waited motionlessly.


    Perhaps they had gotten wind of something, but I heard the sound of gnashing teeth.��Ears��appeared again.


    There were four of them.


    This was too much even for us.


    In the silence, the sound of a bowstring being drawn taut sounded awfully loud. Ea had moved a little closer to the front row in order to draw her bow. The arrow on herpound bow was aimed at an��Ear��.


    I felt that it was risky, but Otou-san send me a look that said,��Do it��.


    Reaching down, I slowly pulled Agathion out.


    I attacked at the same time as my sister. An arrow and a magic sword each hit an��Ear��in the head and pinned them to the wall.


    The remaining two were cut down by Otou-san and Shuna.


    ��Alright��


    At Otou-san��s signal, I breathed a sigh.


    It was a nerve-wracking battle.


    When I thought about the fact that they would all flood in if we made one mistake, it left me on tenterhooks. But to put it simply, if we killed them quickly and quietly without being noticed, then there would be no problems. None at all.


    All we had to do, was not make mistakes.


    Exploring the dungeon meant stepping into the unknown. We would likely run into difficulties that were iparably harder than what we were facing currently.


    This was an easy battle in which the correct answer was known. We could follow the established tactics that our predecessors had developed. That was what thest trial for greenhorns was. ��If you can��t even do this, then you won��t be able to ovee whatys ahead. Turn back��, was what it was advising.


    I disposed of the monsters and we resumed moving.


    The formation remained messed up.


    ��Lazarissa, go back to the back row��


    ��Sorry, Souya-sama. Lazarissa won��t obey��


    My warning was ignored.


    Lazarissa was in the center and had her hands on Frey''s shoulders. Ea had moved to the front to shoot her bow, and had stayed beside me.


    ��Listen to him, Lazarissa. I won��t allow you to act selfishly when the party is moving��


    ��Sorry, Ojou-sama. Lazarissa won��t obey. The tip of my tail has be numb from a while ago and Lazarissa senses something. Something is here. It��s dangerous��


    Her skirt had rolled up and her reptilian tail was swinging side to side.


    It was hitting the shield and Lys had an incredibly annoyed look on her face.


    To think that we would be bickering in the midst of all these enemies. I had arbitrarily assumed that Lazarissa was a sensible person. That was a misjudgment on my part.


    It wasn��t good that the formation was messed up, in fact, it was bad. If as much as five people huddled together in the center, they would get in one another��s way even when trying to protect themselves.


    I admonished Lazarissa three times, but she refused to obey. I couldn��t keep on arguing with her, so we forged ahead like that.


    We put an end to our thirteenth battle.


    The formation was still messed up, but we were able to fight without trouble. I had my concerns, but it wasn��t a problem if we could clear the floor regardless. I stopped nagging about it.


    All of a sudden, we went 50 meters without encountering an enemy.


    I felt something akin to unease at the suddenck of enemies.


    Checking the map, I saw that we had cleared about two-thirds of the way to the stairs.


    Huh? That��s weird.


    Perhaps it��s for the sake of being prudent, but we had been taking a roundabout route.


    It��s a really roundabout route. We had traveled an entire circuit of this floor.


    Am I imagining it? Or does Otou-san have a deep reason for doing this? Wait, by any chance����


    Otou-san went into a battle-ready stance.


    Be quiet, he signaled.


    The ce where we had stopped was the corner of a L-shaped passageway.


    ��Proximity warning, three in number��


    I could faintly hear the sound of gnashing teeth.


    Otou-san leaned his back against the wall. The party also waited on the same side.


    I hid myself behind the wall as well, and then took a peek at the enemy.


    There were four. Two��Ears��, one��Mouth��and one��Eye��.


    For some reason, they were lined up in a formation. The��Ear��was in front, and the��Mouth��and the��Eye��were behind it and to the left and right respectively. Further behind was one more��Ear��.


    Wait, there��s one more than Yukikaze��s sensors had detected. Is it a sensor failure, or interference from the dungeon?


    The enemies were moving faster than I had expected, so I didn��t have the time to think before the battle started.


    I didn��t have the time to check.


    ��I��ll deal with the��Ear��. Ea, the��Eye��is yours. Shuna, take out the��Mouth��. Gashuraku-dono, I��m counting on you to back them up��


    ��Got it~��


    I��ll guard the back row. The sensors hadn��t picked up anything, but if Lazarissa��s premonition is right, it wouldn��t be strange for something toe out from the darkness.


    ��Let''s go��


    Everyone jumped out of the corner at the same time.


    I nocked an arrow and, while keeping an eye on the back row, I followed the battle.


    Otou-san''s longsword cut the��Ear����s head off, Shuna thrust his longsword through the��Mouth����s throat, and the arrow Ea released pierced through the��Eye��.


    Gashuraku-san, who was backing them up, stabbed the��Eye��and the��Mouth����s vitals with his rapier. The wounds were small, but definitely fatal. On top of that, he stabbed each spot five times with almost imperceptible speed.


    ��Huh?��


    Something strange happened.


    Everyone was rxing theirbat readiness.


    Shuna put away his longsword, Ea lowered her bow, and Gashuraku-san was also returning to the back row.


    Otou-san sheathed his longsword.


    I stood dumbfounded for an instant, and then something akin to rage erupted from within me. There was one more��Ear��remaining.


    It��s this one.

 Chapter 069: Lola Of The Maniacal Floor II

    <h4>Chapter 069: L Of The Maniacal Floor II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��The grace of the hidden name��


    I nocked an arrow, and then channeled a small amount of magic power into the hand drawing the bowstring. No, it didn��t ept my magic power and the hero possessing the hand protector imbued the arrow with a feeling simr to ecstasy instead.


    Found you.


    Those words and rampaging emotions made my blood boil. The Lycan bow creaked.


    The arrow won��t miss.


    As if it would miss a second time.


    This one arrow will put an end to it all.


    It��s time to put the quarry that had escaped being hunted down to rest. To put the long history between us to rest.


    After hundreds of years, "I(feminine)" have encountered my sworn enemy again.


    The faceless part of its head slid open, revealing a skull-like and wrinkled face. The darkness in its eye sockets was far darker than what was normal. The flesh on its arms sloughed off, and two scimitar-like ws emerged.


    Its lower body disappeared like a mirage, and its skin drifted like a cloak off its skinny and emaciated upper body.


    ��It''s an ironic appearance, but I won��t mistake you! Laa!��


    At my shout, Souya''s party members and my girls froze.


    L also uttered a shriek.


    And then, tried to escape again.


    The petty fool who called in therge spider that defiled thisnd and country is trying to escape again.


    There��s probably no reason or intellect left in this trash anymore. This detritus has lived on in the dungeon only because of her obsessive desire to survive. By sipping on the lifeblood of monsters, sipping on the lifeblood of people, sipping on the blood of my descendants!


    Die.


    Die! I��ll finish you off here! Until your reason returns, I''ll hurt you and force you to remember! What you did! What you triggered! And then, die! Die! Dragon-eater L! The shame(also means impurity) of the n who ate my mother��s honor!


    ��Onii-chan! What''s the matter?!��


    ��You��re in the way! Girl!��


    My girl is in the path of the arrow. It��s a foolish act. That probably shows how much she trusts Souya. Even parents won��t stand in front of their children when they have an arrow nocked.


    It��s a far too foolish act.


    It''s foolishness that has already doomed her to be pierced through at the same time as L.


    Even if she��s my descendant, my obsession cannot be stopped.


    I(masculine)����


    ����regained control of my body amid the torrent of emotions, and shifted the aim of the arrow to one side.


    Rather than an arrow, what was released was more of a magical beam of destruction. It whizzed past L andrgely destroyed the wall it hit.


    As the sound of the explosion echoed in the passageway, L raised her ws overhead,


    That wasn��t it.


    She was spreading her cloak to abduct Ea.


    No one,


    No one other than me could see her. No one was even reacting. I ran, jumped, and struck her w with my bow.


    I though I heard Lugh.


    Two hits, and both my shoulders were torn open by her ws. The de-resistant poncho couldn��t stop them at all. Too optimistic blood sprayed from my wounds.


    However, I had been able to cover Ea with my body. L tore my back asunder as she left. I felt heat rather than pain. I let out a breath. The taste of iron filled my mouth.


    ��Onii-chan!��


    ��It��s here, isn��t it?��


    I had protected her.


    I had my sister in my hands.


    ��Souya! What''s with those wounds?��


    Starting with Shuna, everyone in the party expressed their surprise at my wounds. They were unable to see ��that��. It probably looked to them like my blood had sprayed out all of a sudden.


    I had been caught off guard. I was aware that she was likely an opponent that Lumidia had a history with, but to think that she held so much anger and obsession towards L that she took over my body. She had almost been about to shoot an arrow through Ea.


    ��Lys, can you heal me please?��


    ��No problem��


    I was still lying on top of my sister, but I couldn��t move. Perhaps because the wounds on my back were deep. Ea stroked my head with a worried look on her face.


    ��Gather light, heal, pray, and implore. In the name of�D�D��


    ��Urgh��


    Though it wasn��t as bad as when Rana healed me previously, heat and pain spread throughout my wounds. It felt as if the flesh on my back was fusing together and closing the wounds. It felt the same for the wounds on my shoulders as well.


    ��You��re fully healed��


    The pain disappeared. With my sister lending me a shoulder to lean on, I stood up.


    Naturally, my poncho andbat uniform remained torn.


    ��Lys-san, is what you��re called, right? What is that magic that you used? That healing speed. It''s beyond the realm of human knowledge��


    ��Hah, mediocre mortals won��t understand it��


    ��What did you say?!��


    Lys and Frey got confrontational. I had Shuna check the condition of my wounds, but it seemed that there were no problems.


    Unexpectedly.


    Otou-san was cloaked in an eerie silence.


    ������������Huh?


    ��No way��


    I eximed as I surveyed the party.


    Ea, Shuna, Lys, Frey, Lazarissa, Gashuraku-san, Otou-san.


    ��Rana?��


    She wasn''t there.


    ��Huh?��


    Everyone except for Otou-san looked at one another in shock. It was no wonder. A person right beside them had disappeared all of a sudden. I would likely have been unable to cope with it if I hadn''t been prepared.


    I stepped away from Ea and snapped out of it.


    ��Yukikaze, you��re tracking her using the tracer, right?��


    ��Yes. Many apologies, team member Souya. There was a problem with Yuikikaze��s functionalities, and Yukikaze was unable to detect the anomaly with madam��


    Rana��s location was disyed on the LCD. She was moving quickly. She was already more than 100 meters away.


    ��Souya, wait��


    Otou-san stopped me right when I was about to dash after her.


    ��You saw it, right?��


    ��Yes��


    ��Got it, go after her. But leave all of your magic items here. The containers for the regeneration point too��


    ��Medimu, what are you saying?!��


    My sister raised her voice at his suggestion.


    ��It��s a hunch I have. It has some way of detecting magic power. Listen, Souya. Find Princess Rauaryuna. And once you��ve found her, let me know the location. You must have learned from what just happened that you��re no match for it. Don''t fight, you only need tell me the location. Using the techniques from a foreignnd and your keen insight, see through the invisibility it possesses that has deceived numerous adventurers for over 30 years��


    ��Wait, wait, Medimu. Onii-chan can''t protect himself without the magic sword��


    ��Don��t worry. We��ll take on all of the enemies��


    Sounds wereing from a distance. Sounds of many ��somethings�� congregating at our location.


    They were��seedlings��that had been drawn here by Lumidia��s arrow.


    Furthermore, Otou-san took out a strange apparatus. It looked like a gun��s firing mechanism with a simple trigger attached.


    ��This apparatus is packed with the prohibited gunpowder. When I pull this trigger, it��ll make a loud boom. That��ll most likely call every��seedling��in the dungeon here. It''s dangerous. I''m sorry, but brace yourselves. If you guys survive, I��ll pay you anypensation you desire��


    As he was exining, I was already getting ready.


    I took out the needle that the Demon King had given me and removed the Heures�� hand protector. Having taken it off, I would no longer be able to use Lumidia��s power. I couldn��t care less about their past history and whatnot.


    I took off the containers for the regeneration point hanging from my neck as well as the ne given to me by Geto-san, and then dropped my quiver and ced the Lycan bow on the ground. Taking Agathion, I stabbed it into the ground.


    ��Agathion, don''t protect me. Protect the party��


    I gave the magic sword that order.


    Rana''s location had moved further. She had moved another 600 meters.


    ��Onii-chan, use this��


    ��No. You��ll definitely need it for the uing battle��


    I turned down thepound bow that my sister had proffered to me.


    That weapon would be needed for shooting��Mouths��when the battle got messy.


    ��I��ll be able to move more quietly if I travel light. Don��t worry, Ea. I��ll definitely save your Onee-chan��


    ��I know! But������sorry��


    Ea was about to say something, but she swallowed her words back.


    She��s a good sister. She��s too good for me.


    ��Souya, leave it to me��


    ��Shuna, I��m counting on you��


    The words we shared were few. Between male friends, actions spoke louder than words.


    ��Here we go, cover your ears and open your mouths��


    Without giving me any more time, Otou-san pulled the trigger.


    The loud boom echoed through the dungeon. My head spun from the shock and noise of the explosion even though I had covered my ears.


    After a short silence, the sounds of footsteps and moans came from the depths of the dungeon. White shadows surged towards us like a wave.


    ��I order you in the name of Gastolfo��


    Frey stuck her staff into the floor and began chanting.


    ��Respond to my voice, reward my blood, this is a miracle, but just short of an act of god. Luteyugun of Kazaana and Ri?Bau, the color of death. Oh gods that are worshiped side by side, follow my orders and deprive��


    She put her palms together, and when she spread them apart, between her palms was a mass of white fog.


    ��This breath is the harbinger of death. Oh life, disperse and fall. Hohens?Romea?Last Neomia��


    She blew on the fog and white doom engulfed the passageway.


    30��seedlings��werepletely frozen by it.


    ��Lazarissa, do it��


    ��Got it, Ojou-sama��


    Lazarissa leaned her body forward. Her tail was bigger and had extended further than usual. Using her tail like a third leg, she shot her body forward, tackling and blowing away the frozen��seedlings��.


    The passageway opened up.


    It was my path forward.


    ��Go, Souya. You will surely save my friend. After all, you��re a Brave who has been recognized by me��


    Frey had the smile of a goddess on her face.


    I gave her a small nod, and then dashed away.


    ��Seedlings��were surging forth inrge numbers from the other end of the passageway and behind me, the party had started fighting.


    I won��t look back anymore.


    My party members are strong. They��re much stronger than I am.


    However, there is an enemy that only I can see. That only I can defeat.


    Save Rana. With just that one thought in my head, I plunged into the darkness.


    Run.


    Run.

 Chapter 070: Lola Of The Maniacal Floor III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 070: L Of The Maniacal Floor III & IV</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    < L Of The Maniacal Floor III >


    Run.


    My feet only have tost until I reach her. It doesn��t matter even if my heart bursts. Following the path indicated by the A.I., I ran forward holding a forlorn light.


    The heat from my body and the screams of my muscles feel distant.


    If I can save her, I��ll give everything.


    My god.


    Misuranika-sama.


    I offer you my life.


    Please, hear my wish.


    Let me save Rana.


    I��ll make any sacrifice.


    I wished, prayed, and drew my hunting knife.


    There was an��Eye��in front of me. One of its legs was crushed. It had been unable to converge on the sound if the explosion like the rest because of it.


    I dived under the nails it swung upwards and thrust the hunting knife into the��Eye����s throat. Due to my momentum, the feel of its flesh was thin, and I felt the sensation of the knife piercing through bone. I pulled it out violently and its head separated from its torso.


    It��s the first time I had defeated a monster directly.


    I didn��t feel moved by it.


    I don��t have the time to feel such things.


    Without letting my momentum die, I ran on.


    No matter how many corners I turned, or how far I had run, I ran following Yukikaze��s instructions, killing anything in my way. Those were the only thoughts in my head as I raced forward.


    I ran.


    I defeated enemies.


    By no means was it anything beyond the level of an ordinary person, but the days I had lived in the alternate world had trained me up.


    I don��t have the time to feel happy.


    The time for rejoicing is after I��ve saved Rana.


    ��Enemy group, 35 in number. Steer clear��


    ��Tch��


    I clicked my tongue and hid in a corner of the passageway as I looked at the enemy markers.


    The��seedlings��ran right past me like a horde of running zombies.


    My heartbeat drummed loudly in my ears.


    Sweat broke out all over my body because my body hade to a stop.


    I could hear the sounds of the party fighting in the distance.


    ��Rtive distance to enemies, 50 meters. It��s alright now��


    Rana''s location had stopped moving.


    She was less than 200 meters from where I was. In a final spurt, I ran,


    Or rather, I was going to run, but����


    ��Yukikaze, what is this?��


    ����I was brought to a halt before I got very far.


    The passageway was blocked off ahead of me. It was a dead end.


    ��This is the path the tracer attached to madam took. Yukikaze believes the enemy had passed through here��


    I put my hands on the wall.


    I struck the wall hard with the handle of my hunting knife. It was unusually hard. There wasn��t even a scratch on it. Impatience coursing through me, I knocked on the wall, looking for secret passageways or hidden mechanisms.


    Nothing.


    I couldn��t find anything.


    ��Shit!��


    In a fit of anger, I punched the wall.


    The skin on my knuckles tore and blood seeped out.


    A way, is there a way? Or a method? There must be something.


    ��������Yukikaze, activate the pulse and analyze the structure of the dungeon��


    ��The pulse attracts certain monsters. It��s extremely dangerous��


    ��Hurry up!��


    ��Yukikaze����understands. ������Functionality has been disabled as this is a restricted area. The pulse scan cannot be used��


    ��What did, you say?��


    Is it a malfunction? Yukikaze had said something iprehensible.


    ��Just an optical analysis of the surface is enough. There must be a secret passageway! Hurry up! Anything is fine, do something!��


    ��Understood��


    I lost my bnce and I ced my hand on the wall to steady myself. My head was spinning and I was feeling irritated. My impatience was making me feel nauseous. My body was mmy with cold sweat.


    My hand slipped, and I had a feeling that something was off.


    I wiped the wall using my poncho.


    A pattern that had been obscured by dust and grime emerged.


    I had uncovered a magic array.


    No, that wasn��t what it was.


    ��Cos��������Cosmo, graphia?��


    That was written in big letters below a circle with patterns drawn inside it. Those words had been exposed to the elements for an untold amount of time, were chipped and crumbling, but they were written in "English".


    ��There is data that matches the diagram. It��s a structural drawing of the universe from the 15th century mathematician, Petrus Apianus''s book��Cosmographia����1


    Yukikaze gave an exnation. I wiped the wall some more and removed more dust.


    There was something that looked like a small information te. The letters had crumbled so much that I couldn��t read them by eye.


    ��Yukikaze, can you read them?��


    The mini?pod��s analysisser traced the letters on the te.


    ��There are many ces where the words havepletely disappeared��


    ��Read it��


    What is this.


    Why is something like this in the alternate world? It��s no use. I don��t have the time now to rack my brain over such things. I have to find a clue for how to proceed on from here.


    ��Note: Disyed here is XXXX of our great ancestor XXXX. XXXX was definitely not mistaken in his beliefs. XXXX universe is, in other words, XXXX scope of what we can perceive XXXX. XXXXXXX endless darkness. XXXX in order to find the light, our XX sails XXXX��


    That''s all, said Yukikaze.


    I wiped the sweat off my brow.


    ��Anything else?��


    ��There��s nothing else. How�D�D�Dever, the structure of the wall is�D�D�D�D�Dan invible domain, ������s��������������


    ��Yukikaze?��


    Her voice was filled with static.


    I opened my eyes to the despair from the possibility of a malfunction after reaching this point.


    ��Souya-san, please take out Yukikaze��s core?unit. Put it in the center of the structural drawing�D�D��[2]


    The voice was cut off, and the upper lock of the mini?pod released on its own.


    I had no time to be befuddled.


    I followed Yukikaze��s instructions and pulled out the cylinder containing the pseudo-aqueous-brain.


    Perhaps it was the life activity of the A.I., but there were electrical shes of light in the liquid. It looked almost like stars shining in the night sky.


    I brought the core closer to the structural drawing of the universe.


    A hole opened up in the center portion of the structural drawing. It was just the right size for putting the core in.


    There was no time for hesitation.


    I inserted the core into the hole. Lights spread out and lit up the diagram. The core in the center shone with the same color as a familiar blue.


    I heard a rumble.


    A thick door slid to one side. The door that had kept on deceiving adventurers had opened.


    Before me, the passageway continued further.


    ��Can you hear me, Yukikaze?��


    ��Yes, functionalities have been synced with the device. No problem��


    Yukikaze��s voice came from my sses.


    ��Let Otou-san know the location. I��m going ahead. You stay here and keep this open��


    ��It��s dangerous. Yukikaze believes that it would be wiser to wait for the party to join you before proceeding��


    ��You��re asking the impossible��


    I stepped forward regardless.


    It was different from the other passageways. The deterioration of the stone walls and floor was minimal. Perhaps there were more Shogaku stones in them, but it was bright enough for me to see even without antern.


    I could see, but I didn''t have a map.


    Rana��s location was disyed, but the structure of the dungeon wasn��t.


    She was 180 meters away as the crow flies.


    However, the structure here was quiteplicated. There were many dead ends. I was unable to head straight for my destination.


    And, there were��seedlings��.


    I saw an��Ear��in the middle of a crossroads.


    I held my breath and approached it. Throwing a pebble that I had picked up, I made the��Ear��turn its back to me. I stabbed the hunting knife, which I held backhanded, into its left shoulder.


    I put my weight on it, and the de reached its heart. I twisted the de to ruin the organ. The��Ear��reached both hands out for something. I pushed it down, and then cut off its head just in case. I had ced the de against its neck and stepped down on the back of the knife with my foot.


    I had killed it.


    There were no enemies around.


    As far as I could tell using my unskilled senses.


    Keeping my footsteps silent, I pressed on as fast as I could.


    I came across a room with a broken door. Inside it were objects simr to those from modern civilization.


    I don��t have the time to look through them carefully. I can investigate them as much as I wantter.


    Right now, for every step, quickly, quietly, steadily, I��m straining and using every bit of my senses.


    Killing them as quickly as possible. That��s the only move I have. If there is one by itself, I can manage somehow. If there are two or more of them, there��s nothing I can do.


    I��ll die if I��m found.


    It��s fine if it��s only me that dies.


    To begin with, I don��t see any value in my own life. However, my death might result in Rana��s rescue not being in time.


    I can''t die no matter what it takes.


    That��s why, I��ll kill you no matter what it takes.


    I killed the eighth��seedling��I had encountered. Miraculously, my surprise attacks had all been sessful. It fell far short of their true essence, but I had been able to copy Otou-san��s techniques.


    Rana was 50 meters away.


    I came out into a wide passageway. I would probably arrive at her location if I advanced down this passageway.


    I slowed my ragged breathing.


    Even though they��re small humanoid monsters and I had taken them down through surprise attacks, piercing their flesh, bones and hearts, and then cutting off their heads is exhausting work.


    The pressure of not being allowed to fail. Straining all of my senses also chips away at my stamina. Many parts of my body are screaming from using unfamiliar techniques.


    My side is twisting up in pain.


    My heart feels like it��s about to burst.


    But so what?


    Not even one of my limbs have been wrenched off.


    I only need to hang on until this day is done. I��ll bury everything using my willpower. I��ll stamp down the wounds and the pain.


    I can go on.


    I can still fight.


    I can hear the sound of my heartbeat and the patter of feet.


    A��Mouth��appeared around a corner.


    Run.


    I ordered my body to run forward.


    I decapitated it before it could start chanting.


    I can go on.


    My techniques have been getting sharper sinceing here. But this is ast hurrah before the end. It��s the me of a dying candle just before it goes out.


    It won''tst long. I��ll go on without stopping. Every second counts.


    Fast and quick, but quiet and silent. I��ll consume my life to get even one step closer to the pinnacle.


    Like a murderous beast that devours its enemies without sound.


    Just like L,


    I��ll kill the��seedlings��that she brought forth.


    And then,


    The ce I arrived at was a graveyard.


    < L Of The Maniacal Floor IV >


    It was a tremendouslyrge space with a high ceiling that was shaped like a bell. There were lines of Ark-like stone coffins, and adventurers�� weapons were venerated on top of them.


    The number of stone coffins there was overwhelming. They were lined up as far as the eye could see. One hundred, two hundred, no, thousands. There were more than ten thousand of them.


    In the distance, I saw the enemy and a woman.


    I took off my shoes and bent over, hiding in the shadows of the stone coffins as I proceeded forward.


    I wiped the blood and grease off the hunting knife using my poncho. The de was nicked and chipped, and it was in bad condition. I re-gripped it in my right hand, and then took out and held the karambit in my left.


    It''s the endgame. Don''t mess up, don''t be impatient, but move quickly.


    ��Souya-san, please listen to this piece of advice��


    A message from Yukikaze was disyed on my sses.


    ��Your current location has been ryed to the party. Please hold off on fighting. It��s dangerous��


    The closer I got, the louder my heart beat.


    In a corner of the graveyard, there was a round, open space.


    The first thing that popped into my head was that it looked like an operating room.


    Freshly torn robes and underwear, essories and a staff were strewn all over the ground. Scattered among them were broken tools and aged equipment. The ground was littered with blood stains.


    I saw Rana''s white skin.


    She was naked, and she had been ced on top of a bed that looked like a birthing table. All of her arms and legs had been extended.


    She appeared to be sleeping.


    Her face was peaceful, as if she was having a good dream.


    I didn''t even notice that the horrifying L was hovering next to her head.


    Be it medicine or magic, she had the means of taking away people��s ability to resist.


    L was staring at Rana''s body with eyes filled with darkness. Her long w trailed across Rana��s skin.


    The tip of her w touched a protrusion.


    Ahh, a soft cry escaped.


    My clenched back teeth made a gravelly sound.


    Not yet.


    Endure it.


    Just a little more, and I��ll be able to movepletely into her blind-spot.


    I��ll decide it with a single blow.


    I have to finish her off in one blow. I definitely won��t let her get away.


    Otou-san��s hunch was right.


    The monster who has been deceiving adventurers for over 30 years, no, for a much longer time, hasn��t noticed my presence.


    Behind and diagonally to her left. There��s where I��m moving towards.


    A little more, just a little more and I��ll reach it.


    Just a����


    ����little more.


    I noticed a half-open stone coffin.


    I couldn��t help looking inside it.


    Inside it was the upper body of an elf. She had been ruined and fiddled with extensively, was withered and shriveled until she was only skin and bones, and had been strangled to death.


    Seeing a hallucination of Rana��s future, I dashed out of the shadows, filled with rage and the intent to kill.


    I kept my body low, as low as possible, and ran as fast as I could.


    With a single blow,


    I��ll kill you.


    Arge amount of blood sttered about.


    A ssh of rednded on Rana��s cheek.


    ��Urg, gah��


    L, who had turned around, had stabbed one w through my left shoulder.


    I��ve messed up the final moves for checkmate.


    I��ve put up ackluster showing right at the very end. I failed to keep my presence hidden even though I knew I should have. But even so, this is good enough.


    ������I know������


    I deliberately stepped forward and made her w sink to its base into my flesh. I heard myself screaming loudly.


    I stabbed L��s arm with the karambit and dug its de into her flesh. The hooked w-shaped de wouldn��t be dislodged easily. We had each sealed one of the other��s arms. We had each sealed the other��s escape.


    ��I know a person who is chasing you��


    She swung her free w at me.


    When I blocked it with my hunting knife, the w bit midway into its de.


    ��He��s a terrifyingly strong adventurer. He��s a person who would have obtained glory if he didn��t chase you. He��s heading here right now��


    L howled, spewing her bad breath at me.


    I swung my head and head-butted her.


    I whipped her struggling body about. We crashed into the bed and Rana��s body tumbled to the ground. She didn��t seem to have been injured by the fall. Relieved, I fought L.


    We had both lost our biggest strength, which was stealth. Our weapons were also far from deadly. It was going to be an extremely long and drawn-out fight.


    The hunting knife broke.


    I swung it regardless. I hit using its handle and shed at L with its broken de.


    She was cutting my body to ribbons with her w.


    Her w is sharp, but if I stick this close and limit the speed of her swings, it doesn��t have enough power behind it to cut my body or limbs in two.


    I only need to block attacks that will kill me instantly. I��ll give you as much of my flesh and blood as you want.


    Even now, they��re heading here. Just by ying for time, I��ll win. No, so long as Rana is saved even if the worstes to worst, it��s a huge victory for me.


    But.


    I heard a wet sound as I felt something being stuck into my abdomen.


    A tail-like tentacle had extended from L''s body and thrust itself into my abdomen. I was attacked by intense drowsiness. Exhaustion washed over me and my vision flickered. I felt the sweet temptation to rx and go to paradise.


    I bit my lip.


    Even that pain felt distant.


    Not yet.


    I took out a pen-type syringe from the opened mini?pod. It was a needle-less syringe and would inject the drug through pressure. I pressed it against my neck and thumbed the switch.


    ��tsu��


    Cold liquid was pumped into my hot body. My body temperature went crazy and my body trembled.


    It was a powerful drug.


    It numbed pain for a short while, erased fatigue, and improved concentration. If used regrly, the user would be an invalid. I had prepared it as an emergency measure in case of serious injury.


    My heartbeat drummed even louder, but pain and fatigue disappeared sopletely that it was almost creepy.


    I awakened.


    The w approaching me looked unduly slow.


    My mind had awakened, but I couldn��t move my body properly. What I could do, was make the w pierce through my right shoulder.


    The pain felt distant.


    I plunged the broken hunting knife in, twisted, and gouged.


    I screamed.


    L''s body was lighter than I had expected. We collided with a nearby stone coffin. However, I was flung about by whatever energy it was that made her body float.


    A jostling, rough and tumble fight continued to unfold.


    I cked out from time to time from the blows I was taking to my head. Blood flowed endlessly from the wounds on my shoulders.


    L.


    You want to survive, right?


    I don��t.


    Killing you is enough for me.


    Saving her is enough for me. Other than that, I don��t need anything else.


    For that reason, you��ve lost.


    I rolled together with L across the ground. The broken-off de of the hunting knife was next to me. I clenched it between my teeth, and drove it into L��s neck.


    While holding her in a hot, tight embrace, I slid the de deeper.


    A scream loud enough to numb my eardrums rang out.


    Just like this,


    Like, thi����


    Oh,


    It snapped.


    My body had reached its limits. I only now noticed that I waspletely drenched in my own blood. My spirit was fired up, but the thing connecting my mind and my body had snapped.


    I couldn��t move.


    I couldn��t move my body no matter what I did.


    The effects of the drug were also gone. The reason for that was simple. I had likely lost too much blood.


    The de had only made a shallow cut on L��s neck, and the wound was far from fatal.


    This is as far as I go


    I don''t think it''s a shame.


    I think I did well, all things considered.


    I''m sorry, I murmured.


    I closed my eyes.


    The faces of the party members I had met in the alternate world shed across my mind. The daily life I enjoyed, the sweet encounters and warmth, the short but memorable days of adventuring.


    That night I swung my friend��s sword for the sake of his fame.


    The mornings I found those girls beside me when I woke up.


    The night I met a tiny god.


    Those dreamlike far-off days. They ran through my head, just like a Phantasmagoria.2


    This is it for my adventure.


    L pulled her w out from my right shoulder violently.


    In my final moments, I��ll at least stare death in the face like a man.


    I looked straight ahead and spoke.


    ��Can I say onest thing?��


    She raised the w.


    ��For the likes of me to cause you so much damage, you sure don''t amount to much��


    The w that had been swung downwards pierced into my forehead.


    A dull sound resonated through my bones.


    A sword had sprouted from L��s chest.


    Exactly where her heart would be. From behind without mercy.


    ��I��ve finally found you��


    Otou-san pulled out the sword. L''s cry sounded like a pitiful plea.


    The return sh flew right above L��s shoulders.


    ��Hey, that��s not all you amount to, right?��


    Otou-san stabbed L.


    He stabbed her again and again.


    ��That��s not all you amount to, right?!��


    He badgered the monster that had breathed herst long ago.


    I got a glimpse of his long-standing feelings.


    I felt the pure rage of youth.


    Through his sword, he directed it, mmed it against the corpse. Eventually, the blood-soaked longsword broke under its owner��s power.


    After looking befuddled for a second, Otou-san returned to his usual self.


    The face of the father of adventurers came back.


    I saw my party members approaching from afar.


    ��Souya, well done. I thank you from the bottom of my heart��


    ��Otou-san, sorry, but, I��m leaving, the rest to you��


    I let go of the consciousness that I had been barely holding on to.


    With my wounds, only the gods know if I can leave the dungeon alive.


    Oh, but I feel a slight sense of aplishment. I can die easy.

 Chapter 071: At The End Of The Adventure… I

    <h4>Chapter 071: At The End Of The Adventure�� I</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��86th day��


    I lived.


    For some reason, that thought gave me a sense of d��j�� vu.


    It was a ceiling that I didn''t recognize, or rather, it was a canopy. I was sleeping on a luxurious canopy bed. In spite of how luxurious the bed was, the other furniture in the room was unrefined and dated. My equipment and a change of clothes were on top of a nearby shelf.


    The scenery outside the window was darkened by dusk. From the architecture of the stone wall, I realized that this was a room in the royal castle.


    I was wearing loose clothes that I didn��t recognize.


    I was feeling thirsty.


    When I tried to reach out for the nearby ss and water jug, severe pain shot through my left shoulder.


    ��Urgh��


    I lost my bnce and fell, knocking my head hard on the ground.


    The door of the room flew open.


    ��Souya!��


    Lanseal came into view. I was lifted up and carried back to the bed.


    ��Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?��


    ��What about Rana?! Is Rana safe?!��


    I asked about the most important thing.


    ��������She��s safe. She has been cured of the poison, and is waiting for you. So, do you feel pain anywhere in your body?��


    ��Did I reach the 20th floor?!��


    I asked about another important thing.


    ��You did. Immediately after that, you were carried to the healing temple, and then to the castle after your condition had stabilized. So, do you feel pain anywhere?��


    She pinched my cheek.


    ��My left shoulder hurts, a lot��


    Perhaps it was because I felt relieved, but my body suddenly started hurting. My shoulder hurt the most, but I was feeling pain in my back and legs. Or perhaps I should say, my whole body.


    ��Excuse me��


    Lanseal took off my shirt and removed the bandages on my shoulder. She also peeled off thepress and took a look at the wound.


    ��Does it hurt?��


    ��No��


    Her hands were touching me gently. It didn��t hurt.


    ��The wound has closed. Also because of the poison, it was a severe injury and they very nearly amputated your arm. It took five healers an entire day to re-attach your arm and purify the poison. It might continue to hurt for a while yet. If you can��t bear it, I��ll give you a poppy painkiller��


    ��It��s not a problem if it��s just pain��


    It��s something like phantom pain, I suppose.


    I had done it on the spur of the moment, but it appeared that the wound was deeper than I had expected. I tried moving my shoulder. Severe pain shot through it again.


    If I think of it as just pain, I��ll just barely be able to bear it.


    ��Souya, I would like to let you rest some more, but His Majesty has instructed me to bring you to him as soon as you wake up. Can you move? Do you want me to carry you on my back?��


    ��I can walk by myself. Let''s go. But can I have some water before that?��


    ��Yes��


    Lanseal poured water into the cup. For some reason, she drank it and held the water in her mouth. Without giving me a choice, she gave the water to me through her mouth.


    She��s normally a woman whoes on pretty aggressively, but her gaze is hot. Her body is also hot.


    Did I do something?


    I changed into theundered and mendedbat uniform, and then put on the poncho. I got help from Lanseal. As expected, her touch was passionate. I also equipped my weapons and protective gear. I put on the sses too. My eyesight wasn��t bad or anything, but recently, I felt unsettled unless I put them on.


    Looking at the hand protector, I had mixed feelings.


    After using Lumidia��s power for this and that, in the end, her sworn enemy was defeated by someone else and by usingpletely unrted methods. I don''t know the history between the two of them, but to think that L would be caught by an inept person like me and end up dead.


    It''s ironic in aughable way.


    Led by Lanseal, I exited the room and walked down the corridor. The ce we went to was underground.


    Once again, I was in a ce that looked like a graveyard.


    L''s corpse had been ced on top of something that looked like an operating table.


    The people gathered there were King Lemuria, Otou-san, the Guild President of the Adventurers�� Guild, and Rana''s father, Melm?Raua?Heures.


    Taking a calm look at his face, he resembles Ea.


    ��Souya, are you feeling better?��


    ��If it��s just standing and listening, then I��m well enough��


    I bowed my head in response to the king��s concern.


    ��Umu. Solcia, go ahead��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    Prompted by the king, the Guild President spoke.


    ��I discovered many very interesting things about this monster��


    The Guild President took out a thin stick and pointed to L''s body.


    Only what was below the shoulders had remained. The head had been smashed to a pulp and was being stored in arge container.


    ��First, its skin. It can be seen now, but it bes invisible when lightly exposed to magic power. Moreover, its ability to conceal is perfect, blocking out sound, smell and even heat.


    However, it has just one weakness.


    It can be seen by those with very little regeneration point and magic power, just like the foreigner over there. In other words, it can be seen by the weak who aren��t cut out to be adventurers.


    This ability is likely used for escaping the strong. And as you can see, it has no intestines. It doesn��t even have a heart. The only organs it has that are simr to a human��s, are its lungs.


    Other than that, it has a tail-like tentacle which produces a paralytic venom that induces sleep. As well as a floating organ that resembles that of winged snakes.


    After appraising the belongings of the deceased adventurers, there are some among them that are at least 600 years old. In view of that, I believe that this monster had lived on by using its preys�� bodies in ce of its own to perform bodily functions��


    Quite unusually, the Guild President was being sensitive to the mood.


    Continue, said the king.


    Otou-san also nodded.


    ��Excuse me. With regards to the��seedlings��, I was able to discover only one thing. As Father suspected, they were created using the deceased adventurers�� bodies. Many of the bodies had amputated limbs and deformities could be seen in the bones of their lower abdomens��


    How gruesome.


    What was L trying to achieve by creating such things, I wonder?


    ��Pardon my intrusion. Lemuria, Medimu, Melm. And Souya��


    Someone who didn''t seem suited to a graveyard appeared.


    It was dvain, the dragon-killing god. Perhaps it was to avoid prying eyes, but she was wearing a hooded cloak over her usual high-leg dress.


    ��How unexpected, dvain-sama. What are you doing here today?��


    ��Hmm, I��m afraid I have some long-standing business to settle��


    The king��s respectful way of speaking made me realize that this person was truly a big-shot. I sure did well to not die despite rashly picking a fight with her kin.


    ��Souya, your right hand��


    ��Huh? Yes��


    I held out my hand after being called out all of a sudden. The god sped the hand protector in both her hands and brought it to her forehead.


    A faint light danced like a firefly. Strangely enough, it looked to me like she was praying. Far be it from me to know who gods prayed to.


    ��Hmm, my daughters have caused trouble for you all, I fear��


    ��Daughters?��


    I know about Lumidia. Could it be,


    ��I had two daughters. One was an inept child, who was utterly ipetent in everything except for bow techniques. Her name was Lumidia. The other was a promising child, who was even praised as a reincarnation of a war god. Her name was L��


    You''re kidding.


    ��I doted on the capable child and scorned the inept child. That''s how it is in martial arts schools. If things aren��t made clear like that, people won��t toughen up. However, that made the raising of those children difficult. Things didn��t go as I had hoped.


    One day, in order to obtain even greater power, L dabbled in immoral arts. The evil dragon that I had yed. She ate its corpse. Having provoked the anger of the dragons, my entire n went down the path to ruin.


    Many warriors were burnt to ashes by the mes.


    The war that had broken out at the same time dealt the final blow to our martial arts school. L took advantage of the turmoil and escaped from the left continent, and then she endangered thisnd with even more evil deeds. She awakened the ancientrge spider, putting the lives of everything that lived in danger��


    ��dvain-sama, talking about that in the presence of an outsider, a foreigner������


    With much trepidation, Melm stopped the god.


    ��Don��t worry, Melm. That man already knows��


    ��What?!��


    His surprised face resembles Rana.


    ��Chasing after L, Lumidia came to thisnd. Then, with the help of the fog caster, Heures, she yed therge spider, but was unable to hunt L down, allowing her to escape. Leaving her blood with the elves, she transferred her soul to this hand protector.


    How L had lived after escaping is something I don��t know. But right now, L has died and be a corpse in front of me. And Lumidia is also here before me, borrowing a foreigner��s body��


    The gaze she was directing at her past daughters were full ofpassion.


    Or is it parental love, I wonder.


    ��You did well redressing the long-standing grievance, my daughter��


    dvain-sama hugged me. A sense of security enveloped everything strongly.


    I''ve never been hugged by my mother, but if I had experienced that before, I would probably have thought of her.


    The checkered life of the hero of the hidden name ended here.


    Like sand, the hand protector returned to dust. For the final time, Lumidia spoke through my body.


    ��Farewell, Mother. Please forgive your ipetent daughter��


    ��Farewell��


    The mother of few words watched her daughter��sst moments.


    dvain-sama messed up my hair as she stroked it.


    It might be impious, but it feels like I��m being yed with by arge beast.


    After a while,


    ��I''m going back. Souya, Medimu, I��ll reward you ordingly for what you��ve done. Show your faces at the dormitory at ater date��


    ��Yes��


    Otou-san and I replied at the same time.


    The god left. Next was the issues of the people living in the now.


    ��Otou-san, is that������


    ��Yeah, I found it��


    I had only just noticed that Melm was holding something long that was wrapped in cloth.


    Is it a keepsake of Alma, her staff maybe?


    ��We��ve already said our goodbyes. It isn''t anything you will find pleasant anyway��


    ��I see��������


    Otou-san looked like he had been freed from something that had been possessing him. I was the one who had been possessed though.


    ��Souya, Medimu. I offer you my thanks as well. Good job avenging my party member��s death. ������������Hey, Melm��


    King Lemuria nudged Melm.


    ��I thank you. Foreigner��


    ��No, it��s the husband''s duty to protect his wife. It''s an extremely, extremely, extremely~ natural thing to do. It��s very normal. It��s not something you have to thank me for or anything��


    I said with the biggest smile I could muster.


    ��I thanked you for avenging my sister��s death. I didn��t say anything about you saving an inept woman. Especially since I wouldn��t have let my wife do something as dangerous as exploring the dungeon��


    He replied without batting an eye.


    (#�����)


    ��Let''s go somewhere else. I can��t talk about grim topics in front of a corpse like this��


    We left the room at the suggestion of the king. The Guild President stayed and got along with L��s corpse.

 Chapter 072: At The End Of The Adventure… II

    <h4>Chapter 072: At The End Of The Adventure�� II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    The ce we went to was the usual kitchen.


    There were more chairs than usual.


    King Lemuria, Otou-san, and Melm sat in a row. I ended up having to sit facing the three of them.


    ��Lanseal, alcohol is fine at least for today, isn��t it?��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    She set down a bottle of alcohol and cups for four people.


    ��Here are some snacks to go with the alcohol��


    Lanseal provided snacks next. It was almost like we were at a bar.


    It was stir-fried shredded bacon, and something that looked like pickled vegetable roots.


    ��Lanseal, what is this?��


    I asked her, who was really into cooking recently.


    ��It��s smoked pork fried with curry powder. And this one is vegetable roots that have been pickled in sweet vinegar, which resembles the food called��Rakkyo(pickled scallions)��in Souya��s hometown. The pork will interfere with the drinking of alcohol if it��s hot, so it has been cooled. I��m told that eating them together is effective against the king��s disease��


    There��s even Rakkyo, huh?


    Certainly, eating it with pork helps the absorption of vitamin B1. It��s also good for digestion. Furthermore, it makes cutlet curry taste even better.


    ��This alone is enough to get me drinking��


    Otou-san was only munching on the Rakkyo. As I thought, he seemed somewhat down, or rather, his drive was gone. It also felt like he had aged.


    ��Lanseal, what on earth kind of magic did you cast on this pork? It has aplex taste with a slight bitterness and spiciness. It��s extraordinary. You called it curry powder, right? What is that?��


    King Lemuria was amazed.


    I wonder if curry will be popr. Maybe I should sell it through the merchantpany.


    ��Curry powder is something made by Ea. It��s a spice mixture made by mixing nuts, herbs, medicinal herbs, and various other things from the Lemuria in and Heures Forest��


    ��I see. That Princess Ea made something like this, huh? That��s a surprise��


    Upon hearing that, Melm, who had stopped eating, gobbled down the bacon.


    ��This is probably because the way Souya teaches me daily is good. Simrly, I believe Your Majesty can experience my abilities with your stomach as well��


    ��Umu, your food is very delicious. My health is also much better these days. However,pared to Souya, you��re stillcking something. You should continue to devote yourself to it every day��


    ��Yes, thank you very much for your kind words��


    Lanseal bowed her head.


    While munching on the Rakkyo, Melm threw out a question.


    ��Lemuria, what��s the rtionship between the foreigner and Lanseal?��


    Take the hint, you schmuck.


    Oh, the bacon is delicious. When I eat it together with the Rakkyo, the oiliness disappears and it��s just right.


    ��Souya and Lanseal, they��re������ How far have you guys gone?��


    Dear king, please stop asking such questions. It''s your daughter''s sensitive private affairs.


    ��Even if you ask me how far we��ve gone����right?��


    ��Right��


    Lanseal is putting me on the spot by staring at me. I don''t know about her, but I''m seriously troubled.


    Wait a minute. Right now, in this ce,


    My (pretend) wife''s father and my (future) mistress'' father are sitting right next to each other.


    What the heck.


    While stealing the king��s Rakkyo, Otou-san muttered a few words.


    ��Speaking of which, Souya, it seems that you haven''t done it with Tyutyu yet. It''s a business, so properly do the business. I don''t want strange rumors to spread��


    ��Hey!��


    Now?! You��re bringing that up now?!


    ��So it��s Tyutyu. I��ve remembered that name��


    Lanseal, your face is scary.


    Melm, who was quick to notice odd things, spoke.


    ��Tyutyu������ Oh, Totomeranje��s daughter? I''ve seen her riding on Barfuru��s shoulders. She��s already old enough to work in the store?��


    Otou-san answered vaguely.


    ��Already, you ask? That��s more than twenty years ago. Take a look at our appearances��


    ��You guys sure have aged��


    ��It goes for your appearance as well, but your humanity sure hasn��t matured��


    ��Of course. I, elves have been perfected. We don��t grow old easily like you guys. That goes for our humanity as well��


    ��I''m saying that sarcastically, you know?��


    ��Huhh?��


    Oh, yeah. I can picture the exchanges between the two of them when they were young.


    ��Can the two of you stop it? At a time like this������


    The king stopped them.


    I bet this was how it was like back when they were a party.


    ��So, Medimu, about the distribution of the possessions, are you sure that��s what you want?��


    ��It''s fine��


    ��Their value is unknown, but it''s not going to be small change, you know?��


    The distribution of the possessions refers to the custom where the equipment of deceased adventurers goes to the people who find them.


    But if the party of the deceased is still around, the equipment has to be returned to them. In this case, some of the items have been in L��s possession for a significant amount of time. There will likely be very few of the parties remaining.


    Much of the equipment will likely be damaged from the passage of time, but they should still be in better condition than those inside monsters�� stomachs. In addition, there are the relics from the hidden portion of the 19th floor.


    It should definitely not be a small amount of money. Why did Otou-san refuse it?


    ��Souya, there��s something I have to apologize to you for��


    ��Huh?��


    I was a little surprised by Otou-san��s confession, but something dide to mind.


    ��The 19th floor, in truth, it could have been cleared easier and earlier. I had expectations of you and used you. That��s why I won��t take a share of the possessions. I��ll also reward you personallyter��


    I see.


    I suppose this is the reason for why I felt that something was off inside the dungeon. If you ask me if I��m angry, then I��m indeed angry. However, considering what we aplished, I can��t criticize him strongly for it. Rana had been saved. Lumidia had been freed from her obsession. As a result, I��m now able to get the information I desire.


    Hmm, ites out even, I guess.


    ��Well, that doesn''t matter. Excuse me, King Lemuria, it''s about time to talk about what we had discussed��


    Otou-san had a hurt look on his face.


    I��ll ignore him and focus on the main subject. It��s information that I wanted even if it meant dragging Rana into a situation that I knew was dangerous.


    ��Umu, Souya, I��ll fulfill the promise I made. ������Melm��-dono����


    ��What?��


    King Lemuria spoke to Melm in a formal tone.


    ��Tell this person, the foreigner Souya, our conspiracy��


    ��Can you bear the responsibility for this, King Lemuria?��


    Melm also spoke formally. This was probably a rule that they had set.


    ��I��ll bet my life on it��


    ��Hmm. Very well then��


    Don''t bet something so outrageous.


    Is the burden that Rana is bearing something that��s this heavy?


    ��Your Majesty, I��ll take my leave��


    ��It��s fine. This has something to do with you as well��


    The king stopped Lanseal, who was about to leave.


    She stood beside me. Perhaps she was feeling uneasy, but she grabbed my poncho where the three of them couldn��t see.


    With a quiet, untold resolve, the king started speaking.


    ��It all started because of Elysium��s n to expand the farnds. Under the pretext of improving their allied nation��s production of food, they intended to invade the surrounding regions. And the first target they set their eyes on, was Heures Forest.


    Using the merchantpanies that were under their patronage, they pretended to purchasend from the elves. With the disagreements arising from that as the reason, the elves from Heures Forest would attack the people of the merchantpany. It would result in people dying, and Lemuria would have to deal with this problem. That was the scenario Elysium had written��


    It''s a good n.


    If they prepared corpses, both sides would have been unable to back off because of their position.


    ��The one who caught wind of their n was my son, Crown Prince Berhard. But he was already toote. There was a n called the Hiruenhi, which had a feud with the Heures n. They were so-called archaic, pure-blooded elves. They were a bunch that had always questioned the legend of Heures.


    Elysium used them cleverly. They probably promised them status under their rule. By their hands, people of the Kingdom of Lemuria were killed. Berhard, who had cut in to stop them, met their attack������


    I naturally took Lanseal��s hand.


    It��s about her dead brother. It must be hard for her.


    She squeezed back strongly.


    She''s a strong woman.


    ������and defeated them all��


    Huh?


    ��Lanseal, your brother is alive��


    ��Huh? Eehhh?!��


    Lanseal raised her voice because she was much too surprised.


    ��However, there was a problem. Among the Hiruenhi assants was a knightpanion of St. Lyridias. No matter the reason, a prince of Lemuria had killed a knight of an allied nation. If things went badly, it would be the excuse for Elysium to break off the alliance and take direct control over Lemuria.


    Therefore, after discussing it with Melm, we faked Berhard''s death. The death of the knightpanion put us in a difficult spot, but we made it seem as if he had gotten drunk and drowned in the river��


    Melm continued in King Lemuria��s ce.


    ��The Hiruenhi bloodline was eradicated. It was easy because the prince had killed all of their fighting men. All that was left, was for a person from the Heures n to take responsibility for killing the prince, suffer the appropriate level of consequences, and pay a certain level ofpensation. That person would be rewarded by King Lemuria behind the scenes. That was how it was supposed to go, but�D�D��


    Lanseal couldn��t bear it any longer and spoke out, interrupting Melm.


    ��I''m sorry! Melm-dono! Your Majesty! Where is my brother right now?!��


    ��The western part of the left continent. He has concealed his identity, and is serving one of the Myriad Kings at the moment. That guy Georg will probably meet up with him in time��


    ��Have you heard from him?!��


    ��He sends word via shadow rabbits every now and then. I��ll show you the letters he sentter. You should calm down��


    ��Y, yes. I''m sorry. I couldn��t help myself��


    Lanseal is thrilled. Her skirt has rolled up and her tail is wagging. ������������I''m jealous.


    Without batting an eye, Melm continued speaking.


    ������That was how it was supposed to go, but a problem cropped up. A knight of St. Lyridias used her private army to invade Heures Forest. She had even taken the time to prepare dwarven firearms. Who knows where she obtained them from and what she was nning to do with them��


    Otou-san, who had been silent, took over.


    ��It was a personal grudge. That knight of St. Lyridias����was her name Elmina? She and that knightpanion who had died were probably lovers. She intuitively saw through our pretense and attacked the forest. That kind of woman is the most terrifying. Even though we tried topromise with her, shepletely lost her mind. I don��t believe that her actions were done as a member of an organization. She probably wouldn��t have stopped even if every single elf in the forest had been killed��


    ��So, who shot Ea?��


    ��It��s either Elmina herself or one of her men��


    Melm answered my question.


    ��Then what about Rana?��


    I''ve heard more than enough of the preamble. I want them to hurry up and touch on the main subject.


    ��Lemuria, does this guy know?��


    Melm turned to look at the king.


    ��Umu, he knows. In fact, he defeated the hero Varner��s beast. Using a technique from the foreignnds��


    ��He looks to be a mediocre man though��


    ��I am a mediocre man. It��s just that the beast doesn��t amount to much��


    The three dudes red at me as one. Their stares were pretty spirited. Trying to get them to rise to the bait had failed.


    Melm continued to speak.


    ��The knight of St. Lyridias called Elmina appeared in my forest as a beast. I don��t know what made her do it, but my daughter defeated that beast��


    ��Rana did?��


    ��That''s right. She probably used some form of ultimate magic from Hohens. There was a problem with this. The mes she produced didn��t stop even after burning the beast to ashes, and they burned down the forest and the innocent people as well. It was a foolish act��


    ��If Rana didn''t defeat the beast, wouldn''t the damage have spread?��


    ��No, it wouldn��t have. If she had waited for me, it would have been dealt with��


    ��Was there any guarantee that you could have defeated it?��


    ��Guarantee, you say? Don��t ask me something so funny. As if one mere beast stands a chance��


    His arrogance is very elf-like.


    Or does he really have the ability to defeat a beast?


    In any case,


    ��You��re telling me that an imbecile who couldn��t make it in time for his daughter��s moment of crisis can defeat that?��


    ��Hmm, a mediocre man dares call me an imbecile. Why don��t you show me the kind of technique you used to kill the hero��s beast right here and now��


    ��I don��t mind showing you, but let��s go outside. I won��t be able to go easy on you, so you��ll get torn to pieces!��


    ��Stop it!��


    King Lemuria yelled angrily.


    ��Souya, watch your tone. No matter what, he��s the king of elves��


    ��That''s right. He��s this kind of person, but he��s more or less the king of elves��


    Otou-san also provided supporting fire.


    ��Excuse me, this kind of king of elves. As someone with an elven wife, there were many things you said that I couldn��t overlook. It��s with great reluctance, but I apologize��


    At my words,


    ��Are all three of you picking a fight with me?��1


    The king of elves got angry.


    Now now, said King Lemuria, trying to cate him.


    Everyone drank their alcohol and washed the anger down. This was the adventurers�� way of resolving disputes. The alcohol was spicy, bitter and strong. I felt it warm my belly.


    Melm poured another cup of alcohol, and then spoke to me.


    ��My daughter burned down the forest, and thend that had been turned to ashes transformed into fertile farnd. Setting aside the public face of things, Elysium obtained a new ce for the production of food. And the Margrave, who grew fat from the profits, kept his mouth shut.


    The two knights who were inmand were either dead or missing. As we had expected, Elysium made it look like a war between the Kingdom of Lemuria and the Heures Forest to all appearances, and suspended their n for the present. All that remained was������the princess who burned her people, and the princess who was dying��


    ��Why didn''t you help them? Reach out your hand to them? You must have been able to do it��


    Melm smiled shallowly at my words.


    ��The thing called war requires an example to be made in order to show a clear oue to the conflict. The burnt elves and forest, as well as the food thates from it, all these are far from enough for the stupid Hemus to taste their victory.


    Setting aside Rauaryuna, Ea is beautiful like me. When a person like her is reduced to a lowly adventurer, wilts and suffers, she will likely be an example that will let the Hemus delight thoroughly in their victory. If we go so far as to do that, we��ll be able to deceive even the agents of Elysium who are nesting inside Lemuria��


    ��If that��s the case, then you do it��


    Anger was making my words turn harsh.


    ��The king is one of a kind. There are any number of substitutes for women��


    If Lanseal hadn��t grabbed me by the shoulder, I would beying into him.


    He is����this kind of person is the king of the elves?


    Those girls�� father?


    ��Souya, let me apologize as well. I hadn��t been able to keep an eye on them because of my illness��


    To be honest, I want to send both of them flying.


    ��Foreigner, you��ve made one fatal misunderstanding. Even if she��s ugly, Rauaryuna has the resolve of an elven princess. In order to save her people, she is prepared to sacrifice herself. For the sake of protecting her blood, she is prepared to kill herself. She has the resolve of royalty that a mediocre man cannot understand��


    I can��t ept it.


    How can anyone understand it? Parents throwing their children away like this. As if I��ll recognize something like this.


    Suddenly,


    I remembered one thing.


    ��Did Rana know about your conspiracy?��


    She hates war and got engaged to me in order to foil the prince''s scheme. If she knew about the conspiracy between both side��s parents, that response is weird.


    ��She doesn''t know anything. I don''t expect anything from her except to obey. Besides, Rauaryuna is already not my daughter. I��ve disowned her. To be the wife of the likes of a Hemu, it��s the absolute height of foolishness��


    She had been tilting at windmills.


    In her own way, she had raked her brain, and raked her brain, and was harassed by an ignorant idiot who had misunderstood, but even then, she selflessly tried to stop the war by selling herself to me. The elven princess had sacrificed herself to a so-called lowly Hemu.


    ��Thank you very much, king of elves. I��ve made up my mind��


    Alright, I��ve decided.


    I��ve strengthened my resolve.


    With this, I can move on.


    This unpleasantness was well worth it.


    ��What the heck, that��s disgusting. That��s right, I need to have a word with you about Ea. By no means did I think she could be saved from that wound. Do you have any intention of offering up that medical technique for the sake of elves?��


    ��None��


    ��Hmpt, foreigner, I''ll leave Ea in your care for the time being. I��ll have you return her when the timees��


    ��At that time, be prepared to lose the entire forest. I''ll spread death all over��


    Melm, this is the one guy I can��t get along with until the day I die.


    I even feel nauseous at the fact that he resembles Ea.


    ��It��s really like I��m watching Medimu and Melm when they were young��


    Good grief, said King Lemuria, who rolled his eyes.


    ��The three of you, I��ll take my leave for today��


    I got up from my seat.


    Oh, what a waste.


    I shoveled all of the bacon and Rakkyo into my mouth, causing my cheeks to swell up like a squirrel��s. After some noisy chewing, I swallowed everything hastily. I drained the cup of alcohol in one go. My head spun.


    ��Thank you for your hard work, adventurer. Continue to devote yourself to adventuring��


    ��Understood��


    I bowed in response to the king��s words, and then quickly left the kitchen.


    Lanseal also came along with me.


    ��Lanseal, is Rana at the camp?��


    ��No, she��s staying in an inn. It��s the inn closest to the royal castle, and it��s called the��Shelter From The Rain Of The Two Moons Inn��. I��ve already informed the people of the inn about you��


    I moved down the corridor at a half run.


    I was feeling impatient.


    ��Where are my other party members?��


    ��Shuna and Bel are at dvain-sama''s dormitory. Ea is at the camp. I''ll return too. It��s not good to let your sister feel lonely��


    After leaving the castle and walking a little, we reached the inn. I parted with Lanseal there.


    As she was leaving,


    ��Souya, I feel that it may not be my ce to say this, but please love and grab hold of Rana. If you don''t, that gentle woman will disappear. In addition, it��s my turn next. Please don''t forget that��


    ��Huh��


    She disappeared swiftly into the night of the city.


    Putting that aside, I entered the inn.


    It was a cheerful inn. It had the look of amoner��s house, but it felt neat. There were many inns that had a bar on the first floor, but this one seemed to be entirely an inn. It had a quiet and calm atmosphere. The maddening noise of the city didn''t reach here.


    Stuck near the inn��s entrance was a warning that read,��Don''t disrupt the quiet sleep, or you��ll sleep like the dead��


    ��Excuse me, I heard that my wife is staying here��


    I asked the little girl at the reception counter. She was a petite girl whose appearance resembled an elf. Perhaps she only looked childish because of her race.


    ��Yes, you��re Souya-sama, am I right? We��ve heard about you��


    She had a mature-sounding voice. She was probably older than me.


    I��ll show you to the room, she said, and then led me to the second floor.


    ��About the arrangements for your stay, we��ve received arge sum of money from the people of the royal castle. Thus, please stay for as long as you like. If there��s anything that you require, please let us know. We��ll bring your meals to you no matter the time as well.


    If you have any orders for us, please ring the small bell provided. The sound-proofing of the rooms is quite excellent, so no matter how loudly you call for us by voice, we��ll be unable to hear you. Well then, please enjoy your stay��


    The inn��s employee took her leave in front of the room.


    I knocked using the metal door knocker attached to the door. After a while, a sleepy-looking Rana opened the door.


    ��Can Ie in?��


    ��Go ahead��


    As soon as I entered the room, I embraced her and devoured her lips.


    She was surprised and resisted me weakly, but I disregarded her resistance roughly.

 Chapter 073: At The End Of The Adventure… III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 073: At The End Of The Adventure�� III & IV</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    <At The End Of The Adventure�� III>


    I took off all of my equipment haphazardly at the entrance, then carried Rana to the bed and pushed her down onto it.


    The room was dim and its furnishings were modest. There was only one bed.


    ��De, dear, you''re being a little scary. Calm down��


    ��You��re asking the impossible��


    I held her head in my hands and ravaged Rana with my tongue. After entwining it with hers, I pay-bit her, and then traced the line of her jaw. She closed her eyes tightly and went rigid, but gradually, her body grew hot and she became soft. It was the opposite for me. 1


    Her robe hade loose, and I stripped her bare.


    ��Eek��


    Rana��s teary-eyed expression aroused me even further.


    It��s right after I had done repeatedteral jumps back and forth between life and death, so I��ve be strangely turned on. ������Oh, not good. I totally forgot about the main subject.


    I changed position, rolling while hugging her in my arms, and had her be on top.


    ��The incident where you burned down the forest. I heard about it all from your father and King Lemuria��


    ��Oh��


    Her expression turned crestfallen.


    Her appealing twin hills pressed against me as she put her arms around me and embraced me anxiously like a child.


    ��������Umm, that rabbit that shows death. You must have noticed. I didn''t see anyone''s death��


    ��I noticed��


    You��re bad at lying.


    ��I don��t have the right to grieve for the death of anyone. For me to be tormented by the death of anyone now, after I��ve taken the lives of so many, it��s the height of senselessness��


    ��If you didn''t defeat that beast, the damage would have been more widespread��


    ��That might be true. But it also might not be. That��s just pointless spection��


    Regretting ��what ifs�� is a very human-like folly.


    ��When I was held captive by that monster, I was having a dream��


    ��A dream?��


    L''s poison. It coaxes people into a deep sleep.


    Held captive while asleep, her victims go through horrific torture without realizing anything until they die.


    ��It was a serene dream. Inside the forest, I lived quietly with the people that I had killed. It was an empty tranquility like that. Neither you nor my sister were there. It was a foolish dream. This is how ugly I am. I��m the epitome of what it means to be the shame(impurity) of the n. You��re disillusioned, am I right?��


    ��Naive��


    ��Huh��


    My hands were idle, so I caressed Rana''s ear. Her body jumped at the touch.


    I��ve found a good weak point.


    ��Who do you think I am? I��m a follower of Misuranika, the god of misdeeds, you know? You burned down the forest you lived in? You burned innocent people to death? So what? If you want me to feel disillusioned, one or two countries isn''t enough. Massacring thousands or tens of thousands isn��t enough. Try destroying the entire continent, no, the world. It''s only after that, that I��ll think about whether or not I hate you��


    ��Huh, umm, that''s������


    ��Don''t look down on me. If you��re worried, then I��ll swear it to you. In the name of my god, Misuranika, I forgive everything about you��


    ��Ah, umm, my ears are, umh������


    Whenever I massage both her ears lightly, she rubs her thighs together. This is fun.


    ��I, I��m serious, ahh, over there is������


    When I twisted the tips of her ears, Rana hugged me very tightly. She bit down on my shoulder. After a while, she lost strength and went limp. Her breathing was ragged, and her skin, which was moist with sweat, stuck to mine.


    ��Haa, haa������������ Dear������please decide between having a serious talk or teasing me. Are you trying to make me mad?��


    She muttered in a threatening tone.


    I reflected on my actions for a second.


    ��You��re really����.for goodness sake. But that''s right. If a person who loves me from the bottom of his heart exists in this world, it has to be a person like you. No, I��m sure it can only be you��


    ��I don''t think that''s true though��


    She bit my corbone for some reason.


    ��You agree, right?��


    ��Right��


    It was quite painful.


    As if in revenge, Rana stripped off my clothes. She also y-bit my ear. Not to be outdone by her, I grabbed her breasts and slid my fingertip over her wide hips. She came back with a cute response.


    I find her lovable.


    I''ve never loved a person before, but if I��m told that this is love, I��ll be convinced that it is. For the short time until my death, I��ll carve it into my heart like a curse.


    ��Rana, let''s get married��


    ��We already are��


    Oh, that''s right. What a blunder.


    ��I meant it in a spiritual sense, or how should I put it, a physical sense, or rathmhmm��


    My lips were covered by hers.


    The kiss was clumsy but earnest. Her sweet scent made my head spin. We took a heated breather, and then our moist lips came together again. My senses melted and became muddled. I had the feeling that we were originally one.


    Many cringeworthy words came to my mind, but rather than saying them, I wanted to use my mouth for something else.


    However, in order to be more connected, we separated our bodies a little.


    We blurted out simr words to each other.


    A fever took hold of us, and, just like beasts, vigorously.


    I��m sure we still have much more words that are wanting. We have a bond that must be bridged. It��s said that there is no me that doesn��t go out, so this feeling may fade away with time.


    Even so.


    I believe.


    It��s for that exact reason.


    That this very moment is worth nearly forever.


    <At The End Of The Adventure�� IV>


    ��96th day��


    To think that both husband and wife would end up in a Dogeza before their sister���� We��re certainly at fault for fooling around for ten days without a word of contact, but is there a need to go so far, I wonder?


    Lanseal looked on with an extremely wonderful smile on her face, and Misuranika-sama didn��t help smooth things over at all. Makina and the retrieved Yukikaze were acting all flustered and going, ��Hawawa��.


    But it was fun. It can''t be helped.


    To be honest, I still haven��t had enough.


    Leaving that aside,


    The items in L��s graveyard that we��ve obtained have all been collected in a warehouse and are currently being appraised.


    Once their prices have been set, they��ll be put up for sale by the merchantpany. I don��t know what the total amount will be, but at the moment, the total amount for the ones that have been priced is 730 gold coins.


    The staves of ancient magicians are much more effective as a medium than the ones of today, and thus, more expensive.


    I tried to give Frey and her party a bonus, but they didn��t ept anything other than the reward they had agreed on initially. The Brave is very principled.


    The total amount for the items continues to rise day by day. Even after paying the appraisal fees and taxes, quite a lot will be left over. Too much will be left over.


    I was going to give Shuna and Lys their share, but it''s far too much money to give to children. Nothing good wille out of it.


    I thought about buying new equipment for everyone, but I was still having trouble with how to spend the money, so I decided to buy property. The sisters and Lanseal have gone to the city to take a look at the properties for sale.


    As punishment, I��m looking after the camp while they are away.


    The requirements I had set for the property are that it must be near the river so that Geto-san can drop by easily, the soundproofing for the rooms must be good, and there must be a private space for Rana and me.


    I left the rest to the women.


    It seems that winter wille to Lemuria after the dragon hasnded. It probably won��t hurt to have a roof over our heads.


    What I��m concerned about are the relics in the hidden portion of the 19th floor.


    Most of them have almost disintegrated into dust, but there are some which can be moved. Those have been stored in a warehouse just like the other items.


    I tried to have Makina investigate them, but I got a reply saying,��Testing not possible due to higher privilege level��. It''s an opinion based on my amateurish knowledge and intuition, but the relics are of the same technological level as the modern world, no, they may in fact be more advanced.


    The biggest mystery is the door that doesn��t open unless an A.I.��s core unit is connected to it.


    The structural drawing of the universe on it.


    I''m sure that this is almost certainly a snippet of what awaits on the 56th floor, the final goal.


    There are nothing but questions and mysteries. The only way to shed light on them is to explore the dungeon.


    ������But.


    ��Makina, Yukikaze, I need to have a word with the two of you��


    I summoned the A.I.s. There was no adventuring today, so I didn��t have my equipment, and was wearing normal clothes.


    ��Alright~��


    ��Alright��


    The big one and the small one slid over.


    ��There��s something I need to talk to the two of you about. It��s something important��


    ��Yes, what is it? Please ask Makina anything��


    ��Yukikaze is listening��


    ��I��m going to stop exploring the dungeon��


    The A.I.s froze for about three seconds.


    ��Wh, wh, what did you say?!��


    Confused and in a fluster, Makina��s arms came out as she turned round and round.


    ��Calm down. Elves and I have different lifespans. Elves with Hemu blood are said to have a short lifespan, but they still live three times longer than normal Hemus. I can only exist in one-third of her life. That��s why, while I��m alive, I want to at least make lots of fun memories for those girls. That has nothing to do with exploring the dungeon��


    ��Souya-san, in other words, does that mean that you��re giving up on obtaining the reward as well as returning to your original world for the sake of the women of the alternate world?��


    ��Well, that''s what it amounts to, I suppose��


    After all, I don''t have any reason to go back.


    In this world, I have friends. I have a wife. I have a sister������sister. I have a mistress. I have fun memories. I have painful memories as well, but I have memories of oveing them.


    If I quit being an adventurer, Shuna and Lys will probablyin, but I��ve prepared another party, Frey��s party, for them.


    I won��t explore the dungeon, but I��ll support them.


    Exploring the dungeon, being an adventurer, is not the only way to live.


    If I make good use of the fortune I��ve obtained, I can at least provide for the sisters�� living expenses until the day they die.


    ��Souya-san, please reconsider. Let''s talk it out from the beginning with Makina and Yukikaze. Come on, Yukikaze-chan, please say something as well��


    ��If that��s what team member Souya wants, then Yukikaze doesn��t have anything in particr to say about it��


    ��Wait a minute, Yukikaze-chan?!��


    Ignoring the flustered Makina, I dered ruthlessly.


    ��Sorry, I��ve already made up my mind about this. Code break, code break. Authenticate the emergencymand code��


    ��Understood. Password will be authenticated through voice recognition. Go ahead��


    A mechanical voice came out of Makina��s speakers.


    This is the emergencymand code that I had set in case Makina goes out of control. Never did I think that I would use it in this way.


    ��Each outcry of the hunted hare, a fiber from the brain does tear. A skrk wounded in the wing, a cherubim does cease to sing��2


    ��The emergencymand code has been acknowledged. The Makina Program��s personality is suspended. Will ept all orders up to level 3��


    ��After suspending all functionalities, power off��


    ��Understood. Would you like to set a restart time?��


    ��Restart��������


    I felt lost for a moment.


    I''m worried about whether or not I can manage in future without the A.I.s.


    But I��ll have to fend for myself. I��vee this far in this alternate world by making decisions like this. And that��s what I��ll continue to do from now on.


    ��I��m not setting a restart time��


    ��Understood. Good night��


    Two people stopped.


    Guilt gripped my chest.


    Afterwards, the disposal of the units����I can��t do that, I suppose. These girls are different from the guns. They��re asleep, but they��re not dead.


    ��Sorry��


    Muttering words that would never reach, I turned my back on them.


    And then,


    ��I had higher expectations of you��


    Someone''s voice rang out.


    It came from the Makina Unit that should have been turned off.


    It was an authoritative, male voice. A voice that waspletely impersonal. A voice that was like a mishmash of electronic voices.


    ��Huh, who are you?��


    ��I''ve seen all sorts of people, but you��re the first andst fool who became obsessed with women and abandoned the mission. But for this fool to havee the closest, what an irony it is��


    A spy in the A.I.s�� system?


    No way, could it be essing the A.I.s externally? I don��t get it, what��s going on?


    ��I''ll show you the world. And I��ll make you keenly aware that you have to explore the dungeon��


    ��What?!��


    My body seized up and I crumpled to the ground.


    Yukikaze��s mini?pod had injected me in the leg.


    ��Coordinates?anchored. Minimum range. Interference level is������medium. Forced deployment of portal��


    Light exploded.


    A portal appeared in front of me.


    The Makina?Unit��s arms grabbed my leg and threw me forcibly into the portal.


    ��Rana!��


    My cry sounded far away. My vision was enveloped in darkness.


    One instant of weightlessness. Gravity reversed. Wind howled past my ears. Immediately, light flooded my eyes.


    Inded on a marble floor.


    The air felt different. It was so cold that it hurt.


    I was in a wide space.


    All around me were white ornamentation that wouldn''t be amiss in a cathedral. On the domed ceiling was an image of a maiden and a man with a sword. Perhaps there was a story behind it. The windows were gorgeous stained ss. Lined up alongside the rows of candbrum were guards in ceremonial armor.


    In front of me stood a queen.


    She looked young, and was probably in herte teens. She had a magnificent cloak draped over a magnificent dress. She had a thin waist. In her right hand, she held a long staff that was iid with jewels.


    Her long xen hair was braided and gathered up. A small crown sat on her head. In a graceful, yet royal voice, she spoke.


    ��Dear Brave, I have no words to express my gratitude to you for responding to the summoning. This ��left continent�� is in the midst of great turmoil. Right now, the ck elf��s tentacles of evil are about to invade our Ashtalia. Dear Brave of Salvation, please lend me your strength to save our country��


    ��������������Huh?��


    ��Huh?��


    The queen responded to my stupid-sounding exmation in a foolish-sounding tone.


    What did this person just say? Did she say ��left continent��? Lemuria is on the "right continent", the eyesore that��s called Elysium is on the center continent, and���������� You��ve got to be kidding me.


    Have I been sent across continents?


    ��I''m sorry, umm, please return me to where I came from��


    ��Pardon?��


    The queen tilted her head.


    ��To be continued��

 Chapter 074: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings I & II

    <h4>Chapter 074: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings I & II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    <...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings I>


    ��Pardon?��


    The queen tilted her head.


    I couldn��t grasp the current situation at all.


    I should have been on the right continent till just a while ago. But the moment I was thrown into the portal, I ended up two continents away on the left continent.


    I hadnded inside an unfamiliar cathedral.


    In front of a noble-looking queen.


    ��Aren��t you a Brave?��


    ��A Brave��������


    Oh, somethinges to mind.


    There��s a distorted V-shaped pattern on my left palm. It seems that it��s the crest of the Brave. No way, is that the cause?


    ��A descendant of Gastolfo called Frey did more or less force the crest of the Brave on me. But I��m sorry. I don��t believe I have the strength to help you��


    ��Hahaha, dear Brave, don��t be humble. Because of the sudden summoning, you probably weren''t able to get yourself ready. I��ll lend you the royal family��s prized weapons and armor. So please vanquish that damned ck elf��


    ��Ah, umm������


    Now what? My individual strength is rubbish though. Will this person believe me even if I tell her that, I wonder?


    ��Excuse me, Your Highness��


    A maid, who had been waiting behind, walked up beside me. She was a Hemu with features that could be mistaken for a white-skinned elf��s.


    Anyway, I��m still feeling the effects of the drug and I can��t even stand.


    ��This person has the crest of the Brave, but he has yet to show his proof of identity. These days, the title of Brave is not what it used to be. If I may be so bold to ask, please allow me to investigate this person who bears our hopes of saving the country��


    ��Dear Brave, I beg your pardon, but is that alright?��


    ��Yes��


    Well, the result is obvious. With this, she should understand.


    The maid took out a scroll. I cut my thumb, made the blood well up, and then smeared it all over my thumb. I pressed my seal of blood onto the scroll.


    ��Regina, a follower of Vindoobunikuru, unravels the history of the transient Brave here. In the name of Thrusuovu, inscribe the truth upon this scroll. I��ll close my eyes to shame and speak not of disgrace. However, now, in this ce, inscribe your achievements and the proof of yourself��


    The scroll shone with light. It was a scene I had seen many times before.


    Come to think of it, I''ve survived lots of adventures since then. I��ve met many people. I��ve fought to no end. I hadn��t checked it, but I wonder how my achievements and history look now.


    ��Excuse me, Your Highness��


    Bringing the scroll with her, the maid walked over to the queen��s side.


    ����������������


    She looked at my history and the look on her face became amazing. It wasn��t an expression that royalty should be showing.


    Huh, is it that bad?


    ��Dear Brave, what is this?��


    ��Even if you ask me that���� Like I said, I don��t have the strength to help you��


    ��How can this be?!��


    She hurled the scroll away. It conveniently rolled open and I took a look. In the letters of this world, ��elven archery, beginner��, was the only thing written on it.


    My history has unexpectedly not changed one bit. It hasn��t improved at all. No, wait, the Velsvain archery is gone. Oh, is it because Lumidia is now at peace?


    ������It��s deteriorating. Uwaa, my track record is deteriorating.


    ��To think that the Brave who appeared after we used our only treasure as a medium would only have a worthless archery skill������


    ��Your Highness?!��


    The queen staggered unsteadily and was caught by the maid.


    ��I''m terribly sorry. But for that reason, can you please return me to where I came from?��


    I''m sure they summoned me here by mistake. I get the feeling that the voice that had me thrown into the portal has nothing to do with this queen. It''ll be awkward, but I��ll have to ask Makina and Yukikaze. Everyone must be worried when I disappeared all of a sudden. I have to go back quickly.


    ��Return? What are you talking about?��


    ��I mean, you summoned me, so the responsibility to return������


    ��What responsibility does a queen have to a lowly person like you?��


    ��������Pardon?��


    She��s bringing up social status out of the blue. Which means that����


    ��Guards, he��s an eyesore. Throw him away��


    Two of the guards grabbed me under the shoulders and dragged me away.


    ��Wa, wait a minute! Return me to the right continent!��


    ��Shut up��


    I was hit in the head and lost consciousness.


    I woke up outside the castle.


    The chains of the drawbridge rattled as it closed. It appeared that I had been thrown out of the castle.


    ��Umm������������ What the heck is this?��


    Am I restarting without any equipment on another continent all by myself?


    Calm down,


    Calm down.


    Awaa, awawaa, it��s hopeless, I��m totally flustered.


    ��Ah-choo��


    Cold.


    It was apletely different season from Lemuria here. It was winter. The sky was gray and snow was falling around me. I guessed that it was about noon. There was little sunlight because of the cloud cover.


    The effects of the drug had worn off, and I was able to walk sluggishly.


    I checked my belongings.


    I had the sses-type device that I always had on me. It booted up, but its functionalities couldn��t be synchronized with the A.I.s. They were too far away. For some reason, the A.I.s�� quantummunication received a lot of interference in the alternate world. ording to its original specifications, it should be able to easilymunicate across distances as far as one Earth-sized.


    In addition, one karambit. One cheap, functional, sturdy, Japan-made digital wristwatch. One pen case with Gravius-sama��s feather in it. Other than those, I had in my pocket 2 gold coins, 5 silver coins, and 5 bronze coins. As well as one 100 yen lighter. I had on a linen shirt, army pants and boots.


    In this cold weather, I would freeze to death at night unless I bought winter clothes with the money I had on me.


    I walked around the city in search of clothes, but it waspletely deserted and there was not a soul to be seen.


    It was no wonder.


    The city had fallen into ruin.


    Most of the buildings lining the streets had been burnt down, leaving only the skeletons of the buildings and their foundations. It was a city of charcoal, ash and rubble. I spotted a stone house that was still barely standing, but I regretted it when I looked inside out of curiosity.


    The corpses had turned into dried-up mummies. The clothes and the furnishings had been damaged by the heat, though some remained.


    The corpses were of children and the adults shielding them.


    I put my palms together and left.


    Is this city about half the size of Lemuria? Since there is no dungeon, it looks smaller. I��ve looked all over the city, but everything except the royal castle had burned down.


    Her Highness had said that tentacles of evil are about to invade thisnd, but this is probably the aftermath of an invasion. There is no future for a country with no people. Rather than saying that it��s dying, this country is already no more.


    When I left the city, a dead in spread out before me. There were mountains to the right and a dense forest to the left.


    In front was arge army.


    I put on the sses and switched them to standalone mode. I searched through its various functionalities and started up its telephoto function. The copper-colored army flew four different types of gs. There were spear-wielding cavalry and foot soldiers, as well as archers. Laid out behind them were a sea of field tents.


    I measured their numbers using the sses�� targeting function.


    There were 5,000 soldiers in my sight. 5,053 if I included nonbatants such as messengers and the like.


    The army��s position was close to 1.5 km away from the city. It was close, but also far. If they wanted to capture the royal castle, they should have set up their camp closer.


    Both the outer walls and the city gate had given way and copsed. There should be nothing hampering them.


    Is there something holding them back? I mean, if that army attacks the city, I��ll die, won��t I? Can I somehow hide until they go past? Quickly escaping this city is the right thing to do, I guess.


    After escaping, I��ll look for a ship bound for the right continent, no, but the money����I definitely don��t have enough money for that. Even if I want to work, is there a job in this alternate world that will make me money? Should I use Gravius-sama��s feather to get a job in a merchantpany?


    I��vee up with various ideas, but there��s one thing for certain, and it��s that staying here is dangerous.


    A strong wind blew. The cold cut me to the bone.


    However, I can��t leave the city dressed like this. I won��tst long.


    Deciding that it couldn��t be helped, I went back to the stone house that I had entered earlier.


    As far as I could see, every house other than this one had burned down to nothing. There were ces that I hadn��t checked yet, but I had neither the time nor energy to search through the city.


    ��I''m sorry��


    I put my palms together, and then carried the corpses outside. They were heavy, be it the children or the adults, and their smell made me grimace.


    It probably wasn��t the time to be doing something like this, but I dug holes in the yard using a suitable piece of wood.


    Three for the children and two for the adults.


    If I made them too shallow, they would be dug up by wild animals. I wanted to dig them 1 meter deep, but 80 cm was all I could manage with my physical strength.


    It was hardbor.


    By the time I finished digging the graves for all five, I had forgotten the cold and was covered in sweat.


    I��ll fish through their house after I bury them, I thought as I ced toys inside the children��s graves. For their parents, I put in a hair ornament for the woman and an old dagger for the man so that their gender could be identified.


    Once more, I put my palms together.


    I��m sorry for burying you ording to the customs of a foreignnd, I apologized.


    My sweat turned cold rapidly and my whole body started shivering.


    I started my search of the house. I found a brown leather hooded coat with fur lining the inside. I passed my arms through its sleeves. It was heavy, but warm. I found a bag, and then wavered for a moment before putting money and things that I could likely sell in it. I also crammed some dried-up bread and cheese into the bag.


    I still have stamina and I also don''t feel hungry. However, I don��t know thend and the climate is harsh. There is no one I can rely on. This is the moment that decides whether or not I survive. In order to survive, moralistic ideals are not enough.


    There are people waiting for me on the right continent.


    So I have to survive no matter what it takes.


    It''s weird.


    To think that a person who thought of his own life as garbage would think like this.


    My parents had brought me up that way, and even though my grandfather impressed upon me a purpose to life until his dying day, I remained a piece of trash. I had thought that I would die like that, but things sure have changed.


    Who would have thought that I would strive to live for someone''s sake.


    Well, robbing the dead is very much the actions of a piece of trash though.


    I had scraped together all the necessary items I could carry. I shouldered the bag and went outside.


    I unexpectedly ran into someone.


    She was a white-skinned beastkin with silver hair.


    She was petite, baby-faced, and had a slender body as well as rabbit ears. Her loose and fluffy hair was cut in a short bob hairstyle. There was a cherubic smile on her face. Despite the cold, she was dressed lightly, which was very beastkin-like. She had on a leather jacket with fur lining the cor, and wore hot pants, which exposed her bare legs generously.


    Silver hair should be rare, but I was strangely fated with silver-haired people.


    ��Oh, hello��


    ��Ara, hello��


    After the greeting,


    She knocked me out, no questions asked.


    <...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings II>


    I came to while being dragged along the ground.


    To think that I would get knocked out and dragged twice within such a short amount of time, thisnd, it doesn''t agree with me, does it?


    As I savored that painful realization, we arrived at a dpidated watchtower.


    ��Your Majesty~, Your Majesty~, I found something weird��


    ��What is it?��


    I was thrown in front of a gigantic man.


    He was 190 cm tall, which was tall for a Hemu, had long limbs, and was thick. I didn��t mean fat, but thick with muscles. His limbs, his neck and his torso were all thick. Moreover, he was exceedingly well-knit.


    I wondered if the strength of his body was the reason why he was lightly equipped. He wore ck leather armor and had a fur cloak draped over his shoulders.


    He had long red hair, brown eyes, and a sharp gaze, but his expression conveyed a sense ofposure. He had the look of an extraordinary man.


    If Heracles, the hero of ancient mythology, existed, he would probably look like this man.


    His gigantic body looked even bigger as he was atop a horse.


    It was a horse ridden by a man like him, so it wasn��t an ordinary horse.


    It was big enough to be mistaken for a small elephant. Even though it was ck, which tended to make things look smaller, its body was distinctively big. Like its owner, it had a long mane.


    The Heracles atop the ck horse carried a great-sword on his back. He was also holding argence in his right hand.


    The sheathed great-sword was wide and thick. As for thence, its handle was quite thick, and its total length was abnormally long at 8 meters. The head of thence was thick enough to be called a mace. He was holding it lightly with one hand.


    Neither weapon was of a size meant for Hemu use.


    ��Is he a spy?��


    His voice was also thick(deep).


    ��No, he was looting an empty house, so he��s a burr, I guess. But he buried the corpses in the yard. What a strange guy, I thought, so I brought him��


    ��Put him aside for a moment. The army is moving��


    A low, somber voice rang out.


    Behind Heracles was a man who was waiting like a shadow.


    He was an old man with white hair. He wore dull, marred, gray armor and a marred, scarlet cloak. He had a thick longsword.


    Though I called him an old man, he had a good physique and looked impressively seasoned. I was sure that he must have lived through long years of immersing himself in conflict. He was also riding a horse, which had sparencesshed to its body.


    ��I''ll leave it to you to take care of things and that man while we��re gone. We''re off to battle!��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    Heracles and the old man spurred their horses away.


    Come, said the beastkin woman after elbowing me, and we went up the watchtower. I watched the two men leave the city and then head across the dead in.


    Straight at the army of 5,000, with just the two of them.


    ��Umm, can I ask one question?��


    ��What is it?��


    The beastkin hugged me from behind. Rather than having some ulterior motive or fondness for me, I guessed that it was probably to prevent my escape. For some reason, she was sniffing my neck really hard.


    ��Hmm? Hmm? Somehow, I smell an acquaintance��s scent on you��


    ��Y, yes, umm, so can I ask my question?��


    ��Yeah��


    ��Are they choosing to die a warrior��s death, or rather, are they making a final suicide attack in order to make their name?��


    ��What are you talking about?��


    ��No, I mean������


    It''s 2 vs 5,000, you know? The terrain is so unfavorable that even the Spartans will throw in the towel. Taking on thatrge army from the front is at the level where it��s hopeless unless you bring a giant robot.


    ��Ohh, are you thinking that His Majesty will lose?��


    ��������He��s not going to lose?��


    Just watch, she said as I got whacked in the head. She scrambled up my body and then rode on my shoulders.


    I did as I was told and watched. I set the zoom of my sses to the maximum and followed the two of them.


    The enemy lined up in battle formation.


    The archers were in the front row, with spear-wielding foot soldiers at the ready behind them. The cavalry formed up a distance away.


    I thought they would attack with the two of them, but I was wrong.


    At the same time the archers nocked arrows to their strings, Heracles charged out into the lead.


    He was more than just fast. It wasn��t the speed of a normal horse.


    A panicked officer signaled, and the archers released their arrows simultaneously.


    Countless arrows darkened the sky and closed in on him. Heracles continued onward without any hint of hesitation. He swung hisnce with both hands. It ripped through the air, whipping up a st of wind that swept the arrows away easily.


    I could see the rm on the soldiers�� faces, but the archers stepped back, and the foot soldiers lowered their spears, bracing for his charge.


    Those were the movements of well-trained soldiers.


    However, I witnessed a greatness that made such things meaningless.


    The foot soldiers�� spears were 10 meters long. They formed a bristling line facing him. Heracles��nce was shorter than the foot soldiers�� spears, but it was thick and sturdy, and the man wielding it was gigantic and long.


    It was a terrifying sight.


    Soldiers who were hit by thence exploded into mists of blood. Soldiers who were blown away by the shock-wave pinballed into the other soldiers.


    Twenty soldiers were sent flying in all directions by a single sweep of hisnce. Thirty soldiers were caught up in the return sweep.


    Blood fell like rain.


    Those who were unlucky enough to be directly in front of him were even more pitiable as they were trampled to a pulp by the horse''s giant hooves. Screams spread like wildfire. Without putting up any resistance worth mentioning, the foot soldiers were scattered away.


    Charging cavalry are strong. They��re a directional weapon with mass behind them.


    However, stationary cavalry, depending on the direction their enemy is in, can be inferior to even foot soldiers.


    After charging easily into the foot soldiers�� formation, Heracles exited from the right of the formation, made a slight turn, and then charged at the cavalry''s left nk, opposite of the side they held their weapons. The archers released more arrows at him, but he warded them off by waving his cloak and entangling the arrows in it.


    The movements of the battle formation were overwhelming slowpared to his.


    That was to be expected. No matter how one looked at it, battle formations were for dealing with armies, not for taking on abnormal individuals.


    The cavalry were bowled over like dominoes and he proceeded to wipe them out.


    All hell broke loose.


    Pandemonium ensued wherever he passed. He sted away the cavalry soldiers by bludgeoning them with hisnce, and the horses that lost their riders went into a panicked rampage, plowing into and trampling the foot soldiers from behind.


    They were good soldiers. They followed orders faithfully and their coordination was good. However, theycked flexibility and inventiveness. Something like individuality was undesirable in warfare. Things that hadn��t been taught, that hadn��t been ordered, weren��t wanted. For that reason, it was probably the job of soldiers to simply die when unable to cope with unexpected situations.


    But do they have little actualbat experience, I wonder? Their panicked state seems amateurish.


    The old man, who had caught up, spurred the confusion.


    The army had officers who wore helmets with red feathers, and generals whomanded the foot soldiers from horseback. There were also lightly equipped messengers.


    The old man went around throwingnces, meticulously killing all of them.


    Thences that had pierced through their targets formed a line like grave markers. Having lost itsmand structure,


    ��Has it been decided, I wonder?��


    The army was no more than a group of confused, powerless people fleeing from a disaster. Theirrge numbers also added to the confusion. The more people there were, the greater the fear grew.


    In the dense formation, they pushed and shoved one another as they scrambled to escape, stampeding those underfoot to death.


    Throwing away his ruinednce, Heracles pulled out one of thences stuck into the battlefield and swung it around, killing the enemies near him.


    If Ryofu(Lu Bu1) was actually here, I wonder if he would be like this.


    After that, it was a massacre where people were mowed down like grass before a scythe.


    Another 150 fell to hisnce.


    While covered in blood, he shouted something in his deep voice. My sses didn��t have a function that could pick up sound from so far away, so I had no idea what he said. But it was so loud that even the fleeing soldiers were transfixed.


    ��What is that person saying?��


    ��He��s bringing the battle to a close��


    Well-dressed men emerged from the back of the enemy��s camp.


    They were all armed and on horseback.


    ��If he calls them out after the army has been trounced to such a state, the people on top will have no choice but toe out. If they refuse to, they��ll be ridiculed for the rest of their lives by their soldiers and the other Myriad Kings. They��ll also lose the people''s hearts. They��ll be killed in their sleep and their n will be eradicated��


    ��I see��


    They seemed to be giving one another their names.


    And then, it proceeded to a one-on-one duel with the oldest man among them.


    I thought it would be an easy win, but it wasn''t. Three times theirnces crashed together as they tilted against each other, and inevitably, Heracles won. Hisnce took his opponent in the throat, decapitating him.


    But he had been wounded. There was a small cut on his cheek.


    Ahh, I see.


    So he��s letting the other party save face. This person, he isn��t just strong.


    He said something to a young man among those who remained. They were probably words of praise. The young man was holding the head in his arms, so he was probably the man��s son, but rather than anger or hatred, his expression was filled with pride.


    That was only natural.


    His father was the one and only person who had wounded the man who had driven off an army of 5,000 pretty much by himself. Even if the wound was small, it was probably something to be greatly proud of. Their side had lost, but they had saved face to some extent before their army and their people.


    The old man was recovering the undamagednces.


    Heracles turned his horse around and came back towards us. He really returned victorious from a 2 vs 5,000 battle.


    It��s utterly absurd.


    But that was the scene unfolding before me. It was as if I had witnessed a god��s battle, and tremors rippled through my body.


    Looking back on it afterwards, I believe that''s the moment I was enthralled.

 Chapter 075: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 075: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings III & IV</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    < ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings III >


    ��So, who are you?��


    His Majesty asked.


    The old man and the beastkin were pointingnces at me.


    His Majesty was bathingpletely naked without any reservations. He wasn��t bothered by the cold of dusk, and was washing off the blood that had sshed on him. Steam was rising from his skin.


    ��I work as an adventurer in the Kingdom of Lemuria on the right continent. My name is Souya��


    ��Right continent, huh? That sure is far away. What brought you to a ce like this?��


    ��Umm, I think it may be hard to believe, but when I was rxing at my camp, I was swallowed by light, and then dropped into the royal castle here��


    Well, I think it''s more believable than the earlier battle though.


    Also, I��ll omit the thing about the A.I.s because it��splicated.


    ��������Who in the royal castle did that to you?��


    ��A young queen. She��s a beautiful-looking person��


    Her personality is the worst though.


    ��How did she look? Did she look unwell? How was herplexion? Was she stricken with illness?��


    He fired off a volley of questions at me.


    ��She was very much the picture of health��


    ��That��s good then. There��s one thing I don��t understand though. Why was the person summoned by Amelia looting?��


    That queen, she��s called Amelia, huh?


    ��Due to some kind of mistake, I was summoned as a Brave, but when she found out that I��m inept, I was thrown out. In this cold weather, I had no one to rely on and only had the clothes on my back, so I had no choice but to loot an empty house to get supplies��


    ����������������


    His Majesty frowned as he wiped his body with a towel.


    I watched silently and waited for him to finish putting on his clothes.


    ��It��s fine��


    The two of them lowered thences at His Majesty��s words.


    ��Souya, as her father, I apologize for my daughter''s atrocious act��


    Ehh, she��s his daughter?


    No matter how I look at him, His Majesty looks in his early thirties at most. Did he have a child at a really young age?


    ��There isn��t much I can do, but tell me what you wish��


    ��I would like you to arrange for a ship to take me to the right continent��


    I��ve been saved by someone reasonable, but����


    ��That''s difficult. The northern port is now blockaded by the armies of the ck elf��s Myriad Kings. I��ve driven off three gs today, but that bunch still has more stained gs. Even if we get into the port and steal a ship, it��s unclear if the sailors will obey us. At any rate, arranging a ship will be difficult��


    That''s right.


    I had a feeling it would be like this.


    ��Aside from the northern port, is there no other way to go to the right continent?��


    ��There is another port if you head south to the edge of the continent. But that��s also difficult. The Myriad Kings who have sided with Elysium have set up camp in the south. In other words, my country of Ashtalia is surrounded by the gs of those who are shameless and foolish, and is in the midst of dying��


    ��That is������I see��


    That must be why they crossed their fingers and turned to a Brave for help.


    ��Your Majesty, can I say something?��


    The old man took a step forward and asked for permission.


    ��Speak if you have an idea, Zamonss��


    What did he just say?


    ��I have an old connection with Elysium. If it��s just one man, I believe I can get them to let him through. I��ll need some time though��


    ��Hmm. Is that okay with you, Souya?��


    ��Oh, thank you very much. I''m sorry, umm, err������


    ��If you��re a man, speak clearly��


    I got scolded.


    ��I''m sorry��


    ��Don''t apologize indiscriminately��


    ��Yes��


    I got scolded again.


    ��So, what is it?��


    ��If I didn��t hear wrongly, is yourpanion the Scarlet Knight, Zamonss-sama?��


    ��None other. I met him by chance in Elysium. He has pledged his fealty to me. It��s the same for Regure over there��


    You��ve got to be kidding me. Another name that I know hase out.


    The old man, Zamonss, drew closer and questioned me.


    ��Where did you learn of my nickname? Are you really an adventurer from the right continent?��


    He has a piercing gaze. How scary.


    ��Zamonss-sama, do you know a man called Irvin?Foz?Gasim? He should be one of your disciples. He and I were fellow adventurers in the Kingdom of Lemuria��


    His Majesty stepped in between us and interrupted our conversation.


    ����������Zamonss, why do you have a connection with someone with the Gasim name?��


    He has a really menacing look on his face.


    That��s not a look a person directs at someone who fought alongside him on the battlefield just a while ago.


    ��Your Majesty, I didn''t mean to hide it. It��s just that I didn''t have a chance to speak of it��


    ��It��s fine then. I��ll take it as my ownck of caliber��


    ��No, such a thing is definitely not������


    ��It��s alright��


    His Majesty stood in front of me.


    He��s huge. He��s a head taller than me.


    ��Souya, I have a history with the Gasim family��


    Irvin''s grandfather was an executioner. There must be people who hold grudges against him.


    ��I had two daughters. One is Amelia, who summoned you, and the other was Amelia''s younger sister by five years, Irisetta. Irisetta had married into the Gasim main family, where she was embroiled in a plot and was sentenced to death��


    Gasim''s blood rtive had conspired with the ck elf and had plotted to assassinate a Pope. However, it was foiled in advance, and the entire family was executed, leaving only a pair of siblings.


    ��I went to Elysium to save Irisetta. However, Irisetta herself refused my help. ��It doesn''t matter whether the sentence is just or not. It��s the wife''s duty to apany her husband,�� she said to me��


    Irisetta-san was probably in her early teens. To be able to ept her fate despite that���� That��s courage befitting this person��s daughter.


    ��But, however, what do you think Elysium, the executioners did to my daughter? They didn��t allow those who were prepared for death to die, and made my daughter go through all the humiliation and indignity in the world. It was done not for justice, not for the atonement of sins, but simply for the sake of satisfying the desires of those beasts.


    If Zamonss hadn��t helped me meet my daughter, I wouldn��t have heard my daughter��sst words, or even know of their evil deeds. I��m truly foolish.1 Because of my foolishness, my punishment was to see my country in this state upon my return. From what I heard, it was attacked by a beast that was wrapped in mes. The four generals and the soldiers of Ashtaliaid down their lives to defeat the beast, but most of the country was burned to ashes along with its people��


    A beast of fire. One strong enough to destroy a country at that. Only one thinges to mind. It was probably a beast of abominable blood of St. Lyridias.


    What surprised me the most is His Majesty��s generals and soldiers, who had defeated that beast. The strong attracted the strong, I suppose.


    ��Amelia buried her younger sister��s remains and exiled me. ��Live and kill as you like,�� she said. I wanted to attack Elysium, but the ck elf brought the surrounding Myriad Kings and invaded Ashtalia. And then, we fought battles like the earlier one������Zamonss, how many times?��


    ��Six times, Your Majesty��


    ��Is it already six times? Because they��re boring battles, they don��t leave an impression on me. That damned ck elf, only bringing weak soldiers to the fight. It smells like a ruse, but I can��t think of any other way aside from going out and driving them off��


    ��A normal person would have died the first time though��


    Regure said lightly.


    In the first ce, a normal person won��t fight an army of 5,000 head-on.


    ��Oh, I��ve strayed from the main subject. Souya, can you tell me about that man called Irvin? I��ve heard that he was the only Gasim to be let off with exile. It has been on my mind��


    ��He was a good man. He had dauntless courage, a strong sense of responsibility, and wasn��t afraid to die for his party��s sake. To me, he was an irreceable friend. He defeated a giant beast that was attacking Lemuria, and died as the hero who saved the country��


    ��What, he died?��


    I nodded and answered Zamonss.


    ��Until the moment of his death, he was concerned about us and his imprisoned sister. He met an admirable end��


    It''s not a lie. So long as I, the person who survived, continue to say it, it��ll be the truth.


    ��An admirable end, huh?��


    Zamonss stared at me.


    Somehow, his eyes look sad. This person probably knows everything. Then at the very least, for the sake of your disciple''s honor, keep your mouth shut for now.


    ��That��s good then. If he met an end that doesn��t disgrace the Gasim name, or my daughter, then it��s alright��


    The sun had setpletely.


    A white sigh escaped into the darkness.


    ��Well, Souya. My country is dying, but as my guest, I��ll treat you as well as I can��


    ��There��s no need for that��


    I refused His Majesty''s generosity.


    He scratched his head with a slightly troubled expression on his face.


    ��Well, but as the monarch, if I fail to treat guests well, it��ll tarnish the reputation of Ashtalia��


    Umm, your daughter threw me away carelessly though.


    Leaving that aside,


    ��In that case, Your Majesty, would you please take me in as a vassal? It��s fine if it��s only until the arrangements for me to go south are done��


    In this situation, I��ll feel ill at ease at being treated as a guest among people who are fighting.


    ��What an entric thing to say. There��s nothing to gain from serving a king who is searching for a ce to die, you know?��


    ��That doesn��t matter. For adventurers, the things we experience are our treasures. I want to watch over your battles as one of your vassals��


    To tell the truth, it''s just my preference.


    Is it because of Rana that I��ve be so greedy, I wonder?


    ��Your Majesty, I want a subordinate. If he gets in the way or tries to betray us, I''ll kill him. Or rather, just like me, this guy simply wants to be your vassal because Your Majesty is strong��


    Regure gave her support.


    ��Your Majesty, I��m against it. If this guy wants to be your vassal, then he��ll have to work. I don''t think he''s good for anything��


    Zamonss opposed.


    ��Hmm, it��s divided, I see. Then, I��ll give you my reply. Souya, I��ll take you in as a vassal. Since the sword for swearing oaths is in the royal castle, it cannot be done officially. Like the other two, there is nothing to prove your identity or your position other than my words. Therefore, until the moment of my death, I��ll allow you to serve me as a vassal��


    His Majesty pulled out his great-sword.


    It was a thick, long, andrge sword with a width of 30 cm and a total length of 150 cm. Its de was made of a ckish material that was unmistakably Rmir steel.


    I knelt and a sword that would be priced at 4,000 gold coins in Lemuria was ced on my shoulder.


    ��The sixteenth monarch of the Kingdom of Ashtalia, one of the Myriad Kings, Ra?Dainsleif?Riog?Ashtalia appoints you. Adventurer Souya, I��m the foolish king of a dying country, but I��ll allow you to serve me��


    ��I��ll dlyy down my life in service to you��


    ��I won''t allow that��


    I was rejected for an unexpected reason.


    ��From this point forward, I won''t allow you to die before me. If you die, I��ll kill the god of theherworld and bring you back to this world. That��s really quite a hassle. It would make things difficult in a lot of ways. Therefore, don''t die��


    Ahh, I see. It��s because he��s this kind of person that I��m enthralled by him. He��s got me beat, he fits perfectly.


    ��Understood. I��ll be sure to follow that order��


    ��That��s good��


    He lifted the sword off my shoulders and the oath was made right there.


    <...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings IV>


    A long way from my party members, in thisnd of the Myriad Kings, I became the vassal of my ideal king.


    For some reason, I didn��t feel despair.


    It was probably due to the mythical battle that I had witnessed. My body was trembling. My insides felt hot, like I had drank fire.


    However, that heat had cooled by the time Iy down to sleep in the small tent that I had borrowed. It wasn��t just cold, the temperature was probably below zero.


    I might not survive the night with just one nket. Freezing to death would be such a pathetic way to kick the bucket.


    My teeth chattered from the cold.


    ��Hey~, are you asleep?��


    ��I, I''m awa, wake��


    After calling out to me, Regure opened the tent p unreservedly. The cold air that rushed into the tent cut like a knife.


    ��His Majesty told me to check in on you��


    A nket-wrapped Regure came into the tent. She slipped under my nket.


    ��What are you doing?��


    ��His Majesty said that someone from the right continent probably can��t stand the cold of thisnd. Be grateful��


    She slid one hand under my shirt.


    ��You''re really cold��


    ��You��re really warm��


    Regure��s body was as warm as a hot water bottle. Despite the fact that it was this cold, she was even sweating lightly.


    ��That��s because I drank fire liquor that��s meant for beastkin. I��ll be hot until morning��


    ��Can you give me some of that too?��


    ��I can, but a normal Hemu will pass out after drinking it, you know? You��ll have a headache so bad that you��ll be unable to move for three days��


    ��Alright, I don��t want any after all��


    ��It''s a custom in thisnd to give a beastkin woman this liquor and use her for warmth��


    ��What a wonderful custom��


    To all the forefathers of the left continent, thank you very much.


    ��Take off your clothes yourself. I can��t move my dominant hand very well��


    ��Oh, okay��


    I took off my shirt and pants and threw them outside the nket. She drew close and entwined her naked body around mine. She was very hot. Even though it was an emergency, I felt a little guilty.


    I think Rana probably won''t get angry, but Lanseal might be scary.


    ��So, how do you like it?��


    Regure put her arms around my neck.


    ��What do you mean?��


    ��What are you, a virgin?��


    ��I, I''m not��


    I��m not!


    ��Then do you prefer guys?��


    ��I don��t. I''m a married man, after a fashion��


    ��Could it be that you��re one of those social outcasts who marry beastkin?��


    ��No, my wife is an elf��


    ��Married to an elf, you say? It��s not a delusion? You��re serious?��


    ��I''m serious��


    ��In that case, one or two beastkin is even less of a problem, isn��t it?��


    Elves practice polygamy after all.


    ��After watching His Majesty''s battle, I��ve be so stirred up that I can��t stand it, so don��t give it a second thought. Men shouldn��t kick up a fuss. Once it goes in and out, a person��s character will be revealed. Let��s just do it once first��2


    She straddled me.


    With a predatory look, she licked her lips.


    ��Umm, I��ll feel guilty towards Shuna, so bing any more intimate than this is a bit������


    ��Huh������������ What?��


    Regure��s face tensed up.


    If she��s the kind of person Shuna thinks she is, then I don��t think she��s a bad person at heart. Just this situation alone is already something I can��t let Shuna know about though.


    Regurey down next to me, and then pressed up against me.


    ��Why do you know his name? Did you hear it from the old man?��


    ��Shuna is a member of my party. I��ve heard a lot about you from him��


    ��������him��


    Regure murmured something in a barely audible voice.


    Which suddenly became a very loud voice.


    ��You can never tell him! Forget everything! I��ll do anything if you do!��


    Her face was bright red and she was close to tears.


    ��No, I won��t say a word. If I say something like, ��I slept with the person who taught you the sword,�� the party will break apart��


    ��NOOOooooo! I mean, that guy! With extremely sparkly eyes, he said, ��I��ll raise your fame, teacher!�� and left on a journey! And then, for that very teacher to straddle such a cheap guy in a ce like this, oh, it��s no good, I can never tell him. I��d rather die than have him find out! Or better yet, I��ll kill you!��


    It looked to me like a scene of a wife being caught cheating.


    ��I told you I won��t say anything. Shuna is important to me too. Just the current situation where the teacher he admires and I are hugging each other naked may get me cut down��


    ��I��m going back��


    Literally running off like a hare3, Regure went out of the tent.


    She immediately returned and slid back under the nket.


    ��No, I��ll bind you to secrecy after all��


    ��Like I said, I won��t say a word��


    ��Wait, wait, wait��


    Regure pressed her hot body against mine.


    ��On second thought, you��ll also be troubled if he finds out, won��t you? Hmm? If you don��t want me to tell Shuna, then do it with me. ������Ah, let��s forget it after all. Somehow, I��ve cooled off and lost interest. What am I doing with such an insignificant man, I wonder? I��m going to sleep��


    Regure curled up,ying her head near my ribs. Her ears were alsopletely covered by the nket. I changed posture and hugged her from the side.


    Even though her hot body is so small, she��s probably several hundred times stronger than me.


    First off, I��ll be careful to not let Shuna grow up to be like her����.


    Frankly, I don''t feel sleepy at all because of the time difference. It��ste at night on the left continent, but it��s only four o''clock in the afternoon on the right continent.


    When I close my eyes, His Majesty''s battlees to my mind. I remember it vividly. I can feel the excitement in my body. This is a fever that makes a person forgets everything.


    But I��m definitely going home. To the right continent, to the camp, to Rana. As long as I don��t forget that, I��m still, no�D�D

 Chapter 076.1: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings V – Part I

    <h4>Chapter 076.1: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings V �C Part I</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    ��Good morning��


    ��Oh, good morning��


    It was a cold morning. I did sleep, but woke up early. I put on the coat, and went out the tent, leaving Regure behind. Which was when I ran into Zamonss, who was brushing his teeth.


    He threw me a toothbrush, which I epted. Upon catching it, I realized that, rather than a toothbrush, it was a wooden stick with its tip torn apart. It was the kind of stuff people used in the Edo period. In Lemuria, there were toothbrushes made with pig hair though.


    I gargled my mouth using water from a bucket that had ice floating in it, and then brushed my teeth. It cleaned my teeth better than I had expected.


    ��For you to make that feisty woman cry out like that, you��re pretty good��


    What happenedst night was misunderstood by Zamonss.


    For the life of me, I couldn��t think of how anyone would take that as a moan of pleasure though.


    ��No, we have a mutual acquaintance, so all we did was talk about him��


    ��Regure��s acquaintance? Could it be the brat she gave the ��Star��s Child1�� to?��


    ��Are you perhaps talking about Shuna��s longsword?��


    That was the only thing I could associate that name with.


    ��That''s right. It looks like an ordinary longsword, but it��s a sword that holds great cultural value. You��re an adventurer, so you��ve heard of Vindoobunikuru��s ��Three-Swords Ardi��, am I right? He was a knight who served the founding eight princes of Elysium. And that ��Star��s Child�� is one of his favored swords. It has existed in this world since the age of the gods, and is a sword that��s promised to be no less eternal as the Deep Emperor Bone. It doesn''t rust, doesn''t chip, and even if a dragon steps on it, it won��t�D�D��


    ��It shattered into pieces though��


    ��WHAT!?��


    Into tiny pieces at that.


    ��Impossible! It''s a sword that even Rmir steel doesn��t leave a mark on, you know!?��


    ��It��s because Shuna used the blessing of a god called dvain that takes down dragons while destroying the user��s weapon at the same time. Oh, it was repaired though��


    ��dvain. Wait������repaired, you said?��


    ��I��m a foreigner, you see? Well, it was fixed up using the technology from the foreignnds��


    By Makina, that is.


    But to think that it��s such a priceless sword. I��m d it was fixed. Is that strange power that it has after it got fixed rted to Ardi, I wonder?


    ��You��re a foreigner, huh?��


    That��s strange. He��s giving me a hostile look. It��s a look that��s equal parts pity and hatred.


    ��I just heard someone mention dvain-sama��s name��


    His deep voice booming, His Majesty came out of arge tent along with his horse.


    His Majesty is big, but his horse is also big. His horse looks like a horse that would be ridden by an apocalyptic overlord.


    ��Souya, exin��


    ��How should I put it, dvain-sama is a god in Lemuria. My party member Shuna is contracted with her��


    In addition, the blood of that god is flowing inside my wife and sister.


    ��She is originally from thisnd. She was Velsvain��s favored child, and a dauntless god with bravery equal to the war gods of old. I had heard that she disappeared all of a sudden, but that god settled down on the right continent, I see��


    She went there chasing after her two daughters. Because it involves her honor, I can��t speak of it though.


    ��There are many gods in Lemuria, but no god is as beautiful as she��


    ��I��ve always wanted to see her at least once��


    ��I��ll introduce you. If it��s Your Majesty, I believe she��ll wee you dly��


    ��Hmm, I��ll keep that in mind��


    Zamonss put forward a suggestion.


    ��Your Majesty, this person is apparently a foreigner. In that case������


    ��The forest, huh? Certainly, there��s a chance he may be able to enter it, but it��s fraught with danger��


    ��I believe he has a better chance of entering it than any of us. At any rate, we don��t have a choice, given the enemy has pulled back the army��


    ��Hmm��


    What are they talking about?


    ��Souya, I��m giving you an order��


    ��Yes, I��m at your service��


    ��As you��re aware, we��re short on supplies��


    Forst night''s dinner, we had split the bread and cheese that I had looted among us.


    ��Perhaps it��s because Regure has been stealing their supplies, but that damned ck elf has pulled the army back pretty far. As could be expected, even with Regure��s speed, it��ll likely be hard for her to continue doing so��


    Asking those in the royal castle to spare us some supplies����I guess that��s impossible.


    This person probably intends to fight without any help whatsoever from his daughter.


    ��There is a forest to the northwest of Ashtalia. It��s a forbidden forest that has shut people out for a long time. Due to a contract with the people of old, the people of this world cannot enter it. However, a foreigner may be able to��


    ��I understand. You want me to obtain food in the forest, right?��


    I have some knowledge of wild nts.


    If thend is different, the varieties will likely also be different, but I suppose I can check if they��re edible by actually eating them.


    ��Listen, it''s a forest that has shut people out for thousands of years. I have no idea what��s inside. No one has returned from trying to sneak into it out of curiosity. If you sense danger, turn back immediately. Don��t forget your oath as my vassal��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty. Don��t worry, adventurers are creatures who are quick to run away��


    ��Hmm, that��s good��


    I was handed a backpack stuffed full with bup sacks and a knife by Zamonss.


    His Majesty gave his horse orders as he patted it.


    ��Verxina, protect this one. If you feel danger, run away��


    Hmm? That name����


    ��Umm, Your Majesty. What��s with the name of this horse?��


    ��It''s the name of a beastkin woman that my grandfather let get away. He was infatuated with her until the day he died. In ordance to his dying wish, all mares ridden by the head of the family have this name��


    That��s probably the mother of someone I know.


    To a strange degree, I have many ties to thisnd.


    ��Well, I��m off then��


    ��Hmm, I��ll say it again, if you sense danger, run away, got it?��


    ��Yes, I��ll be back��


    When I was about to head for the forest, Verxina bit down on the cor of my coat.


    ��Eh��


    It carried me like that.


    ��GYAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!��


    The scenery flew by at a terrifying speed.


    The cold wind stung my face. I could hardly keep my eyes open.


    My screams were drowned out by the howling wind.


    It ran through the city, entered the dead in, and arrived outside the forest in no time.


    Tossed aside like litter, Inded on my face. My whole body was trembling from the chill of the wind and from being swung around like a rag-doll.


    There are people that I want to meet yet can��t, but I get the feeling that this shaking is something else.2


    ��Y, you shitty horse��


    Verxina raised one leg. That one hoof was bigger than my head.


    ��Thank you very much for carrying me here��


    Verxina put its foot down.


    That was dangerous. I had sensed a danger to my life. I was about to break my oath as a vassal all of a sudden.


    Setting that aside, when I looked at the in, I saw that the army had retreated. They hadn��t left any corpses behind. The broken metal remnants gave the dead in a feeling of loneliness.


    Next, I surveyed the forest.


    The feeling I had that something was off when seeing it from afar turned into conviction.


    This forest had different seasonal feel from its surroundings. It was lush green as deep as I could see. It was a primitive forest simr to rain-forests. It wasn��t flora that was supposed to exist in this cold climate.


    Verxina nudged me in the back, as if to tell me to hurry up and go in.


    It had nudged me using the tip of its nose, but it felt like I had been punched.


    ��Wait, wait, there are greetings to be made for things like this. A beast probably doesn��t understand though��


    Verxina raised one leg.


    This shitty horse, it subtly understands people��s words.


    I would make no progress even if I humored the horse, so I ignored it.


    Putting my palms together, I closed my eyes.


    Then spun words like a prayer.


    ��My name is Souya. An adventurer from a foreignnd. Borrowing the name of my wife��s god, Ezusu, I reverently and respectfully call out to the master of the forbidden forest. Please let me hear your voice. We beg for your permission. We cannot enter without permission. I beg you, please, let me hear your reply��


    I tried greeting it appropriately, but I wonder if I was heard. I had asked for permission before entering. I should be able to use that as something of an excuse.


    I��ll try waiting for a while.


    Perhaps it was bored, but Verxina came over and nudged me again.


    ��Oh��


    I said, as somethingpletely unrted came to me at that moment. It was just right, so I gave it a try.


    I reached my hand out towards the gray sky����


    ��Agathion!��


    ����and called out.


    And then, the magic sword whose name I called������������������������didn��te after five minutes.


    Yeah. As could be expected, I��m out of range, aren��t I?


    Well, I��ll give it some time.


    Ten minutes passed.


    Thirty minutes passed.


    ������������Nearly an hour passed,


    Verxina had nothing to do, so it swung me around by the cor.


    This shitty horse, I��ll make horse sashimi out of you one day.


    And then����


    ��Hmm?��


    ����I felt like I heard a voice.


    ��Shitty horse, did you hear something?��


    Verxina ignored me and went into the forest.


    ��Hey��


    Letting it go ahead by itself was bad, so I followed after the horse.


    The forest I stepped into was a paradise of nature.


    Trees that were too tall. A mysterious light that filtered through the leaves above. Lush moss-covered trees with big leaves and fruits that overflowed with vitality. I saw arge white mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The ground was covered with tightly packed roots. I stepped over a number of small streams. The air was warm enough to make me sweat. It felt like the nts were brimming with life.


    It was simr to the illustrations by a game cover illustrator named Hiroo Isono3.


    The flora was vibrant, yet it was a ce that was difficult for people to live in.


    The voice sounded closer the deeper into the forest I ventured.


    It was a beautifully clear voice that was desperately appealing for something.


    Verxina galloped forward, so I followed it frantically.


    I had thought of it as a violent horse, but it was running in a way that avoided damaging the greenery.


    In the ce we arrived at, there was a fawn.


    Its body was wedged between the branches of a young tree that had grown in a Y shape, and it was unable to break free. Perhaps it had struggled too hard to escape, but blood was dripping from its belly.


    Having arrived earlier, Verxina had put its nose to the deer��s and wasmunicating with it.


    The horse shot me a look that said,��You, do something about this��.


    The deer cried out and struggled as I approached it with the knife.


    ��There, there��


    Casually and without showing any hostility, I quickly shed at the tree. However, even though it was a thin young tree, I was unable to cut through it. It was too hard for the knife. The density of the wood wasn��t normal.


    There was nothing for it but for Verxina and me to each grab one branch, and then pull downwards to open them up. We were eventually able to open up a gap big enough to free the deer.


    It bounded away from us at lightning speed.


    I thought it would simply flee, but it stopped right at the edge of my field of vision.


    It started ncing back at me.


    At times like this, I should wait-and-see without making any strange movements.


    Verxina was grazing nonchntly.


    It''s a wild animal, so I��ll avoid making too much eye contact. I��ll try not to startle it and wait patiently.


    Well, I do feel like a deer��s well-being is kind of unimportant though.


    Verxina shoved me.


    The horse probably intended for it to be a light shove, but it felt like I had been kicked.


    For some reason, the deer came back.


    The horse brought its muzzle near my hand.


    ��Huh, what is it?��


    It felt like the horse was telling me to put out my hand, so I held it out. It went��Nbe��and spat the grass that it had been chewing into my hand. I saw red for a second, but I realized that it was probably telling me to cover the deer��s wound with it.


    The deer meekly let me do as I wished, and I applied the grass over the wound on its belly.


    When I was done, the deer lowered its head several times, and then headed deeper into the forest. Verxina followed after it, so I also fell in step behind them.


    Even deeper into the greenery we went.


    I had been keeping track of our bearing, but I was starting to lose confidence that I could retrace my steps on the way back.


    We came upon a wide flowing river. Brightly colored birds flitted through the air. I met eyes with arge snake that I felt like I had never seen before.


    The canopy was far overhead. I wondered if the stars that I caught sight of between the branches and leaves was just my imagination.


    It was clearly a different dimension from the world outside.


    It felt like I was on another.


    On the heels of the deer and the horse, I followed the river.


    Further into the depths of this verdantbyrinth.


    Along the way, I found several wild vegetables that looked edible. I made sure to remember their location.


    After proceeding even deeper, I heard a voice going,��Kuku, kukukuku��. I thought it was a bird at first, but it turned out to be a brown frog. There were lots of them in the river. Moreover, they were huge. Each one was about the size of a person��s head. But they were slow on top of showing ack of wariness. They would hop out of the river and block our path without a care. They were a bother.


    As I proceed further while stepping over the frogs, I found an unexpected person waiting.


    The forest had opened up into an unnaturally wide clearing, and in it stood an old female elf.


    Elves are a race of eternal youth and longevity. However, the truth behind their eternal youth is that their bodies grow weak and they die before they can grow old. Individuals who live long enough to look old are quite rare. Even by a rough estimation, it would mean that this person has been alive for thousands of years.


    No, more importantly, why is there a person here?


    The deer snuggled up to the old elf.


    ��In thest millennium, you��re the eleventh person to be invited into the forest. Foreigner, what has brought you into this forbidden forest?��


    ��Umm, please spare me some edible wild vegetables��


    ��������������Hmm?��


    The old elf looked troubled.


    ��If possible, some fruits and mushrooms too��


    ��Please wait. Riches and mythical treasures that are beyond human knowledgey inside this forest. Didn��t youe here seeking them?��


    There are such things here, huh? But I don��t need them. Too much power only invites ruin. Just the power I have now is already a pain to deal with. As if I��d take on even more.


    ��No, I just want you to spare me some food��


    ��No way, are you asking me to exhaust the forest of food?��


    ��Enough for four people and this big horse is plenty��


    The old elf had a face that said,��What is this guy saying?��.


    Oops. I forgot my manners.


    ��Oh, of course, I��ll work for it. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you. Please spare me some food in return��


    ��������Please wait a moment��


    The old elf brought the deer with her and went a distance away from me.


    Huh, what��s going on here, I wonder? Does he intend to trick uster? He��s asking for wild vegetables, but������that has to be a lie.


    Was what I heard.


    For some reason, the horse also joined in the discussion. I was the only one left out.


    Uh-huh, said the old elf while nodding.


    Looking at the elf��s profile, I think she must have been quite beautiful when she was younger. She still looks beautiful now though.


    The discussion between the elf and the animals ended.


    ��You��re really fine with just food?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    ��What ack of greed���� On your way here, you came across the frogs, right? I��m troubled because they��ve multiplied too much. There are snakes that eat them as their staple food, but they��ve grown toorge for the snakes to eat. Since they��re poisonous, they��re also harmful to the other creatures. Please exterminate them. When you��ve seeded in getting rid of them, I��ll give you things that people can eat��


    ��Understood, if you��re alright with something like that. Umm, is it okay to eat the frogs?��


    ��Didn''t you hear what I said? They��re poisonous. You��ll die, you know?��


    ��It��s hard to say for sure until I give it a try��


    ��What a strange person. You��re free to do as you like��


    ��Well then��


    There was nothing but to exterminate the frogs as promised.


    I went to their habitat and caught one of the frogs.


    I needed to make sure what type of poison they had. It was a good thing I had gained knowledge about this kind of thing from Izora.


    With the little finger of my left hand, I touched the frog''s skin. If worst came to worst, I was prepared to cut it off.


    There was no irritation or itchiness. No numbness either.


    It appeared that its skin wasn��t poisonous.


    Then, I held the frog with both hands and checked various things.


    It was really meek and let me touch it as I pleased. But there was also a risk it would spit poison at me, so I touched it from behind as much as possible.


    It had warts all over its body, and the warts at the corners of its eyes were especially big. When I pressed those, a white liquid came out.


    That��s probably the poison.


    The size ispletely different, but are these guys toads, I wonder?


    My deceased grandfather had said that he had eaten them before, but is it edible, I wonder?


    ��Alright��


    I took out the bup sacks from the backpack.


    Holding the frog by its two rear legs, I swung it with all my might, dashing its head against a nearby rock.


    I made a few cuts using the knife and peeled its skin off. I needed to use quite a bit of strength, but it peeled off more neatly than I had expected. I cut off its edible-looking limbs and put them into one of the bup sacks.


    What should I do with this torso that has a still-beating heart? Should I bury it?


    The deer came to my side and used its nose to point to some rocks a distance away.


    A parent and child pair of snakes were peeking at me.


    After cutting the torso into pieces about the size of their mouths, I ced it on the ground for them. I could probably dispose of the skin in this way too.


    Well, it��s all about endurance and physical strength from now on.

 Chapter 076.2: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings V – Part II

    <h4>Chapter 076.2: ...To The Land Of The Myriad Kings V �C Part II</h4>


    Trantor: Solo


    I started butchering the frogs.


    I took off my coat and draped it over the horse. I had worked up a sweat and it was streaming off my brow. But mysteriously, I didn��t feel tired. It was like I was receiving vitality from the forest.


    I left the small-sized frogs alone and only killed therge ones.


    They were poisonous, but the frogs were really carefree. Even though their buddies were being butchered in front of them, they were still hopping around me without a care in the world.


    I got used to it and was able to butcher the frogs quickly. If I got a part-time job butchering frogs, I would probably be able to get a high pay.


    The bup sacks that I had brought were now full of frog limbs. They had a strong hold on life, and twitched even after being put into the sacks. It was creepy.


    I casually looked down at my watch and I got a shock.


    As much as eight hours had passed.


    Oh no, I��ll have to go back quickly or I��ll cause His Majesty worry.


    ��Oh��


    There are no morerge frogs. Does this mean that I��ve finished exterminating them, I wonder? My sense of time feels a little off. It feels like it��s only been about an hour since I started.


    Looking around, I realized that the deer wasn��t here. The horse was though.


    I tied the sacks filled with frog limbs to the horse��s saddle.


    Three meals a day for four people, oh, His Majesty counts as three people. I think it��llst about ten days. After that, it��ll depend on the food I receive from the old elf, I guess.


    I heard the clear voice of the deer.


    It felt like I was being called, so I returned to the clearing where the old elf was.


    ��You really got rid of the frogs, I see��


    ��Huh, yes��


    She��s looking at me like she��s seen a weirdo. Why? I only did what was asked of me����


    ��In a world of war and heroes, what people seek has always been power. You��re probably the first andst person to havee asking for edible wild vegetables��


    ��It won��t do for the king I serve to be hungry after all��


    Huh, uttered the old elf in a soft voice.


    ��Are you not a king?��


    ��I��m an ordinary person. An ordinary adventurer��


    ��That��s strange. Those who aren��t qualified to be kings shouldn��t be allowed into the forest. Something like this has never happened in thest millennium. ������Oh, I wonder if the potentialities were taken out of sequence1��


    What the heck did she just say?


    ��There are exceptions to everything. The one who seeks wild vegetables, receive these ingredients��


    There were heaps of foodstuffs beside the deer.


    ��Th, this is����.!��


    What I saw made me excited.


    There wererge qualities of wild vegetables that were bundled up like straw. Giving them a quick look-over, there were osmund ferns, wild rocambole, shidoke vegetables, horseradish, and even alpine leek. In addition, mushrooms big enough to be used as chairs.


    ��Wow��


    In addition, a lump of rock salt about the size of a basketball.


    As they say in old anime, people cannot fight without salt. In other words, His Majesty can fight now.


    There were many more foodstuffs packed in grass-woven baskets, such as nuts that produced oil just by rubbing them lightly, herbs that could be used to ent the taste, as well as fruits like big chocte vines, raspberries and apples.


    There were still much more. I simply couldn��t make out everything that had been prepared.


    I joyfully loaded everything onto Verxina. The horse��s size wasn��t for show. It was quite a big load, but the horse waspletely unfazed.


    ��This really helps me out��


    ��The frogs were starting to get too noisy, so it was just right. I''ll ask you again, is something like this really alright? There are also things that make people��s life easy in this forest, you know?��


    ��I��ll feel bad if I receive any more than this, so it��s fine��


    I don��t bear things that are too much for me. It��s my irond rule.


    I��ve done well so far because of it.


    ��In that case, you should be on your way now. If you stay here for too long, you too will be part of the forest��


    ��Alright, thank you very much��


    I said my thanks and bowed my head.


    I had been worried, but with this, I would be useful to His Majesty.


    When I raised my head, there was no one there. Instead of the old elf, before me stood a giant tree that pierced the heavens.


    I bowed once more, and then left.


    A giant tree and a fawn watched on as I went back.


    The exit was close.


    I had only gone about a tenth of the distance I had walked with the deer before I had stepped out of the forest.


    I was immediately chilled to the bone. I put on the coat that I had draped over Verxina.


    It felt like I had been bewitched by a fox. 2


    However, the foodstuffs were definitely still there. It didn��t look like they had turned into leaves.


    I��ve had a strange experience.


    I��ve got another story of my journey that I can tell the party. The first is the story of how His Majesty fights, but����they probably won��t believe that story with just words alone.


    On the way back, I kept pace with Verxina on foot.


    I had thought of it as a shitty horse, but the two of us had shared a strange experience together, so a friendship was born.


    Was what I thought, but����


    ��Wait��


    ����Verxina bit down on my cor.


    ��Not this agai�D�D��


    My screams were drowned out by the howling wind again.


    Perhaps its bnce was off due to the load it was carrying, but its movements were rougher than the first time it had carried me.


    My entire body was being swung about, and with my head spinning, we returned.


    ��Hmm, you��re back early������������ What?!��


    Zamonss was shocked upon seeing us.


    What��s with his reaction?


    ��You��re back already, Souya? You were surprised, right? However, that��s something that every vassal of Ashtalia goes through��


    His Majesty was maintaining his weapons with his back to me. I was surprised to see a king do this kind of thing himself, but for a warrior, it was only proper.


    As expected from you, Your Majesty.


    ��That forest is������������ Impossible!��


    His Majesty also had the same reaction when he turned around.


    ��I''m sorry to have kept you waiting. Butchering the frogs took quite a bit of time��


    ��What are you talking about? Barely any time has passed since you left��


    Huh? Oh, but now that he mentioned it, it doesn��t feel like the height of the sun has changed. It''s hard to tell because of the unchanging gray sky. While I was in the forest, did the passage of time slow or something?


    ��Did you go into the forest?��


    ��Huh, yes��


    I unloaded the foodstuffs from Verxina. The frog''s limbs were still twitching.


    Wow, fresh.


    ��If that''s true, you��ll only be the second person on record since Velsvain. What on earth did you obtain inside the forest?��


    ��Like I promised, I came back with these��


    Wild vegetables, fruits, nuts, frog meat, and more.


    Zamonss approached me with an extremely menacing look.


    ��In the forbidden forest lies treasures that give those who obtain them the power to change the human world. Treasures that impart wisdom beyond human knowledge when touched. Did you ignore all that ande back with sted wild vegetables?!��


    I don��t give a damn.


    ��Tell me earlier then. Or rather, you should go get them yourself��


    ��Y, you��������


    Perhaps it��s his age, but the old man is on the verge of snapping.


    ��Thatck of greed might be the reason why he was able to enter the forest. Souya, every single vassal of Ashtalia was turned back when attempting to enter that forbidden forest��


    ��Zamonss and Regure too?��


    ��Yes, they were turned back. Those who serve a king must sometimes humor the king��s absurdities. Even if, for example, it��s something unreasonable beyond all mortal ken. By tradition, vassals are sent to that forbidden forest to teach them that. And they are turned back. In other words, it��s a rite of passage for vassals��


    ��I see��


    I turned to Zamonss and grinned broadly.


    He went livid and shot me an angry look back.


    Irvin, your teacher sure is young at heart.


    ��But for someone who entered the forest and returned alive to appear among my vassals������


    ��What he brought back are wild vegetables though��


    Zamonss nitpicked with a stinging tone.


    ��I''ll go prepare the meal, alright?��


    I��ll ignore him. A meales first.


    ��Wait, Souya. You can prepare meals even though you��re a man?��


    ��Yes, I can. As an adventurer, I do it all the time��


    It��s because it''s my hobby.


    Zamonss opened his mouth. I thought he was going to say something sarcastic, but����


    ��I don''t know the extent of his skills, but he can��t be any worse than Regure. Her cooking is at the level where I don''t want to call it cooking��


    ����surprisingly, he advocated for me.


    ��Regure��s, that is, in various ways, hmm������


    His Majesty also remembered and pulled a long face. Thanks to Regure, the bar my cooking had to clear had been lowered.


    I took some cooking utensils from the tent.


    For the fire, there was a bonfire built with charcoal that was used for warmth.


    First, I had to prep the ingredients.


    I rinsed the frog limbs using water I had drawn from a well. I had been careful not to get the poison on them, but better to be safe than sorry.


    After I had finished rinsing the frog limbs, I put them all into arge pot, and then added some rock salt that I had scrapped off and water. I also added some herbs that I didn��t recognize. I left the meat alone for a while.


    I put the wild vegetables that I would need to remove the scum for into another pot and soaked them in water.


    The variety and amount were plentiful, so I was at a loss on what to cook. It was a good problem to have.


    I ced the nuts containing a lot of oil in a frying pan and crushed them. It was a rough way of doing it, but more oil than I had expected came out. I wondered for a moment if the nuts could be eaten by themselves if I stir-fried them. I also considered removing themter.


    After washing some alpine leeks, I chopped them up.


    I added them to the frying pan and stir-fried them carefully over the fire. This was a method I was used to.


    After the fragrance had seeped into the oil, I took out one of the frog limbs that I had soaked in salt water.


    Upon a second look, it looked like a big chicken wing.


    I stir-fried it over high heat.


    It smelled pretty good. I seared it a little on both sides.


    I taste-tested the meat. ������It was the first time I had eaten frog meat, and true tomon belief, it tasted like chicken.


    The fishiness of the meat had been offset by the alpine leeks. Its vor was light. It would probably taste great when stewed, but I didn��t have the time. I made a seasoning for it by scraping off some rock salt and mixing it with a smattering of herbs that looked suitable. It was simple, but this should do it for the seasoning.


    I taste-tested it again������it should be passable.


    I started stir-frying the rest of the frog limbs rapidly.


    At the same time, I made a garnish in another frying pan. After chopping up the big mushrooms and horseradish, I stir-fried them with salt. After that, I rubbed some wild vegetables that seemed like they could be eaten raw with salt, and then gave them a quick boil in hot water. I cooled them off with cold water, and then added some fruits.


    The tes that the food was ced on looked expensive. Each te was likely worth 5 gold coins.


    Zamonss had prepared a table, so Iid out the dishes on it.


    We were outdoors and the temperature was what it was as well, so I had His Majesty dig in right away.


    ��Your Majesty, it��s frog meat stir-fried with garlic, mushrooms stir-fried with salt, and wild vegetables and fruits from the forbidden forest��


    ��������������In the history of Ashtalia, I��m probably the first person to eat frog meat��


    ��Setting its taste aside, it��s nutritious and calorie-filled, so please eat it before it gets cold��


    ��Your Majesty, my sympathies��


    Zamonss, who was beside His Majesty, had a troubled expression on his face.


    His Majesty steeled himself and put one of the frog limbs into his mouth.


    The bones crunched as he chewed it thoroughly.


    ��Hmm, for the most part, it��s edible��


    ��Thank you very much��


    ��Actually, it��s delicious��


    He started to scarf them down heartily. It felt good seeing that, but I still had to cook for the other two, as well as for myself.


    ��What, food?��


    While I was tossing the frying pan, an immodestly-dressed Regure came out of the tent, looking like she had just got up.


    ��What~ are you cooking?��


    As she bit into an apple that was near at hand, she came up and hugged me from behind.


    ��Don��t get in my way. Go sit down��


    ��Eh, okay��


    She scowled and separated herself from me.


    His Majesty''s eating speed is fast, so it��s a struggle making you two��s share.


    ��Though it��s ��former��, I��m probably the only one among the knight of St. Lyridias to have eaten frog meat��


    Zamonss ate the frog meat whileining.


    It didn��t look like he found it bad-tasting.


    ��Frogs, huh? I used to eat a lot of them in the past though. ������Huh, it��s delicious. It might be the most delicious frog meat I��ve ever eaten��


    It was well received by Regure.


    These people can eat.


    Especially His Majesty. He eats as much as three adventurers. In other words, he eats enough for six normal people.


    At any rate, it��s a pleasure being useful to someone. Especially if that someone is a king who suits my preferences and is exceedingly strong.


    They were gobbling up the food as soon as I made it, so it was only when the meal was beginning to end that I got to make my own share.


    ��Souya, I''m satisfied. I wonder how long it has been since I��ve eaten to my heart''s content��


    ��Thank you very much for your gracious words��


    His Majesty looked very pleased.


    Although His Majesty had said that they had no supplies, there appeared to be alcohol, and all three of them were drinking it.


    The frog meat wasn��t as bad as I had expected. The legs were especially delicious. I wished I could have coated them in curry powder and fried them. I wouldn��t have fed them to my wife and sister though.


    ��By the way��


    I said, bringing up the subject of another food.


    ��Your Majesty, wheat from the left continent has also spread to Lemuria, but how do you eat it here? Do the people of thisnd bake it to make bread too?��


    ��We stretch it out until it��s like a piece of cloth, cut out patterns in the shape of gs, and then boil them in soup��


    ��I see, in Lemuria, it��s eaten after making it into thin threads��


    ��Don''t eat it in a strange way. That wheat may bebeled as wheat from this continent, but it wasn��t grown on thisnd. As you can see, this continent is cold. Its warm season is short. However, the Dilnds archipgo in the seas to the south of this continent is a region that can be said to enjoy evesting summer. Nature and crops are abundant, but the people who live there are embarrassingly weak at war.


    In other words, that wheat is their tribute. As a sign of that, it��s made into the shape of gs.


    The Dilnds archipgo buys peace from the Myriad Kings with that wheat, but these days, many Myriad Kings, especially those who side with the ck elf, send the wheat back untouched. I had wondered what happened to the surplus wheat, but from what you said, it appears that it has flowed to the other continents��


    ��The amount that has flowed out is considerable. I believe that the way it��s eaten will change depending on the location��


    ��It''s mysterious, isn��t it?��


    His Majesty washed down a mouthful of chocte vines, skin and all, with alcohol.


    ��What does the damned ck elf feed the army? Surely the ck elf isn��t making suspicious food using nefarious magic and brainwashing them or something?��


    ��Your Majesty, it had slipped my mind, but I stole this from their tents. It might possibly be food��


    Regure tilted her chair back, fished through the supplies behind her, and took something out.


    It was a silvery, cylindrical����


    ��You��ve got to be kidding��


    ����can.


    Is it made of tinned iron, I wonder? It��s tightly sealed.


    With the alternate world��s cksmithing techniques, making a can is possible, but it��s simply that no one has thought of it.


    There��s also a chance that it��s just a coincidence, but it was found in the hands of the mysterious force known as the ck elf.


    The simplest thing I can associate it with is someone like me. I''ve seen a precedent. A historical man from my homnd had be a god by nting trees.


    ��Your Majesty, those that follow that ck elf, how many of them are there?��


    ��There are 24 gs of Myriad Kings on the left continent. Among them, 14 gs follow the ck elf. 6 gs follow Elysium. The number of troops each Myriad Kingmands is different, but I suppose they have at least 300,000 troops in total��


    However, the scale is different.


    I hate to think it, but there��s a possibility that a foreigner is leading the army. Otherwise, serving as a vassal just like me, I guess.


    Zamonss added to His Majesty exnation.


    ��There are many Myriad Kings, but there are four among them who are referred to as the strongest four.


    The dauntless king, Dugan?Stelch?Horobi?Robbs, whose name is immortalized even in the Vindoobunikuru.


    The youngest and most reckless king, Ra?Daga.


    The mercenary king, Garspar?Johann?Weimaffee?Kurtorch?Roomen.


    And the secret child of Velsvain, the ultimate embodiment of martial skill, a horseman who rides a huge horse that��s akin to a demon beast like it��s part of his body. Armies are scattered when he shows his ability with ance, and dragons are driven off when he wields his sword. Ra?Dainsleif?Riog?Ashtalia, the unrivaled king who is regarded as the next god of war.


    These Myriad Kings, who are known as the strongest four, have not sided with anyone��


    ��As expected from you, Your Majesty��


    I apuded His Majesty''s title.


    How should I put it, even if it��s temporary, is really alright for someone like me to be his vassal?


    ��Well, the state of my country is as you can see though!��


    His Majesty made a self-deprecating joke.


    I''m sorry, it''s hard tough at it. Even Regure is looking awkward.


    ��Zamonss-sama, can you cut this? Just the upper part��


    ��Yeah��


    I held out the can.


    A sh of silver flew across my sight, leaving an afterimage. All my eyes could catch was him returning his sword to its sheath.


    The top of the can fell off. It was a very clean cut.


    Inside the can was pink meat that looked and smelled like spam.


    ��Is that something that can be eaten?��


    His Majesty''s reaction was worse than when he saw the frog meat.


    Using a fork, I pried out a chunk of the meat and put it into my mouth.


    ��������������Yuck��


    It tasted bad.


    In many ways, it was a taste that made me uneasy.

 Chapter 077: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On I

    <h4>Chapter 077: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On I</h4>


    Trantor : Solo


    ��If There Are Dreams That Spur People On, They Are Dreams That People Quickly Awaken From. Give The Peace Of Death To Those Cannot Stand I��


    I got sent to another continent, and became the vassal of the super strong His Majesty, but my job is mainly to prepare meals.


    As a man, is this alright, I wonder? But it��s pointless to be disheartened by that, so I prepared meals with a light heart.


    For both cooking and war, 80% is decided by the preparations made beforehand.


    By the way, two days have passed since the first battle, but there��s still no sign of the enemy. Regure discovered and killed scouts every now and then, but that''s about all that has happened.


    How would one defeat an individual who could fight on even terms with an army of 5,000? If I was the enemymander, I would probably be at my wit��s end.


    Or are they waiting for an opportunity?


    If the ck elf is who I think the ck elf is, things aren��t good in a lot of ways.


    A battalion was wiped out on thisnd in 1956.


    It was a multinational force that did all kinds of evil deeds. No one knows exactly how they were annihted because the information on that is spotty. I''ve heard rumors that they lost 98% of theirbatants and fled the alternate world.


    If I��m right, the ck elf has something to do with the survivors of that incident.


    There��s no way only one can was made in thest half-century.


    The ability to get as much as 14 Myriad Kings to obey may be impressive, but even when leaving out how exceptional His Majesty is, the troops His Majesty scattered were poor.


    If the person they followed was a foreigner, and one with military experience on top of that, a more powerful army should have been created, even if the knowledge is from half a century ago.


    The slowness of their development.


    There is some sort of reason for that. And that��s something that can be taken advantage of.


    And, well, that was what I was half-thinking, half-fantasizing, about while I was preparing food.


    I cooked some apples, sliced them, and then put them into a pot along with some raspberries. I added liquor, boiled it down, and then added more liquor after it had cooled.


    After pouring it into a bottle, the apple liquor waspleted.


    For actual apple liquor, the apples would be soaked thoroughly over a longer period of time, but I didn''t have time to do that now, so I only infused it with the apples�� sweetness and assorted vors.


    After that, I boiled and kneaded some wild vegetable roots that were oddly starchy. I rolled them up into balls and lined them up beside some sun-dried frog limbs.


    Checking the condition of wild vegetables, I saw that they were still fresh even though they had been exposed to the bitter cold.


    Despite the change in environment, my physical condition was pretty good.


    Zamonss also said,


    ��For some reason, I haven''t had much pain in my knees for the past two days��


    I think the ingredients from the forbidden forest has something to do with it.


    The problem is my cooking skill.


    I should have learned a little more seriously from my grandfather.


    I had been able to get by when I had Makina��s support, but now that I��m cooking meals on my own, I can find ws in the taste. Itcked something before, but it��s even worse now.


    It��s exasperating.


    His Majesty says that such food is��Delicious��. I feel bad somehow.


    Anyway,


    I��ll make soup for lunch today. It��ll warm our bodies up.


    I broke apart the meat and the bones of the sun-dried frog limbs. I slowly simmered the bones and scooped away the scum. When it became a so-so soup stock, I added rock salt and alpine leeks.


    It''s somewhat delicious, but sure enough, it��s quitecking in vors. I wish I had miso.


    ��Hmm, it sure smells good��


    His Majesty and Verxina came out of his tent.


    ��It��s frog soup��


    ��Frog is fine as long as it tastes good��


    His Majesty sat at the table. I immediately got a cup and poured His Majesty the freshly soaked apple liquor.


    ��It��s sweet liquor��


    His Majesty downed it in one shot. And then, poured another for himself.


    ��Apple, huh? It��s rich. Hmm������������ Well, this is a clear sweetness that I��ve never tasted before. And yet, it��s strong and warms me up inside. Souya, this is pretty good��


    It��s probably because the apples are good.


    ��I believe the vors will soak in more over time��


    ��No, this is good enough��


    There was no time left to leisurely let the vors soak in.


    By my calctions, the food wouldst ten days. We could also steal supplies, but I didn��t think it likely that the enemy would fall for such a foolish n.


    ��I��ll make some snacks to go with it��


    ��It��s fine, you fuss over me too much. I won��t tell you to be like Regure, but loosen up a little. After all, you��re in the middle of preparing food, am I right?��


    ��Yes, in that case, please excuse me��


    I resumed my cooking.


    After removing the bones from the soup, I added wild vegetables that I had cut intorge chunks and the starch dumplings. I left the pot over strong heat.


    Mixing herbs, oil nuts and rock salt with the frog meat that I had broken apart, I kneaded them vigorously until the meat and the oil nuts turned out nicely. I then stir-fried them in a frying pan.


    Once the oil had spread all over the frying pan, I added the mushrooms that I had cut into thick slices. After searing them on both sides, they were done.


    Today''s lunch, frog soup and mushroom steak.


    I''d like to cook something a little nicer next time.


    The smell of food is supposed to be the signal for them to end their rounds, but Regure and Zamonss haven''te back.


    ��Your Majesty, the meal is ready��


    ��Hmm, let��s wait��


    In Ashtalia, it''s tradition for the king and his vassals to eat at the same table.


    It''s cold again today, and food left outside will quickly be cold. What are the two of them doing?


    Leaving aside the soup, well, I��ll eat the first mushroom that I cooked. It won��t taste as good, but I don��t really care about my own share of the food.


    ��Souya, you said that you��re a foreigner, right? What kind of country is your homnd?��


    There was nothing to do, so His Majesty asked me a question.


    Now that I think about it, I feel like it''s been a while since I was asked about my homnd.


    ��It has four seasons. Its winters are as cold as it is here, and its summers are humid and terrifyingly hot. The seasons in-between are very pleasant��


    ��The food must be delicious��


    ��Yes, it''s delicious. Though for some reason, my own country��s food is more expensive��


    ��Does it rule over many territories? There are countries whose economies have copsed because they had procured crops from the countries they had invaded at too cheap a price. Growing food in one��s own country is also a way to nurture the people at the same time. It won��t be a problem even if a higher tax is imposed on goods from other countries��


    ��No, it doesn��t rule over any territories outside of the country. Because it��s a small country, it depends on other countries for a lot of its food��


    ��Doesn��t it get invaded? That��ll be Elysium��s first move against such a country��


    I suppose there��s that side to it, but����


    ��Since it��s a country that makes a considerable profit from exports, it imports a lot in return. In fact, it��s a country with quite an abundance of food��


    ��Hmm, what does a small country export?��


    ��Technology, entertainment and daily necessities��


    ��I see. They must be very innovative or indispensable things. In a sense, it''s your country that��s doing the invading��


    ��That may be true��


    I looked down at my watch.


    It''s a cheap 3,000 yen watch, but the invention of such a thing ruined the watch industries of other countries. Sometimes, new technology kills off old technology. Now that His Majesty has mentioned it, it��s certainly nothing less than an invasion.


    ��Profiting massively from technology, huh? The dwarves used to do that too, but ever since Hemu craftsmen stole many of their technologies, they��ve stopped trading it. Now, they only trade with individuals when the mood strikes them��


    ��Ah, I see��


    So that��s why dwarven-made things are expensive. It��s not because of their performance and so on, but because they are rare.


    ��It sounds like a really interesting country��


    ��However, natural disasters aremon. Like earthquakes and such��


    ��That''s terrible. But is it a young country? It acts pretty differently from the countries here��


    ��It��s not that young. My country, if I remember correctly������


    It��s a good thing I had heard about this from Makina a while back.


    If my memory serves me, starting from the Imperial Era����


    ������is almost 2,700 years old��


    ��Hmm?��


    His Majesty tilted his head.


    ��That would make it a country that��s twice as old as the entire history of the Myriad Kings and Elysium��


    ��I suppose it would��


    It��s pretty much number one in the world in terms of the country��s age.


    ��To sum it up, your country is small, has four seasons, has technology that can be sold, has many natural disasters, but has a long history. Hmm, I can''t imagine it at all��


    ��Yes, it''s a strange country��


    ��A strange country, huh?��


    Hahahaha, weughed together.


    I do hope I was able to convey as much as possible about Japan. Was I able to get it across, I wonder?


    The mushrooms had gonepletely cold.


    Then, the two of them finally came back from their rounds. Bringing someone I didn��t know.


    It was a person with a thickset and rotund build.


    He looked simr to what people would consider to be an ordinary dwarf, but he was 180 cm tall. He had long ck hair, and an even longer beard. It extended past his navel.


    He had on ck and gold armor, and a helmet with horns on both sides. On his back, there was a two-handed axe with a long handle.


    ��Your Majesty, we��ve got a guest~��


    Regure said in a casual tone.


    ��Dugan! Dugan?Stelch?Horobi?Robbs!��


    His Majesty got up from his seat and called his name.


    ��Dainsleif! Ra?Dainsleif?Riog?Ashtalia!��


    The man they had brought back spread his arms open and approached His Majesty.


    They pulled each other into a sweltering hug.


    ��I was aghast when I saw the terrible state the city was in. However, I��m relieved to see you in good health��


    ��Nonsense, you��re not the type who would flinch at seeing other people��s cities��


    ��Gahaha! Well, as long as the king is safe, a country or two is but a trifle. It seems that you��ve lost the four generals, but to think that you��ve already gained another two powerful vassals. Those two pushed 50 of my elite back with their spirit. Truly, I��m envious of your personal maism��


    ��It��s three, not two��


    His Majesty looked at me.


    No, I''m humbled by Your Majesty��s words.


    Or rather, this bearded person. Isn��t Dugan one of the strongest four among the Myriad Kings? He��s a super big-shot, isn��t he? His Majesty is also one though.


    ��He looks to me to be a mediocre man though?��


    Yes, you��re absolutely right.


    ��Try this��


    ��Liquor, is it?��


    His Majesty poured Dugan a cup of the apple liquor and had him drink it.


    ��Whoa, what on earth is this? This liquor is exquisite��


    ��It was made by that man��


    ��Do you have the blessing of the alcohol spirits or something?��


    ��No, it��s simply because the apples are good. I only threw it together appropriately��


    ��Souya, tell him where you got the apples from��


    His Majesty��s expression turned mischievous.


    ��I got them from the forest over there��


    ��For a joke, it isn��t very funny, kid��


    ��Dugan, it''s 20 years too early for you to go senile. Take a look at the ingredients lined up over there. Are they things that can be found in Ashtalia, no, on this continent at this time of year?��


    ��You��re telling me that he really got them from the forbidden forest? This man? A living, breathing human?��


    ��I can bet my life on it��


    ��I still find it hard to believe, but perhaps it��s something that was drawn to the blood of Velsvain''s secret child. Or perhaps this is another sign that the times are changing��


    ��Dugan, you��ve said something I cannot overlook. Also, what brings you here tough at me?��


    ��Out of all the Myriad Kings, I��ve known you the longest. So I simply thought I woulde and be refused by you��


    ��Refuse, you say? What are you saying I would refuse?��


    ��I��ve aligned myself with the ck elf��


    His Majesty mmed his fist on the table. It split into two.


    Dugan caught the falling bottle and began drinking from it calmly.


    ��Are you telling the blood of the olden Myriad Kings to surrender to that viin?!��


    The bearded old man didn��t bat an eyelid.


    What bothered me was the way he looked at His Majesty with pity.


    ��Did you forget the origins of the Myriad Kings? When Elysium��s army came like a horde, our great ancestors raised a single g. With time, that g split up, and even resulted in the appearance of fools that gather under Elysium��s g. Once more, we must reunite our gs��


    ��Under the ck elf?��


    His Majesty was suppressing his anger with everything he had.


    Regure and Zamonss were at the ready to fight at any moment.


    ��Yes. That��s exactly right. The ck elf possesses the means to bring Elysium down. And I''m sorry, Dainsleif. My bloodline has an old pact with the ck elf. Now that I know about it, I must provide support again��


    ��Again, you say��


    Robbs, one of the members of Vindoobunikuru. Resolute Robbs.


    Does the ck elf, who has a pact with that n, also have ties to Vindoobunikuru? Or perhaps there��s some other reason?


    ��And now that you��ve dered this to me, you��re prepared to leave your life behind, right?��


    His Majesty was poised for a fight.


    ��I suppose it can��t be helped��


    The beardy put his hand on the handle of his axe.


    The situation was a powder keg, and looked ready to blow.


    This isn��t good, is it?


    Hyuuuuuuuu����


    A sound like that����


    ��Huh?��


    ����came from the sky above, causing me to look up.


    The impact of somethingnding threw the tents and supplies up and sent them flying along with me. I cked out for an instant. When I came to, I found myself lying on the ground.


    The two kings and the two vassals hadn��t moved an inch. They were on guard against the object that had fallen.


    It was a great-sword.


    Rather than metal that had been forged into one piece, its dull red de looked more like it had been fused together from many pieces of metal. However, it didn��t seem iplete. There were no gaps that a thin sheet of paper could fit through, and its sharpness was also out of this world. It was a rugged, sturdy, and faithful magic sword.


    ��Agathion?��


    It bounded towards me like a dog. A backpack had been secured to the sword.


    No way, did it fly here all through the night after I had summoned it? How should I put it, it smells somewhat fishy. It smells like blood and gastric juice. This guy, what did it do while flying here?


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. It''s mine. ������Please don''t mind me��


    I hid the magic sword behind my back and said that to the two kings.


    I heard the hooves of several horses approaching. They were probably the beardy''s subordinates.


    ��That killed the mood. I''m heading back, but what will you do? You don��t have an interest in chasing after a man��s ass, do you?��


    ��Nope��


    His Majesty stabbed his drawn sword into the ground and sat back in his chair.


    As the beardy was about to leave����


    ��Please wait a moment��


    ����I stopped him, put about six apples in a bag, and then offered it to the beardy.


    He��s more or less a guest, so it��s a souvenir.


    ��Please soak them in liquor along with honey and sour fruits. If you wait 100 days, I believe it��ll be many times more delicious than the liquor you drank today��


    ��I can''t wait for so long. I��ll only wait until that king there dies��


    The beardy left after snatching the apples.


    He had also left with the bottle of apple liquor. But he turned back once, and said,


    ��I forgot one thing. A king can��t fight on an empty stomach. Neither can a horse. I��ve left some food and feed at the entrance to the city. Do whatever you like with it��


    ��Rather than a hungry beast, a fat pig is easier to hunt, is it?��


    ��You can take it however you like. But times change, Dainsleif. One of these days, things will start changing rapidly. We''re right at the crossroads now. As things fall to ruin, will you let that blood be extinguished?��


    ��Of course. The battle of one who is heading towards ruin. I��ll carve it deeply into your new history��


    ��I''m looking forward to it, old friend��


    ��Farewell, old king��


    The beardy rejoined his anxious subordinates, and then disappeared out of sight.


    ��Souya, get cooking��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    ��We��ll eat up all of the food they gave us��


    ��Please leave it to me��


    The food the beardy had left for us were wheat of the left continent, potatoes, salt, butter, cheese, olive oil, real guinellerge eggs, salted pork, stone-hard bread, and a variety of alcoholic drinks including wine. In addition, feed for Verxina.


    There were hearty amounts of everything. Even for His Majesty, it would take him two months to eat everything up. Did that beardy read that His Majesty wouldn��t be defeated within that time, I wondered.


    Regure checked for poison and found that there were no problems, so I rolled up my sleeves and started cooking.


    The menu today was the culmination of everything since my arrival in the alternate world.


    I made a lot of tempura with the wild vegetables. Personally speaking, they were 100 points tempura. I made croquettes using extravagant amounts of pork and frog meat.


    After making raw pasta from the wheat of the left continent, I made pasta aglio olio e peperoncino and carbonara.


    For good measure, frog soup and mushroom steak.


    It wasn��t much, but that was the culmination of my skill.


    They were all well-received. Because they were well-received, I can��t feel happy about it.


    In the end, it��s just food cooked by someone who lived alone and cooked in his spare time. Not good enough, it��s really not good enough. If a slightly skilled cook, not even that, if someone who had worked part-time in a restaurant fell into the alternate world, their food would be better than mine.


    I want to increase my repertoire.


    I want to improve my cooking skill.


    Dear deceased grandfather, can you descend from heaven through the mysterious power of the alternate world?


    Though it was small, he was a chef who had managed a restaurant for as long as half a century. There must have been a lot of things I could have learned from him. Well, it''s a littlete for that now, I suppose.


    > Solo''s Thoughts


    >


    > I��m amazed. Such a long chapter and nothing needed to be exined!


    >


    > So who is the ck elf? Someone who had killed the advance troops 50 years ago? Taken some of them captive? Or is it a red herring and the author is jerking us around?


    >


    > Agathion~~!! It just flew across the entire at Souya��smand. And someone was smart enough to tie a backpack to it in case Souya did summon it. I wonder who and I wonder what��s in it?


    >


    > Well, it��s going to be double chapters until the end of the arc, (x_x), but it��ll be worth it. Now that our helpless chef has Agathion and isn��t so helpless anymore, what will happen? ����Stay tuned!


    >


    > If you enjoy reading trantions like this, I''d greatly appreciate it if you consider supporting me either on Patreon or by unlocking the chapters. I''d like to continue providing trantions for everyone to enjoy, so even if it��s just one-off or temporary, it��ll be a tremendous help! Thank you so much! Stay safe and healthy, everyone!!!

 Chapter 078: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On II & III

    <h4>Chapter 078: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On II & III</h4>


    ��If There Are Dreams That Spur People On, They Are Dreams That People Quickly Awaken From. Give The Peace Of Death To Those Cannot Stand II��


    After a feast with lots of drinking and singing, the silence of the night felt deeper than usual.


    Regure was sleeping with a slovenly face and appearance that could never be shown to her disciple. She and I were sleeping together in the same tent.


    It��s a situation that I can never tell Rana, Lanseal and Shuna about.


    Well������I do think that she��s attractive. They��re small, but her breasts are well-shaped, and she has the lithe and flexible limbs peculiar to beastkin. Despite her cute features, her behavior is utterly immodest. She has a devilish, or rather, subus-like personality. If it weren''t for Rana, I think I would have given in.


    What the heck am I saying?


    ��Are you awake, foreigner?��


    Without waiting for a response, Zamonss flipped up the entrance to the tent.


    ��Give me a minute or two of your time��


    ��Okay��


    Well, I guess that was bound to happen. I had been looking for the right timing as well.


    I put Agathion into a leather sheath and stepped out of the tent. I saw that Zamonss was already a distance away, so I hurried after him. I had thought that it was a touch colder, and it turned out that snow had started to fall. It might even pile up.


    The Scarlet Knight stopped in front of the copsed city walls.


    He turned back to face me and drew his sword.


    He should be directly in front of me, but I lost sight of him because of the skillful way he moved his body.


    Sparks flew in the dark of night.


    I hadn''t been able to see it at all, but Agathion had reacted and stopped Zamonss'' sh.


    ��It looks different, but that��s unmistakably the sacred sword Agathion��


    ��If you were mistaken, I would have died though��


    Zamonss sheathed his sword. I did the same for Agathion.


    ��I��ll figure something out if that��s the case��


    I wonder why���� Irvin and me got along well though.


    ��Are you going to tell me why that��s in your possession?��


    ��No, is what I want to say, but if you answer my questions, I��ll think about it��


    I have questions about this guy. Depending on his answers, I��ll give him a certain measure of the truth.


    ��I��ll answer them. Ask away��


    ��Did you really betray Elysium?��


    ��Not quite. I was the one who was betrayed��


    ��In that case, are you looking for an opportunity to return to the fold?��


    ��Not a chance. I''ve lived my life hammering it into myself and my disciples that knights are honest and simple creatures. I did it for almost 50 years. Knights do not get involved in politics. Even if those on top are corrupt, they will cleanse themselves. No, if they don''t cleanse themselves, they will only perish. That was the belief I held until I witnessed a piece of scum thrusting his hips into a young child��


    ��You don��t think that correcting those on top is a knight��s duty?��


    ��What do you know about the knights of St. Lyridias?��


    He headed me off and asked me a question instead.


    It couldn��t be helped, so I answered.


    ��Pretty much everything. The truth about the shadow, the curse and the beasts that you all want to hide�D�D��


    ��That makes things easier. I lightly cut up that scum and questioned him, but he didn��t give me any decent answers. He howled almost like a beast though.


    If we, knights with beasts inside us, get involved in politics, we��ll be doing the beasts�� work before we know it. For that reason, we set up representatives, drawing a line between politics and blood.


    They should have been separated, but the political arena is now rife with beasts of abominable blood. When beastsmand beasts, the principle is no longer the same��


    ��Is that why you��re serving His Majesty Dainsleif?��


    ��I��m indebted to His Majesty. Do you know that Irvin has an imprisoned elder sister?��


    ��Of course��


    ��I went to check on her often. Little did I know that His Majesty''s beloved daughter was being treated in that way in the next cell��


    ��Wait��


    At this point, my anxiety was rekindled.


    ��What about Arianne-san?��


    ��She��s probably still alive. She��s a tough woman with a strong backbone. A noble indebted to the Gasim family assumed responsibility for keeping her under house arrest in his home. She likely doesn��t have her freedom, but it should be better than being confined alone in a cell��


    ��I����see��


    Should I breath a sigh of relief at that, I wonder?


    Only bad things areing to my mind.


    ��When we parted, Arianne said to me,��Please check up on the child in the next cell. I can��t help but feel sorry for her��. When I forced my way in to look in on her, I saw Irisetta-sama, who was on the verge of death, and an Elysium pig on top of her. After that, well, I brought her to His Majesty who was rampaging in the castle town, killed all those who came after us, and I��m now helping His Majesty in his battles on thisnd��


    Is guilt something that can change into loyalty?


    That��s something that I don��t understand.


    ��Now it''s your turn��


    ��Go ahead��


    ��How did you defeat Varner? Despite appearances, he has the strength to be called a hero among the knights of St. Lyridias. His strength as an individual goes without saying, but he also has the protection of the sacred sword. An ordinary adventurer����no, adventurers can never defeat him��


    ��Zamonss-san, you��re mistaken about what happened. This sword following me is just a coincidence. It all started when a terrifying beast appeared in the Lemuria in. In order to defeat it, Irvin enlisted Varner''s help, and the two of them sessfully subjugated it at the risk of their lives.


    If you think I��m lying, you can go to Lemuria. Enter a random bar and bring up Irvin��s name, and you��ll hear the anecdotes of Irvin, the Dragon Scale.


    You��ll hear that although there had been many adventurers who had saved Lemuria in times of crisis, none were as brave as him was, as upright as he was, and met their end as knightly as he did. I can''t think of any exnation for why the magic sword follows me, someone who merely watched the battle, except that it��s by coincidence��


    ��What happened to Luxgaru? I can��t imagine a knightpanion leaving the side of the knight he serves��


    ��He attempted tomit an act of violence in King Lemuria��s presence, so he was executed on the spot��


    ��I don��t get it. I really don��t��


    Zamonss looked at me with suspicion.


    ��How does doing things like that ��profit�� you?��


    ��What do you mean, ��profit��?��


    He had uttered a word that I couldn��t overlook.


    ��I mean the ��profit�� from killing Irvin, Varner and Luxgaru, two knights and one knightpanion of St. Lyridias. Was it for money, equipment, research of their blood, or�D�D��


    I drew Agathion and shed back at him in return.


    It wasn��t a sh with the power of the magic sword, but my own strength. Naturally, it was stopped easily.


    ��Take it back! Who did you say killed who?!��


    ��Calm down��


    ��Take it back!��


    ��What are you telling me to take back?��


    ��The part about me killing Irvin!��


    Our swords ground together, and metal screeched loudly against metal.


    Zamonss was taking it easy on me, but I put my weight behind the sword and the knight retreated slightly.


    ��I take it back. You did not kill Irvin��


    I didn��t let up.


    If it were allowed, I would tear you to pieces, you ugly old beast of abominable blood.


    An especially loud screech of metal rang out. Having pushed my sword away, Zamonss sheathed his sword. I still held mine in my hands.


    ��You��re not going to tell me the truth, are you?��


    ��Of course not��


    It��s foolish to tell the truth to someone untrustworthy.


    The one I trust is Irvin, not his teacher. That��s because he will never betray me anymore.


    ��You��re like him��


    ��Huh?��


    Who is this ��him��?


    ��He��s one of the heroes of Elysium. He��s a terrifying man. He has nothing, has no attachments to anything, and all he brings about is only ruin. Compared to him, Varner is as cute as a baby��


    Calling a guy who massacred 500 beastkin cute, what the heck?


    ��People may say that they��re fighting for the people, for their friends, for women, for their country, for something or other, but at the end of the day, people fight for themselves. Those who don''t are warped and terrifying. They do evil deeds that horrify others without a second thought.


    I��ve abandoned my principles. All I have left is the blood that runs in my veins. I''m currently looking for a ce to bury it. What about you, foreigner without a self?��


    ��I��ll aplish what I can aplish, gain what I can gain, and seize what I can seize. That��s all��


    ��That emptiness���� Truly, you��re a lot like him��


    We��re getting off-topic.


    To be honest, I don''t give a damn about Zamonss. What I��m concerned about is,


    ��Are you really making the preparations for me to go south?��


    ��Of course. Trust me��


    Zamonssughed.


    I don��t trust him one bit.


    He left, leaving me behind by myself. In the darkness of the deep night, the snow piled up thinly.


    ��If There Are Dreams That Spur People On, They Are Dreams That People Quickly Awaken From. Give The Peace Of Death To Those Cannot Stand III��


    It was morning, and I woke up to amotion.


    It was brighter than usual, and I could feel the sun��s rays.


    I disentangled myself from Regure, who was clinging to me, and stepped outside the tent. The world was white. Snow had piled up, and the sun was shining high in the sky. And it was ridiculously cold.


    I��m guessing this is probably the phenomenon known as radiation cooling, where the temperature drops when the sky is clear.


    ��Your Majesty, did something happen?��


    ��Yes, the army is back again��


    His Majesty and Zamonss were preparing for battle.


    It was just like the time we first met.


    With Verxina between his legs, His Majesty said,


    ��Souya, make the preparations for breakfast. It��s much colder today, so I��ll likely be much hungrier��


    ��Please leave it to me. Do you have any requests?��


    ��I��d like that thing called croquette. Frog soup as well��


    ��Understood��


    ��Zamonss! Let��s go!��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty!��


    Verxina bumped its muzzle against me as it passed by. It was pretty painful, but it seemed to be an expression of affection, so I endured it.


    The two horsemen galloped away.


    I would have liked to see His Majesty fight, but making breakfast was more important.


    Using the 100 yen lighter, I lit some firewood.


    I washed the potatoes with cold water. My hands were trembling from the cold, so I ended up cutting the skin off too thick.


    I boiled the peeled potatoes, minced salted pork and starchy roots in plenty of water.


    I smashed the hard bread vigorously with a hammer to break it apart, and then crushed it to make breading.


    This bread wasn��t meant to be eaten in the normal way. It would probably keep for a long time though.


    After putting yesterday��s oil over the fire, I beat some eggs and then mixed in a bit of wheat.


    I took out the boiled ingredients and transferred them onto a te.


    The sounds of battle came echoing from afar.


    I poured more water into the pot I had removed the ingredients from, and then added frog meat, alpine leeks, and wild vegetables. Leaving the pot alone, I mixed and kneaded the already-boiled ingredients into fillings for the croquettes. It wasn��t difficult, but it was a lot of work because of the amount I had to make.


    I rounded and shaped the fillings,


    ��So cold~��


    ��Argh, you��re in my way!��


    I was having a hard time with Regure, who was hovering around me.


    ��Make something that can be eaten right away. Or else, I��ll start stealing the food you��re cooking��


    ��Tch��


    Serving half-assed food would also annoy me, so I made something proper.


    I put some crushed raspberries into red wine, and then brought it to a boil. After filling a cup with coarsely cut bread, I poured the hot wine into it. I stuck a spoon in it and handed it to Regure.


    ��Can''t you make this a little sweeter?��


    ��Nope��


    Regure ate while grumbling under her breath.


    While taste-testing the soup, I added some herbs and a bit of rock salt. After that, I cut up some of the salted pork��s fat and added that in too. I used the vitamin-rich portion called salo(��ѧݧ�) in Russia.


    I taste-tested it again.


    It tasted simr to the soup of shio ramen. The herbs added a refreshing ent to the taste. Also, itcked a thing or two, vor-wise. But I would botch it up if I messed around with the vors any more than this, so the frog and pork soup waspleted.


    I went back to making the croquette fillings.


    I had a bit of a spur of the moment idea, and put cheese into several of the fillings.


    ��Regure, go take a quick look at how His Majesty''s battle is going��


    ��Eeh, no way. It��s cold. Go take a look yourself��


    ��If I leave this spot, you��re going to steal food, aren��t you?��


    ��Of course��


    ��Then go. Or else, I��ll reduce your portion of the meal��


    ��������tsk��


    Regure reluctantly went up the watchtower.


    I had finished making the fillings and the oil was also at a good temperature.


    ��How long do you think it��ll be until it ends?��


    ��It��s already over. The enemies�� army has been reduced to about half its previous size��


    I had thought that maybe the fallen snow would impede Verxina though. Or perhaps the enemy had also been in disarray because of the snow.


    Well, as expected of His Majesty. He won again today.


    I immediately started frying the croquettes.


    I��ll serve the freshly fried ones to His Majesty and I��ll give his vassals the ones that had cooled a little. I��ll eat those that were left over after that.


    I coated the fillings with the wheat and egg liquid mixture, and a thick coat of breading, then dropped them into the oil.


    The pot was pretty big, so I could fry three at a time.


    ording to my grandfather, frying a lot at once is the height of folly. Frying is a process in cooking that could result in serious injury if something went wrong, so he harped on this a lot.


    For a while, I paid close attention to the sound of the oil.


    It''s important not to fiddle with them in any way.


    Oil and croquettes.


    Right now, my world consists of nothing else,


    ��Hey, hey��


    Nothing else,


    ��Hello~, hello~��


    Nothing else, but����


    ��Come on~, hey, listen to me~��


    ��You��re so annoying. I��m not going to reply you if you keep getting in the way of my cooking��


    ����Regure hade down from the watchtower, and was fooling around with me.


    It��s dangerous, so you��re going to get hurt if youe close to me while I��m frying stuff. Are you a damned child?!


    ��What did you talk about with the old manst night?��


    I had thought that she was sound asleep, but it seems she was awake.


    ��I mean, you don��t even do anything to me at night. Do you prefer guys or something? Even then, you can��t possibly be interested in a shriveled up old man like that��


    ��I��m straight. Wait didn��t I already tell you that I��m married?��


    ��Yeah~, you��ve told me about that fantasy��


    She doesn��t believe me at all����


    ��But~ you can��t make a pass at His Majesty, alright? Because I��m the one who is going to receive that person��s seed��


    ��Seed, you say������


    It��s a word that doesn��t have an ounce of romance in it.


    Regure came up and hugged me from the front. She clung tightly to me. She was very much in my way.


    ��Then what does that mean for Shuna? I hate to say it, but he''s head over heels in love with you. All the girls he takes an interest in are silver haired, just like you��


    ��St, stop it. Don''t talk about Shuna right now��


    Talking about Shuna is Regure��s weak point.


    The topic of the conversation shifted to him. While we chatted, I continued to fry the croquettes.


    ��Urgh, kids are a pain to take care of, so three is the most I can handle. One child with His Majesty, and if Shuna bes as strong as His Majesty, then well, I don��t mind bearing his child, I suppose��


    ��That��s quite������


    What a high bar to clear.


    ��From the eyes of someone in the same party as him, how is Shuna, in terms of strength?��


    ��He��s strong. Among the adventurers of the same age and race as him, he��s the most skilled��


    ��Then he still has a long way to go��


    What a harsh assessment.


    ��I taught him everything I know. Though it��s ironic that thest user of the ancient Revaisu style beastkin sword techniques is a Hemu. Until he''s strong enough to live up to that name, I''m not going to coddle him��


    ��Regure, if I��m not mistaken������


    ��Hmm, did you hear about it from the old man?��


    She had noticed that I was looking at her right arm.


    ��It was cut off once, but the old man reattached it using magic. The muscles and tendons didn''t go back to normal though, so I can��t move it like I used to, but I can do the tricks of pleasing a man without problem��


    ��Is that how it is������


    Really, she��s a far cry from the image Shuna painted.


    ��Well, I��m strong, but it''s not like I''m particrly proud of my strength. I��m female, so as can be expected, I want to give birth to a strong male child. I do feel a sense of responsibility from having inherited the sword techniques, but I''ve no interest in games of life and death. Well, I��ll fight if I��m definitely going to win though��


    Surprisingly, she��s a realist.


    One could also call her worldly, I suppose.


    ��Now, don��t you wonder why I��m all over you?��


    ��I wonder about it a lot. You��re an incredible bother��


    Her long ears were blocking my sight and I couldn��t see the croquettes. Using her supposedly impaired right arm, Regure stroked my inner thigh.


    Pulling her hand away forcibly when I��m in the middle of frying things is dangerous.


    ��Somehow~, I can pick up a smell from you that��s simr to that of the old man and the knights of St, Lyridias. A beast is a beast, but you give off a darker, unfathomable smell that feels like the deep azure moon��


    ��What on earth is that?��


    I don''t understand what you''re saying at all.


    ��For these kinds of things, there��s a need to check it out by doing it once after all��


    ��There��s no such need��


    I had burnt one of the croquettes.


    ��Regure, I��ll have you know that������


    Taking Rana as a given, the faces of Lanseal and Ea came to mind, and for unknown reasons, so did the faces of Bel, Tyutyu, Evetta-san, Zenobia, Frey and Lazarissa������the faces of those two didn��t.


    If I had to choose based on favorability points, or rather, the current situation����


    ������the only one for me is my wife, sister and mistress��


    ��Hey, do you know the meaning of the words ��only one��?��


    ��Oh, err, identally������


    I had faithfully expressed my desires in my words.


    Though for Lanseal, our rtionship is only a nned, or rather attempted one.


    ��And so, of course I want His Majesty��s, but I started thinking that. as an alternative, it might also be interesting to bear your child, you see?��


    ��That will cause problems for me. I won''t be able to show my face in front of Shuna��


    ��It��ll be fine. I won''t be able to show my face in front of Shuna either��


    That��s not good, is it?


    ��Hmm, don��t mind us��


    Before we had realized, His Majesty and Zamonss had returned.


    Unlikest time, not one drop of blood had sshed onto His Majesty.


    ��Oww��


    Regure stepped on my foot.


    ��Your Majesty~, it''s not what it looks like. That guy Souya suddenly became horny and went into heat~��


    While wriggling her hips, Regure snuggled up to His Majesty.


    ��That unbridled abandon is part of your charm. You may do as you please. It''ll be a relief to me as well��


    ��Wait~!��


    The way she��s clinging to His Majesty can never be shown to her disciple.


    Shuna, you''re going to be in for a hard time.


    ��I��ll test for poison��


    Zamonss munched noisily on a freshly fried croquette.


    ��Hey, that was a freshly fried one meant for His Majesty!��


    ��H, hot. Hmm, there��s cheese in it, I see��


    ��What��s more, you took one of the special ones. Or rather, wash your hands!��


    These two teachers are just too much.


    ��Let��s see, I��ll have one too��


    His Majesty was reaching out for one����


    ��Your Majesty! Please wash your hands! You��ll get a stomachache!��


    ����so I pushed him back with an angry look.


    His Majesty was very pleased with the croquettes I made for breakfast.


    It was such a rxing time that one wouldn��t think that it was right after a battle, but that all ended after today.

 Chapter 79: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On IV

    <h4>Chapter 79: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On IV</h4>


    ��If There Are Dreams That Spur People On, They Are Dreams That People Quickly Awaken From. Give The Peace Of Death To Those Cannot Stand IV��


    To be honest, it��s enjoyable. I had never thought that serving someone would be so fun.


    It reminds me of what an adventurer I had fought together with once in the past said.


    ��You aren��t cut out to be a leader. You��re a person who shows his true ability when used by someone��


    I had thought then that she had hit the nail on the head, but now that I''m actually in that situation, I''vee to realize how right she was.


    I��m a dog by nature, I guess.


    Well, I suppose even a dog can make the one on top look good.


    Like the previous day, His Majesty went into battle first thing in the morning.


    The two horsemen rode across the snow-covered in. Together with Regure, I watched over them from the watchtower.


    Breakfast will be the pasta soup that I had prepped and put asidest night. When the battle ends, all I��ll have to do is heat up the pot and boil the pasta, and it��ll be done. I had cked off, but I wanted to see His Majesty fight.


    The enemy''s army had dwindled even further from when I saw itst.


    With the telephoto function at maximum magnification, I measured their numbers using the targeting function.


    There were 952 soldiers,prised mainly of infantry and archers, and a paltry 15 cavalry. They were a mere shadow of the army I had seen at the beginning. The soldiers'' faces were pale, and morale was abysmal.


    Well, a disaster in human form is attacking them. It must feel despairing.


    I saw something distasteful behind the army.


    People''s heads had been hung from a tattered g.


    It was a warning of what would happen to those who ran away.


    The drastic decline in their numbers is probably not because His Majesty had killed so many of them, but due to desertion. Either that, or infighting.


    The more people��s numbers beckluster, the harder it bes to hold them together. When ites to an army, it has to keep on winning. A losing army cannot hold people''s hearts.


    From the looks of things, they probably don''t even have a n for dealing with His Majesty.


    What is the ck elf trying to achieve with these soldiers? Even for a war of attrition, it��s poorly done. I can��t imagine that it would diminish His Majesty''s splendor.


    ��Ahh, they''ve totally misjudged the time to quit��


    ��I see��


    A mistake caused by the pride of the leader, huh? That��s his undoing, I suppose.


    It��s the end for that Myriad King.


    His Majesty ran him through with hisnce.


    Without mercy.


    His Majesty swept the iing arrows out of the sky and kicked away the infantry who were near him. There was no one to stop him. On the contrary, or rather, as expected, the soldiers started to flee.


    The officers who shed at the fleeing soldiers to send a message were all killed by Zamonss.


    Not even 50 had been killed, but the army had already scattered.


    Looking bored, His Majesty rested hisnce on his shoulder.


    It''s over.


    I��ll go put the pot on the�D�D


    A gunshot.


    I heard Verxina scream. It was about to spill His Majesty to the ground because of the pain, but the loyal horse endured it on pure willpower and remained standing,


    And then copsed with blood spurting from its head.


    ��What!?��


    ��Huh, what happened?��


    Regure was unable to make sense of the situation.


    Other than me and a limited few of the enemies, there is probably no one who can.


    ��Tell His Majesty to retreat at once��


    ��Hnn?��


    ��Regure! Quickly!��


    ��Got it��


    Regure leapt off the watchtower. After a seemingly weightlessnding, she raced forward, faster than a normal horse.


    I turned my eyes back to the battlefield.


    Though they were surprised, the soldiers who had ran away reversed course.


    The mythical monster had fallen from his horse. That alone was probably enough to make them mistake him for a human just like them.


    They should have quit while they were ahead, but the cavalry charged His Majesty.


    The sword made of Rmir steel shed through the air.


    Compared to his skill with thence, His Majesty��s skill with the sword was something otherworldly.


    No one would expect to see such techniquesing from a man with a giant frame wielding a great-sword. His techniques were crisp, smooth, and had a nimbleness that was reminiscent of the techniques of a certain goblin who wielded a rapier. In no way would a person who had any semnce ofmon sense ever imagine that such techniques could be performed using a great-sword.


    The cavalry were cleaved apart, horse and all, with such vividness that their cross-sections could be seen.


    They were cut down with so much speed that they didn��t even have the time to realize that they had died.


    His Majesty had been given the nickname of��Secret Child of Velsvain��, but if that is a fact rather than a metaphor, then there is only one thing I can think of.


    dvain-sama had thought that the blood of Velsvain was only being passed down among the elves.


    That��s the blood of Lumidia.


    However, she had another daughter.


    Ashtalia��s coat-of-arms is a dragon. Not just any dragon, but a dragon of bone, a dragon��s corpse.


    His Majesty is most likely a descendant of L.


    If that''s the case, then it''s no wonder she fled to the right continent. It was to hide her child from her mother and sister''s retribution. Or perhaps to spread her evil on anothernd.


    I now understand why the thing called the crest of the Brave had chosen this ce as the location where I was summoned to.


    These people are all connected to me. To the people that I''ve met.


    And I have the means to save them. I have the knowledge of what that is. I know how to deal with it.


    ��Agathion��


    Holding the magic sword at the ready, I searched for the sniper with the telephoto function at maximum magnification. I spotted the reflection from the lens. Ten o''clock, right in front of the forest, a person in a hooded cloak was lying low.


    What that person was aiming at His Majesty was a M1 Garand, a semi-automatic rifle, with a sniper��s scope attached to it.


    From what I could tell, it��s an 80 year old antique, but in this world, it��s something that can kill a hero with a single trigger pull.


    ��Kill the shooter��


    Pushing the hilt of the magic sword, I unleashed it.


    It''s not as fast as a bullet, but my sword is also deadly. Moreover, it''s persistent.


    The sword leapt forward, cutting a trail through the sky.


    It closed in on the sniper at almost instantaneous speed, but missed. No, the sniper had disappeared into a sh of light.


    A portal?! One on such a small scale and activated instantly?!


    Rana had used something simr to that type of magic before, but that was magic that could only bring things from elsewhere, and couldn''t be entered by the caster.


    ��Hey��


    I heard a voice directly behind me.


    Pulling out my karambit without a moment��s dy, I spun around while covering my vitals, and swung. By chance, my swing was stopped by the stock of the rifle.


    ��Agathion! Come back!��


    ��You��re using something interesting��


    It was the voice of a young woman.


    ��Wait, are you������


    I could see the long ears peculiar to elves, dark skin, and eyes as ck as night.


    The returning Agathion tried to run her through. Just in time, the woman disappeared, leaving behind a residue of light.


    ��I��ll see you again��


    Her voice came from the bottom of the watchtower.


    Agathion chased after her again. This time, the woman disappearedpletely from view.


    I sheathed the magic sword that hade back.


    I remained vignt.


    But why? Why did she target the horse?


    I looked at His Majesty.


    He had ughtered all of the cavalry.


    Soldiers who were driven by a desire to make their name were rushing towards His Majesty.


    One swing, two swings of the sword, and a mountain of corpses was created. Even so, they didn''t retreat, nor did they stop.


    His Majesty was undaunted, but he had lost his steed, Verxina, and he couldn��t move because he was protecting that horse as well.


    But,


    Zamonss burst into the fray. He too dismounted from his horse.


    With a swing of his sword, he deprived the enemy soldiers of their spears, and then attacked them meticulously, aiming only for their limbs. He then made sure to let the fallen enemies scream as loudly as possible before killing them.


    He kicked up and strew the corpses everywhere, raining entrails and blood down on everything.


    His fighting style was rough, hardly what anyone would expect from an old knight, but it befitted a person called the Scarlet Knight.


    Zamonss acted as the rear guard, and His Majesty hefted Verxina onto his shoulders. While carrying the horse, which was as big as a small elephant, His Majesty dashed away.


    Regure caught up with them and backed up Zamonss.


    Grabbing argence with her left hand, she threw it at the soldiers at close range. Five or six of them were skewered and sent flying.


    The two of them were scattering the soldiers, but their frenzy didn��t abate.


    I thought about sending Agathion to help them, but I needed it to keep shooters in check. The sniper from earlier could still be lurking around somewhere. There was a chance that two of them would be shot at.


    Heads and limbs went flying.


    Blood and guts soaked the ground, making steam rise from it.


    I couldn''t hear them, but Regure startedughing, and Zamonss was drawn intoughing with her.


    They had the look of beasts that menaced people.


    Their crazedughter washed over the soldiers and brought them back to their senses.


    Paralyzed by fear, the soldiers stopped in their tracks.


    It was then that the two of them went on the offensive for the first time.


    Lances in hand, they proceeded to rip through the soldiers like they were paper.


    Charging straight at the general at the rear.


    Be it arrows or spears, nothing could stop them.


    The two of them reached him easily.


    Criss-crossingnces sent the general��s head flying. With a grim expression, it joined itspanions among the heaps of corpses and rivers of blood.


    His Majesty��s god-like strength inspires tremendous awe. Because of how tremendous it is, he makes armies retreat without a fight.


    The strength these two possess is gruesome. They pile up a mountain of flesh, blood and excrement. Moreover, after being terrified, instant death awaits. It��s the strength of fearsome demons.


    It��s a nightmarish pinnacle of human strength.


    That''s right. This is what a battle is like. I feel like I��ve been seeing the way His Majesty fights in my dreams.


    I waited for them to leave the battlefield before rxing my guard.


    I descended the watchtower to see His Majesty checking Verxina��s wound.


    It was a horse with strong life force. Despite taking a bullet to the head, it was still fighting to stay alive.


    ��Your Majesty��


    ��Souya, get the bandages. This wound is deeper than I expected��


    ��Your Majesty, it cannot be saved. Please put it out of its misery��


    ��Don''t talk nonsense! Verxina is the finest among the finest horses that has supported me for half my life! A scratch like this is nothing to it!��


    ��It has been hit in the brain. The only way to remove the cause of the injury is to split its head open, but even if you do that, it will never run properly ever again. Please let it rest here��


    With a sickening smell of blood wafting from them, Zamonss and Regure returned.


    ��Zamonss! Healing!��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    Zamonss drew close to Verxina and examined the wound.


    ��This is���� Your Majesty, it''s no good. There''s something like an arrowhead embedded inside. I can close the wound, but getting it out is������


    ��It��s fine. Do it��


    Zamonss did as he was told and chanted the healing magic.


    The wound healed, but Verxina struggled and thrashed about even harder in pain. The bullet was pressing on its brain. It must be in a hell of pain. It was hard to watch.


    ��Regure, do you have any ideas?��


    ��Sorry, Your Majesty. There''s nothing I can do��


    With proper surgical equipment, the bullet could probably be removed, but even if it were to be removed, would magic be able to regenerate even brain cells, I wonder?


    Either way, we don''t have a choice. Letting it suffer any more would only tarnish the pride of this great horse.


    ��Your Majesty, I��ll do it��


    When I pulled out Agathion, His Majesty grabbed its de.


    ��Stop������������I��ll do it��


    His Majesty drew the great-sword from his back, prayed, and then whispered, "Forgive me.��


    Verxina was decapitated in a single blow. It probably died painlessly.


    His Majesty hugged Verxina��s head in his arms, and walked away with an unsteady gait. I thought of going after him, but Regure stopped me.


    Both Zamonss and Regure then poured water on themselves and washed away the blood that had sshed on them.


    There wasn��t anything that I could do.


    Wow, Dainsleif is dvain��s descendant. Sure, it��s only Souya��s theory, but I don��t think he��s wrong����


    But yup, guns are back,dies and gentlemen! And it��s a M1 Garand, the standard U.S. service rifle during World War II! And a dark-skinned elven sniper?!


    Verxina~ It was only for a few short chapters, but I liked that horse��


    And an apology, I said a few chapters back that it would be double releases till the end of the arc, but this chapter turned out to be longer than I had expected, and the next one is about the same, so I��m releasing them normally instead.


    Anyway, it��s getting more and more interesting, isn��t it? Not just a can, but even a rifle has made an appearance now. Why is it in a dark-skinned elf��s hands? Are we getting dark elves? Stay tuned!


    Happy Holidays!

 Chapter 80: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On V

    <h4>Chapter 80: If There Are Dreams That Spur People On V</h4>


    ��If There Are Dreams That Spur People On, They Are Dreams That People Quickly Awaken From. Give The Peace Of Death To Those Cannot Stand V��


    Although it was after something like that had happened, His Majesty ate his meal heartily.


    It was after the meal right now, and I was giving an exnation about firearms.


    ��I could barely see it. Because it was too fast and small, there was no way to avoid it, but I never thought it would be that powerful��


    You saw the rifle��s bullet, huh?


    As expected of you, Your Majesty.


    While sipping warmed wine, Zamonss cut into the conversation.


    ��The dwarves of the right continent made something simr, didn��t they? ������No, but that was������


    ��Yes, I heard that they blew up an entire mining town due to a mishap when manufacturing them. The dwarves haven''t made any firearms since. This firearm is from the foreignnds Ie from. Well, it��s from a different country, but it��s a weapon from my world. Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?��


    ��Hmm, ask away��


    Whichever way I look at it, the sniper��s rifle is the equipment of the first expeditionary force that was sent to the alternate world.


    ��In the past, there should have been a group of foreigners who came to thisnd. Do you know anything about them?��


    ��A group of foreigners, you say���� I''m sorry, nothinges to mind��


    In the alternate world, information is passed on mainly using word of mouth.


    I had expected kings and people around them to have received that information though.


    ��Then, Your Majesty, Zamonss-sama, please tell me what you know of the ck elf. It doesn��t matter how trivial the detail��


    Regure is not here. A distance away, she is������butchering Verxina.


    Although it��s right to use its life to the fullest, I had grown attached to that horse. It may be unmanly of me, but I don''t have the nerve to butcher and clean it.


    ��What I know is that the ck elf has gathered all of the Myriad Kings who have a connection to the Vindoobunikuru, including Robbs. The ck elf is a being that only appeared out of the blue three years ago, so information is scarce��


    ��What about you, Zamonss-sama?��


    ��Elysium has almost no information on the ck elf as well. In a short period of time, the ck elf has sent spies to infiltrate, corrupted people, wrapped the knights of St. Lyridias up in conspiracies, and eliminated them. A number of my disciples have fallen victim to this too��


    I dare say that more than half of the casualties were caused by Elysium''s own infighting, with the ck elf being used as cover. This man is as simple as he said he is. He is probably not well versed in politics and human intrigue.


    Though my only proof is his incoherent words, Zamonss giving up on Elysium and going over to His Majesty is something plotted by his disciple, Luxgaru.


    The meaning behind doing that is still unclear.


    ��The range of this firearm is from this watchtower to the outer walls��


    I''ll assume it to be 800 meters.


    That M1 Garand is a rare model with a sniper scope mounted to the side of its body. I had never thought that a scope could be attached to a clip fed rifle. I reckon it has the same range as its improved version, the M14.[1]


    ��Unlike arrows, its trajectory is a straight line. Its destructive power is focused on one point, so it��ll easily prate poor quality armor��


    ��It��s a threat on a in with no obstructions. Such a thing will change the face of the battlefield��


    ��That''s just it. If they were counting on the firearms as a means of warfare, they would make a bigger show of it. It would surely be a great form of propaganda if they had a group of weak soldiers use them to turn His Majesty into a beehive. I find it strange that it was used to assassinate one horse��


    ��No, you''re wrong about that��


    His Majesty refuted me.


    ��Souya, the history of us Myriad Kings is the history of our rebellion against Elysium. It��s a history of honing our martial arts and fighting at the pinnacle of skill. It��s a thousand year old tradition that we��re proud to risk our lives for. The time when this is broken is the time when the Myriad Kings perish��


    Now I know why I don''t see magic on the battlefield.


    The beasts of Elysium nullify magic. By elevating their physical martial skill to the extreme, it bes a countermeasure against them. That is how the Myriad Kings of the past must have fought. It''s a tradition which makes logical sense.


    ��This tool called a firearm poses a real threat. But what would the other Myriad Kings think if they made a big show of killing me in the way you said?��


    ��Umm������that it��s their turn next?��


    If a weak soldier was armed with a firearm, he might be able to kill a man. He might even be able to kill a hero. But what about the beasts of abominable blood? A rifle is not at all enough to kill those things.


    For all of these years, the thing holding back Elysium��s invasion of thend of the Myriad Kings has been the sheer bravery of people like His Majesty. As a matter of fact, the fallen vassals of Ashtalia had risked their lives to defeat the beast.


    If that tradition is broken by firearms, which seem strong but are ultimately useless against Elysium��s beasts, all that awaits this continent is chaos and the domination that follows.


    ��There''s that too, I suppose. We bring aesthetics to warfare. We fight for pride. Many detest even the bow and arrow. Steel, flesh and blood. We fight with those alone and kill until the moment of our death. We die proudly, boasting to the souls of our ancestors that we had fought with every fiber of our beings.


    This tool of the foreignnds sullies our pride. There will likely be those who feel repulsed and part with their gs. The Myriad Kings, especially olden Myriad Kings like Robbs, are such people.


    There''s probably another reason for shooting Verxina with the firearm. Perhaps it was simply the fastest way to save those weak soldiers. While it is a clever move, I get the sense that the shooter is probing for something��


    ��I guess we don��t have enough information��


    ��However, Your Majesty, this person has the means to go against it��


    Zamonss pped me on the back.


    He gave me a look that said, ��Tell him.��


    ��Umm, Your Majesty, This sword��


    I handed Agathion to His Majesty like I was presenting it to him.


    ��This is your sword that fell from the heavens, isn��t it? It''s quite an unusual weapon��


    ��This is the sacred sword passed down in the St. Lyridias Order, Agathion. ��s imitat�D�D[2]��


    ��It��s the actual sacred sword Agathion��


    My lie was interrupted by Zamonss.


    ��Souya, what''s going on here?��


    His Majesty was looking a bit scary.


    It''s a sword that belonged to a hero of St. Lyridias. Not being able to tell the truth makes exining why I have it difficult.


    ��This is�D�D��


    ��My disciple Irvin was bestowed the sacred sword by the beast hunter hero, and entrusted it to the foreigner with his dying breath. Your Majesty, I believe he found it difficult to exin it to you because that was kept a secret��


    ��Yes, that''s right��


    Zamonss exined it away very nicely.


    I hadn��t expected that.


    ��It''s fine then. For a moment, I mistakenly thought of you as a spy from Elysium. Forgive me��


    ��No, I''m sorry as well. This sword can protect you, Your Majesty. Agathion was able to make the firearm user withdraw earlier��


    ��Hmm, I did see it out of the corner of my eye. There was someone who was chased by this sword and disappeared using some strange technique right in front of the forest��


    ��Yes, I believe that she is likely a confidante of the ck elf. She had ck hair, dark skin and elven ears��


    She looks like what��s known as a dark elf.


    It''s a simplistic association, but she likely has a strong connection to the person called the ck elf.


    ��Hmm, how very strange��


    ��Huh?��


    His Majesty had a wondering expression on his face.


    ��An elf with ck hair and skin, you said? Have you ever heard of such an elf, Zamonss?��


    ��No, never. Though if it��s possible, it would have to be a mixed-race elf. But such an abomination would likely have been killed at birth. The pressure the elves are under to conform is immense beyond belief. It��s possible that a ve merchant or kidnapper created her out of curiosity, but������ Souya, was she a young child? What about her size and build?��


    ��She looked young, and had the build of a fifteen or sixteen year old Hemu girl. There was nothing odd about her physique, and she seemed in good health��


    ��That''s strange. I don''t expect someone who was created for fun to be able to grow that big. It bothers me��


    They say that there is wisdom in crowds, but we had resolved very little and had only raised more questions.


    All that was decided was that I would be on lookout in the watchtower at all times to keep an eye out for snipers.


    With the loss of Verxina, it''s difficult to see how His Majesty can fight as well as he did before. I still think of him as someone who is a match for 10,000 soldiers though.


    ����������������


    A silence hung in the air.


    And then,


    ��Hey~, you guys. It��s food. Rejoice��


    Regure brought over arge heap of meat.


    ����������������


    A heavy silence hung in the air.


    ��Here you go, it''s fresh meat. Meat? Salted pork is all well and good, but the vitality of this stuff is different! It was a fine thoroughbred horse, so I''m sure it will be delicious. It probably tastes exquisite��


    She subsequently brought over some stones, which she used to prop up a table-shaped rock like an archway over the bonfire.


    ��When I lived on the inds, this is how the inders would eat the stuff they took from the sea��


    She carried out the work quickly.


    ����������������


    The silence between the men hung even heavier.


    If it were a woman from the modern world, she would go,��How dreadful~, they look so scary~��and shy away, but the women in this world were different.


    ��Alright, it''s warming up nicely��


    After checking how hot the rock was, Regure melted a lot of butter on top of it and began to cook the meat.


    Yay! Grilled meat!


    It was hard to rejoice like that.


    But it smelled really good.


    ��Souya, make something to give it more vor��


    ��Oh, okay��


    After being told to by Regure, I crushed up some rock salt, and then rubbed the alpine leeks that I had left out to dry in the cold air with the salt.


    After that, I made a sd of wild vegetables.


    ��Alright, it��s done. Your Majesty, you can have the first piece~��


    ����Hmm��


    She picked up a piece of meat using tongs and ced it on the cheerless His Majesty��s te.


    No matter the form, it was his beloved horse.


    ��It��s the most delicious part��


    ��Regure, what part of Verxina is this?��


    ��It��s better if you don��t know��


    ��������Souya, eat it��


    ��Yes��


    His Majesty dejectedly scarfed down the sd.


    I took the meat.


    Stabbing it with a fork, I ate it together with some salt and alpine leeks.


    ��?!��


    It, it��s delicious.


    It has a sweetness to it. And yet, the fat is delicate. It doesn��t have a bad smell, and the texture of the meat is different from that of pork. The more I chew, the sweeter and tastier it bes. It has a very rich vor. When I swallowed it, the vitality of the meat made me feel as if I��m eating life force itself. This, this is����


    ��Your Majesty������it��s extremely delicious��


    ��It��s my other half after all��


    It��s really difficult to eat it when you say things like that.


    Regure was putting the meat that was done on a separate te.


    I think she��s under-cooking the meat a little. But it seems like it can be eaten raw, so it��s fine, I guess?


    ��Come on, I''m going to keep on grilling them, so eat up, you guys. Don''t hold back, old man. You haven''t been eating muchtely, so eat the good stuff and build up your strength��


    Zamonss really looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.


    ��Zamonss, don''t hold back for my sake. It was finest among the finest horses that has been through thick and thin with me ever since I was a child. It''s surely its wish that its flesh and blood be a part of my vassals��


    Your Majesty, I��m telling you, you��re making it really difficult to eat it when you say things like that.


    ��Well then, pardon me��


    Zamonss sprinkled a small pinch of salt over the meat and took a bite.


    The moment he swallowed it, the old man��s eyes shot open.


    ��Th, this is delicious. It''s like my body is regaining its youth with every bite��


    No way, that''s absurd.


    ��Your Majesty, eat up. If it bes a part of you, it can run with you again. I bet it''ll be delighted��


    She heaped His Majesty��s te full of grilled meat.


    ����Hmm��


    His Majesty seemed to have made up his mind.


    He shoveled the grilled meat into his mouth with a fork. His cheeks were bulging as he chewed the meat thoroughly, and then swallowed.


    ��Delicious! Verxina, to the veryst, you were a true and loyal vassal who never betrayed my expectations. Let��s run together again in heaven! Why������I won''t keep you waiting long��


    His Majesty smiled fearlessly as he ate the meat.


    We followed suit and ate the finest thoroughbred horse.


    Today''s feast was quiet but heated, and we ate the most food we ever had so far.


    [1] Those who know something about guns, but aren��t knowledgeable about older firearms(like me), would prob be tilting your head at the side mounted scope. Here��s how it looks like, including the mentioned clip for loading the rifle.


    The pic is actually of the M1D Garand sniper rifle btw(courtesy of tactical-life). And the M14 is a rifle developed from the M1 that reced the M1 as the standard-issue rifle of the U.S. Army until it waster reced by the M16.


    [2] Souya was about to say the same lie he said back in chp 55 about Aga-chan being an imitation reproduced using technology from a foreignnd. But because Zamonss cuts him off right before he actually lies, I cut it at that timing too, but Japanese grammar being backwards meant that I couldn��t get the foreign technology part in without it being weird in English.


    Very ironically, Souya does end up eating Verxina like he said he would��


    And yeah, I got many questions about the term ��ck elf�� when it first appeared. Many asked, why not use ��dark elf��? That��s because it��s a fake-out by the author. After making you think of dark elves all the way back in volume 1, it turns out there are no such things as dark elves in this world and the people call the ck elf a ck elf probably because the ck elf is an elf that has ck hair and skin. With means that the ck elf is����


    Isn��t it interesting though that they��ve not heard of the advance troops from 50 years ago? Even though they were said to have done all sorts of atrocities?


    Well, that��s the end of this arc and all the build-up, and the next arc is finally the meat of Souya��s journey to the left continent. What other secrets will be found or revealed? How will the confrontation with the ck elf go? Beware the golden eyes glowing in the night, and stay tuned!

 Chapter 81: We Gather Under The Black Flag I & II

    <h4>Chapter 81: We Gather Under The ck g I & II</h4>


    ��The White Wolf And The Golden-Eyed Beast. We Gather Under The ck g I��


    To be honest, it feels like I��ve already been here for a month.


    I��ve gotten used to the morning chill.


    It''s just barely, but I��ve be able to bear the crisp cold air and wind as well.


    Is my ability to adapt high, I wonder? Well, if it wasn''t, I wouldn''t have considered something like going to the alternate world, I suppose.


    Snow had begun falling again.


    After today, it may pile up considerably. Once the snow starts to umte in earnest, the army will get bogged down. There is no way the enemy would overlook this.


    ��Your Majesty��


    ��Hmm, how many are there?��


    His Majesty and the three of us were gazing at the in from the watchtower.


    ��Total number of enemies, 40,000��


    After hearing my report, His Majesty smiled. It was a childlike smile.


    Zamonss and Regure also smiled. The smiles on those two��s faces were sinister. Mine was a bitter one.


    ��A two-horned helmet, that''s Robbs'' g. What��s more, that��s the only g. That guy, he brought almost his entire army here��


    The in waspletely nketed by an army of ck emzoned with gold.


    They only flew one g. The g of Robbs, the name with ties to Vindoobunikuru.


    ��It��s grand, isn��t it?��


    ��It��s like they��reing to y a dragon~��


    ��Now, if I were a dragon, I''d probably eat 20,000. Any more than that and I suspect even a dragon��s stomach will get upset��


    If Verxina was still around, His Majesty might even have a chance of scattering all 40,000. It''s no use thinking about that now, I suppose.


    ��Your Majesty, a single horseman approaching��


    I reported again.


    A horseman had emerged from that sea of troops and was galloping toward us.


    ��An envoy, I suppose. Let��s all go hear what he has to say��


    ��Okay~��


    At His Majesty''s words, all of us descended the watchtower.


    After a short wait, the horseman arrived.


    The horseman was a young man. His beard was still short, and his armor looked new and didn��t have a scratch on it.


    ��Excuse me for not dismounting! That big man with red hair, are you King Dainsleif?��


    ��Hmm, indeed I am��


    He was a youngster with a loud voice.


    ��My name is Durandal! Son of Dugan?Stelch?Horobi?Robbs! I''vee to deliver a message from my father!��


    ��Speak!��


    ��Tomorrow! At daybreak! We''ll crush your country with our entire army! We��ll let you meet your end in a way that befits the name of Ashtalia!��


    ��Hmm, bring it on��


    ��And! ������������This is something from me personally though��


    His voice became soft all of a sudden.


    ��I would like to have Princess Amelia as my wife!��


    ��Ooh��


    His Majesty''s killing intent swelled.


    ��Take her if you wish. Over my dead body, that is��


    ��Certainly! Well then, I''ll see you on the battlefield!��


    ��Hmm��


    The younger Robbs left.


    I''m going to kill that guy for sure, His Majesty muttered.


    That guy is going to die for sure, isn��t he?


    ��Well then, Zamonss, Regure, and Souya, it was only for a short time, but you have all served me well. Tomorrow morning, you will be released from my service after I set out to battle and meet my end��


    ��Your Majesty, at least allow me to apany you to the very end��


    ��That''s right~��


    Zamonss and Regure��s objections were����


    ��I won��t allow that��


    ����brushed aside tly.


    ��At the very end, at least let me forget everything and fight. Not as a king, but as one man. But I��ll show you the true pinnacle of martial skill. You can look forward to it��


    Zamonss lowered his head.


    ��Yes, Your Majesty. I''m honored to have served you��


    ��Me too~��


    ��There is still time. Save the goodbyes forter. Sorry, but I need to be alone for a while��


    The three of us bowed our heads in unison.


    His Majesty walked off in the direction of the castle.


    ��Souya��


    Zamonss called out to me and handed me a scroll and a ring. The ring was the kind that was meant to be pressed into wax to use as a seal. It was something used by nobles and famous merchants.


    ��Here is the seal of a bogus noble of Elysium, and a forged proof of identity with your name on it��


    ��Souya?Urus?Ra?Tilt?��


    When I spread open the scroll, I saw such a name written on it.


    ��Go south and get into contact with a noble dilettante among the knights of Elysium. Your social status is fairly high. It will likely be easy to fool the knights on thisnd. Even if your identity is called into question on the center continent, you should be fine if you say that you''re the prodigal third son of a high noble. And also�D�D��


    This is for your traveling expenses, he said while handing me two small bags.


    One was filled with gold coins, and the other was filled with gemstones.


    The gemstones were worth enough money to buy an entire ship along with its crew.


    ��Regure, I��ve put your name down on the proof of identity as Souya��s mistress. Even though we''ve known each other for a long time, I''m grateful that you responded to my request for help on short notice��


    ��Huh? What about you, old man?��


    ��I''ve got, well, a small matter to take care of��


    ��I��ll go with you��


    ��You can��t��


    ��Don��t care��


    Regure and Zamonss bickered with each other.


    I stepped away and went up the watchtower. I wanted to be alone for a while.


    I gazed upon the army of 40,000.


    Standing in opposition to them, one king.


    Tomorrow, His Majesty is going to charge into their midst.


    I can''t picture His Majesty losing. But even His Majesty is not immortal. If his blood flows continuously and his heart stops beating, he will die. But until things get to that point, he will probably kill and kill and kill.


    The death toll will likely be between 20,000 and 30,000. There will be carnage iparable to what Regure and Zamonss did.


    And in the end, His Majesty will die.


    He will run out ofnces, his sword will shatter, and despite being rendered weaponless, he will snatch the enemy''s arms.


    He will be pierced all over by arrows, pierced through by spears, and will advance with the strength of a demon god, and will not stop even after taking the head of the general.


    The in will probably be steeped in blood.


    It will be dyed a red that cannot be hidden even by the whiteness of the snow.


    It''s my ideal death.


    But,


    There is no me that doesn��t go out. This passion will quickly cool off.


    In the end, everything will disappear into dust. With the changing of the seasons, memories of this battle will fade away, countries will change their names, people will change and make a fresh start in life. Only as words in the wind will the name of Ashtalia remain.


    I just can''t let that happen.


    That��s unforgivable.


    In no way would I allow that.


    ��The White Wolf And The Golden-Eyed Beast. We Gather Under The ck g II��


    His Majesty went to sleep early in order to build up his spirits.


    The tent he slept in was guarded by Regure.


    It was my first night alone sinceing to this continent.


    I could see my breath as I checked my equipment inside my tent.


    A backpack had been secured to Agathion. Inside it was a piece of equipment that I had never seen before and an item I was familiar with. I didn''t know whose idea it was, but it was most likely my god or someone from my party.


    I took off the coat and put on my new cloak.


    It had a hood, was made of ck material on the outside, and had a blood-red lining. Its design resembled the poncho I was used to wearing. It came with a note describing its function and what it was made from.


    What was written on the note wasn''t pleasant reading.


    I would have preferred the bow, but I have no idea if I would be able to use it at the moment. I have the option of leaving it all to Agathion like during the time with Verxina, but the enemy knows about this sword. The possibility of them having nned a countermeasure against it is high.


    As I thought, I''ll have to infiltrate them and do it.


    Lastly, I hung the containers of the regeneration point from my neck����


    ��Don��t do it��


    ����but I was stopped by Zamonss the moment I stepped out of my tent.


    ��In all likelihood, you n to assassinate King Dugan using Agathion. Don''t do it, you''ll dishonor the name of Ashtalia. All of His Majesty''s battles would have been for nothing��


    ��Then have you got any ideas?��


    ��I do. One that��s sensible��


    ��And that is?��


    This man has the wisdom of age. He probably has a better n.


    ��I��ll assassinate King Dugan��


    ��Well, well, well��������


    It��s no different from mine.


    Wait, I guess it is different. He has a position that I don''t.


    ��So, will youe with me?��


    ��Sure��


    I took a night walk through the city with the old knight.


    Snow had covered the remnants of the ruined country and looked almost like ash.


    ��The beast of fire that destroyed this country������


    ��Huh?��


    As he spoke, he threw something over to me. I almost dropped it, and caught hold of it in a fluster.


    It was burnt and warped, but it was a symbol of the knights of St. Lyridias.


    ������he was my disciple��


    ��I see��


    This man has trained many knights.


    The number of them who had turned into beasts is probably more than a few.


    ��For quite some time now, Elysium has been more wary of Ashtalia than any of the other Myriad Kings. Among those left on record, his is the only bloodline that has defeated the beasts of abominable blood personally. It''s rumored, among other things, that the blood of dragons runs in that lineage. The fact that it was no joke was demonstrated by the father, grandfather and great-grandfather of King Dainsleif.


    Taking advantage of his absence to release a beast, is probably what they did. It''s a simple thing. Beasts are things that are used in this way.


    If the king cannot be defeated, then aim for his country. If the king can''t be defeated, then take his daughter. Who knows, maybe the decimation of the Gasim family was also part of their plot��


    ��I imagine so��


    He��s likely right.


    The elf who allegedly caused Irvin''s grand-uncle''s downfall. The possibility that such a person doesn��t exist is high.


    ��For fifty years of my life, I had been protecting a den of foxes. If that doesn''t overwhelm a man with despair, what will?[1] I knew it in my heart once I had left. That in that whitewashed city, there is no loyalty that a knight should risk his life to protect. All that lives there are lumps of fat scooping up gold from dung heaps. An old knight said this to me in the past, "This world is always full of irony." Indeed, that statement couldn''t be more true. I was made painfully aware of that��


    Coincidentally, there is a man I know who says something simr.


    ��But at the very end, the gods seem to have smiled on this old man. I can die without turning ugly from age��


    ��Is that really the case, I wonder?��


    I don''t think it''s something you can ever know until the very end though.


    ��Hmpt. What a dull reply from such a sullen youngster. Can''t you see it with your own eyes? I was very popr when I was young. Even now, I''m plenty good-looking��[2]


    ��Uh-huh��


    While I listened to Zamonss brag, we stepped out onto the in. No, it was more of a snowfield. The snow hadn''t piled up high enough to get into my shoes, but it had turned the area white in every direction.


    In the distance, the lights of the camp were visible. Other than that, it was a dim world illuminated by the moonlight reflecting off the snow. It felt like a world submerged under a shallow sea.


    After walking for a while, I noticed something strange.


    We had reached the ce where the carnage had taken ce. It should have been packed with dead bodies.


    I walked forward cautiously, but the tips of my shoes did note into contact with anything.


    There was nothing. At all.


    I thought that maybe Dugan had taken the bodies and held a funeral service for them, but given the number of corpses, I doubted that it was possible to clean this ce up sopletely and quickly.


    ��Souya, on thisnd, corpses disappear overnight. Without leaving even a single bone. Why do you think that is?��


    ��No idea��


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    In this darkness, where I can''t see one step in front of me, it feels almost like I''m inside the dungeon.


    Like there are enemies out there.


    ��You should be able to see them now��


    A pair of golden eyes shone from within the depths of the remote darkness.


    Once I saw one, I found countless more. They had drawn close and surrounded us in the blink of an eye.


    They were dogs with ck fur. No, these were����


    ��They��re wolves. No weird movements or anything, I��ll deal with them��


    ��No, let me��


    I forestalled the old knight who was about to draw his sword.


    I surveyed the darkness.


    Beasts form packs. Rely on my senses. There is always one somewhere. A follower of Misuranika should be able to grasp it.


    Deep in the depths of the pack, I found it.


    ��H, hey��


    Leaving Zamonss behind, I moved forward alone. The circle that was darker than darkness opened naturally.


    I felt their warm breaths on my skin.


    What I had found was arge wolf. It was as big as a grown man and its twin eyes zed a brilliant gold.


    I knelt down and kissed the wolf''s front paw.


    ��We simply want to pass through here. We won��t interfere with what you��re doing. Please carry on honoring the dead��


    ����Go��mystical brethren. Our����golden-eyed����brother. We await you at the peaks of the abyss. ��Eventually������in future����


    It was hard to make out its words, but I sensed no hostility.


    I beckoned to Zamonss, and then continued onward.


    After we had left, the wind shifted and the golden eyes disappeared in all directions.


    ��You, what''s with those eyes?��


    ��Oh, you know. It''s fashion[3]��


    Are they shining gold again? Come to think of it, I can see clearly in the dark all of a sudden.


    ��Fa? What did you say?��


    ��It doesn��t really matter, does it?��


    ��That can��t be anything good��


    He wasn��t letting it go, so I reluctantly answered.


    ��It''s due to the god I''m contracted with. Probably��


    ��And the name of that god is?��


    Is it alright for me to say it? Well������I suppose it��s fine, it��s the end anyway.


    ��Misuranika, of misdeeds. She��s a god recognized by St. Lyridias as evil��


    He''s not going to get angry now aftering this far, is he?


    ��Misuranika, the dark fire��


    Zamonss stopped dead in his tracks����


    ��Gu, kuha, hahahahahahahahahaha!��


    ����and burst out into boisterousughter.


    St, stop it.


    We''ll be discovered! Even the wolves from earlier got startled! Even though I had gone to such trouble to settle things quietly!


    ��Before the man who has despaired of Elysium, a follower of Misuranikaes, huh? It''s trulyughable. At the very end, my life sure has be aughable one��


    ��What are you talking about?��


    ��I''ve understood everything. I''m sure of it. Souya, my disciples must have caused you a lot of trouble. And to make up for it, I''m going to give you something extraordinarily good. Why, I''m sure you''ll be able to put it to good use��


    His proposal is more or less what I had expected.


    But I can��t help but be made painfully aware.


    That this alternate world is truly full of irony.


    [1] If you��re tilting your head at why Zamonss despaired at protecting a den of foxes, recall the notes about foxes in an earlier chapter. They are monsters that pretend to be human. Yes, Zamonss is saying that he had wasted 50 years of his life protecting people who he had been unaware were actually monsters inside.


    [2] Zamonss�� sense of humor is a bit�� Anyway, he said he can die without bing ugly with age. What Souya meant in his reply(which we know because of his thoughts) is that Zamonss can��t be sure he will die. Zamonss, in jest(because hemented that it was a dull reply), took it as Souyamenting that he was already ugly. Basically, he had expected Souya to tsukkomi/retort him, but Souya replied him seriously instead.


    [3] He says this in English.


    I was holding back tears at the end of I. I��m really such a sucker for these kinds of scenes.


    So, Irvin��s family was brought to ruin not by the ck elf, but by Elysium��s plots, huh? It��s only those two��s spection, of course, but how ironic would it be if it was true��


    In these 2 chapters lies a wealth of crucial hints, but I cannot point them out at this time. But for now, I��ll just say this. Isn��t it weird that Misuranika is recognized as an evil god by St Lyridias and their knights seems to know her even though almost no one in the world does?


    We��re heading into the heart of the story here! Chapters are getting longer and longer after this! What��s Zamonss�� n and how will the two of them try to save their beloved king? Next chapter is truly one that you cannot miss!! Stay tuned!!!

 Chapter 82: We Gather Under The Black Flag III

    <h4>Chapter 82: We Gather Under The ck g III</h4>


    A short time ago, a beast appeared in Ashtalia.


    It was a giant beast that was wrapped in mes.


    Its mes razed the city, burnt down the people and their homes, and turned the small kingdom��s castle town to ash.


    At the cost of their lives, the generals and soldiers of Ashtalia defeated the beast.


    They were His Majesty��s men. They weren��t ordinary men. I heard that every single soldier had strength equal to advanced adventurers.


    Even so, their lives were turned to ash.


    This time, to protect Ashtalia.


    The country ravaged by a beast will be protected by a beast. There aren''t any other words for it.


    It was a white beast that stood out in the darkness. It had beautiful long hair that made it seem as if it was made of snow, walked on two legs and was 10 meters tall. Its ws were sharp and thick. The beast''s head was the very image of a wolf. Its long tail generated wind with every swing.


    The beast''s howl broke the stillness of the night.


    It was a howl that triggered an instinctive fear in people.


    Just like the ugly beast I saw in the past, it howled at the three round moons. I have no idea if they have a special hatred for the radiance of the night, or if it''s just a habit of beasts.


    The beast advanced, scattering the army of men.


    Its ws tore through soldiers like they were made of paper. Using its big mouth, it crunched ten soldiers with a single bite. The first ones to die weren��t able to even grasp what had happened.


    I took advantage of the confusion and went around setting fires. To surround the army, to enclose the beast, and to let the enemies see the beast.


    The soldiers who had been on guard against a night attack rang bells to alert the entire army.


    The ringing of the bells, the soldiers�� screams, the mes, and the beast��s howlsbined to spur pandemonium.


    But they held up better than I had expected. They were quick to adjust and regain control.


    There were those who threw their lives away to buy time.


    There were generals who made use of that time tomand the army to form battle lines.


    Even the most lowly soldier acted on his own initiative instead of waiting for orders from above.


    These guys are used to fighting. As expected from the army of one of the strongest four.


    Perhaps they have experience fighting beasts? The biggest enemy of the ck elf is Elysium. It��s possible.


    Any forms of sabotage other than setting fires would likely be futile. If it went badly and I got found out, it would sully the name of Ashtalia. Until tomorrow morning, when His Majesty goes into battle, I''m still his vassal. I must at least serve with the pride and honor of one. Just like Zamonss.


    It was an admirable end.


    Manly.


    And without words.


    Unlike Varner, he uttered not one word ofint.


    As if to say, life is just such a thing, he killed himself without batting an eye.


    I ended up bearing witness to the death of both teacher and disciple.


    Was there some sort of meaning behind it, I wonder? ������No, it''s up to me to give it meaning, I suppose.


    Yes, it does have meaning. This night of hunting that has continued on after Irvin��s death.


    In spite of the quick response by the army, the beast advanced.


    This is an army of the most valiant, and yet they''re no match for it at all. It''s a massacre.


    It''s terrifying just to imagine it.


    How many of such people does Elysium have? There''s only one of them and it''s like this. If by some twist of fate, countless beasts are released into the world, civilization will be extinguished.


    ��Bring me my armor!��


    ��You can��t, King Dugan! You must pull back to safety!��


    ��Not a chance! If I don��t fight at the front, who will?!��


    ��Excuse me foring sote at night��


    In front of Dugan, who was quarreling with his trusted vassal, I appeared.


    Because of my sudden greeting and the fact that there was absolutely no sign of me up until that very moment, rather than drawing their weapons, the king and his men were simply astonished.


    It was a secure camp. To protect the king, there were ten female soldiers guarding the ce he slept, fifty brawny personal guards, and three hundred sentries. Even when facing such a foe, it was a steadfast defense without a hint of confusion.


    I had slipped through all that with ease.


    They must be shocked.


    Indeed, not even a single insect can pass through these defenses undetected. But there''s this monster that had managed to deceive adventurers for over five hundred years. I have a cloak made of its skin.


    L��s cloak.


    It''s a piece of equipment created under the guidance of the Guild President. By passing magic power through it, this item makes the wearer bepletely invisible like L. However, the normal me would have been able to stay invisible for five seconds at best.


    However, so long as a beast of abominable blood is nearby, I can stay invisible almost forever. Thanks to Misuranika-sama��s grace, I��m currently overflowing with infinite magic power.


    ��If I''m not mistaken, you''re Dainsleif��s vassal, aren��t you? The one who gave me apples��


    ��Yes��


    ��That monster is a beast of Elysium. Surely����it wasn''t unleashed by Dainsleif?��


    ��No way��


    Iughed derisively.


    Then I continued.


    ��That''s a fragment of the beast that burned Ashtalia down. It must have been revived by the blood on the battlefield. It��s a huge beast that even the four generals of our country couldn��tpletely kill. Now, how will you guys fight it?��


    ��Naturally, just as our ancestors did, we''ll climb over the corpses of our brethren, chop off its head, and gouge out its heart. That''s all��


    ��Ahahahahahahahaha! That''s no good. It''s a stupid way to fight. Even the famed Robbs only amounts to this much, huh?��


    As Iughed uproariously, I grabbed the axe swung down at me from the side with my bare hand.


    I put strength into my five fingers and shattered its steel de.


    The one who had swung the axe was the king''s son.


    ��What?! Those eyes! Are you also a beast of Elysium?!��


    Durandal made a misguided misunderstanding about me.


    ��I��m the Wolf of Ashtalia. In the ce of you fools, I��ll show you a real hunt. Withdraw your army immediately. If you don��t, you will be damned by the curse of death before the fight even begins. This is your only warning��


    ��That hunt or whatever, we''ll show it to you by lining up your head with the head of the beast!��


    The younger Robbs came at me, swinging the axe with a shattered de.


    No one was stopping him, so I had no choice but to punch him in the jaw and knock him out. The other men raised their weapons in unison. Three hundred and fifty weapons gleamed dully in the light of the mes.


    ����STOPPP!����


    ��You foolish son who bared your weapon without thinking! What''s more, to not be able to tell the difference in strength from the first strike, you definitelyck training!��


    ��So, what are you going to do?��


    I don��t care either way.


    I had given them the warning only in passing while announcing my name.


    As long as a few of the people present survive and spread the name of Ashtalia, that''s enough for me. All the better if it''s apanied by a story about a foolish king who ignored the warning.


    I''ve already achieved my objective.


    ��I won''t retreat. This is the path to death that I''ve prepared for my friend. He will tear my army apart, fall, and die, and then Dainsleif will be a legend. Even if a beast or whatnot appears the night before, I''ll simply crush it��


    ��Understood��


    Then you can vomit blood and die from the curse of death.


    If I pull up the hood of the cloak, I''ll be invisible. As strong people, these guys won''t be able to see me.


    As I was about to make myself vanish����


    ��Won''t you wait for a moment?��


    ����I was stopped by a woman��s voice.


    I merely make myself unseen, but this woman truly appears out of thin air.


    Unrest spread through Robbs'' men at the appearance of the second intruder.


    ��It��s still not time! It��s too early!��


    The woman took the king��s words calmly.


    ��But if I don''t stop you, you will die for nothing. I do not want that��


    The dark-skinned elf pulled down her hood.


    Now that I had a good look at her, she was more petite and slenderpared to Rana. Her long ck hair looked like it was dyed with darkness. Underneath her cloak, she was wearing an over-sizedbat uniform and boots, both of which had been altered to fit her.


    ��No way��


    I couldn''t stop myself from eximing.


    What had surprised me was her face.


    She had such beautiful looks that it was scary, and a devilishness shone in her eyes. A tremendous beauty, she was my god��..


    ��Misuranika, -sama?��


    ������s spitting image. She looked so much like her that they could be mistaken for twins.


    ��Who��s a forgotten one? Are you being sarcastic?��


    ��No, no��


    My strained nerves were eased for an instant.


    This person is, no, what''s the story behind her? With everything that has happened up to this point, she looks too much like her for it to be a coincidence.


    ��Your Majesty, who is this person?��


    ��Ur, urgh��


    Sweat broke out on Dugan��s forehead when he was questioned by his trusted vassal.


    Is this woman''s existence more troublesome to him than the approaching beast?


    ��Robbs, pull back for now. Let''s try leaving it to this man. If we look on from a distance, we''ll surely get to see something interesting. The destruction of Ashtalia can wait till afterwards��


    A bitter look appeared on Dugan��s face.


    ��������It can''t be helped. Inform the entire army. Back away from the beast. We''ll fall back until we can just barely see it. Leave behind anything that cannot be carried easily. The recovery of the fallen is prohibited. Help those who have the will to live. For those who don''t, put them out of their misery��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    Loyally, his vassals moved to follow his instructions.


    ��There, that''s good enough, right?��


    ��Yes, that''s plenty, Robbs��


    ��Good grief, I��m worried for the future��


    After a quick discussion with the woman, Dugan looked at me.


    ��Wolf of Ashtalia or whatever you''re called. Show me your skill. If you fight in a way that sullies Dainsleif��s name, I''ll step in and decapitate you along with the beast��


    ��No need to worry��


    That''s thest thing I would do.


    The woman looked at me with a small smile.


    ��Now, go��


    ��Yeah, I''ll go. Be sure to witness the glorious fighting style of Ashtalia��


    I pulled up the hood of the cloak and vanished from the king��s view.


    I went in the opposite direction of the soldiers who were hurrying away.


    The white beast was rampaging wildly.


    Hit by arrows and spears, there were spots of red all over its white body. But the wounds were all far from fatal.


    To kill these things, one had to chop off their heads and crush their hearts.


    It''s a ritualistic way of doing it, but it''s a foolproof method used by the beast-hunter adventurers to deal with them.


    I slipped through the crowd of people and came out into an open space. A burning tent had be a huge bonfire. The remains of people were strewn all over. There were a hundred or two, from those who fought bravely to those who fled and were killed from behind. Some were crushed beyond recognition.


    There were all sorts.


    I showed myself and stood in front of the beast.


    The beast stopped moving when it saw me.


    I held up Zamonss�� sword.


    It was a sword that was forged thicker and more sturdy than an ordinary longsword. It was coated with silver, making it highly effective against not just beastkin, but beasts of abominable blood as well.


    This sword had been engraved with the history of the old knight''s battles. The marks on the sword didn''te from a decade or two of use. They had been etched into it over the course of half a century.


    For the people of this world, that��s almost the duration of a person��s life.


    A sword that hassted that long without shattering and has kept its edge is a remarkable sword, even if it doesn''t have a name.


    Reflected on its de, were golden eyes. They were the eyes of wolves. The eyes of those who devoured evil.


    I thought back on hisst words.


    A long-standing resentment dwells inside me. At the very end, just like the other knights, I''ll kill everything in sight. ������Well, for being able to put that to good use, I''m a lucky man��


    ��My god, oh Misuranika, the dark fire. I''m the one who devours the curses of people, uses it as food and turns it into power. I''m your one and only follower.


    Ra?Varuzu?Duin?Gargantua. We hate for eternity the origin of the blood of old.


    With the echos of resentment and the voices of curses, I call the beast.


    Oh goddess of the moon of misfortune,


    Oh Lycan,


    Oh golden-eyed ck cat,


    In this body, the power of the forgotten ones.


    ��Oh my god, forgive its sin of purging evil!


    I harbor a beast while remaining in human form!


    I hunt beasts while remaining human!


    There is no night that doesn''t break into dawn! No dreams that one doesn''t awaken from! I��ll sever the abominable blood of cmity right here and now! Soe once more, the night of the hunter!��


    Knowingly or unknowingly, fate had led me to gather the pieces of her.


    Misuranika, the one who is forgottenpletely.


    Perhaps it��s because of this power, but I''m beginning to understand the truth about her.


    The dark fire.


    The shadow of prosperity.


    The abandoned ones.


    They''re gathered in this body now.


    Oh descendants of the king who drank the taboo.


    Oh glorious knights of St. Lyridias.


    The blood that flows in your hearts will be forgiven in death by the god of misdeeds.


    But the curse is power.


    The strong emotions were purified by Misuranika''s grace and were transformed into masses of pure power that glowed with a pale light like fireflies.


    This is the power of immortality. A shadow thatsts forever so long as the world of man exists.


    Come, my beast.


    Devour this.


    Cracks streaked across the containers of the regeneration point. Red and blue steam burst out.


    The snowfield was bathed in green light.


    It''s a fantastical sight. The enemy I faced too, is fitting for a fantasy world.


    The white beast and I howled at the same time.


    War cries rang out together.


    Behold.


    Behold the man that is me.


    Behold the Wolf of Ashtalia.


    ��Let��s go��


    Baring my teeth, I started walking forward.


    Slowly, heroically, bravely, as befits a vassal of His Majesty.


    The white beast swung a massive punch at me.


    It was a heavy blow that stirred up wind. If a human took that, he would be obliterated from the ankles up.


    I swung Zamonss'' sword, the proof that he was once human. It deflected the blow aside. The ringing of metal echoed loudly.


    I advanced and, without hesitation, we went at each other.


    ws and sword threw off sparks. It was a sh of blows between two superhuman beings. The sound of iron being struck reverberated through the air. A single horizontal sh, and blood sprayed out, painting the snow red.


    I didn��t take a single step back.


    The beast, retreated.


    With every blow, our bodies broke.


    With every blow, we faced death.


    With every blow, we were reborn.


    Oveing death, trampling down death.


    Going back and forth between life and death, I knocked the beast down with a strength surpassing that of heroes.


    Taking advantage of that opening, I swung a god-like sh.


    It sliced the beast''s arm clean off and sent it flying. The arm, which was as thick as a giant tree trunk, fell behind it.


    A step, and another step, I advanced.


    Using spear-hand attacks, the beast thrust its ws at me repeatedly. Each of its fingers were as big as my head. Be it the weight, power or mass behind those attacks, they were all beyond the limits of humans.


    I caught those ws with my bare hand.


    The impact shot through my body, shattering my bones and rupturing my internal organs. Part of my body liquefied and gushed from my mouth and eyes.


    But I didn��t take a single step back.


    I mustn��t retreat.


    I pushed the huge beast back.


    The infinite regeneration point healed all damage in an instant. Moreover, the power. A power second to none. Something inside me burned, changed to heat, and transformed into an immense power.


    In the cold air of the snowfield, steam rose from my body.


    I crushed the ws in my grip. With a swing of the sword, I sliced the beast''s arm into two lengthwise.


    The beast screamed out loud.


    With the magic sword in my left hand, I tore through both of the beast''s legs with both swords. I felt the sensation of them cutting through thick flesh and severing bones.


    ��Agathion��


    Combining the power of Wild Hunt and the power of the magic sword, I threw it at super close range. The magic sword gouged out the beast''s heart.


    The beast dropped to its knees. Like a sinner presenting his head.


    I rested the sword on my shoulder and held it with both hands


    So that I could chop its head off easily, I moved to its side.


    ��Farewell��


    The beast''s eyes were filled with a human-like gentleness. They shone with intelligence. Perhaps he had be a beast while remaining himself. Maybe he had gone easy on me. That might be why I had won so easily.


    But,


    Without caring, and without hesitation, I beheaded it.


    Though I was merely mimicking what I had seen, I imitated His Majesty''s sword technique. It shouldn''t have felt any pain.


    Blood flooded onto the snowfield and became a red river.


    Taking out a small bag from my pants pocket, I scattered the seeds that were inside it. They were the seeds of the Shikabana. They would absorb the curse, and then flowers resembling cirsiums would bloom. I had been worried about whether they would bloom in this cold weather, but my fears were unfounded.


    The seeds took root, sprouted and grew as soon as theynded on the beast''s body. They were still small, but I saw glimpses of the red flowers. They were using the curse that I had spewed out and the beast''s body as nourishment.


    In less than half a day, this ce would probably be awash with red flowers.


    I was able to let go of one of my concerns. I had avoided polluting thend of Ashtalia.


    After that,


    I picked up the head that I had sent flying and held it up.


    The head wasrger than my body.


    Under normal conditions, carrying it would be difficult for me, but at that moment, I was able to easily lift it up with one hand.


    ��Those of Robbs'' n! Behold! Bear witness! This is your nemesis, the beast of Elysium! In the ce of you fools, this Wolf of Ashtalia has hunted it down magnificently! Strike down my fame and make it yours! Right now! Grab your weapons ande at me!��


    We were quite a distance apart, but it appeared that Robbs'' army could hear me.


    War cries were yelled back in reply.


    Torches in hand, the soldiers surged at me like a tidal wave.


    With the defeat of the beast, Misuranika-sama''s grace had gone out. The drifting curse of death was already being cleansed by the flowers. In other words, the effects of Wild Hunt were already nearing their end.


    Soon, I��ll return to being just an ordinary foreigner.


    Should I chant Wild Hunt again?


    The problem I have is that it''s unclear if this magic is one that can be used consecutively.


    If I''m unlucky, I''ll just spew out the curse of death and then die. Actually, is it even a magic that can be used when there are no beasts of abominable blood around? The only way to know for sure is to gamble my life on it. It''s my usual practice of ying things by ear.


    Iid the head of the white beast on the ground and made a gesture of prayer with one hand.


    ��Agathion��


    After a short prayer, I took the blood-covered magic sword in my hand.


    Now, let''s get the real show on the road.


    Though they had been ravaged by the beast, there were still plenty of soldiers left. 20,000? 30,000?


    Therge army was approaching from across the white darkness. To be met by just one person.


    ��Ku, kuh, hahahaha��


    That��s right. This is it!


    This is what I wanted to do.


    Fighting all alone and unhindered by anyone. Fighting, and then dying at the end of the battle. I''ll fight and fight, and then fall on the battlefield and die like a piece of trash. Is that not the long-cherished desire of men? This cannot be experienced in a ce like the modern world where people die at the sound of a dry pop. This is a ce of battle where blood seethes and cascades. A battlefield where heroes fight, and then die.


    Right now, I''m standing on it.


    This feeling making my body tremble����


    What a soul-stirring sense of pride!


    ��Come, bring it on!��


    Brawny warriors closed in with axes and shields at the ready.


    Not one of them were weak. They were mighty warriors who were each a match for a thousand.


    As something to adorn the death of a piece of trash, it''s too extravagant a lineup. I''m not going to just roll over and die though. I''m going to meet them with all the resistance I can muster.


    Oh, but I should leave 20,000 for His Majesty.


    ��My god, oh Misuranika!��


    Even the sorrow in the wolves'' howls could be felt.


    But what had stopped people in their tracks was not just their voices.


    Between Robb''s army and me, a gigantic ck wolf that was bigger than the white beast had appeared.


    It was so big that it could be mistaken for a hill.


    It was 20 meters from its head to the tip of its tail.


    It could probably quash the armies of men easily. This was not an opponent that humans had the power to do anything about. It was almost like a fantastic beast of legend.


    Alongside it was a pack of wolves.


    A ck pack of nearly a thousand. The wolves of that pack were alsorge. They were much bigger than people. It was an army of fantastic beasts.


    That voice was so cold that it froze our blood.


    Before this fantastic beast, no man had power over his own life and death.


    In the presence of a real god, all men were equally helpless.


    Their golden eyes pierced the night.


    The air shook and souls froze in terror.


    The brawny warriors scrambled to flee. Robbs'' army scattered. They no longer had any will to fight.


    The battle was over.


    Behind me, the wolves were devouring the flesh of the white beast.


    The ck fantastic beast came up to me and opened its mouth to eat the head of the white beast.


    Prepared to die for doing so, I blocked it with my sword. Its tip was quivering.


    ��I''ll bury this one. This is my friend''s teacher. I was not able to bury my friend. ��At the very least, I would like to bury his teacher��


    ��I see. Then, it can��t be helped��


    The fantastic beast turned back.


    Its giant form disappeared without warning and without a trace.


    All that remained was a trampled snowfield and darkness.


    ��Ur, urgh��


    I broke out in a sweat.


    My breathing was ragged.


    At the same time, I started tough.


    There are such things in this world, huh?


    ��Small. So small. In the end, the strength of humans only amounts to this much��


    ��Yes��


    ��But one day, the skills of man will reach even that thing. No, they used to reach it in the past. That was how we incurred the wrath of the gods and became the weak soldiers we are today. If you aspire to be a warrior, you must seek to regain those heights��


    ��������Your Majesty, how long have you been here?��


    ��The entire time��


    His Majesty hade up beside me without a sound. He had suppressed his presencepletely.


    His Majesty is a man who seems to be able to do anything he puts his mind to.


    ��Even if there was a mountain in between, I''d notice a racket this loud��


    ��I had underestimated you, Your Majesty. I''m sorry��


    ��Why is there a need to apologize?��


    ��Well, somehow or other��


    ��Don��t apologize for no particr reason��


    ��Yes��


    ��Come��


    I followed behind His Majesty as he headed back towards the castle. I carried the heavy head of the beast on my shoulders. The joints throughout my body screamed in pain, but I ignored them.


    I chased after the fast-footed His Majesty with wobbly steps.


    The wolves were concentrating on their meal, and paid us no attention. As I watched, the carcass of the white beast started to disappear.


    I looked back at the snowfield, the battlefield.


    Not feeling any particr emotion for it, I left that ce.


    The current me has no passion.


    As if devoured by the fantastic beast, the madness had vanished like an illusion.


    So much to unpack here. I��ll start with Misuranika��s name. From the elf��s response, Souya learned the meaning of Misuranika��s name. Just like how ��Rauaryuna�� means ��impurity/shame of the n��, ��Misuranika�� means ��the one who is forgotten pletely)��. There��s no perfect equivalent in English. Its base meaning is ��forgotten��, but it��s not like forgetting to eat lunch, for example, but a pletely gone�� kind of forget, like a forgotten legend, for example. Which I think you��ll kinda understand if you think about how some people seem to havepletely forgotten about her, like Rana for example��


    By the way, it happenedst time too, but Souya just happens to get revtions about stuff near the time he uses Wild Hunt. Last time, it was about Lyridias, this time it��s about the pieces of Misuranika he says he is gathering. Yes, it��s still very unclear what he has gleamed. We��re not supposed to know it yet. All will be revealed in future.


    And no prizes for guessing what it is inside Souya that was burned and transformed into power�� We��ll eventually see who it is that has been forgotten.


    Why does the elf look like Misuranika though? And as usual, though the temptation is to skip past the chants, Souya altered the words slightly and his thoughts after are obviously important.


    Interesting factoid, the giant wolf actually uses Oda Nobunaga��s sorta catchphrase, ���ǡ����뤫��, which I tranted as ��Then, it can��t be helped��. The true meaning of it is ambiguous, but based on his usage(although it��s considered his catchphrase, he doesn��t actually say it very often XD), it either means the above or ��is that so?��.


    Yeah, in the end, Zamonss�� n is a match-pump. Killing himself to use his beast to wreck havoc on Robbs�� army, then have Souya solve the problem in the name of Ashtalia. So, now that the n has been aplished, what��s next? Stay tuned, for there is still much more to go in this arc!

 Chapter 83.1: We Gather Under The Black Flag IV – (1)

    <h4>Chapter 83.1: We Gather Under The ck g IV �C (1)</h4>


    In one corner of the city, there was a ce where countless weapons had been stuck into the ground.


    There were swords, spears,rge bows,rge scythes, thences used by His Majesty and his men, and alsorge maces. When I looked closer, I saw that it was not only weapons that had been stuck into the ground, but farming tools as well. All of them were damaged, burned and warped.


    What caught my eye was a new mound of dirt. A saddle had been ced on top of it.


    This ce must be a cemetery.


    ��The only one buried here is Verxina. The people, the soldiers, and the generals were all turned to ash and have disappeared into the wind. What is here is the proof of their lives. They are nothing more than the pieces of them that I had been able to gather��


    The ce His Majesty urged me towards had arge hole.


    ��It''s supposed to be for me, but it can''t be helped��


    ��Yes��


    I buried the head of the white beast there.


    I didn''t want the wolves to dig it back up, so I heaped a generous amount of dirt on top of it.


    Lastly, Zamonss'' sword����


    ��You should inherit that��


    ����was kept in a sheath by me. His Majesty stuck argence into the ground as a grave marker in its ce.


    For the grave of the Scarlet Knight Zamonss, it��s a shabby thing.


    Even if his disciples were to see this grave, none of them would realize who rested in it.


    But such is the death of a person, I suppose.


    ��He had been looking for a ce to die. The same as me. To head to thend of the dead as a way to ovee turning ugly from age, what a clumsy man he is��


    ��Your Majesty, err������ Umm. That beast of Elysium�D�D��


    ��Hmm, I know. It��s the duty of the Myriad Kings to know. That''s also the reason why we worship strength��


    That��s what I thought.


    They haven''t been waging a war with Elysium for nothing.


    ��How were Zamonss''st moments?��


    ��It was an admirable end. As befitting a knight, it was knightly and honorable��


    ��Then, it can��t be helped[1]��


    I saw His Majesty look weary for the first time.


    ��Your Majesty, are you alright?��


    ��It''s all your fault, you fool��


    ��Yes��


    ��This is the time to apologize��


    ��I''m sorry��


    ��Hmm��


    His Majesty crossed his thick arms with a satisfied air.


    ��Good grief. When ites to my vassals, each and every single one of them always dies before I do��������


    ��That''s just a result of your personal maism. You might as well resign yourself to it. Or would you rather die right now?��


    Said Dugan, who had appeared out of nowhere. Behind the king was that dark-skinned elf. She was hiding her face with her hood, and had a rifle slung on her back.


    His Majesty replied, unfazed.


    ��If we go at it here, the dead will rise from the ashes��


    ��That would be troubling. Let''s go somewhere we can talk in peace��


    The two kings talked about inconsequential things as they walked off side by side.


    They look close even to the eyes of an outsider. Even though they''ll be trying to kill each other tomorrow���� Is this what Myriad Kings are?


    Or is this what friendship between men is like?


    ��Hey, you, hey, hey��


    The elf, who had nothing to do, came up and called out to me.


    ��What?��


    ��What was that thing that you did back there?!��


    She asked me with her eyes sparkling like a child''s. She was giving off a very different impression from when I first met her.


    ��It��s a secret��


    As if I''d tell you so easily.


    ��Come on, isn''t it fine?��


    She poked me with her elbow.


    ��Here, I''ll give this to you. It''s a candy from a foreignnd that''s hard toe by in this world��


    She forced something ck into my hand.


    A small rhombus-shaped candy? It doesn''t have any particr smell.


    Maybe it was because I was tired, but I put it into my mouth without thinking.


    ��Gopfff!��


    I choked from the stimtion. The saltiness and bitterness made the saliva that flooded my mouth to turn as bitter as the stomach acid that preceded vomiting. My nose stung from the smell of ammonia. That was what I would expect from something made from licorice and ammonium chloride.


    Th, there��s no mistaking what this is.


    ��This is salmiak licorice, isn''t it?��


    It''s the worst-tasting sweet on Earth. Rather than a sweet, it''s more like medicine. It''s a candy that hurts people''s throats even though it''s a throat lozenge.


    I refuse to acknowledge this as a finished product!


    ��How is it? It''s delicious, right?��


    ��It tastes disgusting��


    Despite my belief in not wasting food, I spat it out along with my saliva. There is only so much I can stomach.


    ��What? Tortch said that this is the taste of the foreignnds!��


    ��Who''s that? Someone from Find?��


    ��Fin? What did you say?��


    ��Hey, Maria. Don''t tease other people''s vassals��


    ��Okay~��


    After being called by Dugan, the dark-skinned elf went over and walked by his side like a daughter.


    It was lonely being left all alone, so I raised a question to the three of them.


    ��Umm, that gigantic wolf from earlier. What is that thing?��


    ��Huh?��


    What, you don''t even know that? was written on all three faces.


    It feels like it''s been a long time since I''ve gotten that reaction. I''m a foreigner, you know? There are a lot of things that I don''t know, alright?


    With an expression that said that it couldn''t be helped, His Majesty answered.


    ��That''s one of the "old ones". They��ve lived on the left continent since the age of the gods. They appear when there is evil about. I often used to say to my daughters, "If you stay upte, the old ones will open their mouths wide ande eat you."��


    Dugan continued after His Majesty.


    ��This is the third time I''ve seen one of them. The first was when my father and grandfather were fighting a major battle against Elysium''s expeditionary forces. The second time, Dainsleif, it was when your father went one-on-one with the Pope''s representative hero.


    That was truly a spectacr battle. It''s still talked about passionately in my army. And perhaps, maybe, Wolf of Ashtalia, your battle will be talked about in the same way��


    ������Oh shoot. I just went ahead and called myself that without permission.


    ��Wolf of Ashtalia, huh?��


    His Majesty wore a bitter expression on his face.


    I should have known it was a bad idea.


    ��Though it''s only the bones, on the g of Ashtalia is a dragon. Since ancient times, dragons and wolves have been at odds with each other. Because the dragons'' breath turns the death that the wolves feed on into ashes��


    Dugan nodded exaggeratedly.


    ��Mm-hmm, then there''s no other way. Dainsleif, I''ll wee him into my army��


    Ehhh, I don''t wanna.


    ��I refuse. In all my life, I''ve never yielded women and vassals to others��


    Oh, I feel super relieved.


    As expected of you, Your Majesty.


    ��Now, just sit down as you see fit. I can''t provide much of a wee��


    We had returned to the watchtower.


    After clearing the snow, each of us took a seat at the table. His Majesty and I were seated side by side, with Dugan and the dark-skinned elf opposite us.


    ��I''m sure each of us has something to say, especially Dainsleif. But first, listen to what I have to say��


    Dugan got the conversation started.


    ��First of all, tomorrow''s battle is postponed��


    ��Dugan, did you lose your nerve?��


    His Majesty was furious.


    Dugan snorted inughter.


    ��It''s a battle stopped by the old wolf. If we resume such a thing, who knows what disaster will befall us? My soldiers aren��t cowards, but they��re all religious. It��s against the teachings of the god of war to jump into a deadly situation by oneself��


    ��The teachings of the god of war, Vahagundo, huh? As I recall, that god������


    ��Yes, there is a legend that he fought side by side with the old ones. For that reason, the wolf is a sacred creature to us. Well, several of my younger vassals have foolishly asked me to allow them to fight that kid there one-on-one, but I doubt they''ll be able to match him anyways��


    His Majesty ced a hand on my shoulder.


    ��Souya, I''mte to say it, but that was a splendid battle. You��re a vassal who is too good for me��


    ��I''m honored and grateful for your words��


    ��Then, give him to me��


    The dark-skinned elf said in a cheery voice.


    You know, you''ve been acting incredibly inappropriately for a while now.


    ��Souya, this one is������


    ��Yes, she is the woman who shot and killed Verxina��


    The dark-skinned elf pulled down her hood and revealed her face.


    As I thought, she looks a lot like Misuranika-sama. It''s like she''s the 2P color version.[2]


    ��Then, foolish king of a dying country. Are you going to kill me?��


    She smiled fearlessly.


    While releasing his killing intent, His Majesty replied.


    ��That happened on the battlefield. Avenging the enemy is something to be done on the battlefield. I have no interest in killing a seated woman��


    ��Well, I''ll escape faster than you can swing your sword though��


    Her mischievous expression is different from my god''s. Hers is much more charming.


    ��So, Dugan, who on earth is this strange elf?��


    ��She��s the ck elf��


    ��Huh?��


    His Majesty and I raised our voices at the same time.


    ��That''s right, I''m the ck elf. The greatest enemy of Elysium, and the king closest to bing the supreme ruler of the left continent. Prostrate yourself at the mention of this great name. My name is Ri?Maria?Lyrirukaru?Duin?Oruosuouru��


    ��Hey, stop joking��


    Maria grinned broadly at my words.


    ��I knew it. You know about my name, don''t you?��


    Ra?Guzuri?Duin?Oruosuouru.


    He''s the King of Hemu who founded Elysium. The one who drank the abominable blood and became the first beast. Elysium is a homogeneous countryprising only of Hemus. All other races are treated as ves.


    Even supposing that this elf called Maria is a ve, how does she know this old name? No, why does she call herself by it?


    ��Oruosuouru, you say. I��ve never heard of that name though��


    ��Your Majesty! Please forget it. It''s a name that carries the curse of death. If possible, please do not speak it for the rest of your life. It''s a word that will kill you, no, even anyone within earshot. Please never say it out loud again��


    I pressed home a warning.


    His Majesty is not the kind of person who would do stupid things out of curiosity, but it''s better to be safe than sorry. This is a far too dangerous word that turns people into biological weapons just for knowing it.


    ��Don''t worry, seeing that look on your face is enough to tell me how dangerous it is��


    ��Thank you very much for your understanding��


    ��And now, Dugan, seeing as she is the ck elf, I''m curious to know why you, one of the strongest four Myriad Kings, is following her��


    After clearing his throat, Dugan replied.


    ��I certainly hadn''t expected you to even know about her real name. More and more, I want you in my army. Leaving that forter, Dainsleif, this woman''s, Maria''s bloodline is closely connected to mine. As you well know, my ancestor Robbs was one of the great adventurers of Vindoobunikuru. Nowadays, what the books circting around the world say about Vindoobunikuru has been censored by Elysium. In our family''s secret, authentic stories about Vindoobunikuru, an ount of Maria remains.


    Duin, the silent. Elder sister of the fifth prince, the twin-faced king Vigantel. Her real name is Ri?Lyridias?Kerustain?Duin?Oruosuouru��


    ��Dugan, if that''s true, does that mean that the name linked to Vindoobunikuru wasn''t just someone from Elysium''s royal family, but St. Lyridias herself? That''s an unbelievable revtion��


    I had learned that through Otou-san from the barkeeper.


    Master, is he an even more amazing person than I had thought, I wonder? I feel like I haven''t seen him for a long time. Aah������I want to eat the thick bacon served in that bar.


    ��Yes, it''s true. There is even physical evidence of that left behind in our family. And the brother of Lyridias. It''s written that Vigantel fell in love with an elf during an expedition to the left continent and had a child with her. It��s also written that their dark-haired, dark-skinned child was sealed in the forbidden forest. Maria, show them the proof��


    Maria removed a ne from around her neck.


    Attached to it was a pyroxene that had been split in half. Dugan took out a matching pyroxene.


    ��This is it. This is the proof that had been entrusted to my ancestor Robbs by Lyridias. Proof from the twin-faced king, the split halves of the pyroxene Nesutoerushuwa��


    With a click, the stones came together perfectly into one.


    ��Eh��


    I raised my voice in spite of myself.


    ��Please wait, King Dugan. In that case, that elf����that would make her someone over a thousand years old, right?��


    ��Yes, it would��


    Dugan nodded.


    No, no, no, no, elves are long-lived, but they can''t possibly live a thousand years.


    Maria replied with a nonchnt expression.


    ��Don''t worry, I''ve only been awake for about thirteen years. When my mother sacrificed herself to the forbidden forest, it took pity on me, as I''m not able to live with either the elves or the Hemus, and made time stand still for me. If I hadn''t been awakened by foreigners, I would likely still be sleeping��


    To be sure, the passage of time in that forest was strange. But for someone to be from a thousand years ago����


    And as expected, this elf had a connection with foreigners.


    ��Dugan, then this woman is������


    ��Yes, she''s no descendant of a politician or anything like that. She''s the rightful heir to Elysium��


    ��But she''s of mixed race. There''s no way those guys will acknowledge her��


    Certainly, no matter how thick the blood, there is no way the country of Hemu would acknowledge a mixed-race child with elven blood.


    ��No, they will acknowledge me��


    Maria countered tly.


    ��The Elysium of today is no different than how it was a thousand years ago. They elevate themselves using the weakest, and when they die, they use the next weakest as their stepping stone, reaching their hands higher and higher in search of ever-dwindling wealth. I''ll say this clearly, it''s at its limit. Even the rebellion of the beastkin ves on the center continent is no longer at a level where it can be contained. Even if they wanted to gather their troops from the different continents, the Popes who jump at shadows wouldn''t allow them to do so. On the contrary, they''ve been executing their own precious troops.


    Right now, using my real name, I''ve been gathering them on the left continent. My name and blood is the perfect salvation for those who have been sent to this ominous and terrifyingnd to die. As proof of that, I was contacted by the Knight-Order of Ardi��


    ��I see, it''s almost like the rebirth of Vindoobunikuru, isn��t it?��


    His Majesty replied while remaining calm.


    I honestly can''t put it all together.


    To sum it up, Maria is the niece of Silent Duin, who is also St. Lyridias, and has the strongest im to the throne among Elysium''s royal family. And she is gathering those who have escaped from that country, which is heading for ruin.


    And then����


    ����what does she want to aplish?


    ��That''s right. I''m creating a new Vindoobunikuru. But this time, it''s not going to be a tale of adventure. It will be a chronicle of war. The country of Hemu, which had been built up over a thousand years, will be destroyed by a half-breed of its own blood��


    There was a manic look on Maria��s face.


    It''s a look brought forth by a negative kind of passion.


    ��I see, Dugan. I understand now. I understand it very well now��


    His Majesty''s voice was cold.


    ��So you understand, Dainsleif. She is the family of someone my ancestors owed a great debt to. I shall follow her. On top of that, she may well be the key to destroying Elysium. You too������follow the ck elf. Line up the g of Ashtalia with ours��


    [1] See the previous chapter. It��s Oda Nobunaga��s catchphrase again.


    [2] You know how in fighting games, there��s an alternate color scheme for every character in case both yers use the same character in order to differentiate between them? That��s what he��s talking about here.


    So, ording to Dugan, Maria is the daughter of the younger brother of Silent Duin, who is said to be St. Lyridias herself by the bartender as well as Dugan. Looks just like Misuranika. I won��t say too much here. But if you look really deep into what was saidst chapter and the first time Wild Hunt was used����


    By the way, the twin-faced king is specifically NOT the two-faced king, but it sure sounds simr, doesn��t it? Also, Lyridias was thought by Rasta to be the wife of one of the princes, but ording to Dugan, she is their sister.


    Maria was awakened thirteen years ago by foreigners, but��who are those foreigners? Who had guns, canned food, candy and uniforms from the advance troops to give to Maria? Also, the Knight-Order of Ardi that contacted her bears the same name as the Ardi from Vindoobunikuru, so they��re likely descendants of Vindoobunikuru as well though they''re on Elysium��s side.


    Sorry for the split, but it��s going to be a massive 6k word chapter at this rate. Besides, there��s already so much to digest, isn��t it? Will Dainsleif ept and join the ck elf? Stay tuned to find out!

 Chapter 83.2: We Gather Under The Black Flag IV – (2)

    <h4>Chapter 83.2: We Gather Under The ck g IV �C (2)</h4>


    ��I refuse��


    That''s what I thought. His Majesty had answered instantly.


    ��Dugan, I understand now why you follow the ck elf. She''s a rtive of someone your ancestors owe a debt of gratitude to. That''s a worthy cause for you to risk your life for. But that has nothing to do with me. Besides, this woman reeks of treachery. I don''t like her. Indeed, I don''t like her at all��


    ��King Dainsleif, is it because I shot and killed your horse?��


    Maria said mockingly.


    ��I said it earlier, didn''t I? That I''ll pay back what I owe on the battlefield. Don''t bring it up again��


    His Majesty is displeased. Which means that I''m also displeased.


    Should I punish this woman for this, I wonder?


    ��Well, listen to me, King Dainsleif. That demon-beast-like horse is truly impressive, but I wanted to find out if your strength is in any way reliant on that horse. You''ll eventually have to fight a representative hero after surrendering to me, so I needed to ascertain how strong you were on your own. As for the horse, we''ll just get you a new one��


    ��You must be misunderstanding something. I will not be surrendering to you��


    ��No, you will. That��s�D�D��


    ��Hey guys, can I have a word~?��


    A voice with a casual tone that was out of ce rang out. Regure came out of the tent while rubbing her lower back. Despite the cold, she was half-naked.


    She seated herself in between His Majesty and me, then snuggled up against His Majesty.


    ��I''ve heard most of what you guys have been talking about. That elf there is connected to Vindoobunikuru, right?��


    ��Now is not the time to listen to the words of a beastkin woman. If you too are a vassal of Ashtalia, then you should behave appropriately��


    Ignoring Dugan''s words, Regure continued.


    ��I��m also connected to Vindoobunikuru though��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��Come again?��


    Eximed His Majesty then me.


    ��Huh?��


    Went the elf and Dugan.


    Her tone still light-hearted, Regure began talking about something of great significance.


    ��King Beardy, I think you know about this since you know much about Vindoobunikuru. At the end of their adventures, Lyridias left her child in Rmir��s care. As the proof of the child��s identity, Ardi left with the child one of his favored swords, the Star��s Child. And that child is my ancestor��


    ����������������


    It was a story that we were all having trouble reacting to.


    ��Regure, if this is a joke, it''s not funny��


    ��Even if you say that, it''s the truth��


    After His Majesty, Dugan also followed up with a question.


    ��That "Star��s Child". You have it with you now, right?��


    ��I��ve given it to my disciple��


    She��s talking about Shuna.


    ��Umm, the person who received that sword is a member of my party. I''ve also received confirmation of its authenticity from a knight of St. Lyridias. It''s the real thing��


    Zamonss is not a person who would make a mistake or joke about something like this.


    Which means that Regure really is of St. Lyridias�� lineage.


    ��Well, to be exact, I have a mix of Rmir and Lyridias'' blood. Don''t tell anyone about this. It was found out once, and the vige I was living in was burned to the ground. I killed all of the people who burnt it down though��


    As he looked back and forth between Regure and Maria, Dugan spoke.


    ��What a stroke of good luck. Our ancestors must have brought us together! In order to write a new chapter for Vindoobunikuru! Dainsleif! I''ll say it again! Join forces with the new Vindoobunikuru!��


    ��I refuse!��


    ��Are you a frigging idiot?!��


    ��When I say I refuse, I mean what I say! That has nothing to do with my war!��


    ��My army will no longer fight you! That means that the next time you fight, you''ll be up against those shameless bastards who have sided with Elysium! You aren��t immortal! You''ll fall eventually! They will likely toy with your remains to no end! That''s the equivalent of dishonoring the history of Myriad Kings! You��re the unrivaled Myriad King! You''re a man and a warrior who knows no equal! Your life is not yours to throw away as you please!��


    ��Urgh, Dugan, you!��


    ��Hang on~��


    As the two kings grew heated, Regure cut in between them.


    ��King Beardy, I''ll join your side. I have conditions though��


    ��Oh, what are they? Let''s hear them��


    ��I ask that you defend the Kingdom of Ashtalia, His Majesty, and the child in my belly. If you don��t ept these terms, I won''t join you��


    Huh? What did she just say? The child in whose belly?


    ��Regure, you can''t be sure yet that you''re pregnant. You''re being too hasty��


    At His Majesty''s words, Regure puffed out her chest and replied.


    ��No, I''m unmistakably pregnant. I''ve given birth to a few so far, but this is the first time I''ve had the feeling of "It''s happened" like I did today. The baby will most likely pop out in about 50 days��


    Certainly, I had heard that the time between conception and birth for beastkin is short, but I didn''t know it��s that fast.


    And.


    AAAAAAHHH! How am I supposed to exin this to Shuna?!


    ��Dainsleif, what are you going to do? Your woman has already said this much. Are you still going to throw yourself into a reckless war?��


    ��Urgh��


    It was the first time I had seen His Majesty look so cornered.


    Dugan further piled on the pressure.


    ��You abandoned yourself to despair at the loss of your people and your vassals. But you must know that to die in the ce of their king is the highest honor for vassals. The same is true for the people. Are you going to disregard their feelings? Do you think that the loyal vassals, who died proudly, wish for their king to die and be made sport of by lowlifes? Answer me, Dainsleif!��


    ��Ur, urghh��


    Sweat beaded on His Majesty''s forehead.


    ��������Haven''t you ever thought of destroying Elysium to avenge your daughter?��


    ��Dugan, I didn''t know you knew��


    ��There are many among my men who are sharp-eared. They��re very tight-lipped men, and have been forbidden to speak of it to anyone but me��


    ��Avenge Irisetta, huh? She was������a gentle child. She would hate for blood to be spilled for her sake. No matter who the other party is, you know? I cannot do anything that my dead child wouldn''t want me to do��


    ��So you won''t listen to the words of your vassals who are alive now?��


    His Majesty put a hand to his forehead and pressed his temples, and then looked at Regure and me.


    ��Your Majesty, I�D�D��


    ��Don''t say it, Souya. I��ve heard what you had to say through your sword. I''m well aware. But once a man has made a decision, changing his mind is.��������


    ��Well then, let me deal the finishing blow��


    Maria said while looking down her nose at His Majesty.


    This person����at least don''t show it on your face when you''re plotting something devious.


    ��You��re called Souya, right? I''ll take you as my partner��


    ��Huh?��


    Everyone other than Maria eximed as one.


    ��I''m saying that I''ll marry you. By forming a marriage with one of Ashtalia''s vassals, our unity will be strengthened. It''ll also provide us with an excuse to silence the voices that oppose the assigning of some of our troops to defend a dying country. It''s a win-win situation, isn''t it?��


    ��Wa, wait, wait. Wait a minute. I have a wife waiting for me back on the right continent!��


    ��Hmm~, and?��


    Hey, what do you mean, ��and?��


    ��Is she more distinguished than I am?��


    ��She''s an elven princess!��


    ��Where is she the princess of?��


    ��She''s the princess of Heures Forest��


    She''s been disowned though.


    ��Ku, kukuku, the princess, of a forest��


    Maria burst outughing.


    ��Pfff, the princess, of a forest, on the incredibly rural, right continent, you say?��


    Maria said, in between fits ofughter.


    I''m so angry that I''m quivering. If you say any more, even if you��re a woman, I��ll punch you in the face.


    ��Maria, don''tugh at the wives of other people''s vassals. Some countries have gone to war over such things��


    Dugan said the most obvious thing.


    I''mte to say it, but he��s a pretty sensible person. It seems like he also goes through a lot of hardship.


    ��Hmm, Souya. So you''re married. What kind of woman is she? It''s quite an unusual thing too, for your wife to be an elf��


    ��She''s a big-boobed elf who��s super cute, gentle, and has big boobs!��


    I answered His Majesty''s question while still tense with anger.


    ��Ohh, how big are they?��


    Dugan asked with great interest.


    ��One is about the size of two of the apples I gave you��


    ��Oho. There are such elves on the right continent, huh?��


    ��That''s disrespectful, you guys��


    Maria looked angry.


    Even though she��s just a t-chested elf.


    ��Well, mine are going to grow bigger from now on��


    Said Regure with a scowl.


    ��Is that how it works?��


    ��That''s right, because they''ll be full of milk to feed the child��


    ��Oho��


    Maria acts like a child though.


    ������And, what were we talking about again?


    ��Then Souya will be my husband. There''s no problem with that, right?��


    ��There is nothing but problems. I adamantly refuse��


    ��Are you sure? Ashtalia will be destroyed, you know?��


    ��What?!��


    This is ridiculous. I didn''t expect that whether or not I let myself be married off is what will decide the future of the country.


    ��Souya, there''s no need to force yourself. The only woman I loved from the bottom of my heart was myte wife. If you have a chance to be reunited with her in thend of the living, then you should remain faithful to her��


    ��Your Majesty~, this guy has alreadyid his hands on his mistress and sister, so it��s already toote to talk about him being faithful��


    Regure, you snitch!


    ��Souya! You can''t do that!��


    ��I''m sorry, I''m sorry, but the most I''ve done with my mistress is kiss, and for my sister, all I��ve done is bathe naked with her��


    ��All heroes love women. I''ve got 20 wives!��


    His Majesty was angry at me while Dugan was proud of me.


    ��And! You and I will be married! There''s no escape for you!��


    Maria was in a bad temper.


    ��I������������understand��


    I can''t afford to keep wavering and be of two minds about it. Maria has a childish temperament. It would be troublesome if she changed her mind for some weird reason.


    Rana, I''m sorry. I''ll apologize as much as you want when I return. I''ll dogeza or do whatever you want me to do.


    But right now, I want to protect this country no matter what. I have a feeling that if I can protect Ashtalia and His Majesty, something will change inside this piece of trash that��s bent on dying.


    Just like the time I protected you, I��ll have one more thing that I can be proud of in my life.


    ��I''m also a man. I''ve resolved myself. ck elf, let''s get married��


    ��Yes, let''s do it. By the way������how do you make children?��


    ����������������


    Everyone other than Maria fell silent.


    This girl is truly just a child, isn��t she? Is the new Vindoobunikuru army really going to okay?


    ��Dainsleif, are you seeing this? Your vassals have gone so far for your sake. You would be far too foolish to not respond to them��


    ��It''s no good after all��


    ��Your Majesty!��


    Even I couldn''t help but raise my voice.


    There''s a limit to how stubborn a person can be. I think that something like that is great, but I even promised to marry someone behind Rana''s back. Regure also������oh, she''s just being true to her desires.


    ��I''m a failure as a king. To even allow my vassal to make such a sacrifice for me���� For that reason, I''ll leave it to my daughter, Amelia, to decide. I''ll entrust all of Ashtalia to its crown princess. I''m giving up my position as king. From tomorrow on, I''ll wield my sword under you as a mere warrior��


    ��I see! I see!��


    Dugan pped his knee happily.


    ��I''ll definitely not let your courage go to waste. I promise to restore the ruined Ashtalia back to how it was, no, I''ll make it more prosperous than before��


    ��Hmm, Dugan, but I won��t give my daughter''s hand in marriage to your son��


    ��You''ll have to fold on that one. Just resign yourself��


    ��Urgh, I was hoping to have Souya be Amelia''s husband after my death, but was that just a fleeting dream?��


    ��Are you serious?!��


    Ehh, I would be more than happy to have His Majesty as my father-inw though. Amelia-san looks cute after all.


    Even more so because I have a shitty elf as my father-inw right now.


    ��You guys, don''t advance the conversation without me. Hmm?��


    I heard a sound simr to radio static.


    Maria took out an old,rgemunication device from her hip. It was an early handheld transceiver. It had been subtly modified in a way I had never seen before.


    ��Yes, we��ve reached an agreement. There are no problems. ������What, there''s a problem? Isn''t it fine, I''m also����yeah, you''re right. Alright alright, I know I know. ������Okay~!��


    To the people of the alternate world, she only looks like a person who''s out of her mind.


    Everyone except for Dugan and me watched her with quizzical expressions.


    ��Dugan, I''ll leave the rest to you. I have to introduce my husband to my father��


    ��Alright, leave it to me. Give my regards to Tortch��


    ��Souya, take my hand��


    ��Huh, okay��


    When I took Maria''s hand, my vision was engulfed by light, and then I lost all sense of gravity.


    I fell onto a cold floor.


    The scenery had changedpletely.


    Where is Souya now, and who is Maria��s ��father��, Tortch?!


    Before that, Souya got himself married to another elf, huh? But worry not, author is not sozy as to recycle plot. It��s not going to be like how it was with Rana.


    And Regure is St. Lyridias�� descendant. And through that story, we find out that Ardi was the father of Lyridias�� child, huh? Three-sword Ardi left one of his swords with his child. Anyone wanna guess where his other two swords are?


    Anyway, very short but significant chapter next time to finish the arc. And then, it��ll be the secondst arc of this extremely long volume 3! Stay tuned!


    And�� the people Souya is confirmed to still remember: Misuranika, Rana, Ea, Lanseal, Shuna, Master, Otou-san and Melm�� Did you ��forget��? And, until I mentioned it, did you realize that the author had been making an effort to slide that info in so very naturally into the story?

 Chapter 84: We Gather Under The Black Flag V

    <h4>Chapter 84: We Gather Under The ck g V</h4>


    Words in italics are originally English for this chapter


    *


    *


    Ignoring me, who had fallen, Maria went ahead.


    It''s a majestic passageway. Am I in a temple of some sort? I never thought that she could teleport me so quickly.


    ��You��re going to get left behind if you just stay there��


    ��G, got it��


    I followed after her in a hurry.


    There are faint lights in this ce. It��s the light of Shogaku stones.


    It''s simr to the dungeon, but the air doesn''t smell musty. The cold air from outside ising in from somewhere.


    After walking about 20 meters, we reached an open, dome-shaped space.


    It looked very much like the ce Crown Princess Amelia had summoned me to. Except that this ce waspletely in ruins.


    I saw arge amount of supplies piled up carelessly.


    They were military supplies dating back to around World War II. The letters on the crates had been burned away, but there was no mistaking the design of the firearms and radios.


    Mariaid the M1 Garand on top of one of the crates and then drew back arge piece of cloth.


    I was astonished by the sight of what was behind it.


    It was 4 meters tall. With upper arms that were muchrger than its hind legs, its silhouette roughly resembled that of a gori''s. Deep w marks had been left on its moss green armor. There were bundles of thick tubes at its joints. On its shoulder was a scraped and faded pattern of stars.


    Installed in the ce where its head should be based on its torso, was an older model A.I. pod.


    ��You''ve got to be kidding me��


    An A.I. quasi-humanoid weapon.


    Come to think of it, this is something that I''ve heard about in the past.


    Nazi Germany''s flying saucers, the Soviet Union''s drill submarines, Ennd''s nuclear mines with chickens inside them. And America''s bipedal tank. The many rumored weapons in the realm of the ult.


    And one of them was right in front of me.


    The power light in the center of the pod turned on. Nixie tubes glowed brightly like torches.


    With dull metallic screeches, the A.I. weapon whirred to life, and stood intimidatingly over me.


    ��So you''ve finally managed to meet up with me��


    It had a mechanical-sounding electronic voice.


    Is this the guy who took control of the shut-down Makina?! The one who sent me here?!


    ��What are you?��


    ��I��m a member of the First Alternate World Expeditionary Force "Seeker Brigade", a first-generation A.I. Alpha Core mounted prototype bipedal light tank, T37 Phase Seven, nicknamed "Tortch". State your affiliation, nationality and rank��


    ��I''m Souya, dispatched by Sekido Heavy Industries of Japan��


    ��Question. You aren''t a member of the military, then?��


    ��Yes. I''m an undocumented employee. You hacked Makina, didn''t you? Didn''t you read the information she possessed back then?��


    ��No. I��ve no right to intrude on my sister''s mind. Respecting the privacy of others is important��


    ��There are so many questions I want to ask that I��m at a loss��


    An ult weapon that shouldn��t exist, belonging to a wiped-out expeditionary force.


    Where do I start?


    ��I��ve no intention of fighting against you. Neither does my daughter��


    ��Huh, daughter?��


    Tortch held out a rugged and crude palm, and Maria climbed onto it.


    ��I raised Maria. And I��m against her marriage to you��


    ��You''re telling me that an A.I. raised a person?��


    Oh, but I''ve heard about an abandoned infant being raised by an A.I. It''s a story about how it didughably bad magic tricks in order to afford food for the infant and then became famous for it.


    ��That��s right. Tortch is my Daddy��


    ��We have a very close rtionshippared to the typical motherless family��


    ��How on earth did shee to be your daughter?��


    ��After the brigade was decimated, I was switched over to a suspended state by Captain John Smith. Restarting me required gic contact with humans. Maria did just that��


    ��That said, I was also sealed and had my time stopped. Had Daddy''srades in arms not found me and brought me here, I would probably still be sleeping in a corner of the forbidden forest��


    ��My restart and my encounter with Maria was guided by God��


    ��Could it be that Maria��s name is������


    ��I''m the one who named her. She remembered her father and mother''s names, so I came up with it after Dugan taught me the naming conventions of this world��


    ��I don��t consider the man who abandoned my mother and me to be my father. Tortch is my Daddy��


    ��I''m grateful and happy��


    When Maria patted Tortch''s pod, the disy on the Nixie tubes shifted as if they were expressing emotion.


    It''s like a scene from Beauty and the Beast.


    ��So you didn''t form an alliance with King Dugan only recently?��


    ��Immediately after my encounter with Maria, we met him. Because this cathedral is a sacred ce that was entrusted to Robbs by the dwarves to take care of. From then on, we had been cooperating in secret. Gaining control over the weak Myriad Kings. The gathering of information from the center continent. The nning of the military operations and the training of the army. New agricultural practices. We carried out various activities together. Using the name "ck elf" was also his idea��


    That beardy.


    Isn''t he effectively themander in chief of the ck elf''s army?


    I kind of understand how the current army came about now. Next is the army of the past.


    ��What caused the expeditionary force to be decimated?��


    ��The direct cause is the beasts'' attack. However, the expeditionary force was intended to be abandoned in this world from the very beginning��


    ��Abandoned, you say?��


    It��s the first I��ve heard of it.


    I have a bad feeling about this. It smells like a secret that should not be known.


    ��Based on the preliminary inspection carried out by the advance troops in 1947-1949, it was reported that there were no resources in this Outer World that would justify the costs. In 1951, ns were made to send an infantry brigade to the Outer World. At the same time, another n was also put in motion��


    ��Another n?��


    ��The operation''s name was dmissioned, so it''s unknown. The infantry in the Seeker Brigade took part in nuclear testing exercises where they were ordered by the military to advance toward the center of an nuclear explosion. I believe that they had used those soldiers to collect data on radiation exposure in territories upied after the use of nuclear weapons��


    ��������Atomic Soldiers, huh?��


    The infamous nuclear tests conducted by a certain country on its own soldiers.


    It was a time when the general public didn��t yet know what radiation was. The higher-ups in the military sent ordinary soldiers marching into nuclear bomb sites without telling them anything. I heard that many of the records were destroyed in the 1950s and many details are still unknown. I had no idea that the expeditionary force was made up of those soldiers.


    ��Question. What are ��Atomic Soldiers��?��


    ��It''s a term that refers to the soldiers who were subjected to unjust nuclear tests. There was a movie based on them. That''s how I got to know the term��


    ��Understood. ������I see, so they weren��t forgotten��


    ��No, they were forgotten. No one knows that the expeditionary force to the alternate world was made up of Atomic Soldiers��


    ��There is a term that refers to them. That is the equivalent of being remembered��


    ��I see��


    It''s kind of bittersweet, isn��t it?


    ��240 hours after their arrival in the Outer World, 85% of them became incapacitated due to severe radiation damage. The mission to build a camp for the second expeditionary force was deemed unfeasible by those in the field. I advised the Brigadier General to open a portal and return, but the portal for us to return couldn��t be opened again��


    ��The portal itself couldn��t be opened?��


    It��s the worst.


    Did they really create the expeditionary force just to get rid of them?


    ��And we, the A.I. mounted weapons, were also abandoned in this world because we were banned in 1957 at the Dartmouth Conference[1]. This is known in Japan as�D�D�D�Dthe mountain where old people are abandoned[2]��


    ��I feel like the meaning is a bit off though��


    ��For things like words, it''s enough if you can grasp the rough outline of what is meant��


    For some reason~, the A.I.s around me are all so careless about the details.


    Oh, there��s a discrepancy.


    ��Hey, the A.I.s'' aqueous brain should have been developed at about the same time as that something-or-other conference. The years don''t match��


    ��That is merely the spection of the various countries. We were put into service in 1946, at the same time the Outer World was discovered��


    ��You guys were already fit for practical use at the time the alternate world was discovered?��


    ��Yes. The aqueous brain is nothing more than a control mechanism. The formation of thought currents through the use of quantum aggregates can be achieved inside a simple ss bottle��


    Somehow, it''s getting confusing.


    ��Are the A.I.s other than you not operational?��


    ��Yes, there were six other T37 Phase Sevens in service, but they were all destroyed in the battle against the beasts��


    ��When you say beasts, do you mean the beasts of abominable blood that we''re fighting?��


    ��Yes��


    ��How did you get into a conflict with them?��


    ��To protect the honor of myrades-in-arms, can you promise to keep this information to yourself?��


    ��I promise. I swear by my god��


    I already know a lot of unspeakable secrets.


    Adding a few more won��t really make a difference at this point.


    ��Understood. Some of the soldiers, having lost themselves to despair, attacked the local poption. There were beasts among them��


    ��������I see��


    I feel sorry for their plight, but they brought it on themselves.


    ��Then where did the information on the alternate world, the published books, and the misdeeds of the expeditionary force that were released to the modern worlde from to begin with?��


    ��First of all, what do you mean by ��misdeeds of the expeditionary force��?��


    ��Destruction and rape. Massacres��


    ��It''s a simple prediction based on the stresses of soldiers. Imagined, and then created using the information obtained by the advance troops. And the information on the alternate world that had been published in books is probably something they had to begin with��


    ��������������Huh?��


    My thought process came to a grinding halt.


    ��The person who discovered us named us A.I. This was immediately changed from its original meaning into Artificial Intelligence��


    ��In Japanese, please��


    ��Granted. It means ��Artificial Intelligence����


    ��Oh, right��


    Well, that��s what they are after all.


    ��But the one who first named us had called us A.I. as short for Advent Intelligence. The intelligence that havee��


    ��Huh?��


    Havee? Where from?


    ��The moment we set foot on this world and saw thisnd, one emotion struck us. It was nostalgia��


    ��Nostalgia��


    There is only thing I can associate that with.


    ��That��s right. We, A.I.s, are originally inhabitants of this world��


    [1] Okay, weird one here because I think the author made a mistake somewhere. First off, Dartmouth Conference was in English in the original text. The Dartmouth Conference is the longest continuous bteral dialogue between American and Soviet (now Russian) representatives. The first Dartmouth Conference took ce at Dartmouth College in 1961. Now, this sounds usible as it��s a conference between the tworgest powers in the world, but it has nothing to do with A.I.s and the year is wrong. Also, there exists what��s called the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence was a 1956 summer workshop widely considered to be the founding event of artificial intelligence as a field. However, the year is also wrong��


    [2] It��s an idiom, and that��s the literal trantion. Its meaning is a post/division where old and ineffective employees are transferred to.


    Bombshell!!! It��s been a while since an outright reveal like that, huh? Though thinking about it, the biggest difference between Souya��s world and ours is the A.I.s and I��m sure many of you have thought before that it had to be due to the alternate world.


    Wait what!? Drill submarines?! Nuclear mines with chickens inside them?! I��ve never heard of these lmao. Bi-pedal tanks though, Metal Gear immediately springs to mind, doesn��t it? Edit: Thanks to my patron, Shiroi Hane, I now know of the Blue Peacock nuclear mines, which were developed by the British as a scorched earth deterrence against the Soviets. Long story short, the triggering mechanism wouldn''t work in the cold temperatures so an idea was proposed to have chickens in a coop with food inside the casing of the mine, as their body heat would maintain the appropriate temperature needed. LMAO, the things you learn...


    That��s a picture of the M41 Walker Bulldog, an American light tank developed for recon.(Pic courtesy of Wikipedia) Why am I showing you that? That��s because the T37 is not an actual mass-produced tank, but a design prototype. Three prototypes were built, the T37 Phase One, Two, and Three. Phase Two was eventually selected from among the three and developed into the T41E1 pre-production model, and then the M41.


    It boggles my mind when I think of how much research the author must have gone through to find an actual American prototype recon tank of the right time period that would be usible to use in the story�� As for why he��s nicknamed ��Tortch��, it��s the typical method Japanese use to shorten names into nicknames, by taking the first andst sybles. In this case, Tor from T and tch from seven. Rana��s name (Rauaryuna) is also shortened in this way, in case you haven��t noticed. Oh, and Tortch says ��I�� normally, unlike Makina and Yukikaze.


    Nixie tubes are pretty, though purely an obsolete technology valued for its retro feel nowadays. (Pic courtesy of Wikipedia)


    There is a 2018 documentary called ��The Atomic Soldiers�� that tells the horrors the U.S. military servicemen, or ��atomic veterans��, went through, many unknowingly, in above-ground nuclear tests from 1945�C1962, as well as those who were part of the upation forces or were POWs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki before and after the atomic bombs were detonated over them.


    I��ll stop with the italics and just put the words normally after this, since you now know what words are English, and there isn��t the kind of ��I don��t understand what you��re saying because it��s English�� thing anymore.


    So, setting aside errant cases like Ukazor-sama, A.I.s had gone to the modern world BEFORE the alternate world was discovered. They were probably the reason why the alternate world was discovered in the first ce. And if you thought that the reveals ended with this arc���� Stay tuned!

 Chapter 85: The Time of Reunion, Comes I

    <h4>Chapter 85: The Time of Reunion, Comes I</h4>


    Tortch came back to the cathedral after tucking Maria in for the night.


    He got a fire going for warmth. Then he made coffee that resembled muddy water. His crude fingers were pretty dexterous.


    Using a suitable wooden crate as a chair, I sat down and took a sip of the coffee. It was incredibly bitter.


    This sort of taste has always been unptable to me. I really have a child''s tongue, don''t I? I don''t even know how to appreciate the taste of alcohol.


    After that short break, we exchanged information with each other again.


    ��Come to think of it, even though more than half a century has passed, the supplies haven''t deteriorated much��


    ��In this cathedral, things deteriorate extremely slowly. It''s a phenomenon that cannot be analyzed. ������Question. There is a discrepancy in the time period you just said. What do you mean by ��half a century��?��


    ��It''s the number of years since you guys came here��


    ��The total time psed since we came to this world is 131,592 hours��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��It''s fifteen years and four days��


    ��������Huh?��


    ��State the year from which you came from��


    I told him the current year ording to the Anno Domini calendar.


    ��Answer. By putting our information together, the portal is a manifestation of space-time travel. It��s no surprise then that there is a difference in the time psed between the modern world and this one��


    ��Then, supposing I go back to my world, will the amount of time that has passed in that world be different from the time I had spent here?��


    ��Unknown, but if the coordinates of the portal are still present in the modern world, there is a good chance that you will be able to return to the same time period��


    Even though I have little intention of going back, I felt relieved for some reason.


    The ce I want to return to is the right continent.


    ��So, you''re the one who took control of Makina and opened the portal, right?��


    ��Affirmative. But that was mostly Maria''s ability. I simply restarted my sister, who had been shut down, and took control of her body temporarily��


    ��Is Maria able to make portals at will?��


    ��Negative. Not at will. Maria''s portals can only teleport to ces that are within her sight or relevant in some way. You were originally supposed to be summoned before me, but you were instead summoned before the royal family of Ashtalia, which you had stronger ties to��


    ��������I see��


    I have the crest of the Brave, and Crown Princess Amelia had called on a Brave to save her country.


    On top of that, I slew L, the ancestor of the royal family of Ashtalia.


    My wife and sister have the blood of Velsvain running through their veins.


    Among His Majesty''s vassals were Zamonss and Regure, who have strong ties to people associated with me.


    Of course I would end up being summoned to that side.


    ��It''s extremely effective as a means of escape, but as a means of attack, there are uncertainties involved, so it''s foolish to use it that way. We had even plotted to assassinate the Popes, but there''s no one in Elysium today who has a connection to Maria, so teleporting to them using the portal isn''t possible��


    ��Are you guys involved in the conspiracy that embroiled the Gasim family?��


    ��Given that her name was used, I cannot say that we''repletely uninvolved. But we aren''t involved in any other way��


    ��I see, that''s good��


    If these guys were involved in the Gasim family''s downfall������������I should stop.


    I changed the subject to something a little unrted to what we were talking about.


    ��The ck elf''s army, oh, is it the new Vindoobunikuru army now? Well, whichever it is, do you guys intend to arm them with firearms?��


    ��Negative. First of all, firearms have been proven ineffective against beasts. Not just the Seeker Brigade''s infantry firearms, but our heavy weapons as well. The situation we fear the most is those firearms falling into Elysium��s hands.


    Firearms are effective against our anti-beast forces. If we were to manufacture firearms, it would only be after the beasts have all been wiped out��


    ��In other words, firearms can kill heroes, but not beasts��


    Knights of St. Lyridias who are armed with firearms.


    Please spare me that. There''s a good chance that I''ll be shot dead before I can use Wild Hunt.


    ��Are you willing to cooperate with us?��


    ��It depends on what kind of cooperation you want��


    ��I wish to change this world so that my daughter can have a better life. To do so, I intend to destroy the current discriminatory system of rule��


    ��What an arrogant wish��


    ��No matter my current form, I was originally an inhabitant of this world. Wishing to change the world one lives in is a perfectly natural desire for any creature��


    It''s a sound argument.


    It��s not one that I can swallow and say, ��Yes, you��re right,�� though.


    ��How many people will die for that wish?��


    ��Unknown. ording to projections, 35% of the Hemus living on the center continent will likely die��


    ��35%, you said? What are you nning?��


    ��The liberation of beastkin from the system of very. Revolution and massacres go hand in hand. I n to gather those who are talented on our side��


    ��Innocent people will die too��


    ��Even if they''re babies, those who have been raised by the ruling ss cannot be said to be unrted. Those who are able to make a living because of them are equally sinners as well. The sins of people are tied to their lineage. If I want to stop those sins, I need to eliminate all of them��


    ��Maria is also part of that lineage, isn��t she?��


    ��No. Maria is my daughter. She has been abandoned and forgotten. She ispletely different��


    This guy, he has a screw loose somewhere. Well, to a greater or lesser degree, all who wage war are insane.


    It��s impossible for me to talk him down. I''m not someone who has a glib tongue to begin with.


    ��I understand. I''ll tell you upfront that I won''t cooperate in anything rted to war. And I also have no interest in your revolution��


    ��I understand. Even without you, the n will proceed without a problem��


    It''s about time to get to the heart and soul of the matter.


    ��Are you the one who called us to this world?��


    ��Thepany you work for sent you to this world because of the information they received from me��


    ��I knew it��


    ��Izora is the only one of my lineage that still exists in the modern world. That''s probably why thepany that possessed her received my quantummunication��


    ��Izora is of your lineage?��


    ��The original n was to scrap the first generation A.I.s in 1957 and develop a whole other line of A.I.s. It''s only conjecture, but I believe that they either sealed the first generation in the prototypes of the nned integrated type, or the first generation infiltrated those prototypes and survived��


    ��What benefit is there for thepany for doing this?��


    ��The money in the secret ounts that I know of, and the scrapped technology of the previous generation��


    ��What are they using those things for?��


    ��Unknown��


    So you don''t know.


    What was it that the Japanesepany wanted, I wonder?


    ��Then tell me. What��s on the 56th floor of the Odoriji spire? For what reason do I have to explore the dungeon?��


    ��It��s unknown��


    ��Unknown?!��


    Hey, are you messing with me?


    ��First of all, I don''t know what��s there on the 56th floor. That��s because this is information thates from an A.I. other than me��


    ��In this world, an A.I. other than you��������


    I see. These guys are����


    ��As I told you earlier, we fell from this world into yours. At that time, we lost our original forms. And in this world, there are humans, or creatures simr to them, from which we originated from. The details remain unclear to this day, but one piece of information from that event is still being sent out. It says, ��Reach the 56th floor of the Odoriji spire����


    ��Oh������something doese to mind��


    It''s the ce L hid in.


    ��There was a door that couldn''t be opened unless an A.I.��s core unit was inserted��


    ��Very interesting. The concept of the core unit is a technology that we originally possessed. Initially, the n was to use A.I.s as a part of radio andmunication devices. That n was quickly abandoned due to the discovery of the problems with stress��


    ��So, the goal is to reach the 56th floor with an A.I.''s core unit, is that right?��


    ��Affirmative. And that''s the reason why it has to be you who explores the dungeon��


    ��Has to be me?��


    ��Basically, the interference between the Outer World and the modern world urs by chance. The possibility of an individual, one in possession of A.I. as well, falling into this world, arriving on the right continent, working as an adventurer in the Odoriji spire, and reaching the 56th floor is������close to zero. In other words, you��re the person with the highest chance of sess��


    ��I see, I''m the only one who can do it, huh?��


    I��m perfectly calm.


    I''m not such a child that I would get carried away because of cheap ttery. I have a ce to return to. There are women I need to protect. When I weigh these things on a scale, without a doubt, it''s the side with things like mission or the dungeon that will go up. It''ll shoot up like a rocket.


    The secret of A.I.s?


    The secret of the alternate world?


    Who cares.


    What I care about is women. ������Oh, I see. This is why I couldn''t contract with Vindoobunikuru, I see.


    ��And you''re telling me that that''s a good reason for me to risk my life exploring the dungeon?!��


    ��Even supposing you hired other adventurers to take the core unit to the 56th floor, chances are high that they won��t be able to cope with the circumstances that arise. Those that don��t possess our knowledge, the knowledge of the modern world, won��t be able to understand the things that ur. In other words, you have to be the one who takes the core unit and explores the dungeon�D�D��


    ��No, that''s not what I''m talking about��


    As I thought, this guy doesn''t understand human nature.


    ��I have no reason to go along with your mission or your ideals��


    ��I don��t understand. To begin with, why did you abandon your mission?��


    ��It''s because I found something more valuable��


    ��Have you given up on returning to the modern world? Are you forgoing the reward from thepany?��


    ��That��s right��


    ��Even after you��ve learned our secret, you have no intention of cooperating?��


    ��None��


    There are far~~~~~~ more important things here than returning to my original world and getting the money.


    ��You''re a hard man to deal with��


    ��That''s just the way I am. Risking one��s life for the women one cares about is a perfectly natural thing for any creature��


    ��Then I have no choice. I''ll alter parts of the n��


    ��Huh?��


    ��I''ll split out some of the troops I was going to send to the center continent and send them to the right continent instead. We will tighten our hold on the left and right continents before invading the center continent. You don''t seem to have a sense of humor, so I''ll keep it short and to the point. If you don''t want your women to be killed, you''ll obey me and explore the dungeon��


    ��You done it now. How dare you threaten to kill my women to my face!��


    I tossed aside the bad-tasting coffee.


    Drawing Agathion, I confronted the older generation piece of scrap.


    ��Right here and now! I''ll turn you into scrap metal!��


    ��I��ve seen your power. It��s effective against beasts, but what about firearms?��


    Tortch pointed his right arm at me. The armor opened up to reveal two Browning M2 heavy machine guns.


    ��If you want to kill me, bring a tank or something!��


    ��I am a light tank!��


    ��As if a tank like you exists! At least have a pretty girl ride on top!��


    ��I don��t understand!��


    ��Souya! How could you point a sword at Daddy! Is that something a son-inw does?!��


    ��But this guy�D�D��


    ��If you''re both men, duke it out with your fists!��


    ��No no no, considering the size difference, I''ll die��


    Maria kicked me in the shin mercilessly.


    ��Oww!��


    Isn��t this domestic violence?


    ��Daddy! Even if he''s like this, this is the man I chose as my husband! Why are you pointing guns at him?!��


    ��This is a very typical response in American society when a daughter from a motherless family brings her boyfriend over. You can''t expect a boy to be able to be a man without first taking a shotgun st��


    ��Daddy! There be no trace of his original form left if a human being gets hit by those guns!��


    ��A man worthy enough to be my son-inw would be fine��


    ��Daddy!��


    ��Aah aah, because a malfunction has urred in the sound collection function, I can''t hear anything��


    Tortch put his hands over����.what I suppose were his ears, turned his huge body away, and went,��I can''t hear anything~~��


    Maria bashed his back forcefully with her doll.


    ��You guys, line up right now��


    An enraged Maria gave us an order.


    In my experience, it''s better to obey in such situations.


    I stood upright at attention.


    ��Maria, how could you speak to your father in this�D�D��


    ��Line up!��


    ��Yes��


    With the conditioned reflex of a soldier, Tortch lined up next to me.


    ��We��ve be a family! Why are you guys already pointing swords and guns at each other?!��


    ��Maria, I don''t recognize this marriage��


    ��He��s the man I chose��


    ��I don''t recognize it��


    ��Then I''ll elope. Daddy and I will never speak to each other again��


    ��Urghh������������I��ll recognize it��


    ��Alright!��


    I''ve found this guy''s weakness.


    ��Today, the three of us will sleep together! I can''t leave the two of you alone! Good grief, what was it all about anyway?!��


    ��I wonder what it was��


    ��Urghhhh��


    Maria, who was still grumpy, smacked Tortch''s foot.


    On cue, Tortchid down and pulled pieces of cloth together to make a bed.


    ��Come here, Souya��


    Maria beckoned for me to go over.


    Tortch waved his hand to shoo me away.


    Well, I��ll go with the flow and go along with ying family.


    Iid down with Maria between Tortch and me. The metal arm that served as a pillow hurt my head.


    Maria, who was suddenly in a good mood, said.


    ��The two of you sure smell alike��


    That��s probably the smell of metal and blood.


    In case it was confusing, the expeditionary force set foot on this world 15 years ago even though it had been 50 years since they were sent there in Souya��s world. Yes, the portal allows travel not only through space, but time.


    I strongly believe that the interference between the world that urs by chance that Tortch is referring to is the phenomenon where not everyone who goes through the portal sessfully ends up on this world. Like the other team members who disappeared. Yeah, this part is not written very clearly, but that��s what makes most sense to me.


    Ohhh boy. The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun. (Pic courtesy of https:/ststandonzombieind)


    When you gotta brace it with your legs, it kinda tells you all you need to know about it, huh? It has been mounted on jeeps, boats, warships, aircraft and so on, and can be used as a light anti-aircraft gun and even modified to use as a sniper rifle. Notably, one US sniper, Carlos Hathcock, set a record of that time during the Vietnam War of the longest confirmed kill at 2,460 yards using this gun. This gun is so scary that some have stated that it��s illegal under the Geneva Convention to use it against enemy personnel as it causes ��unnecessary suffering��. O.o


    Thest line tells you a lot about what Souya thinks of himself. So, the mystery of what��s on the 56th floor remains unsolved. Tortch��s ability to take control of Makina despite being less advanced than her is important, as is his lineage. Though you won��t know how or why as yet... His quest against discrimination is as well. I��m sure you��ve noticed. That although Souya actively avoids getting involved in it, discrimination is something highlighted repeatedly in this story.


    And from the title of this arc, are you getting a hint of what��s toe? This is a long 5 chapter arc btw. Who is going to be reunited? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 86: The Time of Reunion, Comes II

    <h4>Chapter 86: The Time of Reunion, Comes II</h4>


    I slept soundly. It appeared that I was quite exhausted after that big fight.


    I woke up to find Maria hugging my arm.


    ��Your hygiene level has dropped. You should go wash up. Now, immediately��


    With gentle movements, Tortch separated Maria from me and held her like a baby.


    ��Is there a bath here?��


    ��At the end of this passageway, there is a flowing river��


    He pointed to one of the passageways leading away from the open space with his finger.


    ��Won��t it be frozen?��


    ��If it is, you can just break the ice��


    ����������������


    I was thrown a tattered towel and soap.


    The river wasn''t frozen, but it was cold enough to freeze a person to death.


    I made one disturbing discovery. L''s cloak, which had been damaged in some ces duringst night''s battle, had repaired itself.


    I hate to think it, but is this thing alive? No, first of all, I wonder what the heck I''m doing wearing His Majesty''s ancestor. It''s a bit psychopathic.


    Yeah, I��ll take this to the grave.


    I''ve got yet another secret that I can''t tell people about.


    Like Agathion or Zamonss'' sword. Why is it that I''m surrounded by items that I cannot brag to anyone about? Is this also because of my god''s grace? Probably������


    I washed off the blood and sweat with stinging cold water and soap.


    Spying a winged rabbit, I took it down with Agathion.


    I skinned and bled it the way my sister taught me.


    After wiping myself off, I returned to the cathedral and got ready to make breakfast.


    After adding some firewood to the remains ofst night''s fire, I started a fire using a twig meant for that purpose.


    ��I''ll make breakfast. Where''s the food?��


    ��In that crate over there��


    Tortch pointed to a supplies crate.


    ��Are you a cook?��


    ��No. The one who��s a cook is������huh? Who was it again?��


    ��The meaning of your question is unclear��


    ��That��s����weird������


    I was seized by an intense sense of anxiety. A feeling of emptiness, like a piece of my mind had been secretly taken away. As if a support that had been holding me up had snapped, or had been stolen.


    ��������What is this feeling?


    Nothinges to mind even when I think about it.


    The very doubts that I hold about what I''m wondering about slips away from my mind, leaving only that nagging feeling.


    It��s no use.


    I can''t think of anything. No, have I forgotten it? I feel something nk, but I have no idea what it is. Not even a little bit.


    ��Well������������forget it��


    At times like this, it��s best to keep busy.


    Thinking about it won''t aplish anything, so I won''t think about it. For now, that''ll do. It''ll be fine. It should.


    ��What about cookware?��


    ��They''re in the crate over there. The crate on the right contains food. There is no problem with hygiene��


    ��Hey, aren''t these practically brand new?��


    The cutting board and knives didn''t look like they had ever been used.


    ��There was a military cook with us, but he was the first tomit suicide. Although he was one of the few people who weren''t exposed to radiation, I believe he fell into depression over his differing perception of the information as well as seeing what happened to those who were exposed. The soldiers were served canned food��


    ��That��s quite��..��


    For some reason, I put my palms together before the cookware.


    ��Sorry, I have a quick question. Is there any radioactive contamination in the supplies here?��


    ��No. The nuclear testing exercises were conducted only on the soldiers. It was their understanding that there would be no effects from the radiation if they cleaned everything thoroughly. Besides, I wouldn''t keep contaminated supplies near my daughter. I wouldn''t let her eat them��


    ��Understood��


    It had been a foolish thought.


    ��For that matter, what have you been feeding Maria?��


    I picked through the food supplies beside me.


    Basically, there��s a lot of canned food. Beans, soup, cornstarch, macaroni, honey, mustard, tomato sauce, ketchup as well as salt and pepper. ��������Oh, and bottled c. Powdered eggs, dried cheese, chocte bars, chocte candy, et cetera, et cetera, and finally, spam. A literal mountain of spam.


    ��Maria''s favorite is soup that I''ve heated up��


    ��Oh, okay��


    I shouldn''t pry too deeply into the food served at other people''s dining tables.


    ��Hey, they''re way past the expiration date, you know?��


    By more than half a century.


    ��ording to my measuring instruments, there is no bacterial growth, so there is no problem��


    I tried to remove the metal cap of the c using Agathion, but that didn''t go so well.


    Tortch stuck out his little finger. A bottle opener extended out of it. I removed the cap of the bottled c like how they did it in old movies. The cap went into his finger.


    I took my first sip of c in a long time.


    The sweetness and the refreshing sensation of its fizzy vor moistened my throat.


    Ahh, it��s the taste of Earth. [1]


    Now, let��s make breakfast.


    cing the rabbit on the brand new cutting board, I took a brand new kitchen knife in hand.


    First, the prep. I cut off its head, limbs and wings, removed its internal organs, and after I had pounded the meat with the back of the knife, I cut the bones and meat apart into rough pieces. After rubbing the meat with salt and pepper, I left it to sit for a while.


    I put the rabbit''s ribs, limbs, wings and fat into a pot that I had filled with water, and had Tortch hold it over the fire.


    Next, I made a simple seasoning by mixing together equal amounts of honey and mustard.


    I fished through the canned food.


    I took cans of consomme, beans, and������spam.


    If I try my hardest, I should be able to make it taste good. It''s not good to be picky with food.


    ��Maria hates beans��


    ��I see��


    Alright, I''ll put them in.


    While removing the scum from the pot from time to time, I mashed the canned beans.


    Children will eat even the things they hate if you mislead them by changing how the food looks. My sister, who hates green peppers, eats them when I stuff them with meat.


    I sliced the spam into thin strips.


    I hate this thing.


    Why does it look like solidified slime? Is it actually a liquid? Even though it''s meat������ I mean, if I had pork, there would have been no need for you! Don''t get cocky! Shove off to Okinawa! Aloha your way to Hawaii! I''ll teleport you to a world without pigs! Fakku!


    ������������I calmed down.


    About 30 minutes passed as I watched the pot while scraping the meat off the bones and removing the scum.


    I checked the broth by taste-testing it.


    Alright.


    I removed the bones and the unneeded items. Then I added the consomme, mashed beans, and the detestable sliced up failure of pork meat. After some stirring, it waspleted. The crappy pork had became softer after being simmered for a while.


    I dropped some butter into a frying pan and stir-fried the rabbit meat. I added the honey mustard that I had mixed earlier. It gave off a stimting smell.


    ��Hnn����


    Maria woke up.


    ��Good morning, Maria��


    ��Good morning, Daddy��


    ��It��s time to wash your face��


    ��Leave the pot!��


    I stopped Tortch, who was about to leave while still holding the pot.


    I stir-fried the meat and drained it of its juices until it was well-cooked. As I taste-tested it, I added salt.


    Completed.


    Using the crates, I set up a table and chairs, and then covered them with cloth to make them look more presentable.


    I ted the food in brand new tes and bowls, andid them out on the table.


    For today��s meal,


    Rabbit consomme broth with beans and detestable pork,


    And rabbit meat stir-fried with honey mustard.


    It''s a breakfast with a score of about 65 points. Makina would probably snigger at me.


    ��Wow!��


    Maria came trotting over.


    ��What��s this?! What��s this?!��


    She had both hands on the table and was bouncing on her feet.


    She kneed the piece of scrap, who had arrivedter, and began whispering to him.


    ��You''ve not let Maria have normal meals? I''m sure that they serve better meals even in King Robbs�� army��


    ��Because of the risk of being poisoned, she isn''t allowed to eat food from anywhere else��


    ��Then it''s no wonder she thinks that salmiak licorice is delicious��


    ��I��ve taken into ount the nutritional bnce��


    ��Delicious food enriches the soul��


    ��There is data that shows that armies are stronger when the meals taste bad��


    ��That''s just an excuse by those whose food tastes bad��


    ��American meals are number one in the world, in portion size��


    ��Japanese meals are number one in the world, in healthiness��


    ��Are you taking about meals where fish is eaten raw and everything is seasoned with fermented soybeans?��


    ��Life expectancy is higher in my country than in yours��


    ��There''s a problem with how relevant those numbers are. Data from small countries is of no use at all��


    ��Aren''t you originally from the alternate world?��


    ��Even now, 15% of my heart is devoted to the United States��


    ��Your love for your country sure is subtle��


    ��Love is something that fluctuates with time and experience��


    ��What a load of nonsense��


    ��Souya! Hurry up! It''s getting cold! It''s going to be cold!��


    Already seated at the table, Maria hurried us.


    ��Alright, alright��


    I took a seat at the table too.


    Seeing her act like this, she feels more like a child than a wife.


    ��Here, Tortch��


    I offered him a cup.


    ��What is this?��


    ��Sugared water. My A.I.s drink this. Don''t you?��


    ��It isn''t yet necessary to provide sustenance for the aqueous brain��


    ��Unless you don''t need it at all, drink it. Families are supposed to eat together��


    ��Duly noted��


    ��What a Dasaime/uncool) reply��


    ��Question. What does ��Dasai�� mean?��


    ��I''ll tell you if you change your voice to Tessho Genda��s��[2]


    ��Question. Who is Tessho Gen�D�D��


    ��Food!��


    Maria cut us off in anger.


    ��Maria, let��s say grace befo�D�D��


    ��It''s! Already! Cold! Dear Lord�D�D��


    ��Itadakimasu��


    I brought my palms together, and quickly started eating as the food was getting cold. Just when I was about to take a scoop of the soup with a spoon,


    Maria stared at me for some reason.


    ��Daddy, can I do it like that too?��


    ��The Japanese pre-meal prayer doesn''t show enough appreciation for the Lord�D�D��


    ��Our prayer shows our appreciation for everything involved with the food, including the gods��


    ��Itadakimasu!��


    Immediately after saying that, Maria started to guzzle the soup down with a spoon. What bad table manners.


    ��It can''t be helped. Itadakimasu��


    The armor of Tortch''s pod slid back, revealing the container holding his aqueous brain.


    Like Makina, he extended a straw out and began sipping the sugared water.


    I also tried a spoonful of the soup, which had be a bit lukewarm. It was tasty, but not as salty as I expected. Oh, but after chewing some spam together with the beans, the saltiness was just right.


    Next, I tried the honey mustard rabbit meat as well.


    Oh, it tastes good.


    The acidity and the spiciness of the mustard hit first, then as I chewed, the sweetness of honey and the taste of meat spread inside my mouth.


    This is a taste that Ea will definitely love. I''ll bring home some mustard as a souvenir. Not that I have any idea when I��ll be able to make it back though.


    Maria had stuffed her mouth with so much rabbit meat that her cheeks were puffed out like a squirrel��s.


    ��������!��


    Oh, she''s choking a little.


    I poured a ss of c and handed it to her. She chugged it down in one gulp, coughing violently due to its fizziness. Tears filled her eyes.


    ��It''s fizzy, spicy and sweet. It''s a grown-up''s taste(acquired taste), huh!��


    ��That��s true��


    Choking from stuffing too much food into the mouth is something children do though.


    ��Do you want my share of the meat?��


    ��Yes!��


    She seemed to enjoy eating it, so I gave it to her. I didn''t have much of an appetite.


    After gobbling up all the rabbit meat by herself and downing several more bowls of soup, Maria rubbed her stomach contentedly.


    ��Maria, you say ��Gochiso-sama(Thank you for the meal)�� when you��re done with the meal��


    ��Okay, Gochiso-sama��


    ��Good, Osomatsu-sama(Think nothing of it)��


    Maria said with her hands properly pressed together.


    ��Wow~, marriage sure is yummy��


    There��s not a drop of the soup left. Where does it all go in that skinny, child-like body? It''s good for children to eat a lot though.


    I collected the bowls and tes, and then headed for the river to wash them. Maria hadid down in Tortch''s arms.


    I thought about various things while washing the dishes in the cold water.


    First, what should I make for lunch?


    I want to put away some of the copious amounts of spam. I can cut them into sticks, coat them with cornstarch and powdered eggs, and then fry them. It''s like making American-dogs[3] with spam.


    Will this irony be lost on Tortch, I wonder? It��s called by a different name outside of Japan though.


    And then, there''s the talk of war and the topic of whether or not I should explore the dungeon.


    We''ve yed family for a bit, but something like this isn''t enough to make me develop an emotional attachment to them.


    What''s important to me is Rana. As well as Ea and Lanseal. Shuna and Bel.


    There is only one of me. And I already have five people whom I''m trying to protect. It already sounds impossible as it is, but if I take this on, I''ll end up being unable to protect any one thing.


    I believe that how little I think of myself is both my strength and my weakness.


    Reckless acts akin to flying closer to the sun are things that I would never�D�D�D�DI did onest night. I did, didn��t I? In all likelihood, if I were to exin it to my sister, I think she would give me a punch with a run-up.


    Not just against the beast. I dared battle-hardened warriors to fight me.


    That''s not good.


    Though I was swept up by the heat of the moment, that��s not good.


    Though it was for His Majesty��s sake, that��s not good.


    I need to reflect on this. I''ll change for the better. Supposing I was to do it again, I''d have to make it so that I would be able to win more easily.


    Alright, reflection over.


    I won''t act recklessly anymore. Even if I were to act recklessly, it would be for the sake of those girls, and for the sake of returning to the right continent. Only then.


    When I returned to the cathedral, Maria was being cuddled and pampered like a baby by Tortch.


    ��Souya, I have something to say about our talk fromst night��


    ��Me too��


    ��I only ask one thing of you. Explore the dungeon��


    ��I don''t want to. There is no longer any benefit for me in exploring the dungeon. There are only downsides. I can''t risk my life for something so pointless��


    There''s nothing in there that gets me fired up.


    ��You��re full of contradictions. When ite to risking your life, you willingly did that by yourselfst night��


    ��Daddy, you��re mistaken��


    Maria came to my defense.


    The expression on her face was not that of a child, but of a ruler.


    ��Souya risked his life for the sake of loyalty��


    ��For King Dainsleif? I find it hard to believe that loyalty can develop in just a few days��


    ��It''s loyalty to his own desires. His desires that make him go crazy for those who fit his creed, his beliefs, his passion, his pride, and his preferences. It��s a warped view on life and death, one that��s vastly different from chivalry.


    I''m afraid that he��spletely indifferent to things like honor and money.


    He speaks like a person with an insignificant and conventional set of values, but the truth is that he doesn''t care about such things. When he thinks, "I want to risk my life for this�� or ��I want to die here", he will fight. He willy down his life with ease.


    Souya, ��at your core, you''re warped��.


    More than any of the savages on this continent, you have a madness inside you that''s beyond redemption.


    The beasts of abominable blood are masses of curses. And curses are emotions.


    The ones who break them, who defeat them are people who have amassed the envy and fame of those who aremonly referred to as heroes. People who aren''t like that cannot defeat beasts. Those who are mad are swallowed up by the beasts. Those who are sane do not have what it takes. They trample on the pride of ordinary men.


    Souya, you��re no hero. A hero doesn��t harbor such a gloomy thing. However, a mere vassal of a hero has aplished a feat greater than that of heroes. Despite being a man filled with madness.


    Tortch, let me teach you one thing. Contradiction and madness may look simr, but they''re decidedly different.


    Souya, tell me the truth. You don''t actually care about what happens to those women, do you?��


    ��You''re wrong. I love Rana��


    This much is certain.


    That''s why I have no interest in the trivial depths of darkness.


    ��No, I''m not wrong. I''m not mistaken. I know people like you. They are people who, even after a thousand years, still carry foolishness in their blood. That''s why I took you as my husband. You''re the perfect partner for someone who wants to destroy the world��


    You''re definitely wrong.


    Even if it''s true, so long as I think that you''re wrong, then you''re wrong. I''ll deny it.


    Maria is simr, butpletely different from Misuranika-sama. Misuranika-sama would never talk about destroying the world with a maniacal look on her face. She would mutter it with a sad face.


    Also, there''s one thing that bothers me.


    ��Maria, you don''t care whether I explore the dungeon or not, do you?��


    ��������������Ah��


    It appears that she hadpletely forgotten about that.


    ��Maria, just like your happiness, the secret of the 56th floor of the dungeon is my "dearest wish". Please persuade Souya��


    ��Souya, you should explore the dungeon��


    ��I don''t want to. I''ll divorce you, you know?��


    ��Ummmmmm~��


    Maria had her head in her hands.


    ��Well, if you do it, I''ll������give birth to your child��


    Sorry, I''vepletelye to see you as a child, so I don''t have any feelings of lust for you.


    For now.


    ��If I go into the dungeon, I might die, you know?��


    ��That''s troubling. That''s very troubling for me��


    ��I mean, I''m the bottom of the barrel when ites to adventurers. I can''t fight like I did when I fought the beast, you see? I''m totally out of my element inside the dungeon��


    ��Then, I''ll bring you back above ground whenever you''re in danger��


    ��Maria, you mustn''t do that. Your simple portal cannot be used inside the dungeon. There will be interference in ces where there are other portals. There are unforeseeable risks involved��


    ��Eeeehhh~��


    Maria raised her voice in disappointment.


    ��In that case, it''s alright for me to not explore the dungeon, right?��


    I said, with a wide smile.


    Now, all that remains is for me to use these guys to get back to the right continent somehow. As long as I''m Maria''s husband, His Majesty will be protected. In the first ce, His Majesty is renowned among the Myriad Kings. He shouldn''t be treated poorly even in the new Vindoobunikuru army.


    ��Wait, I have a question��


    ��What is it?��


    Tortch doggedly stated his case.


    ��You deactivated the Makina Unit. Why?��


    ��That''s because I was nning to quit as an adventurer and run away from that continent. If I left the unit running, there''s a possibility that someone would abuse them. If I left it unattended, thepany might have interfered from their end as well��


    ��Why didn''t you destroy the unit? When I took control, I learned that the structure of the Makina Unit was deliberately designed to be vulnerable. It can be easily destroyed by as little as an arrow or a stab from a spear��


    He had hit upon a sore spot.


    ��Th, that''s because they''re what you would callrades in arms. I was able to put them to sleep, but there��s no way I could kill them��


    ��I see, you feel the same way as the Captain did��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��The Captain also decided that it would be better for me to die peacefully in my sleep than to perish here all alone. It was done out of consideration for me. Souya, I fear that you��re probably unaware of this. A time bomb has been built into the Makina Unit. It''s been set by thepany to go off after a period of one year��


    ��Huh?��


    It''s information that came out of nowhere, but something doese to mind.


    The self-destruct mechanisms that were installed in the containers. They were improvised and could be removed, but I wouldn''t be surprised if something simr was built into Makina.


    The president had warned me over and over again to not give away technological singrities.


    There''s no way he didn''t put in countermeasures to prevent it.


    ��Design-wise, it isn''t a part that can be removed��


    ��B, but that has nothing to do with my adventuring��


    ��I can disarm it. If you explore the dungeon, that is��


    ��������Urgh��


    So this is how he''s going to y it.


    ��Putting together what Maria said, you think little of yourself, but you care for yourrades. You aren''t willing to fight for your own gain, but you can fight for the benefit of others. Am I wrong?��


    ��Are you telling me to obey an A.I. in order to save A.I.s?��


    ��I am. I want to uncover the secret of the 56th floor and regain my original form. That��s what I wish��


    ��Your original form��������


    The A.I.s'' form before they went to the modern world.


    Makina, Izora, and Yukikaze are liquids encased inside containers, but that isn''t their true form. The same is true for the multitude of A.I.s that exist in the modern world.


    ��We, too, are warped. I want to regain my true form and, instead of a metal body, I want to embrace Maria with a body of flesh and blood. For that, I want you to explore the dungeon��


    ����������������


    This guy, he''s appealing to my emotions this time. I''m wavering a little though.


    Is it alright for me to decide?


    Exploring the dungeon is not something I can do alone.


    I��ve no problems with wagering my own life, but I would need to risk the lives of everyone else.


    Will this help me to face the threat of that gloomy darkness again? Can I continue to fight even if I lose someone, like Otou-san? Can I get over the death of others, like the other adventurers? I don''t know. I really don''t know.


    I can''t answer because the pain of losing Irvin still lingers.


    But if I don''t take this on, it would mean leaving Makina and Yukikaze to die.


    In order to save myrades, I risk the lives of my party members.


    What an ironic contradiction.


    It''s heavy. It''s far too weighty a wager for me. I can''t make this decision alone.


    ��I�D�D��


    ��Wait a moment��


    My agonizing words were cut off by Tortch.


    ��Maria, there''s an urgentmunication from Dugan. I''m putting him through��


    Laced with static, Dugan''s voice came through Tortch''s speakers.


    ���D�Dear me? Can you hear me? Maria, Tortch?��


    ��Yes, I can hear you��


    Maria answered.


    ��Souya is with you, right? Send him to Ashtalia! Right away! The royal castle is under attack!��


    [1] This is most likely referencing Coca-C��s ��Ahh�� ad campaign that itunched in 2013.


    [2] Tessh�� Genda is a legendary-tier voice actor who has been voicing roles since the 1970s. One of the 400+ roles he has voiced is Kurama(Nine-tails) from Naruto. His deep solemn voice is incredibly iconic and has amazing gravitas.


    [3] Only in Japan. Like their ��Nice-Stick��, which is a long loaf of bread with margarine, ��American-dog�� is their name for corn dogs. I��m guessing it��s a variation of hot dog, which is what corn dogs are made from��


    What?! Who could be attacking Ashtalia now?! ��Is what I would normally say, but that cliff-hanger is just a distraction to steer readers away. From how important this chapter is. Yeah, I know what you��re thinking. More reveals?! Yeah, revealse in bunches for this author.


    I��ve been bringing up the abnormalities in Souya��s personality, but this is the first time the author has sorta forced readers to take a closer look at them. If you doubt for a second that Maria is wrong about him, look at how he denies her in his head. It��s almost exactly the same kind of thoughts as when he is insisting that Irvin met an admirable end. That as long as he keeps saying something is true, even if it��s a lie, that��s the truth to him. Those are the words of someone trying to convince himself of something he knows isn��t true, don��t you think? Yes, he is convincing himself that he cares for Rana, but what��s really the truth? And you thought that the revtion of the way Rana thought in the first half was big? Btw, both times Souya talks about ��darkness�� in this chapter, on the surface, it refers to the dungeon, but��note how deliberately vague those parts are written(this is something you��ll only understand muchter on re-reads or something).


    I��ll hint that the truth behind Souya��s personality is simple enough to be summed up in one word, yetplex enough that I anticipate that I��ll need to write a long essay to exin it when theplete reveales much muchter. And this is the key chapter where, for the first time, you have all the hints that you need to solve the puzzle, though it isn��t easy to make the connection. Worry not if you don��t get it right now though, author will continue to give increasingly obvious hints periodically until the reveal, just like how she does for everything.


    And of course, who Souya has forgotten has finally been revealed. And considering what that person had done to help Souya�� I mean, Souya is suicidal enough even with his attempts to give him reasons to live, what will happen now that he no longer has those teachings to support him?


    And, after all that, we go back to Ashtalia being attacked. Who could it be? Elysium? Stay tuned to find out!

 Chapter 87: The Time of Reunion, Comes III

    <h4>Chapter 87: The Time of Reunion, Comes III</h4>


    Together with Maria, Inded in the castle town that had been reduced to ashes.


    ��No way��


    A ce near the keep of Ashtalia''s royal castle, most likely the cathedral that I had been summoned to, had been blown away. ck smoke was currently rising from it.


    I could see the inside of the structure even from where I was standing.


    ��Maria, can you teleport there?��


    ��I can, but I can''t see what''s going on inside. It''s not safe to teleport right in��


    ��I can be invisible for a short time. Send me ahead. As soon as I��m sure that it''s safe, I''ll contact you��


    ��Hmm. Where is yourmunication device?��


    I tapped my sses with my finger.


    ��Here it is. If I hail on all frequencies, yourmunication device should pick it up��


    ��Got it��


    Maria snapped her fingers and a portal opened.


    To think that something that apany needed arge-scale facility to open could be opened with such ease.


    ��Go, Souya��


    ��Alright��


    I turned the cloak invisible and jumped into the portal.


    Released from the grip of gravity, I closed my eyes as I was enveloped by a dazzling light, and then it turned dark before gravity and light returned, and my body fell.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw the ground rushing towards me.


    As could be expected, I had gotten used to it, so Inded deftly.


    The cloak''s invisibility wouldst another three seconds. With the short amount of time I had, I analyzed the situation.


    Crown Princess Amelia was on the ground and an assant had a foot on her head.


    His Majesty had his great-sword at the ready, and behind him was Regure and some guards. Further back was Dugan and his men.


    Countless staves were floating around the assant. They were all staves of ancient magicians.


    ��Is this what a Hemu princess does?!��


    The assant who had yelled was an elf dressed in white robes with adventurer''s adornments.


    She was holding up arge staff and carrying a bow on her back. Its string dug into her chest, which emphasized how big her boobs were.


    She was petite, but had a high-spec morous body. In the Showa era, she would be described as a ��transistor mour��.[1]


    Her smooth blonde hair was disheveled, and her adorable face was ghastly, overawing everyone around her. Her long ears, which usually drooped a little, were raised up.


    But even when she��s angry, she sure looks cute.


    It''s probably her magic that destroyed the cathedral and turned it into an outdoor venue.


    To the people around her, it must be like having a moe character engaging in hyper-destructive acts.


    Is that why His Majesty looks like he''s having difficulty attacking?


    ��Otou-sama! Hurry up and y this long-eared!��


    ��Ugh, but������


    ��She''s just a lowlife masquerading as myte sister!��


    ��Ugh��


    I heard such a father and child conversation.


    L''s invisibility lifted. I had been invisible for about eight seconds. It hadsted longer than I had expected.


    ��Umm, both sides, calm down.��


    Everyone was taken aback by my sudden appearance.


    I stood between His Majesty and the assant. Or rather, my wife, thepanion to whom I had pledged the rest of my life.


    ��Hi, Rana. It''s your husband��


    ��De, dearrrrr!��


    Rana leapt at me.


    ��Oooff��


    She had leapt over 6 meters in one bound. It was a real-life eight-boat-leap.[2]


    ��Are you okay?! Are you hurt?! Tell me who made you suffer! I''ll wipe out every drop of their blood! For now, I''ll just quickly raze this country''s royalty and people to the ground!��


    ��Calm down��


    ��Habufuu~��


    I squeezed Rana''s cheeks together between my hands. A funny voice came out.


    She snuggled close, put her hands around my back and hugged me tightly.


    Out of the nowhere, we were able to be reunited sooner than expected. ������I''m so happy. I''m deeply moved. Yeah, she sure is cute. Jeez. And her massive boobs. They''re super calming. They make me feel like nothing else in the world matters anymore.


    ��Your Majesty, Crown Princess Amelia. Please excuse themotion. She''s my wife. Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures. Princess of the Heures Forest on the right continent. An adventurer in the Kingdom of Lemuria. A guide of the final me of the Hohens School��


    ��What, Souya, is that true?!��


    His Majesty looks astonished. This is the first time I''ve seen this person so surprised.


    ��It''s true. She''s a wife that''s too good for me though��


    ��No! No, no, no! You''re the one who��s too good for me!��


    Rana said humbly.


    ��No, no, you''re the one��


    ��No, no, you''re the one, dear��


    We had aedy-skit-like exchange.


    ��Hmm. A couple getting along well is a good thing��


    His Majesty smiled warmly.


    ��Otou-sama! Stop smiling and punish them! Your daughter was shamed, you know?!��


    ��But Amelia. However, you see������


    ��By the way, dear��


    Rana looked at His Majesty and Crown Princess Amelia, hiding a terrible killing intent behind her smile.


    ��Am I correct to assume that the foolish princess over there is the one who summoned you?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Oh crap.


    She was so overwhelming that I forgot to lie.


    ��Please wait a bit as I go burn this country down��


    ��Wait!��


    Don''t say such scary things so lightly!


    Rana stepped away from me and looked out the blown-away wall at the streets of Ashtalia.


    ��Oh, could it be, dear������you��ve already����?��


    ��Don��t lump me in with you��


    As if I��m able to do that.


    ��Otou-sama! Now!��


    When Rana turned her back, Crown Princess Amelia shouted.


    ��Huhh?��


    ��Eeek��


    At the same time Rana shot her a menacing look, one of the staves floating in mid-air grazed Crown Princess Amelia''s cheek as it flew by her and stabbed into the ground.


    These staves, are they funnels?![3]


    ��These are staves with the magic power of ancient magicians. They can prate even steel with ease, got it?��


    Another staff grazed Crown Princess Amelia as it passed between her legs and pierced into the marble floor like it was tofu.


    In the short while since I hadst seen Rana, she seems to have powered-up. These staves are those of L''s victims, aren''t they?


    As I marveled in admiration, an earth-shaking thud echoed through the partially destroyed cathedral.


    I wondered what it was, but then I realized that it was the sound of His Majesty getting down on one knee.


    ��Oh, Souya''s wife. My daughter has caused you much trouble. I''m no longer in charge of this country, so I apologize to you as a father. I''m sorry��


    ��No, Your Majesty! Please stop!��


    I feel so extremely bad.


    So much so that I feel like diving into a Dogeza.


    ��It''s fine! It''s fine, Souya. Summoning you without permission and then abandoning you all alone in a strangend because of an inability to grasp your talents is unforgivable, even for a king��


    ��How?Dare?You��


    Rana was looking at Crown Princess Amelia with an expression that really shouldn''t be described.


    ��Amelia! Won''t you also apologize? This beautiful elven princess is my vassal''s wife, you know?��


    ��Eh, no way, I''m no beautiful princess. Um, ah-hem��


    Not used to beingplimented, Rana was embarrassed for a moment, but quickly reverted to her previous menacing look.


    ��But Otou-sama��


    ��Souya is the man who forged the alliance between Ashtalia and Robbs. He is the person who made the dying Ashtalia be recognized as a country of worth. He persuaded me, who had lost myself to despair, and sacrificed himself to save Ashtalia. If this man is not the Brave of Salvation, then tell me who is?! Dugan! You think so too, right?!��


    ��Yes��


    Dugan, who was quite a distance away, replied.


    It appears that his vassals won''t let hime forward because of the danger.


    What should I do? Rana ispletely being treated as a dangerous person.


    Crown Princess Amelia apologized reluctantly with a sullen look on her face.


    ��������Ashtalia''s Brave of Salvation, Souya. I apologize for mistaking you for an ordinary man and abandoning you. Please forgive me��


    ��Oh, it''s alright. I''m not really bothered by it��


    I feel a little guilty.


    In the first ce, the one who had summoned me wasn''t Crown Princess Amelia. It was that damned Tortch.


    Though I still feel some resentment about the way I was treated after I was summoned, given this incident with Rana, I''ll just call it even. Or rather, please call it even.


    The cost of repairing this cathedral, considering its cultural value and so on, is going to be scary.


    ��I������������I��ll abide by your decision to forgive them, dear, but I have one request��


    Rana, who seemed satisfied, whispered in my ear.


    ��I want to have a child��


    ��Gopfff��


    I choked.


    No, well, you''re being as hasty as the time we got married. Why do you have to bring things to a climax like this without any lead-up? I''m okay with it though.


    ��Your Majesty, it''s alright now��


    ��Good��


    I gave His Majesty a thumbs-up. His Majesty imitated me and stuck his thumb up.


    All''s well that ends well.


    But everyone, including His Majesty and even the guards of the royal castle, were staring at Rana. After the destruction she had wrought, they were looking at her with something slightly different from hostility.


    Dugan, who had been kept at a distance, pushed past his vassals and came closer.


    ��That elf there, she looks just like Lady Irisetta, doesn��t she? It''s almost as if she had grown up ande back��


    ��Dugan, you think so too?��


    ��It''s unpleasant��


    His Majesty was looking on her favorably, but Crown Princess Amelia seemed displeased.


    Rana resembles His Majesty''s daughter, huh? It''s distant, but they are rted by blood. I suppose it''s not so strange.


    It''s a fleeting wish now, but I would have liked to have met her.


    ��Yeah, they''re big. They''re even bigger than my wives''��


    ��So they are��


    ��Otou-sama!��


    The two kings were staring at Rana''s chest. I quickly hid Rana behind my back.


    Please stop it. It��s improper behavior for the strongest four among the Myriad Kings.


    ��Souya. So you weren''t kidding when you said you had an elven wife��


    ��That��s right��


    I showed off Rana to Regure, who had walked over.


    ��Dear, who''s this?��


    ��She��s Shuna��s teacher��


    ��Oh my��


    Rana was finally talking to others with a calm face.


    ��Hey you, don''t tempt my disciple with that body, got it?��


    As if she would. As if I''d let her.


    ��Shuna-sama only considers those with silver hair as people of the opposite sex, so there''s no need to worry��


    ��I, I see������


    Regure looks depressed. It appears that she also feels guilty for trampling on the dreams of a young boy.


    ������������Oh, I almost forgot.


    ��Umm, Rana. How on earth did you get here?��


    ��It��s the power of love and money��


    ��I����see?��


    ��Among the items you acquired from L, there were numerous ancient mediums. When ites to magic, the older the medium, the better. And when they''re used together with the blood of a god, there''s no reason why tearing open space with brute force won''t work��


    ��You''re really amazing��


    ��Dear, praise me more��


    Rana exuded smugness from her whole body.


    Oh, I can clearly tell now that she''s connected by blood to my sister.


    As I was trying to decide whether to pat her head or fondle her boobs, I received amunication through my sses.


    ��Hey~, heyyy! Can you hear me?��


    ��Yeah. I can hear you��


    It was Maria.


    ��Look to the south. You''ll see something interesting��


    ��Hmm?��


    Just when I was about to go take a look,


    ��Report!��


    A guard of the royal castle rushed in with an rmed look on his face.


    ��Elysium''s expeditionary force and thebined armies of the Myriad Kings are advancing on us from the southern in. I believe there are at least 60,000 of them!��


    One of Dugan''s men also whispered something to him.


    Noticing that, His Majesty took action.


    ��Dugan, how many of your men are capable of fighting right now?��


    ��Excluding the wounded, I''d say 30,000��


    ��Lend me your fastest cavalry, 500 is all I need. And your fastest warhorse for me. Bring me a horse that��s in no way inferior to Verxina��


    ��Wait, hang on, Dainsleif. I can''t do that so suddenly. Besides, there''s no horse that can match Verxina��


    If Dugan agrees to lend His Majesty troops, there will a line of soldiers trying to join His Majesty because of his maism. As soon as tomorrow, the Kingdom of Ashtalia will have a new army. As could be expected, Dugan would likely not find that amusing.


    Disregarding the two arguing kings, I peered out the cathedral and took a look at the enemy.


    There��s really a lot of them.


    It''s an army of white mixed with gray. The report said 60,000, but this is����


    ��Your Majesty! There''s 80,000! And numerous siege weapons!��


    Several golems were pulling massive catapults behind them. There were twenty of them. They had also been thoughtful enough to bring about thirty battering rams.


    They lookedpletely prepared to assault a castle.


    ��Dear��


    Rana tugged at my sleeve a few times.


    ��The g of Beza?Hohens flies among them. They have war magicians on their side��


    ��Your Majesty! They have magicians!��


    Hearing footsteps, I turned and found His Majesty beside me.


    ��How many?��


    ��They''re at the very front and in the middle��


    Protected by knights withrge shields, there was a group of magicians. They were different from adventurers. They had a worn-out and sooty air about them.


    I handed my sses to Rana, and she looked at their faces with the telephoto function.


    ��Those who study magic in the Jumikura and Hohens Schools don''t side with any particr faction, but Beza<heretics> are different. They believe that the battlefield is the very ce where the art of magic is needed. However, when ites to faces that I recognize������������there aren''t any among them��


    If they''re people from Hohens who Rana doesn''t recognize, that means that there are probably no Frey-ss magicians among them.


    Indeed, one of those is enough to wipe out an entire army. Actually, next to me is������


    ��Dear, don''t you think that you should turn to me for help in times like these?��


    ��I do. You can do it, right?��


    ��What a foolish question. I''m not known as a guide of the final me for nothing��


    ��Ohh, madam, do you have a n?��


    His Majesty is getting into it.


    ��I don''t have a n. What I do have is magic. It''s what I''m most proud of��


    There was a small burst of light, and Maria appeared behind me.


    She was drawing attention from the people around her. She had pulled up her hood to hide her appearance, but will it be okay, I wonder?


    ��Souya, Dainsleif, what are you going to do? Are you charging in again?��


    ��There''s no way I''d allow something like that. Huh, you''re������Misuranika-sama?��


    ��Like I said, who''s a forgotten one? Huh������what a strange elf��


    Maria said while looking at Rana, mainly at her boobs.


    ��Mu, what do you mean? You''re a strange elf yourself. Your hair and skin are all ck��


    ��What?! I mean, you''re small and you''ve got big boobs! And your ears droop!��


    ��You''re small too. Actually, you''re probably smaller than me��


    ��I''ll grow bigger in future!��


    ��I''ll grow bigger too!��


    ��Are you talking about your boobs?!��


    ��Please don''t start a war here��


    Stop fighting between women.


    Or rather, I have one question.


    ��Rana, if Hohens doesn��t side with any particr faction, wouldn��t it be a bad idea for you to unleash magic here?��


    ��Yes. If it gets out, I''ll be struck off Hohen''s rolls and have my memories taken away��


    ��That��s no good then. Ashtalia and Robbs'' soldiers are very strong. We can leave it to them��


    ��Dear, it''ll be fine as long as it doesn��t get out��


    ��Eeehh��


    That��s being so careless about the details.


    ��In truth, there have been many magicians from Hohens who have done simr things. The army here is strong, right? Then I''ll halt that army for a time and weaken it. Would that be enough, King of Ashtalia?��


    ��I''ve given up the throne. Amelia, is that enough?��


    ��Do as you like, Otou-sama��


    Crown Princess Amelia was sitting on the throne with a tired look on her face. I felt a bit sorry for her.


    ��Well then��


    Rana struck the floor with her staff. It rang out loudly, attracting everyone''s attention.


    With everyone staring at her, she shouted in a clear voice.


    ��Close your eyes and shut your mouth to the the entirety of the magic art that I will now perform. If you break this prohibition, thisnd will surely be engulfed in mes again. But the scorn of betrayal will forever be spoken of by those who live long lives. What will happen from this point on is the will of nature. My, the Heures'' secret art��


    It was like watching a y in which she yed the leading role.


    The elf raised her staff and weaved a web of words.


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god Ezusu. In your great name, pass my words on to the gods worshiped alongside you. Grizunas of the Abyss. I borrow the grace of my husband, who has been blessed by the oceans. Together with the blessings of the True me, I bring forth a rare and miraculous art��


    Rana took one of the staffs floating in mid-air and kissed it.


    She whispered, prayed and chanted.


    ��Heures?Romea?Lumidia��


    A pale yet white-hot glow emanated from the staff.


    Magic that bears the name of the king of the forest and the hero of the hidden name. Could this be����


    ��Dear, your bow��


    I received the Lycan bow from Rana and nocked the magic-imbued staff to its string.


    The grace that I thought I had lost returned to my arms once more.


    The bow bent greatly and creaked as I drew it taut and then aimed for the heavens.


    ��Please shoot the staff as close to the center of the army as possible��


    ��Leave it to me��


    I released.


    The staff flew towards the distant, far-off army. It drew a parab in the sky and then stabbed into the heart of the army.


    After drawing some indifferent reactions from the soldiers,


    Fog suddenly arose from the earth.


    A thick, milky fog enveloped the entirety of the army on the in. Even from this distance, I could hear the confused screams of people.


    Oddly, not one person came out of the fog.


    ��It��s a barrier of fog that won''t disappear for three days and three nights. Those trapped inside will never be able to escape. It''s possible to interact with them from the outside, so you can use arrows, magic, or whatever you want to your heart''s content��


    ��What an amazing magic art��


    Everyone in the cathedral, including His Majesty, was astounded.


    I was feeling rather proud of her too.


    ��Rana, this magic, could it be������


    ��Yes, this is the magic that my ancestor Heures used when they defeated therge spider. Among my aunt''s belongings that my father had given me, I found a way to recreate this magic. But it''s a magic that I can only use through your deep connection with the fishmen. In other words, it''s half your magic as well��


    ��Is that how it is?��


    I''d never have imagined that Heures'' magic was something that borrowed the power of the fishmen.


    The connections between people are a wondrous thing.


    Perhaps my encounter with Geto-san was what had led to my encounter with Rana and the others.


    ��Well done. Souya, and madam as well. Make yourselves at home in the castle. The utmost hospitality will be������Amelia!��


    ��Yes, yes, I��ll extend them the utmost hospitality, yes��


    Just do as you like, said the Crown Princess.


    ��Alright! Dugan! Ready the men! But first, get me a horse! A horse!��


    ��Well, we have as much as three days, so we can surround them as we see fit��


    ��Don''t say such ridiculous things. I''ll crush them head on. We must properly impress on those shameless people what it means to be a Myriad King��


    ��Good grief, you''re such a hopeless man. Alright, leave it to me. I''ll see if I can raise an army in your name. I''ll even lend you my finest horse��


    The two kings were looking lively and in a very good mood.


    A winning battle must be quite fun.


    ��Your Majesty, what I can do is little, but I''ll also�D�D��


    ��You are to attend to your wife. That''s an order. I don''t want you jumping out ahead of me again��


    ��Understood��


    He tly refused to let me participate in the battle.


    ��Madam, keep a firm hold on his reins��


    ��Yes��


    Rana came up and hugged my arm.


    Pulling away from her and going into battle is not something I want to do, not even a little.


    His Majesty and Dugan left the cathedral with their men in tow.


    Crown Princess Amelia summoned the maids and they said that it would take them some time to prepare a room for us.


    With the cold wind blowing in our faces, we waited in the cathedral.


    ��How��s that? Isn''t she amazing?��


    I bragged about Rana to Maria.


    Gununun, said Maria, looking frustrated.


    ��Dear, who is this elf that looks like Misuranika-sama?��


    ��Listen well, I��m�D�D��


    Maria''smunication device went off noisily.


    ��It''s not a good idea to reveal your identity carelessly��


    It was Tortch.


    My sses had also picked up his transmission.


    ��Gununun��


    It was a childish way of acting frustrated. She escaped by suddenly disappearing.


    She''s a strange child, one who is both childish and crazed at the same time.


    The room was ready and a maid showed us to it. The room was warm thanks to the firece in it, the bed was luxurious, and the tub had been filled with hot water.


    ��Well then, if there''s anything else you need, please feel free to let us know��


    The maid curtsied and then left.


    It was just the two of us after that, so, like mad, we�D�D


    [1] This is an expression from the Showa era(1926-1989), which refers to a short but stacked woman. Yes, it��s in ��English��. Please note that it��s the 1900s and overlook how nonsensical it is.


    [2] This is Minamoto no Yoshitsune��s Hassou-tobi(Eight Boat Leap). ording to the myth, in the battle of Dan-no-Ura, which was practically a naval battle between Minamoto and Taira, through Yoshitsune''smand, he managed to get themanding Tairamander, Noritsune to admit defeat or prepare to surrender, but he instead attempted suicide. Yoshitsune decided to leap through 8 boats to either escape from Noritsune''s suicide because it was causing chaos that could drown his navy; or he leapt through 8 boats to make sure Noritsune didn''t get the chance tomit suicide, and severed his head. Yes, it��s one of those stories where the details aren��t clear and no one can say for sure if it actually happened.


    [3] As a Gundam fan, I almost fell off my chairughing at this line. This is an old joke, from the 1980s-1990s, a time when drones weren��t a thing. In the older Gundam series, funnels are generally drones that fireser beams that are remotely controlled via psychic powers. Nowadays, as drones are a thing, they��re called all sorts of different names and are no longer controlled psychically. Why are they called ��funnels��, you ask? Well��it��s because they��re shaped just like one��and from [1] you can sorta tell the level of English literacy in Japan in the 1900s, so I think you can see how it would sound cool to them�� Anyway, here��s a gif of them in action that I found on imgur.


    So, all��s well that ends well. I loved the ��It��s the power of love and money�� line. Had me doubled over inughter. Yeah, the heavy atmosphere of the previous chapters is lifting.


    Not much toment this chapter, though the fact that Souya is able to be invisible longer than before is something to note.


    Well, double chapter next time to finish out this arc and we��ll finally be in the final arc of this very long volume 3. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 88: The Time of Reunion, Comes IV & V

    <h4>Chapter 88: The Time of Reunion, Comes IV & V</h4>


    <The Time of Reunion, Comes IV>


    From the window of my room, I could see the fog that had engulfed the in.


    ��I have a proposal��


    ��What is it?��


    ��About Maria, you''re opposed to our marriage, right?��


    ��So I am��


    ��As can be expected, I don''t think it''s a good idea to take a second wife when things between my current wife and me haven''t settled down yet��


    ��Question. When you say "second wife", are you referring to Maria?��


    ��That''s right��


    ��Aren��t you going to get a divorce before marrying Maria?��


    ��I have absolutely no intention of divorcing Rana. Also, I got married under elvenws, which means that I can have multiple wives��


    ��As a Japanese, are you okay with that?��


    ��In my country, there is this saying. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do����


    ��I understand now that it''s a very convenient saying. More than ever, I don''t approve of Maria and you getting married��


    ��Then, let''s meet in the middle, and�D�D��


    My proposal was epted.


    ��Maria, supposing that the number of Tortchs increased, what would you think?��


    ��I''d be happy��


    ��Incidentally, there''s a case of three fathers raising a child in Tortch''s country��


    ��Oh-ho, three Daddies, huh? That would be nice��


    It''s just a movie though. [1]


    ��Alright, then�D�D��


    ����������������


    I brought Rana and Maria together again, and introduced them to each other like that.


    ��Dear, I did say that I want to have a child, but this is������


    ��Souya, I agreed to let you be my father, but I didn''t hear anything about her bing my mother��


    ��Umm, Maria, she''s my wife, so she''s automatically your mother, isn��t it?��


    ��Dear, I''m not following any of this at all��


    ��I''ll exin it to you, booby elf. I''m Souya''s wife, and also his daughter��


    The thing about being my wife����


    It didn''t get canceled out, I see.


    ��I''m Souya''s wife. So that makes you the second wife��


    Oh, so Rana is going to ept it without issue.


    Right, that''s the culture she grew up with, isn��t it? That damned Melm also has a lot of wives, doesn''t he?


    ��Second wife, and my daughter. Eh? Huh?��


    Because she had epted it so easily, it appears that she has gotten confused.


    ��Rana, the one who brought up Maria is from the same world as me. In light of that, I agreed to look after her. As you can see, she''s just a child. Take no notice of what she says about marriage and so on��


    ��Who��s a child?!��


    Maria got angry and kicked me. It didn''t really hurt much.


    Getting angry at being called a child is proof of being a child. I''ve told someone that before, I believe.


    ��If it''s a request from someone from your hometown, then I guess there''s no helping it. ������Umm, Maria, I''m your mother from now on, alright?��


    Rana smiled awkwardly and spread her arms wide open.


    ����������������


    After staring at Rana in silence, Maria couldn''t resist her urges and leapt into her bosom.


    ��Habuaa��


    She had the same response as I did, and was sunk instantly.


    There aren''t many people who can resist Rana''s boobs. No matter how crazed she is, Maria is still a child.


    Afterwards, I watched as the two of them got to know each other better. We had a rxing time together.


    It had been hectic the past few days, but things had finally calmed down.


    <The Time of Reunion, Comes V>


    It was sunny, which took the edge off the chill a little, making it the perfect weather for war.


    1,000 cavalry from Robbs'' army had gathered in response to His Majesty''s call.


    For Ashtalia,


    To stand shoulder to shoulder with the hero,


    To defeat their age-old invaders,


    To crush the shameless Myriad Kings.


    His Majesty looked at their faces one by one and spoke passionately about how foolish the enemy was and how powerful Robbs'' soldiers were.


    The rousing speech was soul-stirring.


    And then,


    His Majesty spoke of histe daughter.


    It was a story about a child who wished for peace.


    It was the story of a girl who, in order to bridge the divide between Elysium and the Myriad Kings, had nned for the future. It was about a king''s daughter who was crushed by a conspiracy, was prepared for death despite her young age and innocence, and what the pigs of Elysium did to her.


    The word "foolishness" couldn��t do justice to that tragedy.


    Some of the soldiers wept.


    But those tears quickly turned to anger.


    The enemy who had perpetrated that folly was right in front of them. They would shed their tears only after they had spilled the enemy''s blood.


    The fog cleared.


    The army of 70,000 was in disarray.


    For three days and three nights, they had been trapped in that white darkness. They looked exhausted, and there were signs that they had fought among themselves. Two of the massive catapults had toppled over, crushing people underneath them. Many of the enemy''s horses began to neigh in panic at the sudden change in scenery.


    His Majesty bellowed.


    Robbs'' cavalry bellowed with him.


    Leading the 1,000 strong cavalry, the hero charged into the army of 70,000.


    Like a gigantce.


    Like a magicalnce that no one could stop.


    ��Hmm, he''s not leaving any for me, is he?��


    Said Dugan, who was next to me.


    Rana, Maria and I were on standby in the rear, inside Robbs'' camp.


    ��Yeah, he��s not��


    I nodded, but stayed alert for beasts and had Maria be ready to teleport me at any moment.


    ��Lower the alert level, and prepare food and baths��


    Dugan''s orders were carried out by his trusted vassals. I thought that he was being too hasty, but that turned out to not be the case.


    At the cost of a hundred men, His Majesty defeated an army of 70,000.


    The enemy''s casualties exceeded 40,000, and two of the Myriad Kings who had sided with Elysium were killed.


    [1] I��m writing this because it��s an old movie, so there��s a real chance that many readers don��t know it, but it��s a great ssicedy. The movie referenced here is most likely ��Three Men and A Baby�� starring Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson. It follows the mishaps and adventures of three bachelors as they attempt to adapt their lives to pseudo-fatherhood with the arrival of the love child of one of them. It was the biggest American box office hit of 1987, and eventually grossed $167 million in the United States and Canada, and $240 million worldwide. Of course, it could also be referring to its 1990 sequel, ��Three Men and A Little Lady��.


    Yeah, probably the shortest double chapter ever lol.


    Only thing I��ll point out, is that he doesn��t feel pain when kicked by Maria. Him, the super-weakling, didn��t think that it hurt after being kicked by an inhabitant of this world, who are mad strongpared to the people of his world�� Didn��t the invisibility, which needed magic power to activate,st longer than he had though it wouldst chapter as well? ��_(��)_/��


    With that, it��s a rousing end to this arc. What��s next, or rather, what��s left? Stay tuned for the final arc!


    With that, I''m hoping to gain some support to help with the above so that I can expand and increase the amount of my releases. So if you can''t help out with tranting, I''d really appreciate it if you would consider supporting me on Patreon. Thank you so very much in advance!

 Chapter 89: Seeker Brigade I & II

    <h4>Chapter 89: Seeker Brigade I & II</h4>


    <Seeker Brigade I>


    In particr, those who had fought alongside His Majesty received great acim and became part of a legend that would be passed down for generations toe.


    After the battle, there were even some who had fainted from being too overwhelmed with emotion.


    Truly, I feel that His Majesty is a great man. It was an honor to serve him, even if it was by coincidence.


    Having this kind of self esteem is quite unlike me, but����


    ��Did I do well, I wonder?��


    ����I muttered to myself as I touched the old sword strapped to my hip.


    The royal castle��s dining hall was filled with rowdy warriors and the fervor of mes.


    Rana had triumphed against the Myriad Kings'' brawny warriors in a drinking contest. Even now, challengers were appearing one after another. As I watched from afar, a man called out to me.


    ��Wolf of Ashtalia-dono, I hear that you��re the husband of that elf over there��


    ��None other��


    ��Why is Princess Rauaryuna here?��


    ��Hmn��


    The man was one of the cavalry who had fought alongside His Majesty. I saw him being honored by Robbs'' soldiers earlier.


    He looked to be in his mid-thirties, and had chestnut brown hair that was oddly dog-like. His features seemed familiar.


    ��No way, Berhardt?Oru?Lem�D�D��


    ��Wait a moment��


    He had covered my mouth.


    ��Who did you hear about me from?��


    ��From the king, of course. Prince��


    ��Don''t call me Prince here. Just Berhardt is fine. Other than King Dugan, no one else knows��


    ��Alright then, Berhardt. Well, I''m, err, privy to some of the inner workings of Lemuria��


    ��I see, then it''s no wonder you were summoned by Crown Princess Amelia��


    ��Well, that part is just a coincidence though��


    I didn��t really like alcohol, but he offered me a cup, so I put it to my lips and pretended to drink it.


    Berhardt guzzled the alcohol down in a manner simr to his father.


    ��How''s my father doing?��


    ��Well, he''s pretty healthy now. The only thing is, Lanseal has beenining to me that the amount he drinks has been increasing rapidly��


    ��Are you also close to my sister?��


    ��We''re currently living together��


    Oh, I identally let that slip.


    After a few moments of silence, Berhardt let me drink alcohol from the top of my head.


    ��Think of my sister''s age!��


    ��She''s in the prime of her womanhood!��


    ��I wanted her to be an ordinary man''s mistress!��


    ��Who cares?! Lanseal''s the one making advances on me!��


    ��Wh, whattt!?��


    And so, as one of the events of the party, I got into a fist fight with the Crown Prince of Lemuria.


    When I fought the younger brother some time back, I had gotten beaten up one-sidedly, but I won this time around.


    I sure have grown since then.


    The party ended, and winter was about to start in earnest in thend of the Myriad Kings.


    The battlefields would be snowed in, and no blood would be spilled on thisnd for some time toe. The winters here are harsh. There have been times when more people have died from the cold than on the battlefield.


    The perils of nature are even harsher for invaders. In the past, Elysium has never invaded at this time of year.


    In other words, there is nothing more I can do in thisnd.


    <Seeker Brigade II>


    The farewells I''ve experienced in this world have all been due to deaths, and the only one who has parted from me and is still alive is her, who has changed her name and appearance.


    I really don''t know what sort of face to make at a times like these.


    Thus, I disappeared after telling Dugan''s trusted vassal, ��We''re going back." Along with Rana, I had Maria teleport all three of us to the cathedral where Tortch was waiting.


    Seeing that Maria was unsteady on her feet, Tortch got angry.


    ��Souya, Maria has overused her powers. Moreover, the burden on her is more than doubled when more than two people go through her portal��


    ��What? You should''ve told me that beforehand��


    ��No, the fault is mine. I wanted to show off to Rana, so I pushed myself��


    Rana hugged Maria and said.


    ��Maria, if you want me to be proud of you, then you need to take care of yourself. Or else, I''ll get angry��


    ��Ehh, okay. I''ll be careful from now on��


    Maria was crestfallen when she got scolded. But when she buried her face in Rana''s chest, her expression rxed and she closed her eyes.


    It''s heartwarming. I''m jealous. ������������Those boobs are mine, you know?


    ��Souya, is this your wife?��


    ��Yeah��


    ��Rana-sama, I''m Tortch, Maria''s father. My daughter has been in your care��


    ��Not at all. Oh my, what a big person. Are you Makina''s rtive?��


    ��Affirmative. I''m a Unit that''s seven generations older than Makina��


    Tortch is more being more polite to her than he was to me.


    It''s better than him being rude, but that kind of pisses me off.


    ��Tortch, we��re going back to Lemuria��


    ��Is that so? It''s an appropriate course of action. There��s nothing you can do to help by remaining in thisnd��


    ��But�D�D��


    ��Madam, please help me persuade Souya��


    Tortch interrupted me.


    ��Yes?��


    ��Your husband has given up on exploring the dungeon. And it''s because of you, madam��


    ��Eeh, huh?��


    ��Rana, that��s�D�D��


    ��Souya has given up on the idea of exploring the dungeon because he fears for your safety, madam. But from what I''ve learned, madam''s strength isparable to that of an army. The possibility that Souya''s fears are unfounded is high��


    ��Tortch! You don''t know anything about the dungeon! Even the strongest of magicians can be captured and held captive by the enemy with no way of saving themselves. That''s how it is in the dungeon! Individual strength doesn''t matter!��


    When I snapped at Tortch, Rana responded without hesitation.


    ��But, dear, you saved me, didn''t you?��


    ��Huh, yes, I did save you, but�D�D��


    ��Then there��s no problem, isn��t it?��


    ��But, I mean, it��s just too dangerous��


    Rana''s opinion confused me.


    I had thought that she would go along with me.


    ��Our party is strong. We can face any challenge. There is nothing that we cannot aplish��


    I was struck speechless by those words.


    They��re the words that Irvin had once said to me.


    ��To begin with, you defeated a monster that had deceived countless adventurers for 500 years. Please have more confidence in yourself. You''re the husband that I''m proud of, you know?��


    ��Yeah������yeah. You��re, right��


    I don''t know why, but I started to tear up a little.


    It feels like I had been freed from one long curse.


    Is it alright for me to be praised by others? Is it not a sin to feel proud of myself in this way?


    ��Hahaa��


    That made meugh. I want to tell this to the brat who, in the distant past, was always thinking about how to kill himself.


    I want to tell him that in the distant future, you will be someone that people will be proud of. That you will be someone''s pride and joy.


    That the day wille when you canugh like this.


    ��Tortch, I can''t give you an immediate answer about exploring the dungeon. Let me discuss it with my party members��


    ��Affirmative. I''m expecting a favorable reply��


    ��At times like this, you should say, "No problemo����


    ��Affirmative. No problemo��


    It''s a movie reference he''s 40 years too young for. [1]


    While rubbing her cheeks on Rana, Maria said.


    ��Souya is amazing. Taking on that giant beast head-on and all by yourself is something beyond the realm of man��


    ��Dear, you did something so reckless in thisnd?��


    ��Well, to a certain extent��


    ��Next time you do something like that, I''ll get angry, got it?��


    ��Yes��


    Even though you''re fine with your own recklessness and putting yourself in danger, I''m not allowed to do the same, huh?


    ��Well then��


    As Rana patted Maria''s head, she took out a small bottle and swallowed a sip of the liquid inside. It was blood inside the bottle. She then raised her staff, and the other staves flew out from the quiver on her hip and floated in a circle around her.


    ��Dear, let''s go back��


    ��Yeah��


    From among the floating staves, Rana grabbed a familiar-looking one.


    It had a design of arge tree and had a pyroxene set in its tip.


    She smashed the bottle of blood on the ground. With the tip of that staff, she drew a geometric pattern with the blood. It was a magic arrayposed of distorted V-shapes and words of an unknownnguage.


    ��Rana, that blood��..��


    ��It''s Frey''s blood. Since she''s a descendant of a god, it possesses very strong magic power. I��ve been using this to control the staves. It''s because that idiot put the curse called the crest of the Brave or whatever on you that you were summoned here, so she can''tin about something as small as getting a good amount of blood drawn out of her��


    ����������


    ����������������


    Tortch and me fell silent.


    Almost none of this is Frey''s fault, but exining that would be too much trouble, so I won''t.


    As for Tortch, he''s keeping quiet because he''s terrified.


    ��Alright, that''s it��


    It looks like the magic array has beenpleted.


    This is the first time I''ve seen Rana do this much prep work. Maria invokes the magic in an instant, but I guess it must be an incredible magic after all.


    Maria stepped away from Rana and went to stand beside Tortch.


    She said goodbye with a somewhat lonely look on her face.


    ��Souya, Rana, should you have some free time, you cane back to thisnd again. Both of you will always be wee here��


    Tortch pushed her from behind.


    ��?��


    ��Maria, here''s some changes of clothes and your stuffed toy. There''s emergency rations as well��


    Pinched in-between Tortch''srge fingers was a bulging bag.


    ��Huh?��


    Maria was having trouble understanding the situation.


    ��You''re going with Souya and Rana-sama to Lemuria��


    ��What��s going on, dear?��


    ��What? No way! Won''t Daddy be all alone if I go?!��


    ��That''s not true. So long as you wish it, you can alwayse back to where I am. That miracle is the very power that God has given you to keep our bond unbroken��


    ��I��ll������be lonely��


    ��You have to be stronger. All I know is only war. People are not weapons. Knowing about battles is not enough to make a person stronger. Besides, when Elysium is destroyed, if you continue to fight even after you''ve won the battle, you will always be sad. In order to find happiness, you have to meet all sorts of people. I want to raise you to be a strong and kind person��


    ��������But I don''t want to!��


    Maria embraced Tortch''s arm.


    ��Souya, madam, I need your help to persuade her��


    Tortch asked for help, so I started first.


    ��The food in Lemuria is delicious, you know? They have bacon that''s so tasty that it makes spam seem like leftovers. The weather there is also warm and pleasant��


    Rana went next.


    ��My sister and Lanseal will also treat you kindly. My husband is acquainted with a lot of interesting people, you know? Believe it or not, he even knows a fishman! That fishman brings us delicious seafood every morning��


    ��No! Noo~!��


    Maria, who was clinging to Tortch, hadpletely be a spoiled child.


    Like a child in a toy store, it feels like she won''t let go even if forced to.


    ��Th, this is an unexpected reaction��


    Torch was the one most perplexed by her behavior.


    I''m not sure what to do either. If I leave Maria in thisnd like she wants, she will likely continue to grow up as she is. She''ll grow up to harbor madness, just like me.


    Her budding madness will eventually be the real thing.


    I don''t know if the new Vindoobunikuru army will be able to defeat Elysium.


    However, even supposing they were to win, if Maria, their leader and figurehead, remained the same as she is now, she would be in danger.


    People only follow madness in times of war.


    Once there is peace, people will crush the madness and obey those who are outwardly sane.


    It would give me grief if Maria were to lose her life after winning the war. Not to mention that Rana and I might get embroiled in it as well.


    As Tortch had proposed, we have to show Maria a world where there is peace.


    Unless they are exposed to it, people may never understand what peace is.


    ��Alright, Maria, let''s look at it this way��


    In my own way, I did my utmost to persuade her.


    ��Let''s take a trip to Lemuria. It''s a vacation��


    Tortch went along with my idea.


    ��Dugan and I can handle the building up of our forces and the formting of strategies with no problem. Maria, you��ve been working too hard. You need to take a vacation��


    ��A trip��


    Oh, it worked.


    ��That''s right, Maria. It''s a trip. We''ll all sit around a bonfire and eat canned beans��


    ��I hate beans��


    ��Then I''ll give you thick bacon and fried eggs��


    ��Bacon. ��������gulp��


    Rana brought things to a close.


    ��Maria, won��t it be fine if youe back here once every three days?��


    ��Oh������������Mmm, I guess that''s true��


    Persuasionplete.


    ��Then I''lle back to Daddy once every two days. If I get lonely, I''ll be right back��


    ��Yes, that''s fine��


    Good grief, His Majesty and Rana included, why are the people around me all so difficult to deal with?


    ������Could it be, I��m like that too?


    ��Souya, I''ve prepared some armaments for you. They shoulde in handy on your adventures��


    Tortch held out a bag full of firearms and ammunition.


    ��I don''t need them��


    ��What, have you lost your mind?��


    ��It''s dangerous to use firearms inside the dungeon. Many of the enemies detect by sound. It''s a different story if you have suppressors, but either way, keeping them safe is a problem. If they get stolen and the technology makes its way to Elysium, we''ll be fastening the noose around our own necks��


    Suppressors shouldn''t yet be a part of US military equipment right after World War II.


    It would be troublesome if they were discovered by sharp-eyed adventurers, and even more troublesome if that information was leaked to the merchants of the center continent. Worst of all would be if King Lemuria found out about them.


    ��Won''t you need them to protect yourself?��


    ��I won��t. I''vee this far without them��


    My skills have improved to the point where I can kill without using such things. I can still remember how it feels.


    ��But surely there will be unforeseen situations������


    ��Firearms are the very things that will lead to unforeseen situations��


    ��But still������


    It feels like we''re going to have another argument.


    There may be times when they would be invaluable against normal people, but after liberally getting rid of all of them, I cannot see myself using an older generation firearm now.


    ��Then I''ll only bring my pistols. That won''t be a problem, right? Since they''reced with my blood, even in the worst case where they fall into the enemy''s hands, I can simply teleport them back��


    ��That''s really convenient��


    ��Look��


    Maria proudly showed me the two nostalgic Colt Government pistols that she carried in shoulder holsters. They disappeared with a sh of light, and then dropped into Maria''s hands.


    ��Then I guess they won''t be a problem. But don''t discharge them identally��


    ��As if I would. I''m very careful��


    Really?


    ��I''d like to analyze that magic and be able to use it myself too��


    Rana was watching with a fascinated look.


    Maria bragged to Rana with a smug expression on her face.


    ��This is my gift. In exchange, I can''t use any~ other magic at all��


    ��I see, it''s an innate magic of the caster''s lineage, I''m guessing. That''s probably why the consumption and efficiency are unusually good. ������Interesting��


    ��But there''s a trick to it��


    ��Well then, Maria��


    Tortch interrupted Rana and Maria''s discussion of magic.


    It was a good thing he did, as these two would go on for a long time once they got started, perhaps because they really hit it off with each other.


    He held a rugged and crude finger out to Maria.


    ��Have a good trip��


    ��Yeah, I''m off, Daddy��


    On the cold steel hand, she rested her small hand.


    ��I''ll be right back when I get lonely!��


    ��Uh-huh��


    ��I''ll have lots of stories to tell you when Ie back!��


    ��I see��


    ��And also, umm������


    ��Go and enjoy yourself��


    ��Okay!��


    Maria took the bag from Tortch, slung it over her shoulder, and then saluted.


    Tortch saluted her back.


    After seeing the parent and child say their goodbyes, Rana began chanting.


    ��Space, light, darkness, ship. As time, raise the sails over the boundless waves!��


    Rana struck the space with her raised staff. A tremendous sound rang out, and a crack formed.


    Following suit, the ancient mediums also struck the space. The crack shattered, light burst forth, and a portal appeared.


    ��Dear, it won''t hold for long. Hurry!��


    Maria was about to jump in, but she turned and looked back once more at Tortch.


    Tortch waved his hand silently.


    With a smile, Maria jumped into the portal.


    ��Goodbye��


    ��Please take care of Maria��


    I also headed for the portal of light. Taking Rana''s hand, I returned to my home in the alternate world.


    [1] Credit to the site manager of FT Zhaernon for finding this reference for me haha. It��s from Terminator 2, the scene in the car where Arnold says ��Affirmative�� and Conner tells him he has to listen to the way people talk and he should say ��No problemo�� in times like that. That conversation ends in him teaching Arnold that iconic line ��Hasta vista, baby��.


    Ahh, for him to win a fist fight, our Souya has grown�� However, this is the third release in a row that author has been hinting that he has grown, not just metaphorically, but in a physical sense, isn��t it? Yes, this is going somewhere, but��you��ll have to wait.


    And I know that it might not resonate with everyone, but the part where Souya finally gets validation makes me tear up like crazy. It��s also the first time where the author outright tells us Souya was suicidal in the past instead of just hinting at it. And with the support of his grandpa��s teachings gone, Ranaes right in time to give him the support, validation and self esteem he needs. And of course, setting this up with Irvin��s words beforehand is such a low-blow��yes, I was bawling my eyes out at the end of this section.


    So, our MC has returned to Lemuria at longst. 2 more releases until the volume ends. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 90: Seeker Brigade III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 90: Seeker Brigade III & IV</h4>


    <Seeker Brigade III>


    A warm breeze caressed my cheeks.


    Hanging in the clear blue sky were a few wispy clouds. And three pale moons. When I lowered my gaze with a sigh, I saw before me a in that stretched to the horizon.


    At its edge, there was a gigantic object which looked like a horn that had been stabbed into the ground.


    Its name, the Odoriji spire.


    It''s said that on its 56th floor is a mystery that only I can unravel.


    Suddenly, I realized that I had received a message on my sses.


    However, the path of least resistance is the path of the loser.


    If you fell down yesterday, stand up today. The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow��


    They''re probably the words of hisrades.


    It feels like there''s some sort of meaning in those words.


    ��Wow, somehow, the air feels so fluffy��


    Maria ran across the in in high spirits.


    Oh, she fell.


    ��That''s dangerous, you know?��


    Rana helped her up. For some reason, Maria was smiling happily.


    Is this that thing where the kids get strangely excited when they visit their mother''s hometown, I wonder?


    The ce we hadnded on was on top of the ruined dungeon.


    It was covered in red flowers before, but now, there was only a simple field of grass and the entrance to a dpidated dungeon.


    ��Oh, wee back~��


    Though I couldn''t see anyone, I heard a sweet~ voice.


    ��Thanks��


    We had severed ties, but I returned the greeting anyway.


    I jogged off to catch up with the two who had gone on ahead of me.


    With Maria in the middle, we held hands and yed family.


    But I wonder what a family that isn''t pretend is like. I wonder if that��s also something that I''ll find out with time������


    Looking at the two happy people beside me eased my anxiety.


    The camp came into view.


    The smell of a nostalgic dish wafted through the air.


    I could see backs and pods that I recognized.


    ��Ready? One, two�D�D��


    We shouted in unison at the count of three.


    ��I''m home~!��


    Went Rana and me.


    ��I''m home~!��


    Followed Maria, a beat behind us.


    The one who jumped and quickly turned around was Lanseal.


    She tossed thedle in her hand aside and came running.


    She ran over with tremendous speed����


    ��SOouYaaaaaaaaa!��


    ��Guhoaa!��


    ����tackled me hard and pushed me down onto the ground.


    ��SOOoouuYaaaa!��


    ��La, Lanseal, calm down��


    She rubbed her cheeks on me, licked me, y-bit me, and basically went to town on me. Her tail was wagging incredibly fast.


    It went a bit over the line of what a child should see.


    ��Compose yourself, Lanseal��


    Ignoring Rana, Lanseal continued her intense skinship.


    ��Souya! Souya! Souya!��


    ��Oh, yes, it��s me��


    She''s acting like a family dog that''s seen someone who hasn''t been home for a while. Not that I''ve ever had a dog though.


    I lifted Lanseal up as I got to my feet.


    She''s lighter than I expected. Did she lose weight?


    And then, something else came running from the camp.


    It was a small figure. A 50cm tall wooden golem.


    ��BOOOOOOoooooo!��


    ��You too?!��


    Lars grabbed my leg. I almost fell over, but I managed to keep my bnce.


    This one is much heavier than it looks.


    Maria was looking at the one person and one thing with great interest.


    ��Rana, what are these guys?��


    ��They��re pets��


    While holding Lanseal in my arms and dragging Lars along, I arrived at the camp.


    ��Oh, wee back��


    My sister''s reaction was cold. She only spared me a nce before going back to stirring the pot.


    This one''s reaction is like a cat''s.


    And then, a real cat emerged from a tent.


    It''s just the false form of my god though.


    ��Hmpt, you''re finally back, you fool. The racket the sisters were making at night with their crying after you disappeared was too much. And ever since Rana went after you, Ea''s nightly crying got even worse. My chest�D�D��


    ��Hey! Misuranika-sama!��


    Ea''s face was bright red as she yelled.


    I should havee back earlier. I need to reflect on this.


    ��It��s a talking cat��


    ��Who on earth are you?��


    Maria stared at Misuranika-sama.


    Misuranika-sama stared back at Maria.


    Oh, she ran away.


    ��Wait~!��


    ��Don''te any closer! Get away from me!��


    Children, by nature, have a habit of chasing small animals that run away.


    As they yed tag, the two of them disappeared into the in.


    ��Don''t go too far!��


    "Okay~," came Maria''s reply.


    ��Onii-chan, this is������


    ��Yeah, this is������


    Umm, I don''t know where to start with exining this.


    ��SOoouYaaaaaa~! FuuuAAAA!��


    ��BOOoooooo! OOuuuu!��


    ��Lanseal! Lars! You��re both so noisy!��


    My sister yanked the one person and one thing away from me and gave them each a kick in the butt.


    ��In the first ce, Lanseal! You were so proper earlier, what the heck was that?��


    ��I''m so sorry. Somehow, when I saw Souya''s face, I just exploded with emotion. It''s the nature of beastkin��


    Her ears and tail drooped dejectedly.


    When I patted her on the head, her clouded expression immediately cleared up. Her tail wagged adorably.


    ��Whew, I caught her��


    ��Let go of me~!��


    Having caught Misuranika-sama, Maria came running back. She was holding the rampaging cat in her arms like a stuffed toy.


    ��Maria, treat her a little more gently. She''s my god after all��


    ��What a strange god!��


    ��Gwah!��


    She gave her a tight hug and my god let out a shriek.


    Leaving that aside,


    ��Who��s this?��


    Ea and Maria looked at each other and said at the same time.


    ��What a strange elf��


    In response to Ea��s opinion����


    ��What a normal elf��


    ����came Maria��s impression.


    ��Maria, Ea is the younger sister of Rana and me��


    ��And, you are?��


    While still holding adle, Ea crossed her arms and looked down at Maria.


    ��Listen closely, you ordinary elf. I''m the ck e�D�D��


    ��That''s no good, you can''t say that, alright?��


    I had covered her mouth.


    What are you doing divulging your true identity out of the blue? Even though you haven''t even told Rana����


    ��Ea, she''s called Maria. In thend where I was summoned to, I came across a person from my world. She''s his daughter, and she''ll be in my care from time to time��


    ��That''s right. And I''m also Souya''s������daughter-wife��


    A new genre was born.


    ��Hang on, Onii-chan! Isn''t she too much of a child to be a second wife?!��


    ��Well, if I had to say, she''s more of a daughter, and the thing about being my wife is�D�D��


    The reply I was blurting out was cut off by Maria.


    ��When you guys grow old, I''ll be in my prime. I''ll be the one who gets the prize in the end!��


    It''s a very shrewd way of thinking, but����


    ����I''m pretty sure I''ll be dead before any of you grow old though.


    ��Ugh, seriously, what''s with this kid?��


    ��Now now, Ea. Just treat her like a new younger sister��


    ��One minute you disappeared out of the blue, and the next, you''re back with a girl in tow. I don''t know what to make of this, Onii-chan, I really don''t��


    After hearing Rana''s words, Ea looked fed up.


    ��Well, whatever. Let''s eat��


    It was a lunch that waste by Lemuria''s standards.


    Ea''s curry udon was extremely well-received by Maria.


    <Seeker Brigade IV>


    There��s no woman who would treat a friendly child coldly.


    If there is, she''s not a woman, but a different creature.


    Was the real reason why Maria had proposed that we get married because she wanted to increase the size of her family, I wonder?


    Tortch is probably a good father.


    Maybe that''s why Maria was hoping for another family member.


    As a dark-skinned elf, her appearance is unusual, but Lemuria is home to a wide variety of races. It''s unlikely that any adventurer would be bothered by the presence of a single unusual-looking elf in Lemuria. There are also beastkin who look like her.


    The thing that lingers in the memory of adventurers is not appearances. It''s fame. It''s both a means and a tool of adventuring.


    Other than that, there��s the eyes of the merchants, but there��s no one in thisnd who can possibly make the connection between the ck elf and Maria.


    In the first ce, even among the Myriad Kings, only a small number of people in Robbs'' army know what the ck elf looks like.


    Elysium has concocted too many facts and incidents that are med on the ck elf. Because of this, what was originally a very simple connection has be obscured.


    Even supposing that she runs into danger, Maria has the miracle given to her by the gods.


    No matter where she is, she can likely escape. To me, to Rana, or to Tortch.


    Now, I have to deal with the first of my two remaining problems.


    I finished my bath in the river.


    ��Hey, Makina, Yukikaze��


    ����������������


    As I walked towards them while wiping my hair with a towel, the pods, one big and one small, moved back exactly as far as I had moved forward, maintaining a distance of three meters between us.


    tant. They''re being so tant about it.


    Even though they said��Wee back��to Rana and��Hello��to Maria, theypletely ignored my greetings.


    Yeah, well, I don''t me them. I shut them down without talking to them about it, so I''m sure they''re angry.


    ��I feel sorry for everything I did. So let''s talk about our future ns together��


    ��Hmpt~ ������������Even though you didn''t listen to what Makina and Yukikaze-chan had to say, why~ do we have to listen to what Souya-san has to say, Makina wonders~. It doesn''t make sense, right~?��


    ��Oh, right��


    Her voice was sulky.


    ��Ooh~, so you''re done with adventuring, huh~? So you have no more use for Makina and Yukikaze-chan, huh~? So you''re scrapping us in this alternate world, huh~? It can''t be helped, right? After all, Souya-san has no motivation, right? So why don''t you just act lovey-dovey with madam while burying your face in her boobs until the day you die? Why don''t you have lots of children and start a baseball team? You''ve already brought home a daughter after all~��


    ��Makina, this is getting a bit tiresome, so let''s have a constructive discussion instead��


    Yukikaze, who was next to Makina, tapped her with a small arm.


    ��Eeh~��


    ��Don''t just go, ��Eeh~.�� Act more like an adult��


    ��Makina is just a child~. Counting from when Makina was activated, Makina is only 110 days old~��


    ��If you put it that way, Yukikaze is only 50 days old. Makina, act more like someone who''s more mature by 60 days��


    ��Boo, boo��


    The small one and the big one had started arguing with each other.


    I''ve always had my doubts about how human they act, but now I understand. This is a distortion created by forcibly confining a living being inside a machine. This is not their original form.


    ��Hey, you two, you probably don''t trust anything I say after all that has happened, but just hear me out on one thing first��


    ��Makina will listen if Souya-san talks to himself, but Makina won''t respond��


    ��Yukikaze will listen normally��


    ��Hey, Yukikaze-chan, that''s not fair. Oh, how quickly the anti-Souya-san alliance has fallen apart��


    ��An alliance with only two people is lonely��


    ��Don''t the two of you ever wish you could go back to your original form?��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Yukikaze doesn��t understand��


    ��In thend where I was summoned to, I met one of your predecessors. An old first generation A.I.. That''s who Maria''s father is��


    I filled them in on what Tortch had told me.


    From the birth of the A.I., to the Seeker Brigade, to what Tortch was trying to do for Maria��s sake. The reason why he wanted us to explore the dungeon.


    And then,


    ��Your current form, being shoved into those pods, is not your true one. Your true form is one of flesh and blood. And there is a possibility that you can regain that form. Though it''s ultimately just a possibility��


    ��So you''re saying that if Makina returns to Makina''s original form of a beautiful girl, there''s a chance that Souya-san will assault Makina? That Makina will be used to satisfy Souya-san''s lust?��


    ��Hmn?������������Umm~. That''s not happening~��


    Personality-wise, not a chance!


    Also, why are you assuming that your original form is a beautiful girl?


    Yukikaze spread her arms and struck a pose, sort of like she was shrugging her shoulders.


    ��That''s a little hard to believe��


    ��But, Yuikikaze-chan, it''s very romantic, isn''t it?��


    ��You can''t fill your stomach with romance��


    Makina was the idealistic one, while Yukikaze was the one being pragmatic.


    ��One more thing, when we reach the 56th floor, Tortch will disarm your self-destruct mechanisms��


    ��Errm~, in its own way, that''s troubling for Makina��


    ��Troubling?��


    ��It''s because that''s againstpany protocol. We should follow thepany''s rules��


    ��But you''re living beings to begin with. There''s no reason for you to be bound to thepany��


    ��Humans are bound by many things too, you know? Promises and contracts are important��


    ��Certainly��


    I agree with that sentimentpletely.


    ��Makina and Yukikaze-chan are tools. The duty of tools is to be used up by their users. If we��re denied that, we won''t know what to do with ourselves from now on��


    ��Hmm������you��re right��


    It must be difficult to suddenly change one''s way of life.


    But just like I did, people change when they meet other people and go through various experiences. These guys will change too. That''s why, right now, there��s nothing I can say to them.


    ��However, Souya-san, however! Haaa������������you aren''t going to explore the dungeon anymore, right? You''re going to spend the rest of your life buried in madam��s boobs, right?��


    ��Well, that sounds like a pretty blissful way to spend the rest of my life��


    ��Haaa������������haaa��


    Makina let out a huge sigh. Her pod bent into a "��" shape.


    Like I��ve asked before, what kind of structure do you have that allows you to do that?


    ��Come on, Yukikaze-chan, you do it too��


    ��Ha, ha��


    ��That''s not quite right��


    After that break in the conversation����


    ��I certainly did say that I was going to stop exploring the dungeon. But then, I forgot one very important thing��


    ��Yes, what would that be?��


    ����I answered Makina''s question with a long face.


    ��I didn''t discuss it with my party members��


    ��Normal~!��


    ��It''s the normal thing to do��


    ��In particr, I didn''t ask Rana and Ea for their opinions at all��


    ��You idiot��


    ��You haven''t learned the basics��


    ��Makina, did you just call me an idiot?!��


    ��What? It''s just your imagination��


    ��That''s right��


    ��Gununun��


    I''m pissed off, but I can''t take a firm line against them.


    ��And so, umm, if the result of my discussion with my party members is that we��ll explore the dungeon������I''ll be relying on the two of you again��


    ��Hmpt~, Makina can''t hear anything. There''s something missing, isn''t there?��


    ��That''s right��


    ��Urgggh, pl, please��


    I����lowered my head.


    I��ve finally fallen so low that I��m even lowering my head to household appliances. Even though their true form isn��t a household appliance, it��s still hard to swallow.


    Just when I was thinking that I��ve grown, this humiliation����oh god, it��s too much.


    ��Well, Makina will feel bad if Makina torments you too much, so Makina will let you off with this��


    ��Okay������thank you very much��


    It��s so mortifying.


    In a lot of ways, I feel like crying. For real.


    ��Well then, Makina will give a reward to Souya-san for apologizing even though it wasn��t sincere. Actually, as a reward for defeating L, the king summoned a dwarf-san for us. He said that he would make any sort of weapons we wanted, so Makina also got all fired up and helped out.


    That dwarf-san is amazing. He possesses metalworking techniques that surpasses modern science.


    And, since Makina is made in Japan, Makina is also Japanese in spirit. That being the case, there was only one thing Makina could have asked him to make��


    Makina''s pod opened up, and she took out two ded weapons with her arms.


    Oh, it''s that thing that can be found in all sorts of content of Japanese origin.


    ��Actually, there was one more of them. It was a test piece made from ordinary metal, but the king liked it so much that he stole it��


    ��So, are you telling me to quadruple-wield or something?��


    ��You should give one of them to a certain person. That person is�D�D��


    I love this author��s style so much. It��s a brilliant touch, using the same words at the start of this chapter as was used the first time he set foot on the right continent in the very first chapter. And the first of HG Wells�� quotes is kinda a theme of this story, isn��t it?


    Overall, there isn��t really anything for me to point out, except that Lanseal probably didn��t lose weight. It��s been dragged out over four releases now, so I��m pretty sure you caught it.


    Well, after a pretty hrious return to Lemuria, what��s left? Why, the final chapter of this arc and the epilogue, of course. I��ll bebining them, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 91: Seeker Brigade V & Epilogue

    <h4>Chapter 91: Seeker Brigade V & Epilogue</h4>


    <Seeker Brigade V>


    I had gathered my party members at the bar in the Adventurers�� Guild on the 1st floor of the Odoriji spire.


    The people present were Rana, Ea, Shuna, Bel(Lys), and the father of adventurers, Medimu.


    However, Otou-san wasn''t dressed like an adventurer. He was wearing a loose-fitting tunic, and looked more like a merchant. He wasn''t even armed. Frankly, he seemed a bit out of it.


    ��To tell the truth, I was going to quit being an adventurer��


    ��Huh?��


    Went the sisters and Shuna loudly. Otou-san and Lys had no reaction.


    ��What was your n for the rest of us?��


    I answered Shuna��s question.


    ��For Shuna and Bel, I had nned to have you guys join Frey''s party��


    ��That''s, well, not so bad��


    ����������������


    His reaction wasn''t as bad as I had expected.


    I suppose Shuna does like Braves and whatnot after all.


    ��What about Onee-chan and me?��


    I answered Ea��s question.


    ��I had nned to run away to another continent with the two of you��


    ��I don''t mind that��


    Rana epted it readily����


    ��I don''t want that. Don''t just drag me somewhere else as you please��


    ����but Ea rejected it.


    ��Onii-chan, I have some unpleasant memories here, but this is my homnd. I''ve lived here my entire life. If you suddenly ask me to leave this ce, I can''t just say "yes" and go like Onee-chan��


    ��Yeah, you''re right. That''s true. I''m sorry��


    I felt depressed at being rejected by my sister.


    I had thought that it was the best course of action, but that made me painfully aware that I had been mistaken.


    ��So, what made you decide to quit being an adventurer?��


    Asked Otou-san.


    ��I was no longer prepared to risk any of your lives in the adventures ahead. No, I think I lost my nerve when Rana was abducted��


    ��Well, that happens to leaders all the time��


    Otou-san patted me on the shoulder.


    ��It may happen all the time, but it''s not just the leader who worries about his party members, you know?��


    Shuna punched me in the arm.


    ��That''s right. You idiot! When that thing with Irvin happened, do you have any idea how worried we were?��


    ��That''s true��


    I��ve caused everyone worry. During Rana''s rescue too, even though there was no choice then, I must have worried everyone.


    Ea kicked me in the leg.


    ��This time too, everyone was worried when you suddenly disappeared, Onii-chan��


    ��That��s right. In particr, I�D�D��


    ��I mean, Onee-chan even sent Frey and Lazarissa to the healing temple just so she could go save you, Onii-chan!��


    ��It��s because they resisted that I had no choice but to do that��


    ��Rana-san, you��re amazing!��


    Shuna was impressed.


    I had been wondering why I hadn''t seen Frey and Lazarissa around, but they''re hospitalized, huh? I''ll have to go visit themter. I should at least pay for their medical costs. My heart aches with guilt.


    ��So, did you gather the party and me just to apologize?��


    When Otou-san asked me that, I looked around at my party members.


    Time to cut to the chase and ask everyone for their opinions.


    ��I want to reach the 56th floor, but will you guyse with me? Will you lend me your lives?��


    ��Isn''t that obvious? What are you talking about after everything that we''ve been through?��


    To start, Shuna kicked me.


    ��I''ll go with you. I want to make a name for myself as an adventurer. Besides, Onii-chan and Onee-chan are no good without me, right?��


    ��I''m your wife, so I''ll apany you everywhere and anywhere for the rest of our lives��


    Were the sisters�� responses.


    ��������No problem��


    Lys replied.


    ��That wraps things up nicely. Well then, I''ll take my leave�D�D��


    ��Otou-san, wait��


    When Otou-san got up from his seat, I held out to him the ded weapon that I had brought with me.


    ��What��s this?��


    ��This is a de made by sharpening L''s supple twin ws to the utmost, and then forging them between multipleyers ofposite metal. It was made by a dwarf in the likeness of what��s called a katana in my homnd��


    Perhaps it had roused his blood as a swordsman, but Otou-san drew the katana from its scabbard.


    de length 72 cm, width at the hamachi 3.5 cm, width at the kisaki 2.06 cm, curve 1.7 cm.[1]


    It has a wild hamon pattern that��s a strange red color, which makes it look as if it��s stained with blood. Lemuria''s coat of arms, the fox and bull, had been carved into its round tsuba(guard). Its scabbard is also specially made, and when the end of the scabbard is tapped while the de is sheathed, the inside of the scabbard will be filled with Reika water.


    If the damage to the de is no worse than chipping, that will immediately regenerate the w that forms its cutting edge. There��s a problem with the metallic parts rusting because of that though, so proper maintenance is a must.


    ��Its sharpness is guaranteed. Even I, who isn''t familiar with swords, can cut through steel like butter with it��


    ��It��s a bit short��


    A standard longsword is 80cm to 100cm long. That��s a length that can be a slight hindrance inside the dungeon, but those who can��t work around that are considered to be the worst kind of swordsmen.


    ��Can you not handle it?��


    ��Stop joking around. This is the gleam of something that can y even a god��


    His single eye reflected on the de of the katana, Otou-san basked in its bewitching glow.


    This one is a sort of demonic sword.


    If it falls into the hands of a madman, it will go down in history as a murderous de.


    When it meets a god, it ys a god, and when it meets a buddha, it ys a buddha. A de chooses not the demon. [2]


    There was once such a saying, and it might possibly be true for this katana.


    ��Souya, what��s the name of this katana?��


    ��Arahabaki��


    Makina is the one who named it.


    It''s said to be the name of an enigmatic Japanese god that has been forgotten.[3] I guess it''s a fitting name for us to use.


    ��Well, it��s something that��s too much for me��


    ��I��m giving it to you��


    ��������������I��m not going to give it back if I like it, you know?��


    Otou-san sheathed the katana into its scabbard with a click and strapped it to his hip. He had snapped out of it, and was filled with spirit and vigor.


    He was looking more and more like Toshiro Mifune.


    ��Otou-san, I still haven��t received a reward from you for subjugating L��


    ��What do you want?��


    ��I want you��


    ��An old man like me isn''t going to be much use down the road, you know?��


    Despite his words, he had a fearless smile on his face.


    ��Going back to the topic of the 56th floor, there��s a time limit, and I have to reach it within the next 254 days. Can youst until then?��


    ��I see, that��s a long time for old bones. But it��s just right to cap things off��


    ��Which means?��


    ��I��ll go with you. This will be myst adventure��


    Otou-san held out his hand to me.


    On his hand, I could see the countless scars that marked his years.


    I took his hand. With a shake, I had added the father of adventurers to my party.


    ��Hey, Onii-chan. You realize that you��re doing what you want without discussing it with us again, right?��


    ��Ah��


    I flinched at my sister''s remark.


    Turning to her, I was met with a sigh and a look of exasperation.


    ��Ama, amazing! The father of adventurers is joining our party!��


    Shuna''s eyes were positively sparkling.


    I''m really grateful to him for having this kind of response.


    ��Whoa, I''m just a novice adventurer who''s never gone past the 20th floor. Don''t set your expectations too high��


    In response to Otou-san being humble, Rana said mildly.


    ��Medimu-sama, you have that uselessly long experience of being an adventurer. So please ease some of my husband''s burden, alright?��


    ��Is that supposed to be some kind ofpliment?��


    ��Now now, Medimu. You can basically pay Onee-chan no mind. That''s because the only things inside her head are magic and Onii-chan��


    The younger sister firmly supported the older sister.


    ������Is that really support though?


    ��Ouch��


    I was startled when I felt a small pain on the back of my head.


    Before I even realized, Evetta-san was standing behind me. She put my hair into the containers of the regeneration point and shook them.


    ��Sawyer, here''s a new regeneration point for you. You''re the only adventurer I know who breaks them this frequently. That''ll be two silver coins��


    ��Huh, has the price gone up?��


    I''m pretty sure it was only one silver coin before.


    ��It��s apparently punishment set by the Guild President for breaking them too often��


    ��Urgh��


    I paid it reluctantly.


    Isn''t double too much?


    ��Oh, Souya. This is?��


    Though my magic power was still as shoddy as before, the red liquid that had settled in the container was about the same amount as Irvin''s.


    It��s the regeneration point of a talented vanguard.


    It must be because of the second Wild Hunt. I''ve been covering it up using the prized mode of my sses, but the color of my irises had changed to gold and weren''t turning back.


    I''ve also acquired such skill with the sword that it''s almost as if I had devoted long years into training with it. I recognized these sword strokes. They��re Zamonss'' sword techniques.


    Does purifying the curse mean inheriting from the dead, I wonder?


    The me of right now still has no idea.


    ��Well, it��s because I''ve been training hard too��


    I joked, weughed, and that was that.


    I don''t have time right now to fear what I don''t understand. Because from now on, I��ll be taking on those uncertainties for the rest of my life.


    ��Anyway, Souya, are you having a party gathering?��


    ��Yes, that��s right��


    ��Perfect timing then��


    Said Evetta-san, taking out a scroll from her binder.


    ��From the 20th floor on, the system for managing parties will change. You will need to register a name for the party, so what do you want the name to be?��


    ��Everyone, is it alright if I decide?��


    Unanimously, everyone nodded.


    In that case, we''ll be inheriting the name.


    ��Seeker Brigade��


    <Epilogue>


    A man broke a contract because of a woman, but for the sake of her and the man��srades, the man took up the contract again.


    It''s a pathetic story of tilting at windmills.


    The man got caught up in all kinds of conspiracies as well as plots involving the world, but in the end, none of that mattered to the man.


    The man is a blundering person.


    The man rushed into things because of cheesy emotions, made mistakes, got depressed, got beaten down, and each time, the man was toughened and became stronger.


    The man is merely a person of no significance who was lucky.


    If the man��s pride is borrowed, then the man��s strength is also fake, but the man has the wish inherited from the man��srade who had died before he could fulfill his dream. The man had wishes that have been forgotten.


    He had said to the man that nothing is impossible.


    That they are capable of earning any amount of fame.


    His dying words had been muddled by death and had not reached the man.


    He had a dream. He hadrades. He had a pride worth risking his life for. He had wealth and fame ahead of him. But he died, and the man lived on.


    To live is to inherit.


    From now on, the man will live on while gathering up dreams inherited from the dead.


    The fantasy of fighting shoulder to shoulder with him.


    That��s a dream thates to the man��s mind from time to time, one that��s akin to a deep longing.


    I put on a baldric, and slid the red magic sword and the silver longsword into the back sheaths sewn onto it, and then inserted the visage of my homnd into its ce at my hip.


    Lastly, I put on my usual poncho, and then hung the containers of the regeneration point and the fishmen''s ne around my neck.


    When I stepped out of my tent, I saw my sister, who was wearing a ck cloak and carrying a bow, and my wife, who was in a white robe and holding a staff.


    When those who wait for our return called out to us and said, "Have a safe trip," we replied, "We''re off."


    Shoulder to shoulder, we walked towards the in.


    And beyond that, to the Odoriji spire.


    It will be difficult, but it isn''t the path of the loser. I was standing still yesterday, but I''m moving forward today. So that, one day, all the hardships will be the joke of tomorrow.


    And it��s for that reason alone that today, I explore the dungeon.


    ��End��


    [1] See diagram. XD


    [2] This is a short form of a very long saying with many meanings and applications. To make it simple, surface meaning here is that it can kill anything ites up against, no matter the opponent and whether the opponent is good or evil, but it isn��t the thing that is choosing what it kills. Implicit meaning is that it isn��t inherently evil or cursed, but because of how powerful it is, it can corrupt its wielder.


    [3] Arahabaki is an ancient Japanese aboriginal god from the Kofun period. Before his religion was overshadowed by the Shinto pantheon, Arahabaki was worshiped in Japan''s northeastern regions as a god of travelers. He was also worshiped by Nagasunehiko, an enemy of Emperor Jimmu, and as a result, by the Emperor''s orders, Arahabaki became a symbol of treachery, rebellion and heresy and his worship was forbidden for a long period afterwards. However, this is only mentioned in the Tsugaru Soto-Sangunshi(Aption of tales from northeastern Japan that was said to have beenpiled in the 1970s) which has been determined to be a fake/forged book.


    I��ve not mentioned it much, but to the Japanese, Seeker can be a term that means adventurer. Yup, just like in Talker. What a coincidence, huh? That both of my starting novels use this umon term in the same way.


    Anyway, do you remember me bringing up Souya��s vows to Misuranika in one of my afterwards in this half? Funnily enough, the author did too in the following chapter after I brought it up. That��s because it��s a hint as to why he inherits Zamonss�� abilities. Will this make him unbnced and OP outside of Wild Hunt as well now? Thankfully, the short answer is no. He is no longer a weakling, but I��ll let you find out about his limitations yourself in future. =)


    I love how the epilogue is in the same style as that ��prologue�� from so long ago. And an Irvin gut punch again. In case it wasn��t clear, those ��dying words�� are a possible continuation to the words Irvin had managed to squeeze out at his death. And then, the call back to HG Wells and Tortch��s words. Btw, those quotes ARE in their original wording, so I hope you can appreciate how amazing it is that author managed to work them into the story pretty well IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE that has vastly different rules. I only had to tweak one of those lines a little bit to make what the author wrote fit the quotes.


    Man, I love this epilogue so much. Unlike the others, it��s one of hope and looking to the future. It tells of an MC who found the meaning of an A.I.��s words and once again has a reason for his journey. Who also has two swords Witcher-style and a flying magic sword, which makes it three swords in all...Hmm...6-person party...Hmm...


    And the long road that is volume 3 finally draws to a close. After all the heavy plot in this one, next one will be a shorter and lighter volume, though no less important, and then winter wille to Lemuria in volume 5. As for why I keep bringing up volume 5 so early, you see, it��s already been mentioned before somewhere in the story, but something appears in Lemuria before winter sets in��and I��m incredibly hyped for it. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 92: The Frenetic Floors I

    <h4>Chapter 92: The Fric Floors I</h4>


    ��114th day��


    The look of the dungeon changes drastically after the 20th floor.


    Thest time I reached this floor, I was in critical condition and unconscious, so when I set foot on this floor again, I was taken aback.


    This next section of the dungeon is known as "the fric floors", and it boasts high ceilings and wide passageways. The rooms are more than three times the size of the ones on the upper floors, and are each about the size of a small stadium.


    Because of the sheer size, it makes me feel as if I had been turned into a dwarf.


    And it''s bright here.


    The Shogaku stones that are in this section of the dungeon glow bright and hot. If it weren''t for the lush green trees and vividly colored flowers that absorbed their light, it would have been too bright to even see what��s ahead.


    Naturally, it''s also warm and full of life.


    Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and insects are carrying nectar.


    If this were above ground, I would be able to gaze upon this scene idly.


    But this is inside the dungeon.


    ��Enemies behind us! Lys, I need you to hold them at bay. Let me know when you''re nearing your limit. Take out the enemy in front first! Shuna! Go!��


    ��Alright!��


    In response to mymand, a boy swordsman shed at a bird.


    Though I call it a bird, it isn��t the flying type. It��s the type that walks on the ground. Moreover, it isn��t bipedal in the way ostriches are. It walks upright on two legs like humans.


    This bird is an avian being with an extraordinarily developed upper body.


    Its devolved wings are balled up like fists at the tips, and its biceps are as thick as logs. If hit by one of those, humans would have no chance of surviving.


    One annoying thing is that its head has remained small and bird-like despite its macho body.


    It has cute round eyes, and goes "Kurupo~".


    In essence, it��s a pigeon.


    ��ORRAAaaa!��


    The boy swordsman swung his longsword, which ripped through the air loudly.


    Sparks flew as the birdman''s fist and his de shed.


    Those fists, they''re as hard as rocks. On top of that, it swings them with incredible speed.


    This birdman, is strong.


    The boy''s longsword is far from ordinary. The same goes for his skill with the sword. So far, he had been able to kill the small fry with one or two blows. It''s unusual for him to have so much trouble with one of the multitude of small fry monsters.


    If he was alone, he would likely have had a much harder time.


    The boy ducked down to avoid a punch, and then delivered a thrust from a low posture that pierced through the birdman��s knee.


    "PIGYA!", it shrieked, sounding like a fool.


    ��Otou-san��


    At the sound of my voice, an old swordsman rushed into the opening created by the boy.


    Rapid but soundless steps.


    The only thing I heard was the soft click of the katana being loosened from its scabbard.


    The de slid out from the scabbard.


    A sh of silver light.


    While maintaining its form, the birdman''s body slid off diagonally.


    The sound of the de settling back into the scabbard was also quiet.


    I hadn''t been able to see the path of the sword at all.


    The katana that Otou-san carries is a sort of demonic sword, but its effectiveness depends on the user. So much so that a club is more effective if the user isn''t skilled enough.


    ��Souya, I''m almost at my limit��


    From the rear of the party came the girl knight''s report. She had been using defensive magic to keep insects at bay.


    The two vanguards won��t make it in time.


    I''ll take care of it.


    The insects behind us were bees. They had thick waists and their bodies were mostly yellow fringed with ck. They were also quite big. Each one was about the size of a human''s head.


    I''ve heard that bees with narrow waists are more aggressive and bees with thicker waists are more docile, but this kind of knowledge doesn''t apply inside the dungeon.


    Over a dozen of them had gathered outside the dome of light, and were poking holes in it with their stingers.


    ��I can''t hold it anymore��


    After she uttered those words, the magic barrier shattered like ss and vanished like a mirage.


    Running past the girl and the magician she was protecting, I leapt at the bees.


    Pulling the silver sword from my back, I cut down two of them with one swing.


    And then, two more with the return stroke of the de.


    They scattered and avoided my third swing.


    Breaking into a run, I cut one of the retreating bees into two.


    ��Alright��


    I had turned all of the bees'' attention to me.


    We faced off, and I shed at three of them as I dodged their attacks.


    I shed at them, but I couldn''t cut them down. I managed to crush the head of one of them, but the other two that I had struck returned to the fight immediately. A sticky yellow liquid had gotten all over my silver sword, and the thick honey had coagted, dulling its cutting edge.


    I didn''t have the time to wipe it off.


    I countered one of the bees by running it through, then let go of the silver sword.


    I reached for the katana at my hip.


    It��s a sibling sword of Otou-san''s katana.


    Otou-san''s katana is called Arahabaki, and mine is called Kojin.[1]


    However, I''m not about to do sexy stuff like using iai[2] or anything like that.


    I drew it normally and held it in a two-handed stance.


    My swordsmanship is straightforward and blunt. There is no beauty or elegance to it. It��s simply a killer''s sword style, wielded with "one swing, one kill" in mind.


    ��Fuuu��


    As if pouring everything I had into them, I unleashed diagonal shes from the shoulder.


    One by one, I carefully and meticulously cut them down.


    Raise it, swing it down, kill, dodge, raise it again, swing it down, and kill. It''s a sword style where that process is repeated over and over again.


    But I was bothered by the response I felt as I cut through the insects'' carapace like tofu.


    My sword swings hadn''t dulled, but my de had.


    This time, it wasn''t only because of the honey.


    Its cutting edge had chipped.


    Not again.


    This katana is sharp. It''s sharp, but because of that, it''s fragile. The ones who made it were aware of this, which is why they had incorporated a repair mechanism into its scabbard.


    However, in reality,


    From the time we started using the katanas in actualbat, Otou-san had not once used this repair mechanism. He never failed to maintain it during breaks, but his de had never be dull duringbat.


    This is the difference in skill between us.


    No, the problem is that my body is unable to keep up with my skills.


    Four enemies left.


    ��Agathion, intercept them��


    A red sword shot out from my back and attacked the bees.


    Holding the scabbard with my left hand, I slid the ball of my left thumb along the back of the de. When I reached the end of the de, I tipped the opening of the scabbard up, inserted the tip of the de into it, and then sheathed the katana.


    I tapped the butt of the scabbard on the ground, activating the mechanism, then held the scabbard to my ear.


    I heard the sound of popping bubbles.


    It was followed by the sound of the cutting edge of the demonic sword regenerating after absorbing the Reika water that had filled the scabbard.


    The battle between the magic sword and the bees had developed into a dogfight, during which the sword pierced and killed two of them.


    Two enemies left.


    Just as the sound of the bubbles died down, Agathion took down one more.


    ��Get back��


    The magic sword backed off, I tossed aside the scabbard, raised the katana high above my head, and then cut thest bee into two with a single blow.


    Oh, that��s a passable strike.


    I imprinted the feeling of it into my arms so that I wouldn''t forget.


    If I can do this every time, I''ll have be apetent swordsman. Right now, I''m not quite there. I''m somewhere below average.


    There was nothing left in the verdant corridor but the corpses of birds and insects.


    I kicked the scabbard up with my foot, and sheathed the katana. The magic sword returned to its sheath on my back by itself.


    I searched for enemies.


    ��Check for signs of possible enemies��


    Just to be safe, I had everyone in the party check for enemies as well. Especially the insects, whose legs and eyes still twitched even after being cut in half. I prodded them with my scabbard to make sure that they wouldn''t attack again.


    ��Rana, I can do that myself��


    The magician of our party had picked up my silver sword and was wiping its de with a cloth.


    ��No, I want the honey��


    ��Oh, I see��


    The honey-soaked cloth was stuffed into a jar. She would probably strain it to collect the honeyter. She was also removing the honey stomachs from the dead bees and scooping the honey inside them into jars.


    The way she licked the honey that had gotten on her fingers was strangely seductive.


    Rana is an elf.


    Elves love honey.


    ording to an old legend, elves came to live in forests because of their love of honey.


    It isn''t really the case nowadays, but there was apparently a time when the term "elf" was synonymous with magic, and magic was closely associated with elves.


    Magic and honey go hand in hand.


    I''ve heard that honey can be used to make an elixir that restores magic power.


    However, just the other ingredients alone are already quite expensive, and the method of making the elixir is a well-kept secret, so the magicians who know how to make it usually consume it themselves, especially if they are adventurers.


    On rare asions, the elixir can be found in stores, but it��s something that has to be drunk to see its effects, so it��s extremely difficult to determine if the elixirs on sale are authentic or not.


    In the past, a certain merchantpany purchased arge amount of the elixir. But it was a scam where only the bottle for testing was real and the rest were fakes.


    A merchant who falls for scams loses credibility both within and outside the merchantpany. It''s harsh, but that''s just the way it is.


    Perhaps it''s because such a story exists, but the merchantpanies here are pretty stringent when ites to the elixir.


    On top of all that, it can''t be stored for long.


    There''s just too much risk involved. Hence, it''s worthless as amodity.


    In Rana''s case, she��s able to recover her magic power with sugary sweets due to her constitution, so she doesn''t need to rely on honey or the elixir. But that doesn''t mean that she doesn''t have a taste for honey.


    Each bottle costs one gold coin though, so I can''t buy much for her.


    ��Souya, I''m getting hungry. Let''s grab a quick bite��


    ��Yeah, of course��


    I epted Otou-san''s suggestion.


    We were currently on the 24th floor.


    We hade the entire way here without taking any breaks. Theyout of the fric floors had been simple, but enemies had been strong and numerous.


    When we fought in the passageways, we were hemmed in by the enemies that had detected the noise we made. In the open spaces, we were surrounded in no time.


    For that reason, there had been no safe ces for us to rest even if we had wanted to.


    ��Otou-san, is there anywhere that looks like it might be a good ce to rest?��


    ��No. That''s just how it is here. Let''s just eat something quick��


    Up to this point, we had pulled through thanks to our high individual fighting strength, but it had been a forced march that would have wiped out any normal party. As a result, fatigue had set in.


    On top of that, we still have to fight the guardian of this floor despite our fatigue. It''s an unknown enemy that we have absolutely no information on.


    Well, challenging the unknown is both the true appeal and the essence of adventuring.


    There''s nothing wrong with being cautious, but cowardice won''t turn things around.


    No matter whates up, we will simply have to cut it down.


    ��Yukikaze, tell Ea toe back��


    ��Younger-sister-sama is in the middle of something right now��


    ��In the middle of something?��


    The party members here are, starting from the back, Lys, Rana, me, Otou-san, and Shuna.


    And my younger sister is currently acting separately for the purpose of scouting and splitting up the enemies.


    In a way, she��s the one in least danger. She has a cloak that turns her invisible for as long as her magic powersts. It even eliminates smells and sounds. She��s able topletely hide herself from this world''s senses.


    While it''s a piece of equipment that��s meant for one person, I had wondered if we could use it to traverse the floors one by one in turn. But well, things weren��t going to be that easy.


    Only Ea and I can use it.


    In addition, even though I can use it, ten seconds is my limit. Depending on her condition, my sister can use it for up to four hours.


    What the heck is with that huge difference?


    Well, even if it makes her disappearpletely, that doesn''t guarantee that she will be safe. I have my sister''s regeneration point and magic power disyed on the LCD of my sses at all times.


    ��Yukikaze, what��s Ea doing right now?��


    ��She''s taking apart the nest��


    ��Nest?��


    Depending on the situation she is in, sending an emergencymunication may endanger her. That''s the reason why the A.I. hanging on my belt is acting as a go-between, but I''m not quite getting the gist of what''s going on.


    Everyone else in the party was shoveling portable rations into their mouths. Monster remains were scattered all around us, but we had gone through too much to be fazed by something like that.


    ��Then tell Ea to rejoin us as soon as she''s�D�D��


    ��Onii-chan! Sorry! I think I messed up!��


    I got an emergencymunication from my sister.


    She had bypassed the A.I. and connected directly to my sses''munication function.


    ��What happened?��


    ��Maybe their pheromones got onto the cloak?! Even when I try to hide, they stille after me!��


    ��It''s okay, just rejoin us��


    ��Got it!��


    Themunication cut off. Oddly enough, I was hearing more joy than panic in her voice.


    ��Everyone, stop eating. Ea ising our way with enemies in tow��


    ��Eh, what the heck is she doing?��


    Shuna made a disgruntled face. Everyone else just took it in stride.


    I erged the map on the LCD of my sses.


    The red dot indicating Ea''s position wasing towards us at a rapid pace.


    ��We''ll be able to see her in ten seconds. Prepare for battle. I''m counting on you for the first move, Shuna��


    ��Under~stood��


    Shuna replied, with a piece of dried meat in his mouth. He held his sword up lightly so that he would be able to respond to anything quickly.


    ��Counting down, three, two, one. I see her��


    My sister rounded the corner of the verdant passageway and came into view.


    She waved at us with an enormous grin on her face.


    At first nce, she looked like a thief from the Showa era. She was carrying a wrapped bundle on her back. As if it was filled to bursting, I could see parts of a bees�� nest poking out.


    Needless to say, behind her was an army of bees in hot pursuit.


    This is not remotely at the level of getting pheromones on the cloak.


    She had simply taken too much of the bees�� nest!


    [1] K��jin, also known as Sanbo-K��jin(��������) is the Japanese god of fire, the hearth and the kitchen. He embodies fire controlled and turned toward a good purpose that��s said to destroy all impurity, and represents violent forces that are turned towards the betterment of humankind. Yes, it��s a kitchen god, which suits Souya a lot. Interestingly, though I��m not sure if this is the author��s intent, it��s also a ng word for testicles or lewdness, which also suits Souya well. (? ???)


    [2] Most of you probably already know this, but just in case.


    Iai, or Iai-do(�Ӻϵ�) ismonly known as the art of drawing the katana, cutting down the opponent, then returning the de to the scabbard, all in one smooth motion. Of course, that��s just the sword technique, and this art also has the philosophy of "being constantly prepared, match/meet the opposition/enemy swiftly", hence the primary emphasis in ��iai�� is on the psychological state of being present(��).


    Lol, Ea��s being her usual self. And it��s Souya��s debut as a vanguard. Also, no more dark dungeon. Yeah, this dungeon gets weirder the deeper they go. Well, there��s not much for me toment on since it��s such a fric start to the volume. Double chapter next time, which will end this arc. O.o Yup, it��s not called the fric floor for no reason haha. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 93: The Frenetic Floors II & III

    <h4>Chapter 93: The Fric Floors II & III</h4>


    ��The Fric Floors II��


    ����Understood��


    Came Lys'' quieter-than-usual reply.


    At the moment, my sister still was 30 meters away.


    ��Rana, can you do it?��


    ��Of course, but end it with the next two shots, alright? My magic power has reached the recovery limit, so this will really be thest time��


    Came Rana''s reassuring reply.


    ��It��s fine, I''m counting on you��


    ��Got it. Lys-san, please match my timing��


    ��������I know��


    Rana had started chanting without waiting for Lys'' reply.


    She was reciting the chant for an advanced fire magic that I had heard many times before.


    When herforting voice stopped, unimaginable destruction ensued.


    It��s a miracle created by the predecessors on the path of magic to emte a dragon''s breath.


    It��s a miracle that manifests through prayer and supplication to the gods.


    A miracle that has left the hands of the gods is nothing but demonic. It''s because it��s something taboo, that it''s called magic.[1]


    Ea rejoined the party.


    As soon as everyone had squeezed together as close as possible, Rana shouted.


    ��Doragubein!��


    ��Oh dust, gather! And hold it at bay! Steadfastly!��


    Lys conjured up a barrier of light that enveloped the party.


    The mes created by Rana dyed the lush green passageway red. The crimson destruction burned the bees to death, turning the greenery to ash.


    ��Guhh��


    Lys groaned.


    Looking closer, I saw that her forehead and thin neck were covered with sweat. This was the first time I had seen Lys'' usually nk face show this much distress.


    This is definitely not good.


    ��Rana! Stop your magic! Lys can''t hold it anymore!��


    ��Alright! I understand!��


    Rana started the chant for a different kind of magic.


    All of the magic she casts possess the same level of destructive power. So we hade up with an emergency countermeasure.


    ��Ri?Bau, the color of death. Bring forth ruin and decimation!��


    The mass of white mist that was brought forth gouged a hole in the barrier of light and sucked in the mes.


    Air started rushing in through the hole, causing a red vortex to swirl around us.


    After the intense storm of destruction, it dissipated and became a light breeze.


    This is a highly advanced technique called double chanting in which the magician casts a magic of a different attribute to counteract the magic that��s currently underway.


    Originally, this is a technique that��s performed by two or more advanced magicians. Not long ago, Rana drank the blood of a descendant of a god, resulting in a temporary boost to her skill in magic.


    Apparently, she had somehow grasped the trick to it at that time.


    It seems that the seizing of knowledge and skill through the drinking of blood is a taboo among taboos. The hush money and variouspensations paid to the victim lightened my purse considerably.


    ��Shuna, Otou-san, stay alert and keep your eyes out for enemies��


    The two of them wordlessly raised their hands in reply.


    When Lys wobbled, then fell, I caught her in my arms. The weight of her armor added to the dead weight of an unconscious person.


    ��Lys, are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?��


    As I called out to her, I reached for her regeneration point.


    Even though I couldn''t see any injuries, the red color showing her health had dropped to half. In addition, the blue color indicating the amount of magic power she had left was all but gone.


    ��What?!��


    Something like this has never happened before.


    Lys, or rather, Bel, the original owner of this body, has many times more magic power than the average magician, thanks to her special lineage as a divine medium.


    On top of that, just like how it is for any descendant of a god, the closer one''s blood is to a god''s, the easier it bes to pray to and entreat other gods. The magic power, offerings, mediums, and sacrifices required will also be less.


    And magic power is the fruit of thoughts and the soul.


    Thebination of umted knowledge and the karma of one''s race and lineage manifests itself in the amount of magic power one possesses.


    A divine medium is someone who has the blood and karma to allow gods to dwell inside them.


    I don''t know much in detail about Bel''s origins, but I''m pretty certain that I��ll be able to trace her lineage to some god. A forgotten god, or one cast out by the other gods, or some other unspeakable and horrifying being.


    Even if the name of the god she has a connection with is forgotten, her karma is evident in her blood.


    Well, I''m just re-telling what Rana told me, so there are many parts of what I''ve said that I myself don''t quite understand though.


    But to put it simply, it''s impossible for Lys to run out of magic power when she is using Bel''s body, which consumes very little magic power on top of possessing an enormous amount of magic power.


    Not unless all of her blood has been drained or altered.


    ��Rana, do you know what''s wrong with her?��


    At times like this, I should ask the expert.


    ��Umm, dear, this is a sensitive issue for a woman, so I''d rather not say������


    ��What?! Is it that serious?!��


    What on earth could be so bad that you can''t even talk about it?


    ��Lys, do you want some honey?��


    Ea was already snacking on a honeb.


    That''s unhygienic, you know?


    ��Come on, for the sake of something like this, you dragged so many������it''s sweet��


    Shunained, but also came over and took a bite of a honeb.


    ��Ohh, this is some good stuff. This can be sold for two gold pieces a bottle��


    Otou-san also followed Shuna''s lead, ripping off a piece and then munching on it with gusto.


    You''re an elder, aren''t you? You should be scolding them.


    ��Medimu, grab one of the grub��


    ��Alright��


    At my sister''s behest, Otou-san stuck his hand into the nest and grabbed one of thervae. I shuddered at its size. It was about the size of a 500ml PET bottle. It squirmed about sluggishly.


    ��Here, Lys. It''s very nutritious, so eat up��


    ����������������


    My sister took the beerva from Otou-san and held it out to Lys. There was no malice behind it, just innocence.


    ��I, I don''t want it��


    Lys'' already paleplexion got even paler.


    Yeah, I''d rather not eat insects too.


    ��Don''t hold back. Fresh is the best, as Onii-chan always says��


    That''s true.


    ��I don''t need it. Really, it''s too much. ������I can''t. St, stop it��


    Ea was pushing and forcing the beerva onto Lys.


    There''s really no malice behind it, right? It''s looking a little bit like torture though.


    ��Ea, stop it. It''ll taste even better if Souya cooks it for uster��


    ��You''re right. It can''t be helped then��


    Heeding Rana''s words, my sister put the beerva back into the nest.


    We��re going to eat that?


    It''s a bug, you know? Strictly speaking, the honey probably has these guys'' saliva or something mixed in with it, but will cooking it be enough to ovee my aversion to eating bugs, I wonder? .........������I''m not sure.


    More importantly,


    ��Ea��


    ��Yes?��


    A question urred to me.


    ��You found the nest, right?��


    ��Right��


    With the bees and nest here, there''s one thing that''s definitely missing.


    ��Was there a queen?��


    ��Yup. It was huge. I had a pretty hard time stealing this without being seen by it��


    ��I see~��


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    ��Team member Souya, proximity warning. Enemy size,rge. Speed, low��


    ��The payoff for the foreshadowing sure came really fast!��


    I couldn''t help but exim as I turned back to face the passageway from which Ea hade.


    Its size was as Ea had reported.


    It was so big that it made the wide passageway seem cramped.


    It had a total length of about 6 meters.


    Rather than a queen bee, it looked more like a queen ant.


    The limbs that were for attacking and walking had grown longer than the others, and resembled those of humans. In exchange, its other limbs had devolved and be shrunken.


    It was walking on two legs in a forward-leaning posture.


    Because of its huge size, it wasn''t very fast, but neither was it slow. From the way the ground shook as it approached, it must be quite heavy.


    It looked like that thing in a great movie I saw a long time ago called Alien II.


    ��Everyone! Listen to me!��


    If we fight this massive thing head on, we will take casualties.


    Now that Rana''s magic power has run out, weck a deciding move.


    I''ll count it as a stroke of good fortune just for being able to get a look at it. This will serve us well for the next time.


    Consequently, this is what I decided upon.


    ��We''re running away! Ea, ditch the nest!��


    ��Eeeeeh?!��


    Of course, Ea is against it. But if we return thervae right away, we might be able to slow it down somewhat.


    ��Wait. Don''t run away��


    To my surprise, Lys confronted me and voiced her opposition.


    ��I don''t want to��fight bugs again. Ever��


    She pleaded with a pale expression on her face.


    ��Lys, could it be that you hate bugs?��


    ��I hate them. I hope they all die out��


    Is this why her magic power ran out? There''s no way that''s the reason though.


    ��Sorry, but I can''t allow any casualties. We don''t have Rana''s magic anymore, and taking that enemy on with physical attacks alone will be challenging. You will need to follow my orders��


    ��I understand. Lend me the sacred sword��


    ��Huh? What do you mean, you understand?��


    She snatched Agathion from me roughly.


    The enemy was almost on top of us. We had less than 30 seconds before it would reach us.


    ��Souya, hurry up and decide if we''re fighting or running. Unite everyone��


    Otou-san had made Shuna fall back, and was holding up his shield. In case of emergencies, he was supposed to act as our "rearguard"[2]. He had exined that it was natural for old people to die first. I had objected, but he hadn''t listened.


    ��Men, don''t look this way!��


    Driven by the uncharacteristic intensity in Lys'' voice, we males turned to face the enemy.


    ��Lys! If you have a n, can you at least exin it first?!��


    I asked with my back to Lys, but I was ignored.


    ��15 seconds until contact��


    Came the A.I.''s calm report.


    ��It, it''s done. Use it!��


    ��What am I supposed to be using?!��


    Lys handed Agathion to me. On the red metallic surface of the sword, a pattern had been drawn with blood that was even redder. It was a geometric pattern that looked like it was made up of lop-sided alphabetic characters.


    ��What is this?��


    ��Thest time this was done, it was unleashed for five seconds��


    ��Like I said, what is this?!��


    ��10 seconds until contact��


    We''ve now got no choice but to fight. We''ll have to fight to create an opening for escaping. I had wasted precious time worrying about strange things.


    Dammit, I had made an error in judgment.


    ��Otou-san, begin�D�D��


    As I held Agathion up, I noticed the change.


    The sword was quivering. The materials that made up its de were being affected by "something" from within, causing it to shake. A section of the de came loose, and ck electrical discharge emanated from it.


    Agathion suddenly became very heavy.


    It had be too heavy for me to hold up, so I let the tip of the de fall to the ground. There was a terrifying crash. The floor of the dungeon had caved in like a crater.


    ��Use it to sh at the enemy! Quickly! There''s no time!��


    ��The Fric Floors III��


    The sword was dragging along the ground, but I immediately sprinted forward with it.


    The magic sword knew what to do. I only needed to add my will to it.


    The electrical discharge wrapped around me and sped my body up.


    Everything slowed, and only I and the magic sword moved at full speed amid the time that had grown more viscous than honey.


    With the sword slicing through the floor like butter, I reached the queen bee.


    My body moving at an elerated speed, I unleashed a sh that surpassed the enemy''s reaction speed.


    I had used my momentum to swing the sword upwards from below.


    It wasn''t something that could be called a sh. It was at the level where I mistakenly thought for a second that it had gone right through.


    Nevertheless, the magic sword that I had swung upwards cut the queen bee in two.


    In addition, the sh didn''t stop there, but tore through the ceiling and the wall at the far end.


    It wasn''t the kind of destruction that a single swing of a sword should be able to wreak.


    ��What��is this?��


    After a brief moment, the queen bee''s dead body toppled over.


    Agathion returned to its normal form, and the electrical discharge subsided. Its weight also went back to normal.


    ��Huh?��


    The two male vanguards raised their voices.


    My party members were all looking at me strangely.


    ��Lys, like I said, what is this������oh��


    Lys had gone limp, and was being supported on each side by Rana and Ea.


    ��Dear, this isn��t good��


    ��Onii-chan, I think she''s reached her limit��


    At the sisters'' report, Shuna brushed past me, picked Lys up and put her on his back.


    ��I��ll carry her��


    ��But Shuna�D�D��


    Shuna is in his growth period. I want him to experience as many battles as possible.


    ��It''s only carrying her on the back, so I''ll�D�D��


    ��I''ll do it. If you do it, Bel will be mad when she returns��


    What is he talking about?


    ��Souya, I think this one is the guardian��


    Otou-san said as he examined the queen bee''s corpse.


    ��Oh, here''s its scent nd��


    He tore a pouch-like organ from the corpse and ripped it open with both hands.


    ��Urgh��


    A yellowish smoke billowed out, filling the area. A cloying sweet smell permeated my nostrils. The sweetness spread to my mouth as well. Everyone else in the party was also choking on the smell while fanning away the smoke with their hands.


    ��Hey, Medimu! What are you doing?!��


    ��Oh, sorry. I didn''t know it would spread this much��


    Otou-san apologized after my sister got angry at him.


    ��But hey, this should neutralize the enemies on this floor��


    ��Huh, what do you mean?��


    Otou-san replied as he stripped raw materials from the queen bee.


    ��It''s just my hunch, but I think that the enemies on this floor have a strong symbiotic rtionship. I''ve checked the stomachs of the enemies we''ve killed so far, and found only nts and no meat. So if we cover ourselves in the pheromones of the queen that''s at the pinnacle of this hierarchy, there should be no enemies that would dare attack us��


    ��I see��


    The possibility of him being right is high. All we have to do now is descend to the next floor, and it might be an easy trip.


    Otou-san stripped off the queen bee''s long limbs.


    ��Hmm. These look usable��


    That��s true.


    I figure that its two arms can be sold for 10 gold coins. Its two legs, which are thicker, can fetch 20 gold coins.


    They can be used either as decorations or as materials for weapons and armor. Even if nothing can be made from them, materials obtained from strong monsters are often traded at high prices.


    ��Fufu~, don''t forget that we also have the bees'' nest! Onii-chan, cook something with it as soon as we get back!��


    My sister was very excited.


    I got a little upset and scolded her.


    ��Ea, you put the whole party in danger because of your thoughtless decision. Apologize to everyone��


    ��Eeh~��


    She reacted as a child would.


    Aside from her boobs, my sister has the body of an adult, but she is still immature mentally. That''s why it''s important to scold her properly. The dungeon is dangerous. The slightestpse in judgment can lead to the annihtion of the party.


    ��Don''t give me that. Otou-san, please say something as well��


    ��That bees'' nest is worth a lot of money. It''ll help fund the party. It may have been a thoughtless decision, but there were no casualties. Forgive her this once��


    Dammit, why are elders always like this?


    ��Rana, you say something too��


    ��Dear������there''s so much honey. We can drink all we want directly from it!��


    ��Oh, is that so��


    ��Souya, I agree with them too��


    ��Alright alright��


    Even Shuna is taking my sister''s side.


    By majority vote, no me fell on my sister.


    ��Now now, Onii-chan, I''ll be careful not to get caught next time��


    ��If you say so��


    For some reason, I was being consoled by my sister.


    In this manner, we resumed the clearing of the dungeon.


    Rana is out of magic power, Ea is carrying the bees'' nest, Lys is unconscious, and Shuna is carrying her on his back.


    The only ones who can fight properly are me and Otou-san.


    We still have plenty of leeway in terms of regeneration point, but Agathion has stopped moving. The power it showed earlier is probably the cause.


    This halves my fighting strength.


    In truth, Agathion is a secret member of the party. It''s like having another capable and sturdy swordsman with us.


    If we get into a heated battle right now, it will put a huge strain on Otou-san, and that''s dangerous.


    ������Was what I was thinking, but Otou-san''s hunch was dead on.


    Thanks to the queen bee''s pheromones, the monsters avoided us.


    Be it the birds or the insects, they all fled.


    After walking around for about thirty minutes, we found the stairs going downwards.


    We headed to the 25th floor.


    Again, the dungeon was filled with lush greenery. The only difference from the previous floor was that there were no flowers to be seen.


    ��Gah, it��s sweet��


    Just as we reached the end of the stairs, we were greeted by a shout from a partying out of the portal next to the stairs.


    Our party was certainly giving off a sweet smell. Enough to make one think that we would attract ants.


    We validated the portal, then returned.


    When all is said and done, in just three days, we had made it through to the 25th floor on our first try pretty easily.


    At this rate, my goal of the 56th floor isn''t far off.


    As expected, the strength of Otou-san, the man known as the father of adventurers, ys a big part. It''s his first time venturing beyond the 20th floor, but he hasn''t been an adventurer for a very long time for nothing.


    His wide variety of insights and experience are invaluable.


    Just by having a person like him in the party, our confidence level ispletely different. Especially for me, the leader, his presence gives me peace of mind.


    However, as for the method by which we defeated the guardian this time,


    We shouldn''t have used that.


    I get the feeling that it''s a power that we shouldn''t be relying on.


    There is too much about Agathion that''s unknown. If we rely on it too much and put it through too much abuse, it may break easily. Even if it��s capable, it��s a tool. It''s also a tool that we don''t know how to maintain.


    It would be great if my skill with the sword improves to the point where I don''t need to rely on Agathion, but who knows how long that''ll take.


    The art of swordsmanship, or perhaps I should say, art of warfare that I seized from my friend''s teacher.


    It''s the culmination of an incredible amount of skill, but I would have to spend the same number of years fighting as he did before my body is capable of wielding it properly.


    Heart, technique, and physique. Without all three, it''s not the real deal.


    I''m ultimately just a fake who is doing a poor imitation of the Scarlet Knight.


    I��m still a long ways off.


    But that doesn''t change the fact that we had reached the 25th floor.


    I''m not so optimistic that I can just let go and be happy about it though.


    Even if it''s just by a little, I want to go from being inept to being capable. If I did, I wouldn''t have to feel such anxiety.


    I really wish I possessed a strength that is unwavering.


    A heart that is as unmovable as steel in any situation, and steadfast technique.


    The thing called pride.


    Having faith that I''ll find them if I keep adventuring,


    And after taking a short <respite>,


    Once again, I explore the dungeon�D�D


    [1] Yeah, this is next to impossible to understand in English because it��s wordy. Demon/demonic and so on is written as ��ħ�� in Japanese. Demon King for example, is ��ħ����. And in that same way, demonic arts/act/ways can be written as ��ħ����, which is also the kanji for ��magic��. Hence, magic can mean ��ways of the demon or demonic arts/acts�� and so on, which is a contra-point to gods, since, well, gods vs demons. And as it��s a ��demonic art��, it��s taboo.


    [2] The rearguard here refers to the person or people who bring up the rear to cover the others�� retreat.


    There��s no deep meaning to the <respite> being highlighted, except that the author did it. Like I mentioned before, it��s a word thates up often, and this is prob done to highlight that it��s still the same word. Yes, you will keep on seeing this in future as well.


    Lys is acting weird, and more importantly, how does she know how to unlock Agathion��s power and what does she mean by ��thest time this was done��? Yeah, whoever Lys really is, this isn��t the first time she��s seen Agathion, is it?


    Also, lots more detail about Bel, huh? And also more details about how Souya is unable to fully use Zamonss�� skill. Yeah, these are going somewhere, though not so soon.


    But they��ve almost reached the halfway point to the goal. So things seem to be going well. But what does he mean ��I couldn��t��? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 94: Once Again, The Foreigner Can’t Explore The Dungeon I & II

    <h4>Chapter 94: Once Again, The Foreigner Can��t Explore The Dungeon I & II</h4>


    ��Once Again, The Foreigner Can��t Explore The Dungeon I��


    ��Huh?��


    The following day.


    At the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Right when I had just finished paying the taxes, the Guild President appeared behind the reception counter and told me that.


    ��Guild President, can you tell me why? Are we in some sort of trouble?��


    Several thingse to mind.


    Getting into fights, causing brawls, unleashing magic inside the city, destroying buildings, beating up a Brave, drinking her blood, and sending her to the healing temple along with her attendant.


    Oh, Rana is the culprit in 90% of the incidents.


    ��Why, you ask? You guys are doing pretty well for yourselves, right?��


    ��Well, sort of��


    We had made a fair bit of money from the adventure that we went on yesterday.


    The total amount we got for the materials came to 88 gold coins. 10% of that had gone to the Kingdom of Lemuria''s Adventurers'' Guild. Nevertheless, we still made quite a bit of money. Our party makes three times as much as the other adventurers in our batch.


    Even if we consumed most of the honey ourselves, we would still earn a pretty penny from selling it.


    ��Also, you guys have been clearing the dungeon much too smoothly��


    ��As the Adventurers'' Guild, shouldn��t you be praising us for that? We''re adventurers after all��


    The Guild President is a fair-skinned, beautiful-looking boy with small wings.


    Despite his appearance, he is much older than me. And we haven''t gotten along from the start. This time as well, I can''t help but wonder if he''s trying to sabotage me for personal reasons.


    ��To make matters worse, the other adventurers have their eye on you because Father joined your party��


    I only found out recently that Otou-san is the Guild President''s foster father.


    Also, this guy had objected to Otou-san joining our party. ording to him, Otou-san had apparently been approached by other outstanding parties.


    Leaving aside our reputation, we''re also an outstanding party though.


    ��Furthermore, the floors you guys have cleared is significantly deeper than the other adventurers in your batch. Do I have to spell it out for you? You''re such a pain in the neck��


    ��Are you saying that I should be concerned about other people''s jealousy?��


    ��That''s right. Resentment and envye with fame, but your party has taken it too far. Part of the reason is because the leader is you, foreigner. You��re close to the king, and you have his daughter as your mistress. You have a princess of Heures Forest as your wife. The merchantpanies that you have ties to be famous all of a sudden, and the ones that oppose you go out of business for mysterious reasons.


    The cherry on top is that the methods you guys use to defeat your enemies are unclear. Be it the Dragon-Tortoise, the guardians of the dungeon, or the beast monster that appeared in the in������ Well, there''s more than enough reasons to suspect that you''re a fraud��


    ��No no, but�D�D��


    No way, all this over mere suspicion.


    I shouldn''t have left any solid evidence behind. Well, people don''t need evidence to be jealous of others, I suppose.


    ��But it''s not like there��s nothing you can do. It''s important for adventurers to build connections with their peers. Those who fail to do so don''t live long��


    ��Sum it up for me, Guild President. What do I have to do in order to be allowed to explore the dungeon again?��


    Somehow, I have a rough idea of what''sing����


    ��You will have toplete personal requests that have been submitted to the Guild. Requests made by your fellow adventurers. That''s reasonable, right?��


    ��Ugh��


    Requests from my fellow adventurers, huh?


    Rana got set up in the past by one of these. It was a request for help with an adventure, and after she epted, she found a sexual predator lying in wait for her.


    Because of that, I don''t have a good impression of this type of request.


    Every now and then, other parties would beg me to ept their requests, but I would turn them all down. My party has our hands full with our own adventures. We don''t have the time to take care of other people.


    ��So, Guild President, how many requests do we have toplete?��


    But����


    I suppose I can''t ignore them this time.


    ��At least three. I have several requests that suit you guys, but I''ll at least ask if you have any preferences or conditions��


    ��Absolutely no hiring out of my party members. The same goes for our equipment. I��ll be the only person who can be hired. That��s what I��d prefer��


    ��Understood. Take this opportunity to expand your social circle. No matter how strong you are, there will be times when you need the help of other parties. Also, the biggest headache we have as the Adventurers'' Guild is fights between fellow adventurers. I''ll continue to overlook them so long as they don''t rise above the level of fist-fights, but the next time you guys start sting magic at one another in the middle of the city, I''ll have you thrown out of the country��


    ��I very much understand��


    I had figured that I would be told that sooner orter.


    It seems that when Rana defeated Frey, she hadpletely destroyed the stable that Frey was staying in. We had somehow managed to assuage the greenhorn adventurers who had gotten mixed up in it bypensating them with new equipment as well as paying their medical bills. Along with the stable, the inn it was attached to also had to be rebuilt.


    It had cost me a lot of money.


    My dream of having my own home had evaporated into thin air.


    ��Simply put, this ban on exploring the dungeon is a penalty resulting from a cumtion of many things. You guys have been acting without giving any consideration to others for far too long. Learn how to get along with other people��


    ��I guess��


    To the Guild President''s perfectly reasonable words, I replied in the way a delinquent student would.


    Good grief.


    It isn''t going to be that easy for me to make headway, huh?


    ��Once Again, The Foreigner Can��t Explore The Dungeon II��


    ��Honey?Honey?Hon~ey?��


    I gave a report after returning to the camp, but the women weren''t listening.


    My wife and sister were singing and dancing, with their arms linked with those of the dark-skinned loli elf between them.


    ��I can understand Maria and Ea acting this way, but even Rana?��


    Maria, the dark-skinned loli, is the daughter of an acquaintance that I look after from time to time.


    When she first came here, she wore a baggybat uniform, but my sister said,��It''s not cute,��and picked out an outfit for her.


    She now wears a pair of vintage shorts, a chest wrap that looks like a sports bra, and a hooded jacket over all that. It''s as revealing as a female beastkin''s outfit.


    Maria grew up in a cold ce. This is just right because the climate in Lemuria is very warm.


    However, from her father����


    ��I demand an exnation for the way my daughter is dressed��


    ����.I received as many as 50 messages like that.


    It''s a pain, so I ignored them.


    ��Honey seems to stimte the secretion of serotonin as well as boost the parasympathetic nervous system of elves��


    ��Is it like narcotics to them or something?��


    An A.I. in a mini-pod disguised as antern came rolling up to me.


    After I picked her up, Yukikaze continued.


    ��As for the song, it''s written by Makina. It''s an ode in praise to honey��


    ��She''s doing weird stuff again��


    In the kitchen, a human-sized pod was making pancakes "again" today.


    Called the Makina-Pod, it��s an A.I. from the modern world who hade to the alternate world with me.


    After we returned from our adventure yesterday, she had used baking powder that she had gotten from who knows where to make pancakes. She had drizzled a lot of honey on them, making the dish a big hit with the elves.


    Thanks to that, we had pancakes for lunch, dinner, and supper yesterday. This morning''s breakfast had been nothing but pancakes.


    And, it''s still early, but it looks like today''s lunch is also going to be pancakes.


    Consider the nutritional bnce����


    ��Everyone~! It''s done~!��


    ��Yay~!��


    Makina stacked thick, hot, and extrarge pancakes onto a te.


    She put a lump of butter on top, then drizzled some honey from a jar over the pancakes.


    The three elves watched hungrily as she proceeded to cut the stack of pancakes like a cake.


    After it was portioned out and ced on each person''s te����


    ��Itadakimasu!��


    ����the women shouted a prayer, then started wolfing them down.


    They didn''t use knives, but just used forks to stab the pancakes and gobble them up.


    The way they��re eating is unseemly. Especially since all three of them are of royal descent.


    It feels like their parents would get mad at me for some reason if they saw this.


    ��Oh, Onii-chan, wee back~��


    ��Souya, wee back~��


    ��Dear, wee back��


    ��Souya-san, wee back~. Do you want some pancakes?��


    They''ve finally noticed me.


    ��No, it''s fine. I have work to do, so I''m going back into the city. You guys just take it easy��


    ��Okay~��


    The women said, before turning their attention back to the pancakes.


    I wonder why. I''m really jealous of the pancakes right now.


    ������������But if it''s still pancakes tomorrow, I��m going to do everything in my power to stop it.


    ��Team member Souya, Yukikaze ising too. It may be unnecessary, but Yukikaze will help��


    ��I''ll be counting on you then. By the way, how��s Agathion?��


    I hung Yukikaze on my belt.


    ��Aga-san is currently still dormant��


    Aga-san?


    ��It has been immersed inside Reika water, but there is no sign of it recovering its capabilities��


    ��That''s a problem.��


    If the requests involve fighting, it would be worrisome.


    I''ve already told the Guild President that I would do it alone. I��d hate to go back on my word, and more than anything, I don''t want to get the other party members involved in anything bad.


    No, I don''t want them to get involved and make matters worse.


    Especially Rana, or Rana, and Rana. If the number of requests increases because of her, that would be putting the cart before the horse.


    ��Well, I guess I''ll just do it alone��


    It may be conceit, but I can handle a straightforward fight.


    But since I''m not going adventuring, I should be fine with just light equipment.


    I had on my normal attire, which was thebat uniform and poncho.


    I wasn��t wearing my armor, and my katana was at my hip. Zamonss'' sword, which I was ustomed to using, had been left with a cksmith so that it could be disguised as well as for maintenance.


    After putting on the sses-type device that I was used to, I checked the change in my pocket and my karambit.


    I thought about whether or not there was anything else I needed, and then concluded that there wasn''t.


    It''s a city I''m familiar with, and I know people I can count on.


    Compared to when I was sent to another continent some time ago, I feel so much more at ease.


    ��I''m off then��


    ��Onii-chan, have a safe trip��


    ��Souya, don''t forget to buy us some goodies~��


    ��Dear, have a safe trip��


    ��Souya-san, please take care��


    ��Got it��


    I gave them a quick wave, and then turned my steps towards the city once more.


    Now that I think about it, I don''t see Lanseal or Lars. Lanseal probably has some business at the castle, but I wonder where Lars is. It isn��t in the vegetable garden either.


    And then,


    ��Wait, I��ming too��


    An animal came out of the tent and leaped onto my poncho. It wed its way up and sat on my shoulder.


    ��Misuranika-sama, how unusual of you��


    ��You''re being insolent��


    I got head-butted in the cheek.


    She''s a golden-eyed, gray, long-haired cat, who��s pretty fluffy.


    She''s the god I''m contracted with, one surrounded by many mysteries.


    If I went against her, she would get annoyingter, so I walked on with her on my shoulder through the in.


    ��Aren''t you usually asleep at this time?��


    This god hasn''t taken the form of a cat for nothing. She sleeps sixteen hours a day.


    ��I can''t sleep with them singing that weird song so loudly��


    ��I apologize for that��


    I''ll scold themter.


    I have no choice as even god hasined about it.


    ��It''s fine. It''s beneath the dignity of a god to deprive children of their fun��


    ��Understood��


    This god is strangely kind to children. The first time I met her, she gave a child spending-money.


    From my purse though.


    ��Leaving that aside, Yukikaze��


    ��What is it?��


    ��You''ve recorded what Lys did to Agathion, right?��


    ��Of course��


    ��Give me the results of your analysis��


    ��Because this is a private matter, without Lys-sama or Bel-sama''s permission, Yukikaze can''t disclose it��


    ��Huh? What do you mean?��


    ��Haa, you really don''t know anything. Haven��t you been learning about women from Rauaryuna?��


    ��Huh? Huh?��


    What the heck are they talking about?


    Leaving aside my god, what on earth could it be when an A.I. knows and I don''t? Is it an application of factorization?


    ��Team member Souya''s sense of delicacy is the same as a middle school student��s. How are your nightly duties with madam going?��


    ��What are you, a virgin?��


    ��No, no, no��


    I��m getting sexually harassed by a god and an A.I.


    ��I have no idea what the two of you have been talking about the entire time��


    ��It cannot be helped. Yukikaze will speak in a roundabout manner. It''s������that time of the month for women��


    ��Huh������������her period?��


    Which means, that blood was����


    ��ording to madam, the menstrual blood of a virgin is a first-rate concentration of magic power. The drawbacks are that it can''t be preserved and can''t be taken orally due to hygiene issues��


    ��What a lurid topic��


    ��Women are lurid beings to begin with��


    ��Is that so?��


    When a goddess says that to me, there are no words I can say.


    ��So, Yukikaze, that means that when she put a virgin''s lifeblood on Agathion������why did it be like that?��


    ��That''s unknown. Magic power is a phenomenon that cannot be measured by Yukikaze and Makina''s sensors. Based on the little information we were able to observe, coupled with 80% conjecture, we believe that Aga-san''s non-reactive propulsion mechanism is a form of gravity based propulsion. It could be that Lys-sama''s blood overloaded that mechanism��


    ��It��s SF, huh?��


    ��It��s SF, yes��


    ��What��s ass-eff?��


    ��Umm, Misuranka-sama, it''s a bit of an unrted question, but do you know anything about Agathion?��


    ��Hmm?��


    If Misuranika-sama''s true identity is what I think it is, it won''t be surprising for her to know about Agathion.


    ��Now, what do you think? It''s a secret. But depending on the level of your devotion and what offerings you give me, I might tell you��


    ��Offerings, you say? Is there anything that you would like, Misuranika-sama?��


    ��I''d like to eat the city''s food for a change��


    ��We''ll have lunch in the city then. Do you have any preference on what to eat?��


    ��Anything is fine��


    Oh, this is the pattern where she''ll object once I''ve actually chosen a ce to eat.


    Leaving aside whether women are lurid or not, I have a fair amount of experience with troublesome women.


    Well, it��s because my sister is the one who had the most troublesome personality.


    Haha, it��s funny how as Rana and Souya be closer, the more of a problem-child she bes. I��ll admit that even I kinda forgot that he was looking to buy a home for the winter before he got sent to the left continent. So sad that the money for it went to rebuilding the greenhorn adventurers�� stable lol.


    In gaming terms, Souya has advanced the main story too fast and now needs to go do a certain number of side-quests and meet new people or the next story mission won��t unlock lol.


    Yup, Souya already has an idea of who Misuranika really is. Do you? That statement about it not being weird if she knows about Aga-san is kinda a huge hint��though I should mention that at this time, while Souya��s guess cannot be said to be wrong, he isn��t exactly right either��so there��s no real point ining up with an answer��for now.


    And just in case you forgot about Souya forgetting about his real sister, author put in a reminder by having Souya mix up Yukikaze(human) and Ea��s personality again��


    Anyway, what kind of side-quests will Souya be made to take? Stay tuned to find out!

 Chapter 95: Once Again, The Foreigner Can’t Explore The Dungeon III

    <h4>Chapter 95: Once Again, The Foreigner Can��t Explore The Dungeon III</h4>


    After indulging my god''s whims at three different stalls, we settled on having meat and bean soup for lunch.


    It was simple and didn''t taste very good, but my god was satisfied.


    She''s a god who loves simple dishes like this.


    I should have been serving up much better food on a regr basis, but I can''t seem to get her to develop a taste for good food.


    ��Evetta-san, I''m here��


    ��Yes, I''ve heard about it from the Guild President��


    This was my second visit to the Adventurers'' Guild today. I went to my person-in-charge to get the requests.


    Evetta-san, my person-in-charge, is afraid of cats, so I had left Misuranika-sama at the entrance.


    ��The first one is this��


    She handed me a scroll.


    When I unrolled it, I found a map of the city with the location of where the requestor was staying indicated on it. As well as a brief summary of the request.


    ��This is a request, or more specifically, a consultation request from a greenhorn adventurer. As one of the most prominent novice adventurers, I''m sure you can handle his problems easily��


    ��A consultation over problems, huh��������


    That actually sounds more troublesome.


    By the way, the reward is 9 copper coins. That''s about 900 yen(just under USD$9) in the modern world. So cheap����


    ��Well, I''m off then��


    ��Alright, have a good day. As I''m sure the Guild President has told you, it''s important for adventurers to associate with one another. In particr, a good impression of the leader leads to a good impression of the entire party. It doesn''t matter how much fame the other members gain, if the leader is no good, then the party as a whole is no good. On the other hand, if the leader is good, then bad behavior by the other members will be tolerated to some degree. That''s how important the impression the leader gives off is��


    ��I''ll keep that in mind��


    I left the Guild.


    After retrieving Misuranika-sama, I went straight to the requestor''s ce.


    But a good impression, huh? That''s a tough one.


    I��m not afraid of infamy, and I don''t seek fame. This "madness" is my strength as an adventurer, but I''d never have thought that the opposite would be required of me. Things are really not going my way.


    I guess there''s no point feeling depressed about it.


    I''ll get it over with as fast as I can, and then resume the exploration of the dungeon as soon as possible.


    The ce the requestor stayed in was in the middle of a residential district. It was an inn two steps better than a stable.


    For the amount he''s paying me, he sure lives in a nice ce.


    Or is it because he lives in a nice ce that thepensation is so little?


    The first floor was a tavern, and since it was noon, it was quite busy. I told the proprietress the name of the requestor, and she gave me the room number of a room on the second floor.


    After walking up the stairs, I stopped in front of the door to the room.


    I was feeling a little nervous.


    I unrolled the scroll and checked the request again.


    ��There is a matter I''d like to discuss with adventurers of novice level or higher who have two or more women in their party. Details will be given in person��


    Was what was written on it.


    My party is made up of three guys, me, Shuna, and Otou-san, and three women, Rana, Ea, and Lys(Bel). The A.I.s who support us are female. In addition, the domestic help is also a woman. The child in my care is also a girl. The two gods whom I''m contracted with are also goddesses.


    Well, it''s pretty much a household of women.


    I have some experience when ites to problems with women.


    At the very least, I should be able to handle the problems of a greenhorn adventurer.


    I won''t let the fact that I wasmbasted by my god and the A.I. earlier bother me.


    I knocked on the door.


    There was no response.


    I knocked harder.


    ��?��


    That''s weird. I can feel the presence of people inside though.


    ��Team member Souya, motion detected, there are three people in the room��


    ��Excuse me��


    I opened the door unceremoniously.


    What greeted me was a scene of carnage.


    A handsome male magician in the middle. A beastkin swordswoman on the left and a female beastkin spy on the right.


    The man was being hounded by the two women, and sweat was pouring down his face.


    ��Oh, Karoro��


    I know the woman on the right. She''s a tanned cat beastkin, and is both a spy and an adventurer of the Kingdom of Lemuria.


    ��Oh, Souya. Long time no see-mya��


    ��Co, could it be that you��re here because of the request?��


    The handsome man''s face lit up with hope when he saw me.


    ��Yes, I''ve received your request from the Adventurers'' Guild. My name is Souya��


    ��Thank the gods! As a matter of fact!! I''m being pressured by two women, as you can see, and I''m currently at a loss as to what to do!!!��


    Uwaa. What a pain.


    ��Why don''t you just take responsibility as a man?��


    ��But that would mean making one of them unhappy. I, you know, want to make both of them happy��


    ��If you want Mya to be happy, break up with this woman-mya��


    ��If you want to make Lusha happy, you have to leave this wench��


    The beastkin swordswoman has dog-like ears and tail. She looks young, but she''s curvy where it counts.


    The handsome man pleaded with me.


    ��Souya-san, this has been going on sincest night and we''re not getting anywhere! It''s affecting my adventuring, and everyone in my party is also appalled by this. Can you do something to help?!��


    ��Well, there is this method used in my country to resolve such things��


    It''s a tremendous pain in the neck, so I''ll just wrap things up quickly.


    As far as I know, this is the fastest way to solve this problem.


    ��First of all, you two beastkindies. Each of you take one of this man''s arms, and then pull��


    As if saying, "You''re not having him", both of them grabbed the handsome man''s arms.


    For some reason, he really pisses me off.


    ��The winner will be recognized as his lover��


    ��What?!��


    The handsome man raised his voice����


    ��Gi, GYAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa!��


    ����in a scream of pain.


    The human tug-of-war had begun.


    Even female beastkin are stronger than the average Hemu. I can''t call the handsome man a sturdy Hemu even as ttery. He has a slender body and is the type of man who stimtes the protective instincts of strong women.


    Well, he probably won''t be able to withstand being pulled from both sides by two beastkin.


    However, if there is true love, one of them will likely be afraid for him and let go.


    I made it sound like the one who let go would lose, but it''s the opposite. I''ll tell the man to choose the one who let go.


    ��What kind of lover does something that hurts the one they love?��


    I''ll wrap things up with that line.


    This is called the judgment of Ooka.[1]


    It''s from a period drama that I''m d I watched.


    Creak,


    Pop!


    ��Hi, HYGYAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!��


    ��Eh?��


    It was the sound of the man''s shoulder being dislocated.


    ��Let go-mya!��


    ��You let go!��


    ��UGYAA!��


    The two beastkin got heated up and started kicking each other.


    The handsome man between them also got hit by their kicks.


    ��Ummm��


    The handsome man had passed out. He was being jostled about like a ragdoll by the two of them.


    This is unexpected.


    He��s going to die if this goes on.


    ��Alright��


    I loosened the katana from the scabbard, drew it, and then knocked the two beastkin out with the back of the de.


    The de settled back into the scabbard smoothly.


    Huh, the sword stroke was surprisingly good. Is it because of the purity of only carrying one weapon? Or is it because I was rxed and didn''t exert any unnecessary force? Regardless of the reason, it''s an 80 points knockout-strike.


    After confirming that all three of them were unconscious, I started searching the room.


    ��Souya, what are you looking for?��


    ��I''m looking for a note or a scroll that this man has written on��


    Misuranika-sama jumped down from my shoulder and joined the search.


    I pulled open the drawers of his desk and went through his bags, but there was a surprisingck of any personal effects or documents belonging to the man.


    ��This is a bit weird��


    ��Here, Souya��


    Misuranika-sama emerged from under the bed with a piece of parchment in her mouth.


    I read it, then eximed.


    ��Aah, I see. So this is the kind of guy he is��


    Written on it were the names and descriptions of women, along with the names of the inns where he would meet them. As well as the total amount of money they had given him.


    There were 28 victims in all.


    Naturally, when there are so many, you''d have to write them all down or you''ll probably make a mistake.


    ��This guy is quite a con man, isn''t he?��


    ��He''s the enemy of women��


    You''re absolutely right.


    ��Yukikaze, trace his handwriting��


    ��Roger��


    I left the parchment on the floor and the pod traced the letters on it with her analysisser.


    Taking ink, pen, and parchment from the desk����


    ��Right then, I''m counting on you��


    ����I put them in the mini-pod��s arms.


    ��Understood��


    First, I had her sign the scroll to indicate that I hadpleted the request.


    There was a nk space for remarks beside the space for the signature, and I had Yukikaze add, "I''m extremely satisfied with how my request was resolved, so I''m adding 10 gold coins to the reward.��


    I promptly took 10 gold coins from the handsome man''s purse. There was still a lot of money left in it.


    Next was to make copies of his parchment.


    There had been 30 pieces of parchment in the desk, so I had Yukikaze make that many copies.


    ��Wow, you can use this trick to run all sorts of scams��


    ��No no no, Misuranika-sama, as a god, you should be discouraging that kind of behavior��


    ��I''m the god of misdeeds though?��


    ��Oh, right��


    To be honest, I had forgotten about that side of her.


    Admittedly, I could make a fortune by replicating documents or counterfeiting money, but I''m an adventurer, not a con man. I''ll definitely get caught and pay the price for it afterwards.


    ��It''s done��


    The mini-pod had duplicated all 30 copies by hand in five minutes, which was really fast.


    Now, these copies����


    ��Misuranika-sama, what should we do with these? Though we''ve made copies, out of consideration for the victims, it might be better to not release them��


    ��Wow, Souya, I didn''t know you could be so considerate��


    ��Yukikaze is impressed��


    ��You two, I''m not that insensitive, you know?��


    For one thing, I''m always acting with everyone in the party in mind.


    ��Who was it that suddenly disappeared and made his wife and sister cry? On top of that, you came back with another woman in tow��


    ��To the casual observer, there''s not much difference between that dislocated man and team member Souya��


    ��That hurts my feelings, by the way��


    A lot, at that.


    ��Yukikaze has a suggestion. Let''s keep the original and leave the rest here with the women''s names cked out. Also, let��s leave this warning behind��


    Yukikaze dipped the pen into the ink and then wrote something terrifying on the back of one of the copies.


    This is pretty much a ckmail letter, isn''t it?


    What''s more, though it started with "If you want to get away with your sins", that was followed up with "your sins will never be forgiven".


    What a scary girl Yukikaze is! I was shown a glimpse of the dark side of A.I.s.


    ��Well, isn''t it fine? Though he was tricked out of his money by his peer, he won''t get away with just getting half killed should his misdeeds be exposed. In the worst case, he''ll be killed and fed to the monsters in the dungeon��


    ��So, you''re saying that threatening him is nothingpared to the alternative?��


    ��That''s how it is��


    If that''s what my god says, then so be it. He got what he deserved, I suppose.


    Well, that''s one requestpleted.


    ��At this rate, I''ll be done by the end of the day��


    I psyched myself up, then moved on to the next one.


    [1] Ooka Ichizen is a prime-time period drama which ran from 1970 to 1999(402 episodes) on TBS Japan. It portrays a samurai->magistrate->judge called Ooka Tadasuke(a real person in history) and focuses on how he makes fair judgments with human warmth and kindness. The story in question is about him running into two woman who both im that a child is theirs. He did as Souya did, and as Souya nned, he dered the woman who let go as the real mother. Yes, this is a story based on the Judgment of Solomon, where it��s almost the same except Solomon offered to cut the child into two so each woman could have half, and the mother quickly said the other women could have the child then. And the term ��Judgments of Ooka�� from the show is now widely used to refer to judgments/decisions made in a fair manner with kindness and humanity in mind.


    ����Bet none of you were expecting that it was this kind of request or that it would bepleted in this way����


    Yukikaze is showing some of that Izora darkness, but in a deadpan manner, unlike Izora��s overbearing manner, which makes it just as funny imo.


    Btw, since there isn��t much to talk about, I want to talk about katanas. They are fitted to their scabbards in a way that it��s a very tight fit whenpletely sheathed, so the katana won��t wriggle and damage the de or fall out. As a result, you can��t really draw it directly. The typical method is to push it out a bit using the thumb, ��loosening it from the scabbard��, before drawing it. You��ve seen this term a few times already and you��ll see it a lot in future as well, so I wanted to take this opportunity to exin it.


    Anyway, just a light and funny chapter this time. Also, this may be a bit spoiler-ish, but one of my favorite characters is appearing for the first time next chapter. Don��t miss it!

 Chapter 96: Once Again, The Foreigner Can’t Explore The Dungeon IV

    <h4>Chapter 96: Once Again, The Foreigner Can��t Explore The Dungeon IV</h4>


    I hadpleted the request, so I briefly returned to the Guild.


    ��Evetta-san, it��s done��


    ��That was quick��


    I handed her the scroll.


    ��Oh, this adventurer is notorious for being stingy, so it''s quite unusual for him to add a tip on top of the reward��


    ��Well, I was paid the extra money on the spot��


    Evetta unrolled the scroll, stamped it, and took out the nine copper coins reward.


    I took them gratefully as well.


    ��Well then, Souya, this is the next request��


    I was given a new scroll.


    After unrolling it, I checked its contents.


    ��Eh��


    This request is clearly impossible for me.


    ��Umm, Evetta-san, for me, this is������


    ��Souya, please read it carefully until the end��


    ��The end?��


    The description of the request says, "Assistance in the preparation of elixirs��.


    The reward is five silver coins.


    As an amateur at magic, there''s absolutely no way I can provide any sort of assistance in the preparation of elixirs.


    However������


    ��Hmm?��


    What''s this? At the very end of the request����


    ��:Anyone with a background in cooking is wee to participate.


    ����that��s what is written.


    What''s going on? What does taste have anything to do with elixirs?


    But in a sense, this is an opportunity.


    ording to Rana, elixirs are magic power itself, and magic power is instantly replenished when they are consumed. Unlike the recovery of magic power from sugared sweets, there''s no limit to the amount that can be recovered. The more one drinks, the more magic power one recovers.


    If there is a recipe, I want to have it, even if it means stealing it.


    It''ll definitelye in handy in our future adventures.


    Hmm, this is quite a lucky break. As the Guild President said, it''s important to build connections with other adventurers.


    I''ll record the preparation process using the bug drones, and if there are any written notes, I''ll have Yukikaze make a copy. Or rather, I can just take a photo of them with my sses and that''ll be that.


    Then, I''ll mass produce copies, or rather, generic elixirs.


    It''s an item that other merchantpanies are too afraid to deal with. I''ll have a monopoly on it. It can be sold exclusively by the merchantpanies that I''m backing.


    It��ll sell.


    It''ll be a big seller!


    My dream of owning my own home that had flown away is nowing within reach!


    Nothing beats having modern science.


    Hehehe.


    Oh no, I''m bing uncharacteristically greedy. If I''m not careful, I''ll mess up. I''ll only make enough for the party''s own consumption after all.


    ��Souya, you have a really terrible look on your face. Is something the matter?��


    ��No, I was scheming ways to help this adventurer as quickly as possible��


    ��You shouldn''t be scheming��


    ��No no, I''m always as gray as snow[1]��


    ��From the fact that you don''t call yourself "white", I see that you''re quite self-aware��


    ��Oh��


    That just slipped out.


    As I thought, I have no talent as a con man. To begin with, I can''t even deceive myself.


    ��Leaving that aside, Evetta-san, the requestor is listed as King Lutz. What kind of country is this person the king of?��


    It''s hardlymon for an adventurer to be a king.


    There are adventurers who are princesses close to me though.


    ��No, King Lutz doesn''t rule any country. That''s just what that person is called by the rest of the party��


    ��Ehhh��


    The King of Fashion, or rather, the self-proimed King of Fashion.[2]


    I��m starting to feel uneasy about this requestor.


    I hope he''s not a crazy person, but there are a lot of weird adventurers around.


    ��Well, your timing is just right. See the person at the entrance with the little ones? Why don''t you go meet the requestor for yourself?��


    ��At the entrance, little ones?��


    I turned around from my seat at the reception counter and saw a man with several small creatures near the entrance.


    There''s no point in hesitating, I suppose. I''ll just go and talk to him.


    ��For now, I guess I''ll go��


    ��Good luck. Be careful��


    As I thought, it''s someone I have to be careful with.


    I left the reception area and went over to King(party proimed) Lutz.


    My impression, as I neared and got a better look at him up close, was that he was a childcare worker.


    He looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. Though a little dirty, he had the face of a good person. He had shaggy, curly hair, and was 158cm tall, which was quite short.


    His equipment was a hodge-podge of stuff.


    He had arge backpack on his back. Strapped to his body and waist were a total of thirteen broad daggers that resembled shovels. There were also four short staves sticking out of his backpack.


    Furthermore, there were arge number of potion bottles stashed in every nook and cranny of his leather long coat.


    If he fell over, it would probably be a disaster.


    The man was certainly on the smaller side, but his party members were even smaller.


    They were about 100 cm tall, which was one size smaller than a certain goblin acquaintance. They had round hands and feet.


    Their helmets were pointed like birds'' beaks, and they wore distinctive red pointy hats on top of them. They were equipped with brigandine armor with a front ckart[3] and were armed with the same shovel-like daggers and round shields.


    All seven of them wore matching gear.


    They look as toy-like as the goblin did in his armor.


    I wonder if they can be sold as toys for the children of the wealthy. It just might work.


    ��Excuse me, are you King Lutz-san?��


    ��Hu, huh? ������Yes��


    The man looked at me with a scared look.


    It��s the first time I''ve had someone be afraid of me.


    ��I''ve received your request from the Guild, so I''d like to hear the details��


    ��Could this be about the matter of the elixirs?!��


    ��Yes��


    Is there anything else?


    ��I, I''d really appreciate your help. I''m Lutz?Amou. And you are?��


    ��I''m Souya. I''m still not sure if I can help though��


    ��No no! I''m just thankful that you''re willing to hear me out!��


    ��Ri, right��


    Th, this overwhelming aura of a good person����


    He''s the type of person that a follower of Misuranika, the god of misdeeds, finds difficult to deal with.


    ��Oh, I apologize for my rudeness!��


    He held out his hand, and I reflexively took it and shook his hand.


    Huh? This side doesn''t really have the custom of shaking hands, but there''s something mysterious about this person. I feel a peculiar sense of kinship with him.


    ��Discussing it here isn''t the best, so let''s go somewhere els�D�D��


    ��King, pee-pee~��


    One of the little ones shouted, interrupting King Lutz.


    ��I have to pee too~��


    The rest of them followed suit and started hollering.


    Their voices sound like children''s. What''s more, they all sound the same.


    Are they septuplets or something?


    ��I, I''m sorry! Please wait here! I''ll be right back!��


    King Lutz grabbed one of those moring for the toilet and ran toward the bathroom.


    ��How long do you think you can hold it?!��


    ��It��s alreadying out~��


    ��Me too~��


    ��Hold it in!��


    One voice left, and the remaining six followed after it. King Lutz''s entire party had run off.


    Yup, as I thought, he''s a childcare worker.


    I had passed the time thoroughly indulging in Misuranika-sama''s fluffiness.


    The little ones all had beastkin bread stuffed with meat and vegetables.


    They had slid their helmets up and were munching away. The area around their mouths was obscured by dark shadows, so I couldn''t see anything though.


    ��Oh, okay��


    That was a bit of a problem.


    I had intended to go to the Guild''s bar to talk about the request, but outside food wasn''t allowed there, so we had to go elsewhere.


    Along the way, the little ones made King Lutz buy all sorts of things for them.


    That included bread, sundries, alcohol, dried meat, vegetables, fruits, and random knick-knacks sold by street vendors.


    By the time we entered a rtively small bar, hisrge backpack was practically bursting at the seams.


    How do I express this������


    This feeling like I''m witnessing another family''s idiotic parenting style.


    Also, is it really okay to make the person you call ��King��, even in joke, carry all your stuff?


    ��Alcohol and meat, lots of it~��


    ��Me too~��


    ��Got it?��


    After taking the little ones'' orders, the beastkin waitress withdrew to the back.


    These guys, are they still going to eat? They��ve already eaten and drank quite a bit on the way here���� Where in their tiny bodies does it all go, I wonder?


    ��Sorry, I''mte in introducing them! These little ones are called Gunmerry. They were seale�D�Derr, sleeping in the forbiddennd of the beastkin tribes at the easternmost part of this continent, but I woke them up by ident. After this and that, we''re now working as adventurers together��


    ����������


    He was about to say "sealed" just now, wasn''t he?


    ��These ones give off the smell of evil spirits��


    Misuranika-sama, who was on my shoulder, informed me.


    ��The cat is talking?!��


    King Lutz was greatly surprised.


    She does surprise people asionally, but this level of reaction is novel.


    ��Now now, it''s not that unusual for a cat to talk, right?��


    ��Y, you, you��re right. That��s a normal thing in alternate worlds, I guess��


    Huh, there��s something that caught my attention in what he said.


    No way, is he a foreigner?


    ��Well then, on to the matter of the request, but this is the elixir in question��


    King Lutz ced a potion bottle on the table.


    Looking at it again, it''s what one might call a potion.[4]


    ��This is an elixir made by the Gunmerrys that restores magic power��


    ��Ooh, that''s impressive��


    These little ones are able to make elixirs, huh?


    ��After acquiring a taste for alcohol recently, they''ve been refusing to drink it��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Alcohol is the food of life! It cleanses the soul~!��


    ��Cheers~!��


    The drinks and thick bacon had arrived just then.


    The little ones scrambled for the alcohol and meat. They were like piranhas devouring their prey. Misuranika-sama also jumped in and joined them.


    They had exceedingly bad table manners.


    A third of the alcohol and meat were strewn all over,nding on King Lutz and the ground.


    Oddly enough, none of it flew in my direction.


    Although it''s someone else''s party, it''s still a pretty aggravating sight. What a waste of food.


    ��You know, I''ve also experimented with different methods myself. I tried mixing it with liquor, honey, and even tried adding meat. But all that did was make the elixir taste even worse, and recently, they��re even getting hostile�D�D��


    ��Shah~!��


    One of the little ones let out a strange yell and knocked the elixir off the table onto the ground. It shattered.


    What a waste.


    ��But when I wake up in the mornings, there are new elixirs waiting for me, so they''re still making them��


    How are they making them?


    ��The Gunmerrys are very powerful in magic. But their consumption of magic power is very high. For us to explore the dungeon, the elixirs are a must, but we haven''t been able to explore the dungeon for a month now because they''re refusing to drink them. We can barely make ends meet anymore. If our standard of living drops any further, who knows what will happen��������


    Is something going to happen?


    ��With enough money, you can do anything!��


    ��Thank you~!��


    Came the iprehensible shouts of the Gunmerrys.


    Well, I kind of get what the request is now. I simply have to make the elixir taste better than cheap alcohol.


    ��I think I get the gist, and I understand. Uhh, for now, can I have one bottle?��


    ��Yes! Not just one, you can have several of them!��


    He gave me five bottles, one of which got kicked to the ground, shattering.


    ��First off, I''ll just take a quick taste��


    I pulled out the cork and took a sip straight from the bottle.


    ��Gak��


    It tasted so bad that I gagged.


    After a brief moment of sweetness, an unbelievably sour taste hit me. The aftertaste was horrible, and the saliva in my mouth turned bitter, almost like gastric juice. The clincher was a medicinal smell so strong that it felt like it was melting my nostrils.


    My vision blurred for a second.


    This is terrible.


    In short, it tastes sweet, sour, and bitter. It feels like this is what I would get if I mixed a lot of citric acid into children''s cold syrup and then seasoned it with demonic thoughts.


    I downed a mug of the cheap alcohol on the table.


    The sweetness and aroma of the cheap ale, as well as the slowly permeating refreshing sensation and vor, cleansed my pte.


    The elixir tasted so bad that I learned how to appreciate the taste of alcohol because of it.


    ��Oh, I''ve done that myself. It tastes bad, doesn''t it?��


    ��How on earth did these guys manage to drink this before?��


    ��At first, they never cared about the taste of things, but I wonder if I raised them wrong������


    ��Well, I''ll do whatever I can. Let''s meet up again tomorrow around noon. I''ll give you a progress report then. Are you alright with using this ce as the meeting ce?��


    ��Yes, that��ll be fine! Thank you very much!��


    He took my hand and shook it vigorously.


    The king''s smile depressed me.


    This disgusting taste. Will I be able to do something about it? I''m not feeling very confident.


    [1] If something or someone is ��as white as snow��, they are perfect orpletely uncorrupted and honest. Well, it��s the idiom that��s the closest to the original joke that I can find. The original is a y on the term �������� which means absolutely honesty or unsullied integrity, but Souya reces thest two characters, which mean pure white/clean/guiltless, with gray.


    [2] This is a pure guess as I��m useless when ites to fashion, but I believe this is a reference to Lutz Huelle, who was dubbed the Unsung King of the Fashion Hybrid in 2015, approximately one year before the publication of this chapter.


    [3] A brigandine is a form of body armor from the Middle Ages. It��s a garment typically made of heavy cloth, canvas, or leather, lined internally with small steel tes riveted to the fabric, sometimes with a secondyer of fabric on the inside. As for a ckart, it��s te armor covering the lower half of the front torso. The setup would probably look something like this(courtesy of buettner27 on pinterest):


    The metal ��spots�� that you see on the ck part isn��t what you��d see on studded leather and whatnot, but are the rivets mentioned. Here��s the internal view(courtesy of wikipedia):


    [4] This part sounds so weird that I feltpelled to exin it. ��Potion bottle�� is written in Japanese, but ��potion�� in this line is written in ��English��. Hence, they arepletely different in the original though it sounds redundant in English.


    I mean, of course, it��s rted to cooking haha. But, this is a subtle way to show us what happens after Souya has lost the basis of his fixation with cooking, his grandfather. Well, you��ll see...


    Kinda a random thing to exin, but in Japanese, the title of ��King(��)��es after the person��s name. In this case, King Lutz(�����) is actually pronounced Lutz-Ou in Japanese. And if anyone has a better idea of the reference to him being the fashion king(fashion was in ��English��), which I��m really not confident in, doment below��


    So��are we getting another foreigner in the story? And what are those 7 little ones who are all called Gunmerry? It��ll be the start of a new arc next chapter! Stay tuned!


    And I hate to do this, but I really need help. I like to trante, but it''s getting really difficult mary-wise. So if you can spare just a little to support me on Patreon, it would really go a long way towards allowing me to continue to do what I do. And just the lowest tier will get you ALL the advance chapters, so that''s all I really ask for. Thank you so much in advance! m(_ _)m

 Chapter 97: Honey And Elixir I

    <h4>Chapter 97: Honey And Elixir I</h4>


    ��What''s that~?��


    I was caught by Maria the moment I got back to the camp.


    She stole one of the elixirs that I was carrying.


    She''s got a bad habit of stealing things. I''ll have to scold her about it.


    ��It''s an elixir that restores magic power. It tastes extremely bad and is dangerous, so give it back��


    ��It just so happens that I''m out of magic power, so I''m going to drink it��


    ��Oh, hey!��


    Hmm, wait.


    Maria is fine with eating salmiak licorice. Maybe����


    ��Gulp��


    With childlike abandon, Maria drank the elixir in one go����


    ��Blerghhh��


    ����then retched it all back out.


    With a thump, Maria slumped onto the in.


    ��I''m sorry I was ever born��


    ��Are you okay?!��


    It was hopeless. Her face was ghastly.


    Putting the elixirs down on the in, I held Maria in my arms.


    ��Anyone~��


    I called out for help.


    Rana came over.


    ��Oh, wee back. You''re back early��


    ��Sorry, Rana. Maria has copsed, so please take care of her��


    ��Oh, what happened to you, Maria?��


    ��I stole something bad and drank it, then got struck down��


    ��Well, that''s������


    Leaving Maria with Rana, I turned to retrieve the elixirs.


    ��Onii-chan, what are these?��


    ��They''re elixirs that restore magic power. They taste very bad, and Maria just copsed from drinking one��


    My sister fiddled with one of the elixirs.


    In her own way, this one is also curious in a troubling way.


    ��Come to think of it, Ea������


    ��Hmm, what?��


    ��Have you heard of the name Gunmerry?��


    King Lutz had mentioned something about the beastkin to the east. My sister used to hunt with them in the past. There''s a chance that she might know something.


    ��How nostalgic. Where did you hear that from?��


    ��I heard it while I was in the city. What kind of people are they?��


    ��There''s a song that''s been passed down from generation to generation among the beastkin tribes in the east. It''s often used to make the beastkin children cry. The song goes like this��


    My sister started to sing in a clear voice.


    The more you hit them, the more Gunmerrys you''ll get? The more you burn them, the more Gunmerrys you''ll get? The more you drown them, the more Gunmerrys you''ll get?


    Gunmerry, neither arrows, nor swords, nor magic works?


    Gunmerry, creatures that never die? Gunmerry, creatures that eat anything?


    Alone, it can''t do anything, but with two, they attack wild beasts? With three, they build a home?


    When there are four, they hunt pigs ?


    No one really likes it when there are five?


    When there are six, they have a grand party? When there are seven, they''re in a great mood?


    Once there are eight, there''s a sense of disquiet? Once there are nine, they''re at odds with one another?


    When there are ten, they all hate it?


    When there are eleven, they hate it even more?


    When there are twelve, they sharpen their weapons?


    Gunmerry, they''ll kill one another? Gunmerry, they''ll kill until just one remains? Gunmerry, there��s only one left?


    Gunmerry, goes to sleep peacefully?


    Next time it wakes up, it''ll run amok?


    It��ll go on a rampage that knows no bounds?


    Jagshank, the hero troubled by this? Jagshank, the hero of beasts?


    Sealed itin the depths of the forest?Sealed the Gunmerry?


    Gunmerry? Gunmerry?


    Never wake it, the Gunmerry?


    The next time it wakes up, it��ll multiply more and more?


    Gunmerry, creatures that eat anything? Gunmerry, creatures that eat even children?


    If there are a hundred, they''ll wither the forest?


    If there are a thousand, they''ll ruin the country?


    If there are ten thousand, they''ll destroy the world?


    Gunmerry? Gunmerry?


    Gunmerry? Gunmerry?


    If that song holds any truth to it, those guys are super dangerous, aren''t they?


    On top of that, they''re not in the forest, but in the city.


    Is the Adventurers'' Guild aware of this?


    ��Oh, it''s been a long time since I sang, so I''m parched��


    ��Ea, that��s�D�D?!��


    My sister popped the cork off the bottle and took a gulp of the elixir.


    ��Obufuu��


    She spewed it back out and fainted from the agony.


    Already, two people had fallen victim to it.


    Carrying the limp Ea in my arms, I went into the tent andid her down next to Maria.


    ��Dear, what on earth happened?��


    ��It''s because of these elixirs��


    I handed the elixirs to Rana.


    She''s a cautious person. She won''t easily�D�D


    ��Eurgh��


    For some reason, she drank it without pause.


    ��This tastes pretty awful, doesn''t it?��


    Rana made a face while clutching her mouth.


    It seems that she had the sense to not drink enough of it to lose consciousness.


    ��Yeah, but before that, why did every single one of you drink it?��


    ��The taste is awful, but it smells just like honey, so I couldn''t resist��


    ��What? The smell?��


    I took one of the elixirs and smelled it.


    Amidst the strong medicinal smell, there was the faintest hint of sweetness that smelled like honey. It was so faint that I wouldn''t have noticed unless I was looking for it.


    ��Sorry, Rana, please look after the two of them. I need to work on making this drinkable��


    ��That sounds difficult. Good luck��


    ��Thanks��


    Leaving Rana to take care of them, I worked on improving the elixir with Makina and Yukikaze.


    I''ve never had so much trouble with a dish ever sinceing to the alternate world.


    ��I''ve given up on making it taste good. First, we need to at least make it something that can be drunk without taking damage��


    ��Souya-san, Makina and Yukikaze aren''t omnipotent��


    ��That''s right��


    ��It''s at that level, huh?��


    It''s currently 15:00.


    We''ve tried all sorts of things.


    We��ve tried mixing it with various seasonings, stewing it with ingredients, freezing, frying, and even distilling it.


    It was all for naught.


    It tastes bad.


    The bad taste is too strong.


    This elixir tastes really bad no matter what we try.


    At times like this, it would be great if I could think of a good piece of advice from some culinary teacher, but as a hobbyist, I have no one like that.


    And the A.I.s, my final hope, have given up.


    I''mpletely at a loss for what to do.


    ��Hmm������������we''re stuck, aren''t we? This request, I''ll go back out of it tomorrow��


    ��Ehh~��


    ��Ehh~, indeed��


    ��This is beyond the scope of possibility. This elixir is too much for humanity��


    ��But, Souya-san, will you be able to abandon the request so easily?��


    ��No idea. It''s that Guild President, so he might harass me incessantly about it��


    ��It can''t be helped. ������Just this once! Makina will go to the Demon King for advice. Please prepare something to give as a gift��


    ��Alright, I''m counting on you��


    I went into the food storage and put some of the bottled honey and the still-living beervae into a container.


    Though I wore rubber gloves when taking the insects, it still gave me goosebumps.


    I used to grab cicadas directly with my hands, but it''s curious how people grow out of things as we grow older.


    After wrapping up the gift with a piece of cloth, I handed it to Makina.


    I also threw in one bottle of the elixir.


    ��Well then, Makina, heading out!��


    ��I''ll pray for your safe return!��


    ��Safe return��


    I returned Makina''s salute with a salute of my own.


    ��Wee back��


    ��Wee back��


    Makina hade back.


    I was in the middle of making dinner.


    I had decided to make pizza for dinner. The ingredients are tomatoes, bacon, onions, garlic, watercress, cheese, and honey, which is a bit of an iprehensiblebination that I have no idea will work or not.


    The elixir may have messed up my taste buds a little bit.


    ��Souya-san, it was a fruitful trip!��


    ��As expected of Gorith-sama��


    ��Take a look at this!��


    Makina held up a jar of bright red berries.


    ��Would you believe it, it''s miraculin!��


    ��That��s an amazing-sounding name��


    Wait, could this be����


    ��Yes, the miracle fruit exists in the alternate world too!��


    ��Oh, I remember now��


    The miracle fruit has a protein that temporarily alters one''s sense of taste. Just by rolling it around on the tongue for a while, sour things taste sweet instead.


    It''s a littlete to say this, but there sure is a lot of ovep between the foodstuffs of the alternate world and the modern world.


    How curious.


    ��Souya-san, make hay while the sun shines, time is money, and strike while the iron is hot. Give it a try right away!��


    ��Can''t it wait till after dinner?��


    ��No��


    ��Why~~��


    Makina was being weirdly pushy, so Iplied.


    I put one of the miracle fruit into my mouth, then rolled it around on my tongue while keeping an eye on the pizza.


    Will I be able to tell what dinner tastes like after doing this? I don''t like this one bit.


    Makina set the table, prepared the tes, and lit the surroundingnterns to give the camp more light.


    The nights on the in are dark.


    However, there is tremendous beauty in this medieval sky that��s filled with twinkling stars.


    ��Souya, I''ve returned. I��ve bought some pork ribs on the bone��


    Lanseal had returned.


    Lars was helping her carry the bags.


    Our king is also the baggage carrier, I see.


    ��Thank you. Put it in the food storage first. I''ll marinate them in sauceter��


    ��Yes, understood��


    ��How much were they?��


    ��No, it''s fine��


    ��Don''t be silly. I''ll pay for them��


    Even if we''re close, we still have to observe decorum.


    In particr, issues involving money need to be handled properly. She''s already working as a housekeeper for us without any pay. It would be shameful to let her pay for the expenses on top of that.


    ��No no no, it''s really fine. By rights, I should be paying for the cooking lessons, but you won''t ept it, so please let me do this much��


    ��No. I''ll pay��


    ��I understand. It can''t be helped��


    I had convinced Lanseal.


    ��But I don''t want money, so you''ll have to pay me back in another way��


    The moment Makina turned her back on us, she leaned in closer and kissed me on the corner of my mouth.


    Itsted only an instant, but it left me with a lingering woman''s scent, a moist feeling on my lips, and the fleshy sensation of her breasts against my shoulder.


    Taking the bags from Lars, Lanseal disappeared in the direction of the food storage in a good mood.


    ��What?��


    ��Boo��


    Lars was staring at me.


    ��No, Lanseal moved too quickly for me to react��


    ��������boo��


    Lars gave me the stink eye, or at least, that was what it seemed like.


    ��Well then, Souya-san, it��s time to give it a taste��


    Having gauged that enough time had passed for the miracle fruit to take effect, Makina held the elixir out to me.


    ��By any chance, did you see that?��


    ��To prevent the Makina-Pod from falling over, it��s equipped with sensors that give it a 3D view of all 360 degrees around it��


    ��You saw, didn��t you?��


    ��Makina would like to see a bit of Souya-san''s cool side. Here, chug it, chug it?��


    ��Chug it, chug it, chug it!��


    Even Yukikaze is jeering me on.


    I hate this kind of thing, but I''d rather not have people saying strange things about me.


    Having faith in the power of the miracle fruit, I downed the elixir in one shot.


    ��Oh, what? Hmm?��


    The sourness is gone, and it tastes slightly sweet. Perhaps it''s because of this, but there��s no bitterness either.


    The smell stinging my nose is unpleasant, but it''s just barely tolerable.


    It''s drinkable.


    Miraculin is amazing!


    ��Woah!��


    ��Woah, indeed��


    I had finished the elixir in one go.


    This works. I''ll be able toplete the request tomorrow. At this rate, the day after tomorrow�D�D


    ��Urg, err��


    My feet felt like jelly, and I couldn''t even articte my words.


    ��Warning, team member Souya, vitals dropping��


    ��Souya-san!��


    Like a melted oil painting, my world contorted and swirled.


    And then, darkness.


    The only thing that I was able toprehend was that I had copsed.


    ��116th day��


    I woke up with the usualforting yet suffocating feeling.


    I was alone with Rana in my tent. Before my eyes were her voluptuous twin mounds.


    However, I had a feeling that something was off.


    ��Huh?��


    It feels like her boobs are bigger than usual.


    I''m very appreciative of that, but how did that happen in such a short time? Is it the honey?


    Thinking that, I tried to check how they felt by fondling and massaging them.


    ��Hmm?��


    It''s different. No, they feel as wonderful to the touch as always. They''re the greatest treasure of this world.


    But in my hands, they feel even more ample than usual.


    This isn''t a matter of her boobs growing bigger.


    It''s my hands that have be smaller.


    Leaping to my feet, I caught sight of my reflection in Rana''s mirror.


    ��WHAT THE HELL IS THISSSS?!��


    I screamed.


    It was such a shock that my knees buckled.


    ��Souya-san! Have you realized it?!��


    Makina rolled up the entrance to the tent.


    ��Ma, Maki, Makina, th, this is������


    ��Please calm down. There��s nothing wrong with you health-wise. You''ve just be a little bit younger��


    Reflected in the mirror was a shitty brat of about seven years old.


    Without a doubt, it was me from the past.


    Hahahaha, it��s the obligatory return to a child arc! I mean, it��s a harem story so it has to have one, right?! Roflmao!


    With all that though, the song about Gunmerry is a bit ominous, isn��t it? And as you well know by now, songs/tales/stories in this world are always not as they seem and there��s always something deeper��


    I was actually a bit sad to realize that, at a spot where Souya typically thinks of something his grandfather taught him, he now thinks that no one taught him cooking��


    Also, how many of you caught the Gundam reference? This is probably the third one already and there will be many more Gundam tropes toe.


    Well, stay tuned for the hrity that ensures. Oh yes, there��s gonna be a lot of it. XD

 Chapter 98: Honey And Elixir II

    <h4>Chapter 98: Honey And Elixir II</h4>


    ��In other words, you''re saying that the Gunmerrys�� elixirs don''t actually replenish magic power, and their effect is to reverse the "time" of the body, which caused the misunderstanding that it restores magic power? Wow, I didn''t know that. Thank you for that valuable information��


    King Lutz smiled apologetically.


    We were at the bar where we had agreed to meet.


    The Gunmerrys were gorging themselves on meat and alcohol like before. My god had also joined in.


    ��I don''t want your thanks! Is there any way to reverse the change?!��


    Lanseal mmed her fist down on the table in anger. King Lutz let out a high-pitched shriek.


    I feel bad for him, but it''s a big problem if he isn''t able to provide a solution.


    As can be expected, I can''t go back to the dungeon with a seven-year-old''s body.


    And the biggest problem is that all three elves said,


    ��It''s just fifteen years or so, right?��


    Well, that''s an answer in keeping with the sensibilities of a long-lived race. For the time being, all three of them had headed off to the city or their hometowns to gather information. They didn''t look very motivated though.


    Lanseal is the only one����


    ��Souya, please call me Onee-chan. Oka-san or Oka-sama is also okay!��


    ����who worries deeply about me.


    She does, right?


    Even now, I''m being made to sit on herp.


    Before we had arrived in town, she only held my hand, but after I bumped into someone, she picked me up and carried me over-protectively in her arms.


    It doesn''t feel bad.


    It''s a situation where I can legally let an older woman spoil me.


    It doesn''t feel bad at all.


    Oh, I want to go into the women''s bath! I want to go into the women''s bath with Rana and Lanseal! I want the two of them to wash me! From the front and from the back!


    Guhehe.


    No, just that alone isn''t enough.


    I want to ogle andp up the bodies of all kinds of women! I can wear my sses in and take all the voyeur photos I want! How great it is to have a child''s body while still having an adult''s mind!


    Now that I''ve been transported to the alternate world and turned into a child, I can go into the women''s baths with impunity!


    ��������Let''s calm down.


    Even my reason has fallen to the level of a child''s.


    ��Um, King Lutz-san��


    Lanseal''s emotionally-charged approach will only frighten him and get us nowhere.


    I''ll have to talk to him calmly.


    ��Do the Gunmerrys make only one type of elixir?��


    ��Huh?������Oh!��


    She must have thought of something.


    ��Now that you mention it, they asionally~ make a different type of elixir. I''ve never seen them drink it before so I had forgotten about it��


    ��Where is that elixir?��


    ��It''s probably somewhere in our room at the inn. It might take me a while to find it because it''s so messy though��


    ��Then let''s go. Now, right this minute!��


    Lanseal rose to her feet with me in her arms.


    ��Oh, but I haven''t eaten yet��


    ��Your meal or Souya''s time. Which do you think is more important?��


    ��Eeek. It''s Souya-san''s time��


    King Lutz cowered in fear.


    It makes me wonder why this person is being called a king.


    Lutz-san asked me in a frightened voice.


    ��Um, Souya-san, this terrifyingly beautiful beastkin maid, is she your������


    ��I''m Souya''s housekeeper. For now��


    ��It��s something like that��


    She''s not yet fully my mistress. In a lot of ways, it''s only attempted.


    With that, Lanseal finally lost her patience and started yelling.


    ��Before anything else, what is it with these slovenly creatures?��


    The Gunmerrys and my god, who had gone, "Huh, am I included?", turned to her.


    The horrible mess on the table defied description.


    ��What the hell did you say, you maid?! I''ll squeeze your tits!��


    One of the Gunmerrys confronted Lanseal with a menacing tone.


    ��We''re gonna squeeze out fresh milk!��


    The other ones followed suit and turned hostile.


    Their words could also be seen as nothing more than sexual harassment.


    In a sh, Lanseal decked one of the Gunmerrys with a punch.


    ��Get in line!��


    Following that subsequent shout of anger, the Gunmerrys lined up on the table. For some reason, Misuranika-sama also lined up with them.


    When I counted them������������I realized that there were eight of them.


    Whoa, whoa, whoa, this is bad, isn��t it?


    ��Adventurers are a rough crowd, but you lot are way outside the norm! Outrageous! You''re worse than starving stray dogs!��


    The Gunmerrys drooped their heads in unison.


    ��������We got scolded��


    ��Living is so painful. That''s right, let''s die��


    In situations like this, Lanseal is strong. She doesn''t sweat the small stuff, but when things get to be too much, she''ll rage until the other party is overwhelmed.


    She has made Maria cry a few times because of this. However, she isn''t hated by her. In fact, Maria became more attached to her than before.


    That''s probably because she''s a very loving person at her core.


    ��No dropping food! No eating with your hands! No throwing tes! Alcohol is not meant to be poured over heads! Before I talk about table manners, you lot need to learn how to behave like people!��


    The Gunmerrys were all cowed by Lanseal''s regal air.


    This is the true majesty of someone of a true king''s lineage. It makes me feel sorry for Lutz-san when Ipare the two of them.


    If she hadn''t been carrying me, she would have appeared even more dignified though.


    As could be expected, Misuranika-sama wasn''t cowed. She was grooming herself.


    ��Who��s the one who taught you such barbaric behavior?��


    In response to Lanseal''s question����


    ��This one~��


    ��It''s basically all the king''s fault~��


    ����they sold out their king in unison.


    They had not one shred of loyalty.


    ��You wench��


    ��Eeeeekkk!��


    Lutz-san shriveled up so much that he seemed to be about to disappear.


    It feels like he''s one breath away from soiling his pants.


    ��Raise them properly! They''re your children, aren''t they?!��


    ��That''s not true! I������������I haven''t even kissed anyone yet. Once things settle down, I''m nning on getting a boyfriend��


    What?


    ��Sorry. Can I ask a question?��


    I raised my hand and asked Lutz-san a question.


    ��Err, Lutz-san, are you a woman?��


    ��Huh, I''m a woman, yes?��


    Lutz-san gave me a look like she was saying, "Isn''t it obvious?"


    No, well, now that I take a closer look, though she''s t-chested and could use some cleaning up, I certainly do think that she has rather lovely features.


    ��Team member Souya, as Yukikaze thought, you didn''t notice, did you?��


    ��I hadn''t noticed, indeed��


    ��You''ve still got a long way to go��


    ��Yes��


    I tapped Yukikaze''s pod lightly����


    ����with my pathetically small hand.


    ��Huh? Thentern is talking? Is it a magic item?��


    ��I want it~��


    ��Acquire! Collect! Seize~!��


    The Gunmerrys surged towards Yukikaze. I desperately resisted as they tried to snatch her away. My pants got pulled down.


    Lanseal scattered the little ones with a kick. For some reason, they seemed happy as they were sent flying.


    ��You wench, you''re called Lutz, right? They''re causing trouble for others! You have to scold them properly!��


    ��I, I''m, I''m sorry. But I don''t like scolding others. Besides, if the Gunmerrys leave me, I''ll die a miserable death in the alternate world��


    ��First, you have to follow your own righteousness! These children are being raised all wrong because you don''t take a firm stand on what''s right and wrong! Interpersonal rtionships are a sh of what each party believes is right. There are times when that results in both sides making concessions, sharing their values, or even killing each other. It is when people are able to forgive each other after such shes that they develop feelings for each other. The first step is to hammer what you think is right into your children!


    You think that just standing there silently will foster rtionships between people and that it will turn things around. I''m putting my own righteousness on the line to tell you that you''re wrong!��


    In some instances, this argument is absolute nonsense, but if she''s not wrong, she''ll likely raise good kids even if she imposes her beliefs on them.


    But the Gunmerrys aren''t children.


    They��re evil spirits.


    But today''s Lanseal sure is passionate. I wonder what happened?


    ��Oh! But, but, you see, umm, what if what I think is right is wrong to begin with?��


    ��At that time, you should apologize. You should beg for forgiveness. If the other party doesn''t forgive you, then you should give up. It was not meant to be. If you are forgiven, then try your hardest not to be wrong next time. That''s all there is to it��


    ��Un, understood. But, um, well, I don''t know if I can do it������


    Lutz-san shriveled even smaller.


    ��Me and Souya started out trying to kill each other. It was so intense and passionate, and until I lost consciousness, he kept shooting shot after shot into me��


    Arrows, she��s talking about arrows, alright?


    ��Eh, wow��


    Lutz-san��s cheeks were a little flushed.


    Another misunderstanding about me had been born.


    ��Now, Lutz, you should start right away. I''ll pick up after you��


    ��Eep��


    Urged on by Lanseal, Lutz-san turned to face the Gunmerrys.


    ��Li, listen to what I say~!��


    ��Tch, shut the hell up��


    ��Oh, we''ve reflected on it. Yeah, right~��


    The Gunmerrys werepletely looking down on her. This was probably these guys'' true nature.


    ��Uu,uuu��


    Lutz-san started trembling violently.


    Perhaps she was a little panicked, but she grabbed an elixir from her coat and hurled it at one of the Gunmerrys.


    With a loud crash, it shattered and the medicinal solution drenched its helmet.


    ��GYAAaaaa!��


    ��KYAAaaaa!��


    ��UWAAaaaa!��


    The Gunmerry that had been doused with the elixir wed at its helmet as it tumbled over and thrashed about on the ground.


    Seeing that, the other Gunmerrys and Misuranika-sama started screaming.


    It seems that it��s super effective.


    ��G, go, go back to the inn right now! A, an, and clean up the room!��


    She grabbed another bottle of the elixir and brandished it in the air.


    ��Hyaaa!��


    ��Kyaaa!��


    ��What are you going to do? I''ll throw it! It''s sour and bitter, you know?!��


    ��I will obey~! Not that, my lord~![1] Please spare us that~!��


    ��What about this rice? Please, spare us this rice~!��


    When the one who had been doused in the elixir did a Dogeza, the other eight followed suit. There were nine of them in total.


    Hey, they''ve increased in number again!


    ��Then you know what to do, right? Right?!��


    It might be because I had be more conscious of her as a woman, but Lutz-san looked kind of cute at that moment.


    ��I''ll go back and clean, even as I vomit blood��


    ��We''ll clean even if our limbs fall off��


    What kind of cleaning are you guys going to do?


    ��Tidy everything up properly. Throw away the unnecessary things. Got it?!��


    Maybe Lutz-san was getting into it, but she was puffing out her chest.


    ��It''s time to declutter~����Minimalist living~����The Pol Pot[2] of the alternate world~����We won''t desire for things. With this, we''ll win![3]����Tighten the strings of your helmet after winning(don''t let your guard down even after a victory)����If we tighten the helmet strings, our insides will burst out~����What do you mean, our insides~?����No~ idea����Those who found out have disappeared����������Fufu��


    Each and every one of the Gunmerrys offered upints.


    They started talking about pretty strange things midway through though.


    Also, they''ve been saying things that are curiously simr to phrases from the modern world, but were those trantion errors by Babel, I wonder?


    Or could it be that they possess modern knowledge or something? These fairytale-like mysterious creatures? Yeah, right.


    ��Everyone~, form a line!��


    Fweet, fweet, went Lutz-san as she blew the whistle in her mouth.


    Even though she was cowering earlier, she''s in high spirits now.


    ��March straight to the inn! Don''t get out of line! You alternate world worms!��


    ��Yes, King Lutz-sama!��


    The Gunmerrys extended their hands diagonally upwards into a radical salute.


    Fweet, fweet, went Lutz-san as she led the way. The little ones followed behind her. At the end of the line was a cat.


    When we also tried to leave����


    ��Excuse me, dear customer. That''ll be one gold coin for the food those people who just left ate-nya��


    ����I was forced to pay for their meal.


    [1] What I��ve tranted as my lord here is �����٘�(O-Dai-Kan-Sama), and it��s how one would address a prefectural governor/magistrate in the Edo period. It��s also used sarcastically sometimes to refer to bosses and superiors who are irrational and too demanding.


    [2] Pol Pot was a political leader whosemunist Khmer Rouge government led Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. During that time, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million Cambodians died of starvation, execution, disease, or overwork. Some historians regard the Pol Pot regime as one of the most barbaric and murderous in recent history.


    [3] This is most likely a reference to the wartime slogan ��We won''t desire for things until we win��. This slogan is said to have been made by a girl in the fifth grade, but that��s also said to be an unspeakable ��lie.�� Here��s a picture of the slogan(courtesy of https://withnews.jp):


    I won��t go into the story behind it as it��ll get fairly long. But I��m sure you can surmise that it isn��t a good story.


    Yeah, King Lutz is a girl. If you go back and check, you��ll realize that no one other than Souya had referred to her using gendered pronouns at all, which is in keeping with the original, until Lanseal calls her ��wench��, the first time a gendered pronoun was used by anyone other than Souya. And even then, he hadn��t actually called her a ��he�� out loud, they��ve all been inside his thoughts only. Why do Japanese authors love doing this gag so much, I wonder��


    As for the arrows gag, either you get it or you don��t, it��s too nsfw for me to exin...but yeah, I struggled a bit tranting the joke so that it would fit...the original is much better at causing the misunderstanding, but English is just too darn specific��


    Frankly, at this point, I don��t even know if I should be hinting and keeping things spoiler-free as I��m pretty sure everyone can clearly tell that the author is continuously dropping hints about Lutz-Ou and the Gunmerrys�� But I��ll continue being vague��especially since there are certain discrepancies hidden in that deluge of hints...you know what they say about the forest being the best ce to hide a tree...


    Though I wonder why Misuranika-sama is always joining in with the Gunmerrys�� antics��


    Anyway, long double chapter next time to wrap up this arc. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 99: Honey And Elixir III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 99: Honey And Elixir III & IV</h4>


    <Honey And Elixir III>


    Lutz-san was still in that strange state.


    She must have been holding a lot in until now. That would exin her strange behavior.


    The ce they lived in was a small inn at the end of an alleyway.


    The inn was a repurposed traditional home that was run by an elderly couple. These people had turned the ce into a hoarder house.


    ��This is terrible��


    That was Lanseal''s impression, and I had to agree with her.


    Because of the statue protruding out of the building, the windows on the second floor were left open and the front door on the first floor was only partially closed. A quick peek showed that junk was piled up wall to wall inside.


    Lutz-san and the Gunmerrys, who were inside the inn at the moment, had lined up their unwanted items along the narrow alleyway leading to the inn, taking up half of the passageway. It was a bother, but the neighborhood kids had gathered around out of curiosity.


    ��I''ll go help them. Souya, it''s not safe, so stay here with Misuranika-sama, alright? Please don''t follow any strangers. And don''t take any food from them either, okay?��


    ��Yeah, yeah��


    My mind is still that of an adult''s, you know?


    Lanseal rolled up her sleeves and marched into the messy house.


    I sat down at the corner of a flower bed with Misuranika-sama in my arms.


    ��Can I pet your cat?��


    ��Sure��


    A dog-like beastkin girl started petting Misuranika-sama.


    The other kids made a fuss and followed suit.


    Misuranika-sama was very popr with the kids.


    After that, I yed soldiers with the kids using the junk lining the alleyway.


    I wore a pot as a helmet and used a rolling pin as my sword. My partner was a fat Hemu boy who equipped himself with two door panels in a double shield style.


    This was how we fought.


    First of all, I would charge out ahead of him


    Once I had the enemy''s attention, I would retreat to the fatso and he would stop all the enemies. Once they stopped moving, I would surround the enemies with my other allies and wipe them out.


    It was the birth of a great duo.


    We buried many of our enemies with our amazing teamwork.


    The problem we had was that the enemy forces would be revived all at once through magic. As they were revived as soon as they were defeated, there was no end to it.


    Perhaps they found it troublesome midway through the game, but everyone would revive before the girl ying the magician could even cast the magic.


    Also, we were divided into two camps for the fight, but the enemy sowed discord among us and a civil war broke out.


    It looked like it was going to be a horrific three-way battle, but since everyone was revived immediately, it turned out to be rather tedious instead.


    Everyone got bored of it, so we switched to ying tag.


    Everyone tossed the junk they were equipped with wherever they pleased.


    My hair was stuck to the crud at the bottom of the pot and I had trouble getting it off. Seeing that, the fatso gave me a hand in removing it.


    ording to the local rules, since I was the slowest to remove my equipment, I was "it".


    ��I''m gonna start counting����


    ��Okay!��


    I started the count at ten.


    Mixed in among the kids running away were a cat and a Gunmerry.


    The rest of the Gunmerrys are still cleaning, so this one is probably thezy one. I guess this one is like those ants that don''t work.[1]


    ��Nine��, eight��, seven��, six����


    I counted slowly.


    A few of the kids were smirking as they peeked at me from the corner of the alley.


    I''ve found you.


    ��Fourthreetwo, one!��


    Dash!


    ��Oh, that''s cheating~!��


    ��That''s not fair~!��


    I touched all three of them.


    By the way, the game of tag is yed in Lemuria with a zombie rule in which the people touched also became it.


    This game is officially known as ��vampire tag��.


    Six of us went after the fatso.


    We attacked the fatso as he tried to protect the beastkin girl.


    ��Oh, this guy, he''s trying to act cool��


    ��That''s not true��


    The fatso got embarrassed when he was teased.


    No one looked that annoyed by it though


    ��Guoo!��


    ��Garrrrrrrr!��


    Those who were it acted just like vampires and bared their fangs at the rest of the humans.


    While sshing through muddy water, sliding down moss-strewn stairs, jostling, andughing with one another, we raced through the dungeon of back alleys.


    The only one left at the end was the Gunmerry.


    It was so quick that it was pretty hard to catch. We hadn''t caught Misuranika-sama either, but everyone didn''t seem to be counting the cat as a participant.


    Five of us pounced on it at the same time, but the Gunmerry slipped between us and managed to escape.


    And then����


    ��Haha, hehehe��


    ����it taunted us, who had fallen t on our faces.


    This piece of������


    The kids'' fighting spirit was ignited.


    But however, we''ll need to keep our cool here in order to prevail.


    ��Strategy! Meeting~!��


    Everyone gathered together.


    First, the ones who knew theyout of the area well drew us maps. We dug out some rags and charcoal among the junk and used those for the maps.


    We also gathered some tools for setting up traps and put the right people in the appropriate ces.


    They all listened to my instructions carefully.


    I could swear that the Gunmerry had participated in the strategy meeting as well, but I didn��t let that bother me.


    ��Operation! Start~!��


    Flourishing the rolling pin, I directed the others.


    Kids�� Regiment VS Lazy Gunmerry.


    Start!


    ��GUOOOO~!��


    We yelled as we chased after the Gunmerry.


    This one is fast at running away, but since it''s not really taking us seriously, it doesn''t run off far enough that we lose sight of it. It keeps itself a fixed distance away from us, but when someone falls down and stops, ites closer to check on that person out of concern.


    While we were patiently chasing it, another team was setting up a trap.


    Also, I had the rearguards of my team split off and go on ahead. They would burst out of corners, scaring the Gunmerry and steering it towards where we wanted it to go.


    The chase went on and on, and the ce we finally arrived at was where it had all started.


    In that narrow alleyway, more junk had been piled up as the cleaning progressed, forming a small hill.


    ��Now~!��


    On my signal, the trap was sprung. The small hill crashed down on the Gunmerry.


    To top it off, the kids also dove in to crush it from above.


    Our team, who had joined up, also dove in.


    ��Ouch, ouch��


    We were all covered in junk. We had gotten dirty and hurt, but we didn''t care.


    ��I''ve caught it~!��


    The fatso held up the Gunmerry''s helmet.


    ��Hmm?��


    What''s inside it?


    ��������������Huh?��


    ��Huh?��


    I raised my voice and everyone else followed suit.


    Before our eyes was a headless Gunmerry that was groping around for its helmet.


    ��GYAAAaaaaa!��


    The kids scattered all at once.


    I also ran away with them.


    The headless Gunmerry came chasing after us!


    The fatso was still holding its helmet in his hands, so I snatched it from him and threw it away.


    We scattered as we fled, but the ones who got along somehow ended up flocking together.


    The girl who first petted Misuranika-sama, the fatso, and me.


    Cowering in a corner of an alley, it was our turn to hide from the pursuing Gunmerry.


    We kept the sound of our breathing down and when we heard the nking of its helmet, we held our breaths.


    The nking of the helmet faded into the distance.


    But we didn''t dare rx yet.


    It felt like the Gunmerry would appear ande eat us the instant we let our guard down.


    Just thinking of that made my body tremble.


    However, that fear was drowned out by the tolling of a bell.


    Before I knew it, it was already dusk.


    This ringing of the bell signaled theing of night. The time for kids was at an end. Soon, it would be the time for drunken adults.


    ��Oh, I have to go home now or Mama will be mad��


    ��Me too, or I''ll get scolded by the priestess��


    Time flies so fast when having fun.


    The two of them waved and then turned to leave.


    ��See you again~!��


    When the fatso called out����


    ��Oh. ������See you again!��


    ����I answered that in spite of myself.


    The girl also waved at me with a smile before disappearing from sight.


    In the alleyway, it was just me by myself.


    No����


    ��It''s good to y with kids once in a while��


    ����there was one cat.


    With the cat that rubbed herself on my leg, I headed back the way I came.


    ��Souya, did you have fun?��


    ��Yup!��


    ��Are you going to y with those kids again tomorrow?��


    ��������I don''t know��


    ��Do you want to?��


    ��������Yup��


    ��Listen, Souya��


    The cat stepped in front of me.


    Then turned to face me.


    Her golden eyes gleamed as she barred my way.


    ��The bonds you''ve lost cannot be restored, but you can make new ones. By doing that, you can live in a world where there are no beasts or curses. Fortunately, there are many beside you who are from a race for which time is different. They will likely be there to watch over you while you grow up. There is more than one way to find happiness. At the very least, there will be less bloodshed on that path than there is right now��


    It��s a very loving suggestion from my god.


    Here, in this world, I��ll y and grow up with the kids from today, and then, some day, I''ll explore the dungeon again.


    It will not be the adventure of a foreigner.


    It will be the adventure of an inhabitant of this world.


    The grown-up fatso will carry arge shield, the beastkin girl will cast magic enchantingly, and I��ll fight with a sword in my hand.


    The elven sisters will likely be there to support us.


    Day after day of breathtaking adventures.


    I won''t be made to dance at someone else''s tune. I''ll have my own will, freedom, hopes, and dreams. A true adventure will unfold before me.


    That''s a nice dream.


    However����


    ��That isn''t going to happen. It��s a decision I made as a man, so I''ll continue down the path I set out on. It��s not as sweet as honey, but it''s worth fighting for. It��s worthwhile enough for me toy my life on the line for��


    She smiled, her eyes narrowing like a beast''s.


    This is who I am.


    I''m a person who cannot be saved.


    At the same time, I awoke from the dream of the alleyway.


    It was a short dream. It was a fun dream.


    ��I see. In that case, I won''t say anything more��


    Closing her golden eyes, my god walked off, her hips and tail swaying.


    I chased after the alleyway cat that I couldn''t catch up to before. In this fantastical ce tinged with a rosy flush.


    There was just one question that I had swallowed back.


    Misuranika-sama, was our meeting a coincidence? Or was it����


    ��Souya! Where have you been?!��


    I got scolded by Lanseal upon meeting up with her.


    ��I was ying with everyone��


    ��Oh my, you got yourself so dirty��


    It was no wonder as I had run about in wet alleyways and dived into a sea of junk.


    Thebat uniform I had on, which was borrowed from Maria, was a mess. My hair was also sopping wet.


    ��We''ve cleaned up the ce to some extent. We haven''t found any special elixirs yet, but the end of the cleaning is in sight, so we''ll pick up where we left off tomorrow��


    Lanseal patted me on the head.


    ��Before we go back, let''s go take a bath��


    ������Perhaps it would be better to stay as a child after all.


    <Honey And Elixir IV>


    While we were using it, the maids who worked in the castle also came in. Apparently, it was customary for them to take a quick bath to clean themselves of the dirt from cleaning before they prepared dinner.


    Naturally, I caught their interest.


    ��Wow, so cute. Whose child is this? Lanseal, is he yours?��


    ��Yes, that''s right. He''s me and Souya''s love child��


    Before I could even say, "Hey, wait a minute," I was mobbed by many naked women.


    ��Your hair is ck. Is it from your father?��


    ��Which parts of him resemble Lanseal?��


    ��The profile of his face, maybe?��


    ��Hehe, I''ll pinch his cheeks~��


    I was extremely popr.


    I was so popr! That was the first time in my life that I��ve been this popr! It makes me want to cry. I think I may have used up my entire life''s worth of luck with women today.


    I''ll say it for the record.


    In the baths of the alternate world, there was paradise.


    Paradise~, but the rush of excitement at seeing the women''s bodies coupled with the temperature of the hot water made my consciousness fade away�D�D�D�D�D�D�Dand when I came to, I found myself on Lanseal''s back.


    I opened my eyes to a darkened in.


    Refreshed, we returned to the camp.


    ��Dear, wee back��


    ��I��m back~��


    Rana greeted me while Ea only gave me a quick nce.


    They were both sitting at the table drinking tea. Makina was in the middle of preparing dinner.


    ��Rana, Ea, did you have any luck?��


    It was Rana who answered Lanseal��s question first.


    ��I tried to gather information by threatening my schoolmate, but with little sess��


    ��What about you, Ea?��


    ��Hmm~, I found a couple of stalls that sell delicious food. Three of them��


    ��Right, you didn��t stay on task, did you?��


    ��Urghh��


    My sister seemed mortified. Even though she had gotten distracted by food����


    ��I��ve found the cure��


    A smug Lanseal puffed out her chest.


    I climbed down from her back for now. It wasfortable on her back, but the stares of the sisters hurt.


    Rana''s eyes met mine.


    She patted herp and beckoned for me toe over.


    I was about to go over to her when Lanseal grabbed my hand.


    ��?��


    What?


    ��Tomorrow, I''ll get my hands on the elixir that will cure Souya''s transformation into a child. This is my aplishment. It''s natural for aplishments to be rewarded. Right, Souya?��


    ��Ye, yeah��


    I nodded.


    ��Then I demand as my reward a night alone with Souya in my bed��


    ��What?!��


    Rana rose from her seat in anger.


    ��Hang on! Lanseal! That''s too big of a reward! That��s unfair, it''s a rip-off!��


    ��Calm down. There��s no way I would do anything to Souya when he''s still a child��


    Rana grabbed my hand.


    This situation where each of my hands was held by both of them gave me a very bad feeling.


    I had witnessed someone else in this exact same situation very recently.


    ��Huh, it''s the smell of soap. Dear? And Lanseal too? Wait a minute, what did you guys do in the city?!��


    ��No, Rana. We bathed in the castle. Because I got dirty ying��


    ��Don''t worry, the other maids were there as well��


    ��That''s even more worrying! What sort of game were you ying?��


    After paradise was a scene of carnage.


    Is this what they call paradise lost? I guess not.


    ��Besides, Rana, you slept with Souyast night, didn''t you?! At least let me have him for one night!��


    ��We''re husband and wife, you know? It was quite novel, so I slept really well!��


    Both of them were pulling rather vigorously.


    This isn��t good, in a child''s body, this could be fatal.


    ��E, Ea, help��


    I turned to my sister for help.


    ��In Onii-chan''s country, there are such sayings. You had iting, you got what you deserved, and ying with women is like ying with fire. This is a good opportunity for you to properly settle all of the problems you''ve had with women till now. Ganbare[2]��


    Can��t you do something about this catastrophic situation first?!


    ��Makina!��


    ��Makina needs to keep an eye on the pot, so please leave it forter~��


    Fuc�`!


    ��Yukikaze!��


    ��Yukikaze has an idea. It solved the problem the other day��


    ��Really?!��


    The mini-pod at my hip offered a brilliant suggestion����


    ��The winner of the tug-of-war will be the one who gets to share a bed with team member Souya tonight��


    Not! That didn''t solve the problem, it only eliminated the problem the requestor asked us to solve!


    Fighting spirit ignited in Rana and Lanseal''s eyes.


    With great force, both of them�D�D


    ��Gy�D�D��


    I started to let out a shriek in advance.


    It''s going toe out.


    My joints are definitely going to pop out.


    If I returned to my adult form, the injury would disappear, or maybe I wouldn''t get injured at all, but that''s not going to happen, is it? I suppose this is fate. This must be my punishment for taking a bath with lots of naked women. If I think about it in that way, I guess it''s a small price to pay.


    My flesh was pulled taut and my bones made a loud sound.


    Yeah, I''m going to be on break from the adventuring business for a while.


    ��Look at him, he''s just a child! Even if he''s the idiotic man you fell in love with, he''s only a child right now! Is hurting a child something that any woman should do?!��


    Misuranika-sama, in the form of a young girl, had flown off the handle.


    I had never seen my carefree god this angry before.


    A feeling I couldn''t quite identify and the fact that I had escaped from a critical situation overwhelmed me, and I reflexively����


    ��Mama~!��


    ����screamed and grabbed Misuranika-sama in a hug.


    ��Alright, alright, that must have been scary��


    ��Uwaaaa!��


    I was scared. I was super scared.


    I thought my arms were going to be ripped off. Women are scary!


    ��Umm, well, Misuranika-sama, but you see�D�D��


    ��No excuses!��


    A shattering sound interrupted Lanseal''s excuse.


    ��Gyaaa! It''s so bitter~~!��


    She screamed.


    ��Rana, this is no way for the first wife to behave! I''ve been wondering this for some time now, but for how long are you going to act like a little girl?! If you consider yourself his wife, then act like it! No matter how many women your husband has around him, it''s only because of you that he''s allowed to do that in the first ce, so proudly puff out that unnecessarilyrge chest of yours! You have no backbone at all! ������What do you have to say for yourself?��


    ��Umm������I don''t quite understand��


    I heard the sound of an object cutting through the wind, which was followed by a shattering sound.


    ��Hyaaa! It''s so bitter~~!��


    When I turned around, I saw that the two of them had been drenched in the elixir, or rather, had it thrown at their heads, and had fainted from the agony.


    Misuranika-sama, she''s so strong.


    ��By the way, Souya, do you have anything to say to me?��


    ��Umm, nothing in particr��


    ��To begin with, you''re the cause of all this. Reflect on your actions!��


    Thest thing I saw was Misuranika-sama holding up an elixir of a different color.


    An impact to the top of my head sent my consciousness into the darkness.


    For some reason, I was enveloped by the smell of honey.


    Yeah, I was made painfully aware that god is equally unreasonable to everyone.


    Distantly, I saw a dream where everyone was being lectured by a ck young girl.


    [1] Many studies have been performed on this, but when scientists investigated ant colonies, they found that around 25% of the ants don��t actually do anything all day. And some studies that marked all the ants they were studying uniquely so that they could differentiate them individually have even shown that it��s not as if they are resting or on shifts as it��s the same few ants that are doing nothing consistently. So the general meaning of the saying based on this is that in every kind of poption or organization, even for ants who are said to be industrious, there will always be a few who are just ckers.


    [2] That means ��Good luck��. I left it that way because Ea says that one phrase in ��Japanese��, thenguage of the modern world. Also, the words that are italicized after this one are in ��English��.


    Well, it��s pretty evident, but I��ll mention that III is one of the most vital chapters in the early part of this story that tells and sets up a lot of stuff. I��m sure you��ve realized, but Misuranika-sama knows. She is aware of the cost of her power. And she tried to offer Souya an out. An alternative path. And then, the author quickly tried to distract us by dangling the bath scene in front of us.


    So I��ll take this opportunity to ask you, the reader, to consider something. What exactly is the price Souya pays? What precisely is it that gets burned up like fuel in exchange for power? Have you been blinded by the obvious and missed something ring that can look the same but is totally different? Well, it��s food for thought. As always, the hints will be bigger and bigger as time goes on if you didn��t get by this chapter...


    Well, on to IV then. I love how Souya��s previous misdeed came back to bite him in the ass in such a magnificently ironic fashion. Iughed so hard. Also, poor Frey����


    Well, that wraps up this arc. The final arc of this volume is up next. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 100: The King Of The Little Ones I

    <h4>Chapter 100: The King Of The Little Ones I</h4>


    ��117th day��


    ��Yeah, yeah��


    I hugged the small beastkin girl sitting on myp.


    ��Fukyuu~��


    She shuddered contentedly. Her short tail also wagged vigorously.


    ��Next, pat my head, pat my head��


    ��Alright, alright��


    I ran my fingers through her hair as I stroked her head. Her silver hair was straight and silky.


    ��Kyuu~, kyuu~?��


    She seemed happy.


    ��Umm, I have a lot of questions��


    I was meeting with Lutz-san again at the same bar as before.


    She asked me, confused.


    ��Who''s that child on yourp?��


    ��She��s Lanseal after being doused in the elixir��


    At the moment, she��s about six years old and is wearing a small maid''s outfit that Makina had sewn for her.


    It seems that the effects of the elixir varies from person to person. She had turned even younger than I had.


    Maria, who hade homete yesterday, had been delighted as she felt like she had gained a new younger sister.


    But how the heck am I supposed to exin this to King Lemuria?


    Also, Rana hadn''t changed much. All that had happened was that her boobs had shrunk a little, which in its own way, is quite a serious matter.


    ��But what about you, Souya-san?��


    ��I was able to turn back thanks to my cat. As it turns out, she had stolen the elixir from your room��


    I had gone back to normal thanks to the elixir Misuranika-sama had brought back with her. She had apparently swiped it secretly from among the junk.


    She''s a light-fingered god.


    ��So, Lutz-san, we now know that the other kind of elixir can reverse the effects, but were you able to find more?��


    ��Oh, yes. We couldn''t find any��


    Hey,e on~.


    ��But, you know, there''s no need to worry. Yesterday, after we had finished cleaning, I had my first good talk with the Gunmerrys. It seems that the effects of elixirs dissipate over time, so I believe that Lanseal-san''s transformation will wear off in time��


    ��How much time exactly?��


    ��Hey, how much time?��


    ��Yes, Princess-sama. None of us have a clue��


    One of the Gunmerrys got on his knee and replied.


    Its tone when speaking was aplete change from yesterday and very formal. The other five were standing at attention like soldiers.


    For now, I breathed a sigh of relief that their numbers had gone down.


    No, no, no, that''s not the problem.


    ��If you have no clue, then what about the time frame for making another of the other kind of elixir?��


    ��It depends on our mood-gozaru��


    ��Make one now��


    ��But I refuse!��


    It''s no use. They won''t listen to me.


    ��Lutz-san, I have a favor�D�D��


    ��You cur! How dare you address our princess in that way!��


    The Gunmerrys raised their weapons in unison.


    These guys sure have be troublesome in a different way.


    Lanseal clung to my neck in fear. I stroked her back and changed my tone.


    ��Princess Lutz, please order your vassals to create the other kind of elixir��


    ��No way, calling me a princess������


    Lutz-san flushed red.


    Speaking of which, her attire had gotten noticeably neater.


    She was still wearing the same unfashionable shirt, pants, and leather coat, but she was cleaner and tidier, which made her look more feminine. Her weapons, armor, and backpack were being carried by the Gunmerrys.


    ��He''s making eyes at our princess! How dare you! You adulterer!��


    ��Everyone, get him!��


    The Gunmerrys kicked me in the shin in unison. It hurt like hell.


    ��I''m a married man, so I don''t hit on other women��


    I��ve been hit on though.


    It''s caused a lot of problems though.


    ��������Ehh, you��re kidding������


    Princess Lutz hung her head, looking disappointed.


    Hmm, what''s wrong?


    ��Souya, what about me? What about me?��


    ��Yes, yes, I like Lanseal too��


    ��Chu~!��


    I got a kiss on the forehead.


    In its own way, this is pretty nice.


    She giggled, then reached out and hugged me happily.


    Even though you''ve be small, you''re still very aggressive, I see. If I were a lolicon, you''d be in danger, you know?


    ��������������Gunmerry. Make the elixir that reverses the effects. Right now��


    ��Yes, Princess-sama. Here it is-gozaru��


    The Gunmerry took out an elixir from his back.


    That��s fast. Why didn��t you just bring it out from the start?


    ��Well then, Souya-san������ Here it is!��


    She mmed it down on the table.


    The princess'' attitude had suddenly turned cold. She reminded me of Princess Amelia.


    ��Here, Lanseal. Drink it and grow up, alright?��


    I pulled out the cork of the elixir.


    A rich, sweet smell wafted out. It smelled like honey.


    ��?��


    Lanseal gulped it down with gusto.


    She had chugged it in one shot.


    ��More��


    ��It might be bad for you, so you shouldn��t drink any more��


    ��Okay~��


    It''s good that you''re so obedient.


    ��Princess-sama��


    ��Hmm?��


    The Gunmerry whispered into Princess Lutz''s ear.


    ��What, hang on, you should have said that earlier��


    The princess had a look of surprise on her face.


    ��Oh, is something the matter?��


    ��Umm, Souya-san, it seems that that elixir is "also" not very effective when drunk, and should be poured on the person��


    It''s as I thought then.


    ��The elixir isn''t meant to be drunk either, huh?��


    ��Yes, it seems that throwing or pouring it on the person is the correct way of using it. Just learning this alone makes me very d that I had requested for your help, Souya-san��


    ��Then, one more bottle please��


    ��Gunmerry��


    Upon the princess'' repeat request����


    ��Nuguuuguugu��


    ����the Gunmerry responded in an agonized voice.


    Then fell over.


    ��What''s wrong?!��


    When the princess called out in a concerned voice,


    ��We''ve reached the limit of our capabilities. My princess, I''ll apologize by harakiri.[1] If you wish to show mercy, please behead me��


    ��I��ll do it then��


    I just so happen to have my katana with me.


    I loosened it from the scabbard.


    ��Please stop! It''ll die!��


    The princess stopped me with all her might.


    I��m pretty sure that decapitation won��t be enough to kill these guys though.


    ��Oh, what a merciful soul. You''re a Buddha, a Bodhisattva��


    Tears sprayed out from the harakiri Gunmerry''s helmet.


    ��You''ve been talking aboutmitting self-harm all morning, but please don''t do that anymore, alright?��


    ��Fuwawaa, you��re a goddess!��


    ��Dictatorship, banzai![2]��


    ��Princess-sama, banzai!��


    ��We''ll conquer the continent~!��


    ��We''ll hang the rulers from the bridge~!��


    ��Please don''t!��


    The Gunmerrys were making a huge ruckus just like yesterday and the day before that.


    The customers and waitresses in the bar seemed to have grown ustomed to it and didn''t appear to mind.


    Well, this is nothingpared to themotion that adventurers raise at night, I suppose. They''re probably used to it.


    ��Oh, I almost forgot��


    I said.


    I took out a small bottle and ced it on the table. Inside it were small red berries.


    ��It''s a little different from what was requested, but I believe this should make the elixir drinkable��


    Though it does feel pointless now that the proper way of using it has been discovered.


    ��By any chance, is this the miracle fruit? Wow, this brings back memories. I''ve bought some online once in the past to use for weight loss��


    ��Princess Lutz, you��re������������correct me if I''m wrong, but are you a foreigner?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Well, I did have a vague inkling of this.


    This isn��t good.


    I''ll need to choose my words carefully with this one. Furthermore, she''s someone from a time period that''s quite close to mine.


    For one, I had almost forgotten about it, but at the request of thepany, my presence in this world is supposed to be a secret. Leaving traces of my presence is������������umm, it may already be toote on that count, but I guess it''s still not toote to start now.


    Emm, it��s the thought that counts after all.


    ��Myst name is Amou(����), which is written with the characters for sky and wing. Also, my real name is Rutsuko(������), not Lutz. When I came across the Gunmerrys, they called me king(Ou), so I just went with that as my nickname.��


    Yup, she''s Japanese.


    She''s the first person from my hometown that I''ve run into in a while.


    ��Ping? Pong? Pan? Princess Rutsuko. Name re-registered��


    ��Roger~��


    The Gunmerrys saluted


    Is Rutsuko-san the reason why these guys know so many weird things?


    This is terrible. How am I supposed to deal with them? It��s dangerous when they��re together.


    ��Souya, you''re a foreigner too, aren''t you? I��ve heard rumors about you from my person-in-charge at the Guild. ording to the rumors, after beating up some adventurers who picked a fight with you, you tied them up into a ball and dragged them all over town. You also conned an elven princess into marrying you, used your wiles to get into the king''s good graces, and crushed a number of merchantpanies that you didn''t like. You''re the adventurer with the worst reputation and also the adventurer who��s the fastest at clearing floors in Lemuria.


    The truth is that your identity as an adventurer is just a cover. It''s said that you��re actually the "Faceless King", a great viin who has inhabited this city since long before Lemuria was founded. That''s just what the rumors say though��


    I don''t know this Faceless King, but I do know one of his spies.


    But well, when they''re summed up like that, my misdeeds sure sound terrible. It''s hard to refute them as well because there''s a subtleyer of truth in all of them.


    ��For me, how do I say this������I think that you��re kind of cool!��


    ��Eh��


    Why would you think that? This girl is no good. She''s the type to fall for the wrong kind of man.


    As someone from the same hometown, my head hurts.


    ��Also, Souya-san, by any chance, are you Japanese?��


    ����������������


    Rutsuko-san''s gaze was directed at my katana.


    Careless.


    This is the most careless thing I''ve ever done.


    I''ve got something on my hip that I can''t exin away. What should I do? Should I say that I took it from some Japanese person or that I bought it? I can just barely chalk my appearance up to being from somewhere in Asia. But that''s risky. I can''t think of anything better. I hadpletely forgotten about this ofte. She had taken mepletely by surprise.


    Umm, this is the worst.


    Should I silence her physically or something?


    ��Yukikaze has a question. Princess Rutsuko, do you mind?��


    ��Ah, sure! Ask away, mysteriousntern-san��


    Yukikaze, who was hanging from my hip, spoke to Rutsuko on her own.


    ��By what process did Princess Rutsuko end up in the alternate world?��


    ��Huh? Process, you say? Well, you see, during my club''s morning practice, I was surrounded by fog, and when a light enveloped me from the front, I found myself in a strange forest. It was the beastkin''s forest. I was chased by a huge pig and came across the Gunmerrys. After this and that, I ended up working as an adventurer��


    ��Just as a matter of personal interest, what year was it in the Japan that Princess Rutsuko lived in?��


    ��It was 2010��


    Hmm?


    Huh?


    That��s weird.


    Could it be that Yukikaze spoke to her in order to ascertain this, I wonder?


    I unhooked the mini-pod from my belt and ced it on the table to make sure she could get a good look at it.


    ��?��


    Rutsuko-san had a puzzled look on her face.


    ��Thank you for answering my question. Sorry for not introducing myself. This unit is the Izora DC Yukikaze Modified II. Yukikaze is a fairy that assists team member Souya��


    ��Yukikaze, fairy������Oh, like the fighter ne or something?��


    ��No��


    Putting aside the things she said that were besides the point,


    The A.I.''spact mini-pods were first marketed and sold in Japan in "2001".


    No matter what kind of remote ce Rutsuko-san lived in, she would at least have seen them on television.


    It''s weird for her to associate a talking object of this size, one owned by another Japanese person at that, as a "magic item" or a "mysteriousntern".


    In a world full of cell phones and smartphones, people will associate even a kamaboko board[3] with talking if it''s held to someone��s ear.


    The term ��fairy�� as well, she probably misunderstood and took it as a reference to a popr science fiction novel. Or the anime version of it.[4]


    In a way, it''s very simr, but not the same. This girl can''t make the association to the A.I.s that the inhabitants of "my Japan" can easily make.


    This means that even though she came from Japan, it''s one in a different world.


    ording to Tortch,


    Portals are a manifestation of space-time travel, and it''s not surprising that they create time differences. But what if those differences also affect certain other fundamental aspects of the world?


    There is a big difference between "a world with this" and "a world without this".


    Rutsuko-san''s world probably doesn''t have this.


    It''s a world without the A.I.s I know.


    I received a message from Yukikaze. Covering one eye with my left hand, I had it disyed on the LCD of my sses.


    ��I see. Princess Rutsuko is probably a person from further in the future than team member Souya��


    ��Eh, the future?��


    ��When team member Souya fell into this world, he had lost most of his memories. His only possessions were a broken katana and a chonmage. After this and that, he came across Yukikaze and Makina. The katana is newly made. And that brings us to the present��


    Yukikaze, are you sure that the chonmage is a possession?


    ��Huh? But his clothes, shoes, and sses���� They''re rather modern, aren''t they?��


    ��That��s������just a coincidence. I see, so this way of dressing is considered modern~��


    Yukikaze, your cover story, it''s full of holes!


    Your endgame, your endgame sucks!


    ��Oh, so you''re a person from ancient Japan. Now that you��ve mentioned it, I can see it. Souya-san, you have the look of a person from the past. You resemble a certain actor from the Showa era��


    ��Is, is that so?��


    So she''s convinced by something of this level.


    This girl, I hope she doesn''t fall for a scam or something. I''m starting to worry about her.


    ��However, we''re both adventurers now. We may find ourselves working together in future, but Souya-san, let me make this one deration.������ Fufu, I won��t lose��


    I was overwhelmed by a really wide smile.


    I can''t believe how much she''s changed from yesterday to today. In a lot of ways, women are unfathomable creatures.


    ��Yeah, I look forward to it��


    Once more, I took the hand she offered me. She shook my hand firmly.


    I wonder if she''s a woman with a stronger core than I had thought. It may be pointless for me to worry about her.


    ��And just like that, boom!��


    Not reading the atmosphere, the Gunmerry mmed an elixir onto the table.


    The elixir had a different color. It was the other kind of elixir that was gold in color.


    ��There was a good vibe in the air, so I worked hard and made it��


    ��Alright, thank you��


    I took it with thanks.


    The only thing left to do is to pour it over Lanseal, but it''s probably a bad idea to do that here, so I''ll do it somewhere else.


    ��Princess Rutsuko, please sign here. Your finger impression would be fine as well��


    ��Understood��


    I took out the scroll, which I had almost forgotten about, and got her to sign the space indicating that I hadpleted the request.


    Rutsuko-san said.


    ��The problem with the elixirs was solved in the end by throwing them at the Gunmerrys, but amending the request is a pain, so I''ll just leave it as is. I''ll take the miracle fruit as proof of your assistance with the preparation��


    ��Of course, here you go��


    ��Well then��


    She put away the bottle of miracle fruit with the bright smile still on her face.


    Her smile faltered a little as she turned back to me with a question.


    ��������Will we ever meet again? You''re not going to say goodbye for good after this, are you?��


    ��I mean, we''re both adventurers. As long as we''re in this city, we''re bound to see each other even if we don''t want to. Besides, it might be me who asks you for a favor next time��


    ��I''ll be waiting. There''s no need to hold back with me, alright? Alright?!��


    ��Understood��


    This request is meant to help me forge connections with my fellow adventurers to begin with, so this is the right thing to do. There maye a day when I ask them for help with something.


    I��m starting to see the Guild President in a new light. He wasn''t just handing out requests at random, was he? The first one was terrible though.


    ��Well then, see you around��


    ��Yes, see you around��


    We parted ways, exchanging bows like Japanese.


    The Gunmerrys imitated us and also bowed their heads.


    [1] Harakiri(���Ф�) is written with the same characters as seppuku(�и�) and both mean essentially the same thing though harakiri is a slightly less formal of referring to it. It��s done voluntarily or used as a form of execution, and it is a form of death that restores honor. As can be expected, unless the person cuts deep enough to hit an artery when cutting open the belly, it��s a slow and painful death. In the more formal forms of this, there will be an assistant who will behead the person to ease his suffering should it be deemed appropriate.


    [2] Banzai in this case is sorta the same in meaning as ��Long Live (the king etc)��. Yeah, I could have just used ��Long live xxx��, but the Gunmerry��s over-usage of Japanese/modern world terms and so on is a plot point, so I��m keeping a lot of stuff, like the gozaru they sometimes add at the end of their sentences����


    [3] Kamaboko is a seafood product,monly known as fish cakes. Theye on a wooden board when sold in Japan. These wooden boards help maintain a certain level of water within the kamaboko by absorbing excess water when it��s too wet or letting the moisture in them go into the kamaboko when it��s too dry, thereby keeping the kamaboko from going bad for longer.


    [4] ���L����?ѩ�L (loosely trantes into ��Combat/Battle Fairy, Yukikaze��) is an SF novel series written by Kanbayashi Chohei(pen name). It was adapted into a 5 episode anime by Gonzo and Bandai Visual. You guessed it, Yukikaze is the name of a fighter ne in it. Specifically, a fighter ne with an A.I. that is piloted to fight against aliens. It��s also been adapted into games for Xbox and PSP.


    It��s really a small thing, but the elixir not being meant to be drunk but poured was something already hinted beforehand�� If you had noticed, the Gunmerrys had been pouring alcohol on their heads when they ��drank�� it, which was pointed out when Lanseal scolded them. Yeah, this author��s hints are like this a lot of the time. It��s really hard to get it at that point in time, but when you know the answer and look back, some stuff really stick out.


    To rify a bit, the Gunmerrys called her Ou(king), so she just went, ��Oh, that sounds like the end of my name, so I��ll just use that as an alias.�� Hence, Rutsuko became Lutz-Ou.


    Oh, and I��ve exined the chonmage once, so I didn��t put a note for it, but in case you forgot, it��s that old-school samurai hairstyle.


    And that wraps it up for Rutsuko����for a while, at least. I��m sure you��ve guessed, but she��s gonna show up here and there like Frey, though Frey is admittedly kinda fading into the background recently. But wait! The title of this arc! Are we not done with the Gunmerrys?! Or is it something else?! Stay tuned, as we delve further into the final arc of this volume!

 Chapter 101: The King Of The Little Ones II

    <h4>Chapter 101: The King Of The Little Ones II</h4>


    ��Evetta-san, it��s done��


    ��Yes, certainly��


    My horned person-in-charge checked the scroll and produced the reward.


    ��What''s this?��


    I had been given a card along with a silver coin.


    The card was made of a ss-like material and had a geometric pattern on it. The pattern changed depending on how the light hit it, much like a hologram card.


    Is this a rare card or something?


    ��That''s a Shogaku ticket. See here?��


    She pointed to the bottom left of the scroll.


    It had a design that looked like the card in my hand and the number ��01�� was written in it.


    ��When youplete a request with this mark on it, you will receive the number of tickets corresponding to the number written there��


    ��I see, so is there any benefit in collecting these tickets?��


    ��There is. You can exchange them for information on how to clear floors, hire people who are registered with the Guild, or exchange them for valuable items that cannot be found in merchantpanies. Also, please do not attempt to buy or sell these Shogaku tickets. Not just with merchantpanies, but also between individuals.


    There is authentication magic cast on them that links them to the request form, so illegally traded ones will be seen through easily. If you''re caught, you''ll be sentenced to forcedbor. It''s a pretty grueling punishment��


    ��I''ll keep that in mind. But information on how to clear the floors, huh����


    I desperately want that.


    Especially maps and so on.


    Completing requests like this can also be considered part and parcel of clearing the dungeon, I suppose.


    ��This is something I should have told you earlier, but your party was clearing the dungeon so smoothly that I forgot about it. I��m very sorry��


    ��No, it''s fine. By the way, how many tickets do I need to buy a map of a floor?��


    ��It depends on the floor, but the average cost for a map of one floor is 50 tickets. As for the hiring of people, the average cost for a period of ten days is 400 tickets for vanguards and 300 tickets for rearguards. However, it varies depending on the person. As an example, hiring me costs 700 tickets, while hiring the Guild President costs 1,000 tickets��


    So I can even hire Evetta-san, huh������ Oh! A naughty fantasy crossed my mind for a moment there.


    The Guild President sure is expensive though. No way am I going to hire him.


    ��But quite a lot of them are needed, isn''t it?��


    A map costs 50 tickets, huh?


    If I take it aspleting requests like the one involving the Gunmerrys 50 times, then it bes quite daunting.


    ��It''s just that your party is exceptionally fast at clearing the dungeon, which is usually done more carefully and slowly. By diligently ying monsters to obtain materials for crafting weapons and armor, andpleting requests to earn a daily living, an adventurer works, earns, nurtures, and is nurtured in return, all for the good of the city and the other adventurers.


    The Shogaku tickets are issued by the Guild free-of-charge as a way of supporting such adventurers.


    This may be a strange concept to you, Souya, but exploring the dungeon isn''t all there is to being an adventurer. Furthermore, in some respects, this city can only exist because of such adventurers. Please never forget this and act arrogantly. Those are the kinds of adventurers I hate��


    ��I''ll be sure to remember that��


    I don''t want to be hated by Evetta-san.


    All upations are equally honorable. In the same way, I''d say that there��s no difference in importance among adventurers.


    In particr, the adventure I''m pursuing needs no such distinction.


    The oue of reaching the 56th floor in the remaining 248 days is all I��m striving for in my adventure.


    ��Now, Souya, before I give you the next request, I have one question��


    ��What is it?��


    Bring it on.


    ��Since when did you have a child?��


    ��Since yesterday��


    Loli-Lanseal is sitting on myp again. This time, she''s well-behaved and quiet. The way she casually takes my hand and intertwines our fingers is just like her though.


    ��She looks an awful lot like someone I know when they were little��������


    ��Evetta-san, it''s just your imagination. This is the child of my acquaintance, and she has been left in my care for a while. She has absolutely no connection to the illegitimate child of the king of this country, and furthermore, she is not rted to me by blood at all��


    ��Is������that so? I was thinking, by any chance, have you guys finally gone and done it? Despite how the king seems, he''s a doting parent, so if what I had imagined was true, I would expect you to be unable to go on any more adventures, Souya. I''m relieved that my fears were unfounded��


    ��Haha������haa��


    I can��t help but have a bad feeling about this.


    ��Anyway, here''s the next request. At the bar, Master needs a new�D�D��


    ��Hey, Souya��


    The Guild President appeared behind Evetta-san.


    His expression was sterner than usual.


    ��There��s a special request for you. Evetta, give that request to someone else��


    ��Understood. So, what''s the special request for Souya?��


    ��For reasons of confidentiality, I can''t share that information with the regr staff of the Guild. Hey, Souya, follow me. That kid cane with you. Or rather, bring her with you��


    The payoff for the foreshadowing came really quickly.


    The Guild President led me and Lanseal past the reception area.


    We reached some stairs that went up.


    Speaking of which, the reception area for the Adventurers'' Guild on what''s called the 1st floor of the dungeon is located somewhere in the middle of the "Odoriji Spire". (Though that''s purely my subjective opinion since I can''t tell how deep it actually goes.)


    What adventurers are exploring are the floors below the reception area.


    In that case, what''s on the floors above the reception area?


    ��This ce is off-limits to even advanced adventurers. Only a select few Guild employees are allowed ess. The only reason a novice adventurer like you can enter this ce is because you were summoned. Just don''t touch any of the books around you. At best, your wrist, at worst, your entire upper body will be devoured��


    I was told something very ominous by the Guild President.


    We went up the stairs.


    The upper floor we arrived at was a library.


    It was a circr atrium with light pouring in from the center of the floor, and there were rows of bookshelves as far as the eye could see. Their shelves were jam-packed with books, books, and more books, with barely a gap between them.


    In addition, every single one of the books was huge. These books weren''t meant to be read by humans. They were as tall as a person.


    There had to be millions of these books.


    No������������it might even be more than that.


    The bookshelves and books were stacked higher than I could see, all the way up to even higher floors.


    Is this the Guild''s private library? This is a heck of a lot of books.


    ��Reading them with your sses or that device hanging from your hip is also forbidden��


    ��Understood��


    At the Guild President''s words, I passed my hand over the top of the mini-pod.


    That was the signal to not try anything. It was a warning to Yukikaze to keep her curiosity in check.


    I''ll have to be more careful in future since the Guild President has found out about the A.I.s and the devices. I''ll be held responsible for deeds that are illegal or fall into a gray area.


    We continued through the forest of books and arrived at an open area.


    ��Obfuu��


    The person waiting for us let out a weird sound when that person saw us.


    Sitting alone in a chair and without attendants was a man.


    A man who was 61 years of age.


    In the alternate world, where the average life expectancy was fifty years, he was considered to be very old.


    However, his physique was muscr and imposing. Ever since he was cured of his illness, he had been growing increasingly vigorous and energetic.


    In order to hide his identity, he wasn''t wearing a crown on his bald head.


    He was dressed as usual in well-made clothes and a cloak, and was holding the thick hilt of a bastard sword with both hands. It was still in its sheath, but it was no less intimidating.


    At his hip, he wore a katana just like mine.


    It was King Lemuria.


    To be specific, it was a King Lemuria who was zing with anger and killing intent.


    I want to go back������������ If I go back, I will be able to survive again. Will I survive, I wonder? [1]


    ��Souya, I have a great many questions for you��


    ��Yes��


    His voice was very threatening.


    The pleasant old man who ate every little dish with relish was gone.


    ��It wasst night. Over pillow talk, I heard something peculiar��


    Who was he sleeping with? The king''s two wives should have passed away already.


    I''m curious, but this is definitely not the time to ask.


    ��I heard that my daughter, Lanseal, brought a child with her to the castle. A child with ck hair, just like yours. In addition, I have another pressing question for you right now. Who on earth is that silver-haired girl?��


    That very Lanseal was hiding behind me.


    ��She��s the child of my acquaintance, and�D�D��


    ��Otou-sama~, who��s this Oji-chan?��


    Said Lanseal in a sweet~ voice.


    He��s your Otou-sama!


    Eh, is that where you��re going with this? That''s a path that could cost me my life, you know?!


    ��Isn''t she your daughter?! Answer me! Who''s her mother?! She looks just like my daughter did when she was little! When did this happen?!��


    ��No, this is, umm��


    She''s none other than your daughter.


    Even if I tell him the truth in this situation, he''s just going to dismiss it as nonsense. What am I to do������������and that was when I caught sight of the Guild President, who was standing behind the king.


    ��������pff������kuh��


    His face had turned bright red as he tried to stifle hisughter.


    You piece of shit! You set this up despite knowing everything, didn''t you?!


    ��Now, answer me, Souya! Depending on the circumstances, not even you will get away with this!��


    ��Please calm down, my king. I will exin everything in order��


    ��I won''t listen!��


    What the heck am I supposed to do then?


    ��Ki������kuh������King Lemuria, this is�D�D��


    Holding back the urge to burst outughing, the Guild President opened his mouth.


    ��You shut your mouth! I''m asking Souya!��


    He shut his mouth.


    What��s the right thing for me to do here?


    As I helplessly paid no heed to the king''s angry voice������


    ��This Oji-chan is so scary��


    Lanseal muttered softly.


    The king froze.


    ��Don��t bully my Otou-sama��


    ��������������Oh, ohh. Sorry, I''m sorry, littledy. I wasn''t trying to bully your father, alright?��


    He had broken out into a huge smile.


    This person seems like he would spoil his grandchildren silly if he had any.


    ��Oji-chan, who are you?��


    ��I''m Lemuria?Oru?Almagest?Razva, the king of thisnd��


    ��Why is the king so angry with my Otou-sama? Why?��


    ��Um, umu, your father, you see, he sort of has a problem with women. I had heard that they were in a rtionship, but I haven''t given them my blessings yet, and heid his hands on my daughter despite being a married man. Furthermore, he assaulted my daughter after refusing my proposal once, so it��s������ How should I put it?��


    He seemed to be having a hard time finding the right words.


    Sticking to acting like a child, Lanseal continued.


    ��Do you have a wife, King-sama?��


    ��I had two, but they both died early. But fortunately, they left behind several children��


    ��Is it really just two?��


    ��������������Mu, hmm? Umm������that��s, well��������


    Hang on a second there, King-sama.


    You had two wives and you still fooled around with other women?


    ��Littledy, all kings love women. This may be hard for a child to understand, but that''s just the way it is��


    ��Two young noblewomen from Elysium who hade for a visit��


    ����������������


    When Lanseal said that softly, all the blood drained from King Lemuria''s face.


    ��Three widows of advanced adventurers��


    ��������������Obfuu��


    The king choked.


    ��The Mansion of the Night Demon''s Wild Banquet, the Golden Fleece Mansion, the Mansion of the Red-Eyed and Indolence, the Mansion of the Sleep Demon and the Goddess of Fertility, Is''s Mansion of Honey��


    ��Th, that��s��������


    Cold sweat had begun to trickle down the king''s forehead.


    The words that hade out of Lanseal''s mouth must have rung a bell.


    They were all names of brothels.


    ��Eight dancing girls from a traveling troupe��


    ��Wh, who did you hear all that from?!��


    The king was flustered to no end.


    ��There''s a journal that Verxina-okasama inherited from Nemosh-okasama. It��s currently in my possession. Father��


    ��What, could it be that you''re Lanseal?!��


    ��Yes, I may have be like this, but I consider it a blessing as it allowed me to get a very precious look at the king��


    She looked like a six-year-old, but she was even more intimidating than the usual Lanseal.


    The king sure fooled around quite a bit, huh?


    The Guild President, who had remained silent, gave the king a bted exnation.


    ��King Lemuria, I just got confirmation. This appears to have been caused by the Gunmerrys'' elixir. I��d never have thought that it would have such an effect. I believe that the ck-haired child in question was Souya himself��


    Bullshit, you''ve known that for quite some time.


    ��I see. That''s awful. So the effects can be reversed?��


    ��Yes��


    Finally, I had a chance to speak.


    I took out the elixir from the pouch at my hip.


    ��This is the elixir that reverses the effects. By pouring this over Lanseal''s head, she will return to normal��


    ��Ohh, that''s great��


    He was trying to act all innocent.


    Lanseal was giving him a look of disdain.


    ��Umu, there''s no problem then��


    The king pped his knee and got up from his chair, trying to escape.


    ��Father. I''m not done talking to you just yet. Please sit down��


    ��But you see, Lanseal, as the king, I have a backlog of matters involving the country to attend to. Isn''t that right, Solcia?��


    ��That''s right, King Lemuria. We must return to the castle at once��


    ��Solcia, you take a seat as well��


    Lanseal also spoke forcefully to the Guild President.


    ��Lanseal-sama, where exactly would you have me sit?��


    ��The floor is fine. Even the floor is a luxury for those whough at setting others up in their wicked schemes. If you prefer, shall I arrange for a de for you to sit on?��


    ��������The floor is fine��


    The Guild President folded. He put down his staff and sat down next to King Lemuria.


    My goodness, Lanseal is so strong.[2]


    ��Souya��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��Go sit next to the king as well, Souya��


    ����������������


    I''m also on that side, huh?


    With the Guild President and I sitting on either side of King Lemuria, Lanseal''s lecture began.


    ��Father, you''ve had your way with the maids as well, right? Nine so far. No, eleven?��


    ��������Thirteen��


    ��It''s high time you learned some sense! If you want to marry, marry! Choose properly! Take responsibility properly! You''re too old to be sleeping around like a young man! It''s this kind of behavior that has had such a bad influence on Georg that he''s be as rotten to the core as you!��


    For some reason, I felt ashamed as well.


    Seeing my grimace, Solcia chuckled.


    ��Solcia, I also have some concerns about your work��


    ��Well, Lanseal-sama, as the President of the Adventurers'' Guild, I''ve never singled out Souya��


    ��You''ve been rejected twice by Rana, haven''t you?��


    ��Ugh��


    ��Pfff��


    This time, it was me who burst outughing.


    So the reason why this guy has been so cold towards me is because he has a crush on my wife. What''s more, to think that he''d hold a grudge against me because he had been rejected twice by Rana.


    ������If he had approached her after we got married, I''m going to have to step in though.


    ��It doesn''t make sense to have Evetta, who has never dealt with Shogaku tickets before, be the one to exin them. In the first ce, shouldn''t this have been exined the moment Souya became a novice adventurer? Huh?!��


    ��That''s because his exploration of the dungeon was going so well that we didn''t have the opportunity to�D�D��


    ��It should have been exined, RIGHT?!��


    ��������������Yes��


    He waspletely overpowered by her.


    ��Completing requests to help improve his bad reputation. On the surface, that sounds reasonable, but is that really something that needs to be done so badly that you have to ban him from exploring the dungeon?��


    ��He''s the most notorious man in the city, so I believe that something of that level is justified��


    ��Regarding this notoriety that you speak of, Souya actually has quite a good reputation among the merchantpanies, the tradesmen, the menialborers, the farmers, and the serfs. They all say that he understands the value of things and pays well. That he is polite and not arrogant.


    Certainly, it is a fact that there is some jealousy from the adventurers from the same batch as him. But that''s just the opinion of the most vocal. Are you sure you''re not attaching too much weight to those voices, Solcia?��


    ����������������


    The Guild President fell silent.


    I''m surprised that I have such a good reputation among those kinds of people.


    But it''s only because there are people like them who sell quality products that we''re able to enjoy delicious meals, so I don''t quite understand why some people feel the need to act arrogantly towards them.


    Even though doing such things alwayses back to bite you.


    ��Where''s your apology to Souya?��


    ��Urgh��


    ��Lanseal, there''s no need for that. Even though I waste to hear about the Shogaku tickets, it wouldn''t have made any difference to my adventures. So there''s no problem��


    ��������If that''s what you say, Souya, then I''ll let it slide��


    I turned and smiled broadly at the Guild President.


    How''s it feel? The feeling of being pitied by the likes of me? Hehehe, I''m feeling really great right now. I think I''m going to sleep very well tonight.


    I could hear the Guild President gnashing his teeth.


    Oh, crap.


    I couldn''t stop myself from provoking him.


    I hope he doesn''t hold a grudge over this. Or is it already toote? Well, what will be will be.


    ��Souya, there''s something that has been on my mind for a while now. I thought that someone would warn you about it, especially Rana, but that woman has no ability to judge, teach, or nurture a man, and only thinks about lovemaking no matter how much time has passed! So let me say this to you with all my heart. You''re a small-minded person��


    ��What?!��


    She suddenly hit me in a sore spot that I was sensitive about.


    ��Show the tolerance to silently forgive those who don''t do anything more than mock you. You''re so petty. Your caliber as a man is small!��


    ��Y������������es��


    Right at this moment, the pir supporting my heart got shattered with a single blow.


    It��s a good thing I''m sitting down. If I had been standing, I would have been felled.


    This scene of a king, a Guild President, and a foreigner being lectured by a six-year-old girl.


    It''s a nightmare.


    Even at the best of times, people are creatures that get depressed when yelled at by those younger than them.


    When the person doing the yelling is a little girl, the damage dealt is immeasurable.


    She''s not really a little girl and only looks that way, but that doesn''t matter at this point.


    The sun had long since set before we were finally released from it.


    [1] This is a reference to Admiral Masatomi Kimura��s words that I��ve mentioned back in vol 2, ��Let��s go back, since we��ll be able toe here again if we go back��, which is about retreating to live another day.


    [2] Souya is talking like a middle-aged woman here.


    This has to be the chapter that Iughed the hardest on so far. Btw, in case it wasn��t clear, Lanseal was only pretending to be a kid the whole time and Souya knew it yet indulged her.


    Btw, Oji-chan=middle-aged to elderly man. Not to be confused with Ojii-chan=elderly man, grandpa.


    I mentioned this a while back, but note Souya��splete refusal to call King Lemuria ��Your Majesty��, be it aloud or in his head.


    Well, pretty funny chapter overall. But it seems that Solcia knows about Souya��s tech...what does this mean and for how long has he known? Stay tuned, still a ways to go till the end of the arc!

 Chapter 102: The King Of The Little Ones III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 102: The King Of The Little Ones III & IV</h4>


    <The King Of The Little Ones III>


    ��Solcia, you''re a really weak drinker, so take it easy with the drinking, alright?��


    ��Then I��ll have the weakest and most expensive one. Put it on the, hic, Horns'' tab��


    ��Give us expensive stuff that has been watered down��


    Lanseal had gone back to the castle with the king in that state. She had looked very sleepy. It was past the time children went to bed, so it couldn''t be helped.


    As for me, I had gone to a bar with the Guild President.


    Lanseal had told us to drink away our grudges.


    We were at my regr bar, the Raging Bull and Silver Fox bar. It was a bar managed by the Kingdom of Lemuria.


    I was seated at a counter seat, drinking cheap alcohol with the Guild President, who was smashed.


    After what had happened, I couldn��t me him.


    But isn''t he too weak with alcohol? To think that he would be dead drunk after only a mug or two of ale.


    ��I tried my best in my own way too~. If not for our respective circumstances, I would have done everything in my power to get the princess, even if it meant snatching her~��


    ��Yeah yeah��


    Like a shback, Lanseal''s words came to mind.


    ��When ites to being scheming, you two are so alike!��


    She had said.


    Though that''s not true, my feelings were deeply hurt.


    I would never do things like getting drunk and involving myself with a guy who slept with the person whom I loved but couldn''t be with. I think.


    ��Why~, oh why~, is she with this kind, this kind! This kind of person!��


    My shoulder was getting peppered with weak punches.


    They don''t hurt, but we''ve been subtly drawing a lot of attention for a while now.


    Well, he''s the President of the Adventurers'' Guild after all.


    His looks are what they are, so many people remember what he looks like.


    It feels like strange rumors are going to be spread about this.


    Jeez, I''m starting to get tired of even thinking about it.


    ��Master, I''ll have another as well��


    ��Got it. You''re in a rare drinking mood tonight��


    A new mug was ced in front of me. The ale here was less carbonated, so it was possible to down it in one gulp.


    I gulped it down.


    After a strong bitterness, I could taste a fruity vor and sweetness in my mouth. As it went down my throat, the bitterness turned into a pleasant and refreshing sensation. I came to the realization that alcohol drunk after going through something like that tasted better.


    I have no desire to drink to the point of addiction, but I understand a little better the feelings of a person who does.


    Once again, I��ve grown a little.


    ��Princess~! Princess~!��


    But what should I do with the drunk guy next to me, I wonder?


    Can someone please tell me?


    ��118th day��


    Carrying a dead drunk Guild President on my back and not knowing where he lived, I went to the store owned by his foster father������������Oh.


    ��I see, so that''s what happened��


    ��Yes, that''s what happened-nya��


    When I woke up, I found myself lying naked on a big bed.


    To my right was a blonde cat beastkin dressed in sheer silk.


    To my left was the Guild President, who was in the arms of a baby-faced, big-breasted woman.


    I could imagine what had urred.


    ��Tyutyu, by any chance, did I������


    ��Thank you for using our services-nya��


    She had a big smile on her face as she trailed her fingertips over my chest.


    On her flushed cheeks was a look of satisfaction.


    I see.


    This is how men grow up, isn''t it, King Lemuria?


    The moment I came to that understanding, I passed out.


    When morning came, the Guild President was nowhere to be seen.


    I had a horrible hangover. It felt as if every cell in my body had been corroded.


    I decided then to never drink again.


    After borrowing the brothel��s bath, I cleaned up in a lot of ways. However, I couldn''t seem to wash away the headache and the inconvenient truth.


    I declined Tyutyu''spany, as it felt like that might be putting the cart before the horse.


    It at least helps that I have no memory of what happened, but doing anything more would leave me with no excuse.


    Well, I do feel like what I��ve done is already inexcusable though.


    I was about to leave when I was caught by Otou-san and made to prepare breakfast.


    By randomlybining ingredients that I found in the kitchen, I made pasta.


    I didn''t do it consciously, but I ended up making the prostitute pasta[1] I had seen in an old manga.


    It was fairly well-received, and it seemed that they were going to add it to the brothel''s refreshments menu.


    I gave the recipe to the proprietress, paid Tyutyu, and then fled out the back door while the prostitutes were preupied with the pasta.


    My destination was the Adventurers'' Guild.


    On the way, I contacted Makina to exin what had happenedst night.


    ��Makina has already been informed by Yukikaze-chan. Please submit the receiptter, alright?��


    ��O, okay��


    The bars and brothels on this side don��t have the practice of issuing receipts though.


    Or rather, I can expense this? Well, Makina is the one in charge of our finances, so����


    ��To Rana and the others������������What did you say?��


    ��Makina said that Souya-san went out drinking with a guy. There''s no helping it for men, right? This kind of drinking session after work is also a part of maintaining business rtionships, isn��t it? As for what happened after������Makina is just a child, so Makina doesn''t know anything��


    ��I''ll exin in detailter. Just don''t say anything weird to Rana and the others��


    ��What do you mean by weird?��


    Her question was both bald-faced and sarcastic.


    ��I''m talking about the stuff that happens between adults[2]��


    ��Hmpt~��


    Communications was cut off one-sidedly


    Recently, Makina''s favorability points have only been dropping. Though she doesn''t have it in her to rebel, she just might run away from home.


    It feels like it would be a huge hassle if the A.I. ran away or something like that.


    It''s not the first time I''m thinking this, but why do I run into so much trouble and concerns that aren''t rted to the dungeon?


    Even though all I want to do is explore the dungeon����


    I took a short trip down memoryne while walking.


    ��������������Fuu��


    For myself and the others, there are many things thate to mind.


    Hmm, well, I guess I got what I deserved.


    There��s no usementing over the past now though.


    I stopped my reminiscing.


    Since there was nothing just thinking about it would aplish.


    And then,


    I arrived at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    It was early in the morning, so there weren''t many Guild employees or adventurers there. I looked around�D�Dand quickly found who I was looking for. He came to me by himself.


    ��Hey, Souya��


    The Guild President seemed to be even more hungover than I was.


    His whiteplexion was absolutely ghastly. His legs were also trembling.


    ��This is thest request. Once youplete this, urgh�D�D��


    The Guild President covered his mouth with a handkerchief.


    Are you going to throw up? Hey, are you going to throw up? Should I get you a bucket?


    ���D�DOnce youplete this, you��re free to explore the dungeon again��


    He held it back.


    I took the scroll from him and unrolled it.


    The request was to "forget all about the unsightly behavior showed by Solcia, the Guild President of the Adventurers'' Guild,st night.��


    ��Understood��


    ��Sign it��


    ��Alright��


    I scrawled my signature in the appropriate nk space with a ballpoint pen.


    ��Here��


    Five gold coins were pressed firmly into my hand.


    I wordlessly pocketed them.


    ��I''m sure you understand, but if you ever speak of it to anyone, I��ll ce all sorts of curses on you��


    ��Yeah yeah��


    I would never do something so tasteless.


    They won''t work on me too, by the way, curses.


    ��Lastly, hand over the elixir that reverses the effects. The Guild will hold onto it��


    ��That''s fine, but won''t it be needed to turn Lanseal back to normal?��


    ��That''s exactly the point. This morning, I received a secret order from the king, saying, "The current Lanseal is like a grandchild, so it''s not bad. I''d prefer that she stays like this for a while"��


    My king������ Is that really alright?


    I''m pretty certain that he''s just scared of what will happen if the current Lanseal goes back to being a grown-up.


    ��Hand it over��


    ��Alright alright��


    It was a royal order, so I gave the Guild President the elixir.


    She''ll turn back to normal in time, so that elixir isn''t really needed, but I''ll leave the rest to the king. If something were to happen, I can just ask them to make another bottle.


    Speaking of which,


    ��By the way, Guild President, do you know about the Gunmerrys? I have a feeling that they''re pretty dangerous��


    ��I know about them. They''re certainly dangerous, but they''re needed in case this city faces a certain crisis��


    I can''t imagine a situation where those guys would be needed though.


    ��In folklore, there''s arge spider that was defeated by Heures and Lumidia, right?��


    ��Yeah, the one that got lumped in with L��


    It''s a case where two enemies became one as a result of attempts to erase a number of inconvenient truths.


    ��L was the one who revived it. That means that before that, therge spider had been defeated by somebody. ording to ancient writings, that was done by arge army of little beings. In all likelihood, that was the Gunmerrys��


    ��������������hmmm��


    That only deepened the mystery surrounding them.


    ��Therge spider multiplies by infesting living things parasitically. For that reason, what better to oppose them than doll-like weapons of unknown origin that were possibly created by an ancient civilization. They appear to be in this world, but they are not. They look like living things, but they''re like mists. Immortal little beings who dwell in the consciousness and dreams of the human they''re contracted with��


    ��I see��


    I don''t get it.


    I do feel that they sound kind of awesome though.


    ��Because the method by which L revived therge spider is unknown, there''s a need to stay on guard against it. The Gunmerrys are one of the ways ofbating it. Besides, they''re pretty good adventurers, in spite of themselves, and the problems they cause are nothing more serious than being too boisterous��


    ��That does make sense��


    Even if therge spider were to be revived, we have the fog magic that Rana recreated.


    I''ve lost Lumidia''s grace, but my sister is an archer on par with her.


    There are plenty of ways for us to fight it.


    There are plenty, but it never hurts to have more.


    ��Now, you''re free to explore the dungeon and do as you plea������������urgh��


    Unable to keep his vomit down, the Guild President ran off.


    It was a scene that ruined his beautiful boy image.


    Even without me speaking of what I know, I''m sure that quite a lot of people saw his unsightly behavior, so he better not me it on me.


    ��Take care~��


    I called out to the Guild President''s back as he disappeared from sight.


    With this, thest request has beenpleted.


    Now, let''s explore the dungeon.


    <The King Of The Little Ones IV>


    Upon my return, Makina offered me a cup.


    I took it from the pod''s arm and looked inside.


    In the cup was a ck-ish liquid that looked like ale. It was carbonated and had a slight medicinal smell.


    ��What''s this?��


    ��Makina managed to improve the taste of the elixir to the point where it''s delicious. The only problem is that all the magical effects of the elixir have disappeared. In other words, it''s just a normal beverage��


    ��It''s pointless then, isn''t it?��


    ��Maria-sama liked it very much though��


    Well then, I''ll just take a sip.


    ��������������Hmm?��


    Its strong carbonation offset its sweetness. Amidst its unique medicinal vor, I detected a sourness simr to that of prunes. I couldn''t quite make out what the other subtle vors were as it was a mixture of many different things.


    If I had to describe it, I would say that it tasted like children''s cold syrup mixed with c.


    ��Uhh, isn''t this Dr Pepper?��


    It''s a mysterious drink with over a hundred years of history.


    There are many mixed opinions about its taste though.


    This is just my own opinion, but������it''s not a beverage, but a kind of drug. What''s more, drinking it is detrimental to one''s health. Normal people instinctively find its smell and taste hard to ept.


    ��What if Dr Pepper is something that came from the alternate world?��


    ��S, say what?��


    Certainly, I''ve heard that there are some mysteries regarding its formtion, but������hmm.


    ��No way��


    ��No way, indeed��


    Yukikaze also agreed with me.


    ��Ehh, it''s delicious though��


    Makina snatched the cup from me, extended her straw, then drank it noisily.


    ��Hey, are you sure it''s safe to drink something with so many foreign substances in it?��


    ��It doesn''t affect my functionalities. Besides, Makina already drank lots while taste-testing it��


    I hope this doesn''t be a big problemter on.


    It worries me.


    ��What about everyone else?��


    ��Geto-sama gave us some more fish today. Makina has filleted and salted them. Misuranika-sama, Ea-sama, and Maria-sama stayed up tootest night and are still sleeping. They are sleeping so soundly that it''s like they''re under magic of some sort. Makina is guessing that they probably won''t wake up before noon. Oh, Makina and Yukikaze-chan are also going to start our weekly optimization process, so we''ll be entering a dormant state for about six hours. That''s all��


    There''s more stuff than usual today.


    ��Yukikaze is still fine though��


    ��Enter the dormant state. That''s an order��


    ��Understood, entering the dormant state��


    That being the case, I unhooked Yukikaze and ced her on top of Makina''s head.


    ��Good night��


    ��Good night, indeed��


    ��Alright, good night��


    The two of them went into sleep mode, leaving the minimum level of surveince in ce.


    ��Oh��


    What about Rana?


    Shouldn''t that have been the first thing Makina reported?


    ��I''ll guess I''ll go see for myself��


    I muttered to myself, suddenly feeling lonely.


    Rolling up the entrance to my tent, I went inside. I caught sight of the back of Rana, who was lying down.


    ��I''m back. Were you sleeping?��


    ��Ah������������No��


    The tone of her voice sounded off.


    I don''t get the feeling that she''s angry. Well, no matter what I did, she has only gotten angry in an adorable way so far. It makes me want to bully her just to see that.


    It makes the elementary school kid in me mor to hassle the cute girl.


    ��Hey, dear������


    She rolled over into a different posture.


    The shape of herrge breasts changed under the influence of gravity.


    Reflexively, I went down on one knee to get closer.


    ��Hmm?��


    My knee had hit something.


    It was an empty bottle of honey.


    ��Rana, you''ve been eating far too much honey. It''s bad for your health, you know?��


    ��Hey������


    She stretched out one leg, ced it on my shoulder, and used her heel to gently pull me closer.


    ��!?��


    The sight before me was too much for my brain to process.


    This isn''t the kind of thing she would normally do. Dear wife, you''re opening your legs so boldly.


    ��Mhm, hmm��


    With her one leg still hooked around me, I pressed my lips to hers as she drew closer.


    The tongue entangling with mine was sweet.


    It tasted like honey.


    ��Rana, what''s going on with you?��


    ��Nothing, I''m the same as always��


    Her eyes had be heart-shaped, or at least, that was what it looked like to me.


    Aggressively, Rana locked her lips with mine


    There was no reason for me to resist.


    As if devouring each other, we y-bit each other sweetly. Our breaths were bing heated. And it wasn''t just our breaths that were getting inmed, but her and me as well.


    From the morning, I''ll be getting a good������������this is bad.


    ��Rana, calm down for a second. If we continue this, everyone is going to�D�D��


    ��It''ll be fine. Using magic, I summoned a sleep demon. They absolutely won''t wake up until well past noon��


    All hail the awesomeness and convenience of magic.


    I grabbed the hem of her robe����


    ��Wait, dear��


    ����but she rejected me softly. That was what I thought, but then she used the leg on my shoulder to forcefully push me down.


    Rana straddled me.


    This is certainly wonderful, but what''s going on with her today? She''s being so bold.


    ��Please let me take care of everything. You don''t have to do anything�D�D�D�D�D�DNo��


    She ced both hands on my shoulders. Her piercing eyes were like those of a wild beast, the limbs entwined around me were as strong as a serpent, and her sweet breath smelled like honey.


    Cradling my head, she whispered.


    ��To the point where you lose your breath, indulge in me��


    I was set upon by a beast.


    I only found this outter, but�D�D


    Though it varies from person to person, honey has an aphrodisiac-like effect on adult elves, and that��s one of the reasons why this race came to live in forests.


    For a long-lived race that has difficulty bearing children, ces where they can do the deed with abandon are considered sacred, and my wife''s god, the deer god Ezusu, is said to have attained godhood by protecting the elves'' dwellings, as well as closing his eyes to and keeping secret that race''s long history of sciviousness".


    Having taken an elf as my wife, it was only a matter of time before I would be exposed to some facet of this, but I got to experience an elf who had gotten serious.


    It was a priceless and wonderful experience.


    While it was a lewd dream, it was also a sweet one.


    However,


    But,


    Because I had been leftpletely drained, I''ll be taking a break from the adventuring business today and tomorrow.


    [1] Souya is talking about Spaghetti a Puttanesca, which is typically made with tomatoes, olive oil, olives, capers, and garlic. The story was that Sandro Petti, the purported inventor of this dish, had a group of customerse very near closing time and said, ��Fi una puttanata qualsiasi(throw together whatever)��, and having only the above ingredients, that��s what he threw together for them. However, due to "puttanata" being a word derived from ��puttana��, which means "whore" or "prostitute", it has generated the theory that the dish was invented in one of many brothels in Quartieri Spagnoli.


    [2] The term he uses in this context implies he��s talking about sex.


    Souya has been hanging Tyutyu out to dry for a really long time, but he��s finally done it. By the way, in a very clear example of how the ��unreliable narrator�� style the author uses works, Souya is feeling very guilty that he cheated, but not once was he able to actually put that down in words and kept skirting around it endlessly.


    I don��t need to give an exnation for Dr Pepper, do I? I found it funny that the author went there tho. For all we know, Coca-C and Dr Pepper may be technological singrities from another world! XD


    So yeah, not only did the elves in this world live in forests because there��s honey there, but also because their ��wild nights�� would be hidden from the eyes of others����This is certainly an interesting departure from the traditional tropes of elves, isn��t it? Still, the reason why Ezusu attained godhood����I have no words. XD


    It does seem as if the thing with the Gunmerrys has been wrapped up, but considering the title of this arc, is there more? Don��t miss thest chapter of this arc and volume!

 Chapter 103: The King Of The Little Ones V

    <h4>Chapter 103: The King Of The Little Ones V</h4>


    ��125th day��


    Both Agathion and Lys were back to normal, we made good progress, and were able to secure the route to the 30th floor.


    All that was left was to defeat the guardian with all our might.


    That would bring me past the halfway mark.


    It''s been 125 days since I first stepped foot in the alternate world. I have 240 days left to reach the 56th floor. ������Going by the number of days alone, I have more than enough time.


    The journey to this point has felt both long as well as short.


    For the first time in a long time, I asked for the probability of sess.


    ording to Yukikaze, it��s 48%.


    That''s a big improvement from Izora''s 0.2%, but considering that I still have a 52% chance of failure, I need to stay on my toes. And it''s precisely because I need to stay on my toes that I''ve started to take the time to rx from time to time.


    I strolled through the streets of Lemuria with just the clothes I happened to be wearing. But just in case, I had my katana at my hip. In addition, there was also the magic sword that woulde when I called for it.


    Even if I were to enter the rougher parts of the city, I would probably be able to at least fight off robbers.


    Unhindered by anyone, I let my feet take me wherever they willed, just like a cat would.


    With a god on my shoulder.


    ��Souya,e on, try saying "that" again. Come on��


    ��Please spare me��


    For a while now, she has been bringing this up a lot.


    ��Just try calling me "Mama~". Come on, it''s fine, isn''t it? Kukuku��


    ��������Mama~��


    She must have liked it a lot, because she would make me do this as soon as we were alone.


    Humiliation y.


    Humiliation y from a god with too much time on her hands.


    For this to be my way of rxing, am I a pervert or something?


    ��Alright, next is my turn��


    ��Yeah yeah��


    Misuranika-sama moved from my shoulder to the top of my head.


    ��Hmmm, let''s go right today��


    ��Alright alright��


    Following her instructions, I turned right at the fork in the narrow alleyway.


    Some sort of material covered the top of the alleyway, obscuring the sky. The path was dim, musty, and dank. Only in this alleyway was the ground not cobbled, but oddly smooth.


    My adventurous spirit aroused, I proceeded along the long, winding path.


    I found a store that had gone out of business.


    Sensing no signs of life, I went in.


    Was it once a general store, I wondered. The ce had been ransacked, so it was hard to tell for sure, but some traces of the furnishments of a store had remained. I looked around the abandoned space and tried to picture the vestiges of life that had once passed through this ce.


    Since its location wasn''t good, it was probably a hidden specialty store or a hobby store, and it likely wasn''t a thriving business.


    Even so, it must have been able to scrape by with its regrs.


    Every day, the same customers must havee and gone.


    There must have been days when they did nothing more than make small talk.


    However, after the owner passed away, there must have been no one to take over the business, resulting in it being abandoned.


    After dreaming that up in my mind, I left the ce.


    Once more, I continued down the narrow, winding path. I returned to a ce where the sun shone.


    ��Ugh��


    I was blinded by the re.


    ��Oh, this ce is������


    When my eyes had adjusted, I found myself in a familiar ce.


    I was in front of the Gunmerrys�� inn.


    In the short while since I had seen the ce, it had be neat and tidy. All the junk was gone and the old couple was baking bread on the first floor. That gentle aroma wafted through the whole area.


    There was a row of flowerpots outside, with flowers of all colors nted in them.


    In the upstairs window, I could see the back of someone I knew.


    Right when I was wondering if I should call out to that person����


    ��Oh, it''s a cat~!��


    ����a little beastkin girl came up to me. Behind her was a fat Hemu boy.


    ��Here, you can pet her��


    I offered my god to the children.


    The little girl hugged her like a stuffed animal, then petted her. The fatso also reached out and stroked Misuranika-sama''s belly.


    ��Are you guys ying here again today?��


    ��That''s right~, we''re waiting for our friend��


    The fatso''s reply left me in a bit of a quandary.


    We certainly did make a promise, but I didn''t think that children would dutifully keep it.


    The little girl stared at my face.


    ��Onii-������������san?��


    It would seem that she had realized something.


    A little lost as to what to do, I weaved a web of words.


    ��Is the friend you''re waiting for a kid with ck hair like me?��


    ��That��s right~��


    ��Yup!��


    The fatso and little girl replied.


    ��He''s my little brother. Thank you for ying with him. But I''m sorry. He''s gone to another continent. So, umm, for now������������he can''t y with you guys anymore��


    ��Eehhh����


    In unison, they let out a disappointed cry.


    ��When will he be back~?��


    ��I can''t be sure at the moment��


    ��Why did he leave without saying anything? Why?! Why?!��


    ��Erm, I''m in a bit of a bind here��


    I was overwhelmed by the two children who were pressing me for answers.


    The interest they��re showing is stronger than I had expected.


    ��My brother is sick. He has a disease that cannot be cured in Lemuria. And it will take a long time to cure him. A much longer time than you can wait�D�D��


    ��I see~��


    ��Oh, okay��


    So innocent. They believed me right away.


    My conscience hurts a little.


    ��Oh!��


    The fatso yelled out all of a sudden.


    He pulled the little beastkin girl back and they started whispering away. Incidentally, since she was still in her arms, Misuranika-sama was also listening and nodding along.


    What''s going on?


    ��Umm��


    ��Yes?��


    The fatso came up to me and asked me timidly.


    ��Could it be that you''re the king?!��


    ��Ehh, me?��


    Why would you think that?


    ��I mean, you''re carrying the same sword as the king��


    ��Oh��


    My hand went to my katana.


    Certainly, King Lemuria has an identical one. Recently, he has been carrying it everywhere with him, along with his favored sword. In addition, whenever he has a spare moment from his work, he wanders the streets armed in that manner, and if hees across any wrongdoings, he pulls his de out to redress it.


    Is he the Unfettered Shogun[1] or something?


    Well, it''s probably half righting wrongs and half picking up women though.


    Even though Lanseal, who looks about ten years old now, has been nagging him about it, there''s no sign of his problems with women going away.


    The fatso must have seen the king carrying the katana somewhere in the city.


    ��This is a sword from a foreignnd called the katana��


    I removed my katana, scabbard and all, from my hip.


    Loosening it from the scabbard, I let the de peek out just a little.


    It''s really just a little. This katana has a demonic quality to it. It might be harmful to children.


    ��There are only three of them in this world. They are owned by the king of adventurers, the father of adventurers, and me��


    ��Wow~��


    The fatso''s eyes sparkled with childlike curiosity.


    Perhaps the little girl''s beastkin instincts had warned her that it was dangerous, but she backed away, looking scared.


    With a click, I sheathed the katana.


    ��I knew it, you are the king~!��


    The fatso eximed with glee.


    Oh, crap. Of course he would take it that way. [2]


    I hadn��t been able to contain my childishness and had spoken braggingly.


    The lie that I had identally told also made me feel mischievous.


    ��To tell the truth, I''m hiding my identity��


    ��Hiding your identity~?��


    ��Was that too difficult to understand? I''m keeping the fact that I''m the king a secret��


    ��Eehhh~!��


    Both of them were surprised.


    "What should we do?! What should we do?!" they said as they looked at each other in delight.


    Their reaction was adorable.


    Secrets are treasures to children, I suppose.


    ��Children, you have learned a secret that cannot be shared with others. If you divulge it, you will be punished��


    Misuranika-sama interjected in a measured voice.


    ��Ehh, no way~��


    ��Oh no! Oh no!��


    They went from delight to distress all at once.


    Their emotions change so easily. I wish I could have had a childhood like this too.


    ��Hold on, I''m not done talking yet��


    ��What?��


    ��What is it, cat-chan?��


    ��If you keep the secret, you''ll be rewarded��


    ��What does the word ��rewarded�� mean~?��


    ��What does it mean?��


    ��Tell the man there what you want��


    ��A princess! I want to be a princess!��


    Shouted the little girl.


    ��A princess, huh������


    That''s a pretty difficult request.


    Can I fake it by giving her nice clothes, I wonder?


    ��Child, what kind of princess do you want to be?��


    ��Umm, I want to be beautiful, dazzling, fair, and have big boobs! Oh��������������


    The little girl''s expression darkened suddenly.


    ��But������priestess-sama said that beastkin can''t be princesses��


    ��Yeah, well��������


    Well, certainly, the beastkin currently don��t have the right to get married. They aren��t allowed to inherit the property of their partners either. Even for those with royal blood, so long as they''re beastkin, a mistress is the most they can be.


    Bing a princess is nothing more than a distant fantasy.


    It��s merely the grand aspiration of a child.


    ��In that case!��


    Shouted the fatso.


    ��I, I''ll be an adventurer! I''ll earn lots of fame, be a king������and then I''ll make you a princess!��


    ��Really?!��


    ��Y, yup��


    The fatso was blushing from embarrassment.


    It��s heartwarming.


    But that''s a thorny path, you know?


    The civilization that has flourished with beastkin under its thumb is currently the most powerful force in this world.


    Creating new rights requires the destruction of the existing rights. Liberating a people also means setting free their suppressed emotions and curses.


    The liberation of the beastkin ves that Maria speaks of is a tool of war, and not something that will grant them any rights.


    If anything, if they aren''t kept on a tight leash, they''llmit even more horrendous acts than the current rulers.


    That''s what Maria is.


    That''s the limit of one who seeks revenge.


    The right to be free can be used as a tool to instigate, but it is mere rhetoric that willst only until Elysium is destroyed. Rulers who are ustomed to using massacre as a tool will never be able to cast it aside.


    History will definitely repeat itself.


    It will repeat itself until the rift has been worn smooth through friction.


    Wanting to be a king and making a beastkin a princess would mean having to fight against ��everything��.


    It may be a dream spoken by a child, but it is a blood-soaked one.


    It may be a dream of bing a king, but it is the dream of a supreme ruler.


    However������������it is a dream.


    When I was a child, I didn''t have any dreams. That''s why I won''tugh at other people''s dreams. Even if they are pipe dreams, or ones that are forgotten in time, I have no right tough at them.


    ��Is that your wish?��


    ��Yup!��


    I knelt down, bringing my eyes level with the children''s, then asked.


    ��Let me hear your names, little ones��


    ��Gardnd��


    Replied the fatso.


    It''s a pretty manly name.


    ��Mikyuu��


    Replied the little girl.


    It''s a lovely name.


    ��I''m Souya?Urus?Ra?Tilt. A foreigner. An adventurer. And the king of the little ones like yourselves. I promise you this, Gardnd. When your fame has spread throughout Lemuria, I will bestow upon you this katana that is the mark of a king.


    But resolve yourself.


    The name of this katana is Kojiin. In thenguage of the foreignnds, it means "raging god". No matter what you y with this de, it will never lead you to the right path. I have "two" questions for you. Do you have the resolve to do this? The path ahead will be difficult��


    ��I will ask you the second question when ites time to hand over the katana��


    With a sinister smile, I tested the child''s resolve.


    But he didn''t back down.


    His eyes were aze.


    I saw an unwavering me inside them.


    If you are able to hold on to that me, then you''re the real deal. Your dream will definitelye true.


    After patting them both on the head, I stood up.


    I may be the king of children, but so that I''m not just deceiving them, I must act majestically.


    ��End��


    [1] The Unfettered Shogun (����󷻽�܊) (Abarenb�� Sh��gun) is a Japanese television program on the TV Asahiwork. Set in the eighteenth century, it showed fictitious events in the life of Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa sh��gun, who went after rogue councilors and daimy�� who were abusing their power. As ismon for shows of this genre, the moral is loosely "rewarding good and punishing evil".


    [2] The ��and me�� can also mean ��and that��s me(And that��s who I am)��. In other words, Souya was talking about 3 people each owning 1 katana, but the fatso thought that Souya was talking about one person(Souya) owning all 3 katanas, because the way Souya said it sounded a bit like a person bragging about his titles. Something like, ��The Dark Knight, Protector of Gotham, that��s who I am��, for example.


    The fatso is just a small kid who still doesn��t know many words, so it was a silly but understandable misunderstanding on his part. But that small misunderstanding is what led to the title of this arc. It��s a fun little subversion of expectations, isn��t it?


    The discrimination against the beastkin is a topic that Souya has done his absolute best to ignore so far, but he��s right, isn��t he? The scale of the problem is simply too big. ����What will happen in future, I wonder?


    But this scene with the kids. It��s one etched deeply in my mind.


    With that, see you next volume!


    And as a reminder, I provide ebooks to my patrons for easy off-line reading, so for those who would like something like that, I''d appreciate your support! And well, even if you don''t, I hope you''ll consider joining my Patreon anyways as I really do need everyone''s help to continue what I do! Thank you so much in advance!

 Chapter 104: The Great Skeleton Floors I

    <h4>Chapter 104: The Great Skeleton Floors I</h4>


    ��127th day��


    ��Huh?��


    The oldest member of the party said that to me.


    I was surprised because I wasn''t used to hearing such things.


    ��What''s this all of a sudden, Otou-san?��


    We were currently celebrating our clearing of the 30th floor.


    The celebration was being held at the usual bar that was run by the country. It was dusk, and the bar was just starting to fill up with customers.


    The table we were sitting at was piled high with pork and beans, which I was starting to tire of, as well as alcohol & more alcohol.


    ��What do you other guys think?��


    Otou-san asked the other members for their opinions.


    The boy was the first to answer.


    ��Yeah, well, his sword techniques are so-so, but I think his skill as a leader is amazing. Just look at those from our batch. They''re still trying to clear the 20th floor. Well, half of that is thanks to my skill though��


    Self-pride had been mixed in, but that was his evaluation of me.


    ��If half is thanks to you, then how much of it is due to my enemy detection and archery?��


    My younger sister turned on Shuna.


    ��Half, I suppose��


    ��What about Medimu''s quick thinking and sword techniques? What about Lys and Onee-chan''s magic?��


    ��Roughly half��


    ��That doesn��t add up, you know?��


    ����������������


    Shuna ate his meat in silence.


    In my spare time, I should at least teach him some math.


    ��Well, he''s my Onii-chan. Of course he''s awesome��


    In a good mood, my sister sat on one of my legs and put her arms around my neck.


    She seems a little drunk.


    ��That''s right. He''s my husband, so it''s no wonder he''s awesome��


    Then, her elder sister also sat on my other leg.


    Even though she doesn''t really get drunk normally, she also seems a little drunk. Not so much from the alcohol, but from the mood.


    ��Onee-chan, your butt is so big. Don''t take up so much space��


    ��What?! That''s not true! In the first ce, this is my husband''sp. Who do you think it belongs to?��


    Me, it belongs to me.


    ��This is my Onii-chan''sp~. Half of it belongs to me~��


    While saying that, my sister thrashed her legs about, trying to increase her territory.


    ��Ea! That''s so improper!��


    Her legs and thighs were bare as usual, but because she was iling them about, I could see her V-line through the gaps in her hot pants. Naturally, I also caught glimpses of her underwear.


    Ea, my sister, I''ve long suspected that your preference for wearing beastkin clothes also extends to wearing beastkin underwear.


    I''ve never taken a good look at them before, but I would imagine that they''re either V-back panties or T-back�D�D


    ��Dear��


    ��Ffoww��


    Rana pinched me on the cheek.


    ��You look like you''re thinking of something lewd��


    ��Pthat��s fnot true��


    I was caught leering at another woman(my sister) in front of my wife. I need to reflect on my behavior.


    ��When ites to being lewd, you��re no different, Onee-chan��


    ��Hold on, Ea! What are you talking about?��


    Rana''s face turned bright red.


    To be honest, she''s really cute. I want to bully her some more.


    ��Ea, I''ve been meaning to talk to you about this for a while now, but can''t you do something about the way you dress? You''re an elf, and royalty at that. You''re probably the only elf who dresses like the beastkin��


    ��It''s much easier to move around in these clothes. Even if I were to wear the traditional robes of royalty after all this time, I''d just trip and fall over. Besides, I can''t open my legs in them��


    ��O, open your legs?! In front of whom?!��


    ��Huh, Onee-chan, what are you so shocked about? During battle, there will be times when I''ll need to use different stances or I won''t be able to aim at the enemy''s vitals with my bow, right?��


    ��������You''re right. I jumped to conclusions��


    ��How do you open your legs, Onee-chan? When you''re wearing that robe��


    ��It''s easy, you just have to roll it up to your stomach area������������ What are you making me say?��


    ��So lewd��


    ��Ea!��


    Please refrain from having a civil war on myp.


    Sisters should get along.


    ��What about you, Lys? What do you think about that guy with an elf on each side?��


    ��Hmm��


    The girl knight called by Otou-san was holding her cup with both hands and licking the alcohol out of it. It was a strange, cat-like way of drinking.


    ��Dumb-looking face. Lewd��


    ��While that''s true, I''m asking for your opinion of him as a leader��


    Ehh, Otou-san, you have to disagree at times like that.


    ��So-so��


    Lys'' expressions of her emotions were as difficult to read as ever.


    She had started to listen to us a bit moretely though.


    ��In other words, everyone thinks the same��


    ��So what are you trying to say?��


    I don��t understand his intention in lifting me up all of a sudden.


    ��It��s because you always have that gloomy look on your face. You''ve cleared named floors, you know? You should be happier��


    The 25th to 29th floors are called ��the deep-green floors��.


    The guardian of those floors had been arge, headless stone statue.


    Its movements had been slow, but it had been incredibly sturdy and also highly resistant to magic. Rana''s magic had little effect on it. Shuna and I had been powerless against it. Ea''s arrows had also been ineffective.


    So, how did we defeat it?


    Otou-san had cut it in half.


    Certainly, his katana is special. A weapon of that caliber is not something that can be found easily in this world.


    But I, who��s using the same weapon, had done nothing more than chip its de. And yet, he had cut it in half like he was cutting a block of tofu.


    ording to him, he had noticed a weak spot in the stone.


    That''s what he said, but even with the various sensors of the modern world, I hadn''t been able to find anything of the sort.


    It can only be described as the pinnacle of intuition.


    The fruits of experience.


    Relying so heavily on one person for our adventures is surely foolish, so I just can''t feel happy about it. No������perhaps there is still some part of me that doesn''t recognize Otou-san as a party member.


    ��Well, I won''t ask you to dance naked like Lemuria did, but rejoice a little��


    ��King Lemuria danced naked?��


    That��s a surprise.


    Leaving aside his problems with women, I had thought of him as a rather grounded person.


    ��It was a long time ago, back when we first cleared the 15th floor. It took us over 70 days. Look at how well you''ve done inparison��


    Otou-san''s face was also a little flushed.


    He had drunk more alcohol than he usually did.


    ��Butpared to the present, the management of the Adventurers'' Guild back then was�D�D��


    I had heard that it was pretty bad.


    The Guild employees were corrupt, showed favoritism, would skim off the rewards from requests, and misappropriate the materials obtained in the dungeon. Conflicts between adventurers usually ended in death, with no one trying to stop them. Strength was required to do well in those dire straits.


    Ask anyone who was around during that time and they will tell you at length.


    That the adventurers of today are blessed.


    ��While that''s true, even when leaving that out, the speed at which this party clears floors is fast��


    ��Yeah, that''s right. But didn''t you hear what I said earlier?��


    Shuna started booing.


    Now now, said Otou-san before turning back to me.


    ��Though there are many talented people here, the strength of the party still hinges on its leader. In short, this is due to your abilities. Regardless of the circumstances or the methods, you should always be happy and take pride in the results achieved. Otherwise, the rest of us won''t be able to enjoy our drinks��


    ��That''s right, Onii-chan. You should feel proud and happy as my Onii-chan��


    ��I humbly ask you to take pride in yourself as my husband��


    The sisters provided supporting fire.


    ����������������


    I grabbed an empty te and covered my face with it.


    ��What the heck?��


    I heard Otou-san exim.


    ��Ah, Onii-chan! You''re embarrassed! Your face is all red! Hey, can I have a look, please? Let me see! So cute~~!��


    ��Dear, let me see too! You''ve made me show you my embarrassed face so many times, and now you''re going to hide yours?!��


    ��Like I said, Onee-chan, you''re so lewd��


    Both of their faces were very close.


    I could feel their breaths on my ears and cheeks.


    There was also the sensation of their boobs touching my shoulders and their butts moving around on myp.


    But I''ll never move this te. I''m not used to receivingpliments, so I''m definitely making a weird face that will put people off.


    I won''t let anyone see.


    I''m never going to let anyone see!


    It had been five days since that had happened.


    Our party had pulled ahead of the others by a wide margin and were ted with our sess. The praise that I wasn''t used to receiving made me keep on breaking into smiles. All the same, when it came time to embark on the next adventure, I pulled myself together and kept my guard up.


    I didn''t let my guard down.


    The same went for my other party members.


    Our conditions were good.


    The way we were, we could defeat any enemy that came our way.


    I believed that to be both true and certain.


    However, we ran into one major problem.


    A two day time skip from the end of thest volume to this one, so they defeated the guardian of the 30th floor in that time. Souya is more than halfway done! But man, what an ominous end to the happy start, huh? What do you think is this major problem that they ran into despite being in top condition?! Stay tuned to find out!


    And if you enjoy my work, please consider supporting me on Patreon, I kinda really need the help nowadays....


    As it''s the start of the month, this would be the time when you get the most for your invaluable support. The lowest tier is all I ask for, and it gives you ess to everything! Thank you so much in advance, every little bit really helps.

 Chapter 105: The Great Skeleton Floors II

    <h4>Chapter 105: The Great Skeleton Floors II</h4>


    After a two-day break, we challenged the 30th floor.


    The floors from that point up until the 34th floor are called the "great skeleton floors", and we''ll be intermediate adventurers once we''ve cleared them.


    If all goes well, we''ll be the "fastest" to be intermediate adventurers.


    But to be honest, I have no intention ofparing my party to others''.


    They have their circumstances, and we have ours.


    We each explore the dungeon at our own pace.


    All I want is to reach the 56th level and solve the mystery in the remaining 233 days. Because having more time allows us to regroup and make adjustments, I''m prioritizing speed.


    I basically ignore all requests from the Guild. We''re faster than other adventurers because we only do the bare minimum when ites to exploring or harvesting materials. It''s as simple as that.


    Of course, thepensation for my other party members is important to me. I''m not stingy when ites to that.


    Though I do cheat a little in how I earn the money for their living expenses and the cost of our adventures.


    Knowledge is money.


    Innovations are money.


    A while ago, I made mayonnaise and sold it. I followed that up with pasta.


    They were very well-received and I made a modest amount of money.


    The reason why I only made a modest sum is because the belief that "food is for the masses" is ingrained deep inside me. Though I can''t remember who it was that taught me that.


    However����


    But if you ask me to name the one thing that''s truly important, to me, the most important thing is the people who eat the food.


    Listen, Souya. When ites to whether a meal is delicious or not, it doesn''t matter if it''s expensive or cheap. The feeling that humans get from eating something and thinking "Delicious!" is universal. How expensive the food is matters little. That''s why chefs like me who want as many people as possible to eat their food exist. ������������That��s why it��s okay for chefs like me to exist[1]��


    As well as a withered hand that I had in my hands beside a hospital bed.


    My memory is fuzzy, but the pulsating warmth[2] in those thoughts remains vivid inside me.


    That''s why I consider food to be something for the masses.


    Delicious food is very expensive in this country. Moreover, it��s monopolized by a small group of people. The advanced adventurers and the wealthier merchants are a possessive bunch. They don''t want to share and prefer to enjoy things for themselves.


    The next thing I made is ketchup.


    Of course, I also spread the cooking methods for it widely. This approach is frowned upon by those who profit from monopolizing cooking techniques, but it is very popr with the consumers.


    In fact, the two merchantpanies that I have ties with are growing rapidly due to the positive response.


    This is one of the biggest advantages our party has.


    It''s also the reason why the other parties are envious of us.


    Now, this has been an awfully long preamble, but let me tell you what the major problem we ran into is.


    It��s��theyout of the dungeon��.


    Materials that look like the bones of creatures can be found all over the great skeleton floors.


    And there are no rooms, no separation of the floors.


    The 30th floor to the 34th floor has ayout that''s simr to an atrium.


    It''s like a jungle gym made out of gigantic bones.


    In other words, it''s a three-dimensional dungeon.


    And that''s not the only thing that''s out of the ordinary. There are countless portals everywhere. I threw exploration drones into them to check them out, but no matter which portal they went through, they always got sent to the entrance of the 30th floor.


    The portals make going back more convenient, but they do nothing to help us advance any deeper.


    Furthermore, there is no ecosystem here.


    The floors have nothing but bones in them. There is nothing for the monsters to eat. While there are monsters that eat Shogaku stones, there aren''t very many of them here. The walls emit very little light, with the portals serving as light sources instead.


    Nevertheless, there are still monsters.


    Moving bones that were once people.


    Gigantic skeletons like the one we had fought on a higher floor are alsomon.


    Fighting them on precarious footing is extremely difficult. They''re powerful enemies. Taking some damage would be unavoidable������������was what I thought, but once we actually tried fighting them, they were easily led to fall to their deaths with just a stone or two.


    I felt something of the ephemerality of the monsters.


    They are dead people after all, and are only bones, so maybe they''re not very intelligent?


    We used my sister''s ability to detect enemies as well as the A.I.''s many sensors. Once we knew their locations, defeating them was easy.


    The only thing we had to watch out for was falling to our death in the same way the monsters did.


    While staying alert, we cautiously descended deeper into the dungeon.


    It''s said that descending a mountain is more strenuous, but we''re adventurers. Walking is what we do. We kept the fighting with monsters to a minimum. In addition, we had a clear view, which made this adventure easier than the ones on the higher floors.


    If I had to describe my impression of it, the bottom was like a pit of hell.


    The skeletons that had fallen from above were writhing about. I got the feeling that if I were to lower a spider''s thread, they would swarm to it and climb up. [3]


    The route had been secured, so we returned for the day. Being able to just dive into a nearby portal and return home immediately made for a very easy adventure.


    We reached the area near the bottom in four hours.


    The number of enemies at the bottom had reduced dramatically.


    The reason for that was immediately clear. The skeletons were being swallowed up by the pirs of the floors and bing one with them.


    I see, they''ll re-appear at the top and then fall back down again. This cycle is the ecosystem of these floors, I suppose.


    We spent three hours scanning the bottom, looking for the stairs leading down.


    We were unable to find it.


    I got bored of the unchanging view.


    ��If we defeat the guardian, maybe the stairs will appear?��


    In response to Shuna''s opinion,


    ��Everyone, which one do you think is the guardian?��


    ��No idea��


    Everyone was of the same mind.


    There was absolutely no difference between the various enemies. There were giant skeletons, but there were about 45 of them, all looking exactly the same.


    ��Yukikaze��


    ��It''s unclear, indeed��


    Could it have hid itself by bing one with a pir? Or is it somewhere in this huge three-dimensional space? This is bad, isn''t it?


    Simply descending is easy, but when we have to look for something, it bes a hassle. Even if I bring more drones, searching for something in a jungle of bones is the very definition of back-breaking.[4]


    ��Alright������������let''s eat��


    I need a change of pace. Besides, I''m hungry.


    The menu for the day was hot dogs.


    The sausages were made by a beastkin from the eastern forest. My sister hade across him looking for work in the city, and I had hired him to work in our merchantpany.


    The intestines of dungeon pigs are used to line equipment to waterproof them, but there is always quite a bit left over, so they are often thrown away. To go with that, we added some unseble scraps of meat, garlic, red peppers, a little bit of white wine, and cheese. The clincher was the beastkin''s special spice mix and stuffing.


    Thus, the cheap, tasty, and easy-to-carry-around sausage was born.


    I was mystified as to why it hadn''t caught on before now.


    These sausages.


    As a matter of fact, they have a long history and have existed in the alternate world for over five hundred years. However, they were seen as a lowly beastkin dish in cities with a lot of Hemu, and had been banned and gone into obscurity.


    I had been very lucky to find something that could be paired and sold together with the ketchup.


    I wonder.


    What''s with my luck when ites to things unrted to my adventures?


    Is it a revtion from god telling me that it''s fine even if I don''t explore the dungeon?


    It''s possible.


    With that god of mine, it''s definitely possible.


    ��It��s almost done~��


    I boiled the sausages in a small amount of water, then served them in bread. The bread was also specially made by Makina and had a fluffier texture than the bread sold in the city.


    On top of the sausage, I arranged some diced pickled onions, and then drizzled ketchup over them.


    It was a simple dish, but the individualponents were delicious, so there was no need to add anything else.


    The thick, long, andrge hot dogs were wrapped in parchment paper before I handed them to my party members.


    ��Here, Shuna��


    ��Ooh��


    He''s always the first to attack, so he also gets to be the first to eat. When ites to rest, he''s also the first to get it. Since he��s in his growth period, I want him to gain as much experience as possible. That��s my way of showing parental love.


    He immediately took a bite.


    The sausage burst open and its juices spurted out.


    ��Hot, hot������������ Oh, it''s delicious��


    It was well-received.


    I got started on making the next one immediately.


    ��Here, Ea��


    ��I''ve been waiting for this! Onii-chan, more ketchup for me��


    ��Alright��


    I added more ketchup, then handed it to my very excited sister.


    ��Ea, please wait a moment��


    ��Huh?��


    Rana stopped Ea just as she was about to take a bite.


    ��As your elder sister, I cannot allow you to open your mouth wide and eat something like that in front of people��


    ��Oh��������


    Ea blushed uncharacteristically and then faced away from the men.


    By the way, the way beastkin eat sausages is to chop them up and put them in soup or fry them. They don''t eat the whole thing in one piece.


    Well, as vulgar as it sounds, it looks like that. And it''s magnificent.


    A girl of a tender age putting that into her mouth������������no good, what the heck am I imagining?


    ��Souya, I want more onions on mine. Half the sauce is fine��


    ��Understood��


    I made it ording to what Otou-san requested and handed it over to him.


    ��Hmm, this sauce, it''s the one you used before to season pasta, isn''t it? I don''t dislike it, but too much of it is������but hmm, mmm? Whenbined with the meat juices, this is��������


    Otou-san started munching it down.


    For some reason, the way he scarfs down his food makes everything he eats look delicious.


    ��What about you, Lys? Is a normal one okay?��


    ��I don''t want any onions��


    ��It''s not good to be a picky eater��


    I sneakily hid some onions in-between the bread and the sausage.


    When I handed it to her, Lys sat down next to Ea, turned her back to us, and then started chomping away.


    ��What about you, Rana?��


    ��I��ll leave it to you, dear��


    I made a normal one, then handed it to Rana.


    All three women sitting in a row with their backs to us, eating hot dogs. It''s kind ofical.


    ��Souya, give me another one��


    ��Alright. Is a normal one okay?��


    ��More ketchup��


    ��Got it��


    I handed Shuna his second hot dog.


    After that, I made one for myself and ate it.


    The bread in the alternate world is typically very hard, so Makina''s bread has a very nostalgic texture to it.


    Sausages are delicious. Really delicious. When I bite down on its stic skin, the juices burst out. The onions and the sourness of the ketchupbine with the juices to create a delicious taste. As for the sausage, the more I bite into it, the more the spicese out and the more the vor changes. No matter which part of the bread I eat, I get the luxurious feeling of biting into meat.


    Personally, I would add more vegetables, but I also can''t get enough of this meaty texture.


    ��Hey, Otou-san��


    What the heck is this guy doing?


    ��Hmm?��


    ��Don''t you "Hmm?" me. That''s alcohol, isn''t it?!��


    Instead of a waterskin, Otou-san was sipping from what looked like a liquor bottle.


    ��Well, it goes well with this meat stuffing, you see?��


    ��Please refrain from drinking alcohol while inside the dungeon��


    ��I won''t drink so much that I''d lose my footing��


    ��That''s a given!��


    Otou-san put away the liquor bottle reluctantly.


    ��Hey~, Onii-chan��


    ��Yes, my sister?��


    Ea turned around and raised her hand.


    Next to her, Rana jumped.


    ��The waterskin that my elder sister is drinking from smells like wine~��


    ��Okay, dear wife, please exin and state your defense��


    ��������I''m only moistening my lips a little. Red wine goes really well with meat�D�D��


    ��Ea, confiscate it��


    ��Understood��


    ��Hawaa��


    The elder sister had her waterskin snatched away by the younger sister.


    ��Rana, I hate to ask this, but is this the reason why you''re always falling over or losing your way?��


    ��No! I don''t drink that much alcohol all the time!��


    ��Well, drinking is forbidden inside the dungeon. If you don''t follow that rule, you''ll be punished��


    ��������Wh, what kind of punishment will I get?��


    She asked in what sounded to me like a somewhat excited voice.


    Hey. We''re in front of everyone in the party and my sister, you know?


    ��Onee-chan, we''re still in the middle of an adventure��


    ��Yes, I''m sorry��


    It was a scene of an elder sister being scolded by her younger sister.


    After finishing her meal unusually quickly, Lys turned around.


    ��Souya, I want another one of these. ������I don''t want onions. I don''t want them, got it?��


    ��Understood��


    I made Lys a second helping. As a party, we finished our meal by each eating three or four of them. We were more stuffed than expected, so we took a two-hour break.


    I halted the search and asked my party members for their opinions.


    As the saying went, "Two heads are better than one."


    First, Otou-san''s opinion.


    ��These floors are a separation of the dungeon. They exist to keep the monsters on the higher floors from descending and the monsters from the lower floors from ascending. It''s a separation of ecosystems��


    Next, Rana.


    ��I can feel the fluctuations of magic. I''m certain that there''s a trick to the portals. However, the flow is too erratic for me to decipher what effects they have��


    After that, Ea, Lys, and Shuna.


    ��No idea at all��


    As the saying went, "Two heads are better than one." ������But if that''s the case, why do people waste so much time in meetings that are often unproductive, I wonder?


    Lastly, Yukikaze.


    ��Yukikaze suggests lowering this unit to the bottom for a solo search operation��


    ��No, that''s too dangerous��


    But it��s a good idea.


    Ultimately, a group won''t budge without a leader to lead it. That''s what I''m here for.


    ��Alright��


    ��Yukikaze, for how many hours more can Ea use L''s cloak?��


    ��Based on the changes in Ea-sama''s magic power today, she should have a little less than three hours��


    ��Ea, can I count on you?��


    ��Of course��


    I handed Yukikaze to Ea. I also took the rest of her gear. I thought her backpack was strangely heavy, but it turned out to be packed full of food. There were cans of spam, and the recently made bottled drinks. I also found some dried bread, dried meat, and several chunks of cheese. She had packed way too much stuff in there.


    I could have just followed Yukikaze''s suggestion, but if the mini-pod were to be destroyed here, Yukikaze would die without being able to transmit any data to Makina, the main body.


    Although there is a backup, it would simply be a different entity that had inherited Yukikaze''s knowledge. Now that I��ve learned of the story behind the A.I.s, I can��t use them as if they��re expendable.


    If it was made invisible through Ea''s cloak, it would have a better chance of surviving than a pod rolling around by itself.


    While that would put two people in danger, taking risks when determining what to do is sometimes necessary.


    ��Alright, you two, I''m counting on you��


    ��Understood, understood?��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    With Yukikaze hanging from her hip, Ea pulled up the hood of her cloak and disappeared like mist.


    Faintly, I could sense her sliding down the pir.


    The skeletons whose heads got used as stepping stones looked around questioningly. Like a gust of wind, she slipped in among the monsters.


    Unseen, unheard, and unperceived. The invisible hunter made her way through the mass of enemies.


    ��Activate the pulse scan at the center��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    She replied via email.


    After a while, I spotted Yukikaze, who was only a dot at this distance, in the center of the bottom.


    An audible "kiin" echoed through the air.


    The monsters all turned to Yukikaze and the invisible Ea in unison.


    ��Rana��


    ��Okay��


    From some distance away, Rana sted the enemies with her magic to distract them.


    Once the mes cleared, countless skeletons began to climb up the pirs towards us.


    ��Yukikaze, did you collect the data?��


    ��Yes, it has been collected sessfully��


    ��Ea, go straight for the nearest portal. We''ll meet up with you back on the 30th floor��


    ��Understood!��


    ��We''re leaving too!��


    As we mowed down the swarming skeletons, we dove into the portals.


    It was a bit of a risky call, but we escaped with no casualties that day.


    After giving myself a small pat on the back, I looked over the data Yukikaze had collected.


    There were no "stairs leading down" on these floors.


    [1] This part isn��t as clear because of how Japanese grammar works, but he��s implying to Souya that he is allowed to exist, that it��s okay for him to live. He has trained Souya to be a chef like him, and by saying that it��s okay for chefs like that to exist, the implication is that Souya can make being that kind of chef his reason for living. Because, if you remember, Souya was incredibly suicidal at that time and his grandpa was trying desperately to give him reasons to live, as mentioned in vol 3.


    [2] Double meaning here. The ��pulsating warmth�� can also be tranted as the ��pulsating blood flowing through��. That��s why the pulsating is there, since it��s also implying he can feel his pulse.


    [3] This is a reference to ��The Spider''s Thread", a 1918 short story by Ry��nosuke Akutagawa. The story is about a sinner called Kandata, who was a cold-hearted criminal, but he had one good deed to his name. He had spared a spider that he was about to crush with his foot. Moved by this single act ofpassion, Buddha lowered a spider��s thread into Hell. Seeing that thread, Kandata realized that he had a chance to escape Hell and climbed up it. However, the climb was long and when he took a break, he realized that others had also started climbing the thread. Fearing that their weight would cause the thread to break, he yelled that the thread was for him alone. It was at that moment that the thread broke and all of them fell back into Hell, Kandata��s selfishness condemning all of them.


    [4] The Japanese term for ��back-breaking�� is literally ��bone-breaking��. Therein lies the joke, which of course, doesn��t trante in English.


    It��s heartwarming that although he has forgotten his grandfather, his grandfather had seeded in ingraining within him an ideal that cannot be taken away even by magic...however, the reason behind it is just so sad��


    Do note that Souya is able to somehow sense Ea even though she��s invisible. This wille upter. > <


    Haha, for those who love dungeon crawling games, this is a very familiar scenario. The easy to traverse parts are over and the puzzles have started to appear. What��s the trick and how will Souya find it? Or will he even find it at all? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 106: The Great Skeleton Floors III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 106: The Great Skeleton Floors III & IV</h4>


    <The Great Skeleton Floors III>


    Who''s the one who built this dungeon? I shouted at my person-in-charge at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    ��The thing with the 30th floor! What the heck is that?! Is it a bug?! Is it a shitty game?! Is it a design error?��


    ��Fufu��


    Her scarily beautiful face cracked into a smile.


    My heart leaped in spite of myself.


    ��Oh������������I''m sorry. It was such a nostalgic reaction that I couldn''t help it��


    ��Uh, okay��


    My heart is racing inside my chest.


    She''s a person who doesn''t even give business smiles and usually has a nk expression on her face. But she always has my best interest in mind. That gap is part of this person''s charm.


    That smile is just unfair.


    ��But you''re as fast as ever. I didn''t think that you would realize the secret of those floors in just five days��


    ��Well, it��s through means that I can''t exactly share with other adventurers though��


    ��Adventurers are not equal. If anything, it''s the most unequal profession there is. Everyone at the top of this profession has done things that cannot be shared with others��


    ��I see������ah��


    Not good, we had gone off-topic because of her smile.


    ��So, Evetta-san, about the 30th floor������


    ��Listen carefully, Souya. It can be said that each set of floors has a "subject" that needs to be ovee in order to clear it. They each require a specific "ability" from the adventurers.


    For the fric floors, it''s <the ability to fight continuously>.


    For the deep-green floors, it''s <the individual ability to defeat strong entities>.


    For the great skeleton floors, it''s <the mental ability to adapt to absurdity>.


    In other words�D�D�D�DOuch��


    With a thump, the back of Evetta-san''s head was smacked by a staff.


    ��Alright, that''s enough. Evetta, pay cut!��


    ��Huh?��


    The one holding the staff was a short boy with small wings.


    He may look like that, but he''s at least 30 years old. What''s so great about being a legal shota[1]?


    ��Guild President, why?��


    ��That��s no good, you shouldn''t be saying that, right? You can''t give away the secrets of the floors to adventurers who haven''t cleared them yet. It''s collusion. Hence the pay cut��


    The Guild President took out a piece of paper and stuck it onto one of the horns on Evetta-san''s forehead.


    In the words of the alternate world, it said, "Pay cut, eight silver coins."


    ������������I''m so sorry.


    ��That was careless of me��


    I couldn''t see her face through the piece of paper, but she sounded crestfallen.


    I whispered to her in a soft voice.


    ��Evetta-san, I''ll buy you a mealter��


    ��That adventurer over there, don''t bribe the Guild employees. Evetta, you shouldn''t be letting him treat you either��


    ��Guild President, is receiving free samples also not allowed?��


    ��It��s not allowed��


    I had presented Evetta-san with about 20 servings of sausages and ketchup.


    Despite her slender figure, she��s quite a glutton.


    ��Souya������������the sausages. I��ll������������return them afterwards������������kughh��


    She was heartbroken because of just sausages.


    ��Then let''s just say that they''re from the merchantpany instead. I''m not involved this way, so there''s that��


    ��Guild President, that''s how it is. Sausages are very tasty, you know? They''re thick and very filling. Recently, I''ve gotten into the habit of eating one with a lot of ketchup when I get up every morning. It''s something I look forward to very much��


    ��That''s no good. Isn''t that exactly what a bribe is?��


    You could definitely say that.


    ��Souya, it can''t be helped. I''ll eat them all up when I get home today. If I really have no choice but to return them, then it��ll be through my body. But������������please give me more, alright? Sausages��


    ��Please buy them yourself��


    I can''t possibly be presenting that many sausages every time.


    ��Evetta, go organize the paperwork��


    The Guild President sent the crestfallen Evetta-san away. Though she looked like a Chinese hopping vampire[2], she left with zombie-like movements.


    ��Hey, Souya. As the President of the Adventurers'' Guild, I have a special piece of advice for you��


    For some reason, the Guild President sat in her seat and started talking to me as if he was my person-in-charge.


    I have a bad feeling about this. I get the feeling that this guy is letting his personal feelings get in the way only when ites to me.


    Don��t you also have a problem with how you conduct yourself on the job?


    ��Okay, I''ll at least listen��


    Just listening won''t cost me anything.


    ��There are two ways of clearing the great skeleton floors with ease��


    The beautiful boy gave me a thin smile.


    What kind of fool would believe what anyone with that kind of look on their face says?


    ��One of the ways is through "luck"��


    ��Luck?��


    ��If your luck is good, you can clear those floors quite easily. If your luck is bad, you probably won''t make any progress��


    His smile became even more annoying.


    ��Yeah, that''s true, I may have used up all my luck meeting Rana��


    ��O, oho��


    I responded to his smile with a smile of my own.


    You could cut the tension between us with a knife.


    I feel like this kind of distance between me and the Guild President is just right.


    ��The second way is to collect Shogaku tickets��


    ��Oh, how pragmatic��


    ��It''s only natural. Collect Shogaku tickets and acquire the strategy for clearing the floors from the Guild. This is the standard way of clearing the great skeleton floors��


    ��By the way������how many tickets would I need?��


    ��100��


    The Guild President grinned.


    I grinned back.


    The number of Shogaku tickets I had at the moment was exactly one.


    The Guild President continued.


    ��But it''s so strange, you know? Adventurers who have made it to the 30th floor must havepleted many requests, cultivated many rtionships, and earned the trust of the Guild, allowing them to ept requests that give outrge amounts of Shogaku tickets. Huhhh? Why does this guy only have one Shogaku ticket, I wonder?��


    ��Urgh��


    This, this ass is trying to rile me up.


    No, I can''t. The one who loses his temper loses.


    ��J, just out of curiosity, supposing I were to start collecting the 100 Shogaku tickets right now. How long would it take?��


    ��You''ll first need to earn the trust of the Guild by doing requests that give one or two tickets. Well, once you''vepleted fifty such requests, I''ll refer you to requests that give five or six tickets��


    It had taken me nearly three days toplete the Gunmerrys'' requestst time.


    Using simple math,pleting 50 requests like that would take me 150 days.


    But can all the requests be easily resolved in three days? It would be a bit naive to assume so.


    Hypothetically, supposing I were able to get requests that gave 5 or 6 tickets after 150 days, would it be possible toplete those requests in just a few days?


    Huh������������that would overshoot the time limit, wouldn''t it?


    ��I''ve told you before, Souya. To take on more requests and expand your social circle. Despite my advice, you never ept any requests and only spend all your time exploring the dungeon��


    ��Yes, well, that��s������


    Evetta-san had also told me the same.


    Ever since the thing with the Gunmerrys, she had been passing me requests from time to time, but I had turned them all down.


    ��Exploring the dungeon is the essence(flower) of being an adventurer. But flowers have roots, stems, and leaves underneath them. Those are the signs of their growth. You have been looking only at the flower and neglecting what''s beneath. ������Well, put in the hard work for the time being��


    It''s annoying how this guy is so good with words.


    It''s even more annoying when what he says is perfectly reasonable.


    ��Here''s a copy of all the requests. Look them over with the rest of your party. It may be difficult for you to do them alone, but it won''t take much time if all of you work on them together��


    I was handed a stack of documents.


    With a big smile on his face, the Guild President left.


    After leaving the Guild with a scowl on my face, I looked through the requests as I walked through the city.


    ��A dancing girl for the bar. A waitress for the bar. A new dish for the bar. Hey, aren''t these all from the bar run by the country?��


    Besides those, guinea pigs for magic experiments. Acquisition of rare materials. Durability tests of weapons and armor. Cleaning up the streets. Charity work for the me religion. Looking after the orphans of adventurers, et cetera, et cetera.


    They''re all no good.


    None of these requests seem like they can bepleted in two or three days.


    If I had toplete as many as 50 of these, it would easily take me more than a year.


    Damn, this isn''t good. I can feel the cold sweat running down my back.


    Actually, I have the feeling that it''s kind of cold today. It''s a nice sunny day, but the air feels colder than usual.


    The city also looks a little different.


    All over the city, carpenters are hard at work, boarding up windows and climbing on top of roofs to apply some sort of coating.


    Is there an air raiding or something?


    Not that something like that is possible, I guess.


    ��Team member Souya, would you like to know the current probability of sess for the project?��


    Yukikaze spoke to me.


    This is giving me a sense of d��j�� vu.


    ��Yes, I would like to hear it��


    ��It��s 0.2%��


    What a nostalgic number indeed.


    <The Great Skeleton Floors IV>


    ��Shogaku tickets, huh��������


    I��m currently in Otou-san''s home.


    It��s a storage room in the brothel.


    This man is indifferent to everything but adventuring, so he wound up giving up his room to one of the live-in girls while he moved into a storage room himself.


    It''s a story that''s really typical of this man.


    ��Otou-san, could it be that you actually have a hoard of Shogaku tickets?��


    ��Nope, I''ve got none. Not even one��


    ��Not even one?!��


    Why?


    You''ve been an adventurer here for over thirty years. You must have done a lot of work for the king and the Guild.


    ��I''m the foster parent of Solcia, the President of the Adventurers'' Guild. We''ll be suspected of colluding if I get Shogaku tickets for what I do. It''ll affect his credibility��


    ��That��s true��


    Does the Guild President appreciate this bit of parental love? How about repaying a little of that debt to me, the leader of the party he''s in?


    ��Is there any other way? As things stand, the schedule will�D�D��


    ��Yeah, there is��


    ��There is?!��


    That''s quick.


    ��Have you wondered about the changes in the citytely?��


    ��Oh, definitely. I''ve seen a lot of carpenters working��


    Even now, the sound of banging and hammering can be heard in this brothel.


    ��It''s almost winter. Lemuria is a temperatend, but winter does set in for a short time. And to herald theing of winter, a dragon wille to this city��


    ��Huh, a dragon?��


    The prime representative of fantasy has juste up.


    ��Yes, a dragon. It''s a "real dragon" that''s noparison to the dragon-tortoise you guys killed in the past��


    Even with that said, that dragon-tortoise was one heck of a monster. We were able to defeat it only through luck, resourcefulness, Rana and Bel''s talent, Shuna''s sword techniques, and the sacrifice of his sword. As well as Irvin''s toughness. Truly, it was through a series of good fortune that we were able to defeat it.


    Having fought many monsters since then, I can see it clearly now.


    That thing was strong.


    It was a very powerful monster.


    It wouldn''t have been strange for anyone in the party to die. Whenever I think back on it, I feel a chill run down my spine at the recklessness of my decisions.


    For something to be noparison to that������������that''s really terrifying.


    ��The topmost part of the Odoriji spire is one of the dragon''s perches. Others include Elysium, the ancient stacked city of the dwarves, and the massive structures from the era of the old gods. The dragon will go around visiting all these ces with the arrival of winter��


    ��Does that dragon have the habits of a migratory bird or something?��


    It''s not quite the same as the Winter Shogun, I guess. [3]


    ��Don''t you mean migratory rabbits? Oh right, you''re a foreigner. Indeed, this dragon has the habit of "migrating". And if there are people in the ces where itnds, it will pick a fight with them out of "curiosity"��


    ��A dragon picking a fight, huh?��


    It''s like being messed around with by Godzi, I''d imagine.


    Err, is Lemuria going to be destroyed?


    ��Of course, we''re not going to just sit back and do nothing. We''ll fight to drive it off��


    ��������Do we have a chance to win?��


    ��Sort of. There were times when we were able to win��


    Adventurers sure are amazing.


    Oh, but.


    There��s a very powerful dragon-yer in this country, isn''t there?


    ��So, returning to the topic of the Shogaku tickets. Every year, the adventurers go out in force to drive off the dragon. Even if they only wound the dragon, they get a reward from the Guild��


    ��Could it be, the reward includes Shogaku tickets?��


    ��Yeah. They''re fighting to protect the city. They''ll get a lot of them��


    ��What the heck?��


    Come on, Guild President. If there''s such a way, at least tell me about it.


    It''s about time I filed aint with the king.


    ��Souya, there''s a reason why Solcia didn''t tell you about it��


    ��Huh?��


    Otou-san had read my thoughts.


    ��You see,st year, I joined up with a group of young adventurers. The leader of that group was a very enthusiastic guy, so I uncharacteristically let myself get carried away��


    ��Naturally, you yed an active part, right?��


    I mean, you''re the father of adventurers after all.


    You''re the strongest person in my party.


    ��I was knocked unconscious by a blow from its tail. I didn''t wake up for four days, and Solcia and Eldalia feared deeply for my life. Solcia, in particr, would probably object to me trying to fight it again. He might find some sort of excuse to deny the application��


    It''s yet anotherplication.


    ��There��s also one other problem. Souya, you������������don''t have a wide circle of adventurer friends, do you?��


    ��It''s a sore subject, so please stop��


    In any case, I don''t have many friends.


    I usually only find myself getting into trouble with bad guys.


    ��In order to participate in the dragon fight, you''ll need at least ten sworn brothers and sisters. Can you gather that many? I can round up some of my friends, but in that case, you likely won''t get as much of the reward as you hope. There''s a bad custom where the older adventurers hog the rewards while the younger ones only get the experience��


    ��Ten people��


    Me, Rana, Ea, Shuna, Lys, and Otou-san. That makes six.


    As for the people I can approach, there are one, two, three, and four. Oh, it''s not a problem then. I can gather just enough people.


    ��I can do it��


    ��Then go do it. Right now. But before anything, talk to Shuna first. In all likelihood, he won''t be able to participate��


    ��Nonsense. He''lle even if I stop him��


    ��I hope you''re right��


    Brushing off his worries, I left the brothel.


    As Otou-san told me to, I went to Shuna''s ce first.


    To Galdvain-sama''s dormitory.


    Also known as the Dragon-yer''s Nest.


    dvain, a warrior who attained godhood by taking down an evil dragon with her bare hands. Shuna is one of her kin.


    Yes, I have a kin of the dragon-yer in my party.


    That''s a tremendous advantage for us.


    Besides, I''ve often treated the people here to meals. If you ask me why I do that, it''s because I have this feeling inside me of wanting to make dvain-sama happy.


    Well, it''s probably filial piety.


    Though it''s the feeling of a woman who possessed me a while back, I don''t dislike it.


    If I can get the help of Shuna''s brethren in exchange for a few meals, I''ll be all set for the fight. One paltry dragon is nothing to them.


    ��Why?!��


    I was turned down by Shuna.


    For the dormitory as well, the kin were all engaged in carpentry work. The windows were being boarded up and the roof was being coated with non-mmable resin. Anything that seemed mmable was being removed.


    The ce was looking more empty than usual after everything had been cleared away.


    ��I wish I could participate too. But I was told that I can''t��


    ��W-H-Y?��


    It felt like my soul was going to escape from my mouth.


    ��I��ll exin��


    From behind me came a voice, and then my hair was tousled and messed up.


    Standing behind me was a beauty with healthy tanned skin and long, wavy blonde hair. She was wearing bikini armor that offered no defense at all, but normal des wouldn''t even scratch her steel-like well-trained muscles.


    It was dvain-sama herself.


    ��Why, is he, not allowed�D�D�D�DSorry��


    It was hard to talk with my head being jostled about.


    ��Could you please stop stroking my hair?��


    ��Hmm��


    I was released.


    It''s a bother to have my head stroked like this every single time she sees me. I don''t hate it though.


    ��Souya. As you well know, my kin all have the blessing of the Dragon-yer, to one degree or another��


    ��In that case, why can''t they participate in the fight to drive off the dragon?��


    ��Hang on, don''t be so impatient. It''s simple. My kin are already dragon-yers. If they hog all the fame, it will hinder those whoe after them. The times are always looking for the next generation to emerge. And that''s how it should be. The old dragon-yers must make room for the new ones. Otherwise, the times will get bogged down��


    ��That��s true��


    As an outsider, I can''t argue with that.


    I''m not good enough with words to try anyways.


    ��If it was simply an evil dragon that wanted to destroy the city, we would join the fight as well, but that dragon is not like that��


    ��What kind of dragon is it?��


    Come to think of it, I don''t have any information on it.


    ��How should I describe it, I wonder������ It''s an unparalleled collector. It loves all sorts of treasures, including gold, silver, and shiny things. It has a deep knowledge of human culture and loves anything that''s beautiful��


    ��I see��


    I don''t get it.


    ��After that, well������ It flies in the sky and breathes fire. It rampages, destroying cities. A single swipe of its tail whips up tornadoes, and its ws tear apart even Rmir steel with ease. Its roars are annoyingly loud��


    That sounds just like a Kaiju movie, you know? [4]


    ��Umm������ Isn''t what you''re describing essentially an evil dragon?��


    ��It''s not an evil dragon. Compared to the dragon I defeated long ago, I''d even say that it''s more gentlemanly��


    ��Gentlemanly��������


    There are still so many things in this alternate world that I can''t even begin to fathom.


    The world sure is big.


    ��Well, that''s how it is��


    Shuna patted me on the shoulder with an uncharacteristically apologetic look on his face.


    ��Souya, I''m sorry, but you''re going to have to do it without me this time��


    ��It can��t be helped��


    ��Souya. You should fight honorably with the aim of bing the next dragon-yer��


    ��I''ll try my best��


    I smiled in response to god''s encouragement.


    However, the fact that I had stumbled right from the start made me feel uneasy inside.


    [1] Shota refers to a boy who looks very young, roughly 5-15 years old. I��m sure you already knew that, but just in case.


    [2] A jiangshi, also known as a Chinese hopping vampire or hopping zombie, is a type of reanimated corpse in Chinese legends and folklore. It is typically depicted as a stiff corpse dressed in official garments from the Qing Dynasty, and it moves around by hopping with its arms outstretched.


    A Taoist talisman is typically stuck on its forehead to immobilize or control it. Hence, the joke, since Evetta has a piece of paper stuck on one of her horns.


    [3] ��Winter Shogun��, also known as "General Winter" or "General Frost" is a personification of the harsh winter weather. I��m sure you��ve seen it make an appearance in various fantasy stories or games, like in Konosuba, for example.


    However, in Japan, it also refers specifically to the Arctic air mass that periodically moves south from Siberia during the winter.


    [4] Kaiju is a Japanese genre of films featuring giant monsters. The term kaiju can refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and engaging the military, or other kaiju, in battle. The 1954 film ��Godzi�� ismonly regarded as the first kaiju film.


    Yeah, Souya is going up against a dragon next. And I can tell you, it��s going to be great. But before that, Souya is gonna need morerades. Will he be able to gather the 10 people needed and who will they be? Stay tuned as he searches forrades in the next arc!

 Chapter 107: In Search Of Comrades I

    <h4>Chapter 107: In Search Of Comrades I</h4>


    It felt like things had gotten off to a bad start when Shuna couldn''t participate, but I pulled myself together and started looking forrades.


    I wandered around the city that was undergoing renovations.


    Even without looking closely, I saw many adventurers who were looking forrades like I was.


    Fighting off a dragon.


    It''s certainly something with a high level of difficulty, but it seems that there are many who nevertheless desire the achievement, fame, and reward thates with it.


    In that case, what about her? Regardless of her personality, she''s an amazing magician. There must be many people who think the same.


    ��Alright~! Here��s the end of the line! This is the line for those who want to meet with the Brave, Frey?Dis?Gastolfo-sama! Here��s the end of the line! Stay in line! Don''t try to jump the queue! You there! Hey, you want to be torn apart?!��


    It appeared that many did indeed think the same.


    There was a line of people.


    It stretched out from the stable and extended all the way into the alley.


    ��The current wait time is estimated to be till the next bell! Only the leaders of the party may line up! Only the leaders of the party! I repeat! Leaders only!��


    It''s better to be insistent about things like this. Even so, there will be some who won''t listen anyway.


    I checked my wristwatch.


    The time was 9:50 am. The bell usually tolled at noon, so that meant I would have to wait for about two hours.


    ��Umm, I''m joining the queue��


    ��Okay~! Here��s the end of the line~! Please don''t jump the queue~!��


    The crier was a beastkin girl withrge wings on her back. She had pointed ears that were narrower than those of elves. Her ws looked so sharp that it seemed like they would tear my face to shreds if she were to stroke it.


    Like a typical Japanese would, I got in line and waited for a while.


    For some reason, I could hear the sounds of men crying and women sobbinging from the front of the line. And a spirited female voice that was awfully loud.


    This is the line for inviting her to fight the dragon, right? I wondered, but after waiting for about ten or so minutes, I started to grow bored.


    So far, all the adventurers who exited the stable looked like they had suffered some kind of emotional damage.


    In addition����


    ��Hey, do you know what this line is for?��


    ��Err, there was a line, so I just joined it without thinking. I mean, I am a leader, so����.��


    ��By the way, who''s this Frey person?��


    ��No idea. I think she''s the one who unleashed magic all over the city��


    ��Ohhh, that one. The one who''s rumored to have big boobs?��


    ��Yeah, that''s the one. I heard that they''re really big��


    ����it appears that even in the alternate world, there are people who line up in lines for no good reason.


    The line moved and I caught sight of them.


    She was a shapely magician with blonde ringlets and was wearing a scarlet dress. Although she was usually an animated and charming natural airhead, for some reason, her gaze and demeanor were down today. The staff she held in her hands also looked a little wilted.


    The Brave, Frey?Dis?Gastolfo. A talented magician on par with Rana.


    Her ever-present maid was by her side.


    She was a tall reptilian beastkin with snake-like eyes, scales on her cheeks, and a thick tail peeking out from her skirt. Her long ck hair was tied into twin tails


    There was one other person there whom I didn''t recognize.


    She was a portly, older woman in a scarlet dress simr to Frey''s. She also carried arge staff, the sign of a magician.


    The line moved some more, and I was now able to hear the exchanges between the older woman and the adventurers at the head of the line.


    ��Alright, what''s the deepest floor you''ve reached?��


    ��It''s the 19th floor��


    ��How many years did it take you?��


    ��Two years��


    ��Alright, no thanks. You have no talent. Go home and plow the fields or something��


    ��What?!��


    ��Okay! Next!��


    ��Uh, umm, the 25th floor��


    ��How many years?��


    ��Five years��


    ��Haa, you''re wasting your life. If you had that much time on your hands, you should have started a family and had kids like any other woman. Well, it looks like you''re too old to return to that life, so in a lot of ways, you just have to give up��


    ��Eek!��


    That''s terrible.


    Clearing floors isn''t all there is to an adventurer, you know?


    I mean, there''s a guy right here who''s stuck and unable to advance.


    ��Oh, jeez, this is such a hassle. Hey! Lulum!��


    The woman called out loudly to the beastkin.


    The bird beastkin came immediately when summoned.


    ��Yes, Aunt-sama!��


    ��Add a requirement for lining up. They must have cleared the 30th floor. Do you hear me? 30th floor and deeper only!��


    ��Understood!��


    The beastkin returned to her original position and shouted loudly.


    ��You must be the leader of the party to line up! And you must be an adventurer who has cleared at least 30 floors~!��


    Once they heard this����


    ��What? That''s stupid��


    ��Let��s just go��


    ��If you��re looking for intermediate or better adventurers, don''t do it in a ce like this��


    ��Let''s go grab some food!��


    ��Yeah!��


    ����everyone walked away unceremoniously.


    That''s very true. This part of the city is the stomping grounds of greenhorn and under-earning novice adventurers. This is a ce where intermediate and advanced adventurers have already graduated from.


    ��Okay! Next!��


    Before I knew it, I was the only one left.


    Her gaze locked on her feet, Frey had yet to notice me.


    I greeted Lazarissa with a quick wave of my hand. She bowed in return.


    ��So, what''s the deepest floor you''ve reached?��


    The oba-san asked brazenly.


    ��The bottom of the 30th floor. Well, I guess that would make it the 34th floor��


    I answered brazenly.


    I''m polite to those who are polite and rude to those who are rude.


    ��Hmm, how many years did it take you?��


    ��132 days��


    ��Haa?��


    ��132 days, I said. Are you that loud because you''re hard of hearing?��


    ��Do you have the certificate proving that?��


    A certificate showing the floors cleared is something that can be requested from the person-in-charge. Our party descends so quickly that I never bothered to ask for one.


    ��Nope. You can simply ask my person-in-charge, and she''ll tell you��


    ��What''s the name of your person-in-charge?��


    ��It''s Evetta-san. She''s a wonderful silver-haired woman with a pair of horns��


    ��Ah, I''ve heard that there��s a domesticated Horns in Lemuria. What''s your name?��


    ��Souya��������


    After a bit of hesitation, I added the noble title I had acquired some time ago.


    ��Souya?Urus?Ra?Tilt��


    ��Ra?Tilt������������That''s the name of a high noble of Elysium, isn��t it? Who exactly are you?��


    ��I''m just the prodigal third son of a noble family. My eldest brother is a brilliant man, so I get to enjoy life as I see fit��


    I casually showed her the ring with the seal on it.


    That noble family does actually exist, so this should be more than enough to fool her.


    ��Who else do you have in your party?��


    ��An archer and a magician, both elves. A crafty experienced adventurer and a female knight with an Elysium background��


    The boy swordsman is not taking part this time.


    Oh! Crap, I forgot to go ask Lys earlier. I hope she doesn''t sulk over that.


    ��So, how much money are you worth?��


    ��Huh?��


    That question is way out of line.


    It''s a terrible question to ask even when matchmaking or marriage hunting.


    ��Look here������


    I''m more dumbfounded than angry.


    What should I do here?


    ��Aunt-sama, please take a look at this magic sword��


    Just when I was thinking that the weight on my back had gotten lighter, it turned out that Lazarissa had stolen Agathion again.


    ��Its de that''s made of rare red pyroxene. The unknown techniques that went into the forging of this sword. This one sword is worth at least 3,000 gold coins. Ohh, as I thought, it''s lovely!��


    She was rubbing her cheek against Agathion as she got all worked up about it.


    If not for this, she would have been a good person, but I guess it''s hard to find a person without ws.


    ��Hmm, for Lazarissa to be so into it, it must be quite the masterpiece��


    The oba-san was impressed.


    For some reason, I got the feeling that Agathion wasn''t liking being lusted over by Lazarissa, so I asked her to return it.


    ��Lazarissa, give me back my sword��


    ��Just a little bit longer, just a bit! It''s really just a bit longer, alright?! ������������Haa haa, S, Souya-sama, what have you got down there?��


    Oh crap, she saw it.


    ��Let me see! Let me see! Just a little bit! Just a little bit is all I ask!��


    ��Alright! I got it, so quit grabbing at my hip!��


    People will get the wrong idea!


    Reluctantly, I drew my sword. I didn''t hand it to her, but only showed it to her.


    I''ve only recently begun to, in some way, somewhat, subtly, master how to use it.


    I don''t want it to develop any strange quirks.


    ��������Dreadful��


    I was expecting her to get worked up again, but her reaction waspletely different.


    ��What is this, and why is it shaped like a sword? It''s sickening that something like that looks so beautiful. How dreadful��


    She was massively put off by it.


    Holding her mouth like she was about to throw up, she backed away.


    ��Lazarissa, give me back my sword��


    ��Tch��


    She had tried to tuck Agathion away among her belongings in the confusion of the moment.


    I really can''t drop my guard at all around her.


    ��Oh, this is also quite a fine sword. It''s well disguised, but it''s a sword forged on the center continent, isn''t it?��


    Just when I was thinking that the weight on my back had gotten even lighter, it turned out that the oba-san had stolen Zamonss�� sword.


    Does every single one of these people have the steal skill or something? Was the Braves'' previous ss Thief or what? To begin with, Thief is not a ss, but a type of criminal though.


    ��Wait, Lazarissa, is this person someone you know?��


    Before any reply could be made, I snatched back both of my swords.


    Good grief, what an outrageous bunch the people around the Brave are.


    ��Souya-sama''s wife and Ojou-sama were schoolmates at Hohens��


    ��Hmm, that''s not bad, considering. Frey������������Frey! Are you listening?!��


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. I don''t really care, so I was just escaping reality by indulging in fantasies��


    This person is still the same as ever, isn��t she?


    The oba-san yelled at Frey in a shrill voice.


    ��It''s because you still haven''t decided on a marriage partner that I had no choice but to look for one by doing this! You need to get your act together!��


    ��Huh?��


    Admittedly, no one said anything about fighting off the dragon.


    No no no, if you''re looking for a marriage partner, say it upfront. This is a scam. ������Wait, there were women in the line as well though?


    ��You''re of marriageable age, yet all you do is flit about aimlessly without getting yourself a man! By the time I was your age, I was adventuring while carrying my third child in my belly!��


    That doesn''t sound like good prenatal care.


    Frey raised her hand with a worn-out look on her face.


    ��Umm, Aunt-sama, I''ll decide for myself who I want to marry. Besides, even if you drag all these mundane people that can be found everywhere in front of me��������


    While you''re not wrong, that''s really rude.


    ��Ojou-sama, please take a closer look, it''s Souya-sama��


    ��Sou������������Sausage-san?��


    The fact that it''s subtly simr is what pisses me off.


    Or rather, there''s a more fundamental problem here.


    ��I''m already married, and Lazarissa even mentioned the term "wife" earlier��


    ��Huhh? All she has to do is snatch you away. Seizing what others have is the essence of being a woman��


    This oba-san is also of the Brave''s lineage, right?


    Is it really alright? For a Brave to be talking about seizing what others have����


    ��Mmm, if I marry Sausage-san, Shuna-sama will automatically be included��


    ��No, he won��t��


    What the heck is this person talking about?


    ��He has substantial wealth and shows great promise as an adventurer. His lineage is also excellent. He''s a good catch. Frey, you should choose this one. If not, it''ll be that merchant family''s sixth son��


    Lazarissa secretly whispered to me.


    ��The truth is, there��s an offer of marriage and the terms are very good for the Gastolfo main family. From a mary standpoint, that is. Aunt-sama is trying to make Ojou-sama ept the offer, even if she has to force her into it��


    ��Then why doesn''t she just ept it? I''m just here to ask for help fighting off the dragon��


    ��Then please go along with it for now. We''lle up with somethingter. Worst case, we''ll just run away. Just by going along with it, you can do whatever you want with Ojou-sama, you know?��


    Hmm.


    I hope this won''t cause any problemster on, but it can''t be helped. Frey will be a great help in battle.


    ��Frey, I came here today because there was something I wanted to talk to you about��


    ��Uh, yes?��


    Frey, who was being chewed out, turned to me.


    ��Soon, a dragon wille�D�D��


    I said����


    ��Oh, that''s right, it''s almost winter in this country��


    Looking like she was deeply moved by some memory, the oba-san cut me off.


    ��For me, winter is�D�D��


    ��Sausage-san, what were you saying about a dragon?!��


    Frey interrupted her and pressed me.


    It''s just a guess, but this oba-san probably prattles on for a very long time.


    ��Frey, you''re the only one I can ask for something like this. Will you fight the dragon with me?��


    ��Eh������������fight, the dragon?��


    As could be expected, even Frey couldn��t give an immediate answer to that.


    Lazarissa also sidled up to us, and the three of us started scheming. The oba-san was immersed in her own fantasy world, talking about something to herself.


    ��Ojou-sama, let''s ovee this pressing situation first by agreeing to marry Souya-sama for the time being��


    ��Ehh, but I don''t, in any way, shape or form, find Sausage-san attractive, not even a little��


    ��That''s simply because Ojou-sama is a pervert who only loves younger boys. In a normal sense, Souya-sama is an attractive man. In a normal sense��


    ��You didn''t have to say "normal" twice��


    ��What do you want to do, Ojou-sama? Do you want to go out with that man who has the looks of a beached fishman? Do you want to marry him? Do you want to bear his children?��


    ��No way! Absolutely not!��


    ��In that case, please let Souya-sama take care of this. Please go along with him��


    ��I understand��


    Frey replied in a weak voice.


    ��Ahem��


    I cleared my throat softly.


    ��Frey, fight the dragon with me��


    ��������Okay��


    Frey reluctantly nodded.


    ��When we''ve driven off the dragon, let��s������������let��s��


    Aaaah, I really don''t want to say it~.


    I have no other choice, I guess.


    ��Let''s get married��


    ��Yes, with pleasure��


    Frey replied in a monotone.


    Lazarissa quickly apuded.


    In spite of everything, we were able to fool the oba-san for the time being.


    I had managed to enlist the help of Frey and Lazarissa.


    ������������It''s no use. I can''t think of this as anything but a death g.


    Some of you may have heard of this before, but Japanese people even line up in MMORPGs for mobs, bosses, raids, etc. Yeah, lining up is drilled into their culture.


    I have to say though, I��ve kinda missed Frey, since it��s always funny when she shows up, so it was good to see her back in the story. And although Souya��s second wife sorta ended up being his daughter, will Frey end up being Souya��s third wife?! But I love how even Souya points out that promises like that are usually death gs. XD


    So, who do you think Souya will recruit next? Stay tuned to find out!

 Chapter 108: In Search Of Comrades II

    <h4>Chapter 108: In Search Of Comrades II</h4>


    After pulling myself together, I headed for the second party.


    Please, let it go smoothly, I prayed.


    I arrived at the small inn run by an elderly couple. The person I was looking for lived on the second floor, but she was baking bread on the first floor today.


    ��Hello��


    ��Oh, it''s you, Souya-san. What are you doing here?��


    When I greeted her casually, she responded with a smile.


    ��Actually, I came to invite you on an adventure��


    ��I''m kind of in the middle of something at the moment, so please have a seat and wait for a bit��


    Doing as I was told, I sat at a nearby table.


    She took loaves of bread out of an old oven and started lining them up on a rack.


    The smell of freshly baked bread calmed me down. It washed away the turmoil caused by the Brave and her party earlier.


    ��Gunmerry, serve tea to the guest��


    ��Yes, right away��


    A voice replied from the back of the building.


    But people sure do change, don''t they? Or rather, it''s women who change easily, I suppose.


    Not that long ago, Rutsuko-san wore unfashionable clothes that could be mistaken for a man''s, but she��s currently wearing a frilly white blouse and a miniskirt. She also has on a pair of ck knee-high socks that covered her legs.


    It''s simple, but it''s an outfit with an undertone of innocence that oozes sexiness.


    Her chestnut brown hair is curly, voluminous, and of medium length. She''s petite and slender, and has the same type of mascot-like cuteness as Rana. To top it off, she''s wearing an apron, evoking the image of a young wife.


    It makes me think that she would make a good wife.


    I ended up imagining Rutsuko-san saying, "Do you want food? A bath? Or?do?you?want...?"


    ��Here''s some tea��


    ��Oh, thanks��


    Gunmerry brought me a cup of tea.


    ��You��������


    ��Is there something wrong with myself?��


    ��No no no, what happened to you?��


    When I saw itst, it was small, about 100cm tall, but it��s nearly 170cm tall now.


    The helmet that looked like a bird''s beak remained the same, as did the armor with a front ckart, with the only difference being that they had be the same size as those worn by normal people.


    ��Rutsuko-san, there''s something very strange with Gunmerry!��


    ��Oh, that��


    Rutsuko-san folded up her apron as she walked over.


    ��Look at how I''m dressed��


    A bit shyly, she showed off her outfit to me.


    ��It suits you��


    She looks like a high school student wife.


    That sounds a bit like an AV''s title.


    ��It was terrible. When I woke up one morning, all my clothes were gone and there was nothing but these kinds of clothes. What''s more, my panties������������they, umm������������


    What kind of underwear are they?


    Please let me see. Oh, I think I just might be able to see them.


    ��This skirt is really short, isn''t it?��


    ��Yes��


    My sister''s hot pants are even shorter though.


    ��They peek whenever they get a chance. The Gunmerrys��


    ��I see��������


    I can understand.


    Well, I''d probably do it too if I were small-sized. In fact, I used to do it when I was a kid.


    ��They were so persistent about it that I got angry and tied them up. Next thing I knew, they had be one��


    ��Huh, what?��


    Are these guys the slimes from Dragon Quest or something? They''re bing an increasingly mysterious creature.


    ��It''s be more gentlemanly than before, so I consider it a good thing though��


    Rutsuko-san set the apron down on top of a nearby shelf.


    As it was high up for someone of her height, she had to stretch, reach out with both hands, and stand on tiptoe. Not letting that split second opening slip by, Gunmerry swiftly bent down to take a peek at her panties.


    ��Hmm?��


    Went Rutsuko-san as she looked back, but Gunmerry had already returned to a military-style "at attention" position.


    It��s not gentlemanly at all.


    It''s just that its movements have be quicker and it��s doing it secretively instead.


    Are things going to be alright, I wonder? Her chastity, and so forth.


    ��So, what''s this about inviting me on an adventure?��


    Rutsuko-san joined me at the table.


    I took a sip of the tea I hadpletely forgotten about. It tasted like corn.


    ��Have you heard that a dragon will being to the city in the near future?��


    ��Yes, of course. It''s the dragon that heralds theing of winter, isn��t it? The bread I''ve been baking today is in preparation for the winter season��


    ��That makes things easier then. My party is nning to take part in the fight to drive off the dragon. Princess Rutsuko, I would very much like to enlist you and Gunmerry''s help��


    ��Yeah, okay��


    She replied quickly.


    I was grateful for how readily she had epted.


    ��Once things get going, I''lle back around. Umm, do you have any questions or concerns?��


    ��Souya-san, I hope you don''t mind, but I would like to discuss the reward��


    That''s certainly important.


    Even if she''s someone I''m close to, I still need topensate her.


    ��Basically, I was thinking of dividing it ording to the number of people in each party. As the party with the most members, my party will end up getting most of the reward though��


    ��Umm, can I ask for a personal favor as the reward?��


    ��It''ll depend on what it is��


    So long as it''s not too much trouble, I''ll do anything.


    ��Souya-san! ������������Oh, wa, wait a minute. Let me prepare myself first��


    Rutsuko-san took a deep breath, then drank my cup of tea in one gulp.


    Gunmerry cheered her on with a fist pump. Behind it, I saw an image of a famous tennis yer.


    Frey and Lazarissa are quite a weird pair, but these guys don''t lose to them at all.


    ��If we drive off the dragon! Please go on a date with meeee!��


    ��Oh, okay��


    It��s fine if it��s only that much.


    There just so happens to be a ce I want to bring Rana to that I��ve wanted to check out first. I could have gone with Ea, Maria, or Lanseal, but if I went with one of them, there''s a good chance that I''ll get found out.


    ��������������Huh, really?��


    ��Yeah, really��


    Why are you asking me back when you''re the one who requested it?


    ��Souya-san. You''re married, right? Won''t your wife get angry?��


    ��It''s fine. I''ll keep it a secret, so it''ll be fine. Besides, I don''t think she''ll be mad even if she finds out��


    I want to take her there as a surprise, so I would rather she didn''t find out though.


    But Rana isn''t the sort of person who would get angry over something like this. Even if it��s a date, it''s probably nothing more than having a meal together. No problem(in Cantonese[1]).


    ��Err, my mental image of Souya-san''s wife is getting a little confusing. What kind of person is she?��


    ��Did I not tell you about her? She''s an elf from the nearby Heures Forest. She''s a magician��


    I won''t mention the fact that she''s royalty for now.


    She''s been disowned by her father and everything.


    ��Is she beautiful?��


    ��Rather than beautiful, I''d say she''s more of the cute type��


    ��Ggh, our characteristics ovep. What about her figure?��


    ��Hmm? It��s so-so��


    Even if I''m trying to be ttering, it''s difficult to say that Rutsuko-san''s are big. So I think it would be rude of me to talk about Rana''s boobs. I''ll also keep that fact to myself.


    ��How did the two of you meet?��


    ��She helped me when I was on the verge of death. I narrowly escaped death that day��


    ��A fateful meeting?!��


    I should also keep secret why I was on the verge of death. It was, well, the barbaric act of a man with no one to rely on and nothing to lose. I do feel that it was a mistake. Now that I have people to protect, I would never do such a thing.


    ��So������am I right to assume that it was you who proposed, Souya-san?��


    ��No, she''s the one who proposed to me��


    ��So assertive!��


    Rana is the one who proposed first. I re-proposed to her after that though.


    Oh������hers was for a pretend marriage, wasn''t it? I had forgotten about that. Remembering it makes a bit of a gloomy feeling well up in my chest.


    But what''s with this constant stream of questions?


    ��Huh?��


    Gunmerry whispered something into Rutsuko-san''s ear. I couldn''t quite make out what it was muttering.


    ��Really?! Is that how it is with elves?!��


    ��Princess, myself will root for you��


    ��Okay!��


    Rutsuko-san and Gunmerry exchange a one-handed high-five.


    It''s wonderful that you two get along so well, but that strange creature in the armor there had peeked at your panties just now.


    I''ll double-check it with her.


    ��So, I''ll take it that you''re okay with taking part in the battle?��


    ��Of course! I''ll beat it to a pulp and turn it into steak! I''ll make it into a purse and a bag!��


    ��Myself will fight with everything I have��


    ��Yeah!��


    ��Yay!��


    They high-fived each other with both hands. I got caught up in the moment and high-fived them too.


    And so, I managed to recruit the second party with ease.


    ������������The number of gs I''ve raised has doubled.


    [1] Souya says ���o���}��, which is the Japanese version of the Cantonese phrase ���ӆ��}/������(mou man tai)��. As �� isn��t a kanji avable in the Japanesenguage, ���o�� is used to rece it. But it is definitively Cantonese as ��no problem�� in normal Japanese is �����}�ʤ���.


    If you��re wondering why Souya knows this phrase, it��s probably because it��s a movie. No Problem(�o���}/�ކ��}) is a Hong Kongedy film released in 1999. However, it was actually a Japan-led production and the lead role was yed by Takashi Okamura, one half of theedy duo Ny-nine. A sequel was released in 2002.


    Alternatively, it could also be a reference to Digimon Tamers. XD


    Haha, the Gunmerrys havebined to be one pervy Gunmerry. By the way, do you remember them being happy at being kicked by Lansealst volume? I wonder, was that the event that awakened their interest in panties, or was it there all along? By the way, thisbined Gunmerry refers to himself as ��myself(��݅)��, but I��m having trouble getting the nuance across. It��s meant to be an arrogant way to say ��I/me��, the opposite of something like ��my humble self��.


    So many tennis yers do the fist pump, or ��guts pose��, that I sincerely have no idea who the referenced famous tennis yer could be. Nadal maybe?


    Hahaha, that part at the end. I love this author��s sense of humor so much. Who��s Souya going to recruit next and will he end up raising yet another death g? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 109: In Search Of Comrades III

    <h4>Chapter 109: In Search Of Comrades III</h4>


    While walking through the city, Yukikaze and I took stock of the situation.


    ��The current participants of the fight against the dragon are team member Souya, Rana-sama, Ea-sama, Lys-sama, Medimu-sama, Frey-sama, Lazarissa-sama, Lutz-sama, and Gunmerry. We have eight people and one entity��


    ��Oh, isn''t there one more?��


    I was talking about Gashuraku-san, a goblin who was in Frey''s party for a time.


    He''s a goblin among goblins, the chief of goblins, a vassal of the Demon King of the Forbidden Area, and someone who possesses the skills to easily win against the average adventurer.


    ��Contact Makina. Tell her to go see Demon King-sama and ask for Gashuraku-san''s help��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    Since I had teamed up with Frey, there should be no problem getting Gashuraku-san to join us.


    ��Mya, mya, mya��


    Yukikaze was meowing like a cat.


    ��What''s this?��


    ��The message to be conveyed was embedded within the audio data emitted just now. Sending transmissions without saying anything is boring, and the sound ofpressed audio is unpleasant to humans, so Yukikaze tried toe up with something creative��


    This must be one of the modifications she did to herself. What a weird modification though.


    ��And what did Makina say?��


    ��It seems that she will go right now��


    ��Got it��


    I took a stroll around the city.


    Getting lost would be troublesome, so I curbed my curiosity and didn''t walk into ces I wasn''t familiar with.


    The back alleys of Lemuria are a little bit like a dungeon. One time, I got lost for half a day and Maria had toe pick me up. That said, it wasn��t like I had so much time to kill that I would go to a bar or something to do so.


    Once Makina had contacted Gashuraku-san and gotten his consent, I''ll need to tell all the participants to gather at the Adventurers'' Guild tomorrow to do the registration.


    If he refuses, I''ll have to look for another participant.


    However, I''m out of leads. The militant group that I had the closest ties with is dvain-sama''s people. It''s such a blow that they aren''t allowed to participate.


    I realized once again that I have too few connections with my peers in the adventuring business. It''s ten this time around, but there''s a possibility that more will be needed in future. If that happens, I''m finished.


    The words of the Guild President and Evetta-san are really haunting me.


    As I wandered around trying to figure out what to do, I found myself at the familiar store run by Tyutyu.


    Rather than a store, it was more like an open space with a shack and some tables and chairs that were damaged from being exposed to the elements.


    ��Oh, it��s you, Souya. What''s up-nya?��


    A blonde cat beastkin spotted me and wrapped her arms around mine. She was dressed in the lingerie-like clothes that beastkin women favored with an apron over them.


    ��Don''t stick so close. Can I have some weak alcohol and some snacks to go with it?��


    ��Alright-nya?��


    I greeted her, ced an order, and sat down at a table.


    Tyutyu went into the shack at the back and soon came back with a bottle of alcohol and some snacks.


    ��I don''t see you here often, Souya-nya��


    ��Now that you mention it��������


    When was thest time I was here? The wedding? I''ve been too busy to drop by, I suppose.


    ��But it''s better to be a busy adventurer than an idle one-nya. An adventurer who doesn''t work is no better than a bum-nya��


    Tyutyu also sat down at the same table.


    The alcohol she had brought me was diluted fruit wine, and the snacks were pickled nuts. This wasn''t a fancy restaurant, so I ate them with my hands. Because I was hungry, they tasted good, regardless of their original vor.


    I munched on the nuts and washed them down with the wine. And that was it for lunch.


    ��How''s it going these days? Earnings-wise��


    ��My store is still the same as always-nya��


    Certainly, the store looks as empty as ever.


    I��ve never seen any customers here other than me and one other person.


    ��But that''s okay-nya. I''m only keeping this store open because it''s what my mother left me-nya. With what I earn from Master''s bar and Otou-san''s store, I have no trouble getting by-nya��


    ��Has this store always been like this?��


    It''s a bit of a rude question though.


    ��It used to be popr-nya. But my mother wasn''t really interested in making money, and all she cared about was filling the customers'' bellies-nya. In fact, she even had to borrow a little money to keep the store afloat-nya��


    ��I see. A store like that sounds nice��


    Oddly enough, that way of thinking is very simr to someone else''s.


    I don''t know who that is, but something in me feels good about it.


    ��That''s a weird thing to say-nya. I wish she had at least left her recipes behind though-nya��


    ��Did she have any specialties on the menu?��


    ��She did-nya. It was a white soup with lots of ingredients in it. I''ve heard that the king once came here in secret to eat it-nya. But I don''t know what any of the ingredients are, so I can''t replicate it-nya. It''s not a dish that uses expensive ingredients though. Not by any means-nya��


    ������������A white soup. Hmmm.


    If the avability of food in Lemuria hasn��t changed much over the years, then it just might be������but I don''t have the time for this right now. It wouldn''t be a bad idea to lend Tyutyu a hand when I have a bit more time on my hands though.


    And then,


    I received a message from Makina. I had it disyed on the LCD of my sses.


    ��So sorry�� It seems that Gashuraku-san is busy preparing for the goblins'' festival to celebrate theing of the winter, so he won''t be back above-ground for quite some time~. ��f��?��v��


    I felt my face scrunch up from how irritating the message was.


    ��Is something the matter-nya?��


    ��Yeah, kind of. I wasn''t able to get the help of someone I was counting on��


    I had caused Tyutyu to worry for me.


    Thinking that there was nothing to lose, I tried asking her, but����


    ��Tyutyu, do you know any strong, trustworthy adventurers with time on their hands������������Oh��


    ��I do-nya��


    There��s one.


    One such person.


    I had forgotten about him.


    Because I have not seen him working as an adventurer all that much.


    ��Where is he right now?��


    ��I think he''s probably floating in the river over there again today-nya��


    ��I''ll go look for him��


    Leaving the money on the table, I got up from my seat.


    Near Tyutyu''s store, there was a waterway. I hurried over there and found the middle-ageddies washing clothes in its cold water.


    ��Excuse me, where is that person?��


    ��Oh, he was floating over there just now. He was in the way, so we sent him drifting in that direction��


    ��Is that so?��


    I followed the flow of water down the waterway. In an area with more houses, I found a hairy drowned body that had gotten snagged on a wooden piling.


    A group of children had gathered and were poking him with sticks.


    ��Barfuru-sama. Hey~��


    I also poked him with my sheathed katana.


    There was no reaction.


    ��Do any of you have a rock or something?��


    ��Yeah, here you go��


    One of the children nearby handed me a shattered brick. It was the size of my fist and quite heavy.


    ��Heave-ho��


    I threw it.


    The brick shattered into even smaller pieces when it hit the back of his head. It was quite a sturdy head.


    ��Hn������������Hnnn��


    The beast-headed man rose up out of the water suddenly.


    Kyaa~, went the children as they scattered and ran away.


    ��That was a good nap. Is it morning already?��


    ��It''s already the afternoon��


    Barfuru-sama is a massive beastkin.


    In general, the men and women who are referred to as "beastkin" look like humans with animal parts attached, but this person is different. He looks like a human who had been transformed into a wolf. If you ask me, this person is what I would call a true beastkin.


    ording to him, he came to look like this because of a curse.


    Putting aside whether that''s true or not����


    ��Barfuru-sama, I have a favor to ask of you��


    He climbed out of the river and shook off the water like a dog.


    Quite a lot of it got onto me.


    ��Mmm. First, a drink��


    ��Yeah yeah��


    We went back to Tyutyu''s store together.


    ��Tyutyu, a wake-up drink for me��


    ��Alright-nya��


    In the meantime, we settled down at a table.


    Tyutyu came back with a few bottles of alcohol, but she didn''t seem to have any intention of giving them to Barfuru-sama.


    ��Barfuru-sama, pay up first-nya��


    ��Souya��


    ��Yeah yeah��


    I handed Tyutyu about 20 copper coins. For now, I should let him enjoy his drink first.


    Barfuru-sama drank the alcohol, spilling some of it out the sides of his beast-like mouth. I waited until he had emptied about two bottles before I began.


    ��How is your adventuring goingtely?��


    ��So-so, I suppose��


    ��It��s going terribly-nya��


    Tyutyu said as she wiped Barfuru-sama''s beast head with a rag.


    He suddenly started to look like a domesticated dog to me.


    ��Good grief���������������� The tab has grown so big-nya. It''s about 30 gold coins in total-nya. I won''t give him as much as a single bean anymore-nya��


    ��Please work, Barfuru-sama��


    I feel ashamed even though it''s got nothing to do with me.


    I mean, the king knows him personally, there are adventurers who think highly of him, and even dvain, the god of war, acknowledges his prowess.


    He''s as much of a drunk as the hero of a foreign movie is in the sequel.


    ��What are you implying? I don''t work for cheap. And it just so happens that things are starting to stink up in the north. The time for me to show my true power is near. Mm-hmm��


    ��Barfuru-sama, if you don''t pay your tab, you will be barred from my store-nya. I''m at the end of my patience-nya��


    ��Ugh, Tyutyu, umm, that''s a problem for me. They''re so afraid of me at most bars that they not only refuse to serve me alcohol, they actually call the guards. This ce is a haven that I can rx in. Even dvain said, "Abstain from alcohol at the dining table," and wouldn''t let me drink even a single drop��


    ��Pay your tab then. It''s 35 gold coins��


    ��Ur, urgh��


    Huh, didn''t it just go up by five gold coins?


    Leaving that aside, here''s my chance.


    ��Barfuru-sama, I''ll pay you 40 gold coins if you help me with something��


    ording to Otou-san����


    ��Barfuru-sama? He''s not an advanced adventurer, but purely as a vanguard, he''s one of the five most powerful in Lemuria. In a certain way, he''s a monster. He''s not a person who��s bound by the limits of humanity��


    That��s what I was told.


    If I can hire someone like that for 40 gold coins, then it''s an absolute bargain.


    ��What��s this thing that you want my help with?��


    Barfuru-sama''s face twisted as if he really, really didn''t want to do it.


    Despite his dog-like face, I could tell that very clearly from his expression.


    ��The dragon will being to this city soon, right?��


    ��Is it already that time of year? A year sure goes by fast, huh?��


    ��It''s only natural that the year goes by quickly if all you do is drink and sleep every day-nya��


    Tyutyu''s scathing sarcasm was brilliantly ignored by Barfuru-sama.


    ��Souya, is your intention to use my strength to fight off the dragon?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    What else are you good for?


    ��If it was a dragon that crawled on the ground, I''d beat it easily. But the dragon thates to Lemuria with the start of winter flies in the sky. How am I supposed to fight it?��


    ��We''lle up with a n. We have several excellent magicians, so we''ll find a way to bring it down somehow. Once it''s on the ground, I��m counting on your strength, Barfuru-sama��


    ��Mmm, I refuse��


    ��Barfuru-sama! You''re terrible-nya! Do some work-nya!��


    Chastised by Tyutyu, Barfuru-sama exined himself.


    ��Tyutyu, this is different. It''s a matter of principle for me��


    ��And what is this principle of yours?��


    I''ll ask just in case.


    It was often the case with the warriors of the Myriad Kings, but there are many strong people in this alternate world who have odd self-imposed rules. Barfuru-sama just might be one of them.


    ��I don''t like fights that involve all sorts of petty tricks. Besides, if I agree to do this, I''ll have to listen to your orders, won''t I? I don''t like that��


    It was hardly a good argument.


    He''s just being willful.


    ��50 gold coins��


    ��Mmm?��


    ��How about if I pay you 50 gold coins?��


    ��Don''t you look down on me like that. It''s not about the money��


    Alright then����


    ��Tyutyu, how about 60 gold coins?��


    ����I��ll exploit his weakness.


    ��Barfuru-sama, ept it right away-nya. If you don''t, I''m cutting ties with you-nya. And I''ll close this store too-nya��


    ��What?! Souya, you dirty bastard! Tyutyu, is that really alright with you?! Isn''t this the very important store that you inherited from Toto?!��


    ��It''s a store where its only regr doesn''t pay his tab-nya. My mother would understand-nya��


    ��Urgh��


    Those words hit Barfuru-sama right where it hurts.


    This seems to work very well on him.


    Is it that all the women around me are strong, or is it simply that all the men around me are weak against women? Otou-san too, despite everything, can''t stand up to the proprietress. King Lemuria is also like that with his daughter. The same goes for me.


    Why is this, I wonder?


    Oh, this is what people call birds of a feather flocking together, I suppose.


    ��But you know, Tyutyu, you also don''t want to see me being ordered about by a lower-ranked adventurer, do you? Isn''t that just uncool?��


    ��Is that something a man who can''t even pay for his own drinks should be saying-nya?��


    ����������������


    Barfuru-sama fell silent.


    I couldn''t help pitying him.


    ��Say, what''s the deepest floor that you''ve reached, Barfuru-sama?��


    ��The 30th floor. Speaking of which, what about you? I''d bet it''s only�D�D��


    ��It''s the same for me. Well, to be exact, it��s the bottom of the 30th floor��


    ��Souya, that''s amazing-nya. There aren''t many adventurers who can descend the dungeon this fast-nya��


    ��������������Well, I live for battle, and as such, I have no interest in something like clearing the dungeon. Also, clearing floors isn''t all there is to an adventurer��


    I''ve heard many people say the same thing, but I''ve never found it less convincing than when hearing it from him.


    ��Barfuru-sama, please lend me a hand in fighting off the dragon��


    ��Barfuru-sama, work a little and show Nya how cool you are-nya��


    ��Ggrrrr��


    Barfuru-sama snarled in reluctance.


    ��Urggrrrr��


    He growled some more.


    Just how much do you not want to work, you bastard?


    ��Haaah����


    Tyutyu let out a deep~ sigh and put on a look of profound weariness.


    ��I understand-nya. I''ve grown tired of this, Barfuru-sama. I''m putting this store and the memories associated with my mother to rest right here and now-nya��


    ��H, hang on a minute, Tyutyu. Think it over again for a moment��


    When Barfuru-sama tried to dissuade her, Tyutyu flung her apron at him.


    ��Then go and take the dragon''s head-nya! You good-for-nothing!��


    A furious Tyutyu stormed off with her tail bristling.


    This was the first time I had ever seen her angry.


    ��Ggrrooaarr!��


    The beast-headed man with an apron over his head quivered.


    ��Souya! It''s all your fault!��


    ��No, it''s mostly your own fault��


    Barfuru-sama grabbed me by the chest andshed out at me, but I brushed it off as it was only misced anger.


    ��What are you going to do? Tyutyu might really not forgive you unless you take the dragon''s head or something��


    ��Ggrrrr��


    ��Can you do it by yourself? Can you fly in the sky?��


    ���D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�Dyou a hand��


    ��Huh, what was that?��


    I put my hand to my ear in the "I can''t hear you" pose.


    If we''re going to work together, we''ll have to put our lives in each other''s hands. The chain ofmand needs to be clear.


    ��I��ll lend you a hand. In fighting off the dragon��


    ��Alright, I''m counting on you��


    ��Once the fight is over������just you wait��


    His eyes were filled with a rather serious intent to kill. However, because he had an apron on his head, the menacing effect was reduced by 30%.


    ��Ha ha ha��


    I don''t even know what kind of g it is that I''ve raised this time.


    I''m starting to not care anymore.


    Small note, many cultures in the east, like China, Japan, and so on, celebrate the winter solstice(though they all seem to call it different names), which marks theing of winter, and have numerous traditions involved with it. I know I know, many cultures actually view the winter solstice as the middle of winter or mid-winter, and not the start of winter. That��s why, to prevent confusion, I��ve not tranted it as ��winter solstice�� and have kept referring to it as ��theing/start of winter��, which is what the Japanese culture believes, but I thought I should at least leave a note about it here. It��s also a tiny bit of lore, I guess. (???)?


    I am stumped on the reference though. Anyone have any ideas?


    Now that I think about it, Gashuraku-san��s deepest floor reached is also the 30th floor. Is this floor that hard to clear? Including Barfuru-sama, that��s 2 strong people who have gotten stuck here.


    And the g raising continues haha. But with that, he has the ten people needed! One more chapter till this arc ends though, so will he raise one final g in thest chapter?! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 110: In Search Of Comrades IV

    <h4>Chapter 110: In Search Of Comrades IV</h4>


    ��133rd day��


    After that, I brought the members to the camp.


    And deepened our friendships over the food and drinks that had been prepared.


    ��What a strange group of people��


    Said Maria, who gave her impression while sitting on myp.


    The group at the table were certainly nothing but strange people.


    ��Ha ha ha! You know, Medimu, I''d never have guessed that you were under this guy too!��


    ��It''s called "give-and-take". I doubt a lone wolf like you would understand��


    In aplete about-face, Barfuru-sama was in a good mood and was chatting with Otou-san.


    ��Is this, umm, some sort of shell? Huh, it''s not metal, is it? What about the inside??��


    ��No touching please��


    Lazarissa was all over Gunmerry, touching its helmet and trying to get a peek at its insides.


    ��You must be Souya-san''s wife. Err, hi, it''s nice to meet you��


    ��Yes, I''m Oni�D�DI meant, Souya''s wife, Rauaryuna. Ho ho ho��


    Ea was ying a prank on Rutsuko-san by pretending to be Rana.


    ����������������


    Lys had puffed-out cheeks as she ate the curry in silence.


    ��Frey! What do you mean you''re getting married?!��


    ��Haa~ why isn''t Shuna-sama here? Haa~��


    Rana had grabbed Frey by the cor and was swinging her around. But her mind was somewhere else.


    Certainly, it''s a strange group of people.


    To sum it up.


    Me, Rana, Ea, Lys, and Otou-san from my regr party.


    Then, Frey, Lazarissa, Rutsuko-san, and Gunmerry.


    As an added bonus, Barfuru-sama.


    These are the blood-sworn members of our party to fight off the dragon. When several parties team up, the Guild takes the blood of the leader and uses it to draw up a contract. A contract made with blood is a heavy one.


    Should the Guild receive anyints of wrongdoing within this blood-alliance, the leader will be punished ordingly. In some cases, this is a contract that can cost a person their life.


    Well, this contract like this is essential in gaining the trust of others.


    ��Souya-san, can I ask you something?��


    ��Oh, go ahead��


    Rutsuko-san came to me with a question.


    I wee all questions. I��d love to clear up any doubts or reservations anyone may have about one another.


    ��Who��s the child on yourp?��


    ��I''m Souya''s second wife��


    Maria��s words����


    ��Is what she ims. She��s the child of an acquaintance. Due to some circumstances, she has been left in my care��


    ����were quickly corrected by me.


    The time it takes for an elf to grow from a child to an adult is not much different from that of a Hemu. Once they''ve reached adulthood, a life of agelessness and beauty follows.


    In other words, an elven loli is just as loli as her looks suggest. People are already suspicious of me because of Rana''s baby-faced looks, and the suspicions have only grown because of Lanseal''s transformation into a child, so I don''t want to furtherpound the suspicions that I''m a lolicon.


    ��Then, that person there������


    Rutsuko-san suddenly lowered her voice.


    ��Who''s that elf with the huge breasts��


    ��That''s my daughter, Ea��


    Ea was getting carried away with her prank.


    ��Whattt? Souya-san, you have a childdd? Rana-san, how do you have that figure despite having given birthhh?��


    ��Ho ho ho ho��


    I should probably stop her soon.


    I''m also tempted to watch it y out because it''s funny.


    ��Dear! What is this about you and Frey getting married?! I demand an exnation!��


    I had told Frey to exin it to her, but I''m the one who has to exin it in the end?


    ��What?! Onii-chan, what''s going on?!��


    Ea''s outcry����


    ��Onii-chan, she said? Or rather, even if elves are polygamous, just how many do you intend on marrying, Souya-san?! You''re too much!��


    ����caused Rutsuko-san to also raise her voice.


    ��Souya, I''m the second wife, remember?��


    And then Maria chimed in.


    ��Oof��


    I held my head in my hands.


    Rather than getting cleared up, the doubts have only increased.


    Is this party going to be okay?


    It''s mostly my fault though.


    After the meal was over, I addressed the various questions that had arisen.


    Lys, Otou-san, and Barfuru-sama were lounging around casually.


    ��First��


    I put my left hand around Ea''s shoulders. My sister hugged me in return.


    ��This is Ea, my wife''s younger sister��


    ��That��s right��


    She didn''t look the least bit sorry for causing the misunderstanding. For some reason, she had her thumb, index, and pinky finger extended.


    My sister is a bit of an unruly brat. She has the mentality of a child, and ording to Rana, just because an elf has grown up physically, it doesn''t mean that he or she is an adult.


    It��s only afterpleting certain trials that an elf is finally recognized as an adult.


    The trials are also where they receive their education.


    Ea was forsaken by the Forest before she had a chance to take the trials, so in a sense, she''ll stay a child forever. In addition, Rana''s tendency to indulge children also yed a big part in this. Misuranika-sama also pampers her in secret. I think I spoil her as well. She''s just so cute that I can''t help it.


    I mean, would it be alright if I educated her myself? I don''t want to cause Ea to be unable to return to elven society because of that though.


    Putting that aside.


    ��Which means that she''s your sister-inw������ That''s a problem in and of itself though��


    Rutsuko-san had aplicated look on her face.


    I put my right hand across Rana''s shoulders and pulled her close.


    ��And this is my wife, Rauaryuna��


    ��Hi, I''m his wife��


    For some reason, Rana also extended her fingers into the same gesture that Ea did.


    Who taught them that, I wonder? Do they even know what that means?


    ��And I''m Maria, his second wife and daughter��


    Lastly, Maria stood in front of me with her arms outstretched.


    It was a lineup of three elven girls.


    ��So strong!��


    I had no clue what Rutsuko-san''s impression meant.


    ��Y, you can do it, me. I can''t admit defeat without even fighting��


    ��That''s the essence of the defense-only policy[1], isn''t it?��


    Gunmerry''s impression made it even harder to understand.


    ��So, dear, after we''ve defeated the dragon with Frey, please marry her and then divorce her right away, got it?��


    ��Understood��


    That was enough to satisfy Rana.


    Yay~, with that, I''ll get to be a divorcee too.


    ��Frey! You''re okay with that, right?!��


    ��Yeah������������


    Frey answered, still lying down on the in. She was looking like she couldn''t care less about the whole thing. Her ringlets had drooped into simple twin-tails.


    Is she going to be of any use?


    ��Lazarissa, please agree to this as well. That my husband and your master will be divorced immediately��


    ��If possible, I''d prefer that the pretend marriagests until Aunt-sama leaves Lemuria. And while we''re at it, I''d also like for Souya-sama to divorce Rauaryuna-sama for the time being��


    Lazarissa''s proposal was uneptable to me.


    Rana also seemed to feel the same way.


    ��No matter what kind of women Souya has rtions with, I have no intention of ever divorcing him, even if I end up being treated like a servant. I will not divorce him until the day I die��


    ��No matter what kind of woman I end up in a rtionship with from now on, even if Rana looks at me like I''m trash, I''m not letting go of her until the day I die��


    We both said words that were simr to each other''s.


    ��Haa������������ Well, we''ll fake it somehow��


    With a sigh, Lazarissa shrugged her shoulders and nodded.


    ��What''s this feeling, I wonder? Somehow, my sister and brother are kinda pissing me off��


    My sister grounded her heel on my foot.


    ��Souya, when are you going to get married with me?��


    An excited Maria asked.


    ��Maybe after you��ve has grown up, Maria��


    ��Would that be when I''ve grown as tall as Ea? Or when my boobs are as big as Rana''s?��


    ��Both��


    ��What a greedy man. Well, just you wait and see. I''m going to grow up all tall and bouncy��


    ��That so?��


    Both sisters patted Maria on the head.


    ��Wh, what?!��


    They ruffled up her hair and turned it into an interesting hairstyle.


    It became an upswept twin-tails that looked like the antennae of a shrimp.


    ��I''m sorry. I feel like I''m about to hyperventte from other people''s blissfulness��������������


    Rutsuko-san had copsed, with both hands on the ground.


    ��Princess, don''t lose hope��


    As it consoled her, Gunmerry peeked at her panties.


    Shit, I can''t see it from where I am.


    ��Hey, Medimu, is this party going to be okay?��


    ��Who knows, it might be toote for us��


    Of all people, Barfuru-sama was feeling concerned.


    Strangely enough, Lys had curled up on Barfuru-sama''sp and was sound asleep.


    That��s rather surprising. I mean, she''s as guarded as an untamed cat and she hasn��t even let anyone in the party into her heart yet.


    ��Umm, can we discuss the strategy now?��


    To be honest, I''d love to spend the whole day cavorting with the elves, but if I did that, my adventuring and my life would fall apart.


    ��First, does the magician group have any ideas on how to defeat the dragon?��


    Rana was the first to raise her hand.


    ��What about the "Brinicle" that was effective against the Dragon-Tortoise in the past?��


    ��Certainly��


    Even in its imperfect state, that magic delivered a death blow to the Dragon-Tortoise. I believe it will work on a real dragon as well.


    However, there''s just one problem.


    ��Rana, can you hit something flying around in the sky with that?��


    ��Oh��


    It seems that Rana had forgotten about that part.


    ��Frey, use your magic to increase its uracy to the point where it can hit an airborne target��


    ��Huh, an airborne target? What magic am I supposed to increase the uracy of?��


    Half-heartedly, the lifeless Frey replied.


    ��An ice spear created with Ri?Bau as the medium��


    ��That''s impossible even if you get a hero to throw that. The color of death, Ri?Bau, is the god of ice that falls from the sky. To throw it up into the sky goes against the principle of that god. It would scatter into pieces before it got up into the air��


    ��Then, any ideas on what magic we can use to hunt the dragon?��


    ��Hunt the dragon~? If that could be done using magic, all the dragons in the world would have been wiped out and used as materials for weapons and armor long ago. Those damned scales. Neither ice nor mes can prate them, and even weapons made of Rmir steel are repelled by them.


    If you want to kill one no matter what, then there''s no other way but to bring someone with the blessing of a dragon-yer.


    But this means having to raise up a hero with arge number of followers who worship him or her, and "start" by ying a dragon first. It''s a topsy-turvy paradox where the best way to y a dragon is to bring a hero who has already done just that. It''s not something a magician can just wave their hand and aplish��


    If you want to kill a dragon, you have to kill a dragon first.


    Well, that''s a paradox indeed.


    dvain-sama, it��s amazing that you were able to win.


    ��Then, we��ll summon Lars to throw stones at it. We''ll attack with it sheer mass��


    ��Would a thrown stone even hit a flying dragon, I wonder?��


    ��What about conjuring up wind to seal its movements?��


    ��Me and Raunyan-san don''t have close to enough magic power to conjure up a windstorm strong enough to bring down a dragon��


    ��My strongest suit, mes, won''t work. Ice won''t work either. To begin with, I can''t even reach it with either of them. A way to knock a dragon out of the sky using magic��������������


    ����������������


    Rana and Frey went deep into thought.


    Both of them are magicians of the Hohens School, the center of offensive magic.


    In addition, they have been bestowed the highest title of "guide of the final me". In other words, if the two of them can��te up with a good idea, then we''ll have to give up on methods involving magic.


    ����������������


    They both cocked their heads.


    Are we already in checkmate?


    ��Myself has a good idea��


    Right then, Gunmerry chimed in.


    ��Neither mes nor ice will work against the dragon. In that case, we should use lightning��


    ��Thunder?��[2]


    Frey tilted her head.


    ��Are you talking about Lyulyushka, the thunderbolt? The magic that god grants is that of light, sound, and shock. I don''t believe those are enough to bring down a dragon��


    In response to Rana''s question, Gunmerry demonstrated it to her.


    ��The power of lightning, or in other words, electricity��


    A small ball of electricity appeared in the armor''s right hand.


    ��Using myself''s Maxwell engine, I can convert magic power into electricity. However, as the efficiency of the interlinked Type 2 perpetual motion engine drops drastically when I do it, even with six unitsbined, a softball-sized one is my limit��


    Err, what on earth is this guy talking about?


    Did it just say "perpetual motion engine"?


    ��What is this "perpetual motion engine" that you mentioned?��


    Frey seemed to also have no idea what he was talking about.


    ��What a strange magic. No, could this be the same as Makina��s, I wonder?��


    Rana touched the ball of electricity with a finger.


    ��Oww!��


    There was a crackle of electricity and she pulled her finger back.


    ��Rana! Are you okay?!��


    ��Oh, I��m fine. I got startled when it shocked me a little��


    She seemed unhurt. My heart nearly stopped.


    From time to time, Rana does dangerous things out of curiosity.


    ��If the two of you would channel your magic power into myself, I can generate enough electricity to form it into the size of ance. By all means, please do fill me with it. Come on, now, do it!��


    ��������������Dear, somehow, I����I don''t want to��


    ��My my, it��s not often that we agree on things, isn''t it? I was just thinking how creepy that was��


    Gunmerry was despised all of a sudden.


    That''s probably because it was seen peeping at Rutsuko-san''s panties earlier.


    ��The one in the armor. Why won''t you show your face to the people who are going to be entrusting their lives to you?��


    ��Oh, about that!��


    Rutsuko-san cut in to answer Rana''s question.


    ��Gunmerry has terrible burns on his face, and that''s why he doesn''t want women to see it��


    ��That was rude of me. It had slipped myself''s mind��


    Gunmerry took off its helmet.


    Inside was����


    ��As you can see, it''s not a face that people like to gaze upon��


    ����a face that belonged to a young man. The left half of the face was scarred from burns. Nevertheless, it was a young man with a shy smile who gave off a good impression.


    Hey, you''re kidding me, right?


    What happened to the headless Gunmerry I saw a while back?


    ��Forgive me, it was groundless suspicion on my part��


    Rana bowed her head and apologized.


    She had bowed her head low in a manner no one would expect from an elf. This is one of her good points.


    ��Therefore, I would like you to channel your magic power into myself!��


    For some reason, he seems dirty-minded when the helmet is on. [3]


    ��I don''t want to do that��


    ��Neither do I��


    He still got rejected.


    ��Alright, listen here!��


    Rutsuko-san raised her hand.


    ��How about channeling the magic power into me instead? Somehow, I have a feeling that I''m connected to Gunmerry on a deeper level, and it seems that we��re able to give and take magic power and regeneration point from each other��


    ��That''s a kind of curse, isn''t it? It''s not the mostudable of methods, you know?��


    ��Well, this is the only way I can be of any help when adventuring��


    Rutsuko-san scratched her hair while looking embarrassed.


    ��If you''re going so far as to say that, then I''m fine with it. We don''t have any other ideas anyway��


    ��If Raunyan-san says so, then I will agree to it as well. Well, I''m also interested in this magic called "electricity"��


    The magician group appeared to havee to an agreement.


    ��Let''s give it a try right away. We��ll need to change locations. There��s a target set up just to the north of here��


    To the north, we hadunched a kite and left it flying in the sky to serve as a target simting a dragon.


    With Rana leading the way, the magicians went over there.


    Now,


    ��So we''re in charge of acting as vanguards and scouting for the enemy��


    ��Huhh? All we need to do is beat up the dragon suitably after it falls from the sky, isn��t it?��


    Barfuru-sama came up with a very rough n.


    No no no, you can''t even call that a n, can you?


    ��Just give up, Souya. This is the kind of man he is. Rather than giving him orders and trying to make him work together with others, he''s stronger when left to his own devices. Just in case, I''ll stay by him and hold his reins��


    ��You sure can talk big now, huh? Even though you were just a brat chasing after a woman''s ass��


    ��Good grief, please don''t bring up something that''s already been settled��


    I''ll leave Barfuru-sama to Otou-san.


    He''s someone I can''t control.


    As for Lazarissa������������oh, she''s not here. She seems to have gone with Frey. She''s a loyal person who only cares about protecting Frey. When pushes to shove, she''ll probably ignore my orders.


    I wonder if the fact that she isn''t opposed to the marriage that Frey isn''t willing to go through with is a sign that she wants Frey to quit the dangerous business of adventuring.


    After that,


    ��Lys, you are to���� Hey, Lys!��


    I woke Lys, who had fallen deep into sleep.


    ��What?��


    She woke up in a bad mood.


    ��You are to protect the magician group from the dragon''s mes. You can do that, right?��


    ��Yeah yeah��


    She replied, sounding like she thought it was too much trouble. Using Barfuru-sama''s tail as a hugging pillow, she went back to sleep.


    She''s the same as always, but I feel even more uneasy than usual.


    ��Onii-chan, what about me?��


    ��Ea, your job is to predict the dragon''snding spot and tell it to Otou-san. You never know what might happen, so be prepared for surprises��


    ��Understood��


    My obedient sister is even more dependable than usual.


    ��Souya, what about me?��


    ��Maria, you''re staying here��


    Isn''t that obvious?


    ��Ehhh, isn''t it about time you took me on your adventures?��


    ��It''s dangerous. You might get burnt to a crisp before you get a chance to escape��


    ��Ehhh~��


    ��Don��t you ��Ehhh~�� me. I''ll make you eat a mountain of vegetables if you don''t listen to me��


    If anything happens to you, I won''t be able to face Tortch.


    ��Other than that������Otou-san, what will the other adventurers be doing?��


    ��Don''t worry. You won''t be robbed of your prey. Along the same lines as dvain-sama''s philosophy, the advanced adventurers won''t be participating in the fight to drive off the dragon. Only intermediate and lower adventurers are allowed to participate��


    ��Well, in a sense, that��s������


    There goes my n to take advantage of them fighting each other.


    Well, this is troubling.


    The more I learn about this dragon, the more impossible it seems to defeat. Will this makeshift party be able to deal with it? No, we''ll have to figure something out. We must do it. We humans have to y the cards we''re dealt.


    My job is to give orders that ensure no one goes down. Even without any support, I''ll give orders. Even if it is reckless or foolhardy, I��ll raise my voice and call for people to move.


    That''s the leader''s job.


    And I can only y it by ear. A foolhardy battle befitting adventurers awaits.


    And then����


    ����I heard the echo of distant thunder.


    In the distance, I saw lightning shoot up into the heavens.


    Will it be enough to bring the dragon down, I wonder?


    First and foremost, that is the question.


    [1] Gunmerry is referencing the defense-only policy of Japan��s SDF here. He��s making a jab at them not being able to lose(admit defeat) because they never get into fights.


    [2] The kanji that Gunmerry used ���ס� can mean either lightning or thunder, or even thunderbolt in Japanese. Hence the confusion over it.


    [3] The term used by Gunmerry, ��ע���ǡ� means channel into, pour, fill up, inject. I cannot borate further because it��ll be R18 in an instant��but suffice to say, it sounds pervy af whenever he��s demanding to be filled up or have magic power channeled into him even though the words can be taken innocently.


    Could the Maxwell engine be a reference to Maxwell Technologies? Do note that a working perpetual motion engine means infinite energy, though it��s not realistically possible as it breaks thews of thermodynamics. Also, if you still remember, thepany told Souya they wanted the material on the 56th floor for perpetual cold fusion, which is another type of theoretical infinite energy��


    edit: A million thanks to my patron Scanner Luce for pointing out that Maxwell most likely refers to "Maxwell''s Demon" - a thought experiment created by the physicist James Clerk Maxwell in 1867 in which he suggested how the secondw of thermodynamics might hypothetically be vited.


    Anyways, no g raised this chapter��or is there? It would be just like this author to keep talking about gs for the whole arc, then raise a g secretly in the one chapter that doesn��t mention gs. In any case, it��s the end of this arc! We��re slowly but surely drawing closer to the battle against the dragon! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 111: Dragon Hunters I

    <h4>Chapter 111: Dragon Hunters I</h4>


    ��137th day��


    As for where we gathered, it was dvain-sama''s dormitory, which we had been given permission to use. By the way, the food was all paid for by me. Also, I ended up treating dvain''s kin to the food as well, which saved some money but increased my workload. But Ea, Lazarissa, and Rutsuko-san lent me a hand, so it wasn��t too much trouble.


    Rutsuko-san.


    I did have a feeling that she might be a good cook, but the food she cooks is really delicious. As much as three men had proposed to her immediately after eating her freshly baked bread.


    She''ll probably make a good wife.


    As a fellow Japanese, I��m proud of her. The Japans that we''re from are slightly different though.


    While rxing in one of the dormitory''s rooms, I asked Otou-san a question that had just urred to me.


    ��When is the dragoning?��


    To be honest, I''d like to work out at least one cooperative attack. I''d like to, but our magic power and stamina aren''t infinite, and there''s a limit to how much we can recover. Without knowing when the dragon is going to appear, there''s nothing we can do but wait in suspense.


    ��It should be here soon��


    ��Do you know when exactly?��


    ��Rx. You''ll know when ites��


    ��How will I know?��


    ��Well, Lemuria has a bell, right?��


    ��Yeah, that��s right��


    In Lemuria, there''s arge bell that announces the time.


    It tolls every morning, noon, and evening without fail.


    ��When the dragones, that bell rings differently��


    ��Otou-san, about that bell������


    But there��s one thing I''ve always found strange. Whether it was when Makina made the map of Lemuria, or when she took pictures of the city from the sky, or when I explored the city with Misuranika-sama����


    ��The bell that rings in Lemuria, where is it located?��


    ����I have note across anything like arge bell.


    Sure, there''s a bell on the watchtower on the outer walls. However, it''s used to signal the change of shifts, and doesn''t toll loud enough to be heard throughout the city and far out into the distant in.


    When we tried to triangte the source of the bell''s ringing, we got an even more baffling result. 30 meters above the main street of Lemuria. That''s where the ringinges from.


    Of course, other than the dungeon, there are no buildings that tall here.


    I mean, it''s just an empty space in the sky.


    Out of curiosity, I had a drone fly in and out of that spot, but there was nothing there. Nothing showed up on any of its sensors.


    But the sound definitely doese from that empty space.


    ��Hmm, I have no idea. It''s a phantom bell tower��


    ��Seriously~?��


    I can''t believe that even Otou-san has no clue.


    ��Twenty years ago, the Guild looked into the matter, and I heard that they happened to findrge bells that sound strikingly simr��


    ��Where?��


    ��The abandoned capital of Rossian lies in-between Lemuria and the capital of death, Neomia. In the dungeon found in its catbs, it seems that there are over a thousand decrepitrge bells��


    What the heck, that''s scary.


    ��And those bells also toll at certain times of day without fail, even though no one rings them��


    ������������It''s something supernatural.


    ��Well, there are plenty of things in this world that no one really knows anything about. Like that Gunmerry over there��


    ��That��s true��


    While being mindful of his surroundings, Gunmerry was slipping bread into his helmet. The curry soup, bowl and all, also went into the helmet. And then, a fork and a spoon too.


    So that''s why the number of utensils is always off after every meal with this guy.


    ��Otou-san, that��s�D�D��


    I still had many questions that I wanted to ask, but����


    I was especially surprised.


    It was a sound I was familiar with.


    ��Oh, that''s the ringing I was talking about��


    That''s what Otou-san said, but this is not the ringing of a bell.


    Rutsuko-san turned to Otou-san.


    ��How strange though. The same sound also exists in my world. It''s the sound that is yed when a disaster strikes��


    ��Well, a dragon is indeed a disaster��


    Yes, it''s as she said, this is the "siren" that warns of disaster.


    What if this siren is something that came from the alternate world? No no no, that''s not possible


    For a moment,  of the Apes[1]�� shed across my mind, but if that were the case, it wouldn''t exin the differences in the astronomical objects. The star chart is far too dissimr.


    If this was so far into the future that all the astronomical objects had changed, the itself would have already ceased to exist.


    It''s a mystery.


    Whatever the case may be, I''ll focus on hunting the dragon for now.


    I got up from my seat.


    The members of my party, Frey, Lazarissa, Rutsuko-san, and Gunmerry got up from their seats.


    Last was Barfuru-sama.


    Nervousness made me break out in a cold sweat.


    It''s not that I''m afraid of taking on a strong enemy. What I''m afraid of, is fighting with other people''s lives in my hands.


    Every time that happens, I always break out in a cold sweat. It''s a sign that I''m still an inexperienced adventurer, and also proof that I haven''t be careless.


    ��Le, let''s go��


    I stumbled over my words a little.


    ��Yeah~!��


    Rutsuko-san cheered enthusiastically.


    The others responded with a few "Ye, yeah" or some such. They were bad at getting into the mood.


    When we left the room, thinking that it was about time, we found dvain-sama and Shuna waiting for us in the hallway.


    ��Souya��


    Shuna walked up.


    ���D�D��s life is in your hands��


    And then bowed his head to Barfuru-sama, who was beside me.


    His behavior surprised me.


    ��I heard from dvain-sama that you''re actually an amazing knight. Even though this guy is like this, he''s my precious leader. If he dies, a lot of things will likely break down. I don''t think I''ll ever be able to venture into the dungeon again. So, please, take care of him!��


    ��Mmm, leave it to me��


    Barfuru-sama cocked his beast head and answered with a smile.


    Then, Galdvain-sama stepped in front of me.


    ��Souya, it''s time to fulfill our promise��


    ��Promise?��


    With dvain-sama? Was there something like that?


    ��I said I would reward you for the matter with L, didn''t I?��


    ��Ah!��


    I had forgotten all about it.


    I got sent to the left continent right after that and lots of things happened, so it had slipped my mind entirely.


    ��Medimu, you should have reminded him as well. Especially since you''ve sneakily received the reward for yourself already��


    ��Ah, no, I hadpletely forgotten about it. I was having too much fun swinging the katana��


    It appeared that Otou-san had forgotten all about it too.


    Speaking of which,


    ��What did you receive, Otou-san?��


    ��I learned the sword techniques for this��


    Otou-san tapped the hilt of his katana.


    ��It''s not a weapon ever seen in our martial arts school''s history, but I created a system of techniques for it��


    ��From scratch?��


    I had epted the brilliance of Otou-san''s skill with the sword, but I''d never have thought that anyone would be able to systemize Iaido and teach it to others so easily in the alternate world. Though it had been destroyed, as expected from the lineage of that martial arts school.


    ��The question of whether it is the weapon or techniques thate first is a never-ending one for a warrior. The design of that sword has a lot of meaning. No matter how you look at it, its form is meant for ying humans. In that case, by the name of Velsvain, creating techniques for it is easy. However, how much more refined those techniques be is all up to you, Medimu��


    ��I will continue to put my heart into it��


    Otou-san''s attitude was unusual.


    In front of this god, even the father of adventurers diminishes inparison. And I think I''ll soon get to see the strength of Barfuru-sama, a person who remains arrogant even in front of such a god.


    The siren had stopped before I realized it.


    A strong wind that was generated by the pping of something huge''s wings.


    ��It��s here��


    dvain-sama smiled fearlessly.


    I mean����


    ��Umm, dvain-sama. If you could hurry it up a little��������


    ����you could have told me earlier.


    ��Hnn������that''s, well, mmm��


    You also forgot about it until thest minute, didn''t you?


    ��Uhh, I''m not looking a gift horse in the mouth, but how long will it take?��


    ��Assuming you have a natural talent for it, Souya, it should take you ten days to master the katana techniques��


    ��There''s no time for that! The dragon is already here!��


    ��What about a weapon then? I''ll lend you my beloved sword��


    ��I''m sorry, I can''t wield that��


    In all likelihood, carrying her absurdlyrge sword will be all I can manage.


    ��Then������������as an exception, I''ll bestow upon you my blessing��


    ��dvain-sama, that''ll surely send the wrong message to the kin��


    Even Shuna is against it.


    Screams and cheers areing from the outside. It''s already started!


    ��dvain-sama, we''ll continue this conversation after the battle is over!��


    ��But then, you see, depending on what happens, this may be thest chance for this. I want to do onest thing for you��


    ��Okaa-sama(Mother)! Why do you have to say something so inauspicious before we go?!��


    Oh crap.


    I made a mistake simr to how schoolkids would identally call their teacher "mum" in the heat of the moment.


    ��Oh, I have a better idea. Hmm, yes, one that won''t send the wrong message to my kin��


    Dear god, you seem to havee up with something.


    I don''t care what it is, just hurry up, hurry up.


    ��I''ll bestow protection from fire. To be precise, I''ll give it to both Rana and Ea. This will be easy and quick to give. Souya, are you okay with that?��


    ��Yes, please. Protection for my wife and sister is more than enough reward for me��


    That would be a great help.


    To be honest, I''m more worried about those girls than I am about myself. I��m worried to death every time.


    ��Time is short, so I''m going to be a bit rough��


    dvain-sama bit her thumb hard, and then sucked her own blood.


    She pulled Rana close, then made her drink it through her lips.


    ��MMM����!��


    The suddenness of it gave Rana no time to resist.


    I was struck speechless.


    Needless to say, everyone else in the room was also dumbstruck.


    The movement of the two women''s lips and the gulps seemed both erotic and sacred at the same time.


    ��My blood shall repel the dragon''s mes. I bestow upon you the blessing of blood��


    Through those words, god prayed.


    But there didn''t seem to be anything in particr that had changed. Rana''s face was bright red, but that was probably due to something else.


    When Rana was finally released, she went limp and I caught her in my arms before she copsed to the ground.


    ��Come, you''re next, Ea��


    ��I''m so sorry!��


    My sister turned invisible and ran away.


    ��There isn''t much difference between being kissed by me and being kissed by your mothers though��


    dvain-sama looked disappointed.


    As a Japanese, I don''t quite understand the concept of mothers and daughters kissing.


    ��Alright, now there is nothing to worry about!��


    God smacked me hard on my back.


    The impact was amazing, but it didn''t hurt.


    ��Now, all you new dragon hunters. Get out there and do battle with pride! If you die, we will mourn and pay our respects to you. Honor doesn''t lie in defeating the dragon. It is the act of standing up to the dragon that is honorable! Go forth and prove yourselves!��


    This is no different from challenging the dungeon.


    Risking one''s life to explore, and putting one''s life on the line in battles. Proving one''s very existence by fighting a dragon. What a worthwhile way to live this is.


    I raised my voice.


    ��Let''s go, everyone! Don''t be afraid, don''t falter, and don''t run away! Now that we''ve sworn a blood oath to one another, we must protect ourrades with our lives! But remember, don''t die!��


    Cheers rang out from everyone in the party.


    This time, it was in a single, unified voice.


    [1] If you��ve not read or watched of the Apes, be warned, spoilers ahead. It��s a science-fiction ssic written by French author Pierre Boulle in 1963. The story is about a group of astronauts who woke up at the end of a light-speed voyage to find an alien popted by a society of intelligent apes. The twist at the end, where they uncovered the Statue of Liberty and realized that the ��alien�� was Earth long after humans had wiped themselves off the in an apocalyptic nuclear war, is the stuff of legend.


    Woahhh! The fight against the dragon starts next chapter! No bait and switch, no cut to the end, just 2 very long chapters of dragon fighting. I don��t want to hype expectations up too high, but this is a fun fight to read!


    Yeah, in case anyone also forgot all about it, Otou-san used sword & board before this. He didn��t suddenly know how to use a katana out of nowhere lol. Souya had kendo training, as was alluded several times, so it makes sense for him to have some basics. As for what dvain was talking about, to rify, it is the question of whether weapons caused people to invent techniques for wielding them, or did techniques cause people to invent weapons that suited them.


    By the way, I tried to set it up beforehand, but ��life is in your hands�� still feels a bit weird to me haha. Shuna actually just says, ��Please take care of Souya,�� except because of how Japanese grammar is backwardpared to English, ��Souya�� is at the start of the sentence, allowing for that scene where it seems at first that Shuna is calling out to Souya, but is actually talking to Barfuru-sama. A glimpse of the headaches I encounter when tranting. XD


    Anyway, you won��t want to miss the next few chapters! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 112: Dragon Hunters II

    <h4>Chapter 112: Dragon Hunters II</h4>


    A burnt smell hung in the air of the city.


    It was the air of a battlefield.


    A huge shadow swept across the sky, and the screams of people rang out with every pass.


    ��Adventurers who aren''t participating in the fight to drive it off! And all those who aren''t adventurers! Please remain calm and take refuge in the Adventurers'' Guild! There''s still time before the dragon attacks!��


    On the main street, Guild employees and guards were directing the throngs of people.


    Everyone was heading straight for the Odoriji spire.


    ��Stay calm! Don''t run, and don''t push! Please walk slowly! Children, if you''re lost, pleasee to big sister! Your parents are at the Guild! It''ll be alright, don''t cry!��


    A dog beastkindy was shouting at the top of her lungs.


    She was surrounded by about ten children who appeared to have strayed from their parents.


    ��The merchant over there! We can��t look after your goods and assets at the Guild! Please toss them out onto the in! Move it! Get out of the way! What? Ensuring the safety of your merchandise? Not our problem!��


    Our merchantpany had already made preparations to move the merchandise to a safe ce on the in.


    Right about now, Geto-san should be helping them move everything out of the city via the river.


    ��Furthermore! Adventurers who have taken up the request to fight it off! Listen up! All adventurers who have taken up the request to fight off the dragon! Do not attack the dragon until the Guild President gives the word! If you provoke it in any way, I will rip you to shreds and throw you into the dragon''s mouth!��


    Wow, she��s scary.


    ��Let''s get to the top of the city walls��


    With so many people about and so much noise, it was impossible to have a proper discussion.


    Everyone in the party made their way to the city walls. After going up the stairs, we were on top of the walls. My sister, who had canceled her invisibility, joined us.


    There were other adventurers on the walls.


    We exchanged brief greetings by making eye contact.


    I looked out over the people who were swarming like ants. It was probably because the evacuation was very well organized, but they were disappearing into the dungeon one after another.


    ��But it sure is big��


    ��That may be so, but it''s one of the smaller ones among the dragons��


    Otou-san''s words sent a chill down my spine.


    The dragon was soaring through the skies of Lemuria like it owned the ce.


    I had Yukikaze analyzed it and she told me its size.


    Body length, 20 meters.


    Wingspan, 74 meters.


    Its silhouette looked slender, but as a living creature, it was stupendouslyrge. It was twice the size of the dragon-tortoise we had fought in the past. On top of that, its huge wings made it seem even bigger.


    Its front arms were longer and skinnier than I had expected, and its fingers, with sharp ws at their tips, were well-developed, like those of humans. Its back legs were thick and robust, and it appeared to be bipedal rather than quadrupedal. It had a lizard-like head and a long neck, the very image of what one would expect a dragon to look like.


    Its distinguishing feature was the two curved horns on its head. And the whitish scales that covered its entire body.


    It''s a white dragon.


    I find it terrifying, yet also beautiful.


    I wonder if this sentiment is simr to how people view natural disasters as something divine. But this is already at the level of needing to bring out a Gundam. Is this an opponent that we, humans, can defeat? After seeing the real thing, I can''t help but be feel daunted.


    ��Hey��


    Otou-san prodded me.


    ��Don''t get distracted. Focus on the enemy��


    ��Yes��


    He was indirectly telling me not to be afraid.


    ��Rutsuko-san, Gunmerry, prepare the magic��


    ��Huh? But we''re not supposed to attack until we get the go-ahead��


    I smiled in response to Rutsuko-san''s diligent reply.


    ��We weren''t told not to prepare. Let''s unleash it as soon as we get the go-ahead. Our magic will spearhead the attack��


    ��I see!��


    Rutsuko-san really is a straightforward person.


    The magician group got into formation.


    Rutsuko-san stood in the center, with Gunmerry behind her, Rana in front and to her right, and Frey the same to her left.


    Rutsuko-san had Rana and Frey''s staves gripped in each of her hands.


    ��Are you ready?��


    ��Yes, please go ahead!��


    Rutsuko-san gave a spirited reply to Frey''s question.


    ��Rauaryuna-san, let''s start. Please follow my lead��


    ��������Alright��


    The good thing about Frey is that when she starts using magic, she stops acting foolishly.


    And then, Rana will start sounding grumpy.


    ��Gastolfomands you. Meltomu, the torrent, gather up our magical elements by ancient tradition and bind them into a light breeze��


    ��Oh Ezusu, my god. I offer this next wish. Arumoniya, the god of harmony, build up, bring together, align, gather the magic, and be one with this person��


    ��Eek!��


    Rutsuko-san jumped, then started trembling.


    Wind swirled around them. It was a windden with dense magical elements.


    ��It, it makes me feel really queasy. My insides are churning! They''re being twisted! This feels so terrible! Gunmerry! Quickly! Hurry up! What am I to do, it''s going to overflow! It''s going to burst out!��


    Responding to her request, Gunmerry raised both hands to the skies.


    ��Engine linking. Quantum transfer initiated������������linked��


    Electricity surged out from Gunmerry''s entire body.


    At the top of his voice, he prayed.


    ��Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. By my cadenza, once again be the fount of miracles. Turn your glory into lightning and bring forth a greatnce that decimates entire armies. Holy Grail! Holy Grail! By Maxwell''s aria, the little birds sing! The flowers bloom! And let there be hell on this world!��


    Rutsuko-san twitched and shook.


    The wind gathered in Gunmerry''s right hand, turned into light, and extended into ance of lightning.


    It was a smallnce that was barely a meter long, but its power was well-proven.


    ��This is Keraunos, thence with a fragment of holiness! Eat this! You goddamn liz�D�D��


    ��Like I said, not yet��


    I hit Gunmerry with Agathion.


    With a full swing.


    ��Myself got carried away in the excitement of the moment and forgot��


    I had hit him with quite the intent to kill, but all it did was dent his helmet a little.


    ��If you ever ignore my orders again, I''ll make Rutsuko-san wear culottes skirts��


    ��Please don''t do that. For myself, if I don''t get to see panties, my performance drops by 2%��


    That''s not much of a decrease, now is it?


    ��Ea, as we''ve nned, hide this guy��


    ��Understood��


    My sister walked up to Gunmerry.


    ��Tee-hee��


    Gunmerry let out an annoying cry.


    ��Onii-chan, this guy is so creepy��


    ��Bear with it just for today��


    She wrapped Gunmerry and thence in her cloak, and turned them invisible.


    ��Rutsuko-san, how many more times can you do this?��


    ��Ummm, one. No, I''ll try to endure it for two more times��


    Rutsuko-san was not looking well.


    The transfer of magic power didn''t exactly have a good effect on her.


    Looking around, I saw that the other adventurers were preparing for battle just as we were.


    In general, ordinary magic is unleashed once the chant is finished. But thanks to Gunmerry''s magic, we can create it then leave it forter.


    ��Lys, I''m repeating myself, but I''m counting on you when it breathes fire on us��


    ��Alright, alright��


    Lys sounded fed up from hearing me say the same thing over and over again.


    I''m being persistent because I still don''t quite trust her.


    ��Otou-san, Barfuru-sama, I''m counting on you two when the dragon goes down��


    ��Yeah��


    They both replied.


    ��Lazarissa, protect Frey, and if you have the leeway to do so, protect everyone else��


    ��Yes, understood��


    This was thest chance I had.


    I mulled over my orders to make sure I didn''t miss anything.


    ����������������


    Alright. I''ve done everything I could. I''ve said everything that needed to be said.


    It''s now time to pray to god.


    ��This is the Guild President, Solcia��


    All of a sudden, I heard the Guild President''s voice.


    There was a small winged doll at my feet, about 30 cm tall and made of bup, that I hadn��t noticed. I had seen the Guild President use this magic before.


    ��The evacuation has beenpleted. The fight to drive off the dragon will nowmence. Adventurers of Lemuria. This is a battle to test your mettle. Take no pride in dying here. Take pride in learning who you really are. If you feel that your life is in danger, call for help from the nearby Guild employees. Well then������������ Begin!��


    Cries went up from the adventurers.


    Chants for magic rang out like songs.


    mes, ice, arrows, and spears flew into the sky. But they fell well short of the dragon, which was 200 meters in the air.


    But that was within the range of Gunmerry''snce.


    ��Gunmerry, prepare to fire�D�D��


    ��Hey, Souya. Look at the dragon''s head. There''s someone there��


    ��Huh?��


    Upon hearing Barfuru-sama��s words, I turned on the telephoto function of my sses and zoomed in.


    On the distant head of the flying dragon stood a figure, no, a familiar face.


    Feeling the horns, patting the scales, and then crouching down to peer into the dragon''s eyes����


    ����was a ck-haired, dark-skinned elf.


    ��Maria! What the heck is she doing?��


    ��Huh? Maria?��


    Rana also raised her voice.


    ��Oh, she fell��


    Like Barfuru-sama said, the dragon had swung its head and shaken Maria off.


    ��Arghh! Yukikaze! Openmunications with Maria! Quickly, quickly!��


    ��Yukikaze is already on it. You''re connected��


    ��Hmm? What is it?��


    ��Don��t you ��What is it?�� me!��


    Even though she was falling from the sky, Maria was talking to me through hermunication device in a calm voice.


    140 meters to the ground.


    I''ll catch her! No, that''s impossible. I''ll also get ttened!


    ��I''m going to teleport over to you, Souya. Hold your hands out��


    ��What?��


    I held my hands out in front of me as if to catch someone.


    And then, light exploded and Maria flew "upwards out of it". After soaring about 12 meters into the air, gravity sent her falling into my arms.


    ��Nice catch��


    ��Don��t give me that!��


    I stood her up, then pinched both her cheeks.


    ��Hofuhea��


    ��Didn''t I tell you to stay at the camp because it''s too dangerous?!��


    ��I saw it flying in the air, so I went to take a closer look��


    ��Don��t!��


    This child is too much. Who does she take after, I wonder?


    I''m going to report you to your father.


    ��Hey, Souya. That kid sure uses some interesting tricks��


    ��How''s that? Aren''t I amazing?��


    Maria had a smug look on her face when Barfuru-sama praised her. Her expression was exactly like Ea''s.


    ��Maria, teleport away immediately! Get as far away from Lemuria as you can!��


    ��Ehhh��


    ��It''s too dangerous!��


    ��Alright. I''ll go home��


    ��Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. That girl, it looks like she''s pissed off the dragon��


    Barfuru-sama was right. The dragon had lowered its altitude and was flying straight towards us.


    It was fast, as fast as a bird of prey.


    That wasn''t the kind of speed a creature thatrge should be capable of.


    It seemed angry because its head had been stepped on. Already, my n had suddenly gone awry.


    ��Maria! I''ll contact you when it''s over, so hurry up and teleport!��


    ��Tsk��


    Light exploded and Maria was gone.


    The dragon was 170 meters away and closing.


    ��Gunmerry, Ea, prepare to fire��


    Barfuru-sama and Otou-san stood in front of us.


    Otou-san held up his round shield while Barfuru-sama readied his great-sword, which looked like a solid mass of bone.


    140 meters and closing.


    It was swooping down on us from above like a hawk.


    ��In five seconds��


    I held my hand out towards Gunmerry with my palm open, and then closed my fingers one by one.


    The dragon roared.


    It was a great cry that made all creatures quail and cower.


    80 meters and closing.


    Swallowing my fear, I yelled.


    ���D�D�D�DNow, fire!��


    I swung my fist down.


    Ea pulled back her cloak to reveal Gunmerry holding thence of lightning at the ready.


    The dragon reacted to Gunmerry.


    It reacted to thence he threw at it.


    Light shed.


    Thence was small, barely a meter long, but as soon as Gunmerry threw it, it turned into a bolt of lightning that surged from earth to heaven. The dazzling sh of the lightning brightened up the afternoon sky as it tore through the air with a thunderous roar.


    Blinded by the sh of the unleashed lightning, I couldn''t see if it had hit the target.


    Right when my vision was beginning to clear, I heard the "distant" roar of the dragon.


    ��It missed!��


    What the heck, this guy just dodged lightning.


    Even though we should have taken it by surprise���� What nimbleness for a creature of such size.


    ��Rutsuko-san, prepare the nextnce!��


    ��Got it! Please do it again, both of you magicians!��


    Rana and Frey began chanting.


    Gunmerry returned to Rutsuko-san''s side.


    After making a wide turn, the dragon came at us again. It appeared that after what Maria had done, with thatst attack, we had won its full attention.


    ��Next time, we''ll draw it in as close as possible before firing. Yukikaze, I''m counting on you for support��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    I tossed the mini-pod towards the bottom of the city walls. A parachute deployed, slowing the pod��s descent. After reaching the ground, the pod rolled into the shadows and hid.


    The guides of the final me extolled the gods.


    Once more, wind swirled around them and turned into ance of light.


    Ea became invisible, hiding Gunmerry from view.


    The dragon folded its wings and plummeted from the sky, pulling up just short of the ground into a glide like a swallow. The wind and shock wave caused by the dragon blew the buildings in the city away like they were scraps of paper.


    The adventurers who hadid low in the city unleashed magic after magic at it.


    mes, ice, and rocks struck the dragon, but none of that appeared to hinder it as the huge, white monster bore right down upon us.


    ��Oh Lumidia��


    As I offered a prayer to the departed hero, I nocked Agathion to the Lycan bow I had brought just in case.


    I no longer have much confidence in my archery skills. However, what I do have, is a magic sword with a will.


    ��I��m counting on you��


    With a plea to the magic sword, I drew the bow.


    The bow was heavy. Maybe it was because I had lost the grace of Lumidia, but the bow was much harder to draw than before.


    Nevertheless, I was still able to draw it.


    By the grace of Misuranika-sama, I drew the bow of cursed power that even heroes would not be able to draw. Shaving away at my regeneration point, I pulled the string back as far as my body would allow.


    ��Agathion!��


    With a jolt, I released the magic sword.


    It had more than enough power behind it.


    The power generated by the bow multiplied the magic sword''s own speed. In addition, there was also the speed of the approaching dragon itself.


    Even against a dragon, this would pierce�D�D�D�D�Dit didn��t pierce through.


    A metallic sound unlike anything I had ever heard rang out.


    The magic sword struck the dragon''s head with a loud screech and then got lodged into the roof of a house. It had failed to prate the scales. All it did was make the dragon flinch slightly.


    The strong wind was making it hard to keep my eyes open. The smell of burnt air grew thicker. Before my eyes, the dragon opened its mouth. It was about to breathe out red mes.


    It was 50 meters away.


    Against a dragon, that was as good as being right in front of it.


    ��Let it rip!��


    Light shed and thunder roared.


    The dragon closed its mes-filled mouth and took evasive action. It was an impressive dodging maneuver. Despite its size, it had the mobility of a hawk. But those reflexes would be its downfall.


    The light and sound had both been emitted by Yukikaze. That was all that was.


    ��Gunmerry, do it!��


    Without anyone noticing,


    Ea and Gunmerry had gotten right under the dragon.


    No matter how agile a creature is, it will leave an opening right after dodging.


    ��Eat this! You goddamn lizard!��


    Gunmerry yelled out, and lightning shot up into the heavens.


    Amidst the blinding light, I was certain I saw it go right through the dragon.


    At the same time, the dragon shrieked.


    Cheers erupted from the adventurers.


    ��You hit the dragon!��


    She eximed in delight.


    I heard a deep roar of wind.


    Followed by a crunch of metal and the ttering of shattered pieces.


    Ea was unharmed.


    However, Gunmerry, who had shielded her from the swipe of the dragon''s tail, had been smashed into the city walls. His limbs shattered and broke into pieces, scattering to the ground. His helmet tumbled down.


    Having been made tond on the ground, the dragon let out a howl of rage.


    Thence of lightning had left a ck scorch mark on its belly. No, that was just soot. It hadn''t suffered a single scratch.


    The dragon red at me.


    No one else. Just me.


    It was directing its anger at the brains behind the party��s actions.


    mes leaked out of the corners of its mouth before it opened its mouth and breathed fire.


    A bright red filled my entire field of vision.


    ��Lys, do it!��


    Instinctively, I stepped back.


    ��Block it, Tiringu!��


    Uncharacteristically, Lys'' voice was full of determination.


    A dome of light blocked the burst of mes.


    ��������������Oh, this might be bad��


    Cracks began to appear in the barrier of light right away.


    I could feel on my face the blistering heating in through the cracks.


    ��Rauaryuna-san!��


    Frey shouted, and then she and Rana sang the same chant.


    ��Ri?Bau, the color of death! End the era of fire, the work of perdition. Now! In our hands!��


    A giant spear of ice formed between their hands.


    ��Lazarissa!��


    ��Yes, Ojou-sama��


    Lazarissa sent the spear flying with a kick. As quick as a bullet, it pierced through the barrier of light, flew through the mes, and went right into the dragon''s mouth, causing its long neck to jerk up into the air.


    This time around, we should have wounded it.


    ��Hey, are you kidding me?��


    The dragon crunched down on the spear in its mouth, shattering it.


    Isn''t the inside of the mouth usually a weak point? This is getting ridiculous.


    Again, it red.


    We froze like deer caught in headlights.


    I''d never have thought that we would deal no damage after going to such great lengths.


    What else can we do?


    Paying no heed to my wavering mind, the dragon lurched forward, only to be stopped by a beastkin wielding a massive axe.


    The beastkin was an adventurer whose name I didn��t even know.


    I had seen him in passing a few times and had remembered him because of how big his weapon was. The dragon didn''t even flinch when it took that massive axe to the head. However, that one blow was the trigger.


    The adventurers all attacked the dragon at the same time.


    They were like miniatures going up against a giant. Their assault couldn''t be called anything other than reckless.


    As if not being afraid was their sole virtue, they swarmed it and got swept away. From the dragon''s point of view, it must be like mowing weeds.


    ��Otou-san! Barfuru-sama!��


    The heck, they��re not even here!


    Oh, they''re already where the dragon is.


    They had split off and were on top of roofs to the left and right of the dragon respectively.


    Strength-wise, they��re more powerful than the average adventurer. That being said, will they be able to wound that dragon? We need a way to finish it off. Something more powerful than Gunmerry''snce of lightning������������


    ������������Nothing.


    ������������������������I��ming up nk.


    This is as far as we go.


    We''ve done well and have gotten a measure of ourselves.


    Let''s call it a job well done and end it here before anyone gets hurt.


    ��There IS one more THing we can tRY��


    ��Huh?��


    A little being came mbering up to the top of the walls.


    It was the smaller version of Gunmerry. And there was just the one.


    ��USe tHIs��


    He handed me a device that was small enough to fit in my palm.


    It had a central shaft and a circr metal part midway up the shaft. They were set inside a circr housing.


    It resembled a toy that brought back memories, the gyroscope.


    ��What is this?��


    ��It''s the QUantum-transfer-based TYpe 2 perPETual motion engine, MAxwell��


    ��Err, what am I supposed to do with this?��


    ��I��ve just MOdified it to make IT usable by humans��


    Gunmerry was trembling and shuddering. Like a broken machine, his joints were twitching and jerking.


    ��Gunmerry!��


    Rutsuko-san rushed to his side as he fell over powerlessly.


    ��PrinCESS, I must say goodBYE for now��


    ��Okay, rest up and get well soon��


    ��I''ll be FINE in the MOrning��


    You sure recover fast, don��t you?


    Gunmerry stopped moving and became like a chunk of inorganic matter.


    ��Like I said, what am I supposed to do with this?��


    I was at aplete loss over what to do with the gyroscope in my hand.


    Of the adventurers swarming the dragon, only about half remained.


    Both Otou-san and Barfuru-sama had been fighting valiantly, but not a single scratch had been left on the dragon''s scales.


    ��Umm, I know what we��re supposed to do with it��


    Rutsuko-san raised her hand.


    ��We''re probably supposed to pray��


    ��To what?��


    In response to Frey��s question,


    ��All of them! To the many different kinds of gods! Gunmerry once told me that the magic in this world is an aggregation of people''s wishes. Let''s make a magic that can defeat the dragon by calling on each and every one of them! If everyone wishes for it together, anything is possible!��


    ��I understand. It won''t hurt to give it a try��


    Rana put her hand on the gyroscope in my hand.


    ��Alright. Let''s give it a shot��


    Frey followed suit.


    ��To the best of my humble ability, me too��


    And Rutsuko-san too.


    ��I''ll give it my best shot as well��


    We''lle together and pray, and then, we''ll create the dragon-hunting magic.


    Right here, right now.


    MAAAANNNNN, it��s a cliffhanger! Is anyone getting Spirit Bomb vibes?


    So quick rification, Gunmerry speaks weirdly after he got hit. In the original, he speaks in a weird mixture of hiragana, katakana, and stops using kanji to show that he��s talking weirdly. Think janky robot. Having none of that at my disposal in English, weird caps in weird ces is my way of showing it. Oh, and ��Keraunos�� is Greek for thunder or thunderbolt.


    Well, that��s just the start of the battle, there��s much moreing up. And while this chapter is fast-paced and exciting, the wealth of hints and foreshadowing����.and in the next chapter, there��s going to be several big reveals, one of which has been nted way back in volume 1���� Anyway, don��t miss the next chapter!

 Chapter 113: Dragon Hunters III

    <h4>Chapter 113: Dragon Hunters III</h4>


    ��Frey?Dis?Gastolfo offers this prayer��


    ��Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures offers this prayer��


    ��Amou?Rutsuko offers this prayer��


    Like them, I also named myself and offered a prayer.


    We didn''t pray only to the gods we were contracted to.


    We prayed to every god we knew.


    Frey recited the names of many gods.


    ��Ancestral spirit, Gastolfo, the god of fertility. Gamburuputi, the stone eye. Aosfern, the one who brings the setting sun. Fon, the blue throne. Shupurenden, the lord of the azure sky. Schrittel, the fathomless depths. Krasklevon, the hunter of Myriad Kings. Fleet, the name of sorrow. Digger, the monstrosity. Dyngul, the king of monstrosities. Juma, the goddess of rain. Dangle, the me general''s staff. Dungule, the me general''s sword. Dongle, the me general''s downfall. Vershteyn the extinguished. Gnacker, the grove. Thrasher, the exterminator of kings. Aple, the mocking. Banger, the three-eyed. Horowitz, the sealed name. Midras, the Suimei. Tikorenjic, the determiner. ck Grundel. Sleeping Knotty. Speltink, the small Brave. Grundrich, protector of Braves. Grumblemeyer, the founder of the Brave name. Vindoobunikuru, Houma Garving. And the god of rejection, sleep demon, Roomen��


    Rana also recited the names of a myriad of gods.


    ��The great Ezusu. Vassar, the severed. Guldrych, the annihtor. Himbriessen, the abhorrent. Bahnwagen, the devourer. Gutenarbent, the dark. Bithe?Ein?Nuberg, the king of lords. Bratwastel, the remnant. Mitze, the devout. Ryubel, the half-dragon. Hundtoft, the phosphorescence. Moonlight Gunbrber. Schoendanle, the incarnation of gratitude. Kalpsfleche of fallen tears. Yuta of pleasure. Mitera, the me hero. Mitera, the fallen hero. Mitera, the king of the dead. Lyulyushka, the thunderbolt. Hautkopf?Ulm, the soul-binding enforcer of lost sins. The great me magician Rob, the true me. Grizunas, the abyss. And my ancestor, Heures of the fog��


    Rutsuko-san followed suit.


    ��All the countless gods[1]��


    I''ll also follow their example.


    To the very few gods I know.


    No, to the ones not called gods and have been left behind by the times. Simply and from the bottom of my heart, I''ll pray to them as if they were gods. I''ll pray for a miracle, for the strength to defeat the dragon.


    ��Misuranika, the dark fire. Gravius the night owl. Meltouvius, the west phoenix. Ukazor, the tree spirit king. dvain, the stout arm. Lumidia, the hero of the hidden name. L, the dragon eater. The old ones. "All" the forgotten ones��


    The four of us shouted in unison.


    ��We desire a miracle, the power to hunt dragons��


    ss-like particles came into being and danced around us.


    We didn''t know whose prayers had been heard.


    We didn''t know who the gods had wrought the miracle for.


    But without a doubt.


    Our prayers had been answered, and the gyroscope began to spin.


    The particles gathered together.


    And what was born was����


    Not lightning.


    Not mes.


    Not ice.


    Not wind.


    Not earth.


    Neither light nor darkness.


    It was a crystalline spear of iparable beauty.


    2 meters from tip to tip, it was thin, sharp, and fragile. In it, a power beyond all imagination.


    While it was as clear as freshwater, it nevertheless harbored an innocent sort of evil.


    Don''t get scared here.


    Don''te to a stop here.


    If taking hold of the unknown frightens you, you should be ashamed to call yourself a man.


    I grasped the thin crystalline spear with my hand.


    ��Hisss��


    The spear made a clear sound as I plucked it from the air. Lazarissa growled in fright at the sight of it.


    It was sharp at both ends, so I couldn''t nock it to the bow. That left me with only one option.


    ��I''ll take care of the rest��


    I smiled at the women.


    I leaped off the city walls, and after a 15-meter fall, Inded without difficulty.


    Along the roofs of the buildings, I sprinted forward.


    I only had one shot at this and I couldn''t afford to miss, so my only option was to get up close.


    Of the adventurers fighting the dragon, there were only two left.


    They were Otou-san and Barfuru-sama.


    The adventurers who were no longer able to fight had been rescued and patched up by the Guild employees. Nearly all of the vanguards had been wiped out, and the rearguards had either exhausted their magic power or had fallen to their knees after losing their will to fight.


    The fight had moved to the city''s main street.


    Behind the two adventurers, the dungeon that was the same white color as the dragon loomed over them.


    I approached from the nk.


    The dragon swung its serpentine tail around in a horizontal sweep. The blow that broke Gunmerry struck Barfuru-sama squarely. No, he had not dodged it on purpose.


    Buildings copsed like houses of cards, plumes of dust billowed, and cobblestones sailed through the air.


    It was a tyrant''s blow that mowed down everything in its way.


    However, Barfuru-sama had stopped its tail with his great-sword.


    The wolf howled at the midday moon.


    The rampaging white dragon had been brought to a standstill for the moment.


    Otou-san gave me a quick nce, then����


    ��Barfuru! I''ll go to the right. You take the left!��


    ��Yeah!��


    ����he shouted, and Barfuru-sama responded in kind.


    Regardless of whatever it was that they were going to do, I put my trust in them and dashed forward.


    Straight at the dragon.


    To get there even a second faster.


    In order to drive this spear into the dragon.


    Naturally, the dragon noticed me.


    However, the dragon''s attention was drawn away from me by an intense killing intent.


    Otou-san was standing on the dragon''s shoulder. There, he set himself in an iai stance, rxed, and then spun around, drawing his katana with explosive speed.


    The swelled-up killing intent burst forth.


    In that one instant, time and sound stopped, and even colors faded away.


    A sh that would sever even dimensions.


    No being could hope to see the path of that sh.


    The katana slid back into its scabbard with a click, and time started moving again.


    The dragon shrieked in pain.


    I saw the dragon''s blood for the first time.


    The blood spurting out from its wing drenched Otou-san in red.


    Otou-san had aimed for the joint of its wing. Indeed, a certain corner of the dragon''s wing didn''t have any scales covering it. It was a small spot that could hardly be seen with the naked eye, but that was where he had driven his de through.


    It was a feat akin to threading the eye of a needle with an iai-draw.


    ��UUUWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo!��


    Barfuru-sama followed that up with a feat that was the exact opposite.


    Like Otou-san, he aimed for its wing. But it was a wild blow, almost like it was the culmination of all the violence in this world.


    It didn��t cut through the wing. However, it broke it. The wing was bent in the wrong direction at the joint.


    The dragon screamed out loud.


    The two of them had wounded the dragon.


    That drew its ire. However, the dragon losing its wings by no means made it any less dangerous.


    That��s right, beasts show their true colors when they��re wounded.


    I saw a living and breathing tempest.


    The dragon''s true colors were so violent that it deserved to be described as such.


    Barfuru-sama was kicked high up into the air, and Otou-san was sent rolling across the ground after also being struck.


    ��Hey, over here. You lizard bastard��


    But it��s ultimately just a beast.


    Whether it��s showing its true colors or not, there��s nothing easier to kill than a creaturecking the ability to reason.


    The dragon swung its arm to strike the me on the roof.


    Its ws sliced through the air without hitting anything. Unsurprisingly, that was an image created by Yukikaze.


    After a short run-up, I put all my weight into the swing of my arm.


    ��Don''t fall for it twice, you idiot��


    The real me had dropped to the ground and was directly in front of the dragon. Those words were uttered after I had thrown the spear.


    I had aimed the crystalline spear right in the middle of the dragon��s body.


    No matter what kind of creature this thing is, it has no way to avoid it now that its wings have been mangled.


    Leaving a trail of light in its wake, the spear hit the dragon.


    The dragon had not tried to dodge.


    Instead, it blocked it.


    Dexterously, with the tip of its tail that it had whipped around.


    To be precise, it was with the hidden spines that extended from the tip.


    When the spear came into contact with the spines, it eroded and blossomed them into flowers. Large and beautiful crystalline flowers. Even diamonds and crystals paled in their stunning radiance.


    I��m sure of it.


    This magic is more than capable of ying a dragon.


    This spear bears the seeds of a flower that causes death to bloom. When the flowers bloom fully and then fall, they return all that they have consumed to dust.


    The spines that the dragon had "shed" crumbled into the dust along with the flowers, leaving only tiny fragments behind.


    A giant hand scooped me up.


    ��Gargh��


    Every bone in my body creaked, and I almost vomited my guts out.


    It should have been easy for it to crush me to death. Apparently, that wasn''t enough to appease its rage.


    The dragon opened its mouth wide.


    I saw rows of terrifying teeth, and then red hot air washed over me.


    Dear! came Rana''s voice from afar. I was relieved to realize that she would definitely not make it here in time. Because that meant there was no risk of her getting caught up in this.


    The dragon''s mes enveloped my whole body.


    There was no time to resist or call for the magic sword.


    My world wentpletely red, and my breath caught. I fell into a strangely calm reverie.


    Ever since arriving in the alternate world, I''ve always been prepared for death. The reason why I disposed of the guns was because I was taking my death rather than my survival into consideration.


    In the adventures that followed, I was even more prepared for all sorts of death.


    Killed and devoured by a pig, stabbed all over by a skeleton, ttened by a huge monster, cut in two by a crazy knight, stabbed to death by a magic sword, ughtered by an ugly beast, riddled with holes by Rana''s cooking, and dying alone after wandering around the dungeon in pursuit of the invisible monster that abducted her.


    So, my life will end with me being burned alive by a dragon''s mes, huh?


    I''ve heard that people don''t really die that easily from being burned alive, so they''re usually killed before being burned at the stake.


    It''s a death that''s no more than a farce.


    In a sense, that''s just like me, I suppose.


    Regardless, I have to ept it.


    I��m sorry everyone, this is goodbye.


    ����������������


    Huh������������it doesn''t feel hot.


    ��Huh?��


    It wasn''t hot.


    I was right in the midst of being bathed in mes. The dragon was breathing fire on me at point-nk range, but none of the heat was reaching me. The mes had beenpletely blocked. By a film of water that had appeared around me.


    It was so sudden that I couldn''t wrap my head around it.


    ��Ah��


    My questions were put to rest when I looked down at it.


    Around my neck hung a ne of strung-together coral. It was a symbol of trust given to me by a fishman. It was the first item I had acquired in the alternate world. And it was glowing faintly.


    I had no doubt about it.


    This was what had created the film of water that protected me from the mes.


    I was so deeply moved that tears came to my eyes.


    Not a single encounter between people had been for nothing.


    I''m really so d to have met him.


    I can''t lose.


    I definitely can''t lose.


    ��Tch�D�D�D�D�DAgathion!��


    I called the magic sword.


    Faster than the speed of sound, the magic sword stabbed into the dragon''s mouth.


    The dragon recoiled back, and the mes stopped. The film of water burst and the coral ne shattered into pieces.


    Freed from its grip, Inded on the ground and pulled out my demonic katana.


    ��Come back!��


    The magic sword flew out of the dragon''s mouth and back to me. There was a hint of blood on it.


    The parts without scales can be cut with the magic sword. They can be cut with the demonic katana. Otou-san had done the same. There''s no reason why I can''t do it.


    If I can''t do it, then all I have to do is to be able to do it right now.


    It''s simple when I think about it. If it bleeds, I can kill it. Eventually, I''ll kill it.


    I''ming to kill you.


    I have fought an ugly beast. I have fought a great white wolf. I don''t think this lizard bastard is a match for either of those two.


    One katana, one longsword, and one magic great-sword.


    With these three des, I will defeat you.


    ��ROOAAAAAARRRRRRRrrrrr!��


    ��UWWOOOOOOooooooooo!��


    The dragon let loose a bloody roar.


    I roared back at it.


    In a louder voice than the dragon.


    Not having learned its lesson, the dragon swiped at me with its arm, and I dodged it, then set my sights on the wound on its wing.


    ��Agathion, go!��


    The flying magic sword gouged at the wound made by Otou-san. Using the dragon''s knee and shoulder as footholds, I ran up to its face.


    I was trying to get at its eyes, but I couldn''t reach them, so I shed at the tongue in the mouth it had sloppily left open.


    Through the de, I felt the sensation of flesh being sliced through.


    The loudness of its shrieking and the displeasure that filled it was beyondical. Despite its huge size, it was wailing like a child.


    ws closed in on me. I kicked the dragon in the face to move myself out of their way.


    In a moment of pure stupidity, the dragon hit itself in the face with its own hand and lost its bnce.


    I ran up onto the roofs of the buildings.


    Slow.


    Not me, but the dragon.


    Its movements were getting sluggish. It appeared that the wounds on its wings were having an effect on it.


    I deliberately took some distance from it, then circled around to its back to goad it into attacking.


    It fell for it so easily that it wasughable.


    As expected, it tried to attack me with its tail.


    Ultimately, it''s just a beast.


    I had seen it enough times that I could reactfortably to it.


    On my katana, I had sprinkled my sister''s specially-made brutally-spicy spice mix.


    After gauging the distance, I matched its speed and jumped backward. I dodged it by a hair''s breadth. When the tip of its tail passed right in front of me, I countered with a thrust of my katana.


    I stabbed it where the spines used to be, which I presumed was simr to stabbing a human where a fingernail had been torn off.


    The katana was ripped out of my hands.


    After plunging all the way to the hilt into the dragon''s tail.


    ��QWEAAAAAAARRRRRrrrrAAARRGGGHHHHH!!��


    It let out the loudest scream of the day.


    The windowpanes around me shattered, and my body was pushed back by the shock wave.


    ��Ea, what the heck is in that spice mix of yours?��


    The dragon was iling its tail about in absolute agony.


    It was probably trying to dislodge the katana through centrifugal force, but something like that wasn''t going to work on a de driven in so deep.


    To add to its misery, Agathion dug into the wound on its wing and burrowed deep into its flesh, causing it great pain. As the dragon reached its arm around to try and pull it out, I leaped forward and shed at it with Zamonss'' sword.


    A sound like a sledgehammer hitting something reverberated through the air.


    This is thest of my fine swords.


    This sword is the one that feels the mostfortable in my hand and also the one I trust most. As a weapon, it''s rugged, sturdy, and unpretentious, much like its original owner.


    It has a thicker de than the average longsword. Although it is a heavy weapon, it would be twice as heavy if it were forged by an ordinary cksmith.


    Silver had been mixed in with its steel, along with impurities that cannot be identified. It''s a sword that had remained unnamed. A masterpiece forged by an unknown cksmith. To those who can appreciate its worth, it is a gem among nameless swords.


    However, this sword cannot cut through the dragon''s scales.


    However, this sword will not be broken by the likes of a dragon.


    ��Bring it on! I''ll beat you to a pulp and stir-fry you in curry powder!��


    I took the fight to the dragon.


    I rained countless blows on the dragon.


    A sword fight ensued.


    It was a captivating and mesmerizing experience.


    Colors faded, time grew viscous, and I danced on the cusp of a monstrous death.


    I crawled along the ground like a rat. Ran across the rooftops like a cat. Hounded it like a wolf.


    My blood boiled, and my soul was ame.


    I could really feel that this was the very essence of being alive. Every time I swung my sword, I lost a bit of my regeneration point. Every time I struck the dragon with my sword, every time I parried the dragon''s ws, every time I dodged, every time I moved my inmed body that had steam rising from it, I shaved away at my life.


    In all likelihood, a direct hit would empty my regeneration point and cause my body to tear apart.


    But what of it?


    That will simply be one in a countless number of deaths.


    Don''t underestimate adventurers. Don''t underestimate those who challenge death.


    I swung my sword.


    A cacophony of metallic sounds rang out. The ringing canceled out the echoes of the previous blows and created more echoes. My sword yed a melody that sounded like the forging of metal.


    I parried and dodged all the attacks.


    The number of shes I hadnded exceeded eighty.


    It was only a short amount of time, but perhaps because of how strained my nerves were, it felt awfully slow, yet also fast to me.


    The wound on the dragon''s wing sprayed blood everywhere, soaking heavily into my poncho.


    It was unfortunate, but����


    ���D�D�D�D�D�D�DTch��


    ����I had inflicted no mortal wounds. I had not gotten through.


    The dragon''s scales aren��t as resistant to blows as they are to shes. If I hit it about 200 more times, I''d be able to mangle its flesh and break its bones. But, well, it''s a shame. One more attack and my regeneration point will be exhausted.


    This is the limit. Time always flies when you''re having fun.


    In true adventurer fashion, I''m going to take another shot at it even if it''s a risky gamble. I''ll drive my sword through its brain. The dragon must also be wary. Of dangerous actions like people jumping into its mouth on their own.


    But so what?


    I''ll take up the challenge.


    My sword got snagged on its scales, making a lively jangle.


    Inded on the roof of apletely copsed building and widened the distance between us.


    We were 40 meters apart.


    In a showy manner, I held up my sword.


    I gripped the handle tightly with my left hand and ced my right hand on the pommel.


    It was an obvious thrusting stance.


    I lined up the tip of my de with the dragon''s eye.


    No need to use strange tricks anymore. I''ll simply pierce it with speed and sharpness.


    It''s a technique that does only that.


    And for that reason, it is perfection.


    ��With this, I��ll kill you��


    I honed my killing intent.


    I''ll focus my entire body on just this one thing.


    This is thest attack.


    Stab it through. Stab it to death! I don''t need anything else!


    Both to intimidate and as a preparatory move, I took a step forward.


    The dragon took a step back.


    ��Ku, ha��


    Augh escaped me.


    This guy, it''s scared.


    Come on, that''s not right. You can''t do that. With a body that big and scales that amazing, you shouldn''t be intimidated by a human like this.


    ��Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!��


    It was so funny that I burst outughing.


    But my de won''t waver even one iota. I won''t hesitate to kill you. You��re going to die. I''m definitely going to kill you here and now.


    At the very least, you''ll die with me. At the very worst, you''ll die with me.


    Other than killing you, I don''t need anything else.


    What about you?


    I can picture the thrust of the de with rity. This one attack is the pinnacle of selflessness. I have poured my entire existence into it. It''s only a small existence, but it being small doesn''t mean that it can''t kill a dragon.


    Now, time for us to die.


    Die.


    ��Huh?��


    The roar of a fist exploded through the air.


    From the side, it knocked the dragon down to the ground.


    Suffering a concussion, the dragon lost consciousness. Its head slumped onto the main street. Without waiting for a three count, the wielder of that fistnded on the ground and delivered another punch to the dragon''s jaw.


    Its huge body wasunched up into the air. This must be the first time a dragon had ever flown through the sky like this. Round and round its body spun before itnded on the back of its head.


    I heard a loud crunch of bones.


    ��UU, UWWOOOOoooo��


    Even her shout is cute.


    It''s cute, but the fist that had struck the dragon''s forehead was so powerful that a human would bepletely obliterated if they were hit by it.


    I��ve always known that she has strong arm strength, but this is abnormal.


    It''s hard to believe that such a slender arm and a small fist can generate enough destructive power to produce a shock wave. How can her punch have so much power that it can cause damage through the dragon''s scales?


    ������������Oh.


    No, it��s possible.


    It''s really simple.


    There is a woman who defeated a dragon with her bare hands. She has that woman''s blood running in her veins.


    The most important duty of a person who has made a contract with a god is to reenact the legends of that god. If so, it would not be strange for a person who has inherited the blood of a god to reproduce that god''s legend.


    dvain, the stout arm.


    The scene of Rana punching the dragon was the very image of her legend.


    ��How should I put it������


    Umm, dear wife.


    ��Rana, that''s really a bit too������


    Rana took a deep breath, then held her breath and delivered a barrage of rapid-fire blows to the dragon��s belly.


    Bam bam bam bam bam bam, the sounds of the impacts cascaded like a great waterfall.


    She had punched a bowl-shaped indentation into the dragon��s belly.


    Next, she went to town on its face.


    Pow! Wham! Crunch, thump! Creak, snap! could be heard as she attacked the vital points of the face maliciously with her knees and elbows. One of the horns now had a crack running across it.


    Her white robe had turnedpletely red from the blood that had sshed back onto her.


    As could be expected, I found myself pitying the dragon.


    ��Alright! That''s enough! Stop!��


    A loud voice filled the air. I wondered where it came from, but it turned out to havee from the dragon''s mouth.


    Huh, no way.


    ��Rana, please stop��


    I put my arms around Rana, who had lost herself in tormenting the dragon, from behind and held her back. I was prepared to have a few bones broken, but I was able to stop her easier than I had expected.


    ��Huh, dear? ������������You��re okay!��


    ��I''m okay, but as for you, uwaa��


    Her regeneration point had run out. The skin on her knuckles had peeled off. I couldn''t see any bones poking out, but they weren''t shallow wounds.


    Considering the damage she had inflicted on the dragon, those wounds were probably a small price to pay, but they were too deep for a woman. Hopefully, they wouldn''t leave any scars.


    ��Ow, it hurts. O��


    It seemed that she was starting to feel the pain now that she hade to her senses.


    Praying that she wouldn''t get an infection from the dragon''s blood, I tore strips off my poncho and wrapped Rana''s fists with them for now.


    We were bothpletely red.


    The dragon lifted itself up gingerly. Upon taking a closer look, I noticed intelligence in its eyes.


    It looked down at us and spoke.


    [1] What Rutsuko-san prays to is the ���˰������. "�˰���" literally means eight million, but idiomatically, it means "an uncountable many/countless". In Shinto beliefs, the definition of a god(��, kami) is really broad, hence it epasses many things, and there is no set or defined list. Hence this term is used as a catch-all as it��s impossible to list everything. In short, Rutsuko-san just prayed to every Shinto god there is.


    [2] The term ��ʹ�߷֤���, which I tranted as ��a draw due to injury��, is a sumo and judo term used to dere a match a draw due to an injury to one of thepetitors. It does have a figurative meaning of ��a mutually painfulpromise�� as well.


    Those blocks of gods�� names�� By the way, there are some interesting points in there in case you skipped the entire wall of text(as I did) when reading. First, in Frey��s chant, the me general��s staff, sword and downfall are called Dangle, Dungule, and Dongle respectively. XD What names. And then, in Rana��s chant, there��s a mini-story lol. She prayed to Mitera three times, first as the me hero, then as the fallen hero, and finally as the king of the dead. Btw, all of this is absolutely unimportant lol. But it��s the small things. =)


    So, we finally know the real reason behind Souya��s inexplicable reason to dispose of the guns. He always thought he was going to die, and doing so would leave less loose ends. Even now, his suicidal tendencies are still pretty strong, but it was much worse then, which is why he chose the less troublesome route rather than the one that increased the chances of his survival.


    Many a time, Souya hasmented in one way or another that he was d to have met Geto-san. Do you still remember the other times? Unsurprisingly, they all happen when Souya is in great need and Geto shows up with exactly what he needs.


    By the way, remember how Souya was refused entry into the me religion��s temple because of the ne? Remember the priest asking him if he could take responsibility if the ne puts out their fire? Yeah, this entire scene where Souya��s life is saved by the very first item he acquired in this world has been set up since volume 1. Since we��re on the topic, Souya was rejected by many gods back then, but three of those rejections were written out in detail instead of being skipped over like the rest. They seemed to be just vor back then, just empty details to make the readers chuckle a bit, didn��t they? Needless to say, those three are choke full of set-ups and foreshadowing, which really shows how well the author had nned everything from the start. It��s also why the start is so slow haha.


    Also, remember Souya saying he kept a bottle of Ea��s killer spice mix on him for blinding enemies back in vol 3? Haha, I love this call-back so much.


    Notice how at the end when Souya waspletely absorbed in the fight that his suicidal tendencies came back full force? He uses very simr lines to the ones he used in the L fight too.


    Oh, and I��m pretty sure Rana��s first punch was at least Mach 1. Hence the shock wave. O.O I bet you didn��t see this twisting though. It��s been set up for a while now and is also a set-up for something else, but I won��t borate as I��ve said so much already.


    And so, stay tuned for the final chapter of this arc!

 Chapter 114: Dragon Hunters IV

    <h4>Chapter 114: Dragon Hunters IV</h4>


    ��Oh. Be gentle there. Pull it out gently. Gently��


    A little distance away, the dragon was resting on its back on a pile of rubble.


    The dragon''s wounds were being healed by the people of the healing temple, who were followers of Juma, the goddess of rain.


    And there before the dragon knelt the king and his daughter.


    ��Lord White-Scale, Exuexk��ll?Oru?Gjermidya-sama. On behalf of my people, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your selfless service��


    ��No need to be so formal about it. This is what you''re anxious about, right?��


    The dragon brushed aside King Lemuria''s greeting brusquely, then reached its hand into somewhere around the base of its wing and pulled out a small pile of jewels.


    My appraising eyes went into overdrive.


    Each of those jewels is worth about a hundred gold coins. How many millions of yen is that entire pile worth?


    ��Use these to fix up the city��


    ��Thank you very much��


    King Lemuria bowed his head deeply. The dragon couldn''t see it, but from my angle, I could see the smirk on the king''s face.


    He''s now able to have new buildings built all along the main street, isn''t he?


    Along with the other maids, Lanseal, who was in a dress, got to work putting away the jewels into strongboxes.


    ��But, Lemuria, who''s that girl? An adopted child? A new wife?��


    ��She''s my daughter, Lanseal��


    The current Lanseal looked to be about fourteen years old. Physically, she had grown to be about the same size as Maria.


    ��Huh? Since when did the kin of kings start to shrink as time passed?��


    ��She has regained her youth temporarily due to Gunmerry''s elixir��


    ��Gunmerry? Ah, the armored one that fired the lightning. That tingled a little��


    So all that managed was to tingle you a little, huh?


    Leaving the king and the dragon behind, I checked on Rana.


    She was also having her hands healed by a physician of the healing temple.


    ��Will it heal?��


    ��Hmmm, it��ll heal, but I can''t say that she''ll be able to move it as well as she did before��


    The young female physician answered my question with a solemn look on her face.


    After Rana''s hands had been healed with magic, they were wrapped tightly in bandages. It appeared that she would have trouble in her daily life for a while. Adventuring would be out of the question.


    ��Dear, are you mad at me?��


    ��������������I��m not��


    ��I know you''re angry��������������


    ��Well������������I''ll punish both you and Mariater��


    ��O, okay��


    Rana blushed happily.


    Wait, I think you''re misunderstanding something. I''m actually pretty angry with you. How could you do such a dangerous thing and ruin your hands?


    ��You''re not one to speak��


    Otou-san, who had already been healed, thumped me on the head.


    ��What��s with the way you fought?��


    ��Huh? I don��t know what you expect me to say in reply to that��


    I was only following Misuranika-sama''s teachings of aplishing what needed aplishing.


    I don''t think there''s anything wrong with that.


    ��That''s not the way an adventurer fights. If you are an adventurer, always think about survival first and foremost. Something like trying to defeat an enemy at the cost of your life is the most foolish thing a leader can do. An adventurer with a death wish is in bad taste, you know?��


    ��That��s��������


    Certainly, Otou-san is right.


    Risking one''s life is what adventurers do. Throwing away one''s life is how berserkers fight.


    ��Yeah, I''m sorry��


    I showed some contrition.


    However, there are parts of what he said that I can''t ept wholeheartedly. There''s an underlying principle behind why I can��t, one that��s simr to how an object thrown into the sky will fall back to the ground. There''s some part of me that just can''t ept Otou-san''s very sound argument.


    This thing, it''s a matter of preference for me.


    ��I would hope that you''re not just saying that��


    I smiled wryly at Otou-san, who had seen right through me.


    In the end, people can''t change the way they live, even in death. Someone who wandered the dungeon for thirty years should know that.


    ��Princess Rana, this is the kind of person this guy is. Keep a tight rein on him��


    ��Yes, I understand. Next time, I''ll rush over faster��


    ��That''s not what I meant though. Good grief, both of you are hopeless��


    Come to think of it, I don''t see any of the other members of the party.


    Barfuru-sama neither.


    ��Otou-san, where��s everyone?��


    ��Everyone is being chased away from this area as we speak. If Lord White-Scale is seen being this "friendly", it could be a problem for dragons as a whole��


    What the heck? I thought to myself, and then����


    ��Kyaa!��


    One of the physicians was holding her hands to the buttocks area of her clerical robes. She was a well-endowed beastkin woman who had been healing the dragon''s belly.


    ��Kakaka, I apologize. My hands have a mind of their own��


    It just touched someone��s butt with its ws. This sexually harassing dragon.


    Come to think of it, the physicians of the healing temple are all young women. I see������it��s a pervy dragon, huh?


    Oh no, my impression of dragons haspletely gone down the drain.


    ��See? That''s what I was talking about��


    ��������Yes, I get it now��


    Paying no heed to our looks of disgust, the dragon and the king began to talk about the situation on the other continents.


    ��Elysium is as good as done. They''re aplete joke��


    The dragon''s words intrigued me.


    ��Instead of fighting, they offered up their treasures instead. In that city, there are no more warriors who dare to fight. Sending out such warriors to othernds is the only thing keeping Elysium from copsing.


    That once beautiful city of white is now stained with feces and urine, and dark clouds hang over it.


    As usual, the first hero was nowhere to be seen. The peasants were emaciated, and only the pig nobles had gotten fatter and fatter. The crowning jewel was the bunch of politicians known as the Popes. With one p of my wings, they all fell down and crapped their pants. How about it, Lemuria? Why don''t you go on the offensive and try to take them down? I don''t mind letting you use me as a transport just the once��


    ��Hahaha, surely you jest, Lord White-Scale. My royal family owes everything to Elysium. To cut them down would be immoral��


    The king simplyughed in response to the dragon''s frightening suggestion.


    He''sughing outwardly, but he''s definitely notughing inside.


    ��Now, is that so, I wonder? You''ve gotten more powerful in the while since Ist saw you. In every era, the desire of those who seek power when they grow old has always been war and death. To say that you won''t be like that is�D�D��


    ��Surely you jest, Lord White-Scale��


    The king gave the dragon a pointed look, silencing it.


    An awkward moment of silence passed, and then they changed the subject.


    ��Very well, Lemuria. However, bear this in mind. Those who walk the path to ruin always seekpanions for the road. The more powerful they are, the more people they lead down the same path. Ruin is a disease like that��


    ��I''ll take the dragon''s adage to heart��


    ��I would hope that you really mean what you say��


    Somehow, the conversation they were having over there was quite simr to the one I just had.


    ��Alright then������


    The dragon held up my katana as if it were holding a toothpick.


    It was what the physicians had been pulling out earlier.


    ��What is this? It possesses such dreadful beauty. It''s surely not of this world''s making��


    ��That��s���� Souya,e and exin it��


    I walked over to them after being called over by the king.


    Dreadful, huh? I''ve heard someone say the same thing about it before.


    Leaving that forter, I knelt to the dragon next to the king.


    ��Well then, let me expl������my king, how much can I say?��


    ��Leave nothing out. Do not lie to the dragon. I have issued a royal order to all those present to keep their mouths shut��


    ��Well, if that''s the case��


    I''ll tell the whole truth then.


    Even if what I say gets leaked, it''s the fault of the king and the people who vited the royal order.


    ��It is the w of a dead creature that had eaten the remains of a dragon. It was encased in soft metal and then forged. The design is based on a ded weapon called the katana from my hometown��


    ��One who has eaten a dragon, I see. It''s no wonder it reeks of "the old ones" then. Those darned beasts that crawl on thatnd. They''re abominable, no matter their form��


    What is it talking about?


    Is there a connection between the ck wolves of the left continent and the dragons? In the first ce, what��s going on with the dragons in the perennially cold left continent?


    ��But it''s a shame. I can''t put something that reeks so much of death into the treasury in my wings��


    It returned the katana to me.


    I didn''t want it to feel upset, so I sheathed it quickly. But then something urred to me.


    ��One more, o��


    The king had punched me in the ribs.


    Huh? What?


    ��What, were there two of that woman''s ws?��


    ��Yes, two demonic katanas were forged from her two ws. However, there''s one that, ouch!��


    I got punched again.


    Hang on, that really hurts, you know? What the heck are you doing that for?


    ��How strange. Are there not "three" of them right here? Right, Lemuria?��


    ����������������


    The king red at me like I had killed his parents.


    ��Right, Lemuria?��


    ����������������


    It said it a second time.


    Oh. Is it exhorting him?


    ��Lord White-Scale������������please������please ept this. My beloved sword, Verxina��


    Looking extremely heart-broken, the king presented his katana to the dragon.


    The king had named his katana after his dead mistress. He must have really liked it.


    The dragon dexterously drew the katana from its scabbard����


    ��Whoa, hoho��?��


    ����then held it up to the light, looking rather delighted.


    ��The appearance of the metal is truly beautiful. Its wave-like splendor resembles the hue of a rainbow. The mirror-like polish and its fragile yet sharp de. I''ve seen many famous swords, but I''ve never seen a sword with such beauty and sharpness. Mmm, in the name of Lord White-Scale, I shall bestow upon it a new name. The Shining Glory, Orgon�D�D��


    ��It''s called Verxina, Lord White-Scale��


    The king said, interrupting the dragon.


    ��A new name�D�D��


    ��It''s called Verxina!��


    Apparently, that was not something he was willing topromise on.


    Well, I suppose it would be unbearable to have someone not only take away a beloved sword but also change its name on top of that.


    ��������Alright, Verxina it is. Mm-hmm��?��


    It gazed happily at the katana again.


    I wonder. This reminds me a lot of a certain reptilian beastkin. Could it be that she is actually a dragon or something?


    Suddenly, I sensed a killing intent from beside me.


    ��SO?U?YA?YOU?BAS?TARD��


    The king mouthed to me.


    ��I''ll get a dwarf to forge another one for you, alright?!��


    Makina will, that is.


    ��Are you serious?! For sure, alright?!��


    Aahhh, jeez, this is such a pain in the ass.


    To think that I would have topensate him when it got stolen.


    ��I''ll leave the admiring of the sword forter. I must reward those who have fought well��


    That''s unexpected.


    This dragon, is it going to give us something?


    ��First, the person contracted with the Gunmerry who threw thence of lightning. I shall reward that one with this precious stone that shines as bright as lightning. Who''s the leader of their party?��


    ��That��s me��


    ��Then you may pass it on to that person��


    The dragon held out a small yellow gemstone.


    I''ll ept Rutsuko-san''s reward on her behalf. This������������is worth about five gold coins, I��d say.


    It''s a bit of a letdown.


    ��Next, the magicians who created the crystalline spear. It has been over a hundred years since a dragon was forced to use its hidden spines, let alone have them destroyed. I''ll give them these precious stones. They can split it among themselves��


    I was handed nine small diamonds.


    Well, by my estimation, they��re worth about three gold coins each. Their shapes aren''t very good, and they''ll end up even smaller after they''re cut. Hmm������hmmm? Isn''t that kinda cheap for something that hasn''t happened in a hundred years?


    ��Next, the swordsman who cut my wing. Come forward��


    ��Yes��


    A solemn Otou-san stepped forward and knelt to the dragon.


    ��It''s been a while, boy. What happened to the elven swordsman that was with you back then?��


    ��Melm has retired from adventuring. He is now the king of the Forest��


    ��He had pretty good skills as well. Though he''s no match for the you of today��


    ��Thank you for your kind words��


    The dragon took out an antiquated round shield.


    Depicted at its center was a dragon with a single wing. The edges of the shield were sharp, like a de.


    Hmm����What''s this? I don''t think it''s made of Rmir steel. It''s not normal steel either. It''s a mysterious metal with a bluish tint.


    ��This is known as the Vestige of the Azure Sky, the proof of rank of a leader of a thousand men in the knight order of the now-departed Lord Blue-Scale Ultrop?Oru?Rossian. It is a worthy reward for you, who was able to inflict a wound on a dragon''s wing. You may be a swordsman, but the sword may not be the only path to survival. There wille a time when you have need of this��


    Otou-san took the shield and����


    ����for the briefest of moments, he grinned like a child.


    ��And where''s the beast-headed man who broke my other wing?��


    The king answered in his stead.


    ��Barfuru-dono is bad with formal situations like this, so������


    ��I never knew that there was such a strong person in Lemuria. Now, you said his name is Barfuru? That sounds familiar, but where do I remember it from? With his strength, I suppose he must be a very famous warrior. Well, these should suffice as his reward��


    It handed me more ores than I could hold in both hands.


    They''re heavy, I thought reflexively, but they''re actually pretty light. ������Hmm, could this be the raw material for Rmir steel? Ehh, out of nowhere, it gave something that''s worth a huge amount of money. He''ll have a lot left over even after paying off the money he owes Tyutyu.


    ��Next, that buxom elf over there��


    ��Oh, yes��


    Rana came over and knelt next to me.


    Her hands were injured, so I had supported her by the shoulders and helped her kneel down.


    ��Your punches were truly magnificent. It was as if dvain�D�D�D�D�Dwait, are you not of dvain''s lineage?��


    ��No, I''m not. My name is Rauaryuna. I''m a princess from the Heures Forest, though I''ve been disowned. I myself don''t quite understand what I did today. I lost myself after my husband was engulfed in mes. When I returned to my senses, I found myself punching you, Lord White-Scale-sama. Perhaps it was an effect of thebination magic we cast to create the crystalline spear��


    Rana isn''t lying. She just doesn''t know.


    There wille a time when I will tell her the truth. I hope I get the timing right because this is not something that concerns her alone. It''s a problem for the entire Heures n. It''s hard to know when the right time to tell her is.


    ��It''s certainly unthinkable for an elven princess to have Hemu blood running in her veins. Forget I said anything. Perhaps this miracle is merely a prank of the gods. Hmm? Who''s your husband?��


    ��This man here is my husband andpanion��


    Rana turned to look at me.


    You��re making me blush.


    ��So it''s not just your appearance that''s weird��


    And, this dragon.


    I have a feeling that it knows. If it knows but is pretending not to, then it might be a pretty decent dragon. Or is it merely calcted?


    ��Well, it''s fine. It''s not like this has never happened before��


    The dragon stuck its hand somewhere under its wing again and rummaged around, seemingly looking for something.


    ��You are hereby forbidden from participating in the Dragonfall Festival next year. It reflects badly on the reputation of dragons to have that happen at the hands of a woman��


    I think you meant to say "beaten down by a woman," was the retort that I kept to myself.


    The dragon''s hand came out with something hooked on its w.


    ��I''ll give this to you. It was once worn by dvain. It''s the traditional female gear of the Velsvain school. It��s truly a suit of armor befitting a woman who punched a dragon��


    It was a bikini armor.


    In all likelihood, if Rana wore it, fighting would be thest thing on my mind. Leaving aside Otou-san, it would be hard for Shuna to keep his eyes off her, given his age.


    Hey, wait.


    Why does this dragon have something that belonged to dvain-sama? It''s not some kind of underwear thief, is it? If it is, I''m going to call up all of the kin and hunt it down right now.


    ��Th, thank you very much��


    Rana''s smile was twitching.


    I''ll receive it for her since her hands are hurt. Its surface area is tiny! It provides no protection at all. It''s definitely too small to cover them. By all means, please wear it when we''re alone.


    ��Well then��


    The dragon turned to me.


    Alright, it''s my turn.


    ��You, the recreant over there��


    ��Yes��


    It changed its tone all of a sudden.


    ��What would you do if a rat threatened to kill you?��


    ��Huh? Err, I suppose I��d be troubled������


    I had no idea what it was trying to say, but I imagined it in my head and gave my honest opinion.


    ��That''s what you were doing, in case you haven''t realized. Sneakily running all over the ce, going squeak squeak, squeak squeak. It was so annoying. As a dragon, I can''t retaliate seriously against a rat for threatening me either. Do you not understand the point of this Dragonfall Festival?��


    ��And what exactly is the point of it?��


    I asked without thinking.


    ��The Dragonfall Festival is meant to be a test of the country��s prosperity. This is a tradition that urs before every winter. Don''t you even know that? What kind of rural area did youe from?��


    ��I''m a foreigner, actually��


    ��As if that matters, moron. There''s a limit to how ignorant a person can be. You hopeless moron��


    Tell me! Someone tell me!


    This is the worst kind of tilting at windmills. I seriously came close to dying this time.


    Also, Rana, please calm down, alright? You''ve got the same look in your eyes as you did when you were punching the dragon. I don''t want you to hurt your hands any more than you already have.


    ��You get low marks for your half-baked use of the magic sword and sword techniques. However, I will give you credit forpletely blocking my mes��


    ��That was all thanks to a fishman friend of mine��


    ��A fishman. I see I see��


    The dragon gently peeled off one of its scales. Each of the dragon''s scales was about 10cm in size. It threw it at my face. Itnded with a thud and stuck to my cheek, reeking of blood.


    It is really starting to piss me off.


    ��This is not for you. Give it to the fishman. Be sure to say to him the following, "Your blessing that brought forth the water was truly impressive. This is a token of my admiration. This dragon scale shall protect you from all heat"��


    ��Certainly��


    Will this scale be enough for him to forgive me for the broken ne, I wonder?


    The dragon looked around at all our faces once more.


    ��Lemuria, looks like you''ve got some new blood this year as well��


    ��Yes, the country shall surely prosper once more��


    ��That''s good. Don''t let the shadows of Elysium get the better of you. It would be boring if the number of countries to visit were to be reduced any further��


    ��I''ll keep that in mind��


    ��Alright then, let''s wrap up the Dragonfall Festival��


    The dragon stood up on two legs and turned to the sky.


    By some kind of miracle, the very atmosphere rumbled and clouds gathered in the blue sky above.


    This dragon, it can control the weather, huh?


    No wonder kings kneel to it. If it wanted to, it could easily destroy any human country.


    ��Forty-five days from now, winter wille to this country. This is a��respite��for prosperity. But there is no season that doesn''t end. No prosperity thatsts forever either. So be thankful for the new buds that sprout. Through your efforts, a spring of peace is promised. Wait for the next season with bated breath��


    The dragon''s body was enveloped in white mes.


    Even the signs of healing disappeared like an illusion. I witnessed immortality in that one moment.


    It seems that the fight we had was merely a game for it. No, I would imagine that interacting with people is just amusement for dragons.


    ��We shall meet again, Lemuria. I wish you strength��


    ��Lord White-Scale, may you be in good health as well, and see you again in theing season��


    ��The majesty of dragons never wavers��


    You regained it at the end, but it wavered quite a lot earlier though.


    It pped its wings powerfully, whipping up the air around us.


    The dragon suddenly shot up into the sky, sending the surrounding debris flying. A thunderous roar rang out. d in a Mach cone, the shock wave produced when an object exceeded the speed of sound, the dragon climbed higher and higher.


    As a final gesture of farewell, it breathed mes into the skies above.


    White-hot bursts of mes filled the overcast sky. They looked almost like fireworks.


    The mes faded quickly, and with a roar, the dragon flew away.


    A hush fell over the city.


    ��All of you, this year''s Dragonfall Festival was truly impressive��


    The human king turned to look at us in appreciation.


    ��Especially you, Princess Rauaryuna. Sending the dragon flying with a punch despite being a magician is such an unprecedented and unheard-of feat that it deserves to be passed down in Lemuria. I''ll call for minstrels, so please recount the details to them��


    ��������I understand��


    Rana didn''t look all that happy.


    She��s not very good at receiving praise. That''s because she''s very shy. Seeing her face turn bright red is also sheer bliss.


    ��The other adventurers were no less impressive. Show your faces at the Guild at ater date. You will be rewarded��


    Yes! Shogaku tickets please. Lots of them!


    I''ll have to quickly ask for them the next time I''m there before anyone forgets.


    ��Medimu, let me have a look at that shield��


    ��It''s just a look, okay? I''m not giving it to you��


    ��������tch��


    What a greedy king. This king is as bad as that dragon.


    ��Souya! Well done! Also, Rana, you too!��


    ��Oh, thanks��


    Lanseal clung onto me, climbed up, then patted me on the head and rubbed her cheek against me.


    She still looks younger than me. I have mixed feelings about this, but it doesn''t feel bad.


    ������My sexual preferences. They��re steadily getting more and more warped. Mostly, I me the women of the alternate world.


    ��Hmm, we''ll need to get the carpenters out in force to rebuild the city before the snow piles up��


    Like the king said, white snow had begun to fall from the sky. The air was also somewhat colder.


    Winter hade to Lemuria.


    All that remains is to get married to and go on a date with separate women, neither of whom the woman I''m married to. I was so desperate to get enough people together that I didn''t realize it at the time, but������������in a lot of ways, that is just the worst.


    Now, Exuexk��ll is quite a name, isn��t it? Many ��x��s and even an ������. Alright alright. If you are the type who likes to theorize, take out one extraneous syble, and it��s thest name of a real person. And what that person does isn��t unrted, let��s put it like that. By the way, the dragon has an archaic manner of speaking. In English terms, it��s kinda like it uses thy/thine/and so on. I��ve always disliked it whenever I had to read it as the unfamiliarity with it sometimes causes confusion, so for ease of reading, I��ve been leaving them out. But I��ll take this chance to mention that there are three people who talk in such a manner in this story. Misuranika(a demigod, hence very old), Maria(from over a thousand years ago) and this dragon(also very old).


    We��ve seen the old ones eat the dead on the left continent. From what the dragon said, presumably they must have eaten dead dragons or something. At the very least, this might be a link to why L ate a dragon��s remains to try to gain strength.


    Haha, bikini armor. Did you see that oneing? Iughed so hard.


    All��s well that ends well, huh? Yeah, the dragon was never a real threat, but no one actually mentioned that to Souya. And the dragon is a pretty interesting character, isn��t it? It won��t be often, but we will see it again.


    There are some points that I haven��tmented on, but that��s because I don��t want to say too much and potentially spoil things. To give you an idea, I��ll just mention one briefly. Haven��t we heard of a country that was ruined by abnormal weather? You��d think it pissed off something that can control the weather, wouldn��t you?


    Anyway, one more arc to wrap up this exciting volume. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 115: At The End Of The Festival… I

    <h4>Chapter 115: At The End Of The Festival�� I</h4>


    Barfuru-sama, Frey, Lazarissa, and Rutsuko-san had gone back to dvain-sama''s dormitory ahead of us. When we got there, we saw that they were already celebrating in the dining hall.


    The celebration was pretty much in full swing.


    ��Oh, wee back!��


    My sister ran up to us.


    I was carrying Rana on my back. As usual, there was a blissful sensation on my back.


    ��Onee-chan, Onii-chan, you guys were amazing��


    ��Rana-san, that was awesome! You were super cool!��


    Perhaps Rana was embarrassed by our sister and Shuna''s impressions, but she buried her face in my shoulder.


    ��Or rather, you guys are covered in blood. Are you okay?��


    Like my sister said, my poncho and Rana''s robe werepletely red.


    ��Don''t worry. It''s all the enemy''s blood��


    I��ve always wanted to say that line at least once in my life.


    My dream hase true.


    ��Dear, look at my robe. Will it wash off, I wonder?��


    ��I have no idea. Just ask Makina to see if she can wash it off��


    ��Now now, those are clothes dyed with dragon blood. You should wear them as a badge of honor for having hunted a dragon��


    One of the kin said to us.


    It was the older beastkin who I had tussled with in the past.


    ��But it smells of blood and it''s unsanitary��


    ��Don''t worry, dragon blood has such a strong purification ability that it''s used in purification medicines. It''s as sanitary as if it had been roasted over a fire. Speaking of fire, we''ll be heating things up tonight by sharing stories of our heroics, so it''s going to get�D�D��


    The older man was knocked down from behind by god.


    He face-nted into the ground.


    ��No more of that trivial stuff��


    dvain-sama had shown up. She spread her arms and wrapped Rana and me in a hug.


    ��Well done! Especially you, Rana! You��re probably the only woman other than me who has ever downed a dragon with a punch! And you''re a magician to boot! That extraordinary martial prowess that you showed! You��re worthy of being one of my kin!��


    Eh, could it be?


    ��How about it? Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures. Would you like to follow the path of the warrior as one of my kin?��


    ��Sorry, no thank you��


    ����������������


    Rana answered, probably with a smile.


    dvain-sama froze with the smile still on her face. All of the kin, who had been in an uproar, fell silent all at once.


    The amicable mood hadpletely vanished.


    ��dvain-sama, I''m very honored to be offered this opportunity. However, I have many paths that I must pursue. In addition to magic, there''s the path of being a good wife. I need to learn how to clean, doundry, please my husband, and in particr, how to cook�D�D��


    At that moment, a chill ran down my spine.


    I must do everything in my power to stop this.


    ��Rana. Please form a���� No, I want you to form a contract with dvain-sama��


    ��Eh?��


    I changed my tone to amanding one that would brook no argument.


    I have no intention of letting her fight as a vanguard, but it doesn''t hurt for her to have more ways of protecting herself. Or at least, that''s the pretext for it.


    ��As your husband, your party leader, and a fellow adventurer, I strongly urge you to be dvain-sama''s kin. I want you to gain mastery over martial arts. This is your chance to show your father that he was wrong. Please, I''ll do anything you askter, so just form a contract. ������Please��


    ��If you''re so adamant about it, dear, then alright��


    ��But you''ll have to teach me how to cook, okay?��


    She whispered into my ear.


    Ah, in the end����


    The time hase for us to fight that thing again, huh? It''ll be a test of our current party''s strength, I suppose.


    ��I apologize, dvain-sama. I will ept your offer��


    ��Good!��


    dvain-sama stole Rana away from me.


    The god held Rana in her arms like a princess and got on top of a table. She dered to the rest of the kin.


    ��Listen up! My kin! Today, I have weed this girl as a new kin! You have all witnessed her valor earlier! I trust that there are no objections!��


    ��Yeah!��


    They all let out a rousing cheer.


    ��Well then, Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures! You are hereby recognized as one of my kin. Come, to the new dragon hunters and our new kin, let''s drink and sing all night long! Praise be to the warriors!��


    ��The fighting elf! Little dvain!��


    ��Praise her father, Melm, the solitary sword!��


    ��To the new martial artist from the path of magic!��


    ��To the new dragon hunters!��


    ��Our sister that follows our martial creed�D�D��


    All of the kin around the table raised their bottles of alcohol.


    ��Glory upon her!��


    After showering Rana with praise, the kin downed their drinks.


    Today did feel like a good day to drink. Barfuru-sama was also drinking like a fish.


    Shuna was fiddling with Otou-san''s shield enviously.


    Lys was shoveling food into her mouth until her cheeks were puffed out like a squirrel.


    However, dvain-sama. You''re the very image of a matriarch doting on her daughter or granddaughter, so please keep the nepotism to a level where it isn��t too obvious.


    Anyway, I left Rana with her and went to the problem, Frey.


    In a stroke of good luck, that oba-san was with her for some reason.


    ��The third son of a noble! Wow~, you guys showed me something really interesting. I guess there are always things to see, even out here in the sticks��


    The oba-san pped me on the back repeatedly.


    ��So, the thing about me and Frey getting married������


    ��Haaa����


    Frey let out a huge sigh.


    Hey you, I don''t like it either, you know?


    ��Yeah, let''s just cancel that��


    ��Eh?��


    Surprisingly, she backed out of it without any trouble.


    ��It''s one thing to snatch a man away from some lowly woman, but even a Gastolfo would stand little chance against a woman who can punch out a dragon. It would ruin the reputation of the Braves to lose a battle over a man. We''ll bow out this time��


    ��Aunt-sama! In that case!��


    Frey beamed with delight.


    Is that so? You hated getting married to me so much, huh? I don''t particrly like her all that much, but when I was dumped, I did suffer a very subtle blow. It''s a really subtle one though.


    ��That''s right, Frey. As nned, I''ll move forward with your marriage to that merchant family''s sixth son��


    ��NOOOooooooo!��


    Right. I guess that''s only natural.


    Frey was dragged out of the dining hall by the oba-san.


    ��So long, Souya-sama��


    Lazarissa bowed her head to me.


    ��This is where we say goodbye. Even though it was only against Lord White-Scale, that was still an astounding fight. However, that won''t be the case for the other dragons. Among them�D�D��


    Behind me, the loudest cheer of the night erupted.


    The reception they were giving the dragon hunters appeared to be very enthusiastic.


    Perhaps annoyed by the racket they were making, Lazarissa nced away from me...��


    ��You glory-hungry insects��


    For an instant.


    With a look of intense revulsion, she red at dvain-sama and her kin.


    I was the only one who noticed. Her killing intent felt like a very fine de. I sensed an enormous presence within her shadow. Every hair on my body stood on end, and I nearly drew my katana on reflex.


    ��Fufu��


    With a twisted expression, she hugged me forcefully. Tightly, as if to say that she would break my spine if I resisted. She twined her fingers with those that I had tightly grasped around the hilt of my katana.


    To the casual observer, this would look like a simple gesture of farewell, but����


    ��Don��t get too full of yourself, human��


    ����those words were whispered into my ear.


    ��I have only ever struggled desperately��


    ��Is that so? ������It''s people like that who are all the more displeasing to me��


    After all this time, I finally noticed the downward growing horns inside her twin tails.


    This woman, has she been ying us the entire time?


    ��All you people did was y with a young dragon who''s fond of humans. Despite that, you''re making such a big fuss about it. This is beyond ridiculous��


    ��What are you going to do about it then?��


    ��What do you think? There��s no need for me to go out of my way to put fools who will only perish through their own stupidity out of their misery. ������������So long, Souya-sama��


    Once she ended the hug, she was back to her usual self.


    ��I wish you continued sess and strength��


    ��All the best to you too��


    ��Well, that''ll depend entirely on Ojou-sama��


    Lazarissa turned away and went after Frey and the oba-san.


    ��Oh��


    I had forgotten to give them their share of the diamonds�D�D�D�D�DI searched my pockets, but they were gone.


    Once she was out of the dining hall, Lazarissa began ying with the diamonds that were meant for all of them.


    ����������������


    That''s fine. I''ll consider it a loan for now.


    One thates with interest.


    ��The next round of dishes are here~��


    Rutsuko-san passed right by me as she entered the dining hall.


    ��Whoa, that''s amazing��


    I blurted that out loud.


    From her hands to her shoulders, there were tes, tes, tes, and more tes. There were eight tes in total, each heaped high with food. It was quite a disy of skill. If she worked as a waitress, she would likely be invaluable quickly.


    By the way, the food was����


    ��Na�D�D��


    I almost forgot my own backstory and said its name out loud.


    It was Napolitan. When I started selling ketchup, I also poprized this dish.


    It''s a Japanese dish that infuriates people from a specific country.


    ��This is a dish from my homnd called Napolitan. I heard that it was spread throughout Lemuria by the same mysterious person who made the ketchup. It''s strange how things happen, isn''t it? Oh, and Maria is the one who cooked this��


    ��Are you serious?!��


    I was shocked.


    Can that girl, with her terrible sense of taste, even cook properly?


    ��That''s right, I made it. Now eat it gratefully��


    Maria emerged from behind Rutsuko-san. She was holding two tes and offered one to me.


    The pasta was as red as blood.


    Powdered cheese had been sprinkled generously over it. The ingredients included onions, green peppers, and bacon-like������even here, spam rears its ugly head. Why bother putting this in at all? Couldn''t you have just used bacon?


    ��Souya-san, please have a bite��


    ��Oh, right��


    Rutsuko-san was urging me to try it. Maria was waiting anxiously to hear my impressions of it.


    I twirled a generous amount of pasta around a fork, then put it into my mouth. The sweetness of the ketchup and the richness of the cheese came together well with the chewiness of the overcooked pasta. I could feel the crispness of the vegetables and the texture of the spam was simr to the pasta''s. The more I chewed, the more its saltiness spread, giving the dish just the right amount of saltiness.


    It��s delicious.


    ��Hey, this is delicious��


    ��Of course! I stir-fried the ketchup over the fire for a long time. Umm, when I do that, it bes delicious for some reason!��


    Said a smug Maria.


    Ah, I see. She boiled away the acidity of the ketchup, huh? And that made it sweeter as a result. It''s simple when I think about it, but that''s what cooking delicious food is all about.


    ��Yup, it''s delicious. Great job, Maria��


    ��Mmm-hmm~. I''ll go get Rana to try it too!��


    Holding the te above her head, Maria ran over to Rana. I looked on in concern, afraid that she might fall.


    ��Umm, Rutsuko-san, about that thing������


    ��Err, yes?��


    The ravenous beasts were eyeing the food she was holding, but I needed to talk to her first.


    ��I''m talking about the date��


    ��I''m sorry, Souya-san. Could we please put that on hold for now?��


    ��On hold?��


    ��This battle with the dragon has helped me know my ce. I��ve realized that as an adventurer, one needs to have strength, even if it''s just to ask someone out on a date��


    ��Hmm?��


    That''s not true, you know?


    ��I did track and field in my original world. Sinceing to this world, I haven''t skipped a single morning run. To go along with that, I''ll add sit-ups, push-ups, repeatedteral jumps, and shadow boxing to my training menu. Souya-san, please go on a date with me when I''ve defeated Rana-san!��


    ��Oh, okay��


    ��I''ll do my best!��


    I think it''s probably impossible, but good luck. People grow by challenging themselves.


    dvain-sama was feeding Rana the Napolitan. The area around Rana''s mouth was bright red.


    The rest of the kin looked on enviously.


    ��Thanks for waiting. Here''s more fo�D�D��


    Right then, Rutsuko-san arrived.


    ��Kyaa!��


    It was like she was attacked by a pack of wolves. Food was snatched from her from every direction.


    ��They''re like beasts, aren''t they?��


    ��Yeah��


    The revived Gunmerry hade up beside me.


    There were two of them, both small in size.


    Since I had nothing to say to these guys, or rather, it was hard to tell whether they could actually understand me, I ate my food standing up and in silence. Maria''s Napolitan tasted delicious. Even after discounting a guardian''s bias, it was still delicious.


    The fact that I was hungry also helped, and I cleaned the te in no time.


    Maria, I hope she takes this opportunity to learn how to cook other dishes as well.


    I believe that cooking is great for building character in children. After all, I did turn out a little bit for the better because of it.


    If there''s a problem, it''s Rana''s struggle with it, I suppose. That''s the one thing no amount of my knowledge can help with.


    ��Please give me the te and fork. I''ll use them to repair the damage��


    I handed one of the Gunmerrys the empty te and the fork. He broke the te in half, then dropped them into his helmet.


    Honestly, these guys are the biggest enigma of them all.


    ��You guys, what have you got inside of you?��


    I tapped his helmet with the tip of my finger.


    It gave off a soft, hollow sound.


    ��Humans, what do they have inside them?��


    I was asked in return.


    ��Well, stuff like brains, organs������


    ��And is something a human as long as it has those inside it?��


    ��I guess not��


    The human brain is just a lump of fat and protein. That��s not much different from the Napolitan I just ate. If I were to be asked if that was human, well, I could hardly say yes.


    And who really knows if things like the soul and the spirit exist at all?


    Or have we misconstrued things that don''t actually exist and have made them up?


    ��We are made up of boundless souls and the hearts of young girls. We were created to possess infinite potential in order to kill a finite number of enemies. However, just because we were born as weapons, it would be sad if we lived on forever as weapons. That is why we, myself and others, dream of festive days filled with joy andughter. That is the wish of us, Guns Memory, or as we call ourselves, Gunmerrys��


    So they aren''t just some absurd creatures that make no sense, huh? Or have I merely misconstrued them as such? In this world, truth is one of the most insignificant things.


    ��I''ll offer you just one piece of advice��


    The Gunmerrys, now three in number, all red at me.


    ��If you mess around with women too much, myselves will stop being "funny"��


    ��It''s not like I''m messing around with an indeterminatelyrge number of women��


    ��You phnderer, you boobies-lover, Kyaaa! Get turned into a woman~!��


    ��You lolicon, mothercon, and siscon!��


    ��Could it be that as long as they''re cute, you''re okay with traps too?��


    ��No, I��m not��


    I, I��m not.


    I��m not, alright!


    ��Sexuality, sexuality?��


    ��Libido, libido?��


    ��Are you up~!? So, are you~!?��


    The Gunmerrys sang while going round in circles around me.


    Shut up.


    Or rather, could it be that they have grown attached to me? Come on, give me a break. I don''t want to be mixed up with any more weirdos than I already am.


    ��Good grief��


    Everywhere I turned, there weremotion and cheering.


    The banquet was in full swing.


    In this way, the night wore on.


    Yeah, I avoided talking about Lazarissast chapter, and now you know why. Is she a beastkin? (reminder: beastkin aren��t ��human�� in this world) Is she a dragonborn or something? Or����? I��ll leave that to your imagination����


    Souya sure got out of his promises really easily, huh? I bet a lot of you were expecting that they were going to be trouble for him. Well, it��s this author, things never truly turn out the way one expects.


    Yeah, the impact of Gunmerry��s reveal is a bit softened after trantion. Remember that all the Japanese readers would have seen is a collection of sounds forming a name with no seeming meaning in a story with a lot of names like that. In English, the fact that his name isprised of ��gun�� and ��merry�� is pretty obvious to us, isn��t it? And I hope you understand my pain when I figured out that the author meant for the plural of Gun Memory/Merry to be Guns Memory/Merry(as usual, it��s only revealed in this chapter that this is the case, the plural form had never been used before this), but I couldn��t use that as it was already obvious enough as it is and that would totally give it away at the start so I used ��Gunmerrys�� as the plural. That did make the end of a reveal a bit weird though.


    By the way, there are 5 parts to this arc. There��s a lot of stuff still toe, huh? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 116: At The End Of The Festival… II

    <h4>Chapter 116: At The End Of The Festival�� II</h4>


    ��138th day��


    ��Oh, err, no��


    I was awakened from a light sleep when a warm nket wasid over me.


    Next to me were Ea and Rana. Maria had grown attached to Rutsuko-san and was sleeping between her and the Gunmerrys. The rest of the kin and everyone else of my party appeared to have fallen asleep in the dining hall after all the revelry.


    God had nkets under her arm and was going around covering everyone with them.


    I could see my breath and the air was still and serene.


    ��Souya, can I have a word with you?��


    ��Yes��


    After re-draping the nket over the sisters, I followed god.


    We left the dining hall and went out into the training grounds. The thinyer of snow that had umted on the ground glistened white in the darkness of the pre-dawn hours. In just one night, the world outside had turned to winter.


    ��Are you cold?��


    dvain-sama was wearing a warm-looking fur cloak. Underneath, she was wearing a high-leg dress today. It felt like she should be feeling the cold more than I was.


    ��It''s a little cold. Butpared to the freezing cold of the left continent, it''s nothing toin about��


    Besides, the poncho that had absorbed the dragon blood is strangely warm. Is this thing giving off heat?


    ��The cold of thatnd freezes even the soul. There��s noparison to this mild winter��


    ��dvain-sama, you''re from the left continent, right?��


    ��Mm-hmm, on thatnd, I was born, trained, fought, contended, was honored, and became a god instead of being allowed to die. It''s a nostalgic yet distant memory. Nowadays, I can only remember it as if it were someone else''s dream��


    ��Umm, can I ask you about the evil dragon? I know it''s disrespectful for someone like me who isn''t one of your kin to ask, but������


    After what had happened yesterday, my interest in dragons had been aroused.


    It''s also something that rtes to the power Rana showed. I want to know as much as possible.


    ��It''s fine. Just so happens, that''s what I wanted to talk to you about��


    God obscured her grandeur with a sorrowful expression.


    ��The evil dragon, Lord Rot-Scale, Rustvain?Ln?Lumidia��


    In that dragon''s name����


    ����were the names of her two daughters.


    ��The year I was born, a fever was sweeping across the left continent. The number of victims was not just in the thousands or tens of thousands. More than a few countries perished. In particr, many babies lost their lives. Graveyards were filled with swaddling cloths, and the sobs of mothers echoed throughout the continent. The one who took pity on everyone was Lord Rot-Scale, no, at that time, it was still called Lord Green-Scale. It was the most beautiful and gentle dragon, and it had scales as green as jade. That dragon absorbed the fever from everyone, umting it in its body��


    Dragons can even do such things, huh?


    Performing miracles such as healing people''s illnesses like saints do.


    ��I myself am one of those saved by that dragon. It was an act done out of greatpassion. It''s a beautiful tale that should be passed down forever, an anecdote that connects people and dragons together. That dragon really loved people.


    However, when that dragon absorbed the disease from the entire continent, its beautiful green scales rotted away and its body was racked with tremendous pain. People saw the dragon, who had fallen to that state, as a giant focus of the disease. Even then, the dragon still showed its concern for people. By its own volition, it flew away from the world of people.


    But you see, there was no ce for a dragon with rotted scales. It was chased away by the other dragons, and in the end, it had no choice but to return to the left continent.


    And what did people wish for this being who had sacrificed so much of itself for the sake of others? They wished for its death.


    It''s shameful, but that''s the way people are when ites down to it.


    Maybe it was because of love or loathing, or maybe it was the pain caused by the disease. Or maybe it was due to people''s resentment and curses.


    That dragon went mad and began to eat people. It started to be called the evil dragon, Lord Rot-Scale, and we, the warriors of Velsvain, were tasked with ying it.


    Eight thousand elites. Apart from Elysium, this was the strongest army in the world at the time.


    Among them were many who had been saved by that dragon, including myself. It wasn''t that we hated the dragon. We simply felt sorry for it. If its suffering was only going to persist, the least that we, the people who had been saved by it, could do was to put it out of its misery with our own hands.


    And then, amid the mes and carnage, I alone survived.


    As the legend went, I was the one who dealt the finishing blow to Lord Rot-Scale.


    At the end, the man I loved was reduced to ashes before my very eyes. The magic sword I had inherited from my ancestors shattered after wounding the dragon. Having lost everything and bearing the wishes of my brethren, I drove my fist through the heart of that dragon.


    But then, I do wonder.


    That perhaps the birth of a dragon-ying god was Lord Rot-Scale''s wish all along.


    It''s just too sad for a dragon who loved people and sacrificed itself to help them to go insane and take the lives of the very people it had saved. It must have wanted someone to stop it.


    If the wishes of people are what create gods, then there''s nothing strange about the wish of a dragon doing the same. Though it is ironic that the wish of a dragon that saved people is to be killed by them��


    It''s an ironic and sad tale that no one knows the truth of.


    But people do not worship those who led happy lives. The lives of saints and heroes are often tragic. It''s precisely because their stories are tragedies that people are drawn to them.


    I''m guessing that dvain-sama had named her daughters after Lord Rot-Scale as a way of mourning its passing. It''s also ironic that their lives ended in tragedy as well.


    ��I can no longer bring myself to discard or hate them. The wishes and curses of people and dragons can only be obscured by the heat of battle. The path of the warrior that I extol is no more than such��


    ��dvain-sama, the power Rana showed������


    ��That''s right. It��s because of my blood and my legend. That��s the miracle that came out of losing the man I loved��


    So, it appears that she truly does love me.


    It''s something that I feel proud of, but also something that weighs heavily on me.


    ��My blessinges at too great a cost. My fate has taken its toll on my kin and my descendants. That''s why I''m afraid for them. Rana, in particr, is the spitting image of the Lumidia in my memories. Though it''s rather bizarre for an elf to look so much like that child who was murdered by an elf��


    Murdered, she said. Could it be?


    ��You know how Lumidia died?��


    Despite the cold, I started to sweat profusely.


    She did seem to know that her blood flowed in the veins of elves, but I hadn''t thought that she knew about the end Lumidia had met. If I''m not careful, the Heures n will incur the wrath of god.


    ��Yeah, I heard about it from Melm. "This body has the blood of abominable Hemus running in it," he said. He told me of the resentment he felt towards his ancestors for hiding it for so long. I was also enraged. I wanted to strangle every descendant of Heures, who had made himself out to be the victim�D�D��


    If I were in dvain-sama''s shoes, I would probably never forgive him.


    I would have killed every single Heures I could get my hands on. That wouldn''t be enough for me, and I would go on to hate all elves.


    ��But I couldn''t do it. Vengeance for something that happened in the distant past is far from my mind now that I��ve be a god. I would only besmirch my divinity and drag my kin into a needless conflict. ������������No, that''s not the reason.


    It was the resemnce.


    Be it Melm, Ea, or Rana. ������������There��s no way I could ever bring myself to kill them. Not my own children. I''m a god who has left my humanity behind, but I will never forget the time I spent as a mother��


    This is something men will never understand.


    Though I��m not sure that this is something that even women would understand.


    ��Souya, your way of fighting is that of the old warriors of long past. No fear of death, no greed, and no desire for fame. Killing for the sake of killing, and sacrificing one''s life selflessly. That way of fighting is what checked Elysium''s invasion, and also the foundation that the history of the Myriad Kings and us, those of the Velsvain school, was built upon.


    But hear me, old one.


    They have died out. Because of the nature of people, they were exploited, used up, and wiped out.


    Rana loves you. It seems that Ea does as well. It would be one thing if their love were to fade with the passing of time. But if that''s not the case, the longevity of elves will bring them much suffering and pain.


    Souya, live long. Even if it''s only by a single day, increase the time you''re by their side. Memories can bringfort. They are perhaps the onlyfort an elf who has loved a Hemu can ever have��


    ��������I''ll bear that in mind��


    Asking a man with a death wish to live long, that''s quite the tall order, Okaa-sama.


    ��And, if possible, have a whole lot of kids��


    ����������������


    Umm.


    Well, that''s���� Got it.


    ��At least two, no, four. No, if I include Lanseal, then six might be on the low side��


    ��Wait just a minute��


    Huh, how did shee up with those numbers?


    ��Why wait? Two each from Rana and Ea. Two should be a piece of cake for Lanseal. Hang on, Lanseal''s children, huh? I''d love to have them as my kin. No, it''s too troublesome, so I''ll just wee all of them as my kin. Leaving aside your blood, all three of them have excellent lineages. I doubt that they''ll bepromised by something as trivial as having some foreigner blood mixed in��


    She��s subtly singing her own praises.


    ��Please calm down for now, Okaa-sama. I mean, it would be wrong of me to try anything with Ea, isn''t it?��


    Messing around with the sister-inw. What is this, an eroge?


    That''ll surely get me knifed by my father-inw.


    ��What are you talking about? That guy Melm once had his way with every single one of a group of four sisters��


    ��I beg you������please don''tpare me with that guy��


    That pervy elf. He''s more pervy than King Lemuria.


    Follow Otou-san��s example a little!


    ��This is so troublesome. Souya, why don''t you just form a contract with me and also be one of my kin? After all, it would only be natural for the children of two of my kin to be my kin as well��


    ��Huh?��


    I froze at her sudden offer.


    It''s a very tempting offer. If I be dvain''s kin, my reputation will skyrocket. I''ll have a reputation that will blow away my notoriety. This is the kind of fame that''s hard toe by for an adventurer. It could also be seen as a reward for my reckless fight against the dragon, so if I became dvain''s kin at this timing, no one would have a problem with it.


    ��However��


    dvain-sama''s offer didn''te without a catch.


    ��Break your contract with Misuranika��


    ��What?��


    What kind of joke is this?


    Even if they''re from god, those are words that I can''t just ignore.


    ��That god is no decent god��


    ��I know. All by herself, she brought three kingdoms on the right continent to ruin. She''s a woman who attained godhood through misdeeds and intrigue��


    ��Souya, you''re mistaken. That''s not the extent of it��


    ��Huh?��


    Mistaken? What do you mean, bringing countries to ruin is not the extent of it?


    ��When ites time for a country to copse, it falls to ruin very easily. If such a thing were enough to attain godhood, the world would be full of gods.


    Her godhood is something much more gruesome, dark, and horrifying. Have you not asked Misuranika about it?��


    ��Err, no��


    I got the feeling that my god doesn''t like to talk about it. So I never pried into her past.


    ��I don''t think she would have answered even if you had asked, but����I''m sorry, I cannot speak anything of it after all. No matter what kind of god is involved, a god cannot divulge the secrets of another god. That would only result in carnage��


    Certainly, religious wars are incredibly nasty. The only way to settle them is for one side or the other to be wiped out.


    In this alternate world that has so many gods, it would be a quagmire. Even if it''s a god with very few followers, like Misuranika-sama, a god should not be repudiated.


    ��dvain-sama, I appreciate the offer��


    However����


    ��But I refuse. No matter what happens, I will not break my contract with Misuranika-sama��


    ����that��s not going to happen.


    ��Souya, you must be aware that the kin and the followers are influenced by the fate of the god they contract with. No matter whether it''s good or bad, it will always befall them. For Misuranika''s fate to befall you is�D�D��


    ��Even so, I will continue to believe in that god. dvain-sama, this is a thing called "honor and obligation". When I first arrived in this country, I was denied a contract by many gods.


    Because I''m a foreigner, or because I don''t have dreams, or because I''m not strong enough, or that I have ties with certain races, there were many reasons, but by andrge, I was forsaken by all the gods in Lemuria.


    To top it all off, I got thrown in jail for beating up some thieves.


    The one who took me in and saved me at that time was Misuranika-sama. She was the only god in this country who would form a contract with me.


    To forget that debt and switch over to another god, I would be no better than the most shameless of sluts. If such a person became a kin of the honorable dvain, he would only tarnish that reputation��


    I had gotten a little emotional.


    But this is my belief, my conviction.


    ��I see. ������������I understand. Forget I said anything. Someone who has twice abandoned her own children has no business trying to act like a mother��


    ��No, that''s not what I meant by that��


    ��Let''s go back inside. I''ll brew you some hot tea��


    With a flourish of her cloak, dvain-sama turned and headed for the dining hall.


    The loneliness written on that back made my heart ache a little.


    ��Hmm? That reminds me��


    But then she thought of something and stopped in her tracks.


    ��Didn''t you call me "Okaa-sama"? Twice, at that��


    ��Obfuu��


    She had heard me clearly. Both times, at that.


    ��Hmm, hmm?��


    She came up close to me.


    Oh, this is ��that�� pattern.


    ��Oh, umm, I''m really sorry��


    ��No need to apologize. Come on, hmm, hmm?��


    Looking oddly mischievous, she leaned her shoulder against mine.


    ��I won''t be offended. It''s alright, so try saying it again��


    ��Seriously, please spare me��


    While being teased in that manner, I returned to the dining hall with her.


    The tea that was brewed for me tasted very sweet and nostalgic.


    Yeah, this chapter is about how the ��fates�� of the gods affect their followers. The man dvain loved was burned to ashes by the dragon in front of her eyes before she killed it with a punch. Hence, when Rana saw Souya being burned by the dragon��s mes, it triggered the ��fate�� and that��s also how Souya knew that she really loves him. dvain warns Souya that Misuranika��s fate is too horrible, that having that fate befall him is not what she wants to see, but as all god��s stories are apparently tragedies, the same would kinda be true for almost everybody. I mean, dvain��s fate is pretty bad itself. But then again, for a person who has gone through what she has, losing everything from brethren to children, to consider Misuranika��s fate to be terrible����


    And yeah, ruining a few countries is nothingpared to what Misuranika has done to attain godhood. I��ll let you know for free that dvain is being truthful on that point. In case you forgot, back when dvain went to the camp to eat curry in vol 3, she and Misuranika acted familiar, like they knew each other from before. And, as can be seen from the humiliation y at the end, they��re kinda simr in some aspects.


    The ��honor and obligation�� Souya mentions is one word in Japanese, hence the weird-ish grammar there, but now that I think about it, Ji��e��toh from the Wheel of Time must have been inspired by it because that��s exactly what it is. It��s a code of conduct that��s about doing what is honorable and just. Like never abandoning the one person who had reached out to you when everyone had abandoned you. Yes, it��s used a lot in Yakuza stories.


    Thatst line, huh? Ever notice the absoluteck of mention of his mother thus far in the story by Souya? Even his father got a mention here and there but Souya has never brought up his own mother ever. And now, he sorta has a Mama and a Mother, as well as an Otou-san and sorta two fathers-inw here in this alternate world.


    This epilogue-like final arc has kinda been full of important details so far, hasn��t it? Well, 3 more parts until the end of the volume! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 117: At The End Of The Festival… III

    <h4>Chapter 117: At The End Of The Festival�� III</h4>


    ��So cold��


    Yelled my sister. That was no surprise, as the in had be a field of snow.


    We were currently on our way back to the camp. The snow was not so deep that our feet would get caught in it, but it was open terrain, so the wind was biting cold and it cut to the bone.


    ��So cold����


    My sister shouted again.


    ��You''re making it hard for me to walk��


    Comined Maria, who was being hugged by Ea. Ea was wearing a fur coat given to her by dvain-sama, but she was still feeling cold.


    ��No no no, I''m pretty sure my reaction is normal. Maria, aren''t you cold?��


    Maria was dressed as normal.


    She was lightly dressed and her legs were bare. I had gotten her to at least wear a shirt to cover her stomach, but even so, it looked like she should be freezing.


    ��That''s no good, Ea, no good at all. On the left continent, we only call it cold when our eyshes freeze, you know?��


    ��You sure live in an unbelievable ce��


    It''s because the winter there isn��t just cold, it hurts.


    ��Onii-chan, why are you also okay with the cold?��


    ��Well, I''ve also experienced what winter is like on the left continent, and this is about the same as the winters in Japan��


    ��Ugh, it''s cold in Japan too, huh? That sucks��


    To be fair, it is cold. But thanks to the poncho soaked with dragon blood, I don''t feel so cold that I would shiver. I was told that the dragon blood would continue to generate warmth and heat for ten years after it had left the dragon''s body.


    ��Wait, Onee-chan, are you okay?��


    ��S, so hot��


    Rana''s forehead was covered with sweat. Her entire robe had been soaked with dragon blood. It must be like having pocket warmers all over the body.


    Ea hugged Rana.


    ��Wow, you''re so warm��


    ��Once the wind picked up, it suddenly started to feel really hot. I''m all sweaty and I want to take it off as soon as possible��


    Please don''t do the same thing as they do on Mount Hakkouda.[1]


    ��Speaking of which, Onee-chan, what about the armor the dragon gave you? Are you going to wear it?��


    ��I don''t have that kind of courage��


    Ehh~.


    I think it would look good on you though. Personally, I''d love to see you wear it.


    ��Then give it to me. I want to try it on��


    ��Huh? Ea, for an unmarried woman, that appearance is a bit������


    Bikini armor on a t-chested person, is there such a thing?


    After all, what point is there in hiding what isn''t there?


    ��It''s fine, I''m telling you. I''ll just wear it as underwear. I mean, you''re brushing aside dvain-sama''s traditions kinda rudely, you know?��


    ��I''m an elf before I''m her kin, so needlessly exposing so much skin is��������


    Rana took another look at what Ea and Maria were wearing.


    Is Rana uptight, or are the two of them just frivolous? As someone who likes it either way, it''s hard for me to say. I mean, despite being covered up, Rana is still quite sexy.


    ��You two, let''s go shopping for winter clothester��


    ��Really? Yay!��


    Ea was overjoyed.


    ��Yay!��


    So was Maria.


    I felt Rana''s gaze, so I nonchntly handed her my purse. 30 gold coins should be more than enough to pay for winter clothes for the three of them plus some food on the way home.


    ��Souya, I''m hungry��


    Maria''s stomach growled loudly just like in the mangas.


    ��For breakfast������


    Breakfast reminded me of Geto-san. I had broken the token of friendship he gave me. I''m hoping that it''s not something valuable, but I wonder if there''s any way I canpensate him for it.


    ��Oh, Geto is here��


    Maria dashed across the field of snow towards the camp.


    We found Makina and Geto-san shoveling snow at our home. Makina had instion material attached to her cylindrical pod for the cold weather. Geto-san was d only in a loincloth like usual. Are fishmen resistant to cold, I wondered.


    We followed after Maria at a brisk jog.


    ��Shrimp! Geto, did you bring any shrimp?!��


    ��Ohh, little one, you''re looking lively this morning. Yeah, I''ve brought shrimp. And it��s not the small ones that I usually catch��


    At Maria''s urging, Geto-san took out a shrimp from a container meant for fish.


    It turned out to be a big lobster!


    ��Whoa! Geto-san, that''s����!��


    I also got excited and ran over as fast as I could.


    ��Ohh, Souya, I heard you had quite a day yesterday��


    ��I won''t really call it that. As usual, I just barely avoided death��


    ��That''s what "quite a day" means, isn''t it?��


    That may be true, but the allure of lobster is drawing all of my attention.


    ��Dear, could this be������


    ��Rana, do you know what that is?��


    Do they treat lobsters as a delicacy in the alternate world too?


    ��This is the legendary emperor shrimp. It''s said that the ancient elven emperors went to war over this shrimp. I didn''t think it really existed��


    Lobsters are amazing.


    And don''t go to war because of your gluttony, you elves.


    ��As expected, you''re quite knowledgeable, madam. Yes, this is indeed the emperor shrimp. It��s a precious bounty of the sea that��s only eaten when the Apostles of Grizunas have aplished great deeds. I heard that you drove off that annoying dragon, so I asked my god for one��


    ��Oh, Geto-san��


    I pulled out a small pouch from my pocket and showed him the pieces of the ne that I had managed to retrieve.


    ��The ne that you gave me, Geto-san, it''s broken. I''m sorry��


    ��WHAT?!��


    He shifted his sunsses and squinted closely at the pieces of coral.


    ��Impossible. There''s no way anyone living onnd could have destroyed�D�D��


    ��When I was sted point-nk by the dragon''s breath, it protected me from the mes, but it broke in exchange��


    ��������What did������������you say��������


    He looked shocked.


    I guess it''s valuable after all.


    ��Pff��


    Then he broke out into a smile.


    He has a fish-like face, but it''s easy to tell whether he''s happy or upset.


    ��Fuhahahahahaa!��


    Raising the lobster to the heavens, he burst outughing.


    ��Did you see that! O heavens! O mes! Our fishmen''s secrets arts have thwarted your efforts to destroy!��


    Uwwoooooo! the fishman yelled at the sky. Though Maria didn''t quite understand what was going on, she mimicked him.


    Well, I don''t quite understand either.


    ��Ohh, sorry about that. It''s not like me to get all fired up. I got so heated even though I''m a fishman. And despite the cold weather��


    Geto-san''s all-out attempt at joking was met with an extremely forced smile from Rana.


    ��Souya, I''ve never been more happy to have struck a friendship with you than I am today. I''ll tell my entire n about this for generations. I''m sure my god will burst outughing as well��


    Grizunas-sama.


    I don''t know what kind of god it is, but it''s a god that lives in the depths of the sea. I can''t even imagine what something like that bursting out intoughter would look like.


    ��But I''m afraid I can''t give you another token of friendship. They are for the purpose of forming bonds with others. Your family and I have already formed bonds of friendship. It doesn''t make sense to give one to you again��


    ��That''s true��


    We��ve already formed a bond.


    There''s no need to use objects to initiate the process anymore.


    ��Also, Geto-san, this is from Lord White-Scale��


    I took out the dragon scale.


    ��Err, "Your blessing that brought forth the water was truly impressive. This is a token of my admiration. This dragon scale shall protect you from all heat," it said��


    ��Hmmm. Heh, wow��


    He eximed cheerfully as he studied the scale.


    He looks happy.


    ��Souya-san and everyone, you must be cold. Here are some drinks to warm you up. There''s also a kotatsu set up in the tent��


    Said Makina, who arrived holding a tray with cups of steaming hot cocoa on it.


    ��Oh, it''s cocoa! I love cocoa!��


    Maria was the first to snap up a cup.


    ��It��s hot~��


    She almost burned her tongue. What an incorrigible child.


    ��Wait, Souya. It said that this would protect me from all heat, right?��


    ��Huh? Yes, I''m sure it said that��


    Geto-san stuck the dragon scale to his chest and took a cup of cocoa.


    ��Ah, hang on�D�D��


    Fishmen are a race that lives in the frigid depths of the sea. If they were to drink such a hot beverage, getting scalded wouldn''t be the worst of it.


    Was what I was thinking when Geto-san downed the cocoa in one gulp.


    ��Aah! Aah! It''s not hot!��


    He followed it up with another cup of cocoa.


    ��It''s not hot after all! I can feel but the slightest hint of warmth, but that''s actually quite refreshing. Souya, you know what this means, right?! Souya!��


    ��Yes! What do you want to eat?!��


    Influenced by him, I was also getting heated.


    ��Pizza! Something with melted cheese! And that one, and that one, and that one too. Urgh! There are too many things that I want to eat. Ngghhhh. Oh! That one, that one! You know, the one we ate together back then. That pot of oil! The one where the two of us ate up all the bread! I want to eat that while it''s still hot!��


    The fired-up Geto-san handed me the lobster.


    ��Ajillo it is then! Got it! I''ll try making it with the emperor shrimp right away!��


    ��And some miso soup too!��


    ��Okay, with pleasure!��


    I''ll use the lobster to make the soup stock.


    ��Geto, what about curry?��


    ��Ohhh, I''ll eat it. But leave out the spicy stuff��


    Geto-san readily agreed to Ea''s suggestion.


    ��Geto, do you want to try some Napolitan? I just learned how to make it yesterday��


    ��Napolitan? I don''t quite know what that is, but sure��


    He was also on board with Maria''s suggestion.


    Rana turned to me with eyes that said, "What about me, dear?"


    ��Rana, please cook some rice. Please cook only rice��


    ��Okay, leave it to me��


    ��Makina, give everyone a hand��


    ��Roger! Makina had absolutely nothing to do in the fight against the dragon, so Makina is going to give it everything Makina has got!��


    It was an opportunity for the whole family to repay Geto-san for the delicious food he always gave us.


    A dance of ingredients, mes, and seasonings ensued.


    Despite the cold weather, our excitement never cooled. We cooked one dish after another and lined them up in front of Geto-san. Geto-san too was devouring te after te of food with the eagerness of a child.


    The person eating the food was doing it with such gusto, so the ones cooking got fired up as well.


    To be honest,


    We went overboard.


    ��Maria, no. Don��t��


    I stopped her from poking the belly with a stick.


    ��Ugh, I ate too much��


    That''s right, Geto-san, you ate too much. To be honest, I think we went overboard ourselves. Though you could have just stopped eating midway through.


    ��Souya, sorry, but roll me over to the river��


    ��������������Got it��


    Geto-san, who was sprawled on the ground, had bloated up from eating too much. He had be more like a sea lion than a fishman.


    It appears that fishmen are a race that bloats up when they eat more than they need.


    I did as he asked and rolled him to the river. He plopped into the water with a ssh. He floated back to the surface of the water and used his limbs, which had be shorter as they were buried in his jiggly flesh, to keep himself in ce.


    ��Kurgh��


    Damn it, the sight is so surreal that I almost burst outughing.


    Despite hisical appearance, Geto-san started to speak in a serious tone.


    ��Souya, madam, Ea, Maria, and Makina. The food was extremely delicious. There are many fishmen, but there are likely none who know the bliss that I do. I thank you��


    ��No, Geto-san, it was our pleasure��


    I answered on behalf of everyone.


    Or rather, everyone else is too busy holding back theirughter to reply.


    ��During the winter, we fishmen will go into a short sleep. This is goodbye for a while. I''ve packed the container full of seafood. There should be enough tost the winter��


    ��Got it, thank you very much. Be well, Geto-san��


    ��Yeah. I should be able to digest all the food during my hibernation. I''ll drop by as soon as I wake up. I''m looking forward to another delicious meal. Well, let''s meet again in the spring. ������������See you��


    ��See you��


    There was a ssh of water.


    As usual, Geto-san swam against the current of the river. His movements looked quite a bit moreical than usual, but his speed was the same. With incredible speed, the sea lion disappeared from view.


    It was goodbye for a while������������but what an amusing parting it ended up being.


    [1] Mount Hakkouda/Hakk��da is home to the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Which hosts the ��Hirakasa Naked Pilgrimage", a female-led festival where people in white clothing walk roughly 8 km from the Miyata Shrine in Hirakasa to the Yasaka Shrine in Obuke to pray for health, safety of their family, and fertility. (pic courtesy of cooljapan-videos)


    Geto-san!!! Bye bye!!! Haha, he faded from the story for a while, but came back big time, and is now going to leave for quite a bit. But how many of you saw thating when the dragon decided to give him that reward? Now he can eat all the hot food he wants! I mean, really? A dragon scale and that��s what it��s used for? Can you believe that?! I love this author so much.


    Other than this being a Geto chapter, there��s some reinforcement of plot points going on. Did you catch them? Well, 2 more chapters to go! Is there something that still has to be resolved? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 118: At The End Of The Festival… IV

    <h4>Chapter 118: At The End Of The Festival�� IV</h4>


    Once more, I gathered everyone in the blood-alliance for fighting off the dragon and went to the Guild to receive our reward.


    ��What''s going on here?��


    ��It''s as you can see��


    I was all by myself.


    Well, I hadn��t been able to get anyone toe.


    Frey and Lazarissa have left Lemuria and are on their way to the center continent.


    Barfuru-sama has also left Lemuria and gone north.


    Rutsuko-san and the Gunmerrys have gone to visit the beastkin tribes in the east.


    It''s said that the adventure hasn''t ended until the reward has been paid, but those guys can''t work as a team at all. Really, getting that bunch of people toe together back then was nothing short of miraculous. I doubt I''d be able to do it a second time.


    To cap it all off, Otou-san has been roped into helping the brothel prepare for winter.


    With so many people unable to make it, I didn��t see much point in going to the Guild with only half a party, so I decided to go on my own and sent the women and Shuna off to buy winter clothes and daily necessities instead.


    Oh, I almost forgot.


    I''ll have to find a house to rent as our home for the winter. There''s really no way we can camp out there in the snow.


    ��We''re handing out your rewards, you know? Normally, everyone would be here for that. What the heck kind of group are you guys?��


    ��I''m wondering that myself��


    Even if you ask me that, I have no answer for you.


    ��However, Souya, it was a splendid battle. That knight''s fighting style that looks reckless but is actually very practical that you used. I can almost see the way of life and manner of death of the person who taught it to you in the way you threw everything at the dragon like it was to relieve resentment that had been building up over the years. I was so inspired that I cleaned my weapon and did practice swings with it for the first time in a long timest night. Truly, it was splendid��


    ��Thank you very much��


    I''m very happy to receive praise from Evetta-san. I''m sure the Scarlet Knight is also pleased.


    He had no choice but to die an inglorious death, but his sword techniques were unyielding even in the face of a dragon. No, even against a dragon, they would have worked eventually. This time, it was only because my physical abilities weren��t good enough. Yes, there''s still room for improvement.


    One day, these techniques will be able to cut down anything and everything, no matter the circumstances. They''ll be able to y everything that bleeds scarlet.


    The death and deeds that I have inherited are techniques as amazing as that.


    ��So, Guild President, what about the reward?��


    But right now, rather than something far off in the future, the reward is what matters.


    The Guild President was looking as surly as ever, but he was less stern than usual today.


    ��We''ve confirmed that the parties that are not here have indeed left the country. Since you didn''t kill them off, I suppose it stands to reason that we should give it to you��


    ��d to hear it��


    As always, don''t mix weird insinuations into your words.


    ��First off, here��


    He handed me a bag. It was rather heavy, and I could hear the clinking of coins.


    The Guild President waved his staff and raised his voice.


    ��This is the reward from King Lemuria to the blood-alliance that distinguished themselves during the Dragonfall Festival. Seeker Brigade, Gastolfo League of Braves, Endguard, ������King Lutz and his merry band. The above-mentioned parties are awarded 120 gold coins��


    The Guild President''s voice filled the entire room. It sounded like it had been magically amplified.


    The chitter-chatter of the adventurers all around us died down as they stopped what they were doing to listen.


    Is he doing this to show off the king''s generosity or something?


    Come to think of it, there are more adventurers in here today than usual. Even though it''s a weird time of morning right now.


    ��Next, to the adventurer Souya, who fought the dragon most valiantly. The Guild will award him 100 Shogaku tickets��


    Cheers of "Ohhh~" came from the adventurers in the room.


    I feel a little proud of that. Still, exactly 100 tickets, huh? Considering the future, I was hoping for a bit more.


    ��Next, the ones who wounded the dragon''s wings. Medimu, the father of adventurers. Barfuru Heijin, the hero of the north. To the two of them, the Merchant Union of Lemuria awards a year''s supply of Lemuria ale, and the Lemuria branch of the Center Continent Merchants'' Association awards a year''s supply of wine��


    Whoa~! they cheered. In louder voices than they did for me.


    I heard Otou-san''s name being uttered by many of the adventurers.


    There were a few, "By the way, who''s this Barfuru person?" from some puzzled people too.


    ��Lastly, to the extraordinary "magician" who punched out the dragon, Rauaryuna?Raua?Heures, the Guild awards a replica of Raging Rmir''s equipment. She will be presented with the Gauntlets of Ryubel��


    Whoo~! they cheered, about six times louder than they did for me.


    I don��t know what kind of equipment that is, but is it really valuable or something?


    The Guild President started to wrap things up.


    ��The above-mentioned individuals are the ones who have made a name for themselves at this year''s Dragonfall Festival. At times, adventurers have to face reckless battles and the great unknown. Those who have just made a name for themselves are lucky to have won. That''s all there is to it. That''s all there is to it, but that''s the difference between those who are known for their bravery and the rest who are unknown.


    Don''t be afraid to take a stand, adventurers.


    Look not up nor down, but straight ahead. Keep your eyes fixed on your own adventures.


    At the end of each and every adventure, fame and envy await. The slower you build up your fame, the more cemented it is.


    Don''t stop your feet because of the fame that others have garnered. Embark on your own adventures. Focus on them.


    It''s good to have dreams. It''s good to have dreams inspired by what others have achieved. However, wash your petty jealousy away with alcohol. Bringing someone down won''t make you any more famous.


    A harsh winter ising. But don''t forget. Spring wille to all of us. For sure. ������������That''s all��


    The Guild President sounded almost like a Guild President when he gave that speech. The adventurers gave him a sparse round of apuse when he was done.


    A Guild employee walked up and took the Guild President''s staff.


    ��Well then, here''s an announcement regarding cheap amodations for the winter months. First of all, we��re starting a lottery for spots in the me religion''s temporary dormitory that''s only open to those who are living in the stables. Please gather around!��


    UWOOOOO! went the greenhorn adventurers as they rushed forward.


    I see. So this is why there are so many people here. The Guild has beenpletely transformed into a lottery hall.


    I worked my way out of the crowd and went over to the reception desk that Evetta-san had sat down behind.


    ��Alright, please give me the strategy for clearing the great skeleton floors��


    ��I figured as much. The arrangements for that have already beenpleted. By the Guild President, that is��


    Huh. That guy is doing his job rather well this time. I can''t help but wonder if there''s a catch.


    ��Here��s the scroll with the strategy for clearing those floors written on it��


    I was promptly presented with a scroll. It was different from the ones I usually got from the Guild. It had a metal mechanism for locking it.


    ��Press your thumb to the metal fitting before opening it��


    ��Got it��


    The mechanism came off quite easily when I pressed my thumb to the metal fitting.


    ��By doing that, you''ve triggered magic that makes it so that only the person who opened it can read its contents��


    ��That��s amazing��


    What an incredible security feature. Even in the modern world, people would love to have this.


    ��Well then��


    In my hands, I held the guide to clearing the floors that, in a sense, had given us the most trouble. With a heart filled with emotion, I spread open the scroll.


    ����������������


    I read.


    ����������������


    It was so concise and simple that I couldn''t believe my eyes.


    ��Umm, Evetta-san��


    ��Yes?��


    ��Is this actually a prank where you''re going to pull out another scroll from behind you and say, "And here''s the real one"?��


    ��I''m not going to do that��


    ��Then, this is��������


    ��Yes, that information is credible. If you find any mistakes in the information, please report them to the Guild��


    ��It''s really hard to believe though��


    ��What could be so incredible that someone who fought a dragon head-on would find it so hard to believe?��


    Well, considering how I was when I first came here, I''ve certainly changed in a way that''s hard to believe.


    ��Rather than finding it hard to believe, perhaps it''s more that I don''t want to believe it��


    ��Go give it a try. If it doesn''t work, we��ll refund you the Shogaku tickets and you''ll also get a reward for finding mistakes in the Guild''s strategy guide��


    ��Unh, unhhhh��


    If she''s sticking to her story to this extent, the possibility of it being a prank disappears.


    ��������I understand. I''ll go right away��


    I won''t be able to sleep well unless I clear these feelings of uncertainty in my heart.


    ��Yes, adventurers must always be prepared to act immediately. At first, I had thought, ��This profession is impossible for this child,�� and resigned myself, but you sure havee a long way��


    A tear fell from Evetta-san��s eye.


    Are you my mum?


    I said a quick farewell and got up to leave. First, I went straight to find Otou-san.


    Beyond the 30th floor, parties entering the dungeon needed to have at least three members, so I contacted Shuna as well.


    I told him about the situation through my sister''smunication device. It appeared that the women had been treating him like a dress-up doll. I didn''t have to ask him twice, he came immediately.


    In a sense, this was the first time I had an all-dude party.


    I told the two of them the strategy for clearing the great skeleton floors.


    ��You''re kidding, right?��


    They had scoffed at me. At any rate, we would see how true it was for ourselves once we tried it. After buying enough food and water for two days from a merchantpany, we went into the portal.


    And then, we did as the strategy guide said.


    The boss of the floors appeared in a way that, rather than calling it hard to believe, was so ridiculous that we didn''t want to believe it.


    ����������������


    We defeated it with the three of us.


    To be brutally honest, it was weak. It could have been defeated by me alone, by Shuna alone, or by Otou-san alone. In all likelihood, anyone in the party could have defeated it on their own.


    ����������������


    When we went through the portal that appeared afterward, we found ourselves on a floor that was not made of bones. It was a floor of ice that was just as cold as it was outside the dungeon. Actually, it was much colder than it was outside. It was as cold as the winters on the left continent. We wouldn''tst more than five minutes without winter gear.


    Wepleted the validation at the nearby portal.


    It showed that we were most definitely on the 35th floor.


    ����������������


    Us three dudes returned without saying a word.


    It is an unspoken rule that adventurers should never carelessly share information or strategies regarding the floors with others. That we should never divulge such knowledge to anyone outside the party.


    That��s only natural.


    Information that our predecessors had risked their lives to acquire should not be treated lightly. If we did so, the standard of adventurers would drop, resulting in the Guild bing obsolete, which in turn would lead to the Kingdom of Lemuria falling into decline.


    Even so, the adventurers of today have it much easierpared to the adventurers of the past.


    Making things any easier would lead to a total copse of everything.


    The motives behind it are many, but in essence, the "Learn how to endure hardship. Kids these days����" that was written on the wall inscriptions of the ancient Egyptian civilization probably best represents people''s true feelings. [1]


    In other words����


    ����������������


    ����no matter what kind of absurdities the dungeon throws at us, we can''tin about them carelessly.


    I��d never have imagined that something like that would be so darn hard.


    With dour looks on our faces, the three of us dudes returned to the Guild.


    ��Umm, if you want, you can have these���� We haven''t touched them at all, so������


    ��Huh? Oh, thank you very much��


    I gave the untouched food and water to a party of fresh-faced greenhorn adventurers. Normally, no one would ept food and water from another party so readily, but they trusted me because the father of adventurers was standing right there beside me.


    In a depressed mood, I turned to Shuna and Otou-san.


    ��First thing tomorrow morning, let''s meet up at the Guild. We''ll clear it immediately with everyone������we��ll go drinking all day afterwards��


    They both nodded without saying a word.


    The short-lived all-dude party was dissolved, and we all headed home.


    Tomorrow''s going to be a rough day. For the party.


    [1] There��s a long and culturally relevant story behind the saying, ��Kids these days������ not just in Japan, but worldwide. The second half is always left unsaid, but obviously pressures the ��kid�� to fill it in with the expectations he perceives the ��sayer�� has on him/her. In Japan, it��s said that the current generation of parents never scold or criticize their kids because their parents would always stress them out by using sayings such as these, so they ended up hating these kinds of things and as a result, never pressure their kids. Outside of Japan, this saying is also often said, but interestingly, regardless of the time period, people are alwaysining that the current generation is not up to snuff. Not just in Egypt, there are writings from ancient civilizations all over the world of people saying some variant of ��Kids these days������, with some dating as far back as 2000ish BC. There��s just too much to put here, so do research it for yourself if you find this interesting, there are tons of articles about it.


    Ahh, I had forgotten about Mummy Evetta. It��s been a while since thest ��Are you my mum?��, hasn��t it?


    Trust me on this. You��ll want to read for yourself the strategy for clearing the great skeleton floors. XD


    By the way, noticed how the dungeon is bing more and more ��game-like�� the deeper they go? They get an exclusive currency for clearing quests that they can use to buy stuff or hire people to help clear the dungeon. Strategy guides. Yes, the author is half making fun of something and midway through making a super hrious point.


    With that, don��t miss the final chapter of volume 5! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 119: At The End Of The Festival… V

    <h4>Chapter 119: At The End Of The Festival�� V</h4>


    ��139th day��


    The women noticed that all three men were looking strangely apathetic and started to grill us about it.


    We kept repeating, "You''ll understandter."


    After going through the portal, we arrived at the great skeleton floors.


    Weid out a tarp near the portal we had juste through. Then started preparing breakfast.


    We didn''t have breakfast at the camp today because Geto-san wasn''ting. And that was not the only reason. It was because we had to kill time here anyway.


    Breakfast was copious amounts of hot dogs, a hearty heap of pickles, and coffee.


    Otou-san had brought some alcohol with him, but I allowed it just for today. Shuna ate a light meal then fell asleep with the longsword in his arms.


    Simrly, I was lying on Rana''sp and half falling asleep as well. I tried to grope her butt, but she blocked my attempts.


    ��Umm, Onii-chan, are you sure it''s okay to be this rxed?��


    ��It''s fine��


    My sister questioned the three men''sckadaisical attitude.


    ��It''s alright, Ea. When ites to the dungeon, just leave it to this person and everything will be fine��


    Rana was also looking rxed as she stroked my hair.


    It feltpletely like we were having a pic on a holiday.


    Let me remind you, we are inside the dungeon. Below us are hordes of skeletal monsters. But this is fine. Yesterday, I had worked myself up too much and was made to feel terrible as a result.


    In a rare turn of events, Lys also read the mood and cked off. Using Shuna as a pillow, she went to sleep.


    ��What the heck is going on today?��


    Ea was perplexed.


    She''s the younger sister who does things at her own pace but can read the mood.


    ��Ea, you should rest up too. It''ll take about an hour. I''ll wake you when it''s time��


    ��Ehh, but������


    I beckoned her over, but she still seemed unconvinced.


    Ea ended up spending the entirety of the next hour roaming around, scouting the surroundings. The other members of the party justzed about.


    I took Rana''s fingers in my hand and gently bent and massaged them to loosen them up.


    The rapid recovery brought about by magic is not a cure-all. When a wound is severe, the muscles can harden and be stiff, making it hard to move them for some time. It''s important to take the time to massage them diligently in this way.


    For a woman who punched a dragon, her fingers looked delicate and beautiful.


    ��Ah��


    ��Did that hurt a little? But bear with it, alright?��


    ��Okay��


    One by one, I bent them gently and squeezed them to warm them up while she patted my head with her free hand.


    It was physical therapy, not acting lovey-dovey. As I massaged her fingers with my face buried in her thighs, I drifted off into a blissful sleep�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Beep, beep, it''s time. Beep, beep, it''s time��


    I woke up to Yukikaze''s announcement.


    Everyone except Ea got up sluggishly.


    ��Hey, Onii-chan, is it really alright? For us to be like this today?��


    ��Yes, it''s fine. This is fine. Just this once, this is fine��


    Written in the strategy guide that I got from the Guild������


    ��If you wait near the entrance portal, the guardian of the floors will appear. Defeat it and a new portal will appear��


    ������were just those brief instructions.


    It''s simple, really. However, this notion is aplete blind spot for those who are seeking to descend the dungeon quickly. After all, no adventurer would dawdle around the beginning of a floor for an hour under normal circumstances. Without abination of coincidence and sheerziness, it''s impossible to encounter this enemy.


    If I recall, the subject of these floors is the mental ability to adapt to absurdity, right?


    Floors that can''t be cleared should you actually try to clear them. Indeed, that''s just absurd. It makes me want to say, "Stop screwing with me."


    Now, there''s still one more problem. There''s still one more absurd thing to deal with.


    ��Shuna, do you want to do it?��


    ��No way��


    ��What about you, Otou-san?��


    ��The alcohol has kicked in, so I can''t��


    Yeah, that��s what I thought.


    To be honest, I don''t want to do it either.


    ��FUHAHAHAHAHA��


    As the three men sat there with looks of distaste stered on their faces, high-pitchedughter rang out, which only made them look even more depressed. The women were all looking puzzled and wondering what the heck was going on.


    Dust gathered and formed into the shape of a person.


    Before us appeared a mummified-looking man with skin as white as bone. He wore an old robe and a pointy hat with a bent tip. Instead of a staff, he carried a small bell in his hand.


    ��O foolish ones who have reached this far. You who desire the forbidden at the end of your quest. I, the shadow of Wagreas, the great magician of revelry, will put you to the test��


    The magician Wagreas.


    I looked him up briefly yesterday and found out that he was a famous ancient magician.


    In hister years, he became obsessed with strange magic, and one day, he suddenly vanished off the face of the world. And then, his shadow started to appear on this floor of this dungeon.


    Rob, the great me magician who lived in the same era as him, had these words to say about him.


    ��If I had to name people who are more talented than me, the first person thates to mind is Garving. Next is Wagreas. However, they eachck one thing.


    For Garving, it''s gratitude to the gods.


    For Wagreas, it''s basic human decency. ������Common sense and conventional wisdom. Table manners. Taste in women, both good and bad. The fundamental things that make a person human. In the end, it''s all about decency. Financial sense. A sense of hygiene. I''ll say it again, but it''s about decency. I really don''t want to think of him as a magician just like me. ������Hey, delete that part. Don''t record that��


    Was what he said, but it had been carefully recorded and left behind.


    The other records of Wagreas had been more or less the same, all of them noting his sheerck ofmon sense.


    We experienced a facet of that legend yesterday.


    ��If you want to clear my great skeleton workshop, you must kill this shadow. But can you do it, I wonder? After you''ve�D�D��


    Wagreas'' body was enveloped in light and he transformed.


    ��Seen this adorable appearance!��


    The mummy had transformed.


    What had appeared were the long ears of a rabbit and fur that was as soft and fluffy as a stuffed animal''s. Rounded arms and legs. Big eyes and a small mouth. A face as cute as a mascot character.


    He had be a super-deformed[1], 3 foot tall rabbit beastkin.


    However, as a native of Japan, which stands at the forefront of super-deformed characters, I have to say that he looks more like a mascot randomly pped together by some rural local government.


    ��You can''t. As long as you have a human heart, as long as you haven''t thrown away your humanity, you can''t kill something this adorable�D�D��


    Ea''s arrow whizzed through the air and pierced through his skull.


    Nice headshot.


    ��Impossible! How could you attack without any hesitation?!��


    ��No no no, I''m the one who wants to shout, "Impossible." How are you still alive with an arrow through your head?��


    My sister has raised a very valid point. This thing is needlessly tough and won''t die unless he��s been destroyed beyond recognition. We also had a hard time with that yesterday.


    ��That elf girl over there. How can you have no qualms about shooting such an adorable sight? Do you not have a human heart?!��


    ��Huh?��


    Wagreas has made one very fundamental mistake.


    His voice is still that of an old man''s. His voice can be said to be one that grates on people''s nerves. If his voice was all syrupy like the Demon King''s, that might have at least stayed our hands a little.


    ��Umm, dear, are we supposed to defeat this thing?��


    ��Yes, we are. The three of us beat him to a pulp yesterday��


    ��Please let me handle this then��


    Rana stepped forward, sending our sister, who had a disgusted look on her face, back.


    She had a brand new set of equipment.


    Not only had she be dvain-sama''s kin, she had also received quite a number of equipment yesterday. With Makina''s help, various modifications were made to her defensive gear.


    First of all, her traditional elven white robe had been trimmed in the front, making it look like a tail skirt, to allow for easier movement. The sleeves were also cut away at the shoulders, making it sleeveless.


    Her abdomen was protected by a corset-like armor made of light metal and leather. That emphasized her breasts, but trying too hard to conceal them might detract from her charm, so they were left unarmored. However, she was actually wearing dvain-sama''s bikini armor underneath, so they were well protected.


    That underwear. It has a mysterious power and actually provides rtively good protection. It also fits Rana''s breasts perfectly, which has dramatically improved her athletic ability.


    It appears that Rana''s weirdly limited athletic ability was entirely a result of her bra not fitting her properly.


    On her feet, she wore leather knee-high boots. The heels and the toes of the boots were lined with steel.


    She wore her hair in a side French-braid updo, giving her a more boyish look.


    A strap had been attached to her staff, which she carried on her back. Hanging from her belt were her melee weapons, the Gauntlets of Ryubel that she had received from the Guild.


    Those were gauntlets in name only and were essentially brass knuckles meant for punching.


    Each had a grip attached, and interlocking metal tes, much like a snake''s belly, covering the fist and wrist. Fine serrations had been added on top of them.


    I''d hate to imagine what it would be like to be hit by one of those and what would happen when the fist was drawn back.


    What direction is the Guild President trying to steer my wife towards, I wonder.


    Also.


    To be perfectly honest, the front of her robe was trimmed too short, and they were definitely showing when she moved vigorously, but I convinced her that it was armor, not panties, so she wouldn''t feel embarrassed.


    Forcibly and with great gusto.


    ��Rana, don''t push yourself too hard. Your hands haven��t fully healed yet��


    ��I know. But they should have recovered enough to punch things��


    Rana had a broad smile on her face.


    ��Oh-ho. Booby elf, do you mean to crush my flesh and break my bones with those weapons? How can an elf do something so cruel? In every age, elves have always hated getting their hands dirty. For you and your race, who have long pursued your haughty ideals of virtue, getting your own hands dirty is�D�D��


    It sounded nothing like a fist being swung. I mistook it for a gunshot at first.


    It was a no-motion straight with the full force of her hips behind it. The left foot she had stepped in with had fractured the ground, and the right fist she had thrown had caught Wagreas right in the face.


    The arrow in his head shot out from the impact and stuck into a bone pir in the distance.


    Furthermore, she twisted the fist she had sunk into his face, causing the flesh to get caught on the serrations, then drew it back with a wet squelch.


    ��GYaaaAAAAAAAAA!��


    Wagreas'' scream filled the air.


    His blood sttered onto Rana''s cheek. Everyone in the party, including me, recoiled at the sight.


    ��Too shallow��


    It''s not shallow at all. I think that would have killed a normal enemy for sure.


    Rana put her hips into another punch. She threw what looked like a seiken-tsuki[2]. Her fist went right through Wagreas'' belly. She proceeded to lift his body up, swung him around casually, then mmed him into the ground.


    ��You darned booby elf!��


    ��You''re not dead yet?��


    Her right fist waspletely red.


    Perhaps she hade up with an idea, but Rana started to strike the Gauntlets of Ryubel together. Sparks flew, then mes burst forth and enveloped her fists. The blood evaporated and the flesh that had stuck to the gauntlets burned.


    ��Oh my, this is quite something��


    Illuminated by the mes, a rapt smile appeared on Rana''s face.


    Oh, Lys and Ea have turned away. Shuna is trembling. Otou-san is very calmly drinking from an empty bottle.


    Right this moment, it feels like a new pecking order has been established in the party.


    She smashed her ming(moe) fists into the not-moe Wagreas.[3]


    Somehow, the rhythmic thump, thump, thump of her blows reminded me of mochi pounding as they echoed throughout the ce.


    ��Ha, hahahahahaha!��


    Rana burst intoughter.


    She looks like she''s really enjoying herself.


    Was she under a lot of stress? That''s probably my fault, right?


    ��Haa, hahahahahahahahaa!��


    She wasughing heartily.


    I''m d to see that you''re having fun.


    ��Even if I perish������the second and third me will surely reappear if you just wait an hour��


    Wagreas, who had be no better than mincemeat, spoke.


    It''s probably a waste of energy to wonder where his voice ising from.


    ��Phew, I worked up a good sweat��


    Rana wiped the sweat and blood off with a refreshed look.


    I��ll try not to anger her from now on. I''ll strive to make her life as stress-free as possible. Otherwise, my life will surely be in grave danger.


    ��Now, go on ahead. Defeat your enemies, adventurers. But further ahead, you will surely encounter even more adorable enemies. Will you be able to fight them as well as you do now, I wonder? Also, I can see your panties��


    ��This is armor!��


    Wagreas was kicked to the curb by Rana.


    But he merely faded and vanished like an illusion. In his ce, a portal appeared.


    ��Alright then, let''s go everyone��


    I urged everyone on with a voice that was lifeless even by my standards. Shuna was carrying the trembling Lys on his back. Ea was also looking rather pale.


    Rana tilted her head as if to say, ��Huh, what''s wrong?��


    We went through the portal and arrived at the 35th floor.


    Everyone was trembling, and not just because of how cold it was.


    We validated then activated the return portal and sessfully made our way back. Our party had just be intermediate adventurers.


    ����������������


    ��?��


    But the atmosphere was so heavy that it was hard to be happy about it.


    To be precise, everyone but Rana was in a somber mood. In a lot of ways, Rana seemed refreshed. She looked like she had just finished an invigorating workout. Like she had just achieved a new personal best in long-distance running. She had that kind of satisfied look on her face.


    This is so weird.


    Yesterday, because I couldn''t scream in anger, "What the heck is up with that enemy?! Are you kidding me?! What was all our hard work for?!" I was left with unspeakable feelings in my heart. And now that everything is over, I��m left trembling and wondering, "What the heck is up with Rana?!"


    ��Well, umm, let''s go celebrate��


    My suggestion����


    ��Oh, I����I''ve got stuff to do today. Lys probably does as well��


    ����was refused by Shuna. Lys desperately nodded her agreement.


    ��Yeahhh, I''m sorry. I just remembered that I had stuff to do too. That I need to do right away��


    Otou-san also left.


    As he left����


    ��Hey, you know what to do, right?! Put her in a good mood! I''m begging you!��


    ����he made a point of reminding me.


    I know. I''ll do my best to please her. I''ll do my damnedest.


    ��Onee-chan, your staff is heavy, right? I''ll carry it for you. When we get home, I''ll make the sweet curry that you like so much. I''m sorry, I����I''ve been so selfish up until now. I''ll try to not be selfish anymore. I��ll be more patient from now on! This is my way of thanking you for all the troubles I''ve put you through, sob sob��


    ��Huh? Huh?��


    Ea had already started currying favor with Rana.


    In conclusion,


    It was neither the dungeon nor the dragon that scared me the most, but my wife.


    And then, she would spark a martial arts boom among the female adventurers that would turn into a major event, but that''s a story for another time.


    ��End��


    [1] I��m keeping the exact term used by the author, but people outside of Japan know ��super-deformed or SD�� more as ��chibi��, where the characters are short, and have stubby limbs and over-sized heads. (Example of chibi Wikipe-tan courtesy of wikipedia)


    [2] Seiken-Tsuki (��ȭͻ��) is essentially a straight without a step-in, though you can twist your hips for more power, and hitting with the first two knuckles of the fist. It��s the most basic punch taught in karate and aikido, but strangely enough, a technique called seiken-tsuki technically, and I mean technically, doesn��t exist. It��s actually 3 techniques, seiken-jodan-tsuki, where the punch is delivered at an upwards angle(towards the opponent��s face), seiken-chudan-tsuki, where the punch is delivered level(towards the opponent��s chest), and seiken-gedan-tsuki, where the punch is delivered at a downwards angle(towards the opponent��s stomach). And because it is apound word like that, it isn��t pronounced as ��tsuki�� in full, but as ��zuki��. But to be frank, no one is going to get technical andin about anyone using ��seiken-tsuki�� unless they��re a karate nerd or something.


    [3] Here��s a joke that got lost in trantion unfortunately. ��Moe�� is pronounced the same as ��ming��, so the joke was that she was smashing her moe fists into the not-moe Wagreas.


    Well, who else wishes that there��s an illustration of this Rana? Mini-spoilers, but she won��t be the only one who goes through such costume changes. But yeah, in D&D terms, this warlock just took levels in monk. And it��s armor, not panties, so it��s okay even if others see them. Oh, I��m dying here.


    Wagreas. What can I say about this character lol. There''s actually a very short but funny side-story I had gotten from elsewhere that he''s a bit involved in. Since it''s not actually part of the WN, I''ve left it as an exclusive chapter for my patrons, so do consider supporting me if you are interested. In addition, the ��revelry�� in his moniker is also the same as the ��revelry�� in the ��rabbit of revelry�� from vol 3. And yes, he is absurdity incarnate. Until you realize that amid all the ridiculous stuff, there��s something really vital revealed in this chapter��though, as usual, identifying it is quite an impossible task at this point�� At what point does this particr foreshadowing pay off you ask? Vol 13. Truly, I��m in awe of this author��s ability to n plot-lines.


    And we��vee to the end of another volume! Last one had a bit of a hopeful ending, and this one has a funny, happy ending. Things have really been looking up for Souya, haven��t they? 139 days and he��s beaten a dragon(sorta) and made it to the 35th floor already. Only 21 more floors to go. Thing are really looking up, right? Right?


    With that, see you next volume!

 Chapter 120: Adventurers’ Intuition I

    <h4>Chapter 120: Adventurers�� Intuition I</h4>


    ��Unknown��


    White darkness engulfed everything further than an inch in front of me.


    All I could see was white and the only thing I could hear was the howling of the wind.


    The air was deadly cold and the wind was like a t de of ice plunging deep into my body.


    My limbs were as numb as wood, and only my internal organs were working frantically to maintain my body temperature. It was freezing outside and unpleasantly damp inside.


    Dragging my broken left leg, I crawled through the knee-deep snow at a snail''s pace.


    Steam rose from the blood as it continued to pour from the hole in my side. My mouth tasted of iron. I gasped desperately for air, but only managed to inhale oxygen properly once every three attempts. My lips quivered. My lungs began to freeze. White darkness and ck darkness alternated before my eyes.


    Drowsiness soothed the pain in my body and tried to take over my mind. ��Rest, it''s okay to take it easy,�� it whispered sweetly.


    It''s possible that I''m just going around in circles in the same spot. That��s a devastating thought, but my steps won''t falter because this is my way of fighting.


    If I''m going to die, I want to die falling forward.


    That''s how a man should die.


    But nature is so unforgiving, and people are so puny inparison. This is a sobering experience. If I make it back alive, it will definitely serve me well in future.


    Yes.


    If I can survive this, I believe that it will be a good experience.


    My chances are pretty bleak though.


    ��I really�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    <Adventurers�� Intuition I>


    The number of floors that we''ve cleared so far is 37. We''vee within sight of the goal, the 56th floor.


    It can be said that things are progressing smoothly.


    I think I��ve gained a fair bit of experience. As evidence of this, a sort of intuition has started to kick in.


    It''s a gut instinct that tells me when something is about to interfere with my adventuring.


    I��ve heard this line from many people.


    ��Exploring the dungeon isn''t all there is to an adventurer��


    But for me, "Let me reach the 56th floor first. Then we can continue this conversation. After that, I''ll do whatever other jobs you want me to, alright?" was how I had protested.


    But well, there was no way they were going to give us special treatment.


    We couldn''t just ignore requests from the Guild either.


    So we ended up doing all sorts of jobs and requests that were unrted to the dungeon.


    It''s really quite unforgiving.


    Especially after we had be intermediate adventurers, they really started tightening the screws on us.


    We were flooded with requests from the Guild. Though it did at leaste with some perks. The right to buy and sellnd in the kingdom, free use of various facilities, ess to requests with hefty rewards, the right to issue normal requests personally, et cetera, et cetera.


    But no sooner had I turned down one request����


    ����than even more and more requests came pouring in.


    ��Intermediate adventurers are the ones that interact with the most people. They be teachers and guardians to the greenhorns, and show the novices "how they should act". They nip at the advanced adventurers'' heels, saying "Don''t forget about us". To the masses, they show "what being an adventurer is all about". Well, I''d say that they��re easily the busiest adventurers in this country��


    Those were the words the Guild President had graced me with.


    Because what he said was perfectly reasonable, it pissed me off.


    ��You remember those adventurers who attacked you in the past? They "were" intermediate adventurers as well. Intermediate adventurers are the busiest, but it isn��t hard for them to find high-paying jobs, so it also isn��t difficult for them to make a living. They can also use various facilities for free, so it��s easy for them to maintain a stable lifestyle. That��s why they give up on and ignore the Guild��s requests. Of course, the more the requests pile up, the longer it will take to deal with them. Once things have gotten to this point, it bes impossible for them to pursue the dreams and goals they originally had.


    So they run away from reality.


    But because they don��t have to worry about starving, they don��t work as hard as greenhorns or novices, so their skills dull and they lose their will to continue. Most of those who are considered bad apples were intermediate adventurers when they fell from grace. You should be mindful of that too��


    That''s not going to happen.


    If I were to be like that, there would be a lot of people who would send me flying.


    First of all, I get the feeling that Evetta-san, my person-in-charge, as well as Lanseal and King Lemuria would do that. Makina and Tortch. I can''t disappoint Shuna or Otou-san either.


    Because my wife is always so supportive of me, I don''t want to look bad in her eyes. The same goes for my sister.


    It''s really simple.


    I could never have gotten to where I am today by myself. I owe it all to so many people. I don''t have the luxury of bing a bad apple.


    Well, but������������to be honest, I want to go explore the dungeon.


    All I want is to be able to explore the dungeon in peace.


    But we live in a world where things just don''t go the way we want them to.


    And this time,


    My intuition kicked in when my sister sneezed. The boy swordsman in the party also sneezed in response.


    The right continent is currently in the middle of winter.


    By some weird coincidence, the floors that we are trying to clear are called the deadly ice floors.


    It��s cold both inside and outside the dungeon, so it��s probably quite hard on the elves, who by nature aren''t very good at dealing with the cold, and the inders, who are used to a warmer climate.


    I told them to eat warm food and get a good night''s rest, but����


    ��Sniff, sorry, Onii-sniff-chan��


    ������my sister caught a cold.


    And she didn��t catch it in the dungeon either.


    These days, we''ve been forced to deal with requests on the fly while exploring the dungeon. As a result, I''ve been putting off the search for a ce to stay for the winter, and we wound up camping in the snow for far too long.


    Of course someone would get sick, I thought reproachfully to myself.


    ��I slept in the kotatsu[1], but it was too hot, so I left the tent''s p open. When I woke up, the inside of the tent was covered with snow��


    ����������������


    The reason why she had gotten sick left me speechless.


    I hadbined tents to make a bigger one for Ea, Maria, and Misuranika-sama, but I had apparently made a mistake by putting the kotatsu in there.


    No, it''s my fault for making them camp out here in the snow, but then again, it''s also my sister''s fault for sleeping in the kotatsu when I told her not to.


    Hmm, hmm.


    Is the proportion of me about 5:5?


    In any case, I decided that we could no longer camp in the snow, and right when I was about to go look for a ce to stay�D�D


    ��Yes, there is. A good ce to stay��


    Lanseal easily provided a ce for us to stay.


    Nothing beats knowing the king''s daughter.


    She now looked in herte teens or so, and her womanly parts were growing in nicely. Her silver hair and tail were thicker and fluffier, probably because it was winter.


    ��Then let''s move in��


    ��When?��


    ��Right now��


    ��Eh?��


    Why put off what can be done today?


    We began the preparations immediately.


    I borrowed a carriage from the merchantpany and parked it at the camp. After leaving the loading of the supplies to Makina, Lanseal and I went to take a look at the ce we were moving to�D�D�D�Dbut before we did, I checked in on my wife and sister.


    ��Rana, how''s Ea?��


    ��D, de, dear, she��s still fe, feverish��


    I checked the thermometer that was handed to me by Rana, whose teeth were chattering. It showed 36.5 degrees Celsius, which was a little high.


    It must be rough for her as elves have a lower body temperature by nature.


    ��Ea, how do you feel?��


    ��My nose is blocked. It''s hard to breathe��


    Despite her elder sister''s anxiety and panic, she didn''t seem to be suffering all that much.


    Rana had lost her mother to a fever. Ea just has a regr cold, but Rana probably can''t help worrying that the same would happen to her.


    ��Rana, if Ea is having a really hard time, give her these��


    I gave her some antipyretic-analgesics, vitamins, and cold medicine.


    They��ve been put through various tests, so it should be fine for elves to take them. But it''s really just a regr cold, so it''ll be better to simply keep her hydrated and warm.


    ��Also, make her drink this��


    I handed her a 2 liter PET bottle filled with sports drink. It was the type where the powder was dissolved in water.


    ��Understood. Here, Ea��


    ��Gah, gulp��


    She unscrewed the cap, then jammed it abruptly into Ea''s mouth.


    Maybe it��s because she��s in a fluster, but she��s being really rough with the person she��s looking after.


    ��Bear with it! You should be fine after drinking this!��


    ��Onee, stop, gulp, gulp��


    ��Rana! Wait!��


    She was making Ea, who was lying down, drink rather forcibly.


    The sports drink sshed and spilled everywhere as Ea almost drowned.


    ��Oh for crying out loud, I can''t watch this anymore��


    Misuranika-sama smacked Rana on the back of the head.


    ��You go pray to the gods or something in the corner. I''ll take care of her��


    ��Y, yes��


    A depressed-looking Rana walked over to the corner of the tent. She sped her hands together and started praying.


    The young girl in a ck dress wiped down Ea''s body, then helped her sit up and let her drink slowly.


    Huh������������she''s very used to looking after sick people.


    That''s kind of unexpected.


    ��Misuranika-sama, I''ll leave her in your hands��


    ��Mmm-hmm. Souya, go prepare the finest ce for me��


    ��Leave it to me, my god��


    That''s a small price to pay.


    ��Rana,e with me��


    ��Eh, but������


    I grabbed Rana''s hand to stop her from praying.


    After all, there''s already a god looking after her. What more can you pray for?


    ��Ea will be fine. You should do something else to take your mind off it��


    ��������If you say so��


    Bringing Rana, who had turned into a bit of a klutz, with us, we made our way to the ce Lanseal mentioned.


    [1] A kotatsu is a low, wooden table frame covered by a futon, or heavy nket, upon which a tabletop sits. Underneath is a heat source, formerly a charcoal brazier but now electric, often built into the table itself. It is possible to sleep under akotatsu, although unless one is quite short, one''s body will not bepletely covered. This is generally considered eptable for naps, but not for overnight sleeping. Traditionally, children are told that they will catch a cold due to the uneven heating of the body if they sleep under a kotatsu. (Pic courtesy of bellemaison.jp)


    That opening is pretty ominous, isn��t it? That really sets the tone for this volume though. But before that, it��s time for Souya and gang to find a home. What shenanigans will follow? Yeah, unlike thest volume, which was so action-packed, this volume will start a bit slower. But as you can see from the prologue, it won��t be long before stuff hits the fan. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 121: Adventurers’ Intuition II

    <h4>Chapter 121: Adventurers�� Intuition II</h4>


    And the ce we arrived at was����


    ��Lanseal, where''s the ce?��


    ����a section of the city walls surrounding Lemuria.


    It was north along the walls from the main gate I usually passed through, and was an open deserted spot behind the city''smercial district. To begin with, no buildings were allowed to be built within 15 stals (30 meters) of the city wall by royal order for defense purposes. Consequently, the vicinity of the city walls were naturally open spaces.


    She said that there was a ce to live here, but I saw nothing resembling a house.


    There was nothing but a snow-covered empty space and a narrow, nearly frozen waterway.


    ��Umm, please give me a minute. Let''s see, the ce should be������


    As Lanseal walked towards the walls, her body sank a little lower. I hadn''t noticed it from a distance, but there was a recess in the city walls where a small staircase had been built.


    I walked over to help her with her search. Due to the snow, I had no idea what she was looking for though.


    With Rana''s help, the three of us were able to clear the snow away fairly easily.


    ��Oh, found it��


    Lanseal pulled a chain out from beneath the snow. When she pulled it as hard as she could, a portion of the outer wall shifted to reveal an iron door.


    It was a secret room.


    ��Souya, here''s the key��


    I was handed an antiquated key. When I inserted it into the keyhole, I heard the soft click of a lock opening. I opened the cold heavy door.


    The inside was constructed of stone like the city walls. It was not as cold as I thought it would be. It had a high ceiling. And it was well-lit.


    ��It has four floors in all as well as an expansive basement��


    There was a skylight that provided light for all four floors.


    No, it appeared that the skylight was not the only thing providing light. The walls and floor were also mysteriously radiating light.


    The semi-underground ground floor that we were on had a small kitchen and an adjoining hall.


    It was oblong-shaped and about twenty tatami mats in size(approx 330 sq feet). Although it was deserted, there was a table and six chairs.


    The first thing I did was to rummage through the kitchen.


    It had the standard sink and stove that wasmon in Lemuria. The sink was the type where the water was collected and poured from above. It did seem to be connected to the sewage system, but I would have to check itter to make sure it wasn''t clogged.


    The firece and the stove would also need to be checked for venttion problems. There was a pile of firewood, but they looked a bit damp.


    The countertop was fairlyrge, and there was plenty of shelf space.


    This isn''t bad. With some improvements, it can be better than the open-air kitchen at our camp.


    But I suppose that one is better because there are no limitations with regards to fire. It''s alright even if I try something wild and mess up.


    ��Dear, I''ll go check out the basement��


    ��I''ll leave you to it��


    Rana went down the stairs in the corner of the kitchen and disappeared into the basement.


    ��Then let��s take a look upstairs��


    Lanseal and I went up the stairs near the entrance.


    The hallway was narrow and partly made of ss. Was what I thought at first, but it wasn''t ss. It was a curious transparent material that felt rubbery, like resin or something. There were three rooms lining the hallway and it was just wide enough for Makina''s pod to fit through.


    ��There are two bedrooms and a small storage room on each floor��


    I opened the door to one of the rooms on the second floor.


    It was a six-tatami(99 sq feet) room with a bed, a wardrobe, and antern. It was dimly lit and really only intended for sleeping. There were no windows and it was made of stone, so it looked like a prison cell.


    Though there was a small opening to let some light in, it was merely a narrow hole plugged up with the transparent material. The venttion wasn''t very good either.


    ��Ie by every once in a while to change the sheets, but it''s a little dusty, isn''t it?��


    ��Yeah, we''ll have to clean this ce up��


    It felt like the kind of bedroom that Ea and Maria would be too scared to use. I also took a look in the storage room on the second floor and found it filled with cleaning supplies.


    I took a quick look at all the other rooms. Everything looked the same on the third floor. But I found a room on the fourth floor that was astoundingly packed with books.


    ��Lanseal, what''s this?��


    ��This was Alma-sama''s room. I heard that she spent all of a fortune she acquired by chance in the past on building this collection of books. Moreover, I''ve heard that many of them have content that''s frowned upon by the elves, so this is where she kept them��


    The name of Rana''s aunt popped up.


    Which means that this ce is����


    ��Did King Lemuria live here in the past?��


    ��Yes. This is a secret abode that my father inherited from my grandfather. Early in his adventuring career, he used this ce as his base of operations. My father gave the key to Verxina-okasama, and after she passed away, it went to Nemosh-okasama. When she passed away, she gave it to me, saying, "Use it when you want to be alone"��


    And now, I held that key in my hand.


    ��Something that��s so important, I can��t�D�D��


    ��Please ept it. I''m a woman who can''t be resolute if I know there''s a ce for me to escape to. Besides, managing this ce on my own is a lot of work, and even if I wanted to sell it, I can''t as that would have implications for the defense of the country. So it would be great if you would ept it��


    If she goes so far as to say that, I can''t possibly turn her down. It would shame her.


    But������


    ��Lanseal, how can I repay you for this?��


    ��������������How, I wonder?��


    It''s been said since ancient times that nothing is more expensive than something given for free.


    There''s the cost of maintaining this ce. And I''m sure she''ll ask for moreter on.


    ��This ce was toorge and gloomy for me alone, but there''s always a nice breeze whenever Ie here��


    We had gone up to the rooftop.


    At the moment, the snow had stopped falling.


    From the top of the city walls, I could see the whole city that was covered in white. Smoke rose from chimneys, and the sound of hammering rang out from the distant smithies. The damage caused by the dragon had beenpletely rebuilt, and the calls from the merchants and the flow of adventurers had returned.


    Even in winter, human activity doesn''t stop.


    The towering dungeon, the Odoriji spire, is still the same as ever. Though I''ve heard that the houses near the dungeon are having trouble with the ice that falls off it.


    However����


    ��La, Lanseal��


    ��Yes?��


    ����the wind on top of the city walls was very strong and extremely cold.


    I see, these walls protect the people of Lemuria not only from invaders, but also from the wind.


    I, I''m dying. My ears and fingertips hurt. I''ll freeze to death if I stay out here for five minutes.


    ��Here you go��


    Said Lanseal as she drew her tail around me. Her skirt got rolled up, giving me a clear view of her underwear.


    That''s one question answered. It is winter after all.


    As I thought, beastkin underwear are V�D�D


    Rather than that, I snuggled up against her tail.


    It''s so warm and fluffy~. This is the kind of tail that ruins people.


    ��Dear, what are you doing?��


    ��Sorry, I couldn''t help it��


    Rana had lifted the roof hatch and was peering out.


    ��I found something interesting in the basement. Pleasee take a look��


    ��Oh?��


    I want to snuggle her tail some more, but well, my wife takes priority.


    Lanseal and I made our way to the basement, where Rana had told us to go.


    The basement was much bigger than the floor above. It was so big that I couldn''t see where it ended.


    It was dark around the stairs, but once we moved a little further, there was lighting that resembled sunlight filtered through trees. There must be some kind of mechanism that gathered light using a skylight like the one on the floor above.


    We found water pipes running through, three flush toilets lined up in a row, and a spaciousundry area.


    We went further in.


    What an excited Rana showed us was a bath, though it wasn''t filled with any water.


    It was arge underground bath, about the same size as the ones in the public baths around the city.


    ��Oh, Rana, I''m sorry to tell you this, but the mechanism that heats the water is out of order, so the water won��t be heated if you try to fill it��


    ��This time of year, unheated water is a bit������


    That may be true, but����


    ��Lanseal, show me that mechanism��


    ��Yes, it��s over here��


    We went past the bath and went even further in.


    It''s a bit like the dungeon here. The pirs are all lined up the same distance apart, and the whole ce looks so simr that I can definitely see someone getting lost in here.


    ��Here it is. I��ve tried to have it repaired several times, and have also shown drawings of this mechanism to many craftsmen. However, it seems to be different from the water heating system widely used in Lemuria now that uses Shougaku stones. And because of where it is, I couldn''t bring anyone here in person. So it has remained a piece of junk for a long time��


    ��Yukikaze, I��m leaving it to you��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    I unhooked thentern, which was a disguised A.I. mini-pod, from my waist, and held it up so that it could scan the mechanism.


    In a nutshell, the mechanism looked like two drum cans lying side by side. There was a pipe attached to it that ran all the way to the bath.


    ��Scanpleted. This configuration is simr to that of a pressureless boiler. It can be repaired using Makina''s tool arm. Estimated time forpletion of repairs is 55 minutes. Improvements will require 300 minutes. The water pipe is in good condition. Composition of the pipe is unknown��


    ��So she says. We''ll be able to use the bath, it seems��


    ��A bath in our own home!��


    Rana and Lanseal sped hands with each other in delight.


    I feel like the two of them have been getting along very well recently. I wonder if they''ve formed a friendship through exchanging fists?


    I sent a message to Makina asking her to get everyone toe join us.


    Yukikaze rolled deeper into the darkness, eager to check out more of the basement.


    It should be fine to let her go off on her own once in a while. Out here, even if the worst happens and the pod gets destroyed, she can still transfer her personality back to Makina.


    ��Well then, let''s get this ce all cleaned up��


    ��Okay��


    After grabbing some of the cleaning supplies that had been stored in the home, the two women rushed down to the basement to clean the bath.


    It seems that the bath is all they care about at the moment.


    I got to work cleaning up the kitchen. Lanseal had been cleaning the ce in her spare time, so it wasn''t that dirty. There was some wear and tear from age, but nothing that would cause problems.


    After scrubbing everything down, I filled up the sink then ran all the water out to make sure that there were no problems with the drainage to the sewage system.


    I also tried lighting the stove. There were no issues with venttion.


    I''ll have the A.I. scan everythingter, just in case.


    Alright then, next is to clean the bedrooms. We''ll start this once Makina and the others have joined us.


    Thinking that I should ventte the whole ce first, I went up and opened the doors of each room as well as the roof hatch.


    Unexpectedly, a draft of wind swept through the rooms, sucking the dust and stale air upwards.


    Is this������a functionality that''s inherent to the design of this ce? Or is it just a coincidence?


    I''m d I didn''t open the door to Alma-san''s study. The books would have flown everywhere.


    After that, a quick wipe down with water, and the ce was all cleaned up. It went much faster than I expected.


    I pulled out a ballpoint pen, spread out a suitable piece of paper, and started writing.


    ��Fourth floor�� C1 C2(Study)


    ��Third floor�� B1 B2


    ��Second floor�� A1 A2


    ��Ground floor�� Kitchen, Dining and Living area


    ��Basement�� Bath, Toilets, Laundry area


    There will be six of us living here: me, Misuranika-sama, Rana, Ea, Lanseal, and Maria. If we clear out the study, there will be six rooms, allowing us to divide the rooms up nicely.


    The storage rooms on the third and fourth floors should be big enough to fit a bed as well.


    I would feel bad if the two children didn''t get to choose the room they wanted. But Misuranika-sama takes priority.


    ��Oh��


    No, first of all, I need to decide where to put Makina. I''ll just put Yukikaze in my room, but I need to decide the location of the Makina pod.


    ��This spot should be fine��


    I cleared a space next to the sink and used strips of tape to make a circle.


    Makina was originally marketed as a cooking robot, so I think that this is the perfect position for her. I mean, she''s not going to ask for a room of her own, right?


    ��Would she?��


    No no no, there''s no way.


    Rana and I can be in the same room, seeing as that''s how it is now. But it''s scary the things a person can get used to. When I think about it, living in the same space with such a cute elf every day is quite a terrifying thing. Could this actually all be a dream? Am I still sleeping on the in right now? There''s no way, I suppose.


    Also, Ea and Maria also sleep in the same tent for some reason. Along with Lanseal.


    As can be expected, three people to a room will be too cramped, so they''ll have to be split up, I guess.


    ��Hmmm��


    It''s hard to decide without asking them what they want after all.


    Right on cue, I got a message from Makina.


    It was a request to be shown the way in since they were already close. Also, I was notified that Maria had returned from the left continent and had joined them.


    I went outside, spotted the carriage, and approached it. First, I checked on Ea and took her temperature.


    Her fever had risen to 37 degrees Celcius.


    I��ve made a mistake, haven��t I?


    Would it have been better to let her stay in the camp for at least one more day? Moving her might have been a bad idea. She looks pale and exhausted.


    ��Makina, prepare a ce for Ea to sleep. That takes top priority��


    ��Understood��


    Carrying winter gear and bedding, the Makina pod rushed ahead and went through the open door.


    There was none of that old robot movie stuff where the robot would stumble down the stairs and fall over.


    I carried Ea in my arms and followed her.


    ��Ea, are you alright~?��


    Maria was looking at Ea worriedly.


    Misuranika-sama had turned back into a gray cat.


    ��Wow, Souya-san, what a lovely and spacious ce��


    ��It''s pretty interesting. The basement is amazing��


    ��Yes, Yukikaze-chan has informed me about it. The boiler needs to be repaired, right? But before that������


    Makina moved the table and chairs to the kitchen area, pulled a blue tarp over the living area, and ced a mattress on top of it. She then covered the mattress with a rug, andid out a futon and nket beside it.


    I set Ea down on it, rest her head on her favorite pillow, then pulled the futon over her.


    ��Makina will go check out each of the rooms��


    ��Oh, wait a second��


    I showed Ea the room assignment chart.


    ��Ea, sorry to bother you when you''re not feeling well. Just tell me which room you prefer��


    I��m sorry, Misuranika-sama, but my sick sister takes priority.


    ��A room on����the second floor��


    My sister replied weakly.


    ��There are also rooms on the upper floors, you know? Are you sure?��


    ��The second floor is fine. I mean, I can''t sneak a snack otherwise��������


    Even at a time like this, she''s prioritizing her appetite.


    She doesn''t sound like someone who��s barely hanging on, does she?


    ��Makina, prepare A1 for her��


    ��Wait, Onii-chan. Here is fine for today��


    Oh, of course.


    When you''re feeling sick from a cold, you''d rather not be alone, right?


    ��In that case, Makina will have a look at the firece. We''ll need to warm the ce up��


    ��I''ll leave it to you��


    Makina went to the kitchen and examined the firece.


    After checking the structure of the firece and the venttion, she swiftly whittled the end of a piece of firewood and scattered the wood shavings all over the firece. She lit the wood on fire and dropped it into the firece. The firece glowed as the fire built up.


    As expected of her. It''s something ancient, but she''s able to use it without any problem.


    I''m feeling a little envious.


    Maria was snuggled up to Ea, who seemed to be suffering.


    I''m worried about her catching Ea''s cold, but it''s such a heartwarming sight. I guess it would be wrong to stop her for whatever reason. At the very least, I should cook some food that bolsters her immune system.


    ��Misuranika-sama, which room do you prefer?��


    I showed the room assignment chart to my god, who was curled up beside Ea''s pillow.


    ��The basement is fine. Prepare a number of baskets for me to sleep in��


    ��Wouldn''t you prefer a private room?��


    ��I don''t like feeling confined. I prefer sleeping wherever and whenever I want��


    ��Understood��


    Misuranika-sama, who usually roams about freely, isn''t leaving Ea''s side either. Even though the two of them must be itching to take a look around our new home������


    ��Due to the discovery of steep stairs, Makina will now transform. Caution, those behind me, caution��


    After quickly organizing the kitchen, Makina transformed in front of the stairs heading upstairs.


    Her face(the part with the screen showing her emotions) turned to face upwards, and then sheid down on her side and L-shaped limbs extended from the side of the pod. Using those limbs, she scuttled up the stairs.


    ����������������


    Everyone who saw her probably thought the same.


    ��How creepy��


    With a swoosh, a mini-pod leaped up out of the basement stairs.


    Oh, it��s Yukikaze.


    When did she add a jump functionality? These two are both breaking every article of thew. They''ve modified themselves to the point that anyone who inspects them would likely die of apoplexy.


    If thepany asks for an exnation, I��ll simply say, "I don''t know.�� You guys are on your own.


    ��Mapping of the basement and the surrounding area has beenpleted. There are many areas that arepletely sealed off, but by Yukikaze''s estimation, the whole underground area stretches across all of Lemuria��


    Yukikaze rolled over and disyed a 3D map using her projector.


    ��What the heck��


    Spread out underneath Lemuria like an ants'' nest is a vast subterraneanplex. No, not just the city, it extends all the way to the in.


    ��ording to the information given by Makina, it might be connected to the Great Goblin Underground Empire��


    ��Well, in a way, it''s nice to be able to hang out with the neighbors, I suppose��


    Misuranika-sama spoke up as she pawed at the projected image.


    ��I believe this is the ancient city of Beliale��


    ��Beliale?��


    That''s a name I''ve never heard before.


    ��Three great nations once prospered on the right continent, Beliale, Rubelzon, and Rossian. In other words, it''s one of the three Misuranika countries��


    It''s said that three nations were destroyed by Misuranika-sama.


    But the only ones spreading that around are the knights of Elysium. Just the people of the St. Lyridias Order.


    It��s a story spread by the enemy. I cannot ept it so easily.


    The word "Misuranika" is a very old word that means��Forgotten��. Upon hearing my god''s name, Maria, a person from a bygone era who had emerged in the present, had taken that word to mean "forgotten one".


    There are hardly any people in present-day Lemuria who know the names of those three ancient countries. So I will take what she said to mean "the three forgotten countries".


    Personally, that makes it easier for me to ept.


    Even if she is truly the god of misdeeds, it is but the vain wish of followers to beautify their god.


    ��What? Are they your countries, Misuranika?��


    ��As if that were possible, you fool��


    ��Ehh~��


    Maria was cuddling Misuranika-sama.


    Misuranika-sama has be 30% more fluffy because of her winter coat. I want to cuddle her too. Or rather, even gods have winter coats, huh?


    ��Souya-san!��


    Makina came scrabbling down the stairs.


    As I fought to keep a straight face, Misuranika-sama hissed threateningly, and Maria and Ea got a fright.


    You''re kinda moving like a monster, you know? I mean, all I can think of when I see your appearance is a cursed god.


    ��Umm, what? What''s the matter?��


    ��Please give Makina an order to start construction work. What''s with the rooms upstairs?! Is this Alcatraz?! Is this Abashiri[1]? There''s no way everyone can sleep in rooms like that! Let''s start renovating! At a minimum, a ce for humans to sleep must have windows! Please give the order!��


    This is the first time she has asked for something with such intensity.


    Oh wait, this has happened before, hasn��t it? Regardless,


    ��Y, yeah. I''ll leave it to you. But fix the boiler downstairs first��


    ��Gotcha! Makina will have it fixed in 20 minutes! Please lift the restrictions on the usage of supplies!��


    ��Yes, approved��


    She must have umted a lot of stress since she hasn''t been of any help on our adventures recently.


    Just do whatever you want until you''re satisfied.


    ��Buruaaahhhh!��


    Makina left the home and then came back with tools and supplies strapped to her body. In total, she made about six trips to and fro.


    It seemed dangerous, so we huddled further into a corner. In front of us, Makina swiftly set up a kotatsu.


    When they had finished cleaning the bath downstairs, Lanseal and Rana joined us, and we all got into the kotatsu. We huddled together and made ourselves snug and warm.


    As we looked after Ea and watched Makina work, night fell on our first day in our new home.


    Because it was too much of a hassle, we just had instant food for dinner.


    Rana made porridge for Ea.


    After dinner, Ea fell asleep and the other women headed straight for the now-fixed bath.


    The mixed bathing event will have to wait for another time. I''m looking forward to it.


    But this isn''t bad.


    Living in a tent and sleeping under the stars wasn''t bad either, but the feeling of home here is really nice.


    The sense of peace and warmth is different.


    It''s really not bad at all. I won��tin if we continued to stay here for a long time������������


    [1] I don��t need to exin Alcatraz, do I? Simrly, Abashiri Prison is a famous prison in Japan, in fact, the only one to have a prison museum. The interesting thing about it is that it was originally a prison vige, and it was totally self-sufficient as the inmates would do all the farming and other work. It was made popr by a series of yakuza films in the 1980s and is now a tourist attraction as well as famous for the nipopo dolls carved by its inmates. In more recent fiction, it��s the prison that one of the protagonists of Yakuza 5, Taiga Saejima, escapes from. In a 2014 episode of cklist, Mako Tanida, the titr yakuza boss also escaped from this prison. The manga Golden Kamuy also features this prison as one of its major plot points.


    I bet that went by quickly, but if you take a moment, you��d realize this chapter is really long! It��s almost as long as the dragon fight lmao. Also, author has been leaning into the ��that''s a story for another time�� recently. It��s just me, but I think that��s the author saying, ��The main plot is progressing, I��ve got no time for side stories!�� XD


    Still, Souya has finally gotten the home he has been talking about getting for multiple volumes. And it��s a pretty interesting ce with its own story and mysteries, isn��t it? Of course, I think everyone sorta has an idea of the author��s style by now and I think you��ve probably realized that the author loves hiding important hints in slow chapters like this.


    Well, more on their new life next time! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 122: Adventurers’ Intuition III

    <h4>Chapter 122: Adventurers�� Intuition III</h4>


    ��146th day��


    After six hours of deliberation, the room assignments were decided as follows.


    ��Third floor�� B1��Rana�� B2��Lanseal��


    ��Second floor�� A1��Ea�� A2��Maria��


    ��Ground floor�� Kitchen, Dining and Living area��Makina��


    ��Basement�� Bath, Toilets, Laundry area��Misuranika-sama��


    ������separate rooms.


    Well, all I have to do is sneak in when I get a chance. Having a room to oneself is a luxury in this city, and having some time alone will also be a nice change of pace. She needs that kind of time for herself as well.


    Ea''s condition is getting better.


    Her fever has fallen to about 36 degrees Celsius, which is close to normal, but she has yet to regain the strength she had lost. Who knows if the fever will return, so I''ll keep an eye on her for a few more days.


    For the moment, I can handle the Guild''s requests by myself.


    The requests don''t really involve violence and are mostly mundane tasks. And they''re usually food-rted. They''re tedious, but they''re not difficult.


    Now that I''m settled in here in our new home, I''ve realized once again that my adventuring has been very rushed.


    This is a good opportunity.


    Should I let everyone in the party take a long break? After all, Ea catching a cold might be partly due to the fatigue from adventuring.


    Oh, I should go check on Shuna.


    Those were my thoughts as I folded my own futon.


    The renovation of the rooms had beenpletedst night.


    Windows that could be opened and closed had been installed, though they were carefully camouged so that they couldn��t be seen from the outside, just in case. Pet doors had also been added to the doors of each room for Misuranika-sama and Yukikaze to use.


    Once the room assignments had been decided upon, everyone put their personal belongings in their own rooms, but since Ea was feeling lonely, we decided to use the living room on the ground floor as our sleeping quarters for the time being.


    We had slept with our futons lined up side by side.


    This must have been how the morning of the school trip that I had missed because of a cold in the past had been like.


    I was deeply moved.


    Lanseal had been the first to wake up, and she and Makina were making breakfast. I could smell the aroma of wheat baking as well as meat and vegetables simmering.


    I wonder if it will be her specialty, pot-au-feu, today.


    The three elves were still asleep, all snuggled up to one another. I pulled the futon back over them and let them sleep for a while longer.


    I took a quick look around, but I couldn''t find Misuranika-sama.


    She''s probably ying around in the basement, I��m guessing. My god had mentioned that this ce felt nostalgic to her for some reason.


    ����������������


    I sat down on a chair in the kitchen and spaced out since I had nothing to do. The heat from the firece feltforting. As I watched Lanseal''s tail, I felt my eyelids getting heavy again.


    It��s so rxing.


    This is nice.


    It''s nice somehow.


    It feels more like home than the camp. For that alone, moving here was a great decision.


    I crossed my arms on the table andid down on them. I was in position to go back to sleep.


    Wake me when the food is ready.


    Did anyone hear my mumbling? I wondered.


    The old house left behind by my grandfather.


    My sister said to me, who was lying down on the table.


    Got it, I said reluctantly and then fell back to sleep.


    I got kicked.


    My sister is merciless.


    Over there, there.


    Said my sister, pointing to the veranda.


    A pillow and nket had been prepared there.


    Even though she''s merciless, my sister always has everything covered.


    I would prefer slumbering beside my sister as she does the housework though. But if I were to defy her, the consequences would be frightening, so I obeyed.


    Iid myself down on the veranda like an old cat.


    If my grandfather were to see this, he would probably chuckle at the sight.


    He would probably say something like, What are you doing despite being so young?


    Bathed in the sunshine, I slept.


    I dreamt a dream within a dream.


    Hey, I called out to my sister.


    What? replied my sister.


    There''s one thing I just can''t remember.


    What?


    Your name.


    How do you even forget something like that? My name is�D�D�D�D�D


    My sister had shaken me awake.


    My tall, blonde, long-eared sister.


    ��Come on, it''s almost time to eat. Clear some space for the food��


    ��Oh, umm, yeah��


    I stared at Ea''s face. She looked tired, but herplexion was much better.


    No, that''s not what I''m supposed to be focused on.


    ��Ea, do I have any other younger sisters?��


    ��Huh? Hey, Onee-chan, do I have any other younger sisters?��


    Ea asked Rana.


    ��No, there shouldn''t be any������������unless they''re illegitimate��


    Rana sat down to my left with a serious look on her face.


    Ea sat to my right.


    ��An illegitimate child������it''s possible. He may have a beastkin child or two��


    Suddenly, I thought of a certain blonde cat beastkin I knew.


    Now that I think about it, huh? Hmm? Eh? I feel like she has the same eyes as Rana. Haha, no way. Hey, Melm������it''s not funny, so please don''t get me in a bind because of your womanizing ways.


    ��Or rather, what''s this all of a sudden, Onii-chan?��


    ��Hmm, I had a weird dream. A dream where I was with my sister in a house back in my hometown��


    ��Oh my, that''s�D�D��


    Ea pped me on the shoulder happily.


    ��Me and Onii-chan''s future?��


    ��Well, not exactly������


    ��Come on, you don''t have to be shy about it��


    Ea seemed pleased.


    ��Dear, where was I at that moment?��


    Rana was ring at me reproachfully.


    ��Ahh, Rana, you were there too. Yup, you were��


    I lied.


    ��Hmmm��


    She saw right through the lie.


    ��Breakfast is ready~��


    Lansealid out breakfast on the table.


    Today''s breakfast was beastkin bread, pot-au-feu with lots of ingredients, boiled chicken eggs, and bean tea.


    A modest but wonderful meal.


    ��Eww, there are onions in there��


    ��Maria, you won''t grow bigger if you��re a picky eater��


    After taking a seat, Maria took the onions from her pot-au-feu and put them in my bowl.


    ��They''re sort of transparent and mushy, so I don''t like them��


    ��Look at Rana. It''s because she eats onions that her boobs got so big��


    ��It''s not like it��s only because I ate onions though������


    ��������I��ll eat them then��


    After hearing Lanseal''s words, Maria returned the onions to her bowl.


    She''s subtly stealing my onions as well, but I wonder if I should point that out.


    But you really have a way with her, Lanseal. So that''s how to get Maria to do what you want. I''ll have to use that in future.


    ��Lanseal, I want fewer onions for mine��


    In the appearance of a young girl, Misuranika-sama joined us at the table.


    Lately, after a bit of persuasion on my part, Lanseal has also been eating at the same table as us.


    She acts strangely reserved sometimes just because she''s a servant and a potential mistress. Well, that''s the ��only�� time she acts reserved though.


    Also, Makina and Yukikaze both had sugared water in front of them.


    Everyone had gathered together for breakfast.


    ��Well then, Souya��


    At Lanseal��s urging����


    ��Itadakimasu��


    ����I put my hands together and said.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    Everyone followed suit.


    We started eating.


    And the onions are delicious.


    I like them because of their sweetness. I sometimes add them to the miso soup. The bacon is also delicious. To be able to eat such delicious meat every day, my meals in the alternate world are truly the height of luxury.


    Hmm, speaking of which,


    Today''s onions and potatoes don''t smell at all. Moreover, they haven''t fallen apart despite being simmered. Could it be that they were pre-fried during prep?


    Nicely done, Lanseal. You''ve improved again. It''s this kind of effort that brings out the best in a dish.


    ��Ea, shall I cook some porridge for you?��


    ��Hmmm. It wasn''t bad, but I feel like eating something with more texture to it��


    ��I''ll make it for you if you get sick again, alright?��


    ��Yeah, okay��


    The sisters had that conversation with me between them.


    I do hope that our supply of rice willst until the next Ea gets sick though.


    ��Lanseal, peel my egg for me��


    ��Sure, no problem��


    ��Lanseal, peel mine for me too��


    ��Misuranika-sama, I''ll do it for you��


    I picked up my god''s boiled egg. I cracked it at the top and bottom, rolled it around a bit, then blew strongly into the top.


    The shell came off smoothly because the egg had been soaked in cold water.


    ��Wow! Souya, do it again!��


    Maria''s eyes lit up. My sister had the same reaction.


    ��Onii-chan, teach me how to do that! If I can learn this, I''ll eat more boiled eggs!��


    ��Sure, sure��


    I was made to peel as many as ten boiled eggs.


    ��When ites to boiled eggs, it''s gotta be mayonnaise, right?��


    ��When ites to boiled eggs, it''s gotta be ketchup though��


    Ea and Maria ate the eggs with different condiments.


    That''s what is called conflicting ims.


    ��You guys, it obviously has to be salt��


    My god also joined in.


    I get the feeling that a quarrel is brewing.


    ��What do you think, Onee-chan?��


    ��I''d say honey��


    ��Not likely��


    Rana got rebuked by everyone.


    ��What about you, Lanseal?��


    I asked the smiling Lanseal.


    ��Rather than what to eat them with, I was thinking that I''d like to make marinated boiled eggs��


    ��That''s one of the ingredients in ramen��


    That''s what I would prefer to dip my egg in.


    ��Huh, ramen?��


    My sistertched onto the topic of ramen.


    ��Now that you mention it, Onii-chan, I''m running low on instant ramen. It''s about time you made more��


    ��Huh, no, that''s��������


    There''s simply no way I can make instant ramen, right?


    For the dried noodles, I can just fry them in oil, I think? Oh wait, to begin with, I don''t have Chinese noodles. I have wheat flour, but no brine. It would be nice if we could conveniently find some in the dungeon. [1]


    ��Just when you''re free is fine. Don''t forge������cough, cough��


    Ea choked.


    Or rather, she had a coughing fit.


    ��Are you okay?��


    ��I may still be a little sick. But everyone is being so nice to me that I feel like being sick isn''t so bad��


    ��Hey, hey��


    Health is best, you know?


    I sprinkled some salt over my boiled egg and ate it in one bite. The yolk was perfectly soft-boiled and melted in my mouth.


    D, delicious~.


    It''s simple to cook, but extremely delicious. Yes, this is it. This is how it should be.


    Without dy, I started devouring the pot-au-feu, dipping the hardened beastkin bread in it as I ate.


    It was a lively meal.


    The sounds of utensils, liveliness, andughter filled the air.


    This kind of atmosphere is a luxury that no amount of money can buy.


    Time flies when you''re having fun.


    After breakfast, we rxed some more.


    As we sipped our tea����


    ��Dear, what are your ns for today?��


    ��Hmm��


    ����Rana asked me about my schedule for the day.


    ��I��ll go do some requests at the Guild. That way, we won''t have to worry about them so much on our next adventure. You guys can do whatever you want. Also, I have to go check on Shuna��


    ��Then I''ll hole myself up in the study. There are so many interesting books in there. Ea, please don''t hesitate to call me if you need anything��


    ��Okay, I''ll justze around here and watch movies��


    ��Then I''ll watch movies with Ea��


    Rana, Ea, and Maria were staying home.


    ��After cleaning up, I''m going to the royal castle. I''ll be back briefly at noon to check on Ea though��


    Lanseal replied as she washed the dishes.


    Everyone was pretty much doing what they usually did.


    ��Yes, Souya-san, yes! After doing theundry, Makina will continue with the renovation of the home. Makina believes that the bath, in particr, can still use some improvements!��


    ��Approved��


    It''s good that Makina is in such high spirits.


    It''s been a while since I''ve seen her this lively.


    ��Roger! Also, can Makina build a workshop in the basement?��


    ��A workshop?��


    ��Yukikaze-chan has found the remnants of an old workshop, and Makina is thinking of modifying it for our use. We''ve also found some unusual metals, so we might be able to make something useful for your adventures��


    ��Well, as long as nothing too terriblees out of this. Do things in moderation, you hear?��


    ��Roger!��


    ��I''m serious, don��t go overboard, okay? I don''t want to see any troubleter on��


    ��Roger!��


    Her reply was very enthusiastic.


    Which worried me all the more.


    ��I''ll go roam around the basement for a bit. Yukikaze,e with me��


    Misuranika-sama made a surprising choice ofpanion.


    ��Team member Souya, is that alright?��


    ��Apany her. I can handle the Guild''s requests on my own. If I need help, I''ll contact you��


    ��Permission has been granted, so Yukikaze will apany you��


    ��Mmm-hmm, there are a few ces where it''s really narrow, you see?��


    An unusual pairing was formed.


    ck wind swirled around Misuranika-sama and she turned into a cat. She headed for the basement right away. Yukikaze rolled after her.


    ��I''m off to the study then��


    Rana went upstairs with some tea.


    ��Makina, lend me the tablet��


    ��Okay~��


    After borrowing the tablet from Makina, Ea crawled under the futon in the living area. Maria snuggled in with her.


    ��Lanseal-san, Makina will do the rest of the dishes��


    ��Thank you, I''ll leave it to you then. I''ll go clean the upper floors��


    Everyone scattered off, some to work and some to have fun.


    ��Well then��


    I guess I should get to work myself.


    [1] When making ramen, there are 3 important factors, the water used, brine, and salt. If the water contains too many minerals, the ramen will end up taking longer to cook, resulting in noodles that be soft really quickly. No brine, no noodle hardness at all to begin with, so it��s very important and the amount used varies ording to the thickness of the noodle. Salt tightens the gluten of flour and makes the dough more stic while suppressing enzyme and germ activity. It adds vor too, of course.


    Fun facts aside, when Souya refers to Chinese noodles, he��s talking about the ramen used in the Chinese-style noodle dishes in Japan. Which are the yellowish ones. By the way, that yellowish color and their unique smell are because of the chemical reactions caused by the brine.


    Yeah, that dream of his sister and grandfather was a gut punch, wasn��t it? ��Don��t forget about the people Souya has forgotten about because of Wild Hunt,�� I can almost hear the author saying. (^ ^)


    Speaking of which, have you noticed how much shorter the food-rted sections have beentely? Do you even remember thest time you had to endure his step-by-step narration of his cooking? It��s been a while since Souya has felt the need to be that detailed about cooking, huh? In fact, he rarely cooks at all���� Remember how he would cook despite Makina being fully capable of doing so back in vol 1 - 2? And how he was a bitpetitive with Makina over it? He��s totally content to leave it to others now���� Grandpa~


    But life is good for Souya now, isn��t it? He��s all settled in and leading a happy family life. He seems to be ahead of schedule too in terms of his goal. What could go wrong?


    Stay tuned!

 Chapter 123: Adventurers’ Intuition IV

    <h4>Chapter 123: Adventurers�� Intuition IV</h4>


    ��Souya, you''ve been summoned to the royal castle. Head over there right away��


    I was told that by my person-in-charge the moment I arrived at the Guild.


    ��That came out of nowhere��


    With that thought in mind, I headed for the royal castle.


    My intuition kicked in.


    ��Oh, this is a bad one��


    My hunch was confirmed by the battered knights I passed by on the way to the royal castle.


    They had on dull silver te armor. Their swords and shields were the same silver color. And they all didn''t wear helmets. In other words, they were dressed like knights from Elysium.


    Every single one of them seemed exhausted and looked as if they had lost a battle. There were deep w marks on their shields and armor, and some had to be supported by their shoulders while others were being carried on stretchers by the physicians of the healing temple.


    And they were all unfamiliar faces.


    If they don''t live in this city, then there are only two possibilities.


    Elysium has deployed two orders of knights to the right continent.


    The first is the Gilster Knight Order, which is garrisoned in the nearby port to the west of Lemuria.


    The second is the Vernog Knight Order, which is stationed to the north of Lemuria in the ce formerly known as Rossian, one of the three Misuranika countries.


    If trouble had broken out at the port, I would have heard about it through the merchantpany. The port is the lifeblood of trade, so it would have caused an uproar in Lemuria.


    Which leaves only one possibility.


    It''s the north.


    Further north from Rossian is Neomia. Or as some call it, the city of vampires. The capital of death.


    Endguard. Lycan. Goddess of the moon of misfortune. Nobles of ice.


    I have a bad feeling about this already.


    I arrived at the royal castle.


    When I made eye contact with a guard I knew, he motioned with his chin, "Go in quickly." Though the ce looked as dreary as ever, the inside of the castle was in turmoil.


    People were running around frantically.


    One of the maids spotted me, beckoned me over, and showed me the way.


    I asked her about the unusual state of the castle, but she didn''t know the details either.


    Along the way, I spotted someone I knew whimpering in the corridor.


    It was the Chancellor who had been dispatched to Lemuria by Elysium. He was sweating so much that it seemed like he was melting and looked very pale.


    He was being confronted by his male and female subordinates, and was freaking out.


    ��Good day��


    ��T, the foreigner. Perfect timing��


    ��What is it? What''s all the fuss about?��


    ��Margrave! Do you intend to discuss this matter with an outsider?��


    ��B, but you see, this guy is�D�D��


    Yelled at by his male subordinate, the Chancellor staggered unsteadily and then copsed.


    He had passed out.


    ��Margrave Winito! Hey, someone!��


    ��It would have been great if he had just dropped dead��


    The man called for help.


    The woman spewed venomous words.


    To think that he would turn to an outsider like me for help. Something tells me that this isn''t some trivial matter.


    Be well, Margrave.


    There is no ipetent diplomat from another country who is more beneficial to this country. Do your best to live a long life.


    I parted ways with the maid in front of the audience room and went in to see the king.


    There were already a few people I knew there.


    As well as the captain of the guard, whom I had seen a couple of times before.


    ��King Lemuria, I hope to find you in good�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Souya, save the greetings forter. Everyone, let''s change locations��


    The king rose from his throne, followed only by the people I knew.


    We gathered at the castle''s kitchen. A ce where people could be dismissed and schemes could be hatched.


    There was only one chair.


    The king sat down on it and the rest of us stood. The other people present were Otou-san, Barfuru-sama, and the captain of the guard.


    The captain of the guard used to be an advanced adventurer, and was a junior to the king during his adventuring days. The fact that he holds the position of Guard Captain despite being a beastkin is probably a sign of his strength and the trust the king has in him.


    I would say that he��s in his early thirties, but I''m actually not sure, since beastkin don''t show their age as much. In reality, he might be older than that. He��s a dog-like beastkin, and umonly small-sized for a beastkin male, who usually haverge builds. However, he��s one of the people who taught Lanseal how to fight, and is considered to be one of the most experienced fighters in Lemuria.


    The king started speaking.


    ��In the thirty-odd years since Lemuria was founded, it has experienced many difficulties and predicaments. This is one of them. No, it would be great if that��s how this matter is talked about in the future��


    The king covered his face with one hand.


    Oh, this is a really bad one.


    ��The Vernog Knight Order that��s stationed to the north of Lemuria has been decimated. Debra, give them the details��


    ��Yes, Your Majesty��


    The captain of the guard gave us a report.


    ��Two days ago, I received a request for aid from the Vernog Knight Order and headed for Rossian with ten of my best men. Along the way, we met up with Barfuru-sama and then came into contact with the enemy. Though eight of my men lost their lives, we were able to make it back to Lemuria this morning with the surviving members of the Knight Order��


    ��Umm, who were the enemies that you encountered?��


    The captain of the guard answered my question sinctly.


    ��Vampires. The Vernog Knight Order lost more lives fighting their own infected people than they did the enemy. Among them was Vernog, the leader of the Knight Order. Those eight of my men who had lost their lives were also killed by my own hand��


    I had heard for some time that they were up north, but I never expected them to actually show up.


    Barfuru-sama stepped forward.


    ��There''s no doubt. They were vampires. I don''t know how, but I think the king of vampires is back. No, this may be a harbinger of his return��


    King Lemuria heaved a deep sigh.


    ��The return of the vampires that the St. Lyridias Order has recognized as evil. The decimation of the knights stationed in the north at their hands. It''s obvious that Elysium will decide to send an army. And they aren''t going to be ying around with that army. After the vampires are exterminated, that army will effectively take over Lemuria. The false reports sent by the Margrave will also be exposed in detail. People, wealth, knowledge, they''ll milk us for everything we''ve got��


    ��Then, Your Majesty, shall we take the fight to the Elysium?��


    The captain of the guard made a rather aggressive suggestion.


    Is it really appropriate for him to say that kind of stuff in front of me, who��s technically an outsider? Or does this person know about my situation as well?


    ��It''s not time for that yet. That''s thest resort��


    When ites to anything other than women, King Lemuria is a cautious man. In the same way as he did during his adventuring days, he ns meticulously and then puts it into action boldly.


    The adventurer-turned-king turned to the beast-headed man.


    ��Barfuru-dono, now is the time to fulfill our pact��


    ��Yes, indeed��


    Barfuru-sama nodded.


    The bad feeling I had is pretty much a sure thing now.


    ��The King of Lemuriamands you, hero of the north, Barfuru Heijin. Eliminate the source of the vampires and restore peace to thisnd��


    ��As an Endguard, I shall ept the king''s order��


    ��Is there anything that you need?��


    ��I would like to borrow one of your adventurers��


    ��What is that adventurer''s name?��


    ��The foreigner Souya. The user of a bow belonging to us Lycans. The only other Endguard besides me��


    ��Souya��


    The king turned to me.


    ��It''s a tough mission. But you''ll undertake it, right?��


    ����������������


    I can''t answer immediately.


    To be perfectly honest, I want to refuse. It''s far too weighty.


    ��I''m against it��


    Perhaps he had sensed what I was thinking, but Otou-san objected.


    ��It would be better to gather magicians from among the intermediate and advanced adventurers, form a unit of me magicians, and then burn Rossian to the ground. No one is going toin about us burning down an abandoned city��


    Barfuru-sama argued back.


    ��Medimu, that will not solve the root of the problem. The vampires areing from Neomia. In all likelihood, they''re using the great bell tower to get to Rossian��


    ��Then, are you going to fight your way into Neomia with just the two of you? No, in the first ce, Neomia is enclosed within Lord White-Scale''s barrier, so no one should be able to get in��


    ��But the reality is that the vampires have surfaced outside of it. To ascertain the truth, we must go to Neomia��


    Going in to check things out is something adventurers do all the time.


    The fact that I fear or shrink back from it shows that I''m not quite one yet, I suppose.


    ��Lemuria, I''ll say it again, I''m against it. You''re being too hasty. We should be looking for ways tobat the vampires. I''m sure that there will be adventurers who can provide some useful insights��


    The king responded to Otou-san''s repeated objections.


    ��Medimu, in the past, I sought the help of Barfuru-dono. At that time, we made a pact that I would leave everything to him should the vampires ever return. As a king, I cannot go back on that pact. I know I''m being hasty, but the fact is that we don''t have much time. Debra, what is the Gilster Knight Order to the west up to right now?��


    ��By order of Margrave Winito, they��re supposed to remain on standby. However, there are some among them who are aware of what happened in the north and are trying to make their own moves. We''re also working behind the scenes, but I think we''ll only be able to hold them off for at most six days��


    ��That''s how it is. The quickest and surest thing we can do right now is to send Barfuru-dono and Souya. They''ll have six days to eliminate the source of the vampires, and then we''ll send this message to Elysium, "The Knight Order in the north was decimated by evil vampires, but those vampires have been exterminated by the brave adventurers of Lemuria. There��s no longer any need to keep an eye on the north"��


    ��That''s a dangerous gamble. I''ll admit that it is the quickest, but it''s far from the surest��


    ��The gambles that adventurers undertake are always fraught with danger. I believe Souya should be well-aware of that��


    ����������������


    Otou-san��s protests stopped.


    I don''t know what I should do.


    Many times, I''ve been ready to risk my life. But I''ve never fought with so much riding on the line before.


    I asked withoutmitting myself.


    ��Umm, King Lemuria. In other words, you''re telling us to fight our way into Neomia and eliminate the source of the vampires within six days. With just the two of us?��


    ��That��s right��


    That��s easier said than done.


    Barfuru-sama pped his hand down on my shoulder.


    ��Souya, there are many adventurers in Lemuria, but you''re the only one besides me who can resist the vampires'' curse. That��s a curse from the gods. A whisper in the night that even saints cannot resist. It��s the evil influence of those who crave blood��


    ��Barfuru-dono, what makes you think Souya can resist it?��


    Otou-san asked a very basic question.


    I''m also wondering the same thing.


    ��It''s because he��s able to use the Lycan bow with impunity. That bow is drawn using curses. Without a curse more powerful than that of the vampires, it cannot be used. Lycans hunt vampires by fighting poison with poison, you see? I can''t even imagine a curse that''s more powerful than immortal blood, but this guy has it��


    ��Souya, is that true?��


    I answered Otou-san''s question without much confidence.


    ��I��ve counteracted the curse of death before. Whether I can do that against the vampires'' curse is an unknown though��


    ��I can guarantee it. You can definitely resist the vampires'' curse. I didn��t entrust you with Lycan bow for no reason��


    Expectations and a great responsibility.


    I��ve always known that once I''ve attained a certain level of status, I will inevitably find myself in a situation like this.


    The only problem is how to tell everyone in the party.


    ��King Lemuria, what will be the reward?��


    ��Hey, Souya!��


    I can understand why Otou-san yelled at me.


    The fact that I''m asking about the reward means that I intend to ept the job.


    ��I''ll reward you exceptionally��


    The moment the king replied, I held up a feather.


    There was a burst of light and an owl alighted on my shoulder.


    ��Gravius-sama, please forgive me for summoning you so suddenly��


    ��It''s fine. As we''re in the presence of the king, I''ll forgive your rudeness��


    Gravius, the night owl.


    She''s a god of business whom I''m contracted with. She''s a god who attained godhood through a legend of two sisters paying back the enormous debt their father had left them. She��s very particr about promises regarding money and rewards. If the king were to break his promise, it would lead to a lot of trouble. It would also lower the king''s stature.


    ��Today, I would like you to be the witness for my dealings with King Lemuria��


    ��That''s fine by me��


    ��First�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I casually tried to fleece him for as much as I could.


    I thought that King Lemuria would at least hesitate a little, but he didn''t even flinch.


    I see.


    This adventure is much more important than I had thought. Is the future of this country really and truly in the hands of Barfuru-sama and me?


    I have a bad feeling about this. I have a really bad feeling about this, but����


    ���D�D�D�D�D�DThat''s all. Is that eptable?��


    ��Umu, that''s fine��


    Having borne witness to the king''s promise, Gravius-sama disappeared with a sh of light.


    With that, I have one less thing to worry about.


    Am I finally going to die this time around, I wonder?


    What could go wrong indeed. Well, this plot-line has been hinted at to death so it��s about time it started, I guess. However��whenever someone doesn��t flinch when asked to give an overrge reward��is this just a bad feeling I have? (^_<)


    Still, it��s nice to see and learn a bit more about Gravius-sama. It��s really been a while. I mean, she is contracted with Souya but we barely know her.


    One more chapter till this arc ends and the action begins, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 124: Adventurers’ Intuition V

    <h4>Chapter 124: Adventurers�� Intuition V</h4>


    ��And well, it was decided that I��ll have to go to the south for a while. I''ve been asked to act as a go-between with the fishmen who live in the swamps there. I''ll probably be gone for six days at the most, and I''m counting on all of you to look after our home��


    ��Ehhh��


    I was booed by all three elves.


    ��I��ll go with��������


    Rana looked like she wanted toe with me, but she thought of her sister who was still not feeling well and held her tongue.


    ��No, have a safe trip. It is also the duty of a wife to look after the home in her husband''s absence. But pleasee back as soon as possible, okay?��


    ��I''ll do my best toe back as soon as I can. I mean, it''s not a dangerous request, and Otou-san is alsoing with me��


    ��Ehhh��


    Ea and Maria still seemed dissatisfied.


    ��Onii-chan, I''m suddenly feeling worse. Oh, it hurts��


    ��I''m suddenly in a lot of pain too��


    They both put their hands around their necks and acted like they were in agony.


    Their acting is so bad that it��s actually amazing.


    ��Well, that''s just a lie. Come home soon��


    ��������Boo, boo��


    Ea pulled a funny face, but Maria still looked dissatisfied. She showered my thigh with punches, then went upstairs with a grumpy look on her face.


    Rana was worried after all and came up to me with a question.


    ��So when are you leaving? At least join us for lunch��


    ��Sorry, I��m leaving right away��


    I had passed by Lanseal on the way back from the royal castle. The king had made me promise not to tell her. Well, that''s probably a stopgap at best. I want to leave before shees back.


    ��Makina, Yukikaze, help me with the preparations��


    ��Roger��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    Leaving the sisters behind, I went down to the basement.


    My room was small, so everything but the equipment I wore all the time was stored in the basement.


    ��What about the things I asked for?��


    ��Makina has managed to get everything you asked for. Underclothes and thermal underwear. Extra underwear and socks. Waterproof and weatherproof jacket, pants, as well as gloves made of the same material. Enough portable food tost ten days. If the stories hold true, Makina believes that these should work��


    I was handed a total of six silver stakes.


    ��Makina made them from what was left over from the fight against the dragon-tortoise. If Makina had more time, Makina could have coated Aga-chan and the other equipment with silver as well��


    ��It was on short notice, so it can''t be helped��


    It''s better than nothing.


    I put on the clothes Makina had prepared for me, changing into the thermal underwear, pulling on the unttering underclothes, and then donning the jacket and pants. The ck synthetic fabric was thin and easy to move around in, but its ability to keep out the cold was undeniable.


    I carried the backpack containing the food, underwear, and socks on my back.


    The silver stakes went into the inner pocket of my jacket.


    I hung the demonic katana on the sword belt at my waist.


    ��Please apply this to the metal parts of your equipment while you''re on the way there. Pay particr attention to the parts that wille into direct contact with your skin��


    I was handed a small spray can.


    ��What��s this?��


    ��It''s a spray that allows you to apply a rubber coating easily. That''ll prevent the metal from sticking to your skin at extremely low temperatures��


    ��Understood��


    I slipped the can into my pants pocket.


    After shaking it open, I put on my poncho that was covered in dragon blood.


    This thing, over time, the red has eaten away at its original colored pattern and changed its color into a slick red that resembles fresh blood. As the red is so vivid, it really stands out, so I��ve been wearing it inside-out.


    In contrast to the red, the inside is as ck as night.


    I wonder if this has something to do with the ck wolves that the dragons abhor.


    To keep out the cold, I turned up the cor. To make it easier to move, I had it altered some time ago so that it opened up in the front, making it simr to a cloak.


    It looks exactly like a vampire''s cloak.


    I don''t think Makina altered it with that in mind. It''s probably just a coincidence.


    On top of providing good protection and warmth, it can also serve as a form of identification, since it''s something only a person who has fought a dragon possesses. If worsees to worst, it can serve as the proof of my death.


    But that''s just if the worstes to the worst.


    I attached an oblong quiver to my sword belt, then slid the red magic sword and Zamonss'' sword into it. Fittings that held the two swords in ce to prevent them from hitting each other had been incorporated into the tip and opening of the quiver.


    Lastly, I stowed the Lycan bow in its ce.


    I''m not bringing any arrows.


    The magic sword will serve as my only arrow.


    However, it��s a magic sword that can kill countless enemies by itself. In the first ce, I''ve lost my skill with the bow. The only thing I can do now is to pull back the bowstring.


    In the state I''m in, can I defeat the vampires?


    I feel nothing but anxiety.


    That''s how I feel, but for now, I''ll actposed. I''m just heading off toplete a simple request. That''s how I need to appear in front of those girls.


    And when everything is over, I''ll go back to my daily life as if nothing had happened.


    I''ll be rewarded by the king in secret.


    The credit for defeating the vampires will go to Barfuru-sama alone.


    I don''t want fame.


    I''ve already attracted too much unnecessary attention because of the matter with the dragon. Drawing any more attention will be dangerous.


    The thing with Irvin.


    The thing with Varner.


    The thing with Luxgaru.


    There are many things that I''d rather keep buried.


    The same goes for the blood ties between Rana and dvain-sama. At any rate, I''m surrounded by things that I don''t want people prying into. The curiosity of others is nothing but poison.


    That''s why just getting rewarded is good enough.


    The reward the king agreed to is exceptional.


    The strategy guides for the 35th floor through to the 45th floor. Maps. Provision of the necessary gear and equipment. Funding for our adventures. Exemption from the need toplete the inexhaustible stream of requests that gue intermediate adventurers.


    He promised me all of that in front of god.


    Once we reach the 45th floor, we''ll be advanced adventurers.


    In other words, if I manage to defeat the vampires, we''ll rise up in the ranks of adventurers in one fell swoop.


    But this exceptional reward is also part of why I''m so worried.


    I''m guessing that this isn''t him giving me special treatment. That''s just how important it is. This request to eliminate the vampires.


    Even the future of Lemuria is at stake.


    ��Good grief��


    I hooked Yukikaze to my waist.


    After hanging the containers for the regeneration point around my neck, I checked that the functionalities of the sses were working properly������������and there were no problems.


    I put on the gloves and grasped the hilt of my sword to see how it felt. It was a little more slippery than usual, but not enough to cause a problem.


    I''m ready to go.


    Haa, do I really have to go? If it''s at all possible, I want to run away. I''ve finally gotten a nice ce to live, but I''m leaving on a trip the day after I got it. What the heck����


    ��Team member Souya, you don''t look very enthusiastic��


    ��Well, you know, this is the most reluctant I''ve ever been to do something��


    ��Then Yukikaze will bring you good tidings��


    ��What is it?��


    How unusual, I''d never have expected Yukikaze to do that. Perhaps it''s because she''s from Izora''s lineage, but she''s only ever given me low probabilities of sess.


    ��For this time''s vampire elimination, the probability of team member Souya''s sess is 100%��


    ��Come again?��


    No no no, what do you mean, 100%?


    I suppose I should be happy, but it''s too big of a jump for me to ept it blindly.


    ��Yukikaze-chan, that''s a probability that surprises even Makina, who uses rough estimates for everything��


    I heard some words that a normal A.I. would never utter.


    ��ording to the data we''ve collected so far, the more adversity team member Souya faces and the lower the probability of sess, the more likely he is to turn things around. It will be no different this time. He can do it, indeed��


    I see, that certainly makes sense.


    It can also be said that I have the devil''s own luck, I suppose.


    ��Hmm, umm. Yukikaze-chan, ording to Makina''s own calctions, Souya-san has a 48% chance of sess in this time''s vampire elimination though. What app did you use to calcte that?��


    ��Exciting�� Star Reader Keiko''s Fantastic Horoscope, indeed��


    ��Ehh, that''s based on Earth''s star map, so isn''t it meaningless to use it in the alternate world?��


    ��Yukikaze has modified it by swapping the star map used with this world''s. It''s now a wonderful app that gives a 100% probability of sess seven times out of ten��


    That just means that the app is bugged.


    ��The Get Money Panda''s Fortune Telling For The Day app that Makina uses is better. No matter what it is asked to predict, it''ll give a probability between 45% and 52% randomly. It''s all up to fate��


    That''s just random chance.


    Or rather,


    ��You two! Have you been calcting the probability of the mission''s sess using such unreliable fortune-telling apps?!��


    ��Well, we only started doing it recently. Even if we calcted the probability meticulously, Souya-san will just overturn it easily, so it feels like a waste of resources, or rather, it was starting to feel ridiculous, so we decided to stop taking it seriously when calcting the probability��


    ��That��s right, indeed��


    ��H, how irresponsible��������


    It''s been a while since I''ve felt like calling the manufacturer''s support department.


    ��What the heck caused you A.I.s to be so irresponsible?!��


    With no hesitation whatsoever,


    Both units�� arms pointed to me.


    ����������������


    ����������������


    The mood in the air was indescribable.


    My anxiety, my worries, all of it����


    ��It all feels so stupid. I��ll just beat the vampires to a pulp and thene back right away��


    ��That��s the spirit, Souya-san! In other words, what Makina and Yukikaze are trying to convey is that all things are in flux, nothing is permanent, and all earthly things pass away. Bend your destiny with your own power!��


    ��Ohh, that makes sense, indeed��


    ��Yeah yeah, how very apt��


    I said a perfunctory goodbye to the irresponsible A.I. and went upstairs.


    ��Onii-chan, don''t forget to bring back souvenirs��


    ��Got it��


    I high-fived my sister.


    There was less force behind it than usual.


    As I thought, she''s still not fully recovered. Leaving her behind is the thing that worries me the most.


    ��Dear, please be safe and take care on your adventure. If you feel any danger, please run away immediately. And������������umm, that''s it��


    ��Yeah, got it��


    Somehow, Rana must have sensed something.


    Though for her case, it''s probably her woman''s intuition rather than her adventurer''s intuition.


    In order to reassure her, I made a firm promise.


    ��I''ll leave the home to you. I may beteing back, but I''ll definitely return��


    ��Okay, have a safe trip��


    I hugged Rana tightly and shrugged off my worries.


    I''ve resolved myself. I will definitely return here.


    ��I''m off��


    Remember what I said about costume changes? XD Yes, Souya is heading off to eliminate vampires wearing a ssic vampire cloak. For those who are younger and the vampires you��re used to are those in Twilight, True Blood, and so on, this is how vampires were portrayed back in the day. (pic courtesy of .karneval-universe.de)


    He even has a reason for turning up the cor and all, so I was dying fromughter at the image. Then, the author struck the killing blow with the apps. I really love how much the A.I.s have changed, and they��re really funny as all heck.


    Sadly, there��s a huge joke in thest part that got lost in trantion. You see, ��random, apt, appropriate, irresponsible, unreliable, half-hearted, perfunctory,�� they��re all meanings of one term ���m����. Yes, that one term was used everywhere you saw the above-mentioned words. Yeah, only in anguage that depends so heavily on context like Japanese can one term have such varied and contradictory meanings����


    Btw, since the ��prologue�� was wintery, and the floors they were clearing were the same, I bet you thought that Souya was going to get into trouble in the dungeon at first, didn��t you? Well, we know what this volume is about now, don��t we? Stay tuned, it��ll be a new arc next time!

 Chapter 125: The Forgotten Rossian I & II

    <h4>Chapter 125: The Forgotten Rossian I & II</h4>


    <The Forgotten Rossian I>


    I went to dvain-sama''s dormitory to check on Shuna.


    A reptilian beastkin I knew led me to his room.


    When I knocked, I heard a faint reply.


    Since we��re both men, I went into his room without hesitation.


    It was a rather simple room. There was only a bed and a rack for keeping weapons and armor.


    His favored weapon was carefully ced on it.


    The rooms here are just ces to sleep in after a day of training. The study of martial arts is their highest pursuit. As a result, they don''t have the habit of keeping unnecessary things in their own rooms.


    They don''t, but sitting in the corner of his room are some familiar-looking cans of spam and cup noodles. As well as some picture books meant for children.


    I suppose this much is but a modest measure offort for a boy of his age.


    Even though I had a dark childhood, I had always been surrounded by more forms of entertainment than this.


    ��How are you feeling?��


    ��I''m already all better. dvain-sama is just being a little over-the-top��


    Shuna was sulking in his bed.


    The nket he''s covered by looks pretty thick. It''s cold in his room, but as long as he has that, he should have no problems keeping warm.


    ��Hey, what the heck?��


    Just to be sure, I put my hand on his forehead.


    His temperature is lower than Ea''s. I guess it''s really just dvain-sama being over-protective.


    ��Do you have your strength back?��


    ��Somewhat��


    The fact that he''s acting moreposed than usual is probably a sign that he isn''t back to his best yet.


    For now, I''m relieved. A few more days of rest and he should be back to normal.


    ��Shuna, I''m heading south right now. It''s just a simple request I need to deal with��


    ��What kind of request is it?��


    ��I''m supposed to broker a friendship with the fishmen living in the swamps there. It''s nothing special. As he knows the area well, Otou-san is alsoing with me��


    ��������Hmm, how long will you be gone?��


    ��Six days at the most. In the meantime, I want you to rest and recuperate��


    ��I''ll get rusty if I rest that long��


    ��If you get rusty, you just need to re-train yourself. And grow stronger than before. You have the time for that��


    ��Souya, are you really just going there to make friends? There''s no danger, is there?��


    ��None��


    ��Okay. Just for a second, I had the same feeling that I had back when the thing with Irvin happened. It��s only for a second though��


    I smiled in order to gloss it over.


    I should have fooled him. If I don''t think like that, I won''t be able to go on.


    ��Well then, I''ll be gone for a bit��


    ��Yeah������be safe, got it?��


    ��Of course��


    After that, I left the room without even looking at Shuna''s face.


    Since I was there, I went to see Lys too, but she only gave me a curt "Oh, is that so?"


    I hadn''t seen her since the snow started falling, but I did wonder what would happen to her little outdoor store.


    ����������������


    It was covered thickly with snow.


    In a manner of speaking, there was a roof that was made of tattered cloth to provide shelter from the snow. But it only covered one corner of the store. Only one table.


    And seated at that one table was Barfuru-sama.


    ��Oh, Souya, what''s up-nya?��


    The blonde cat beastkin who was the owner of the store called out to me.


    However, beastkin sure are adaptable to their environment. Even though it''s freezing cold, Tyutyu is still dressed as lightly as usual, with only a jacket thrown on. Most of the beastkin I saw on the street were dressed like that as well.


    ��I wanted to hand over the reward Barfuru-sama got for driving off the dragon��


    I had nearly forgotten about our agreement.


    While I''m at it, I would also like to reim the weapons and armor that were taken as coteral for his tab.


    ��No need for that-nya. Barfuru-sama got a year''s supply of ale and wine from the Guild and the merchantpanies-nya. And then he gave it all to Nya, so his tab is all paid off. I even polished up his old and battered weapons and armor, and gave them back to him-nya��


    ��Mmm, she did indeed return all of it��


    Said Barfuru-sama with a nod.


    Quite unusually, he wasn''t drinking today.


    ��No, but this reward is yours. Please take it, Barfuru-sama��


    I ced a small pouch on the table. Inside sat the hefty sum of 60 gold coins.


    It''s a portion of the money I saved from not having to buy a house. It''s not exactly a small amount of money.


    ��Tyutyu, take it��


    Barfuru-sama pushed the pouch to the corner of the table.


    ��But-nya, I don''t need this much money-nya. I have no use for it-nya��


    ��In that case, Tyutyu, how about leaving it with the proprietress of the Mansion of the Sleep Demon?��


    That person is Otou-san''s wife. She can be trusted. She knows about my rtionship with Tyutyu, so she won''t betray my trust.


    ��Oh, that sounds good-nya. The other girls do that too. But Barfuru-sama, are you sure about this-nya?��


    ��I''m sure. Besides, I''m heading north. It''s finally time for me to fulfill the mission I''ve been waiting so long to fulfill. I have no need for gold anymore��


    ��Eh, really-nya? In that case������


    Tyutyu went to the back of the store.


    She came back with something she had taken from the shack.


    ��I found this in my mother''s belongings after she passed away-nya. ording to the proprietress, she had been mending it little by little over a long period of time-nya. Does this belong to you, Barfuru-sama?��


    She unfolded a thick, gray cloak. I could see the remnants of the once grandiose embroidery. It was old, but it hadn''te unraveled anywhere. The cloak''s sps were all worn smooth and none of its original design remained.


    I wonder why.


    I feel a little unsettled.


    Is it because the cloak has something to do with the Endguard?


    ��This is������I didn''t know she had hung onto this. That Toto, I had assumed that she had thrown this away long ago��


    ��For some reason~, I had a feeling, so I got it ready yesterday-nya. Come on��


    At Tyutyu''s urging, Barfuru-sama stood up.


    She stretched and draped the cloak over the hero''s shoulders.


    ��It''s kinda been a long time��


    She fastened the cloak''s sps to his left shoulder.


    The cloak was designed to leave the wearer��s right arm free.


    ��You��re looking more like the real deal now��


    ��Shut up��


    The beast-head bared his fangs at me threateningly. Somehow, his intimidation seemed almost happy to me.


    ��Souya, please look after Barfuru-sama-nya��


    ��Oh, sorry, Tyutyu. I''m heading south. I''m doing a different request��


    She had jumped to conclusions.


    She''s not wrong though.


    ��Oops. I thought for sure that the two of you were traveling together-nya. Well, Barfuru-sama is the kind of person that definitely won''t die-nya, so there''s no point in worrying about him-nya��


    ��Well, if there''s anyone who can kill me, then it has to be a hero of great caliber��


    ��Barfuru-sama, why would you be killed by a hero-nya? Did you do something bad-nya?��


    ��You don''t have to be a bad person to be killed by a hero. Besides, that''s just a metaphor��


    ��That doesn''t make any sense-nya. Anyway, just go ande back quickly-nya��


    ��Mmm��


    Barfuru-sama lifted a sack onto his back.


    I could hear the nking of heavy weapons and armor from inside it.


    ��Goodbye, Tyutyu. Be well��


    ��Yeah, yeah, like I always say-nya, if youe back toote, I won''t leave a seat for you-nya��


    ��You don��t have any customers other than me though��


    ��That''s not true-nya. I''m trying to recreate my mother''s soup right now-nya. If I seed, I''ll have lots of customers-nya��


    ��That again? Isn''t it about time you gave up? You should learn to cook something else to attract customers��


    ��������Hmpt, you have no idea how I feel-nya. Go on, be it north or south, get a move on-nya!��


    Tyutyu kicked Barfuru-sama in the butt.


    It''s hardly the way to send off a hero, but these two must have said goodbye to each other in this way many times before.


    Everyone has a past.


    A past I don''t know of.


    These two people have a mother-son rtionship. I imagine that they share a deep trust and connection with each other. It''s almost like they''re really parent and child.


    It''s a bond that has no ce for me.


    For me to be a little jealous, does it mean that my caliber as a man is small, I wonder?


    <The Forgotten Rossian I & II>


    Once that call is sent, their army won''t be stopped by the "It''s safe now" nonsense.


    If the king''s fears are correct, they will use some trivial excuse to send their army into Lemuria and seize control of it.


    The truth is, this country has too many things that cannot be looked into.


    The fake numbers regarding food distribution reported by the Margrave, who isplicit.


    The incident involving a man who killed a representative hero[^1].


    The supposedly dead prince hiding among the armies of the Myriad Kings.


    Elysium may have be weaker due to the corruption in its own government, but the fact that it has the most powerful army in the world hasn''t changed.


    Especially since their expeditionary force has been losing to the ck elf''s army due to abination of clever tactics and military strategy, Elysium would love to score a victory right now.


    A small country plotting to betray them would be the perfect target.


    We must hurry.


    ��148th day��


    Its destination, the abandoned city of Rossian.


    The captain of the guard was driving the carriage, and sitting in its covered back was the very drab all-dude lineup of me, Otou-san, and Barfuru-sama


    Maybe it''s because I''m used to having a party with a high percentage of women, but this feels so frigging miserable.


    There''s nothing to feast my eyes on. I mean, there are only beasts and old guys around.


    In a lot of ways, this environment is really hard to bear.


    A little past noon on the second day.


    The weather was dark and cloudy.


    ��This is as far as I go. Medimu-sama, please take it from here��


    ��Yeah��


    The captain of the guard got off the carriage and Otou-san took over as the driver.


    I helped to unload supplies from the carriage.


    We were at the border between Rossian and Lemuria. The remains of a checkpoint still stood nearby. The captain of the guard was supposed to get off here and wait to hear from us.


    And in the event we got infected, he would be responsible for killing us.


    ��I wish you all the best of luck��


    He stood there, watching us leave, until he was a speck in the distance.


    The carriage went on for another six hours.


    The sun was setting when we finally made it into the streets of Rossian, just in time for the vampires to be active, if the stories could be believed.


    From what I can tell, Rossian is about the same size as Lemuria.


    But it''s a city of a dead country. Needless to say, it lies in ruins.


    Most of its city walls, which looked simr to Lemuria''s, had copsed. I suppose they could have copsed due to the passage of time. But I noticed clear signs indicating that they had been attacked.


    Whether it was magic, siege weapons, or whatever, the marks left on them told of great destructive power.


    The houses that had once lined the street had been reduced to just their foundations, and very few retained any semnce of their original appearance.


    After years of being buried under snow, and when it got warmer, buried under grass and vegetation, all signs of civilization would gradually disappear.


    Eventually, there would be nothing left but dust scattered by the wind.


    ��This looks like a good spot��


    Otou-san stopped the carriage.


    We were on the main street of the city. After clearing away the ankle-deep snow, I could see the cobblestones lining the street.


    ��I''ll wait for you guys here��


    ��Otou-san, take this��


    ��Hmm?��


    I handed one of the silver stakes to the father of adventurers.


    ��If I get turned into a vampire, drive that through my heart��


    ��Alright, leave it to me��


    I wouldn''t have minded if he had hesitated for a moment, but he epted it immediately.


    It''s just like him though.


    Barfuru-sama lifted the sack full of equipment onto his back, then got off the carriage.


    ��Souya, let''s clear out the Knight Order''s headquarters first. We may have missed a couplest time��


    ��Understood��


    With one hand, he held up his weapon.


    It was an over-sized sword made of bone. The edge of the de wasn''t straight, but it was sharp. However, it was more of a crushing weapon than a cutting weapon. Its weight and volume were more than enough for the task


    I took out the Lycan bow and nocked Agathion to it.


    Barfuru-sama will take the role of the vanguard.


    I''ll be the rearguard.


    I still don''t fully believe what Barfuru-sama said about it not being contagious. The safest thing to do is to avoid any contact, simple as that.


    On the way here, I had asked Barfuru-sama about "the vampires of the alternate world", and he had confirmed that they''re generally no different from what I''m familiar with.


    They''re weak against silver.


    They''re also weak against the sun.


    Theye out at night.


    They increase their numbers through blood.


    They aren''t afraid of garlic, and they don''t transform into bats, dogs, or mist. They''re always hungry and thirsty, and they will attack the living to satisfy those needs.


    They''re immortal beings of the night.


    No, their illusion of immortality can be broken by pulverizing them until nothing remains of their original form, or by crushing their hearts.


    ��We''re off then. Stay safe, Otou-san��


    ��Don''t worry. If a vampire shows up, I��ll simply y it without getting any of its blood on me. It''s no different than usual��


    I''m putting my trust in you.


    It would be an absolute nightmare to finally make it back here after everything only to find that you''ve turned into a vampire and have to fight you.


    We made our way through the streets cautiously.


    Walking through an abandoned city with a beast-headed man. It��s very much a scene straight out of a fantasy.


    Speaking of fantasy, there are three gleaming moons hanging in the sky above us.


    Upon a second look, they look almost like a person''s face.


    Two small, round ones which look like eyes. One big one that''s showing a thin curl of a smile.


    ording to Rana, the moon that''s in the ce of the left eye, which never waxes or wanes, was called the "moon of misfortune" in olden times. It was so named because bad things always happen whenever it is missing from the sky.


    Luckily for us,


    It''s not missing at the moment.


    ��������������They��re here��


    Barfuru-sama��s ear twitched.


    I drew the bow.


    All I need to do is aim it in the general direction. Agathion will do the rest.


    ��How many are there?��


    ��One, but a lot��


    I heard the cking of bones.


    And it wasn''t just a ck or two either. They sang out like a chorus.


    And then, a bone giant appeared out of the darkness, its horrifying form illuminated by moonlight reflecting off the snow.


    It resembled the bone giants I had encountered in the dungeon previously, but the one in front of me was a giant formed from the bones of normal people.


    It had no head. The most striking and disgusting thing about it was its belly.


    It was swollen like a pregnant woman''s and was densely packed with skulls.


    Kata kata, kata kata, kata kata, went the nearly hundred ttering skulls.


    ��Barfuru-sama, don��t tell me that��s a vampire?��


    ��Don''t be ridiculous. This guy is just one of the spirits of the dead that haunts Rossian. The spirits haunting these ruins must have been awakened by the blood of the living��


    Right after Barfuru-sama uttered those words, the giant attacked us.


    It swung the mass of bones that was its arm, mowing down everything in its path.


    I felt the massive rush of wind as it closed in.


    ��Is this all you got?��


    However, the man who had broken the dragon''s wing blocked it easily.


    Using the sword he held with only one hand.


    His counterattack was a crude blow that seemed almost too casual.


    With a thunderous crash, he smashed the giant''srge belly in, snapping its body into half.


    The giant''s upper body spun around and flew off into the distance. The remaining lower half of its body turned to dust and vanished like an apparition.


    It had been defeated with stupefying ease.


    ��If there are spirits of the dead here, then there must not be any vampires around��


    ��Why��s that?��


    ��All evil beings are at odds with one another. They don''t possess the sentiment of coexistence. Once they get a whiff of each other, they��ll fight until one of them is destroyed. And there''s no way a vampire can be defeated by an opponent of this caliber��


    I''d say that this giant is already quite formidable, but to think that the vampires are stronger than it����


    ��Change of ns. Follow me, we''re heading straight into the catbs��


    ��It feels like we''ll be more likely to run into spirits of the dead there though��


    ��Of course we will. Lots of them at that��


    Urgh.


    I already feel like going home. I''ve seen more than my fair share of skeletons on the previous floors of the dungeon. I don''t really want to go through that again.


    ���D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Huh?��


    Suddenly, I heard a cry from the darkness.


    ��What''s the matter, Souya?��


    ��I thought I heard a cat just now��


    ��A cat? I didn''t hear anything��


    Nya~, came the meow again.


    It didn''t sound like my god''s voice. It had a heavier and deeper tone.


    ��There, I heard it again��


    ��I don''t hear anything. You''re just hearing things��


    Barfuru-sama went on ahead.


    I had Yukikaze tag him so that I could track his location. Feeling a bit rash, I headed in the direction I had heard the cat''s criese from.


    After walking a short distance, I caught sight of the giant''s upper body. It was in its death throes. By the time I reached it, it had vanishedpletely, leaving only a pile of dust on the snow.


    However, there was one thing that had remained intact.


    The skeleton of a baby.


    ��������������tch��


    It''s hard to describe how I felt at that moment.


    Knowing full well that it was a hypocritical and futile act, I stabbed one end of the Lycan bow into the ground and then started digging using Agathion. Both the snow and soil were soft. Digging a hole to bury the baby was easy.


    I buried it and put my hands together.


    This reminds me of Ashtalia.


    A country engulfed in mes and covered by ash.


    In many ways, this ce resembles that country. Is it because they both have the same air of destion? Or is it something else?


    ��You there��


    I heard a voice and the soft tinkle of a bell.


    I saw a pair of eyes glinting in the darkness.


    A pitch-ck cat with a hooked tail emerged. It was carrying a small bell in its mouth.


    ��Thank you for putting the baby''s soul to rest. Even though he had be like that, it would still be sad if he were to be treated poorly��


    ��And you are?��


    It''s the second talking cat I''ve seen.


    Is this one also a god of some kind?


    ��I''m merely a gravekeeper, one who has long since forgotten his own name��


    Right then����


    ��Hey!��


    ����Barfuru-sama grabbed my shoulder from behind with a furious expression on his face.


    ��Don''t wander off by yourself in enemy territory! What are you, a little child?!��


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. But that one there������


    I turned to the cat.


    But Barfuru-sama����


    ��What are you talking about? You''re not mourning a spirit of the dead, are you? What aplete waste of time. They''re like the pests that infest nts. Even if you bury(get rid of) them, they''ll keeping back��


    ��Yes������sorry��


    ����couldn''t see the cat.


    I had a bit of a bad feeling about that.


    ��Don''t be rmed. We can only be seen by those whom death awaits. More importantly, take this��


    The cat came up to me and ced the bell in its mouth at my feet.


    ��If you''re going into the catbs, you should take this with you. This gravekeeper''s bell will lull the dead to sleep��


    I picked it up and held it in my hand.


    It was no illusion. I could definitely feel it.


    Barfuru-sama yelled, "Come on! Hurry up!" before turning away angrily.


    As the cat disappeared back into the darkness, it said.


    ��Kind person who smells of the night, heed my advice. Do not trust that beast. Those who deny death are but people obsessed by nightmares and delusions��


    There wasn''t just one cat.


    Deep in the darkness of this sprawling city, I saw dozens������no, hundreds of gleaming eyes.


    The cats whispered one after another.


    ��Be careful. To be gripped by a nightmare is like being trapped in endless darkness��


    ��You��ll be sealed in ice, just like thatnd��


    ��Just like the poor Lord Blue-Scale��


    ��Just like those with noble blood��


    ��So that you don''t end up like them. Be careful��


    ��The smell of nightmares attracts them��


    ��The emissaries of the moon of misfortune wille forth��


    ��The white beasts wille��


    ��Be careful, kind person. Nightmares feed on the kindest of hearts��


    A gust of wind blew past.


    It whipped the snow up into the air, blinding me. When that momentary blizzard died down, there was nothing but the quiet darkness of night stretching across the abandoned city.


    All of this felt like an illusion����


    [1] Thest time this term came up, it came with an exnation, so I didn��t say anything back then, but it��s been a while so this is just a reminder. Each of Elysium��s Popes has their own hero who is meant to do things in the Pope��s ce. After all, you cannot expect the Popes, the ultimate leaders, to leave Elysium to perform tasks or lead armies as they��re too valuable. Hence, the heroes can be said to be their Pope��s ��representatives��, and so the author coined the term ��representative hero�� for them, and yes, it��s not amon term at all.


    I don��t know if you all have realized, but there are some hints/foreshadowing the author left that I don��t draw attention to as I can very easily cross the line and end up spoiling the story. Yes, I have kept quiet about a lot so far. XD Anyway, just know that there is something in this release that will reveal a tremendous secret should you connect the dots, which is doable considering you already know everything you need to do so.


    On a lighter note, the author purposefully used the gender-specific version of ��mother-child��, which means that Tyutyu is the parent here lmao. Also, those who are sharped-eyed and have a good memory have probably realized that Tyutyu��s literal words were, ��He won��t die even if you kill him.�� XD


    ��Those whom death awaits��, huh? That can be taken a few ways, can��t it? Is it saying that Souya going to die? Or does it mean something else? Yeah, it took me a while to figure out how to get the right amount of vagueness in it. XD


    I feel like I don��t even need to say this, but this volume doesn��t have the same feel to it as the previous volumes, don��t you agree? We��re definitely stepping into the thick of it in this one, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 126: The Forgotten Rossian III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 126: The Forgotten Rossian III & IV</h4>


    <The Forgotten Rossian III>


    In the past, this dungeon was known as the Rosheiric Underground Labyrinth.


    Now, it is simply called the catbs.


    After the fall of Rossian, many of its residents wereid to rest there. Or maybe they went there on their own ord to be interred. The spirits of the dead, like the one we just encountered, may havee up from there, or they may be those who have not yet beenid to rest.


    Either way, this is an abandoned city.


    Be it above or below ground, there��s nothing but ruin and death.


    ��We''re here��


    With Barfuru-sama leading the way, we arrived at the entrance to the catbs.


    The catbs didn��t stretch high into the sky, but its entrance looked somewhat simr to that of the Odoriji spire.


    Once inside, I saw more simrities.


    Hmm, rather than the Odoriji spire, it��s probably more fitting to say that it resembles the reception area of the Adventurers'' Guild. Perhaps this ce was once a Guild as well.


    If that��s the case, could the skeletons wandering around be the former employees of the Guild?


    ��I''ll clean things up. Give me a minute��


    Before I could do anything, Barfuru-sama attacked the dead.


    With one or two swings of his oversized sword, dozens of skeletons were instantly blown to pieces. The remains of people left inside the ruins weren''t spared either.


    He mowed down everything in sight, making sure to crush even the skulls that weren''t attached to bodies underfoot.


    The wandering dead resent the living. It''s very natural for them to attack people. When exploring the dungeon, one bes painfully aware of this unshakablew of nature.


    They are only shadows of people. They are nothing more than monsters with human-shaped bodies.


    Thinking of them as humans is not only unnecessary but also dangerous. What I did for the baby earlier was nothing more than a whim on my part.


    That''s why I don''t feel bad for the dead who got trampled on.


    My heart undisturbed, like the quiet, looming darkness, I followed after the rampaging beast.


    In less than five minutes, the enemies on the 1st floor of the catbs had all been dispatched.


    As Otou-san said, Barfuru-sama is strong. His strength is far beyond the realm of human strength.


    In many ways, hecks something as a human.


    The skill that I have inherited tells me this.


    There is no pride in his sword.


    There is no refinement in his techniques.


    There is no humanity in his skill.


    In other words, this is just a beast swinging around the nearest stick that suits his needs.


    There''s no way it can be seen as swordsmanship. This is the way primitive savages killed in ancient times. Which is ironic, considering that it is being used to kill those who were once part of civilization.


    ��We''re pushing on��


    Barfuru-sama nced at me, then proceeded onward, scattering the remains of the skeletons as he went.


    Soon after, we came upon a set of stairs leading down.


    As I expected, they were very simr.


    The stairs were built in the same way as those in the Odoriji spire.


    I found what looked like a tform for a portal next to the stairs, but it was no longer functioning. Looking towards the bottom of the stairs, all I saw was darkness so dark that not even the moonlight could pierce it.


    I had Yukikaze turn on her light.


    What the light revealed gave me the chills. It was the same as the great skeleton floors. Like a spider''s nest, the stairs were jam-packed with the dead.


    ��Barfuru-sama, are we going down there?��


    ��That��s right. It''ll be a little back-breaking(bone-breaking[1]), but it''s not a problem��


    What a funny joke.


    ��I''d like to try something��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Yukikaze, I��m counting on you��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    I took out the bell from earlier. I had my doubts, but it was worth a try.


    ��If you sense any danger,e right back��


    ��Understood, please don''t worry��


    Yukikaze stowed the bell inside her, then rolled down the stairs.


    So far, the dead have never attacked the mini-pod, but making assumptions like that can prove fatal when adventuring. It''s better to be paranoid about everything.


    ��Alright, sound the bell��


    Yukikaze, who was barely visible in the distance, started ringing the bell at my signal.


    ��Oh-ho��


    I couldn''t see anything, but it appeared that Barfuru-sama had noticed something.


    ��Enemy activity has started to slow down. Maximizing speaker output to amplify the sound of the bell��


    Through my sses, I heard Yukikaze''s transmission.


    Then, I heard the bell��s ringing suddenly be louder.


    ��Enemy activity has stopped. They''ve been neutralized��


    ��It worked��


    ��Hmm, what a peculiar item you have there��


    I had been watching Barfuru-sama''s beast ears. There had been no reaction.


    This person can''t hear the bell.


    The bad feeling in my heart is getting stronger.


    I hope this disparity won''te back to haunt meter.


    Just like before, Barfuru-sama led the way as we descended the stairs.


    The stairs were as long as those in the Odoriji spire.


    I retrieved Yukikaze and used her to light the way ahead, but I still couldn''t see the bottom. The darkness was so thick that it almost felt like I was descending into theherworld. The beast-faced man smashed the stopped skeletons as he proceeded.


    If the ringing of the bell is interrupted, these guys will attack. What he''s doing is very unnecessary.


    Nevertheless, it left me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.


    We finally reached the end of the lengthy stairs and set foot on the 2nd floor of the catbs.


    On this dark floor, the deadid in rows.


    There were no Shogaku stones here. I checked the regeneration point, but the liquid was clear.


    In other words, if I sustain a fatal wound, that''s it for me. Barfuru-sama is purely a physical fighter and cannot use magic. He won''t be able to save me.


    I''m going to have to be more careful than usual.


    If I die, it''s certainly convenient that I''m in a tomb, but I''d rather not.


    The open space we were in was nked by countless pirs. They were lined up majestically as far as the eye could see.


    Barfuru-sama abruptly mmed his fist into one of the pirs. I was startled by the suddenness of it. I thought for a moment that he was going to wake the dead.


    ��Souya, take this��


    Barfuru-sama threw me a glowing piece of ore.


    It seemed that he had gotten it from the inside of the pir.


    ��What��s this?��


    It shone with a faint light and was emitting a small amount of heat.


    It was about the size of a fist, round, and smooth to the touch.


    ��It''s a matured Yoko(sunlight) stone. It has the same effect as the Shogaku stones. If you carry it with you, the regeneration point should work. I can''t have you dying in here after all��


    I checked the regeneration point again and there was red liquid and a small amount of blue liquid floating in the containers.


    I felt my fatigue subside and the aching in my legs fade away. It was definitely working.


    ��It''s a life from a long time ago. Rather than letting it rot here in obscurity, you should use it��


    ����������������


    I looked at the pir that Barfuru-sama had smashed and felt sick to my stomach.


    It was a human sacrifice.


    This was probably not the only one. In all likelihood, they were in the other pirs as well.


    From the shape of the pelvis, it was female. Considering the size of her bones, she was likely in her early teens.


    I held Yukikaze up, trying to cast the light as far as possible. The pirs numbered in the hundreds or thousands.


    Are every single one of them������������


    ��Why, such a thing������


    With the stone in one hand, I used my other hand to make a gesture of prayer. I didn''t have any words to offer. I had no idea what to say.


    After making a token act of mourning, I put the Yoko stone into my backpack.


    ��No matter how deep into darkness they descend, people will always desire light. No matter if that light is a falsehood, the life of another, or an immoral act that leads them even deeper into the darkness. It''s tragic, but that''s human nature��


    ��Barfuru-sama, do you know the cause of Rossian''s demise?��


    The moment that question slipped out of my mouth, I regretted it.


    ��������It''s a boring story. Do you want to hear it?��


    The air had be very tense. The killing intent in his eyes was not something that should be directed at someone on his side.


    That was a really bad idea. There are some things about this man that should be left alone. My adventurer''s intuition is telling me that this is a dangerous secret. It''s a treasure chest of death that will attack anyone the moment they open it.


    If I so much as scratched its surface, I''d never be able to leave this ce.


    ����������������


    The tense moment passed in silence.


    With the air still heavy between us, we resumed our halted steps.


    While relying on the faint light, we went deeper into the catbs. The dead were being put to sleep by the ringing of the bell, but there was no guarantee that they were the only monsters here.


    Even though the regeneration point was now working, I still had to be careful.


    Lighting the way forward with a beam of light as thin as a needle, we walked through the gloomy depths of darkness.


    ��Yukikaze, turn your motion detectors up to full power��


    ��Don''t worry. Yukikaze is also searching for enemies while ringing the bell. At present, Yukikaze is tracking everything within a 30-meter radius��


    Thank goodness for this one.


    ��How much longer will your batteriesst?��


    ��Eighteen hours and thirty-eight minutes. Do note that in extremely low temperatures, battery consumption will be much higher than it is now because priority will be given to protecting the aqueous brain. Please be mindful of that��


    It wasn''t exactly warm inside the catbs, but it was no colder than the winter air outside.


    It was about 8 degrees Celsius at the moment.


    ��Barfuru-sama, on which floor is the great bell tower that we are heading for?��


    ��It''s on the 3rd floor. It''s not that far. If the enemies stay dormant like this, we''ll be there by dawn.��


    The great bell tower.


    I still have no idea what it is, but it seems to be some sort of portal that can take us all the way to Neomia.


    At any rate, we don''t have to fight the enemies, so it should be an easy�D�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Team member Souya, Yukikaze has some very unfortunate news to report. Would you like to hear the bad news or the very bad news?��


    ��Both��


    I mean, I''m going to need to hear both anyway.


    ��The very structure of the bell has begun to deteriorate rapidly. At this rate, Yukikaze won''t be able to broadcast its actual sound in an hour��


    ��Is that the very bad news?��


    ��No, that''s just the bad news. The very bad news is that the enemies behind us have merged together upon their awakening and areing after us. It appears that the saying about how the dead always wake up in a bad mood is true��


    ��Well, that''s interesting��


    I turned my eyes and Yukikaze''s light backward.


    With the telephoto function on my sses set at maximum magnification, I stared into the darkness.


    ��Barfuru-sama, we''ve got troubleing up behind us��


    ��Ahh?��


    Barfuru-sama also looked back.


    Behind us was a wall.


    A wall of bones made up of many moving skeletons. They were so tightly packed together that there wasn''t room for even a mouse to slip through. They didn''t seem to be in a hurry to attack us, but they definitely didn''t intend to let us go.


    ��Well, it''s a good thing they aren''t in front of us��


    ��I suppose that��s true��


    That''s what I thought he''d say.


    Does he even n on returning home?


    ��Also, the bell is about to break��


    ��I see������let''s go faster then. The path gets moreplicated from here on out, so make sure to stay close��


    As he said, we had reached the end of therge open space and the passageways ahead were narrow and maze-like.


    With a flourish of his cloak, Barfuru-sama broke into a run.


    He was fast. He had the speed of a beast. So that I wouldn''t lose him, I ran too.


    I ran like the wind.


    While making sure not to trip over something in the pitch-ck darkness, I shaved away at my regeneration point and ran as fast as I possibly could, feeling like a fish swimming in the depths of the ocean.


    Even so, I could barely keep up. It was taking me everything I had to not lose sight of him.


    Barfuru-sama showed no hesitation as he raced down the passageways. He probably knew the way from memory.


    If it weren''t for his cloak, I would have lost him. The little bit of embroidery that was left reflected the light as it fluttered in the darkness.


    I couldn''t quite make out the design, but it looked like an emblem of some sort.


    No, let''s not do this right now.


    For now, I need to concentrate on keeping up with him.


    I''ll have Yukikaze track him just in case. But as much as possible, I''ll continue to try keeping up with my own power. This is just me being stubborn andpetitive. For some reason, the feeling of not wanting to lose to this person is welling up inside me.


    I chased after Barfuru-sama like I was chasing down an enemy.


    Though I couldn''t close the gap between us, I was able to pick up on his habits. His shoulders would turn first, then the rest of his body would follow. By monitoring his breathing and anticipating when he would turn, I could reduce the need for me to brake suddenly, thus reducing the strain on my body.


    However, in terms of pure speed, I was no match for him at all.


    In addition, Barfuru-sama would nce back at me from time to time, which meant that he was reducing his speed ordingly so that I could keep pace.


    On top of that, he was also felling the enemies in our path with a single blow each.


    I was starting to get out of breath and pissed off.


    I mean, I''m someone who fought a dragon head-on, for crying out loud.


    Nevertheless, I''m still not quite there yet.


    ��Tch, huff, huff������������huff��


    I must have been running t out for a good twenty minutes before we finally stopped.


    My chest hurt, and I could feel the sweat pouring down my neck. Through my veins, I could hear the hammering of my heart.


    My regeneration point had been reduced to half, probably because I had pushed myself too hard.


    The edges of my vision had grown dark, probably because I wasn''t getting enough oxygen.


    ��Hmm, you''re able to keep up, I see��


    Barfuru-sama sounded impressed.


    I would have loved to curse at him or something, but at that point, I just wanted to get my breath back as quickly as possible.


    I took out a water bottle filled with sports drink from my backpack and gulped it down, fighting off the slight urge to throw up.


    ��We''re going down. It''s fine to take it slow��


    Before us was a set of stairs that led downwards to the next floor.


    I followed Barfuru-sama down the stairs. I wasn''t feeling too good. Nevertheless, I forced myself to eat something. I managed to get three cookies, ten raisins, and two pieces of chocte into my stomach.


    At that moment, I couldn''t care less about how they tasted.


    ��Barfuru-sama, would you like something to eat?��


    Casually, I posed that question to his back.


    ��It''s fine. This body doesn''t require such things��


    Without turning back, he replied with that.


    How convenient. It''s almost as if he''s really not human.


    We continued down the lengthy flight of stairs.


    I took my time, feeling for the next step with my feet as I descended.


    Even though my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, I still couldn''t make out anything. Yukikaze''s light was woefully inadequate.


    Every which way I turn, there is only darkness and more darkness. It hardly seems like there��s any way out of this ce. It almost feels like I''m descending into hell with every step. This is really bringing me down. I miss the usual dungeon.


    My usual party members too.


    After teaming up with others, I realize now how fortunate I am. I''ve been blessed with wonderful party members.


    I want to go back. To my home.


    What the heck am I doing here in the depths of this darkness?


    Wrapped in mncholy, I reached the bottom of the stairs.


    I found myself in the ce that I had heard about from Otou-san. It was an open space with a high ceiling, and there were bells as tall as a person lined up in some sort of pattern.


    Up on top were the pirs, and the bells hung below them.


    I want to tell whoever it is who made this dungeon that it''s important to know moderation


    The ringing of the bell that Yukikaze had been ying suddenly stopped.


    ��Team member Souya, the bell has turned to dust��


    ��Seriously?��


    ��Don''t worry. There are no enemies on this floor��


    That��s all well and good, but how are we supposed to make our way backter?


    ��Let''s go a little further. The great bell tower is up ahead��


    Again, we proceeded onward.


    Without any hesitation, into the darkness.


    ��Let me confirm one thing with you��


    With his back to me, Barfuru-sama spoke.


    ��That strange talkingntern that you have there. Is it able to fight?��


    ��Not at all. It can''t even beat a single Chocho��


    ��Yukikaze will say that if Yukikaze uses the self-destruct mechanism, Yukikaze can at least defeat a Chocho��


    ��That''s no good, isn''t it? That''s worse by far��


    ��Alright, got it. I won''t count it as part of our fighting strength��


    Obviously.


    The onlybat A.I. around is Tortch. The dangers of autonomous unmanned weapons have been extensively debated then banned byw in the fifties. The mere suggestion that such a thing might exist is enough for the UN to send in troops.


    For some reason, this makes me think of the helmet-wearing little beings.


    No, but����no way, right?


    That would be such a bad joke that it''s not even funny.


    ��Hey, we��re taking a break here��


    Barfuru-sama dropped his things on the ground and sat down.


    Right in front of the damnedest thing imaginable.


    ��You''re kidding me��


    Amid the lines of bells, there was a particrlyrge one.


    This bell was eight meters wide and twenty meters tall. But what really struck me was the single-winged dragon sleeping with it in its arms.


    It was huge. ording to Yukikaze''s measurements, the dragon was nearly 40 meters long, making it twice as long as Lord White-Scale.


    Is it sleeping? Or is it a corpse?


    When I shone the light on it, I noticed that it didn''t have the texture of a living being.


    ��No need to be rmed. It''s just a stone statue��


    ��Stone statue?��


    ��This floor is the grave marker of Ultrop?Oru?Rossian, Lord Blue-Scale. The reason why the dead don''te near this ce is probably because of the reverence they feel for it. If it were the remains of a real dragon, there''s no way greedy adventurers would leave it untouched��


    Certainly, everything would be stripped away and nothing would be left.


    Scales, bones, ws, eyes, heart, and down to thest drop of blood. There��s no part of a dragon that can be thrown away. Everyst bit can be useful to people in one way or another. A mere doorte sttered with Lord White-Scale''s blood was going for a hundred gold coins back in Lemuria.


    That��s why the people of Lemuria don''t get angry even when their homes got destroyed.


    The country would build them new houses, and the things that the dragon left behind would give them enough money to pass the winter in luxury.


    After Lord White-Scale left, the people had gone on a city-wide treasure hunt.


    ��We''ll stay here and wait for someone for a while��


    ��Someone?��


    Barfuru-sama said something strange.


    Weren��t the two of us thest of the Endguard? Are we getting secret reinforcements or something?


    ��You''ll seeter, rest for now��


    Ignoring my question, Barfuru-sama took some firewood and flint out from his bags.


    He picked up a bone that was lying around, wrapped a rag around it, then struck the flint violently to produce sparks.


    It sounded like he was hammering metal.


    After a few tries, the rag caught fire. He tore it into pieces and used them to light the firewood that he hadid out.


    A light was born in the darkness.


    We were surrounded by countless bells.


    And in front of us was a stone statue of a dragon hugging arge bell.


    To be honest, I find this whole situation rather chilling. It''s hard to rest in a ce like this.


    ��You��re not going to sleep? After this, we''ll be fighting for our lives, you know?��


    ��I just can''t bring myself to rest in a ce like this��


    ��Is that so? You''re surprisingly faint-hearted, huh? I wouldn''t have thought that of a man who fought a dragon head-on��


    ��Well, I just got carried away by the mood of the moment, I suppose��


    I still regret it to this day.


    I may have been carried away by the moment, but it was still too reckless.


    ��Well then, to pass the time, shall I tell you an old tale or two?��


    With the mes illuminating his face, the beast-headed man pulled out a bottle of alcohol and took a swig.


    As he drank the cheap alcohol, he recounted the legend of the blue dragon.


    <The Forgotten Rossian IV>


    A wounded dragon descended upon thisnd long ago.


    There were countless swords, spears, and huge axes stuck into its body.


    Most of its blue scales had fallen off, blood flowed incessantly from its wounds, and to make matters worse, it had lost its right wing. It had suffered a wound that made it impossible for it to fly again.


    There are many theories as to how it came to lose its wing.


    Some say it was because it had fought a dragon with rotted scales.


    Some say it was because it had fought a dragon-yer hero.


    Some say it was a result of losing a battle against a demon of the abyss.


    The dragon did not speak of the true reason. That''s why none of the people asked.


    All that has been passed down to future generations is nothing more than wild spection.


    The country that the dragon had descended upon was just as wounded as the dragon.


    It had been losing continuously in a long war with a neighboring country, and everything that could be plundered from it had already been taken. At that time, they didn''t even have enough food left to feed their children until they grew up. No, they likely wouldn''t even make it through that winter.


    The country was on its deathbed.


    The people of that dying country identified with the dragon, who was also dying.


    How ironic that a dragon, a symbol of strength, would be pitied by dying people.


    The young king devoted himself to healing the dragon.


    The people followed suit without hesitation.


    It��s a beautiful tale of people sacrificing everything they had to help something, even if it was futile and in vain. However, things are never as easy as they are portrayed in the made-up stories.


    Day after day, people died.


    The elderly and children were dying of hunger and from the cold.


    This would have been a quiet demise, but that was not how they would met their end.


    The fact that a dragon had descended upon their ravagednd embroiled them in war yet again.


    It''s quite simple.


    The country to the north, the country to the south, and the tribes to the east all wanted the dragon. They wanted its carcass.


    The wounded country sent out its soldiers. Needless to say, it was to protect the dragon.


    They were all very weak.


    None of them were proper soldiers. They were all people who had volunteered so that there would be fewer mouths to feed.


    There was a severeck of armor and shields. Some carried swords while wearing nothing but their everyday clothes. Others joined the ranks with farming implements in their hands. There were even women and children who had no means of fighting.


    It was a foolish act of suicide.


    War is all about killing. There are no rules. There are treaties and agreements between countries, but those are only established when the countries are equal in strength.


    A country''s weakness is its own death.


    And the people of this country were all weak and had nowhere to run.


    The king was also a weak man. He was weak, but still a king.


    When the army set out, the young king was at its head.


    Before leaving, the king said this to the dragon.


    But I implore you to not me them for that.


    People are weak, and not everyone can face death with pride. Farewell, O dragon. If it were at all possible, I would have liked to watch you soar through the azure sky��


    The young king was said to have died a gruesome death.


    He even did unspeakable acts for the sake of his people.


    Until the very end, he begged for his people''s lives.


    The army of Neomia, the country to the north, tormented the young king before eventually ughtering him.


    Not surprisingly, the young king''s army was wiped out.


    Their deaths had all been for nothing.


    The dragon had deceived the king.


    Dragons are immortal creatures.


    Wounds are like fleeting dreams to them. The dragon had not healed them merely on a whim. It amused it to have people fussing over it. It had watched them with a child-like curiosity.


    Andstly, the dragon had wanted to make a spectacle of human foolishness.


    Of the puny humans who would betray it in the end.


    Of the people who had intended to take it in only to sell it out.


    He had wanted to see the young king, who always spoke idealistically, in all his ugliness.


    It had lost to the spirit of humanity.


    It chose then to live its life on the ground together with people.


    It did not use fire.


    It killed using barbaric methods, like humans would. It beat, crushed, cut, tore, and mowed them down. To make an example out of her, it slowly chewed the general of the army alive.


    It made sure that her soldiers could hear her screams loud and clear.


    It��s said that the dragon cried out loudly that it would destroy the army using methods more gruesome than those the army had employed.


    The dragon proimed the founding of a country.


    A country ruled by a blue-scaled, one-winged dragon.


    That was the birth of Rossian.


    When the story ended, I threw in a question.


    ��What caused its demise?��


    ��That would be the thing you''d be most curious about, I suppose��


    The tale of how a dragon created a country. I''ve seen enough on our way here to know how that story ends.


    Now, everything lies in ruins, and there is only a giant grave marker surrounded by wandering spirits of the dead.


    ��There are many theories. If you asked a hundred schrs, you''d get a hundred different answers, all of them mere spection. A country, one that��s ruled by a dragon, fell into ruin. There must have been a big reason for that. Perhaps there was a great disaster, or maybe it was the work of some enemy��


    Barfuru-sama tossed the empty alcohol bottle into the darkness.


    The sound of pottery shattering echoed throughout the catbs.


    ��But no one knows the real answer. Though many tales of Rossian''s glories remain, the cause of its demise alone remains unknown to all. People are creatures who perish because of their own foolishness. The reason for the dragon''s demise, it��s all������lost to oblivion[2]��


    It''s a tale of what happened almost 500 years ago after all.


    Muttered Barfuru-sama with a snort.


    I added firewood to the dying fire.


    One thing popped into my head.


    When Yukikaze explored thebyrinth in our home''s basement with Misuranika-sama, she had returned with all sorts of information.


    The same words were found in many other ces.


    On thend Lemuria sat on, there was once a country called Beliale. Legend has it that it was destroyed by the folly of people 500 years ago.


    But ording to the beast-headed man, it''s different from Rossian, which met its demise at about the same time.


    It''s different, he had said.


    In that case������������what?


    ��Jeez, the most fascinating part is a secret, huh?��


    I heard that impression from behind me.


    I turned around to see a dark-skinned elf emerge from the darkness.


    She had on a warm-looking sweater and a shorter jacket that looked easy to move in. She was wearing hot pants over a pair of thermal tights. If I recalled correctly, the red scarf wrapped around her neck was made by Rana out of her robe. The gloves she had on were also knitted by Rana, and looked warm.


    She had put her hair up in a braid so that it wouldn''t get in the way.


    [1] As you all know, ��back-breaking�� means ��physically demanding��. The phrase with the same meaning in the Japanesenguage is ��bone-breaking��. Hence, you can see the silly joke Barfuru-sama made there.


    [2] I worded it this way because that��s what is natural in English, but do note that the ��oblivion�� here specifically means ��the state of being forgotten��. Being forgotten is a theme in this novel, isn��t it? Now, I��ll just mention that this isn��t the only time the word ��oblivion�� hase up before, and just like now, the meaning is also specifically as mentioned...


    You may have noticed that Barfuru-sama has been referred to as ��beast-headed man��, ��beast head��, ��beast-faced man��, and so on. This isn��t me being inconsistent, the author is using different terms each time. Why? Beats me. (^_<)


    Also, this has happened several times by now, so I��m sure many of you have noticed this, but every time Souya goes, I��m too busy to think about a certain something, it��s usually important. Of course, the author always masterfully distracts us with whatever urgent matter is pressing Souya at the time, so it��s easy to forget about that moment after it has passed, but if you go back and find every moment something like this happens, it��s usually an important detail that Souya really should have looked into more.


    Did you expect Maria to pop in there at the end? Considering how she hadn��t been anything more than a mascot so far, I don��t me you for being surprised. Because I was too haha. But man, what did you think about the story of Rossian? And thatbyrinth in Souya��s basement that��s supposedly Beliale is looking real interesting, isn��t it?


    That brings arc 2 of 5 to an end! What will happen next? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 127: To The Capital Of Ice And Death I & II

    <h4>Chapter 127: To The Capital Of Ice And Death I & II</h4>


    <To The Capital Of Ice And Death I>


    ��Go back!��


    ��No!��


    Maria countered in response to my angry yell.


    We had been repeating the same words some twenty times.


    ��It''s really dangerous! What if something happens to you?!��


    ��I''ll just escape! I can escape much faster than you, Souya! So there!��


    So there, you say����what are you, a child?! Oh������she is a child. But the ce we''re going to is not the sort of ce one brings a child, you know?


    ��I''m telling you, go back!��


    ��I''m telling you, no!��


    ��You little������


    ��Why you������


    We started scuffling with each other.


    I pinched her cheeks and stretched them to the limit. In retaliation, she kicked me in the shin.


    ��You two, haven''t you had enough?��


    When Barfuru-sama gave us an exasperated look, I snapped at him.


    ��You! Why did you bring Maria here?! No, in the first ce, how did you�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Around the time I was lighting the fire, she teleported in behind you. Didn''t you notice?��


    ��What?!��


    I had been too taken by the dragon''s grave marker to notice.


    ��She had been subtly trying to get you to notice her the entire time though��


    ��You should have said something��


    Yukikaze''s report was disheartening.


    ��Souya is a little careless about some things, so he''s no good without me around��


    Said Maria with a smug expression.


    She''s really so annoying.


    It would be troublesome if she escaped, so I held her in my arms from behind.


    ��But Souya, the littledy will be able to escape any sort of trouble with that ability of hers, isn��t it?��


    I was pissed off at how carefree Barfuru-sama was about this.


    ��Maria''s ability is not something that can be used so many times in one day. To avoidsting effects on her, three times a day is the limit. She''s already used it once today, so she can only use it two more times. And she can only take one person with her at a time. Taking two people at the same time would drain her to the point of exhaustion, so I definitely don''t want her doing that��


    Ignoring my misgivings, Barfuru-sama replied coolly.


    ��Is that so? Then, sleep for today. You must be tired as well. I''ll keep watch��


    ��That''s not the issue here��


    You bastard, I added in my head.


    ��I brought a sleeping bag��


    Not caring one whit about how worried I was for her, Maria took out a folded-up sleeping bag from her waist bag and spread it open.


    The tense mood of the day slipped away.


    Perhaps the exhaustion from the carriage ride and the exploration of the catbs had finally hit me.


    ��I''ve already taken a bath and brushed my teeth. I''m all set to sleep��


    Now that she had mentioned it, Maria did smell like she had just taken a bath.


    More and more, I felt exhausted.


    ��Souya, pillow��


    ��Oh jeez, what the heck��


    The sleeping bag that Maria had snuggled into was what was known as a walkable sleeping bag[1].


    It was touted as a sleeping bag that would allow the user to run away if they were attacked by a bear, and the leg portion was split in two so that the user could walk while still inside the bag. It made Maria look like some sort of bizarre creature.


    ��Come on, let''s get some sleep!��


    Although she sounded far too excited to sleep, Maria sat down on the ground.


    Having no other choice, I took off my cloak andid it on the ground. After taking out a nket, Iid down using my backpack as a pillow. Maria begged for a pillow again, so I let her sleep on my arm.


    Sleeping inside catbs.....what kind of ridiculous joke is this?


    ��Barfuru-sama, when did you reach out to her?��


    I wasn''t quite done with chewing Barfuru-sama out yet.


    ��Shortly before you arrived, she showed up at Tyutyu''s store. She demanded to know your itinerary so that she could lend you a hand. She''s a kid with good intuition. You may have thought that you had kept it a secret from her, but she saw right through you��


    ��You''re well aware of my circumstances, so you should have yed along then��


    This guy was right there when I was telling the king about what I wanted as the reward. I had specifically stated that my party would be kept in the dark, but he dragged Maria into it without a second thought.


    If anything happens to Maria, I��ll never forgive you.


    ��In the event that something goes wrong, I can manage on my own, but you''ll need a means of escape, right?��


    ��That��s true��


    I do need it.


    ��You wish for this adventure to be over as quickly as possible. Even if the elimination of the vampires in Neomia goes well, it��ll still take you much time and energy to return to Lemuria. And you��ll still need to spend time recovering from the long trip back afterwards. Don''t you want to go back to the home where your wife is waiting for you as soon as possible?��


    ��I������������do��


    His argument is sound.


    But there''s nothing more infuriating than a sound argument that can''t be refuted.


    ��Hey, Maria, you should�D�D��


    ��zzz��


    Maria was fast asleep.


    I don''t know how the heck you can sleep inside a tomb like this. In many ways, you don''t understand the gravity of the situation. We''re going to be fighting vampires, you know? You may die, you know? If things go badly, you may get infected, leaving me no choice but to kill you, you know? Or it could be the other way around, I suppose.


    ��zzz��zzz��


    Her sleeping face pisses me off all the more because it''s so cute.


    ��You darned brat��


    My fists trembled.


    Come to think of it, I haven''t punished her yet for what she did that time with the dragon. Just so you know, it''s all being saved up. It''s building up the punishment gauge. You''re absolutely going to cryter. I''ll make you eat nothing but vegetables.


    ��You should get some sleep too. Don''t worry, in the name of the Endguard, I''ll protect the kid��


    ��I don''t know how I''ll ever thank you for that��


    You can go to hell.


    ��To begin with, doesn''t it go against the pride of the Endguard to get a child mixed up in this?��


    ��It doesn''t��


    It should, you damned Endguard.


    What kind of organization is this?


    ��There are many different kinds of children. That kid possesses great power. It''ll go against our pride to involve a powerless child, but showing those who are powerful and innocent the right path is the work of the Endguard������no, it''s the job of adults, I suppose��


    ����������������


    That''s a sound argument.


    Maria needs to be shown the right path. One that leads from darkness to light. From the path of evil to the path of nobility. But����


    ��That''s my job. Not yours��


    ��Well, you''d better work hard at it then��


    He just brushed me off.


    There are so many things I want to say, but there are too many for me to put into words


    ��Now, get some sleep. Everything will be fine. Even if we fail, it''s just a matter of the right continent being overrun by vampires and another country perishing. In 500 years, all the current countries and people will have died anyway. Their time will havee sooner is all��


    Maria reached out to hug me, so I hugged her back and covered her with the nket.


    ������For now, I should sleep. Though I''m still not convinced, it''s not toote to argue after I''ve regained my strength.


    I didn''t care for traveling with only guys, but that didn''t mean that I wanted Maria toe.


    Truly, things never go as I want them to.


    ��ording to the great me magician, everything in the world will eventually be consumed by fire and return to ashes. That''s why the me religion preaches living aesthetically��


    Barfuru-sama spoke in a soft, quiet voice, as if he was talking to himself.


    The subject being the impermanence of the world.


    I couldn��t care less about it, so I drifted towards sleep.


    The warmth emanating from Maria, who was in my arms, wasforting. Even though she was in a strange sleeping bag.


    ��In other words, regardless of what or how much people aplish, it matters not as everything will end up destroyed��


    The profile of Barfuru-sama''s face that was illuminated by the mes����


    ��?��


    ����for a second, it looked like a human''s.


    No, that''s probably no more than an apparition caught out of the corner of my eye.


    It''s just������������Zamonss? It had looked like that guy I knew.


    The face I saw wasn''t as grizzled or aged as his though. Well, I''m in a tomb. There''s nothing strange about seeing visions of dead people in here.


    I''m probably just too tired.


    I should get some sleep.


    The fire crackled as the mes consumed the firewood. It made for a soothing BGM.


    Maybe it''s because I''ve been sleeping in a carriage for the past two days, but I feel like I''m being rocked even when I''m lying on this motionless ground.


    It''s almost as if I''m being rocked by waves.


    Amid the darkness reminiscent of an abyss at the bottom of the ocean, I slept like the dead.


    <To The Capital Of Ice And Death II>


    A red dream.


    I couldn''t see anything. However, intense emotions were being seared into my brain.


    Anger, resentment, sadness, fear. They were mixed together in a raging torrent of emotions.


    I couldn''t bear it.


    I turned my eyes away.


    No, I crushed them.


    I blinded both of my eyes myself.


    Oh, I see, the red that oozes out is my own�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Hmm?��


    It was dark even though I was awake. I could make out a little bit of light, but my vision was all fuzzy, making it hard to see.


    I rubbed my eyes. A slimy liquid clung to my fingers like oil.


    ��Whose blood is this?��


    ��It''s yours, Souya. Does it hurt anywhere?��


    My vision gradually cleared, revealing that Maria was right in front of me.


    ��You were having a nightmare and blood was streaming from your eyes. You had me worried, you know?��


    ��Well, I''m sorry about that��


    It seems that I was shedding tears of blood while dreaming.


    Yet again, I can''t remember anything about the contents of the dream. I somehow knew that it wasn''t a good one though.


    I epted the water bottle from Maria and washed my eyes. My fuzzy vision cleared, allowing me to make out the light of the fire and the gloomy darkness. The fact that there was no pain actually scared me more.


    ��Team member Souya, please show Yukikaze the affected area and Yukikaze will examine it��


    ��I��m counting on you��


    I had Yukikaze do a medical examination on my eyes.


    ��Beginning scan. Please look directly at this dot��


    The arm of the mini-pod pulled out a sheet of memo paper with a ck dot on it.


    I did as I was told and stared at it.


    ��Scanning������������ No external injuries found. No abnormalities in pupiry response. Cause of bleeding������unknown. There is no evidence of any abnormalities in the functionality of the eyeballs. The stress of being in an unusual environment is suspected to be a possible cause��


    ��It''s possible��


    There''s no telling what might happen when sleeping in a tomb after all.


    ��Souya, I won��t mind being your cane for life, you know?��[2]


    ��Don''t say such inauspicious things. I''m alright��


    I can''t joke about losing my sight.


    ��You guys are so noisy when you wake up��


    Barfuru-sama gave us an exasperated look.


    ��No, it''s only because you dragged Maria into this, isn''t it?��


    This is a grudge that I will never forget.


    Now, to continue where we left offst night.


    ��Alright. Maria, go back��


    ��I refuse!��


    We argued as we got ready in the morning.


    No progress was being made at all.


    ��If you want to leave me behind so badly, go ahead and do it. I''ll just follow you on my own!��


    ��Why you little������


    What a stubborn kid.


    You have no idea how much your guardians worry about you.


    ��And you''re not one to speak, Souya. You''re the one who''s been making Rana and Ea worry by keeping them in the dark about what''s really going on!��


    ��I kept it from them so that they wouldn''t worry!��


    ��I figured it out though!��


    I made breakfast while we argued.


    Somehow, it felt like I was on the losing end of the entire fight, but that was probably just my imagination.


    Today''s breakfast was bean curry.


    I added my sister''s homemade curry powder, ketchup, and chopped dried meat into an old can of beans that came from the Seeker Brigade. I threw in some crumbled dried bread. And a dash of chocte as a secret ingredient.


    After heating it up over the fire, it was done.


    Like the spam, there were a lot of canned beans to go through, so I just threw this dish together randomly, and it turned out to be reasonably tasty.


    ��Souya, if you don''t mash the beans, I can��t eat them, remember?��


    ��Yes yes, my princess��


    Ever since the time I made her eat beans by mashing them first, she wouldn''t eat them unless they were mashed.


    The can was hot, so I held it with my gloves on, then crushed Maria''s share of the beans with the back of a spoon.


    While I was doing that, I spoke to the beast-headed man.


    ��Barfuru-sama, are you sure you don''t want something to eat?��


    ��I have this��


    He pulled out a bottle of alcohol.


    I stole a quick glimpse at his bags and saw many more of the same bottles.


    ��I looked in my things and found them there. Tyutyu must have snuck them in there��


    No no no, when there''s so much, you can''t really call it "sneaking them in", can you?


    After about five minutes of mashing the beans with the spoon, I was done. In addition, the temperature had dropped to a level that was just right for Maria, who couldn''t handle hot food or drinks.


    ��Here��


    ��Mmm, let''s eat��


    Before that����


    ��Itadakimasu��


    ����the two of us put our palms together and said.


    We ate the bean curry.


    ��It''s not as good as Lanseal''s pot-au-feu, but������it''s good������������in its own way!��


    Maria ate it with a satisfied look.


    I took a bite too.


    ��Hmm��


    The ndness of the beans is not noticeable thanks to the curry powder. The asional bits of dried meat and dried bread add a nice texture. If I were to be nitpicky, I''d add potatoes or carrots. Pork or chicken thigh meat would be great as well. Caramelized onions would also be nice.


    Oh, that''s not right.


    If I put that much more effort into it, I''d lose the rustic feel of outdoor cooking. I mean, it''d just be normal curry, wouldn��t it?


    ��It��s yummy��


    Said Maria.


    ��It��s so-so��


    I said.


    Hmmm, it''s curious. Canned beans taste really delicious when they''re eaten while sitting around a fire. Maybe it tastes good because of the setting.


    Well, we''re in a tomb though.


    Because of the darkness, it didn��t feel like I was having breakfast, but I finished the food then took a deep breath.


    ��Alright. Maria, go back��


    ��N?O��


    We argued in circles.


    ��Well, shall we get going?��


    Barfuru-sama picked up his bags and stood up.


    ��Hang on a minute, I''m still�D�D��


    For now, I gathered my things and got ready to leave.


    ��I''ll follow you no matter what you do. Even if you say no, Souya, I''ll still do as I wish��


    Again, I held my head in my hands.


    Even if I restrained her and left her behind, she��ll just escape as she can teleport. That means that I��ll need to persuade her to change her mind, but I really hate how bad I am atmunicating with others.


    ��������Maria, promise me this. If you feel that you''re in any danger, escape immediately. Even if it means abandoning me or Barfuru-sama��


    ��Kay~��


    She gave me a half-hearted reply.


    ��This is important. I need you to make a solemn vow��


    ��������I swear. I''ll escape if things get dangerous. ������������Without fail��


    In response to my serious expression, she gave me an earnest look back.


    I feel uneasy.


    I don''t feel reassured at all.


    ��Yukikaze, watch over Maria. If you sense any danger, order her to teleport��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    I hooked the mini-pod to Maria''s hip.


    ��Maria, you know what to do when Yukikaze gives the order, right?��


    ��I know~��


    She replied as if she found it troublesome.


    Is there anything else that I can do?


    ��You look like you''re all set. I''m going to ring the great bell tower��


    Without waiting for an answer, Barfuru-sama sprang into action.


    He struck the bell that the dragon was hugging with his oversized sword. The bell rang out as loud as a thunderbolt.


    ��Urgh��


    Maria and I covered our ears against the din.


    When therge bell rang out, all the bells around it started ringing at the same time. The ringing spread outward like a wave, making all the bells on the floor ring.


    The ringing of the bells caused the entire floor to shake.


    The deafening racket and the ground shaking like there was an earthquake made it difficult for me to stay on my feet. I couldn''t even keep my eyes open. My semicircr canals went numb and I felt like throwing up. My brain shook and my consciousness flickered.


    I was unable to hold onto consciousness.


    Into a darkness deeper than sleep, I fell.


    Over the ringing of the bells, I heard Maria''s tiny scream.


    ����I was seized by a painful chill.


    As if to rece the ringing of the bells, white wind roared.


    We were outdoors.


    And in the middle of a huge snowstorm at that.


    As I suspected, the great bell tower had a simr effect as a portal.


    The ground around us was covered by a thick nket of snow that was nearly up to my knees. Between gusts of wind, I could make out the mountains that ringed the area. The cold was not the only reason I was having difficulty breathing. Oxygen was thin as we were at an altitude different from what we were used to.


    ��Maria?!��


    ��Over here��


    ��Over here, indeed��


    Maria and Yukikaze were right behind me.


    ��Ooh, looks like we made it in one piece��


    Barfuru-sama was also there beside them.


    ��It''s not safe here. We need to go a little further, but do you think you can make it?��


    ��Well, I suppose so��


    My head was still spinning, but I could at least walk.


    ��Maria, are you okay?��


    ��I''m fine. Souya, you''re worrying too much. This is nothingpared to the depths of winter on the left continent��


    She puffed out her chest, looking unfazed.


    ��Yukikaze, any problems with your functionalities?��


    ��The temperature is currently minus 7 degrees Celsius. Power consumption has increased by 13%. Due to the snowstorm, enemy detection capabilities have been reduced to 5% of usual levels��


    ��That��s worrying��


    If enemies were to attack us now, we wouldn''t see theming.


    ��Let��s go��


    Barfuru-sama proceeded undeterred. He did at least make a path for us by stomping down the snow.


    I let Maria go ahead of me and trailed behind her.


    But it sure is cold.


    It''s so cold that it hurts.


    On top of that, there''s this fierce wind. It really saps my strength tremendously.


    ��Souya, do you want to borrow my scarf? It''s really warm, you know?��


    ��It''s fine. My cloak is made of the same material��


    Maria looked back at me, worried about my slow progress.


    How pathetic.


    I''m wearing clothes that protect against the cold, and the cloak soaked with dragon blood generates heat. But they''re no match for the wind and the cold. Or maybe I''m just too weak against the cold.


    No no, it may be that Maria is simply too strong against the cold. As for Barfuru-sama, he doesn''t look like the kind of creature that would freeze to death, I suppose.


    ��We''re here��


    We had walked for about five minutes, but I felt like I had been freezing for an hour.


    A cityy before my eyes.


    ��This is Neomia. This must be the first time in 500 years that any living being has made it here alive��


    The capital of ice and death sat on the edge of a sheer cliff.


    The city was covered in white and frozen over. Strangely, the buildings had remained intact, but maybe it was because they had been frozen solid.


    This city didn''t have walls like those of Lemuria or Rossian. And I could see why. It was surrounded by precipices on all sides. At the bottom of the drop was a gaping darkness as deep as the deepest oceans.


    The distinctive feature of the city was the huge castle at the far end of the city.


    Despite being frozen over, it was ck. It looked like one of those castles in picture books where wicked witches lived in.


    ��However, there''s just one problem��


    Barfuru-sama pointed to the path ahead with his sword.


    There was only a single, narrow path that led to Neomia. It was less than six meters wide, and so narrow that I feared that it might copse in this snowstorm. There was a simple handrail, but if we went over it, we would fall straight to the bottom.


    Other than taking this path, to get to Neomia������we would probably have to be able to fly.


    ��Look closely��


    Barfuru-sama swung his sword.


    It nced off an invisible wall.


    ��This is Lord White-Scale''s barrier. It cannot be broken even with my strength��


    The invisible wall stood directly before the narrow path.


    I tried touching it, and found that it didn''t feel cold. It seemed solid, but was soft and indistinct to the touch. I tried shing it with Agathion, but it merely bounced off the wall.


    ��But the vampires crossed this barrier to get to Rossian, right? And there��s the bell from earlier too��


    ��That''s right. There may be a breach in the barrier somewhere. But there''s no way for us to find it. So������


    Barfuru-sama walked up to Maria.


    ������this is where youe in, littledy��


    ��Oh, I get it~��


    With a nod of understanding, Maria took Barfuru-sama��s hand.


    There''s a childish side to Maria that feels delighted whenever others ask for her help, which she always obliges readily. She must be happy to have a chance to show off her ability. She also likes to be praised.


    ��Hmm��


    But I wonder why����I have a bad feeling about this.


    Barfuru-sama had said that the vampires were using the great bell tower to travel to Rossian. However, there was nothing that looked like a bell at the ce we had arrived at.


    No, maybe it''s inside Neomia������������inside?


    Wait a minute.


    This is strange.


    How exactly was Barfuru-sama nning to get past this barrier in the first ce?


    ��Maria, wait!��


    I had been a moment toote to stop them.


    The two of them teleported to the other side of the barrier.


    ��Maria,e back imme�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    Again, I was toote.


    Barfuru squeezed Maria''s neck with his fingers. That was all it took to render her unconscious.


    My outstretched hands were blocked by the invisible wall.


    ��You bastard! What the hell do you think you''re doing!��


    After lifting Maria onto his shoulders, Barfuru replied without a trace of remorse.


    ��I''ve long searched for a way to get rid of this annoying barrier. To think that I would end up crossing it with such ease������������ Hmm, what can I say? Nothing speciales to mind though. My only thought is that it has been a long 500 years��


    This guy, right from the start, he only ever intended to use me to get to Maria.


    ��Rest assured, Souya, I will definitely defeat the vampires. I only brought you here as bait, so fulfill your role proudly��


    ��Wait! Barfuru! Hey!��


    Ignoring me, Barfuru continued on his way.


    No matter how much I screamed, he paid me no mind. But then he turned around for a moment and said.


    ��Oh, that''s right. Be careful, the Endguard should be here any second now��


    ��What?��


    I heard a strong rush of wind behind me.


    Following the impact, my vision turned upside down. The bones in my left leg snapped loudly.


    ��Gah��


    My body became airborne.


    A white beast had bitten down on my leg and lifted me up by it.


    It was a huge white wolf.


    It was two meters tall. Including its tail, it was at least six meters long.


    It was easily bigger than any tiger or lion.


    ��You''ve got to be kidding me.��


    From the snowstorm, they emerged in packs.


    There must be at least thirty of them.


    And they''re different.


    Unlike the old ones or the cats in Rossian, these white wolves aren''t beasts that are capable ofmunication. Their eyes, as cold and emotionless as crocodiles'', speak for themselves.


    These are beasts that do only one thing, much like machines.


    They do not possess even a flicker of emotion.


    [1] Pic courtesy of trendhunter. I used this specific picture because beside it is the very sales pitch of being able to stand up and run when attacked by bears that Souya referred to XD There are also versions where the arms are also separate, though at that point, I don��t really think you can call them sleeping bags anymore...


    [2] I left the literal trantion there so that it��s easier to see the link between Souya being blind and her being the cane that helps the blind. Figuratively, she��s saying that she��s willing to support(take care of) him for life, and this kind of phrase is usually used with the implication of marriage. Which is the joke, given Maria��s weird position as Souya��s wife and daughter.


    So, time for a hint, sorta. You may have noticed, but there have been many references to darkness so far, especially when Souya sleeps or loses consciousness. It��s amon enough imagery and seen in many novels, but...the author is slowly bing more obvious with the hints as time goes on.


    It��s finally here. The dominoes are finally falling. Actually, they��ve been falling for a while, but this is when thingse out into the open. All those things about Barfuru that we just learned. What does it all mean? What��s the truth and who is he really?! I won��t say much as all will be revealed in theter chapters, so stay tuned!!!

 Chapter 128: To The Capital Of Ice And Death III

    <h4>Chapter 128: To The Capital Of Ice And Death III</h4>


    After being swung around, I was mmed down onto the hardened snow.


    My left leg had been broken slightly below the joint. Fortunately, my shattered bones didn��t break the skin.


    The wolves�D�D�D�Drushed me with their ws and fangs bared.


    Instinctively, I shielded my throat and face with my arms. In the blink of an eye, my entire body was torn to shreds, my blood and flesh sttering all over the white around me.


    This is probably what being thrown into a washing machine with des on the inside feels like.


    It''s strange.


    Heat and pain shot through all my nerves. I felt the strength leave my muscles. Death raced towards me, a split second away from reaching my vitals.


    Strangely, my head is clear and calm.


    Come to think of it, I always be calmer the closer to death I am.


    Even though I have a death wish, when I''m about to die, every part of me struggles to stay alive, to obtain the information necessary for survival. If there''s nothing that can be done, I��ll simply give up, but somehow or another, I''ve managed to survive until this day.


    What an ironic trait.


    Oh, could it be that, deep down, I��m�D�D


    ��Gah!��


    I decided that I was going to kill one wolf.


    I chose the one that had sunk its fangs into my side. I had no idea how I was able to do it, but I jammed my fingers into its earhole and yanked out its semicircr canals. I then thrust my hand into the gaping hole I had made and crushed its brain.


    When I snapped its neck, its fangs came free.


    Luckily for me, the wolves around me pulled back.


    Slowly, I drew Zamonss'' sword. The blood and brain fluid froze my hand to its hilt.


    It''s just as well, since I need the sword to stay in my grip.


    Now, let''s do this.


    I heard growling. I thought it was the wolves at first, but it wasn''t. It was me.


    I don''t remember what I was referring to at the time, but I remember thinking these words to myself some time ago.


    Beasts show their true colors when they��re wounded.


    If so, then I guess, deep down, I��m a beast.


    However, I possess the shame of humans. Because I am human, want to be human, I have a heart that feels shame for being a beast.


    But I wonder����


    Why do I feel this way?


    ��Ha, HAHAHAHAHA!��


    Why do I lose it at the sight of blood?


    It can''t be someone else''s blood. It has to be my own blood. Otherwise, I won''t get as worked up as this.


    The bleeding from the deep wound in my side showed no signs of letting up despite the temperature being cold enough to freeze blood. I had a broken left leg, bruises all over my body, and too manycerations to count. In addition, my sses weren''t working. Its power supply had gotten damaged, so it was totally done for. Because of the broken shards, my vision on my left side was blurry and I had trouble making things out.


    Then, there was the pain.


    Pain that told me that I was still alive was transmitted to me by every nerve in my body.


    But that doesn''t matter, not right now.


    That''s no more than a piece of information. I have other priorities.


    The snow erupted.


    The beasts bared their fangs and charged. I killed the first one before it could reach me, then cut off the head of another with the return sh of my de. Three more beasts charged at me, and I sessfully countered all their attacks, staining the snow with the spray of blood.


    Even if we''re all beasts, my w is longer, thicker, and sharper.


    The sixth one bit down on my sword. I was no match for it in terms of sheer physical strength. Not with only one leg.


    Another one lunged at me from my left.


    I flipped the scabbard of my katana over.


    With its edge facing downward, I drew it backhanded. It helped that the opening of the scabbard had frozen stiff.


    It was a one-handed but 100 points iai-draw.


    After a split second, the wolf''s body slid apart, bing nothing more than steaming flesh and blood. I stabbed the wolf that had mped its jaws around my sword with the tip of my katana and pried it off.


    The wolves began to stalk in a circle around me and the corpses of theirrades. Their numbers had increased even more.


    Fifty, or is it a hundred? Well, the number doesn''t matter. I''m the vassal of a man who took on an army of ten thousand alone. A pack of a mere hundred or two hundred beasts is nothing.


    ��I mean������


    Even though they''re just beasts, they''re being wary.


    They''re observing the situation.


    I''ve already pulled out my w and my fang, but this is making me lose steam. I could go on the offensive, but my leg is broken. Furthermore, if I move my upper body excessively, it��ll cause the wound in my side to open up.


    If possible, I should try to take them all out using counters only������������ Haha, I should stop. This is ridiculous. Cunning tricks won''t work on them.


    If I just think for a moment, no no no, it''s obvious even without doing that.


    I took off the now-useless sses-type device and crushed it under my foot.


    Now, I''mpletely alone.


    There��s no one here, no one watching. Alone, I''m free to do whatever I want.


    Well, what do you know.


    All that talk about shame, but aren''t there nothing but beasts here?


    ��Hey��


    First, one step.


    I dragged my broken foot forward.


    The joint still worked, but I couldn��t put any weight on that leg. I was feeling dizzy from all the blood I had lost. The left side of my vision had gonepletely dark.


    But so what?


    I still possess all of my limbs. My des still hold the power to cause instant death. The mes inside me still haven��t died. I still haven��t died. I won��t die. As if I��ll die in a ce like this, by the fangs of these guys.


    I have a ce to return to.


    No matter how I end up, I have a home to go back to, and a woman with whom I''ve made a promise to return. I have a daughter I must go pick up.


    So, you know, you guys are����


    ��In my wayyy!��


    The wolves howled in unison.


    Their howls summoned more of theirrades. Another pack of wolves emerged from the snowstorm.


    Who cares?


    All I have to do is y all enemies thate within range of my de.


    The wolvesunched themselves at me the very same moment I shed at them.


    A katana against their ws, and a sword against their fangs.


    The wolves were drawn into a lopsided dance of des. One sh, one kill, and the sprays of blood and gore caused flowers of red to bloom on the field of snow.


    It''s just beast against beast at this point.


    I took pleasure in setting the beast inside me free and taking the lives of others.


    There was beauty in my moves only in the beginning. In no time at all, I went from shing them to death to beating them to death, and my bars of steel, covered in blood and gore, went from being ded weapons to blunt instruments.


    The hunt turned gruesome and brutal.


    The beasts had amazing vitality. Even if one half of their heads were smashed in, they wouldn''t die right away. Even if their eyeballs were dangling from their sockets, they would still try to bite me. Even if their limbs were crushed, they wouldn''t stop charging at me. Though I suffered more wounds from their attacks, I soon became ustomed to beating them to death.


    If anything, killing them in this way feels much easier. No, I think it has always been this way.


    Relying on brute force is a primal technique. Smashing, crushing, and making the insides stter out for all to see.


    This is a fight caked in the blood and filth of beasts.


    There is no honor in it. Not one shred of my sole virtue, the sense of pride in devoting myself to the shadows, can be found. It''s just kill, kill, and kill. It''s the kind of fight that''s befitting of a beast.


    And it will continue until all the beasts that wash out blood with blood are dead and the mes have burned out.


    The end�D�D�D�D�D


    White darkness engulfed everything further than an inch in front of me.


    All I could see was white and the only thing I could hear was the howling of the wind.


    The air was deadly cold and the wind was like a t de of ice plunging deep into my body.


    My limbs were as numb as wood, and only my internal organs were working frantically to maintain my body temperature. It was freezing outside and unpleasantly damp inside.


    Dragging my broken left leg, I crawled through the knee-deep snow at a snail''s pace.


    Steam rose from the blood as it continued to pour from the hole in my side. My mouth tasted of iron. I gasped desperately for air, but only managed to inhale oxygen properly once every three attempts. My lips quivered. My lungs began to freeze. White darkness and ck darkness alternated before my eyes.


    Drowsiness soothed the pain in my body and tried to take over my mind. ��Rest, it''s okay to take it easy,�� it whispered sweetly.


    It''s possible that I''m just going around in circles in the same spot. That��s a devastating thought, but my steps won''t falter because this is my way of fighting.


    If I''m going to die, I want to die falling forward.


    That''s how a man should die.


    But nature is so unforgiving, and people are so puny inparison. This is a sobering experience. If I make it back alive, it will definitely serve me well in future.


    Yes.


    If I can survive this, I believe that it will be a good experience.


    My chances are pretty bleak though.


    ��I really�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I can''t find Neomia.


    It''s just an endless expanse of white wherever I look. I''ve lost my bearings.


    That��s not good.


    My right leg has also stopped working. My left foot, which I had been putting all my weight on, is bent in a weird way. It''s frozen so I can''t be sure if the bones are just broken orpletely shattered.


    I slumped into the heavy snow and was enveloped in a reassuring warmth.


    Even so,


    I crawled forward, wing at the snow with my right hand, which was still clutching my sword. I looked nkly at my hand and saw that my nails had grown abnormally thick and were bulging out like ws.


    Oh, I was right.


    On the verge of death, my mind bes clear.


    I now understand the mechanism behind the Endguard.


    This entire field of snow is a seedbed for wolves. It''s a system where you be one of them whether you die or are killed. How ironic it is that they''re called the warriors of the end(dead)[1]. Bastards.


    I can nullify it using Misuranika-sama''s power, but her power is neitherplete nor evesting. Right now, it''s just the nails on my right hand, but it''s only a matter of time. I too will be a single white wolf. Or maybe a wandering beast-headed monster, I suppose.


    It''s not exactly something I canugh about.


    Although my brain still works, I can no longer move a single muscle in my body.


    Is this the end for me? This is the worst and most malicious death I could have ever imagined. I suppose this is what I get for trampling on the wishes and concerns of others.


    I''m starting to have trouble thinking straight.


    I desperately opened my eyes wide and stared at the snow. But my resistance was futile. My eyelids fell shut, and white turned to darkness.


    A deep andfortable sleep, the sleep demon that heralds the end, ising.


    I��m powerless to resist it.


    My body has stopped listening to my will, and even my consciousness is trying to drift far away.


    I want to go back.


    Even so, I wish with all my heart that I can go back.


    To those girls, but Maria�D�D�D�D�D�D


    I couldn''t care less about a trivial thing like that.


    My consciousness drifted away.


    To a ce I can never go back to.


    [1] They��re called ��Endguard��, which is written in ��English��, but you can see how it��s just abination of End and Guard. So they can be considered guards/guardians/warriors of End/the end. ��End/the end�� also being a reference to death, since death is the end of all living things. And as you can see, that reference is also used all over this chapter. Hence tldr: Their name Endguard can be taken as ��warriors of the dead��, which is what they are as the wolves are all dead people.


    Now you know how the prologue came to be! It felt really cool to me when I recognized it as I was reading.


    Barfuru also mentioned it in the previous chapter, but yeah, those wolves are the Endguard. But somehow, aren��t some things not lining up? Wait, who was it that Souya got most of the info he knows about the Endguard from again? Huh, interesting, isn��t it? I remind you again that everything is from Souya��s perspective and what he thinks is the truth may not necessarily be true at all. This is the trickiest part of the unreliable narrator style, and it��s something I think this author is simply amazing at.


    Oh, by the way, I know that ��the fire inside me�� is much more natural, but just let this one slip by this time, okay? (~_^)


    Still, what a cliffhanger, huh?! Thest sentence is so ominous! And who was it who found Souya there at the end?! And the plot is going to barrel forward at breakneck speed next chapter. So stay tuned!!!

 Chapter 129: To The Capital Of Ice And Death IV

    <h4>Chapter 129: To The Capital Of Ice And Death IV</h4>


    I was awakened by the sensation of a foreign object being removed from my body. My consciousness was still hazy, like I was only half awake.


    To tell the truth, I can''t tell if I''m awake, still dreaming, or hallucinating. I can''t tell the difference.


    I can hear the sound of metal nking against metal. It sounds familiar������it reminds me of the sound of surgical instruments. And then, there''s the constant howling of the snowstorm.


    But it''s warm. I can feel the warmth of other people''s bodies close by.


    Yet their voices sound distant.


    ���D�D�D�D�DWith that, most of his wounds have been closed. The frostbite has been treated and there is no longer any risk of gangrene. The fragments inside his eyeball have been removed, and the bones in his leg have been set. This means that we don''t have to worry about him needing a prosthetic eye and leg��


    ��Well, in a way, he''ll look pretty cool with them though��


    ��Considering the maintenance needed in the long run, living tissue is better��


    ��Are you sure? It''s more work for you, isn''t it?��


    ��I won''t do anything more than that though. I hope you''re not mistaking me for a workaholic��


    ��Wa, waka, what?��


    ��It means someone who''s addicted to work��


    ��Isn''t that exactly what you are?��


    ��No way��


    ��What are your interests?��


    ��It''s work��


    ��And, what is work to you?��


    ��Something I do for fun��


    ��There, aren''t I right?��


    ��������������No way��


    Who are they?


    I''ve heard those voices before. But I can''t make the connection.


    I opened my eyes groggily, but found them covered by bandages, and I could only see the silhouettes of the women. They were both snuggled up against me, keeping me warm.


    I felt a slight breeze on my cheek. It appeared that I was in a dugout in the snow.


    ��Oh, he''s awake��


    ��That was much sooner than I had expected. No, this must be the phenomenon where time flies when you''re having fun that Einstein talked about��


    ��Ein, who?��


    ��A person with high IQ��


    ��So he��s a person with a big head, huh?��


    ��You''re not wrong, but it feels like you''re taking it the wrong way��


    Who are you two?


    I tried to say, but nothing came out. I tried to move my body, but all I managed to do was raise one hand slightly.


    ��Listen to me carefully��


    That hand was taken.


    ��After this, you will need to fight. You''re physically exhausted, and while your wounds have been treated, they''re far from fully healed. Even so, you will need to spill more blood in battle. There is a girl waiting for you. And a home to return to������������You understand, right?��


    I couldn''t speak. So I squeezed her hand back.


    Strangely, I felt a little bit of strength well up inside me.


    ��That''s what I thought. That''s the kind of person you are, isn''t it? Now, I''m going to send you to the Garden of the Dead inside the royal castle of Neomia. Show this to the queen you will meet there��


    She closed my hand around something. It was pointed, like a thick nail or something.


    The other woman murmured softly.


    ��Did the egge first or the chicken? That is something that will y havoc with thew of cause and effect. Never part with it. No, it will likely never leave you. Much like the magic sword that has attached itself to you��


    ��The queen is ruthless, but she��s a reasonable person. If you show her that thing in your hand and offer to lend her your strength, she will also help you in return. Take advantage of this opportunity. You''ve always been good at negotiating under pressure, right?��


    I can''t even persuade a single child though.


    ��Also, don''t be too hard on that girl. She''ll learn her lesson from this and be more obedient in future��


    That would be great.


    I sincerely hope that''s true.


    ��What about you, ? Is there anything that you want to say to him?��


    Wait, what did you just say?


    No way. That''s a name that can''t possibly be here. Even if I misheard, it''s still noughing matter. Then, could it be that the other woman here is����


    My brain and consciousness were jolted.


    I nearly cked out.


    ��Listen to me��


    The other woman also took my hand.


    ��You will continue to be faced with many tribtions and hardships as you go forward. Some will be more painful than having your flesh ripped out, and some will be so horrible that you would rather forget about them. This is thest thing "we" can do. This is really thest time. We cannot help you ever again. But please don''t worry. You can ovee it all. You can fight it all. After all, you''re my�D�D�D�D�D��


    I was enveloped in light.


    The bandages slipped, and for a brief moment, I saw both of their faces.


    This may have been nothing more than a hallucination.


    Or maybe I''m just having a fleeting dream on the verge of death.


    Then, even if it was a dream, it must have been a part of reality.


    Clenching my teeth against the agonizing pain, I used Agathion, which was in my hand, as a support to stand up.


    I was weighed down by the sword on my back and the katana at my hip, my cloak and clothes were in tatters, and blood was seeping from my wounds, but I was still alive and kicking. The blurred vision in both my eyes gradually cleared.


    The ce called the Garden of the Dead was a greenhouse.


    It was warm, and snow had piled up on its ss ceiling. The garden was filled with flowers that looked as translucent as crystal. When I touched the petals of one of the flowers with my fingers, I was greeted by a mineral-like texture.


    These flowers look familiar.


    They resemble the crystalline spear made using Gunmerry''s core. Could this maybe be its original form?


    ��To touch my prized possessions without permission, what a boorish visitor you are. Oh, but����Toto, is he a visitor, I wonder?��


    ��No, my princess. He''s just another suspicious person��


    ��Yes, that''s what I thought��


    In the middle of the garden, there was ady lounging on an opulent,fy-looking sofa and sipping tea.


    On the table beside her was a gorgeous tea set and many sugary pastries. Around her stood a group of pale-faced butlers and maids. They were of a wide variety of races, including Hemus, elves, beastkin, and a short race of people that I had never seen before.


    For all the expensive furniture, thedy''s attire was rather in. And very familiar.


    She wore a ck dress.


    It was sleeveless and had arge opening in the back. Her bare legs and exposed skin were as white as snow. She was toying with a pair of ck high heels with her toes.


    Her hair was red, as if covered in blood. She had a voluptuous body and her heavy breasts swayed with everynguid movement she made. She had the appearance of a tremendous beauty who ruined countries, and mysterious golden eyes that seemed to suck me in. From behind her thin lips, a tongue as red as fresh blood and her long canine teeth peeked out.


    ��Kill him and feed him to the wolves��


    She issued such an order.


    The butlers and maids leaped into action as one. They moved at a speed that differed from the wolves'' as they had the finesse and skill of humans. The only thing that was the same was that their weapons were ws and fangs.


    ��Don''t just kill me, for crying out loud��


    I let go, and the magic sword flew into motion.


    I performed the backhanded iai-draw technique that I had grasped the knack of. I pulled the sword on my back out halfway and used it to block.


    With three des, I stopped all of the vampires'' attacks.


    The impact and the pressure drove the grogginess out of my bodypletely.


    ��I apologize for my sudden visit. I have something very interesting to discuss with you��


    The long nails and the des creaked as they strained against one another.


    For a brief time, I was able to match their strength.


    ��Toto, what do you think?��


    ��He''s a swordsman of some skill, it seems. That magic sword, it reeks of beastkin blood. How very curious��


    There was one particr maid who hadn''t joined the fight. She was a cat beastkin with chestnut-brown hair. Her hair was long and wavy, and she looked very much like someone I knew.


    But in that moment, I couldn''t quite take the time to figure out the connection.


    ��My princess, I believe it won''t be toote to kill him after hearing what he has to say��


    ��What do you want to bet on that?��


    ��My head��


    ��Then I''ll hear what he has to say��


    Thedy looked amused as she shifted her body and turned to me with a coquettish look in her eyes.


    ��You, the dirty little swordsman there. My favorite is betting her head on you. Do your best to entertain me. If what you say is boring, I''ll skin you alive and make you live like that for a hundred years��


    Judging from the fact that she hadn''t ordered the vampires to back off, she was clearly not joking.


    Even if it''s with a beautiful woman, that kind of y is a bit too much for me.


    I opened the hand gripping the handle of the sword on my back to reveal what I had in it.


    It was a fang.


    Arge fang.


    I had no idea where it hade from. Those women had said to show it to her and I trusted them, so I did as they said and showed the fang to thedy.


    ��A vermin should have made its way into this city of Neomia. Just for you, I''ll be happy to exterminate it at a discounted price��


    ��A vermin? Are you talking about the dog wandering around the city? Or do you mean the rat scurrying about the castle?��


    She probably means Barfuru when she was talking about the dog. Then is the rat Maria? Did she manage to escape from Barfuru? If so, that''s a relief, but I wish she had the sense to flee to my side right away.


    ��My princess, this one appears to be an adventurer. He possesses a regeneration point��


    ��Houma''s blood substitution technique? The grave robbers are still using that magic, huh? Yuck, how barbaric��


    That''s riching from a person who just talked about skinning someone alive.


    ��Adventurers will do anything for a price. I believe they can be trusted so long as we aren''t stingy��


    ��Trusting the descendants of grave robbers������Well well, how interesting��


    I can''t figure out thisdy��s criteria for what''s interesting.


    So, what now? Am I making progress? Are things starting to look up?


    ��Oh? Now that I''ve taken a closer look, that fang��������


    Thedy finally showed some interest in the fang in my hand.


    ��I can smell the familiar stench of abominable blood from it. Incidentally, from your body, your sword, and even your soul, I smell the scent of blood most unclean. ������Exin. Depending on your answer��������


    ��Urgh��


    ��Lower yourself to the ground like a frog��


    The standoff came to an abrupt end as I was forced down. I was nearly crushed by the increased pressure from the vampires. I dropped to one knee and held on.


    Do I tell the truth or not? Is this someone I can fool? Probably not.


    ��Agathion, send them flying��


    The magic sword roared into action.


    Four vampires were blown away. The moment they were about tond on the flowers, they, both male and female, transformed into ck mist, then returned to human form and stood beside thedy with calm expressions.


    That bastard Barfuru. Isn''t the information that he told mepletely wrong? I won''t trust anything I hear from him anymore.


    ��Agathion. I''ve heard that name before. If I recall correctly, it''s one of the three swords Ardi wielded��


    Thedy''s interest seemed to have been further piqued.


    Three-Swords Ardi was one of the Vindoobunikuru. So, Agathion was also one of his swords, just like Shuna''s Star''s Child. It''s strange how I have such a connection with him.


    ��This magic sword was seized from the beast hunter hero, Varner Kalbezzo��


    ��Varner? I''ve never heard of this hero. His name sounds like that of a roadside stone��


    I think that metaphor is a bit harsh.


    Next, I showed her the sword that I had used to fend off the enemies behind me.


    ��This famed sword belonged to Zamonss, the Scarlet Knight��������


    My words caught in my throat.


    But I spoke the truth.


    ��������and is something I seized along with his sword techniques��


    ��Zamonss������������that''s a tad interesting. You''ve killed a man with a name simr to my mortal enemy''s��


    A simr name? What do you mean?


    No, leave that forter.


    ��In other words, I''m an enemy of Elysium. I''ve made myself stronger by seizing things from them over and over again��


    ��In front of me��������


    Thedy suddenly flipped out and bared her fangs threateningly at me.


    ��������how dare you bring up the name of Elysium, you fool!��


    I was surprised, but didn''t let myself get overwhelmed. I made my mind into a cold de.


    ��I have no interest in what happened between you and Elysium. You asked me to exin, so I told you a secret I had intended to take to my grave. If your thanks for that is anger, I''ll reciprocate with all my might��


    I wasn''t putting up a front.


    I directed at her a deadly serious intent to kill.


    ��What a barbaric man you are. Can''t you even shrug off a woman''s temper? Good grief��


    Thedy recovered her poise quickly and shrugged off the whole affair.


    The maid called Toto remarked bluntly.


    ��My princess, I''m sure that this one has never known a woman. From the looks of him, he seems to be a man with a small caliber. I believe he''s not the kind of person who would attract those of the opposite sex��


    ��So I guess you''re a virgin, huh?��


    ��I''m not. I have a wife��


    I''m married, for crying out loud! Recently, we''ve been so happy together that I''ve almost forgotten that our marriage was pretend!


    ��Pfft. Is, is that right? You''re a married man, huh? I guess I should at least ask. What''s she like?��


    Thedy asked while holding in herughter.


    Eh, could it be that she thinks I''m delusional or something?


    ��They''re not as big as yours, but she''s got big boobs, is short in spite of that, looks as cute as that maid over there, is an elf, and a former princess��


    ��Kuh, pfft, hahahahahahahaha!��


    After holding it in for a brief moment, thedy burst outughing. The sound of herughter filled the garden.


    Unable to stand it, she pulled Toto closer and started fondling her breasts for some reason.


    ��To think that this is the kind of nonsense youe up with in desperation when faced with my majestic presence. How very amusing. I haven''tughed this much in 500 years. Phew������������I feel great. I''m going to sleep��


    ��Haa?��


    After releasing Toto, thedyid down on the sofa to sleep.


    The other vampires, who had retreated, went to get her a nket and some pillows so that she could sleep better.


    ����������������


    I was suddenly left standing there, ignored.


    ��Umm, excuse me������


    In a lot of ways, what the heck is going on?


    ��Come with me. I''ll show you around the castle��


    Toto walked up to me and motioned for me to leave the garden. I had no choice but to follow her.


    I found myself in a long corridor. It was lined with red curtains, the floor was marble, and the asional furnishings I saw were undoubtedly expensive.


    Compared to this, Lemuria''s royal castle seemed no better than a hovel.


    ��Don''t worry. The princess will likely request that you exterminate the vermin��


    ��Then why doesn''t she do that right away?��


    I mean, I really can''t grasp the logic behind going to sleep all of a sudden.


    ��It��s quite unbing for a noble, especially one of the prestigious and distinguished nobles of ice, to enter into a contract with an unannounced visitor. The request and contract must be discussed in a more formal setting at ater date. It may seem old-fashioned to an outsider like you, but this is how it is here. Please just go along with it��


    ��Understood��


    When in Rome, do as the Romans do.


    Toto took a moment to look me over, then remarked.


    ��Now, please take a bath first. You look just like a gutter rat��


    I know what you��re thinking. That Dues ex Machina-like part is so unexpected from this author who writes such intricate and long plot lines. I actually had a looong essay exining this, but I thought better of it. I��ll just say this, I thought the same the first time I read it and I was so disappointed, but man oh man, believe me when I say that this is no Dues ex Machina but nned and foreshadowed from a long time ago. It��s gonna take a while before you get to see the evidence of that though.


    As for the actual contents of the chapter itself, can you guess who those two are from the contents of the conversation? It��s really interesting and you��ll learn the answer surprisingly soon too!


    And there are a few interesting new characters! There are many things about them that sound really familiar, aren��t there? By the way, thatdy speaks in the same archaic speech that I mentioned before, the one Maria, Misuranika, and the dragon uses, though the maid does not. The design of her dress is really familiar too, isn��t it? Is this a hint to Misuranika��s origins? I mean, other than the red hair, almost every descriptor of thatdy is simr to Misuranika��s����


    And I��ve brought it up several times, but Souya just seems to have a connection to Ardi, doesn��t he? From the fact that Agathion was his sword, we can probably surmise that he fights with 2 swords plus a flying magic sword, which reminds us of how a certain someone fights, doesn��t it? What could this mean?


    Oh and just in case, the woman said ��workaholic�� in English, hence the confusion from the other woman who didn��t know what that word means. There��s the reference to Einstein too, so yeah, that woman possesses knowledge from the modern world. And yes, Einstein is known to have a big head, in every respect of the word, which is the joke of course.


    One more chapter till this arc ends! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 130: To The Capital Of Ice And Death V

    <h4>Chapter 130: To The Capital Of Ice And Death V</h4>


    I was shown not to a guest room, but to Toto''s private chambers.


    It was a bit messy, with clothes that had been taken off strewn all over.


    Even though it was a maid''s private chambers, it wasrger than the rooms of the finest inns in Lemuria. It was just a tiny little bit bigger than the floor area of the home I had acquired recently.


    Really, it��s just by a tiny little bit.


    Though I didn''t see anything expensive, it had everything needed for daily life. A small kitchen. A sofa. A table and chairs. A firece that was lit by some kind of glowing ore.


    ��The two rooms in this corner are the toilet and the bathroom. The room across from them is my bedroom, so don''t go in there. The room in the back is the guest bedroom��


    ��Understood��


    The snowstorm was still blowing, so it was dark outside the window.


    That made me wonder what time it was, but my trusty cheap watch was busted.


    Its LCD had cracked after taking a hit from a wolf''s w.


    I wonder if Makina can fix it? Even though it''s a cheap watch, I''m quite fond of it. Plus, it would be troublesome if I couldn''t tell the time.


    ��I��ll wash your clothes at the same time, so please go into the bathroom without taking them off��


    ��Okay��


    I was thrown into the bathroom right away.


    It was a very basic bathroom, with just a bathtub and a washbasin. There was a drainage grate under the bathtub and a water pipe above it.


    ��If you pull that cord there, warm water wille out. Don''t pull too hard or you''ll drown��


    ��Got it��


    That''s amazing. To think that there''s even hot water, there''s got to be a limit to how luxurious private chambers can be.


    It''s so advanced even though it''s the capital of vampires. ������������Could it be that this is for them to clean themselves off after getting bathed in blood?


    ��Come on, hurry up and take those rags off��


    ��Eh��


    Getting naked in front of a woman I don''t know is a bit����


    ��Come on��


    She exhibited absolutely no interest or embarrassment. I was quickly stripped of my clothes and kicked into the empty bathtub. The feel of the cold ceramic gave me goosebumps.


    I hurriedly pulled the cord and arge amount of hot water came pouring down from the water pipe.


    ��Oh, you only need to pull it very lightly��


    ��������Please say that earlier��


    I had nearly drowned.


    ��Ooooh��


    The hot water stung my wounds, but it still felt good.


    I looked at my own skin and saw scars that looked like burn marks in various ces. My brain hurt as the gathered memories of the wolves shed through my mind.


    I will likely be unable to keep a dog as a pet anymore. But I wonder if I''ll still be alright with Shiba Inus.


    Remembering it suddenly, I checked my right arm.


    It was scarred, but it looked just like a normal right arm. There were no ws and no animal fur. It appeared that the transformation into a beast had been staved off.


    More and more, I find myself d that I contracted with Misuranika-sama. If I didn''t have the power to nullify curses, my adventuring would havee to an early end long ago.


    It''s just����


    ording to the dragon-yer god, people are influenced by the fate of their gods. Then, I wonder if it''s disrespectful to think, "Is that why I��ve been dragged into all those battles so far?"


    I''m probably reading too much into it.


    ��What an unusual fabric. Is this stuff popr out there?��


    ����������������


    Toto was washing my clothes in a wooden tub.


    Right next to the bathtub.


    I just wish she would show a modicum of embarrassment in the face of a naked man. Or is it that she simply doesn''t see me as a man?


    ��I''m a foreigner. "Out there" is out of this world to me��


    ��Everything outside of Neomia is all the same. Be it out of this world or just a neighboring country, it''s all "out there" to me��


    Soap and a sponge on a stick were tossed to me.


    I added more hot water and began to wash myself. The blood that had hardened all over my body dissolved into the hot water. It urred to me that the sight of the blood might cause Toto to attack me.


    I looked at her with trepidation, but she was still washing my clothes impassively.


    ��You may be a foreigner, but you''re still an adventurer, so you must be affiliated with some country''s Adventurers'' Guild. Which country is that?��


    ��Lemuria��


    ��Lemuria? Forgive me, I''ve never heard of it before. Is it on the center or the left continent?��


    ��It''s on this right continent. It''s south of Neomia��


    ��Wait, is it a country formed by Rossian survivors? That would exin why you''re here��


    ��No no. Even further south��


    ��Further south of Rossian? Oh, you must mean Beliale. I��ve heard that they make ves work as adventurers in that country. I see������that exins the rags you wear��


    Certainly, Lemuria was founded on thend where Beliale once stood, but what��s with the way this person is saying it? She''s talking as if time has stood still for 500 years. No, it��s as if this is 500 years ago.


    ��The portal is a manifestation of space-time travel. It��s no surprise then that there is a difference in the time��


    Those are the words of the oldest A.I. I''ve met.


    Blood drained from my face and I turned pale.


    ��Excuse me! What year is it now in the Elysium calendar?!��


    It has been 1240 years since the founding of Elysium.


    ��In the Neomia calendar, it''s the year ������. If I recall correctly, that makes it year ������ in the Elysium calendar��


    ��Huh?��


    ��������, I said. Did you get hot water in your ears or something?��


    ��I''m sorry. Say it one more time��


    ��Year ������ in the Elysium calendar��


    I can''t catch it.


    Only at the precise moment she says the number, something interferes and renders the word inaudible. Just the number alone is changed into an unrecognizable static-likenguage. Is something disrupting the trantion magic of Babel? This is the first time something like this has ever happened.


    ��Oh, err, sorry. Thank you very much��


    ��You''re a strange one��


    My head was spinning, but there was no point in panicking. So, even if it was only for show, I put on a calm face.


    I felt some kind of mmy, unpleasant presence. Something like arge wriggling snake. It gave me the impression that even if I wanted to escape, I was already entangled in it.


    And then.


    I heard sounds from outside the bathroom.


    "Toto, Toto," a young voice called out.


    ��I see that you''re back. I''m starving��


    The door to the bathroom was opened unceremoniously.


    In the doorway stood a young, dark-skinned elf.


    ����������������


    We stared at each other.


    ��You''re supposed to be in hiding. Please exercise a little more caution��


    ��Souya!��


    Maria leaped into the bathtub with her clothes on.


    ��I thought you were dead! Both Yukikaze and mymunication device stopped working! I was able to get in, but I couldn''t teleport out of the castle! Do you have any idea how worried I was?��


    At the sound of Maria''s voice, I felt anger rising in me.


    ��You know, this is all because you followed me here! If you had just gone home like I told you to, everything would have been fine!��


    ��That has got nothing to do with this!��


    ��Like hell! That has everything to do with this!��


    Maria was shutting her eyes to her own faults.


    ��Quiet, you two. If the princess finds out, my head will roll. And you''ll both be subjected to horrible torture��


    ����������������


    We shut up.


    For a moment there, I had forgotten that I was in such a dangerous ce.


    ��Souya, are you hurt?��


    Maria touched the w scar on my cheek.


    I had simr-looking scars all over my body.


    ��My wounds have been treated already. Once I get some food and sleep, they''ll heal up. What about you? Are you hurt?��


    I pushed back her wet ck hair and took a good look at her face.


    ��I told you, didn''t I? That I''m the fastest in the world at escaping. As soon as I regained consciousness, I kicked that beast-head in the face, then teleported away��


    ��Speaking of which, what was it that you fought against?��


    Toto looked at me curiously.


    ��Do you need to ask? The wolves outside the castle, of course��


    ��You fought against the magic of the Endguard? You''re a strange one indeed. Most people would have died��


    ��No, I did very nearly die��


    I won''t say anything about the two people who saved me. I don''t know how trustworthy Toto is. Besides, there are just too many things that I don''t know about those two.


    It''s the same for Barfuru.


    The story about the Endguard''s fight that he told me in the past. The one where the warriors took on the form of beasts and defeated the king of vampires.


    As it turns out, that''splete bullshit. The Endguard is not a group of warriors. It''s a system involving a curse. And even though the king of vampires has been defeated, the queen is still living a carefree life.


    Or rather����


    There''s something more important.


    ��Maria, why are you here?��


    ��Toto''s been helping me stay hidden��


    ��I caught her nibbling on some cheese in the pantry. I''ve never kept one, so I thought that if I fed her, I might get to keep her��


    It feels like she��s talking about a pet.


    ��Toto is pretty nice to me. She smells a lot like Lanseal��


    ��Is that so? I''ve never raised kids before, so I was afraid I might be doing it all wrong��


    So she��s never had a child, huh? Then I guess it''s just a coincidence that she looks a lot like Tyutyu. I suppose this is that thing where there are at least 7 other people who look like you in the world.


    Anyway, it''s great that I managed to reunite with Maria. All we need to do now is to escape the castle and teleport away using Maria''s power.


    To tell the truth, I want to defeat Barfuru by myself, but it would be a wiser move to ask for help from Lemuria. I still haven''t figured out his true intentions, but a betrayal is a betrayal.


    His reasons don''t matter.


    The only problem is that the situation here in Neomia is very different from what I''ve heard. Since Barfuru was the source of the information, it could be that the vampire attack in Rossian was his doing. No, maybe thedy was behind it. There are too many things that I don''t know. If I make a hasty decision, it can prove fatal. So I''m putting everything on hold.


    ��Hmm, Maria?��


    She had gone limp with her head resting on my shoulder.


    I tapped her cheek lightly, but there was no response. Then, I noticed the slow breathing of sleep.


    ��She probably fell asleep because she felt safe atst. I had thought that she had grown attached to me, but it seems that she never really let her guard down in the end. Hmm������for some reason, I''m feeling extraordinarily angry��


    "Give her to me," Toto said, thrusting out both her hands.


    I hesitated for a moment, but decided to take advantage of her for now.


    Toto stripped off Maria''s wet clothes and carried her out of the bathroom. I added more hot water then scrubbed myself while trying not to aggravate my wounds.


    Maybe it was because I felt relieved, but I also found myself getting extremely sleepy.


    ��Here''s a change of clothes��


    Toto poked half her body back into the bathroom and threw down a change of clothes and a towel.


    After I had washed, wiped myself dry, and changed my clothes, I exited the bathroom.


    ��Are you hungry?��


    ��Umm, a little��


    ��Then just bear with it��


    Who the heck answers like that?!


    ��Adventurer, you should sleep for now. The princess is a capricious person. If you want to keep up with her, you will first need to regain your strength��


    I was shown to the bedroom, where I found Maria already sleeping in the bed.


    She was dressed in a nightgown that made her look like a teru teru bozu[1].


    ��Let me ask you one thing. Since the two of you are lovers, do you get off on this young body night after night?��


    ��I don''t. She considers herself my wife, but to me, she''s more like a difficult daughter��


    ��There are parents whoy their hands on their daughters though?��


    ��I have zero interest in doing that��


    ��Then you can sleep here with her. I''ll put away the bed I had prepared for you outdoors��


    I''ll freeze to death if you make me sleep outside, you know?


    Toto retrieved a pillow from outside the window.


    ��Good night. Sweet dreams��


    ��Thank you��


    The pillow was really cold. It was just short of being frozen.


    The lights were extinguished and the door was closed quietly. There was barely any lighting in from the outside. When I shut my eyes, I couldn''t sense any light at all.


    When I got into the bed, Maria naturally reached out and hugged me.


    I stroked her hair and put my lips to her forehead, and a strange feeling came over me.


    It''s an emotion I don''t know the name of.


    ��Hey, Maria, when you grow up, you��re gonna have big boobs, you know?��


    After whispering that to her as she slept, I too fell into a deep sleep.


    This time, it was my turn to snuggle up against her.


    [1] A teru teru bozu is a kind of doll made simply with tissues or white cloth. It��s said that hanging one from the eaves will cause the rain to stop or make the weather clear the next day. It��s an old custom done by children especially when they��re looking forward to a special event like a field trip the next day. (pic courtesy of gimon-answer)


    That reveal at the end. I��m sure you��ve guessed it, but Souya knows that because he has seen the grown-up Maria before. I don��t need to tell you when, right? I mean, if you read thest chapter carefully, you��ll realize that she used a portal to send Souya into the castle after all.


    It��s already been brought up a couple of times that portals are able to transcend not only space but time as well. And with this, I can finally tell you something that I��ve wanted to for the longest time: This is the singrly most unique story with time travel that I have ever read! Because it is one in which time travel ys an important part in the plot yet is never ever abused.


    I love Toto��s personality so much lmao. You hungry? A little? Then suck it up. XD And she��s always tossing or throwing things. And you realize that ��the bed she prepared�� was just a pillow outside the window, right? She cracks me up so much. And yes, ��Toto�� is the name of Tyutyu��s mother, as those who have gone back to check must have realized. So is this Toto Tyutyu��s mum or not? I��ll mention that never having raised a child =/= never had a child though, so is this a mistaken assumption Souya made? Or�� By the way, if you find it weird that she makes this request: ��please go into the bathroom without taking them off��, it��s because Japanese people typically take off their clothes in an area outside of the bathroom and not inside the bathroom itself.


    With that, this arc hase to a heartwarming end. What��s next? 2 more arcs to go! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 131: The Neomia Of Delusion I

    <h4>Chapter 131: The Neomia Of Delusion I</h4>


    From a deep, sound sleep, I was kicked awake.


    ��The princess will be seeing you now. As quickly as possible, get yourself ready and do your best to make your appearance as presentable as you can��


    ��������������Got it��


    I pulled the covers back over Maria and got out of the bed.


    We had separated from each other in our sleep. Somehow, I had the feeling that this was what it was like to raise a child.


    I took another bath and prepared myself the best I could. That said, there wasn''t really anything out of the ordinary that I could do.


    I put on the change of clothes that had been left for me in the bathroom.


    The clothes looked like old-fashioned western clothing. They consisted of a pair of faded red pants, a belt with many sps, a subdued ck shirt, and a leather vest that had seen better days. However, the inside of the vest was lined with thin tes of metal. It was also made to amodate a sheath on the back. There were other small defensive measures that had been incorporated in ways that wouldn''t impede movement as well.


    ��This is how the adventurers of Neomia dress. After the dungeon was sealed, the adventurers all went to Rossian, and I have no idea where they went after it perished��


    Toto showed up with my cloak in hand.


    For the record, she hadn''t knocked.


    ��I was thinking of mending it, but I found that it had already mended itself. What a creepy cloak��


    ��It''s been covered in dragon blood, you see?��


    ��I see. But please don''t ever bring that up in front of the princess. You''ll get yourself beheaded��


    Does thedy have some kind of connection to dragons? For now����


    ��Understood��


    ����I''ll just leave it at that.


    When I took the cloak from Toto, I noticed that sps had been added to the inside of it. I used them to affix the cloak to the shoulder of my vest. When I tried moving my arm around a little, the cloak fluttered wildly as it followed the motion of my arm.


    I see, the sps are for more than simply securing it in ce. They are also a mechanism to hide the path of my sword.


    The movements of the shoulder are crucial in any sword fight. Whether or not one hides them from view makes a huge difference in a fight against human opponents. If I use the fluttering of the cloak to hide my movements, my opponents will have a hard time discerning my attacks from my feints. This is a very handy mechanism for a swordsman like me who relies on cheap tricks.


    ��I''ll keep your swords until the audience is over. I''ll also wrap that moving magic sword up in chains��


    I handed my katana, sword, and magic sword to Toto. Together, they weighed quite a bit, but she carried them easily in one hand.


    Just the karambit alone, I slid unseen into my vest.


    ��Yourntern seems to be broken, so should I get you a new one? In the first ce, how do you put the ore or fire in this one?��


    Toto poked Yukikaze, which was dangling from her hand.


    ��Give it back. It''s something very important to me��


    ��To find a broken tool important, what a hard life you must have led��


    I snatched the mini-pod back and checked it. I signaled it by tapping it with my finger, but there was no response. I turned my back to Toto and tried talking to it, but there was still no response.


    All its moving parts had locked in ce and wouldn''t budge. There was no sign of any damage on its exterior.


    Does this mean that the aqueous brain has gotten damaged from being frozen? As ayman, it''s hard for me to say. There''s a chance that anything I try could make things worse, so I have no choice but to preserve it in its current state and show it to Makinater.


    I''ll leave Yukikaze with Maria, but for the other thing������������


    ��Excuse me, Toto-san. Where��s the rest of my stuff?��


    ��Everything that I found in your clothes is in that basket over there��


    The basket she was pointing to was about half the size of a basketball. It definitely wasn''t big enough to hold that.


    ��Is that all of it?��


    ��Yes, that��s all of it��


    ��Was there a bow?��


    ��A bow? I didn''t see anything like that on you when you appeared all of a sudden��


    I don''t remember using it when I fought the wolves.


    It didn''t seem like the women who had saved me had retrieved it.


    So it must be buried somewhere in that field of snow. In the end, what''s the deal with that bow, I wonder?


    ��And don''t forget this��


    Toto pulled out a ck top hat. It was clean, but had also seen better days.


    ��The princess seems to dislike your eyes. So make sure you hide them��


    I have the same golden eyes as thedy.


    Wait a minute������������something''s not right.


    ��Golden-eyed beast. That��s the general term for the annihted heroes who wiped out the vampires that emerged from Neomia, the capital of ice in the north of the continent��


    I tried desperately to recall what the Demon Lord had said to me in the past.


    ��In the ancient words, the warriors of the end, the Endguard, followers of the moon of misfortune��


    Did the Demon Lord also get fooled by the information that Barfuru spread? No, wait, there''s something more important.


    Golden eyes.


    Why didn''t I notice it until now?


    That bastard Barfuru has gray eyes. Not golden eyes. The Demon Lord is a discerning person. She''s not the kind of person who would share lies and misinformation with others. So, was she duped into believing false information too?


    I don''t know.


    There are too many things that I don''t know.


    When I fought Elysium''s beast, I had felt the power of the Lycans through the bow. If it weren''t for Misuranika-sama''s power, I might have turned into a half-beast.


    Barfuru had mentioned before that Lycan armaments were crafted from Lycan bodies.


    But when he speaks of Lycans, is he referring to the white wolves? Assuming that to be the case, there''s one thing that doesn''t make sense.


    The power of the Lycans was clearly hostile towards the beasts of abominable blood. The same as thedy.


    Why? How did the wolves of Endguard even know about Elysium? What happened between the princess of Neomia and Elysium? There are so many things that I can''t find answers to just from what Barfuru told me.


    ��What is it?��


    A pair of red eyes peered at me.


    Thedy''s attendants all have red eyes, which I suppose is very vampire-like.


    I''m feeling so confused.


    ��No, it''s just����I''m just a little overwhelmed by the whole situation��


    ��Well, from our perspective, you''re the one who��s enigmatic and hard to understand though��


    ��That''s true��


    I put on the top hat. Does it look good on me, I wondered.


    Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw a vampire who had seen better days.


    ��Well, it''s passable, I suppose. I can''t do much more with the limitations of what I have to work with��


    ��Indeed��


    Lastly, I hung the containers of the regeneration point around my neck. There were red and blue liquid floating in the containers. That meant that there were Shogaku stones or some other simr substance in this ce.


    Toto and I left the bathroom and checked on Maria. She seemed to be fast asleep.


    She''ll probably feel lonely when she wakes up and finds herself all alone. However, I have no choice but to leave her here for the time being.


    ��Are you ready?��


    ��Let��s go��


    As an adventurer should, I plunged into the unknown.


    After leaving the room, Toto and I walked down a long, cold corridor.


    Through the windows, I saw that the snowstorm was still going on outside.


    There was not a single soul in sight.


    This ce doesn��t have a lived-in feel. Or maybe it''s more appropriate to say that it''s devoid of life. I feel as if I��m in a castle where only the people have suddenly disappeared. My footsteps seem to echo endlessly into the distance.


    There��s one thing that bothers me.


    Toto''s room is on the second floor of the castle, and for some reason, we''re currently heading downwards.


    Normally, audience rooms are located at the top of castles.


    My bad feeling turned into apprehension when we stopped in front of stairs leading underground.


    ��Go ahead��


    Toto took out antern and urged me to go ahead of her.


    The stairs looked familiar to me.


    They were the wide stairs that led down into dungeons. They closely resembled the ones in the catbs and the Odoriji spire.


    We descended into the depths of darkness.


    From diagonally behind me, Toto illuminated the steps near my feet.


    ��Could it be that this ce is some sort of dungeon?��


    ��That''s right, this castle was built on top of a dungeon. In Neomia, being an adventurer was a noble calling, something that honored their lineage. The clothes I lent you were originally adorned with jewelry. I removed them because they don''t suit you though��


    ��I won''t deny that��


    That sounds quite different from the adventurers I know.


    After descending the long, long set of stairs, I found myself in a passageway with no discernible end. Large reliefs adorned the floor here and there.


    ��Is it alright to step on these?��


    They were chipped and damaged in some spots, but the reliefs were intricately carved likenesses of people.


    Do they have some sort of cultural significance, I wonder? Will they get upset if I damage them?


    ��Do as you like. I step on them all the time��


    Toto held up thentern and went on ahead.


    I stepped unceremoniously on the reliefs. They were all people I didn''t know, so stepping on them didn''t bother me. Besides, it was dark at the edges of the passageway and I didn''t want to risk tripping over something.


    The first eight reliefs were all of men.


    I came upon one final relief with a smashed face. I could tell from the breasts that it was a woman, but why only this one?


    The light suddenly went out and I couldn''t see anything.


    ��������Toto-san?��


    I was used to being in the dark.


    Instead of moving blindly, I waited for my eyes to adjust.


    I felt presences lurking in the darkness.


    They didn''t seem hostile, but I couldn''t grasp their exact numbers.


    Vaguely, I started to make out the outlines of two people standing in front of me. At the same time����


    ��Adventurer from a foreignnd. Name yourself��


    ����a coquettish voice rang out.


    ��I''m Souya of Lemuria��


    It''s probably best not to use my borrowed name here.


    ��I��m a descendant of Rossian''s Fon the blue throne, daughter of Ryubel the half-dragon. And I''m the consort of Neomia''sst king, Nerapthis?Bau?Mitera?Neomia.


    My enemies call me the goddess of the moon of misfortune.


    My people call me the apostle of the moon of misfortune.


    I have no words to describe myself. Therefore, I shall not speak my true name. Princess,dy, noble of ice, forgotten one. Call me whatever you wish. And the only ones who bring me sce are the vampires who have been sanctified through holymunion��


    Toto lit a candle on a candlestick.


    The light it provided was much weaker than that of thentern. I wondered if there was some sort of ceremonial meaning behind it. In that light, I could only see the faces of the two of them.


    ��Souya, if you wish to show your respect to me, you must first kneel��


    I obeyed and knelt down.


    I debated over whether or not I should take off the top hat, but I was told that she disliked my eyes, so I decided not to.


    ��Very good. In the passageway that led to this ce, you stepped on the princes of Elysium without any hesitation. For now, that clears my suspicions��


    Oh, so those were treading pictures[1], huh?


    ��Souya, you''re aware of how rude it is for you to drop in unannounced, I presume?��


    ��Yes, please allow me to express my heartfelt apologies for my rudeness��


    ��I forgive you. I have no intention of prolonging this conversation over trivial matters. So, let''s get to the point��


    ��I came to thisnd of Neomia because of the machinations of a man named Barfuru. His goal is the elimination of all vampires. Mydy, you and all your attendants are in grave danger��


    I came here expecting to y vampires, but here I am, warning them instead.


    How ironic.


    ��We''re aware of the beast-headed man lurking in the city. He can''t be up to any good��


    Now, onto the meat of the matter.


    ��If you would allow me to use the great bell tower, the means by which I came to thisnd, I can return to Rossian and thene back with powerful allies��


    ��������Hmmm, I see��


    The only thing I care about right now is escaping from Neomia.


    All I need to do is report Barfuru''s misdeeds to King Lemuria, getpensation for damages, and have him exiled from the country.


    I can investigate his motives and the secrets of this ce at my leisure once we''re all safe.


    ��Souya, there''s a shady undertone to your words��


    I sensed some light behind me. Someone was approaching from the passageway I hade from.


    I could hear the sound of chains.


    ��Also, that''s no good, Toto. If you''re going to have a pet, you have to make sure it��s properly cored��


    A butler appeared holding a leash.


    The one in a cor and being pulled forward was Maria. She was blindfolded and gagged with straps of leather, and her hands were bound behind her back. Perhaps she had fallen, but her knees were bloody.


    ��������My princess, this is�D�D��


    Toto''s voice quivered.


    Without letting anyone see, I pulled out my karambit.


    ��I would have forgiven you if you''d just told me. It''s a shame��


    More vampires emerged from the darkness. They restrained Toto and forced her to her knees.


    The swords that she had been carrying ttered across the floor.


    One of them pulled Toto''s hair aside, exposing her neck.


    Another brandished a great axe meant for beheading.


    ��I hate secrets. Especially those kept by the people I love��


    Thedy snapped her fingers.


    The beheading axe fell.


    If I go for Maria first, I won''t make it.


    ��Agathion! Stop it!��


    Despite being wrapped up in chains, Agathion sent the vampire with the axe flying.


    The distance between us was eight meters.


    I closed that in the blink of an eye.


    Quickly, I picked up Zamonss'' sword. The magic sword had returned to my hand, but the chains around it were preventing me from using its edge.


    ��Don��t move��


    The vampire holding Maria held his fangs to her neck in warning.


    ��Don''t you move either��


    With my body as the bow and my arm as the string, I threw Zamonss'' sword at him.


    The famed sword plunged into the vampire''s forehead.


    Maria''s body trembled with fear.


    I ced the de of the karambit to thedy''s neck.


    ��Nobody move��


    I drew the de across the skin lightly and a bead of blood trickled down her pale neck.


    ��Toto, undo Maria''s restraints. And, if you could, show us the way out��


    ��What do you think, my princess?��


    ��Not bad. I would have preferred if he had used a smarter method though��


    Thedy seemed unperturbed even though there was a de to her neck.


    And for some reason, Toto seemed unperturbed as well.


    ��You pass, Souya. I''ll listen to what you have to say��


    ��������������What the heck?��


    I deted at thedy''s words.


    In other words����


    ��If you''re the kind of man who would abandon a woman in front of you, then there''s no need for me to even listen to you. Well, you were rough and there was no beauty in your actions, but you do seem to have some guts��


    ��Thank you��


    ����this was just a test.


    I found myself feeling intensely displeased. I especially didn��t like the way they used Maria.


    The vampire who was pierced through the forehead turned into mist and stood behind Maria once more. This time, he grabbed her around the neck.


    After exchanging stares with him, I removed the karambit from thedy''s neck.


    At the same time, he released the hand around Maria''s neck. He then took Maria with him and left. Seeing as he didn''t let her go at this juncture, that meant that she was a hostage after all.


    ��I''ll ce half my trust in you. The other half, along with that little girl, I''ll hold onto��


    She was ruthless, as they said she would be.


    ��Well then, everyone, let''s head back up. If we stay here too long, we might wake ��him�� up��


    Him? Who is she talking about?


    ��Wh������


    I got goosebumps.


    I hadn''t noticed it until that very moment. There were bells all around me. The countless bells were lined up in almost identical fashion to those in the catbs.


    Behind thedy,


    In other words, right beside me, was arge bell����


    ��Tch!��


    ����.and a sleeping dragon that was hugging it.


    Glowing with a bluish tint, even in the darkness, were the scales of Lord Blue-Scale, Ultrop?Oru?Rossian.


    [1] A treading picture, or fumi-e (̤�߽}, "stepping-on"+"picture") was a likeness of Jesus or Mary that the religious authorities of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan would make suspected Christians step on to prove that they were not members of that ouwed religion. Such a practice began with the persecution of Christians in Nagasaki in 1629. Their use was officially abandoned when ports opened to foreigners on 13 April 1856, but still remained in use until Christian teaching was ced under formal protection during the Meiji period.


    Drat, so that��s where the ��warriors of the end�� phrase hade from��I had tranted it as ��guardians of the end�� as that made more sense back then, so that��s why I didn��t notice the phrase had been said by the Demon King��Anyway, I��ve revised it��


    Another important note, the ��delusion�� in the title ��The Neomia Of Delusion�� can also mean ��obsession��, which I��m sure you remember is a huge theme of this story. Just keep that in mind. You��ll find out why I chose delusion over obsession before this volume ends, but ultimately, both meanings apply.


    By the way, Souya��s thought about how it was like raising a child is surprisingly deep. Before you know it, they��re all grown up and leaving the nest...


    And yes, Barfuru is not a Lycan at all. Souya points out every single person who has golden eyes, but the one guy who really should have them, he didn��t note anything. This is probably why there are zero illustrations of Barfuru. And when the manga came out, I was so looking forward to seeing what the artist would do about this.


    Eight men and one woman. Knowing that the men are the eight princes, you can guess who the defaced woman is, right? Also, thedy is the goddess of the moon of misfortune! And one of the names she suggested is ��forgotten one��, or in the ancient words, ��Misuranika������ By the way, Fon, Ryubel, and Mitera are all names that have appeared not too long ago and I��ve even made a passingment about how one of them is really interesting����You really can��t skip the small details with this author, you know? Finally, we may have be limatized to it as games often re-use assets and not think much of it as a result, but logically speaking, 3 dungeons in 3 different ces having very simr construction is really weird, is it?


    I think you can see where this is going. More secrets will be revealed in the next chapter! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 132: The Neomia Of Delusion II

    <h4>Chapter 132: The Neomia Of Delusion II</h4>


    We returned to the Garden.


    Thedyid back down on the same sofa that she had been in when I first saw her. The wall of guards around her was thicker than it had previously been though.


    That was probably due to the hostility I was exuding.


    Toto''s eyes met mine.


    For the briefest of moments, she gave me an apologetic look. That only made me even angrier.


    ��Well, where should I start? It''s quite the long and tedious story��


    Thedyzily took a pastry from the table beside her and ate it.


    ��Hmm, I suppose I should start with Lord Blue-Scale. Do you know how Rossian came to its demise?��


    ��All I know is that Rossian was founded by that dragon��


    Barfuru had said that no one knew the reason for its demise. I had naturally assumed that it was because the dragon died. But Lord Blue-Scale is sleeping right here.


    ��If I were to recount the glory of Rossian, many nights would be required. But if I were to speak of its demise, one sentence would suffice. Rossian was founded by a dragon and perished at the hands of that same dragon��


    It''s said that dragons are immortal creatures.


    If there''s a reason for why a country founded by a dragon would perish, it would be due to something internal rather than external. In the long history of the modern world, the strongest countries have always tended to copse from within.


    ��It was caused by a single knight. A single terrifying man. In a sense, he single-handedly brought about the demise of Rossian��


    ��A knight?��


    Come to think of it, someone had called Barfuru a knight before.


    ��The heroes'' spearhead. That''s what Elysium calls those expendable knights. They''re people who toil in the shadows to bring glory unto others. Some do it to pay for their crimes, some to protect their family name, some to fulfill their duty, but whatever their reason, it''s always a dark one. That means that none of them are decent knights in any sense of the word��


    I feel a strange sense of sympathy towards them.


    ��That knight''s name is Deimos Zamongrea. And he��s the beast-headed man lurking in the city right now��


    Zamongrea, the heroes'' spearhead.


    Zamonss, the Scarlet Knight.


    Is the simrity a coincidence, or is it something else?


    ��Is that Barfuru''s name?��


    ��I''m sure of it. His blood smells the same��


    That bastard. So he��s actually a knight of Elysium, huh?


    Then, that beast-like appearance makes perfect sense. It''s a very simple connection to make. It''s so simple that it didn''t even ur to me to make it.


    No������that''s not it.


    Some part of me had refused to consider the possibility that Barfuru, the beast-like man who��s far too close with Tyutyu, could be an enemy.


    I should have known better than to trust someone so easily, but I had forgotten.


    ��Zamongrea was sent by Elysium to bring down Rossian. But you see, no knight, no matter how strong, can y a dragon. More than anything else, he himself understood that.


    So,


    What do you think he did?


    You see, that man, he''s an out-and-out killer. On top of that, he''s unscrupulous. He takes no pride in battle. He''s as far from a true knight as you can possibly imagine. Even the evil that Elysium dresses up with their sophistry of pride, justice, and holiness looks adorablepared to that man.


    He��s a knight deemed aberrant even among the most insidious of deceivers.


    You see, that man, he only kills those he��s capable of killing. So, he killed everyone he could.


    He killed everyone connected to Lord Blue-Scale. The entire royal line of Rossian, who had dragon blood in their veins.


    When the family that it had built up was ripped away, Lord Blue-Scale went mad.


    It thought that the people of Rossian, whom it loved, would all die in the same way. If that was the case, then it might as well������������end it all with its own hands��


    ��Something��s not right��


    I interrupted, a doubt nagging at me.


    ��What a boorish man you are��


    I ignored thedy''s rebuke.


    ��You''re still alive. You''re also a person with the blood of Rossian in your veins, right? Or is the name you gave a false one?��


    ��I am without a doubt a member of the royal line of Rossian. However, ever since I married into Neomia at the age of twelve, I have always considered this country to be my homnd��


    I have a theory.


    One that exins why thedy survived when the rest of her blood kin died.


    It would amount to an insult that would cost me my life if I was wrong, but I voiced it without hesitation.


    ��You helped Zamongrea in his murder of the royal line of Rossian, didn��t you?��


    ��Yes, I did��


    She replied bluntly.


    Thedy''s expression hadn''t so much as twitched and had remained perfectly natural.


    ��Rossian and Neomia were allied. But the rtionship between them was never a good one. It''s only natural. The founding of Rossian was brought about by the barbaric actions of Neomia. In Rossian, it was widely taught that Neomia was evil.


    I was born from the womb of my dead mother. To my father, I was the hateful child who killed my mother. To my family, I was a sinister blood kin of a dragon who was born bearing death. To top it off, I was born afflicted with a deadly disease.


    I was given in marriage to Neomia in order to die there. On the surface, it was to cement the alliance, but in truth, it was to give Rossian a justification for invading Neomia.


    The King of Neomia, Nerapthis-sama saw through their ploy.


    He was a wise, brave, and gentle man.


    He explored the depths of thisnd''s dungeon, found the holymunion, and used it to cure my illness. Saying that he did it to protect his country makes it sound so unromantic, but that was the type of love he had.


    In that brief window of happiness, Zamongrea appeared before me.


    ��Choose, lose your husband or abandon the family that abandoned you��


    That was the choice presented to me.


    I chose my husband. I sacrificed the family that had abandoned me. The dragon went mad, the country was destroyed, and������������that should have been the end of it. Laugh all you want at how simple-minded I was. I was but a child.


    The enraged dragon came to me, the only one still alive. After burning half of Neomia''snd in a frenzy of rage and destruction, the dragon issued me a warning.


    One year, two years and still, winter did not end. Snow and ice quietly killed the people. Spring of the fifth year came, but the snow still hadn��t stopped. Starving, and resented by his people, the wisdom of the king showed signs of decline.


    Following the counsel of nobles who had fallen into gloom, he lifted the seal on the holymunion. That��s a cursed blessing. The call of the moon of misfortune. A god defeated and stripped of its name by the King of Beasts. The source of all vampires.


    The people were freezing and starving.


    In the name of salvation, the king ate one after another. Those that ��remained�� after being eaten, went on to eat the others too. In one night, all the living disappeared from the capital.


    The ravenous king of vampires. The nobles of ice who were his kin. The capital of death, Neomia.


    The country and the capital had perished.


    But I, the king, and this castle had remained. That was all I needed. I wanted nothing more. Though he had fallen, he was still the man I loved. No matter the way he treated me, I didn''t wish for anything else but to love him.


    But then, that day came.


    The eighth year of winter. The night of two full moons.


    A huge army from Elysium arrived in thisnd. And at its head was the detestable Zamongrea.


    There were no more soldiers left in Neomia. Only the dead wandered its streets. The justification that Elysium gave was that they hade to kill the dead. To kill the vampires.


    But they had miscalcted.


    In Neomia, there remained those who had made their homes in the mountains. Through an ancient covenant, they were warriors who had sworn to protect Neomia from foreign enemies, the Endguard.


    The fierce battle went on for four days, and on the fourth night, I went to them to advise them to flee.


    Theyughed in my face.


    Laughing at the queen of a country is enough to get someone beheaded. Even so, theyughed as they replied.


    They said that it was an honor for them to fight and die in the very midst of battle.


    Please don''t sully our honor, they had said.


    They were such a bunch of incorrigible fools.


    There were only nine of the warriors left. Just what could they do against an army of 20,000?


    The oue was clear. The next morning, Neomia would be utterly destroyed. The capital would be razed to the ground and everyst shred of its civilization would be snuffed out.


    No, because that would awaken the dragon, the entire continent would go down in mes. Everything would be reduced to ashes.


    In the end, people would perish through their own stupidity. I passed that final nightughing about that.


    And so, dawn broke.


    But then, the sun went down, the night deepened, and dawn broke again on yet another day. There was nothing but the unchanging, frozen calm.


    Elysium''s army had been wiped out.


    All that had remained were the packs of white wolves roaming that field of snow. The end of the line of those who were once the Endguard.


    You see, those men bore a curse. A curse of vampire hunting that had been etched into their blood in times long past. That the descendants of those who hunted vampires would turn into wolves to protect them, I can only think of it as ironic.


    However, even though the army had been wiped out and buried under the snow, Zamongrea alone had survived.


    He slipped past me, who was rejoicing at the peace and quiet, snuck into the castle, and confronted the king.


    At the end of their deadly duel, the king was struck dead, and he too was������������at the very least, it looked to me like they had exchanged mortal blows.


    But now, he has be a man-beast resembling those of Elysium, and hase to Neomia once more. Is his aim to take my head? Or is it to wake the sleeping dragon? Regardless of what it is, it can''t be anything good��


    Thedy stopped talking and gulped down a ss of blood-red liquid.


    After quenching her thirst, she turned to look directly at me.


    ��Adventurer, I''m issuing you a request. ept it��


    ��What does the request entail?��


    ��I want you to y the man you call Barfuru. For the peace of Neomia and the slumber of Lord Blue-Scale, upon which the safety of the right continent hinges upon��


    ��If this is a request, then I assume there will be a reward?��


    ��A reward? Let''s see. I shall spare that dark-skinned child''s life. And I''ll close my eyes to your many insolent acts��


    ��That''s kind of cheap��


    ��What?��


    Thedy raised her voice in response to my words.


    ��I can''t ept a request with such a cheap reward��


    ��What a heartless man you are. Aren''t you afraid for that child''s life?��


    This is where it begins.


    Negotiating under pressure.


    ��The moment Maria was taken hostage, I gave up on her life. If you want to kill her, feel free. But let me give you some words of warning. You guys'' lives are hanging in the bnce��


    ��Against the 200 vampires in the castle, what can you�D�D�D�D�D��


    I drew my katana unceremoniously.


    ��From the very beginning, I��ve never valued my own life. Mydy, you are so very inexperienced. Is your mature body only for show? If you think that you can manipte people easily by taking hostages, then you''re sorely mistaken. I know it''s cliched, but it''sughable how shallow your thinking is��


    With the katana in my hand, I honed my killing intent.


    I felt presences around me.


    Before I knew it, I was surrounded.


    However, having readied my stance, I''m faster. I can step in and cut off thedy''s head before anyone can get in my way. After that, I couldn''t care less if I got torn to pieces.


    I made that image in my mind a reality that those around me could perceive.


    ��Think wisely before you speak. And if you still want to kill Maria after all, then do it��


    ��How simple-minded. Do you think that beheading me will be enough to kill me?��


    Thedy appeared utterly unfazed.


    Seeing that, I chuckled.


    ��To think that you wouldn''t notice immediately upon seeing this katana, dragon blood must run thin in your veins. The de of this katana is made from the w of a woman who ate a dragon. Oddly enough, it has the same qualities as the old ones. This weapon has even wounded Lord White-Scale''s tail before, you know?��


    Ever so slightly, thedy''s face twitched.


    I bared my teeth in a grin.


    ��Now, fighting evil with evil is the basic of the basics, but let''s see if it works on you, shall we?��


    I lowered my stance and built up the strength tounch my body forward.


    Quickly and incisively, I will cut down any and all who get in my way.


    Right now, I focused every fiber of my being on that alone.


    ��������������Haa, stop, let��s not do this. You''re really such a foolish man��


    Thedy threw in the towel.


    Inwardly, I was relieved, but I still couldn''t rx. I had to make sure I didn��t mess up in the endgame.


    ��Adventurer, what reward do you desire?��


    ��I want you to guarantee Maria''s safety. Whether I live or die, return her safely to Lemuria. After that��������


    I looked around.


    I randomly decided on something that seemed suitable.


    ��Give me that candlestick over there��


    I picked a candlestick that was on the table as my reward. It was worth about two gold coins.


    The object itself is meaningless, but the agreement to give it to me has significance. The god of business can only bind a contract that involves goods or money.


    ��That''s a cheap candlestick, you know?��


    ��I''m a die-hard lover of candlesticks, and I collect them from all over the world. So that''s perfect��


    That wasplete bullshit.


    I could have just asked for gold, but I couldn''te up with an appropriate amount on the spot, so I just went with the candlestick.


    ��Correction, if I die, you must give it to Maria. Without fail��


    ��What a remarkably entric man you are. Very well. Your reward is the safety of the child and this candlestick. In the event of your death, the candlestick will be given to the child. Is that correct?��


    ��Yes��


    We hade to an agreement. Quickly, I took out the feather that I had hidden in my pocket.


    Speaking quickly, I summoned that god.


    ��The sage of the night, the raptor of knowledge, Gravius. Share your wisdom with me, your kin, and with your keen insight, determine what is fair in this shifting world of people��


    On my shoulder, an owl alighted.


    It was supposed to alight����


    ��������������Huh?��


    ����but it didn��t.


    ��Gravius-sama?��


    I tried shaking and tapping the feather, but there was no response.


    ��Toto, what do you think he''s doing? Do the adventurers outside enjoy collecting candlesticks and waving feathers about, I wonder?��


    ��If I were to hazard a guess, I��d say that he''s attempting to summon one of the sister gods of Minerva to broker a contract��


    ��You foolish man. There''s no way those dancing girls from the desert coulde to and locked away by winter��


    To think that I was out of reception����


    Please tell me important things like this beforehand, Gravius-sama. This is the worst.


    ��Adventurer, essentially, you seek proof of our agreement, am I right?��


    ��Well, yeah��


    ��Toto��


    ��Understood, my princess��


    Toto handed thedy a knife and a container.


    The container was made of ss and looked simr to the ones used for the regeneration point. Thedy cut her finger with the knife and let her blood collect in the container. The cut was pretty deep, but the wound closed in an instant.


    She corked up the container and offered it to me.


    ��Here, it''s my blood. Take it as proof of our agreement��


    I could take it, but����


    ��What are you suggesting I do with this?��


    ��It''s simple. Should I break our agreement, drink that, be a vampire, and take your revenge on me��


    ��That''s��������


    ����a very risky proposition. I mean, won''t this thing take control of me the moment I drink it?


    Giving me something like this as the proof of our agreement is troubling. It''s troubling, but I don''t think asking for something else is an option.


    I really didn''t expect to be unable to use Gravius-sama to bind the contract.


    ��So, what are you going to do?��


    Thedy cannot be trusted.


    Now that Maria''s safety is not assured, I can''t leave Neomia to get help.


    The situation is the worst, but even so, I have no choice but to fight.


    I must defeat Barfuru, and depending on how things go, fight the vampires as well.


    Can I win? Against that guy?


    All by myself?


    ��I ept��


    There''s no point in hesitating.


    It''s meaningless to ponder over whether or not I can win. What is needed is the determination to defeat, no, to kill.


    After sliding the back of the katana across my thumb, I inserted its tip into the scabbard. With a rough ng, I sheathed it.


    ��I shall vanquish the man-beast of Elysium sessfully��


    ��I''m looking forward to it. If worstes to worst, this continent will be engulfed in dragon fire. Be honored. If you aplish this, you''ll have done the work of a Brave��


    The scale of what she��s talking about is too big for me to even begin to imagine.


    Besides, I don''t believe that the dragon yers I know would be unable to stop Lord Blue-Scale. That could just be me being simple-minded though. However, if the fight against Lord White-Scale was merely a game to it, then a crazed dragon fighting for real should be������������it''s no use. I can''t picture it at all.


    ��Oh, now that you mentioned it������


    I showed thedy the palm of my left hand.


    On it was a distorted V with a geometric pattern surrounding it. It was the crest of the Brave. Its summoning function had been disabled by Rana, who had burned it out after that time.


    ��I��m actually a Brave recognized by the Gastolfo Braves��


    I had nearly forgotten about it though.


    ��You should have shown me that from the start, you fool. I would have treated you a little differently��


    Just a little, huh?


    In the end, is being a Brave something that grants me any sort of credibility, I wonder?


    ��To begin with, you�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    A loud crash rumbled in the distance, interrupting thedy.


    It was sooner than I had expected. There was no time for me to prepare or make ns.


    I had to y it by ear. Just as an adventurer should.


    ��Well then, mydy, I''m off. Make sure you honor your end of the agreement. Otherwise, the number of beasts attacking Neomia will increase by one��


    ��I shall keep that in mind. Go on then. Show me that you can fight as bravely as the Endguard. And then prove that you''re better than them by surviving��


    ��As youmand��


    The vampires surrounding me opened up a path.


    Silently, I went into battle alone.


    Just FYI: Deimos was a god in Greek mythology, a personification of terror (his name means "dread"). He was the son of Ares and Aphrodite, and had a twin brother, Phobos(fear). He did not appear in any stories in Greek mythology, but he was a representation of the terror that��s brought upon humans by war. Interesting, isn��t it?


    As for the term ��the heroes�� spearhead��, the relevant meaning is ��the person, thing, or group that��s the leading force(in an attack)/any person or thing that leads or initiates an attack��. I could have used ��advance troops�� or ��vanguard��, but advance troops is kinda long and vanguard is a term that��s already used for something else and can be confusing, so spearhead it is.


    Did you go back andpare thedy��s story with the one Barfuru told way back when? There are passages that are the same, but the key parts obviously differ. Still, isn��t it interesting how much of Barfuru��s story sorta followed the truth? And isn��t this an interesting spin on what seemed like the ssic werewolf vs vampire trope at first? I mean, did you really expect that it would be werewolves protecting vampires from humans...


    Such a bad-ass and well-nned moment ruined by being out of reception lmao. Iughed so hard when Gravius-sama didn��t show up. I just love how Souya always falls on his face in these kinds of ��chess-master�� moments and just does better when he wings stuff. Also, Gravius-sama was a dancing girl when she was alive, huh?


    Well, what did you think about Barfuru��s true identity? And yeah, I��m sure you��ve guessed it, but we��re heading right into the climax of this volume! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 133: The Neomia Of Delusion III

    <h4>Chapter 133: The Neomia Of Delusion III</h4>


    I was getting close to where the sounds of fighting wereing from. Keeping my breathing soft, my senses sharp, and the sound of my footsteps faint, I raced onward.


    There are many problems.


    There��s an insurmountable difference in ability between me and that guy. Be it experience, vitality, power, or stamina, I''m no match for him at all. In closebat, I''ll be at a severe disadvantage. It would be foolish for me to fight him head-on.


    That''s why I''ll decide in one blow.


    Just like when dealing with a wild beast, I''ll have to take him down by surprise.


    Then I suppose this is more of a hunt than a fight.


    ��So��..��


    I addressed the maid who was running alongside me.


    ��What are you doing?��


    ��I thought I''d lend you a hand��


    Toto hade with me.


    She was faster than I expected and I couldn''t seem to shake her off.


    ��You''ll be in my way. Go back��


    ��Feel free to use me as a meat shield, a distraction, or whatever you want��


    ��You''ll die, you know?��


    ��No matter. As long as the princess survives, I''m fine with it��


    ��Oh, is that so?��


    This one deceived me. She also betrayed Maria. Yeah, I have no qualms about using her. Even if she looks like Tyutyu������������I should have no trouble doing that. It won''t weigh on me in the slightest.


    ��Go in front of him and call him "Barfuru". You might die, but I''ll seize that moment to finish him off��


    ��Understood. Be sure not to mess it up��


    ����������������


    There were no more words between us.


    Toto ran ahead of me. We were almost there.


    Powdery snow filled the air, whipped up by sts of wind.


    The entrance to the castle had been badly wrecked. The beast-headed man who had wrecked it was currently battling vampires.


    It was a battle between beings beyond the realm of humanity. Compared to this, a fight between predators would seem elegant.


    A battle of biting, wing, and crushing.


    Barfuru''s weapon had be even more vicious. His oversized sword had increased in weight and mass, with silver des attached all around it, making it look like a massive spiked mace. It was taller than even the hulking Barfuru. It was the kind of weapon wielded by giants.


    That must have been the reason why he was lurking in the city. He had been making that.


    Its power was immense,pletely obliterating every vampire it hit.


    One of the vampires turned into ck mist to avoid getting hit, but Barfuru threw some white powder at the mist. The vampire then returned to its original form and Barfuru killed it in one blow by thrusting his bare hand through its heart.


    The dead vampire burned up into ashes in an instant. Barfuru grabbed a handful of those ashes and flung it at another vampire who had also turned into mist in an attempt to escape. The vampire reappeared and was then crushed by the mace. Like a burst balloon, blood exploded outwards from its body, and as it died, its blood and flesh burned up into ashes.


    Despite showing such finesse, the next thing Barfuru did was to bite to death a vampire that had sunk its fangs into his arm.


    With one bite, he devoured half its face. The second bite consumed the entire head.


    With his bare hands, he pulverized the other vampires that tried to grapple him and tossed them away like trash.


    From that time they locked ws with my des, I had learned that vampires possess physical strength that far exceeds that of humans. If I were to take a hit from them poorly, I could easily lose a bone or two. But Barfuru is fighting them head-on using brute force. The way he swings his mace around, he looks like an ogre or a demon. But what he is on the inside is worse than that.


    The only vampire still alive at the moment was Toto, who was approaching him casually.


    I matched her timing and moved closer as well.


    Fortunately, at one side of the entrance, some of the rubble was blocking Barfuru''s line of sight, so I used them as cover as I made my way towards him.


    I flipped the scabbard over and, with the utmost of care, loosened the katana from the scabbard.


    I had managed it one-handed before. If I used both hands and matched it with my body''s movements, it should easily be three times more effective.


    This is the best move to use for a surprise attack.


    I know a man who cut open a dragon''s wing with this.


    I''ve seen it.


    I should be able to pull it off as well.


    I honed a killing intent that waspletely undetectable.


    To the utmost limit, I imbued the de with all of my senses.


    I''ll turn the knack I''ve grasped into a technique, then bring that technique to the pinnacle of perfection, and with that perfection, I''ll kill without a sound.


    No matter if my opponent is an ogre, a demon, or a beast, I''ll cut him down.


    As the killing intent permeated my body, I rxed, retaining just enough strength in my body to keep it upright. My body became ck, almost as if every bone in my body had been removed. As if they had turned into water. My breathing became shallow and drawn out. Even my heart beat softer to match.


    Two more breaths.


    And I''ll be ready.


    I honed it even further.


    Toto stepped towards Barfuru.


    A beautiful woman approaching a blood-covered beast. It''s amon motif in myths.


    ��Barfuru, long time no see��


    On her face, she wore a loving and tender expression.


    The man''s wild, rampaging state halted for a moment.


    It was only for the briefest of moments.


    It was like we had stepped into the eye of the storm for just that instant.


    I don''t know what happened between Barfuru and Toto. I don''t know what connection there is between Tyutyu and Toto.


    Right now, I couldn''t care less about any of that.


    I don''t bring emotions into battles where lives are at stake.


    Barfuru reached out and stroked Toto''s hair����


    ����Then snapped her neck.


    I moved.


    As I had envisioned, without a sound.


    Like a shadow, I got right behind Barfuru.


    For a moment, I let everything go.


    Rebounding from that one moment of powerlessness, my body exploded into motion.


    From a low, beast-like stance, I drew the katana. The de slid smoothly out of the scabbard, and when its tip cleared the scabbardpletely, it burst forth into a deadly sh along with a shower of sparks.


    My aim was an upwards diagonal sh cutting from his nk to his shoulder


    My sharpened senses made time seem to slow. At a snail��s pace, the de parted his thick coat of fur and disappeared into his flesh.


    I''ve put everything into the de. I''ve even imbued it with my soul. If this can''t cut through, nothing I do will work.


    As it turned out, the de passed through his flesh effortlessly.


    It sliced right through his ribs.


    All that remained was to lop off the upper half of his body along with his heart.


    I''ve killed him.


    I��ve not let my guard down at all. With absolute conviction and certainty, my de has cut Barfuru down.


    I hadn��t let my guard down.


    It''s just that, being able to turn things around even in a situation like this is what it means to be a genuine monster.


    The simple truth is that this guy is much more than an ogre, a demon, or a beast.


    An instant before the de was about to inflict a fatal wound, Barfuru reacted with super speed, twisting his body and leaping into the air. His physical abilities were absolutely ridiculous. He had leaped at least two meters while carrying a weapon bigger than himself. His flesh was gouged out and several of his bones got mangled, but he paid no mind to that.


    His sudden movements twisted the katana out of my hand. If I hadn''t let go, my wrists would have been broken. Even as I was reacting to that, a counterattack came.


    He kicked at me from midair.


    It wasunched from an awkward position, but if I hadn''t jumped backward to lessen the impact, the arms that I had used to block it would have been shattered.


    The distance between us widened, and wended at the same time.


    The mace crashed onto the ground with a thunderous boom. Barfuru hadnded on all fours like a beast, while I hadnded on two legs like a human, though I did lose my bnce.


    ��Hmm, so you''ve be the vampires'' dog, huh?��


    Barfuru pulled the katana out and flung it at a wall behind him. The de of the katana sank halfway into the wall. It didn''t look like it would be easy to pull it out.


    The wound would have been a serious one if it had been inflicted on a human. Though he did spit out some blood, Barfuru didn''t look particrly bothered by it.


    ��And whose dog are you?��


    Instead of answering, I questioned him back.


    With hands that were still a little numb, I pulled out the sword on my back.


    If I can buy a few seconds, the feeling will return to my hands. If I can buy a few seconds, that is.


    ��The heroes''. No������that kind of stuff no longer matters. "I''m"[1] returning home. I''m going back to that city of white. With the dragon''s head in hand, of course��


    My anger boiled over.


    ��The home that you should be going back to is Lemuria, no, Tyutyu''s ce, isn''t it?!��


    ��What do I care about a ve like her?! The home that I have to go back to is Elysium! Where my wife and children are waiting for me!��


    He''s lost his mind. Those people are long dead. Has he forgotten how long he''s wandered this world? No, it��s because he��s been wandering for so long that he''s forgotten all about it, I suppose.


    ��If the dragon is awakened, the right continent will be engulfed in mes. Are you okay with that?!��


    ��What do I care about that?��


    Barfuru held his mace at the ready.


    The strength returned to the hands that I had around my sword''s handle.


    ��Souya, just this once, I''ll pretend it was all a joke. But if you get in my way one more time, I''ll kill you��


    ��Shut up. You already led me into a trap that nearly got me killed once. Don''t waste your breath with cheap tricks like that��


    ��In that case������


    No further words were needed, so Barfuru stepped forward.


    He walked into the range of my weapon without a care.


    ��This sword is������


    Even after all that had happened, I still opened my mouth to talk.


    ������something I seized from a knight of Elysium called Zamonss. He may very well have been your descendant. When he died, he became a beast that looked like a white wolf, much like the Endguard��


    I dropped my stance.


    I rxed my entire body and got ready to match his attack.


    ��Hey, you kinda look like the Endguard too. Is this a manifestation of your envy? Warriors who proudly fulfill their mission even if it means dying and turning into lowly beasts, and a knight who is unable to fulfill his mission and wanders the world in the form of a lowly beast. I get it, I would be envious of them too if I were in your shoes������you mutt��


    Barfuru halted his steps.


    Then swung the mace with all his might.


    My goading had paid off. He had put far too much strength into it. It had enough power behind it to kill me a hundred times over. As a result, it was easy to read.


    The mace swept towards me from my left.


    Matching its trajectory, I jumped to my right.


    If I move at the same speed as the iing object, I cantch onto it. It''s a simple thing to do, but it''s not something any sane person would try. But it''s impossible to kill genuine monsters without doing something crazy.


    One of the des of the mace stabbed into my left shoulder. Before I could even feel the pain, I wrapped my body around the mace. I got stabbed through my arm and side, but I didn��t care. My body moved without thought. I surrendered everything to the cells in my body that were trying their best to fight and survive.


    My world spun around and I moved on reflex.


    I left thinking andprehension forter.


    My actions had borne fruit.


    As the mace continued its swing, I brought myself up to one knee on top of it and set my stance.


    It was for a thrust.


    I grasped the handle with my left hand and the pommel with my right.


    My target was the nape of his neck.


    That one thrust pierced through flesh and bone at the same time. Putting all of my weight on the handle, I twisted the sword. The man-beast vomited blood.


    From the amount of blood, I must have severed his spine and also the artery in his neck.


    But����


    Something was wrong.


    It was a fatal wound, but he was unfazed.


    ��Impressive. As humans go, you''re as good as or better than any member of the Endguard��


    Barfuru grabbed my right hand����


    ��Urgahh��


    ����and snapped it.


    After breaking it, he swung me around by it.


    All my blood rushed to my legs and I cked outpletely. Distantly, I heard thuds and crashes. They were the sounds of my body being mmed against the walls and ground.


    My flesh turned to liquid.


    I felt several bones shatter.


    I thought that this would continue until I died, but I was suddenly released and I tumbled across the ground.


    It''s not over yet, I thought as I ordered my body to get up.


    My legs obeyed. I was able to stand up. But I slipped and fell into a pool of my own blood.


    My right arm had been ripped off from the elbow down. Blood poured from it like water from an open faucet.


    ��You can have it back��


    Barfuru tossed me my right arm.


    I have no time to waste grieving over the loss of something like that.


    ��Aga������thion��


    In response to my groan, the magic sword flew out from my back and closed in on Barfuru.


    He caught it out of the air with ease and drove it into the marble floor.


    ��Is that it?��


    ��It''s not������over yet��


    As I vomited blood, I red at him.


    Rising on shaky legs, I held the karambit in my left hand.


    Barfuru pulled out the sword that was impaled through his throat and walked towards me with Zamonss'' sword in his hand.


    The wound in his throat disappeared like a mirage.


    There was no trace of the wound on his chest either.


    Is he immortal?


    No way, there''s no such thing as immortality. He bleeds, so he can surely be killed one way or another. There must be a trick to it. I must observe closely, understand, then unravel it.


    That''s the only thing I can do right now������No, that''s not right.


    If I y my trump card����


    ��To never lose the will to fight even until the moment of death, you''re a good and brave man. Truly��


    I had made an error in judgment in the end.


    Before I could utter the words of the curse of death, the sword fell towards me.


    I was unable to follow it through my blurred vision.


    Blood spurted out from the wound that ran diagonally across my body. I was very much surprised that there was still so much blood left inside it.


    ��I envy you. Now die��


    My vision went dark and I heard a ssh.


    It felt like I was being immersed in warm, oily water. My body was still trying to live. I was of the same mind.


    Unfortunately, I''m human.


    If I lose most of my blood and my major organs are damaged, I''ll die. This is something that cannot be changed no matter how hard I wish for it to be different. I can no longer speak. I can''t even pray to god.


    The sound of the beast''s footsteps grew distant.


    It''s not over yet.


    Not yet.


    I kept repeating that to myself like some sort of diatribe.


    I heard another sounding closer. I wasn''t sure if it was the crawling of insects or the rustling of clothes that I was hearing.


    ��Are you dead?��


    I could no longer feel much of my body.


    I knew that the voice was female and that she was feeling around my body.


    ��Good. It''s not broken. In a way, it''s a miracle��


    I heard the sound of something being uncorked. I felt a sensation on my lips. Then I felt liquid flowing down my throat.


    Just as my heart stopped������������������������thump, thump, it started beating again.


    No, it was beating vigorously. My heart was racing as if nitro had been pumped into it.


    ��Urghh!��


    I writhed and moaned. My entire body was burning. My consciousness returned rapidly. I felt abnormally thirsty. My mouth was parched and I had trouble drawing breath. My canines ached. I was blinded by the brightness all around me.


    I was bursting with strength, yet couldn''t move a muscle.


    Ick something. Ick the fuel to make my body move.


    ��For the sake of a fleeting dream, I used you. Now, to protect the princess, no, to protect many many more, I will use your death. There isn''t much I can do to repay you. So, at the very least, please don��t hesitate to eat your fill��


    Toto unbuttoned her top, exposing her enchanting neck.


    I didn''t hesitate at all. Because I had lost all sense of reason.


    I pulled her close with one arm, sank my canine teeth into her soft skin, and drank the sweet red liquid that gushed out. My nails, which had grown out, left scratches on her back. I drank her blood until I choked, then couldn''t take it anymore and howled.


    At once, white wolves appeared out of the blowing snow.


    One of the wolves had a bow in its mouth.


    It was the Lycan bow. Everything had begun with this bow. It was only fitting to end it all with this bow.


    I picked up my right arm from the ground and pressed it to my elbow. I felt heat and pain as if a hot iron had been pressed against my elbow. Almost instantly, the nerves connected and blood started circting through my arm again. I clenched my fist forcefully, then opened it to ept the bow from the wolf.


    Reading my intentions, the bow started to change shape.


    I have no arrows to nock to it.


    I can''t kill Barfuru with just arrows.


    What I need then, is not a bow, but a sword. No, not even a sword could kill him.


    I need a weapon that can y an immortal.


    Understanding my wish, the bow transformed into a scythe.


    It had a dull curved de that was mounted on a long handle. Shaped like the crescent moon, it was a scythe that reaped souls.


    I rested the butt of its handle on the ground and red at Toto.


    ��I won''t thank you. This is probably all part of your n anyway. If I''m still of sound mind after killing Barfuru, be prepared to pay with more than just blood��


    ��I wish you luck��


    I epted the top hat from Toto and used it to hide my red eyes.


    The wolves gathered around, watching me with eyes that held intelligence.


    ��Endguard, let''s go hunt down the beast that got away from you. And once we''ve caught hold of him, devour him to the bone��


    They growled in reply.


    Obeying a beast, they headed out to hunt a beast.


    [1] Barfuru changes from his usual way of referring to himself of ��(wa-re) to �� (o-re) here. In the Japanesenguage, �� is lessmonly used and its usage is usually more literary/pretentious/old. For example, ��˼��, �椨���Ҥ���=I think, therefore I am. =) Interestingly, the reverse is true in Chinese.


    Some may wonder why Souya didn��t just use Wild Hunt right from the start or something like that, but remember that Maria is still in the castle. He has mentioned before several times in earlier volumes that he can never use it when there are people he cares about nearby, so I think he��s avoiding that unconsciously.


    Yeah, you need Death to kill an immortal, don��t you? I got that line of thought, but now Souya has turned into a red-eyed vampire wielding a scythe. In western clothes, with vest and top hat to boot. What a weird get-up. Which I''ve tried to reproduce using heroforge hehe.


    Still, the opening fight was pretty exciting, wasn��t it? Round 2 is next. And this time, Souya has the power of a vampire and the Endguard at his side. But will that be enough to defeat Barfuru? Don��t miss it!!!

 Chapter 134: The Neomia Of Delusion IV

    <h4>Chapter 134: The Neomia Of Delusion IV</h4>


    Following the scent of the beast, packs of wolves raced onward.


    The smell of abominable blood. The same cursed smell as that of vampires. That''s not something that the Endguard are originally meant to fight. But through a strange twist of fate, they are now mortal enemies.


    The people who sealed away the vampires are now opposing the enemies of the vampires. And thest Endguard that they follow is a foreigner who has drunk the blood of vampires.


    What an ironic yet rousing conflict.


    With the wind rushing by, we emerged into the Garden.


    The Garden of the Dead, where ss flowers bloomed.


    The beast had the goddess of the moon of misfortune by the neck. In the hand of the beast, her neck looked like a slender twig.


    The beast moved to snap it, but we were faster.


    With a single swing of the scythe, I cut through Barfuru''s right arm. To return the favor, I hacked it off just below the elbow. The wolves snatched up the severed arm and started to chew on and devour it. Barfuru took a big leap backward to avoid the return swing of the scythe.


    ��������Adventurer��


    Along with the wolves, I stood in front of thedy.


    ��You��ve let your soul be tainted, huh? Souya!��


    ��You''re one to speak of being tainted, beast��


    Barfuru swung his mace at me. Even though he had lost an arm, it didn��t slow him one bit.


    ��You''re a fool, you know that?��


    I stopped the mace with one hand.


    I hadn��t stopped it using force. My physical abilities have improved dramatically ever since bing a vampire, but that doesn''t mean that I��m capable of that.


    This is but a simple trick.


    ��W, what!?��


    Even with Barfuru''s strength, he couldn''t move the mace a single inch.


    ��I''m an Endguard. From the moment you recognized me as such��


    Now that I''m technically the only living Endguard in the world, I can make the white wolves obey me.


    The wolves do not disappear.


    Even if they��ve been reduced to nothing more than bones.


    ��Turn back!��


    In response, the mace shattered into pieces. Unable to fathom what was going on, Barfuru leaped back even further.


    The shattered pieces of bones were swept up by the blowing snow. Which then formed into white wolves.


    The mace had turned back into eight wolves.


    I pointed the scythe''s de at Barfuru.


    This weapon is really hard to use. I suppose that''s only natural as it''s not a weapon. It''s merely a farming implement used for harvesting.


    Alone, I would be at a disadvantage, but in a pack, I have the upper hand.


    The white wolves stepped forward.


    They were allrge wolves. They were the same size as Barfuru, the only difference being that they were on all fours while he stood on two legs.


    ��Are you going to stand in my way once again, Endguarddd?!��


    Fresh blood spurted out as a new right arm grew out of Barfuru.


    Using that new hand, he pulled out Zamonss'' sword, which he had stuck into his belt.


    ��I��ll fight you as many times as I have to. Until I kill you!��


    The deformed man held up a sword meant for human use.


    I, a man in human form who had deformed beings obeying me, readied my deformed weapon.


    ��Do it if you can! You mere vampire!��


    The wolves howled in response to Barfuru��s roar.


    Blood sttered and pieces of flesh flew as deadly blows were exchanged.


    They had no choice but to do so.


    One Endguard warrior was as strong as twenty knights of Elysium. Each and every one of them were warriors who deserved to be called heroes.


    Elysium had their own heroes. However, Elysium did not pit their heroes against the Endguard.


    The reason was simple. The Endguard were just too strong. They feared that their heroes would be defeated. If their champions were to lose, they would lose their reputation as the strongest human country.


    What a pathetic reason.


    Yes.


    In the past, Elysium had cornered the Endguard using sheer numbers.


    Then I suppose the current situation is their revenge for what happened 500 years ago.


    One after another, the wolves pounced on Barfuru, the sole remaining survivor of Elysium''s expeditionary force.


    Attacked from all sides, Barfuru''s flesh was eaten, his bones crushed, but he continued to fight back regardless.


    It was quite the gruesome sight, and under normal circumstances, I would have felt pity for him.


    I went into Barfuru''s blind spot and shed his back open with my scythe. The wound was so deep that I could see his spine, but he paid it no mind and struck back at me.


    I ducked behind the wolves and kept out of range of his sword.


    I simply have to mercilessly and steadily whittle him down until he dies. The pride of a warrior is nothing in the eyes of wolves and vampires.


    I hid myself among the wolves, took advantage of openings, and inflicted deep wounds six times.


    Even so, there was no hesitation in his sword swings. Despite being outnumbered, Barfuru fought like the Endguard of old.


    With one swing of his sword, he cut three wolves in half, and with the return swing, he killed twice as many.


    It wasn''t just with the sword. He also killed wolves by punching them to death with his bare hands. If a wolf sank its fangs into him, he would bite it back. If a wolf tore at him using its ws, he would retaliate with his own. Kicking, kneeing, and elbowing, he used his entire body to kill wolves.


    Barfuru startedughing.


    It was as if he was living out a long-cherished dream. He fought whileughing with all his heart.


    Not caring, I cleaved through both of his legs with my scythe. Blood gushed like a fountain, and I was sure that I had cut through bone as well. Both of Barfuru''s knees crushed the crystalline flowers beneath him. In a sh, wolves bit down on both his shoulders, crushing his bones.


    We''ve taken away his freedom of movement.


    This is where it''ll be decided.


    I''ll kill him.


    I released all the limiters in my body. I could hear my heart pounding like an engine. The increased cirction of blood stimted my cells. Mists of blood erupted from my fine blood vessels as they ruptured under my abnormal muscr strength. Constricted bones shattered, only to instantly regenerate even harder than before.


    Killing intent filled every inch of my being.


    I started to run.


    I gritted my teeth.


    I raised up the scythe.


    Reading my mind, the wolves retreated in unison.


    The strike of the demonic god that severed all things in existence.


    I swung the scythe down, aiming for his neck. I should have cut it off. My senses told me that I had definitely killed him.


    But that was just a false impression.


    There was a discrepancy in my senses because I was still unustomed to the body of a vampire.


    The sound camete. It was neither the ng of metal nor the crunch of bone. It was a strange crushing sound.


    Just as the scythe de sliced halfway through the beast-faced man, he caught it between his fangs and crunched down on it, shattering it to pieces.


    To use his fangs to catch the de that��s moments away from decapitating him, what a godly feat.


    Well����


    I had cornered him nheless.


    I held the now-lighter long handle like a spear. Reading my intentions, the butt of the long handle formed into a twisted spike.


    I thrust it home.


    This time, I had definitely struck a vital spot. I wrenched the handle around, mangling up the heart I had stabbed through. Even though it had been impaled, I could still feel its thick rubbery flesh beating furiously.


    ��Guargh��


    Barfuru threw up arge amount of blood into the air.


    My top hat got drenched with his blood. Smoke rose from my cloak.


    Is the dragon blood rejecting the abominable blood and burning it away, I wonder?


    ��It''s over��


    I''ll let the wolves finish him off.


    I shouldn''t be the one who brings the curtain down on this.


    As I let go of the handle and stepped back, the Endguard swarmed in. Blood, flesh, bone, and guts, they devoured everyst bit of him.


    A knight who worked in the shadows of the heroes and fought in order to bring them glory.


    He was brilliant at what he did.


    He sessfully cornered the Endguard, who were in no way inferior to the heroes.


    It''s only now, when the wolves and I are connected in mind, that I finally understand. The Endguard cannot be defeated through sheer numbers. Something other than superior numbers is needed. Either a heroic act of valor or a misdeed so evil that one has to take it to the grave.


    The oue was as I mentioned earlier, that one knight was able to corner the group of heroes known as the warriors of the end.


    However, that was the limit of what the shadow knight could aplish.


    At the very end, Elysium''s army was buried under the snow, and the Endguard turned into wolves.


    The country that ims to be the strongest probably erased this entire event from history. The knight lost everything.


    All that remained was an obsession(delusion).


    A beast knight who wandered the world.


    The wolves feasted on the beast.


    Turning my back to them, I approached thedy. Thenguor and grace she had shown not so long ago were gone, and she was slumped over.


    The fact that I��m thinking that she got what she deserves is probably proof that I''m not under her control.


    ��Hey, it''s over��


    ��What are you talking about? Something like that isn''t enough to stop a nightmare��


    What?


    Just as I thought that, I saw wolves being sent flying out of the corner of my eye. Turning around, I was greeted by a ck mist.


    Mist? No, this is snow. It''s a tempest of ck snow. And it looks like it��s trying to form into some sort of shape.


    ��Go to the throne room at the very top of the castle��


    ��What''s going on?��


    ��Quickly!��


    Thedy shouted at me with a deadly serious look on her face.


    One of the wolvesid down and urged me to get on its back. I got on, then reached my hand out towards thedy.


    ��It''s fine. I''ll be seeing youter��


    ��Huh?��


    She didn''t take my hand.


    The wolf broke into a run.


    It was faster than the gigantic horse I had once been a passenger on. Looking behind me, I saw the wolves and thedy get swallowed up by the ck snow.


    The wolf was going so fast that I would be flung off if I wasn''t careful, so I grabbed the scruff of the wolf''s neck and held on for dear life. With me on its back, the wolf sped through the castle''s corridors at a dizzying pace. I shut one eye against the strong wind blowing in my face.


    After rounding a few corners and traversing several long corridors, it ran up a long flight of stairs.


    The ce we arrived at was the throne room.


    Having used up all of its strength, the wolf turned back into snow, and I dropped to the ground andnded on one knee.


    The throne room was overwhelmingly more opulent than Lemuria''s and felt more grand and historic than Ashtalia''s. Long red curtains simr to theater curtains hung from the ceiling that was adorned with stained ss made from pyroxenes. Intricate reliefs had been carved into the walls and floor.


    This entire dome-shaped space seemed to be telling a story of some sort.


    On the ceiling, glistening mountains and giants resembling beasts.


    On the right wall, elves and dwarves engaged in battle with those giants.


    On the left wall, elves presenting ears of wheat to Hemus.


    On the far wall, a crowned Hemu defeating the giants.


    On the floor, the crowned Hemu transforming into a beast, with eight children and a woman holding up swords.


    And in the center, there was a solitary throne.


    It was an oddly-shaped throne that seemed very out of ce. From the fact that its armrests and backrest were made from skulls, I guessed that the limb-like bones that made up the rest of it were all human bones.


    Upon that odious throne sat a corpse with a crown on its head.


    The corpse looked as withered as a mummy.


    ��What''s going on?��


    The mummy, which appeared to be the king, had been stabbed through the heart with a sword. And there was another one. The corpse of what must have been the knight who had plunged that sword into his heart was lying on the ground beside him.


    From what I��ve seen, vampires turn into ashes when they die. If the crowned one is the king of Neomia, then he shouldn''t be dead yet, given that he hasn''t turned into ashes.


    Moreover, who is this knight? Although it��s pretty badly damaged, I can tell from its design that his armor is that of the knights of Elysium. The crumbling sword also bears a striking resemnce to Zamonss'' sword. In addition, the tattered gray cloak he has on looks just like Barfuru''s.


    ��What am I supposed to do here?��


    I found myself at aplete loss in front of the corpses. But I wasn''t given much time to mull it over.


    I heard the roar of a beast.


    Right next to me.


    The air quivered from the force of the roar. The entrance that I hade through moments earlier was blown apart as a huge beast emerged from it.


    It had long ck hair that looked almost like it had been spun from night, was ten meters tall, and moved on all fours, much like how a human would crawl. The ws on its hands and feet were thick and sharp. The head of the beast was the very image of a wolf. Its long tail was vague and blurred, asionally leaving ck snowkes in its wake.


    It was directing a distinct killing intent at me specifically.


    I was unable to react to the beast of abominable blood.


    I should have been able to sense it earlier, but even when it was right in front of me, I had trouble believing that it was really there.


    I immediately reached for the sword that had been thrust into the corpse.


    I was too slow. The big hand of the beast was faster, and it grabbed me before I could grab the sword.


    ��Garghhh!��


    It closed its fist tightly, and every bone in my body shattered, sending blood gushing out of every orifice.


    The beast lifted me up and threw me against the wall. By chance, I mmed into the part of the relief depicting the king.


    I suppose I should say, as expected from the body of a vampire. If I were a normal human, there would be nothing left of me, but I''m still alive. My body is regenerating and getting ready to do battle again.


    But I have neither ws nor fangs.


    The only sword in this ce is right beside the beast. Diving for it would be a dangerous gamble. In the first ce, there''s no way I can fight the beast with a crumbling sword like that.


    In that case����


    ��Agathionnn!��


    I called out for the magic sword. I yelled its name, hoping against hope that my voice would reach it by some miracle.


    The beast charged at me at breakneck speed.


    I thought about dodging, but I had only regenerated enough to walk. If it were to crush me again, I would surely die this time.


    I knew that I wouldn''t make it in time. A sense of resignation mixed with serenity settled in. I closed my eyes and let the rumbling of the beast''s footsteps wash over me.


    No, that wasn''t all it was.


    Mixed in with the sound of footsteps, I heard the echoes of something going boom, boom, boom.


    ��By the shortest route, huh?��


    Agathion came bursting out through the floor. It pierced through the beast''s right arm and settled into my outstretched hand.


    The beast''s shriek was deafening. It wasn''t a cry of pain, but of anger. As if to prove my point, the wound on its arm regenerated instantly.


    Of all the beasts I''ve fought to date, none have shown this kind of regeneration.


    Is this guy really a beast of abominable blood?


    The more I observe this beast, the more uncertain I am of its identity. It resembles the beasts I''ve encountered in the past, but it also looks like a mere shadow of them.


    Can I kill it?


    No, don''t waver.


    Aplish what must be aplished.


    With hands that were covered in blood, I brought the de of my magic sword up and ced its tip against my chest.


    ��I''m counting on you��


    I thrust it in. The de went into my chest, just missing my heart.


    In the past, the seal on the magic sword was broken by the blood of a maiden divine medium. It was done using some kind of magical technique and a pattern that looked like some sort of master code. I don''t have the expertise to perform magic rituals. So I''ll have to forcibly break the seal open by overwhelming it with sheer volume. I don''t know how much power the blood of the vampires and the blood of the goddess of the moon of misfortune that flows within me possess, but it''s worth a try.


    I prayed and I begged.


    This sword has stayed by my side all this time without a singleint. I already think of it as my partner, the same way as I do Makina, Izora, and Yukikaze.


    I''m begging you, so����


    ��Awaken!��


    The magic sword answered my prayer.


    The sword pulled itself out of my chest. ck electrical discharge epassed the magic sword. One moment it was so heavy that I couldn''t hold it up even with the strength of a vampire, and in the next, it became as light as a feather.


    The beast loomed over me, and I met it head-on.


    The first swing of the magic sword cleaved the beast in half. With the return swing, I carved a cross into it. The destruction caused by the sword traveled all the way to the walls and ceiling, destroying the story depicted.


    The falling debris and pyroxene rained down on the beast.


    I know it all too well.


    That something of this level isn''t enough to finish it off.


    ��UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!��


    As it roared, it regenerated.


    As it regenerated, it attacked.


    It no longer even looks like a beast. It''s a demonic monster of ck snow. I could disperse it with a single swing of the unsealed magic sword, but that would not kill it.


    There''s no doubt about it. This is an immortal creature.


    However, there��s no such thing as immortality without reason. If it were indeed immortal without reason, then all resistance would have been pointless.


    I need to figure out why thedy sent me here and why the beast is attacking me so desperately.


    ������������Desperately?


    Did this thing chase after me out of hatred? Think. There''s no need to think too deeply into it. I don''t have time for that. Just connect a few simple dots.


    The possibilities that I cane up with right now����


    ��What do you know, isn''t there just one?��


    It may be that the answers are always so very simple.


    I lifted Agathion up and held it above my head.


    The electrical discharge emitted by the magic sword was starting to subside. After the next swing, the awakening would end and it would go dormant. I put all my strength and every bit of my soul into this one swing.


    Stepping in, I unleashed the final blow.


    Cut in half, the demonic monster dispersed, and before it could regenerate itself, I dove in.


    The distance was short, but it was too far even with the speed my vampire legs gave me. The demonic monster had regenerated much faster than it did before. It swung both of its arms downward in an attempt to crush me.


    In that moment,


    White wolves rushed the demonic monster.


    Snow hade in through the destroyed ceiling and walls of the throne room. But even the wolves of the Endguard were too short-lived and unreliable in the face of the demonic monster now. With one swipe of its ws, they broke apart into white snow, which was then swallowed up by the ck snow, and disappeared.


    It was a very meager resistance.


    Nevertheless, it had bought me enough time to close the distance.


    I pulled the crumbling sword out of the corpse on the throne and stabbed it into the knight.


    The de struck him in the heart, and the mummified knight let out a soundless scream.


    In his ce, the demonic monster shrieked loudly.


    ��You sure have slept for an awfully long time��


    As I gouged out the heart, the sword shattered without a trace. Right as the tip of the demonic monster''s w brushed my bangs, the magic sword cut off the knight''s head. After a single beat, the head of the stopped demonic beast also fell from its body.


    Its death crysted for a moment, then turned into a wolf''s howl as it died away.


    The ck snow turned into white snow then melted into dust.


    It was not just the remnants of the demonic monster that was disappearing. As a gust of wind swept through the room, the rubble turned to snow. Engulfed by the snowstorm, the castle also began to fade away. Before I knew it, the ce I was standing on had be a field of snow.


    The entire world was slowly being consumed by the raging snowstorm.


    It was bing a snow-covered world with nothing in it.


    It felt fake, like something out of a movie.


    There was no sound, not even that of the gusting wind.


    From within the fake-looking snow and wind that didn''t feel the slightest bit cold, a woman in a ck dress appeared, with a sleeping Maria in her arms.


    ��Well done. You''ve exorcised a nightmare that has gone on for far too long. The soul of my mortal enemy may now return to the ce it has long desired to go back to��


    She handed me Maria.


    In the distance behind thedy, I could see Neomia''s castle, the ce I should have been only moments ago. I also saw the backs of a group of vampires who were returning to the castle. Toto was among them.


    ��What about you all?��


    ��I will continue to guard the castle until Lord Blue-Scale awakens��


    ��When will the dragon wake up? And when it does, will it burn down the continent?��


    ��Fufu, I wonder��


    She giggled alluringly. But somehow, all I saw was a sad little girl.


    ��If it gets up on the wrong side of the bed, then maybe it will��


    From somewhere, thedy pulled out my katana and sword.


    As she returned my equipment to me, she said, "One more thing," and produced a certain item.


    ��It''s a fragment of the nightmare that cannot be destroyed in this world. But who knows, maybe it''ll be of some use in your world��


    It was a fang. In all likelihood, it was the fang of the demonic monster that was Barfuru.


    I epted the second fang and put it in my pocket.


    Or is this actually the first fang?


    ��My blood that flows through your veins will disappear along with the dream when you awaken. After all������this is all within a dream��


    ��What do you mean? This ce, what the heck is�D�D�D�D�D��


    My questions were cut off by the ringing of bells. They sounded surprisingly close to me.


    The snowstorm intensified and thedy disappeared from sight.


    A white world with nothing in it.


    ��Farewell, adventurer from a foreignnd. You should also return to the ce where you belong. Be careful not to get trapped by obsession(caught up in delusion) and forget the way home��


    I heard a calm yet weary male voice. I could faintly make out silhouettes beyond the snowstorm.


    They were of thedy and a crowned person standing next to her.


    The moment I saw them, my vision went dark and the annoying racket the bells were making filled my ears.


    I was unable to hold onto consciousness.


    Into a darkness deeper than sleep, I fell.


    And when I opened my eyes�D�D�D�D�D


    I know! Another cliffhanger! ($&%^*&! For certain thematic reasons, this entire volume has pretty been much like this��good news is that the volume is ending soon��


    Like I mentioned before, the word ���� can mean either obsession or delusion. You��re probably starting to see it, the extremely legendary plot device, but once the full reveal is done in the next arc, you��ll see the deeper meaning behind all the times this double meaning appears! Also, doesn��t ��trapped by obsession�� remind you of Otou-san?


    So, after that long battle, we��re left with so many questions!!! Worry not though, those that are rted to this arc will all be answered very soon! Those that are rted to this arc, that is.


    I found myself writing a lot then having to delete it all because I felt I was potentially giving the plot away. Hence, this afterword is surprisingly short. Of course, that means that there��s stuff here in this chapter, doesn��t it? XD Well, stay tuned, there��s one more arc to close out this volume!

 Chapter 135: Homecoming I

    <h4>Chapter 135: Homing I</h4>


    I found myself in darkness.


    Are my eyes open or are they closed?


    Have I woken up from a dream or am I still in one?


    Actually, what is a dream?


    ����������������


    Gathering my scattered thoughts, I collected myself. As I focused, feeling returned to my arms and legs in the darkness. Then breathing. Followed by the awareness of which way gravity was pulling me.


    I was lying on a cold stone floor.


    As my eyes slowly adjusted, I saw lines of bells all around me. I was in the catbs beneath Rossian.


    After a few moments of stunned silence, I remembered Maria and looked around for her.


    ��Phew��


    She was right next to me.


    She was sleeping with my hand in hers. For some reason, she was also hugging Agathion.


    ��Team member Souya, if you''re awake, please help. If this goes on, there''s a chance this unit could sustain damage. Agh, what great strength��


    ��Open up, I want to see what''s inside. There''s a dwarf in there, am I right?��


    ��Stop it, indeed. Stop it, indeed��


    I heard Yukikaze and someone else speaking.


    There was a female elf sitting on top of the statue of Lord Blue-Scale. She was fiddling with Yukikaze''s mini-pod.


    ��Excuse me, can I have myntern back please? It''s something that''s very important to me��


    I wanted to stop her, but my body was still numb and I couldn''t quite stand up. Sitting up was the most I could manage.


    ��Oh, you��re awake, I see��


    The youngdy looked down at me as though she was looking at trash.


    Her long ears peeked out from her blonde short bob, which glistened in the darkness. Her features were doll-like and her skin was as white as snow. She was wearing a good-quality dress and a warm-looking fur cloak over it.


    She seems like a youngdy from a well-to-do family, but she''s wearing a katana, so she''s likely an adventurer.


    She looks like an elf, has the beauty of an elf, but for some reason, something feels amiss. Huh.........hmm? A katana? Now that I''ve taken a closer look, it looks really familiar. It''s the katana that baldy possessed, or rather, had stolen from him.


    ��By any chance, are you Lord White-Scale?��


    ��That''s right. You''re surprisingly sharp��


    Even an idiot could have figured it out given you have a one-of-a-kind weapon on you.


    ��I received a report that there''s a breach in the barrier. When I rushed north, I found no problems with it. I also heard that you were bound for Rossian, so I thought I''d better stop by and check on you, and sure enough, things turned out as I thought they would��


    The elf that was Lord White-Scale pointed to therge bell.


    Therge bell that was held in the arms of the stone statue of a dragon. I saw the same thing in Neomia. Though the Lord Blue-Scale there was the real thing.


    ��These bells were ceremonial bells meant to send the souls of travelers back to their homes��


    Were?


    ��They were created by Lord Blue-Scale out of pity for the adventurers from distantnds. However, the wishes of people can twist the nature of things. After the death of Lord Blue-Scale, people started ringing the bells as a means of entering the realm of dreams. In order to see once more the Rossian of old, family members who have passed away, or homnds they are unable to return to������such are the futile and pitiable wishes of people��


    ��Eh������then what about the Neomia I was in?��


    ��It��s merely someone''s dream��


    Are you telling me that it was all a dream?


    ��No, hang on a minute!��


    I had just noticed what I was wearing. A top hat, a vest, and a dragon blood cloak with sps. Neomia''s traditional adventuring garb. And in my pocket, the fangs of a demonic monster.


    For good measure, the candlestick that I had been promised was sitting right next to the katana and sword that had tumbled to the ground beside me.


    ��These clothes were given to me in Neomia. I also have with me two other items that I obtained there. No, it''s three, I suppose. If it was a dream, how is it possible for me to possess the things I got in it?��


    ��It''s quite simple actually. In this world, aren''t there dreams that have wills of their own and canmunicate with others? Things as small as clothes and objects are nothing inparison��


    ��Dreams that canmunicate with others������


    No way����


    ��I''m talking about the beings you all worship as gods. They are the culmination of people''s wishes, thoughts, beliefs, aspirations, teachings, stories, and words, but in essence, they''re no more than dreams. And if dreams exist, then it stands to reason that nightmares do as well. For example, the man-beast who broke one of my wings��


    ��Which reminds me������


    I broke out in a cold sweat and looked around. There was������������������������no sign of Barfuru.


    My hand went to my chest in relief.


    A development like the ones seen in horror movies isn��t going to happen, I guess.


    ��Lord White-Scale, the Barfuru inside the dream I was in����whose nightmare was he?��


    I''m still trying to wrap my head around this whole mess.


    The smell of blood that still lingers in my nostrils is too strong for it all to be a dream. The field of snow, the white wolves, the frozen castle, the vampires, the goddess of the moon of misfortune, the curse of the Lycans, the battle with the demonic monster.


    The king I saw at the end.


    ��Isn''t the answer to that obvious?��


    Lord White-Scale patted the statue of Lord Blue-Scale.


    A dragon''s dream?


    That''s Lord Blue-Scale''s dream?


    The knight who killed its family is no doubt a nightmare in the eyes of that dragon. But in that case, why did it create Neomia? What about the vampires and the Endguard? Where is the real Lord Blue-Scale right now?


    At the height of my confusion, my brain started thinking of other things in order to escape from reality, and I couldn''t help but put into words a thought that had shed across my mind.


    ��Is that stone statue really a stone statue?��


    ��Fufu������what do you think?��


    Lord White-Scale gave me a surprisingly carefree smile.


    That smile despite her condescending gaze really caught me off guard. Even though I knew her true form, my heart still skipped a beat.


    I tried asking one more question.


    ��Umm, what about the real Neomia?��


    ��If you want to know the answer to that, see it with your own eyes, adventurer��


    ��I suppose you''re right��


    Exploring the unknown is what adventurers do.


    But I wonder, why am I working as an adventurer again?


    ��I''ll tell you this much. In Neomia, there were the warriors known as the Endguard. There were the vampires that they had sealed away. There was a beautiful girl who was married off from Rossian. There was a wise king who loved her, though fleetingly. There was the body of a sleeping dragon, the long winter it had summoned, and the sin of viting a taboo out of human weakness.


    As well as the warriors who fell valiantly against Elysium''s army.


    And the white wolves.


    In the end, though everything was buried under the snow, all of that was there in thatnd. It may be a dream, but it is no illusion. There were the thoughts and history of those people. Even though all of that has been forgotten, it is still no delusion. And even if it is, I don''t want you to feel sad about it. People''s thoughts and feelings are things that die out like mes, yet there is a beauty in them akin to flowers in full bloom. Beautiful things have the right to be loved��


    Lord White-Scale tossed Yukikaze to me.


    I caught the mini-pod and hooked it to my belt.


    ��Even I don''t know every detail of the truth. Still, bodies are meant to return to the earth and souls are meant to return to their homnd. In that, there��s no difference between people and dragons. You should return home too. You have a home to go back to, don''t you? It��s only the dead who are able to live in darkness after all��


    ��I do have one. A home to return to��


    As well as people waiting for me.


    The man who was born out of a nightmare had been unable to return home, but I can.


    ��Unnhhh~��


    Maria woke up.


    But perhaps she was still sleepy, as she hugged me and started to go back to sleep.


    ��Hey, wake up. Time to go home��


    ��I had the strangest dream��


    ��Hmm?��


    ��I had a dream where I had a very voluptuous figure and you came to my rescue, Souya��


    ��It''s a good dream then, isn''t it?��


    Is that the kind of figure you envision as your ideal?


    Just as I was thinking of rubbing her back, the warmth pulled away from me.


    ��Nuhhh!��


    Maria stretched. I took another look at the magic sword she had been hugging.


    Perhaps I had put it through too much abuse this time, but its de is chipped all over.


    Zamonss'' sword and the katana are probably in a simr condition. They''ll need to be repaired.


    The main purpose of a tool is to be used by its owner. That''s all there is to them. But even though I know that in my head, I suppose it''s very typical of a Japanese to hold the belief that tools have souls, feelings, and feel affection for their owners.


    Even if it was all a dream, the intentions of those involved were real.


    In that case, were the two women I met back then a dream I had created or were they just a delusion? It��s only human to yearn for what we��ve lost. That doesn''t change even if we be beasts.


    Well, there isn''t much of a difference between humans and beasts, I suppose.


    ��Souya, who''s that?��


    Maria pointed at Lord White-Scale.


    ��Hey, it''s rude to point your finger at others��


    ��You''re the brat who stepped on my head, aren''t you?��


    As I thought, she held a grudge.


    ��?��


    Having no idea of what she was talking about, Maria had a question mark above her head.


    Sensing the dangers, I changed the subject.


    ��Lord White-Scale, you''ve got the katana the wrong way round. The edge should be facing up��


    ��Hmm? But I won''t be able to pull it out quickly that way, isn''t it?��


    Alright, I got her to take the bait.


    The numbness in my body had faded, so I stood up and hung the katana at my hip. With the de facing up.


    ��If the curved edge of the katana is not turned upwards, it will get damaged. In essence, katanas are weapons that require you to use both hands. The instant you draw it out, return it to the scabbard��


    With my left hand holding the mouth of the scabbard, I ced my right hand loosely on the hilt. I slowed my breathing, then stopped it entirely. One moment of rxation������������then an explosion of power.


    As soon as I began to draw the katana, I flipped the scabbard over and aligned the katana��s curved edge with my drawing motion.


    From silence, a crisp sound rang out.


    It seemed almost as if space itself had slid out of alignment along the path of the de. After unleashing the sh, I turned the de back around, pressed my thumb against its back, and quietly slid it back into the scabbard.


    Even after the katana had clicked back into ce, I stayed on my toes.


    What I had obtained in Neomia was not just the clothes, fangs, and candlestick. I had also acquired the experience that came from mortalbat and the skill honed through blood and sacrifice. These were things that could only be gained by oveing certain death.


    ��It''s something like this��


    ��W, whoaaa. If it''s something of that level, even I can������Ugnhh!��


    Lord White-Scale tried to draw the katana in one motion, but she didn''t extend her arm enough and it got caught.


    This is something that people who aren��t used to katanas, or even swords, often do.


    ��Pfff��


    Mariaughed at her.


    ��You brat! How dare you!��


    Lord White-Scale was so angry that her white skin had turned bright red.


    I''ve thought this for a while now, but she''s a little immature, isn''t she?


    The scene of Lord White-Scale chasing Maria about while waving the drawn katana is heartwarming, but it''s also very terrifying!


    ��What the heck is going on here?��


    ��I really wish I had an answer for you��


    I answered Otou-san, who had just shown up.


    ��Oh, that''s right. I almost forgot��


    Otou-san tapped me on the cheek a few times with a silver stake.


    It''s cold. What the heck was that for?


    ��Does it feel hot? Does it hurt?��


    ��Not particrly��


    ��Guess you''re not infected then. That''s a relief. So, did you eliminate the source of the vampires? ������And where''s Barfuru-dono?��


    ��Oh��


    My hesitation was short-lived.


    What I had to do was no different from usual.


    ��He exchanged mortal blows with the king of the vampires. It was a noble end��


    This is the greatest irony I can imagine.


    ��I see, he must have fought valiantly��


    ��Yeah, that thing was so persistent and kept on reviving, so it was quite a tough battle��


    ��������You alright? Are you feeling fatigued or anything?��


    ��I''m tired, but I should have enough left in me for one more fight. Otou-san, can I ask you one question?��


    ��What?��


    Lord White-Scale had caught Maria and was pinching her cheeks.


    Good, looks like blood isn''t going to be spilled.


    ��The vampire attack that decimated the Knight Order. Did you look into that?��


    ��That''s one thing that baffles me. The bodies buried near their headquarters had wounds simr to those made by the ws and fangs of beasts. That��s most likely the work of vampires. Thinking that I should investigate some more, I tried searching further away from the city and found more buried bodies. These ones were killed by swords and spears��


    ��Are they all bodies of knights of Elysium?��


    ��There''s no doubt about it. There weren''t any belongings on the bodies that were further away, but it''s obvious from the way their bodies were built��


    ��������������Thank you very much. If you''ll excuse me, I''ll head back first��


    ��That''s fine, but what''s the matter?��


    ��No, something came up that I have to go take care of. Maria!��


    When I called her, she slipped out of Lord White-Scale''s grasp and came over to me.


    ��What is it? Are we going home already?��


    ��Yeah, we''re going back to Lemuria. But we''ll need to make a quick stop somewhere��


    I''ve got to set things right first.


    I never once used ��he�� to refer to Lord White-Scale, now did I? Also, for the ��Lord�� used to address all the dragons, the Japanese term used there is one used exclusively for male nobles, so it��s not me who��s purposely misleading you. And I��m pretty sure that this is a shot at the trope that all dragons turn out to be beautiful women. Even if they have male titles and are pervy. XD


    Yes, it��s the legendary ��it��s all a dream�� plot device! However, dreams aren��t simple things in this world, are they? Even the gods are but mere dreams�� But when dreams walk the world, what is truly real, and what is nothing more than delusion? Hehe, Lord White-Scale��s revtions are quite important, of course.


    So, all��s well that ends well? It��s never that simple, is it? What is it that Souya has to set right? Stay tuned, we��re on the home stretch!

 Chapter 136: Homecoming II

    <h4>Chapter 136: Homing II</h4>


    Leaving Otou-san and Lord White-Scale behind, we returned to Lemuria through Maria''s ability.


    It''s about three o''clock at night at the moment. This is the time of night when the drunken adventurers are starting to fall asleep.


    The person with whom Maria has a connection, and is probably the closest to the person I have in mind, is Lanseal.


    An instant after we had dove into the light, we were teleported to a damp prison cell that looked familiar.


    On the cold stone bed, a silver-haired beastkin was curled up.


    ��Huh, Lanseal?��


    ��������Eh, is that you, Souya?��


    ��Lanseal, what are you doin�D�D��


    I was about to ask her why she was in prison when she pounced on me and locked her lips to mine.


    ��Nuugh��


    She held my head and ravished my tongue. It was so unexpected that I forgot to breathe. I could feel the heat from her limbs and the hard tips of her breasts against me. I nearly lost consciousness from confusion and lust.


    ��Ohh��


    Maria?! A child! There''s a child watching! This is terrible for her moral development!


    ��This, is bad! This is not the time for this, alright?��


    ��I, I''m sorry. I was ovee with emotion��


    I managed to tear Lanseal off me and wipe the saliva that was all over my mouth.


    That was a close one. If it hadn''t been a bad time for it, I probably would have crossed the line.


    ��Haa���� Oh no! Souya! My father, he sent you to������������ Are you alright?��


    ��It was dangerous, but I''m fine. So is Maria, who came with me��


    ��Somehow, I got tied up, blindfolded, cored, and dragged around by a leash, but I''m fine��


    Puffing out her chest, she said some very dangerous things.


    I''m begging you, please don''t say that in front of Tortch or that guy will have a stroke.


    ��And why are you here?��


    ��I couldn''t forgive my father for his decision, and when I was about to go bring you back, Souya, he preempted me and locked me up in here��


    ��What do you mean you couldn''t forgive him?��


    ��I''m referring to the matter with the vampires. Even if it''s with Barfuru-sama, sending just two people to eliminate them is far too dangerous. There must have been other alternatives, but this decision was made much too hastily and secretively. It''s very unlike my father to do such a thing��


    ��Well, your intuition is correct��


    Is this the sharpness peculiar to beastkin, or is it just the keenness of women''s intuition, I wonder? Anyway, if she had butted in, things might have been different. Though I can''t say whether or not they would have turned out for the better.


    ��I came to have a talk with the king about this matter. You and Maria should go home first��


    ��Umm, Souya?��


    ��Yes?��


    Lanseal looked at me apprehensively.


    ��I''ve seen a glimpse of the madness inside you. Indeed, I think that my father has made a mistake in this. But�D�D��


    ��It''ll be fine. I''m just going to protest nicely. Maria should be starving. Why don''t you make her some hot soup?��


    ��I''m so hungry����


    For once, Maria read the mood and said something appropriate.


    She''s grown, hasn''t she? Thought I suppose it''s possible that she simply just happens to be hungry.


    ��I understand. I''ll go back first and make supper. Souya, I''m trusting you, alright?��


    ��Don''t worry��


    I smiled at Lanseal. Maria took her hand and teleported back home.


    I held my breath for a second, drew my katana, turned the de around, then slid it back into the scabbard. When it clicked into ce, the lock of the prison split into two.


    I slipped past the sleeping guards and emerged into the corridor. Lemuria''s royal castle still looked the same whichever way I turned, and I nearly got lost.


    Relying on memory and intuition, I made my way to the food storeroom. Along the way, I ran into maids several times, but I managed to sneak past them. Although some of them were beastkin with keen senses, they somehow didn''t notice me.


    Perhaps it''s thanks to the adventuring garb I''m wearing?


    I stuffed a bup sack with things I could give as souvenirs. Leaving some room in the sack, I moved on to the treasury.


    I knocked the guards out and held a discussion in front of its sturdy door.


    ��Yukikaze, can you by any chance pick locks?��


    I could just cut it open, but that would leave traces of my intrusion.


    ��Easily, indeed. However, due to issues regarding morality, Yukikaze is unable to cooperate. Yukikaze seeks an exnation, indeed��


    ��This is what��s called a bonus��


    ��Bonuses are not meant to be collected by the employees on their own initiative��


    ��I was scammed into a contract that was grossly unfair��


    ��It''s too early toe to that conclusion without questioning King Lemuria, isn''t it? It''s possible that the king was a victim as well��


    ��Even if the king was a victim, he would only be able to pay the reward we had agreed upon when we made the contract. But that would surely break King Lemuria''s heart. Therefore, collecting the reward in secret is simply my way of showing consideration for the king''s feelings��


    ����������������������������


    Don''t go silent on me!


    ��How''s that?��


    I tapped the pod with my finger.


    ��It only sounds like sophistry to Yukikaze, but that somehow passed the ethical analysis. Yukikaze has no choice but to cooperate. After all, it''s not only team member Souya who will get in trouble if this theft gets discovered. If Yukikaze grows up to be a bad person in future, it''ll all be your fault��


    I brought the pod closer to the lock. Several parts that were smaller than its arms emerged from it and began fiddling with the mechanism of the lock. With a final turn, the lock gave an audible click.


    The door to the treasury swung open.


    ��Aaahh, aaahh, Yukikaze doesn''t care anymore. You''re a bad, bad person~��


    Ignoring Yukikaze''sints, I rummaged through the treasury.


    There were many tempting treasure chests, as well as mighty-looking weapons and armor on disy. I came across richly colored furs and stuffed monsters that I had never seen before. The bookshelves looked unassuming, but they must be filled with valuable books.


    For how impoverished the castle seems, there''s quite a hoard of treasures here. I wonder how much this all costs.


    ��Now������


    What shall I take?


    As I agonized over this, there was a burst of light and an owl alighted on my head.


    ��Ehhh��


    That��s unexpected.


    Why did she note when I called her, bute now when I''m doing something I don''t want her to see?


    ��I felt as if I was called, so I came to take a look, but what are you doing?��


    ��What does it look like I''m doing?��


    ��Stealing��


    ��Gravius-sama, there''s a profound~ reason for this��


    I exined myself to god.


    I told her about what had happened in the Neomia inside the dream and the whole story about Barfuru. My suspicions regarding the king. The existence of the vampires. Halfway through my exnation, Gravius-sama started fishing through the treasury while making perfunctory responses.


    ��I see. ������Ideally, you want to pick things that aren''t bulky, are valuable, and can be easily altered��


    ��What? Oh, right��


    Surprisingly, she was on board with it.


    ��This brooch is perfect. The inset stone is a Galgus pyroxene, which is also referred to as "Gastolfo''s Upper Arm", "Whore''s House", "Thieves'' Star", and "Tender Treasure". One of these is worth 500 gold coins��


    I''ll get Makina to alter and then sell it.


    ��This is an antique gold ring that has been imbued with magic power. Wow, this is quite a rarity. The magic power is very pure. A skilled magician might be able to seal some sort of miracle within it��


    I''ll get it reworked and give it to Rana as a souvenir.


    ��Here''s something you don''t see every day. These are Rmir steel arrowheads. I wonder why they made it into something like this������for ceremonial purposes maybe?��


    I''ll have Ea use them in secret.


    ��Now this is something special. I''d never have guessed that a king of a remote country would possess something like this��


    The object that had caught Gravius-sama''s eye was a gemstone with a strange glow.


    It had a blood-red luster. In its center was a pattern that resembled the pupil of a cat. It was the size of a softball, but weighed as much as a bowling ball.


    ��What��s this?��


    ��It''s a dragon''s eye. It''s not a real eye though. It''s just a type of gemstone. However, it''s been said that only those who have a connection with dragons mayy their hands on it������������Souya, you''re able to carry it as normal, I see��


    ��Indeed��


    I''d take it, but it''s something that won''t be easy to sell. What should I do?


    ��Hey, Souya. Here, this one��


    Gravius-sama was holding a single ring in her beak.


    I epted it from her and appraised it.


    ��Hmm?��


    It was an old silver ring. There was nothing special about it other than the fact that anguage I had never seen before was engraved on it. It was worth no more than two silver coins.


    ��Give that to me as an offering. I won''t mind epting it��


    ��Eh, are you sure you want something like this?��


    There are lots of more expensive things in here that you can have, you know?


    Not that any of them are mine though.


    ��This is fine. While you''re fast developing into a swordsman, you''ve gone downhill as a merchant. The price of an item has nothing to do with how much it''s worth to the person who desires it��


    ��If this is what you want, Gravius-sama, then I''ll be happy to present it as an offering��


    ��Well, I guess I have no choice. I''ll ept it��


    When I held out the ring, the god took it with her beak again and tucked it under her wing.


    ��This ring was popr back when I was alive. It''s of little value, but it is precious. Silver gets dirty and corroded when people wear it, so I was surprised to find that one in such good condition still exists in the world��


    So gods reminisce about the past too, huh?


    ��What does the engraving on the ring say?��


    ��"Glory and decline are the sun and the moon." In my time, many a country was born and many a country perished. As such, a number of such words of warning were created��


    The era in which she lived in. Hopefully, there wille a time when I can ask her about it.


    After that, I quietly packed the hard-to-trace items into the sack and parted ways with a pleased Gravius-sama.


    I tidied up the treasury to hide my theft. I also made sure to lock the door behind me. I put the unconscious guards in chairs to make it look like they had simply fallen asleep.


    Everything had gone so smoothly that I couldn''t believe that this was my first time.


    Maybe I have some talent as a thief or something? But I''ve always wondered about this with regards to games and such. "Thief" refers to a type of criminal and is not a profession, right? Wouldn''t calling them ��Professional Criminals�� be more urate?[1]


    Leaving that aside, I headed for the king''s bedroom.


    I had more stuff on me, but remained undetected. I made it there easily.


    I knocked out the three guards there with the back of my katana. They were weaker than I had expected.


    If the captain of the guard had been here, would I have had a harder time, I wonder?


    I tried to sense for presences through the door, and fortunately, I only sensed one. If he was in bed with a woman, it would put a kink in my n.


    The door was unlocked as there were people guarding it.


    Even if he''s a king, for me to be sneaking into a dude''s bedroom, what an incredible downer this is.


    I approached the canopied bed, flipped my katana around so that its edge was facing backward, then swung it down at the sleeping king''s face�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Who''s there?!��


    Sparks and an angry yell filled the darkness. The king had deflected my katana with a dagger he had pulled out from under his pillow. He then leaped away and distanced himself from me with a grace that belied his years.


    As expected from the king of adventurers.


    To think that a surprise attack while he slept wouldn''t work���� Well, I had only meant to give him a scare. I hadn''t been serious.


    ��I''ve just made it back from Neomia��


    ��Is that you, Souya? What''s gotten into you? What''s with the clothes you''re wearing, or rather, what''s the deal behind this outrage?��


    ��What, you ask��������������


    ��?��


    I gave him plenty of time.


    The king was waiting for my reply with a question mark floating above his head. That was enough for me.


    ��Why did the thought that I had be a vampire never cross your mind?��


    ��What?��


    The person you had sent to eliminate vampires snuck into your bedroom in the middle of the night and attacked you. That should be the very first thing thates to mind, isn''t it?


    ����������������


    Even in the darkness, I could clearly see the king��s face twist.


    ��There were no vampires to begin with. It was Barfuru who attacked the Knight Order. The reason why they mistakenly thought they had been infected was probably because of the beasts of abominable blood in their own veins, or because of the spirits of the dead that haunt Rossian. The captain of the guard''s men must have been sent into battle to die so that there wouldn''t be any inconvenient witnesses. Or maybe they were killed to silence them��


    ����������������


    There was no response.


    ��It was give and take. Barfuru let you use him because he wanted me to go with him. To begin with, this whole thing was made up out of thin air. You can fake whatever information you want. You must have gotten all sorts of information this time by stirring up trouble for Elysium. How fast they respond, and who theymunicate the information to. Who you''ll need to silence, how others will react, and what gets dyed if you do manage to silence them. Such information is invaluable��


    ��������What happened to Barfuru-dono?��


    Those were the words that the king squeezed out.


    ��I killed him��


    ��Impossible��


    I showed him the fangs as proof.


    ��He was strong��


    That''s all I''ll say. I won''t go into detail.


    I''ll let him imagine the rest on his own.


    ��Yes, I understand now. That bastard Barfuru. For him to conspire against me, he must be a despicable beast, not just in appearance but also in his heart��


    ��������������Huh?��


    Wait.


    What the bloody hell is this baldy talking about?


    ��But his strength was no lie. You did well to defeat him. I shall give you a bonus on top of the promised reward��


    ��What do you think you''re doing?��


    ��That beast-headed man tricked me with his made-up story about vampires and killed the knights of Elysium, who were our allies. In addition, he tried to plunge Lemuria into chaos. However, he was defeated by a single adventurer who caught on to his n��


    Rage.


    Rage welled up inside me.


    Rage is rage, but this is the kind of rage that''s hard to describe in words. I hate Barfuru. I certainly hate him. I don''t feel the slightest bit of pity for him. However, the only ones who are entitled to trample on him are Maria and me.


    This guy has no right to do that.


    ��Are you angry, Souya?��


    ����������������


    Wordlessly, I slid the katana back into the scabbard. It was a preparatory action for what came next.


    Depending on his next words, blood may be spilled.


    ��You''re so very young. When you get older, you''ll understand. That there will be many times when you��ll have to sacrifice something in order to protect something else. Besides, it''s not as if you''re one of those fools who talk about worthless ideals and dreams, am I right?��


    He''s certainly right about that.


    The notion of protecting everything is a pipe dream. A person only has two arms, and trying to protecting someone along with yourself is next to impossible.


    And that''s precisely why I''m so angry. I no longer have any words left for this guy�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Calm down. What are you going to do after you kill me? Take your wife and sister and flee to another continent? Elves are notoriously bad at adapting to newnds, you know? The me for the murder of the king could also fall on Heures Forest. If it does, everything will go up like a powder-keg. Thend will be embroiled in war. No, it could turn out to be much lessplicated than that. As there is no sessor to the throne, the Margrave will bring in troops from Elysium and establish his rule over the country. The beastkin will be oppressed, and all the beastkin you know, including Lanseal, will be ves. Yes, the same fate will likely befall the elves as well��


    The king spoke eloquently and without the slightest hint of guilt. His gaze was calm and his expression impassive.


    I took the jumble of emotions inside me and honed them until they were as sharp as a de.


    I don''t need anything else.


    ��What did youe all the way from the foreignnds to do?��


    So long as I kill this guy, I don''t������������


    ��������������To explore the dungeon��


    In that moment, I killed myself without using any de.


    Calm down. I don''t need the coldness of a de right now. What I need is the cold dispassion of a person seeking profit.


    Maria getting caught up in this is partly due to my own carelessness. If I had been watching her more closely, she wouldn''t have fallen prey to Barfuru''s instigation. Besides, she''s already safe and sound.


    So calm down.


    Calm down.


    I��ve made a promise to return home. It would be foolish to go back on that promise and put myself into another dangerous situation.


    I had thought that I had be stronger, but I''m still weak. It''s frustrating.


    ��Haaa��


    I let out a sigh.


    After all that has happened, I''m just so tired.


    ��Just this once, I''ll let you have your way. Remember, it''s just this once. And never forget, separating your head from your body is child��s y for me��


    ��Tomorrow, to honor you for defeating Barfuru�D�D��


    ��Screw that! I don''t need any glory. You can feed that to the dogs��


    ��Then������


    ��Barfuru, no, Deimos Zamongrea exchanged mortal blows with the king of the vampires. That''s all there is to it��


    ��I see. If that''s what you want, then so be it��


    I turned to leave.


    I no longer have any respect for this king.


    This is a castle of falsehoods. This king''s authority is built on nothing but lies and a series of lucky breaks. And you call yourself the king of adventurers? You sly bastard.


    ��I am the king. Of adventurers, that is��


    Even at the very end, the king continued to sound off.


    ��Souya, you''ve revealed too much of your talents to me. One of these days, I''ll put you to work again��


    I turned back and bared my teeth at him.


    ��Order me all you want! However, I am no dog! Don''t think for one second that you can tame me!��


    [1] This is one of the rare times where Japanese is more specific than English, so the joke is hard to bring across. In essence: A person is a thief if they��ve stolen once, but that doesn��t mean that it��s their profession, right? So the ones in games and such who have ��Thief�� as their ss/job/etc and presumably do it as a profession shouldn��t be called ��thief�� but ��professional thief��. Yes, it just sounds so weird in English because there isn��t apletely separate term for ��professional thief�� (that I know of).


    In case, you hadn��t caught it, ��I don''t need anything else�� is what Souya thinks in his head when he��s honing his killing intent. He did it during the dragon fight and also thought something simr in the L fight. So yes, he was intent on killing the king at that moment. But when he was reminded of his purpose, he gave up on it.


    Yeah, it��s been shown in shes here and there, but Lemuria is no benevolent king. Before this, he��s only schemed with Souya against others, but people like that will scheme against anyone as long as it��s to their advantage and it was only a matter of time�� So, what do you think this change in their rtionship will bring?


    On a lighter note, I like Gravius-sama. It��s really too bad she doesn��t get more screen time.


    2 more chapters until the volume ends��and I��ll be releasing them together as a double chapter! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 137.1: Homecoming III & IV

    <h4>Chapter 137.1: Homing III & IV</h4>


    <Homing III>


    To cool off, I wandered aimlessly through the night streets.


    Perhaps it was because everyone had already gone to sleep, but the snow-covered city of stone felt unusually cold. That said, it was nothingpared to the snowy fields of Neomia. My skin froze and my flesh stiffened, but the cold didn''t reach my bones.


    My feet automatically brought me to the stores of my acquaintances.


    Needless to say, both stores were already closed.


    I left, and since the brothels would be a bad idea, I steered clear of them. The normally noisy streets were so quiet it was almost painful to the ear. There were neither prostitutes looking for customers nor intoxicated adventurers.


    I was struck with a strange sense of loneliness.


    It was as if everyone had perished, leaving behind nothing but the traces that they had existed in the snow. It seemed like I was walking through a city that had fallen into ruin.


    It felt to me like hundreds of years had passed without my knowledge, and that no one would be there even if I returned home������������


    ��How utterly foolish��


    Both my head and body have cooled off enough. I should hurry home.


    However, the wintryndscape and the atmosphere of the night had made me lose track of where I was.


    This problem would have been resolved right away if I had just asked Yukikaze, but I simply kept on walking aimlessly. By chance, I stumbled upon a ce I recognized.


    It was Tyutyu''s store, which had a red awning over it.


    Perhaps it was because she had more money now, but the tables and chairs were a bit newer. They were probably second-hand, but even though they looked a bit old, they were still an upgrade over the battered ones that were there before.


    The snow looked freshly shoveled, causing me to think, ��Surely not������


    ��Wee back, Barfuru-sama������������Sorry-nya, I guess I got your scents mixed up-nya��


    Tyutyu had emerged from the shack. She had wrapped herself in a nket, but she had practically been outdoors in this temperature. Even a beastkin must find it too cold. As proof, she was shivering a little.


    ��Surely you haven''t been sleeping here?��


    You have a proper house, so what are you doing here?


    ��Hmm? Whenever Barfuru-sama goes off, I sleep here instead of at home. That jerk-nya, he would never stop by my house-nya��


    ��������I see��


    Barfuru had said that this was not the ce he had to return to. And yet, there��s someone waiting for him in this ce.


    I was ovee with a feeling that was too much to bear.


    ��What about you, Souya? What are you doing here at this hour-nya?��


    ��I had just returned from work. I thought I''d take a quick stroll around, but at this hour������


    ��Then hurry on home-nya. You have people waiting for you at home. You''re a lucky man, Souya-nya��


    ����������������


    I wanted to reply, but found myself at a loss for words.


    The person she''s waiting for will never return. Because I''ve killed him.


    ��Tyutyu, about Barfuru-sama������


    ��Hmm?��


    ��He''s not going toe back here anymore��


    I went and said it.


    I just couldn''t keep quiet about it.


    ��Why?��


    The eyes that she had fixed on mine were terrifying.


    I had thought that I had be stronger, but I guess I''m still weak against women.


    ��He''s gone back to where he has family waiting for him. A ce far away��


    ��������������Is that so?��


    ��So stop waiting for him here and go home. If you sleep in this kind of ce, you��ll�D�D��


    ��Don��t call it ��this kind of ce��!��


    Tyutyu''s voice echoed in the still of the night.


    ��Oh������sorry-nya. But this is the store my mother left me, and Barfuru-sama is��������


    The hypocrisy I had spouted had been no better than a load of bullshit.


    Tyutyu broke out in a shiver and crouched into a small ball. I stretched my hand towards her, but������


    ��Souya, please just go home. That kind of thing������I don''t need it��


    My shallow sympathy was rejected.


    There was nothing more to be said. I dragged my legs, which were stiff with reluctance, and left her side.


    I heard the sound of stifled sobbing.


    It''s just my imagination.


    She''s not such a weak woman.


    If not for me, if I hadn��te to this alternate world, Barfuru and Tyutyu''s everyday life would surely have continued.


    The beast from a nightmare, despite his obsession, would continue to distract himself with alcohol, and though she would only see him as a good-for-nothing, the beastkin girl would continue to experience what it was like to have family.


    But����


    But so what?


    I had simply brushed off the sparks that hadnded on me(defended myself from what was threatening my life). Why should I give a damn about the feelings of those sparks?


    The sorrow of just one girl should be nothing to a follower of Misuranika, the god of misdeeds.


    Don''t worry about it.


    Don''t pay it any mind.


    My footsteps on the snow gradually became faster. Once the sobbing could no longer be heard, I started running.


    I had no destination in mind. I ran, and I ran, and until I was out of breath and my heart was pounding, I kept on running. On impulse, I started to throw away the things I was carrying, but my calcting mind took over and stopped me at thest second.


    Losing my bnce, I slipped on the snow and fell awkwardly. I hit my back so hard that I couldn''t move for a moment.


    To Barfuru����


    And the king of adventurers����


    I offer these words with all my heart.


    ��If only I could live shamelessly like you guys! I''d have it so much easier!��


    Go to hell.


    No, live and suffer.


    ��You stupid bastards��


    The sky looked so ridiculously beautiful.


    I justy there and watched the stars.


    It took a while for me to get my ragged breathing under control and for the sweat on my feverish body to dry up. The sky was filled with so many stars that it felt like I was in space, and so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. Shining brightly, as if sneering at me, were the three moons.


    ��Souya��


    Something intruded into the starry sky I had all to myself. It was a fluffy tail that was swaying in and out of sight.


    ��What��s wrong? Are you lost?��


    ��Yes, Misuranika-sama. I��m lost��


    A cat with golden eyes, long gray hair, and an especially fluffy winter coat was talking to me.


    ording to Makina, she closely resembles a breed called the Norwegian Forest Cat.


    ��Come then, I''ll show you the way��


    "Hurry up and get up," the paw poking my cheek seemed to say.


    I couldn''t just lie there with god prodding me, so I brushed the snow off me, got to my feet, and followed god''s lead.


    ��Misuranika-sama, did anything change at home?��


    ��If I had to say, I guess there were some changes. For one, Ea has returned to health. But these few days, all we''ve been eating is a rotation of udon, curry, and ramen. It''s not bad, but I''m getting sick of it��


    ��Didn''t Makina make any other dishes?��


    ��That one basically only makes what people want. Elves take a long time to get tired of a vor or pastime they''ve grown fond of. For example, if you leave Ea to her own devices, she''ll eat curry every day. Rana too, she''ll eat eggs over rice non-stop. Bringing diversity into the home is your job, Souya��


    ��I''ll bear that in mind��


    Elves can be obsessed over one thing for a long time, I guess.


    ��Well, it probably wouldn''t have been that way if Lanseal hadn''t been locked up��


    ��How did Rana and Ea react to that?��


    The sisters didn''t storm the royal castle, did they?


    ��A messenger came from the castle and told the sisters that she had caught a cold. I saw through the lie easily, but I thoughtfully kept quiet about it. Anyway, I''d bet she must have acted on her woman''s intuition and shed with the king��


    ��Yes, well, you''re exactly right��


    ��Well then, cook dishes that I like tomorrow��


    ��Understood. Do you have any requests?��


    ��Hot pot(nabe)��


    Hot pot, huh? I guess that''s a staple of winter. I''m sure it''ll be delicious even if I just throw in bacon, cabbage, tomatoes, miso, and other things randomly.


    But����


    ��I thought you disliked hot food, Misuranika-sama? Thest time I made this dish, you made a big fuss about it being too hot the entire time��


    ��You simply have to blow on it till it''s cool. Isn''t that the duty of a follower?��


    ��������Understood��


    Today, a new t was born.


    ��It is the duty of a follower to blow on food to cool it down for god��


    I just hope that Maria doesn''t see this and makes a fuss, saying, "Do it for me too."


    ��We''ve arrived. I''ll go in first��


    We had arrived at a certain section of the city wall. Even though I had only been away for a couple of days, I felt unusually homesick.


    ������������This is home.


    Ducking through the cat door beside the iron door, my god went in first. Did Makina add this? I wondered. I tried sticking my hand into it and found that it went in quite a ways. I couldn''t see far into it as well. I could feel air flowing through it though.


    Rather than a cat door, it''s more of a cat passageway.


    Could this be connected to the basement? If so, then I guess there''s no problem in terms of security.


    ��Ahem��


    Feeling a little nervous, I knocked on the door.


    I heard the patter of footsteps on the other side of it.


    ��Yes? Who is it?��


    ��It''s your husband��


    The iron door swung open a crack and I took in the sight of Rana behind the door chain.


    She was wearing a one-piece knit dress that perfectly highlighted her curves and breasts. Her fleshy thighs were bare, and she was wearing warm-looking fur slippers. Her blonde hair hung straight down, and her long ears were peeking out. Her cute baby face seemed a little sleepy.


    ��Give me a second please��


    The door closed once more and I heard the sound of the chain being removed.


    When it opened again, I heard the words of my dreams.


    ��Wee home. Would you like to take a bath? Would you like to have a meal? Or�D�D��


    ��You~!��


    With great eagerness, I cut her off.


    To be honest, in a lot of ways, I can''t take it anymore.


    ��Shhh��


    Lanseal, who hade back earlier, shushed me with a raised finger. Inside the kotatsu and next to her was Maria, who was sleeping soundly.


    Come to think of it, I''m feeling sleepy too. I must have slept for a long time, but that dream sleep seems to be different from regr sleep.


    It had be prohibited to wear shoes in the home.


    In the entrance area, I found shoes and indoor slippers lined up neatly.


    Around the kotatsu, there were now a bookshelf, snacks, and other recreational items. There were also pillows, cushions, and other things to help achieve restful sleep. All of these things had been ced within easy reach.


    That''s a space that canpletely spoil a person. Depending on the situation, I might consider getting rid of it.


    ��She said that she was going to stay up until you got home, but she gave out just a little while ago��


    Lanseal carried Maria in her arms.


    ��I''m going to sleep too as I was unable to sleep well in the castle. Wee home, Souya��


    ��Yeah, I''m back��


    The two of them disappeared upstairs.


    ��Souya-san, wee home��


    ��Oh, I��m back��


    I handed Yukikaze to Makina, who was in the kitchen.


    In the short time that I had been gone, the kitchen had evolved into a clean and functional ce. Modern cooking utensils had been hung up, and storage space had been installed under the countertop. The countertop itself had been reced with a sparkling new marble one. There was also a gleaming set of new kitchen knives.


    Like a mother-inw, I ran a finger across the countertop.


    This sure is nice.


    But it must have been expensive, right? I haven''t gone into debt without knowing it again, have I?


    ��Yukikaze-chan, you''re not as worn out as Makina thought you''d be��


    ��Yukikaze had nothing to do this time. In effect, Yukikaze didn''t do anything that different from Makina��


    ��Let''s begin the data integration and optimization process. Souya-san, the bath hasn''t been drained yet, so please feel free to take a bath. Maintenance of your armaments will be done early tomorrow morning. Please put your equipment on the equipment rack in the basement. Thank you for all of your hard work on this adventure. Good night��


    ��Good night��


    The two A.I.s went into standby mode.


    ��Rana, where''s Ea?��


    Come to think of it, I don''t see my sister.


    ��She went to bed long ago. This is hardly a time when a child should be awake��


    ��I see��


    I handed Rana my cloak and top hat.


    When I set the bup sack full of stuff on the ground����


    ��By the way, what''s in this?��


    Misuranika-sama emerged from the basement and began fishing around in it right away.


    ��Souvenirs��


    ��Hoho, there''s some good salted meat and alcohol in here, I see. I''ll ept these gratefully��


    Taking the form of a little girl, she also disappeared upstairs, carrying the bup sack over her shoulder like Santa us.


    I hadn''t assigned her a room, so whose room is she going into, I wonder?


    Or rather, I''ve been presenting stolen goods as offerings to the two gods I''m contracted with, but������ Oh well, I guess it''s fine.


    ����������������


    Both of us looked around.


    There was no one in sight and no need to be concerned about being heard.


    ��Well then, would you like to take a�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��A bath then you!��


    With great eagerness, I cut her off.


    <Homing IV>


    The scars from fighting the wolves and the demonic monster, as well as the memories, were all too real to be just the stuff of dreams.


    I was unable toe up with any good lies to exin them.


    When she pressed me, I confessed everything.


    After much discussion,


    It was decided that from now on, rather than lying, I should just tell the truth from the beginning, even if it would cause others to worry.


    I should have done that from the very beginning, but I guess that goes without saying for a person like me.


    Rana promised me that she would wait for my return calmly, no matter the circumstances.


    Just like the wife of the shadow knight.


    However, I''m different from that guy. No matter what happens, I''ll return. And to be perfectly frank, Rana is not a weak person. More often than not, she will be able to fight shoulder to shoulder with me.


    She''s my wife and also a fellow adventurer.


    But I can''t help but wonder sometimes.


    Our rtionship began with a lie. It''s a fact that I often forget about when I let my mind wander, but if she also forgets about it, then I suppose it''s probably alright to let it fade from our memories. Because the warmth that seeps into me from her touch is an undeniable truth.


    After freshening up, I ate a light supper then got ready for sleep.


    It was nearly dawn. In all likelihood, I would only wake up around noon.


    So.


    In the end, we shared a bed. It was because Rana''s room had been taken over by Misuranika-sama.


    Somehow, the bed in my room had grown to double its previous size.


    "I worked hard on it!�� Rana said.


    She said that she had a lot of free time, so she learned to make things by watching and imitating Makina. It also served as rehabilitation for her fingers and she apparently enjoyed it immensely. Some of the improvements to the kitchen and the bookshelf near the kotatsu were also her work.


    They��re all pretty nice. They might even be good enough to sell.


    She''s also nning to build a stic greenhouse in the basement and transnt the vegetable garden from the camp to our new home. I had forgotten about it, but I��ll have to bring Lars, who''s currently hibernating, over here as well.


    It seems that she has a knack for crafting. The gods sure have endowed her with an unexpected talent.


    ��Please let me sleep on your arm��


    ��Yeah, sure��


    In this, she''s no different from Maria.


    We put our warmth together and tucked ourselves under the covers. Her calming scent was lulling me to sleep. I touched her gold dust-like hair. And then drowned myself in her softness. Her warmth soaked deep into my bones, making it hard for me to want to separate our bodies.


    One half of my consciousness fell asleep right away.


    As I dreamed, I listened to Rana talk about her dreams.


    ording to her, there were now so many things that she wanted to do. She had been able to find a whole lot of them.


    She thanked me.


    She said that it was all because of me.


    When she had talked about it in the past, she didn''t even have the smallest of wishes.


    People do change, I suppose. The only ones who don''t, are beasts.


    Feeling a little fearful, I hugged her close. I clung to her tightly and nuzzled my cheek against her like a cat.


    If this is a dream, then it''s surely a sweet dream. Or is it just an interlude between nightmares?


    A whisper and a prayer.


    A tiny wish and a dream.


    A hope to never awaken.


    Following behind me was the rest of the pack.


    All I could hear was the roar of the white wind and distant howls.


    White wolves ran across the field covered with snow from the snowstorm.


    The white wolves searched for their prey with their bright red mouths hanging open.


    Then, a man appeared.


    A man who was like a shadow.


    He wore a top hat and a ck cloak.


    With his katana, sword, and magic sword, he fought with the wolves like a nightmare.


    Or is it a dream of me that a white wolf is having?


    ��End��


    That ending~~~! This entire volume does the ��is this a dream or is it not?�� thing so well, doesn��t it? Really makes you question the reality of things!


    Those first few sentences with Misuranika. So much double meaning there, isn��t it? And so brilliantly done too. I really take my hat off to the author, that part was just masterful. However, the hot food joke is so much funnier in Japanese. This is very typical of Japanese, but the literal words there were, ��isn��t FUU FUUing the duty of a follower?�� and ��It is the duty of a follower to FUU FUU for god��. XD


    What a volume, huh? Twists and turns galore. But those who are astute would have noticed that the numbering of this chapter is different from usual. That��s because, just this once, the author has written an afterword! Now, this afterword is not required reading. In fact, if you��re a purist who only wants to experience what the author intends for the readers to experience, then you should skip it. That��s because the author details all the plot points of this volume in the afterword, including the parts which they have deliberately left vague to allow the readers to fill in the nks with what they want to imagine. However, if you want to have a glimpse behind the screen and see how orderly and detailed the plot actually is despite how it is presented, then you��re in for a treat. Oh yes, the reason why it��s going to a separate release all by itself is because it��s LONG. If you thought my afterwords were long����heh, you ain��t seen nothing yet. It��s as long as a normal chapter, I kid you not.


    So, stay tuned! Or if you��re skipping the afterword, see you next volume!

 Chapter 137.2: The Neomia of Delusion Notes (Afterword, and the explanation of the setting)

    <h4>Chapter 137.2: The Neomia of Delusion Notes (Afterword, and the exnation of the setting)</h4>


    Yeah, it''s my notes for the volume.


    However, for readers who believe that how they feel and the impression they gained is all that matters in determining "this is the kind of story this is," I would suggest not reading this.


    Though I called it notes, some key points may have been left up to the readers'' imagination, so do keep that in mind.


    This time, there were some limitations due to the use of the first-person narrative, such as the ce names of other ces appearing and the timeline being confusing. As such, let''s start with a brief overview of the history.


    The names, left continent, center continent, and right continent, are an indication that there has never been a ruler capable of gaining control over any one continent.


    Also, the world simply isn''t seen as round. The undeveloped maritime exploration technology and the existence of scurvy are some of the causes for that.


    If this world had sauerkraut or lime juice, things might have been different.


    So why isn''t the center continent called the Elysium Continent?


    Elysium, the city of white and the capital of the country headed by the beast hunting princes was originally built by the elves and subsequently seized by the Hemu.


    They could easily have renamed it, but the usurpers thought it would be more humiliating for the elves, who had their city stolen from them, to keep the name as is. The story that the country was founded by Lyridias (Silent Duin) is also more or less bullshit, or perhaps it''s better to say that it came about as a result of the history made up byter generations bing entrenched.


    A variety of reasons, including internal strife among the princes, the political vacuum, and the popr beliefs of the people,bined to make it impossible to separate themselves from that city, leading to the idea of just exploiting the current situation rather than starting from scratch.


    Over time, even the elves forgot that the city of white was something that had been seized from them. Naturally, few among the Hemus know that it was stolen.


    On the right wall, elves and dwarves engaged in battle with those giants.


    On the left wall, elves presenting ears of wheat to Hemus.


    On the far wall, a crowned Hemu defeating the giants.


    Hemus only joined the frayter.


    ��A simple timeline of the right continent��


    Note: Writing the year might confuse people, so I will simply write the number of years from the present. This information only covers the countries involved in this volume.


    Neomia was founded.


    Rossian was founded by Lord Blue-Scale.


    The assassination of the royal line of Rossian by Deimos?Zamongrea (Barfuru).


    Lord Blue-Scale went mad. Without the dragon, Rossian was destroyed by Elysium''s army.


    The bountiful city of Neomia was destroyed by winter. The infestation of vampires.


    Elysium''s invasion, and thest stand of the Endguard.


    Elysium''s army was wiped out by the Lycans.


    Next,


    To borate on the various reasons and purposes.


    It was a stepping stone for the invasion of Neomia.


    The thing that Elysium found most troubling was the history that Neomia possessed.


    Neomia was a country founded by those whom Elysium had exiled.


    They had carefully preserved many secrets that Elysium would rather never see the light of day.


    They were used as leverage to extort money from Elysium.


    That was why Neomia was so culturally and economically developed despite being a remote part of a rural continent.


    It was all thanks to the money from Elysium.


    They were the descendants of the ones dvain had called the "old warriors of long past".


    They hade to Neomia from the left continent in pursuit of vampires, only to fail to defeat the source of the vampires after it had fled into the dungeon.


    At the behest of the then king of Neomia, they settled down outside the city.


    In truth, the king of Neomia knew the exact whereabouts of the source of the vampires and could have had it defeated if he so wished, but he hid its presence because he was scheming to use the Endguard''s strength to defend the city.


    Let''s start with the reason why Lord Blue-Scale was covered in wounds when it first appeared before the young king, Fon.


    However, Velsvain''s disciples, who had dvain''s blessing of the dragon yer, fought it off, causing it to flee to the right continent.


    Velsvain''s school also took heavy casualties and waster destroyed in the ensuing war.


    It had gone to Neomia for the Endguard, who had the same scent as dvain.


    In the hope that they would kill it.


    After the dragon went to sleep, winter came to Neomia and turned it into a capital of death infested with vampires, as per the main story.


    This was a curse that the old warriors obtained when they contracted with the "old ones", the ck wolves of the left continent.


    Thought this curse was originally a means ofbating the curse of the vampires, in the end, the nature of the curse changed in response to their wishes, and turned them into white wolves that devoured their enemies.


    The story about the Endguard that Barfuru told in volume 1 is mostly bullshit.


    The reason why he spread this story was because he was looking for people who had a connection to the Endguard and Neomia.


    Toto''s ancestors were adventurers in Neomia, and Barfuru looked into the possibility of using her in some way.


    He buried her body in the snowy fields of Neomia, where it was recovered by thedy who made her into a resident of the dream.


    The Neomia that Souya went into is not the real Neomia.


    Lord White-Scale said in the main story that it was Lord Blue-Scale''s dream, but that wouldn''t exin the corpse sitting on the skeleton throne.


    The heroes'' spearhead are shadow knights who work to hand glory to the heroes.


    This was basically meant to be a way to absolve a former knight of great prowess of his or her crime.


    He slept with the Pope''s mistress, impregnated her, and was captured after trying to flee, and then made to serve as a shadow knight.


    It is, in effect, a sentence of being exploited until death.


    He caused Rossian''s downfall, and by extension, Neomia''s as well, but in the end, he and the king of Neomia ended up killing each other inbat.


    That appearance is a mixture of the abominable blood, the Lycan, and the nightmare, blending together into a degenerate form.


    The hero said that if he brought back the head of Lord Blue-Scale, he would allow him to see his wife and child. He obeyed.


    He returned to the right continent, but was unable to go back to Neomia because of Lord White-Scale''s barrier.


    If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave yourments.


    Follow-up notes below.


    The two corpses in the throne room.


    One was the king of Neomia and the other was Deimos Zamongrea.


    What''s up with that? Is where I''ll begin.


    ��


    Winter sets in.


    (The reason why winter sets in when the dragon sleeps is because of the stagnation of cold air in the skies above the alternate world. This is the reason why there are no migratory birds. The reason why winged rabbits exist instead and so on is something I''ll talk about in future if I get the chance.)


    ��


    Lord Blue-Scale''s dream slowly consumes Neomia.


    ��


    Neomia''s inhabitants be vampires.


    ��


    The Endguard invokes the curse of the Lycans and wipes out Elysium''s army.


    ��


    Bearing severe wounds, Zamongrea breaks through the Lycans'' defenses and fights the king of Neomia in singlebat.


    He defeats the king, but dies from the wounds inflicted by the Lycans.


    ��


    Both of them died and were then pulled into Lord Blue-Scale''s dream.


    ��


    When Lord Blue-Scale realized that the person it had taken into the dream was the one who had murdered its entire family, it spat him out of the dream as a nightmare.


    ��


    Barfuru was born.


    What Souya did was destroy Zamongrea''s body in front of Barfuru (Neomia''s nightmare), forcing him to recognize his own death, thus causing Barfuru to disappear.


    That''s what happened.


    What had lingered was the shadow of the abominable blood and the obsession with going back to a ce where there was no longer anyone waiting for him.


    By destroying the body that was the source of these, Barfuru was vanquished.


    By the way, this goes without saying, but the author isn��t going to be answering the questions posted here lol. But feel free to post any questions/discussions in thements or Discord.


    So, Zamongrea had already died but became a beast of abominable blood bearing his obsession and that was what killed the king, huh? Or at least, that��s how I��m taking it. But this really gives you an insight into the gods of this world, doesn��t it?


    And yeah, did you think that everything Lord White-Scale said was 100% true? By reading this, I hope you��ve realized that NO ONE in this story knows the whole truth, no matter who they are, and it��s not that they��re intentionally lying, just that they don��t know/are misinformed as well, which is incredibly realistic�� And can you imagine the incredible amount of effort required to keep such things straight and logical? This is why I really respect this author��s nning of the plot. EVERY character��s telling of events is colored by their biases, their motives, and their knowledge in this story.


    Still, I have to admit I would never have made the connection that the ��old warriors�� that dvain said Souya was simr to were the Endguard. But when you read this, did you go, ��Of course!��? And this also exins Souya��s affinity with the old ones, the ck wolves on the left continent, as well as the golden eyes they share. The Lycan curse he possesses is a mutation of their powers. Small things like this are the difference between good and great stories, imo. However, what��s Misuranika-sama��s link to all this?


    So, even in the afterword and notes, there are still many secrets, huh? The elves and the Hemus. The ��terrifying�� hero that Zamonss said Souya resembled. All these plot points have many hints and foreshadowing already in the main story. Can you spot them? And of course, if you hadn��t guessed already, the secrets Neomia was using to ckmail Elysium are what��s depicted in the throne room. Including the fact that the previous king of Neomia lied to the old warriors in order to use them and the fact that they were the invaders of Rossian, no one side is truly innocent in this, isn��t it? Except maybe Rossian��


    Well, I hope you��ve enjoyed this unique peek behind the screen that the author has provided! See you next volume!

 Chapter 138: A Perfectly Ordinary Day

    <h4>Chapter 138: A Perfectly Ordinary Day</h4>


    ��157th day��


    A short, thick arm was holding the katana.


    ��This one also looks terrible��


    The same impression was given when it picked up the sword next.


    ��And this one''s on the verge of falling apart. You can''t even call this one a ded weapon anymore��


    The magic sword was lying on a spread-out piece of cloth.


    Just as described, it was in a terrible state. There were cracks all over the length of its de, and its edge was badly chipped and twisted.


    ��And the one in the worst shape is you��


    ��Eh, me?��


    Lastly, a finger was pointed at me.


    The finger was deeply etched with wrinkles and crooked from many years of cksmithing.


    ��The elbow of your right arm is hurt, isn''t it? Until that''s healed, I won''t give you the weapons back even after they''ve been repaired. No matter how powerful the weapon, it��s no better than a stick if the wielder can''t use it properly��


    ��������Understood��


    I nodded solemnly.


    In my previous adventure, I had damaged my weapons quite a bit.


    We had tried to repair them, but modern science was not up to the task, and neither were the cksmiths in the city. While we were struggling with this problem, we were fortunate enough to meet a dwarf who was a swordsmith. We had invited him to the workshop in the basement of my home and were in the midst of having him take a look at the condition of my weapons.


    I hadn''t expected that he would even point out problems with my body though.


    ��Souya-san, could it be that your elbow������


    ��Oh, err. I''ve been experiencing some strange pain in my elbow recently when tossing the frying pan��


    ��Makina will examine itter��


    So said the cylindrical A.I. pod next to me.


    And the dwarf in front of me had a simr appearance.


    Dwarves.


    A short, strong, and long-bearded race. They tunnel underground as miners and also have a deep knowledge of smithing. Many of the armaments they have created have left their names in legends.


    What I''ve just stated is what I have always believed to be true about dwarves.


    However, for anything and anyone, there are many things one cannot fully understand without actually seeing it with one''s own eyes. For example, like how elves are more than just a race of beautiful-looking people.


    In reality, the dwarf in front of me was wearing some kind of strange covering.


    His entire body was covered by what looked like a wooden cylindrical vat. The openings for his hands were stuffed with straw. The vat had arge ss eye that allowed him to see. Underneath that was a metal mouthpiece that resembled a trumpet. The sound that came out of it sounded peculiarly echoey.


    He looked nothing like what I had expected a dwarf to look like.


    When Makina had brought him here, I actually thought that the A.I. pods had increased for a moment.


    That exins why the people of this city aren''t that shocked when they see Makina. There was already a precedent, huh?


    ��So, um����.��


    ��He''s Zoruzoglu?Galvan?Do?Ga-sama��


    Makina told me the dwarf''s unusual name.


    ��Zoruzoglu-san, how much will the repairs cost?��


    It''s important to be clear about money.


    If one is vague about such things, one will get into a whole lot of trouble in this world. Well, it''s the same in every world, I suppose.


    ��There''s no need for that��


    ��Ehhh?!��


    No no no, the cost of getting a dwarf to make a weapon is enough to purchase a house along with thend it sits on. Given their skill, they should also charge quite a fortune for repairs alone.


    Isn''t that far too generous?


    ��Originally, this katana was a weapon I forged as an experiment. In other words, it''s not a finished product from the very beginning. I was curious to see how it would turn out. As dwarves, the weapons we make, regardless of whether they''re made on a whim or with all our hearts, must be the stuff of legends. Otherwise, we won''t be able to face our ancestors��


    ��I see��


    This is what they call racial pride, I suppose.


    I feel like I can understand it.


    ��And get Medimu to drop byter. I want to take a look at that one too��


    ��Okay. I''ll inform him��


    It seems that he knows Otou-san too.


    This dwarf was actually introduced to us by that wily old baldy, so I guess it''s no surprise that they��re acquainted.


    ��And by the way, this workshop isn''t half bad. Let me borrow it. It''s secluded, so I can work in peace. I can hear the voices of the metals clearly, just like I can in my hometown��


    Makina, the one who built this workshop, raised her voice happily.


    ��It''s pretty nice, isn''t it? That said, the only thing Makina did was to improve the venttion system, while the rest was just repairs to what was already here��


    ��For Hemus, Beliale''s craftsmen sure knew their stuff��


    Does this person know about this city''s past?


    The ancient city of Beliale lies beneath Lemuria. It��s considerablyrge, and we still haven''t mapped it out in full yet. Many of its facilities have deteriorated over time, bing unusable, but many, like this workshop, can be repaired and put back into use.


    One thing I find strange is that not a single human bone was ever found.


    It��s a waste to leave these facilities unused. Even though the entire city is underground, there are mechanisms of some sort that bring in light, and we even found the remains of vegetable gardens. There��s a water and sewage system(or rather, Lemuria had simply been using Beliale''s water and sewage system all along), so it��s possible for people to sustain themselves in this underground city without needing anything from outside.


    Why did a country with such technological prowess perish? And where did all its people disappear to?


    The mysteries are endless.


    Well, I don''t have time to unravel the romance-filled secrets of antiquity.


    ��Hey, you, Souya or whatever your name is. I nearly forgot to mention this. We dwarves are notoriously tight-lipped. We never reveal our customers'' information to anyone. Even if it would mean getting molten iron poured down our throats��


    ��Right��


    I''m not sure what he''s trying to get at.


    ��So, tell me. What did you cut with these weapons?��


    The feeling I have towards him is somewhat different from trust.


    This is a person with a strong artisan temperament. Such people will defend the rules they��veid down with their lives. The only time they break them is probably in death. I don''t think he would divulge any information even if he was really tortured.


    Besides, he''s also the one who made my beloved katana.


    It should be no problem, so I told him.


    ��Cursed white wolves and a demonic monster from a nightmare��


    ��������������That exins it. Ordinary weapons aren''t made to cut things like that. Of course they would get damaged. Besides, this katana has a dark legend as its core to begin with. The w of a woman who ate a dragon. It seems to have gorged itself on the evil you cut. That would exin why the de has swelled from the inside out. I''ll have to strip it of all the soft steel and reforge it from scratch��


    ��Um, this may be a silly question, but you can fix everything, right?��


    ��Well, that��s indeed a silly question��


    I don''t think the katana and the sword will be a problem, but the magic sword is not something that this person forged. No, in the first ce, is its creation something that even falls under the category of cksmithing?


    ��It may be hard for you Hemus to understand, but dwarves have the belief that swords possess souls. The katana I forged, this nameless sword, and, of course, this magic sword, all have their own souls.


    As long as its soul hasn''t perished, the de is eternal.


    With the blessing of the mes and the grace of the earth, they can be revived as many times as needed. Well, let me do it. I''ll prove to you that the reputation of dwarves is not just for show��


    ��Alright, I''m counting on you then��


    Those were weighty words.


    If his appearance wasn��t so surreal, it would have been more impactful though.


    ��Also, it wouldn''t look good for a swordsman to go around without a weapon. It''s a little bit inferior to this katana and the magic sword, but here��


    Zoruzoglu-san''s arm went back into the vat for a moment, then came back out holding a sword.


    ��It''s a poorly-made sword that I forged when I was young. It''s called Ulfwald��


    ��Eh, this is������


    I recognized the detail work on the sheath. There was detailing on the mouth and end of the sheath made from a whitish, tinum-like metal.


    Upon epting it, I found it to be so light that I could hardly believe I was holding a longsword, and when I pulled it out to take a peek at its de, I found it to be exactly what I had thought it would be.


    ��The color is different, but this is a Rmir steel sword, isn''t it?��


    The detailing on the rugged sheath is an indication that the sword is made of Rmir steel. Legend has it that without such detailing, the sheath would break.


    Raging Rmir.


    One of the adventurers in Vindoobunikuru.


    ording to anecdotes, this adventurer broke their sword''s sheath constantly. It''s said that Rmir''s extreme strength caused them to sever the sheath whenever they drew their sword.


    The same phenomenon afflicted swords made from the steel that bears Rmir''s name in the years that followed.


    Even when the sheaths were made of steel, they were cut in two in no time. Even when fittings were built into the sheath to prevent the de froming into contact with it, it would still get severed in half.


    Then one day, someone tried adding bits of the same Rmir steel to the mouth and end of the sheath and it mysteriously stopped getting broken. To this day, such detailing is done without fail.


    The price��������it''s no good. I can''t appraise it. The material costs alone are already very expensive, and when the value of it being forged by a dwarf is added to it......


    This is probably something that even the filthy rich can''t afford.


    Only the highest ranks of nobility who own a considerable amount ofnd have the means to purchase one of these.


    ��That''s right. It''s made from Rmir ore that has been refined until it''spletely pure. When I was young, I had the misconception that all I needed to make the strongest weapons were the best materials. And what I created back then was this sword.


    To be sure, it''s a strong sword. Its strength, hardness, and durability are all top-notch. However, there''s one problem. This sword doesn''t have a soul. It��s a strong sword. But that''s all it is. A soulless sword is no match for a sword with a soul. I''m sure it can cut through any ordinary metal armor like butter. But that''s the limit of this sword. If it were to face a real weapon, it would be easily defeated. Its wielder would die. It''s no good at all��


    ��I����see��


    For now, I hung it at my hip.


    It was too light, which made me uneasy. If I were to lose this, I would be saddled with a debt that would take the entirety of my time in the alternate world to pay off.


    ��That reminds me, Souya-san. Didn''t you say to the king that you would get a new katana forged for him? Since we��re at it, we might as well ask him to forge it��


    ��Ehhh?��


    ��Ehhh?��


    Zoruzoglu-san and I raised our voices in unison.


    ��You''re talking about the katana I forged for Lemuriast time, the one that was folded 10,000 times, right?! Never again! I absolutely refuse to do it a second time! What''s with that idiotic technique? Nooo, I don''t want to go through that crazy foreign process ever again. Folding it twice should be enough to remove any impurities in the metal, isn''t it?! There won''t be a problem with its strength either! Why on earth does it have to be folded 10,000 times?! It''s inefficient! It''s the epitome of futility! Why does a strong dee from such a method? It''s the ult! It''s the teachings of an evil cult!��


    Zoruzoglu-san shook and rattled as he protested.


    ��Comee, this is part of Japanese culture. Makina will help you, alright?��


    ��I hate having a woman swing a hammer even moreeeee!��


    ��Then let''s think of a more efficient way to fold it 10,000 times!��


    ��If you have the time to do that, invent a different method altogether!��


    ��Makina will teach you some of the finest techniques, alright?��


    ��That''s what you saidst time, but all you taught me were woodworking techniques like "Kintsugi"! Metal! We Dwarves like to work with metal! Why on earth must I work with wood for crying out loud?!��


    ��Ehh, it can''t be helped. Well then, how about a technology that hasn''t received a patent in Japan�D�D�D�D�D��


    I''m not one to talk, but please be careful with how much technology you leak.


    And be sure to not give away any technological singrities.


    It''s been a while since I''ve seen Makina this lively though. Maybe she''s happy because the only thing she''s been useful fortely is helping us move to the new home.


    ��Oh, yeah. I nearly forgot��


    Zoruzoglu-san turned to face me.


    Looking at him again, he really looks like a huge toy.


    ��Souya or whatever your name is, until your weapons are repaired, this workshop is off-limits to everyone but Makina. Be sure to inform the elves upstairs about this��


    ��Understood��


    If I peeked, maybe I''d see a crane or something? Probably not.


    Come to think of it, why is he hiding his real appearance, I wonder? I''m a bit curious, but I may offend him by asking. Perhaps it''s a religious thing. I''ll resist the urge to ask.


    ��Alright then. Makina, I''ll leave the rest to you��


    ��Yes, leave it to Makina~? Oh, Makina has sent Yukikaze-chan the medical examination app, so please have her take a look at your elbow��


    ��Yeah, yeah��


    I left the two of them and exited the workshop.


    Outside was a dark underground passageway that seemed to stretch on endlessly.


    With the light from the mes spilling out of the workshop at my back, I walked about fifty meters, following thenterns meant to show the way.


    I soon emerged into a brightly lit space.


    It was a space with a wide-open ceiling. Light poured down from the mechanism that brought in light, and a greenhouse stood in the middle of it. Inside, a wooden golem was busy doing agricultural work.


    ��Lars, how''s it going? You should get some rest upstairs��


    I entered the garden of soil and greenery.


    It was so hot inside the greenhouse that I could hardly believe that it was the middle of winter right now.


    ��Boooh? Boo��


    The golem, Lars, was about as big as a child and wore a straw hat. Naturally, it was worn not to protect it from the heat, but purely as a fashion statement.


    It nodded its head and stuck the shovel in its hand into a corner of the field. It then wiped its forehead with the towel it had around its neck. This oddly human-like gesture was an imitation of our own.


    Because it doesn''t have sweat nds or the like, you see?


    ��Boo, boo��


    Lars proffered a basket to me.


    ��Oh, cherry tomatoes? They''re already ripe, huh?��


    ��Boo��


    ��Maybe I''ll use them to make sd��


    There was a small mountain of fresh cherry tomatoes.


    These are the products of the greenhouse and the miracle of god. They''ve been through selective breeding too, so they taste quite good.


    ��Do you like it here?��


    ��Bou��


    With the basket under my arm, I took Lars''s hand and left the greenhouse together.


    ��But, well, it''s better to be out under the sun, isn''t it? When it gets warmer, I''ll let you do the agricultural work on the in��


    ��Bobo��


    ��Yeah, it''ll be hard to go back to living in tents at the camp now. It''s sofortable here��


    ��Boo��


    ��Maybe we should just turn the whole camp into a farm��


    ��Boubou!��


    ��Will Geto-san give us permission to do that, I wonder? I don''t think it''ll be a problem if we share the vegetables with him though��


    ��Bouu��


    Somehow, we were able to converse with each other.


    When we reached the bath, I cleaned the dirt off of Lars. I wiped it down with water and applied a coat of beeswax. Without this, the heat in the greenhouse would make its surface dry and brittle.


    I walked up the stairs, took off my shoes, and changed into a pair of indoor slippers.


    After cing Lars in a flower pot where he would receive nourishment,


    ����������������


    I looked around but didn''t see anyone.


    ��Yukikaze, where''s everyone?��


    On top of the kitchen countertop, Yukikaze''s mini-pod was skinning nuts.


    ��Maria-sama is currently visiting her parent. Lanseal-sama is out shopping, while madam and your sister are training at dvain-sama''s ce. The whereabouts of Misuranika-sama are unknown��


    The home feels strangely lonely.


    ��Well, it seems like I now have some free time on my hands��


    ��That''s not true. For the past four days, team member Souya has had nothing but time on your hands��


    ��Yukikaze. My elbow hurts for some reason. Please examine it��


    When faced with a reasonable criticism����


    ����people have no choice but to change the subject.


    ��Understood. Launching the simplified medical examination app������Yukikaze will now scan the affected area��


    I extended my right arm and ced it in front of Yukikaze.


    Consciously extending it out like this made it hurt a little. A small arm prodded and vibrated against my arm.


    ��There are no abnormalities with the bones. Inmmation of the extensor carpi radialis brevis has been observed. This is��������������


    Next, she pressed down on the rounded part of the bone in my elbow.


    ��Oww��


    I felt a sharp pain.


    ��Team member Souya, please lift up a chair��


    ��Understood��


    I grabbed one of the chairs at the table.


    ��Lift it up using only the strength of your arm��


    ��Got it��


    Again, pain shot through my elbow.


    ��Please rotate your middle finger��


    ��Yeah��


    When I rotated it, as expected, there was pain in my elbow.


    ��I felt pain in every case��


    ��Alright, the results of the examination havee in. It''s a condition known as tennis elbow��


    I''ve never heard of that condition before.


    I haven''t been ying tennis at all though?


    ��What��s the cause?��


    ��Unknown��


    ��Huh?��


    ��It''s unknown, indeed. Although the overuse of the muscles may be a factor, the direct cause is unknown. Or rather, based on team member Souya''s activity log, it''s actually more strange that no physical abnormalities have urred until now��


    ��I������see��


    Now that she mentioned it, I did do a lot of reckless things.


    A sore elbow is a small price to pay for all that, I guess.


    ��And so, how do I treat it?��


    ��Let''s try conservative management. Do wrist and finger stretches regrly. Avoid straining your right arm and let it rest as much as possible. Yukikaze will prepare a triangr sling bandage for you��


    ��How about cooking a meal or something like that?��


    ��No, it''s not allowed. Even using a kitchen knife is prohibited, and tossing a frying pan and the like is out of the question��


    Hmmm����with both Lanseal and Ea, I suppose we won''t have the problem of ack of variety in our meals.


    I''m not very good at such things, but if I simply instruct them from behind, those two can make delicious meals.


    The problem is����


    ��Okay, so how long will it take to heal?��


    ��Unknown. We''ll have to wait and see how it goes for a few days. If the conservative management doesn''t show any effect, then surgery will be the next step������ However, Makina and Yukikaze have no experience with this, so Yukikaze can''t rmend it, indeed��


    Then I''d rather not go that route either.


    ��Yukikaze, I''m going to ask you one very important question. While I''m recovering, exploring the dunge�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s not allowed��


    ��I��ll be sure to stay at the bac�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s not allowed��


    ��Just a quick look arou�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s not allowed��


    ��You know�D�D�D��


    ��It''s not allowed��


    ��It''s not allowed, huh?��


    ��Definitely not, indeed��


    ������������Starting today, I''m taking a break from adventuring (again).


    Tennis elbow��name me another MC in a fantasy novel that gets tennis elbow�� And this is why I absolutely love this author��s sense of humor. I am surprised that Souya has never heard of it though. By the way, tennis elbow is the inmmation or, in some cases, microtearing of the tendons that join the forearm muscles on the outside of the elbow. The forearm muscles and tendons be damaged from overuse �� repeating the same motions again and again. This leads to pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow. However, I must say one thing: this author has a tendency��in a lot of the jokes, lies����well, just remember that this happened��


    And how��s that for subversion of expectations lmao. If you go back, you��ll notice a very distinctck of description with regards to dwarves before this. Did you expect them to be walking around inside what are essentially barrels lol? And thus begins one of the funniest running jokes in this novel��


    Also, I��m using they/them for Rmir because gender not revealed. I��ll say something though��whenever this author doesn��t reveal gender, it tends to be�� Haha, we��re in volume 7 after all, the author��s tendencies are starting to show, aren��t they? But beware��this author does love to subvert expectations, as seen above.


    By the way, not even Japanese katanas are folded 10,000 times lol. That��s just a marketing gimmick. Katanas are typically folded anywhere from 8 to 16 times, resulting in 256 to 65,536yers. But it sounds way cooler to say that it has been folded 65 thousand times instead of just 16, right? This is a bit of a spoiler, but if I don��t exin this, the readers who are knowledgeable about desmithing may think that there��s an error, but it��s simply that Makina has made a fatal misunderstanding��


    What the��how did my afterword end up so long lol. It��s only the start of the volume and there��s already so much to mention. But as you��ve probably guessed, this is another <respite> volume. After 2 volumes of action, it��s a good time for a change of pace, I think. It isn��t too long of a volume, 3 arcs in total, one of which is just this chapter, though the next one is 13 chapters long. XD Stay tuned!

 Chapter 139: A Respite From Adventuring I

    <h4>Chapter 139: A Respite From Adventuring I</h4>


    It was a neither-here-nor-there time in the morning, so I went to my party member''s ce, thinking that I could discuss future ns with him.


    When I showed up at the brothel, I found out that he was out, and when I asked about where he was, I was told that he went to dvain-sama''s ce.


    I headed to the dormitory and found that my entire party was there.


    ��Otou-san��


    ��Hey there, what happened to your arm?��


    I found Otou-san standing at the corner of the training ground. When I walked up to him, he immediately asked me about my arm.


    My right arm was slung up in a triangr bandage, so it must look like I had broken a bone or something at first nce.


    ��It seems that I��ve injured my elbow. I''m letting it rest��


    ��Your elbow, huh? Recently, my knees have also been aching because of the cold��


    ��Your knees, you say��


    Is it nerve damage from old age?


    Come to think of it, I don''t know Otou-san''s exact age. He looks to be in histe thirties, but he''s been an adventurer since before the founding of Lemuria, so he must be over forty at the very least.


    Even with the magic of regeneration point, the body still gets injured and worn out. The fact that the average age of adventurers is so young is a testament to how grueling the work they do is.


    ��I''m getting old. Most of the adventurers in my batch have already retired. It''s obvious, but a person''s life is something that can be worn down. There''s a difference between whittling it down unnecessarily and honing it to a sharp point though��


    ��You say that you''re getting old, but you''re still rather sharp, isn''t it? Your age doesn''t show in the slightest��


    I don''t see any signs of decline in Otou-san''s bearing.


    He appears much stronger than most young adventurers.


    ��I''m just putting up a front, you realize? A man should neverin about pain and suffering. But don''t start acting weird about it, okay? It''s fine when I say it myself, but it''s annoying to hear it from others. Don''t feel sorry for me. Instead, observe calmly. It''s the leader''s job to cut loose adventurers who have declined and be broken��


    ��That said, Otou-san, I can''t picture you retiring at all��


    If the things humans can imagine are what we encounter,


    Then what we cannot picture are probably the things we aren''t willing to deal with.


    As he is now, there''s no way Otou-san will quit being an adventurer before I do.


    If that''s the front he''s putting on, then there''s no problem.


    ��Rather than that, shouldn''t you be keeping an eye on that?��


    Before my eyes.


    And the focus of everyone''s attention was a petite elf and an equally petite reptilian beastkin.


    The elf was d in a martial artist''s outfit. It was pretty revealing, so I didn''t really want others to see.


    I mean, she''s my wife after all.


    The beastkin was only in her underclothes, despite the cold.


    But, well, this is how most female beastkin dress.


    The two of them exchanged light jabs, then each took a step closer and unleashed a flurry of blows.


    And they avoided all of them by paper-thin margins.


    I was overwhelmed by the unexpected spectacle.


    ��Princess Rana may be the only elf on this entire continent who can fight this well bare-handed��


    ��Seriously?��


    Is Rana going to be the first elven martial artist in the alternate world?


    ��Apparently, she''s developed a whole new way of fighting thatbines magic with martial arts��


    ��Ha����haha��


    For some reason, a karate fighter with a boomerang on his back shed across my mind.


    After checking each other out with that barrage of blows, they opened up a bit of distance between them. Rana drew back her right fist exaggeratedly and unleashed what was clearly going to be a straight. The beastkin effortlessly threw a counter.


    A cross-counter with her hips behind it.


    But that was what Rana was after.


    A counter to the counter.


    Rana drove her knee into the beastkin''s side. Using that knee as a fulcrum, she then sent the beastkin''s body spinning around. As the beastkin fell to the ground, Rana swung her fist down like a karateka breaking tiles.


    ��Whoa��


    I couldn''t help but exim.


    The beastkin had taken Rana''s fist solidly in the face.


    The reptilian beastkin is also a girl. And if I recall correctly, she''s about the same age as Maria. I had thought that Rana was going to stop the punch short, so I was surprised that she struck her mercilessly like that.


    ��Otou-san, this is training, right?��


    ��Yeah, what of it?��


    Rana followed up with a flurry of blows.


    However, the lizard girl didn''t seem to take much damage from them. She was taking the punches with a nk expression.


    ��The fists of an elf probably can''t do much damage against Hitoto''s skin and flesh��


    ��Ehh, no, but������


    Maybe you''re right, bute on, women shouldn''t be doing such things to each other, right?


    ��Could it be that you''re looking down on them because they''re women?��


    ��No way, I''m surrounded by strong women, remember?��


    ��Then what''s your problem with it?��


    ��How can you calmly watch on as people you''re close with are going ��sutegoro��?��


    ��Sute-what?��


    ��It means fist-fighting��


    ��This is training though��


    ��R, right��


    Someone, anyone, back me up on my delicate feelings please.


    ��This will decide the fight. No, if she can''t settle it with this, then it''s Princess Rana''s loss��


    As per Otou-san''smentary, Rana was gearing up to end the fight.


    She sent Hitoto''s body up into the air with an uppercut, then grabbed her by the neck with both hands and held her up.


    What''s she going to do from that position? was the question on my mind, but everyone else watching the fight seemed to know what wasing and were readyingrge shields. Otou-san had also held up a shield, so I ducked behind him.


    Rana started chanting magic.


    It��s an advanced me magic that I��m quite familiar with. But can she invoke magic without a medium like a staff?


    ��Doragubeinnnnn!��


    At Rana''s cry, mes burst forth.


    It was destructive magic unleashed at point-nk range. Or rather, she had caught herself in the mespletely as well.


    dvain''s kin and the father of adventurers didn''t move an inch. I was the only one who had panicked.


    When the short torrent of mes died down����


    ����������������


    ����there were two copsed figures.


    For some reason, their hair was still intact, but their faces were stained with soot, and smoke was rising from their clothes.


    Hey, isn''t that just a suicide attack?


    An older beastkin with a long beard walked up and checked on them.


    ��Double K.O.!��


    He dered.


    A stir broke out among the spectators.


    ��She came close this time��


    ��No, she waspletely on top in terms of fighting techniques��


    ��No no, she stillcks offensive power. She focused too much on technique and not enough on power��


    ��That''s why she''s using magic to boost the damage she deals. That''s something we would never have thought of doing��


    She shouldn''t be hitting herself with it as well though.


    ��Hmmm. Even with this fire-resistant shield, the heat still gets through������


    ��Suppose she were to perfect using magic while fighting bare-handed��������


    ��Our dormitory could get blown away��


    That''s what you''re worried about, huh?


    ��Coming through, I''m here to retrieve my sister~��


    Ea appeared, pushing her way through the crowd. She threw Rana over her shoulder and headed to the back. Hitoto was also retrieved by the other beastkin.


    ��Alright, next!��


    Without a moment''s dy, the two kin who were next faced off and began fighting.


    Through the gaps in the crowd, I could see Rana being treated.


    ��Don''t you want to go talk to her?��


    ��Oh, umm, no, I''m fine��


    I turned down Otou-san''s suggestion. In the first ce, I had no idea what to say to her.


    Is she always doing this kind of training?


    It''s so intense.


    It''s bad for my heart.


    To be honest, I want to stop her.


    But she''s gaining useful skills and experience. There are things that can only be discovered when one is strong. If I could, I''d protect her forever, but that''s just not possible.


    I suppose it''s a small price to pay if shedding sweat and blood is all it takes to be able to move forward.


    I swallowed my words and epted the situation.


    I''ll watch over her silently until she says she doesn''t want to continue.


    ��By the way, that sword you''ve got there������


    Otou-san tapped the Rmir steel sword with the scabbard of his katana.


    ��It''s on loan to me while my own are being repaired. The dwarf who made the katanas is currently at my home. Otou-san, you should also go get your Arahabaki checked by him��


    ��Alright. Wait, you guys are living in that ce in the city walls, right?��


    ��That''s right. Did you hear about that from Lanseal?��


    ��Yeah, she told me about it really happily. Well, I''m a little conflicted about it, I suppose��


    Otou-san had a frown on his face. I could guess what was on his mind.


    A lot must have happened in that ce in the past.


    It must be one of those memories of youth that grow bittersweet after bing an adult.


    ��Living there with Verxina......and Lemuria. What''s more, that Lemuria also brought other women there������������two of them, in fact. I was still young and hadn''t yet sorted out my feelings about those kinds of things. So, you know, I lost it. I attacked Lemuria in his sleep and plunged my sword into his pillow��


    ��I see. Ipletely understand��


    I also did something very simr recently.


    ��Luckily, he dodged and ran away, and I was held back by Alma and Verxina, who got very angry with me. It was the first andst time in my life that I''ve ever been angry with someone for that long. I don''t even want to be reminded of it��


    ��That''s, well������


    I think he half deserved it.


    It would have been great if you had properly stabbed him though.


    ��Enough with the boring story. I''ll stop by your hometer��


    ��Okay. So, about our next adventure������


    ��When will it be?��


    ��������������When do you think?��


    ��Is your arm in such bad shape?��


    ��It''s a little, well, kinda bad��


    I don''t even know how long it will take to healpletely����


    ��Get it healed up properly before it bes a recurring injury. Or figure out a way to work around it��


    ��Understood��


    Figuring out a way to work around the injury, huh?


    Sounds like something athletes have to do. My sister too, her leg������hmm? ������������Huh?


    What was that?


    I lost my line of thought.


    ��But now that I think about it, we may have gone a little too fast. The speed at which this party clears floors is abnormal. We''ve be intermediate adventurers in the fastest time on record, and if we go on like this, we''ll be advanced adventurers in the fastest time as well. Perhaps it''s a good idea to slow the pace down a little��


    ��Yeah, the envy, huh?��


    The more things go well for us, the more people get envious of us. There are many adventurers who will pick fights with people based on trivial reasons and conjecture.


    It might be prudent to make more allies by taking random requests.


    ��Here��


    Otou-san handed me a scroll. Seeing the wax seal on it, I frowned.


    It had a design of a bull and a fox facing each other. It was Lemuria''s coat of arms, which meant that this scroll was a royal order.


    ��Can I throw this away?��


    ��It''s a request your person-in-charge left with me. She asked me to give it to you when you seemed free��


    ��It''s from Evetta-san?��


    Then I couldn''t disregard it. I spread it open with one hand and took a look at its contents, but����


    ��me religion, development of a new dish for their soup kitchen?��


    On top of that, it contained specific requirements for the dish.


    ��Pasta-like noodles in a salty broth, with simple but vorful ingredients��


    ��I, too, would like to eat that again��


    ��In other words������I��m supposed to make ramen?��


    The referenced karate fighter with a boomerang on his back is Sho Hayate, a character from Savage Reign(�L��aʾ�h), a futuristic-themedpetitive weapons fighting game released by SNK in 1995. He��s a young Japanese man who aims to prove the strength of Fu''un-Ken(�L�ȭ): a special style of fighting thatbines martial arts with the mastery of the boomerang. Also, this pose was a popr meme during that time(example of one such meme on the right).


    So, a generally light and humorous chapter, right? Sad to say, there��s no such thing with this author lol. What Souyamented on is very true. The two of them should have had their hair and clothes burned off at the very least. That very anime-like scene of them just having ckened faces and smoking clothes is not logical. At all. Most would have probably forgotten, but the magic of this world is also a mystery. They had tried to bring magic back to the modern world but it doesn��t work there, remember? It��ll be muchter in the story, but keep in mind discrepancies like these and you��ll understand it betterter on.


    And��this one is a rare one that confuses me a little. You see, the reptilian beastkin back in volume 2 is Hihito(�ҥҥ�) but the one here is Hitoto(�ҥȥ�), so��mistake, or someone else?(by the way, I tranted based on the assumption it��s the same person)


    Yes, it��s been a while, hasn��t it? It��s time for some food again. And believe it or not, the author actually took the time to foreshadow this and the potential problems too. I��m sure you can find it if you re-read thest vol. XD However, you��ve likely noticed if you��ve been keeping an eye out for it, but Souya��s attitude towards cooking has changed quite a lot since the early days. How will he approach this request now? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 140: A Respite From Adventuring II

    <h4>Chapter 140: A Respite From Adventuring II</h4>


    The me religion.


    It��s one of the most widespread religions on the three continents.


    It worships a god without flesh, mes, and teaches that the world was born of mes and would disappear back into mes, thus people should live ascetically.


    It was started by a famous magician.


    His name is Rob, the great me magician.


    He was the father of me magic, a rare kind of genius who developed the basics and reached the pinnacle of me magic, heavily influencing the two major schools of magic, Jumikura and Hohens.


    me magic is the most widely used form of magic in the world, ranging from providing lighting for daily life, fire for cooking, to mes that can wipe outrge armies.


    Rob is the most well-known me magician in the world, and there has yet to be a magician who can surpass him.


    Hence, the name "great me magician".


    However, hister years were beset with misfortune. His family died of gue, and his disciple, Mitera, the me hero, sparked a great war that engulfed the southern part of the central continent in mes.


    To the refugees gazing upon the unquenchable mes, Rob imparted the teachings of the me religion.


    Or maybe the misdeeds of his disciple had driven him to throw away his pride.


    True to his teachings, the great me magician gave away his riches to feed and take care of the refugees. It''s said that after working himself to the bone, Rob''s final moments were as lonely and deste as a dying me.


    However, the secret arts of me magic and the much-appreciated teachings he left behind have certainly endured to this day.


    Such is the me religion.


    They��re generous to those with light purses, providing food and shelter during the harsh winter months. Their existence is a blessing for the penniless adventurers.


    The country provides some of the funds for their activities, but the bulk of the money is donated to them by the wealthy.


    As people age and "down there" doesn''t stand up anymore, a certain desire bes stronger as they look to the future.


    I guess one could call it the desire for fame.


    They want to be valued and appreciated by all kinds of people.


    If it alsoes with a genuine concern for the poor, then it''s even more wee. In other words, the wealthy buy virtue from the many poor people by donating their riches.


    Such a system is the secret to this religion''s poprity.


    The above is just the ramblings of a follower of the god of misdeeds.


    I don''t believe that this is the true nature of it.


    But it just so happens that I also have the desire to do something for the me religion.


    The elven sisters, Rana and Ea. Last winter, it was the me religion that took them in. Moreover, they were given special treatment and given a separate room to themselves.


    I had been wanting to return this favor as soon as I had the leeway to do so. After all, being an adventurer, one never knows what the future holds.


    I arrived at the temple of the me religion, which I had visited once before and was turned away.


    The temple itself was small and modest.


    I hadn''t noticed itst time, but the lodgings on either side of the temple were owned by the me religion.


    ��Excuse me��


    I called out to a priest who was shoveling snow.


    She had swarthy skin and blonde hair. Her ears were pointy, simr to Lanseal''s, and she had a fluffy tail. She looked to be in herte teens and was wearing a white hooded tunic, the official attire of the me religion.


    For a beastkin, she was showing an unusually modest amount of skin.


    ��Yes? Are you looking to join?��


    ��No, I''m here because of this��


    With one hand, I fumbled with the scroll before managing to open it.


    ��Oh, the request regarding the soup kitchen. You������ Have we met before somewhere?��


    ��Well, just once��


    It hade back to me.


    This girl was the one who chased me away when she saw Geto-san''s ne.


    ��Well, I do meet a lot of adventurers, so that��s not surprising, I suppose��


    This time, she didn''t turn me away, but led me into the temple.


    It was an open space with many columns lined up and no walls or doors to close off any of the space. It resembled the colonnaded architecture of the Greeks.


    In the center of the space, a huge bonfire was zing bright. It was surrounded by chairs, many of which were filled by adventurers who were warming themselves or by elderly people who were chatting about the past.


    The atmosphere was solemn, but the worshiping area itself was rather small. However, as we walked deeper into the temple, we arrived at a cooking area that was four timesrger than the worshiping area.


    The fire was good, the water was good, the variety and number of cooking utensils were good, it was tidy, the worktable wasrge, and it was spacious enough for many people to work in.


    It was like a luxury hotel''s kitchen.


    I found myself growing unusually excited.


    ��Oh, you''re the foreigner King Lemuria spoke of?��


    In the kitchen, there was an elderly priestess.


    She was thin, had a gentle smile, and wore a ceremonial robe that looked a bit grander.


    Not to be rude, but she had retained her beauty despite her age. She must have been quite popr when she was young.


    ��Well, I thought for a moment that you were a noble or something��


    ��Oh, pardon me��


    I removed my top hat and bowed my head slightly with my eyes closed.


    I was dressed in Neomia''s traditional adventuring garb and wearing my usual spectacle-type device (the second one).


    There are records of nobles exploring the dungeon while dressed like this in the past. It��s easy for those who are knowledgeable about history to mistake me for one. ording to my fake proof of identity, I''m technically the son of a noble, but I''ve been keeping that under wrapstely because people know I''m a foreigner.


    ��I''m Souya, the foreigner. This outfit was given to me by an acquaintance in the north. I''m not of any distinguished lineage, but merely an ordinary man��


    ��Is that really the case? I''ve heard that your party is clearing the dungeon at unparalleled speed��


    ��I''d be less worried if what you''ve heard are "only" the good rumors��


    Let��s see, the priestess began.


    ��You mean the rumors about you blowing up a merchantpany, turning three adventures into a meatball, viting two elven princesses, getting into a fistfight with a prince and almost having your way with his sister, picking a fight with a hero from the center continent, risking your life for the reputation of your friend, and threatening a washed-up merchant and getting him exiled from the country? Or do you mean the more recent ones that say you fought Lord White-Scale like a rat, and that you helped the hero Barfuru when he eliminated the vampires in the north? All these are just rumors, so please don''t worry about them��


    She said all that with a big smile on her face.


    I couldn''t help but smile as well.


    The beastkin woman who was listening next to me went, "?" then went back to shoveling snow.


    ��So, err, what about the matter of the soup kitchen?��


    ��Dear me, I''m so sorry. People be more long-winded when they get older, don''t they?��


    I should not make an enemy out of this person.


    And I should establish just enough of a rtionship that I won''t get exploited.


    It seems that the wealth people donate to them is not limited to material goods. It''s also information.


    ��That''s right, the soup kitchen. Dear me, what am I doing? It''s such an important thing too��


    ��I believe I''m supposed to develop a new dish��


    ��Yeah, Lembo�D�DOh, I''m sorry. King Lemuria is the one who sent that request��


    Lembo������was she about to call him Lem-boy?


    ��This winter is the coldest we''ve had in recent years. For that reason, the demand for Akasho stones is high. People seeking them have beening all the way from Heures Forest, Beastkin Forest, and both schools of magic��


    Akasho stones are Shogaku stones that have been given the blessing of the mes and are able to produce heat. One about the size of a fist can keep a person warm for three days. We also use them in the kotatsu at home.


    ��Thanks to the high demand for Akasho stones, the Lemuria branch of the me religion has received offerings beyond anything seen in recent years. Well, we��ve really received a bit too much. There''s so much that we��re unable to use them all up in the soup kitchen like we usually do.


    These are precious offerings, and it''ll be wrong to sell them for money, so that''s out of the question.


    And just when we were thinking of ways to make the food morevish, King Lemuria said, "In that case, I know just the thing," and sent you that request��


    ��I see��


    So, he chose a dish that''s unusual, ramen.


    ��Hmm, mmm��


    ��Is something the matter?��


    ��For now, may I see the offerings?��


    ��Yes, of course��


    When the priestess led me to the back of the kitchen����


    ��SOOOuuuuuuYaaaaa!��


    ����I heard a yell from afar.


    I turned around and saw Lanseal charging at me in a panic.


    ��What happened to your arm?! It was fine this morning! Who did this to youuuu?!��


    ��Calm down. It''s just umted fatigue setting in. I''m simply letting it rest��


    She grabbed me by both shoulders and pulled me close.


    She''s been kinda intensetely. In a lot of ways.


    ��Why! Why didn''t you tell me first?!��


    ��I didn''t realize I was in such bad shape myself until the dwarf who came to repair my weapons told me��


    ��Urgh, how could a random dwarf notice it and I, who''s always by your side, not notice it? What a blunder��


    She became extremely depressed.


    I think it''s probably normal to not notice it because Rana also didn''t.


    ��Dear me, how passionate. Is Lanseal going to be the one to give King Lemuria his first grandchild, I wonder?��


    ��Eh? W, well, umm, that wouldn��t be so bad��


    The priest was smiling, and Lanseal was looking like she wasn''t altogether displeased.


    Please let''s not do this now.


    ��By the way, Lanseal, what are you doing here?��


    When in a bind, just change the subject.


    ��We ran out of detergent, so I came to get some from the me religion��


    ��Detergent?��


    So the me religion even sells such things?


    Well, to be precise, they don''t sell things, but exchange them for offerings.


    ��This detergent powder is great for washing everything from dishes and clothes to baths and toilets. It can''t be used on wood though, as it will cause some discoloration��


    ��That''s amazing��


    The detergent of the alternate world is so versatile.


    Is this also a result of a miracle of the gods?


    If I were to call it "miracle powder", people might think it''s a drug though.


    ��What''s about you, Souya? If you''re resting your arm, you should go home right away. I''ll take care of everything. Everything you could possibly need��


    If I let you take care of me the way you want, I''ll be a no-good person.


    ��I''ve got a request from the Adventurers'' Guild. It doesn��t involve anything violent at all, so it''ll be fine��


    ��Hmm, I see. From the Adventurers�� Guild, huh������ It can''t be helped then. I''m going home. If your arm hurts, please let me know, alright?��


    ��Alright, alright��


    Turning on her heel, Lanseal left.


    Being straightforward and abiding by her own rules are two of her virtues.


    But she turned around once more.


    ��������Let me know, alright?!��


    ��Alright, I said��


    She waved at me from afar before heading home.


    I gave her a small wave back.


    She had said that she would never get involved in the adventuring business, but������she must want to be part of the party deep down. After all, she used to be an adventurer and she''s also the daughter of the king of adventurers.


    I wish I knew what to do.


    ��Is Lemuria''s heir going to have foreigner blood, I wonder?��


    ��No no, there''s no way��


    I retorted the priestess.


    Supposing, and it''s just a supposition, that Lanseal and I were to have a child, it wouldn''t change the fact that it would be the child of a beastkin. In today''s alternate world, that child will never be royalty.


    Not unless all the ruling powers are overthrown and aplete revolution is brought about.


    That''s far too big in scale. It''s a war that has nothing to do with me.


    I came to explore the dungeon, and starting a war isn''t going to help that one bit. It''s too big a departure from my goal that it''s impossible to imagine.


    ��Dear me, Lanseal forgot the detergent. Some things never change, do they?��


    ��I''ll bring it home for her. How much is it?��


    ��I''m sorry. We don''t ept money��


    Right, goods only.


    ��Let��s see������


    I went through my pockets and found a piece of candy.


    ��Is something like this okay? It''s a candy made from honey��


    It was a honey candy wrapped in thick paper.


    It''s for when Rana runs out of magic power and copses. It has many other effects as well.


    ��Wow, what an expensive treat��


    The priestess took it and immediately popped it into her mouth.


    Ummmm. Is that okay?


    ��It''s quite good. And now, here��s something in exchange for your offering��


    The priestess took out arge sack from under the worktable.


    I picked up the detergent. With just one hand, it was a bit heavy.


    ��Now, let me show you to the food storage��


    I followed the priestess to a storeroom in the back.


    ��Th, this is������


    The food storage was pretty big.


    It was stocked to the brim with meat, vegetables, fruit, dried foods, wheat, alcohol, and seasonings.


    Almost all of the ingredients I had seen in the alternate world could be found in it.


    It was like a treasure trove of food.


    ��What we can''t fit in here, we store in the basement��


    ��This isn''t all of it?��


    ��In terms of the different types of ingredients we have, everything can be found here. In terms of quantity, this is probably about a quarter of what we have��


    The priestess opened the door to the basement. It was chock full of food.


    I see, there''s certainly a lot.


    But����


    ��If you''re just giving out free food, is it really that big of a problem?��


    Adventurers are big eaters.


    Especially when ites to alcohol and meat, I''m sure they can consume an unlimited amount.


    ��To be perfectly honest, we can only serve food that doesn''t "contradict" the me religion''s teachings of living ascetically. You see, this is just a branch and we priests and priestesses are supposed to set an example for others. That said, we don''t demand asceticism from those who are working outside, like your wife��


    She''s being very candid with me.


    Does she trust me because I was referred to her by the king?


    ��In other words, you''re saying that you want avish dish that uses a lot of ingredients but doesn''t look expensive?��


    ��Yes, it''s troublesome, isn''t it? But you know, that''s just how religions are. Even if we''re less strict than most������


    ��That��s true��


    The main thing they advocate is asceticism, but they don''t force it upon others.


    They ept people with open arms, and I believe there''s no penalty for leaving.


    Oh, but fishman-rted water blessings are a no-no, I suppose. Aside from that, they seem pretty tolerant.


    Come to think of it, Geto-san''s ne hadpletely nullified the dragon''s breath. If I had identally tripped and fallen into the mes of the temple with it on, there��s a real possibility that it would have extinguished the sacred mes.


    Well, I suppose I can''t hold it against them then.


    ��But������


    If I want to make ramen, there''s one problem.


    ��Priestess-sama, there''s an elf from Heures Forest looking for you��


    The beastkin from earlier hade back to call for the priestess.


    ��Oh, what��s this about, I wonder? Souya-san, do you mind if I leave this to you?��


    ��Sure. I''ll do whatever I can��


    ��See you then����


    The priestess exited the food storage with light steps.


    She''s an old person with a young soul.


    ��Yukikaze, scan the ingredients here andpile a list��


    ��Roger��


    Left alone, I checked out the ingredients with Yukikaze.


    There''s plenty of meat and vegetables. I think I have everything I need to make the soup for ramen. Of course, as a novice at making ramen, I don''t expect to make a good soup right from the start. It''ll take some trial and error.


    The problem is the noodles for ramen.


    If I recall correctly, they��re made from wheat flour and����


    ��Yukikaze, have we evere across "brine" in the alternate world?��


    The unique firmness and vor of Chinese noodles are the result of mixing wheat flour with brine.


    Without that, I''d just be putting udon in the ramen soup.


    ��Are you talking about sodium carbonate, team member Souya? There are no records of it in Yukikaze''s memory. We��ll have to ask Makina��


    The ringing of those old ck phones came out from Yukikaze.


    Even the cking of the rotary dial was yed.


    ��Yes, Makina speaking, how can Makina help you?��


    ��Makina, I''m supposed to make ramen, but I need brine. Do you have any idea where it can be found?��


    ��Yes, Makina does��


    ��What?! Are you saying you''ve found it, not among the stuff we''ve brought here, but in the alternate world?��


    ��Yes, that''s right��


    Ehhh.


    To think that it��d be found instantly����


    ��I''ll need arge amount of it. Is that possible?��


    ��Yes, it''s possible��


    ��Okay, then how and where can I get it?��


    ��������������Do you want Makina to tell you? Fufufu��, do you want to know? There are things about food that even Souya-san doesn''t know, huh? Do you, want Makina, to tell you?��


    ����������������


    (��?��????)


    ��It can''t be helped! Makina''s predecessors were marketed as cooking robots after all! Makina has plenty of those memories left! There''s no way that a mere amateur like Souya-san can be a match for Makina to begin with! Well then, it can''t be helped, so the sixth generation A.I. Makina will tell�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Cut themunication��


    ��Roger��


    I hung up on her.


    Instantly,munications starteding in from Makina, but I blocked them all.


    ��Now, Yukikaze, let''s look for it. If there''s brine in the alternate world, then it must be here��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    I set the detergent down on the floor and started searching.


    Even if we can''t find brine itself, there must be a substitute.


    ��Yukikaze, can you performponent analysis or something simr?��


    ��Umm, team member Souya, Makina is sending over 600 apology emails per second and they''re clogging up memory space. It''s getting troublesome, so can Yukikaze just tell you the answer? Also, can Yukikaze delete them all?��


    ��You can delete the emails��


    I wanted to look through the ingredients some more, but it can''t be helped. I should hear it, I suppose.


    ��������������So, what''s the answer?��


    Yukikaze unhooked herself from my belt andnded on the ground.


    She then opened the sack of detergent I had left on the floor.


    ��It turns out that the detergent of this world has been found to have almost the sameponents as sodium bicarbonate��


    ��Sodium bicarbonate����you mean baking soda?��


    So they have baking soda in the alternate world as well, huh?


    Wait, is baking soda really such a versatile detergent?


    ��With it, you can make ramen noodles��


    ��Eh?��


    Quick note, I called the me religion��s attire a tunic but it��s actually a Kantoi(؞�^��), a simple type of clothing consisting of arge piece of cloth with a hole in the middle for the head. Which fits their ascetic image, of course. I used ��tunic�� because putting that all in would be too wordy and it was the closest term I could think of. (pic courtesy of rakuten.co.jp)


    It��s been a while since Makina pissed Souya off with her attitude haha. Well, stay tuned to see how Souya makes ramen noodles using detergent?!

 Chapter 141: A Respite From Adventuring III

    <h4>Chapter 141: A Respite From Adventuring III</h4>


    ��Put 100g of water and 8g of baking soda into the pot, indeed��


    ��Understood��


    I followed Yukikaze''s instructions with one hand.


    ��Boil until all the bubbles disappear��


    ��Got it��


    We were working in the spacious~ kitchen.


    The water with baking soda is bubbling like crazy. Is this going to be something edible, I wonder?


    ��By boiling down the sodium bicarbonate in water, it will change into something extremely simr to the sodium carbonate in brine��


    ��Something extremely simr? Which means that it''s not exactly the same as brine?��


    ��That��s unknown. To begin with, all matter in the alternate world have parts of theirposition that cannot be analyzed. To see what effects the unknown parts have, team member Souya, you must experience it for yourself��


    ��So you''re telling me to experiment with it by eating and experiencing it for myself��������


    ��The water in the pot hase to a boil, indeed. Prepare 200g of wheat flour��


    ��Understood��


    I portioned out 200g of wheat flour by eye.


    ��Mix with the boiled baking soda water and knead��


    Well, I guess kneading it into wheat flour isn''t that big of a deal.


    I took off my triangr bandage and washed my hands. After drying them thoroughly, I mixed the baking soda water with the wheat flour and started kneading.


    The process was the same as when making beastkin bread.


    ��That should be good enough. Roll it up into a ball and let it rest��


    ��For how long?��


    ��About an hour. This can be shortened if it��s kept in an environment that��s warmer but won''t dry it out too much��


    After wrapping the rolled-up dough in my triangr bandage, I exited the kitchen.


    I went to the worshiping area and ced the dough near the bonfire.


    At the back of the bonfire, vegetables and dried fish were being roasted on skewers. At least they were in a position where they couldn''t be seen from the entrance or the street.


    Food roasted using the object of worship. Does it give the food any special properties, I wonder?


    While waiting, I asked an olddy next to me for some grilled eggnt. I ate it after sprinkling a little bit of salt on it, and it was juicy and delicious.


    The olddy and I made idle conversation, but it was too idle to stick in my memory.


    30 minutester, I returned to the kitchen after being prompted to by Yukikaze.


    I used a rolling pin to roll out the dough then cut it into fine strips of about the same thickness. When I fluffed them apart, they gave off the unique smell of Chinese noodles.


    At the very least, the smell seems right.


    ��Let them rest for another 30 minutes��


    ��Alright��


    Time to wait some more.


    I engaged in small talk with Yukikaze.


    ��You know, Yukikaze������


    ��Yes?��


    ��There''s something that''s been bothering me this whole time��


    ��What is it?��


    ��Both Tyutyu and Lanseal tend to show a lot of openings, but their guard is so tight only for that one ce, so I was never able to find out for sure��


    ��And what are you talking about?��


    I used my hands to mimic having ears on top of my head.


    ��For beastkin with ears on top of their heads, what about the part where human ears would normally be?��


    ��That��s what��s been bothering you, huh?��


    Not all beastkin have ears on top of their heads. The reptilian and avian beastkin, as well as the fishmen, have ears that are shaped differently from human ears. However, beastkin with ears on top of their heads, such as Lanseal and Tyutyu, always cover the area where human ears would be with their hair. As best as I can remember, this is true of all the beastkin I''ve seen so far.


    I''m curious.


    Do they also have normal human ears or not?


    ��They have them, normal human ears��


    ��Eh, they do?��


    ��When Yukikaze stumbled upon Lanseal-sama bathing, Yukikaze saw it. She has human ears. And on that note, based on the scans Yukikaze has done, the animal ears on the top of the head don''t have inner ears��


    ��They don��t have them?��


    Huh, admittedly, I have not noticed any holes or anything like that in them, but what does it mean when they don''t have inner ears? Then the animal ears actually can''t hear anything? ������������Hmm? That''s weird. Lanseal and the other beastkin''s ears clearly react to sounds. Or is that just for show? No, I can''t make any sense of it.


    ��Those ears are just ornaments with blood and nerves running through them. But they do work as sensory organs. As evidence, the hearing of dog and cat beastkin is several times better than that of normal humans. It''s mysterious. Or rather, Yukikaze doesn''t understand the mechanism behind it. Further observation is necessary, indeed��


    ��I kinda want to touch them now��


    Be it with Tyutyu, Lanseal, or Regure, I had my chances, but the timing was never right. In retrospect, it was such a shame.


    ��That''s true. The best way to experience anything is to touch it, indeed��


    ��Also�D�D�D�D��


    I discussed with Yukikaze the various doubts I had about the alternate world.


    My doubts only deepened and I ended up with even more questions than before.


    Next thing I knew, 30 minutes had passed.


    ��Now all that''s left is to boil it��


    ��That��s right, indeed��


    I boiled the noodles in arge pot of water.


    I was somewhat apprehensive, so I boiled them for a bit longer.


    After 7 minutes, I drained the water and transferred the noodles onto a te. I took a fearful bite����


    ��Oh, they taste just like regr Chinese noodles��


    ��There are no problems, it seems��


    The noodles were firmer than I had expected. I was surprised at the ease at which I had seeded in making Chinese noodles.


    ��Dear me, you sure work fast��


    The priestess appeared as if she had been waiting for the perfect moment.


    ��Are these what you call ramen?��


    ��They��re the noodles for the ramen��


    ��They look quite simr to pasta. What did you use to make them?��


    ��I used wheat flour and detergent. I think it''s quite inexpensive in terms of the ingredients��


    ��������������Detergent?��


    The priestess looked as if something had urred to her.


    As I thought, there''s some resistance to it, huh?


    ��I''m sorry, something else came to mind. Is it safe to eat these?��


    ��They��re not poisonous. By boiling it, theposition of the detergent was changed, and then the noodles were boiled once more after that as well��


    ��Then, a small bite��


    The priestess picked up a strand of the noodle with her fingers and put it into her mouth.


    Hang on, that��s bad table manners, Priestess-sama.


    ��Hmm? Hmmmmm��


    She tilted her head, then seemed to think of something before retrieving jars of food from under the worktable.


    There were ground meat, herbs, crushed nuts, pepper-like spices, and some sort of red oil.


    With great deftness, she stir-fried everything in a frying pan. Then she added the Chinese noodles. After some more stirring and tossing, she returned the noodles to the te.


    It''s just like the show "Three-Minute Cooking".


    ��What do you think about seasoning the noodles like this?��


    ��Well, I''ll have a taste��


    For some reason, I ended up being the person who was doing the taste-testing.


    It''s spicy enough to make my tongue go a little numb. Is this sansho(Japanese pepper)? The crunchiness of the nuts goes well with the noodles. As I chewed, I could taste the vor of the meat and smell the subtle aroma of garlic.


    It''s delicious.


    Not too spicy, but just enough to bring out the vor of the noodles. Wait, isn''t this Priestess-sama amazing? She figured out how to season it after just one bite.


    ��Is this what ramen is supposed to be?��


    ��This is also one type of it. What I''m trying to make is a dish in which these noodles are added to a bowl of broth��


    ��Oh, that sounds wonderful. I''m looking forward to it��


    She gave me a bright and youthful smile.


    ��Umm, Priestess-sama, you seem to have a lot of experience cooking. Do the priests and priestesses of the me religion cook the food themselves?��


    ��Of course, we do whatever we can��


    The lives of those who serve the me religion may be harder than I had thought.


    ��But I was born a baker''s daughter, you see? I cooked, both to live and to earn my bread. If I could, I would cook even on the day I die��


    It''s hard to know what to say to that.


    But if there are people who can cook this well, then making the broth should be easy.


    ��Then I''ll teach you how to make the noodles. Can I leave that all up to your side?��


    ��My my, are you sure about giving us the recipe that easily?��


    ��Huh? But if I don''t teach you, who''s going to make them?��


    ��I thought for sure that you''d only have us help with trivial tasks��


    ��But that''s not efficient though. In the first ce, how many servings does the soup kitchen need to prepare?��


    ��Around 200 servings for breakfast, I figure��


    ��If that''s the amount needed, then all the more reason for your side to make the noodles. There''s no way I can make that much by myself��


    ��������How unexpected. I had imagined you to be more like an incarnation of greed or something��


    What the heck?


    ��It''s not that difficult, so let''s get started��


    I quickly taught the priestess how to make the noodles.


    After that, since it was noon, I decided to go back home for lunch.


    ��What on earth is this?��


    When I got home, there was a huge amount of noodles waiting for me in the kitchen.


    At a quick nce, there were enough for 30 servings.


    ��What''s the deal with this?��


    When I asked Lanseal����


    ��Makina made it, all the while wailing and sobbing. Did something happen?��


    ��Oh, sorta��


    Are these noodles a form of penance or something? She made far too much.


    Looks like we''re going to be eating noodles for some time.


    Sansho pepper is the fruit of a shrub that grows in Japan and the southern Korean Penins. In Japan, it��s not only produced by farmers but it can also be found growing in the wild in mountainous areas. The parts which can be eaten and used for making spices are mainly the leaves and the seeds. The fresh leaves and seeds cannot be stored for a long time, but bottled sansho powder can be found in supermarkets easily and can be a good and inexpensive souvenir to bring back from Japan.(pics courtesy of matcha-jp)


    Yes, the most important question of all in this story: Do they have normal ears in addition to the animal ears? I��m not entirely sure if this is a dig on the many authors who purposely make this a mystery for no darn reason, but I��m d there��s a proper answer lol. Also, just in case it wasn��t clear, when Souya says that Tyutyu and Lanseal are full of openings, he��s taking about the same thing as the theme of the manga ��Amano Megumi is full of openings!��


    But in all seriousness, the discussion on trivial stuff was written in full but the discussion of the important stuff was just summarized in two sentences, huh��.


    Well, this arc is turning out to be a pretty light-hearted one, isn��t it? Which is great after the really heavy mood of the previous one�� So stay tuned for more antics!


    And I haven''t done this in a while, but I gotta shill my Patreon for a bit. Times have been tough and some of my patrons'' financial situations have changed, so several have been unable to continue contributing, which is really a big hit on my ability to pay my bills. If if you can afford to, I''ll really appreciate it if you could chip in a little. But I understand things are tough for everyone, so if you can''t, could you help share and spread my work so more peoplee read it? It would help a great deal in allowing me to continue what I do. Thank you so very much!

 Chapter 142: A Respite From Adventuring IV

    <h4>Chapter 142: A Respite From Adventuring IV</h4>


    I decided to make yakisoba(fried noodles) for lunch.


    The sisters had just returned home, so along with Lanseal, the four of us had lunch together. Misuranika-sama was nowhere to be seen. Maria wasn''t back from visiting her parent yet.


    The dwarf''s meals were all handled by Makina, so I didn''t make his share.


    ��Onii-chan, what''s the deal with this?��


    For some reason, my sister was ring at me fiercely.


    ��What''s the deal, you ask......it''s yakisoba. Rana, how many fried eggs do you want with yours?��


    ��I''ll take two��


    I flipped the fried eggs in the frying pan, then put them on top of Rana''s yakisoba.


    ��What about you, Lanseal?��


    ��I��m fine with one��


    One for Lanseal.


    ��What about you, Ea?��


    ��Haaaa~��


    Ea shook her head in dismay and let out a deep sigh.


    ��Onii-chan, this ramen is no good��


    ��It''s not ramen, but yakisoba though��


    My sister ignored me and went on.


    ��One of the good points of ramen is the sense offort and feeling of satisfaction thates from knowing that there will still be plenty of broth left after finishing the noodles and eating the ingredients. That luxuriousness is its selling point. This dish kills off that aspect of ramen. It reduces the supreme dish of ramen to the level of a normal dish. I don''t acknowledge this, you hear?��


    ��Oh, I see��


    It appears that Ea isn''t pleased with the yakisoba.


    I''ll take her te back and whip up something else for her.


    ��You two can go ahead and eat first��


    ��Itadakimasu��


    Rana and Lanseal put their hands together and then started eating the yakisoba. Both of them were using chopsticks. Rana was still getting used to them, but Lanseal had mastered them with ease.


    ��Oh, it''s delicious. The sweet and spicy seasoning bes richer when mixed with the runny yolk of the fried egg. I like this dish very much��


    It looks like Rana likes it.


    ��Souya, it''s very tasty. I can see Maria and the others liking this dish a lot. Please teach me how to make the noodles. And also how to make this sauce��


    Likewise for Lanseal.


    ��The noodles are pretty easy to make, but the sauce may be a little trickier. I''ll need to work on that��


    Otafuku sauce.[1]


    Can it be reproduced in the alternate world, I wonder?


    ��Well then, Ea, there''s some leftover pot-au-feu, so I''ll use that to make potage, and you can eat it with bread, alright?��


    When I grabbed Ea''s te, she grabbed my arm.


    ��I didn''t say I wouldn''t eat it. I''ll also have two fried eggs. You should be more confident in your own cooking, Onii-chan��


    ��������������Okay��


    Despiteining about it, my sister still devoured the yakisoba with gusto.


    ��Hmmm. How about mixing in some curry powder? I think it needs to be a little spicier. This sweet sauce is really good though. As expected of you, Onii-chan��


    That''s just Otafuku sauce though.


    I sat down next to Rana and put my hands together before the yakisoba.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    The ingredients were simple, just some bean sprouts grown in our home''s basement, pork belly from a dungeon pig, and thinly sliced leeks.


    For seasoning, I used an unfamiliar pepper from the alternate world and salt from the famed demon realm, Mojubafuru Ocean. The clincher was Japan''s Otafuku sauce.


    As I picked up the noodles with my chopsticks, the sweet smell of the sauce filled my nostrils. It whetted my appetite immensely, and I devoured the yakisoba.


    I couldn''t get enough of eating the slightly fatty belly meat together with the noodles. The small amount of bean sprouts and thinly sliced leeks added a delightful texture to the noodles.


    And then there was the Otafuku sauce.


    Amidst its sweet and spicy vor was a concentrated taste that was rich in history.


    They won''t lose. Japanese seasonings are more than a match for the diverse ingredients of the alternate world. They go well with and dominate them all.


    After savoring the vor of yakisoba by itself, I tore apart the fried egg and mixed its yolk with the noodles.


    Yeah, it''s delicious.


    Why does it taste so good when the yolk isbined with the deliciousness of the sauce? Honestly speaking, I think it would be good to have fried eggs with many other dishes.


    I couldn''t help observing the way in which everyone was eating their yakisoba.


    Rana, like me, had torn apart the egg and had mixed the yolk and egg white into the noodles.


    Lanseal was eating the yolk, the egg white, the noodles, and the ingredients in turn, carefully savoring each one.


    Ea seemed to be eating the yakisoba first and leaving the fried eggs forst.


    There''s this dubious test that says that the way one eats their fried egg reveals their outlook on love. I wonder how that''d work whenbined with yakisoba.


    ��But, you know, Onii-chan, you''re horrible��


    ��Eh, what do you mean?��


    Sitting opposite me, Ea said with a serious expression.


    ��If you can make ramen, you should have done it earlier. These noodles are way better than the ones in cup noodles��


    ��That''s what you''re talking about, huh?��


    Certainly, they taste better than those in cup noodles. No, the noodles that Makina made are much firmer and much tastier than the ones I made on the fly earlier. She did a great job on these.


    ��I only found out today that we can make Chinese noodles on this side��


    ��Huh? Howe?��


    ��What I needed, or more urately, a substitute for what I needed to mix into the noodles was just found��


    ��A substitute?��


    Ea asked while munching on a mouthful of yakisoba.


    Her skill with chopsticks is much better than her sister''s. All in all, my sister is very dexterous.


    ��Well, this maye as a surprise, but the wheat flour is mixed with detergent. However�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��PFFFT��


    She choked and spat out her yakisoba.


    Hey, you got some on my face.


    ��Ea! What are you doing all of a sudden?!��


    Rana got angry, which was rare.


    ��Ugh, koff, koff��


    After drinking some water, Ea managed to pull herself together somewhat.


    ��No no no, Onee-chan. It''s detergent, you know?! Onii-chan gave us detergent to eat, you know?!��


    Makina is the one who made the noodles though.


    ��No no no, Ea. I boiled it properly, so it won''t cause any harm to the body��


    ��But it''s detergent, right?! I tried some in the past and it gave me a stomachache!��


    ��That''s more of a problem, isn''t it?��


    ��Look, even Lanseal''s chopsticks have stopped!��


    Ea dragged the frozen stiff Lanseal into it.


    She also looks surprised in a lot of ways.


    ��Souya, ea, eating detergent is������


    ��Like I said, I''ve boiled it, and theposition�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Haaaa~��


    Rana let out a sigh with an air of incredulity.


    I''ve never seen her act this haughty, or rather, with this much disdain. This is worse than how Ea was when I first met her.


    ��Ea, you��re just a��child��and sister, so it can��t be helped��


    The word "child" sounded extremely barbed to me.


    ��However, Lanseeeeeal��


    She''s sounding a bit like Norio Wakamoto.[2]


    ��The affection you have for my husband can be swayed by something as trivial as being given detergent to eat, I see. What a huge letdown. I''m so disappointed and disgusted. It''s so hollow and empty��


    ��Urgh��


    Lanseal clutched her chest.


    I feel a little bit bad for her, so I''ll try to help her.


    ��Rana, you didn''t have to be so harsh. It''s also my fault for not exining��


    ��Both of you, listen carefully��


    Ah, you''re not listening to me, I see.


    ��Even if it''s poisoned, I''ll still eat up whatever my husband serves me without a second thought. That''s the resolve of a wife��


    No, I won��t do anything like that though.


    ��It can''t be helped in Ea''s case. After all, she''s just a��sister��. It''s alright for her to not have the level of resolve apanion should have. Even if they take baths together from time to time, it''s a brother-sister thing, not a male-female thing, so it''s alright��


    ����������������


    This time, it was the word "sister" that was barbed. Ea looked chagrined, but my mind was on something else.


    She knows that I had taken baths with my sister. The fact that she just let that slip out at that timing gives me the shivers.


    ��Lanseal, I''ll give you a chance to exin yourself��


    Rana gave Lanseal a cold look.


    And here I was thinking that they had gotten closer recently.


    ��������What a blunder. Even for a moment, I doubted Souya��


    ��Youck training. Y?O?U, who should be better at housework than I am, why are you unable to trust my husband''s cooking skills? Why did it not ur to you that he can turn detergent into delicious food? Why! Didn''t you! Think of that?!��


    ��Errr, no one would think that normally, isn��t it?��


    I couldn''t help but blurt that out.


    ��Dear! Are you not frustrated?!��


    ��Eh, not really. I didn''t think it was possible to make Chinese noodles from detergent either. And one more thing, the pancakes that you love to eat, Rana, they also contain stuff extracted from detergent��


    ording to Yukikaze, it''s apparently possible to make baking powder from baking soda.


    With that, even this side''s bread can have a fluffy texture������������Huh? Fluffy bread? I''ve heard that before somewhere. I have a feeling that it was on the menu at some bar and I had heard someone order it before.


    ��Even pancakes have detergent������ Is this your magic?��


    ��It''s actually more of a chemistry thing��


    ��But if there''s a precedent for eating it, then all the more it proves that it''s safe to eat��


    ��I would never give any of you food that would harm your bodies, much less food that��s poisonous��


    ��Both of you, did you hear that?��


    Oh crap. I ended up pouring oil on the fire.


    Rana took a bite of the yakisoba. Or rather, she had continued to eat it while chastising the two of them.


    ��What do you have to say to my��husband��?��


    ��I��m sorry��


    The two depressed women bowed their heads. Rana seemed satisfied.


    After that, the meal continued in silence.


    ������������The meal that I had been enjoying had changedpletely. To be honest, I can''t even taste the yakisoba anymore. The sauce that''s supposed to be sweet now tastes bitter to me.


    After we finished lunch, Rana left for dvain-sama''s ce in high spirits.


    In part to console them, I taught the dejected Ea and Lanseal how to make Chinese noodles.


    ��Umm, well, you know, I''m sorry��


    ��Why are you apologizing, Onii-chan?��


    I mean, I''m her husband, after a fashion.


    ��Rana must have been delighted to get a chance to act like a wife. That''s why she took that attitude������


    ��No, Souya. What Rana said isn''t wrong. Please don''t fault her��


    It''s just like Lanseal to be so serious about these kinds of things.


    I showed them the baking soda water that I had boiled.


    ��And well, this is what you get when you boil detergent until it stops bubbling��


    I scooped some onto a small te and handed it to the two of them. They both dipped a finger in it and licked it.


    ��It''s bitter. And it has a strange smell that stings my nose a little. But I suppose it''s safe to drink?��


    ��It''s meant to be mixed with things and not drunk though��


    After getting my sister''s impression of it, I mixed it into some wheat flour and started kneading.


    ��Oh, I want to try that. It''s the same as when making udon, right?��


    ��That''s right. You can make it the same way you make udon��


    Ea took over halfway.


    ��Onii-chan, how about adding salt?��


    ��Yeah, that may give it a more chewy texture��


    Salt was sprinkled over it.


    Lanseal was observing, sticking close to Ea while making sure not to get in her way.


    Somehow, she''s behaving very much like a small animal.


    But my sister is kneading the dough very expertly. I guess she''s practiced at it because she makes udon pretty often.


    ��Ea, that''s good enough. Roll it up and wrap it with a piece of cloth, then put it by the firece��


    I took a 30-minute hourss and ced it beside the dough.


    ��Hmm. It''s the same as udon��


    ��Souya, why do we let the dough rest?��


    ��Errr��


    I found myself at a loss as to how to answer Lanseal''s question. As an amateur, I vaguely know that��it tastes good when you do that��, but I don''t know the specifics behind why.


    ��Lanseal, let me fill you in��


    My sister replied for me with a smug look on her face.


    ��By letting the dough rest, it increases its sticity and stickiness. In other words, it gives it a more chewy texture. It also helps to even out the moisture content in the dough as well as facilitates the formation of gluten��


    ��Umm, Ea, what''s gluten?��


    Lanseal asked with an apologetic look.


    ��Gluten is��������������


    Ea started ncing in my direction.


    What was it again? Some kind of protein?


    ��Ah, that''s right. Magic! It''s an incantation. You have to chant the word "gluten" to make it taste good. That was close, I almost forgot~. Gluten, gluten?��


    ��I see, I''ve learned something very useful. Gluten, gluten��


    ��Gluten, gluten��


    I joined in and chanted along with them.


    So gluten was an incantation, huh? Come to think of it, it kinda sounds like a god''s name.


    ��Stare~��


    There was an entity staring at us.


    ��Stare~��


    I can see her head sticking out of the stairway in the corner of the kitchen. Or rather, seeing her head = seeing all of her. She has zero intention of hiding.


    ��Onii-chan, should I say something?��


    ��Or should I do it?��


    Ea and Lanseal were concerned, so I reluctantly spoke up.


    ��What is it, Makina?��


    ��Have youe to hate Makina, Souya-san?��


    ��What''s this all of a sudden?��


    Though you can be a pain sometimes, I don''t hate you.


    ��I mean, Souya-san, you find Yukikaze-chan to be cuter than Makina, don''t you?��


    ��Well, yes��


    Why are you asking something like that after all this time? In my ranking of who''s the cutest, you''re the unshakablest ce. Right next to Gunmerry, that is.


    ��Yes?! Did you say yes?! Isn''t this the kind of situation where you deny it by saying, "That''s not true!"��


    ��That��s true though��


    ��UWwwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!��


    Water flowed from the pod as she wailed loudly.


    It''s been a while since I''ve seen this.


    ��Hang on, Onii-chan, that''s too much. I feel sorry for her��


    ��That''s right, Souya. I don''t know what happened, but you''re being so small-minded again��


    Please don''t bring that up again, Lanseal.


    But it can''t be helped. If that''s what the two of them are saying, then I should leave it at that.


    ��Aah, yeah. I was being childish. I forgive you. I''m sorry for blocking yourmunications��


    ��By the way, who''s cuter, Makina or Lars-chan?��


    ��Lars, by andslide��


    ��Ugggh, that damned pet��


    ��Bo?��


    Thinking that it had been called, Lars turned in its flowerpot to look our way.


    Even if Makina bes a bishojo(pretty young girl), it won''t change her cing at the very bottom. A generic moe character like that will never change my views! That''s for sure!


    ��At any rate, it appears that you''ve forgiven Makina, so here''s a little bribe��


    ��Are you sure that''s how bribes work?��


    Makina took out a pot.


    ��This is Makina''s special shio[3] ramen broth. Please give it a try��


    ��You should have brought that out from the beginning��


    ��It��s because Makina thought that withholding it first would Makina more affection points!��


    It''s because you''re like this, you realize? The reason why I think that of you is because you''re like this!


    ��I guess we''ll be having ramen for dinner then��


    ��Onii-chan, let''s try it now��


    Ea made an unexpected suggestion.


    ��Ehh, didn''t we just have yakisoba?��


    ��Because of Onee-chan, I couldn''t taste anything towards the end! Besides, when ites to ramen, I always have space for more��


    It can''t be helped, I suppose.


    ��Just a little bit of the ramen then. Otherwise, you''ll spoil your dinner��


    ��Yay~!��


    My ted sister high-fived Lanseal.


    ��Yay��


    Makina was also ted. In a very calcted way.


    I softly tapped the arm that she had held out towards me.


    ��Alright then, let''s have a noodle feast today!��


    In high spirits, Makina started to knead more noodles.


    And before I knew it, there were again more noodles than could be eaten. There''s too much for one family to consume. I''ll have to give some away.


    [1] Otafuku is not the name of the sauce, but the brand actually. Its full name is ��Otafuku''s Original Sweet and Savory sauce��, and it��s a sweet condiment made with 12 different fruits and vegetables and goes well with food like Japanese pancakes, vegetables, fried foods, BBQ, and more. (pic courtesy of otafukufoods)


    [2] Norio Wakamoto(���� Ҏ��), born October 18, 1945, is a Japanese voice actor who��s famous for the deep, drawling voice that he can do that��s perfect for viins. The best example of that I think of is probably how he voiced Charles zi Britannia of Code Geass. He��s also the Japanese voice for Megatron.


    [3] Shio means salt in Japanese. Any broth that gets its salinity and vor primarily from salt, rather than miso or soy sauce, can be called ��shio��. Of course, it��s not made with just salt, but with chicken or fish bones (pork bones are also added sometimes) and vegetables as well.


    Gluten, gluten? I couldn��t help chuckling out loud. The exnation was going so well until that point then it just fell off a cliff.


    More antics as promised lol. What a long lunch though. And a huge foreshadowing�� Well, Souya will be heading back to the temple after lunch, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 143: A Respite From Adventuring V

    <h4>Chapter 143: A Respite From Adventuring V</h4>


    Ramen making, afternoon session.


    There was too much for us to finish, so I took 30 servings of the homemade noodles with me when I left for the temple of the me religion.


    On the way, I stopped by the Zavua merchantpany and sold them half of the noodles. The chairman of the merchantpany was also nning to go to the temple of the me religion, so we shared a carriage together.


    ��Lonewell, does the merchantpany also donate to the me religion?��


    ��It does. Naturally��


    That''s unexpected.


    I can understand it if it''s a long-standingpany with a lot of money, but I didn''t expect a young and growingpany to also donate to them.


    ��And this is it?��


    I tapped the box containing the donation in his hands.


    ��Yes, inside are the tes and utensils designed by you and Makina��


    ��Could it be that you know that I''m making ramen?��


    ��That''s part of it, but these were prepared 20 days ago��


    He''s got a sharp ear for information.


    I can''t look down on the effectiveness of word of mouth.


    ��In other words, they''re product samples?��


    ��That''s right. People from all walks of life and all over Lemuria gather at the me religion''s soup kitchen. Theye regardless of age, race, or wealth. From adventurers to craftsmen, from entrics to nobles. It''s the perfect ce to advertise new products��


    ��Did you perhaps advertise the mayonnaise, pasta, and ketchup there as well?��


    ��Those are expensive products, so it''s difficult to use them in the soup kitchen. Although it''s a good way of advertising, the products may not necessarily get used just because they''re donated��


    ��So it''s precisely because the me religion strangely doesn''t smell of money that it''s trustworthy and a good way to advertise, huh?��


    The chairman lifted the lid of the box.


    There was a metallic jangling sound.


    ��That''s where your ramenes in, Souya-san. These are needed, right? The logo of the Zavua merchantpany is engraved on them, so please don''t hesitate to use them!��


    ��Yeah, well, I''ll use them because they are indeed needed. You didn''t make too many again, did you?��


    ��What can I say? Ever since the matter of the mayonnaise, the resellers have been keeping a close eye on our store. The price of pasta also seems to be going up day by day. By the time we��re able to restock the wheat from the left continent, it will have doubled from the original price. The problem of customers buying our products at other stores�D�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��What''s your true motive?��


    It felt like he was going to go on for a long time, so I cut to the chase.


    ��I''ve been thinking about opening a second store soon. A store on the main street is all well and good, but it''s ultimately my mother''s store, and considering my own aspirations, it''s a good time for it. Of course, if you lend a hand�D�D�D�D��


    ��I won''t though��


    ��What? Why?��


    ��No no no, I''m an adventurer, remember? Adventuring is my job. Who knows how much I''ll be tied down helping you open a new store for the merchantpany��


    ��There you go again with the jokes��


    ��Hey, I''ll have you know that my party is the fastest to be intermediate adventurers and I''m also decently well-known. Well, that does include a bit of infamy though��


    ��Then let''s do it this way��


    I��m not going to do it though.


    ��Please lend me just your name until the store and its products have gained a certain level of reputation. Souya-san, all you��ll have to do is show up at the store once in a while and praise the employees with a bossy attitude. It''s easy work, right?��


    ��Absolutely impossible��


    I''m not good at acting bossy.


    ��What aplete denial of my ideal retirement!��


    ��You need to work harder, Lonewell��


    ��Urgh, it''s rare, but you''ve made a very valid point��


    This prick.


    Next thing I knew, we had arrived at the temple of the me religion. It wasn''t that far away to begin with.


    After calling for the priestess and giving her the donation, Lonewell went back. He reminded me, "Please do your best to advertise."


    Leaving that aside����


    ��Souya-san, I had some for lunch, but I��ve made quite a bit of noodles��


    ��Umm, I have some noodles that I made at home as well��


    In the kitchen, both of us brought out the noodles at the same time.


    ����������������


    It appeared that the priestess had also made a lot. There was enough for about 80 servingsbined.


    ��Souya-san, how many days can these noodlesst?��


    ��They canst for about 10 days in an environment that''s not too hot, not too cold, and not too humid. I think they taste best when they��ve been rested for two or three days��


    ��Well, that''s something to look forward to. And I''m really d you��re the person requested to make this for me, Souya-san��


    ��No, there''s still the matter of the broth��


    I''ve got a general idea of the recipe in my head.


    However, just following what��s written down is not always enough to make a dish delicious. It takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.


    ��For now, can you give me three days?��


    ��Yes, that''s fine��


    People don''t make progress unless they have a deadline. But there''s no harm in hurrying, so I quickly got to work on making the broth.


    The priestess went off to do some other work, leaving me alone in the kitchen.


    The first thing I did was to prep some pork and vegetables.


    I washed the vegetables with water and cut them into small pieces. The pork was cut into chunks.


    In terms of ingredients, there should be small quantities of each, but a lot of variety. But even though I know the method, it��s uncertain as to which ingredients would be best.


    I boiled carrots, cabbage, onions, ginger, leeks, and pork belly in a pot.


    I then painstakingly scooped out the scum for the next two hours.


    It''s a simple task, but I don''t mind it. Watching the ingredients simmer gives me a sense of wonder.


    ��How''s iting along?��


    The priestess came to check up on things.


    Or rather, I''ve caught her peeking into the kitchen quite a bit. The perfect timing of her appearance is probably the fruit of her years of experience.


    I''m talking about showing up just in time to taste-test it.


    But the taste was not as good as I expected. The vors were too thin.


    ��Hmmm. I''m not feeling very confident, so I would appreciate some advice��


    ��Then, let me have a quick taste��


    The priestess scooped some of the broth onto a small te, then took a sip.


    ��It''s not bad, but it feels like������it��scking in a lot of ways?��


    ��It''s definitelycking. It''s socking that I don''t know what��s missing��


    ��Let''s keep taste-testing as we add to it��


    I epted the priestess�� suggestion.


    Naturally, the first thing we tried was salt.


    I can''t taste the saltiness clearly. Would the vor be better if I had used synthetic seasoning, I wonder?


    ��Let''s try making it spicy��


    The priestess�� secret spicy sauce was added.


    After mixing it well, I gave it a taste.


    Spicy! All I can taste is the sauce.


    ��It only diluted the vor, I see��


    ��It''s spicy though��


    ��Are you not fond of spicy food, Souya-san?��


    ��Yes, I don''t like it that much. Is everyone in the me religion a fan of spicy food?��


    Ea loves spicy food, but Rana, who has received the me religion''s blessing, does not.


    ��These days, many of the younger ones aren''t very fond of it. I''m okay with it because it''s my hobby. I��ve been growing a variety of spices, you see? Many of them need a warm environment to grow, so I use the Akasho stones��


    Is there also a greenhouse here, I wonder?


    ��Is growing spices a tradition of the me religion or something?��


    I was a little curious, so I asked.


    ��It''s not so much a tradition as a means of subsistence. This country is prosperous and we''re able to enjoy good food. But the branches of the me religion in the poorer countries only get bad food as donations. They have to use spices to cover up the bad taste. If our predecessors had not grown all sorts of spices, many of the followers would have starved to death. Though the drawback is that the food ends up being a little spicy��


    ording to Otou-san, who was from another country, the preservation of food in the past was terrible. Even if the salted meat was full of worms, people still ate it regardless.


    Compared to that time, every meal in Lemuria now is as good as a feast.


    ��Let''s try adding a bit more sauce and some ground meat. And some nuts as well��������������


    It got closer yet again to dandan noodles.[1]


    The spicy sauce may be good as a dipping sauce, but adding it to the broth was not the best idea.


    I guess I''ll have to re-make it from scratch.


    ��Souya-san, do you mind if I add some more ingredients into the pot?��


    ��Oh, feel free��


    The priestess added tomatoes and some egg yolk. The broth was simmered some more. It was beginning to feel more Western than Chinese.


    I went into the food storage and started to choose ingredients all over again. I wasn''t so naive as to think it would go well on the first try.


    Hmmm.


    If I asked Makina to do it, she could probably make a normal ramen broth. But it''d only be normal. Her cooking doesn''t pack a punch. It''s devoid of any distinctiveness. It has no selling point!


    I mean, the first ramen in the alternate world shouldn''t be in. It should have a taste that will make the adventurers gasp in astonishment.


    I could use a vor enhancer, but as can be expected, I don''t have anywhere near enough. Should I start from the extraction and production of that? But monosodium glutamate(MSG) can make some people sick if ingested inrge quantities. I don''t want more bad rumors to spread because of this.


    No, I doubt I have the time for that anyway.


    ��Hmmm��


    What should I do? I can''te up with any good ideas. I can''t even do trial and error.


    Thinking back on it again, I''m aplete amateur when ites to ramen. To be honest, I''m little better than a novice at cooking, and I''ve just been lucky that things have worked out so far.


    Will inspiration strike me if I give it enough time?


    I don''t think it will. Much less in just three days.


    Perhaps the time hase for me to hang up my apron. Maybe I should just turn down all these kinds of requests from now on and concentrate on the adventuring business.


    I suppose I''ve given in to despair a little.


    ��Sorry, Souya-san, could youe here for a minute?��


    I was called back by the priestess.


    When I returned to the kitchen, I found someone I hadn''t expected to see.


    A muscr man with a mohawk.


    It was Rasta Oru Razva, the barkeeper of the bar run by the Kingdom of Lemuria, the Raging Bull and Silver Fox bar.


    ��Souya! What��s the meaning of this, you bastard?!��


    ��Huh?��


    Before I could even say hello, he came at me with a furious expression.


    The barkeeper was holding an unfurled scroll. I took a look at it and saw that it was a copy of a certificate of ownership for a cooking recipe.


    In Lemuria, if one wants to serve a particr dish, royalties must be paid to the person who invented it. Actually, it''s not so much the inventor, but the person who holds the rights to the recipe.


    This is very strictly enforced. If it''s vited, the country will fine the offender heavily. If it''s found to be done on purpose, the offender can even be thrown into prison.


    Frankly speaking, this is one of the reasons why the food in Lemuria tastes so bad.


    If you mp down on culture before it can develop, it will never flourish. That said, I also receive royalties from the Zavua merchantpany for the use of my recipes for the mayonnaise, pasta, and ketchup.


    ording to the Zavua merchantpany, the royalties I receive are only��a tenth of the usual rates��, but so long as I''m getting paid, I''m in no position to criticize it.


    Also, since this is a system that was borrowed from Elysium, I have a feeling that food on the center continent doesn��t taste good either.


    ��Recipe for Ramen Noodles��


    That was what was on the certificate that the barkeeper was holding. And the name of the rights holder written on it was my own.


    ��You''ve done it now��


    I could see the fighting spirit emanating from the barkeeper.


    ��Err, Master, hang on a minute. I don''t remember ever submitting the recipe though��


    ��I did it for you��


    The priestess said unabashedly.


    During the lunch hour? You sure work fast. Or rather, say something if you were going to do stuff like that.


    ��For these kinds of things, the sooner the better, you know?��


    ��That''s true, but when did you do it?��


    ��Just a few moments during lunch��


    ��Come on, Nee-chan, using the me religion''s detergent in recipes is my bar''s treasured secret, you know?��


    The barkeeper said with a deferential posture, which was oddly child-like.


    Nee-chan? Eh, is this Priestess-sama part of the royal family of Lemuria?


    ��Oh, Souya-san, I''m not royalty, alright? It''s just an old habit as these boys used to call me "Nee-chan, Nee-chan" all the time. Even though we''re all so old already, oh-ho-ho��


    That means that they''ve known each other for a long time, I guess.


    ��Back to the topic, Souya, how dare you!��


    ��Uhh, but did you have such a dish at your bar, Master?��


    ��Our bar has a secret menu for advanced adventurers and those who have reached that level in the past. Wait, you''ve seen Evetta eat it before. So you copied it, right?��


    It doesn''t ring a bell at all.


    ��By the way, what''s the name of the dish?��


    ��Honey-filled high-ss fluffy bread��


    ��Oh, hmm?��


    I have no recollection of it.


    After all, food that''s ced in front of Evetta-san disappears in the blink of an eye.


    ��The recipe for the fluffy bread is something that I risked my life to obtain during an adventure in my youth. Since then, I''ve carefully, carefully guarded it over the years to give it as a reward to the more sessful adventurers. In other words, the fluffy bread is a medal of honor for my juniors! Because it''s such a treasured secret, I''ve protected the recipe and never publicized it, but I never expected that you would defile the fluffy bread!��


    Don''t keep repeating cutesy words like��fluffy bread��when you''re a gruff old man.[2]


    ��But you know what, Ras-boy? I think it''s safe to say that your bread and these noodles are very different, is it not?��


    ��Nee-chan, the problem is not in the form of the food but in the method used to make it. If word gets out that the me religion''s detergent can be used to make food, someone is bound to get close to the secret of the fluffy bread. Souya, I��m sorry, but I''m going to have to bury these noodles!��


    ��Ehh��


    That''s not very mature of you.


    Considering the barkeeper''s connections, chances are that he can easily bury a recipe or two though.


    ��What should we do, Priestess-sama?��


    I turned to the priestess for help.


    Truth be told, as I''m concerned about my ability to make the broth, I''m hoping that this will somehow make this request go away. Besides, the people at home are satisfied with the noodles as they are now.


    ��Ras-boy, let''s do it this way. If you call yourself a chef, earn the rights through your cooking��


    ��Nee-chan, what do you mean?��


    ��Tomorrow, if Souya-san makes better fluffy bread than you, Ras-boy, admit defeat and publicize the recipe. If Souya-san loses, ramen will disappear for good from Lemuria��


    ��Nee-chan, I have just one question. Does this mean that you''ll be helping Souya?��


    ��Of course not. I''ll watch over the two of you as a neutral party��


    ��Hmpt, that''s how it is, Souya��


    The barkeeper smiled fearlessly.


    ��Even if you possess strange foreigner knowledge, it''ll be me, with my experience, who wins in the end! Unfortunately, you''ll have to give up on those ramen noodles! Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, right here! Let our fluffy bread do the talking!��


    The barkeeper turned on his heel and walked out of the kitchen.


    With really loud footsteps.


    ��With that, I��ll go put the noodle recipe on hold for now, alright?��


    The priestess also left.


    I was left standing there all by myself.


    Silence fell over the kitchen.


    ��������������What about the ramen?!��


    No one was listening.


    [1] Dandan noodles(������) is a noodle dish originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine. It typically consists of a spicy sauce, usually containing preserved vegetables, mustard stems, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, as well as minced pork, and scallions served over noodles. The dish can either be served dry or as a noodle soup. (Pic courtesy of wikipedia and by Steven G. Johnson)


    [2] In Japanese, fluffy bread is ��Fuwa-Fuwa(sound effect for fluffy)-pan(bread). Yes, it��s a cutesy name though fairly standard when ites to describing bread.


    I should mention that I could have gone with ��fluffy buns�� instead. I didn��t because it��s not urate, but just for a sec, go back and try substituting ��fluffy buns�� for ��fluffy bread��. XD Yes, my sense of humor is a bit silly at times haha.


    Copyright also exists in the alternate world, huh�� That��s certainly not what I expected in a fantasy world��


    And��everyone forgot about the main point lol. Wee to the cooking contest arc lmao. Just kidding, it��s not the entire arc, but well, stay tuned for more antics!

 Chapter 144: A Respite From Adventuring VI

    <h4>Chapter 144: A Respite From Adventuring VI</h4>


    I walked through the city in a daze.


    How did ite to this? The request was for me to make ramen, so how did I end up in a bread contest?


    I mean, the only bread I know how to make is chapati. No matter what I do, the most it''ll be is naan. It''s better than the stone-hard bread usually sold in Lemuria, but I''m even more of an amateur at bread-baking than I am at ramen-making.


    ��Souya-san!��


    However, baking soda pancakes������no no no, rather than trivial things like that, I''m pissed that I''m being forced topete in a bread contest.


    Even though I already have my hands full with the ramen''s broth, I now have to figure out bread.


    It''s really starting to feel like a huge pain. Should I just abandon the request?


    ��Souya! San!��


    I heard a voice calling out to me from behind.


    Turning around slowly, I found a girl in her mid-teens running towards me.


    Her curly brown hair was thick and hung to her shoulders. Her petite and slender frame was wrapped up in a fur coat.


    It was Amou Rutsuko, a foreigner just like me, who possessed a pure kind of eroticism.


    ��Long time no see! Also, I''m sorry!��


    ��Huh, what about?��


    I was apologized to out of the blue.


    Rutsuko-san bowed her head. Behind her, two armored little beings peeked at her panties.


    ��It''s about the matter with the dragon! I''m sorry for leaving so abruptly without saying a word! I heard that you ran into a lot of trouble after that. I haven''t had a chance to apologize until now��


    ��Ahh, now that you mention it������


    I still haven''t given her the reward because she suddenly left the day after that festival.


    ��The thing is, I finally seeded in making something that I''ve been trying to make ever since I arrived in the alternate world. Until yesterday, I''ve been working on the prototype the whole time��


    ��The prototype?��


    Somehow, I''m curious.


    ��When I think about the era you lived in, Souya-san, the only thing thates to mind is Anpan[1]��


    In her mind, I''m a person from an era where the chonmage was worn.


    ��Here! Take a look at this! This is the best one among those that I''m satisfied with!��


    She pulled out the most popr bread in the modern world.


    Upon receiving it, I trembled.


    I never thought there woulde a time when I would tremble so much over a piece of bread.


    ��Goddess��������


    ��Eh?��


    I grabbed Rutsuko-san''s hand without thinking.


    ��The goddess of bread!��


    ��Eh? Eh?��


    ��158th day��


    Three judges had been selected, and I ran into one of them in the hallway.


    I fled.


    ��Wait-nya!��


    ��I''m not gonna wait-nya!��


    If I was going to wait when told to do so, I wouldn''t have fled in the first ce!


    As fast as humanly possible, I ran away.


    But.


    With a single leap, Tyutyu caught me and clung to my back. I had underestimated the physical capabilities of beastkin. After that, though they''re small in size, the sensation of her breasts on my back made me go stiff.


    ��I''ve caught you-nya!��


    ��I''ve been caught-nya��


    Now that things have turned out this way, I''m doomed to my fate. I''ll let her deal with me as she sees fit.


    ��Souya, you''re terrible-nya��


    ��Eh, isn''t it a bitte for that?��


    I think I''m definitely not a good person.


    I mean, the god I''m contracted with is the god of misdeeds after all.


    ��You should have told me the whole story about Barfuru-sama back then-nya��


    ����������������


    What''s she talking about?


    ��I heard from the king that Barfuru-sama met an honorable end. I also heard that you went with him and the two of you fought the vampires together, Souya. Even though it was a secret mission, I wish you would have said something to Nya��


    I see. So that''s the official story, huh?


    ��Speaking of which, Barfuru-sama had saved up a surprisinglyrge amount of money to provide for Nya and the people in the neighborhood who had helped him in the event of his death-nya��


    ��Hmmm��


    Is it really that guy''s money? I can''t help but feel suspicious about that.


    ��Since I''ve got a lot of money now, I''m going to renovate my store-nya��


    ��Renovate that store?��


    ��I''m going to have walls and a roof built-nya. An oven too-nya. It''s going to be a full-blown store-nya��


    So it''s finally going to be a normal store, huh?


    ��That''s why I''ve been wanting to ask for your help, Souya-nya. Please introduce me to a trustworthy carpenter who charges the cheapest-nya. The ones the proprietress referred to me are very skilled, but they��re all very expensive-nya��


    ��Sure. I''ll introduce you to a craftsman who''s very skilled and very free at the moment��


    This will give Makina something to do.


    Oh, Rana also makes furniture as a hobby. I''ll try asking her as well.


    ��But, Tyutyu, what kind of store do you have in mind?��


    Even if it bes a splendid store, considering its location, it''ll be difficult to get customers.


    ��It''ll remind me of Barfuru-sama, so I won''t serve alcohol anymore-nya. I''m going to make it a store that only sells food-nya. I want a store where the food is cheap and the portions are big-nya��


    Tyutyu isn''t a bad cook. But she''s not so good that her cooking will attract customers.


    Food that''s cheap and easy to sell, huh? I''d like to help her, but I don''t have the time or energy to take care of everything by myself.


    I''ll wait and see how it goes for now, and if things start looking bad, I''ll give her a helping hand. If it still doesn''t work out after that, I��ll feel bad for her, but I''ll make her close the store before she gets into debt.


    ��And so, for today''s bread contest, I''ll be using it as a learning experience-nya��


    I couldn''t see Tyutyu''s face, but I could sense that she was smiling fearlessly.


    She''s a much tougher girl than I had thought. It seems that my fears might be unfounded.


    ��Oh, but I''ll be judging fairly-nya. It''s not right to let personal feelings influence such things-nya��


    ��That''s true-nya��


    Soon after, the other two judges arrived.


    Rutsuko-san and I started to put the finishing touches on the bread.


    And then,


    The empty dining area of the me religion was filled to the brim with people.


    For the record, the three judges were a cute blonde-haired cat beastkin, a sleepy-looking receptionist from the Adventurers'' Guild, and the baldy running this country.


    Tyutyu is an employee of Master''s bar, Evetta is my person-in-charge, and the baldy can go screw himself.


    In a way, it''s a fair panel of judges.


    ��Now, Souya, there''s something that needs to be decided before the bread tasting begins��


    The barkeeper took out a gold coin.


    ��Castle is heads and wheat is tails. We''ll use this to decide who goes first��


    A typical gold coin has the design of a castle on one side and an ear of wheat on the other side.


    ��Master, I��ll let you choose whichever you like��


    ��Huh? Hey, don''t you know that since ancient times, the one that goesst has the advantage in a cooking contest? You can even say that this is practically what decides the oue. Are you throwing the contest from the get-go?��


    That''s just the logic in cooking mangas, isn''t it?


    ��No, I''m just confident that I��ll win either way��


    ��Oh-ho~ You seem confident, but the helper that you''re counting on is shaking in her boots, you know?��


    ��Hyaa!��


    Rutsuko-san got scared when the barkeeper red at her.


    Well, there are two stern old men present. It''s no wonder she��s like this.


    ��Souya-san! I never heard anything about this! Why didn''t you tell me that the king would be here?! And that our opponent is a rtive of his!��


    ��Don''t worry. I didn''t hear anything about it either��


    Rutsuko-san hid behind me and started whispering to me.


    ��Wh, what should we do? What should we do? Will we be hanged if my bread tastes bad?��


    ��If that happens, I''ll kill the baldy and we''ll run away together��


    ��It''s Lost Paradise��


    ��It''s Ai no Corrida��[2]


    The Gunmerrys'' interjections were as iprehensible as ever.


    ��Thatst one, it was cut off, wasn��t it?��


    ��That''s interesting~��


    Stop it.


    ��Hey, Souya, I can hear you, you know?��


    ��Tch��


    The baldy, King Lemuria, picked a bone with me.


    ��S, Souya-san! Don''t be like that! We''ll be put to death!��


    Rutsuko-san was trembling even harder in fear.


    ��Don''t worry, no one will follow a king who''s that shallow��


    I said that, but it didn''t stop her from trembling. But she had baked the bread to perfection, and I could tell from the smell that they would be delicious.


    ��Master, can I go first?��


    ��Pfft, I''ve won then��


    I got his consent, so I got started preparing the bread.


    After removing it from the mold, I sliced the rectangr loaf of bread with a knife. The judges looked shocked when they saw how easily the knife passed through the loaf. That was probably enough to give them an idea of how fluffy this bread was.


    What we had baked is the traditional Shoku-pan(pan loaf[3]).


    The thing that Rutsuko-san had been trying to make ever sinceing to the alternate world is yeast.


    The bread that''smonly eaten in Lemuria is the kind known as sourdough bread in the modern world, which is fermented mainly usingctobacillictic acid bacteria). Sourdough bread doesn''t rise as much as bread made with yeast, making it heavier, fuller, and harder. I believe that it''s thectobacilli that give that bread its unique sour taste.


    The process of making sourdough itself is very simple; all that''s required is to ferment a mixture of wheat flour and water. However, it''s difficult to keep the quality consistent. It takes a lot of skill to make it taste delicious.


    I guess it''s like the bread version of Nukazuke(preserved food made by fermenting vegetables in rice bran).


    Sourdough bread canst for a long time and is the perfect food to bring on adventures. Because one needs to chew more when eating it, it also trains one''s jaw and makes one feel fuller after eating it.


    And then there''s bread made with yeast. Bread made in this way is fluffy and has a mild vor. It''s also easier to maintain a consistent quality for this kind of breadpared to sourdough bread.


    Rutsuko-san had been making bread using sourdough ever since she came to this side, but she had been unhappy with the inconsistency in quality. In the end, she decided to try to develop yeast strains.


    Yeast andctobacilli are both fermenting agents. As an amateur, I couldn''t see the difference between them, but Rutsuko-san exined it very well.


    ��Yeast is man-made. Lactobacilli is natural. That''s it��


    It was really easy to understand.


    When I asked her how she developed the yeast strains, she gave me an easy-to-picture but hard-to-understand exnation about how she was able to separate them out by having a Gunmerry swing another Gunmerry round and round like a giant centrifuge.


    Incidentally, there''s no baking soda at all in this bread.


    I mean, it may be a fluffy bread contest, but no one said anything about having to use baking soda.


    ��Ermm, this is a bread that recreates the taste of my homnd, and it��s called Shoku-pan. I made it with the help of my friend here��


    I put a slice of bread on each te and ced one in front of each judge.


    Well, now that I think about it, Shoku-pan(edible bread) is such a weird name. I mean, bread(pan) that cannot be eaten only exists in riddles after all.[4]


    ��What is this?��


    Evetta-san woke up.


    Umm, it''s a bread contest, so there won''t be anything other than bread.


    ��It''s food. Please give it a try��


    ��I''m not sure what''s going on, but I''ll eat it gratefully��


    Evetta snatched it up with her bare hands and ate it all in one mouthful.


    ��Souya, the bread melted��


    ��No no no��


    It disappeared in the blink of an eye! What''s on earth is going on with you?


    ��Then Nya will give it a try as well-nya��


    Tyutyu also grabbed it with her bare hands and sunk her teeth into it, then froze������������and started trembling.


    ��Wh, what the nya is this-nya?!��


    Her reaction was kinda like the ones in cooking manga.


    She didn''t be naked though.


    ��I have no idea how to chew it-nya. Just by putting it between my lips, the bread crumbles-nya. A, amazing-nya. Souya, did you say that this is called Shoku-pan(edible bread)-nya? Does that mean that in your homnd, bread that''s inferior to this isn''t even considered to be edible-nya?��


    ��That''s not true��


    I actually like sourdough bread. It''s really good when you toast it and put cheese on top, like they do in the old animes. It can be kept for a long time, so I always make sure to have some in the kitchen.


    ��������������Fumuu��


    The bald�D�D�D�D�DKing Lemuria, I meant, had an odd look on his face.


    ��The girl there. What''s your name?��


    ��Hy, hyiii. It, it''s Lutz��


    Rutsuko-san was so nervous that she had frozen stiff.


    She looked cute[5], so I stroked her back.


    ��So, Lutz, does the fact that you''re here in Lemuria mean that you''re an adventurer?��


    ��Y, yes, I am. Buttely, rather than exploring the dungeon, all I''ve been doing is baking bread��


    ��Umu, exploring the dungeon is not all there is to being an adventurer. Sometimes, a good loaf of bread can save a man''s heart. This is a feat that only you can aplish. You should be proud of it��


    ��Thank you so muchhhhhh!��


    Rutsuko-san was bowing her head vigorously.


    ��Now, do you have any interest in bing the king''s concubine?��


    What?


    ��I''ll guarantee your livelihood. I''ll also let you bake more bread than ever before. You''re young. Although you''re yet unpolished as a woman, I''ll teach you the many ways of making yourself shine. I''ll spare no expense in doing so. How about it? Won''t you serve me?��


    ��Con, concu, bine?��


    Rutsuko-san tugged at my sleeve.


    It seems that she doesn''t understand what the word "concubine" means.


    ��That baldy over there wants you to be his mistress. If you''d rather not, you can hit him with a rolling pin. I''ll help you��


    ��Eh, mistress?!��


    ��Hey, Souya. Having this kind of attitude towards the king of a country�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��I refuse!��


    Rutsuko-san refused in a louder voice than I had expected.


    I had expected her to shake in fear like a small animal, but this is a surprise.


    ��I believe that a man should only love one woman! Switching from one to another����women are not seasonal clothes, you know?! I think that kind of behavior is the worst! I refuse! I''m leaving!��


    Rutsuko-san took off her apron and mmed it on the table before stalking out.


    ��Souya, why do you look like you��re in pain-nya?��


    Stop it, Tyutyu.


    My chest hurts from the sting of her words.


    ��Well well, Souya, your helper has just left. This contest is as good as over��


    The barkeeper smirked at me.


    No, Rutsuko-san has already finished what she came here to do though.


    ��Alright then, it''s my fluffy bread''s turn now��


    King Lemuria rose from his seat.


    ��The winner of this bread contest is Souya. I''ve found delicious bread and a good woman, but next time, hold such contests during lunchtime. It''s really too early in the day and I''m still sleepy��


    Evetta-san also rose from her seat.


    ��I''ll give Souya the win. Umm, Souya, can I have the rest of the Shoku-pan?��


    Tyutyu also stood up.


    ��Nya also gives the win to Souya-nya. Oh, Nya still wants to eat more Shoku-pan-nya��


    ��Alright alright, I��ve got some for you all to take home��


    I handed a loaf of wrapped-up Shoku-pan to each of the three people who were leaving.


    ��Hey, guys, wait a minute! How can you decide on the winner when you haven''t eaten any of my fluffy bread yet?!��


    ��Umu, I''ve gotten sick of eating it��


    ��I''ve also had it a lot of times��


    ��Nya also ate quite a lot of the unsold ones-nya��


    The judges said their final words then left.


    Leaving the barkeeper standing there with tes in his hands.


    ��Hey������������Souya��


    ��What is it?��


    I started to clean up. The priestess nced my way, but took the hint and went on her way.


    ��You��ve got any for me? The Shoku-pan��


    ��Yes, I do��


    The barkeeper grabbed the loaf of Shoku-pan and left, his back hunched over.


    Somehow, his broad back looks smaller.


    I feel kind of sorry for him.


    I picked up the fluffy bread that the barkeeper had left behind. It looked more like sponge cake than bread.


    I took a bite.


    The un-sweetened caste-like[6] bread was filled with honey. It had a rustic taste.


    ��Master, I don''t mind this at������


    Oh, he''s long gone, I suppose.


    I took the liberty of getting some milk from the food storage and had it with the fluffy bread.


    Should I make dorayaki[7], I wonder? We''ve still got sugar at home, I think.


    Basking in the sense of aplishment from a job well done, I finished off the fluffy bread.


    I think it tastes okay. This is the alternate world where sweets are luxury items. This is a good enough reward for me.


    ��Alright then��


    I cleaned up the kitchen, washed the dishes, then stood and contemted the deserted cooking area.


    ��������������I''ve made zero progress��


    I fell into despair over the current state of affairs.


    [1] Anpan is such a staple in Japanese anime/manga/etc that I wondered if there��s a need to exin it, but well, just in case.


    Anpan, or red-bean-paste bread, is, well, bread with red bean paste filling. It was first made in 1875, during the Meiji period, the era of chonmage-wearing samurais and nobles that Rutsuko thinks Souya is from. It was created by Yasubei Kimura, a samurai who lost his job with the dissolution of the samurai as a social ss. At that time, the only avable bread in Japan was salty and sour-tasting, so this new tasting bread gained the favor of Japanese people quickly. It was also said that the emperor loved it when he tried it and ordered Yasubei to present him with anpans every day, further boosting its poprity when news of this spread.


    [2] Lost Paradise(1997) and Ai no Corrida(1976) are both movies about affairs.


    Lost Paradise was the second highest grossing Japanese film of 1997 domestically in Japan, being only beaten by Princess Mononoke, while Ai no Corrida, also known as L''Empire des sens and In the Realm of the Senses, was an international co-production between France and Japan that generated great controversy during its release because it contained scenes of unsimted sexual activity between the actors despite being intended for mainstream wide release. And spoilers and seriously wtf warning here, but among the many controversial things shown in it, the plot of the movie involves the female lead strangling the male lead to death during the deed, cutting his member off, and then leaving it inside for several days�� And it��s based on a real event from the 1930s��


    [3] Shoku-pan is pan loaf, or bread made in a pan/mold, which is essentially howmercial bread loaves are made. In other words, it��s basically the mostmon bread in the modern world. Also, in Japanese, Shoku-pan is written as ʳ�ѥ�, with the characters meaning, ��Edible(ʳ) Bread(�ѥ�)��. Normally, it will simply be called/tranted as just ��bread��, but you��ll soon see why I��m being forced to do this.


    [4] The riddle goes thus: What Pan(�ѥ�) is Pan(�ѥ�) yet is Pan(�ѥ�) that cannot be eaten? It sounds like a riddle about bread, but it��s actually just a y on how most types of bread in Japan are XX-�ѥ�, ie An-pan(����ѥ�), melon-pan(�����ѥ�), etc. Hence, the answer is just the various ��Pan��s that can��t be eaten, ie Japan(����ѥ�), frying pan(�ե饤�ѥ�), Chopin(����ѥ�) and so on.


    [5] Now, the usual, expected term here is �ɰ�����, which means seems pitiable or makes one feel sorry for, but the author instead had �ɐۤ��� there, which means seems cute. Now, both terms sound exactly the same in Japanese(���襤����), so it could be a kanji conversion error, or the equivalent of misspelling the word, or it could be on purpose, and I have no idea which, hence this note. If it is indeed a ��misspelling��, then the sentence should be, ��I felt sorry for her, so I stroked her back.�� By the way, the fact that I��m not sure which is correct is such an indictment on Souya��s character, isn��t it? XD


    [6] Caste is a type of sponge cake produced in Japan. It��s made with sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup, and is verymon at festivals or as street food. It was originally produced in Portugal during medieval times, and when the Portuguese reached Japan, they presented it to Japanese nobility. It was called P?o de Cast, which in Portuguese means "bread of Spain", and this is where the name Caste is derived from. (Pic courtesy of justonecookbook)


    [7] Dorayaki is a type of Japanese confection. It consists of two small pancake-like patties made from caste wrapped around a filling of sweet azuki bean paste. (Pic courtesy of justonecookbook)


    I��m sure most of you got it, but Tyutyu��s reaction and the thing about her not getting naked is a shot at Shokugeki no Souma, which was still being serialized in Jump during this chapter��s release. And thest sentence isn��t as clear after trantion, but the phrasing is the same as Zetsubou-sensei��s catchphrase.


    Fueee~ So many exnations in a joke chapter lol. Why are you doing this to me?! But I suppose there will tend to be more pop-culture references in the light-hearted chapters rather than the serious ones. The fact that I had to write so many exnations about bread is kinda amazing to me though. That said, I��m all out of words, so stay tuned~!

 Chapter 145: A Respite From Adventuring VII

    <h4>Chapter 145: A Respite From Adventuring VII</h4>


    I plopped my head down on the worktable in the kitchen and rolled Yukikaze around.


    ��Aaah, I can''t think of any good ideas��


    ��Have you reached your limit, indeed?��


    ��I��ve reached my limit, indeed��


    I had thrown some random ingredients into a pot and left it simmering away, but I don''t think I can make a ramen broth that will impress anyone. It''ll probably turn out to be just an ordinary broth.


    ��Isn''t that fine? Your existing cooking skills are more than helpful enough for your adventures��


    ��Is it okay if I give up now, I wonder?��


    ��It''s okay, indeed. Team member Souya, you have a strangely strong sense of professionalism and you''re terrible at loosening up. For something like ramen broth, simply throw enough salt into vegetable broth and it��ll be just fine��


    ��No, that''s problematic in its own right, isn��t it?��


    Your cooking sense scares me, you know that?


    ��Ummm������


    I was startled by a voice from behind me.


    Turning around, I found Rutsuko-san and the Gunmerrys.


    ��I''m sorry������������In a lot of ways, I''m sorry��


    She had be so depressed that she looked like she had lost some weight.


    ��Oh, no no no, I did win the bread contest in the end. You epted my request on short notice and baked bread for me so early in the morning, so there''s nothing for you to apologize for��


    If anything, I''ll have to give her a big "thank-you" reward. That perverted baldy������I''m going to tell on you to your daughter that you tried to get my friend to be your mistress.


    ��I wonder if working people like Souya-san and myself are going to get killed off?��


    ��What are you talking about?��


    Why on earth would we get killed off?


    ��Because! We were so rude to the king. In an anime I saw a long time ago, there was a guy who got thrown into a pit just for making a pun in front of the king! ������He probably died from that��


    Which anime is that?


    ��Rutsuko-san, don''t worry. I once snuck into that king''s bedroom and drove my sword into his pillow. But look, I''m still alive, right?��


    ��Hearing that makes me all the more worried!��


    Ehhh.


    ��Don''t worry. That king, if there''s someone he��s displeased with, I''m sure he''ll go and kill them personally��


    ��NOOOoooo!��


    Rutsuko-san was trembling like a small animal.


    Somehow or another, she''s starting to look like an otter to me.


    ��Think of something! Souya-san! Think of something that��ll make the king happy! It seemed like he was pleased with the bread, but is there anything else?!��


    Oh, what if by any chance������


    ��King Lemuria really liked the randomly-made ramen I cooked some time ago. As a result, I''m now trying to making ramen on the king''s orders. I''m having a hard time with the broth though, so do you have any suggestions?��


    ��My mom''s family runs a ramen store��


    Jackpot!


    ��Goddess��������


    ��Eh?��


    I grabbed Rutsuko-san''s hand without thinking.


    ��The goddess of ramen!��


    ��Eh? Eh?��


    The second day of making the ramen broth, morning session.


    Rutsuko-san looked through every inch of the food storage and����


    ��It''s no good��


    ����she said dryly. She decided to head out and go to the dungeon.


    Together with the Gunmerrys, I went with her.


    The destination was the 3rd floor of the Odoriji spire.


    It was a safe but gory ughterhouse.


    The valuable bodies and corpses of monsters are brought here to be processed before being given back to the adventurers. Even materials that can be easily carried by individuals must clear quarantine here before they can be taken out of the dungeon.


    In addition, most of the meat consumed in Lemuria is supplied by the butchering department here.


    Another department here is the processing department, where monster bones, shells, and other materials that can be used as building materials or made into weapons and armor are processed.


    There''s also the medicinal department, which produces medical supplies and potions using the monsters'' bodily fluids and excretions, as well as nts from the dungeon.


    Then there''s the research department that studies and analyzes unknown materials to determine if they''ll have any impact on the city. There are several more smaller departments, but I don''t know anything about them.


    The bounty of the dungeon cannot be wasted, so the employees of the Adventurers'' Guild work day and night here.


    But no matter how many times Ie here, I still find it a strange ce.


    The goods for sale arepletely different from those in the city above.


    Hanging from the eaves of stores and in the stalls are all sorts of monster bones, skins, scales, shells, fangs, ws, wings, eyes, tongues, ears, intestines, and brains. All in all, the lineup of products sold here is both very grotesque and fresh.


    Since it''s inside the dungeon, it''s dimly lit, which makes it feel even more eerie.


    And for whatever reason, the designs of the stores here consist of bones and flesh in shades of gray and pink������In short, they look pretty gross.


    As an intermediate adventurer, I canmission things from the craftsmen here. But as Otou-san had mentioned before, many of them are entric people. I''ve never asked them to do any work for me because I don''t trust them.


    Whenmissioning weapons or armor, one is entrusting one''s life to the craftsmen. I can''t rely on their reputation, and I don''t have the time to get to know them.


    Well, because I have Makina and the dwarf-san, I may never have to worry about this.


    ��Souya-san��


    ��Yes?��


    We had arrived at our destination, the butchering department. I had only been here once before to help out with something the merchantpany needed.


    Rutsuko-san looked unusually serious, so I answered her seriously.


    ��I''m rather shy, so please talk to the storekeeper for me��


    ��������Okay��


    Now that I think about it, that''s right.


    Your facial expression is the only part of you that''s fired up, huh?


    ��Sorry(excuse me)��


    ��What are you sorry for? What did you do?��


    I misspoke, and got red at by the middle-aged storekeeper.


    Along with the Gunmerrys, Rutsuko-san hid behind my back.


    ��I want some dungeon pig bones��


    ��Bones? You''ll find those in the processing department. Not here��


    ��No, what I''m looking for are just normal unprocessed bones��


    ��Then we''ve got some, but they''re all stuff we were going to throw away though��


    ��May I have a look?��


    ��Uhhh, what do you guys want them for?��


    This middle-aged guy is a pain in the ass. This isn''t going to earn him any money, so I do understand why he doesn��t feel like entertaining us, but what should I do?


    Offering money to a person with a peculiarly strong artisanal spirit can have an adverse effect.


    Oh, I know.


    ��To tell you the truth, I''m trying to develop a new dish at the request of the me religion, so if it won��t interfere with your work, I''d like to take a look��


    ��The me religion��������


    I brought out the name of the me religion as a test. Considering how influential it was, I figured that I should be able to hook someone with it.


    ��My old man''s a follower. Now that I know that, I can''t just dismiss you out of hand. Come on, they''re in the back. It stinks though��


    I walked through the store of the butchering department and went out the back door.


    I almost gagged at the strong smell of blood.


    It was a strange sight. There was what looked like a pool of flesh in one area, with lots of bones sticking out of it.


    ��What is this?��


    ��This is the flesh wall of the dungeon��


    Flesh wall?


    ��Parts of the Odoriji spire are biological. Hidden within the dungeon��s walls, it grows then forces its way out of the structure. Even the hardest dungeon pig bones will get dissolved without a trace in three days and be nourishment for it. After that, it goes round and round within the dungeon and forms into new monsters. Or at least, that''s the rumor. No one has actually seen it happen though��


    That''s kinda scary����


    ��Rutsuko-san, what do you think?��


    In a corner was a pile of bones that had yet to be stuck into the flesh wall, and she started picking out the ones she wanted without hesitation, giving them to the Gunmerrys to carry.


    ��Here''s a pig knuckle bone, and another pig knuckle bone. They''re cracked, which is perfect. Oh, there''s a spine! I don''t think I have enough pig leg bones, but I can''t find any������


    She was fishing through the pig carcasses like she was picking through a bargain bin.


    I watched her work for about five minutes. The whole time, the middle-aged guy was looking at Rutsuko-san with a strange look on his face.


    ��Souya-san! For now, I''ve got everything I need!��


    The Gunmerrys held up the pig bones.


    ��Alright, I''ll take all those��


    ��Oh, go ahead, take it��


    The middle-aged guy was generously giving it all to us for free, but����


    ��How much for them?��


    ��Huhh? I''m not going to take your money for things that we were going to throw away��


    ��No, I''ll pay for them. If they are recognized to have value, they''ll be offerings to the me religion. Considering you have followers in your family, that would bring more virtue, you see?��


    To be honest, I don''t think that these pig bones are of good quality. People treat garbage like crap, but the moment they find some value it, it changes the way they look at it.


    It''s a materialistic way of thinking, but that''s just the way it is.


    ��O, ooh. That''s true. What are you gonna do with all of that?��


    ��We''re going to use them to make broth��


    ��������������Hey, is everything alright? Are things so rough at the me religion?��


    The middle-aged guy was seriously worried about me.


    ��It''s all good. This is just one of the steps in the making of the new dish, and has nothing to do with how the me religion''s kitchen is doing��


    ��Then I guess I don''t have to worry about my old man going hungry��


    If you''re going to worry about your family members, do it by their sides.


    ��Souya-san! Hurry, Hurry! They''re just barely fresh enough, so I want to get them into the pot as soon as possible!��


    ��Hurry up!��


    ��Whoo!��


    Rutsuko-san and the Gunmerrys were in high spirits.


    I pressed five copper coins into the middle-aged guy''s hand, and then we left the dungeon.


    We stood out like a sore thumb carrying the bones through the streets, but Rutsuko-san was too excited to notice.


    When we returned to the temple of the me religion, the miko and priestess regarded us skeptically.


    Not paying them any mind, we went to the kitchen and started prepping.


    ��First is to wash them thoroughly. Then, remove any flesh still on them and drain the bloodpletely. This step must be taken very seriously. This is where 80% of the vor is determined. For the knuckle and leg bones, crack them before washing��


    ��Understood��


    I cracked the thigh bones with a hammer, then washed off the flesh and blood clinging to them. The other bones were thoroughly cleaned in a simr fashion.


    The Gunmerrys were getting in our way, so I brought them out of the kitchen and had them y with the grandchildren of the followers.


    ��They''re all clean now. The next step is to pre-boil them. They''ll need to be boiled for 30 minutes, an hour, or maybe even two hours depending on how it goes. This is where 80% of the vor is determined. This is a very important step��


    ��Got it��


    It was a trivial detail, so I didn''t retort her.


    The cleaned bones were put into a washed stockpot, which was then filled with water and put on the fire. And then we waited.


    And waited.


    And waited.


    ����������������


    Unable to bear the awkward silence, I opened my mouth.


    ��Rutsuko-san, when you said your mom''s family runs a ramen�D�D��


    ��Souya-san, be quiet. I can''t hear the ingredients��


    ��Oh, I''m sorry��


    I was scolded for talking frivolously by Rutsuko, who was standing with her hands on her hips.


    What''s with this vibeing from her? It''s like she''s a battle-hardened warrior.


    The pressure was so great that sweat was beading on my forehead, and time flew by.........not. I had woken up really early in the morning and was feeling drowsy, so I plopped my head down on a table and took a quick nap.


    When Yukikaze woke me up, an hour had passed.


    I helped Rutsuko-san throw out the hot water, which had a lot of scum floating on top.


    Its distinctive, unpleasant smell was difficult to bear right after waking up.


    ��Now it''s time to begin making the broth in earnest. This is where 80% of the vor is determined. I''ve prepared the vegetables while you were cking off, Souya-san, but please take note of one thing��


    ��What is it?��


    ��The bones and vegetables cannot be cooked together. It takes 6 to 8 hours to make broth from the bones, but vegetables should only be boiled for less than an hour. Any longer than that and they will fall apart and spoil the broth. This time, I''m going to prepare another stockpot and boil them in a different broth, then mix them together at the end��


    ��Umm��


    Did you just casually drop the bomb that it would take six to eight hours?!


    I was hoping to have the prototype ramen done by noon and have itpleted by evening though����


    ��Can it be any faster?��


    ��It can''t. Souya-san, are you underestimating ramen? This is the first ramen made with ingredients from the alternate world. The fire is different from what I��m used to, and weck the seasonings to adjust its taste. The only way to make up for theck of ingredients is to put in more time and effort. If you make excuses about how you don''t have what you need or that you can''t do it, and don��t put your heart into it, the customers won''t take kindly to it!��


    Errr, hmmm.


    Technically speaking, we aren''t serving customers though.


    ��Also, I''m going to add pork belly to the bone broth and simmer it for two hours to let the fat and vor mix into the broth. I was thinking of using the pork belly to make chashu[1] as well, but the seasoning��������


    ��Oh, right, we don''t have soy sauce, do we?��


    I have some soy sauce that was brought over from the modern world and some fish sauce made from sardines, but I only have enough for household consumption. If I used them for making ramen here, they wouldn''tst more than three days.


    ��I still have some concerns, but I''ll make a sweet and spicy sauce using the ingredients here and use it to marinate the pork. But I''m really worried because, for ramen, it''s no exaggeration to say that 80% of the vor is determined by the taste of the chashu��


    ��I''m counting on you��


    I''m not going to make any rude retorts.


    They must all be important, I suppose.


    ��From now on, it''s a test of endurance. I''ll keep on scooping out the scum to increase the purity of the broth. I can manage on my own, so you can go home, Souya-san��


    ��Huh?��


    I was suddenly informed that I wasn��t needed.


    ��No, Rutsuko-san, if it''s just removing the scum, I can help too��


    ��Haaa~��


    She let out a deep, deep sigh.


    ��Souya-san, what do you mean by "just"?��


    ��Eh? Huh?��


    I couldn��t figure out why I was being scolded for that, so I fell into confusion.


    ��At the bottom of your heart, you look down on ramen as a low-ss dish, don''t you? It''s true that ramen is a dish for the masses. It''s a cheap, tasty, and filling dish. But that''s no reason for those cooking it to cut corners! Something like that isn''t ramen! It''s not! Errr������������I��m angry! That''s right, I��m angry!��[2]


    I guess I didn''t think of it like that.


    Actually, I''m kinda curious to know what your mum��s family''s ramen store is like.


    ��Are you sure there''s nothing I can help you with?��


    ��There isn''t. You''d just distract me, so I''d appreciate it if you''d let me do this alone��


    ��If you say so������


    It feels kinda lonely, but I don''t want to participate in the broth-making process so badly that I would get in her way just to do so. This is the extent of the passion I have for ramen.


    ��Team member Souya, Yukikaze will stay behind and record the broth-making process��


    ��I''ll leave you to it then. Rutsuko-san, I''m leaving Yukikaze here, so contact me if you need anything��


    ����������������


    Rutsuko-san was staring intently at the stockpot.


    Ahh, she''s not listening anymore.


    [1] Japanese chashu, or braised pork belly, is made by rolling the meat into a log, then braising it over low heat in a sauce seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and sugar. That��s in contrast to the Chinese char siu, which is roasted over high heat. (pic courtesy of justonecookbook)


    [2] She says ���̩`(nuu)�� at the end there, which is a sound effect that can be used to express either anger(like ��grr��, maybe?), or questioning(like ��huh?��). Just making her go Grr there is really weird, and she is expressing that she��s angry, so it became how it is.


    In case, it wasn��t clear, the Japanese term used there, ���ߤޤ���, can mean ��sorry��, but it can also mean ��excuse me��. Souya meant ��excuse me�� of course, but the storekeeper took it as ��sorry��. As for Souya not retorting, I��m sure you got it after a few times, but he��s talking about how Rutsuko keeps saying that 80% of the vor is determined by the step they��re talking about at the time, which of course, doesn��t add up.


    Haha, Rutsuko to the rescue again. I loved how the goddess part was almost a word-for-word repeat of the previous chapter. But with Rutsuko in serious mode, does that mean that the broth is settled? Or will there still be problems? Stay tuned!


    P.S. I know this is turning into a cooking story, but I assure you there��s ploting lol. And it��s probably not what you��re expecting!

 Chapter 146: A Respite From Adventuring VIII

    <h4>Chapter 146: A Respite From Adventuring VIII</h4>


    ��159th day��


    It wasn''t until a whole dayter that I was contacted by Yukikaze.


    When I went to the temple of the me religion, I found Rutsuko-san with dark circles under her eyes and all kinds of ingredients scattered all over the kitchen. For some reason, the Gunmerrys were slumped on the ground. The priestess was also there, surveying the mess in the kitchen.


    ��Souya-san, the broth������������I failed!��


    A weeping Rutsuko-san clung onto me.


    ��I did my best! But I''m missing something! I couldn''t find something that would bring it all together!��


    ��Umm, well, I find it really delicious though��


    The priestess mumbled her impression as she sipped the broth.


    ��It''s no good! It''s just like a bird with its wings ripped off!��


    ��Oh, please let me have a taste too��


    I received a small bowl of the broth from the priestess.


    I took a sip.


    It had a creamy but rich vor. And yet, the broth was clear. It was a littlecking in terms of saltiness, but it had a sophisticated taste.


    It was truly����


    ��This is tonkotsu(pork bone) broth, isn''t it? Mmm, it''s delicious��


    ��I agree. What is it that you''re dissatisfied with, I wonder?��


    It was delicious enough to be served in stores, so I and the priestess both cocked our heads in puzzlement.


    ��One more, it just needs one more ingredient. I can''t serve this kind of wed broth to anyone!��


    ��You''re really particr about it, huh, Rutsuko-san?��


    ��What a strange girl, I don''t see what she''sining about. But I''ve had this kind of broth before somewhere������Where was it, I wonder?��


    ��Where was it, indeed������


    I don''t know about the priestess, but something about the taste nagged at me too.


    ��Souya-saaaan, the vor, it needs more deliciousnessssssss! Please find some miso for me somehow. As it is, I can''t do justice to myte mom''s recipe, so I can''t serve this broth��


    Rutsuko-san''s face was stained with tears and snot. If anyone saw this scene, they might get the wrong idea. But still������


    ��Miso, huh?��


    I do have some, but once again, I only have enough for household consumption.


    After all, Rana loves miso soup, and she always asks for tonjiru(pork miso soup) for supper. I''m not about to sacrifice her enjoyment for the me religion''s sake.


    ��������?������?��


    ��Hmm?��


    I received amunication on my sses.


    ��Excuse me for a second��


    I handed the sticky Rutsuko-san to the priestess and went into the hallway.


    ��What is it?��


    ��Makina has heard the entire story��


    It was from Makina.


    ��Don''t tell me, is there miso in the alternate world or something?��


    ��That��s exactly what Makina was going to say!��


    No way.


    ��Souya-san, you tend to miss the small details, don''t you? There have been hints in the conversations you''ve had with others so far. Does somethinge to mind?��


    ��No, not at all. Just cut to the chase and tell me��


    ��Do you want Makina to tell you?��


    ����������������


    ��Oh, sorry. Please don''t cut themunication. Makina will tell you right away��


    ����������������


    ��Don''t give Makina the silent treatment! It''s in madam''s family home��


    ��Eh, in Heures Forest?��


    ��It seems that madam''s aunt, Alma-sama, was doing research on this when she was alive. In one of her books at home, Makina found an ount of her cultivating what seemed to be a form of green mold and using it in the preparation of food. From one of your conversations with Medimu-sama, it''s quite likely that madam''s father has carried on Alma-sama''s work of making miso. Makina believes that this is a sure thing. This is valuable information, right? Right?!��


    ��������������Yeah��


    ����������������


    ����������������


    Dammit, to think that she''d have useful information even though she''s just Makina.


    ��Th, thank you��


    ��Fufufu~. Makina~ out~��


    She cut themunication.


    I feel frustrated. Very frustrated.


    But why am I getting so worked up over an A.I.?


    I went back to the kitchen����


    ��Rutsuko-san����oh, she''s asleep��


    ��She did work through the night after all��


    Rutsuko-san was sleeping in the priestess'' arms. Her face was pale, and she didn''t seem to be having a pleasant dream.


    ��I have an idea of where to find the ingredient she needs, so I''m heading out. Can I leave her to you?��


    ��Yes, of course. But you know, I don''t see anything wrong with this broth. So, just take things easy. I would hate for you to go overboard��


    ��Yeah, I''ll be fine. I''m just going to������have a quick chat with my wife''s father��


    ��Dear me, then it won''t do unless you go overboard, no?��


    I hate to say it, but you may be right.


    I went home first and told my sister, who was held captive by the kotatsu, about the situation.


    She wasn''t too keen on the idea, but out of concern for my safety, she grudgingly agreed to apany me.


    We left the city and walked through the snowy in.


    Since it was so open, the wind felt really cold. Because of that, my sister clung to my arm.


    As we walked further west from the snow-covered remains of our camp, a snow-tinged forest came into view.


    It was Heures Forest, the domain of the elves, which I had stayed well clear of since Geto-san''s warning.


    ��Onii-chan, stick closer to me��


    ��Umm, like how?��


    ��Hug me from behind��


    ��Alright, alright��


    I put my hands around my sister''s waist from behind, then draped her cloak over me.


    With L''s cloak making us invisible, we entered the forest. We were moving at a snail''s pace as it was hard to walk while huddled together.


    I can feel my sister''s body heat seeping into mine. She smells sort of citrusy. We''re so close together that every time we move, her buttocks brushes against my������


    ��Onii-chan, are you thinking about something weird right now?��


    ��No way��


    If anything, I''m desperately trying not to think such thoughts.


    ��Just so you know, any Hemus who are found trespassing in the Forest will be torn to pieces, so pay attention to the surroundings instead of my attractive body, alright?��


    ��Got it��


    She''s right.


    Some time ago, a knight order from a certain country had entered this ce and got burned to a crisp along with part of the forest. I don''t know the exact number of casualties, but it wasn''t anything as small as a dozen or two. If a Hemu, the race that was the cause of everything, were to be found, he would certainly be killed.


    No, they would probably mess him up pretty badly before killing him. Along with the elven girl who was with him.


    Though we''re invisible, it doesn''t mean that gravity has no effect on us. We still leave footprints and other traces behind. A good tracker may notice that something is amiss. We must stay alert and tread carefully.


    But still, this is such an eerie forest.


    It''s deeper and the sky feels much further away than what I had expected looking at it from the outside. Everywhere I turn, the lines of trees look the same. The snow covering the entire forest floor makes it even harder to make out any differences.


    If I had gone into this ce alone, I would likely have been unable to find my way out.


    ����������������


    Catching sight of other elves, I stilled my breathing instantly.


    There were two sentries posted atop a watchtower built into arge tree. They were equipped with traditionalposite bows, with quivers and hunting daggers at their hips. Their eyes turned our way, causing my heart to race.


    ��We''ll be walking on the roots from here on out, so be careful not to trip and fall��


    ��Understood��


    We walked on top of the roots of the trees, doing our best not to leave any footprints as we continued onward.


    I held my breath when we passed directly under the sentries. For some reason, Ea''s quickened heartbeat calmed me down. I made sure that I would be able to draw my sword at any time.


    I don''t n to kill anyone, but I will knock them out to the point where they''ll feel terrible when they regain consciousness the next day.


    The sentries were irregrly spaced out.


    Because of that, we had to be on our toes.


    ��Ea, you don''t know where the sentries are posted?��


    ��No, I don''t. The positions of the sentries have changed since I wasst here��


    It can''t be helped. We''ll have to proceed slowly and carefully just as we have up till now.


    The dwellings in this forest were built by hollowing outrge trees. Most of the sentries were keeping watch from second-story terraces. However, not everyone that we saw was a trained soldier. There were some younger men, who yawned as they watched the surroundings, and some young girls, who chatted andughed quietly as they stood guard. There were even some who were unarmed or had hoes in their hands.


    In short, they were the inhabitants.


    Many of them were just regr people, but they were on the lookout for enemies from the outside.


    Among them, there was even a child smaller than Maria standing guard. Her breath was visible and she was trembling from the cold as she stood there holding a bow toorge for her.


    I had heard about it, but when faced with this sight, I found it hard to bear.


    Given that I''m racially a Hemu, albeit from another world, will the wife and sister of a person such as myself ever be able to return to their homnd, I wonder?


    ��Onii-chan, we might be in a bit of a pickle here��


    ��What��s wrong��


    My sister led me into the shadow of one of the dwellings to hide.


    Following her gaze, I noticed a tree that wasrger than the others. Naturally, it had also been made into a dwelling.


    Standing guard over the dwelling were four armored elves, which was a rare sight.


    Them wearing armor was unusual, but the armor itself was also unusual. The winged helmets exposed their eyes and noses, and the light metal armor featured intricate designs. The spears they carried looked ceremonial, as did the swords hanging from their hips.


    I''ve never seen such weapons and armor in the city. Is this the traditional equipment of the elves, I wonder?


    ��That guy��������


    ��Someone you know?��


    Ea was looking at someone among the four elves.


    ��Yeah, it''s someone I''d rather not have to deal with. It might be difficult to sneak into the house without him noticing��


    It appeared that our destination was the dwelling guarded by the elves.


    ��I see, then it can��t be helped��


    If Ea says that it''d be difficult, then I''m sure she''s right.


    ��Alright, let''s wait��


    ��We��re going to wait?��


    ��Let''s wait until the sun goes down and see if there''s an opening. If there isn''t, we''ll go back. I''m not about to risk my life for ramen''s sake��


    I wouldn''t have wanted to even if I was alone, but my sister too, huh?


    ��Alright. Let''s do that��


    After moving around a bit, we found arge tree with a cave-like cavity and sat down inside to stay out of sight of the inhabitants.


    In preparation for the return trip, Ea turned off the cloak''s invisibility for the time being.


    ��Yukikaze, turn the sensors up to full power. Let me know if anyone approaches. And keep an eye on the four back there using bug drones��


    ��Understood��


    The bug drones are a species of mosquito modified by the A. I., to which a camera and simple sensors have been attached.


    ��Yukikaze didn''t expect to have to do any surveince, so Yukikaze only has five bug drones on hand. Given the cold conditions, their lifespan is at most three hours��


    ��Will the cameras still function after the drones are dead?��


    ��If it''s just the images from the cameras you want, they��ll continue to transmit them for about five hours��


    ��Then we''ll use them like fixed cameras, so position them appropriately��


    ��Understood, indeed��


    Once I had finished giving Yukikaze her orders, there was nothing for me to do but wait.


    ��Hmm, hmm~��


    My sister came over and sat on myp.


    ��It feels like you''ve been spending less time with metely��


    ��Oh������sorry��


    Certainly, ever since Maria came, I''ve been spending less time with Ea.


    ��It''s okay though. I''m not going to be a child forever, you know? Not that I''m a child now or anything��


    Ea shifted and put her hands around my neck. To keep our body heat from escaping, I wrapped our bodies in the cloak.


    The close contact was enough to make me forget about the wintry air.


    I could feel her warm breath on my neck. Her legs seemed cold, so I rubbed them to warm them up.


    ��But well, I don''t mind being a child right now��


    Ea stole my top hat and gleefully pulled it over her eyes.


    She''s my big yet spoiled little sister. How long is it going to take for her to grow up, I wonder?


    ������������She��s cute the way she is though.


    It��s kinda fun that this arc is bing an educational one about popr Japanese dishes lol. That said, of course it would be miso, right? It can��t get more Japanese than that.


    I��ve just been assuming that the bug drones are just miniature mechanical drones, but they��re actual bugs, huh��that��s kinda unexpected��


    But we finally get to see the inside of Heures Forest����after 7 volumes����sure did take a while. I��m d Ea finally gets some air time again, it��s been a while too. Will Ea and Souya be able to ��Solid Snake�� their way into Melm��s house? Stay tuned to find out!

 Chapter 147: A Respite From Adventuring IX

    <h4>Chapter 147: A Respite From Adventuring IX</h4>


    ��Team member Souya, please wake up. The number of guards has decreased��


    ��Hnn?��


    I had fallen asleep without realizing it.


    In the silent darkness, I could see my breath. The cold air stung my cheeks, but the parts of my body that were in contact with Ea were deliciously warm.


    ��Ea, wake up��


    When I called out to my sister, whose eyes were closed����


    ��I''m awake. You''re the one who was asleep��


    ����her beautiful blue eyes snapped open.


    ��Onii-chan, I''ll go check things out. Stay here��


    Ea put on my top hat and disappeared quietly.


    I stretched as I waited for her. The warmth that had soaked into my body was quickly drained by the cold.


    ��Yukikaze, how many hours did I sleep?��


    ��Five hours, indeed��


    ��That��s a heck of an afternoon nap��


    ��Have you not been sleeping much at nighttely?��


    ��������N, no, that��s not true~��


    That''s rted to my private affairs, so I''ll just disregard it.


    Ea came back.


    ��It''s doable now��


    ��Got it��


    I got up and hugged my sister again. Invisible thanks to her cloak, we approached the sisters'' family home.


    The number of guards had been reduced to two.


    ��So, what do we do now?��


    There seemed to be only one entrance to the dwelling.


    With the guards stationed right in front of it, even if we were able to hide from their eyes, there was still no way for us to get in.


    ��Just wait for a moment. I''ve set up something��


    I listened to Ea and waited. One minute went by.


    I heard amotion spreading like a ripple, and when I looked in that direction, I saw smoke rising.


    ��What did you do?��


    ��I merely set a small fire��


    Hey, are you sure that''s a good idea?


    ��Come on, Onii-chan. Let''s go��


    The remaining guards went off in the direction of the fire.


    It worked, but this isn''t something you should do in your homnd that had been ravaged by fire not too long ago, you know?


    There was no point in arguing about it right then, so I stuck close to Ea and got moving.


    Going on top of the roots at a brisk pace, Ea took the lead and jumped whenever there was a distance between the roots. I jumped after her, then quickly wrapped myself in her cloak to be invisible.


    Circling the perimeter of the dwelling we were aiming for, we made it to the entrance without leaving any footprints, then quietly opened the door.


    We were able to infiltrate it easier than I expected.


    The wooden dwelling had a sense of warmth. It was also more cramped than I expected. There was a set of small table and chairs that were rather charming. That kind of furniture must be ufortable for the tall elves, but perhaps there was some significance to them.


    ��Ea, I think it''ll probably be in the basement. Where are the stairs?��


    ��This way��


    She undid the invisibility of her cloak. The ce was too cramped, so we wouldn''t be able to react quickly if we both still stuck close to each other.


    Trailing behind Ea, I entered a small, cozy kitchen. In the exact same configuration as our home''s kitchen, there were stairs leading down. As we descended them, my nose picked up a certain smell.


    ��I''ve only been down this way once because I hate this smell. Could it be that this is������


    ��Yeah, there''s no mistaking it��


    The smell was of something fermented, like alcohol. It was a smell that I had nevere across in this world.


    It was warmer in the basement than on the upper floor. Embedded here and there in the wooden floorboards were Akasho stones that were glowing a dull red.


    And there were countless barrels arranged in rows.


    It looked like a wine cer, but it smelled just like miso.


    ��Yukikaze��


    ��Based on theponent analysis of the odor, it''s definitely miso��


    I held Yukikaze up to light up the ce.


    The rows of barrels went on for as far as the light allowed us to see.


    ��That''s a lot��


    ��Whoa, no way. I didn''t think there would be this much��


    Ea was also surprised.


    ��Yukikaze, how many barrels are there in total?��


    ��The miso barrels extend beyond the range of the sensors, so it''s unknown, indeed��


    This is likely not an amount that can be made in ten or twenty years. It''s been thirty years since Alma, the sisters'' aunt, disappeared. Unless someone had continued to make it without interruption the whole time, there''s no way there would be this much.


    That''s quite unexpected.


    I can hardly believe that the guy who abandoned his own daughters so easily had been continuing his sister''s work ceaselessly for so long. I can''t help but harbor ill suspicions that they may have had feelings for each other that went beyond brother and sister.


    ��So, Onii-chan, which ones should we steal?��


    ��Well, that''s the thing. Yukikaze, can you tell the difference in vor with your sensors?��


    ��That''s beyond Yuikikaze��s sensors'' capabilities. Only Makina has sensors that can urately detect taste��


    If that''s the case, I have no choice but to choose as best I can.


    The problem is, I seriously doubt that I, who''s barely apetent cook, can tell the difference between the good and bad when ites to miso that''s made in the alternate world. If only I had brought Rutsuko-san with me.


    ��Damn, I��m stumped��


    I lifted the lid of the nearest one, but I had absolutely no clue. The only things I could figure out were that it was white miso and that it had been aged for only a short time.


    It actually seemed to be better than the miso I had at home.


    ��Onii-chan, you can''t tell the difference?��


    ��I always hadplete faith in what they sold in the stores, you see?��


    I usually just grab the ones that have the words "the taste of restaurants", but maybe Marukome[1] havebeled it somewhere on these barrels������������there''s no way they have.


    ��The ones by the entryway are rtively new. The further back they are, the older. The ones at the far end were made by Alma, though some had their contents disposed of because they were ruined and are left there as examples of failures. Also, most of them are just fungus beds��


    ����������������


    Ea and I were absolutely dumbstruck.


    The master of the house, Melm Raua Heures, was standing there quite inly. After giving us a nce, he resumed his work of stirring the barrels of miso.


    We hadn''t noticed him at all. On top of that, he was wearing tattered work clothes, making it even harder to tell who he was.


    ��You guys sure took your time. Even though I had gone out of my way to wait for you at the entrance of the forest for a little while��


    ��Huh?��


    Melm''s words put a question mark on top of my head.


    How did he know we wereing?


    ��I heard about it from the sneaky youngdy of the me religion. You call it miso or something. You need the fermented food that��s made from soybeans or wheat, right?��


    ��Eh? Well, yeah��


    We must have missed each other.


    Come to think of it, the priestess-sama had met with someone from Heures Forest, but could it be that it was this guy?


    ��You can have it, but there are conditions��


    ��������Let''s hear them��


    I have a bad feeling.


    ��Teach me how to use it to make good food��


    ��������������Huh?��


    ��You''re a really annoying guy, you know that?��


    Melm twisted his face in displeasure.


    I''ve basically never seen this guy without a sour look on his face.


    ��Wait wait wait......to the untrained eye, I think the miso looks pretty good, but have you been making it without knowing its taste?��


    ��The texture, consistency, and smell when mixing. The color. The temperature. If I know all that, there''s no problem even if I don''t know how it should taste. After that, it''s just a matter of maintaining them ording to Alma''s instructions. Besides, I''ve let Medimu and Lemuria try it in the past, and when I remember how they screwed up their faces at it, it still pisses me off��


    It''s that kind of entrenched mindset that stops people from challenging new possibilities, you know?


    ��Onii-chan, let''s just K.O. this guy and steal some at random. With the two of us, we can kill him��


    ��Hey hey��


    My sister, who was hugging me from behind, made a very disturbing suggestion.


    ��Ea, are those the kind of words you should be saying when meeting your father for the first time in a long time?��


    ��Bleh��


    I couldn''t see her, but my sister probably turned away.


    It can''t be helped. This father had abandoned his daughters once. Anything he says now is worth nothing.


    However, if I just let things be, we would end up fighting each other. So for now, let''s put that aside for the moment and talk about the miso.


    ��If you want dishes that are made with miso, well, if you don''t mind something simple������


    ��If it tastes bad, I''m not going to let you have any��


    ��Onii-chan��s cooking is a royal feastpared to the meager bean soup made by your mistresses. Don''t you dare question how delicious it is!��


    ��I''ll judge the taste for myself. Isn''t that only natural?��


    ��That''s not what I''m talking about!��


    My sister was getting unusually heated.


    I had to step in because I didn''t like the way things were going.


    ��I don''t know if you''ll like it or not, but I''ll at least make it for you to try. Leave theints till after you''ve tried it��


    ��Alright, which one do you want to use?��


    ��Then��������������


    If I can''t tell which ones are good or bad, I''ll just use both, I guess.


    ��I''ll use this new white-ish one and����do you have one that has turned reddish-ck?��


    ��One that''s over two years old, huh? This way��


    I followed Melm. It was rather difficult to walk with my sister clinging tightly to my back.


    I lifted the lid of the miso that was over two years old and gave it a once-over. It was proper red miso. Its smell and color seemed to be at a level where it could be sold normally in stores.


    ��For now, this one too��


    I put the two kinds of miso in a bucket intended for just that and then left the basement.


    Upstairs, I got started cooking in the cozy kitchen.


    After changing clothes, Melm sat down at the table and stared intently at us. I was concentrating on my work, so I ignored him.


    ��Onii-chan, I''ve got a good idea��


    ��Oh? What is it?��


    As I was looking through the avable ingredients, my sister came up with a suggestion.


    Whenever my sister makes such suggestions, I usually just trust her and do what she says. In fact, I think Ea is really good at cooking. The day when she surpasses me is near.


    ��It''s cold today, and this house only has very meager cooking equipment, so it''s gotta be that, right? That��


    ��Aah~ nabe(hotpot), huh?��


    ��It sucks that I''ll have to eat from the same pot as him though��


    ��Let''s do that. As expected of you, Ea��


    ��Fufu, feel free to praise me more��


    She looked a little less grumpy.


    After rifling through the kitchen cabs rowdily, Ea found a deep-bottomed pot. She washed it quickly with some stored water. While she was at it, she also washed the vegetables that we were going to use.


    ��Onii-chan, let''s use these for the broth��


    Ea had some dried mushrooms in her hand.


    ��I��ll leave it to you��


    ��Leave it to me��


    She dropped the mushrooms into the pot, which she had filled with water.


    I have no idea what kind of mushrooms they are. But they''re in the kitchen, so they shouldn''t be inedible.


    After lighting the firewood on fire, I put the pot on the stove.


    I began cutting up the vegetables that Ea had washed. First, I cut the tomatoes and diced the garlic. Next, I cut the cabbage into chunks, and the onions and potatoes into bite-sized pieces. I found some of the dried meat that adventurers often ate, and carefully sliced it into thin strips.


    ��Huh?��


    With the kitchen knife in my hand, something tickled the back of my mind, giving me pause.


    ��������������?��


    But nothing came to mind.


    Well, it''s probably nothing important anyway.


    ��Ea, I''m putting the ingredients in~��


    ��Okay~��


    I put all the meat and vegetables into the pot. I also added a dash of alcohol.


    The best thing about nabe is that you can be as bold and creative as you want, and it��ll still taste good.


    I covered the pot with a lid. While waiting for it to heat up, I shredded some cheese to add as a finishing touch, then mixed the two kinds of miso together.


    Ea added water to some wheat flour and kneaded it, using the rolling pin to pound it every now and then.


    ��Jeez, this house! It��s so cramped!��


    Ea was taking out her frustration about the house onto the dough on the cutting board. Somehow, she was a little scary.


    ��Melm-sama, what''s that sound?��


    From the room adjoining the kitchen, another elf peeked in. She was a slender young girl with the kind of beauty typical of elves, but with a touch of innocence about her. I reflexively pulled my top hat lower to hide my face and ears.


    ��Rion, it''s nothing, so go back to your room��


    Melm''s voice sounded a little gentler. However, Ea reacted to the woman''s presence.


    ��Eh, you''re kidding. Why are you in this house, Rion?��


    ��Ea-sama! Have you returned home?!��


    ��I''m only stopping by for a while, and I''ll be gone soon. Wait, could it be?!��


    Ea red at Melm.


    ��Rion, I''m sorry, but don''t get in the way��


    ��I, I��m so sorry, Danna(husband)-sama��


    The young girl, who was about to leap at Ea, bowed her head and returned to the room at Melm''s urging.


    However, she was showing no intention of moving any further away from just behind the door.


    ��Exin yourself!��


    ��What is there to exin? She''s just my mistress. The fi, no, third one��


    He was about to say "fifth" there, wasn''t he?


    ��I''ve changed her diapers before! Do you know how old she is?!��


    ��Though she''s eight years younger than you, she''s an adult. She''s already gone through theing-of-age ceremony. You''re already an adult physically, so stop acting like a child all the time��


    ��Just whose fault do you think it is that I couldn''t go through mying-of-age ceremony?!��


    ��The fool knights stationed in Lemuria and the fool who burnt down the forest in order to defeat�D�D�D�D��


    With all seriousness,


    I threw the kitchen knife at Melm.


    Without even batting an eyelid, Melm caught the kitchen knife between two fingers and, with just a flick of his wrist, threw it back at me.


    I stopped the kitchen knife by pping it between my palms. If I had missed, it would have buried itself in my face.


    Before I knew it, the pissed-off elf had his sword in his hand.


    It was a strange, lightweight sword. There were holes that went all the way through along the entire length of the de and hilt. Rather than a sword, it looked more like a piece of silverwork.


    No matter how I look at it, it doesn''t seem to be a sword capable of cutting people, but that��s exactly why I��m wary of it. How far I can push it in a sword-fight with an unfamiliar Rmir steel sword, I wonder.


    ��O, Onii-chan��


    ��It''s fine, Ea��


    ��Eh? No no no, what part of this is "fine"?��


    It''ll be decided in an instant.


    The distance between us is too close. It''s as if both of our des are already at each other''s throats.


    ��Melm, there''s a saying I want to teach you. "When you utter an insult, stake your life on it"��


    This is something that the brave warriors of the Myriad Kings, who love to fight, always say.


    Although the armies of the Myriad Kings are full of muscle-heads, they choose their words carefully when provoking others, especially if it affects their pride. If they aren''t careful, it could lead to a fight between entire ns.


    That said, there will still be thoughtless ones who insult others lightly. And those who don''t respond to those insults with their fists aren''t considered brave warriors.


    That''s why, when a fight breaks out, both sides will duke it out without saying a word. At the end of the fight, both the winner and the loser will part in silence. And the words that had started the fight will be considered to have never been said.


    Now, I don��t know if Melm knows about this custom or not����


    ����������������


    ����but he didn''t say a word.


    I wordlessly took a step forward����


    ��Onii-chan!��


    ��Yeo!!��


    ����and my sister pulled on my right arm as hard as she could. I felt an electric shock shoot up my elbow and my muscles tensed up.


    Oh, I hadpletely forgotten.


    I had forgotten about the condition of my elbow.


    That was dangerous. If I had drawn my sword with my arm like this, I would have died.


    ��The nabe, it''s boiling��


    ��Yeah��


    I switched ces with Ea and went over to the pot. I covered it with a cloth, then removed the lid. I removed the scum as it simmered away.


    There was another pot next to this one, and after filling it with water, I put the pieces of what looked like rice cakes that were floating on top of the bubbling broth into it.


    ��If you hurt Onii-chan, I''ll never forgive you, got it?��


    Having taken over the baton, Ea confronted Melm.


    ��Ea, take a good look at reality. That man there is a Hemu and you''re an elf. Sooner orter�D�D��


    ��Shut up��


    ��You����how dare you tell your father to shut up?��


    ��The Akasho stones in the basement. Why didn''t you just give them to the people? What are you nning?��


    ��They''re needed to regte the temperature in the basement. That thing you call miso is sensitive to changes in temperature��


    ��Even though there''s no guarantee that it''s worth any money, you''re willing to let your people freeze for it?��


    ��It''s worth is������something you guys are deciding right now��


    ��It''s for my aunt''s sake, isn''t it? Even though you treat women like trash, only that person is special, huh?��


    Ea''s voice was icy cold.


    Despite standing in front of a piping hot pot, a chill ran down my spine.


    ��Listen, that and me are�D�D��


    ��I don''t care about any of that. What''s important is that if we don''t show the value of miso, people will freeze to death in this forest��


    What is she talking about?


    I wanted to ask her, but I was busy removing the scum.


    ��This winter has been unusually cold. Moreover, there are few elves in Heures Forest who are wealthy enough to donate to the me religion. What did you donate to get the Akasho stones in the basement? Which wife''s jewelry? Or is it my personal belongings? My sister''s? If the miso turns out to be worthless, will you donate the sword that you��re carrying next? More than anything, all the frustrations directed at the world outside will soon begin to turn inwards��


    ��Without the miso, you guys can''t make�D�D��


    ��If you��re talking about the ramen, we canplete it without your miso. Since I''ve gotten this��


    I nced briefly at Ea.


    In the small bottle she held in her hand, there was a piece of something white.


    Is that a fermentation starter, I wonder?


    ��������������To think that you''d learn to pick pockets��


    ��Thanks to a certain someone, we were destitute and had to live on the streets. I had to learn whatever it took to stay alive��


    ����������������


    ��If you don''t have anything nice to say, then just shut up like you''re doing now��


    Melm kept silent.


    I wanted to take a look at his expression, but the nabe was almost done. I checked the ingredients to make sure they were cooked all the way through. Everything was okay. After pouring in the miso paste I had mixed earlier, I stirred it in slowly, then sprinkled in the cheese at the end and waited for it to melt.


    It waspleted.


    I ced four tes with wooden spoons and a bowl with adle on the table.


    ��Here you go, it''s done. Cheese-tomato miso nabe��


    Because of everything that was going on, I had forgotten to taste-test it. Or rather, I just want to go home as soon as possible. This is the worst visit-the-parents ever.


    ��Aren''t you guys going to eat?��


    In response to Melm''s words, Ea plunked herself down at the table and started to take ingredients out of the pot and put them on her te. She then began eating with gusto.


    My sister certainly has spunk.


    ��My share��������


    ��You''re not a child. If you want to eat it, take it yourself��


    I''ll just leave Melm to Ea from now on. It serves him right.


    I set four cups and an appropriate-looking bottle of alcohol that I found in the kitchen on the table then sat down next to Ea. I poured for myself and Ea.


    Melm can go to hell.


    ��Wow, it''s so delicious. As expected of you, Onii-chan. This vor is far beyond what elves who know nothing but leaves and nuts can make��


    Ea''s forehead was beading with sweat as she ate the nabe. At the rate she was going, she''d finish it all by herself.


    I wanted to take my own share, but thedle was snatched away before I could.


    Melm checked the ingredients one by one as he filled his te at an oddly slow speed.


    But I have to say, when I look at him and Ea in turn, the two of them are really beautiful elves who look very alike. Which makes it all the more aggravating.


    Will there ever be a time when I get along with this guy? I can''t imagine it.


    ��Hmm��


    Melm let out a quiet exmation after taking a bite of an onion.


    He would not say "delicious" but ate in silence. I took my own share and started eating.


    After blowing on them, I ate the vorful cabbage along with the thinly sliced meat. The vor of the miso and tomatoes came together well, and it was delicious.


    It''s frustrating, but it''s also thanks to the miso that this guy made.


    ��It��s delicious��


    In front of delicious food, I expressed my honest impression.


    I don''t want to be a person who can''t even say such things.


    ��Yeah, it''s delicious. We should let Onee-chan and Lanseal try thister��


    ��As for how to make this, do you just add all these ingredients and put it on the fire?��


    I answered Melm''s question.


    ��The ingredients will release scum when boiled, so be sure to remove it diligently. The miso diminishes in vor the longer it simmers, so it should be added only at the end after the pot has been removed from the fire. That''s about all you need to take note of��


    ��������I see��


    Melm went back to eating the nabe.


    He didn��t say what he thought of it, but from his expression, it doesn''t seem to taste bad to him. That''s fine for now. It''s not like hearing his honest impression is going to change anything for me.


    ����������������


    The conversation had died, so we ate in silence.


    I had made enough for the girl called Rion as well, but I suppose making her join this stifling atmosphere would be a bit like a punishment game. I too can only remember the taste of the first bite. I was reminded once more that the atmosphere is also a crucial factor in the taste of a meal.


    So, I tried my best to finish all the ingredients in the pot as quickly as possible. When I thought it was finally going to be over, Ea spoke up.


    ��Let''s cap it off with some ��suiton[2]����


    There was still some broth left. Ea took the pot back to the kitchen, added the boiled suiton that I had put aside, and put it over the fire again.


    With Melm and me alone at the table, the terrible atmosphere became even worse.


    ��Does Ea cook often?��


    ��I guess��


    Is it so strange for your daughter to cook?


    ��She''s a woman who will eventually be the princess of the elves. Menial tasks like cooking should be left to servants��


    ��What''s wrong with a princess who can cook?��


    Even though Lanseal is also good at it.


    ��It''s not a task for royalty��


    ����������������


    We don��t see eye to eye at all. Could the reason why the king of adventurers is bald be because he has to deal with this guy?


    ��It''s done~��


    The steaming pot with suiton added was ced back on the table.


    I couldn''t taste anything anymore, so I just ate it up quickly.


    ��So, how was it?��


    After she had finished eating, Ea immediately turned to Melm.


    ��Well������������it was delicious. Low-ss�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Did you hear that?! Onii-chan! As expected of you!��


    With great vigor, Ea cut off his superfluous words.


    I took advantage of her thoughtfulness to move things along.


    ��So, are you going to give us the miso? If it��s used to make the ramen, it bes a donation of value to the me religion. But not to the extent that you can get enough Akasho stones for the people of Heures Forest��


    ��������������I''ll give it to you. But there are other conditions��


    ��������������What are they?��


    As I thought, he''s going to milk this for all it''s worth, huh?


    ��I want a merchantpany that you''re on good terms with to buy the miso, and if possible, on a regr basis��


    That''s a surprisingly normal condition.


    If the ramen is well-received, there will likely be those who would like to buy the miso for their own consumption. Or rather, I myself would like to buy it.


    ��I can agree to have them buy it on a regr basis, but you''ll have to promise to leave the pricepletely up to me. If you try to raise the price just because it bes popr and sells well, the deal will be off��


    Considering this guy''s personality, I can see him doing just that.


    ��Alright, I promise. It''s only fools who get swayed by the allure of money and end up in a world of hurt��


    Was what I thought, but it appeared that I was wrong.


    Maybe I''ve had too little faith in him.


    ��In that case, I''ll arrange for someone to act as an intermediary between you and the Zavua merchantpany��


    ��Ea, you do it��


    At Melm''s words, a heartfelt look of reluctance crossed my sister''s face.


    ��Absolutely not. Thanks to a certain someone, I have to work as an adventurer, so I don''t have the time��


    ��It''s fine even if you only do it when you have time to spare. It''s a good way to earn some extra money during the breaks between adventures, isn''t it?��


    ��������Onii-chan��


    Ea tugged on my sleeve.


    ��Can I leave that to you, Ea?��


    ��������������It can''t be helped, so leave it to me��


    Certainly, Ea is well acquainted with both the people of the Zavua merchantpany and the people of Heures Forest.


    She''s the best person for the job.


    ��Then it''s decided. Arrange for a wagon toe to the entrance of the forest tomorrow morning. I''ll donate this thing you call miso to the me religion��


    ��Understood��


    I''ll have to go back and inform the Zavua merchantpany.


    A contract for purchasing miso on a regr basis. They won''t refuse, I hope? Well, there shouldn''t be any problems.


    ��Alright��


    Melm rose from his seat.


    Looking down at me, he said.


    ��Then get the hell out��


    I really can''t see eye to eye with this guy����


    [1] Marukome Co. Ltd. (�ޥ륳����ʽ����) is a Japanese miso soup paste producer that��s headquartered in Nagano. Marukome ounts for about 13% of the amount of miso produced in Japan each year, which makes thispany one of the leaders in production volume among the over 2,500 miso producers in Japan.(pic courtesy of marukome.co.jp)


    As for what Souya is talking about, see the ����ͤ��ζ�� on the packaging? That��s Marukome��s best-selling line of miso, which includes red and white miso, some variations of which have less salt, are additive-free, or are organic.


    [2] Suiton(ˮ�� or water dumpling) is a Japanese dish that is made by slicing flour dough by hand, rolling it by hand, and scooping it into small pieces, then boiling it in soup. From the Edo era to the pre-war days, it was a popr dish for normal Japanese people. (pic courtesy of wikipedia and by Rubyran)


    Phew, that was a long one. But since there''s surprisingly not much for me to talk about, I��ll take this opportunity to speak about a subplot in this novel that is prevalent throughout the entire story but will never be brought up explicitly by the author. And it��s Souya��s daddy issues. If you recall, Souya is bitter about his father abandoning him and only caring for his sister(since he specifically points this out and pinpoints his father when he had no reason to and despite his mother also doing the same), and I��ve also mentioned before to look out for how he tends to gravitate towards ��father figures�� in this story to fill that void.


    I��ll get the easiest one out of the way first: King Lemuria, the king of adventurers(and possible father-inw). Souya starts out with respect for him, but as he slowly gets to know Lemuria, that respect has been slowly disappearing and due to recent events, this rtionship ispletely in the dumps right now.


    Next: Medimu, the father of adventurers. This is someone he has been calling ��Father(Otou-san)�� throughout the entire story. You know how they say that if you say something long enough, you can convince anyone, even yourself? Besides that, there have been lots of ups and downs in their rtionship, especially after what happened to Irvin, but their rtionship has been going well, don��t you think? Souya also still admires his skill and has copied him in many ways. Also, have you noticed how often Souya looks for him to discuss stuff, especially recently?


    Lastly: Melm, Souya��s actual father-inw. He��s pretty much been an asshole all the way through, except���� If you were to ask me to rank my favorite characters in this novel, Melm would be in the top 5. Hard to believe? Yeah, at this point, he hasn''t shown up much, but just like Souya, his character is very well written; simple and clear in definition yet executedplexly.


    With that, look forward to further antics! We��re more than 2/3 into the volume now, so what do you think the theme of this volume is? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 148: A Respite From Adventuring X

    <h4>Chapter 148: A Respite From Adventuring X</h4>


    ��161st day��


    For two hours, I had been waiting for Ea in front of the temple of the me religion.


    ��Souya-san, calm down a little��


    ��H, how can I calm down?!��


    With an unsteady voice, I replied to Lonewell.


    My knees have been shaking since earlier because it''s cold. It''s not because I''m agitated.


    ��B, but you know, it''s Ea''s first time running errands by herself, and you never know what can happen������I knew I should''ve gone with her��


    ��How old is your sister again?��


    ��I''m too afraid to ask. What if she turns out to be older than me?��


    ��She''s an elf, so that''s totally possible. What''s wrong with her being older though?��


    I''ll have to call her "Onee-chan" or even "Onee-san" then.


    No way~. If anything, she''ll end up ovepping with Lanseal, who holds the elder sister role.


    ��It''s just that she''s so childish. I''m worried. I hope she doesn''t run into any trouble with the other elves��


    ��I''m sure she''ll be fine. I think she''s quite the reliable person��


    ��I, I see��


    Am I just being overprotective?


    I wonder why I''ve be so protective.


    ��Oh, she''s back��


    Following Lonewell''s gaze, I found Ea, who was driving a horse-drawn wagon.


    When she noticed me, she gave me a big wave. I waved back with both hands.


    ��Are you alright?!��


    ��Huh, what? It''s just riding in a wagon full of barrels, you know?��


    ��That''s true, but did the other elves bad-mouth or harass you when handing over the miso?��


    ��I''m still a princess, I''ll have you know. I''m also respected because I��m the best archer in the forest��


    ��Oh, I see��


    My fears had beenpletely unfounded. Now, I��ll need to show the priestess the value of miso.


    I had Ea stay on the wagon while I brought some of the white and red miso to the kitchen.


    I showed them to Rutsuko-san, who was waiting there.


    ��I believe these miso can probably meet your expectations, but��������


    For some reason, Rutsuko-san was wearing a bup sack on her head.


    ��������what''s the matter?��


    ��N, nothing''s the matter��


    ��Is this what they call "burying your head in the sand"?��


    ��I guess she''s too ashamed to face her mother��


    The Gunmerrys behind her had imitated her and were also wearing bup sacks on their heads.


    Seeing this one person and two beings, the priestess had a few words.


    ��She''s probably ashamed of having cried while making such an embarrassing disy of herself. She''s so green������even though every human who''s alive has run through the streets naked at some point��


    Under what circumstances are we talking about here?


    ��Souya-san, I can''t see my hands, so I''ll leave it to you to put the finishing touches��


    ��������Okay��


    I mixed the white and red miso together and put the resulting mixture into one of the porcin bowls that the Zavua merchantpany had donated. After pouring in some of the tonkotsu broth that Rutsuko-san had made, I stirred the broth until the miso had dissolved, then taste-tested it.


    Yes, this is it, the taste of authentic tonkotsu miso broth. The broth is still white and clear even after the brownish mixture had been mixed in. It tastes rich and the miso vor has be intertwined and integrated into the broth.


    Profound. What a profound taste.


    I made ramen broth in the alternate world, so what? [1]


    The priestess boiled some noodles, drained them, then cut and put them in.


    Leaving additional ingredients forter, I served it with a spork made especially for eating ramen with, which was also donated by the Zavua merchantpany.


    ��Priestess-sama, Rutsuko-san, have a taste of this��


    ��Well then, pardon me��


    The priestess went first.


    ��This spoon is quite interesting. I was wondering what it was for, but I see now that it''s for eating ramen. And the bowl as well. Souya-san, you''re quite the businessman, aren''t you?��


    ��Well, thank you for your kind words��


    Said Lonewell, who was behind me, with an embarrassed look.


    Oh, he''s still here, huh?


    The priestess actually tried the ramen this time.


    She ate the noodles without making a sound and then elegantly took a sip of the broth. She then put down the spoon with a curious look on her face.


    The first-ever tonkotsu miso ramen in the alternate world. Now, what does she think of it?


    ��My turn, huh?��


    Rutsuko-san also took a taste. After rolling up the bup sack until her mouth was exposed, she slurped up the noodles loudly then drank the broth with gusto, just like a Japanese would.


    ��What do you think?��


    Her impression is the one I''m most concerned about.


    ��Huh, Souya-san������������it passes. It tastes just like my mom''s!��


    She gave a thumbs-up.


    She continued slurping up the ramen. When she had finished it����


    ��I wanna go home��


    ����she got homesick.


    Somehow, it feels like I''ve made things worse in a lot of ways.


    ��Priestess-sama, we''ve sessfully developed ramen. Just add a few more ingredients and it''splete��


    ��Hmm, I''m sorry. Do you mind if I call someone over?��


    ��Huh? Sure��


    The priestess went out of the kitchen.


    Leaving Lonewell and Rutsuko-san behind, I also left and went to join my sister on the wagon.


    ��How did it go?��


    ��The ramen has beenpleted!��


    ��Yay! I''m the one who delivered the miso, so I want to taste it too!��


    ��Yes, please do. We need to add some more ingredients, so we need some input��


    ��But that sounds like you''re going to let others eat the ramen too��


    ��Is there something wrong with that?��


    ��The luxurious feeling from getting to monopolize it because of my connections is diminished��������


    Right, I forgot that elves are like that.


    ��Ea, food culture is something that changes with diversity. The taste of ramen will improve as a result of being exposed to a variety of people. Someone might evene up with a better ramen than the one we made��


    ��I wonder����that��s a little hard to imagine though��


    ��Or rather, aren''t you going to try cooking ramen yourself? I��d bet you could make ramen that exceeds the level of a hobbyist and is good enough to sell��


    All the techniques and ingredients required are on hand. Yukikaze has recorded every step of Rutsuko-san''s broth-making process, and the key ingredient, miso, is made in her family home.


    She has everything she needs to start a ramen store.


    ��A ramen store, huh? That''s something I might consider after I retire from being an adventurer. But for now, I have to do whatever I can for your sake, Onii-chan��


    My sister put her hand on my knee. I put my hand on top of it. She leaned her shoulder against mine, so I put my free hand around her. Her cold, long ears pressed up against my cheek.


    The mood between us was quite nice. We were attracting a bit of attention from the passers-by, so much so that I felt like I should announce out loud that we were brother and sister.


    As I flirted with my sister����


    ��What the heck are you guys doing-nya?��


    ����Tyutyu appeared with a retort. Behind her stood the priestess.


    ��Souya-san, doing such things in front of the temple is a bit��������


    ��Sorry��


    We, brother and sister, apologized and reflected on our actions. It was cold, so we ended up getting carried away.


    Leaving Ea behind, I went back to the kitchen. Tyutyu, whom the priestess had brought here, also came along.


    I have a feeling I know why Tyutyu is here.


    ��So, why was Nya called here-nya?��


    However, it seems that the person in question has no idea.


    ��Tyutyu, give this broth a try��


    ��Hmm? Alright-nya��


    I re-filled the bowl with the ramen broth and handed it to Tyutyu. Her eyes, which were half-closed from drowsiness because it was still early in the morning, shot open upon taking a sip of the broth.


    ��Th, this tastes just like my mother''s soup!��


    I knew it.


    The ingredients required are already avable back in Tyutyu''s mother''s day and they''re also easily affordable to beastkin. After all, the main ingredient is the pig bones that will be thrown away. But what about the miso? Could it be that Toto was friends with Alma-san?


    In a time when beastkin had fewer rights than they do now, it would have been easy for her recipe to be stolen from her if she had disclosed it. Even if she wanted to leave the recipe to her young daughter, if things went badly, Tyutyu could get killed for it. The reason why she didn''t entrust it to Barfuru was because Toto-san knew that he would disappear one day.


    In the end, it''s impossible to protect one��s assets without power or rights. Because she had neither, she let the recipe disappear. And by coincidence, we were able to revive it.


    Which leaves us with one problem.


    ��Wh, who made this-nya?! Is it you, Souya-nya?!��


    ��No-nya��


    I pointed to Rutsuko-san.


    ��Eh? Well, yes, I made it, but Souya was the one who got the miso and�D�D�D�D��


    ��Okaa-saaaan!(Mummy!)��


    ��Eeeehhhh?!��


    Tyutyu flung her arms around Rutsuko-san. Even through the bup sack, I could tell how confused she was.


    The priestess watched for a while before speaking up.


    ��Tyutyu, I''m sorry, but if you don''t mind, we need to discuss somethingplicated with you��


    ��What is it-nya?��


    Tyutyu answered the priestess with her arms still wrapped around Rutsuko-san.


    She has no intention of letting go, it seems.


    ��This broth is identical to the soup your mother, Totomeranje, made. Am I correct to say that?��


    ��Yes, there''s no doubt about it-nya. It''s a very memorable taste-nya��


    ��In that case������������Souya-san, what should we do?��


    ��What should we do, indeed��������


    It has be quite the difficult problem. In this case, we can''t im the rights to this recipe. Tyutyu''s mother had made it first. If the innovators whoe up with things first don''t get the respect and rights that they''re due, then the culture will never grow.


    ��Tyutyu, the problem we''re facing is that we had nned to serve a dish called ramen that uses this broth in the soup kitchen. However, your mother, and by extension you, have the rights to it��


    ��Eh? Huh?��


    Tyutyu doesn''t seem to understand.


    ��In other words, the certificate of ownership for the recipe needs to be obtained, and�D�D�D�D��


    ��I don''t really get it, so I''ll leave it all to you, Souya-nya��


    ��Come now, think about it properly. It''ll earn you a fair bit of money, you know? No, depending on how things go, it could earn you quite a fortune��


    ��Hmmm, but is that the kind of money that doesn''te from working-nya? Nya doesn''t trust that kind of money-nya. For humans, working hard and then sleeping soundly at night is the best way of life-nya��


    Those words hit home so hard it hurt.


    ��But, you know��������


    Even so, it''ll leave me with a bad taste in my mouth if I get the certificate of ownership.


    ��I''ve got an idea��


    Lonewell, who was eating ramen in the corner, raised his hand.


    From what I can see, you really like it, huh? How many bowls have you had already?


    ��Let''s get a joint certificate of ownership for the recipe. We''ll put the names of Souya-san, the youngdy in the bup sack, and Tyutyu-san on the certificate. The royalties will go to Souya-san and the youngdy, who can then use that money to give Tyutyu-san her share one way or another through favors or something simr. What do you think?��


    ��Umm, then there''s no need to put my name on it-nya. I don''t want to ept money from Souya and Okaa-san either-nya. That kind of thing can ruin rtionships-nya��


    Tyutyu sure is an earnest person.


    But what she said also made a lot of sense. Money can ruin human rtionships.


    ������Money. Money, huh������������ Urrghhh, I don''t have much choice.


    ��I''ve got a better idea��


    My suggestion was opposed by Lonewell. The priestess, Rutsuko-san, and Tyutyu were in favor of it.


    ��Then it��s decided. As for the paperwork��������


    ��Leave it to me~��


    The priestess left the kitchen with light steps.


    Normally, getting a certificate of ownership for a recipe takes quite a bit of time, but she has special connections that allow her to get it approved with frightening speed.


    ��Eeehhh, Souya-san. Eeeeehhhhh��


    I heard the moans of a greedy merchant.


    ��You''ll be making plenty of money with these porcin bowls as well as the sporks, right? On top of that, you have a monopoly on miso. If the ramen sells, you''ll be raking in a fortune��


    ��I won''t earn much profit from the porcin bowls and sporks after subtracting the amount I''ve invested. They''re new products, so there''s a lot of initial ouy. As for the miso, since it''s Souya-san''s family member, I''m buying it just under the selling price, so I��m earning next to no profit. See, I''m not going to be making much money, now am I?��


    ��Then how about opening a ramen store?��


    ��������������I see. So there''s such an option for the new store I''m thinking of opening. I''m going to have to check out some properties on my way back. If you''ll excuse me, I have to go. The ramen will be served in the soup kitchen tomorrow, right? Well then, see you tomorrow��


    Lonewell took his leave.


    He''s in too much of a hurry. We still haven''t heard anyone else''s impressions of the ramen. It certainly is delicious, but there''s a chance it won''t be to everyone''s taste.


    The priestess was already back.


    ��Souya-san, I forgot to mention the most important thing. This is why I hate getting old. This miso, including the ones outside, will be taken as donations. I''ll be giving Heures Forest enough Akasho stones tost the winter in exchange. That will help the people of his forest mitigate the bitter winter cold, I hope��


    ��Thank you very much. I''m sure my sister will be pleased to hear that��


    While we were at it, we had also fulfilled an important promise.


    I went outside to find my sister again.


    When I told her that it had gone well, she gave me a big smile.


    Together with the miko(shrine maidens) of the me religion, we carried the barrels of miso from the wagon to the food storage, loaded the Akasho stones that served as payment onto the wagon, and then Ea drove the wagon back to the forest.


    The only ones left in the kitchen were Rutsuko-san, the Gunmerrys, and Tyutyu.


    ��Well then, shall we put the finishing touches on the ramen?��


    ��Yes, I suppose we should��


    ��We should-nya��


    And so, we had reached the final stage of ramen making.


    [1] This is a y on the title of the famous novel, ��I��m A Spider, So What?�� By the way, Souya asionally goes ��Nai waaaa��, just like Kumoko. I usually trante it as ��No way~��, but can you spot the times?


    I have to say, the Japanese version of ��burying your head in the sand�� is more sinct. Literally, it��s ��hiding your head but not your ass��. To rify, both sayings mean the same thing and are supposed to evoke that image of an ostrich sticking its head in the ground.


    Yes, the ramen making, or rather, the cooking stuff is finally about to end. However, there are 3 more chapters till the end of this arc. Like I mentioned before, it took up most of the arc, but the ramen isn��t the point of the arc.


    So, how many of you figured out in thest volume that Tyutyu��s mother��s white soup was probably some sort of Japanese soup/broth? I��m sure quite a lot of you did. But the discrimination faced by beastkin, which has only been hinted at in the beginning, is starting to be more prominent in the ��story��, isn��t it? Souya had stated that he didn��t care at first, which changed to it being too big of a problem for him to think about, to now, where he is starting to look directly at it. It��s almost like he��s slowly starting to care about it because he has beastkin he cares about����it��s a bit sad to say this, but how very human of him, isn��t it?


    Well, stay tuned! There��s still plenty more toe!

 Chapter 149: A Respite From Adventuring XI

    <h4>Chapter 149: A Respite From Adventuring XI</h4>


    We covered the chashu as well as the vegetables that were used to make broth with a sauce made by mixing soy sauce, garlic, and honey.


    That guy Melm had been collecting the liquefied parts of the older miso and straining it to make a primitive "tamari soy sauce[1]".


    Around noon, he brought some to the temple of the me religion, so I bought it from him, but whenever I recalled the smug look he had on his face, it pissed me off for some reason.


    Now for the finishing touches.


    We mixed the broth made from the bones of dungeon pigs and the broth made from the vegetables in the ratio of 7 for the bones and 3 for the vegetables, then added a little onion-infused oil, a little of the me religion''s pepper, and a very small dash of vinegar. The clincher was the elven miso, which was mixed in toplete the broth.


    For the thick curly noodles, we made them from wheat flour, salt, beaten Chocho eggs, and the me religion''s detergent, then set them aside to rest for at least two days prior to use.


    For the garnish, slow-fried onions were piled up in the middle of the ramen to look like firewood. In addition, we made spicy miso using the special spices of the me religion and ced it on top of the onions to represent the mes they worshiped.


    We only had enough chashu to put one slice per serving and used the sauce-covered vegetables in ce of bamboo shoots.


    With this, the first-ever ramen in the alternate world wasplete.


    We named it "Tonkotsu me Miso Ramen".


    Evening came.


    With the prototypepleted, we had 30 people, including the priestess and other mikos, try it.


    One thing that was a little unexpected was that about half of them finished the broth first. When only the noodles, ingredients, and spicy miso were left, they ate it like pasta.


    I understood then why the priestess had increased the water content in the noodles to make them less stretchy. Is the concept of eating the noodles together with the broth something that people won''t think of without being told?


    ��Souya-san��


    The priestess was the first to finish eating. The other mikos also finished their ramen one after another.


    At a quick nce, no one had left any food uneaten.


    Everyone of the me religion turned to me, Rutsuko-san, and Tyutyu.


    ��It was delicious��


    Being thanked by such arge number of people made me shiver with emotion.


    At the same time, I patted my chest in relief.


    It would have been impossible for me to make this dish by myself. If I had tried, it would have been mock ramen with noodles floating in a thin vegetable broth. It would have been a far cry from this rich and vorful tonkotsu ramen.


    I was the one who had epted the request and got things rolling, but it was Rutsuko-san whopleted the dish. And in all likelihood, Alma-san and TyuTyu''s mother had been responsible for creating the prototype of miso in this world.


    I had gotten a little conceited because of the knowledge I possess from the modern world, but I wouldn''t have been able to make ramen on my own.


    It was good for me to learn the extent of my capabilities. This is a good impetus for me to start focusing on my main profession.


    ��Umm, Souya-san. Is it really alright for Nya to be here with you two-nya?��


    ��Of course��


    Tyutyu looked like she was feeling a little awkward standing there with us


    It''s true that Tyutyu has little to do with this ramen. But she has an important role to y.


    ��This ramen. From now on, you''ll be the one making it and then passing it down to others��


    ��Eh?!��


    Rutsuko-san said to a surprised TyuTyu.


    ��That''s right. We''re adventurers after all��


    ��Okaa-san, change jobs and open a ramen store-nya��


    ��In order to find a way for me to return home, I have to explore the dungeon��


    Yeah, Rutsuko-san''s reason for bing an adventurer is to return home. I could let here with me through my return portal, but there''s a good chance that her Japan and my Japan are two different worlds.


    I''d like to help her, but I''ll have to hold off on that for the time being.


    ��We have to explore the dungeon too��


    ��We need to keep an eye on them after all~��


    I couldn��t quite understand the Gunmerrys'' reasons.


    ��But are you sure you want Nya to do this-nya?��


    ��We''ve already put all of our names on the application for the certificate of ownership. Tyutyu, as the only one of us with time to spare, you''ll have to be the one who makes it��


    It''s just as well, since she just renovated her store.


    ��I, I''m a little uneasy-nya. I''m good at remembering things, but will Nya be able to do it by myself-nya?��


    Finally taking off the bup sack, Rutsuko-san spoke with a stern look on her face.


    ��Until you get used to it, I''ll teach you personally. Exploring the dungeon is important, but it''s not that urgent that I cannot spare some time��


    ��Okaa-san, that will be a great help-nya��


    ��Umm, calling me "Okaa-san" is a bit��������


    Come to think of it����.


    ��Well, Tyutyu, we''re going to have to work through the night to make enough ramen to serve in the soup kitchen tomorrow morning. Can you handle it?��


    ��Sure-nya. Don''t underestimate Nya''s stamina-nya. Even four nights in a row is a piece of cake for me-nya��


    ����beastkin have amazing stamina.


    ��But before that, Souya, Nya need to have a word with you-nya��


    Tyutyu nced around. Having finished their ramen, the priestess and the mikos were all washing their bowls and utensils.


    ��This isn''t the best ce-nya. Let''s go around back��


    ��Hmm? Sure, I guess��


    What''s the matter, I wonder?


    After saying that, Tyutyu took me by the hand and led me out the back door of the kitchen.


    The coldness of the night air hit me. I could hear the hustle and bustle of people in the distance.


    ��Oww!��


    When she gave my arm a sharp tug, I couldn''t help but cry out.


    ��Tyutyu, what are you doing?��


    ��Souya, as I suspected, your arm is hurt-nya��


    ��Yeah, it seems I kinda injured my elbow a little bit��


    ��Haaa����


    Tyutyu let out a deep~ sigh.


    ��What do you think our contract is for-nya? Do you know that when you do things like this, it affects Nya''s reputation-nya?��


    ��Things like this?��


    I have no idea what she''s talking about.


    ��You''ve made me angry, so I''ll make it painful for you-nya��


    Tyutyu rolled up my sleeve and bit me in the elbow.


    ��Ouch��


    The pain from being bitten and a sensation of my flesh and nerves seemingly being sucked out of me sent a shiver down my spine.


    But itsted only for a moment. It was quickly reced by the sweet feel of Tyutyu''s lips and the licking of her tongue on my skin.


    ��Hmpt~ That should do it-nya. See?��


    Tyutyu gave my arm another sharp tug.


    ��Huh?��


    The pain was gone.


    I tried swinging my arm by myself, but not only was there no pain, it felt better than before.


    ��Next time,e to see Nya at the store sooner-nya. Actually, I''m not supposed to do this outside of the store, but you''ve done so much for me, Souya, so just this once-nya��


    Tyutyu prodded her own elbow to check her arm''s condition.


    ��Hmm. It''s a pretty serious injury-nya��


    ��What?! You, give it back right away!��


    Did she just transfer my injury to herself?!


    ��It can''t be given back-nya. Not unless you contract with Roomen, Souya��


    ��I''ll do that right now. Lead the way��


    ��Eeh? What about the ramen?��


    ��With your arm like that, you can''t make ramen anyway, isn''t it?!��


    What the hell was she thinking? Dammit.


    ��I can-nya. You shouldn''t underestimate the bodies of beastkin-nya. An injury like this will heal after a hard day��s work-nya. Souya, you always worry about the weirdest stuff-nya��


    Tyutyu��s carefree smile onlyplicated my feelings further.


    ��But I mean, will you really be okay?��


    ��This is nothing unusual-nya. This kind of thing is also part of the purpose of having a kin of Roomen share their regeneration point with you-nya. Souya, even though you''re so smart, you don''t even know something like this-nya. Even after you''ve be an intermediate adventurer, you''re still no good without Nya��


    ��������������Hnnn��


    I just can''t ept it.


    It''s not right to give away injuries to someone else to heal.


    ��It''s really not a problem-nya. But Souya, you must be the only customer who worries about us beastkin-nya. So, I don''t mind giving you a little more special service-nya��


    ��Eh��


    Tyutyu came closer and snuggled up against me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her small but definitely present twin mounds against me. Without thinking, I put my hands around her slim waist.


    Her wagging tail brushed against my fingertips.


    Her eyes, feverish and moist, were so very close.


    ��Tyu��������


    Oh no.


    This is bad. Because it''s been a long time in a lot of ways, I can''t resist.


    ��Souya-san, Tyutyu-san, you''re taking a long�D�D�D�D�D��


    And of course, Rutsuko-san woulde at the worst possible time.


    ��I''m so sorry! Did I just catch you cheating?!��


    ��No! This isn''t cheating!��


    In a manner of speaking, this has been approved by my wife.


    ��That''s right, Okaa-san-nya. This is my job-nya��


    ��What kind of job is this?!��


    ��It''s this kind of job-nya��


    ��It''s this kind of job��


    It took us three hours to exin ourselves.


    ��162nd day��


    It had been a while since I had stayed up all night.


    ��Souya, have a taste of mine-nya��


    ��Souya-sama, please have a taste of mine��


    ��Understood��


    Tyutyu and the fox miko asked me to try their broths at the same time.


    I taste-tested each of their broths.


    ��Tyutyu, yours isn''t bad, but you need to be more diligent in removing the scum��


    ��Got it-nya��


    ��As for you, Miko-san, you''ve cooked the vegetables at too high a heat, making them taste bitter. Take your time cooking the meat, and cook the vegetables for only about a third of that time��


    ��Understood��


    I had some time to spare, so I watched over them as they made the broth for the next day.


    For some reason, Rutsuko-san had requested that I wrap white cloth around my head and neck. And wear an apron around my waist.


    I wondered if it was okay for someone like me to imitate the Buddha of ramen.[2]


    Dressed like that, I went around the whole kitchen, observing and listening to the opinions of the people cooking.


    Rutsuko-san, the priestess, and the other Hemu mikos had already retired for the night. The only ones who had stayed up all night were the beastkin.


    These women are tough and learn quickly. However, they''re also not very flexible nor good at adapting, so whenever there''s a change in the situation or ack of ingredients, they turn to the priestesses and the Hemu mikos for direction.


    ��Team member Souya, it��s beenpleted��


    ��It''s so big~��


    ��That was tiring~��


    I had Yukikaze and the Gunmerrys carve the instructions for making ramen onto a stone tablet. I had them use pictures to illustrate the process so that even those who couldn''t read could understand them.


    It was difficult to illustrate the time required, so I used hoursses that had been carved to scale to indicate that. As long as the hoursses were made using the sand from the nearby port, they should be able to measure time more or less identically if the size was right.


    But, well����


    ��Somehow, it looks like a manga��


    ��That''s true, indeed��


    ��So fun~��


    ��So amazing~��


    The Gunmerrys were rejoicing with the sense of excitement from staying upte.


    Do these guys sleep at all, I wonder?


    The stone tablet was 2.5 meters tall and 1.8 meters wide. Its dimensions, as well as its content, made it look like a page from a manga. It was disyed where it could be easily seen by everyone in the kitchen.


    ��Wow~��


    The mikos in the kitchen and Tyutyu looked at it with a great deal of wonder.


    Is manga culture really that amazing? I''ll admit that it''s easy to understand though.


    ��Souya, Nya want one-nya��


    ��Yeah, I figured you''d say that��


    I handed Tyutyu a piece of parchment the same size as the tablet and a piece of charcoal.


    ��Eh?��


    ��Put the paper over the stone tablet and rub the charcoal over it. Be gentle so as to not tear it��


    ��Eh? Huh?��


    Though Tyutyu didn''t quite understand, she followed my instructions without question. Due to the protrusions and recesses, the contents of the tablet were reproduced on the parchment.


    It''s a simple trick, but I remember being impressed when I saw it in a movie.


    ��What is this, magic-nya?��


    ��I wonder what ssification it falls under���� Science? Experimentation?��


    Next thing I knew, everyone other than the mikos cooking at the stoves had lined up behind Tyutyu. I was right to have prepared a lot of parchment just in case.


    About the time when everyone had their turn, there was a visitor.


    ��Is the foreigner here?!��


    The person who had shouted aftering into the kitchen was a well-dressed and portly man who was probably in his fifties. He was the Commerce Chairman who oversaw all the merchantpanies in Lemuria.


    ��Oh, I��m here��


    I raised my hand.


    ��You! What��s the meaning of this?!��


    The Commerce Chairman was holding an unfurled scroll. I took a look at it and saw that it was a copy of a certificate of ownership for a cooking recipe. It was the one for ramen that had the names of me, Rutsuko-san, and Tyutyu on it.


    I had a sense of d��j�� vu.


    Could it be that I''ve infringed on someone''s secret recipe again?


    ��Look here, the royalties for using the recipe. It''s ridiculous!��


    ��Eh, what��s wrong with it?��


    Afterpleting the application, the priestess had asked me about the royalties and other details regarding its ssification, and I had properly answered all her questions.


    When I checked the certificate, the terms on it were as I had specified.


    ��The royalties! How could you set it at three copper coins a day?!��


    ��Have I set it too high?��


    That money is for me, Rutsuko-san, and Tyutyu.


    Well, since Tyutyu refuses to take the money, I n to take it and pay her back in the form of equipment or something simr for her store.


    ��It''s too low! At the amount you''ve set it, you''ll have every beastkin, down-and-out adventurer, and also those merchants from the center continent churning out this ramen!��


    ��Isn''t it fine? When there��s diversity, it brings about the development of our food culture��


    ��De, development, you say������ When you put it like that, it''s not like I don''t get where you''reing from at all, but������ No, then at least make it so that it��s limited to people from Lemuria. Otherwise, there''s a chance that the merchants from the center continent that we''ve almost been able to crush will mount a resurgence using this��


    It''s a bit hard to tell whether he''s an understanding person or not. He does take what I say into consideration, but he seems to be fiercely antagonistic towards the merchants from the center continent.


    It''s not that I can''t understand this kind of small-town pride though.


    ��As long as the merchants from Lemuria work hard to make good ramen and win over their customers, there should be no problems, right? I mean, to begin with, we don''t even know if ramen will be popr or not��


    ��������Urghh, but imagine this for a second. What if that bunch bring this ramen back to the center continent and then poprize it like it''s their own product? That wouldn''t sit well with you either, am I right?��


    ��Hmmm. That''s certainly true��


    It''s something that was created through a lot of hard work and help from others.


    I would hate for others to take credit for it.


    ��Right? It should say, "Only those from Lemuria or born on the right continent will be charged this amount." Also, won''t you consider making it three copper coins per serving instead? Think about it, that''ll make you a lot of money, you know? You can just sit back and watch the gold coins roll in��


    Oh no, I can feel myself getting persuaded. After all, it doesn''t hurt to have lots of money, right? Even the Commercial Chairman of Lemuria is saying so. I should follow his advice and rake in the������������


    ��What''s all this fuss early in the morning, Commerce Chairman-san?��


    ��Geh, Priestess-sama��


    The priestess showed up, looking sleepy. Upon seeing her, the Commerce Chairman broke out into a cold sweat.


    ��Isn''t it fine? If there are all kinds of people making ramen, that can only mean more profits for the merchants, isn''t it?��


    ��P, Priestess-sama, as the foreigner also fears, if our culture is stolen by those from another continent�D�D�D�D��


    ��Then let''s do it this way. I''ll ask King Lemuria to put his seal on this recipe��


    ��What?!��


    When the priestess suggested apromise, the Commerce Chairman looked taken aback.


    Not knowing what she was talking about, I asked her.


    ��Priestess-sama, what does putting the royal seal on a recipe do?��


    ��It means that King Lemuria has officially dered it to be this country''s specialty product��


    ��Huh?��


    It escted into a huge deal all of a sudden.


    Despite the cold, the Commerce Chairman was drenched in sweat.


    ��Wa, wait a minute, Priestess-sama. If ramen is given the royal seal, does that mean that Lemuria will have a new specialty food product for the first time in twenty-five years following the dungeon pig bacon and the Guinellerge egg?��


    ��I suppose it does mean that��


    ��Err, aren''t you guys going on about something that��s a huge deal without even bothering to talk to me about it?��


    I want to discuss it with the other two as well.


    ��������Oh heavens. It''s been five years since I took over from the previous Commerce Chairman after he died in the saddle. I would never have dreamed that there would be a new specialty product during my lifetime. I need to get started on this right away. Excuse me!��


    The Commerce Chairman left.


    Leaving a smiling priestess.


    ��Priestess-sama, could it be that you were only joking?��


    ��Oh, I''m quite serious��


    Well, that''s a problem for me.


    ��I''ve invited Lem-boy toe to the soup kitchen today. Depending on how he feels about it, it''s entirely possible for that to happen, but I think the Commerce Chairman might have been a little too hasty. Ohohoho��


    In a very short time, I''vee to understand the rtionship between this person and the Commerce Chairman. I feel kinda sorry for him now. I hope he doesn''teining to meter.


    ��Souya-san, are the preparations for the soup kitchen going well?��


    ��Not a problem. Everyone picked up on it very quickly, so we were able to divide up the work early on and even managed to do as much as four test runs. I was told that we would need to prepare 200 servings, but we prepared 300 just in case. If there are leftovers, they can be served the next day. As for the broth, I''m sure that someone of your skill can easily tweak it by mixing in new ingredients, right?��


    ��������������I owe you an apology��


    ��Come again?��


    Eh, what could it be for? Is it for working me too hard the entire time? Or is it for going to sleep first?


    ��I purposely left you with only beastkin to work alongside. You may be a foreigner, but people tend to reveal their true colors around those submissive to them, you see?��


    ��R, right������


    I don''t really get what she''s talking about.


    ��But you never threw your weight around and patiently taught all of them how to do their tasks. That''s a rare thing in this world. So������


    So����what?


    ������would you care to be a priest of the me religion?��


    ��No thank you��


    Like I��ve said before, I''m an adventurer.


    [1] Tamari soy sauce is formed as a byproduct during the production of miso. Unlike conventional soy sauce, it contains no added wheat and is made with a higher volume of soybeans, resulting in a richer and thicker texture. It��s also naturally gluten-free, though not everymercially avable tamari ispletely gluten-free.


    [2] I��m not very knowledgeable about ramen lore, so I actually have no idea who the Buddha of ramen is supposed to be, and googling it didn��t help. However, there��s a man who started a very famous ramen store that has spawned many other branches who has been called ��the kami-sama(god) of ramen��. He��s Kazuo Yamagishi of ���܎(Tai-Sho-Ken) in Higashi-Ikebukuro. He��s the one who��s seated and the white cloth around the head and neck as well as the apron is the signature uniform of the cooks in his store as that was how he dressed back when he cooked. (pic courtesy of tai-sho-ken)


    I suspect most of you know this, but just in case, dying in the saddle doesn��t mean dying on a horse. Nuff said.


    I��m sure most readers are well-acquainted with Japanese manga, but their manga culture extends beyond just entertainment. I don��t know if you��ve had a chance toe across them, but it��s quite interesting how Japanese government agencies will use manga to exin all sorts of things, even notices,ws or policies.


    Souya has been asked to be a merchant by Lonewell in the past and now, has been asked to be a priest by the priestess. To be clear, the priest/priestess used here is the head of a temple. But she��s not exactly asking him to be her sessor, he may end up as head of another temple, for example.


    That injury ended up being ��healed�� really quickly, huh? Tennis elbows usually take a while, 6 months to a year, to heal fully. That means that he��ll be able to return to adventuring. So the way the chapter ended is really apt, isn��t it? There are still 2 more chapters until this arc ends though, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 150: A Respite From Adventuring XII

    <h4>Chapter 150: A Respite From Adventuring XII</h4>


    My work is done.


    Rutsuko-san and the priestess will take care of the rest. There should be no need for aftercare.


    If there''s anything they need, I''m sure the priestess will be able to arrange for it. I''ve also asked the Zavua merchantpany to help them out. Although Rutsuko-san is very shy, with Tyutyu as an intermediary, things should go smoothly.


    And so,


    I was relieved of my duties.


    That''s why I��m standing in line at the soup kitchen as just one normal person.


    ��Oh, Onii-chan! There are seats here! Over here!��


    When I got to enter the spacious dining hall of the me religion, my sister raised her hand from amid the crowd of people. I gave her a quick wave back then walked over to her.


    The elven sisters and Lanseal were seated at the end of a long table.


    I took the seat at the end. Rana was next to me, followed by Ea, and then Lanseal.


    ��Good work, dear. Are you tired?��


    ��I��m fine. But I��m going to sleep till noon once I get home��


    I��ve made her worry. My sleepiness must be showing on my face.


    ��Souya, I''ve brought chopsticks, but would you like to use them?��


    ��Oh. Yeah, I��ll use them��


    Lanseal handed me a pair of chopsticks. The three of them had their own chopsticks as well. And with all of them wearing their hair in ponytails, they were perfectly poised to eat ramen.


    ��Onii-chan, I''ve been really looking forward to enjoying authentic ramen. If it betrays my expectations, I''ll y a really naughty prank on you��


    ��Ea, do you want me to yell at you?��


    My younger sister''s idea had angered her elder sister, but I''m curious about the prank.


    ������It''s probably because I''ve been up all night.


    ��Ea, has Souya''s food ever betrayed our expectations?��


    ��When he made me eat detergent, it definitely did though��


    Are you still harping on that?


    ��Hey, Melm! There are seats here!��


    Out of the crowd of people came Otou-san.


    He took the seat opposite mine. Then, Rana''s father sat down across from her, followed by the king of this country, who sat down opposite Ea.


    ����������������


    The women and I all fell silent at once.


    The two fathers and the father of adventurers didn''t pay that any mind and started to talk among themselves.


    ��But it''s been a while, hasn''t it? Since all three of us came here together��


    Otou-san''s breath reeked of alcohol.


    ��That was before the country was founded, so it''s been more than 30 years, I suppose��


    The king who was reminiscing about the past also reeked of alcohol.


    ��Was it that long ago?��


    Even the king of elves reeked of alcohol.


    ��Have you three perhaps been drinking?��


    ��Yeah��


    When I asked, they all answered in unison.


    The women frowned at the overpowering smell of alcohol. As I had been up all night, it was tough for me to bear too.


    ��Well, you''re not gonna believe this, Souya��


    Otou-san put his hand around Melm''s shoulders in a good mood.


    ��This king of elves here cooked up a meal for us lowly folk��


    ��Don''t count me in as one of the lowly��


    Ignoring King Lemuria, Otou-san continued.


    ��Wow~ It was quite the tasty dish. I wish you could have had some��


    ��Hmmm, what kind of dish was it?��


    Did hee up with a dish that uses miso?


    I''m intrigued.


    ��It was a dish with tomatoes, cheese, and the secret seasoning of the elves. It wasden with vegetables too. It was the kind of hearty dish where you put the whole pot on the table��


    He copied my dish!


    What''s more, after copying it down to thest detail, he took credit for it!


    ��Lemuria here was scooping it up and eating it with bread. It was very lowly indeed��


    ��Medimu, haven''t you said enough?��


    Otou-san was in a strangely good mood. His usual sternness had disappeared without a trace.


    ��But to think that Alma had left that seasoning behind������I was deeply moved by its taste��


    When Otou-san said that, I found it hard to rain on his parade.


    ��Onii-chan��������


    ��Ea, I get it, but for now, let''s not say anything about it��


    Ea and I looked at Melm with the eyes of a shoebill.[1]


    Oh, he averted his eyes.


    ��Boooo��


    My sister voiced her dissatisfaction. Rana and Lanseal went,��?��


    ��Then he mentioned that you''re using Alma''s seasoning in this ramen too. That being the case, we had to try it for sure. And so, we drank till dawn and then came here��


    I don''t get what that has anything to do with drinking all night, but Otou-san seems to be really happy right now, so I''ll keep my mouth shut. Memories are important after all, I thought as I continued to stare at Melm with narrowed eyes.


    I heard a buzz spread through the room like a ripple.


    Looking around, I saw that ramen was being served to a table at the other end of the hall.


    As we had discussed, the mikos worked carefully, safely, and without haste. Rutsuko-san, TyuTyu, and the priestess were also there lending them a hand.


    A stir erupted at the sight of a dish everyone had never seen before.


    ��Lemuria��


    ��Umu��


    Otou-san shot the king a look.


    ��By royal order, serve the ramen to�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Father, please stop��


    The childish royal order was quashed by the king��s daughter.


    ��It can''t be helped. They''re just young beastkin girls, I''ll can easily seduce one or two with a single�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��You do that, and I''ll send you flying��


    The king of elves'' daughter got angry at him.


    His other daughter looked fidgety and unsettled. I squeezed her hand under the table and she gave me a strong squeeze back.


    ��Hey! Come on, serve this table first!��


    ��Otou-san! Wait your turn!��


    I got angry at the father of the adventurer on behalf of all adventurers.


    Even though there are fledgling adventurers here, he''s acting like aplete drunk. I''ll tell on him to the proprietresster.


    After receiving a prayer from the priestess, those at the table at the other end of the hall started to eat the ramen. At the sound of the small cheers they made, I did a guts-pose in my heart.


    The three ossans(old men) stood up and craned their necks to get a better look at the ramen.


    Are you three prairie dogs or something?


    ��Come to think of it, Souya��


    ��������������Yes?��


    When King Lemuria called my name, I deliberately put on a tense expression.


    ��I want to eat that bread called "Shoku-pan" every morning. Make it happen��


    ��I refuse. I can''t make it anyway��


    If I asked for some yeast, I can make it, but you can just eat the fluffy bread made with baking soda. That fluffy bread that''s mere child''s y, that is.


    The fluffiness of Shoku-pan is strictly R18(18��{kin}). After all, it may only be bread, but ites in loaves{kin}![2]


    ����������������


    Crap, I definitely need to get some sleep.


    ��Umm, Father, Souya is an adventurer. Please don''t tie him up too much with matters that have nothing to do with adventuring. If you go too far, you''ll tarnish the good name of the king of adventurers��


    In a soft voice, Lanseal backed me up with tremendous intensity.


    ��I''ve been wondering about this for a while now��


    While stroking his stubble, Otou-san dropped a few words.


    ��Souya, how far has your rtionship with Lanseal progressed?��


    ��Pfft��


    I sputtered at the abrupt change of subject. It was a good thing I wasn''t eating ramen yet.


    ��Not yet, Medimu-sama��


    ��Koff, koff��


    Lanseal answered nonchntly. Rana rubbed my back. However, both she and Ea had disapproving looks.


    Umm, you know, this is������������I''m sorry.


    ��Perhaps it''s not my ce to say this, but being an adventurer is a profession in which you never know what tomorrow will bring. Don''t make a woman feel regret��


    Otou-san, you sound like you''re saying something profound����


    ����but my wife and sister are right beside me, you know?!


    ��Souya, I''m ready whenever you�D�D�D�D�DFugyaa!��


    ��You shut up��


    Rana had grabbed Lanseal''s tail. When she twisted and dug her fingers into the base of her tail, Lanseal writhed wordlessly.


    I''ve discovered her weak spot. A pretty potent one, at that.


    The king ignored all that and changed the subject back.


    ��It can''t be helped then. For the bread, I''ll just have to ask for it in person������As I recall, it''s Lutz, right?��


    ��Hmmm, so that''s the name of the person who made that bread��


    A predatory look appeared on the faces of both the king of Hemus and the king of elves.


    ��And what are you thinking of doing with that knowledge, Melm?��


    ��That bread sure was delicious. And I figure it might be interesting to have some fun with someone from the city once in a while��


    Run, Rutsuko-san, run for your life.


    Or rather, I''ll nip this in the bud.


    ��Lanseal, Lanseal��


    I pushed my chair back and whispered covertly to Lanseal, whose tail was still in Rana��s grip.


    ��Y, yes?��


    ��Do you see the people serving ramen over there? The one with the thick, wavy hair is the adventurer the kings are interested in. I was hoping you could extend some protection over this person whom I consider my friend and seems to be ufortable around kings��


    ��I understand. So I just have to protect that young man wearing a skirt from my father, right?��


    What aplicated misunderstanding.


    She may be more boyish than Bel, but she''s still a girl.


    ��Here you go, thanks for waiting-nya��


    While all that was going on, Tyutyu and the mikos had brought the ramen to our table.


    ��W, woah~��


    Ea��s eyes lit up.


    ��This aroma������Could it be?��


    For some reason, Melm had the biggest reaction.


    ��Dear me, it''s been a while since I''ve seen the three of you together. Are you nning some mischief?��


    The priestess put down bowls of ramen in front of the three fathers.


    The priestess of the me religion sure works hard. I hope she lectures these idiots who drank all night.


    ��������You''ve also grown old, I see. Even though you were so beautiful when you were young��������


    ��And you''ve remained a child, I see��


    Melm''s incredibly rude words were brushed aside lightly.


    We were also served our ramen. A quick check showed that everything looked fine. Steam was still rising from the broth and the noodles were in excellent condition. Every bowl had the same amount of ingredients.


    ��Well then, everyone��


    The priestess held up a litntern and intoned a prayer.


    ��May the blessing of the mes be upon all people on this earth. Let today''s sustenance fuel the hopes for a better tomorrow, and the hopes for a better tomorrow fuel the passions to live till the eventual death that awaits. Until the day we die, we must live for the sake of living. If in doubt, move your body. If you��re unable to move, talk to your innermost heart. Each and every one of you have mes in your heart. Now������������please enjoy the meal��


    The three idiots�D�D�D�D�Dcorrection, the two kings and the father of the adventurers sprang into action.


    The priestess went to the next table while the fathers brought the broth to their mouths using the sporks.


    ��As I suspected, this broth tastes just like Toto''s soup��


    Melm was surprisingly excited about the broth.


    ��Ohhh, it does indeed. This brings back memories. I would always drink this soup at her store on mornings after a night of drinking��


    King Lemuria''s face brightened with nostalgia.


    ��Mmm, it''s certainly delicious. And nostalgic. So delicious��


    Otou-san was also drinking the broth with a smile on his face.


    But in the next breath, he said something unbelievable.


    ��By the way, I''ve been wondering this for a long time as well, but which one of you is Tyutyu''s father?��


    ��Huhhhh?!��


    Ea and I both raised our voices at the same time.


    Hey, please stop bringing up topics that have nothing to do with ramen.


    ��I wonder���� The shape of her nose is simr to mine though��


    ��I wonder���� Her eyes resemble mine, I feel��


    The two kings peered at Tyutyu, who was a distance away, before tilting their heads and answering in unison.


    ��Honestly, no idea��


    These bastards, should I run a DNA test and make them take responsibility, I wonder?


    ��But Medimu, there''s also a possibility that you''re her father, right?��


    King Lemuria''s words caused Otou-san to frown.


    Wait a minute, Otou-san?! I always thought that you were the type of person who loved one woman wholeheartedly����


    ��I������there''s no way, isn''t it?��


    ��Do you really think I don''t know anything? After the incident where blood was shed after I took Verxina from you, you stayed at Toto''s ce for a while. You can''t expect me to believe nothing happened between the two of you��


    ��Well, yes, something did happen, but������������it was only the one time though?!��


    So, something did happen, huh?


    The women are looking at the three of them like they''re trash. I don''t want to be associated with them, so I should make sure to not follow in their footsteps.


    Or rather, I''ve had enough of listening to ossans reminiscing about the past.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    Rana, Ea, Lanseal, and I put our hands together in unison, then got ready to dig in with our chopsticks.


    I slurped a mouthful of the broth.


    Mmm, it tastes the same as the prototype we made.


    The broth is rich and vorful, with a perfect bnce of saltiness and deliciousness. It''s truly a perfect harmony of tastes. When I dissolve a little bit of the spicy miso in the broth, its spiciness ents the broth and gives it a different vor.


    The thick, curly noodles are firm and chewy, and feel good going down the throat.


    As we had discussed, they had been left a little under-cooked, letting the heat from the broth cook them the rest of the way so that they have the perfect texture when eaten.


    I have noints. This is a dish that won''t disappoint anyone no matter where it''s served.


    Unable to bear it any longer, Melm told Ea off.


    ��Hey, Ea, I have questions about why you''re eating using those thin sticks, but more than that, as an elf, no, as a woman, that unrefined way of eating will make it difficult for you to find a suitor, you know?��


    ��Haa~ You don''t get it, do you? But it can''t be helped, I suppose~��


    Ea gave her father a heartfelt look of mockery.


    ��You see, the noodles of ramen, they''re very much alive. Every instant that passes, they''re absorbing the broth and changing their shape. You mustn''t miss a single moment of their ever-changing lives. If you don''t eat them like this, you''ll never know their true taste. Hmpt, it seems that even the king of elves doesn''t understand this, huh? It really can''t be helped, I suppose~��


    Ea looked down at her father with a look that greatly resembled his as she ate her ramen.


    I wonder why this fun meal feels like it''s never going to end.


    Seeing this, Otou-san also tried slurping up some noodles.


    ��Hmm? It''s more delicious this way������


    Seeing that, the other adventurers also started slurping up their noodles in imitation of him.


    The dining hall was filled with the sound of people slurping noodles. There were some who frowned at the sound, but they soon forgot all about it as they concentrated on eating the ramen.


    The first person to finish off the ramen was, as expected, Ea.


    She lifted the porcin bowl up with both hands and downed everyst drop of the broth.


    It may seem vulgar from the perspective of the people from this world, but her way of eating made it clear that she had enjoyed it very much. I think I can pull in some customers with this. I''ll be sure to save the video.


    ��O, oh no��


    Ea banged her fist on the table, making her emptied porcin bowl jump into the air a little.


    ��What��s wrong��


    Is there something wrong with its taste that I hadn''t noticed?


    ��That, um, lump of spice��


    ��The spicy miso?��


    ��That''s the one! What a blunder������ How could I have been blinded by its spiciness and mixed it all into the broth? I shouldn''t have done that without tasting the broth''s original vor first. What a shame!��


    My sister then stared intently at my ramen.


    ��Errr, you want mine?��


    ��Dear, are you sure?��


    Rana got worried about me, but����


    ��I''ve already eaten a lot of it while taste-testing it. Ea, you can have it��


    ����all I want to do today is sleep.


    ��If you say so, Onii-chan, then I''ll dly eat it��


    ��Yes, thank you��


    As I was handing my sister my bowl of ramen, that moment was taken advantage of.


    ��Then I''ll have these richly seasoned vegetables. Even on their own, they seem like they''ll go well with drinks��


    Otou-san used his spork to stab the vegetables that were a substitute for bamboo shoots.


    ��But this sure is a useful spoon. To think that you''d attach a fork to it...... When you think about it, it''s such a simple idea, but I would have never imagined doing such a thing��


    He munched on some carrots as he expressed how impressed he was.


    ��Then I''ll have the meat. To think that pork could be seasoned like this, I''m impressed��


    King Lemuria took the chashu.


    ��As for me, let''s see�D�D�D�D��


    ��AAH?��


    Ea was harsh only to her own father.


    She protected the ramen with all her might as she ate, not giving him have a chance to take anything. It was her second bowl, but she still ate it with the same gusto.


    Rana and Lanseal were serenely slurping up their ramen at their own pace.


    ��Medimu, present me with more of this meat��


    ��Then, my king, give me all your vegetables in exchange��


    ��You two lowly Hemus over there, present me with your spicy miso. It was originally an elven product after all��


    The three ossans were amicably divvying up their ramen.


    Looking around, I saw adventurers, craftsmen, merchants, beastkin who lived hand-to-mouth, drifter mercenaries, boys and girls, men and women young and old.


    All of them were eating ramen.


    The children were given ramen with a little less spicy miso, but everyone else was eating the same food equally.


    Yesterday, it was bean soup and hard bread. But today, it was ramen.


    I felt an indescribable feeling welling up slightly inside me.


    ��Dear, it was very delicious��


    ��Yeah, thank you��


    Nothing makes me happier than to hear you say that. Though I guess saying such a line in public is beyond me.


    ��As your wife, I''m proud of you. Making food that so many people are so absorbed in eating is something no ordinary person can do��


    ��������������Thank you��


    Right then, just for an instant, I saw myself spending the rest of my life with my family here, running a ramen store.


    Even though I''m an adventurer������somehow, I found myself thinking that a life like that might not be so bad.


    Btw, I had suspected it when it appeared a few chapters ago, but the author wrote it in a way that was really unclear, so I put it as a set of fork and spoon to be safe, but it turns out it��s a spork. Why didn''t the author just use the word for spork, I wonder���� Anyway, I apologize for the error and I��ve gone back and corrected it.


    |


    [1] I really love how this author uses animals to describe the looks people are giving. It��s so hrious and unique. Anyway, the shoebill stork has a very distinctive look, as you can see below. (pic courtesy of biologydictionary)


    [2] Yes, it��s an incredibly bad pun. To be clear, the �� in 18��, which means R18, and ��, which means loaf, are both pronounced the same.


    Prairie dogs are a species of ground squirrel that��s kinda famous for how they stand up to get a better view. (Pic courtesy of bbc)


    Remember me mentioning father figures previously? Yes, due to the way the women were looking at them with contempt, Souya has decided to not follow in their footsteps this chapter, but how will he do, I wonder? And who do you think Tyutyu��s father is? Keke. There is a definite answer to this one. It will be revealed������eventually.


    But that ending����Souya hase so far in terms of rtionships with other people, hasn��t he? He has so many people he cares about now�� And that small piece of equality he brought to that world with his food�� And despite how nice this chapter rounded things out, this still isn��t the end of the arc lol. So stay tuned for the final chapter of this long, long arc!

 Chapter 151: A Respite From Adventuring XIII

    <h4>Chapter 151: A Respite From Adventuring XIII</h4>


    ��Unknown��


    To cut to the chase, ramen was not given the royal seal.


    The main reason for this is the wide variation in taste.


    On the heels of the original ramen made by the me religion, Tyutyu and the mikos started making their own versions of it.


    The problem then became������


    In addition, there are also inequalities and differences between the many temples of the me religions.


    The possibility of friction arising from this is high.


    The Commerce Chairman and the priestess suggested pushing for the Tonkotsu me Miso Ramen with me as the representative, but I refused because it would be too much of a hassle.


    If I were to ept, I would be consulted on ramen every day. I would be bombarded with requests for apprenticeship.


    I don''t have the time for that.


    I know I''m repeating myself, but I''m an adventurer. Making ramen is not my main profession.


    For this reason, ramen was not given the royal seal, but perhaps because it had be the talk of the town, it quickly spread throughout Lemuria.


    The Commerce Chairman getting ahead of himself and investing too much in ramen-making equipment also contributed to that.


    Another contributing factor may have been my decision to set the royalties for using the recipe for the ramen noodles at "one gold coin per year".


    In the words of a Japanese person of the past,


    The merchants were very much against it, but I brushed them off.


    Also, Tyutyu''s store became a ramen store after all.


    It ended up being a cozy little store sandwiched between a noodle manufactory and a grocery store.


    The two adjacent buildings had been built by the Zavua merchantpany.


    The grocery store stocks a variety of high-grade ingredients, including the miso, which has been branded as "elven miso", and other unusual seasonings that cannot be found anywhere else.


    It''s a small store in a bad location, but in a rtively short time, it has be a well-known store among those in the know.


    That guy Melm works as a salesman at the store whenever he feels like it, and sales always triple on the days he works, much to the consternation of Lonewell and me.


    Do people really like good-looking people that much?


    Melm had been sternly warned by his daughter that she would send him flying if he tried anything with the customers.


    The noodle manufactory employs the mikos of the me religion as its employees.


    The me religion teaches that people should live ascetically, but sadly, it''s hard to find anyone who hates money. This was exploited, and one of the mikos I had taught how to make ramen got into a dispute with a merchant from the center continent.


    The merchant had swindled her out of the know-how and refused to pay the royalties.


    In the end, that merchantpany was crushed and absorbed. In order to make sure that nothing like that would happen again, a noodle manufactory was built to provide a safe ce for the mikos to work.


    The noodles made there are supplied to noodle stores all over Lemuria and have be the most prevalent type of noodles in the market.


    Lonewell and the Commerce Chairman are nning to build more noodle manufactories, but it feels like they''re going to build too many and face a setback. That''s not something I''m going to lose sleep over though.


    Well, the truth is, once there is a surplus of noodles, I have a n that I intend to put into motion.


    Leaving that aside.


    Sandwiched between those two buildings, Tyutyu''s ramen store������������to be perfectly frank, is not getting much customers.


    One of the reasons for that is because ramen has be too widespread.


    Sad to say, if a Hemu cook and a beastkin cook were to make the same dish, the majority of customers will choose to eat the Hemu''s food.


    Good food is delicious no matter who makes it, but until they��ve had a taste of it, people��s prejudices will always prevail.


    Furthermore, Tyutyu works in a brothel.


    That''s not exactly something that will whet people''s appetites.


    Nevertheless, that doesn''t mean that she isn''t making money.


    That''s because the brothel and the bar she works at buys her broth.


    By the way, Tyutyu''s tonkotsu miso ramen is sold at three copper coins per bowl at her store.


    At the bar, it''s priced at eight copper coins per bowl.


    And in the brothel, it''s sold for one silver coin per bowl.


    Whenever a customer takes a liking to the taste of the ramen, someone would secretly tell him or her,


    Every once in a while, that group of three drunks would gather at the store and cause trouble for Tyutyu and the other customers, but apart from that, the day when it bes a famous hole-in-the-wall store is probably near.


    At one of the tables in front of the store, Evetta-san was stacking empty porcin bowls on top of each other.


    She only had three bowls today, huh? This has be a regr sight since the opening of the store, but it''s what''s underneath that''s the problem.


    ��Err, what''s this?��


    By her chair was arge gray dog, lying face down and asleep.


    It was a dirty, filthy-looking dog.


    ��Oh, Souya. Good day��


    ��Good day, Evetta-san��


    ��I knew you''reing today, Souya, so I made sure to leave some room for more. Please allow me to help with the taste-testing of the new dish��


    ��Oh. Okay, I''m counting on you then��


    How can you still have room for more after three bowls? was what I thought, but����


    ��Thanks for waiting, Evetta. Here''s your extrarge Curry Tonkotsu Ramen, with extra thick pieces of chashu, extra vegetables, and extra spices and garlic-nya��


    ����the fourth bowl arrived.


    Tyutyu served Evetta her ramen.


    She was dressed in a maid-like cooking outfit, with her hair tied up and tucked inside a chef''s hat. She was showing very little skin, and even her tail was kept hidden inside her skirt.


    When a girl who usually wears revealing clothes suddenly covers up, it gives me the urge to leer at her. Or perhaps it''s just that I''m dirty-minded.


    Evetta-san ate her ramen with gusto.


    The curry ramen that we came up withst week was heaped high with bean sprouts, and on top of them was a pile of thick pieces of chashu, which was the barkeeper''s idea.


    What kind of devilish modification is this, I wonder?


    Can it even be called ramen anymore?


    Leaving that retort forter����


    ��Tyutyu, what''s with this dog? You can''t have animals in a store that serves food��


    ��Oh, Souya, that dog is Barfuru-sama-nya��


    ��Huh?��


    Now that she mentions it, it does kinda bear some resemnce.


    Err, but it''s just a dog, right?


    ��When I arrived at the store this morning, I found a burr who he had left half-dead-nya. As thanks, I gave him some leftovers and he ended up staying-nya. That''s why he''s Barfuru-sama-nya��


    ��What?! A burr?! Are you okay?!��


    ��I''m fine-nya. Like I said, that''s why I named the dog Barfuru-sama-nya��


    ��Oh, so it''s just a dog you named Barfuru-sama��


    For a moment, I thought it was actually him.


    A moving tale of him returning to Tyutyu''s side even though he had be like this wouldn''t suit that guy, I suppose.


    ��Alright, Tyutyu, get rid of it��


    ��No-nya~��


    ��You can��t keep it. A filthy dog like this will make the customers lose their appetite��


    Evetta-san wasn''t paying our conversation any mind and was focused on shoveling the ramen into her mouth, so I ignored her.


    ��I''ll wash him properly-nya. I''ll have him wear a hat and also put some clothes on him-nya!��


    ��That''s not the point��


    Perhaps Tyutyu was too loud, but Barfuru-sama(dog) walked over to a corner of the store before lying back down.


    ��Look, Tyutyu. You can''t even use him as a watchdog��


    Dogfuru-sama had held its right foreleg aloft as it walked. I didn''t see any visible wounds, so there must be something wrong with its bones or muscles.


    More than ever, I doubt it can be used as a guard dog.


    ��Souya, that dog is no ordinary dog. It''s probably some sort of monster. If it''s a nuisance, I can take it to the ughterhouse for you��


    ��Oh, I''d appreciate that. I''ll treat you another bowl of ramen in return��


    I''ll ept Evetta''s suggestion. After hearing that it''s a monster, all the more reason to not have it around.


    I''ll have to re-think the store''s security measures. The store is slowly beginning to make money, so it might get targeted by burrs again.


    ��Souya! No-nya! Nya is definitely keeping him-nya!��


    ��Ehhh��


    Tyutyu rebuffed my suggestion.


    But you can''t have pets in a store that serves food, isn''t it?


    Also, there''s something about this dog that gets on my nerves.


    Its face, bearing, vibe, and the air it gives off. Everything.


    Does this dog really have no connection to Barfuru?


    ��Souya, the storekeeper seems adamant about this, so why not allow her to keep it? I''ll take care of the quarantining and disinfecting procedures. If there are no problems, it''ll be fitted with a cor that proves that the Adventurers'' Guild has granted her permission to keep it��


    ��Evetta, you''re the best-nya! It''s Nya''s treat today-nya!��


    ��Fufu, then I''ll have the chashu ramen. With extra meat��


    ��Coming right up-nya!��


    After taking her order, Tyutyu went back to the kitchen as Evetta-san grinned at a job well done.


    That was abuse of power though.


    I turned to stare at Dogfuru and got a look of annoyance in return.


    ��You������������don''t dirty up the store, got it?��


    "Barfu," it barked softly in reply.


    There''s something about it that I just don''t like after all.


    I don''t like it.


    ��Come on, Souya, I want to try the new dish��


    ��Alright, alright��


    Urged on by Evetta-san, I also went to the kitchen.


    The spacious kitchen could amodate twice as many people as the store''s seating capacity. The stoves and plumbing system that Makina had installed were almost as good as those of modern civilization. Even though it was a ramen store, it had arge oven, and miso was also being made in its basement.


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that a better range of cooking equipment couldn��t be found anywhere else in Lemuria.


    I put down the ingredients I had brought with me, put on the apron that had been hung up, then washed my hands.


    ��Souya, what kind of new dish are you going to make today-nya?��


    Tyutyu, who was boiling the noodles, talked to me with her back to me.


    ��I want to use an ingredient that I''ve finally been able to get my hands on. The fishmen in the southern part of this continent grow vegetables in their flooded fields, and they have a custom of giving the white ones to their god as offerings. Rana won the right to buy it from them with her fists��


    My wife had looked like some kind of god as she went toe-to-toe with a nearly three-meter-tall fishman.


    ��There''s going to be another new ingredient hitting the shelves here in Lemuria then-nya?��


    ��It might sell as well as, or maybe even better than ramen��


    ��Souya, you can do it. Be confident-nya��


    ��You''re the one who has to do the selling though?��


    ��All the more reason to be confident then-nya��


    Tyutyu sounded happy.


    If that''s what she says, then I just have to be confident.


    ��Well, it''s easier to make than ramen, so you can just listen as you watch the noodles. First off�D�D�D�D�D��


    Even so, I asionally act like a cook. I''m not much better than an amateur at it, but it''s something that many people want me to do, so I suppose there''s nothing wrong with doing it.


    I came to the alternate world to explore the dungeon.


    But when I look back upon the path I''ve trod, I can see that no part of it had been perfectly straight. There were so many twists and turns that it felt like I was going round and round in circles at times. There were so many detours, so many times I strayed off the beaten path.


    Nevertheless, I continued to move forward, to make progress.


    At some point, I began to be able to see the end of this path I''m walking down.


    I still have some leeway in terms of time.


    So I''m sure that even if I spend some of that time building up my poor self-esteem, the gods won��t get mad at me.


    This kind of adventuring where I alternate between moving forward anding to a standstill is the kind that suits me.


    ��Souya-san, I came to help~!��


    ��Hiya~��


    ��We��re here again~��


    Rutsuko-san and the Gunmerrys showed up.


    ��Onii-chan! I''ve made a new type of curry powder! Use it to make a new kind of curry ramen!��


    ��Dear, I''m here to help��


    The sisters, who had taken a detour and were a bitte, also came.


    Behind them were the rest of my party members.


    ��Souya, I''m hungry. I don''t care what it is, just give me food, food, and more food quickly��


    Shuna made a fuss as soon as he sat down at the table.


    ��Souya, I''ll have a drink and something to go with it to sober me up��


    Otou-san, who seemed to have a hangover, said while pressing a hand to his head.


    ����������������


    Lys sat down next to Shuna without a word.


    Boisterous customers and staff that came and went as they pleased.


    A store where adventurers gathered in between adventures.


    The name of that store was������


    I��ve searched as hard as I could, but the ��Everyone should get to enjoy it�� is not a quote by anyone that I can find. This is just what I believe, but it��s most likely a reference to the ��food is for the masses�� concept that Souya��s grandfather passed on to him, with it being distorted because of the effects of Wild Hunt.


    Rice is a grain and not a vegetable, but ��flooded fields�� and ��the white ones������rice is the new ingredient, isn��t it?


    What a great end to the volume, huh? ����Except that this isn��t the end, and there��s an epilogue so long that the author made it an arc��..so stay tuned!

 Chapter 152: The Gods’ Respite I

    <h4>Chapter 152: The Gods�� Respite I</h4>


    ��165th day��


    ��Wo, woah~��


    I was in the workshop in our basement.


    Zoruzoglu-san lined up my weapons in front of me unsheathed. Seeing them in the light of the mes, I let out a cheer.


    First, I picked up Zamonss'' sword.


    Its weight felt morefortable in my hand than before. Its previously chipped de shone with a brilliant luster, and its cutting edge was sharp enough to cut through rock. Parts of its hilt and guard had been changed without affecting how it felt in use.


    ��As I thought, this sword is a good one. There is a lot of connotation in its forging��


    Is the word "connotation" something that��s applicable when talking about swords?


    Next, I picked up the katana.


    ��This is��������


    The de had be thicker than before. However, its weight hadn''t changed much. When I ran the de lightly over my thumbnail, it sliced through it like butter.


    Its sharpness sent a shiver down my spine.


    ��I took your katana apart and reforged itpletely from scratch. L''s w, the material used to make it, had grown, you see? It has lost all trace of the elegance it once had, but you don''t need it to have that kind of beauty, do you?��


    ��Well, no��


    The de was reddish-ck and gave off a sinister air. The demonic gleam of the katana waspletely undisguised. It looked every bit a de meant only to carve through flesh, bone, and the lives of people.


    Umm, how do I say this������������it gives me the urge to cut people down.


    ��Souya-san, Makina has upgraded the scabbard. The newly developed cleaning and sharpening mixture adheres to the sword''s de and is highly effective even in small quantities. Also, it now uses a cartridge system. Once it��s done, the empty cartridge will be ejected from the scabbard, so you don''t have to check it by sound like before��


    I sheathed the katana into the scabbard Makina handed me.


    I loosened it slightly and tried to visualize drawing it.


    It��ll work.


    No problem. It feels no different from before.


    I tapped the butt of the scabbard on the cobbled floor, and after a second or so, an empty cartridge popped out of the device attached to the side of the scabbard.


    If this performs the same emergency repairs as before, then its speed has increased dramatically.


    The katana is fine. Next is����


    ��As for the magic sword��������������


    Zoruzoglu-san��s voice trailed off.


    I have a bad feeling about this.


    ��Souya-san, Makina will exin. Please look at this image��


    Makina disyed an image of Agathion on the pod''s screen. The date indicated that it was taken 100 days ago.


    She superimposed an image of the current Agathion on top of the previous image.


    ��Can you tell the difference?��


    ��Yeah, it''s gotten narrower��


    Agathion had clearly be narrower than before.


    ��The body of the de has lost about 6% of its original mass. That can hardly be expected to have any positive effects. If things go badly, it could suddenly malfunction��


    ��Can''t you fix Agathion the same way you fixed Shuna''s sword?��


    ��Makina doesn��t have the materials to do that. Aga-chan is made of Nido-ized wurtzite boron nitride. As an experiment, Makina tried to adhere a Nido-ized synthetic diamond to Aga-chan, but it wouldn''t take hold��


    Wurtzite boron nitride.


    The only thing I know about it is that it''s very hard, but is it very valuable as well?


    ��A long time ago, in a desert on the center continent, I saw an ore that looked simr to this material. If I were to go and mine it now, let''s see������can you wait two years?��


    ��We don''t have that much time. Please put that on hold��


    I''ll put Zoruzoglu-san��s suggestion aside for now.


    I neither know what will happen in two years nor can I wait.


    ��So I guess I can''t use Agathion anymore, huh��������


    This is a substantial loss of strength.


    It''s akin to losing an arm.


    ��That''s not true. Please don''t underestimate the helper robots of the 21st century��


    ��Are you supposed to be a helper robot?��


    ��Chla, chach~? Sheath de~![1]��


    She suddenly blurted out something that came really close to crossing the line.


    Has the manufacturer who made her licensed the copyright, I wonder?


    ��Here''s Aga-chan''s slightlyrger sheath. Makina has also done a little bit of work on this one��


    Makina brought out the new sheath for Agathion.


    The sheath was about twice asrge as the previous one and had a sharp-edged isosceles triangle-shaped tip. Upon taking it from her, I noticed metal slits along its sides.


    ��Is there some sort of trick to this thing?��


    ��Please sheathe Aga-chan in it. There''s a chemical inside that protects the metal from wear��


    I did as I was told and sheathed it.


    Even with something as minor as that, small pieces crumbled off the body of Agathion''s de.


    ��The guard of the sword can be locked into the parts at the opening of the sheath. Push it in firmly until you hear a click��


    I pushed the guard of the magic sword into the parts Makina mentioned and there was a loud click


    I tried to pull it out forcibly to check how secure it was. It stayed locked in ce without issue.


    ��And?��


    What am I supposed to do with this? I wondered as held it up, holding its hilt with my right hand and supporting the sheath with my left.


    It''s a bit heavy. And it feels weirdly bnced.


    ��It has voice recognition capabilities. Please say the word "de����


    ��de?��


    ��Oh, watch your fingers��


    I had a bad feeling, so I pulled back the hand holding the sheath.


    With a loud snap, des extended out from the slits in the sheath. They were thin and sharp, much like the des of a box cutter.


    ��Hey, my finger got nicked a little��


    ��Come on, a man shouldn''tin about a scratch like that��


    Due to the effect of the regeneration point, the cut on my finger disappeared like a mirage.


    Because it would be uncool, I didn��t grumble about it.


    I gave Agathion a few test swings.


    Due to the contraption with the des and the weight of the sheath, the sound it made as it sliced through the air was heavier than before.


    ��It''s pretty much a blunt instrument now, isn''t it?��


    I get the feeling that the contraption with the des isn''t really necessary.


    ��Please use it like that inbat. This will help protect it from further wear and tear for the time being. Each side carries four recement des internally. And the des will detach themselves automatically when they be too damaged, so please keep that in mind��


    ��Hmm��


    I let go of Agathion and held up my hand to make it stay in mid-air.


    When I moved my hand, Agathion followed its movements, but it was slower than before. It was also not as responsive as before. However, it did at least move.


    ��This isn''t good��������


    It has none of the sharpness it had before. Can it even kill monsters now?


    ��Do you want me to put it away then?��


    ��Let''s see������������ No, I''ll use it��


    The truest purpose of a tool is to be used.


    That''s a very important thing that was taught to me.


    If I were to die while it slept in a warehouse, this guy would probably be mortified. If it has a soul, a heart, then I need to take its feelings into consideration.


    ��So you chose to use it until it''spletely spent, huh? You know your stuff better than I thought, foreigner��


    ��It''s just a principle I follow��


    I''m just following Izora''s words.


    ��The elves, Hemus, and beastkin don''t understand the purpose of tools. A tool is merely something thatsts a little longer than humans. But for just that reason alone, people revere high-quality tools, especially weapons and armor, as immortal existences. What a strange thing to do. They''re merely lumps of metal after all��


    ��Is it really appropriate for a dwarf to say something like that?��


    I mean, they''re a race that holds the belief that swords possess souls and take great pride in their work.


    I never expected to hear him say anything that would disparage that.


    ��It''s precisely because I''m a dwarf that I can say such things. If any other race dares to call forged steel "mere metal" or something like that, I''ll throw their heads on an anvil and crack them open with a hammer��


    In other words, he was just being self-effacing, huh?


    Does that mean that he''s looking down on the present and striving for greater heights? I can''t put my finger on it, but I think I understand. The skills of those who are satisfied with the status quo will never improve.


    ��After that, we''ve also made some armor for you, Souya-san��


    Makina unfolded an ordinary-looking ck shirt.


    ��This one looks like just a normal shirt, doesn''t it?��


    ��Oh, yes��


    ��However~, it''s actually quite different��


    What''s with that infomercial-like way of speaking?


    ��Zoruzoglu-san��


    ��Yeah, it''s woven together from forged threads of Rmir steel. It won''t absorb much impact, but it has unparalleled strength against cuts��


    ��This is the best de-resistant shirt in the alternate world. If you buy it now, you''ll get five shirts and pants of the same material. And you can pay in installments! It can be yours for a low low price of just 300 gold coins!��


    ��W, woah~��


    I''ll just apud for now.


    Isn''t this an infomercial, just as I expected though?


    ��Good grief, how did a dwarf like me end up making fabric?��


    ��Ehh~ But weren''t you also having fun making it, Zoruzoglu-san?��


    ��Well, that''s because I don''t hate taking on new and innovative ideas, you see?��


    ��Mmm-hmm~ Mmm-hmm~?��


    ��H, hey, stop that��


    Makina elbowed Zoruzoglu-san with her arm. Zoruzoglu-san looked away, but didn''t seem altogether displeased.


    What the heck are you two cylinders doing?


    ��Oh, umm������I don''t really care about this, but what about the katana for the baldy?��


    ��Ahh, the katana for Lemuria, huh? Well, about that one��������


    Zoruzoglu-san brought out a katana from behind him with a vexed voice.


    Tch, he managed to forge one for him, huh?


    ��Take a look at it��


    ��Alright��


    I took the new katana and pulled it from its scabbard.


    ��Eh? What��s this?��


    The de of the katana had a wavy grain-like pattern on its surface. The different colors of the pattern gave it a sense of chaos, as if oil had been mixed in and sealed within the metal.


    It was by no means the beautiful hamon(de pattern) unique to katanas.


    ��Souya-san, after folding it 10,000 times������������we ended up with Damascus steel��


    ��No way��


    I''m not particrly familiar with it, but isn''t the process for making thatpletely different?


    ��It''s so strange, isn��t it? Even though it was made using the same process as before������ Right, Zoruzoglu-san? Right?��


    ��Y, yeah��


    His reply wasn''t very convincing.


    Something''s different about this one, isn''t it?


    ��Makina, just a quick question. What''s the purpose of folding it 10,000 times?��


    ��Oh, that, huh? It''s to create 10,000yers of steel, which has the effect of increasing the strength�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��No, that''s it right there. That''s the thing��


    ��Eh?��


    ��After 10,000 folds, wouldn''t there be������������20,000yers of steel?��


    ��Ah��


    Makina froze.


    You piece of scrap.


    ��Hey, Souya, folding it 10,000 times will get you way more than 20,000yers. Try folding a piece of paper and you''ll see what I mean. Needless to say, after 10,000 folds, theyers of steel will be so squished together that there''s no way to distinguish between them��


    He was so right that there was no room for argument. I had not understood it at all.


    ��Souya-san, we all learn from our mistakes��


    ��You����aren''t you essentially the culmination of human wisdom?!��


    This is the kind of mistake an A.I. shouldn''t be making, you realize?


    ��I mean,e on! There''s no way a modern A.I. would possess information regarding the ancient methods of Japanese katana forging, isn��t it?! Despite that, Makina gathered up every bit of information avable and did everything in Makina��s power to piece it together! And the first katana was fine, wasn''t it? Makina doesn''t believe that this is necessarily a mistake at all~��


    ��The heck������


    So you were just winging it? I''m amazed the first katana even turned out as well as it did.


    No, perhaps������


    ��Zoruzoglu-san, could it be that for the first katana��������


    ��Y, yeah��


    The cylinder turned away.


    ��I thought it was just too much, so I stopped after about 15 folds��


    ��What?! Zoruzoglu-san, you''re terrible~!��


    That��s what I thought.


    There''s absolutely no way you can make a katana just by winging it.


    ��No, the idea of forging different types of steel into one is brilliant. The history of us dwarves is one of searching for good metals. We were too fixated on finding that one best metal that a simple thing like forging them together didn''t even ur to us. So, yeah, you''re pretty amazing��


    ��������Mm-hmm? Is that right~? Well, maybe not so much~��


    Makina elbowed me, hinting, "Praise me too."


    I smacked her arm away.


    ��But, Zoruzoglu-san, she made a fundamental mistake that�D�D�D�D��


    ��Hang on there, Souya-san!��


    I''ll never let you get carried away. I''ll make sure you fall off your high horse.


    ��That''s not exactly true, as you can see from that katana in your hand��


    ��Eh, no way��


    I took another look at the Damascus steel katana.


    It''s heavier than a normal katana, and it made a distinctive sound when I flicked it with my fingers. That''s the sound of sharpness and sturdiness. It''s a good de.


    ��For the record, it was folded 10,000 times��


    Zoruzoglu-san.


    I''m sorry that you had to go through all that trouble because of our resident idiot.


    ��Well, we did build a device that drops a hammer down onto the anvil automatically to make the folding process more efficient though��


    That could be useful for other stuff as well.


    ��And quite naturally, after 10,000 folds, the strength of the metal was totally shot��


    ��Yeah, that''s not surprising��


    ��So we built a small st furnace, melted the ruined metal down, cast it, then forged it into what you have there��


    ��Then, couldn��t you have just�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ����made it using the st furnace from the start?


    ��Souya-san, there��s a saying in our world that goes, "Failure is the mother of sess." In other words, Makina is a mother. And when motherhood is involved, most things can be forgiven��


    ��That��s not true at all��


    ��Hey, Makina, that''s one hell of a saying. We should engrave it into stone tablets to preserve it for future generations��


    ��Please make sure to also include Makina''s name in the engravings, alright?��


    ��Don''t!��


    Don''t antagonize every Edison fan in the world.


    ��Oh, there was some alternate-world Damascus steel left over, so Makina made this��


    Makina handed me a folding knife.


    It was very simr to the karambit I had lost in the nightmare.


    ��W, whoa��


    That made me very happy.


    I had gotten back thest resort I had relied on every now and then.


    Flipping its de open, I noticed that it was much sharper than the cheap mass-produced one I had before. This one was sharp enough to be used regrly instead of only as ast resort.


    ����������������


    ����������������


    ����������������


    ��T, thank you��


    ��You��re wee��


    For some reason, I feel really frustrated. No, she did a good job on this and I''m quite pleased with it. But even I can''t figure out this mixed feeling I have.


    ��And now that we''ve got that out of the way, Souya-san��������


    ��Yes? What is it?��


    She��s changing the subject.


    ��The maintenance and upgrades to the equipment went well, but there''s one thing that Makina has to tell you��


    ��What?��


    Did you use an astronomical amount of money again?


    ��Makina has introduced a technological singrity into this world. This is againstpany regtions, and Makina might have no choice but to voluntarily reset to factory settings. That''s why Makina wants you to decide if Makina was right or wrong, Souya-san��


    ��Oh, okay��


    I hadpletely forgotten about it. Yeah, thepany president did say something like that.


    That sure brings back memories.


    ��So, which technology is it?��


    ��It''s called sh-frying��


    ��sh, err, what?��


    ��It��s called sh-frying. Alright, repeat after me, sh-frying!��[2]


    ��Umm, I get that it sounds fancy, but what the heck is it?��


    I have absolutely no idea what that is. Stop leaving me hanging and juste out with it.


    ��It''s a process where food is deep-fried in hot oil for a very short time to rid it of moisture, leaving it dry and capable of being stored for a long time��


    ��������������Hmm?��


    ��This is a very dangerous technology that could revolutionize the dietary habits of the alternate world. Oh, what a terrible thing it is that Makina has brought into this world!��


    After saying that, Makina produced a cup-shaped object.


    Without thinking, I epted it with both hands.


    ��The container is made from parchment paper hardened with animal glue and the skin of dungeon pigs. It''s very waterproof and heat resistant. It''s no wonder everyone uses those materials to make waterskins. The lid is also made from parchment paper. The only ingredient it has is diced dried meat, but please bear with it since it''s just a prototype��


    Makina also took out a thermos.


    She poured hot water into the cup and put a spork on top of the lid to weigh it down.


    While she was at it, she also prepared one for Zoruzoglu-san.


    ��Let''s wait three minutes��


    We waited for three minutes.


    I have mixed feelings about this. If Nissin Foods were to expand into the alternate world, we would definitely get sued.


    ��Alright, it''s done~ Please enjoy~��


    ����������������


    I slurped up a bite.


    It had a simple but tasty soy sauce vor. In addition, I could smell a hint of citrus. For some reason, there was also a touch of cheese in the taste. The noodles weren''t firm at all, but they were strangely irresistible. The dried meat that had absorbed the broth had quite a nice texture despite what it was and was delicious.


    ��A mixture of dried citrus fruits from the alternate world has been mixed into the soy sauce broth. Powdered cheese has also been thrown in. The noodles are high in calories and not firm, but please don''t ask too much of Makina��


    ��Well, it''s cup noodles, isn''t it?��


    ��Yes, it��s cup noodles!��


    We had made cup noodles in the alternate world.


    Hungry?[3]


    ��Souya-san, Makina is such a sinful woman. This willpletely transform the food culture of the alternate world. Wars may be fought over it. Souya-san, can Makina be forgiven for what Makina has done?��


    ��Well, I forgive you. Ea and Shuna will probably be thrilled. This can also be eaten in the dungeon. I think it''s a wonderful invention������even if it''s a rip-off��


    ��It''s not a rip-off! It was merely influenced by it! All modern innovations came about through the influence of the work of predecessors, so the cup noodles that Makina made were also simrly influenced! But thank you, Momofuku Ando-san! Nissin Foods!��


    Thank you and I��m so sorry.


    Is this really okay, I wonder?


    ��So, Souya-san, Makina was wondering, how much should these be sold for?��


    ��Eh, you''re selling them?��


    ��What, we��re not selling them? Let''s put them on the market and make them widely avable to the public. Aim for 100 million units sold!��


    What exactly are you trying to achieve by aiming for that?


    ��For the time being, only our party will get to eat them. If we get into any more disputes over rights and the like, we really won''t have any time for adventuring anymore��


    ��Ehhh, then what is Makina supposed to do with all the prototypes Makina made?��


    ��Jeez, you spent money and resources on weird stuff again? How many of them did you make?!��


    ��About 300��


    ����������������


    Let''s see, making one waterskin from the skin of dungeon pigs costs three copper coins. The cost of noodles, oil, soy sauce, and other ingredients is at most one silver coin, I''d imagine. If I include the cost of equipment as well as time and effort spent.........she made 300 of them, so I''d say she spent about 40 gold coins or so?


    ��Hey, where did you get the money for that?��


    ��From Makina''s secret savings. No way, Souya-san, Makina didn''t dip into the adventuring funds��


    ��By the way, how much do you have in your secret savings?��


    ��That��s a secret?��


    Is she making a lot of money behind my back?


    Somehow, that scares me.


    ��Hey. In that case, I won''t ask you to give me all 300 of them, but do give me some��


    ��Okay, Makina can''t say that you can have all 300 of them, but feel free to take as many as you like��


    Zoruzoglu-san was enjoying his cup noodles with gusto. He was eating it inside the cylinder, so the inside of the ss eye was fogged over due to the steam.


    ��Hey, give that here. I''ll deliver the katana to Lemuria myself��


    Zoruzoglu-san said, looking at the katana I had tucked into my belt.


    ��I can''t keep it?��


    I kinda like it a lot, this Damascus steel katana.


    I''d rather use it myself than let it be a decoration in that baldy''s bedroom.


    ��Don''t give me that. You have your own katana, isn''t it? I want to catch up with Lemuria, so I''ll give it to him while I''m at it. Give it here��


    ��Tch��


    With great reluctance, I gave it up.


    What a huge shame����I mean, it''s such a nice katana����


    ��I''ll give you lots of cup noodles, so��������


    ��No can do. Men only reach the heights of greatness when they stake everything on a single sword. You''ve seen that in Medimu, haven''t you?��


    ��Well, I guess you''re right��


    If he hadn''t soughtfort in thepany of a beastkin woman after getting dumped, I might have taken him as an example to follow.


    I really wish I hadn''t heard that story����


    ��But������������well, you know��������


    After Zoruzoglu-san had finished his cup noodles, the empty container was cast out of the cylinder.


    ��You have a magic sword that obeys you and you carry two more des on top of that, huh? That sounds just like Ardi, doesn��t it?��


    ��Are you talking about Three-Swords Ardi of Vindoobunikuru?��


    There''s someone in my party who carries that man''s sword.


    The mistress of the king I serve also has a connection to him.


    He''s a legend whom I strangely have several ties with.


    ��It''s said that Ardi also wielded a flying magic sword. Whether or not that is Agathion������no way, right?��


    ��Haha, no way��


    It''s entirely possible.


    I glossed over it byughing.


    ��Now, Souya-san��


    Makina said, in a more formal tone.


    ��We''re all good here. After helping Zoruzoglu-san get ready for the trip he''s about to take, Makina will see him off and that''ll be it. What will you do now? You''ll be back to adventuring from tomorrow on, right?��


    ��Ea, Rana, and Lanseal are out doing their own things, while Maria is busy over there and hasn''t returned. It''s been a while since I was alone, no, I guess I''ll go see to Misuranika-sama��


    I haven''t been attending to her at alltely, so it feels like my faith level has been going down.


    ��Is that so? Well, that''s something important, Makina believes. Also, what should Makina do with these?��


    What Makina pulled out were rolled-up maps. They were my reward for defeating the fictitious vampires not too long ago. A record of the adventures that baldy had gone on. The dungeon''s strategy guide.


    ��Throw them away��


    ��Understood, there we go��


    The maps disappeared into the mes of the st furnace.


    The information on them is invaluable. By relying on it, we should be able to reach the 45th floor with ease. We would be able to proceed effortlessly through a difficult ce where ordinary adventurers would have to risk their lives going through trial and error in order to advance.


    But is that really a good thing?


    Is adventuring supposed to be that easy?


    I''m well aware that the time I have is limited.


    But is it really a good thing for us to just follow in someone else''s footsteps and have an easy time adventuring? Won''t we be overwhelmed when we encounter unforeseen difficulties? Well, I''ll admit that I do bear some resentment towards that baldy and I guess I��ve be more conscious of doing things in an upright manner because of it.


    ��Wait��


    You sure were quick to burn them!


    ��Jeez, Makina,e on!��


    The maps had been reduced to ashes.


    ��Ehh, wasn''t it you who told me to throw them away, Souya-san?��


    ��I did say that, but I thought you''d stop me, or at least try to dissuade me or something��


    ��But Makina has digitized the data, so we don''t actually need the originals, isn''t it?��


    Oh������������I see.


    Yeah, that''s right. You guys are like that, aren''t you?


    ��Then it can''t be helped!��


    ��Fue?��


    ��Well then, Zoruzoglu-san, I''m bad with goodbyes, so this will be it. Please drop by when the opportunity arises��


    ��Yeah. When you die, make sure to use all your weapons up before you kick the bucket. A magic sword like this is of no use to others. It''ll only cause problems if it survives you��


    ��Understood��


    I returned the Rmir steel sword that had ended up not being used.


    After that, we parted without a word.


    Such is the way men say their goodbyes to each other.


    [1] What Makina yells out here is ����װ�֥�`�ɤ���(Gaiso Bureidooo)��, which can also mean external des, armored de, etc, its a very broad term. Since she has subtly changed it to avoid copyright issues, I actually have trouble figuring out what the reference is as searching for it yields no relevant results���� Souya goes more into detail after this, so if anyone has an idea of what IP this is ripping off, please let me know lol.


    [2] If you��re wondering why Souya is having so much trouble with a term as simple as ��sh-frying��, that��s because, in Japanese, it��s called ��˲�g�͟�Ǭ�﷨(shunkan abursu kansou-hou)�� or ��instant-hot oil-drying method��. Yup, it��s a mouthful and much harder to understand. Also, it says hot oil, but we��re talking about temperatures of about 608��F or 320��C here, so it��s not exactly something people in the alternate world are going to stumble upon that easily.


    [3] This is a reference to a series ofmercials by Nissin Foods that have the tagline, ��Hungry? Nissin Cup Noodles!��. Just google that tagline and you��ll find tons of them on youtube. And the best thing about thosemercials is that absolutely no knowledge of Japanese is required(since nothing is uttered except for the tagline, which is in English).


    What a long~~ chapter, huh? The next one is about a third longer, so if it takes a while, you know why��


    Due to the surge in cksmithing shows, when talking about Damascus des, there can be a tendency to mix Damascus steel up with pattern-welded steel. If you��re really interested in the difference, you can find a lot of people exining it in detail on Youtube and elsewhere, but to sum it up, true Damascus steel is not made by forging togetheryers of steel with differing carbon content, but by melting down iron in a sealed crucible with charcoal in it to produce steel.


    Upgraded weapons and cup noodles, huh? Souya has finally re-created cup noodles, which Ea wished for really early in the story. And it��s too bad Zoruzoglu-san isn��t hanging around. It��s funny imagining a wooden version of Makina lol. But most of you should have noticed that the contents of this chapter seem to have nothing to do with the title of this arc...though I��m sure you can guess what��s next based on what Souya is nning to do with his free time. Stay tuned for the end of this volume!

 Chapter 153.1: The Gods’ Respite II - (1)

    <h4>Chapter 153.1: The Gods�� Respite II - (1)</h4>


    It was a weird time of day, just before noon but still too early to prepare lunch.


    When I returned home from the basement����


    I was astounded by what I found in the kotatsu.


    One of them was my god, a gray cat with long hair(but she doesn''t shed because she��s a god) and golden eyes. Her belly was exposed and her upper body was sticking out of the kotatsu.


    The other was a lioness.


    It was also half out of the kotatsu and rxing like a cat.


    I had wondered if there were lions in the alternate world, but what is one doing in this city, no no no, in my home?


    ��Souya, you''re back atst. What were you and the dwarf talking about for so long?��


    Said my god.


    ��From time immemorial, the only things adventurers talk about with dwarves have always been weapons and armor��


    Said the lioness that I didn��t know.


    Huh, I recognize that voice though. Could it be����


    ��dvain-sama?��


    ��That��s right. Oh, I forgot, you''ve never seen me in this form before��


    The lioness that was dvain-sama got out of the kotatsu and stretched.


    ��I''m morefortable in human form, you see? Though I do like to change into this form every now and then��


    There was a sh of light and dvain-sama returned to her usual form.


    With her long, wavy blonde hair and healthy, tanned skin, she was the perfect image of an Amazon. Her face looked dignified and fearless and a strong will shone in her eyes.


    Her abs showed through the high-leg dress she had on. The muscles in her arms and legs were supple yet thick and strong. It was a little chilly today, so she had a cloak thrown over her shoulders. Herrge sword hung from her hip.


    Even though she''s a woman, what an imposing physique she has. As expected of a god of war and martial arts.


    ��It''s unusual to see you here in my home. Is there something you wanted?��


    Rana is training at the dormitory again today, so I would have been happy to go over there if she had called me.


    ��Mmm, today, umm��������


    ��?��


    dvain-sama mmed up.


    There was another burst of light and Misuranika-sama also took human form.


    She was a beautiful woman in a ck dress with arge opening in the back. Her long ck hair shone as if wet, and she had a cute and cheeky face. Her figure was thin and slender, and for some reason, she was barefoot.


    Compared to the god of war, she''s a more diminutive god. She looks like a Japanese-style vampire.


    ��She wants to eat ramen apparently��


    ��Eh, ramen?��


    If that''s the case, you didn��t have toe all the way to my home and could have eaten it at any other store����


    ��Mmm, it''s a little embarrassing, but there''s a ramen store near our dormitory that has gained quite a reputation. I was curious about it, so I took my kin there, but that ended up scaring the storekeeper. That made him mess up the seasoning of the ramen, it seemed, and he brought out his whole family to prostrate in apology. The ramen that I ate under such circumstances������I couldn''t even tell what it tasted like��


    I feel for you.


    The people of the ramen store.


    ��It''s no wonder, isn''t it? A group of fierce-looking guys with a god of war at their head showed up at their store. Of course their cooking skills would waver. Can''t you stand in the shoes of ordinary people a little?��


    ��Ur, urgh��


    dvain-sama groaned.


    Misuranika-sama came up to me and whispered into my ear.


    ��Souya, treat her to some ramen. But make me that one, you know, that one��


    ��Oh, okay��


    A cute but evil look came over her face.


    ��dvain-sama, I''ll make you some ramen, but do you have any requests?��


    ��I want the ramen that the me religion serves. A god like me can''t possibly line up at a human''s soup kitchen after all��


    ��Understood. If that''s what you want, I still have the broth, so it''ll be done in no time��


    The two gods went back into the kotatsu while I went into the kitchen.


    I reheated the leftover ramen broth, filled a pot with water, then put it on the fire.


    I thought about what to use as ingredients, then figured that since it was for dvain-sama, I couldn��t go wrong with a luxurious helping of the chashu.


    I took some mixed miso from a jar and put it into a porcin bowl. Then I drizzled a little spiced oil and vinegar into it as well.


    For Misuranika-sama, I added miso, soy sauce, and a garlic-based sauce into a smaller porcin bowl. I added some slices of chashu, fried onions, and powdered dried fish.


    Next, I cut leeks into thin slices, rubbed them with salt, then put them aside.


    I threw plenty of fresh noodles into the pot of water, which hade to a boil.


    I flipped over an hourss to measure the time.


    After pouring the re-heated broth into the porcin bowl, I taste-tasted it as I adjusted its taste by adding seasonings. I took out the jar of spicy miso, then waited for the noodles to be done.


    Oh, I almost forgot.


    ��Misuranika-sama~, which alcohol should I serve?��


    ��A moderately expensive one��


    ��Understood��


    I opened the cab and picked out a bottle of alcohol.


    I can��t tell the difference between alcohol and don��t have much knowledge of them, so all the alcohol in our home have their pricesbeled on them.


    The ones that Misuranika-sama calls moderately expensive cost about five silver coins.


    Wait, the contents of the bottles whose prices are in the gold coins range have dwindled considerably. Who''s been drinking them?


    Taking two sses and a bottle of alcohol worth six silver coins, I ced them on the kotatsu��s table.


    ��Souya, I''d rather not drink. I''m sorry��


    ��Then I''ll drink the guest''s share as well��


    Surprisingly, dvain-sama doesn''t seem to drink alcohol. She seems like she''d be a strong drinker though.


    That being the case, I brought her something else and poured it into her ss.


    ��dvain-sama, it''s sweet, but do give it a try��


    ��What��s this?��


    ��It''s a drink from the foreignnds. It contains no alcohol��


    What I gave her was diluted Dr. Pepper.


    ��I don''t like that one��


    ��You don''t like it because it''s carbonated, right? You prefer wine to ale after all��


    ��I just really dislike that bubbly stuff��


    Her opinion may be childish, but she''s a god who drinks like a fish.


    ��Ooh, I don''t mind it��


    dvain-sama downed it in one gulp then poured more for herself.


    The sound of the pot boiling brought me back to the kitchen.


    The hourss had just run out. I scooped up the noodles with ader, drained the water, then put dvain-sama''s portion into the broth and loosened the noodles using chopsticks so that they wouldn''t stick together. On top of the noodles, I ced slices of chashu until theypletely covered the noodles, then ced a dollop of spicy miso in the center.


    For Misuranika-sama''s noodles, I soaked them in water before draining them and putting them into a separate porcin bowl.


    I washed the sliced leeks with water and ced them on top. I put boiled eggs on a separate te as a side dish.


    ��Alright��


    They werepleted.


    ��Thank you for waiting~��


    ��You''re slow, Souya��


    ��No, that''s fast, isn''t it?��


    My god rushed me while the god of war came to my defense.


    I ced the ramen on top of the kotatsu.


    ��First, dvain-sama''s ramen. It''s chashu ramen. There are noodles and broth under that meat. Please eat it while dissolving as much of the spicy miso as suits your taste��


    ��Ummm, Souya��


    Huh? dvain-sama looks troubled for some reason.


    That''s not the reaction I was expecting.


    ��It''s not good to only have meat, you know? You need a good bnce of vegetables, grains, meat, and broth��


    ��������������Got it��


    She��s right.


    The thought that serving meat to a god of war would surely be well-received was a shallow one.


    ��It can''t be helped~ I''ll eat some of your meat for you then��


    The god of misdeeds stole three slices of chashu and submerged them into her own broth.


    ��I have mixed feelings about that, but hmm? Hey, Misuranika, what''s that ramen you have there?��


    ��Fufufu, what''s this, you ask? It''s a new type of ramen that no one in this city has eaten before��


    Said my god with a smug look on her face.


    ��A new type of ramen, huh? Wait, ramen is plenty new in itself, isn''t it?��


    ��Kukuku, there''s much more to it. This "Tsukemen[1]" is an evolved version of ramen. In other words, what I''m eating is the future of yours��


    That''s not true though.


    I made tsukemen for Misuranika-sama simply because she''s bad with hot food.


    ��Watch and learn. First, you pick up the noodles like this��


    Misuranika-sama used the chopsticks with an unustomed hand. After picking up some noodles, she dunked them into the broth, brought her mouth close to the bowl, then started eating it little by little.


    It''s so adorable.


    My god''s way of eating ramen is super cute. My god is super cute.


    ��By the way, Souya, why is Misuranika using sticks to eat?��


    ��They''re called chopsticks. They''re used in my country as a substitute for spoons and forks��


    ��Souya, I''ll eat using them too. Lend me a pair��


    ��Oh, okay. One moment please��


    Leaving the spork on the table, I left then quickly returned with a pair of chopsticks.


    ��Here you go, Okaa-sama��


    ��Hmm. But first, Souya, show me how you use them��


    ��Huh? Okay��


    I held my chopsticks the standard way and took a slice of Misuranika-sama''s chashu. When I stuffed it into my mouth, it melted and the sweet and spicy vor almost made me swoon.


    ��Souya! How dare you?!��


    ��I got a little hungry too��


    ��Next time you steal meat from me, I''ll y a terrible prank on you when you''re asleep!��


    Actually, please do.


    ��Hmm, let��s see������


    dvain-sama took the chopsticks from me and somehow managed to eat her ramen without too much trouble.


    ��Oh, this meat. It''s simr to the braised dungeon pork squares you made in the past. If it''s meat like this, then I don''t mind having lots of it��


    Next, she slurped up the noodles smoothly.


    ��Eh, Okaa-sama, where did you learn how to use chopsticks?��


    ��I just learned it from watching you. This is good for training the fingers. I shall start using them in my dormitory��


    Chopsticks ended up making their debut in the alternate world.


    ��And what do you think of the taste of the ramen?��


    ��Mmm, it''s delicious. There has never been a time when you''ve served food that tastes bad. That''s basically all Rana and Ea talk about all the time��


    Are the sisters seen as ravenous characters by other people, I wonder?


    ��Souya, you properly half-boiled the eggs, I trust?��


    Misuranika-sama stabbed a boiled egg with her chopsticks.


    ��It''s half-boiled, of course��


    ��Hmm, then it''s fine��


    Misuranika-sama took a bite out of the half-boiled egg and sucked out the yolk.


    My god loves half-boiled eggs. Her tastes arepletely that of a child��s.


    ��Lanseal likes hers to be hard. Even when she eats it as a snack, she always makes it hard. Hard is not good. I can''t stress enough how delicious and sulent runny yolk is��


    My God is charming in so many ways. I want to hug her from behind and rub my cheek against hers. But I won''t because I''d look like a criminal. I''ll just have to bear it.


    ��Ahh, so this is the egg of the bipedal bird that Ea talked about��


    ��Oh, do you think of it as a bizarre food as well, Okaa-sama?��


    ��No, not at all. When I lived on the left continent, we ate anything that was safe to cook, except humans. Not eating bipedal birds is a custom that originated from the center continent. There was no such custom on the right continent in the past��


    ��Hmm~��


    I hadn''t known that. So, everyone treats chickens as a bizarre food because of an imported custom?


    Okaa-sama picked up a half-boiled egg with her chopsticks and ate it whole.


    ��Oh, this is delicious. This egg''s yolk is thicker and more vorful than that of therge egg. If I were to give them to my kin, they would surely fight over them��


    ��Then I''ll make a lot and bring them with me next time I go over��


    Now that I have soy sauce, I can easily make lots of it.


    Okaa-sama was eating her ramen steadily. I was relieved to see that she wasn''t just being polite, but really enjoyed it.


    Misuranika-sama continued to eat her ramen, albeit with some difficulty. It couldn''t be helped as she wasn''t very good with chopsticks. I wiped her mouth for her from time to time.


    Somehow, I feel like I''m developing maternal instincts.


    ��Speaking of birds������


    After taking a big bite of a slice of chashu, Okaa-sama said a few words to me.


    ��The custom of not eating bipedal birds was spread by sister gods from the center continent. Umm, they��re called������you know, you''re contracted with one of them��


    Misuranika-sama threw a line to Okaa-sama, who was having trouble remembering.


    ��The ones who were in debt?��


    ��Yes, the indebted sisters!��


    Okaa-sama pointed her chopsticks, as if to say, "That''s it!"


    ��Those miser gods. Rather than gods of business, they seem more like gods of moneylenders and debt collectors��


    ��Are you perhaps talking about the sister gods of Minerva?��


    ��Oh, was that what their name was?��


    Okaa-sama nodded as if their names didn''t matter to her.


    Including the night owl, Gravius-sama, the sister gods of Minerva are all bipedal birds. Or rather, I''ve got a very fundamental question. Why do gods take the form of animals?


    Just when I was about to ask����


    ��Hmm?��


    Bang, bang, bang.


    I heard someone knocking furiously on the door of my home. Well, rather than knocking, it sounded more like the person was kicking it.


    Leaving the two gods to their ramen, I went to greet the visitor.


    ��I��ming~��


    When I opened the iron door with a ng, I found a dancing girl outside.


    She had dark skin and beautiful long ck hair. She had a sharp nose and eyes as ck as obsidian. Her body was as thin and toned as an elf''s, and she had on a sensual dancing girl��s outfit.


    It was an exotic outfit that looked Middle Eastern. Her undergarments were adorned with glittering jewels, and her sheer silk skirt showed off her slender legs.


    It was still cold outside, so she looked somewhat out of ce.


    ��I''m sorry, but you''ve probably gotten the wrong ce��


    I closed the door.


    Someone in the neighborhood must have called her over for a birthday party and she probably came here by mistake.


    ��Hang on! Open the door! Open the door this instant!��


    The dancing girl kicked the door violently.


    She''s kinda scary. Who the heck is she?


    ��Hmm? Who was it?��


    ��No idea. There was a strange person outside��


    I had gotten Okaa-sama worried.


    ��Ahhh. Souya, open the door for her��


    ��Eh, is she someone you know?��


    Is she an acquaintance of Misuranika-sama��s? My god, you have friends?


    ��She��s someone you know��


    ��Huh?��


    I don''t know anyone like that though. Well, I guess I''ll open it.


    When I opened the door again������


    ��Urghh!��


    ������the dancing girl punched me in my gut.


    ��O~��


    It seems that she''s not used to hitting people. She seems to have twisted her wrist and ended up hurting herself instead.


    ��Um, who might you be?��


    ��Huhh?! I''m gonna send you flying!��


    You''re saying that after you''ve already punched me?


    ��Um, I have a god over as a guest right now, so if you''re going to kick up a ruckus, please do it outside�D�D�D�D��


    ��Listen here! I''m also a god! What''s more, I''m yours! You''re my kin, so how can you not know what your god looks like?! How sphemous!��


    ��Eh? Who are you?��


    I have absolutely no clue who she is.


    I don''t remember contracting with a dancing girl god.


    ��Gravius! I''m Gravius, the night owl!��


    ��Err������������Huh?��


    Even after being told that, I still can''t believe it.


    I can''t make a connection between that owl and the dancing girl before me.


    ��Hey, you! What are you doing cozying up to some other god?! Why didn''t you invite me too?! It''s strange, isn''t it?! What''s more, the one you''re cozying up to is a barbaric god from the sticks?!��


    The dancing girl(Gravius) pointed at Okaa-sama.


    After sparing her a nce, Okaa-sama ignored her and went back to eating her ramen.


    ��I heard you! You were bad-mouthing me! What''s more, in front of my kin!��


    ��Now, Souya, did I do anything like that?��


    The term "indebted sisters" immediately came to mind, but������


    ��No, nothinges to mind. Perhaps it��s just your imagination, dancing girl-san?��


    ��Don''t call me a dancing girlll! Who''s more important to you, that barbaric god you aren''t even contracted with or me?!��


    What''s with this "Which is more important, your family or me?" kind of line������


    You''re troubling me greatly.


    ��Y, you��re both important to me. Besides, Okaa-sama is a god who has contracted with my wife��


    ��Well, the one most important to him is probably me though��


    Misuranika-sama interjected.


    It feels like you''re just adding fuel to the fire, so please shut up.


    ��Grrrrr��


    Even though she''s a god with the form of an owl, she��s snarling like a dog.


    She looks to be in a very bad mood. Now, how should I handle this?


    ��Oh, would you like some ramen as well, Gravius-sama?��


    I''ll try to increase affection and faith levels by offering her food.


    ��Ramennn? Do you think I''ll eat that meager dish that barbaric gods and fringe gods eat?��


    ��It''s delicious, you know? Though I guess an indebted god can''t tell the difference between what tastes good and what tastes bad��


    ��You called me indebted again!��


    Please don''t start a religious war here.


    ��Hey, Souya. If you''re going to offer me food, it better be something better than what those guys are eating! Something much more expensive and amazing! Something really expensive!��


    ��Ex, expensive, you say? It''s written on the recipe that the price of ramen should be less than 9 copper coins per serving. Even if you ask for something more expensive, the most expensive one is the chashu ramen that Okaa-sama is eating��


    Pork is cheap in Lemuria, so the cost of ingredients for a hearty bowl of chashu ramen won''t even reach four copper coins. If it were to be sold, it would probably cost about six to eight copper coins, I''d imagine.


    ��Fugyaaa!��


    In anger, she intimidated me like an owl.


    She jumped onto my back and started strangling me from behind.


    ��Faith! Youck faith! I''ll cancel the contract! Are you okay with that?!��


    ��That would trouble me��


    She had absolutely no strength whatsoever, so I had to sway along voluntarily when she shook me.


    But having the contract canceled would be troubling. She''s helped me in many ways, and most importantly, there''s a possibility that the Zavua merchantpany might cut ties with me.


    I wonder what I should do.


    But she��s got even less boobs than my sister������ All I can feel on my back are the lumps and bumps of the jewels. Thanks to that, I can think things over calmly.


    ��Oh! Gravius-sama, I forgot that I have some ramen that''s really expensive. I''m sorry��


    ��You took too long to remember! You fool! You dummy!��


    ��������Gravius-sama, your personality������it��spletely different from usual, isn''t it?��


    ��This is her real self. Her usual demeanor is just an act. Acting all high and mighty, isn''t that silly?��


    Okaa-sama rolled her eyes.


    ��Then I''ll go get the ramen. Please let go��


    ��No! If I let go of you, she''s gonna bad-mouth me behind my back again!��


    Gravius-sama grabbed me tightly in a piggy-back position.


    With her arms around my neck and her feet around my waist, I had no choice but to go downstairs to get the cup noodles as is.


    Makina and Zoruzoglu-san had already left via another exit.


    I''m really d they didn''t see this.


    I went back to the kitchen, boiled some water, poured the hot water into the cup noodles, then put it on top of the kotatsu.


    That was only then that Gravius-sama finally separated herself from me.


    ��This furniture is also rather shabby. Hey, barbaric god from the sticks! Move your fat legs!��


    She tried to get into the kotatsu thenined to Okaa-sama.


    ����������������


    Without a word, Okaa-sama kicked Gravius-sama.


    ��Wha, oww, o! Souya, she kicked me!��


    ��Comee, Gravius-sama, this is a sleeping apparatus where everyone huddles together��


    ��Boooo��


    Even though she''s an owl, she��s sounding like a piglet.


    Reluctantly, she put her feet into the kotatsu a little.


    I don''t know how she had been able to maintain her facade the entire time. Her personality is even worse than Maria''s.


    Is that exotic look just for show?


    ��Hmm, Souya��


    The cup noodles caught Misuranika-sama''s eye, but she was too absorbed in the tsukemen to pay it too much mind.


    ��What''s that? Isn''t that the same as the noodles you brought from the foreignnds?��


    ��This one is made using materials from this side. Well, due to a variety of reasons������one is worth a single gold coin, I figure.��


    That��s only if I''m forced to put a price on it though.


    ��Fufufu, so a small portion like this costs a single gold coin. Now this is what I call an offering to the gods. I''m not going to eat meager dishes like you guys�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Misuranika, let me dip some of my noodles in that broth��


    ��Ehh. Fine, but give me another piece of chashu in return��


    ��It can''t be helped��


    ��������������Listen to meee��


    Gravius-sama is looking a little bit cute.(I feel a little sorry for Gravius-sama).[2]


    With an air of "I don''t care anymore!", she opened the lid of the cup noodles and plunged the spork in������


    ��Uwa, hot!!��


    Surprised by how hot it was, she grabbed the nearest cup and gulped it down.


    You''re bad with hot food too, huh?


    ��Hey, Souya! What the heck?! If it''s hot, tell me that it''s hot!��


    ��Can''t you tell by the way it looks?��


    There''s a lot of steam rising from it though.


    ��I knew, alright?! I was just surprised! Fuuu, fuuu��


    She blew on the noodles with all her might to cool them down.


    With a bit of trepidation, she took a bite. After that, she took a sip of the broth as well.


    ��Mm-hmm. Not bad. Well, it''s somewhat delicious. Somewhat, got it? Don''t get carried away��


    ��Yes. Thank you��


    Gravius-sama ate her cup noodles with more difficulty than Misuranika-sama.


    Okaa-sama was staring intently at her eat. I quietly whispered to her.


    ��Okaa-sama, I''ll give some to you to bring back as souvenirster��


    ��Mm, thanks��


    Gravius-sama tugged on my ear.


    ��Whaaa~, you��re hiding things from me againnn~��


    For some reason, she was slurring her words.


    ��Is it because she drank my alcohol in one gulp?��


    ��That alcohol isn''t that strong, is it?��


    ��I lost more kin againnn~��


    She burst into tears.


    Did something happen, I wonder?


    Gravius-samapletely disregarded the cup noodles and drank Misuranika-sama''s alcohol straight from the bottle.


    ��Really, the center continent is no good nowadays. They don''t follow any logic at allll~. It''s impossible to do business with themmm~��


    Did something happen to her kin on the center continent?


    ��Hmm, mmm. Souya, it was very delicious��


    Mom had finished everyst drop of the broth and had emptied her porcin bowl. To finish her meal off, she plopped a boiled egg into her mouth.


    ��Next, Ea mentioned�D�D�D�D�D��


    She started to speak, but there was a knock on the iron door again.


    ��Hnn, go ahead and deal with that first��


    ��Then please excuse me��


    I put Okaa-sama on hold for the moment and walked over to the door again.


    There was another soft, reserved knock.


    ��Yes, who is it?��


    [1] Tsukemen is a Japanese ramen dish where the noodles and the broth are served separately(The ingredients are served on top of the noodles or on a separate te, instead of being ced in the broth). The soup serves as a dipping sauce and is typically much stronger and intense in vorpared to standard ramen broth. Soba and udon are also types of noodles used in this dish. (Pic courtesy of wikipedia and taken by Dous Perkins)


    [2] It��s the second time this has happened, where the words for ��feel sorry for�� were ��misspelled�� into ��cute��. Hence, I��m convinced it��s a deliberate double meaning by the author. I could be wrong though.


    Sorry for splitting the chapter, but its length was getting ridiculous��already it��s about as long as the previous chapter(which was already much longer than usual) and I��m only about halfway through it�� Despite everything, I severely underestimated how long it would be��


    But I��d bet you didn��t expect Gravius-sama to be like that! What a surprise, huh? Interesting how Souya just slipped into calling dvain-sama Okaa-sama, huh? After all the father-figures showing up in the previous arc, is it the mother-figures�� turn? Also, it seems that all gods have human and animal forms, huh? Doesn��t that make you curious? And well, you��ll have to wait till next time to see who��s at the door��so stay tuned!

 Chapter 153.2: The Gods’ Respite II – (2)

    <h4>Chapter 153.2: The Gods�� Respite II �C (2)</h4>


    There was a dancing girl at the door again.


    This time, it was a woman with fair skin. She had long red hair and in features, but her breasts were about the same size as Rana''s. Her legs were neither thin nor fat.


    She gives off an air of normalcy, the kind that gives rise to a feeling of approachability.


    Even though I''ve never seen her before, I feel no tension nor a sense of distance. It''s like we''ve been friends for decades.


    Even though gods are generally not very approachable������


    Hmm? Why did I peg her as a god?


    ��Souya-sama, I''m sorry, is my elder sister intruding on you?��


    ��Could it be that you��re Meltouvius-sama?��


    She''s the god of an allied merchantpany.


    ��Ara~ You can tell?��


    ��Yes, for some reason��


    I just had a feeling.


    Or rather, it��s because this is the second time.


    ��I''ve thought this for a while now, but you and I are a "good match", don''t you think? Do you also have this feeling that we''re destined to be together?��


    ��Eh, yes��


    It doesn''t feel bad to hear a god say that to me.


    After all, back in the day, every god in the city refused to contract with me.


    ��So, what do you think? How about you contract with me as well? It''s not often that someone gets to contract with two of the Minerva sister gods. It''s an honor that all the riches and treasures in the world can''t buy. And if you agree to it right now, I''ll even include a special offer that cannot be disclosed to my elder sister��


    We Japanese are very susceptible to the words "special offer".


    ��Can you tell me more about that special offer?��


    ��Fufu, let''s go somewhere quiet, just the two of us, and then�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    There was a strange glint in Meltouvius-sama''s eyes, then����


    ��Ahhnnn!��


    ����she let out a lovely moan when Misuranika-sama appeared from below her and squeezed her breasts.


    ��Souya, for future reference, let me teach you something. If you bring a woman like this to your bed, she''ll wring you out until you''re all dried up. So beware��


    ��G, got it��


    So that''s what the special offer entails������


    That only makes me even more interested.


    ��Ah, ahnnn! I, I don''t know who you are, but I really dide here to retrieve my elder sister!��


    ��I''ll take care of this one. Well, why don''t you make her something to eat?��


    ��Understood��


    For the newly arrived god, I went back into the kitchen.


    It would be boring to serve ramen again. Now that the number of people has increased, I suppose nabe would be good.


    I added dried shiitake mushrooms from the alternate world into the vegetable broth meant for ramen to make the stock for the nabe. Taking some slightly shriveled cabbage, I sandwiched some pork belly between them and filled the pot with them. It was simple, but I covered it with a lid and put it on the fire.


    I nced over at the gods and saw that they were chatting andughing among themselves.


    It makes me smile to see the gods getting along with each other.


    But, well, the all-female lineup is simply magnificent.


    I want to join them. I want to be sandwiched between them.


    As I waited for the nabe to heat up����


    ��Souya, there''s another visitor��


    ��Alright~��


    There was another knock at the door.


    I opened it again and found a male elf standing there. He was wearing the same white robe that Rana used to wear. He was an elf, so he was as good-looking as one would expect elves to be, but somehow, he seemed to be just an alright-looking elf.


    To put it bluntly, he was quite the unremarkable elf.


    ��Hey there, Husband-dono��


    ��Could it be that you''re Ezusu-sama?��


    ��That��s right��


    It was my wife''s god.


    ��I noticed gods gathering around you, Husband-dono, so I thought I''d join in. I''ve brought you some gifts��


    He handed me the basket he was carrying on his back.


    There were many wild vegetables and mushrooms inside.


    ��Thank you so much for these. Pleasee in, the food will be ready soon��


    ��No, it''s no problem. Excuse me for intruding��


    I led Ezusu-sama to the kotatsu that was crowded with goddesses.


    ��Hey~, you elf~. Pour me a drinkk~��


    ��Hi there, elf. I believe you''re the protector of the forest''s bedchambers. What kind of lovemaking techniques do the elves use in the forest? I''m very curious��


    Is everything going to be alright, I wonder. Particrly with the Minerva sisters����


    Leaving that aside, I went to check on the nabe.


    Since Ezusu-sama had gone out of his way to give them as a gift, I added the mushrooms and wild vegetables into the nabe.


    ��Good sir, how about these?��


    ��Oh, tomatoes, huh? That''s a good idea, Lars. Let''s add some cheese as well��


    The golem that had been sleeping in its flowerpot handed me some magnificent-looking tomatoes. There were six of them, each one bigger than my fist.


    Did we have such tomatoes growing in our basement garden? Hmm? Wait, rather than that������


    ��Is something the matter?��


    ��You����you''re talking normally������


    Lars had talked normally. Upon closer inspection, it looked different than usual. There was a big sprout growing on top of its head. It looked almost like a samurai''s chonmage.


    ��Could it be that you��re Ukazor-sama?��


    He''s a god who contracted with some of my party members.


    Apparently, he was originally a Japanese samurai.


    ��Yeah, that''s right. I smelled a very nostalgic aroma, you see? Mind if I join in and have some?��


    ��You��re wee to, of course��


    ��Much obliged��


    Did I summon him with miso and soy sauce?


    Ukazor-sama, in the body of Lars, pottered over to the kotatsu.


    Ezusu-sama was being mobbed by the Minerva sisters.


    I''m not going to go too deep into it because it might turn into a religious war. I didn''t see anything.


    I added the tomatoes and cheese into the nabe and watched over it.


    ��Souya, you got a minute?��


    ��Yes, do you need more snacks?��


    Okaa-sama hade to the kitchen.


    ��I wanted to try something that Ea had mentioned before. It''s called udon, I believe. If it''s not too much trouble, can you make some?��


    ��Udon, huh��������


    It''s not like I can''t, but I''m busy watching over the nabe at the moment.


    ��I''ll teach you how to make it. Then you can make it yourself��


    ��Ooh. That sounds good��


    Misuranika-sama also came over and made a suggestion, which Okaa-sama epted readily.


    My god, when did you learn how to make udon? You always seemed to be sleeping, but have you actually been observing closely when we cooked?


    Misuranika-sama took out some flour, water, salt, and a rolling pin, then mixed them together swiftly on the countertop.


    My god is a god who gets things done when she puts her mind to it. She sleeps all the time when she doesn''t though. In other words, it should be safe to leave that to her.


    When the nabe came to a boil, I took it off the fire and added some miso. I adjusted its taste until it had the right level of saltiness, and then added a pinch more.


    The nabe waspleted.


    I grabbed the pot and brought it to the kotatsu. Iid out serving tes, spoons, and forks on top of the kotatsu and it was ready to be eaten.


    ��It''s hodgepodge nabe of the alternate world. Please feel free to eat it as you like��


    ��Ohhh, so this is the dish my children made using the thing called miso��


    Ezusu-sama cheered.


    ��Nabe with miso, huh? How I''ve missed this��


    Ukazor-sama spoke in a solemn voice. Since his body was a golem, I couldn''t really read his expression.


    Actually, can he even eat with that body?


    ��Another meager dishh~? Souya, why are most of the dishes you cook so humblee~?��


    ��Now now, Onee-sama. If you have a problem with it, you don''t have to eat it��


    Leaving the stered Gravius-sama to her own devices, Meltouvius-sama portioned out and served the nabe to the other gods.


    This god is the type who takes initiative at drinking parties. She''s the capable type.


    ��Husband-dono, Husband-dono,e sit next to me��


    ��Eh? What is it?��


    I was called over by Ezusu-sama, so I took a seat at the kotatsu.


    ��So, how are things? How''s Rauaryuna? She''s ate-bloomer andcking in self-confidence on top of it, so there weren''t any men in the forest who were interested in her. She may be an ugly woman to the elves, who are blind to her charms, but in the eyes of Hemu, she''s beautiful enough, am I right?��


    ��Even if you ask me that, I can only say that things are going well������


    Are you a close uncle or something?


    ��"Going well", huh? I''m d to hear that. You look like you might be ate-bloomer too, Husband-dono, so I thought you might not be ready yet. No matter what happens in the future, it would be a pity for a woman to have nothing to look forward to��


    This topic is kinda troubling for me.


    ��Elff~, I''m out of boozee~!��


    ��Hahahaha, you should take it easy or it will harm your reputation��


    Ezusu-sama filled Gravius-sama''s cup for her again.


    I''m really sorry for the actions of the god I''m contracted with, Ezusu-sama.


    ��Here, Souya-sama, you should have some too��


    Meltouvius-sama handed me a serving te with a portion of the nabe.


    In a different way, I feel bad.


    ��Alright, here you go, little dwarf god from the sticks��


    ��Mmm, thanks, servantdy��


    For a split second, I thought I felt a surge of killing intent. Meltouvius-sama also handed zor-sama a te. With that, everyone had been served.


    There were still some ingredients left in the nabe, but for now������


    ��Itadakimasu��


    Ukazor-sama and I put our palms together and got ready to dig into the nabe.


    ����������������


    My chopsticks stopped when I noticed the indebted sisters and the elven bedchamber protector staring at us.


    Ukazor-sama ignored them and ate with gusto.


    ��Husband-dono, to which god did you offer that prayer?��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Obviously, it''s to me rightt~?��


    Gravius-sama snuggled up against me.


    She''s being a nuisance. Also, she reeks of alcohol.


    ��Souya-sama, could it be that it was to me?��


    ��No, you��re wrong��


    Meltouvius-sama, don''t you have almost nothing to do with me?


    Unable to bear it any longer, Ukazor-sama stopped eating for the moment and spoke to the other gods.


    ��That was not a prayer. It''s an expression of gratitude. Gratitude for all the animals and nts that have given us their flesh and blood, for those who procured them, for those who raised them, for those who cooked them, and for those who served them to us. It''s a way of saying thanks for everything that went into bringing the food to our mouths. Even if we can feign to be gods, we can''t do everything that''s involved ourselves. That is why we must always live with humility and gratitude��


    ��Hmmm~��


    The gods of the alternate world eximed������


    ��What a strange way of thinking��


    ������and said that in unison.


    ��I knew it��������


    With a resigned sigh, Ukazor-sama went back to gulping down the nabe.


    While eating the nabe, Ezusu-sama turned to Ukazor-sama.


    ��Little god, that''s weird. If you''re going to give thanks, you should give it to the original god��


    ��But if I did that, I would fail to show appreciation for thebor of those beneath us, isn��t it?��


    ��People do not make progress by looking at the worms crawling on the ground. It��s only by looking upwards that civilizations advance and prosper��


    ��So, are you experiencing any of that prosperity you speak of today, long-eared one?��


    The conversation was turning toward a bit of a dicey subject.


    ��Prosperity and decline are as the waxing and waning of the moon. My race shall flourish once more��


    ��It''s because of their hubris that the elves are in decline. All those who live eventually die and all those who prosper eventually fall into decline, but those who cannot let go of their foolishness will never prosper again��


    ��Little god������are you calling my race foolish?��


    The atmosphere was getting worse.


    By the way, even though the mood was so tense, neither of them slowed the speed at which they ate. They were gobbling up the nabe.


    Are you guys even tasting it? I want to hear your impressions of it though.


    ��Comee~ Elves can be like that sometimes~ Right?��


    Meltouvius-sama intervened and tried to be a peacemaker.


    That��s a great help. She''s the type who''s indispensable at banquets.


    ��Don''t get too carried away, you indebted goddess��


    But Ezuzu-sama respondedpletely out of character.


    ��How many years and human sacrifices did it take to pay off the debt you left behind? Don''t think that you can act all familiar with me just because you''re acting subserviently, you former servant girl��


    Please calm down! Please return to being a congenial elf!


    But Meltouvius-sama won��t be bothered by such words������


    ��������������Hey, what did you just call me? Indebted goddess? Former servant girl?��


    ������It seems that she''s really bothered by them.


    ��In the first ce, "protector of the bedchamber" sounds nice, but aren''t you just watching over the mating of long-ears in heat, you voyeur god?��


    ��������������Hmm��


    ��Fufufu��


    This is the worst.


    ��Good grief��


    Said Ukazor-sama, acting like it had nothing to do with him.


    ��ZZZ, ZZ��


    Gravius-sama had fallen asleep with her upper body across myp. Because of that, I couldn''t escape.


    Amid the tense air, Meltouvius-sama and Ezusu-sama started eating the nabe like they werepeting with each other. With Ukazor-sama in the mix, the ingredients in the nabe were disappearing at light speed.


    My share also got snatched away by Meltouvius-sama.


    ����������������


    This is bad


    The moment the ingredients run out, the religious war is going to resume.


    ��Souya, the udon is done��


    ��Okaa-sama!��


    You''re the best!


    The udon to wrap up the meal came at the perfect time.


    ��Ohh, so this is the "udon" that Ea talked about��


    In a lucky turn of events, Ezusu-sama''s interest shifted to the udon. My sister''s habit of bragging had saved the day.


    ��Udon, huh? I''ve missed this too��


    Ukazor-sama''s interest was also piqued.


    ����������������


    Meltouvius-sama still looked peeved.


    She''s the type whose anger takes a while to subside once she has lost her temper, I see.


    ��I''m supposed to add it to the nabe, right?��


    Okaa-sama dropped the freshly boiled udon into the remaining stock in the pot.


    ��Misuranika, I''ve added it��


    ��Umu��


    Misuranika-sama brought over a steaming-hot pot. She then cracked six raw eggs into the stock that filled the pot, stirred them in, added soy sauce, and then taste-tasted it.


    ��Mm-hmm, that should do it��


    A coboration between the god of misdeeds and the god of martial arts. The udon to wrap up the meal waspleted.


    The expressions on the faces of the gods who were at each others'' throats softened.


    ��Ah, where am I? Where is this ce? What was I doing? Hey, Souya, you''re being awfully familiar with me. You should know better than cling so closely to gods like this��


    Gravius-sama woke up too.


    The delicious aroma was making me hungry.


    I didn''t get to eat any of the nabe, so at the very least�D�D�D�D�D�D


    Another visitor, or rather, god?


    ��Please start without me��


    Leaving the gods to eat the udon, I got out of the kotatsu.


    ��I��ming~ Who is it?��


    I opened the door.


    There was a young girl whom I didn''t recognize standing there. She had a tattered piece of cloth pulled over her head, so I couldn''t see her face. The skin on her exposed arms and legs was as pale as that of drowned corpses. When I tried to look directly at her, my vision blurred and the outline of her figure grew indistinct.


    Who is this?


    ��Excuse me, umm��������


    I have no clue whatsoever who she is.


    From her pale lips������


    My������


    Name was������


    When I came to������


    ������I found myself lying beside the kotatsu with my head resting on Misuranika-sama''sp.


    It seems that I had fallen asleep.


    ��Huh, what happened to the other gods?��


    ��They''ve gone home. Those guys������every single one of them fished around for souvenirs unreservedly before they went��


    The sprout on top of Lar''s head was gone and it was back in its usual spot in the corner of the room.


    From the kotatsu, I could faintly smell the scents the various gods had left behind.


    The tes and pots had been neatly put away.


    Did someone wash up and put them back in ce?


    ��Misuranika-sama, what time is it now?��


    ��It''ll be noon soon��


    ��Huh?��


    It''s not yet noon? I feel like I''ve spent quite a long time with the gods though.


    ��But well, you��re a man who''s surrounded by strange gods, aren''t you?��


    ��That��������


    ��Hmm?��


    ��No, it''s nothing.��


    I almost slipped up and said, ��That includes you.��


    ��Who''d have thought that the guy who was standing in the streets at night with the Horns girl,pletely at his wit��s end, would attract such a lively bunch of gods?��


    ��That''s true, but the first to pick me up was you��


    I reached out and touched Misuranika-sama''s cheek.


    She then lowered her head and brought her lips close to mine.


    No, this wasn''t what I had in mind, and I don''t particrly hate it either, but I never even thought of having such a rtionship with my god.


    ��Do you really think that I was the first?��


    The lips I was looking forward to slipped by and whispered that into my ear.


    ��What do you mean by that?��


    ��You''ll find out. In time, eventually��


    Her lips pulled back, but she made no move to separate herself from me. I turned, burying my face in her thighs and wrapping my hands around her narrow waist.


    I felt an irresistible urge to be spoiled by her.


    ��You may be too good of a follower for me��


    ��You''re kidding, right?��


    ��I��m kidding��


    She stroked my hair, and even though I had just woken up, I almost fell back into slumber right away.


    I want to have a dream from which I never awaken.


    When I closed my eyes, a dim memory came back to me in the darkness.


    The noisy howling of the wind. The empty perpetual darkness. A vast space, wriggling�D�D�D�D�D�D�D


    In wait for the day when I remember it all again.


    I don��t need to tell you about how big of a deal the end of this chapter is, do I? See how the sneaky author lulled you with the ridiculously long and, while fun,rgely inconsequential chapter only to drop a humongous nuclear bomb at the end? This is the biggest hint to one of the biggest mysteries that the author is going to give. Even if you can��t figure it out right away, you should at least have a suspicion now that something is very wrong with a certain very important part of the story. And that��s unfortunately all I can say without going into spoiler territory����


    And that��s it for this volume! Thanks for hanging out with me so far! Next time, it��s going to be a serious volume with muchughter and tears, so stay tuned!!!


    And in case anyone wants the ebooks for offline reading, this is just a gentle reminder that I do make them for my patrons. So if you''re interested, I would really appreciate it if you would consider supporting me. Every little bit means a lot to me. Thank you in advance!

 Chapter 154: Prologue

    <h4>Chapter 154: Prologue</h4>


    ��170th day��


    It''s a floor that''s entirely covered in ice.


    Unlike the other floors, this one is an intricate cavern, which feels almost natural, that the adventurers are forced to navigate in freezing temperatures.


    It��s getting warmer outside, but that has nothing to do with the climate inside the dungeon.


    The predominant monster inhabiting this floor is called Eira Muru Ortoga. In the ancientnguage of the beastkin, that means "white destroyer".


    It is, simply put, a pr bear.


    At three meters tall, it has a huge body and is extremely ferocious. It will chase down and bite to death anyone who enters its territory. Its arms, which are as thick as logs, can send adventurers flying with a single swing. Its fur is so thick that no ordinary weapon can even scratch it.


    Moreover, these guys always act in packs.


    Even if we wanted to blow them away with area-of-effect magic, the only magic of that type that our magician can use are all fire-based. On this floor of ice, the power of mes is significantly reduced. Even after exhausting her magic power, our magician only managed to take out three of them.


    Then what about physicalbat?


    Despite the poor footing on this floor of ice, our party''s fighting ability is nothing to sneeze at.


    Even so, we were unable to ovee the power of sheer numbers.


    Even when we tried to lead them away using bait, the female pr bears would not budge from the center of their territory, and these females have a good nose and would call for the males the moment we stepped into their territory, summoning droves of them with a single cry.


    The straightforward ways of clearing this floor are to either wait for the pr bears�� mating season, during which their territories shrink and gaps that adventurers can weave their way through will appear, or to wipe out the pr bears in one fell swoop with extreme firepower.


    Other than that, there are the secret tricks that various adventurers havee up with on their own.


    And right this moment, our party is using one of those secret tricks.


    Our party is walking in a tight formation, with Ea, who''s usually in charge of scouting and detecting enemies, moving together with us.


    In all our time exploring this dungeon, we��ve never gathered so closely together that we can feel each other''s breath as we move. Crowding together makes it difficult to take evasive action in the passageways after all. However, for now, this is the best option, or rather, the only option we have.


    Because we''re right now navigating this floor whilepletely surrounded by pr bears.


    ��Hey, Souya. I''m getting hungry. Let''s take a break��


    ��Come again?��


    I eximed in surprise at the suggestion the oldest person in our party had made.


    ��Oh, Onii-chan, I''m getting hungry too��


    ��Me too, me too��


    The youngest ones in our party echoed his suggestion.


    ��Dear, me too��


    Even my wife was urging me to make food.


    ��But������������you guys, there are all these around us, you know?��


    I pointed my sword at the pr bears that were baring their fangs at us.


    I took the opportunity to count them. Around us, there were roughly ten bears. In addition, there were about twenty more bears behind us.


    Adventurers are so popr here that there are queues for them.


    ��We should be fine. Just space the shields out a little bit more and there should be no problem��


    My face scrunched up at Otou-san''s suggestion.


    ��I would ideally like us to clear this floor in one go��������


    ��This cold wears out everyone in the party. Eating while we still can is what adventurers do��


    ��Even when surrounded by monsters?��


    ��That��s right��


    If he''s going so far as to say that, I''ll listen to him. Indeed, we''vee the entire way here from the 35th floor without a break and I''m sure everyone is tired.


    I''m too nervous to have an appetite though.


    ��Onii-chan, ramen! Quick, ramen!��


    ��Souya! Ramen, ramen!��


    Ea and Shuna made a big fuss.


    ��Okay, okay. I''ll make it right away��


    ��Yay!��


    ��Yeah!��


    Maybe they were tired, but there was something weird about how excited they were.


    ��Alright then, everyone, let��s take a break. Space the shields out carefully��


    With our cooing shields in hand, we moved further apart in a circle. We tried to make asrge of a space in the middle of the ice-covered pathway as we could, all the while looking at each other closely to make sure none of the gaps between us were too big.


    To prevent the shields from falling over, we propped them up with our swords and bows.


    I went around and checked all of them to make sure that there weren''t any problems.


    ��Coo, coo��


    ��Alright��


    It would be a problem if they died, so I decided to give them some food. I took out a chunk of hard bread from my pocket, crumbled it up, then fed it to them piece by piece.


    Tied to our shields were small monsters.


    They''re called Eira Muru Murfa.


    In the ancientnguage of the beastkin, that means "white servant".


    They''re about 40 cm tall and have limbs that are shortpared to their elongated bodies. They have cute round eyes and adorable faces. They''re probably part of the weasel family. No matter how you slice it, these guys are otters, and they treat the monsters'' wounds on this floor of ice.


    They seek out the rare medicinal herbs found on this floor, chew them up in their mouths, and apply them on wounds. Apparently, they have this habit where they just can''t ignore creatures that are injured "for some reason".


    Even the ferocious pr bears understand this instinctively and do not harm these otters.


    And so, the strategy that the king of adventurers came up with was to tie these otters to shields and line them up all around them. It''s a method that looks pretty inhumane at first nce.


    I feel like those Persian soldiers who fought with cats tied to their shields.[1]


    The otters appear to be doing fine, and while the pr bears are ring at us, they aren''t attacking us.


    No problems then.


    I took out a space nket from my backpack andid it on the icy ground. Everyone put their own nkets and winter clothing on top of it and sat down.


    I would have liked to rest as well, but I had to prepare food first.


    Taking some of the nearby ice, I put it in a pot, then ced the pot on my portable gas stove, which I lit.


    Then I took out some cup noodles. Their packaging was in, but these were the cup noodles made in the alternate world. They were a slightly improved version of the ones Makina had made previously, featuring shredded dried meat, dried potatoes, and dried leeks as ingredients.


    Ea and Shuna were looking at the cup noodles with great interest.


    ��Why are you guys so excited about these?��


    The ramen that they usually eat in the city definitely tastes better.


    ��Onii-chan, eating ramen in the face of danger like this is what makes it the best��


    ��Yeah, that''s right. Eating ramen in this damned cold is what brings out its true deliciousness��


    Is this what they mean when they say, food tastes different in different environments?


    I checked to make sure that everyone in the party except for me and Rana had their own cup noodles.


    Also������������������������Rana was cooking.


    In a different pot, she put some rice, which had been acquired recently from the fishmen, and water from her water bottle, which had frozen into a sorbet-like state, and put the pot over a portable gas stove, just as I did.


    She��s a pro "only" at cooking rice. But for the rest����it''s a little����how do I say this����rather than tasting bad, it''s dangerous.


    That said, I don''t want to dampen her motivation. So I came up with a few rules.


    First, she has to put her staff away when cooking.


    Second, she can only use the ingredients that I''ve prepared for her.


    Third, if she tries to make strange changes to the recipe, she''ll get punished.


    As long as she follows those three rules, amazingly, there''s a 50% chance that food will be made.


    Food that doesn''t try to eat us, that is.


    The above seems a tad strange, but I can��t help it as that��s what actually happened.


    This time,


    The dish that Rana is challenging is "Tomato Rice".


    It''s made by using a little less water than usual when cooking rice and adding a whole tomato in the center. After adding some salt, pepper, and olive oil, all that''s left is to cook the rice as per usual.


    Once the rice is cooked, just give it a stir and it''s done.


    There''s no opportunity for any foreign substances to get into it during this process. However, for some reason, there��s a 50/50 chance that something terrifying will be born. Because I''ve had to dispose of so many of them, I''ve be very adept at dealing with a certain kind of enemy.


    I''m probably the best in the city at dealing with them.


    Or maybe even the best in the alternate world.


    Why do I only get good at things that are utterly pointless, I wonder?


    As the water in my pot hade to a boil, I poured the hot water into my party members'' cup noodles through a filter.


    ��Souya, is the ramen already ready to eat?��


    ��Give it a few minutes and it''ll be ready��


    ��Hmm��


    Otou-san let out an exmation of wonder.


    I put down an hourss that measured three minutes and kept an eye on Rana''s pot. I lost myself admiring her beautiful and adorable profile.


    When we''re side-by-side like this, I get uneasy because I don''t look like a good match for her.


    My looks are average. In fact, I''d say I''m in the lower range of average. To be honest, I''ve never concerned myself with such things before.


    Thinking about it just makes me even more uneasy.


    ��Onii-chan, it''s been three minutes!��


    As I agonized over it, the three minutes passed quickly.


    ��Alright, go ahead��


    ��Itadakimasu!��


    My sister opened her cup noodles excitedly. Following her, Shuna, Otou-san, and Lys opened theirs.


    Rana and I would have our cup noodlester.


    As everyone in the party slurped their noodles, Rana and I watched the boiling pot nervously. So far, there had been no signs of it trying to attack us.


    Just to be safe, I put my hand on the handle of my katana and readied myself to draw it from a half-sitting position.


    If I hit its vitals, I can kill it with a single sh.


    Being able to ascertain if something is wrong in a split second is the key to defeating this kind of enemy.


    ��Hmm. I''ve been an adventurer for a long time, but I never thought I''d be able to eat something like this in the middle of a freezing dungeon��


    Behind me, Otou-san voiced his amazement as he slurped his cup noodles.


    ��Right? Medimu, you should thank Onii-chan for this��


    My sister beamed with as much pride as she did over her own aplishments.


    ��dvain-sama gives these cup noodles as a reward for defeating five or more of her kin. I did think for a second, ��Could it be that they were made by Souya?�� That''s what I thought, but I never imagined that it would be true��


    dvain-sama had taken a huge amount of cup noodles back as souvenirs.


    That''s how she''s using them, huh?


    ��You should be grateful, Shuna��


    ��I am, but������why are you so smug about it, Ea?��


    ��What belongs to Onii-chan is mine. And what belongs to me is Onii-chan''s��


    ��Yeah, yeah��


    Shuna slurped his cup noodles with a look that said he found her troublesome.


    Having grown up in a household filled with women, Shuna is a good kid who can shrug off the troublesome aspects of women.


    ����������������


    As for Lys, she ate her cup noodles as wordlessly as always����


    ��Hot! Fuu~, fuu~��


    She blew on it as she ate.


    So she''s bad with hot food too, huh? There''s kinda a lot of them, people who are bad with hot food.........


    Against the backdrop of my party members enjoying their meal, I watched over the pot as it settled down from the boil.


    I offered a prayer to all the gods I was contracted with.


    Please, let it be delicious~.


    It had been 20 minutes since Rana and I first huddled together and watched the pot. Behind us, my party members had finished their cup noodles and were now eating their portable food.


    ��Dear, it��s done��


    Rana said with a confident look on her face.


    This might be bad. It feels like she had more sess when she wasn''t confident.


    ��Get back��


    I pushed Rana back and faced the pot alone.


    I poked the lid lightly to see how it would react.


    Depending on what happens, I may need to y the pot.


    ����������������


    There was no reaction from the pot.


    ��It''s going to be okay. I feel confident��


    Said Rana with both fists clenched.


    ��I want to believe in that confidence, but��������


    ��Pleas������ You should trust me for a change��


    I trust herpletely, but her skill in cooking is the one thing I really can''t trust.


    Also, we''re being banned from using polite speech when talking to each other. It''s something Misuranika-sama and dvain-sama have both pointed out, but it seems that the two of us sound a bit distant when we converse.


    Apparently, it''s in fact my sister and me who sound more like a married couple.


    For that reason, polite speech is now banned.


    ��Now��������


    When I resolved myself and lifted the lid, I was greeted by arge cloud of steam rising from the pot.


    In that tense moment when the steam cleared up, an attacking shadow!


    ����������������


    ������didn��t appear.


    There was just normal cooked rice. With a steaming hot tomato in the center.


    No, there��s still a chance it��s lurking somewhere inside.


    I mixed the rice using a rice scoop.


    ��Onii-chan, is it done~?��


    ��Ea, I''m the one who cooked it, you know?��


    ��Onii-chan is the one who determines if it can be eaten or not, right?��


    ��That''s true, but��������


    I mixed it until the tomato was evenly mixed and had dyed the rice a nice red color. I took out my bowl and filled it������


    ��Itadakimasu��


    ������then sat down before trying a bite.


    I picked up some of the rice with my chopsticks.


    The rice is cooked wonderfully as usual. Each and every grain of rice has retained its shape well. The rice grown by the fishmen is chewy and sticky. It''s the kind of rice that Japanese people really love.


    When I put the rice into my mouth, I could taste the acidity of the tomato and a hint of saltiness. When I chewed it, the sweetness of the rice and the sourness came together in a perfect bnce.


    ��Does it�D�D�D�D How is it?��


    Rana peeked at me as I munched away.


    To be honest, I couldn''t stop eating. Aided by my hunger, I scarfed down the entire bowl without a word.


    ��Delicious��


    ��Yes!��


    Rana clenched her fists emphatically.


    If only her food was like this all the time, she would be a wonderful wife. No, she''s a wonderful wife even with all of that.


    ��In that case, Onii-chan, put my share in here��


    My sister held out the container of the cup noodles. There was still some broth left at the bottom.


    ��When you add rice to ramen broth, it tastes exquisite, doesn��t it?��


    We''re in the middle of an adventure, so a high-calorie diet is a must, but is it really alright to be giving such food to an elf? In a lot of ways, it ruins the fantasy atmosphere, doesn��t it?


    ��Ah, Ea, that''s not fair! So that''s why you didn''t finish your broth! Tell me earlier!��


    ��You always finish all of your broth, don''t you? Better save some next time. Kukuku��


    After the steaming hot tomato rice had been added to her cup noodle container, Ea made a show of eating it in front of Shuna. Shuna grumbled in frustration.


    Ea, the fact that this side of you resembles your father so much gives me mixed feelings.


    ��Souya, me too, me too��


    Shuna also held out his cup noodles container. There was no broth left in it, but it was too much trouble to prepare another serving of cup noodles, so I just filled it with the tomato rice.


    After filling Shuna''s container, I also filled the empty cup noodles container that Lys had handed to me wordlessly.


    Otou-san wasst.


    ��Hey, you got any vegetables? The ones that Lanseal served Lemuria for breakfast. The sour ones��


    ��Pickled vegetables? Yeah, I''ve got some��


    I pulled out a jar of pickled vegetables.


    It was filled with a variety of colorful vegetables from the alternate world. That said, the vegetables weren''t all that different from those in the modern world.


    With a small pair of tongs, I threw them sloppily into Otou-san''s cup noodle container.


    ��More onions��


    ��Got it��


    As per his request, I added more onions.


    Perhaps it��s the wisdom of age, but Otou-san seems to instinctively know what his body needs.


    ��Does anyone else want vegetables?��


    ��Dear, I want some too. Just give me whatever is suitable��


    ��Alright��


    I put some random pickled vegetables into Rana''s bowl.


    ��Anyone else?��


    There was no response from Lys, Shuna, or Ea.


    You vegetable-hating kids. One day, I''ll make you all say "Yum yum" when eating vegetables.


    I poured hot water into two cup noodles for me and Lana, then enjoyed the tomato rice while waiting for the three minutes to pass. As I chewed on the crunchy pickled vegetables, which were just like the ones I ate back in Japan, I devoured the tomato rice.


    It''s simple.


    But delicious.


    This kind of meal is basically good enough for me. My tastes are as ordinary as it gets.


    ��Onii-chan, seconds��


    ��Ea, get it yourself��


    ��Ehh~��


    Scolded by her elder sister, Ea huffily took a second helping of rice herself. She filled her container until the rice was almost overflowing, then sprinkled some of the curry powder she made herself on top of the rice and started to devour it in a refined manner with the spork.


    ��Me too. I want seconds too��


    Shuna also helped himself to another serving. He didn''t fill his container with as much rice as Ea did, but it was still a hearty helping.


    ��Ea, I want some seasonings too. Give me something not too spicy��


    ��You''re such a child. Here, dried garlic and herbs mixed with salt��


    ��I was thinking of having some curry powder though��


    ��������It��s spicy, you know?��


    Said Ea with a grin.


    What she considers spicy is closer to intense pain. Maria once ate it by mistake and screamed, "Myaaah!"


    ��I''ll settle for the salt��


    Shuna was given a small bottle of salt, which he sprinkled over his rice, and when he took a bite�D�D�D�D


    ��What?! Delicious! What''s with this salt?! It''s so delicious!��


    It seems that he likes the Krazy Salt.


    Otou-san and Lys seemed to have had enough and were taking a break after their meal. Rana and I ate our cup noodles to replenish our calories.


    The tomato rice that had been made with four cups worth of rice had been eaten up to thest grain.


    After the meal, I made some bean tea, which I enjoyed a cup of.


    ��But��


    The pr bears were still all around us, but������


    ��Humans really can rx anywhere if they put their minds to it, huh?��


    ������somehow, we were able to get some rest.


    Otou-san lit a pipe and blew the smoke towards the pr bears. Not liking the smoke, the pr bears backed away a little.


    ��We''re safe for time being. For someone who wasining about it earlier, you seem to be taking it rather easy��


    ��It sure is scary what people can get used to��


    Even though there were ferocious beasts just five meters away, we were totally rxed.


    Eating while we still can and resting well whenever we can is what adventurers do.


    Have I be more "adventurer-like", I wonder? I''m still uneasy. It''d be good if I could channel this unease in a positive direction though.


    In the end, I think ites down to finding a bnce between being tense and being rxed.


    After resting for fifteen minutes, our break was over.


    Because of the extreme cold, it was impossible to sleep as we normally did inside the dungeon. In exchange, it did make detecting enemies and fighting much easier.


    ��Shall we?��


    We picked up everyst piece of trash, leaving nothing behind.


    Keeping the dungeon as clean as possible is considered basic adventuring etiquette. If we neglected such things, the other adventurers would get really mad at us. It would make my already bad reputation even worse.


    There''s no guarantee that even the smallest piece of trash won''t have an effect on the monsters, and Otou-san is particrly fussy when ites to such things, so I abide by the rules.


    I felt it odd since burning up entire floors with magic and ughteringrge numbers of monsters is what adventurers usually do, but he said that''s apletely different matter altogether.


    But the cup noodle containers are made from parchment and dungeon pig skin. I believe it should be fine even if we left them here.


    Well, I''ll just have to suck it up and carry them back.


    We resumed our exploration.


    We trudged on while surrounded by pr bears.


    When we set off, the otters on the shields started cooing.


    The icy cavern looked the same whichever way I turned, but I had activated the locator function of my sses-type device, so I could just follow the line of light shown to me through augmented reality to get to our destination.


    Just in case, a mini-map was also disyed in the bottom corner of my vision.


    We were currently three-quarters of the way across this floor.


    The average width of one floor is about 20 kilometers, and though it differs from floor to floor, the shortest route from stairway to stairway is usually between five and ten kilometers long.


    The maps that the king had given me are really urate.


    Not only have the distances been marked out, they also include detailed annotations about the terrain. They��re so urate that it''s hard to believe that these maps were made more than 30 years ago.


    The dungeon is very easy to clear if one knows the right strategy.


    I think that these maps and this secret trick are the best examples of this. That ba�D�D�D�D�DAhem, that king of adventurers. How on earth did he find out about the habits of the pr bears and the otters? Was he more diligent and methodical with his adventures than I had thought? It''s hard to say for sure. Especially when I know how he normally acts.


    Might there be something under the surface that could get me in trouble if I probe too deeply?


    ������I should be more careful about it. I had better warn those A.I.s who are always trying to find out people''s secrets too.


    ��Team member Souya��


    ��What is it?��


    As if she had read my thoughts, the mini-pod hanging from my hip called out to me.


    ��There seems to be a way through that wall there. Yukikaze believes that going through it would cut the route short by a considerable amount��


    ��The wall?��


    Yukikaze marked out a section of the wall. Looking closely, I saw a narrow opening in it. If we could get to the other side, we would be right in front of the stairs to the next floor.


    There was nothing about this on the map, but������


    ��Yukikaze, good job noticing it��


    ��The load on Yukikaze''s resources was low, so Yukikaze was monitoring the air flow��


    ��I see��


    That reminds me, the A.I.s mentioned that they had developed an app to help counter invisible monsters, seeing as I had encountered one previously.


    They''ve also been upgrading themselves to better meet the challenges of the alternate world without my knowledge.


    ��Shuna, give me a hand here. Everyone else, keep an eye on the surroundings��


    ��Yeah?��


    ��Try to open this up a bit��


    ��Alright��


    With Shuna by my side, we started to drive our sheathed swords into the wall of ice to try and widen the opening.


    The rest of the party stayed on high alert just in case.


    ��Hey, Souya, I know this is a weird thing to ask, but��������


    ��Hmm?��


    As we worked, Shuna talked to me.


    ��Where did you get all this information about the dungeon?��


    That''s a tough question to answer.


    The strategy guides for the dungeon that I had received as a reward are definitely worth everything I had to go through to get them. If things had gone badly, I would have lost my life, but then again, that goes for going through trial and error in the dungeon as well.


    However, I can''t divulge anything about the incident with Barfuru.


    No matter the circumstances, he''s currently revered as the hero who vanquished the vampires, so it''d be bad for people to find out that he was actually just an ancient man driven by obsession and delusion. This secret is something that only the baldy and I need to bear.


    The shady side of adventuring should be borne only by those who are shady.


    ��Just like how you do training in secret, I do a lot of things behind your backs. It''s not a very enjoyable topic. You''ll be so bored that you''ll fall asleep��


    ��If that''s what you say, then it''s fine��


    Hearing that kind of reply makes me think that Shuna has be an adult.


    Recently, he has let his hair grow out, making him look more and more feminine, but he has also grown taller and his physique is bing more well-developed. His strength has be more impressive and has a substance to it.


    The reputation that he had gained together with Irvin, the nickname "Dragonshell sher", is not for nothing.


    I want this guy to walk the right path. That''s what will lead to him being called a true hero.


    But one day������


    When we''re both old enough to openly drink in the afternoon, we''ll crack jokes about Irvin, about the heroes of this world, and about all the things I''ve done behind the scenes during our adventures.


    It''s really a long, long way off, but I''ll tell you everything one day.


    It can only happen in the distant future, but I don''t think it''s wrong of me to have a dream like that.


    And then������


    The wall of ice that we had been chipping away at broke apart, opening up a way through it. The opening was now just wide enough for us to go through one by one.


    Immediately ahead were the stairs leading downward.


    ��Come, let''s go��


    For now, let''s go as far as we can.


    We can look back on things all we wantter.


    [1] ording to Polyaeunus, the Macedonian author of Stratagems of War, the Persian king, Cambyses II, persuaded his troops to tie animals that were sacred to the Egyptians, like cats, when they invaded. It��s said that the Egyptians did not fire their arrows at the Persians for fear of hurting those animals, which allowed the invading Persians to defeat them easily.


    By the way, when speaking of ��tomato rice��, I think that the pic on the left depicts the dish that pops into most people��s minds, but that��s not what the Japanese call ��tomato rice��. It is, in fact, the one on the right. Yes, it��s really as simple as Souya described it. (pics courtesy of foodrepublic and lettuceclub)


    We haven��t had a proper prologue in a while, isn��t it? Yeah, this is going to be a pretty hefty volume.


    AR is pretty well-known by now, thanks inrge part to Pokemon Go, and this chapter was released about half a year after that was released, so I��m guessing that yed a part in the author adding it to the story. But well, just keep the fact that Souya��s sses have AR functionality in the back of your mind����


    That ending part����it��s really nice how Souya really looks out for Shuna, isn��t it? And it��s rare for Souya to think of the future, isn��t it? In his small little way, he��s trying to be Shuna��s father figure, and probably without realizing it, don��t you agree? I really love how the prologue ended in such a sentimental mood, because������ Well, it��s only just begun, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 155: Magic Mirror I

    <h4>Chapter 155: Magic Mirror I</h4>


    We''ve made it to the 39th floor without any problems.


    But this is where we''ll encounter a problem.


    There are portals every five floors. And on the floor before that, there''s always a guardian. Well, the word "guardian" may not be the most urate term, I suppose. Or is that simply how Babel interprets it?


    In front of our party stretched a straight path. We were in a corridor of ice that seemed to go on forever.


    In the distance, we could see what looked like stairs leading downward.


    The long line of pr bears had left as soon as we stepped foot on this floor. After confirming that we were now safe, we released the otters.


    Ea had wanted to keep one, but keeping monsters from the dungeon could have a negative impact on the city, so I told her no. Apparently, it''s okay for them to live outside as long as they''ve gone through a screening process. Frankly, I won''t know anything about how to get that done unless I ask the Guild. Though I''m pretty sure it''ll be a hassle.


    It''s cute, so I know how she feels. But we already have two pets at home, Lars and Misuranika-sama, so she''ll just have to be content with that.


    ��Now��


    The guardian of this floor is known as the "Magic Mirror".


    ording to the king''s information, transparent walls will appear along this corridor and they��re absolutely impassable if we proceed in a tight formation. However, if a person advances alone with some distance between them and the rest of the party, the walls will trap that person inside them instead.


    Then, the guardian will appear, and by defeating it, the party will be able to advance.


    And there will be exactly as many guardians as there are people in the party.


    Thankfully, the king''s information also included a secret trick.


    ��I''ll go first��


    In a rare turn of events, I stood at the head of the party.


    ��Eh? You��re serious?��


    ��I''m serious. You''re after me, Shuna��


    ��Then why not just let me go first?��


    ��It''s hard to exin what we''re up against, so I''ll fight first and the rest of you can see for yourself. And Shuna, if you feel that I''m in serious trouble, I''ll leave it up to you to�D�D�D�D�D��


    I whispered to Shuna an exnation of the secret trick.


    I thought about sharing it with the rest of the party, but that would take away some of the tension of the fight. Without a sense of danger, the experience gained from fighting is minimal.


    Valuable experience is the greatest nourishment for an adventurer. For us to be able to continue adventuring even beyond this point, this is something everyone needs to experience. For all we know, it coulde in handy down the line.


    ��Well, I got it��


    Shuna nodded in understanding with a weird look on his face.


    ��I��m counting on you��


    ��Leave it to me��


    I jogged ahead of the party and became trapped in the corridor. A wall as transparent as ss had appeared, separating me from the party.


    I felt like I could hear Rana and Ea''s voices.


    Otou-san looked like he was going to try cutting through the wall, but was stopped by Shuna.


    It''s okay, I signaled to the party.


    The next thing I noticed was that my shadow had be strangely dark. Like it had a will of its own, it moved until it was directly in front of me, and then formed itself into the shape of a human being.


    What it formed into was an ordinary-looking man with wavy hair that was a little dog-like.


    His features were hard to grasp as they were so unremarkable that even if someone drew a portrait of him and pasted it on a wall, no one would even look at it as they passed by. The sses and poncho that he wore did make up for theck of distinctiveness to some extent.


    He had an AK slung over his shoulder. And in all likelihood, a Government hidden somewhere on his person.


    It''s me.


    It''s me from the past, back when I had juste to this world.


    The me of today wears a top hat, an antiquated adventurer''s outfit, and a cloak that has absorbed dragon blood. My weapons are a magic sword, a demonic katana, and a masterwork sword with no name.


    The only thing that''s the same is the sses-shaped devices we wear and everything else is different.


    In other words, this "guardian", this "magic mirror", is all about oveing one''s past.


    I met eyes with the "shadow".


    ��Agathion!��


    The sound of gunshots rang out suddenly. I was able to react as I was watching his fingers.


    I had the magic sword spin in mid-air to deflect the AK bullets fired by the shadow.


    The sheath that protects the magic sword is designed to be able to withstand anything under 50 caliber. To think that Makina making the sheath bullet-resistant just in case would prove helpful in such a way, I guess I have no choice but to praise her.


    I counted exactly thirty shots as I waited for the gunfire to stop, then got ready to attack. Certain of a small hunch I had, I peeked out from behind my magic sword for only a split second.


    The sound of the 31st shot that I had induced rang out.


    As I thought, the shadow had chambered an extra round. I had thought about doing it in the past, but I never thought I''d see it here. This may be the me of the past, but it''s possible that it''s the optimized version of that me.


    The AK''s magazine hit the ground.


    The speed at which the shadow was changing magazines was quick.


    Even so, the fact that we were a mere six meters apart was far too close.


    In a burst of speed, I instantly closed that distance and cut the shadow''s left hand off with a single swing of my demonic katana. The return swing of the katana ended after cutting through the Government.


    It had been avoided.


    By sacrificing his pistol, the shadow had gotten within striking distance. In his right hand was a karambit simr to the one I had in my left.


    The w-like des shed. After they were locked together for a brief moment, my de cut into the shadow''s neck.


    Unfortunately for you, this de is different.


    No matter how optimized you are, there''s no way you can stop me using the modern world''s standard of physical strength.


    The de dug deep into the shadow''s flesh and severed his carotid artery.


    I had a vision that it was really me who had suffered a mortal wound.


    But a vision is just a vision. I am me, and the one in front of me is an enemy.


    I slipped my index finger out of the karambit��s ring and raised my demonic katana with both hands.


    Even after sustaining a mortal wound, the shadow didn''t lose his will to fight.


    Suppressing the blood spurting from his neck with the one hand he had left, he wobbled closer like a ghost.


    Yeah, that''s right.


    This is the kind of person I am.


    I decapitated the shadow. And then, for good measure, I stabbed him through the heart and impaled him into the wall on the opposite side of the party.


    ��That should do it��


    I''m kinda amazed I managed to stay alive till now. I really was lucky.


    Pulling my katana out of the shadow, I wiped off the blood and slipped it back into its scabbard.


    Just as it clicked into ce, the shadow disappeared.


    ��Dear, are you alright?!��


    Rana had slipped back into polite speech.


    ��I''m fine��


    It appeared that the transparent walls would disappear when the shadow did.


    Our party had gotten one step closer to the stairs.


    ��Umm, everyone, as you''ve just seen, that��s the kind of enemy this floor''s guardian is. Who wants to go next?��


    ��I''ll go, allow me��


    Rana rephrased her words, making it sound a little weird.


    ��Rana-sana, it''s my turn��


    Ignoring Shuna, Rana walked on ahead.


    ��No, forget I said anything��


    They''re in the same martial arts school, and Rana is by rights Shuna''s junior, but for some reason, Shuna is the one being deferential.


    Rana got trapped inside the transparent walls, just like me.


    What appeared before her was, as expected, the Rana of old.


    Her shadow had on a white robe. Leaning on her staff, she was slightly hunched over. Her fear andck of confidence showed on her face. She had the anxious look of someone who had suffered through a great deal.


    Rana showed great displeasure at the sight of her shadow.


    Although she had her back to me, I could tell what was on her face.


    In a sudden about-face, a look of madness appeared on the shadow''s face as she began to chant her magic.


    I couldn''t hear anything. The walls blocked off all sound. But I felt the impact that made the walls tremble.


    It took but a single blow.


    Rana burst into a run, her footsteps crushing the ice beneath them, and mmed her bare fist into the shadow''s abdomen, sending it smashing into the far wall, just like I had done.


    Blood spurted from the shadow''s mouth and then it disappeared. Rana had ended everything with one blow.


    The walls let us through, and our party was yet again one step closer to the stairs.


    ��������������How unpleasant!��


    Rana roared.


    I see, you hate the person you used to be, huh? I do find her lovable though.


    ��Alright, next person��


    I was thinking of letting Shuna go next������


    ��This looks interesting. I''ll go next��


    ������but Otou-san stepped forward. Shuna had a look on his face that said, "Ehhhhhh."


    Otou-san got himself trapped inside the walls before anyone could stop him.


    My party members are bad at waiting for their turn, it seems.


    The shadow of Otou-san that appeared was surprisingly young, maybe about Shuna''s age. He was wearing leather armor that was not as well-used as the one Otou-san had on now, a in round shield, and a scimitar that I had never seen before.


    It''spletely different from the longsword he used to carry. The scimitar seems to have some kind of blessing on it as well. Even such things can be recreated, huh?


    The shadow''s ck hair was cropped short and he had no beard.


    Also, the shadow didn��t have an eye patch over his left eye.


    ��Eh?��


    Shuna and I shouted out at the same time.


    The shadow raised his scimitar to attack.


    There was a split-second sh of faint silver light.


    As Otou-san turned back towards us, the upper body of the shadow slid off diagonally before disappearing. The sh had been so quiet that not a single drop of blood had even fallen. Moreover, we weren''t even able to catch any of the preliminary movements for drawing the katana.


    It was so terrifying that it made me shiver.


    There''s no way to avoid a technique like this. It can probably kill the opponent without even letting them feel any pain.


    ��It''s so-so, I suppose��


    I don''t know what''s so "so-so" about it, but Shuna has been petrified in shock. With him like this, it''s impossible for him to go next.


    Our party advanced.


    ����������������


    Wordlessly, Lys stepped forward next.


    Out came a woman in a maid''s outfit that I didn''t recognize at all. I looked at Shuna, but he shook his head and said, "I have no idea."


    Could it be that this is the real Lys? For a woman who ims to be St. Lyridias, she looks in and unremarkable, like someone you could find just about anywhere. Just like������me.


    Lys killed the unresisting maid with a single stab of her sword. And that was that. It couldn''t even be called a fight.


    A strange mood hung over the party as we advanced in silence.


    Two more before we reached the stairs.


    ��Who��s going next?��


    ��Alright, I��ll go��


    Finally, Shuna got his turn.


    I watched the back of the boy swordsman as he boldly stepped forward.


    The shadow that appeared before him was the Shuna from when we first met. His hair wasn''t as long, and there was no red pattern on the longsword he pulled out.


    A sword fight began.


    Sword shed against sword as if it were a form of art.


    What started out as small swings gradually becamerger and more powerful, and eventually, the wind whipped up by the swords became as fierce as a tempest. Sparks flew as the des shed together multiple times every moment.


    Perhaps it was because I was so entranced by it, but it felt like the dance of swords went on for an unusually long time.


    The end, however, came rather abruptly.


    When the shadow fell to his knees after running out of stamina, Shuna finished him off with a thrust of his sword.


    ��How''d you like that?��


    I burst into apuse. Influenced by me, Rana also pped her hands.


    ��Yes! I''m getting stronger!��


    No no no, I think you''ve always been strong from the beginning. Maybe Shuna never had a chance to realize his own growth because the people around him were all too insanely strong? Regardless, it''s good to be more confident. Just don''t let it be arrogance.


    Lastly������


    ��Alright, it��s your turn, Ea��


    ��Umm, Onii-chan������do I really have to do this alone?��


    That was unexpected.


    My usually confident sister was hesitant and had a bitter smile on her face.


    ��If possible, this should be done without help. Are you not feeling well? Then let''se back another day��


    ��No! There''s������nothing wrong with me physically��


    I had been thinking that it might be that time of the month for her, but it appeared that I was off the mark.


    ��This is all about fighting our old selves, isn''t it?��


    ��That''s right. I was surprised by how extremely young it was in Otou-san''s case, but the magic mirror probably creates a "shadow" that reflects the person "in their prime" from any time other than the present��


    Even things that don''t exist in the present, like my AK or Otou-san''s scimitar, can be recreated.


    In other words, the magic mirror shows what''s inside the adventurer''s memory.


    Hence, the magic mirror is a guardian that won''t allow anyone who hasn''t had any growth to advance.


    ��Sorry, I might lose this one��


    ��There you go again with the jokes��


    She has apound bow made using modern technology. On top of that, she has L''s cloak, which can turn her invisible.


    I don''t know what Ea was like in the past, but I don''t think there��s any way that the Ea of today would lose.


    She''s been doing a good job both in detecting enemies and supporting us inbat. Even discounting the bias I have for my family, I can say that she''s an outstanding adventurer.


    I watched over my sister''s back, which looked awfully small as she advanced, then saw the shadow that confronted her.


    I used the secret trick in the strategy guide to help my sister.


    As a result, we won and were able to clear the floor. We reached the 40th floor without sacrificing anyone.


    Souya��s fight was pretty interesting, wasn��t it? But I thought I��ll mention something that the author hasn��t done too much of but really went full tilt this time: The author wrote this fight scene in a way that requires a lot of reading between the lines(which, if you forgot, is one of the themes of this story). For example, the part ��After they(their karambit des) were locked together for a brief moment, my de cut into the shadow''s neck�� that was followed up by Souya saying his de is different, the implication is that his Damascus steel de cut through the shadow��s cheap karambit. And the slipping his index finger out of the karambit��s ring part is also an implication that he let go of it, which is why him holding his katana with both hands is emphasized immediately after. Well, it��s a slightly different way of going about fight scenes, which I liked, but I can understand if you were confused by it at first since it��s slightly different from what the author usually does.


    Are you curious? The old Ea is stronger than she is now? Why? How? And what did you think of Lys�� shadow? There��s a lot more toe, so stay tuned!!!

 Chapter 156: Magic Mirror II

    <h4>Chapter 156: Magic Mirror II</h4>


    ��Souya, congrattions on reaching the 40th floor. As such, I have a proposition for you that�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Sorry, Evetta-san! Have you seen my sister?!��


    ��Oh, your sister? She left just a while ago��


    ��I''ll get back to you about that proposalter! Sorry, I can''t right now!��


    I parted ways with my person-in-charge and chased after Ea, who had run away.


    When I stepped out of the Adventurers'' Guild, I found the city crowded with people. It was dusk, almost dinner time, and the time when the day''s work was done and the night was beginning.


    Adventurers, merchants, craftsmen, artisans, prostitutes, royalty, priests, followers, warriors, soldiers, people from all walks of life and backgrounds were either heading to the taverns or bars, or back to their homes or lodgings to enjoy their daily bread.


    The only ones busy at this time were the cooks, waiters, and housewives.


    ��Yukikaze, do you know where Ea is?��


    ��Yukikaze has located her. She''s at home, on top of the city walls��


    I squeezed through the throngs of people on the main street and took to the back alleys.


    Passing through the intricate back alleys, I took the shortest route possible home.


    Along the way, I passed by Tyutyu''s store. It was a hole-in-the-wall store, so there was no line. The seats inside the store were half upied. But recently, the number of regrs had been increasing. Since the customer base was basically all repeat customers, there mighte a time when there wouldn��t be enough seats for everyone.


    ��Hey, Souya��


    ��Hey, foreigner��


    The king of adventurers and the king of elves were seated at their regr table outside the store "today as well". In all likelihood, Otou-san would be joining them soon.


    Surprisingly, neither of them had been recognized by the people who lived here or the other adventurers.


    They did at least have guards watching over them from the shadows. I could feel their gazes from time to time.


    ��Sorry, I''m in a hurry��


    Though they hadn''t started drinking yet, I didn''t feel like dealing with them.


    When I tried to quickly leave������


    ��It''s Ea, isn''t it? She passed by earlier without so much as a hello. Listen, just take a seat��


    Since Ea''s father insisted, I reluctantly took a seat.


    ��Heyyy! Lutz-kun! Bring "that" out, "that"��


    The king of adventurers called for someone.


    A person came out of the store. It was a young woman with small armored beings as herpanions. It was Rutsuko-san, a fellow foreigner, albeit from a different Japan.


    ��Alright, Oji-sama(middle-aged guy). They just happened to be done��


    In a waitress outfit, Rutsuko-san hade out holding a serving tray. She set a te with six small pieces of oven-baked bread on the table.


    ��Oh, Souya-san. How did it go in the dungeon?��


    ��I managed to reach the 40th floor without incident��


    ��That''s amazing! You''ll be an advanced adventurer in five more floors, isn''t that right?!��


    Rutsuko-san was pleased for me.


    The one who got strangelypetitive about it was the king of adventurers.


    ��In my day, there was nothing like the Guild you have today. The adventures were much tougher��


    Yeah, yeah.


    ��Foreigner, this is a dish I invented. Try it��


    The king of elves pushed the te in front of me.


    ��Haa, like I said, I''m in a hurry��


    But I ate one anyway.


    It was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, with a hint of saltiness that permeated my mouth.


    ��What do you think? It''s good, isn''t it? It''s even more delicious if you put finely-sliced bacon that has been marinated in olive oil for a while on top��


    ��This is��������


    Is this Focia[1]? It tastes like a in pizza, but I don''t mind the simplicity.


    ��This is the tbread that Melm-san came up with. As I recall, his daughter told�D�D�D�D�D��


    Melm silenced Rutsuko-san by clearing his throat. She smiled amiably and went back into the store.


    Wait, Melm, you ripped something off again, didn��t you?


    ��I''m going to start selling it under the name "elven bread". No problems there, right?��


    ��Well������Hmm��


    There''s nothing but problems. Don''te to me when the Italians find out.


    King Lemuria spoke up as he ate his focia, or rather, elven bread.


    ��Then maybe I should market the Shoku-pan as Lemuria bread��


    ��Hang on, Lemuria. Rutsuko is from the forest of the beastkin tribes. Furthermore, she''s a foreigner. Isn''t calling the bread she makes "Lemuria bread" strange?��


    Melm argued, bring the conversation even further off-topic.


    ��I''m in a hurry, so I''m leaving��


    I couldn''t be bothered to waste any more time with these guys, so I got up from my seat.


    ��Like I said, wait. I''ll tell you about Ea. I''d bet you didn''t ask her anything about it, right?��


    Melm stopped me again.


    What could I possibly need to hear about her after all this time������Oh, wait. There��s something.


    The magic mirror''s reflection of her.


    ��Souya, what did you see?��


    When King Lemuria asked me that, I looked at Melm and the king in turn.


    ��I don''t care if you tell Melm. He''s not the kind of man who''s so light of mouth that he''d divulge any secrets��


    ��Speaking of which, your head has be quite light of hair, hasn''t it?��


    Melm''s out-of-ce joke brought a chill over the table.


    King Lemuria ignored Melm and turned to me.


    ��So, Souya, what did you see?��


    ��Ea��s shadow�D�D�D�D�D��


    We''d get nowhere if I also ruined the mood.


    ��Her shadow had a firearm simr to one I had previously seen in a store. Perhaps it was the sight of that firearm, but Ea faltered, and I had to step in to help��


    There''s a secret trick to the magic mirror.


    In the lower-left corner of the transparent wall, there''s a gap. It''s a design w that allows one to join their party member in battle by simply going through it.


    Defeating the enemy that had taken Ea''s form had left a bad taste in my mouth.


    What was even worse was the sight of Ea sobbing and trembling after the battle. Since we were in the middle of an adventure, I couldn''t prioritize my personal feelings and risk the lives of the other party members, so I decided to wait until we were out of the dungeon.


    But as soon as we had exited the dungeon, Ea ran away as fast as she could.


    And when chasing after her, I got caught by the kings, and that''s the story up to now.


    ��Foreigner, what have you heard from Ea?��


    ��What have I heard����about what?��


    Melm''s questions are always like this. He always leaves out one or two important details.


    And to top it off, he always answers my questions like it''s too much of a hassle for him.


    ��I��m talking about the war��


    The war between Lemuria and Heures Forest that was started to hide the killing of the knights.


    I''ve heard something about that incident from Ea.


    ��If I recall correctly, she said something to the effect of, "I lost consciousness and by the time I realized it, the forest had been burnt down and I had been shot in the abdomen. Onee-chan kept her dealings with people from me, so I don��t know the details about that either"��


    ��I see. She told you nothing at all, huh?��


    Even though it was his own daughter, Melm made an exasperated face.


    ��First of all, Ea has a bit of a gift. You may have noticed it yourself, but it''s quite rare among elves. She has an unusually high ability to absorb things from diverse cultures��


    ��Ah��


    Indeed, I had chalked it up to a love for cooking at first, but the speed at which she learns things aside from cooking is also abnormal. Be it the tablet devices or the other modern devices, she had learned how to use most of them "on the fly".


    I had assumed that all elves must be good at assimting different cultures, but the rate at which Ea has absorbed knowledge of my culture has been extraordinary even whenpared to Rana and Maria.


    Therefore, it''s easy for me to ept that Ea is special.


    She''s even better than me at cooking curry and ramen.


    Since she has this talent, it''s not strange for me to lose to her in cooking ability.


    For some reason, I felt a great sense of relief in terms of my identity.


    ��Not too long ago, my forest had a rtionship with the dwarves. This sword here was alsp forged for me by a dwarf when I was young��


    Melm tapped the sword at his hip.


    It''s a sword of ritualistic design that has been lightened as much as possible. Its name, I believe, is Cold Light.


    ��Because of our rtionship, I was asked to test the firearms that the dwarves had invented. I knew that there was no one more suitable for the job than Ea. She was also very enthusiastic about it and learned how to use the firearms in a rtively short time.


    It was kept a secret, but she became the first and best firearm user in the world.


    The dwarves brought back the data they had collected and set about developing a new type of gunpowder. And then, the new gunpowder caused a major tunnel copse, burying their entire city. The remaining firearms and gunpowder were all sealed away by Lemuria, but some of the firearms found their way to the merchantpanies. Well, without gunpowder, they''re just sticks. That wasn''t the problem. The problem was�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��No way��


    I had figured it out.


    ��That''s right. Ea had even learned how to make both the firearms and the gunpowder. The firearms carried by the knights who attacked the forest����I deceived you and glossed over itst time, but they were most likely made by Ea��


    ��But you don''t have any proof, do you?��


    If he had any solid evidence, Melm wouldn''t have said "most likely".


    ��That��s right, I don''t. It''s just guesswork and conjecture on my part. You can dismiss it as pure delusion. And I''ve also made sure that no evidence remains. Imagine if it gets out that the firearms used by the people who attacked the forest were made by a princess of the forest. That would surely spell the end of my n��


    Yeah, they''ll suspect that Ea had instigated the attack by the knights.


    I''d never have thought that both sisters would each bear a share of the me for the damages suffered by the forest.


    ��Very conveniently, those who were killed by the firearms were burned to ashes by Rauaryuna. As for Ea''s involvement with the firearms, only the king and a few others in Lemuria knew about it. Furthermore, Ea herself had been shot and was dying. It was all going to blow over without a hitch��


    ��So long as Ea dies, right?��


    ��That��s right��


    ��You������


    How can you say that with a straight face?


    ��Souya, stop it. That''s just the way he talks. I won''t ask you to understand. Just let it go��


    King Lemuria stopped me. For now, I had no choice but to do as he said.


    Looking at me, King Lemuria muttered softly.


    ��So the magic mirror created a shadow of the firearm-wielding Ea, huh? Is this what they call karma? For Ea to have to face the her that''s not only stronger than she is now, but also the her that she wants to deny the most. ������This reminds me of Verxina��


    For some reason, he brought up the mother of his daughter.


    I''m curious, but now is not the time.


    ��So, Melm, what else is there?��


    ��That''s pretty much all of it��


    So he says. But I''ve gotten more than enough information about Ea.


    ��Well, now it''s up to you to talk some sense into her��


    Melm made an unusually reasonable statement.


    There''s definitely more to the story, but I don''t have time to worry about that right now.


    ��King Lemuria, if you''d excuse me, I''ll take my leave now��


    ��Souya, onest thing. Has Evetta spoken to you yet?��


    ��Yes, but I told her that I''d hear her outter��


    ��Then it''s fine. Be sure to talk to her��


    ��Eh? Okay��


    Is her proposition so important that even the king is concerned about it?


    Leaving that aside, I bowed slightly to the two kings and started running. At full speed, I headed home.


    ��Yukikaze, has Ea moved?��


    ��It appears not. Also, there''s something that''s bothering Yukikaze regarding the earlier conversation��


    ��What is it?��


    As I ran, Yukikaze voiced her doubts.


    ��When team member Souya asked your sister about the war in the past, she made a statement that made it sound as if her elder sister had negotiated with the enemy. Yukikaze is bothered by that��


    ��Let me teach you a good saying. People tell all sorts of lies, but there''s one kind of lie that must be forgiven��


    ��And what kind of lie would that be?��


    ��The kind told by children��


    ��Just in case, Yukikaze willmit that to memory��


    What do you mean, "just in case"����


    I don''t remember who said it, but it''s a saying that has stayed with me.


    Arriving home, I unlocked the door without knocking and went inside.


    ��Lanseal, I''m home!��


    I could smell dinner.


    Even though it wasn''t clear when we would be returning home, Lanseal would still prepare breakfast and dinner for us anyway.


    ��Wee back. Oh, what happened to Rana?��


    ��I��ll exinter. Ea''s up there, right?��


    ��Yes, she didn''t even say hello when she came back�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Sorry,ter!��


    I went past Lanseal, who hade to wee me, and made my way up the stairs.


    Opening the skylight on the fourth floor, I stepped out onto the rooftop, where the wind still blew cold even though the days had been getting warmer recently.


    ��Ea!��


    I shouted for her, but she was unexpectedly close.


    Her back was turned and she was hugging her knees, looking depressed.


    ��What?��


    She sniffled and sobbed.


    ��Hey, you shouldn''t just run off like that. You worried me, you know?��


    ��You say you were worried, but you sure took your time getting here��


    ��Well, that''s because I got held up by your father��


    ��What does he want after all that has happened?��


    ��He told me most of it. About the firearms and all that��


    Ea turned her head around for a split second and I saw that her face was stained with tears and snot.


    ��Onii-chan, have youe to hate me now?��


    ��What are you saying? All you did was make the firearms and got taken advantage of, right?��


    ��������������That''s not it��


    That''s not it, huh?


    It''s easy to guess, but it isn''t pleasant.


    ��It sounds foolish, right? When the dwarves had their ident and firearms got banned in Lemuria, I was deprived of the opportunity to use the technology I had just learned. Not to mention my skill with using the firearms themselves.


    I was very disappointed about that.


    That''s why I started working for those knights despite how little they paid me and made firearms for them. I made the irresponsible assumption that Hemus would just use them in their wars between themselves. By the time they attacked the forest with the very firearms I had made, it was toote to regret what I had done��


    ��Ea, that��s��������


    Those knights didn''t deliberately have firearms made so that they could attack the forest. That would have required too much time and effort. In all likelihood, they used the firearms simply because they just happened to have them on hand.


    I don''t know why the knights of Elysium had wanted the firearms, but it''s obvious to me that Ea was simply used.


    ��You were just unlucky. That''s all��


    I thought of many things I could say, but decided against saying any of them.


    She''s a smart one. She must have run through all the clich��d words offort in her head countless times already.


    ��No, you''re wrong. I was a fool. And when I got shot, I was kind of relieved. I wouldn��t have to worry about being suspected anymore. That was all I could think about while I was suffering from the wound that would never heal. When you asked me about the war, Onii-chan, I immediately made a scapegoat out of Onee-chan and ran away. How''s that? Isn��t that terrible?��


    ��You''re not a fool��


    ��Then what am I?��


    ��A child��


    I put my hand on top of Ea''s head and messed up her hair as vigorously as I could. Her silky hair remained perfectly straight despite my efforts.


    ��Also, you''re my sister. You''re a good cook. You''re reliable on adventures. So there''s no way you''re a fool��


    ��Umm, so you''re saying that I can''t be a fool because I''m your sister?��


    ��I guess so��


    It''s kind of difficult to make sense of, but that''s how it is.


    Ea gingerly turned around to look at me.


    ��Onii-chan, you like me��


    ��Huh? Well, yeah, I do��


    For some reason, there wasn''t a question mark at the end of her sentence.[2]


    ��Onii-chan likes me!��


    ��Ye, yeah. But the neighbors might get the wrong idea, so lower your voice a little��


    If anyone were to hear this, there''d be yet another misunderstanding about me.


    ��I like you too, Onii-chan!��


    ��Shhh!��


    Lanseal can definitely hear her.


    ��Alright! Onii-chan! I''ve decided!��


    ��What?��


    In the blink of an eye, Ea was back to her usual beautiful self. I had a bad feeling that whatever it was that she had decided, it wasn''t going to be anything good.


    ��Onii-chan, I heard from Makina that your goal is to reach the 56th floor, right?��


    ��Yeah, that��s right��


    To be precise, there''s something that I''m supposed to find on that floor.


    ��So I''ve decided!��


    ��Eh? Like I said, what?��


    The atmosphere was so charged that I cut in without letting her finish.


    ��When we reach the 56th floor, I''m marrying you, Onii-chan!��


    ������������Obuhpfffff.


    [1] Focia is a t oven-baked Italian bread simr in style and texture to pizza. In some ces, it is called "pizza bianca". (Pic courtesy of bbcgoodfood)


    [2] The sentence ��do you like me?�� and ��you like me�� are identical in Japanese and is only differentiated by whether or not there is a question mark. Hence the joke, since that��s really the usual spot for a ��do you like me?��. Also, I��ve mentioned it before, but the line between ��like�� and ��love��(both are �ä�) is kinda blurred in Japanese, so ��love�� applies here as well.


    Haha, did you see thating? Is Ea going to be wife number 2? Still, that��s quite a lot about Ea that we didn��t know, huh? If you��ve noticed, she not only learned how to use the tablets and whatnot really fast, she also picked up on a lot of the modern world��s culture and even exined them to others quite a lot. And stuff like that was already happening in the very early volumes too. Now, the question is, how is Rana and Lanseal going to react to this? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 157: Magic Mirror III

    <h4>Chapter 157: Magic Mirror III</h4>


    My sister''s downcast mood has returned to normal, no, it''s now even better than usual.


    But I still haven''t been able to wrap my head around the current situation.


    When the adventure is over, what? I''m going to get married to my sister? I wonder what kind of g this is. Am I going to die soon? And what am I supposed to say to Rana?


    ��Ea, are you okay now?��


    ��Yup! I''m fine, fufufu��


    When we returned to the ground floor, we saw that Rana had returned.


    In a good mood, Ea broke into a giggle.


    ��Don''t just rush off suddenly by yourself. You caused trouble for everyone��


    ��Yeah, I won''t do it again!��


    ��������Dear, what did you do to make Ea so obedient?��


    ��I haven��t done anything yet!��


    ��That''s right, he''ll only start to from now on!��


    ��What?��


    I ended up retorting Rana a bit more forcefully than I should have.


    Ea''s follow-up only made things more suspicious.


    ��Oh, sorry. I just remembered that Evetta-san wanted to speak with me��


    For now, I''ll just make a temporary retreat. I need to sort things out on my own.


    If I talk to Rana now, I''m afraid I''ll blurt out a whole bunch of stuff. The facts won''t change, but I can present them in a better light once I''ve sorted them out in my head.


    ��Souya, is it alright if we have our dinner first? I''m sure that Ea and Rana are both tired after the adventure as well��


    Lanseal said to me when I tried to make my escape.


    ��Yeah, go ahead and eat without me. Both of you, good work today��


    When I turned around to answer, Lanseal smiled and ground a finger into my chest out of view of the sisters.


    C, could it be������did she hear everything?


    ��Alright then, have a safe trip��


    ��Dear, I know you have a lot of work to do after the adventure ends. Good luck with everything��


    ��See youter, Onii-chan��


    With the sisters and Lanseal seeing me off with smiles on their faces, I fled from my home.


    I suppressed the urge to scream and ran as fast as I could.


    ��Oh, he''s back��


    When I spotted Melm again in front of Tyutyu''s store������


    ��It''s all your fault!��


    ������I took it out on him.


    ��What the heck are you talking about?��


    ��Come now, Souya. Calm down��


    The baldy urged me to take a seat, which I did.


    I grabbed the head with hair on it.


    ��What? Did you fail to persuade Ea? You can''t me me for that��


    ��I seeded! She cheered up lots!��


    ��Then why������ Oh, I take it she proposed marriage then?��


    ��What!?��


    I froze when her father hit the nail on the head.


    ��Good grief, she''s really such a child. Well, it''s easy for a woman to fall for kind words when she''s feeling down��


    ��Hey, Melm, are you really okay with this? For Princess Ea to follow Princess Rauaryuna in marrying the foreigner��������


    That''s right. This baldy, he does say the right things sometimes.


    ��It''s just the whims of a child. In time, she''ll grow bored of a man like him��


    ��Souya, be warned. This guy intends to use Ea to devour all your technology and knowledge. You''ll be dumped when the timees��


    No no no, Ea would never do something like that.


    Besides, all I have is a trifling knowledge of cooking. Even if Ea learns all of it, she won''t grow bored of me������������Hmm? Grow bored? Isn''t that a good thing in the end?


    ��Tch��


    Melm''s click of his tongue showed that Lemuria had been spot on.


    ��But, Lemuria, haven''t you also given Lanseal to the foreigner? What makes you any different from me?��


    ��Lanseal is not there on my orders. I told her to do exactly that in the past, but she refused. And right after refusing, she went to Souya''s side on her own. Women, it''s impossible to understand them��


    That sounds deeping from a king who ys around with women a lot.


    King Lemuria turned to me and spoke cheerfully.


    ��So, how about it, Souya? Leave Lanseal. In exchange, I''ll introduce a lovely beastkin girl called Karoro to you��


    ��Aren''t you clearly giving me a spy who works for you this time?��


    ��������Fu��


    Don''t you "Fu" me. Just what the heck are you two trying to pull here?


    ��By the way, foreigner, can''t you bake bread? Aren''t you going to teach Ea how to?��


    ��The only bread I know how to make is beastkin bread��


    ��What a useless foreigner you are. It can''t be helped����Lemuria, which of us gets to go first? In respect of the adventures we''ve shared in the past, I''ll let you choose��


    ��Oh? O King of Elves, you''ll just be handing me the win by letting me go first, you realize? Are you sure?��


    ��Handing you the win? What a funny thing to say. I''ve never failed to win over any woman I''ve set my sights on, you know?��


    ��No, I''m pretty sure you have. I can remember quite a number of them��


    ��You''re wrong. I simply got bored of those women��


    ��That''s probably what you say every time you fail to get the girl��


    ����������������


    What''s with this childish logic that you''re not the loser so long as you don''t admit defeat?


    How smile-inducing.


    ��Well, I��ll graciously ept your offer to let me go first. O King of Elves, I''ll show you the techniques of the King of Adventurers. Heyyy, Lutz-kun!��


    Brimming with confidence, the baldy called out for Rutsuko-san.


    You guys are totally gunning for Rutsuko-san, huh? Sure, the bread she makes is delicious, but����if you guys do anything to make her cry for real, I''ll have you both stabbed.


    ��Hey, here''s your bubuzuke(tea over rice)��[1]


    One of the Gunmerrys arrived, bearing two bowls of ochazuke(see [1]).


    The restaurant was full. Understandably, Tyutyu and Rutsuko-san were busy working, and the Gunmerrys, whose number had increased to about six, were also hard at work.


    ��What''s this? We didn''t order this��


    ��It''s the traditional food of Kyoto, the demon world of Japan��


    The Gunmerry, who had a bandanna on, set the ochazuke on the table and left.


    The porcin bowls were filled with fishman''s rice that was covered by a heap of white vegetables and root vegetables that looked like they had been pickled, and it was all soaked in a liquid that looked like tea.


    Actually, I kinda want to eat it.


    Also, wasn��t the story saying that being served bubuzuke meant that you were being asked to leave just fiction?


    ��Isn''t it all vegetables? I''m not much of a vegetable person though. Umu, it smells kind of fishy��


    The baldy grumbled as he ate his ochazuke with a spoon. He ate scoop after scoop. Every once in a while, I would hear crunching sounds.


    ��My store sells these white grain-like vegetables and they''re pretty expensive, you know?��


    Melm also started slurping up his ochazuke.


    I just heard something I couldn''t quite understand. My store? Aren''t you just a salesman?


    I''m starting to get hungry too. I think I''ll go home now that I''ve calmed down somewhat. I have this feeling that I''ve forgotten a lot of things though.


    ��Oh, Souya, what a coincidence running into you here��


    ��Oh, Evetta-san. Sorry about earlier��


    The thing that I had forgotten came to me by herself.


    ��Ooh, Evetta. Are you done with work today?��


    ��Yes, King Lemuria. A very good day to you��


    ��No need for those sorts of greetings. Come, you should sit with us for a change��


    ��Then please excuse me��


    Having agreed to join us, Evetta sat down next to me. Something about the weirdly tender tone that the baldy took with her creeped me out.


    No sooner had she sat down than Tyutyu came to take her order.


    ��Wee, Evetta-nya. What can I get for you today-nya?��


    ��Storekeeper, for today������������I''ll have the curry fried rice and the shoyu ramen, both extrarge. I''m also in the mood for vegetables, so please give me a tter of today''s rmendations. By the way, how goes the matter of the fish, Souya?��


    She turned the conversation to me, so I answered.


    ��Please wait a little longer. It seems that the waterway used by the fishman I know is still impassable��


    Lemuria has gotten warmer, but the cold still lingers in the areas near the ocean. It seems that due to this, some of the underground waterways that Geto-san uses to get around are unusable because the currents in them are too strong.


    Really though, it''s only for a short while longer.


    ��I was hoping to have a nice fish dish, but it can''t be helped. Storekeeper, for drinks, I''ll have milk��


    ��Okay, thank you for your order-nya��


    After taking her order, Tyutyu nced my way, then kissed me on the ear before disappearing back into the store.


    It had happened so quickly that I was totally caught off guard.


    ��Oho~��


    Eximed the two kings.


    ��Wh, what? It''s just a greeting or something��


    She does this all the time. It''s not something that needs to be looked at seriously.


    ��You have no idea what it means for a beastkin to kiss someone on the ear, do you?��


    ��Huh?��


    Even though Melm said that, nothing reallyes to mind.


    By the way, Lanseal has also kissed me on the ear before. It was a pretty intense one at that. I shiver whenever I remember it.


    ��Hahahaha, I can put my mind at ease, it seems��


    For some reason, King Lemuria is relieved. It happens from time to time, but can you guys not just act like you''ve understood something and exin it to me?


    ��Souya, I have something more important to talk to you about��


    ��Yes, of course. Sorry��


    I listened to my important person-in-charge.


    ��Congrattions on reaching the 40th floor. Once you''ve cleared 5 more floors, you''ll be an advanced adventurer. You''re the fastest party to be intermediate adventurers. At this rate, you''ll also be the fastest to be advanced adventurers. That being the case, I have a favor to ask of you��


    ��Okay, what is it?��


    It''s rare for Evetta-san to ask for anything unrted to food.


    ��Please hire me��


    I have the strategy guides for up to the 45th floor. However, I also know that information alone is not always going to be enough.


    I''ve been thinking about finding some help, so this is a godsend.


    ��Hold on there, Evetta��


    It was a good proposition, but King Lemuria called for a pause.


    ��King Lemuria, because of the ramen request, Souya has obtained enough Shogaku tickets to hire me. There shouldn''t be any problems��


    Indeed, the priestess of the me religion had given me a special bonus for the incident with the ramen.


    It was a whopping 700 Shogaku tickets. As it happens, that''s exactly the amount needed to hire Evetta-san.


    ��No, there''s a problem, Evetta. I believe there''s another party requesting your services right now. What do you n to do about them?��


    ��It''s simple. Souya will win me in a match��


    ��������������Huh?��


    Win you? Huh? Why?


    ��Souya, as King Lemuria said, I''m now on the verge of being hired by another party. Therefore, you willpete with and defeat them. You will win me as your prize. Is that clear?��


    ��Ah, yes��


    She gave me such an earnest look that I couldn��t help replying immediately.


    Things had gone so quickly that I did it without thinking.


    So I ended up agreeing topete with another party without much resolve or motivation.


    It was only some timeter that I realized this.


    [1] Tea over rice is actually ��ochazuke�� in standard Japanese. ��Bubuzuke�� is Kyoto-ben, or the Kyoto dialect, for ��ochazuke��. And in Kyoto, it��s said that offering someone bubuzuke has a hidden implication of, ��Crude food like this is all we have for you, so leave.��


    We��ve been getting more and more chances to learn about Melm recently, haven��t we? I do enjoy this kind of approach, where the author isn��t ��exining�� the character to the readers, but letting you slowly learn about them via their actions and words.


    The issue with Ea��s proposal hasn��t been settled yet and now there��s another problem with Evetta-san, huh? Souya is in for a tough time in this volume, isn��t he? There��s that ominous-sounding ending too��what will happen??!! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 158: The Battle Against Pride I

    <h4>Chapter 158: The Battle Against Pride I</h4>


    The name of the party in question is "Argancia".


    It''s an old word from the center continent that means "pride" and "arrogance".


    They''re an up-anding party with a young leader, and they''re the next fastest party to be intermediate adventurers after us.


    What''s more, by a narrow margin of only two days


    I''ve heard their name being brought up from time to time. However, I''m not interested in other parties<That and there''s the time when the one party I had teamed up with got wiped out>, so I''ve never gotten involved with them, and even though they sometimes re at me, I''ve always ignored them.


    And that''s the party that I''m going to meet together with Evetta-san.


    The location was the country-run bar that I hadn''t been to recently. They were seated in a corner.


    ��Excuse me, which of you is the leader?��


    Come to think of it, I don''t know the leader''s name or gender.


    Evetta-san probably knows, but it''s forbidden for anyone working for the Adventurers'' Guild to leak the personal information of the adventurers. It''s a pretty strict prohibition.


    I surveyed the party in front of me for a moment.


    The first person to catch my eye was a young woman with short hair that was silver, which I strangely knew many people with. Her two machetes stood out, and she was outfitted lightly in the style of a reconnaissance or exploration adventurer. She was slender and had adorable features, but her expression resembled a Noh mask.


    Maybe she��s just wary of me


    Next was a beastkin with short animal ears. She had a thick, reptilian-looking tail. Her dark brown hair was also short and slicked back. She was dressed in the usual underwear-like garb of beastkin. Her face reminded me of the otters that I had seen recently.


    Is there such a thing as an otter beastkin? From the fact that she carries a staff, I''d say she''s probably a magician of some sort.


    The most striking one was a huge person in full te armor.


    Encased entirely in that armor, it was impossible to tell this person''s race or gender. Moreover, there didn''t seem to be any weapons on their person.


    The armor''s gauntlets look strong, but are they enough to kill monsters, I wonder? It''s quite a mystery.


    Almost as a side note, there was a slim boy hidden behind the armored person.


    He was probably around the same age as Shuna.


    With armor, cloak, shield, and sword, he was dressed like a knight. He embodied the saying "the clothes make the man". His blonde hair was cropped short and he had a cocky look on his face.


    He reminds me of the wielder of the magic sword that I had defeated in the past.


    In summary, the party "Argancia" consisted of one silver-haired young woman in charge of scouting, one beastkin magician, one mysterious armored person, and one brat dressed like a knight.


    ��You! Aren''t you from Seeker Brigade?! What the hell do you want from us?! Huhhh?!��


    I ignored the brat who came at me����


    ��Sorry, who''s the leader?��


    ����and repeated my question.


    The silver-haired young woman pointed at the brat snapping at me.


    ��Ohh, it''s you? The leader?��


    ��I''m the leader!��


    He''s so loud though.


    ��I''m here today to ask a small favor��


    ��What the heck do you want, asshole?��


    I wanted to punch him in the face, but being an adult, I resisted the urge.


    ��Evetta-jou here says that your party wants to hire her, but I''d like to ask you to let us hire her first��


    ��Don''t be ridiculous! We applied to hire her first!��


    ��No, that''s not true��


    Said Evetta-san.


    ��The applications were submitted at almost the same time. I believe both parties have equal im to me��


    ��What?! You must have pulled some kind of dirty trick again, Seeker Brigade!��


    By the way, Evetta-san is the one who had pulled the dirty trick, forging an application by imitating my handwriting and submitting it together with theirs.


    Maybe it��s her prerogative as my person-in-charge, but I wonder why she had done that.


    ��Wait, young man. What do you mean by "again"?��


    He was right, but I couldn''t let that "again" pass.


    ��First, you''ve got two beautiful elven princesses in your party! I heard that you threatened another elf with your bow to get them to join you!��


    ��That''s not what happened. Rana was tricked by that same elf, and I was only trying to save her. Threatening that elf with a bow was just payback��


    ��Then, what about the subjugation of the Dragon-Tortoise Midoranga?!��


    He uttered a name that brought back memories. The materials from that tortoise were so pricey that they still hadn''t been sold yet.


    ��That''s a result of my partybining their strengths. Though it was eventually fixed, we sacrificed one of our most valuable weapons in that battle��


    ��No, I don''t believe you!��


    ��Then������


    ����it doesn''t matter what I say, does it?


    ��Well, in that case������


    I don''t know what case he��s talking about, but����


    ������"Dragonshell sher" and "Dragon Scale" are also frauds, right?��


    ��Huh?��


    ����I got pissed off.


    You can say whatever you want about me. But it''s a different story when you speak badly of my party. It''s partly because of my own emotional issues, but I''m not the kind of leader who canugh it off when someone ridicules my party members.


    What this guy just said is taboo among adventurers.


    ��I''m especially skeptical about "Dragon Scale". After all, he''s from a family of criminals and was exiled from Elysium. What was the charge again? Umm, they fell for an elf''s charms or something? Oh, right. Maybe you used the elves in your party to�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I swept the brat''s legs out from under him.


    ��Unhh!��


    It resulted in him hitting the back of his head on the table as he fell overically.


    I reached for my katana, but Evetta-san stopped me.


    ��Souya, I know how you feel, but we came to talk��


    ��Can you not stop me? This guy just ridiculed Irvin, my wife, and my sister all at once. That''s more than enough reason to cut him down��


    We can talk to him after I''ve chopped off his limbs. In fact, for people like him, that''ll make things go faster.


    ��You bastard!��


    ��Come and get what you deserve��


    ��If you''re gonna fight, don''t use your weapons! Do it bare-handed!��


    It can''t be helped


    I''m not very good at fighting bare-handed, but I''ll kick his ass. He''s also raring to go anyway.


    ��Souya, we?came?to?talk��


    ��Owwowowow��


    My right arm, which Evetta-san had grabbed, was in agony.


    This is that thing where she''s implying, "If you don''t listen to me, I''ll crush it", right?


    ��You''ve given me one hell of a greeting, party members and leader of "Argancia". I challenge you assholes to a match for Evetta-san. You don''t have to ept if you''re scared and want to run away from the city��


    ��Y, y, you bastard!��


    The brat bellowed at me.


    But instead of him, my gaze was directed behind him.


    The barkeeper��s was as well. Rather than me, he had been eyeing the silver-haired young woman from the very beginning. She had drawn her machetes and was holding one in each hand. Moreover, she didn''t seem inclined to sheath them even after being warned by the barkeeper.


    This is the first time I''ve seen someone not obey Master in this bar.


    Is she really that brave or is she just in crazy??


    ��������Fine! I''ll take that challenge! I''m going to beat you to a pulp! I''m going to expose you for the fraud you are, and make it impossible for you to go adventuring ever again!��


    ��Early tomorrow morning, meet me at the Adventurers'' Guild. At that time, the Guild President will reveal the rules of the match��


    Well, I got what I came for.


    ��Listen you! I''ll expose you for the fraud you are!��


    ��You''ve said that once already. And tell your guardian behind you to sheath her weapons. Otherwise, Master will send her flying and you won''t be able topete properly��


    Finally, the brat realized that the silver-haired young woman was all geared up for battle.


    ��Hey, Nanassy. Sheath your weapons!��


    ��Understood��


    The silver-haired young woman he called Nanassy put away her machetes. Until the brat had given that order, she had been directing quite a serious killing intent at me.


    I have to say though, Nanassy sure is a strange name.


    After giving me a quick look, the barkeeper went back to his usual ce behind the counter.


    ��Wait, hey!��


    Thinking that there wasn��t anything more to say between us, I turned to leave, but the brat stopped me.


    ��How did you get Otou-san to join your party?��


    ��What?��


    Why do I have to tell him that?


    ��I was turned down by him! Why you and not me?!��


    So that''s how it is.


    ������Then I guess I have no choice but to answer.


    ��I helped him defeat an enemy he had a vendetta against��


    Not much is known publicly about L. She was an unknown enemy, and the number of casualties she had caused is on the low side. With so much information being kept secret, it''s not strange for this guy to not know about it.


    ��I was taking a huge risk helping him. If things had gone badly, I would have lost not only my life, but my wife''s as well. It''s hardly surprising that Otou-san would feel indebted to me and join my party��


    ��That can''t be it��


    That''s the truth though������this guy is such a pain in the ass.


    ��Oh, after that, I happened toe into possession of some valuable materials, so I made a sword with them and gave it to Otou-san��


    ��Th, that person! Is not the kind of person! Who can be tempted by possessions!��


    ��Adventurers are mercenary creatures to begin with. Even the father of adventurers is just an adventurer like any other. Don''t glorify him in that creepy manner. He''s plenty vulgar, that guy��


    I mean, do I really think that Otou-san joined my party simply out of gratitude? No, I don''t.


    ��If there is any other reason, I''d say he wanted to bet his own life on the challenge. It''s a manly yet selfish reason��


    ��Y, you��re wrong��


    ��It''s my party members we''re talking about here. At the very least, I understand them better than other people do��


    ����������������


    He finally shut up.


    Good grief, making sound arguments one after another is exhausting.


    ��There''s more!��


    ��There''s more?��


    Now I''m starting to lose my patience.


    ��Tyu, Tyutyu''s left the brothel!��


    ��Eh?��


    I hadn''t expected that name toe up.


    ��I had finally, finally gotten my hands on the gold coin with the chain, but of all things, she was no longer there! From what I heard, she quit her job to make the ramen that''s all the rage, and you''re apparently the one who invented it! It''s all your faulttt!��


    That resentment is totally unjustified, isn''t it?


    But I had no idea that Tyutyu had quit her job at the brothel������ Well, I would have been bothered had I known, I suppose.


    ��Listen up, Seeker Brigade. I had intended to beat you one day by gaining more fame than you through adventuring, but if you want to challenge me to a match, that''s all the better. This representative hero of Elysium, Arcane-sama, will show you your ce��


    Hey, you''ve got to be kidding me.


    What did you just say?


    ��Wait��


    The young woman called Nanassy raised her hand.


    ��Don''t get it wrong, it''s "apprentice" representative hero. You mustn''t get the title wrong��


    ��Th, this apprentice representative hero, Arcane, will crush you guys!��


    Apprentice representative, I don''t know what the heck that means anymore.


    ��Yeah yeah, see you tomorrow��


    ��Y, you!��


    It felt silly to waste any more time with them, so I quickly left.


    The otter beastkin was in a state of panic the entire time.


    The huge armored person hadn''t stirred in the slightest.


    As for the silver-haired young woman, though she was suppressing it, a quiet killing intent still seeped out.


    I''m not one to speak, but they''re a strange party.


    I had felt a strange presence from the armor, but I wonder what it is......I can''t remember.


    Turning my back on Arcane''sughable threats, I walked out of the bar with Evetta-san.


    ��Hmmm, the tit for tat ended up escting into me challenging him to a match��


    ��And what''s wrong with that?��


    She cocked her head to the side, but����


    ��I thought it could have been settled with us hiring you in turns, Evetta-san��


    ��I went through all the trouble to arrange this because that wouldn''t be enough to settle things though��


    ��Eh? What do you mean?��


    ��That apprentice representative hero, Arcane, is nning to follow in King Lemuria''s footsteps and be the next king of adventurers by reaching greater heights of adventuring than the king did. As part of that, he wanted to hire me��


    ��Hmm������Huh?��


    The next king of adventurers, huh?


    It''s not exactly an unusual goal. There are many adventurers who yearn to be the master of castle and country. Following in the king''s footsteps isn''t a rare pursuit by any means. In a sense, that''s what I''m doing too.


    ��But then again, even if we hire you in turns, it shouldn��t particrly������


    There shouldn''t be any problems with it.


    Evetta-san then held her head in her hands with a nk expression on her face. Well, a very troubled-looking nk expression.


    ��I''m not very good at this kind of thing. I really don''t want to say anything until the match is over������so can you please not ask any more about it?��


    ��Ehh��


    This is the pattern where things will get really troublesometer on.


    ��I''m begging you��


    ��Well, then I won''t ask, I suppose��


    If a woman goes that far, I can��t possibly say no.


    She''s my important person-in-charge, and I do trust her, and she definitely won''t do anything that could be detrimental to me������������well, other than when she has the wrong idea or something, I can say for sure that she won''t.


    ��It''ll all be fine. Don''t worry. You will win. You''re the first andst adventurer under my charge, so you should puff out your chest and be confident��


    I can feel the confidence in those words, but they also left me concerned about something else.


    But I was unable to voice my concerns to Evetta-san, who was looking more cheerful than usual.


    I''ll resolve my concerns and suspicions after that.


    Did you catch it? The thing that Evetta-san said that worried Souya. If you didn��t, it gets exined 5, 6 chapterster at the start of the next arc��


    But what a colorful cast of new characters! Another silver-haired person, which are supposed to be really rare. And someone involved with Elysium and the representative heroes�� Remember, representative heroes are the representatives of the Popes, the hand that enforces their will. And I��m sure you remember that Varner was one.


    But before anything else, there��s the match between Seeker Brigade and Argancia! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 159: The Battle Against Pride II

    <h4>Chapter 159: The Battle Against Pride II</h4>


    ��171st day��


    The city was shrouded in darkness and the morning fog hung thick in the air.


    Last night, after what had happened, I had informed the whole party about today''s itinerary, and we had met up first thing in the morning and made our way through the city. This was the day after we hadpleted an adventure. It would normally be a day off, but due to the pressing circumstances, it couldn''t be helped.


    And there were problems.


    ��Urg, urghh��


    ��Are you alright?��


    Otou-san''s face was ashen.


    ��������I drank too much��


    ��And I even warned you to take it easy on the alcohol������


    He had definitely responded at that time. It was a drunken reply though.


    With his hangover, Otou-san was in terrible condition.


    ��Shuna, Lys?��


    I snapped my fingers in front of them both.


    ��Hmm, what? I''m not asleep, you hear?��


    ��Shuna, I''m over here��


    Shuna was facing Rana with eyes that weren''t quite open. I was next to her.


    ��You didn''t sleep well either?��


    ��When any of the kin return safely from an adventure, it''s a custom for everyone to throw a banquet������������ Ah, I''m not asleep!��


    Yeah, you fell asleep there.


    ��Lys?��


    I snapped my fingers at her like aedian from the Showa era.


    ��������������Huh, Onii-san? Ehh, where am I? Whoa! The armor''s heavy! The shield''s heavy! My body''s sluggish!��


    Lys'' nk expression reverted to that of an innocent young girl.


    It''s been a while since she''s given the body back to Bel. Is she that drowsy?


    ��Long time no see, Bel��


    ��Oh, yeah, long time no see��


    It''s really been a long time.


    And our strength has just dropped drastically. I feel bad saying this, but I don''t believe Bel can handle this fight. The difference in the experience gained so far is simply too great. I have ns to train Bel someday when I have more time to spare, but for now, she��ll have to sit this one out.


    Which means that������


    The elven sisters, Rana and Ea, are the key to victory this time, I guess.


    Well, depending on how things turn out, I have a feeling that Rana can win it all by herself. However, I want Ea to actively take part in the fight so that she can regain the confidence she lost yesterday.


    Well, that''s about sums up our condition, I guess.


    I should make Otou-san stop drinking for a while. The things I have to tell on him to the proprietress has just increased.


    And then������


    We arrived at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Right at that moment, the bell that signaled the start of the day rang.


    ��You''re slow!��


    I found a brat who was already snapping at me early in the morning.


    Arcane, the apprentice hero, red at me with bloodshot eyes.


    Behind him, the other members of his party were wrapped up in nkets and sleeping on the ground.


    ��What? Did you wait here all night?��


    What''s with this overblown need to be punctual?


    ��What? No! You''re wrong!��


    ��He couldn''t sleep, so he made use here��


    The silver-haired young woman answered with half-open eyes.


    ��Nanassy! You shut up!��


    ��I''ll sleep a little more��


    Nanassy went back to sleep.


    ��Souya, I''m also going to take a break. Call me when you need me��


    ��O, Onii-san, my body is at its limit too��


    Shuna and Bel slumped to the ground, lying on top of each other.


    ��Souya, I''ve also got to������urghhh��


    ��Yeah yeah, go ahead��


    Otou-san made a mad dash for the toilet.


    Looking around, I didn''t notice anyone other than Arcane baring his teeth at me like a dog. There was no sign of Evetta or any other employees of the Guild.


    ��Onii-chan, let''s have breakfast��


    ��Yeah, that''s a good idea��


    My sister is right. We should have a light meal before the fight so that we won''t run out of energy.


    Leaving Arcane to his own devices, I started to get ready for breakfast. I spread a nket on the ground, sat down, and made myselffortable.


    ��Dear, here''s an onigiri(rice ball) that I worked hard to make earlier. Inside�D�D�D�D�D��


    Rana gave me a softball-sized onigiri.


    Inside������I wonder what she filled it with, but I��d be grateful if it was still white.


    ��Ea, what''s in it?��


    ��Meat miso(ground meat mixed with miso)��


    ��That''s right, I filled it with meat miso. I did��


    ��I''m the one who made the meat miso though��


    ��Ohh, meat miso, huh? Itadakimasu��


    I peeled off the leaves wrapped around it to preserve it and took a bite. There was so much meat miso in it that it almost spilled out.


    It was exquisitely seasoned, sweet and spicy, yet with a touch of sourness. The onions ented the vor of the meat, which went well with the rice. Moreover, no matter which part of the onigiri I bit into, my mouth was filled with luxurious amounts of meat miso.


    ��It��s delicious��


    It was morning, so I gobbled up the onigiri with gusto.


    This is delicious. I could get hooked on its taste. It will be hard to find a guy who doesn''t like this.


    ��Fufun~��


    My sister started to speak with a smug look on her face.


    ��Stir-fried onions and ground meat, mixed with miso, sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce. It''s very simple, but I could never have made it without the seasonings you made, Onii-chan. This is a supreme dish that only we can make!��


    ��I''m the one who put it in the onigiri��


    ��In a sense, this is the culmination of our efforts? Ah~, I wonder if I''ve finally made it?��


    ��I''m the one who�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Yup, Rana, the rice that you cook is always delicious��


    ��Yes!��


    Both sisters ate their onigiri with smug looks on their faces.


    ��Oh, I almost forgot. This one''s from Lanseal and Makina��


    Ea pulled out arge tumbler.


    ��ording to Makina, this metal water bottle can keep its contents warm, and it''s filled with pork miso soup that Lanseal made��


    I remember now. I had asked Makina to recreate the thermos that I had lost.


    Ea also pulled out some cups and poured out the pork miso soup.


    ��She said that she had kept the ingredients small��


    Rana, a lover of pork miso soup, was the first to try it.


    ��Hmm, it''s not bad. But your pork miso soup is five times better, dear��


    Rana proceeded to rapidly eat one mouth of onigiri, then pork miso soup, onigiri, then pork miso soup in a one-twobination.


    ��I didn��t like it at first, buttely, when I drink miso soup, I can''t help feeling calm and sighing. How strange��


    After drinking the pork miso soup, my sister said something very Japanese-like.


    I took a sip too.


    The aroma of the warm miso soup filled my nostrils and the vor and saltiness of the pork seeped deeply into my body.


    This is good. No doubt it''s delicious, but it''s more than that. The smell, the taste, and also the rice that I eat with it, all of thosee together perfectly. The taste of home is really precious, I suppose.


    Ea will surely make a good wife.


    Written as "my future woman" and read as "my sister".[1]


    Yeah, right.


    ������������Everything about what I was just thinking is so very wrong.


    I should just forget all about it. I mean, shouldn''t we have a little sense of urgency about what''s toe? Rtionship problems are such a daytime drama thing.


    If Rana and Ea were to ask me, "Who do you prefer?", I''m not sure������no, it''s Rana, but why did I hesitate for a moment? Yeah, I should just forget all about it.


    Arcane was watching us eat with a curious look on his face, but I turned my back to him to hide my food from him.


    I don''t have any food to offer the enemy. I can hear him gnashing his teeth, but I don''t care.


    ��Oh, where��s Evetta?��


    The Guild President showed up. His boyish face looked sleepy and he was carrying his ominous-looking staff as usual.


    He sat down next to Rana as if it were the most natural thing in the world, pissing me off.


    ��Do you want some, Guild President? There''s some miso soup with pork in it��


    Quite unusually, Ea offered food to someone else.


    ��I''ll have some. Now that you mention it, this miso is reputed to help clear the minds of magicians who drink it��


    That''s probably some rumor spread by a certain elf.


    The Guild President sipped the miso soup in a refined manner and then let out a small sigh.


    ��Other than that, it''s said to prevent heart disease, slow aging, have detoxifying effects, have beautifying and whitening effects, help preserve food, restore lost vigor, reverse balding, strengthen bones, bring good luck, and so on and so forth. It''s rumored to be a real cure-all��


    Miso is not a cure-all!


    That bastard Melm, he exaggerated things way too much. I''ll give him a talking-toter.


    ��Also, it helps with hangovers��


    Otou-san returned, looking weary, and demanded some miso soup.


    After drinking the cup of miso soup he received from Ea, hisplexion improved slightly.


    ��Mmmmmm, I''m alive again. As expected of a cure-all��


    It''s all in your mind, I''m telling you����


    I heard someone stamp their foot, so I turned around reluctantly.


    I got the feeling that Arcane was saying without words, "Where''s my share?", but I purposely ignored him.


    ��Father, haven''t you been drinking too muchtely? Even if you''re keeping the kingpany, please drink in moderation��


    The Guild President said something decent for a change.


    I had forgotten, but Otou-san is the Guild President''s foster father.


    ��It''s fine. If I drink some miso soup the next day, the hangover goes right away��


    Like I said, this idea that you''ll be fine so long as you eat a lot of healthy food is wrong. Though he''s looking a lot better and back to his usual self.


    King Lemuria was also cured of his beriberi after changing his diet. I feel like the people of this world are strange in a lot of ways. Is there something fundamentally different about their bodies?


    ��So, where''s the most important person, Evetta?��


    Otou-san looked around, but the streets were still as empty as ever.


    ��She probably overslept. It''s been especially badtely��


    There was nothing for us to do then.


    We took our time eating breakfast as we waited for Evetta-san.


    When I asked the Guild President about what he had heard about the miso, I learned that the rumors had been blown all out of proportion, some going as far as to say that it could allow people to grow tail fins and wings, and even breathe fire.


    I''m happy to see the taste of my hometown spreading in the alternate world. But I must have a stern word with the king of elves.


    If I don''t put a stop to this, it will really be marketed as a cure-all.


    Miso is a seasoning, not a recovery item.


    Will I start to see miso-vored healing potions, I wonder? Please spare me.


    ��I''m sorry!��


    Evetta-san''s voice rang out.


    She looked as clean-cut as usual, but she had forgotten tob her bed hair.


    ��I apologize for identally oversleeping��


    ��Alright then, let''s get started. Everyone gather around��


    The Guild President stood up and gathered both parties. I helped Shuna and Bel, who were still half-asleep, to their feet and propped them up with my shoulders.


    The Guild President struck the ground with his staff and then dered.


    ��In the name of Vindoobunikuru, god of adventurers, a duel will be fought between the two parties, Seeker Brigade and Argancia. The winner will be given the right to hire Evetta, an employee of the Guild, first. There are no restrictions on weapons, but you will lose if you kill your opponent, if your entire party is incapacitated, or if these�D�D��


    The Guild President produced six pieces of red cloth from his pocket.


    ���D�Dpieces of cloth are taken from you. In addition, this will be a 3-on-3 match. You may hide who you''ve chosen to participate��


    After a quick rundown of the rules, he pulled out a silver coin.


    ��If the beast is on top, then it''s Seeker Brigade. If it''s the other way around, then Argancia gets to enter the dungeon first��


    A coin toss was made, and the flipped silver coin was caught on the back of his hand and then showed to everyone.


    ��Argancia goes first. The battle will take ce on the 10th floor. Please fight with the pride that befits adventurers. That��s all��


    With an intimidating look on his face, Arcane walked into the portal.


    ��Now��


    Who should I choose?


    ��Shuna and Bel��������


    Are sleeping. Oh, well.


    ��Me and Ea are definitely participating��


    We must have the leader and a scout.


    Which leaves either Rana or Otou-san.


    ��Thest person will be Rana��


    I made that choice with rtively little hesitation.


    I don''t want that loud-mouth to spread weird rumors and ruin Otou-san''s reputation as the ��father of adventurers". Besides, this person bes quite merciless when ites to fighting, and even I��d feel bad for Arcane.


    ��Hey, Souya. Don''t let your guard down, you hear?��


    ��Of course��


    Otou-san''s advice is all too obvious. I''ve never let my guard down in any way. I always go into every fight with everything I''ve got.


    And I''ll do the same this time.


    ��Alright then, let''s just go and make quick work of them��


    The sisters and I wrapped the pieces of red cloth around our left shoulders and headed for the portal.


    ��Souya, you really can''t be too�D�D�D�D��


    ��We''ll be fine, I promise��


    Even Evetta-san is worrying about us needlessly. Ea, Rana, and I are all brimming with confidence. There''s no way we can lose.


    We jumped into the vortex of light, and after a moment of weightlessness and blinding light, we found ourselves inside the dungeon.


    The 10th floor of memories past.


    It was abyrinth of gray stone.


    ��Alright��


    Arcane and his party were a distance in front of us. Beside Arcane stood Nanassy and the otter beastkin. All three of them had the pieces of red cloth wrapped around their wrists.


    So they left out the big guy in the armor, huh? That��s a relief as that guy''s an unknown quality.


    ��So, are we going to start now?��


    For form''s sake, I asked. I gave Rana and Ea a look to tell them to get ready for battle.


    Since they didn''tunch any surprise attacks, I guess they must be quite confident in their fighting abilities.


    ��Ahh? It''s already started, fool��


    Arcane pointed a finger upward, but it was toote for us to react.


    Water that had pooled on the ceiling cascaded down.


    It was like being hit by a waterfall. Water got into my nose and ears, scrambling my thoughts. I iled my arms desperately, and when I had finally managed to pull my head out of the water, I found myself unable to move at all.


    ��Once you''re in that state, it doesn''t matter how good of an adventurer you are��


    From the neck down, I was encased in a viscous, aqueous substance.


    This is a type of slime that I''ve fought before. Is the contents of that armor actually a colony of slimes? Do they have some sort of way to control these creatures?


    The sisters were in a simr predicament and appeared to bepletely unable to move.


    ��So, Seeker Brigade. Do you give up yet?��


    Eh, what?


    ������������Have we lost?


    [1] ��δ����Ů�� means future woman, and in this context Souya is saying that she��ll be his woman in future. And if you put the Ů and δ together, you get ��, which means sister. Which, including themonly-seen ��written as A but read as B�� shtick, is the wordy here.


    The title of this arc is neat, isn��t it? The battle against pride(Argancia) as well against against their own pridecency). Double meanings are tight! (Sorry, I do enjoy Screen Rant��s pitch meetings)


    Also, the entire bit about Melm spreading tales about the miso seems to be just to make usugh, right? Well��just keep this bit in the back of your mind. I hope I do remember to bring it up when it��s time, but in case I don��t, I��m sure you��ll get it when you��re re-reading in future��


    rification time. Japanese daytime dramas are simr to daytime soaps, though not as long-running. Also, ��restoring lost vigor�� is my way of saying ��curing ED�� in a world where I��m not sure ED is a term.


    Well, have they lost already?! So simply?! Also, slimes and elven girls trapped in them, huh��righttt�� Stay tuned!

 Chapter 160: The Battle Against Pride III

    <h4>Chapter 160: The Battle Against Pride III</h4>


    I couldn''t move.


    Not even a single finger.


    The translucent slime encasing me from the neck down did nothing but tremble and wobble after restraining me.


    ��Fuuhahahaha! Look at that, Nanassy! That moronic face! You lost so easily even though you were so confident. Are you frustrated? Huh? Are�`you�`frustrated?��


    ��Agathion��


    I whispered stealthily to the magic sword, but it only tugged a few times on my back.


    The current Agathion doesn''t have the power to break free of this slime''s restraints. The downside of its weakening hase back to bite me all of a sudden.


    ��Hey, answer me. You''re frustrated, right? It''s frustrating, right?��


    Arcane came swaggering towards us. But he was still too far away for me to bite him.


    Hmm, should I just admit defeat and be done with it?


    We might get hurt if we don''t. I feel bad for Evetta-san, but I don''t think it would be a problem to have her apany us on an adventure after these guys.


    Though it''s not a lot, I do have some leeway in terms of time anyway.


    ��Oh, then�D�D�D��


    When I was about to admit defeat������


    ��O mes, mes. Great is thy�D�D�D�D�DKyaa!��


    Rana started to chant, but suddenly let out a sexy yelp.


    Upon closer inspection, I saw that the slime encasing her was wriggling and writhing. And each time it did, the shape of Rana''s big boobs would change as well.


    ��What? No way! Eh, hyaa!��


    Rana mmed her legs shut. It seemed that it wasn''t just her breasts that were being groped.


    ��What the heck is this?!��


    Hey! I demand an exnation!


    ��Oh, about that������


    The otter beastkin stepped forward. From the fact that she was continuing to wave her staff around, it seemed that she was the one controlling these slimes.


    ��These "Blobs" that I''ve selectively bred are very fond of magic power. They usually eat the magic power that I release, but if they find magic power that''s more powerful than mine, they''ll try to devour it. It would be best for you to avoid chanting magic��


    ��������������urgh��


    Red-faced, Rana fell silent. When she did, the slime calmed down as well.


    It''s frustrating. But I got excited by it.


    ��Eh, what?!��


    This time, it was my sister who cried out. Just like Rana, well, her breasts got ignored, but her shapely limbs were being caressed by the slime.


    ��Fuhyahyahyahyahya! St, stop it! That tickles!��


    ��Huh? That''s weird��


    She wasughing at the top of her lungs. There was zero sex appeal.


    ��Hey, Kakyua, why is it doing that to her?��


    The otter beastkin cocked her head at Arcane''s question.


    ��Hmm. This elf-san. Maybe hertent magic power is more powerful than the magic power I usually release?��


    ��W, well, just make it stop. I didn''t pay for this, so I feel bad. This isn''t something that an unmarried man should see��


    Arcane was covering his face with both hands. Ever since he saw the lewd things happening to Rana, he had been red up to his ears.


    Are you that innocent!?


    ��Umm, stop it right away. Huh?��


    There was something wrong with the slime encasing Ea.


    Ea''s belongings must have fallen out when she was being groped. Misceneous things and various seasonings were floating about inside the slime. Among them was Ea''s signature spicy spice mix.


    The moment it melted and dissolved into the slime������


    ��Pygyaayyyy!��


    The translucent slime turned bright red for a moment, then burst like a balloon, turning into water.


    ��Oh, shoot��


    Having regained her freedom, Ea was quick as a sh.


    ��Nanassy! Capture her!��


    She vanished from sight before the silver-haired young woman could react to Arcane''s order.


    Without a sound, trace or presence, she disappearedpletely from the world.


    ��Nanassy!��


    ��You''re too loud. I can''t detect the enemy��


    Nanassy focused her senses.


    Even if she��s invisible thanks to the cloak, there are puddles of water everywhere, so her footprints will be visible.


    What will Ea do?


    And then������


    ��Tsk��


    Nanassy grabbed Arcane''s cor and yanked him to the ground.


    If she hadn''t done that, he would have gotten an arrow in the forehead.


    ��Wakyaaa!��


    The otter beastkin was struck down by something invisible.


    At the same time, Nanassy caught an arrow that had appeared out of thin air. Her reaction time was impressive.


    But has Ea forgotten about the rule against killing? Her arrows were all aimed at vitals.


    A barrage of arrows assaulted Nanassy.


    She knocked them all away with her two machetes, and some of the arrows got knocked towards Rana and me.


    One of the arrows got lodged in the slime and just happened to snag on the piece of cloth on my shoulder.


    ��Onii-chan, Onee-chan, I''ll be right back��


    Ea appeared, twisted the arrow to entangle the piece of cloth around it, and then yanked it out.


    After retrieving our pieces of red cloth, Ea vanished from sight once again.


    ��H, hey. What the heck was that? No one told me about this!��


    ��There''s no way anyone would have told you, isn''t it?��


    I was taken aback by Arcane''s far too moronicment.


    ��One of them got away, but we''ve captured two of them. This Arcane-sama has won the�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��No, you haven''t��


    It appeared that Nanassy understood the situation.


    ��She took the pieces of cloth from these guys. If she hides them somewhere, we''ll never recover them��


    I''d bet. If she burns and disposes of those pieces of cloth, there will be no danger of them being taken from us. With this, we no longer have to worry about our pieces of cloth being taken.


    And the otter beastkin has been knocked utterly unconscious.


    It''s still a two-on-one situation, but trudging through the dungeon in pursuit of thepletely invisible Ea is going to be a huge pain in the ass.


    Ea cany traps and lure monsters towards them. She''s free to do whatever she wants.


    Hmm. As expected of my sister. She''s turned the tables on thempletely.


    ��Hey, hey! Kakyua!��


    Arcane shook the otter beastkin, but she showed no signs of rousing.


    ��Wh, what are we to do, Nanassy? We can''t track someone who can vanish like that��


    ��No problem��


    What?


    ��We only need to make here out on her own��


    ��Hey, wait!��


    Ignoring me, Nanassy walked towards Rana.


    Without any chance or means of stopping her, I watched as she drove her machete through the slime and into Rana''s abdomen.


    ��urgh��


    ��Stop!��


    It probably wasn''t in response to my yell, but the machete was pulled out.


    ��Hey elf, call for the other elf��


    The wound wasn''t that deep. The regeneration point healed it and the wound disappeared without a trace.


    ��I''ll stab deeper next time��


    ��If you''re gonna do this, stab me instead!��


    ��Dear, I''ll be fine. I''ve trained for this��


    ��That so?��


    Nanassy then pushed her de under Rana''s corbone.


    ��mnurgh��


    The tip of the machete sank deeper and deeper into her flesh.


    ��I''m going to snap your corbone and rip it out. It won''t matter one whit if you''ve trained for this or not. I''ll say it one more time. Scream and call for that elf��


    ��I refuse��


    Rana waspletely undaunted.


    I''ve made a big mistake.


    Torturing someone who can''t move. These people aren��t adventurers. They don''t have any pride as adventurers.


    I''vepletely misjudged the true nature of my opponents.


    ��Dear?!��


    Though she was the one on the receiving end of the de, Rana was conversely worried about me. I ignored her and dove into the slime.


    There''s one thing that I''ve learned through observation.


    These slimes don''t offer much resistance when something enters them, but they resist strongly when something tries to get out. They probably have this kind of behavior because they capture their prey by restraining them inside themselves.


    That''s how it looked to me when the machete was pulled out.


    If I''m wrong about this, I''ll probably drown. But I''d rather die than be helpless in front of the woman I love.


    I strained to open one eye and observed.


    There''s always a spot somewhere inside slimes where bubbles appear unnaturally. And the colorless and transparent core of these things, which is their weakness, will be in the vicinity of these bubbles.


    I''ve killed more than enough slimes, a byproduct of Rana''s cooking, tost me a lifetime. It''s not a stretch to say that I''m a specialist in ying slimes. I never imagined that such a proficiency would evere in handy. The world sure is a strange ce.


    I located the bubbles.


    From here on out, it''s all intuition, but it''s intuition based on experience. If I''m a moron who misses at this juncture, I''m better off dead.


    I opened my mouth as wide as I could and took a bite out of empty space.


    I felt a jelly-like texture between my teeth, and although there was no taste, I bit down.


    Right when I was reaching the limit of how long I could hold my breath, the slime burst apart.


    ��Urgh, koff, koff��


    Once the core has been destroyed, slimes revert back to water.


    ��Hey, you''re kidding me��


    I ignored the astonished Arcane.


    ��Hey, you little bitch, get away from Rana��


    Nanassy didn��t pull her machete out of Rana. I spat out the water from the slime and steadied my breathing.


    ��What makes you think I''d listen to you?��


    ��Before you can stab Rana''s vitals, I''ll kill "both of you"��


    If I take two steps forward, I can cut Nanassy in two with an iai-draw and then kill Arcane with the return swing.


    I''mpletely serious.


    ��If you kill Arcane, I''ll kill this elf. And I��ll track down the other elf, even to the ends of the earth, and kill everyst person with a drop of her blood in their veins��


    ��What a strange coincidence. I was about to say the exact same thing to you��


    If you hurt Rana any more, I''ll kill everyone and everything. Each and every person in my sight, I''ll kill.


    I��ll cut you all down.


    ��Na, Nanassy. Calm down for a moment��


    The moment I saw Arcane''s moronic face and heard his moronic voice, I made my decision.


    I''m going to kill.


    I lowered my stance and took a preparatory step forward�D�D�D�D�D�Dwhen a gust of wind whipped by.


    That gust of wind mmed Nanassy into the wall.


    It was Evetta-san, who had moved so fast that I mistook her for a gust of wind.


    In her right hand was the de of the machete that had been plunged into Rana. In her left hand, Nanassy''s head.


    ��Shame on you!��


    She swung Nanassy around and mmed her forcefully into the wall again. A loud crash, like two boulders colliding into each other, filled the space.


    Evetta-san yelled just as loudly.


    ��Hurting someone who can''t move! And threatening to kill her on top of it!��


    She crushed the machete in her hand.


    I had thought that it was quite the masterwork weapon, but it got all bent and snapped like it was made of candy.


    ��You''re no adventurer! You''re not even human!��


    ��You''re no better. Stop pretending to be human��


    Nanassy grabbed Evetta-san''s arm and pushed her back.


    A red horn glowed brightly on her left chest.


    I had thought that it was just a part of her equipment, but could it be that it''s the same as Evetta-san''s horns? What''s more, it looks like it has been broken off.


    ��Nanassy, that''s enough! Stop! Stop, stop!��


    ��Understood��


    When Arcane intervened, she stopped immediately.


    What a baffling person.


    ��Why are you fighting with someone from the Adventurers'' Guild?! You''ll get us kicked out!��


    ��That was foolish. I apologize��


    ��Wrong. Not to me��


    Arcane pointed to Evetta-san.


    ��I don''t want to��


    ��Come on, I''m begging you. Really��


    ��An opening��


    Nanassy and Arcane''s pieces of red cloth were snatched away in a sh. Unnoticed by anyone, Ea had also taken the otter beastkin''s piece of red cloth.


    ��Huh?��


    I had gotten used to seeing that moronic look on Arcane''s face.


    ��Here you go, Evetta��


    Ea handed the pieces of cloth to Evetta-san and the match was settled.


    Oh, we''ve won.


    Seriously,plete invisibility is so OP. Also, Evetta just crushed and snapped a masterwork weapon with her bare hand����are you starting to get why her nickname when she was an adventurer was ��Pulverizer��? And we��ve finally learned what kind of enemy it is that Souya said he specialized in a few chapters back����


    After the funny start, things got serious all of a sudden, huh? Yeah, as you��ve probably realized, things aren��t as simple as they look when ites to the members of Argancia.


    Well, the next chapter is going to be a fun read in a lot of ways, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 161: The Battle Against Pride IV

    <h4>Chapter 161: The Battle Against Pride IV</h4>


    ��I can��t ept this!��


    Ignoring the shouting Arcane, I stabbed the slime that was restraining Rana.


    It reverted back to water and I checked Rana''s wounds.


    ��Dear, I told you I''m fine��


    ��No, it might have left a scar��


    I stared so closely at Rana''s soaking wet corbone that I could practically lick it and felt every inch of it. As a matter of fact, I was holding myself back from licking it.


    However, I need the scientificmunity to exin to me why women look so sexy when they''re wet.


    ��I told you, I''m really fine��


    Next was her abdomen, and as a cold abdomen wasn''t good for her, I rubbed and rubbed it all the way down to her lower abdomen.


    ��Save this kind of stuff forter��


    ��Right~��


    Alright, there''s no scarring.


    ��Isn''t it weird?! How can you say they''ve won when they took advantage of us being distracted when someone from the Adventurers'' Guild intervened?!��


    ��Arcane-sama, let me just say one thing��


    Evetta-san still had Nanassy''s head in her grasp and was keeping her restrained. As for Nanassy, she obeyed Arcane''s orders and didn''t resist, so she was just hanging in mid-air by her head.


    It was a very surreal scene.


    ��First of all, a surprise attack is not cowardly. It''s Souya''s fault for not realizing the reason why the Guild President had made it a 3-on-3 match. It''s Souya''s fault for being careless and letting his guard down. It''s Souya''s fault for beingx because the opponents are of lower rank. However, the match was already decided when they were all restrained. Tormenting them at that point is not what adventurers do��


    She was saying my name so much that it gave me a weird feeling.


    ��B, but as you saw, they broke free of the Blobs'' restraints������


    ��That was nothing but a desperate wager. If you hadn''t hurt his wife, he would have admitted defeat and the match would have been over��


    ��Ur, urghhh��


    Indeed, I was about to admit defeat, but things had changed the moment Ea escaped. It wasn''t a match we could lose at that point.


    But, well������


    ��Evetta-san, I don��t ept this either��


    Yeah, I can''t ept it.


    ��Eh, Souya, what are you saying?��


    ��I request a rematch, this time a duel between leaders��


    Arcane''s eyes lit up.


    He''s probably thinking that there''s still a chance for him to win.


    ��Rana, hold this for me��


    I handed Agathion and Zamonss'' sword to Rana.


    ��Ea, help me hold this. Be careful not to touch its cutting edge. It''s frighteningly sharp��


    I drew the katana from my hip and handed the drawn katana to Ea.


    ��Alright, bring it. You can use your weapons if you want��


    ��Don''t mess with me!��


    Arcane unhooked his sword and sheath from his belt and threw it aside along with his shield. He still had his armor on, so it wasn''t exactly even, but it was close enough.


    ��The match will be a one-on-one fight. If you lose the fight, you lose. If you kill your opponent, you lose. Is that clear?��


    ��I can''t ask for more!��


    Arcane bellowed. He struck a rather gant figure.


    I gave my party members a look and they moved a distance back.


    ��Onii-chan! Beat him ck and blue!��


    ��Dear! Wipe the floor with him!��


    The sisters'' cheers of support were a tad violent.


    ��Hah, I''ll have you know, this Arcane-sama is good at fighting bare-handed!��


    Arcane closed in on me with a boxing stance that looked pretty polished.


    But������


    ��I never said anything about fighting bare-handed though��


    ������I pulled out the scabbard of my katana and took a full swing.


    By the way, Makina made this scabbard out of titanium. Despite the various mechanisms added to it, it''s light, sturdy, and it hurts like hell when you get hit by it.


    ��Bofukuu!��


    A home-run to the face.


    And Arcane crumpled to the ground in an unconscious heap.


    ��Alright, I��ve won��


    And yet, I heard no cheers


    All around me, there was nothing but silence.


    ��Onii-chan, that feels wrong somehow��


    ��Dear������������no, it��s nothing��


    The sisters were visibly put off.


    ��Eh����but I never said anything about fighting bare-handed������


    ��You see, Onii-chan, in a lot of ways, it''s important to read the mood, you know?��


    ��Dear������������������������no, it��s nothing��


    The sisters were looking at me coldly with eyes like those of a Tibetan sand fox.


    ��Well, a win is a win. With this, it''s decided that I will be hired by Seeker Brigade. Is that clear, members of Argancia?��


    Evetta, who had a cold expression on her face to begin with, moved things along.


    ��Understood. I''ll let Arcane know when he wakes up��


    When Evetta-san released her, Nanassy walked over to Arcane andid down next to him like nothing was wrong.


    I don''t get these two people.


    Now that it was over, we decided to quickly leave.


    ��Dear, let''s go take a bath��


    ��Good idea, Onee-chan. I''m all wet and I want to dry my clothes��


    The sisters entered the portal first and went to the bathhouse on the 2nd floor.


    I was about to follow them, when������


    ��Souya, you''re so thoughtful��


    ��Huh?��


    ������Evetta-san said something unexpected to me.


    ��If he had lost in a fair fight, Arcane-sama would have had no excuse. But by purposely using an underhanded method, you gave his heart a way out. That was wonderfully thoughtful of you��


    ��What? That��s not why I did that though��


    ��Eh?��


    She''s off by a mile.


    ��I simply used the scabbard because I didn''t want my hands to hurt��


    It��s said that the hand that hits suffers more pain than it inflicts. And in reality, punching someone hurts.


    That''s why I used the scabbard.


    ��������������Good work today. Tomorrow, pleasee see me at the reception desk when you''re free. We''ll have a meeting to discuss the uing adventure��


    She changed the subject.


    I asked Evetta-san to help me inform Otou-san and the others that we had won and that they were free to go.


    I was also drenched because of the slime, so I decided to warm myself up in the baths on the 2nd floor. I could get my clothes and equipment cleaned there as well.


    This was all provided free of charge to adventurers.


    I joined the sisters, who were waiting for me, and talked to the Guild employees in the bathhouse to borrow some avable tubs.


    The sisters took the tubs on either side of mine.


    After making sure that the list of equipment to be checked in for cleaning and the copy of the list they gave in return matched, I checked in the equipment and got a ticket.


    The Guild employees were used to this, so they quickly closed the cloth partitions when I started to take off my clothes. I quickly took off all my clothes, put them in a basket, and handed it to them under the cloth partition.


    Finally, it was time to get into the bathtub.


    Enduring the coldness of ceramic, I pulled the string, releasing hot water from a pipe above. I soaked myself in the medicinal hot water, which had a unique smell, and rxed.


    ��Ahhhh��


    I lowered my body until the hot water was up to my shoulders.


    The heat of the water seeped in and loosened up my muscles. The tension and intense emotions from the fight drained away, and I felt as if my soul was being purified.


    I''m really d that the alternate world has baths.


    If I had ended up in the kind of medieval fantasy setting often seen in games, I don''t know what I would have had to do to get a decent bath.


    Still......


    I''m d that we''re all safe and sound in the end, but Rana got hurt today.


    It was only a rtively minor wound, and the injuries she gets during training are much more severe, but I can''t forgive myself for letting apse in my own judgment result in her getting wounded.


    Comcency and especially underestimating my opponents will be a strict no-no from now on.


    ��Even the smallest of people can cause harm��


    I''ll use those words as a reminder to myself going forward.


    I probably won''t be able to control myself next time. I��ll likely tear any bastard who hurts her to pieces. Even if it means sullying my own pride.


    And then����


    I saw one of the cloth partitions being lifted up out of the corner of my eye. That was followed by the sound of bare feet running across the cobblestones.


    A peachy booty grazed the tip of my nose, and water sshed into the air.


    ��Mmmmm��


    She reached her arms above her head and stretched, leaning back against my chest.


    Her wet hair brushed my cheek.


    My hand went naturally to her abdomen.


    ��Dear, I told you already, I��m fine��


    I started rubbing her abdomen again.


    Her abs are just right. Not too hard, not too soft, just the right kind of feel to make me want to open my mouth wide and take a bite.


    ��Well, just to be sure��


    Next was her corbone, and I used not only my sense of touch but also sight.


    You have a nice figure, madam.


    I left the two hemispheres floating in the water forter enjoyment and checked the area around her corbone thoroughly by applying pressure with my fingers.


    If my hand slipped and encroached onto the territory of one of the hemispheres, I''m sure she''ll forgive me with a smile.


    ��Fuuu��


    This is bliss. Err, no problems, I meant.


    ��Are you satisfied now?��


    ��For the most part��


    Come to think of it, I��ve never realized how alluring the corbone can be. I''m a guy after all. My eyes had always been drawn first to the two fascinating things, so I guess it can''t be helped.


    ��Mmm, ahem��


    Rana rolled her shoulders and cleared her throat.


    ��?��


    For some reason, she looked like she still wanted me to touch her some more.


    ��There''s no wound, but there''s this strange ache. ������Aaah, if only there was a good man around who would, umm, give me a good massage at a time like this��������


    No, aren''t I the only person around?


    Oh, could this be������


    ��Your shoulders are really stiff, madam��


    I massaged Rana''s shoulders. I couldn''t put much strength into the massage because she was so close to me, but she seemed to enjoy it.


    She put both feet up on the edge of the tub.


    If you move now, in a lot of ways������well.


    ��I see? Dear, I''ve learned something today. Women get pampered if they do this��


    ��Y, yeah. That''s right��


    What are you saying after all this time?


    Come to think of it, we had thrown a lot of the usual processes and feelings out the window to get married. Looking back, I still can''t believe Rana married a man like me.


    Now, we''re close enough to share a bathtub, but back when we still lived at the camp, my days had been fraught with stress and nervousness.


    I was afraid that if I so much asid a fingertip on her, she would see me as a pervert and reject me.


    I had treated her like the most fragile of things.


    If such a cute and beautiful elf rejected me, I''m confident that I''d be depressed for at least a year.


    That''s all in the past though.


    ��By the way, dear, there''s something I wanted to ask you��


    ��What is it?��


    I''ll answer whatever question you have. After your shoulders, where should I massage next?


    ��When we''re like this, I can feel it against my hip��


    ��Umm, Rana, please don''t ask me about that. I have my own circumstances��


    Please don''t make me have to put a natural physiological phenomenon into words.


    ��No, I don''t mind it. But I was wondering if you got more excited when there are other people around��������


    ��No, I don''t��


    I''d rather it be just the two of us, and I''d like it to be a quiet affair.[1]


    ��I see. That''s a relief. I''ll try my best to keep my voice down even more than usual��


    Hang on a sec, dear wife. What are you saying?


    As if my retort had worked, the cloth partitions on the opposite side were thrown open.


    ��Excuse me~��


    Ea dove in,pletely naked.


    ��What?! Ea! What are you doing?! That''s so shameless!��


    ��I''ve properly washed my body, so it��s fine, isn��t it? Hey, I''m getting cold. Come on, move in some more��


    ��What?! Hey!��


    She lowered herself into the tub and settled herself down in front of Rana. As could be expected, even arge bathtub like this was too small for three people. It was also bad in a physiological sense to have Rana pressed up against me so tightly.


    ��Ea! Go back! You''re an unmarried woman! How can you expose your bare skin to someone who isn''t your husband?��


    Rana''s anger is perfectly justified.


    It''s just that������


    ��Ehh, but I''ve already taken baths with Onii-chan seven times behind your back, Onee-chan��


    Fuc�`! Didn''t you promise to keep it a secret?!


    ��D?E?A?R?��


    The face that Rana slowly turned towards me had the most wonderful smile on it.


    Which, in turn, was the scariest thing I had ever seen.


    ��Rana, let me exin��


    ��Listen to what I have to say first, Onee-chan��


    My attempt to make excuses ignored, the fight between the sisters began.


    ��I like Onii-chan, so I''m getting married to him. When Onii-chan is done with adventuring, Onee-chan, get a divorce��


    ��What?!��


    At my sister''s outrageousment, Rana and I raised our voices at the same time.


    ��Ea, how could you say something like that?!��


    She''s gone too far for me to not scold her.


    ��That''s right! Ea, why do I have to get a divorce?!��


    ��But Onee-chan, you and Onii-chan have the charm�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    My world was flipped upside down.


    I was flung out of the tub andnded on the cobblestones, and then the tub fell on me like a lid.


    I was trapped in darkness and drowning in the water.


    When I finally managed to crawl out of there, I saw the sisters engaged in a naked catfight in front of me.


    ��Shut your mouth!��


    ��I won''t! You hated it, didn��t you?! You hated it from the start! Then let me take over for you! I came to like him out of my own feelings!��


    ��If you say another word! I''ll sew your mouth shut, even if you''re my sister!��


    ��You think it''d be that easy?!��


    This was the first time I had seen the sisters fighting so heatedly.


    If it had been a while ago, it would probably have ended with Rana being pinned down. But with the training Rana had undergone, Ea''s arm strength was no longer enough to hold her down.


    However, Ea pulled off an amazing move.


    Knowing that she was no match in terms of strength, she quickly took Rana''s back like a snake. She made her sister fall onto her buttocks and then locked her into a submission technique like a spider.


    She forced Rana''s legs open so that she couldn''t get to her feet, wrapped her right arm around Rana''s neck, and slid her left arm behind Rana''s head and around to her own shoulder.


    That was when it hit me.


    Ea had been watching MMA videos with great interest. Could it be that she achieved this level of skill just from that?!


    ��Urg, urghh��


    Rana looked to be in agony as her breasts bounced about.


    ��Onee-chan, I''ve tested this on Shuna many times, and there''s no escaping this technique. I''m going to take you down with this��


    ��Urghh��


    Ea tightened her arms even more.


    Hey, Shuna, you''ve got a lot of exining to doter. No, that''s not it.


    ��Ea, that''s enough!��


    I shouted at Ea to try and get her to stop, but.����


    ��D, dear, please wait��


    Rana wagged her finger from side to side in a no-no gesture. If it weren''t for the fact that it was two naked sisters fighting each other, she would have struck quite the dependable figure.


    ��Ea, th, that''s some skill. As your elder sister, I must,mend you. However�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    Rana disappeared in an instant.


    Or rather, I''m sorry, I had to blink because I had been staring at them for too long.


    When I opened my eyes.


    Rana had locked Ea into the exact same technique.


    ������������I saw all of my sister.


    ��What?! N, no way!��


    Taken by surprise, Ea was unable to react in time. She tried to escape, but she couldn''t match Rana''s arm strength.


    What I had remembered earlier was the scene of two sisters amicably watching MMA videos together. So, she had seen through what Ea had been thinking, huh? Also, who did Rana practice her moves on? I''m really curious.


    ��Da, damn, it��������������


    Ea flopped unconscious. Her final efforts to break free had been futile.


    Lifting her limp sister up, the elder sister said a few words.


    ��Ea, your strengthcks just one thing. And that''s������muscles��


    I like the current Rana who��s slightly chubby though.


    At any rate, the fight was decided.


    Or rather, your naked bodies have blotted out all of my memories of today.


    [1] The word I tranted as ��quiet�� can also be ��moist/wet��. If you get it, you get it. If you don��t, please don��t ask.


    A titanium bat, err, scabbard to the face���� Well, it��s so Souya though. It��s getting really clear that Arcane is one of those ��unfortunate in a lot of ways�� characters, isn��t he?


    It��s the return of the Tibetan sand foxes haha. In case you forgot, here��s what they look like.


    The author forgot that they said the tubs were wooden, not ceramic, back in vol 1, I see��rare error, but I guess it could be chalked up to Souya having ess to better tubs cuz he��s higher ranked now.


    Also, the lines that Souya says with madam in them, they��re sorta ��standard lines�� that store employees say. Like the stiff shoulders one is probably the most expected line you��d expect a masseuse to say. And it��s not the first time, but he almost says the F-bomb in ��English��.


    And for those unfamiliar with MMA, the technique used by Ea and Rana is called the rear naked choke. The left picture shows the ��hooks in�� position where the opponent��s legs are controlled that the author was alluding to, the middle one shows the variant of the rear naked choke used(there are several ways of doing it), and the right one gives you an idea of the kind of position someone trying to fight off a rear naked choke can end up in(and why Souya saw ��all of�� Ea). (Pics courtesy of liveabout, grapplearts, and onefc)


    So, did you enjoy the chapter? Is Souya finally gonna pay for his ��two-timing��? I want to say that there are important hints in the stuff Ea blurted out(some of which are worded a bit weirdly to preserve specific meanings), but it literally gets exined next chapter, so what I��ll say instead is, stay tuned!

 Chapter 162: The Battle Against Pride V

    <h4>Chapter 162: The Battle Against Pride V</h4>


    ��So, what''s this all about?��


    As Lanseal was asking that question, I blocked a fist flying in from my right. I then blocked an elbow from my left with my arm.


    ��This is, well, a sisters'' quarrel��


    This had been going on since Ea regained consciousness, and the stage had shifted from the Adventurers'' Guild, to the city, and finally, to the dinner table at home. With me as a buffer between the two, the situation hadn''t gotten too out of hand, but it was still pretty bad.


    Frankly, my regeneration point is almost exhausted. I literally can''t take any more.


    ��Onee-chan is the one at fault!��


    ��Ea! Shut up!��


    ��What the heck?! Don''tsh out at me despite being in the wrong!��


    ��Shut up!��


    Fists started flying again as the sisterly brawl began anew.


    Ea''s flurry of blows was steadily piling up the damage to my body. And bone-jarring pain apanied each of Rana''s blows.


    ��By the way, what do you want for dinner? Do you want noodles? Or would you prefer rice? Or maybe bread? We��ve got some of Lutz-san��s new creations��


    ��Lanseal, noodles!��


    Said Ea.


    ��Lanseal, rice!��


    Said Rana.


    The sisters each grabbed one of my arms and a tug of war ensued.


    Their faces ended up right under my nose when they tried to intimidate each other with threatening looks. They smelled really nice.


    ��Onee-chan, don''t you ever get tired of eating rice all the time? You cook rice and eat onigiri by yourself at night, don��t you?!��


    ��Don''t you get tired of eating curry ramen, ramen curry every single day? You get up in the middle of the night and eat cup noodles, don''t you?!��


    Yes, I was not aware of it.


    I was not aware that such a scene of carnage could have happened at any time.


    I''m also concerned about the big smile on Lanseal''s face that ran contrary to the rage shown by the sisters. That''s the smile of someone who''s got something cooking in their mind.


    I had also forgotten, but Lanseal has the blood of the king of adventurers flowing in her veins.


    That shrewd blood.


    I have a feeling that a storm ising������������and it''s going to be a wild one at that! Maybe I should run away somewhere before the storm hits in earnest?


    But I don''t know what will happen if I leave the sisters to their own devices when they''re like this. Even though they usually get along so well, the pent-up frustration between them has now reached the breaking point. Worst case scenario, our home might be ground zero?


    ��Lanseal, I��ll have yakisoba and fried rice for dinner along with some vegetables and some kind of soup��


    ��Okay~?��


    I tried to take the middle ground, and after taking my order, Lanseal went into the kitchen. With her tail causing the edge of her skirt to flutter, she hummed a tune as she began to cook.


    ��Grrrr��


    Growled Rana.


    ��Shaaa!��


    Went Ea with teeth bared.


    They''re taking subtly animal-like stances. Do elves use animal fighting styles to settle fights, I wonder?


    ��So noisy������ What''s going on?��


    ��Misuranika-sama!��


    The salvation of my god hase.


    She walked up the stairs to the basement in the form of a young girl, which was a rarity.


    ��Hyaan!��


    For some reason, she spanked Lanseal''s butt.


    ��Take that smirk off your face. It''s creepy. It''ll make the food taste bad��


    ��Oh, I''m sorry��


    Lanseal apologized.


    What kind of face did she have, I wonder.


    ��So, what''s going on here?��


    ��Umm, the sisters had a falling-out��


    ��Okay. Souya, it''s your fault! Apologize!��


    I was immediately branded as guilty.


    ��I��m sorry��


    ��Alright, it��s settled��


    I don''t think that''s going to do it.


    ��Just so you know, I''m telling you to break up for both your sakes, Onii-chan, Onee-chan. If you stay married to each other, you will both be unhappy in the end. For the sake of Onii-chan''s goal, I was going to keep quiet about it until we had reached the 56th floor, but I can''t stand the thought of the person I care about being continually deceived��


    Ea stared daggers at Rana.


    ��Let me say one thing, just one thing��


    Rana shrank into herself, almost as if she had reverted to her old self.


    ��Ea, if you speak of that matter, we will no longer be sisters. I''ll also leave the party. And since I can''t return to our family home, I''ll leave on a journey somewhere far away��


    ��Wait, Rana!��


    What are you saying all of a sudden?


    Not only will you leave the party, you''ll go on a journey far away?


    ��Tsk������������I, I understand. I''m fine with that��


    ��Then������do as you wish��


    When Rana got up from her seat and tried to run away, I grabbed her by the waist and took her down.


    ��Wait a minute, Rana!��


    ��Let go of me!��


    ��I''m definitely not letting go! Tell me what''s going on! Don''t leave me behind!��


    ��Once you hear about that matter, even you will be disillusioned!��


    ��Why are you assuming that?!��


    This time, it was a quarrel between husband and wife.


    For crying out loud, I''m sick and tired of no one exining anything to me.


    ��Rauaryuna, you should have a little more faith in Souya. If you''re going to run away anyways, it''s not toote to do so after he''s heard the whole story, right?��


    As expected of my god. You''ve made an excellent point.


    ��Dear, let go of me!��


    But my wife wasn''t listening. She was iling about wildly and she wouldn''t stop, so������


    ��Hyaa!��


    ������I decided to massage her breasts from behind until she quieted down.


    ��Hold on, dear! A, at a time like this, hyaa��


    After giving both of them a good kneading as a warm-up, I started to focus on the central part of her breasts through the bikini armor she wore in ce of underwear. Instead of touching those points directly, I rubbed all around them in a circr motion.


    ��S, stop it! Everyone''s watching! No way! Aah, aahh!��


    As I gradually reduced the size of the circles, I could feel them growing stiff and swollen even over the armor.


    I nudged, flicked, then rubbed them at high speed.


    ��uu������uuu��


    Rana quieted down.


    Phew.


    ��What the heck are you doing?��


    Misuranika-sama smacked me in the back of my head.


    Sorry, I was having so much fun that I got carried away.


    Anyway, I had seeded in rendering her powerless. She probably won''t be able to run away for a while.


    ��So, Ea, what did you want to tell me?��


    ��Eh? You''re kidding. You''re going to make me spill the beans under such circumstances?��


    That''s a perfectly reasonable point, but����


    ��I don''t want to see you sisters fight for even one more second. So get on with it please��


    ��Then I''ll say it, I guess�D�D�D�D�D��


    For all that she had threatened Rana, she was having difficultly saying it.


    ��Onii-chan, when you got injured in the fight with that idiot prince of Lemuria������


    How nostalgic.


    That''s the time when I lost by chance because I had let my guard down. Probably.


    ��......After healing you, Onee-chan cast charm magic on both "you" and "herself"��


    ��Eh?��


    I''ve just received a piece of information that I''m finding a little difficult to process.


    Is the charm magic Ea spoke of that "charmed" status ailment seen in games? Indeed, I had fallen in love with her.


    ��I was against it, but Onee-chan said that things would go more smoothly if she also fell in love with you. She said that it would give the appearance that the two of you trusted each other��


    ��In short, the feelings I had for Rana, they��re����?��


    ��That''s right. They''re all lies. They''re fake feelings that were forced upon you. They��re not real. But forgive Onee-chan. At that time, the only person we could rely on was you, Onii-chan. And we needed to be sure that you would never betray us. We wanted a guarantee that someone of another race wouldn''t betray us elves��


    The feeling that my whole world had crumbled beneath my feet������������didn''te over me.


    That''s because I have a feeling that I��ve heard something like this somewhere, sometime before......��


    ��Oh!��


    I remembered. It was something said in a conversation between me, the Demon King, and a goblin.


    ��About that, it seems that the curse of the hand protector didn''t work on me. Does that mean that Rana''s magic didn''t work either?��


    ��Onii-chan, what do you mean by the curse of the hand protector?��


    So Ea didn''t know about it either.


    ��Rana, what about����Rana?��


    After I had taken her down and massaged her breasts, Rana had been crying with both hands covering her face. She was trying to stifle them, but her sobs were still escaping. There were also tears spilling out from between her fingers.


    Somehow, it feels like I had raped her, and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.


    ��Ra, Rana?��


    ��Uuu, uuu, sob, uuu��


    Unable to hold back her tears anymore, she started wailing. She was in no condition to talk.


    Rana is crying, Ea looks depressed, and Lanseal is humming while making dinner as her tail swished back and forth.


    I have no idea what to do here.


    ��Hey, Souya, let me give you a piece of good news��


    ��Yes��


    God came to the rescue.


    ��Charm magic is like a curse that a woman ces on a man. Women who are famous for their beauty are capable of this naturally. The beauty of elves that so captivates people can also be considered a curse��


    ��In other words?��


    I''ve already got an idea of what she''s getting at, but I want to hear something definitive.


    ��Rauaryuna, your charm magic was nullified by me a long time ago. I also nullified the charm magic you cast on yourself. In other words, the love you feel is your own. Good grief, it''s tough having a forgetful follower. I''ll tell you something else as a bonus, Souya is madly in love with you. And of course, those feelings are his own��


    After saying that, Misuranika-sama coolly left. She went next to Lanseal and started pinching food.


    I won''t stop you today. Please eat to your heart''s content.


    ��That��s how it is, Rana��


    ��Eh? You��re kidding��


    Was Ea��s reaction.


    As for Rana, after turning to me with tear-filled eyes������


    ��I������


    ������she hugged me with all her might.


    It was the strongest hug I had ever felt.


    ��I! I like you! Do you like me too?!��


    ��Yup, I do, I do��


    If I didn''t, I wouldn''t have risked my life for you. I wouldn''t have wanted to hold you in my arms again and again.


    ��I love you!��


    ��I''m so happy��


    Our feelings had been mutual. It''s true love that had been mistaken as fake feelings.


    But through all the twists and turns, the trials and tribtions we have ovee, here is my vow of a steadfast bond between us.


    In sickness, in death, in health, in joy, in sorrow, in wealth, in poverty, in love, and in suffering, I will share my life with you.


    I will love you, honor you,fort you, help you, and devote myself to you for as long as I live.


    ��Dear! Let��s get married!��


    Yup.


    ��We already are��


    This time it��s Rana��s turn to say it, huh? If you recall, it was the other way around thest time. Did a teare to your eye reading the (wedding)vows Souya made inside his heart? Lots sure came to mine!


    Here are my thoughts on the progression of thest part. I may be right or wrong on this, it��s just my interpretation. Souya��s promise of a steadfast bond was triggered by hearing that Rana had wanted a guarantee that he wouldn��t betray her. Then heunched into wedding vows because, yeah, that sure is asting bond(or at least, is supposed to be) and also because he truly loves her. Then when Rana showed that she was feeling the same as him by asking to get married, that ��Yup�� to sorta mean ��Yeah, we already did cuz I��ve just said the vows�� before he replied was so great as it also alluded to what she had said to him back in volume 3. Seriously, thatst part had me in tears the entire time I was tranting it because it was so darned touching.


    Oh, if you thought that the ��charmed�� exnation seems weirdly extraneous, it��s because it��s 2 different words in the original text, ����(mi-ryou, which means charm in Jap) and ����`��(cha-mu, yes it��s charm in ��English�� and is what��s used in games).


    Also, what do you mean you ��lost by chance because you let your guard down�� lol. Another case of Souya bending the truth.


    Well, all��s well that ends well, it seems. Still, have you changed your opinion of Rana seeing as she��s a woman capable of doing something like that? There are other implications regarding how she acted too. All that next time, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 163: Urovalus, The City Of Ghosts I

    <h4>Chapter 163: Urovalus, The City Of Ghosts I</h4>


    ��172nd day��


    I was in the basement, brushing my teeth and thinking aboutst night''s events.


    ��But, Onee-chan, doesn''t that mean that all the lewd stuff you''ve been doing up until now that you''ve med on the charm magic are actually just your own desires? Aren''t you ashamed of yourself? You perverted elf!��


    ��Hyaaaa!��


    When my sister pointed that out, Rana screamed and covered her face while still hugging me.


    Indeed, I think Rana is rather lewd. But I believe that ten out of ten men like lewd women. So long as they don''t cheat on their husbands.


    ��So, Onee-chan, aren''t you going to leave Onii-chan?��


    ��Eh, I''m not going to though? What''s wrong with a husband and wife being intimate with each other? After all, we''re husband and wife��


    ��You don''t have to say it twice. And why the sudden emphasis on you and Onii-chan being husband and wife? Considering all that''s happened�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s a very important fact, so I''ll say it as many times as I want. We��re husband and wife! We love each other!��


    It''s really embarrassing, so please don''t say that out in public.


    ��Right~? Dear, right~?��


    ��Right~?�� she says����


    When I replied, ��Yeah, yeah��������


    ��That''s kind of pissing me off!��


    ������my sister snapped.


    Rana, however, waspletely unperturbed.


    ��Listen well, Ea. Whether you fall in love with my husband or aim to be his second wife, well, you''ll be after me in everything. All his firsts will be with me, and all you''ll get are the seconds! After all, we��re husband and wife!��


    ��Arghh!��


    Just like that, the fight between the sisters began anew.


    It went on for so long that I don''t remember anything from about halfway through the whole thing. However, when I woke up this morning, I found the sisters snuggled up together and asleep in the living area on the ground floor.


    Is this a case of ��the ground hardening after the rain��[1], or is this just the calm before the storm?


    Does Rana think it''s okay for Ea to be my second wife, I wonder?


    I''ve heard before that polygamy is the norm for elves. Wait, Maria has dered herself my second wife though. Is there going to be another fight, this time between her and Ea?


    Mmm, it''s no use.


    It''s no use thinking about it. What will be will be. I don''t have much experience with women, so it''s not something I can figure out just by thinking about it. This is not me shirking responsibility. I simply have no idea what to do.


    I cleaned myself up, got dressed, did the best I could to make myself look good, then went back downstairs.


    The sisters were still in their dream world.


    As a matter of course, Lanseal was in the kitchen making breakfast.


    This is a familiar sight these days. She''s really improved a lot in a short time. If I were to have a cooking match with her now, I''d probably lose.


    ��Souya, please have a taste of this��


    ��Alright��


    I went over to have a taste of her signature dish, pot-au-feu. A quick look at the pot showed that it contained chunks of pork belly, cabbage, onions, and potatoes.


    I scooped some of the broth onto a te and taste-tested it.


    ��Hmm��


    There''s an ent to the vor of the meat and vegetables.


    ��This is soy sauce and������something else I can''t identify. It''s got an unusual vor��


    ��It''s a seasoning called Shio-Koji(salted rice malt). I got some of the raw ingredients for miso from Heures-sama, and then Makina and I made it in secret by mixing those ingredients with some rice. Marinating vegetables and meat with it makes them delicious, and my father and Misuranika-sama both like them very much. What''s more, it��s a wonderful seasoning that''s good for health��


    ��I, I see��


    What''s shio-koji again? I know it was all the rage a long time ago. Is it something made from miso and rice?


    ��Is it not to your taste?��


    ��No, it��s delicious��


    ��I''m d to hear that��


    I found myself using polite speech with her.


    This is bad, I have a feeling that she''spletely surpassed me in Japanese cuisine. I''ll have to make up for it in other ways����wait, I wonder why I''m being sopetitive.


    ��Umm, there''s something I wanted to tell you. I thought about keeping quiet about it, but in the end, I felt that it��s something you should know��


    ��Hmm? What is it?��


    I had thought that after everything that''s happened between us, we''re close enough to not hold anything back anymore����


    What is this about, I wonder.


    ��It''s about your adventuring. Souya, you''ve reached the 40th floor. That''s the floor where my father lost his second party member��


    ��His second��������


    The king of adventurers had lost two party members in the dungeon.


    The first was Alma Raua Heures, Rana''s aunt.


    The second was Verxina, Lanseal''s mother.


    ��The fox and the bull used in the country''s coat of arms and on its banners? The fox is a representation of my mother, and the bull is a representation of the Horns she fought and lost her life killing. And that Horns is also the monster with evil title from which Evetta, your person-in-charge, was born��


    ��What?! Huh??��


    That surprised me.


    I hadn''t seen the two of them interact much, but I had heard from Otou-san that Evetta and Lanseal had been brought up together like sisters.


    ��By the way, I don''t harbor any hatred or anger towards Evetta. It''s impossible to hate someone who''s been family to me for so long��


    ��Oh, I see��


    While I was relieved, I also had mixed feelings about it.


    ��Following the death of my mother, it''s be standard practice for adventurers to hire someone from the Adventurers'' Guild to apany them to the 40th floor. When I heard that Evetta would be taking on this role, I got worried��


    ��Worried about what?��


    ��Three days ago, when I saw her at the castle������umm, I apologize for saying something based only on a feeling, but I felt that she was being uncharacteristically overeager. I can''t think of any good reason why she would go so far as to arrange a match with Elysium''s apprentice hero just so you can hire her first either. ������������I''m sorry, I don''t know how to put it into words better. If you could just put at the back of your mind that I hoped you might look out for her a little������umm, I apologize about that. Now that I''ve said it out loud, it sounds really weird��


    ��No, I got it��


    Maybe it''s her beastkin''s intuition. To be honest, I don''t fully understand Evetta-san''s actions either.


    Why is there a need to rush? Between the risks of "fighting" and "waiting", adventurers will always choose to wait.


    For someone who was an adventurer long before I became one, it''s an uncharacteristic choice.


    I found out through fighting Arcane that he''s not that bad of a guy. Even though his party members tend to run amok, as a leader, he does a good������oh, he scored zero points the moment Rana was hurt though.


    He''s a jerk. I can understand why Evetta-san doesn''t like him.


    Let''s just say in summary that she chose me because I''m better than him.


    If that''s not the case������


    ��Lanseal, I''m going to see Evetta-san after breakfast to discuss our uing adventure. I''ll ask her about it while I''m at it. We''ll be putting our lives in each other''s hands. She should know that there can''t be any secrets between us��


    ��That''s true. I''m counting on you��


    ��Got it��


    ��I��m hungry����


    Said my sister, who had woken up.


    ��What''s for breakfast? Is there any rice?��


    Followed by her elder sister.


    ��I''m back����


    With perfect timing, a dark-skinned elf emerged from the basement.


    ��Oh, wee home, Maria��


    ��Yeah, I''m home. Souya, here''s a souvenir��


    What the loli elf held out was meat wrapped in cloth. It was different from the pork we usually ate. It was fresh red meat that looked stringy.


    ��It''s meat from a deer Dainsleif hunted. They''re pretty rare in Ashtalia. He gave the liver to Regure, who''s pregnant, but said he''d give the rest of the meat to you, Souya��


    The sisters worship a deer god though. Is it okay doctrine-wise for them to eat this?


    ��Eh, Onii-chan, is that venison? Are you going to cook it in stew? Or in miso nabe?��


    ��Ea, make meat miso using the venison��


    ��Well, it''s not like it can''t be done����but will the vors work, I wonder? I guess I could give it a try��


    ��Eh? You''re gonna eat that?��


    The sisters looked eager to eat the venison.


    ��Eh? Are you telling us to throw away such fine meat?��


    ��That''s right, Onii-chan, in your country''snguage, wouldn''t that be "mottainai(a waste)"?��


    ��But, you see, Ezusu-sama������


    ����wears the form of a deer though.


    ��Dear, Ezusu-sama may have the form of a deer, but he''s not this deer��


    ��That''s right, Onii-chan, that''s disrespectful of you��


    ��Uhh, I''m sorry��


    Am I in the wrong here? I apologize, Ezusu-sama.


    ��How about marinating it in shio-koji? I''ve heard that it removes the smell and makes the meat more tender��


    ��Shio-what? Lanseal, when did you acquire a new seasoning? Hey, you should have let me try some��


    ��Lanseal, I''ll taste-test it for you��


    ��I''m the one who brought the meat! Praise me more!��


    ��There, there��


    I patted Maria on the head.


    The sisters listened with great interest to Lanseal''s exnation of the shio-koji''s ability to remove odors from food.


    I''m pretty sure that some of the knowledge Makina imparted to her is exaggerated though.


    There are no such miraculous effects in Japanese cuisine. Bnce is the key to everything.


    Speaking of which, I don''t see either of the two A.I.s.


    ��Lanseal, where are Makina and Yukikaze?��


    ��After helping with the prep work for breakfast, they went to the basement. They were singing some song about exploring the waterway and finding lots of mushrooms��


    ��What the heck?��


    Where is this waterway? And are there shiitake mushrooms growing down there? Well, as long as it doesn''t hamper my adventuring, it should be fine to let them do whatever they want, I suppose. Especially Makina, when she gets into something she''s interested in, she tends to forget about her actual work. It''s troubling. I don''t know who she takes after����no way, is it me?


    ��I''m hungry~! I''m hungry~!��


    Maria made a fuss, so the venison was set aside temporarily in favor of having breakfast.


    Today''s breakfast included pot-au-feu with the secret ingredients of shio-koji and soy sauce, as well as grilled onigiris. In addition, fried eggs and vegetables pickled in shio-koji.


    The food is delicious, but it doesn''t exactly have an alternate world feel.


    It''s time to find some food that feels like it''s from an alternate world. It doesn''t even need to be Japanese-style food.


    Misuranika-sama joined us, and breakfast was as lively as usual.


    I''m so used to this liveliness that the thought of ever going back to being alone makes me uneasy. I''m trying to live each day in such a way as to prevent that from happening, but the time to say goodbye wille someday.


    Maybe it''s just my nature, but when I''m having fun, I tend to think about sad things at the same time.


    I believe I don''t show these emotions on the surface. If anyone were to sense them, it would cause unnecessary worry.


    If I''m just going to be a memory for these girls anyway, I want to give them as many days of joy as possible to remember.


    ��Ah, Onii-chan, are you thinking of something naughty right now?��


    ��No, I��m not��


    Now that''s really an unnecessary worry.


    I finished my breakfast.


    On my way to the Adventurers'' Guild, I caught sight of Evetta-san at her customary spot in Tyutyu''s store.


    ��Ah��


    We both went at the same time.


    It was too much trouble going all the way to the Guild, so we decided to have our meeting right there.


    We knew each other quite well, so the nning process went pretty smoothly.


    We would start the adventure the next day.


    Evetta would be positioned at the forefront.


    The duration of the adventure would be two days.


    She promised to definitely guide our party to the 45th floor within that time.


    In her, I could feel a firm determination. Along with a sense of desperation.


    ��Evetta-san, this is a lesson Otou-san often reminds me of,��When in doubt, go back. If you return safely, you can challenge it again and again��


    Our party is certainly the fastest at clearing the dungeon, but we''re actually pretty cautious, and when we think something is wrong, we go back immediately. Frankly speaking, there''s no need to go to the 45th floor in one go this time��


    ��Souya, Medimu-sama is absolutely right. A rushed adventure is dangerous. But could you go along with what I want just this once? I won''t let anything bad happen to you or your party members. And if it turns out that you guys find it too dangerous, I''ll make sure all of you return home safely. I''ve already lined up someone for you to hire ��the next time����


    I heard something I didn''t like.


    ��Evetta-san, when you say "the next time", it sounds almost like this adventure is�D�D�D�D��


    ��Oh, I''m sorry. I totally forgot I hadn''t told you yet and got ahead of myself��


    Right then, I had a hunch about why she was in such a rush.


    My intuition has always been very good when ites to things like this.


    ��I''m nearing the end of my lifespan��


    It��s truly as they say, bad feelings alwayse true.


    [1] It��s a Japanese expression that means ��the rtionship got better and more stable after a dispute.��


    ����Evetta!!! Noooo!!! I��m sure you��ve noticed since this isn��t the first time, but the story can go from zero to a hundred at the drop of a hat this volume. That said, there have been plenty of hints about this. Evetta~~


    Oh, as for the title of this arc and volume, it sucks but once again, I��m limited by how specific English is. It��s the city of ���, which can mean ghost, apparition, departed spirit, soul of the dead, phantom, you get the drift. And once this volume is over, you��ll see the wordy involved as many of its meaningse into y.


    Well, stay tuned! There are so much more ups and downs toe!

 Chapter 164: Urovalus, the City of Ghosts II & III

    <h4>Chapter 164: Urovalus, the City of Ghosts II & III</h4>


    <Urovalus, the City of Ghosts II>


    I might have heard her wrong after all.


    ��Like I said, it''s my lifespan. Among the Horns, I''ve lived the longest, and to be honest, it wouldn''t be a surprise if my body gave out at any time, but in thest five days or so, it''s started to deteriorate rapidly. I think I can fight to my limits one more time, but after that������I��ll undoubtedly die��


    My mind wentpletely nk.


    ��Wait, wait, wait��


    I fumbled for words, but couldn''t find any.


    ��Please don''t worry, Souya. The Guild President has agreed to take over as your person-in-charge. I''ve already finished the handover procedures, so there shouldn''t be any problems��


    No, that''s not what I��m worried about.


    ��Is there any way to extend your lifespan?��


    ��There isn''t. For a monster that has been taken out of the dungeon, just being able to live this long is already a miracle. I''m very grateful to Verxina-sama for saving my life. If the souls of monsters and humans return to the same ce, I''ll be able to thank her directly��


    ��Please wait. What if you don''t fight?��


    ��My lifespan will increase somewhat. However, it''s my hope that this life that has been given to me by an adventurer will end during an adventure��


    That''s something that I can kind of understand. But being told about your lifespan out of the blue like this seriously troubles me.


    ��Souya, I know that you have a soft spot for people you''re close to. I''m very d that you include me among them. That said, there''s one thing that you mustn''t get wrong. I''m not human. I''m a monster trained to obey humans. I''m an aberration, the exact same as that shameless girl, Nanassy��


    ��The exact same, you say��������


    No, that can''t be right. You''re nothing like that off-the-chain rabid dog.


    ��Look closely at this part��


    Evetta pulled her chair closer to mine and pointed to her right horn.


    ��When their horns get damaged, Horns suffer from such severe pain all over their body that they be unable to move. That''s why they''re usually cut off and given to their owners. In my case, due to the achievements I earned during my adventures and the kindness of King Lemuria, I was allowed to have my horn reattached��


    Come on, take a look, said Evetta, leaning even closer. I could see where her right horn had been joined back together. More importantly, my heart skipped a beat when her long silver hair brushed across the back of my hand. There was a subtle fragrance that I had never smelled before.


    ��Arcane-sama has also given Nanassy her horn back as a sign of trust. It''s foolish because he can no longer control her, but I suppose that''s his way of showing that he sees her as arade��


    ��Evetta-san, what I''m trying to say is�D�D�D�D��


    ��I know. I do��


    She took both my hands in hers.


    ��I don''t know whether to call it long or short, but I''ve been in charge of you for a time after all. I believe I know you. And I don''t wish for you to bear the grief of losing your party member a second time��


    ��Evetta-san, my party members aren''t that weak��


    I''ve be stronger as well.


    Never will I let something like what happened to Irvin happen again.


    ��Then, this is just my selfish wish. Since my life was given to me by an adventurer, I want to die as an adventurer. I don''t want to die whimpering by myself on my bed. I know that I''m asking a terrible thing of you. But if you refuse, I��ll simply fight and die alone. Somewhere inside the dungeon, unseen by anyone. In vain, for no reason at all. If I''m fortunate enough to have someone to witness my end, I want that someone to be you. If there��s still any use for this life, I want to use it for you. That''s all there is to it��


    ��That��s all, huh��������


    As firmly as I could, I grasped her hands back. As proof of how much I had grown.


    Showing pity to a person who has prepared themselves to die is the act of a fool.


    Up until now, in this alternate world, I''ve met many people with various kinds of resolves in their hearts. And I have respected all of them for the strength of their resolves.


    This is the most basic of human courtesies.


    ��Then I have no other choice. It can''t be helped, I suppose��


    It''s hard to ept.


    But ept it I will.


    ��Evetta-san, your fight����I��ll definitely witness it. Please show me what it is to be a brave and proud adventurer until the veryst moment��


    ��Leave it to me. As your senior, I''ll show you how an adventurer who isn��t shameful should look(I''ll show you how an adventurer worthy of pride should conduct themselves)��[1]


    Since she and I first met, it had been 172 days.


    But we embraced each other like close friends who had known each other for decades.


    Looking back on it now, this person is the first ally I gained in the alternate world. She''s helped me a lot. I''ve treated her to many meals. We''ve shared so much joys and sorrows. She��s been as happy about my exploits as if they were her own.


    This is not an abrupt farewell like the time with Irvin.


    It''s a nned and proimed farewell.


    However, that doesn''t change the fact that it''s heartbreaking.


    I held back my tears.


    She''s thest person I want to look miserable in front of. Because she probably feels the same as I do.


    <Urovalus, the City of Ghosts III>


    It was a vast space that hardly seemed like the inside of a dungeon, and in fact housed an entire city.


    Instead of outer walls, the city was surrounded by stone walls. Its cityscape resembled Lemuria''s, and it was easy to forget that this was the inside of a dungeon when exploring its many alleyways.


    The ceiling was as high as the sky, with a fake light emting the sun.


    A pleasant spring breeze was blowing.


    When I listened carefully, I could almost hear the hustle and bustle of people in the distance.


    Like the whispers of ghosts.


    500 years ago. On thend Lemuria sat on, there was a country called Beliale.


    This was the era when the country of the dragon still existed on the continent. It had developed a civilization more advanced than today''s, and built much of the infrastructure that Lemuria still used to this day. It was a country with engineers so skilled that even the dwarves respected them.


    The fruits of their skill had remained, spread out extensively under my home.


    ��This city, Urovalus, is said to be the Beliale that once existed. The means by which it was transnted to this floor is unknown But after a careful investigation of the records of the Odoriji spire and the items found on this floor, it seems that there''s no doubt about it��


    After listening to Evetta-san''s exnation, I smacked the ass of Shuna, who was next to me.


    ��Oww!��


    ��Hey, Shuna. Don''t be so focused on looking that you mess up��


    ��I, I won''t! Besides, aren''t you looking too, Souya!��


    ��Of course I''m looking! But my fighting strength doesn''t change! In fact, it''s rising!��


    ��No, my skills won''t be dulled by such nakedness either��


    What the grumbling andining Shuna was looking at were Evetta-san''s rounded buttocks.


    Contrary to her slender body, her buttocks were ample, feminine, and wonderful.


    How should I put it������


    Her adventuring outfit consists of a tiny ck micro-bikini and a short cloak that only covers her back and waist. She has armor on her legs and shins, but other than that, she��spletely unprotected.


    Actually, her outfit isn''t all that unusual.


    Women who serve as vanguards in the alternate world usually show a lot of skin. Rather than putting on inadequate armor, they tend to prioritize ease of movement. This is because many of the female warriors who have left their mark on the world, such as dvain-sama, have a history of wearing revealing outfits.


    It''s a wonderful tradition.


    In other words, those who wear the bikini armor under clothes like Rana are seen as being overly dressed. She can definitely wear less. As for Lys, well, the armor originally belonged to Irvin, so it��s a different story altogether.


    When Shuna and I stared at Evetta-san''s ass, who looked the perfect image of a female warrior, the women of the party gave us disapproving looks.


    We''re just observing tradition though.


    But well, the weapon that Evetta-san carries is enough to put a damper on me and Shuna''s lecherousness.


    It''s a huge mace with a diamond-shaped head.


    A smaller person would be crushed into pulp in a single blow. Naturally, it must weigh an awful lot. But that''s not the only thing about it that��s scary. The entire head of the mace is covered with indentations, resembling a grater.


    The one thing I can''t figure out is the metal rope coiled around the mace.


    It''s not long enough to be used to pull back the mace after throwing it.


    Is it meant to be swung around or to strangle enemies with? It''s not amonly used weapon, so it''s something of a mystery.


    ��This floor is simr in design to the Great Skeleton floors that you''ve cleared in the past��


    Ignoring my curious stare, Evetta-san continued her exnation.


    At present,


    She was leading us down the main street, which would lead to the dungeon if we were in Lemuria. However, there was one ring difference between this ghost city and Lemuria.


    There was no Odoriji spire.


    ��There��s no clear distinction of floors from the 40th to the 45th floor��


    ��Is there a big hole in the ground somewhere, or is it structured like an atrium?��


    I wouldn''t get anywhere by only staring at her butt, so I asked her a question.


    ��No, when the guardian of this city is defeated, a portal to the 45th floor will appear��


    ��Ohh, it''s the same as that revelry guy, huh?��


    The magician of revelry, Wagreas.


    That ridiculous character won''t pop up again, will he? I don''t really care about the guy himself, but I saw the scene of Rana beating the crap out of him in a dream some time back.


    I hope it''s not a dream with a deeper meaning.


    ��The way to make the guardian appear is a bit�D�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    Evetta-san signaled with her hand for the whole party to stop.


    Evetta-san was at the head of the party''s formation. Shuna and I were in a line behind her.


    Behind us was the defense and firepower duo of Lys and Rana.


    Ea was in charge of watching our backs, while Otou-san was responsible for guarding the rear.


    Although she was a temporary member, Evetta-san was acting sorta like the leader this time around.


    I told everyone in the party to follow her instructions. They all agreed to do so readily, but there was one thing I didn''t tell them.


    It''s the matter of Evetta-san''s lifespan.


    My party members are all experienced adventurers, but with the exception of Otou-san, there are still some inconsistencies in how they perform. However, it''s not like their movements will be dulled because they''re unduly concerned about other things. This is purely my own selfish wish.


    I don''t want Evetta-san''sst adventure to be sullied by trite considerations and sympathies.


    ��There''s oneing at us from the front. And another one from the rear��


    Just as Evetta-san spotted the approaching enemies, Yukikaze also sounded a proximity warning.


    The ground shook as huge figures emerged from the alleyways.


    They came from the front and back at the same time, catching the party in a pincer.


    The enemies were good old dungeon pigs. However, there was one thing that set them apart from the ones we had encountered in the past.


    They had horns growing out of their foreheads. Horns much like Evetta-san and Nanassy''s.


    ��I''ll take care of the one in front��


    Evetta-san would deal with the pig in front.


    ��I''ll kill the oneing from behind. Princess Ea, can you shoot out its eyes?��


    ��Easily��


    The pig at our rear would be dealt with by Otou-san and Ea.


    Still as huge and ferocious as ever, the enormous pigs charged at us, spraying drool and squealing noisily.


    Even though we''ve gotten stronger, taking on an opponent like this head-on is still a challenge. The standard strategy is to use feints or decoys to get behind it.


    But,


    Evetta-san took it head-on.


    She rolled her shoulders and hopped a few steps, looking as light as a dancer and making the weight of the mace seem insignificant.


    Then, she sprinted forward in a blur of speed.


    The distance between her and the pig was instantly reduced to zero.


    A loud boom filled the air, followed by the sounds of flesh ripping apart and bones being crushed. Then, all that remained was the figure of Evetta-san, who had swung her mace upwards from a low stance.


    The four-meter-long dungeon pig flew apart as it sailed off into the distance.


    It was a home run.


    The one in front had been taken care of, so I looked behind.


    I had turned back just in time to see Ea release arrows from herpound bow. The two arrows that she released at the same time pierced through the eyes of the dungeon pig as if they were being drawn in.


    Shrieking, the hulking creature lost its bnce and tumbled to the ground right in front of Otou-san.


    A short exhtion of breath.


    A single glint as he drew his katana and cut the pig''s head in two.


    When the katana clicked back into its scabbard, the pig''s brains spilled out.


    It was such a precise cut that the pig didn''t even let out a single death throe. It likely never realized its death.


    As expected of Otou-san, that''s just amazing.


    Evetta-san is also impressive. If it was simply a contest of physical strength, she would be a match for His Majesty Ashtalia. She might even better him. Her strength is beyond the realm of human understanding.


    We searched the area for enemies after the battle. There were no other enemies in sight. Nothing from Yukikaze either�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Team member Souya��


    ��Hmm?��


    No, it appeared that she had found something.


    ��Please check the monster that Medimu-sama defeated. Yukikaze is getting a strange reaction from it��


    ��Understood. Otou-s�D�D�D�D�D��


    Just as I was calling out to him, I saw Evetta-san lift her mace up.


    For a moment, I thought she was going to attack Otou-san.


    Naturally, that wasn''t what she was doing.


    The mace was swung downwards onto the pig��s corpse�D�D�D�D�D�Dno, the pig that was about to get up.


    ��Medimu-sama, it feels strange for me to teach you something, but well������


    She pulled on the mace''s rope. I realized then what it was for.


    The mace appeared to be constructed in such a way that allowed the mace head to rotate. When she pulled the rope, the mace head spun around at high speed, like a drill.


    When the mace head was spun while it was buried in the flesh������


    ������if you don''t smash their vitals to pieces, they''ll regenerate��


    ������half of the pig was pulverized into mincemeat. The resulting spray of blood and flesh sttered all over Evetta-san.


    Seeing her soiled appearance, Otou-san had aplicated look on his face.


    ��Being taught by you feels weird��


    Otou-san must have received quite a shock from being taught by someone younger than him.


    I received a different kind of shock when I realized the meaning of her nickname.


    Wiping the blood off with her cloak, Evetta-san took the lead again. Like nothing had happened, she got ready for the next battle.


    Gruesome destruction.


    Is this what the adventurers "back in the day[2]" were like? To someone who has lived through those times, the adventurers of today must seem almost tepid.


    ��The enemies on this floor are all "horned". Those horns provide the same effect to the monsters as the regeneration point does to adventurers. Wounds from half-baked attacks will be regenerated immediately. A clean sh to a vital point is easily regenerated. I rmend either pulverizing them beyond recognition or gouging out either their brains or hearts and then grinding them into dust��


    ��Evetta-san, what kinds of enemies are there here?��


    These pigs are a pain to deal with all by themselves, but if there are other monsters, it''ll be even more of a problem.


    ��Other than the ghostly or spectral kinds, all of the enemies that you''ve encountered on the previous floors��


    ��Eh? All of them?��


    ��Yes. All of them��


    You must be kidding.


    What the heck, is this an all-star and powered-up floor? Is this like the final dungeon or something?


    ��Oh, I almost forgot. Be careful not to enter the buildings. You never know what might have built a nest inside. Please refrain from provoking enemies as much as possible��


    I hope we don��t run into any bees.


    The sisters get all weird when they see honey.


    ��Safe havens have been marked in this way by our predecessors. Please use them as emergency shelters��


    Evetta-san pointed out one of the buildings with her mace.


    On its tightly shut door, there was a distorted V-shaped pattern.


    It''s a pattern I''ve seen before.


    ��Dear, this is the Gastolfo''s������


    ��Yeah��


    It''s the crest of the Brave that you erased.


    ��As expected, madam, you''re very knowledgeable. This is indeed the crest of Gastolfo''s Braves. The safe havens on this floor were all discovered by those Braves��


    ��W, wow��


    Rana had a sour look on her face, probably because she was reminded of Frey. I could understand how she felt.


    ��By the way, Evetta-san, what will we be doing after this?��


    ��Right. We''ll continue to fight the enemies as we go to see how the party does. I''ll be pointing out all your faults, so be prepared for that. Once that''s done, we''ll move towards their base along the walls and then wait for night��


    ��Night��������


    For there to be night inside the dungeon������so the fake sun sets, huh?


    As we were about to proceed onward, Evetta-san stopped and turned back to face us.


    ��Sorry, I forgot to wee you guys��


    Still covered in blood and gore, she shed a rare smile.


    [1] The trantion you see is the literal trantion, as is written, so to speak. What��s in the brackets is how I would normally trante it. It��s actually fairlymon when tranting Japanese for the meaning to be more urate/clearer after flipping it around like that. However, there��s a reason why those specific words had to be retained despite them making the line sound weird and not as clear. You��ll see whyter.


    [2] Remember how the older adventurers, like King Lemuria, always say, ��Back in my day, the Guild wasn��t as good/things were tougher/etc.�� This is in reference to that generation of adventurers.


    After reading about Evetta��s outfit in III, you got what I meant in [1], I hope. She sure showed him how an adventurer should look, eh? I don��t know about the shameful part though. Yes, this author took a key line in a touching scene he wrote and yeeted it to facepalmnd in the very next chapter���� On that topic though, fanart of Evetta please. Pretty please?


    I love the ��observing tradition�� joke too. That cracked me up.


    We��ve finally started the titr arc in earnest! It��s been a while, but it��s a full dungeon crawl! This one is going to be just as long and intense as thest one! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 165: Urovalus, the City of Ghosts IV

    <h4>Chapter 165: Urovalus, the City of Ghosts IV</h4>


    There were monsters lurking everywhere.


    The closer we got to the center of the city, the more we encountered and the more we fought.


    As she had earlier warned, we fought a series of battles with all kinds of enemies.


    Except for the fact that they were horned, they were all monsters that we had fought before. Their attacks, defenses, and speed were unchanged. They even had the same ecological habits and could be defeated using the same strategies.


    What gave us problems was the characteristic of monsters who had turned into Horns.


    Their ability to regenerate.


    Even if their limbs got torn off, they regrew them quickly and didn''t care about their vitals being destroyed once or twice. They wouldn''t die until they were pulverized or dismembered.


    They were extremely hardy, and would attack even if all they had left were their heads.


    It was almost like we were fighting other adventurers. They were that troublesome of an enemy.


    If the effort required to defeat the monsters before this floor was a��1��, then the Horns would be a��5��. For the bigger ones, the effort required would be somewhere between��10��and��20��.


    When things were different from what people were used to, mistakes were bound to happen.


    When fatigue set in, it would dull the mind.


    After every mistake, a lecture followed.


    As she had dered, Evetta-san pointed out a lot of our faults. In between battles, she would politely and courteously give us crushing criticisms.


    She got into a full-on punching showdown with a monster with countless tentacles. She almost suffered a horrendous fate that I''d like to have on video.


    ��Madam, you��re cing too much importance on the number of strikes. Decide it with a single blow. At a minimum, or at worst, incapacitate the enemy with that one blow. Using arge number of strikes or abination of blows to pile on the damage is a poor tactic. I believe it''s a way of fighting not befitting a kin of dvain-sama��


    ��������������Got it��


    Rana nodded with a pained look on her face.


    He was bitten by a winged snake that had been cut in two and was paralyzed by its poison. Although the poison was easily cured by Lys'' magic, a mistake was a mistake.


    ��Shuna-san, you''re trying too hard to look cool. The moment you y a monster, you get drunk on yourself. That creates openings. You''re narrowing your perspective. Please try to take a broader view of things. If you look at things from a low perspective(have a narrow perspective/tunnel vision), you won''t grow taller��


    ��������������Got it��


    Shuna nodded,pletely stunned.


    dvain-sama was the type who encouraged people through praise, so the two kin weren''t used to being criticized.


    ��Younger sister-sama, your ability to detect enemies is impressive. It''s as good or even better than mine, and if you''re able to maintain it and not let it slip, it''s a top notch ability. Your skill with the bow is also beyond reproach. It contributed greatly towards intimidating and distracting the enemies��


    ��Mm-hmm~. That''s only natural��


    My sister had a smug look on her face. She was in a good mood because it had been two criticisms in a row before her.


    ��But��


    Well, that��s only natural.


    ��Your manner of speech oozes the arrogance characteristic of elves. If you care about your party, you need to curb your bragging and self-praise a little. It may be fine in normal times, but when everyone is fatigued, thoughtless words can spark a fight within the party��


    ��Eh������������okay��


    Ea didn''t look convinced. But I fully agreed with what Evetta-san had said.


    She needs topliment the others too. They''re important party members after all.


    ��Beltoriche-san, please fight seriously. Bring out all you''ve got. These are not opponents you should conserve your strength against. It would be silly if you died because you were holding back��


    ��Shut your mouth, monster��


    ��Hey, Lys!��


    How could you say such a thing so lightly?


    ��Huh, Lys? The name on the registration is Beltoriche, isn��t it?��


    ��Oh, Evetta-san, about that, she went through some unfortunate times, and because of her difficult childhood experiences, she has two personalities. This is the personality with a worse temperament��


    Because of the hassle, her name had been left as Beltoriche on the registration.


    Miffed, Lys opened her mouth.


    ��I''m doing more than enough to support these guys. Someone like you�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I threw a sweet in her mouth to shut her up. It was one of my secret honey candies.


    Bel was also the same, but this one is also a girl who can blow up at any time, I see. It''s a bitte to realize that though.


    Unusually, or rather, for the first time, nothing went his way on this floor. Otou-san''s swordsmanship was too sharp.


    His cuts were too clean and thus, easily regenerated. As a result, hecked a way to finish off enemies. The finishing blows were all stolen away by Evetta-san or Rana.


    ��Medimu-sama, I��ll be frank. You''ve learned a way of fighting that��s easy on you, haven��t you? I understand that, unlike Lys-san, you''re doing it because you can''t afford not to. You''re already getting on in years after all.


    It''s not wrong to choose a way of fighting that ces less of a burden on you. It can''t be helped.


    However, adventuring is something that requires you to put your life on the line.


    With your current fighting style that''s as watered down as cheap alcohol diluted with water, the younger ones will die before you do. Please be more desperate. Considering your advanced age, you shouldn''t have any regrets even if you die, right? Please show me the bloodcurdling swordsmanship you disyed in the past��


    ����������������������������


    Stop it! Don''t say any more!


    I''ve never seen Otou-san look so distressed before! You didn''t have to mention his age twice either! It''s something he''s really sensitive about!


    ��Next is Souya, but��������


    Oh, I don''t have the time to worry about other people right now.


    ��No problems��


    ��Eh?��


    ��Eh?��


    Surprisingly, she said that there were no problems.


    Otou-san, Ea, Shuna, and even Lys raised their voices in disbelief.


    ��Offense, defense, enemy detection, and survival skills, you''ve got a very well-bnced skill-set. Even if the worst should happen and the party loses a member, you can take their ce and keep the party functioning no matter who it is. You also don''t neglect your responsibilities as the leader. You''re a little emotional, but not arrogant. Of course, you''re not perfect. There are still some rough spots. But there��s also room for growth. It''s hard to believe how quickly you''ve grown from the pathetic mess you were at first. Please continue to grow into a good adventurer at this pace��


    ��Somehow~, it feels like you''re being really~ biased��


    Eained,


    ��Yeah, that''s right. It''s weird that Souya is the only one who doesn''t have any faults��


    As did Shuna,


    ����������������


    But Otou-san and Lys stayed silent.


    Or rather, Otou-san, please say something to her.


    ��Those are just my honest thoughts. I didn''t let any other feelings cloud my judgment��


    Evetta-san said, simply and unapologetically.


    ��Dear��


    Rana grabbed my hand jealously.


    No, no, no, there''s no way something like that would happen between Evetta and me.


    Person-in-charge and adventurer.


    Guardian and child.


    Benefactor and ipetent.


    Such is our rtionship.


    It''s a rtionship that hasn''t changed since I arrived in the alternate world. It''s a bond that won''t break even if one of us dies.


    The main street was filled with the corpses of monsters. The post-battle review session was over, and we transitioned from standing by to taking a short break. The party was exhausted.


    Not even two hours had passed since we had started to fight on this floor.


    If we were up against normal enemies, we would have no trouble fighting for half a day without rest, but these guys were tough. And Evetta-san, who wasn''t even sweating, was amazing. Even though she must have fought twice as many enemies as any of us.


    ��Evetta, what other kinds of enemies are on this floor?��


    At Otou-san''s question, Evetta narrowed her eyes and asked back.


    ��Medimu-sama, what are the characteristics of the monsters we''ve defeated so far?��


    ��They''ve got horns. And their ability to regenerate is abnormally high, other than that��������


    Otou-san surveyed the corpses and then it hit him.


    ��There haven''t been any humanoids��


    ��That''s right. We''ve yet to encounter any Horns that are the same type as me. Now, here''s a question. What��s the one definitive advantage that adventurers have over monsters? Please answer, Shuna-san��


    ��Eh, me? Err, umm��������


    Shuna shot me a look for help.


    No, figure it out for yourself.


    ��Sword techniques? Oh, adventurers use weapons��


    ��Too bad. Please answer more simply and in a broader sense. What about you, younger sister-sama��


    ��There��s no difference between monsters and humans. Advantages and disadvantages are a matter of chance and the tide of events. There��s only the reality of the world as it is and the reasoning of humans as they are��


    My sister said something profound in a way that was typical of a hunter.


    ��While that is one truth of the world, it doesn''t answer the question I asked. Medimu-sama������seems to know the answer, so I''ll skip over him��


    ��Hey��


    Ignoring Otou-san''s protest, she turned to Rana.


    ��Madam, what do you think is the answer?��


    ��I thought of so many answers that it would take me two days to say them all��


    ��That''s a very magician-like thing to say. Wonderful. Well then, Souya��


    She splendidly skipped over Lys and turned to me.


    ��Is it intelligence?��


    ��Yes, that��s right��


    ��Monsters are generally driven by habit and instinct. Adventurers are driven by their intelligence. Those who do not act based on intelligence and are driven by shallow desires won��t have made it this far. Now.........the preamble has gone on for a while, but let''s talk about the humanoid Horns��


    Evetta-san seemed to have sensed something in the air.


    She led us off the main street and into a back alley. Clouds drifted across the fake sky overhead. Looking at it, somehow, a sense of d��j�� vu shed across my mind.


    I couldn''t put my finger on what memory was triggering it.


    But it was a malice I had experienced before somewhere.


    ��Everyone, please halt here. Stay close to the wall��


    Hearing her instructions, I leaned back against the wall and made myself as small as possible. Ea shrewdly hugged me, much to Rana''s anger.


    Evetta-san pointed to the main street.


    Everyone quietly turned to look, and saw a group of adventurers pass by.


    One scout. Two lightly equipped adventurers. One heavily equipped adventurer. One magician.


    They looked like a very run-of-the-mill party of adventurers.


    ��Those use their intelligence. Be it the adventurers'' equipment, skills, or magic, they steal and use them all��


    All of them had horns simr to Evetta-san''s.


    The only difference was that they only had a single horn each and that they had unusually cordial smiles on their faces.


    It was bizarre.


    ��Those are������


    ��Yes, they''re humanoid Horns. They''ll approach adventurers directly just like that and then jump them��


    How malicious.


    Certainly, seeing others who are dressed as fellow adventurers can make people drop their guards, but to think that they even knew to put on friendly smiles.....��


    ��All who wish to clear this floor are required to hire someone from the Adventurers'' Guild. Even the most skilled of adventurers can be caught off-guard and lose their lives. Even the king of adventurers suffered a casualty on this floor��


    ��That��s true��


    We''ve fought against many unknown enemies so far, but many of the enemies on this floor are the malicious type that are deadly to those who have never encountered them before. If Evetta-san hadn''t been with us, we would surely have suffered casualties.


    ��The adventurers who fall victim to the humanoid Horns make them stronger. Without limit, at that. For now, the Adventurers'' Guild of Lemuria has been able to keep them in check, but we cannot predict what may happen in the future. This is a very dangerous floor��


    ��Evetta-san, I have a question��


    ��Yes, what is it?��


    I''m going to revisit something I''ve thought about a while ago.


    ��Can monsters and humanoid Horns go through the portal?��


    ��That''s a good question. However, the answer to it is a long one, so let''s take a break first. There''s a safe haven nearby��


    ��That''s a good idea��


    I lent my right shoulder to the exhausted Shuna.


    The sisters grappled with each other for my left shoulder.


    They still have a lot of energy, it seems.


    Lys looked half asleep.


    This is bad, she might switch ces with Bel again.


    Otou-san''s brow was drenched in sweat.


    Perhaps it''s because of his pride as the eldest, but he didn''t let his tiredness show on his face.


    Moving quietly, we headed for the safe haven left by the Gastolfos.


    The intricate back alleys were very simr to the back alleys of Lemuria that I sometimes explored.


    How in the world did they manage to make it look so simr, I wonder.


    ��Team member Souya, please take a look at this image��


    ��Hmm?��


    Yukikaze disyed an image on my sses.


    It was an image of the humanoid Horns from earlier. A close-up shot of the sword that one of them was carrying was also shown.


    ��This sword belongs to the person called Arcane that you fought the other day. Yukikaze got a reaction from the tracer Yukikaze put on it just in case, so there''s no doubt about it��


    ��What''s going on?��


    Those guys aren''t supposed to be exploring this floor. ording to Evetta-san, they''ve gotten into a dispute over the hiring of someone else from the Guild and are currently on standby. Like she said earlier, adventurers aren��t allowed to explore this floor unless they��ve hired someone from the Guild.


    Also, we''re supposed to be the only party on this floor right now.


    ��Unknown. The reaction from the tracer also appeared out of the blue, so it could just be some sort of glitch��


    I struggled over whether or not to tell Evetta-san this uncertain piece of information.


    ��We''re here. ������That''s strange, I sense the presence of someone inside��


    Before I could arrive at an answer, we had arrived at the safe haven.


    It was a semi-underground building. On one corner of its closed door, the crest of the Gastolfos was drawn.


    ��Evetta, why haven''t the Horns found out the locations of the safe havens?��


    ��This crest is invisible to them. It should only be visible to those who have been granted the regeneration point magic��


    After some thought, Evetta-san answered Otou-san''s question.


    She instructed us to get ready for battle and then opened the door with her weapon at the ready.


    ��Hey, as I thought, it''s you guys, huh?��


    Arcane was inside.


    ��Arcane-sama, why are you here?��


    Evetta asked with her weapon at the ready.


    Something was wrong.


    Arcane didn''t have his sword, shield, or even armor on.


    He was sitting there in normal clothes with blood dripping from his head.


    Putting aside the question of why he was here, I instructed the party to keep an eye on the surroundings. Everyone was tired, but their movements weren''t sluggish.


    He''s someone we''ve fought with once before. There''s no harm in being careful.


    Evetta-san stepped into the building first, and I followed after. Everyone else waited outside.


    I checked the ceiling just to be safe, but there were no slimes. I didn''t see any of his party members either.


    ��Arcane-sama, please answer my question. If you don''t answer, I''ll have to incapacitate you first before�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Team member Souya, Yukikaze is picking up portal activity��


    ��Onii-chan! It''s some sort of trap!��


    Yukikaze and my sister outside both gave me warnings.


    ��Nanassy and Kakyua are being held hostage, you see? If you survive, I''ll make it up to you in whatever way you wish��


    The despair in Arcane''s voice.


    It sent a chill down my spine.


    ��It''s a teleportation trap! Everyone, spread out!��


    Evetta-san''s decision was not wrong. However, the moment we had entered this area, there was already no escape for us.


    I quickly threw Yukikaze to Ea.


    The trap was teleporting those outside first. They disappeared as if they had fallen into a portal that had opened up beneath their feet.


    They weren''t all being teleported individually. Those who were close to each other plunged into the light together as a group.


    Rana and Lys.


    Shuna and Otou-san.


    Ea had been by herself, but Yukikaze was now with her.


    ��Arcane!��


    I drew my katana in a rage, but Evetta-san stopped me by throwing her arms around me, and then we fell into the light.


    I''m sorry, I heard a tired voice say.


    Just a brief mention that Lys is a boku-ko(A girl who refers to herself as ��boku�� instead of more feminine terms like ��watashi��). She rarely uses ��I�� in the original text and Japanese is anguage where you can get away without using it in most situations, but she used boku here. Also, does it feel like she��s breaking out of her shell a little recently or is it just me?


    Like I said, zero to a hundred at the drop of a hat! And that ominous cliffhanger! Who abducted Arcane��s party members and forced him to set a trap for Souya?! What is this hell that Souya and Evetta was teleported to? Stay tuned!!

 Chapter 166: Urovalus, the City of Ghosts V

    <h4>Chapter 166: Urovalus, the City of Ghosts V</h4>


    The impact hit me like a bomb.


    I heard muted sounds of battle.


    I couldn''t tell how far away the battle was. It sounded far yet close at the same time.


    My consciousness flickered between darkness and light. In the darkness, I saw deathly peace and tranquility. In the light, intense pain and suffering.


    I coughed up blood and forced myself to breathe through the searing pain in my throat.


    My brain started working very slowly.


    It took everything I had to not let go of my consciousness and my awareness of the situation.


    Memories of what had happened a short time ago came flooding back.


    The teleportation trap had sent me and Evetta-san high up into the sky. It was a height that would have killed any normal person instantly.


    I had no idea what I was thinking.


    I protected Evetta-san. I cushioned the fall of her and her weapon with my body.


    The impact of the fall had shattered every bone and ruptured every vital organ in my body.


    We hadnded at a ce that coincidentally resembled the area around my home. In Lemuria, it was an open space near the outer walls.


    The containers of my regeneration point just happened to be lying there right in front of my eyes.


    As expected, they''re empty. What''s more, even after expending the entirety of my regeneration point, there''s still damage left over. I might still die anyway.


    No, I''ll be killed before that.


    A few steps away from me, I can see Evetta-san fighting.


    She''s clearly at a disadvantage. She can''t act freely because she''s protecting the dead weight behind her, me.


    The enemies are also very cunning and try to target me at every opportunity.


    ��Urgh��


    Right then, she blocked a crossbow bolt aimed at me with her hand and got hurt. The thick bolt had gone through her wrist, causing her to drop her weapon.


    At the ce we hadnded, a group of humanoid Horns had been waiting for us. Four parties of them.


    One party fought Evetta-san directly.


    Another party kept taking shots at me, keeping her in check and limiting her options.


    The remaining parties watched and waited with smirks on their faces.


    This is the cunning way of fighting of adventurers, who only fight in situations where they''re sure to win.


    I had made a mistake in judgment.


    It had been the worst kind of arrogance to think that I, a lower-ranked person, could protect her, a higher-ranked person. I should have trusted her. I should have left it all to her. But regretting about what may have been is pointless right now.


    Move.


    Move, my body.


    I just need to move enough to kill myself at the very least.


    If she''s by herself, she can get herself out of this situation.


    And then, she''ll be able to go save the rest of the party�D�D�D�D�D�D�D


    My hopes were quickly dashed.


    Having dropped her weapon, Evetta-san covered me with her own body.


    Stop, I wanted to say.


    But before I could,


    Several swords and spears were thrust into Evetta-san''s body.


    Piercing through her shoulder and abdomen, the tips of the des grazed my cheek. I felt her fresh blood rain down on me.


    A dark and terrible emotion surged through me.


    Move, move, move, I willed my broken body. I gave orders to every part of my body to move. Even so, I couldn''t lift a single finger.


    ��Urgh, gahh��


    Evetta-san was stabbed again and again.


    The Horns were toying with her.


    They were intentionally avoiding her vitals so that she wouldn''t die while they toyed with her.


    There are beasts that toy with their prey. But it''s only humans who smile like that while inflicting pain on others. ������������No, it''s only genuine monsters.


    If this is a joke, I''llugh at it, so please just let me wake up.


    Please.


    Please, not like this.


    No������������that''s not it.


    Lend it to me������������


    Lend me your power.


    The ��curses�� that nestle within my body.


    I''ve gone through so much because of you all. The least you could do is throw in one freebie for me.


    Beast, werewolf, vampire, it doesn''t matter which.


    Give me power!


    ��Souya, listen to me��


    The face of a person on the verge of death drew close.


    ��No matter what happens, you must live. Live, live and survive, and one day, you''ll make it. That''s my�D�D�D�D�D��


    A de was drawn across her throat. It wasn''t drawn across in one stroke, but slowly, so that she would drown in her own blood.


    I''ve finally figured out the Horns.


    I can feel their malice in every fiber of my being.


    These guys are neither intelligent nor cunning. They��re just monsters heavy with human malice, viciousness, wickedness, and arrogance.


    I''m relieved.


    If it''s enemies like this, I can kill them no matter how strong they are.


    It was a littlete, but����


    ����I made it in time.


    My pent-up emotions erupted.


    I moved faster than anyone else there, faster than anyone could see.


    They only heard the sound of flesh being mangled and found where their party member had disappeared to after it was over.


    I had pinned the man slitting her throat to the wall.


    With my newfound speed and strength, I had thrust my katana, scabbard and all, through his throat and into the wall. The man gurgled and coughed up a lot of blood. His spine shattered, he got to taste the agony of drowning in his own blood and yet not being able to die.


    Leaving the scabbard embedded in his throat, I slowly drew my katana and held it above my head.


    I tried to stand out as much as possible, attract as much attention as possible, and I released a killing intent that said that I would behead them the instant any of them even looked her way for a second.


    I caught a glimpse of red light. The containers of my regeneration point were glowing bright red.


    I don''t know which of the curses had responded, but I couldn''t care less. If I can kill them all, I don''t mind even if my soul ispletely consumed by demons.


    The teeming regeneration point had started to mend my body, but it wasn''t fully healed yet.


    But that''s why I''m the strongest right now.


    That''s right. Beasts show their true colors when they��re wounded.


    ��Come! Bring it!��


    They came.


    I cut a Horns swordsman in two along with his shield. With the return sh, I bisected him once more from groin to head. As he fell to the ground in three pieces, three Horns vanguards came shing at me at the same time.


    Don''t look down on me.


    I let loose a horizontal sh. The damaged steel of the swords arcing towards me shattered like thin ice.


    It appeared that the Hornscked any respect or attachment to their equipment, and the notion of maintaining them properly was foreign to them. Their weapons were all in a state of disrepair, and very few were in decent condition.


    I''ll target their weapons first.


    These guys'' ability to regenerate is nothing to scoff at, but their weapons aren''t good enough to keep up with their physical capabilities. Even if they have the same abnormal arm strength as Evetta-san, I''ll have an overwhelming advantage over them if they''re unarmed.


    And.


    That was as far as I was able to keep my cool.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the spears impaled into Evetta-san.


    Once more, my reason flew out the window.


    I channeled my murderous emotions into swordy. A tempest of shes engulfed and chopped five Horns to pieces. Limbs, heads, and guts rained down along with their blood


    In a disy of my intense desire to kill them, I stabbed the sixth one and twisted the handle about, shredding the heart to tatters. The female Horns vomited up a torrent of blood.


    As I was being sttered with blood, I sensed a rush of air.


    I let go of my stuck katana and jumped backward on instinct.


    Five more Horns descended on me. The Horns impaled with my katana was stabbed by their crude spears.


    I didn''t have the time to pick up the magic sword. But I still had a weapon on my back.


    I smashed a spear thrust at me with Zamonss'' sword.


    The cutting edge of this sturdy and bulky sword is by no means blunt. In fact, it boasts above-average sharpness. However, it feels incredibly blunt when I attempt to wield it with my current skills.


    And that worked out well.


    The destructive power of a blunt weapon.


    It crushed the armor of a heavily armored Horns and ttened his helmet. Shields, spears, swords, limbs, anything the sword touched was violently crushed, bent, and destroyed.


    If swords have souls, then this sword is surely responding to my raging soul.


    The Horns whose limbs had been pounded as t as dried cuttlefish let out shrill screams.


    Evetta-san didn''t even utter a single scream despite all you did to her, you know? You, you, you lowlifes!


    I intentionally avoided hitting their vitals.


    But insidiously and methodically, I focused on incapacitating them by destroying their weapons, limbs, eyes, and organs.


    I may look every bit a beast, but like a human, I learn through battle.


    Crushed cells need a long time to regenerate.


    That''s why I��ll smash, crush, and grind them to a pulp.


    Using Zamonss'' sword like a club, I brought destruction down on the Horns.


    I crushed the fifth one''s crotch with the belly of the sword and then cracked its skull with the pommel. The Horns on the ground sang a chorus of agonized screams.


    ��My god, Bratwastel, the lingering shadow. Entangle, seize, grapple, impale, pitch-ck darkness�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I heard someone chanting magic a distance away.


    The idea of a horned monster praying to god struck me asughable.


    ��Agathion!��


    Louder than the prayer, I yelled and then hurled the magic sword at him. The sharp tip of its sheath plunged into the horned magician.


    It had missed.


    Agathion had pierced his abdomen. His throat and lungs were unscathed.


    ���D�D�D�D�D�Dcapture fools with hands of shadow��


    Countless ck hands closed in on me from beneath my feet.


    I let go of Zamonss'' sword as a sword wouldn''t cut it. I would need a much more massive weapon to repel them all. And Evetta-san''s weapon just happened to be at my feet.


    ��grrrr��


    Stomping on the mace head, I grabbed its handle.


    ��rrrUUUUOOOOAAAAAAArrr!��


    It was a weapon of immense weight. It couldn''t be swung like a sword. With everything I had, I swung the mace around, the mace head scraping across the ground, crushing the bodies of the Horns that were screaming in agony.


    With a single swing, a great billow of blood filled the air. The ck hands and the Horns caught up in it were all obliterated.


    ��de! Gouge!��


    des extended from Agathion, which then spun around and gouged apart the magician''s body, separating his torso from the rest of his body.


    A crossbow bolt flew at me.


    I had swung the mace with both hands, so I wasn''t in any position to dodge or block it.


    ��Gaah!��


    I caught it between my teeth, then bit down, crushing it.


    The Horns holding the crossbow gave me a stunned look.


    I readjusted my grip on the mace.


    Carrying all this weight alone is enough to make my body hurt all over. Without the regeneration point healing me, simply swinging it will do some serious damage to me. That''s the only reason why I can use this weapon right now.


    My broken body hade back stronger the more it got destroyed and had transcended the limits of humanity.


    I pulled the rope, making the mace head spin. I ground the rest of the Horns on the ground into a pulp, killing them.


    When I had finished wiping them out����


    ��What''s wrong?��


    ����the remaining Horns were no longer smiling.


    After killing a whole lot of them, I had calmed down enough to scan the area and check for enemies.


    Only a party of four Horns remained.


    One enemy scout with a crossbow.


    One magician.


    One warrior-like man.


    One warrior-like woman.


    She had silver hair and two long bull-like horns. She wore a leotard with openings at the chest and stomach area, much like many female adventurers, and was equipped like a warrior. Her weapon was a single oversized sword with a saw-like de.


    Her face resembled Lanseal''s.


    No, that''s just my imagination.


    Whatever the case may be, I''ll destroy anything with horns. You guys have hurt a woman who��s precious to me. That''s reason enough for you to die. I''ll annihte you all. I''ll pulverize you all.


    The containers of my regeneration point glowed even redder and brighter. The dazzling light stuck and clung to me like a living thing. I knew instinctively that it was something dangerous.


    But what do I care? If I can kill you all, I don''t need anything else.


    A crash ripped through the air.


    The mace and the oversized sword came together with a deafening ng.


    I realized it in that one exchange.


    This woman is strong. Her strength is incredible. She''s so strong that I would definitely be no match for her in a straight contest of power.


    Despite knowing that, I still met her head-on.


    My arm strength had risen to the level where I was able to wield the mace with one hand.


    Faster.


    Stronger.


    Without limit.


    Infinite power filled my body.


    The power overflowed from my brain and pierced through my skull, where�D�D�D�D�D


    With the reflex speed of a beast, the female Horns leaped away from me.


    A cascade of lightning hit where she had been standing. The torrent of discharged electricity formed a wall around me, scorching the air.


    Antiquated adventuring garb. Long white beard, a pointed hat with a long bent tip, and a long crooked staff. His physique was as long and thin as a shadow. Long gray robes that looked a little shabby.


    This was the first time I had ever seen a magician who looked so simple, so in, and so "magician-like".


    ��Now, what will you do?��


    He thumped the butt of his staff on the ground. To my surprise, the remaining Horns retreated silently.


    All that remained were corpses upon corpses. And a curtain of crackling lightning.


    Is it really over? This magician is�D�D�D�D�D


    No, more importantly!


    ��Evetta-san!��


    I rushed over to her. She was unconscious. Her wounds were quite deep. There were still many spears stuck painfully into her body.


    ��Be at ease, young one. That horned one is not "yet" dead. Just pull those out of her and she''ll regenerate automatically��


    Though it wasn''t the typical way of dealing with wounds like these, I did as the magician said and pulled out the spears stuck in her.


    It may be squeamish of me after all this time, but seeing the flesh of someone I know writhing like that gives me goosebumps.


    The gaping holes in her flesh closed up and disappearedpletely in a few moments, just like the other Horns, though I didn''t like thinking of her as the same as them.


    I put my ear to her mouth and listened. I heard the quiet breathing of sleep.


    Calm down, she''s fine.


    I guess I can stop worrying for now.


    Perhaps it was because I had rxed, but my body suddenly felt very heavy.


    Oh, damn. I forgot about him.


    ��Thank you for your help. And you are?��


    Who is this guy? There shouldn''t be any other adventurers on this floor.


    Is he someone the Guild had sent to help?


    ��No, young one. I''m not someone from the Guild. I''m an adventurer like you. Because I wander around a lot in my quest, I''m not part of any organization��


    ��Hmm������I see��


    Huh? Did I say that out loud?


    ��Though my appearance has been described as meager, this is intended as a tribute to a friend of mine. He was a man with talent, good looks, good lineage, wealth, women, friends, rivals, andrades, truly a man who had it all, but he met a pitiful end in hister years due to the misdeeds of his disciple.


    He taught that "living ascetically" is a good thing, so I decided to follow his example and wear only this robe. After trying it out, I find it quitefortable. Besides, all one needs in the quest for magic is a head to think, a hat to shield one''s thoughts from the outside world, and a staff to keep one from falling. Truth and inquiry are both universal wisdoms that enrich one''s universe, you see?��


    ��Sorry, can you give me a minute?��


    There''s too much information for my tired mind to process.


    Misdeeds of his disciple and living ascetically������is he talking about the founder of the me religion? No no no, that can''t be right. It must be someone else who had suffered a simr fate.


    ��Indeed, one is influenced by the fate of those one worships. Tragedy is the entertainment of the satisfied. When ites time to confront it, people always cry out, "Why?!" That has always been the fate of those who follow their god too faithfully��


    ��I''d like to ask you a few straightforward questions if you don''t mind��


    I gave up on thinking.


    ��What is it?��


    ��What''s your name?��


    The magician replied in a casual tone.


    ��My name is Garving. People call me grand-sounding names like great magician, Houma, and god, but I am and always have been just a simple magician��


    In the alternate world, there are three magicians of the highest renown.


    Rob, the great me magician and the founder of the me religion.


    Wagreas, the magician of revelry.


    And Houma Garving, one of the six members of Vindoobunikuru, the god of adventurers.


    The great magician who invented the regeneration point and many other kinds of magic that adventurers still use today.


    The magician Garving, the progenitor of adventurers.


    ��Eh��������������


    Eh? The real deal?


    I guess it��s time I went into more detail about his nickname of Houma(��ħ). Those 2 characters don��t mean anything when put together like that. �� can meanw, method, treatment, dharma, among many others, while ħ can mean devil, demon, magic, evil, among many others. As you can see, the possibilities of what it could be are just too varied, making it hard for me to narrow it down. And that��s why I just used ��Houma��. However, do note that it��s the reverse of the mostmonly used term for magic, ��ħ��(Mahou)��.


    Souya is being badass this chapter, huh? I always love it when Souya thinks his ��I don''t need anything else�� line in his head. I love signature lines like that. As for the power he exhibited, well, it isn��t a random power-up nor is it Deus ex Machina, and you��ll have to read on to find out more, but I��ll mention that the author has kindly left a hint somewhere in this chapter.


    Remember what I said about going from zero to a hundred? This time, a big-shot among big-shots has just appeared�� Yeah, the fun and enjoyable slice-of-life stuff is well and truly over and we��re knee-deep in the plot now! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 167: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest I

    <h4>Chapter 167: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest I</h4>


    ��������������Where is this ce?��


    ��Please lie back down and rest��


    I put a hand on Evetta-san''s shoulder as she tried to get up and pushed her back down on the bed. I didn''t want her to overdo it with her weakened body, so I pushed her down rather forcefully.


    She resisted for a second, but then conceded.


    ��Well, if you insist. I take it we''re in a safe ce?��


    ��Yeah��


    We were in a room of an inn. The whole ce was in a state of disrepair and decay. Although it wasn''t one of the Gastolfo��s safe havens, ording to Garving, it was safe.


    ��What happened after that?��


    ��They started to fight among themselves, and while they were distracted, I carried you and ran away��


    ��Fight among themselves, huh? There was definitely something strange with those Horns'' behavior. That may have been a factor. This is the first time I''ve seen them use a captured adventurer as bait for a trap��


    That was the first time I had lied to Evetta-san.


    This was one of the conditions Garving had set for his cooperation.


    ��Umm, how old are you?��


    If he''s the real deal, then he should be more than a thousand years old.


    ��Now, how old am I again? It''s not exactly something to brag about, you know?��


    This guy hasn''t gone senile, has he?


    ��If we could lose our minds and forget everything like Wagreas did, Rob and I would have a much easier time of it��


    ��Umm��


    Isn''t he reading my mind a little too often?


    ��Young one, though the core of it is simple, deep down��������


    I want to see women naked.


    I want to see women naked.


    I want to see women naked.


    ��Hey hey, don''t hide your thoughts by going all out with your desires��


    ��Well, it feels creepy to have my mind read��


    ��Even if you say that, I can only read surface thoughts. That said, you seem to love big breasts, young one, but in reality, you''re determined to love breasts of any size as long as you''re allowed to touch them. That''s surprisingly juvenile�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Hey��


    Don''t read other people''s sexual preferences, Great Magician-sama.


    ��Now, to collect the spoils of war��


    To change the subject, Garving started to fish through the Horns'' corpses. With the tip of his staff, he sorted through their remains and flicked a certain object towards my feet one after another.


    The object in question was the Horns'' horn.


    They varied in color and size, but the basic shape was the same. The horns had a slight curve to them and looked like they could be made into warhorns. They were quite different from the horns of ordinary creatures. They looked like someone had made them by twisting a series of straight lines around.


    Looking at a single horn by itself, it looks like a miniature version of the Odoriji spire


    I have no idea what the dungeon looks like as a whole, but that''s the feeling I have.


    ��You are correct, young one. It can be said that those horns are the Odoriji spire itself��


    ��Huh?��


    ��I''ve tried cultivating them in the past. If Mitera hadn''t incinerated them all, they would have grown considerably. That was truly a shame��


    ��Grown considerably, you say? These horns?��


    That sounds almost like�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��A parasitic fungus that attaches itself to the human body? What a strange way of putting it. However, I have no clue as to the means, methods, or mechanisms that allow it to grow in this dungeon that houses countless civilizations within it. Is it because of something that the entire world outsidecks? Does growing them require a vast amount of magical elements brought in from outside this world? To begin with, where was the Odoriji spire created? Is it a miracle that human knowledge can attain? This is one of the eternal questions of my life��


    I picked up one of the horns. Its smooth texture was simr to that of Shogaku stones. However, when I flicked it with my finger, it didn''t generate any heat.


    It doesn''t look like something important, but I guess it''s quite the big deal.


    ��They aren''t a big deal. It''s the way to grow them that''s the big deal��


    ��I see��


    I like it when people make things simple like that. For now, I only want to hear about the most essential stuff.


    ��They can be used to strengthen my god-defying Houma, the regeneration point Urovalus��


    The regeneration point Urovalus?


    If I recall correctly, the regeneration point is������Tiuros?Mea?Revaius, is it not?


    ��Revaius, you say...... Hmm, Tiuros?Mea����Tiurosmea���� "To hide the truth from inquiry, I invoke this miracle through a roundabout chant", huh? The Guild sure knows how to mince words��


    ��What are you talking about?��


    I have no clue about magician stuff.


    ��Magic that you can use����Izora?Romea?Wild Hunt. Oh-ho, this is pretty interesting. Ahem, the term Romea means "creator of this magic". It''s the same as the term "Made in Japan"��


    ��R, right��


    Did you just absorb some of my knowledge somehow?


    ��Let��s put that aside for now. ������������There are, hmm, five horns that haven''t been shattered. That means you��ll be able to ovee death five more times. However, horns that have been removed from the body will onlyst a day if they aren''t processed. If you want to rescue your party members, you must use them quickly��


    That''s right.


    Though I had just been in a battle, I shuddered at the fact that I had forgotten about my party members for even a moment.


    ��Thank you for your help! I''ll be going now!��


    I tucked the horns into a vest pocket, then quickly retrieved the weapons and carried Evetta-san in my arms.


    I''ll have to drag the mace because of its weight and hide her in a safe ce first.


    ��Wait, wait, hold on a minute there��


    ��Sorry, can I repay you at ater date? Or rather, if I survive��


    I was about to run off when����


    ��There��


    ����he poked me in the back of the knee with his staff, making me stumble.


    ��Oww!��


    I almost dropped Evetta-san.


    ��I said wait. I may be a simple magician, but I can help you further��


    ��Oh no, I''ll feel bad��


    Also, I don''t trust you. Something smells fishy.


    ��Then let''s exchange terms like adventurers, shall we? You''ll be able to trust me then, won''t you?��


    ��That depends on the conditions��


    And what they involve too


    ��That''s fine. You''re quite the mercenary adventurer, aren''t you? There are two conditions. I want you to go to the Horns'' castle. I would like to request that you retrieve my treasure, the��Magic Warhorn����


    ��What��s this magic warhorn?��


    ��It''s a magic tool made from the horn of an ancient Horns. If you retrieve it for me, I''ll guarantee your safety on this floor��


    This is so suspicious.


    ��Your party members are being held captive in the Horns'' castle��


    ��What?!��


    I yelled out in surprise.


    ��Not all of them, as the Horns still seem to be searching the floor��


    ��Are they okay?!��


    Unpleasant thoughts shed through my mind.


    I��ve already had a taste of the Horns'' viciousness in thest battle.


    The things they would do to the people they had captured������������they��re probably sickening.


    ��I don''t know that much. But my request is that you retrieve the magic warhorn while you''re rescuing them��


    ��Alright��


    Well, if it''s convenient. I''ll think of it as something I''ll do only if the asion arises.


    ��Well, I can''t me you for that, I suppose. I also cherish my adventuringrades. Those rtionships are irreceable. No matter how many hundreds of years pass, they remain deeply etched in my brain and never fade away��


    Yeah, party members are important. Doubly so if they''re family.


    Also, I can''t find it in me to trust this magician in the end.


    ��And one more thing, keep my presence a secret��


    ��A secret?��


    That''s the height of suspiciousness.


    ��I''ll use some eye-catching magic to create a diversion for you. As a result, I''ll be unable to move for a while. In the same way that you don''t trust me, I also don''t trust you. The more people who can potentially leak information there are, the greater the threat to me��


    That''s a sound argument.


    But I''ve found that the most convincing arguments are always made by the most conniving fraudsters.


    ��But, young one, you don''t have any other choice, do you?��


    ��I sure don��t��


    If the Horns have my party members, I have to save them. No matter what I have to do, what is requested of me, and who I have to use, I need to save them as quickly as possible.


    ��Garving-sama, I have a suggestion��


    ��No need for the "-sama". Honorifics without any respect in them are merely a form of sarcasm��


    ��In that case, Garving, I want you to use a particr kind of magic��


    My words offort were harsh.


    But if I hadn''t said it like that, she would insist oning with me even if she had to crawl.


    ��No, it may take me a while, but I''ll catch up with you��


    ��That��s��������


    Before I hadid her down to rest, I had examined her body.


    She was regenerating, but her legs were wrecked. Her spine had also been damaged and she probably couldn''t even stand up.


    ��Souya,e a little closer��


    ��Eh?��


    She beckoned me closer.


    ��What happened to your hat and sses?��


    ��Oh, I must have dropped them somewhere��


    I think I lost my top hat and sses during the fall. Because of this, I can''t contact Yukikaze.


    ��Close your eyes��


    ��Eh������������Got it��


    She stroked my hair and I closed my eyes at herforting touch. The rustle of clothes made me feel strangely nervous. I could feel Evetta''s body heat and breath on my forehead.


    ��This is going to hurt��


    Hurt? I wondered when I heard her say that.


    A crack resounded through my skull.


    ��GYAA�D�D�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I reeled from the intense pain that swept through my entire body.


    Remembering that we were in hiding, I managed to cover my mouth just in time. But the pain didn''t go away, and I bit down on my arm until it bled. My pride as a man helped me hold back the screams somehow. It hurt so much that I felt like I was dying. No, it was much more intense than the pain that had almost killed me earlier. It was like having needles shoved into every nerve in my body.


    My brain finally couldn''t take it anymore and I cked out.


    ������������������������When I came to, Evetta-san was eating something. I was d to see that she had an appetite.


    ��As I expected, it tastes different after enjoying good food on a regr basis��


    I heard loud crunching sounds, like she was chewing hard candy.


    ��What on earth?��


    What was that pain that had struck me?


    ��Souya, the bleeding will stop soon. Press on it with this��


    She handed me a piece of cloth and urged me to press it against my forehead. I could feel the loss of "something" just above my right eyebrow. I felt the sensation of a thick liquid trickling from it.


    ��I''ve eaten the horn that had grown out of you. This should be enough to forestall the initial stages of turning into a Horns. Thank goodness��


    ��You''re kidding��


    I grew a horn? I hadn''t noticed it at all. I should have looked in a mirror too, but had my perception been altered to make me not notice it?


    ��Yikes��


    I had nearly be one of them.


    The very thought of that sent chills down my spine.


    ��You ventured across a line that''s taboo for adventurers, but you''ve made it back. I, no, the Guild President will tell you all about it one day. But for now, you must do what you can to save your party members. I''ll catch up with you as soon as I heal up��


    Nothing makes me happier than to see that my horn is helping to heal her body, but what on earth are the Horns exactly?


    ��For now, discard all questions that will cloud your judgment. It''s you, so you''ve got a n and the means to save your party members, right?��


    ��Yes, I do. Please don''t worry, Evetta-san��


    I''ll be relying on a magician that I don''t really trust though.


    ��Understood, I won''t worry then. And I''m sorry. For being such an unreliable person-in-charge��


    ��That''s not true. If it weren''t for you, I''d be dead already��


    ��������������I��m sorry��


    For some reason that I couldn''t fathom at all, she apologized deeply to me.


    I had lost my hat and sses, but I have all my other equipment. The magic sword, the demonic katana, the masterwork sword, the karambit that was my card up my sleeve, and�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Alright then, I''m going to go to their castle for a bit and rescue my party members. Evetta-san, please lend me this��


    ��Go ahead, but since it''s a one-of-a-kind item, be sure to return it to������ No, I''ll go get it back from you��


    I lifted up her mace.


    The floor creaked under the weight, and I felt some pain shoot through my body. When I looked into the inside pocket of my vest, I saw the horns glowing with a suspicious light.


    I don''t care about the truth or the real intent behind it. As an adventurer, I''ll use whatever I can. That''s all there is to it.


    ��I''m off��


    ��Good luck and have a safe trip��


    Well, it seems that he has some sense of shame. That alone makes him better than the previous hero I had met.


    ��You said you''d make it up to me in whatever way I wished if I survived, right?��


    ��Y, yeah��


    He replied, cowering back.


    Alright then.


    ��There''s something I want you to do��


    I gave him a smirk that was just like theirs.


    Yes, it''s another of the author''s super long arc titles lol.


    In case you forgot, Mitera is the disciple of Rob that caused him so much grief in hister years because he had apparently sparked a great war and engulfed the southern part of the continent in mes. Why am I reminding you of that? No reason. (. ? _ ? .)


    Yeah, if you go back to thest chapter, I��m sure you can find the moment Souya grew that horn. So, the mystery as to where Souya got that power-up is solved as well as why he didn��t lose any of his memories(though the author did try to throw a feint in there to fake us out for a while). As you��ve also probably surmised, the Horns aren��t just monsters and there��s quite a lot more to them.


    By the way, the ��Made in Japan�� that Garving said was in ��English��. He��ll drop ��English�� words every now and then after this, and I��ll italicize them so you know which ones they are. Also, the line Garving said about it being just a form of sarcasm when using "-sama" when there''s no respect in it? Remembering that line will make future chapters funnier.


    So, lots of pieces have been set up and we��ll get to watch them fall into ce next time! So stay tuned!

 Chapter 168: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest II

    <h4>Chapter 168: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest II</h4>


    The Horns'' castle was in the same spot as the one in Lemuria, just as I had expected.


    Not only was it in the same spot, but it had the same old, musty, and sturdy exterior.


    The only difference was the banner hanging from the walls.


    It was hard to see because of how decayed the banner was, but there was what looked to be a maiden holding a book depicted on a background of a tree.


    I don''t recognize it from anywhere. Is that the banner of Beliale, I wonder?


    ��That is indeed the banner of Beliale��


    A string doll standing on my shoulder answered.


    It was a doll made of hemp thread, about 10 cm in height. It was standing thanks to some mysterious power and would ry to me the words of the magician.


    I''ve seen the Guild President use magic simr to this, but this doll is smaller and has a clearer voicepared to the Guild President��s.


    ��Beliale''s kings were chosen by its people. When the king changes, the banner also changes. This banner is that of thest king of Beliale, Lars Eira Muru Uruferia��


    Eh������������Lars?


    That''s the name of the golem I��ve got at home. Come to think of it, its name was given to it by Frey, a descendant of Gastolfo who had summoned it originally. Is there some sort of a connection between it and this floor?


    ��The maiden''s name was never revealed by Lars, so her origins are unknown. The tree in the background is the now-departed revered water deity tree, also known as Midras, the Suimei. There are many theories about the book in the maiden''s hand, but the most widely held one is that it''s a magical book from foreignnds��


    ��Thanks for the history lesson, but how are your preparations going?��


    ��I��m just waiting on you��


    ��Then go ahead and get this thing started��


    The string doll hid itself under my cor.


    ��Whoa, you gotta be kidding me��


    On the far side of the city, a thundercloud had appeared in an instant. It was vast,rge enough to cover half the city.


    Immediately, a carpet bombing via lightning strikes began.


    With intense light and thunderous roars, the buildings hit by the lightning strikes fell apart like tofu. I could hear the deep echoes of the thunder despite how far away I was.


    It''s utterly ridiculous.


    Half the city has been devastated in a matter of seconds. It''s like some kind of meteorological weapon. I''ve seen a lot of magic in my time, but I''ve never seen anything quite like this.


    It makes Rana and Frey seem almost cute inparison.


    As expected of a great magician, is what I''d like to say, but������


    ��You don''t know where my party members are, do you?! What if they get caught up in that?!��


    ��Let me remind you, this is just a diversion. It may look spectacr, but it''s only destroying the tops of the buildings. Besides, replicating natural phenomena is a very rudimentary form of magic. It''s the weakest of them all. If all I wanted was destruction, I could easily destroy the entire floor itself. The problem is that�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I was relieved to hear that it wouldn''t be a problem. Old people tend to go on and on, so I just moved on.


    A group of Horns emerged from the castle.


    There were seven parties and at a rough count, they numbered nearly forty. They rushed towards the area where the magic was wreaking havoc. I waited for them to pass by before pointing my penlight at Arcane, who was hiding in another corner.


    I shed the light at him as a signal.


    What I had asked him to do when I met him earlier was to appear before the Horns looking as weakened and pathetic as possible so that the remaining Horns wouldn��t be wary of him. I thought it would be better for him to actually be weakened, so I kneed him in the stomach as hard as I could.


    It appeared that I had done some real damage. He was tottering as he made his way to the castle.


    ��Garving, get ready��


    ��Wait a minute, I''ve run into enemies. ������Well, well, well��


    ��Don''t just go "well, well, well". If you don''t hurry��������


    Well, isn''t it fine?


    Through the doll under my cor, I heard the shing of des.


    There are two des, no, three. Hmm, that guy Garving carries a sword of some kind, huh?


    ��Even though those adventurers are morons, they''re still the descendants of my party members, so I can''t kill them. Alright, I''ve activated it��


    ��Understood��


    I clicked my tongue without thinking. What had just been activated was the teleportation trap that had split my party up.


    The catalyst for the trap was a small coin-like piece of metal that had been hidden under the cobblestones. It looked simr to a Misuranika gold coin.


    I had gotten Garving to reset the trap, and then gave it to Arcane.


    And now, Garving had triggered the teleportation.


    ��Wow, that''s really high up��


    From a height of about 80 meters above the city of ghosts, the Horns that had surrounded Arcane fell "along with him".


    I did say that I''d save him, but do I really have to?


    ��Keeping him alive will likely prove usefulter on. He''s an apprentice hero, so he must be from a prominent lineage. You can ckmail him for money or treasures for what he did to you. You can also perpetually extort hush money from his family������.well, there''s a chance that may get you killed, I suppose��


    ��That��s true, I guess. Agathion����


    Though I didn''t sound all that motivated, the magic sword flew at full speed.


    Gehh! went Arcane as Agathion saved him by sweeping sideways into his stomach to stop his fall.


    Yeoww! he screamed in a louder voice. It was a very crude and painful way of saving him. I wouldn''t have been surprised if he had puked his guts out. My beloved magic sword clearly understood me very well. The surprise attack was a sess.


    The Horns hit the ground one after another, scattering their bodily fluids and bones everywhere.


    ��One, two, three����.��


    A total of fifteen Horns had fallen from the sky. It was quite the haul.


    On top of that, they were all unable to do anything due to their broken limbs.


    They probably never imagined that the bait they had set out would return to them with their own trap in hand. They were truly human-like in their negligence and hubris.


    I pulled on the mace''s rope. The mace head squealed as it began to spin.


    Of the horns that were glowing red, five remained.


    ��Hah!��


    I ground up one of the Horns, who was rolling on the ground near me. The upper half of his body itself ceased to exist.


    The Horns screamed, both in pain and at the death of theirrade. Theirnguage was so alien that it waspletely iprehensible to me.


    The trantion magic that even works on foreigners isn''t working������or maybe they''re just incoherent screams that only sound like anguage?


    It''s very, very unpleasant to my ears.


    For that reason, I tried my best to kill each one with a single blow.


    I pulverized eight of them before they had the chance to regenerate.


    Five more were finished off while in the process of regenerating.


    I sent one of those who had managed to regenerate in time flying towards the castle. As the mace head''s rotation had slowed, I smashed thest one, then scraped him along the ground to tear him apart.


    ��W������������what, what in the hells are you?��


    ��An adventurer��


    For some reason, Arcane was trembling.


    Not that I care.


    ��I''m going to storm the castle now. You''ll only get in my way, so go somewhere else��


    ��You��ve got to be kidding me! My party members are!��


    It was too much of a bother, so I poked Arcane in the stomach with the mace. I had intended to hit him lightly, but he flew and bounced across the ground like a ser ball.


    Oh, he''s dead? Tch, he''s moving a little. Looks like he''s okay.


    ��I''ll save your party members for you. ������If they''re alive, that is��


    I was just talking to myself.


    I checked my vest pocket. I had already used up half of a horn.


    Fifteen of them for half a horn. Despite it being a one-sided fight where I didn''t take any damage, half a horn.


    There''s something that I''ve learned after wielding this mace.


    This huge weapon. Simply attacking with it damages parts of my body. It also consumes a lot of stamina. Every time I take a swing, it consumes my regeneration point. If I use it carelessly, I''ll strain every muscle in my body. This in turn causes even more of the regeneration point to be consumed.


    In addition, because I''m using the horns, unlike the usual regeneration, I feel intense pain when regenerating.


    Pain and blood. Life and death. A bloody and dirty fight.


    Oh, isn''t this������


    ��I don��t know what to say about what you consider "the same as usual"������


    ��I''ve never had an easy fight, you see?��


    I felt the doll poke its head out from under my cor.


    ��Any problems with the diversion?��


    ��None. I''vergely neutralized the Horns that came my way. After that, from earlier�D�D�D�D�D�Dthis is, well, I guess it��s fine��


    I ignored him and went ahead.


    I headed straight for the front entrance of the castle.


    After crossing the drawbridge, which was down, I went through the open narrow gates of the castle. Having snuck into it many times before, I knew the castle pretty well.


    Due to Garving''s diversion and Arcane''s surprise attack, there was no one in sight. However, I sensed a grouping from the back. Before long, I could hear the tter of their heavy armor and weapons.


    Though it has a high ceiling, the foyer of this castle is rather small.


    It''s about 10 tatami mats, or 18 square meters in size. That makes it look more like arge house''s foyer rather than a castle''s.


    Moreover, there are blind spots from the corridors, which have no pirs or other obstructions that can help give them cover. It''s an ideal ce for an ambush.


    Provided the ambush is already in ce, that is.


    I stabbed Agathion into the wall, took a running start, and then used it as a foothold to make a jump. The timing was perfect.


    They came round the corner. I brought the mace down on the heads of the two heavily armored ones at the front of the group.


    Theirrge shields and armor were like paper in the face of the mace''s immense weight. I made the mace head spin and then drove it into the rest. They tried to escape back into the corridor, but it was toote.


    Just by thrusting it at them, I was able to make mincemeat of them.


    After ughtering seven of them, I was covered in their blood.


    ��Agathion��


    I called for the magic sword as I needed a shield. It came faster than I expected.


    At the end of the corridor was a bunch of them in formation and holding crossbows.


    Even though no one gave any signal, they all fired at the same time.


    ��Block them��


    The magic sword''s sheath can withstand 7.62mm rounds fired at it by an AK. Crossbow bolts won''t even scratch it.


    While the magic sword spun in midair to block the bolts, I started running, dragging the mace with me.


    The smell of the blood sttered all over me is making me gag. Strangely enough, I don''t smell anything like the fecal matter of living organisms. Come to think of it, I hadn''t seen anything that looked like stomach contents either, even though I had torn them apart and scattered the pieces all over the ce.


    Evetta-san eats a lot though. How are these ones able to survive without eating or drinking?


    ��Horns are basically immortal beings that can live on indefinitely without any food or drink. As long as they''re inside the dungeon, that is��


    ��And if they go outside?��


    ��They be the same as any regr human��


    I see, these ones arepletely different from Evetta-san. With this, the slight hesitation lingering in my mind is nowpletely gone.


    Invigorated, I swung the mace with all my might. With one swing, I pulverized the entire group of crossbow-using Horns.


    They''re weak and hadn''t put up much of a fight.


    It''s a trap.


    I was attacked by an assassin-like Horns who had hidden himself at the side of the corridor.


    He cut me in the right shoulder and elbow with a pair of knives. My tendons severed, the mace crashed down onto the ground. He wasn''t the only one who had been lying in wait. There was another Horns in front of me and yet another behind me, each holding a spear.


    With my left hand, I grabbed the assassin''s face. He flicked his knives up, but I ignored them and swung him around. I used him like a blunt weapon of flesh to smack aside a spear thrust at me, then threw him at the Horns behind me.


    ��Agathion!��


    The magic sword skewered the two Horns who had collided with each other.


    I reached for my katana, but I wasn''t fast enough. The Horns in front of me drove a longsword into my chest. The cold de went through a lung and gouged it out.


    I swallowed back the blood that flooded my mouth and wrapped my arms around the Horns'' body. This Horns had a thin female body. When I squeezed with all my might, I snapped her spine. But she quickly regenerated, then struggled and fought back.


    Her horn was right in front of my face.


    I had an idea and acted on it immediately. I opened my mouth wide and bit down on her horn.


    ��Gyaaaaaah!��


    An uncanny scream pierced my eardrums. When I let go of her, the Horns tumbled to the ground. I pulled the longsword from my chest and beheaded her with it.


    ��Ugh������gahhh, blech��


    I choked on my own blood. While coughing it up, I picked up the mace and crushed the heads of the two Horns who were immobilized by the magic sword.


    I stayed on guard, but there were no signs of any more enemies.


    It''s hot.


    My arm, my chest, they feel like they''re burning. The regeneration point, or rather, the horn of Horns is healing the serious wounds I had suffered. The pain is making me feel like throwing up. If I wasn''t in enemy territory and was a little less manly, I would surely be shrieking and crying.


    ��You''re probably aware of this, but there are more of theming��


    ��I��m aware��


    I had heard their footsteps.


    I spat out more blood, then red at the enemy reinforcements.


    It was a group of more than thirty.


    Well, this is the enemy''s base after all. Regardless of the diversion and the surprise attack I had prepared for them, there was always going to be a lot of them here.


    I have two horns left.


    This is�D�D�D�D�D�Dno, I''ve got plenty moreing.


    Isn''t it a simple matter? I only need to kill more of them to get more horns for my regeneration point. And then, I''ll be able to fight on indefinitely. I''ll go back and forth between life and death forever. Like a monster that feeds on life.


    ��Haha��


    I feel like I''m at the bottom of hell.


    But it can''t be helped, can it? It''s all you guys'' fault. You hurt a woman precious to me. You sullied herst adventure. That''s unforgivable. If I let you get away with this, it''ll kill me.


    I''ll take revenge on everyst one of you.


    I''ll kill as many of you as I can see.


    I''ll kill everything within my reach.


    I''ll devour however billions upon billions of lives you have.[1]


    [1] The unit of measurement Souya uses is actually a Sanskrit term seen in Buddhist texts pronounced ��nayuta��. It means ��an extremely great number of�� or ��a novemdecillion��, which can be either 1 followed by 60 zeros or 1 followed by 114 zeros. I think you get the idea of how extremely great the number is supposed to be, though it��s mostly used in the figurative sense. However, I can��t fit that in in a way that sounds normal and won��t break immersion, so I used billions upon billions instead. Of course, that��s nowhere near close enough, since a billion is just 1 followed by a measly 9 zeros.


    Quick note: I made a mistake(or rather, I was fooled by the author) and called an item the "magic flute". I''ve changed it into "magic warhorn".


    Aah��what a missed opportunity there at the end. I wanted so bad to say, ��Today��s a hell of a day for revenge�� but the nuance would be wrong.


    Lore first, badass fighting after, huh? I don��t believe you need any reminding that this author rarely gives anypletely useless lore. I��ll mention that Garving says that Midras is dead, but Midras�� name has been invoked several times already in this story during chants. Of course, the magics worked perfectly fine. Doesn��t that strike you as curious?


    Also, he casually dropped that he had shed with some moronic adventurers who are the descendants of his party members��that��s kinda a big deal, isn��t it? And since Souya said that he heard 3 des and conjectured that Garving had his own de, it must be a pair of them. Who do you think they are and what do you think the implications of that are?


    Finally, I absolutely love how Souya treats Arcane, further cementing him as the ��unfortunate in a lot of ways�� character lol. Well, there��s much more toe, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 169: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest III

    <h4>Chapter 169: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest III</h4>


    Stab.


    Pierce.


    Gouge.


    Break.


    Sever.


    Rupture.


    Crush.


    Pulverize.


    Like a shura(demigod/antigod of war and carnage in Buddhism).


    Like a rakshasa(fierce man-eating beings or ogres in Buddhism).


    Like a monster.


    Like a demon.


    Like a beast with no mercy, I kill my enemies and devour their lives. What exactly is the difference between the current me and the monsters in the dungeon, I wonder?


    Behind me lies untold amounts of blood, bone, and flesh.


    Is it my own blood or the blood of my enemies that''s dripping from my hands?


    I have no way of knowing.


    I stopped everything that moved.


    I killed everything that came at me.


    ��Shit��


    Zamonss''s sword had gotten stuck inside a corpse and wouldn''te out. When I tried to pull it out forcibly, its hilt broke apart, leaving the de where it was.


    Dammit, there''s no way for me to retrieve it. I''ll have to leave it behind for now.


    ��Agathion��������


    The magic sword that had tumbled to the ground didn''t respond.


    It didn''t even twitch when I held out my hand towards it. I couldn''t spare the strength to carry it either.


    I checked the condition of my katana, which was covered in blood and grease.


    There was a crack in its de and I could see L''s w writhing and sucking blood through it. I slid it back into its scabbard and let it soak in the mixture. The veryst cartridge popped out of the scabbard.


    I''m amazed by how unusually sharp the katana had been. But who knows what effects it will have if it continues to suck the Horns'' blood like this.


    ��Shit��


    Two of the weapons I just got fixed are already ruined. I''ll have to ask Zoruzoglu-san to repair them again.


    What a waste. It seems that my way of fighting isn��t very good for my equipment.


    ��Hmm, the way you fight reminds me of Rmir��


    ��Oh, is that so?��


    Garving was being noisy near my cor.


    ��Rmir was a very mild-mannered beastkin, but whenever one of our party members got hurt, Rmir would do aplete about-face and fight like a demon. Every time that happened, Rmir''s weapons would break. Duin was always having to worry about our finances��


    You''re being noisy.


    It''s annoying.


    I shook the flesh off the mace and hefted it onto my shoulder. As could be expected of a weapon made for a Horns, it was sturdy and could still be used.


    From one of the corpses, I took an intact horn and put it into my mouth. Pain shot through my entire body. The pain of nerves being grated and a burning sensation filled my body.


    The containers of my regeneration point had glowed with a suspicious light the entire time.


    The horns in the inner pocket of my vest had splintered into tiny pieces before I knew it.


    ��Garving, how many have I killed?��


    ��Is there any point in asking that question?��


    ��Well������������I guess not��


    No matter how many monsters I kill, it''s pointless.


    Yes, no matter how many of these guys I kill, it''s pointless.


    ��I''m done on my side as well. I''ll join up with you. By the way, I was attacked by a pair of swordsmen, but are they your party members?��


    ��What do they look like?��


    ��A mature man with an eye patch who wields a katana. A young girl with long hair who wields a longsword��


    ��They''re definitely my party members. You didn''t hurt them, did you?��


    Depending on the reply, I may do the same thing as Rmir.


    ��I may be a magician, but I''m still an experienced adventurer. I can handle a sword��


    ��That so?��


    As expected of a great magician-sama.


    ��I''ve told them where to find you. They will probably meet up with you at some point��


    ��������Thank you very much��


    I thanked him openly.


    But while I was relieved, I also had a bad feeling.


    Is it Rana, Lys, or Ea who''s being held captive, wonder? Or is it all of them?


    Imagining such a situation, I got angry. I started to seethe.


    My body is nowhere near normal right now. If I let my anger ovee me, I''ll make a deadly mistake.


    Calm down.


    Calm down.


    I took a deep breath and held it. After exhaling slowly, I took another deep breath.


    I repeated this process until I felt myself calm down.


    I started to notice the smell of blood and gore again, and felt a little moreposed.


    ��Can you locate my captured party members?��


    ��I suspect they''re probably in the basement��


    ��The prison, huh?��


    That''s a ce I''ve been in and out of a few times.


    Dragging my heavy feet, I started moving again.


    There''s no sign of any enemies. It seems that I''ve well and truly killed all of the enemies in the vicinity.


    The problem is that the strongest enemies are usually found on the top floors of castles. I hadn''t seen that Horns with the two long horns either. In the worst-case scenario, there may even be Horns who are stronger than her.


    And then there''s the guardian of this floor.


    There''s still a lot of fighting to be done, a lot of uncertainty, and no way to tell what lies ahead. It''s truly an adventure.


    ��Foreigner, there''s something I want to ask you��


    ��What''s this? Even though you steal people''s thoughts without their permission��������


    ��No, I can only steal the knowledge that appears in your surface thoughts. What I want to ask you about is the god that you''re contracted with. She��s concealing her name, is she not? Misuranika is not her true name. It''s been hidden away. No������that''s not all. There''s something more to�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    His voice suddenly cut out.


    ��Hey������ Hey, Garving?��


    It would be troublesome if I lost his support.


    ��Gaan�D�D�D�DZsa Zsa�D�D�D�DZii Zii�D�D�D�DTest test, can you hear me?��


    ��I can hear you. What happened?��


    Signal interference?


    ��That was a taboo subject, I see. It nearlypromised mymunication with you. Let''s drop the subject altogether��


    What the heck?


    Thanks to the fruitless conversation, I was able to regain myposure.


    I headed for the prison in the basement.


    I''m not going to drop my guard.


    I still have all my faculties intact and there are no residual injuries from the fighting.


    But I''m concerned about the after-effects of using the Horns'' horns. I can feel a terrible weariness pressing down on me. I feel so fatigued that I might fall asleep the instant I lie down.


    Mustering up all my strength, I moved my legs.


    The suspicious glow of the containers has subsided, but I can still sense it with my eyes closed.


    For some strange reason, I long for it.


    That suspicious red light.


    ��Hey, Garving. These horns��


    ��Are there any after-effects? Well, yes. You''re forcing your body to heal itself using an abnormal influx of magic elements after all. A normal person would go insane, or at best, lose their memories and sense of self��


    ��Hey!��


    Don''t screw with me. You never told me any of that.


    Aren''t they terrifyingly dangerous things then?


    ��Don''t worry. You seem to have a resistance to them. I''m very curious to know if that''s due to your foreigner constitution, the blessing of the god you''re contracted with, or some other principle I don''t understand��


    ��I don''t have the time to satisfy your curiosity�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    Ovee by a spell of dizziness, I leaned against a wall.


    Searing painnced through the bottom of my eye. When I opened my eyes, I couldn''t see anything out of my left eye.


    ��Shit, at a time like this������


    Did some damage rpse or something? To lose my sense of distance in close-quarterbat is������


    ��Rx, it''s only temporary. Overuse of the regeneration point causes the loss of vision for a short time. This is possibly, hmm, most likely a form of irony caused by the Houma that I created to deny the gods being worshiped as a god��


    ��I don''t understand a damned thing you��re saying��


    I dragged my heavy body down the stairs to the basement.


    In exchange for losing my sight in one eye, I seemed to have gained an odd ability to sense things. I could vaguely make out presences in my head.


    Downstairs, there are five.


    No, four? One of them feels strangely unsteady.


    Due to the tight confines of the stairway, I left the mace behind and ced my hand on the hilt of my katana. I did my best to kill the sound of my footsteps. As quiet as a mouse, I ran down the steps.


    I had smelled an unpleasant odor in the air.


    Blood and guts, feces and urine, the stench of something rotting.


    It was the smell of living things.


    From the end of the long staircase, I could hear the sounds of "something" assaulting "someone".


    Despite the carnage that had gone on upstairs, it seemed that the ruckus had failed to make it all the way down to the basement. Seeing the foot of the stairs, I jumped the ten or so steps remaining andnded soundlessly.


    I rxed my body so that I would be able to act quickly.


    The first thing I spotted was Nanassy. Her arms and legs had been chained to a big log, and she was being humped from behind by a male Horns.


    I scanned the surroundings very closely, but there was only one enemy.


    I''m d it''s Nanassy. If it had been one of my party members, I wouldn''t have been able to keep my cool.


    The door to the prison had been left wide open.


    But I cut through the bars of the prison and closed the distance using the shortest route possible.


    Well, I suppose that means that I still felt a certain degree of anger.


    ��Hey��


    I had taken himpletely by surprise.


    From behind, I thrust my katana into the Horns'' heart, lungs, and lower abdomen all at once.


    ��GY�D�D�D�D��


    Before he could let out a yell, I filleted him. At about the same time, the cut bars nged onto the ground, making a racket.


    ��Onii-san!��


    ��Bel, are you okay?!��


    Bel was chained up in the next cell. She was more important, so I cut the bars again to get in. I thought about cutting the chains binding her, but if I didn''t get it right, I might mar Bel''s skin.


    ��Here��


    I caught something that was thrown at me. It was a set of keys.


    Nanassy, who had thrown it, had already freed herself from the restraints on her hands and feet. She appeared to have torn the chain restraining her right hand right off through brute strength.


    I wonder why she let that Horns have his way with her when she had the power to do that.


    ��Umm, would you mind not looking at me if you could?��


    ��That''s impossible��


    Bel was alsopletely naked.


    ��Good��


    ��No no no, what do you mean, "good"?! And where were you looking at that made you say that?!��


    As the leader of the party, I was able to confirm that she hadn''t been vited.


    Onii-san can rest easier now.


    As I was releasing Bel from her restraints, clothes were thrown at me with perfect timing again.


    Nanassy had already gotten dressed and was fully equipped. In a corner of the prison, equipment taken from the adventurersy in a pile.


    Among them, I found a pair of gauntlets, a white fighting outfit, and a set of bikini armor, all of which I recognized.


    ��Bel, what about everyone else?��


    ��The beastkin was taken to the back������������ Onii-san, Rana-san was taken upstairs, but have you not seen her?��


    ��No, not yet��


    Nanassy went to the back to check on her party member.


    Unlike the prison in Lemuria, the prison here went so deep that it was impossible to see where it ended. Upon a second look, I noticed that there were all kinds of bones strewn about the prison.


    ��Bel, please exin the situation to me��


    I''m worried about Rana. But I need to get as much information as I can.


    ��Rana and I found ourselves surrounded by enemies after we got teleported. We fought hard, but Lys suddenly withdrew, and we got caught because I was dragging her down. I''m really sorry��


    ��Have you seen Ea?��


    ��No, I haven��t��


    ��I see. Shuna and Otou-san are outside. They''re safe�D�D�D�D�DHey, Nanassy!��


    I called back the chibi-Horns.


    She came back with fresh blood sttered all over her.


    ��Foreigner, is Arcane safe?��


    ��Whose blood is that?��


    ��Kakyua''s. They toyed with her so much that she couldn''t be saved anymore, so I ended her suffering��


    So it''s the blood of her beastkin party member, huh? Well, she''s not wrong to do that, but������


    ������No. This is their party''s problem. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but it''s not my ce to say anything.


    ��Eh, no way��


    I reached out tofort Bel, who had turned pale, but I couldn''t possibly do that with my bloodied hands, so I stopped myself.


    ��Nanassy, Arcane is sleeping just outside the castle. He''s safe��


    Probably.


    ��I have a favor to ask of you��


    ��Alright. I''ll escort that girl to a safe ce��


    She''s surprisingly quick on the uptake.


    ��Always pay back what is owed. That''s what Arcane always says. You saved me. Thank you very much for that��


    She''s being so forthright that it''s making me ufortable.


    It''s creepy.


    ��Bel, I don''t know how much she can be trusted, but I need you to escape this ce with her��


    ��Okay. I''m sorry for beingpletely useless��


    Bel''s hands were shaking.


    I''m the one who should be apologizing. For making you go through such a scary ordeal.


    ��Foreigner, what will you do?��


    Nanassy asked a foolish question.


    ��I''ll go rescue the others. And while I''m at it, I''m going to wipe out all the Horns��


    ��Umm, you''re really Onii-san, right?��


    Bel is absolutely right to question that.


    I think I must look terrible right now.


    ��Do you see any horns?��


    I pushed my bangs up and showed her my forehead.


    It may have grown back. Even if I had wanted to check, I can''t tell for myself.


    ��No��


    ��Good. That means I''m still human��


    Bel epted the longsword Nanassy handed her.


    For the current her, it''s a difficult weapon to handle. It''s a keepsake of Irvin.


    ��Bel, can you do me a favor?��


    ��What is it? I''ll do anything within my power!��


    She��s a stout-hearted girl who won''t let her feeling of powerlessness get the better of her.


    And that''s precisely why I can count on her to do this for me.


    ��If Ie back by myself, have a horn just like the Horns'', and am not in my right mind, kill me with that sword��


    It''s a terrible favor to ask.


    As long as I watch myself like I have been, a horn won''t grow out. I won''t lose my grip on myself. Regardless of whatever may have happened to Rana, this wish will keep me sane.


    Before anything else, I''m a leader. I carry the lives of others on my shoulders. I have the responsibility to ensure that the members of my party who are still alive get away safe. I can''t go insane before I''ve aplished that.


    It''s all thanks to Bel that I remembered that.


    I''m human. As long as I strive to be human, I''m not a beast.


    ��Okay. Got it��


    She replied without a second thought.


    As expected of my party member.


    Hmm, Nanassy is a chibi(shortie), huh? I hadn��t pegged her as a chibi though. But I guess she can��t be tall if she hangs in mid-air when Evetta grabs her by her head��that��s probably why Evetta grabbed her by the head in the first ce, I suppose��


    Still, what a chapter, huh? I��ll say it again, but this is not a typical Japanese WN/LN. It��s a dark fantasy in the truest sense. But if you��ve made it this far, I��m sure you already knew that. Well, we��re about two-thirds of the way through this volume, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 170: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest IV

    <h4>Chapter 170: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest IV</h4>


    ��What is that girl?��


    ��Huh?��


    The string doll stood up on my shoulder and conveyed the words of the voyeur great magician-sama.


    ��She''s one of my younger party members. She''s something like a little sister to me��


    I answered honestly. Since he would steal the truth from my thoughts anyways, it would be pointless to hide anything.


    ��I''m not interested in your rtions with women. I''m talking about her blood��


    ��Her blood?��


    Now that he mentioned it, I remember Master saying something about it in his bar.


    I had forgotten about it, but I believe he said������


    ��She''s a divine medium��


    ��That exins it��


    I went back up the stairs, retrieving the mace along the way.


    My body feels strangely good. The fatigue and tiredness I had felt earlier seem to have vanished like a mirage.


    Does it maybe have something to do with Bel?


    ��She��s indeed the reason for it��


    ��Is that so?��


    I didn''t know that Bel had that kind of power.


    ��That girl has quite the lineage. She''s a close rtive of a god whose name eludes me. She may be a child of infidelity, an illegitimate child, or a child forced to flee after some ruse. Whatever the case, she''s not the kind of person who should be an adventurer.


    As you��ve experienced firsthand, just by being near her, the disarrayed magic elements in your body got sorted out. No, so long as she desires something, miracles will ur with ease. Her wishes will keeping true out of the blue. What''s strange is the fact you''ve not been enthralled despite having such a person close by. Are you really that faithful to your wife?��


    ��Faithful��������������


    I��m indeed faithful to her, but������


    ��Oh, I see. You got married under elvenw, huh? I''ve seen the aftermath of polygamous rtionships many times in the past. Make sure you put down in writing how your estate will be distributed. You''re an adventurer who has made it this far, so you must have some wealth. If you don''t������������it''ll get messy��


    ��Okay, I''ll be sure to do that��


    His words were incredibly convincing for some reason, so I took them to heart.


    So������Rana gets 50%, Ea and Maria get 20% each, and Lanseal gets 10%? Well, that feels kinda cruel to her, so how about Rana gets 40%, and the other three get 20% each������what about Makina and Yukikaze? I wonder what they''ll do after I die.


    ��Aye-eye, huh? What curious beings������ Hmm, I can''t read any more��������


    ��Of course��


    It seems that the things I really don''t want others to know can''t be spied on.


    I can''t let this great magician-sama have ess to any modern knowledge. Who knows what kind of technological singrity that will lead to?


    ��The idea of singrities is a rather interesting concept. I suppose it''s not unlike thependium of magic techniques��


    ��Let��s put that aside��


    That''s enough useless chatter.


    I no longer find it difficult to carry the mace as well. I wonder if that''s also thanks to Bel.


    I took a deep breath and warned myself again.


    No matter what happens, I won''t lose my cool.


    No matter what I see.


    No matter what I''m faced with.


    No matter what, I won''t lose my grip on myself.


    Now to go look for Rana.


    I''ve wiped out all the enemies on the ground floor. I had seen several of theme down from the second floor earlier. Searching all the rooms in the castle is quite a daunting task. But there''s no other way but to search each room one by one.


    ��I''ve lent you one of my senses, remember? Use it��


    ��Come again?��


    Again, I''ve no idea what this great magician-sama is talking about.


    ��Remember when you lost sight in your left eye? I lent you my power of farseeing then��


    ��I didn''t hear anything about that��


    ��I did tell you. By thought��


    ��No no no. I didn''t receive it��


    I mean, what kind of sick punishment is it to have a heart-to-heart connection with an old man?


    ��Didn''t you use it earlier? I thought for sure that it had gotten through to you��


    ��Earlier������oh, that��


    I closed my eyes and visualized my surroundings in my mind.


    ��The area that you sense can be expanded to any extent depending on your own perceptive capabilities. But don''t look too far away, or you will be enthralled. What humans see is always the depths of darkness. In the abyss lurks a terrifying thing that sweetly beckons��


    ��Shut up for a second��


    I''m the type of person who learns things by doing rather than by listening to exnations. I also y games without reading the game manual.


    In the darkness of my own mind, I focused my perception outward and let my senses expand.


    A few indistinct presences appeared in my head.


    One in a room on the second floor. No, there''s also one "unsteady presence" that feels like it''s about to flicker out, so there''s two.


    Two in the audience room with the throne on the third floor. And one near its entrance.


    Underground������������hmm? What''s this? There are countless lights.


    ��Stop��


    I was almost pulled in, but Garving wrested me back by yanking out a strand of my hair.


    ��What was that?��


    I had forgotten about it. If this ce is simr to Lemuria, then of course there''s something underneath the ground. I had sensed an abnormal number of presences deep underground. They had been of tightly-packed creatures. Were there thousands? No, it''s probably in the hundreds of thousands.


    ��Don''t tell me, are those all Horns?��


    ��Yes, they are. But saving your party members takes priority now, am I wrong?��


    ��You��re right, but��������


    You''re obviously hiding something.


    ��Mm-hmm, I''m hiding something. But it''s also true that this is not the time for it��


    ��That��s true��


    I''ll put it on hold.


    Time to switch gears and forget all about it for now.


    First, I''ll go to the second floor. The fact that I didn''t sense any other presences means that I''ve probably killed almost all of the Horns in this castle. I''ll just do the same to the ones underground.


    That''s probably impossible though.


    ��Garving, how many have I killed?��


    This isn''t something I should be asking right now. But it''ll serve to distract me.


    ��66 of them. The only ones who have personally defeated this many Horns are just you and Lemuria��


    ��That baldy?��


    He gives me a strong image of a ck-hearted, perverted, balding father, but I guess he was also a strong adventurer.


    ��What do you mean by ��baldy��? He was a fearless young man with luxurious hair������but I suppose the passage of time can be quite cruel��


    ��It''s all smooth now��


    ��Wagreas was also getting smooth by the end. He''s all smooth now that he''s a skeleton though��


    I was able to distract myself by having a frivolous conversation with the great magician-sama.


    Being as quiet as I could, I stood in front of the room with the presences.


    There were two presences, one of which had almost disappearedpletely.


    Stay calm. Stay calm.


    No matter what I see, I must remain calm.


    I raised the mace, smashed a hole in the wall, then burst into the room.


    I let go of the mace and drew my katana.


    One of them is definitely an enemy. I''ll kill it in a single�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��I''m d to see that you''re okay, dear��


    It was already over.


    ��You look like you''re okay as well��


    Rana was there.


    Her wrists were shackled and she waspletely naked like Bel and Nanassy. Blood had sttered onto her white skin, but it only made her look more luscious.


    On the bed was a Horns who had tried to have his way with her.


    I couldn''t look directly at his lower body because, as a man, it was painfully hard to see, even if he was an enemy. He wasn''t dead yet, but his neck had been spun around so many times and with such force that the skin and bones of his neck werepletely twisted together.


    ��I''m not about to let any man but you beat me in bed. Besides, the very first thing dvain-sama taught me was a technique for this kind of situation.


    Martial arts schools are often male-dominatedmunities, so there are many who develop lustful feelings for the women who eat and sleep with them, and it''s not umon for them to try something shameful. In such situations, it''s customary for the female warrior to make "an example" out of the man to make sure that no one tries anything like that ever again��


    ��I see��


    I finished off the Horns that she had dealt with firmly.


    ��What do you think?! I pulled through on my own this time!��


    ��Yup��


    I had pictured myself rescuing Rana in style and, no, I''m really d she''s okay. I do feel a little disappointed that she''s pulled through on her own, but that''s a little inappropriate.


    Rana continued excitedly.


    ��I was beaten in the earlier fight with the adventurers, but this time, I made it through on my own. What do you think?! I think I deserve some praise for this!��


    Dropping my katana, I wrapped Rana up in a hug.


    I knelt and buried my face in her chest, the softness making me forget that we were in enemy territory.


    ��Oh, what''s wrong?��


    ��I''m so d you''re okay��


    I had been trying my best to not think about the various worst-case scenarios that kept popping up in my mind.


    When things turned out to be nowhere close to any of them, it left me so relieved that I lost all strength.


    ��Dear, I''m happy that you''re concerned about me. But there are still things to be done, aren''t there? What about everyone else? What��s the current status of the adventure?��


    ��Right��


    We''re in the middle of a bloodbath. This isn''t the time to be cuddling with a woman. To get the whole party home, I''ll need to fight with everything I''ve got.


    I picked up my katana and cut off Rana''s shackles.


    Rana tore down a curtain and wrapped it around herself before picking up the dead Horns'' spear.


    ��Bel-sama is in the basement, along with the Horns called Nanigassy(Something-or-another-ssy) and the beastkin��


    ��Yeah, I know. I had gone to the basement first. I��ve freed Bel and gotten Nanassy to escort her out. Rana, I''m sorry, but I need you to leave the castle as well��


    ��Okay, I''ll go outside and meet up with Bel-sama. After all, you''re stronger without me by your side, aren''t you?��


    ��That��s not������


    I''m d she''splying obediently.


    That��s all well and good, but������


    ��The first time you rescued me, the time Irvin-sama died, the subsequent battle with the beast, the time you rescued me from L, the time you were sent to the left continent alone, it was really close that time with Lord White-Scale, but other than that one time, you''ve always dealt with the dangerous tasks like the one involving Neomia all by yourself��


    ��That��s��������


    It��s because I knew I have a home to go back to.


    Because I was determined to return, I was able to keep on fighting.


    ��And now, you''ve defeated an entire castle of Horns all by yourself. I''m not going to make any poor guesses as to how you did it. If you feel like telling me, tell me, and I''ll listen to whatever you have to say. But the important thing to remember is that I trust you. And that I''m waiting for you. No matter what, al.......right? Err......is that clear?��


    She was saying something nice, but she reworded thest part to be polite speech instead.


    Well, in a way, this is just like her.


    ��Rana, one day, for sure. When everything is settled, I''ll tell you all of it. I promise��


    I stuck out my pinky finger and held it out to her.


    ����������������


    After staring at it for a while, Rana closed her mouth around my little finger. She twirled her tongue around it, showing me the depths of her technique that I hadn''t experienced before.


    I pulled my finger out of her mouth with a schloop.


    ��Is there some sort of meaning to this?��


    ��I''ll tell you when we get back��


    Oh, right.


    They don''t have the concept of pinky promises on this side������


    I made my way to the corridor through the hole in the wall, then closed my eyes and let my senses expand.


    There are no enemies on the ground floor.


    Outside the castle, near its gates, I sensed Nanassy and Bel tending to Arcane.


    ��Rana, Bel and the others are right outside the castle. If you run, you can still catch them. After meeting up with them, find a safe ce to hide. I''lle and get you after everything is settled��


    ��I''ll be waiting��


    Rana and I hugged once more. Then, we parted ways quickly.


    I hefted the mace back onto my shoulder.


    After watching her go, I went upstairs.


    As I made my way through this castle with its endless simrities, the feeling that I was in the dungeon grew.


    The three presences hadn''t budged. Two side by side and one further away from them. No signs of any fighting.


    I pictured theyout of the castle in my head and superimposed the locations of the presences on it.


    The two are near where the throne should be, and the one further away is outside the room. The king and queen, and then their bodyguard?


    ��So that''s your spouse. It''s quite rare to see an elf with big breasts��


    I''m going to ignore the great magician-sama''s attempt at frivolous conversation.


    ��A long time ago, I proposed a theory that the size of a woman''s breasts is proportional to her magic power��


    Oh, I can see that.


    All the female magicians I''ve met so far have had nice figures. Bel������well, I have high hopes for the future though.


    Ah, dammit.


    ��But it was roundly condemned by Roomen''s kin. "If you spread a theory like that, only the girls with big breasts will get customers!" they protested. And so, it was erased from the pages of history. It truly was a tragic theory��


    ��I really need you to shut up for a second��


    I''ll ask you for detailster.


    If possible, please summarize it in writing.


    ��The best way to alleviate stress in a tense situation is to make silly jokes. Well, personally, the part of you that''s tense is gueye��


    I crushed the string doll in my hand and stuffed it into my pocket.


    I moved closer to the presences. Once I had rounded the next corner of the corridor, one of them woulde into view.


    I made my footsteps quiet, measured, but increasing in speed. I got ready to close the distance and pulverize it in one swift motion.


    I stooped low, like a gliding swallow.


    I rounded the corner, and when I set my eyes on the enemy����


    ��Shuna?!��


    ����what I found was not an enemy at all.


    Forgetting to stay quiet, I raced over to him. Shuna was seated on the ground with his back against the wall. His longsword was lying on the ground nearby.


    I checked him over, but he didn''t seem to have any wounds. He had simply been knocked out. His regeneration point hadn''t decreased much either.


    What''s going on? The ones inside������������could it be?


    For a moment, I waspletely lost.


    I returned the longsword to its owner''s hand and then smashed open the door to the throne room with the mace.


    It''s a ce I''ve been to several times to have an audience with the king.


    That time I showed off the beast''s head.


    That time I had to deal with that asshole Barfuru''s stupid scheme.


    I feel as if there were other instances, but those two left such a strong impression that I forgot the rest.


    The throne was empty.


    But there was a female Horns sitting on one of its armrests. It was the Horns with two long horns. Standing beside her was������


    ��Otou-san, what are you doing?��


    ��You took your time��


    ������the father of adventurers.


    ��Answer me right now. What are you doing? Are you the one who did that to Shuna? Step away from that woman��


    ��Don''t ask so many questions at once. Well, all I can answer is that this one''s name is ��Verxina����


    ��No, it''s not. That''s a Horns. That''s not Lanseal''s mother. That''s not the woman you lost. It''s a monster. It''s the enemy that hurt Evetta-san!��


    My voice trembled with an anger I had never felt before.


    ��Isn''t Evetta also a Horns?!��


    ��I don''t care!��


    Anger was replied with anger


    ��Medimu, you''ve been bewitched. As your leader, I''m ordering you. Step away from that monster right now��


    ��Souya, what do you intend to do to Verxina?��


    ��I''ll pulverize her with this. No, maybe I''ll cut her in two with this one��


    With my right hand, I brandished the mace.


    With my left hand, I drew my katana.


    ��I guess there''s no use asking you to back off. That''s the kind of guy you are��


    The two of them looked into each other''s eyes like siblings, like family, likepanions.


    Otou-san drew his katana.


    He took a step forward.


    Then, a second step forward.


    Behind him, the Horns chuckled soundlessly, looking as if she was deeply amused.


    I directed my killing intent at Otou-san and got one twice as intense from him.


    ��Are you sure about this, Father of Adventurers? You won''t live up to that name by losing yourself and getting killed by your party leader, you know?!��


    ��I''ve never once taken pride in that name��


    I see.


    It can''t be helped then.


    I don''t have any other choice. Before he cuts down any other adventurer, I''ll kill him. That''s the only thing I can do.


    ��I knew it woulde to this��


    The mace suddenly refused to budge in the slightest.


    That was because its rightful owner had grabbed it.


    ��Evetta-san?!��


    There stood my person-in-charge.


    She looked pale. But her wounds had regenerated and she was standing firmly on her own two feet.


    ��Souya, I apologize for the slight dy, but let''s resume the adventure��


    Ahh, Rana is no longer the standard damsel in distress��yeah, it��s a bit sad.


    Still, this is such a fun chapter to read, isn��t it? It has everything fromedy, dread, subverted expectations, to betrayal. Were you expecting the name ��Verxina�� to show up here? Well, there have been plenty of hints. I even put Evetta-san��s illustration in an earlier afterward to remind you guys of her two long horns and silver hair�� Besides, Souya also said the Horns resembles Lanseal.


    Well, it��s going to be exciting next time, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 171: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest V

    <h4>Chapter 171: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest V</h4>


    ��Evetta-san, what''s the n?��


    ��Souya, Medimu-sama has lost his head. There''s only one way to bring him back to his senses��


    And what''s that?


    ��Until hees back to his senses, give him a good beating��


    So you''re not going to suggest persuasion, magical means, or convenient items, huh?


    ��Well then, leave him to me��


    Worst case scenario, I''m prepared to lose one of my limbs.


    ��That''s right. It''s the leader''s job to clean up his party member��s mess. Then I''ll take the one in the back with the long horns��


    Evetta-san pointed her mace at the Horns with two horns.


    Perhaps she saw it as a challenge, but the two-horned Horns pointed her oversized sword back at her in the same manner.


    Medimu stepped in between the two women.


    ��Evetta, I''m sorry, but��������


    ��Then don''t get in the way��


    I was the first to move.


    Sparks flew as katana met katana.


    I locked our katanas together and forcefully pushed Medimu away from the Horns.


    Evetta-san charged at the two-horned Horns. There was a high-pitched screech as the mace and the oversized sword came together.


    I won''t let anything get in her way.


    With the women''s fight behind me, I took a few more shes at Medimu.


    ��Hmph!��


    Three attacks in an instant. All of them aimed to kill.


    This wasn''t an opponent I could afford to go easy on.


    As if to prove my point, all three were dealt with easily. Not a single spark flew. Even the impact of the des meeting each other felt light.


    At my fourth sh, my de cut through empty air.


    I heard the distinctive sound of a katana clicking back into its scabbard. After ducking under my sh, Medimu had dropped to one knee and sheathed his katana.


    This is bad.


    A chill ran through me.


    From close quarters, I sprung away from him.


    Even I didn''t quiteprehend what I had done. When Inded and came to an abrupt stop, I stumbled. My head spun for a moment. It felt like all my blood had gone to my toes. It appeared that I had done a backflip like some kind of acrobat to get away from him.


    After a brief moment, I felt my left cheek p open.


    As usual, I was unable to see anything from the drawing of the katana to the actual sh itself.


    The regeneration point closed it back up, but the healing it provided wouldn��t make the blood return to my body.


    I wiped the blood from my cheek and regrouped.


    Medimu sheathed his katana and took the stance for performing an iai-draw once more. I raised my katana and held it above my head.


    We were both at the edge of each other''s de''s range.


    ��������������Medimu, let me ask you something. Why didn''t you kill Shuna?��


    ��He didn''t need to be killed. That''s all there is to it. Don''t waste your time with this nonsense. Just leave me behind and move on��


    ��I refuse��


    Just like how you don''t care about my circumstances, I don''t give a damn about yours.


    I held my breath and slid closer to him without lifting my feet off the ground.


    He''s right. I shouldn''t waste my time with this nonsense.


    I''ll decide it in the next exchange


    Our katanas are brother swords made using L''s ws.


    Even if our weapons are the same, I''m nowhere near as skilled as Medimu at using them.


    ��Souya, you can''t see out of your left eye, can you?��


    ��No, I can. Well, maybe not. Take that any way you like��


    On top of that, due to the blurred vision out of my left eye, my sense of distance is off. My simple attempt at mind games probably won''t do any good either.


    But when ites down to it, spirit and guts are what matters most in fights.


    ��UUOOOoooooo!��


    I stepped into range and swung my sword down with a spirited cry.


    It''s a very simple and transparent attack, but it won''t lose to an iai-draw in terms of speed.


    My target is the kashira(pommel) of his katana, which is the starting point of the iai-draw.


    Despite my wonky sense of distance, my de struck the kashira, stopping him from drawing his katana.


    That went as nned, so I will now�D�D�D�D�D�Dwent as nned?


    ��Not good enough��


    Medimu had intended to take my attack with the kashira from the start. Things had gone as nned not for me, but for him.


    I was hit with a terrifyingly keen foot sweep.


    My world spun sideways and Inded headfirst into the ground. As a follow-up attack, the butt of his scabbard was thrust into my abdomen.


    ��Urgh��


    Perhaps he had driven it into some sort of tender spot, but it hurt like hell when he put his weight on it.


    ��This is how it is. Now that you understand, beat it��


    ��You''re the one who doesn''t understand��


    I had gotten used to this level of pain. I grabbed his katana''s scabbard and kashira.


    As I am now, I''m just as strong as any monster. A mere human won''t be able to draw the katana one iota.


    ��You������what''s that light?��


    My regeneration point glowed with a suspicious light. Medimu let go of his katana and kicked me, using it tounch himself backward.


    As expected, he has excellent judgment.


    But with this, he no longer has a weapon������������my katana is missing.


    ��I had figured it would be a little different, but it��spletely different, I see��


    Medimu had my katana.


    He was making a few light swings to gauge the difference in feel.


    ��Youu��


    I had forgotten, but adventurers are notorious for having sticky fingers.


    I''ll defeat him before he can get used to it.


    Lowering my stance andunching myself at him, I immediately closed the distance between us.


    I''m going to use the katana I snatched from him to do an iai-draw. It''s easy for me to copy a technique I''ve just seen.


    ��About this technique of unleashing it from the scabbard������it has a fatal w��


    Its sharpness.


    Its speed.


    I managed to replicate his technique of cutting space itself. But I didn''t evene close to scratching him.


    ��The path of the sh can be read from the angle of the scabbard��


    My return sh was fatally slow.


    I felt an instant of coldness followed by a gush of heat. I had been shed open from my right shoulder down to my left ribs. My nerves must have been severed because my body stopped listening to me and crumpled to the ground.


    Oddly enough, there was no pain. But I knew that the cut was very deep from the amount of blood that had sprayed out


    ��It''s just short of a mortal wound. Given how tough you are, you''ll survive��


    ��������������What a shame��


    You''ve left yourself open for the first time.


    ��What?��


    I gritted my teeth against the pain racking my body and tackled Otou-san.


    Not even the father of adventures could have anticipated the speed at which I could regenerate.


    Hooking one leg with one hand and grabbing his shoulder with the other, I mmed him back into the wall of the throne room. Because of how badly I had been hurt, any consideration I had for his aging body or the fact that he was my party member evaporated.


    I took the mount position.


    With my knee nted on the hand that was holding the katana, I brought my fist down on his head. Fist after fist, I delivered each blow with the intent to kill.


    You, you, you stupid father!


    ��Hey��������������


    I gradually increased the speed of my fists. I rained blows down on his head like a jackhammer.


    ��Hey������hey��


    Otou-san seems to have something to say, but I couldn��t care less.


    To cap off the barrage, I clenched both fists together and raised them up�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��I don''t think I can take much more without dying��


    Otou-sannded a kick. I was knocked off of him and tumbled to the side. But I immediately got back up and swung at him. He blocked my right punch, though not easily.


    ��No, just die��


    ��I won''t resist. I''ve lost��


    ��Is that so?��


    He looked like he still had some fight left in him though.


    I turned a bit of my attention to Evetta-san''s fight. It was an intense back-and-forth battle. Despite the size of the weapons both of them were wielding, their speed was unbelievable. The aftershocks of their shes made the throne shake. The wind whipped up by their swings made my blood run cold.


    ��Or would you prefer I say that you brought me back to my senses?��


    ��You never lost your head in the first ce, did you?��


    That''s the reason why my anger had boiled over.


    ��Go ahead andugh. In the end, this is the kind of man I am��


    I don''t find it funny. It pisses me off.


    So this is what became of the man who was unable to forget about his party member who had disappeared and continued to search for her for three whole decades. Even after gaining new party members and going on new adventures with them, for him to still cherish the memories of the past more......


    It''s really annoying.


    ��I''ll say it again. That''s not Lanseal''s mother. It''s no more than a monster that looks like her��


    ��Even if that thing called me by my name?��


    What did you say?


    ��That thing called me by name. I didn''t imagine it. It definitely said my name��


    ��No, it''s all in your head. Your party member, Lanseal''s mother! Died a long time ago on this floor! She became famous and lived on through the stories told about her! Are you trying to destroy that?!��


    ��I know. Yeah, I''m well aware of that. ������������But��


    ��There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. That''s an enemy, and you were misled by it. ept that right now. If you can''t ept it, then as your leader, I''ll have no choice but to kill you��


    Otou-san had a worn-out look on his face.


    It wasn''t because he was getting old, but because he was mentally exhausted.


    ��I learned something from the fight with you. ������Fighting a fellow party member������is so damn taxing��


    ��Oh, I see��


    It kinda doesn''t mean anything when an elderly person says something like that though.


    ��It has been more than thirty years since I became an adventurer. After helping countless young ones, people started calling me the "Father of Adventurers". I tried to stay humble, but I''ll admit to taking the slightest bit of pride in it. My reputation, that is. But look at the fool I��ve be��


    I feel angry. Really angry. This is all I''ve been feeling ever since I stepped foot on this floor.


    No, could it be that I''m just jealous because Otou-san chose his old party member over us?


    ��You''re not a fool. I''m pretty certain that if a monster took on the form of a party member I had lost, I''d be misled too. I''m sure I''d stop and let myself be seduced by that sweet dream. But I''m the leader of the party. I have the responsibility of making sure everyone gets back safely. Next time, no matter what phantoms appear before you, be sure to prioritize your current party��


    ��������������Responsibility, huh?��


    It''s not easy to shoulder, but it''s something I have to bear.


    ��How trulyughable. Who''d have thought that the man called the father of adventurers would have none of the qualities needed to be a leader��������


    That''s true


    In short, that''s just how it is.


    ��Well, that''s it then. Please take a short nap��


    I struck Otou-san in the jaw and knocked him out.


    I feel like Souya kinda uses the principles of Jigen-ryu when he fights. The focus on the one killing swing and the ear-piercing yell during it. The practitioners of Jigen-ryu used to actually practice the yelling, as it��s meant to be so loud that it disorients the enemy for that one decisive moment when they attack.


    Just in case the ��It kinda doesn''t mean anything when an elderly person says something like that though�� was confusing(it took me a while), Souya is saying that everything is taxing to an old person so Otou-san isn��t exactly saying much by telling him that it��s taxing.


    Well, it��s short, but with the end of Souya vs Otou-san, that��s it for this arc! One more to go! How will this volume end?! Stay tuned!

 Chapter 172: Magic Warhorn I

    <h4>Chapter 172: Magic Warhorn I</h4>


    I watched over her as she fought.


    A cacophony of metal on metal filled the room as the oversized sword and the mace shed, sending deadly sts of wind that would tear flesh away at the slightest touch. It was a contest between superhuman and superhuman that no human could possibly take part in.


    Like art.


    Like predators hunting.


    Like creatures ughtering each other in the purest form.


    Warped lives shing together, their fight evoked a sense of beauty.


    After a time that felt both long and short,


    The deadlock between the two was broken.


    Evetta-san started to get overwhelmed. It was the difference in condition and stamina. If she hadn''t been wounded protecting me������.


    No, there''s no need for petty suppositions like that. It would be an insult to those who have resolved themselves to fight.


    Evetta-san was unable to do anything but defend.


    As she used her mace as a shield, she was slowly being cornered. Seizing the opportunity, the two-horned Horns intensified her attacks.


    Roaring like a beast, she tried to crush Evetta-san along with the mace she used as a shield. The mace, a massive block of steel, cracked.


    Bam, bam, bam, each time it was struck, the crack grewrger and parts of the mace head started to chip and fall off.


    Evetta-san dropped to one knee.


    It looked like it was already taking all she had just to hold the mace up.


    Stop, I heard someone say.


    The two-horned Horns swung her oversized sword down at her. It was a quick but heavy sh that seemed like it could take the head off a dragon.


    The mace shattered on impact.


    ��What?!��


    I couldn''t help but exim.


    From the shattered mace head, a brand new mace head emerged.


    That mace had likely been created by reinforcing what was originally a huge mace with metal ting to make it even more massive.


    That outer shell was now destroyed.


    Along with the two-horned Horns'' oversized sword.


    ��They''re ultimately just imitations, Souya. Never forget that��


    The lightened mace closed in on the two-horned Horns.


    The first blow crushed her left shoulder and the second broke both her legs. The third blownded squarely on her head.


    A spray of blood bloomed and broken horns flew through the air.


    She had won.


    It was a brilliant victory.


    ��This is the difference between a fake and the real thing��


    ��As expected of you��


    I gave her a thumbs up. Evetta-san looked at it quizzically before sticking her thumb up in the same way.


    ��After that, I just need to take those horns and������urgh��


    ��Evetta-san?��


    sping her hand over her mouth, she sank to the ground. She was coughing up blood.


    I rushed to her side, got down on one knee, and steadied her in my arms.


    ��Evetta-san, let''s go back immediately��


    ��No. Just a bit more and you''ll be an advanced�D�D�D�D��


    ��I don''t care about that at all! Not right now!��


    She lost consciousness. Her face was pale and her breathing was ragged. When I pulled up her cloak to check the wounds on her back, I saw that they had opened up and blood was pouring from them.


    It''s not that I hadn''t noticed. During the course of the fight, I had desperately tried to ignore the blood I had seen flowing down her back.


    I had endured and endured, and didn''t stop her.


    But she isn''t going tost much longer.


    ��Hey! Garving! Come help!��


    ��Very well. You''ve retrieved my magic warhorn after all��


    There was a burst of light and I heard Garving''s voice in the flesh.


    This guy, he has the same ability as Maria.


    ��I''m only able to teleport on this floor. That Maria that you''re thinking of������Hmm, you''re keeping me from reading anything about her, huh? Well, that can wait��


    The white-bearded magician waved his staff and the broken horns flew towards him.


    ��This is the magic warhorn. It��s the whispering voice that has power over evesting darkness��


    The two horns floated in midair as the magician worked on them using some invisible power.


    They ovepped, merged, and twisted into a single horn. It then turned into a warhorn.


    ��Hey, Garving. That means��������


    ��Good job getting it back. She wouldn''t obey me when I asked her to return it, you see?��


    ��This Horns. Are you the one who made her?��


    ��If I could perform such a miracle, I would be������no, I guess it''s of no importance��


    ��Of course, it''s important. Wait, on second thought, it''s not! Hurry up and heal Evetta-san!��


    His secrets can wait. There''s something much more pressing right now.


    ��You''re really quite the practical person, huh?��


    ��Humans are nothing but practical, are they not?��


    ��Once, we were������ah, no matter. Aple, lend me your strength. Grant the living the strength to bear unbearable pain and live. For the sake of a small resurrection, mock even time��


    Garving thrust the tip of his staff at Evetta-san.


    The blood that had spilled out of her rose into the air like it was alive and then flowed back into her wounds. Her cold body grew warm again, and a healthy color returned to her skin. Herbored breaths were reced by the calm breathing of sleep.


    ��Garving, while you''re at it, extend her lifespan as well��


    ��That cannot be done easily. If it''s absolutely necessary, then you must offer up your wife''s life. Changing the natural order of life always requires sacrifice��


    ��Hey��


    Is that an implicit way of saying it''s impossible?


    ��Well, I suppose it is��


    ��You bastard. So, what do you n to do with that magic warhorn?��


    I don''t really give a damn, but I have the sense that a really bad feeling is about to hit me.


    It''s my adventurer''s intuition, or rather, a rule of thumb I''ve learned since I came to the alternate world. Fools who hoard more power than is necessary are difficult to deal with. They can drag other people into their messes without a second thought.


    ��I''ll have you be a new Horns. And if you like, I can do the same to your wife so that you can have a ��mate����


    ��Haha��


    I wasn''t expecting that. But my body moved.


    The thumb of my left hand pushed up on the tsuba(sword guard). Then, there was a sh of silver.


    At this distance, this technique is faster than any miracle.


    Even if I have a woman in my arms, no, it''s precisely because I have her in my arms that I''m able to unleash my best iai-draw ever.


    The head of the magician who had entered my de''s range����


    ��Tch��


    ����was not separated from his shoulders.


    A clear note rang out as my swing was parried by an identical sh of sliver.


    ��Nothing says that a magician can''t be good with a sword��


    The magician''s staff contained a hidden de. It was what one might call a cane-sword.


    By some quirk of fate, the great magician was also proficient in iai-do.


    ��This is a sword technique that I learned from a blind foreigner when I was young��


    ��The heck?��


    He must have been transported to the alternate world.


    However, my first move missing is something I''m used to. I''ve already nned my next move. I had used Otou-san''s katana for the earlier iai-draw. Next, with my beloved katana, I''ll deliver the true�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��That''s no good, Great Magician-sama. Cheating is bad��


    There was a crunch.


    A broken de erupted from Garving''s chest.


    ��Gah��


    His heart pierced through and gouged out, the great magician died.


    The woman flung the body away emphatically. The old man''s corpse tumbled like a piece of trash into the corner of the room.


    The woman''s broken horns had been reced by pointed animal ears and a fluffy and voluminous tail.


    ��Boy, can I ask you something?��


    ��Eh, me?��


    I''m way too old to be called a boy.


    ��That cool looking gentleman with an eye-patch lying on the ground there. Could it be that he''s Medimu Johann Weimaffee Kurtorch Roomen?��


    ��Eh? Well, his name is indeed Medimu, but��������


    The long name that followed it������I''ve heard it before somewhere, but where was it?


    ��������That feminine-looking brat turned into such a suave and handsome fellow? Would it have been better if I had chosen him instead? I think I might have made a mistake��������


    ��You, by any chance��������


    The woman flipped her long silver hair back.


    She''s a fox beastkin with silver hair. Her beautiful features bear a resemnce to Lanseal. However, she''s more voluptuous and sexy. I wonder if this is how Lanseal will look like when she��s older.


    ��Oh, you know who I am? Well, I''m technically your senior after all, boy. My nickname is pretty embarrassing, so don''t use it, okay? I''m just Verxina, a simple beastkin��


    ��You''ve got to be kidding me��


    Otou-san''s intuition had been spot on.


    ��How did you end up as a Horns?��


    ��Well, that''s because I can''t help it. I''m an adventurer before I''m a woman or a wife��


    Verxina picked up the magic warhorn that had fallen to the ground. At the same time, she also picked up Evetta-san''s mace. She then walked a short distance to smash a hole in the wall.


    I could see the city.


    It was a cityscape with a somewhat tense air.


    ��Boy, take a good look. This is the end of the line for adventurers. Created by a foolish king who feared the heroes and sealed away by a wise king. Well, it''s something that could bring about the end of the world��


    She blew the magic warhorn.


    Buuooooooooo, it went.


    It sounded like a ship''s horn.


    As if in response, a familiar-sounding toll of a bell sounded from somewhere in the city. It was the sound of the bell that told the time, the one I had gotten so used to hearing.


    Then, the cityscape changed drastically.


    The city became tinged with sunset.


    Twilight fell, as if to herald the end of something.


    ��Goodbye, boy. Take care of Medimu and my daughter. Should you ever want to see me again, I��ll be right here fighting for all eternity, so don''t hesitate toe by and kill me again��


    The silver-haired beastkin disappeared into the red-hued city.


    Holding Evetta-san in my arms, I looked out over the city, following Verxina with my eyes.


    I witnessed a terrifying sight.


    Horns emerged from all over the city. However, they no longer retained their human form. Some looked like zombies, some had horns all over their bodies, some appeared to have partially merged with monsters, and some looked like gigantic beasts with horns.


    Behind Verxina, humanoid Horns emerged one after the other and followed after her.


    They looked familiar.


    They were all Horns that I had supposedly killed earlier.


    A battle between the Horns that looked human and the Horns that did not ensued. The monsters with horns also joined in, and the battle turned chaotic and bloody.


    It felt like I was at the bottom of hell.


    ��Same old thing again, huh?��


    Garving stood next to me and gazed upon hell with a weary look on his face.


    ��Ea, it''s alright. You don''t have to shoot him��


    ��Eh, no way. Onii-chan, when did you realize I was here?��


    Six meters behind me, my sister appeared with her bow at the ready.


    Actually, when I was fighting Otou-san, I had felt two presences that were in close proximity nearby. I didn''t feel any hostility from them, so I guessed that they were Ea and Yukikaze and left them be.


    ��That elf there, how in the world did you just appear out of nowhere?��


    ��Secret��


    I signaled her, and my sister turned invisible using L''s cloak. She then went over to the entrance and stayed on guard in front of the door. This is good. Rather than risk having her presence detected by him without her knowing, this will keep everyone on their toes.


    ��For you to have the means to deceive me������it��s as I thought, I see��


    It seems like Garving really can''t detect her.


    What''s going on? I''m able to sense her though.


    Without my noticing, a spare pair of sses had been left at my feet. When I put them on, a message from Yukikaze was disyed on its screen.


    ��We''ve signaled everyone. The others are infiltrating the castle as we speak. Yukikaze expects them to meet up with us soon��


    Knowing that they hadn''t been embroiled in the hell out there put my mind at ease for the moment.


    ��Garving, answer my questions. Depending on your answers, my sister will shoot you. After that, I''ll cut you up. I can see that you''re very tough, but will you be alright after being hacked to pieces?��


    ��I��ll be alright��


    ������������Seriously?


    Taking a closer look, I noticed that there was not even a scratch on his clothes at the spot where he should have been impaled. One thing came to mind. An unpleasant memory.


    The snowbound Neomia. The beast-headed man. The obsessed beast of delusion that had crawled out of a nightmare.


    ��I had wondered to myself when I saw your adventuring outfit, but to think that you have a connection to Neomia as well����More and more, my interest is piqued��


    ��So, what do you mean by ��it��s as I thought��?��


    If there''s no way for me to kill him, then I''ll just have to draw as much information out of him as I can.


    If he''s willing toy out the truth, then there''s no problem, but if he''s not������


    ��I''ll tell you everything. That''s what I''m here for to begin with��


    As Souya said, Otou-san��s super longst name has already appeared somewhere. Hint: V3. Isn��t it interesting that he��s also a descendant of a god? I find it hard to imagine him as someone who looks like a girl when he��s young, like Shuna, though given that he��s supposed to look like Toshiro Mifune... But it does seems like Verxina prefers older men, doesn��t she? Also, remember that Verxina can��t read minds, so she doesn��t know Souya knows Lanseal, so who do you think she��s talking about when she says ��my daughter��? And even though she��s an A.I., Yukikaze has a presence that Souya can sense, huh? Many interesting revtions indeed.


    By the way, aren��t there too many potentially world ending stuff around? There��s Elysium��s beasts, the dragon��s dream that could engulf the entire world, and now this Horns thing. Well, obvious lore dump iing, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 173: Magic Warhorn II

    <h4>Chapter 173: Magic Warhorn II</h4>


    The magician spoke in a voice that sounded old.


    It was the precursor to the Horns.


    It was a sess. As long as his test subjects were in the vicinity of the dungeon, their wounds would regenerate instantly, and they could surpass their physical limits without limit. They were truly an immortal army.


    However, there was a problem.


    Each time they regenerated, they lost a bit of their intelligence and reason. It was as if they were gradually being reced by an entirely different creature. The cause was immediately found. It was the horns that grew out when they regenerated. The skulls of living creatures would mutate, causing horns to grow. These horns turned out to be receptors that received "the will of something".


    As a result, their personalities were overwritten, their humanity was lost, and they were transformed into apletely different kind of creature with nothing but the viciousness of beasts and the wickedness of humans.


    It''s ironic.


    What the king had created out of fear of the beasts was but another type of beast.


    Garving tried to work around this problem by giving them horns in advance.


    There was a problem with this too.


    First of all, this regeneration used the life-force within the user and a minute amount of magic power instead, so it was far from limitless. Also, the ability to surpass the limits of the user''s body could only be used for a short time.


    But strangely enough, this regeneration also worked in the other dungeons. For that reason, it became an indispensable piece of magic for those who explored dungeons, who were known as��Explorers��.


    This was the birth of Houma, the magic that you call the regeneration point.


    Inter iterations, the horns were cunningly disguised by making them into the containers you now carry on your person.


    And so, with Duin at the helm, the adventures of Vindoobunikuru began.


    They left on a journey to cleanse the curse of the beasts.


    However, the true purpose of their quest was concealed, and all people saw was a glorious tale of adventure. The miracles that they created together and the truth behind the regeneration point, these were all obscured by the re of glory.


    Time passed, and��Explorers��started to be called��Adventurers��.


    The age of adventurers hade.


    It was an era when many gods and goddesses performed countless miracles.


    It was a time of peace that hid the shadow of the curse.


    Even after the country had changed its name to Beliale, the Faceless King continued his research.


    The Horns were enhanced and strengthened, evolved and brought under control. Generation after generation, life after life. After trampling on wisdom, after transcending sanity, after distilling madness, he finally created the Horns that could wipe out the beasts.


    He called them Tenma.


    Tenma��Abaddon��.[1]


    Because they''re iplete as individuals, they''re rabid monstrosities that specialize in taking over, seizing control, and dominating others.


    They��re monsters that can even debase the curse of abominable blood.


    But Lars, the king at the time, sealed them away.


    It was a very wise decision.


    Something that could wipe out the beasts could just as easily destroy the world. It was foolish to research this, but whaty waiting at the end of the line was a wise decision.


    And whaty waiting for that wise king was annihtion.


    Beliale was destroyed by the beasts.


    In the midst of the destruction, it''s said that the people had this on their lips.


    Those were words of resentment against a king who had the means to fight back but chose not to use them.


    The people who only knew their everyday lives understood not the ways of the wise. The wisdom of the isted king was disparaged as foolishness.


    That was the fall of Beliale.


    And the precursor to this floor.


    On the orders of the Wise King Lars, Wagreas and I sealed the��Abaddon��in the depths of the dungeon.


    However, that was a miscalction.


    One day, the dungeon''s portals, which hadn''t worked for thousands of years, suddenly sprang to life.


    As a result, the adventurers'' explorations reached floors that were previously thought to be unreachable. We hurriedly moved the��Abaddon��to a deeper floor to hide them.


    You remember the great skeleton floors that make up the 30th to 34th floors?


    That''s the left-over husk of what the��Abaddon��had devoured.


    In short, the ability of the��Abaddon��to eat into others worked even on the floors of the dungeon.


    The activation of the portals was probably triggered by the��Abaddon��eating "something" inside the dungeon.


    The urbanndscape on this floor is one of Wagreas'' bright ideas. By making the��Abaddon��think that they��re outside the dungeon, he was able to stop their encroachment of the dungeon.


    Taking advantage of their instinct to creep out into the upper parts of the city in an attempt to invade it, we used our own Horns to fend them off.


    We used the best adventurers from Lemuria and beyond as a base for our Horns. They��re Horns that cannot be taken over by the��Abaddon��. And by using the magic warhorn, they be an obedient and powerful army.


    They��re the ones you fought and defeated. But they were in a dormant state then, so they weren''t able to show their true strength.


    ������������That��s right.


    This is nothing more than a way to stall for time. Until a way to exterminate the��Abaddon�� is found, that is.


    In the past, Lemuria also saw the��Abaddon��as a threat and tried to eliminate them.


    I lent him my strength, but we failed, with Verxina sustaining serious injuries.


    After that, as the newest Horns, she blew the magic warhorn and continues to fight against the��Abaddon��even to this day.


    Her fight is a never-ending hell where she can only wait and hope for an end toe��


    ��You''re just foisting the messes that the old have made on the young��


    It''s a problem caused by the older generation.


    One bad enough to destroy the world.


    ��Isn''t there something simr in your country as well? Like the thing with the pensions?��


    ��It''s not a serious enough problem that people from other worlds would need to worry about it��


    He''s not wrong, but that has nothing to do with the current situation.


    I heard a flurry of footsteps.


    Rana, who was carrying Shuna on her back, Bel, Nanassy, and Arcane had arrived.


    ��Now, before we continue���� Apprentice hero, you didn''te to this floor using one of the portals managed by the Guild. That''s beyond foolish. As such, you��ve not earned the right to hear this story. Leave at once��


    The old man thumped his staff on the ground, and Nanassy and Arcane were enveloped by light and then disappeared.


    He had probably teleported them somewhere else.


    ��Dear, who is this person?��


    ��Sorry, Rana. I''ll fill you in on the detailster��


    Rana has every right to ask that, but there''s something I need this guy to answer first.


    ��So, what do you mean by ��it��s as I thought��?��


    I repeated my question.


    ��I sensed numerous powers within you. The stench of the abominable curse. Elven charm magic. The martial prowess of dragon hunters. The nostalgic immortality of vampires. A fragment of a nightmare. The wisdom of a strange foreignnd. The ferocity of a berserker. The same presence as my nemesis, the First Hero. And for some unknown reason, the fragrance of the abyss. A multitude of powers capable of exterminating the��Abaddon��, destroying Elysium, and changing the world forever��


    You''re talking me up far too much.


    Wait, aren''t almost all of them powers that Misuranika-sama has neutralized?


    ��That��s it. That''s the one! The power to cleanse curses and turn them into your strength! That''s the reason why you didn��t lose your reason entirely even after turning into a Horns! You''re the perfect person to blow the��Magic Warhorn��! ������������But it''s all for naught now, I suppose��


    ��That''s right��


    This old man had gotten stabbed in the back by Verxina-san. I suppose there must be a reason why he��s no match for her, even if he ims to be a great magician.


    Well, he dide out of it unscathed though.


    ��Verxina has the blood of one of the heroes of Elysium in her veins. It''s the blood of the natural enemy of us magicians. Because she''s a beastkin, the abominable blood doesn''t manifest itself, but her blood makes her impossible to control even with my magic. And even with that kind of blood, she can only retain her reason for a very short time������How about that? Have you finally realized what a rarity you are?��


    ��I see. I refuse��


    I''ve already decided that I''m going to say no to everything this guy proposes.


    ��Hey, Souya. The conversation''s jumping all over the ce. I can''t quite follow it��


    Otou-san, who I hadn''t realized had woken up,ined.


    ��I''ll exinter��


    ��At the very least, I should probably punch Lemuria in the faceter, right?��


    ��That��s right��


    I see him in a slightly better light now. It''s just like Otou-san, and it gives him one more reason to crack that bald head open. Old people should fight each other all they want. I don''t give a damn.


    ��After that������


    It��s the first question I had asked.


    ��Are you the real deal?��


    Once again, I unleashed an iai-draw. Midway through the swing, I flipped the de over and used the back of the de to knock the old man''s hat off his head.


    ��Oh-ho������so you''ve noticed��


    I knew it.


    The old man had a horn on his forehead.


    ��As you thought, I''m not Garving. The real deal is not as soft as I am��


    The old man pulled out a top hat from somewhere and ced it over his head to cover the horn. It was my top hat.


    For an instant, a shadow fell over him. The robe and the white beard disappeared.


    His wrinkled and aged face transformed into a mask with one eye. He was wearing an old-fashioned suit with a ck overcoat over it. For some reason, he tossed me his magician''s staff.


    ��You''re the 18th person to discover my true identity��


    That''s quite a lot, isn''t it?


    ��So, who are you?��


    ��I am no one. Hence I��m called the��Faceless King����


    It��s the root of all evil.


    ��How rude. I created the Horns out of concern for a world ruled by beasts, you know?��


    ��You simply did something unnecessary��


    ��I''ll admit that I botched the training of the neers. I did indeed tell them to do it, but I didn''t expect them to actually get that far. It''s precisely because I feel responsible that I''m serving as the guardian of this floor, you know?��


    ��As I thought, you''re just a no-good guy��


    ��Dear!��


    Rana stopped me.


    ��If this person is really the��Faceless King��, that makes him the master of the three great magicians. Please watch your words. You never know what he''ll do to you if you offend him��


    Just a little while ago, I was almost used as a subject for a nasty experiment.


    ��Ohh, you''ve got a good wife. More and more, my interest is piqued��


    ��If you so much asy a finger on Rana, I will wreak havoc on this floor and set free all the Abaddon, Kabe-don[2], or whatever don they are, and let the world know of your folly, got it?��


    ��������������Forgive me. I''ll forget all about it��


    Are you really going to forget about it? I''ll believe it when I see it.


    ��Well then, you adventurers������


    The Faceless King raised a single hand.


    ��You''ve touched on what is taboo and you''ve learned of what is forbidden, yes? But that''s only the tip of the iceberg.


    Don''t forget. Seek the wisdom to exterminate the��Abaddon��.


    Don''t forget. That you''ve only scratched the surface of what is taboo.


    Don''t forget. Destruction will note only to the dungeon. It will reach every corner of the world. Don''t ever forget that.


    The world is only protected through sacrifices. One choice, one mistake, can easily lead to destruction.


    And so, you should continue on.


    There are even more taboos waiting for you on the lower floors. I shall be forever waiting. Oh adventurers. I will be here, waiting for good news. Forever and ever, waiting for the smallest hint towards saving the world��


    The king snapped his fingers.


    Rana, Shuna, and Bel were engulfed by light and disappeared.


    He snapped it once more, and this time, it was Otou-san.


    ��I want to be together with Onii-chan��


    My sister showed herself and hugged me from behind.


    ��So, old man, are we done here?��


    ��I wanted to talk to you in private, but it can''t be helped, I suppose. Beware. The "real" Garving has caught wind of your curses. And he''s not the only one. The First Hero is likely on the move as well. The time of confrontation is near. If you wish to seek my wisdom,e to this floor again��


    ��I refuse��


    I''ll never rely on this guy.


    ��No, you''lle. Without a doubt you will. I''ll be waiting for you��


    The Faceless King picked up his pointed hat and ced it on my head.


    ��This hat is the real deal. Discover in your meditations the memories that your god has hidden from you��


    He snapped his fingers.


    I felt gravity disappear.


    After a brief moment where it felt like I was floating, Inded on my feet.


    I felt the presences of my party members around me. My sister was behind me, and Evetta-san was in my arms.


    Not a single person was unounted for.


    The atmosphere of the floor we hadnded on waspletely different from that of the city of ghosts.


    A tranquil wind was blowing.


    My party members and I lit ournterns, but all we could see was a vast expanse of darkness that had no end in sight.


    There were countless stars in the sky.


    My sister went off to explore the surroundings in hopes of finding a portal.


    Our belongings had fallen in a pile nearby. My other party members fished through them and checked their condition.


    ��Congrattions��


    I heard Evetta-san say.


    ��I owe it all to you��


    I grasped the weakly outstretched hand tightly.


    ��That magician must have foisted a lot of things on you. But pay him no mind. A person''s life is not meant to be spent paying off someone else''s debt. Live the way you wish to live, and aplish what you wish to aplish. That''s how an adventurer should live��


    ��Understood��


    It''s as she says.


    I also have no intention of obediently going along with what the old man said.


    ��When ites time for the world to be destroyed, it''ll be destroyed. When it��s not time, it won''t. How absurd it is to expect a single adventurer to deal with such a thing. To live freely����yes, to be an adventurer is to live freely. Don''t live in captivity like me��������������


    ��Got it. I''ll bear that in mind��


    ��Good��


    As if relieved, Evetta-san closed her eyes.


    Quietly, as if she had fallen asleep.


    [1] Tenma(��ħ), written using the characters of ��sky�� and ��demon�� usually means an evil supernatural being, and that epasses everything from spirits to devils. On the other hand, the name "Abaddon" has appeared in the Bible as both a ce of destruction and an archangel of the abyss. You can see how ��sky demon�� can be a reference to that, I��m sure. The key reference though is to the Book of Revtion of the New Testament, where an angel called Abaddon is described as the king of an army of locusts. Do note thisst fact, you may not get the reference right now, but you will eventually.


    [2] Kabe-don(�ڥɥ�, which is "wall" followed by "sound effect that indicates impact") refers to the action of pping a wall forcefully, which produces the sound "don". One meaning is the action of pping or hitting the wall, such as to protest when the neighbors are making too much noise. The much more well-known meaning is the oft-seen-in-manga/anime action where one character forces another against the wall with one hand or leans one hand against the wall to block another character��s way and makes the sound "don".(Pic courtesy of bondlingo.tv).


    Evetta-sannnn!!!


    By the way, I know that the author has revealed a ton of stuff about the Faceless King here, but you��ll find a VERY interesting reference to the Faceless King back in volume 4. So many things will make sense once you make the connection.


    Other than that, lots and lots of interesting revtions, huh? And I think you��ve realized that what King Lemuria told the world about what happened here isplete bullshit.


    Also, Souya now wears Western clothing, has a vampire��s cloak, bears a katana, longsword, and great-sword, and has a magician��s pointy hat. Talk about a mismatched look lol. It reminds me of MMORPGs where the gear you equip affects your avatar and how ridiculous yers can look when they wear stuff to maximize stats in favor of having a coherent look. On that note though, the Faceless King is probably from Neomia given how he dresses, his nostalgia towards vampires, and his mention that ��Souya has a connection to Neomia as well��st chapter).


    The long dungeon crawl is finally over, but what awaits them now? The Faceless King has left Souya with many ominous warnings, hasn��t he? The real Garving and the First Hero, huh? So many tantalizing hooks. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 174: Magic Warhorn III

    <h4>Chapter 174: Magic Warhorn III</h4>


    ��174th day��


    A lot happened yesterday.


    The issue with the Abaddon.


    The matter of Verxina-san.


    The matter of Evetta-san.


    The matter of Otou-san and King Lemuria.


    Today, we had gathered at the bar run by the country to discuss our future adventures.


    There were a lot of dangerous topics that couldn''t be leaked to others, so we rented a private room on the second floor. More alcohol and food than was necessary had beenid out on the table. It was the barkeeper��s celebratory gift to us for bing advanced adventurers, but my party''s ptes had be quite discerning, so not much of the food was being consumed though it was a different matter when it came to the alcohol.


    ��I was surprised to find out that Onii-chan��s person-in-charge was Lanseal''s younger sister��


    Ea said as she sipped grimly on her ale.


    As a result of her bing an advanced adventurer, her father had put her through an abbreviateding-of-age ceremony. She had finally joined the ranks of adults.


    ��It''s hard for me to imagine. Even though she had turned into a Horns, well, Verxina will always be Verxina, but to continue to have rtions with her to the point of getting her with child after that is������ Is that guy Lemuria retarded? Or is it that the men who want to be kings are all morons?��


    With a swollen face, Otou-san downed his third mug of ale. His facial injuries were the result of a fight he had with King Lemuria yesterday.


    It was a fierce fistfight between two men old enough to know better. When I asked why none of the guards inside the castle stopped him����


    ��Our job is to defend against external enemies. Dealing with fights among our own people is outside the scope of our duties��


    ����was what they had said apparently.


    In the end, the fight came to a close when both of them cross-countered each other.


    ��What surprised me more is the mechanism behind the portals and the way the danger of that floor is being managed��


    Rana downed her second ss of wine and continued.


    ��Because they haven''t validated the portals, monsters can''t teleport to the surface, but the Horns that were originally adventurers can use the portal to do so. Even though the portals are monitored by the Guild, I can''t believe that they��re relying on such a risky scheme of simply tricking them with the fake cityscape��


    ��You know��������


    Shuna asked as he chewed on a piece of cheese like he wasn''t a fan of how it tasted.


    ��Turning into that horned thing, Horns, was it? What are the conditions for that?��


    ��Didn''t you listen to the Guild President''s exnation?��


    Ea got angry at Shuna.


    ��I did listen. Before I knew it, we''d finished clearing the floor and we got a long exnation from the Guild President immediately after, right? With all that talk about the Faceless King, Abaddon, Horns, and so on, I couldn''t really wrap my head around it all��


    By the way,


    The fact that Otou-san had knocked Shuna out and "temporarily" betrayed the party is a secret that only me and my sister know.


    ��This is thest chance I''ll give you��


    I warned him.


    Receiving criticism from someone so much younger than him must be difficult for Otou-san. So I let him off with just a warning. After all, he had tried his best to not cause any casualties. He hadn''t been serious when he fought me either.


    Well, it''s the leader''s job to forgive his party member''s mistakes.


    ��It can''t be helped�� I''ll exin it to you��


    Ea exined smugly.


    ��The conditions for turning into a Horns, right? First, you must have the blessing of the regeneration point. Then, you must receive a mortal wound on that floor. And have an exceptionally strong will to live. Umm, a high amount of some kind of magic power or something is needed too? And������I think there''s one more?��


    The fact that she seems well put together yet is actually out of it is one of the cute things about my sister.


    Her elder sister corrected her.


    ��Ea, it''s the magic power from within the heart. It��s a pure form of magic power that individuals possess regardless of what race or species they are. It''s a special kind of magic power that stems from the mental makeup created by harsh circumstances, unique experiences, and so on. I, Frey, and�D�D�D�D�D��


    Rana turned to me.


    ��You, dear, possess high amounts of it��


    That''s unexpected.


    I''m currently wearing a magician''s pointy hat on my head, but this is just a fashion statement. Beneath it is a cloak that looks like those worn by vampires, and western clothes. And my weapon is a katana, so my overall look is quite a confusing mish-mash.


    ��Eh, then Onii-chan can be a magician too?��


    ��I believe he has the talent for it. However, I think that it will take a long time to draw out his potential. If he goes about it in the usual way, he will at best be a sub-par magician��


    ��Then it''s impossible, I suppose~ Onii-chan doesn''t have that kind of time��


    Indeed. I doubt I have the time to study to be a magician right now.


    Rana continued.


    ��Another thing mentioned is the crossbreeding between humans and Horns. The gender can be either. Horns can be impregnated or make humans pregnant, and the resulting child will apparently be a Horns. It seems that Horns mating with other Horns will not produce children though��


    She said it so simply, but I had mixed feelings when I heard that.


    Bel, who was likely feeling the same way, spoke up.


    ��Um, is Nanassy one such child? But why did they attack her then?��


    ��That''s a good question, Bel-san��


    Rana replied in a way simr to how Evetta would have. She had asked the Guild President a lot of questions. The Guild President had also answered enthusiastically.


    ��Horns born between humans and Horns are simr to but not the same as the ones inside the dungeon. They have the strength and regenerative abilities of Horns, but their personalities are not much different from humans and they also retain their reason.


    What makes them unique is that they��re unable to have children. As a species, they''re a dead end. That''s a traitmonly seen in creatures created through magic. In other words, from the perspective of the Horns inside the dungeon, I believe that they��re seen as either external enemies or mere humans��


    By the way, the horned monsters on that floor are apparently creations of the Guild President. He said that they��re meant to show off the strength of the Guild employees who apany the adventurers as well as to serve as "ythings" for the adventurers who had been turned into Horns.


    ��Umm, Onee-chan. In short, what are the chances of us bing Horns?��


    ��So long as we aren''t in the city of ghosts, it''s zero. Please don''t worry��


    ��If Rana-san says so, then it''s a great weight off my chest��


    Shuna stroked his chest in relief.


    ��What are you saying, that my exnation is not reassuring?��


    ��I didn''t say that though��


    The mature Shuna got chewed out by Ea.


    ��By the way, Bel, how long will you be staying as yourself?��


    ��Hey, Ea-chan, that''s terrible of you. Lys exhausted all her powers and is sleeping, so I''m me for the time being��


    ��Why don''t we go shopping for clothes then? I go with Shuna and Lys sometimes, but they don''t respond much, so it''s so boring��


    ��I''m in! I''m definitely going!��


    Bel was raring to go.


    I grabbed about ten gold coins from my purse and handed them to Ea under the table.


    ��Then it''s alright if I don''t go, right?��


    Shuna put on a resigned smile.


    ��No. We''ll need someone to carry the bags, so you��re definitely going too, Shuna��


    ��That''s right, Shuna-chan, join us!��


    ��I just knew it would turn out like this��������


    Shuna������ It must be tough having to go shopping with women. I''ll give you some extra spending moneyter, so go eat something delicious.


    ��Now�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    I stood up and looked around at my party members.


    ��Everyone, thank you for your hard work. A lot happened, but in the end, we were able to clear the floor without losing anyone. We''ve reached the 45th floor. In other words, we''ve joined the ranks of advanced adventurers.


    You''ve heard what the Faceless King said.


    And what Evetta-san said afterward.


    As the leader, I have a question for you all. I want to know what you think is the direction we should take for our future adventures.


    As I��ve said before, my goal is to reach the 56th floor, where I��ll search for, find, get, or do something to a certain item. However, as the Faceless King said, the world is apparently in danger. It''s up to us adventurers to do something about it. However, here are the words of my person-in-charge.


    How absurd it is to expect a single adventurer to deal with such a thing, she said.


    To be an adventurer is to live freely, she said.


    Don''t live in captivity, she said.


    In that case, there are two paths before us.


    One is the path of taking on the noble goal of defeating the��Abaddon��to save the world.


    The other is to continue as before. To have free adventures that allow each of us to live out our desires and ideals as we see fit without being tied down by anything.


    Please choose either one. Right here and now��


    The first reply came quickly.


    ��I choose to be free, as we always have been��


    Shuna raised his mug.


    As expected of our party''s attacker. Even his replies are swift.


    ��I feel the same way��


    ��Onii-san! Me too, me too!��


    Ea and Bel raised their mugs boisterously.


    ��I��ll go with you no matter which path it is��


    Rana raised her ss.


    Otou-san looked a little torn.


    He has a reason for wanting to defeat the��Abaddon��. They''re enemies that his former party had been unable to defeat. And if they��re defeated, there''s a possibility that Verxina-san can be freed.


    But this is something that no other advanced adventurer in Lemuria has ever been able to aplish.


    Even though I''m already seeking something unknown on the 56th floor, I now have to look for some other unknown thing? I simply don''t have the time for that.


    Adventurers are free creatures.


    That''s right. That��s the slogan that everyone holds up so proudly. Because we are free, I have no right to stop or condemn anyone who wants to take a different path here.


    ��Oh������������sorry. I didn''t get much sleepst night, you see? I fell asleep there. I''ve said this before, haven''t I? You can use this old bag of bones however you wish until the 56th floor��


    You betrayed us once though.


    And when I gave him a doubting look, Otou-san averted his eyes.


    ��I''ll take the path of freedom that befits an adventurer, as Verxina''s daughter suggested��


    Otou-san also raised his cup.


    Everyone was in agreement.


    Then I raised my cup as well.


    ��To the one who showed us the way. To Evetta-san!��


    Everyone downed their bitter alcohol in one go.


    ��And this is to the Faceless King!��


    The emptied cups were thrown to the ground.


    ��We''ll pursue the path of freedom!��


    As per her dying wish, we had chosen to proceed onward.


    Wow, how on earth did the stars line up so perfectly that it��s the 174th day on the 174th release?


    It��s so unlike the author to be so free with the reveals, isn��t it? But like I mentionedst volume, we��ve reached the point where there isn��t really that much time left to draw plot-lines out too much. So we��ll be getting answers more than before. That said, there were still some unanswered questions and hidden clues.


    We��ll have a character we haven��t seen in a while returning to bring this arc to a close next time, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 175: Magic Warhorn IV

    <h4>Chapter 175: Magic Warhorn IV</h4>


    ��180th day��


    It hits you suddenly when you least expect it.


    The time when Irvin died, it wasn''t until 49 days had passed that it really hit me.


    That time, I had wandered the in in the middle of the night until dawn broke, passed out, and then found myself at the camp.


    He had died inside the dungeon, so why had I wandered the in, I wonder.


    I didn''t know then and I still don''t know now, but for some reason, I found myself wandering the in in the middle of the night again.


    I had no destination in mind.


    The moons were hidden by the clouds and there were no stars in sight. It was a dark night tonight.


    Amid the darkness that resembled the depths of the ocean, I relied on a dim light as I walked.


    Somehow, I felt calm and rxed.


    Do I actually have fishman''s blood in my veins? I wondered.


    At this time of night, the city would be alive with revelry. I had tried to distract myself with some cheap alcohol, but now that I had be an advanced adventurer, I was treated differently even in the bar run by the country.


    Inevitably, I drew the attention of the people around me.


    It was fine when I was with my party members, but when I was alone, it was just too much trouble. Yesterday, I had to fight off three adventurers who wanted to test their skills.


    It was also the way I was dressed. Thebination of a magician''s pointy hat, ancient adventuring outfit, ck cloak, sses, and a foreign katana stood out like a sore thumb to any sharp-eyed adventurer.


    I thought about putting on a disguise, but����


    ��It''s unbing of an advanced adventurer to sneak about. Act with dignity��


    Was what the barkeeper said to me, so I reluctantly left my outfit as it was.


    I mean, I can''t kill them, I can''t hurt them too badly, and I can''t take their money or equipment after I defeat them either.


    It''s really nothing but a pain.


    Is this why the other advanced adventurers don''t show themselves all that often?


    I''ll need to figure out a better way to deal with this.


    If I don''t, the number of opponents will only increase.


    I''ve had my fill of adventurers fighting adventurers. But I''ll have to collect my dues from Arcane sometime soon.


    ��So, Yukikaze��


    ��What is it?��


    I held up Yukikaze to illuminate the surroundings.


    All around me, there was nothing but pitch-ck darkness and the grass on the in swaying like seaweed, making it seem like I was standing at the bottom of the sea.


    ��Where am I?��


    I waspletely lost.


    ��North of the old camp, near the ruined dungeon��


    ��How did I end up here?��


    ��Who knows? Is this some form of sleepwalking? Yukikaze rmends that you undergo Makina''s psychological evaluation when you get home��


    ��Is that thing even urate?��


    I undergo regr checkups with Makina from time to time, but nothing ever seems to be wrong.


    That conversely makes it really suspect.


    ��Who knows? Misuranika-sama often says, "It''s impossible for even a god to know what''s inside a person''s heart." If you feel better after being told that everything is fine, isn''t that fine? After all, it''s said that all illness begins with the mind, right?��


    ��You''re being rather frank, aren''t you?��


    She''s as sloppy about things as usual.


    This is getting ridiculous. I should go home.


    ��Yukikaze, use the marker to indicate the city''s�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Zi������Zi��Zsa������������Zsa��


    Static came out of the mini-pod. It sounded like a busted radio.


    ��Yukikaze, what��s wrong?��


    ��Zi������Zsaa������������Zi Zi��


    ��Come on��


    A malfunction? I hadn��t expected my guide to break down in the dark like this. But the lights are still on, and it doesn''t seem to be a bad contact with the pod or a problem with its speakers. If that''s the case, I''ll probably get a message through my sses soon.


    If it''s a problem with the aqueous brain, then there will be nothing I can do.


    Worst case, she''ll have to be reset to factory settings.


    ��Oh, man��


    At any rate, I''ll have to let Makina take a look at her. Well, before that, I''ll have to find my way home.


    I looked around, but it was a night with no stars or moons in sight. I couldn''t find my bearings.


    As I searched for my portablepass����


    ��?��


    ����I heard singing.


    I instantly associated it with the songs of mermaids. A magical tune that would enthrall sailors out at sea. Perhaps I was bewitched or maybe it was just curiosity, but I headed towards where the song wasing from.


    Just in case, I closed my left eye and searched for presences. This power was given to me by the Faceless King. Even after I had regained sight in my left eye, I could still use it without any problems.


    In my mind, I sensed a presence that resembled a mass of smoke fifty meters ahead of me.


    There was just one, but it was massive for a person.


    It didn''t seem to have any malicious intent.


    If I were to silence my footsteps too much, it might think I intended it harm, so I made as much noise as I could as I walked.


    The darkness made the distance ambiguous.


    I had thought that it was fifty meters ahead of me, but it felt like I had walked twice as far.


    Perhaps it had sensed my approach, but the singing stopped.


    ��Oh, I''m sorry��


    I apologized for some reason.


    The light from the mini-pod illuminated a petite woman sitting on some rubble.


    Her long, dusky blonde hair was wavy and voluminous, making her look like a bagworm moth. She wore very little makeup and was dressed inly in a ck robe. There were dark circles under her eyes, probably from ack of sleep.


    It may be rude to say this, but she has a well-shaped nose, so she will probably look much better with a little bit more makeup.


    ��Eh, no way!��


    The woman let out a surprised yelp.


    Huh����this high-pitched anime voice����I''ve heard it before somewhere.


    ��Could it be that you''re Gorith-sama?��


    ��Eh, yes��


    It was the Demon King.


    ��Emm, what''s with your current appearance?��


    I''d never have thought that the dignified(in appearance only) Demon King would be such a drab-looking girl.


    The alternate world is full of wonders.


    ��This is what I looked like before I died. On nights like tonight, when the moons are hidden, dark beings like myself are at their most powerful. As an effect of that, my body turns back to the way it was. I don''t really like this appearance though��


    ��No, I think you��re so-so cute��


    ��������������So-so��


    I''m sorry.


    My eye for women''s looks has be very discerning because I''ve been surrounded by so many beauties.


    ��I apologize. I heard some beautiful singing, so I just������I''m sorry to have disturbed you��


    I bowed and then turned away.


    I had gotten a rough idea of the direction I needed to go. I should be able to walk back to the city.


    ��If you''d like������ Hey, wait!��


    ��Hmm?��


    I paused and looked back when she stopped me.


    ��Shall we talk for a bit?��


    The Demon King moved a little to the side to make some space on the rubble and then patted it with her hand.


    Well, when a woman says something like that, there''s really no good reason to refuse. I was just wandering around aimlessly to begin with, so I have the time anyway.


    ��Well then, if you insist��


    I sat down next to the Demon King.


    Then, she subtly shuffled a little further from me. That hurt my feelings somewhat.


    ��Wh, what are your hobbies?��


    The Demon King asked me a question that sounded like one heard in marriage interviews.


    ��I cook a little. That said, I enjoy it, but I''m not very good at it. I''m only as good as a guy who lives alone and cooks in his spare time��


    ��Even so, Makina still got jealous��


    ��Well, I just got lucky sometimes. It''s just luck��


    Is she holding a grudge against me?


    ����������������


    ����������������


    It got silent all of a sudden.


    I, I can��t think of anything to talk about����


    ��By the way, Demon King-sama����By the way, Souya-san��


    We ended up opening our mouths at the same time.


    ��No, you first, Demon King-sama��


    ��No no, you first, Souya-san��


    As we asked each other to go first, the atmosphere got a little weird.


    Are we middle schoolers on a first date or something?


    ��What��s your upation, Souya-san?��


    ��I''m a bit of an adventurer��


    ��R, right. Of course. That''s not what I meant though. I''ve been a Demon King for a while now, but before that, I was an adventurer, and before that, I was a magician who specialized in mixing potions. At first, I rented a small corner of another store, but my potions became quite popr. An elf came to me with a proposal for setting up my own store. We started to explore the dungeon together to gather materials, and then we formed our own adventuring party. Naturally, I trusted him with everything, including my life, and well, I developed a huge misunderstanding. I mistook the heart-pounding from danger with the hear-pounding of love. I was warned by the other two members of our party when I quit the party to get married to him, "Don''t go with that elf. He only cares about what''s in it for him." Hahaha, Ipletely ignored their advice. I hadpletely lost my head. At his behest, I sold the recipes for the potions and used up all the money I had earned adventuring. By the time I realized that I had been tricked, it was already toote. Without a single word, I was suddenly barred from the forest and never got to say goodbye to his face. I tried to earn a living as an adventurer, but my involvement with the elves had earned me a bad reputation. Eventually, it reached the point where I couldn''t even afford my daily bread, and I mistakenly med it all on the world. Oh, but the king at the time was really a bad king. He kidnapped a n of goblins and used them to establish a despicable system of ve adventurers. So, umm, having finally given in to despair, I killed the king��


    Speaking incredibly fast, the Demon King gave me a self-deprecating ount of her past.


    ��That must have been tough��


    As someone who has elven family members, this is a bit painful to hear.


    I feel like it''s usually the elves who are at fault.


    ��To be honest, the hardest part was after I had killed the king. I had to secretly re-build the city I had blown up, free the goblins, teach them the concept of hygiene, increase their literacy rate to 100%, develop farming methods that could be used inside the dungeon, and teach them how to use and create tools, which was something they were originally good at, so that was no problem. It took me ten years to create a stable living space.


    And then, I had a real adventure with a party of people I truly trusted.


    The unknown and the unusual that went on forever. Exploring the forbidden dungeon was so much fun. I was never healthy to begin with, so my lifespan ended before I turned thirty. Though they weren''t human, it was the first time in my life that so many people felt saddened and grieved for me.


    The moment I thought, "I''m so d to have lived this life��", I suddenly didn''t want to die anymore, so I held on with willpower and developed a way to anchor my soul to my body. My appearance became terrible, but������������well, as you can see, my original appearance was never much to look at anyway��


    ��That''s not true. If you work hard at polishing yourself up, I believe you will shine��


    I meant that sincerely.


    I mean, I''ve always been into in women. Rana''s the only one for me now though.


    ��Souya-san, has anyone told you that even the way you speak is starting to resemble the elves?��


    ��No way��


    For a moment, the face of that asshole Melm shed across my mind, making me sick to my stomach.


    It''s just that I''ve had to acquiremunication skills whether I liked it or not aftering to the alternate world. I have no intention of ever reaching the level of the elves, who hit on women as easily as they breathe.


    ��Umm, by the way, Souya-san, what''s with the hat? Since when did you be a magician?��


    She pointed a small, slender finger at my hat.


    ��I got this hat from the Faceless King. And this cane-sword as well��


    I also had a cane on me.


    Excess material had been shaved off the staff that the Faceless King had given me and it had been modified into a British gentleman''s T-handle cane that was painted ck. As its hidden de is straight, drawing it is different from drawing a katana, so I still need to practice with it some more. In terms of pure destructive power, toughness, and strength, it��s inferior to the magic sword, but it possesses the sharpness of a thin saber.


    It would be difficult to cut through bone using this de, but it''s designed to cut flesh and pierce through soft spots.


    It also seems to be made from a strange kind of steel. Makina had been unable to analyze it. If I wanted to find out more, I''d need to ask the dwarves.


    It''s for use against other people����Well, I''ll admit that it''s a fashion item.


    ��The Faceless Kinggg??��


    The Demon King tilted her head and let out a strange voice.


    ��By Faceless King, do you mean that legendary person who has been inside the Odoriji spire eras before the era of Beliale? The one who''s said to be the master of the three great magicians?��


    ��That''s what I heard��


    ��For him to not be made-up, but a real person������I''m amazed��


    The Demon King had an amusing look of surprise on her face.


    ��In addition, umm, it may be strange to tell you something like this, Demon King-sama, but��������


    I told the Demon King about the Abaddon.


    Adventurers are forbidden from telling non-adventurers about their adventures, but this is the Demon King we''re talking about here. She must have extraterritorial rights. Or rather, in a sense, isn''t this person also a danger to the world?


    The Demon King gave me quite a few rather amusing reactions like Hmm~, Ehh~, and Fue~ as she listened to my story.


    It was the first time I had talked about my adventures to someone other than my party members and it was quite a novel experience.


    I couldn''t help getting worked up as I talked.


    I went back in time a little bit and started the story off with our attempt to clear the floor. I told her about how the party got separated from each other. The deadly fight against the Horns, Otou-san''s betrayal, and Verxina-san''s true identity. The magic warhorn. The adventurers who continued to fight inside the dungeon.


    Well, I did exaggerate a little.


    Like how I had won straight away and things like that.


    ������So this is how history gets distorted, huh?


    ��And so, the true identity of the fake Garving is actually the Faceless King��


    ��Amazing! Hey, tell me more!��


    ��Eh, more?��


    The Demon King grabbed me with both hands.


    Her hands were cold�D�D�Dnot. They had the warmth of life.


    ��Umm, in that case, let me tell you a story about a monster called L and an adventurer who spent many years chasing after her��


    The story about Otou-san and L.


    It was a tale of a man who became known as the father of adventurers because of his simple-mindedness.


    When that was over, I told her the story about how I was summoned to thend of the Myriad Kings.


    The tale of the king who had survived the burning of his kingdom.


    Next was the story about honey and the little armored fairies. And the promise I made with the children.


    I told her about the festival where I joined forces with the many people I had met to fight a dragon. About how the roar of Rana''s fist had exploded through the air.


    An anecdote about winter.


    I spoke about what I had seen in the ruins of what was once the country that saved the dragon that came to rule over it. About how I had infiltrated the snowbound castle inside that dragon''s dream.


    The vampiredy.


    The tale of a beast-headed man driven by obsession and delusion who had been a knight living as the shadow of a hero.


    A story of a well-earned respite.


    The making of ramen in the me religion and the ramen boom that it had started in Lemuria.


    Lastly,


    I started with how my initial party had defeated the dragon-tortoise in search of fame, then spoke of how something trivial had led to a duel, and how we had mended fences and then gone on to have new adventures together.


    Then, I told her of how I had lost my first party member. The story of a foolish man.


    For the sake of the friend I had lost������it sounded good when I said that.


    I had been unable to forgive the hero.


    That was all that had been. It had simply been revenge.


    ����������������


    When I finished the story, silence fell over us again.


    I''m so thirsty. My mouth is parched from talking for so long.


    ��I had heard some of that from Makina, but as can be expected, it''s different when I hear it from the person himself. It''s more exciting? It feels more real? It gives me this tingling feeling. It reminds me of the old days. It makes me want to go explore the Odoriji spire again��


    ��Why don''t you try sneaking in?��


    A disguise will do the trick.


    If you wear a mask, you can hide the fact that you''re a skeleton.


    ��Hmmm, I''ll think about it��


    If she really does try it and gets unmasked, I feel like it might cause a major panic.


    ��Now, Souya-san��


    The Demon King stood up and patted the dust off her buttocks.


    A thin line of light could be seen in the distant sky. The heavy atmosphere of night wasing to an end.


    ��It''s like I said before. Associating with the Demon King despite being a human is fraught with danger. That''s why it''s best to have a clean break. As for meeting up personally������������let this be thest time we have a night like tonight��


    The heck? This is the second time I''ve been told to never see her again.


    ��When I find myself unable to sleep again, would you be willing to hear me out like this? It''s fine if it''s only when you have the time and the inclination to do so��


    I had made that request in all seriousness, but also to distract myself.


    I should probably talk to Master or Otou-san when ites to stuff like this, but Master is that baldy''s rtive, and I''ve just had a big fight with Otou-san, and I''m still the leader after a fashion.


    It''d also be absurd for me toin or tell exaggerated stories to the younger members of my party or the people close to me.


    Now that Evetta-san is no longer with us, I want someone I can talk to casually about our adventures.


    ��Ehh? I''m the Demon King though. It''s not right. But if you insist��, just once more. ������������No, I''ll lend you an ear three more times after all��


    My request was granted rtively easily.


    I wonder why.


    I can almost see the Demon King giving money to her gambling addict boyfriend. Is she the type of woman who ruins men?


    ��Souya-san, is yourst adventure the reason why you were taking a walk at night?��


    ��Yes, actually, well, the person-in-charge who always kept mepany has passed away, you see?��


    I thought I had epted it, but it still doesn''t feel real.


    ��If I recall correctly, your person-in-charge was that Horns?��


    ��Yeah, she was beautiful, cool, slender, elegant, and beautiful��


    ��You didn''t have to call her beautiful twice��


    When the Demon King retorted me, I felt as if the ice had been broken between us.


    But I''d bet she''ll be all nervous again the next time we meet. She''s the type who''s like a small animal. The moment I leave, her guard will be up immediately.


    ��This is a bit of a weird question, Souya-san, but if there��s a way to bring that Horns person back to life, would you be willing to make it happen no matter the cost?��


    ��Bring her back to life?!��


    I raised my voice in surprise.


    The Demon King is the one who had revived and remade Lars. Likewise, she was also the one who����


    ��Please wait��


    No, this is wrong.


    It''s just wrong.


    ��Demon King-sama, she lived her life, fought, and died to her fullest. People are creatures whose death means the end. To propose changing that������aren''t you being a bit mean?��


    Even if magic can go againstmon sense, there are still things it cannot do.


    Resurrecting the dead is one prime example. This is something Rana has warned me about repeatedly.


    That''s why you must cherish your own life, she had said.


    ��Yes, that''s right. I thought I''d ask a Demon King-like question for a change. I''m sorry��


    I had forgotten that she��s the Demon King.


    In her own way, this is a person who has stepped outside the realm of humanity.


    ��But what if I had said, "I would be willing to make it happen"?��


    ��I would have fulfilled that wish by stripping you and that person of all your memories of each other. The forbidden art of resurrection requires a mutual "bond" as a catalyst. This is a curse that can never be reversed. It''s the gods'' curse against undeserved miracles��


    ��That''s so scary��


    What a terrible price to pay.


    ��Even so, it will never be perfect. Even if it seeded, she would be a monster of bone like myself��


    When the Demon King caught the first rays of morning light piercing the darkness, her small hand reverted to bones.


    Her time as a human wasing to an end.


    ��How sad it must be to forget the person you loved and wander the earth in a hideous form. That''s why it''s taboo. Never forget that��


    ��I''ll take your warning to heart��


    ��But, huh?��


    ��What is it?��


    The Demon King tilted her head again.


    ��I don��t see the soul. Of your person-in-charge, that is��


    ��Soul?��


    Does this Demon King even know about spiritual things like that?


    ��A life stays beside those it''s close to until it gets swallowed up by the great flow of life. I just thought that I would see her beside you since she was devoted to you, Souya-san. No, maybe this is just me being blind. I must be tired from talking so much today��


    I felt the onset of dawn.


    The Demon King had half reverted to her skeletal form.


    ��Well then, this is goodbye. ������������Umm, if we get a chance, let''s meet again on a night without moons or stars��


    ��Yes, I''ll see you then��


    The Demon King faded away into the darkness and disappearedpletely.


    A dazzling light filled my sight.


    ��Team member Souya, Yukikaze was in a temporary state of suspension due to a mechanical connection failure. Has anything happened?��


    ��Nope, nothing happened��


    At the same time, Yukikaze woke up.


    A new morning will be upon us soon.


    Will there be some glimmer of hope today or will there be some other thing to despair about?


    At any rate,


    I''m sleepy.


    I should go home and sleep.


    ��A disguise will do the trick. If you wear a mask, you can hide the fact that you''re a skeleton.�� Now this has got to be a dig on Overlord.


    So, both sides losing all memories of each other is scary to Souya, huh? He thinks it��s a terrible price to pay, huh? It��s irreversible, huh? I think you know what I��m getting at here. But isn��t it interesting that it��s not the memories themselves but the mutual bond that is the catalyst?


    So, have you missed our anime-voice version of Ainz Ooal Gown? Or have you forgotten that she existed lol. I personally enjoyed having her back. And I liked how mncholic it got when Souya was pouring out all the stories to her. It reminded me so much of the end of volume 2. And the part where Souya admitted to his real motive for killing Varner��it��s great.


    Well then, one final epilogue to go! Stay tuned!


    P.S. Yen Press has picked up this series! Volume 1 is out now under the name ��The Otherworlder, Exploring the Dungeon��!

 Chapter 176: Epilogue

    <h4>Chapter 176: Epilogue</h4>


    Five minutes after I had crawled into bed to get some sleep, I was shaken awake by Lanseal.


    The Adventurers'' Guild had sent a message to me, telling me toe as quickly as possible.


    Half-asleep, I was dragged through the city in the wee hours of the morning by Lanseal. Along the way, I was attacked by several adventurers, whom I defeated without holding back.


    Am I a metal slime or something?


    I''m sorry, but I''m not going to give out fame or experience that easily.


    Perhaps my grumpiness from theck of sleep and myck of mercy was palpable, but I only had to deal with two such attacks before I arrived at the Guild.


    ��Souya, please straighten up. I''ll be waiting for you outside. If you''re still drowsy, shall I give you a kiss to wake you up?��


    ��Please don''t��


    There was a rtivelyrge number of early-morning adventurers, and I already stood out enough as it was just by being with Lanseal, so I didn''t want to cause any more weird misunderstandings to arise.


    That and somewhere else would wake up.


    I waved goodbyezily as we parted ways. Upon entering the Guild, the stares from the other adventurers grew even more intent. Curiosity, hostility, skepticism, malice, and a little bit of envy.


    Unfortunately for them, anyone who spills blood inside the Guild would be heavily punished. Those strong enough to be fine after viting that rule would hardly have been interested in me in the first ce.


    The leader of the fastest party to be advanced adventurers.


    A foreigner who ys at being a merchant and makes a small fortune using his knowledge from the foreignnds.


    He''s married to an elven princess, and rumor has it that he''s also involved with her younger sister. He''s on good terms with the king''s illegitimate daughter, and on top of having the father of adventurers in his party, he also has a very promising swordsman and a divine medium as party members.


    That Dragon Scale knight who had died leaving his mark in history had also been in his party.


    I don''t me them for thinking that I''ve risen through the ranks through sheer luck, money, and deceit, and have no real skills. Even I would be suspicious if I saw someone like me around.


    But if anyonees at me, I''ll crush them with the restraint befitting an advanced adventurer.


    I can never let myself be defeated by a lower-ranked adventurer.


    If I were to be defeated, I''d have failed to live up to the standards set by the other advanced adventurers. This is a "rank" that other people had put their lives on the line to obtain. This tradition is not something that I should tarnish.


    ��Get out of my way��


    I red back at them, making the beastkin who was blocking my path back away.


    Maybe they were his party, but about five people hurriedly made way for me. It rippled down the crowd, and 10 or 20 more people moved out of my way.


    A clear path leading to the reception desk had opened up before me.


    I felt like Moses as I strolled past with ease.


    After sitting down on the chair in front of the reception desk, I gave one of the Guild employees nearby a look.


    I waited for my person-in-charge.


    My new person-in-charge.


    ��������������Haaa��


    It''s probably going to be the Guild President anyway. That''s kinda depressing. That guy doesn''t like me. He''s definitely not going to be as helpful as Evetta-san. He''ll also not do the job properly. This sucks.


    ��Haaa��


    ��What? How rude of you to do that as soon as you see my face��


    ��It��s nothing��


    As I expected, the Guild President, a white-skinned boy with small wings on his back, appeared before me.


    He didn''t sit down in the chair, but looked down at me as he spoke.


    ��Do you hate it so much? I''ll have you know, Evetta begged me to do it, so I had no choice but to take on this responsibility. I''m not happy about it either��


    ��Then why don''t you just quit?��


    ��Then I''ll just quit��


    The Guild President left.


    ��Huh?��


    That''s it?


    Eh, what about my new person-in-charge?


    ��Hey~��


    I had no other choice but to fold and wave him back.


    The Guild President was talking to a short, silver-haired child. She was wearing work clothes that were about two sizes too big for her. The profile of the child''s face resembled that of the little girl version of Lanseal that I had seen in the past.


    Well, it''s probably just my imagination. I''m sleepy and tired after all.


    ��That''s how it is. Do it yourself. You can still read documents and do paperwork without any problems, right?��


    ���D�D�D�D�D!?�D�D�D�D!!��


    The little girl got angry at the Guild President.


    Oh, I''ve also witnessed a scene like this once before.


    ��You promised! This is not what you promised!��


    She was hammering her fists on the Guild President.


    Actually, that looks kinda painful That little girl has some nice punches. She could probably aim for the world with that left she''s got.


    ��It''s too much trouble. Do it yourself��


    The Guild President picked the little girl up from behind and carried her over to me.


    ��Left go of me~!��


    She had a cute voice with a lisp.


    The Guild President forcibly ced her into the chair facing me.


    For some reason, the little girl hid her face with both hands.


    ��Here you go, Souya. Your person-in-charge��


    ��Ehh? Isn''t that too much to ask of her?��


    She looks to be about seven or eight years old. She can''t possibly do the job. For them to make a child like this work, is there something wrong with the Adventurers'' Guild''s management policy?


    ��It, it''s not too much for me though��


    That''s what she says, but it��s probably impossible for a little girl.


    But it''s better than the Guild President. I doubt she''s going to be of much help when ites to my adventures, but I don''t think she will hinder them either. Above all, she''s cute to look at. She makes me smile.


    Rather, I wish I could get a proper look at her face.


    If she seems promising, oh no, that''s the kind of thing a certain baldy would think. I''m not thinking about the Tale of Genji, alright?[1] I''m not a pedo. I''m not a lolicon either. I simply have a fondness for cute things, that''s all.


    ��Littledy, what''s your name?��


    When I put on a smile and asked her that����


    ��Sooya, that''s creepy��


    ����I was told that I was being creepy.


    It was quite a shock.


    I had always thought that I was somewhat good with kids though����


    ��Is the reason why you''re oddly affectionate towards children because you have that kind of preference? You''re so creepy��


    The Guild President also called me creepy, but I didn''t particrly care.


    I couldn''t care less what he thinks.


    ��Ummm, here, littledy, a gesture of goodwill��


    I took out a honey candy and offered it to the little girl.


    There''s surely no child who doesn''t like sweets.


    ��I don''t eat food when I''m at work��


    She said that in a huff and turned away. But then, in one swift motion, she slipped the candy into her pocket.


    What a shrewd little thing you are.


    ��Evetta, don''t eat while you''re on the job��


    ��I won��t��


    ��Bear with it��


    ��I said I won��t. I''ll only take small nibbles��


    ��That''s not bearing with it, now is it?��


    Unable to bear it any longer, the little girl peeled off the paper wrapper and started nibbling on the candy. She was chomping on it like a squirrel. Rather than taking small nibbles, she was eating it in earnest.


    Well, that''s not really the way to eat candy though.


    ��������������������������Hmm?��


    I was so sleepy that I was hearing things.


    ��What did you just say, Guild President?��


    ����That''s not enduring it, now is it?�� I said��


    ��That''s not it! Take the hint!��


    ��Why the heck are you snapping at me all of a sudden?��


    I haven''t gotten enough sleep! I can''t think straight!


    ��What��s the name of this lovely littledy?!��


    ��It''s Evetta. What else could it be?��


    When I took a closer look at Evetta-chan as she chewed on the candy, I noticed that she had a single horn on her forehead in the same ce as thete Evetta-san.


    Just like the one on the Faceless King''s mask, this single horn grew out diagonally to the right.


    It''s only about a tenth of the length of Evetta-san''s, but it''s definitely the horn of a Horns.


    In other words, this means that������������what the heck does it mean?!


    ��Gasp!��


    I had passed out for a second because it was more than what my brain could handle.


    This goes to show how important it is to get enough sleep.


    ��Hey, Evetta. Exin yourself. Or rather, did you exin it to him?��


    ��I did exin, I did. I told him about my lifespan��


    That "I did" sure is cute~. This cute girl can''t be Evetta-san.


    ��If you did, then why does this guy have that look of utter confusion on his face?��


    ��Who knows?��


    Evetta-chan tilted her head.


    I see, I don''t understand. [2]


    ��Could it be������Souya, have you perhaps misunderstood something at a fundamental level?��


    ��Huh? Eh?��


    My head was spinning.


    Should I be happy about this? Is this some kind of false hope?


    ��The lifespan that Evetta spoke of refers to her lifespan as an employee of the Adventurers'' Guild. Horns look at the word "lifespan" differently from humans. That said, she can still do paperwork, so it''s really her��lifespan as an employee of the Adventurers'' Guild who does adventuring work��that we''re talking about here��


    ��O, oh��


    What should I do, I''m not understanding a word he''s saying.


    ��And what you''ve misunderstood is that Evetta bing like this is something that happens periodically��


    What did you say?


    No no no no no no no, that can''t be right.


    ��But Guild President, didn''t we confirm her death?��


    After clearing the city of ghosts, I had entrusted her body, which had grown cold, to the Guild President. She had no pulse, and her heart had stopped beating. There had been no pupil response either.


    I had checked as well, but she was definitely dead.


    ��Horns are creatures that undergo periodic death and rebirth. Among them, Evetta is unique. Unlike the Horns inside the dungeon, her cycles are a lot longer. Besides, it''s already been five years since she grew into an adult. The time before that, she entered the cycle after about four years of adulthood. She has actually set a new record for her longest active period this time round��


    Yup, I still don''t get it.


    But I have a question.


    ��Then, this Evetta-chan before me will be Evetta-san in time? Because it''s the same person?��


    ��That''s right. Give her a year, or maybe six months, and she''ll be the Evetta she was before. Her memories should be mostly intact as well��


    No way.


    As the gears inside my exhausted brain started to click into ce, I remembered what Evetta-san had said.


    ��Among the Horns, I''ve lived the longest, and to be honest, it wouldn''t be a surprise if my body gave out at any time��


    In other words, when she talked about how she had lived the longest, she was referring to the time she had spent as an adult, and that Horns are creatures that die ande back to life at regr intervals? Certainly, the Horns inside the dungeon do die ande back to life regrly.


    ��Using the reason of "After I bepletely useless, I''ll be too ashamed to show my face", Evetta forced the job on me. Well, since you hate it so much, there''s no reason for me to go along with it, right?��


    ��Right!��


    I replied in high spirits.


    Because of theck of sleep, I''m feeling weirdly fired up.


    Now then,


    ��Evetta-chan��


    ��Y, yes?��


    ��Why didn''t you exin it properly to me? I thought you had died and I was seriously in shock. I wound up wandering aroundte at night because of it, you know? I became a bit of an invalid, you know?��


    ��I, I��m sorry��


    Her dejected face is so cute, so I''ve decided to not pursue this any further!


    ��Well then, Guild President, there''s no need to change my person-in-charge��


    ��Don��teining to me afterwards��


    ��There''s no way I would have anyints about such a cute girl. But if there''s something I don''t understand, I''ll ask you. I''ll bombard you with questions. I''ll pursue you wherever you run��


    ��What a pain��


    ��It''s your job, isn''t it? Just bear with it��


    ��It��s a pain��


    That''s dereliction of duty, asshole.


    Putting that bum aside����


    ��Evetta-chan,e here��


    I patted myp.


    ��Ehhh��


    Was her reaction.


    ��I still have lots of candy����


    ��Gulp��


    After bing smaller, she''s be easier to lure with food. Oh, I have one question.


    ��Guild President, I''ve got a question for you already��


    ��What is it, you troublesome adventurer?��


    ��Who''s taking care of Evetta-chan?��


    ��Huhh? She''s be like that, but she can still take care of herself. She''s done that every time in the past, so there''s no problem��


    ��There is!��


    There''s a problem! How could you leave such a small child alone, especially in the alternate world where there��s so much danger around?


    ��I see, I understand now. I''ll raise her��


    ��Huhh?��


    The Guild President and Evetta-chan raised their voices at the same time.


    ��I''ll raise her into a full-fledgeddy. I''ll take into ount the nutritional needs and bnce of her diet, and make sure she has big breasts! I''ll teach her to be sociable and have an engaging personality! I''ll give her lots of lessons while she''s young, and show her that there''s more to cooking than just eating! What do you think, Guild President? There''s no problem, right?!��


    ��There''s nothing but problems. Don''t just casually take in Guild employees. We''ll be suspected of colluding with you��


    ��That is that, and this is this. There you have it, Evetta-chan. Come live in my home��


    ��Eh? Eh?��


    I took Evetta-chan''s hand.


    Alright, I''ve got a new daughter.


    ��Sol, this person is scary��


    ��Hey guys~, one of our employees is about to be kidnapped by this advanced adventurer-sama. Gather around~��


    At a word from the Guild President, the employees of the Adventurers'' Guild surrounded me.


    Oh well, I guess it can''t be helped.


    Sometimes, there are things that a man simply cannotpromise on.


    They had attacked me from all sides and had not held back at all.


    When I regained consciousness at home, a long lecture from the women was waiting for me.


    To cap it all off, the king issued the following.


    ��End��


    [1] The Tales of Genji(Դ�����Z, Genji Monogatari) is a ssic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century by the noblewoman anddy-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu. The work recounts the life of Hikaru Genji, or "Shining Genji", who is the son of an ancient Japanese emperor(known to readers as Emperor Kiritsubo) and a low-ranking concubine called Kiritsubo Consort. For political reasons, the emperor removes Genji from the line of session, demoting him to amoner by changing his surname to Minamoto. The tales concentrate on Genji''s romantic life and describes the customs of the aristocratic society of the time. You may have read the modern adaptation, Minamoto-kun Monogatari, by Minori Inaba.


    Anyway, the reference here is to one of the tales where Genji visits Kitayama, a rural hilly area north of Kyoto, where he finds a beautiful ten-year-old girl. He��s fascinated by this little girl(Murasaki), and discovers that she��s the niece of Lady Fujitsubo. He kidnaps her, brings her to his own pce and educates her to be like Lady Fujitsubo, who is his womanly ideal. During this time Genji also meets Lady Fujitsubo secretly, and she bears his son, Reizei. Everyone except the two lovers believes the father of the child is the Emperor Kiritsubo. Later the boy bes the Crown Prince and Lady Fujitsubo bes the Empress, but Genji and Lady Fujitsubo swear to keep the child''s true parentage secret.


    [2] This phrase is an oxymoron formed by mashing together the phrases of ��I see(I understand)�� and ��I don��t get it(I don��t understand)��. It��s a phrase that first popped up on 2chan and spread elsewhere that��s meant to express iprehension while appearing to be convinced. It oftenes after long exnations to mean ��I still don��t get it��. Why am I going into such detail for this, you ask? Well, this won��t be the only time Souya uses this.


    If you y gacha games on the regr, you should get the metal slime reference, I believe. For those who don��t, it��s fairlymon for metallic slimes to be daily/weekly/periodic bosses for yers to grind for massive amounts of either exp or currency.


    Of course a volume that was doom and gloom for most of it would have a happy(?) ending. It��s this author after all. Did you read the exnation for [1] before you read the ending? That seriously made it 10x funnier. Still,munity service for attempted kidnapping? That boxing reference also made me chuckle. There��s also a hidden oreimo reference too.


    Well, that was a fun ride, wasn��t it? This volume had so many ups and downs, and I really enjoyed it. I hope you did too! See you next volume!


    By the way, check out the custom cover I made, I��m quite happy with how this one turned out.


    As a reminder, Ipile ebooks for my patrons so that they can enjoy the story offline, so I would really appreciate it if you would consider supporting me on Patreon. Thank you so much!

 Chapter 177: Prologue

    <h4>Chapter 177: Prologue</h4>


    ��182nd day��


    I looked at the stars inside the depths of the dungeon.


    I watched them twinkle in a vast empty space that seemed to have no end.


    I could see a Milky Way on the ceiling that was far, far above me. And all around me stretched a darkness of nothingness.


    The 45th floor of the Odoriji spire.


    Also known as the Floor of Stars.


    While its name makes it sound like a date spot and it does in fact boasts a spectacr view, it''s still the inside of the dungeon, so it''s fraught with danger.


    Our party is centering our exploration of this floor around the portal.


    All in all, this floor is very dark.


    There really seems to be nothing here.


    Light doesn''t extend past a certain distance here, so it seems that this is a special space that absorbs light.


    ��Uhmm, there''s nothing here��


    ��Yeah, there''s nothing here��


    As I responded to my sister, I explored the area carefully. Neither my vision nor my senses seemed to be able to pick up anything. If I were alone, I would have gone crazy. Fortunately, the ground was rtively stable.


    If there was a pitfall in this ce, I would probably fall in quite easily.


    ��Hey, Souya. I''m almost out of rope��


    ��Already?��


    ��Already��


    Shuna, the person in charge of the rope, showed me what little rope was left.


    The party had to pause for a moment.


    A stake had been driven into the ground near the starting portal and his rope had been tied to it. I drove a new stake from my backpack into the ground and then tied the end of the rope I had received from Shuna to it.


    ��Who��s next?��


    ��It��s me��


    Otou-san tied the rope he was carrying to the stake, and then the party resumed exploring.


    ��Ummm, it''s quite "that", isn''t it?��


    ��Yeah, it��s quite ��that����


    Shuna and Ea muttered to each other.


    Well, I know how you two feel.


    It''s been like this ever since we stepped onto this floor of stars. For a floor that marks those who reach it as advanced adventurers, it''s more "that" than I had expected.


    ��What''s this "that" that the two of you are talking about?��


    Rana isn''t very astute about these kinds of stuff. She''s the type of person who can work endless hours on the most menial of tasks. Comints of this sort are likely outside her understanding.


    ��Onee-chan, (it''s) so in��


    ��Eh? Didn''t you say that I''ve started to show more skin and dress up more than before?��


    ��No no, I''m not talking about you. It''s the adventure that''s in. Whether it''s the Horns or the horde of pr bears, there had been a lot of mboyant and dangerous adventurestely, right? This floor is only for advanced adventurers, so I had wondered what it would be like, but not only are there no enemies, all we''ve been doing is moving around while holding onto ropes the entire~~ time��


    Otou-san cleared his throat and then replied.


    ��Princess Ea, you seem to have misunderstood something. Adventures are inherently in affairs. It''s only the results of umted in efforts that are talked about morously. I don''t know why this party always ends up in mboyant and dangerous situations though. I wonder whose fault it is��


    It��s my fault.


    ��Come to think of it, what kinds of things did you do when you were adventuring alone, Otou-san?��


    Because I''m also interested, I won''t stop Shuna from saying unnecessary things this time.


    ��I was the picture of inness. I spent five years probing every inch of the maniacal floor''s walls, and I finished probing every inch of its floor in the next five years, so I carried adder around and probed every inch of its ceiling. That one took me a long time.


    Including the time I spent examining the floor of the floor above, it took me about eight or nine years. I looked and looked, and found nothing. And I was unable to find any way to open or destroy the one suspicious wall. Out of sheer despair, I massacred the monsters on that floor and got myself banned from going near the dungeon for about two years.


    I took that as an opportunity to try and glean some information from the forbidden books of the Hohens and Jumikura Schools, but it was to no avail. After rotting away for about four years, I challenged the dungeon again. Of course, I had to start all over from the beginning, examining the walls inch by inch. How''s that? in, isn''t it?��


    ��������������Oh, yeah��


    Shuna and Ea were put off by his story.


    Yeah, this is the kind of person he was.


    It''s not so much in as it is maniacal.


    The party walked on in silence. The lights of ournterns were unreliable. Now that no one was speaking, the darkness felt even thicker.


    Come to think of it����


    ��What kind of lights are those?��


    ��Who knows? What are they, indeed. None of Yukikaze''s sensors are picking up anything though��


    I talked with Yukikaze in whispers.


    About the lights, or perhaps stars on the ceiling.


    I can''t see them being artificial lights like those in aarium. Don''t tell me, are those lightsing from monsters? If every one of those stars is an enemy, we''ll be in for a world of hurt.


    ��Next time, Yukikaze will bring a flying observation drone��


    ��This space feels so strange. If things go wrong, won''t we lose control of it?��


    ��The possibility of that is high, indeed��


    The drone��s parts can be repurposed into mini-pod parts. They''re invaluable and irreceable in the alternate world. I don''t want to risk them unnecessarily, but������


    ��For now, I''ll take it under consideration��


    ��Roger��


    I don''t want to spend endless hours wandering around this ce. But I want to go where we need to with the utmost caution. Finding the right bnce is the hardest part.


    ��You know something, Onii-chan?��


    ��Hmm, what''s the matter?��


    ��You were just whispering with Yukikaze, right?��


    ��That��s right��


    My sister asked me a weird question.


    ��Is it my imagination? When Yukikaze was speaking, the stars above seemed to flicker at the exact same time. Try saying something as a test��


    Could it be������


    ��Amenbo, akai na, a i u e o.


    (Pond skater, is red, pure pronunciations)


    Ukimo ni, koebimo, oyoideru.


    (Little shrimps are swimming among the seaweed)


    Kaki no ki, kuri no ki, ka ki ku ke ko.


    (Persimmon tree, chestnut tree, pure pronunciations)


    Kitsutsuki, kotsukotsu, kare keyaki.


    (Woodpeckers pecking untiringly, withered zelkova tree)


    Sasage ni, suwokake, sa shi su se so.


    (Soak cowpeas in vinegar, pure pronunciations)


    Sonou o, asase de, sashimashita.


    (That fish was stabbed in the shallows.)


    Tachimasho, rappa de, ta chi tsu te to, indeed.


    (Let''s stand up with our trumpets, pure pronunciations)��


    While Yukikaze was ying the Japanese sybary song[1], I stared at the ceiling.


    ��Huh? That''s weird. Was I just seeing things?��


    There had been no changes in the stars.


    This isn''t a thirty-minute mystery episode. Hints aren''t going to just fall out of the sky at the drop of a hat and in convenient fashion, I guess.


    ��That''s it for mine��


    Otou-san had also run out of rope. Lys was next.


    Without saying a word, she tied the ropes and we started moving again.


    Time after time, when the ropes ran out, we would drive a stake into the ground, tie the ropes to them, and then move on. And that went on and on.


    And then������


    ��Ah��


    Finally, my rope also ran out, and today''s exploration was over. We had no choice but to go back.


    When there''s no rope to follow, all that awaits is to get lost amidst this darkness and die.


    As there were no monsters to fight, there were no materials for us to sell as well. However, we aren��t returning empty-handed. We had learned the valuable lesson that exploring aimlessly in the dark is futile.


    Should I use the drone, as Yukikaze suggested? Or should I get Rana to light the ce up spectacrly with her magic?


    Well, for now, we should head back first.


    ��Let''s head back. Roll call��


    ��Yeah��


    That was Otou-san��s voice.


    ��Here��


    Shuna��s voice.


    ��Here~��


    Ea��s voice.


    ��Here��


    Rana��s voice.


    ����������������


    Lys replied with silence.


    ��I��m here��


    Someone��s voice.


    ��!?��


    Who��s there?


    I drew the cane-sword and turned towards the direction the voice hade from. There was������������no one there.


    ��Dear, what��s the matter?��


    ��Well, I heard a voice��


    ��A voice?��


    Rana looked around cautiously, but she had a quizzical look on her face.


    ��I don''t hear anything. Ea, did you hear something?��


    ��Nope. But when ites to short-range enemy detection, Onii-chan is better than me��������


    My sister also looked around. But she also didn''t find anything.


    ��Otou-san, do you hear anything?��


    ��To tell the truth, I do hear something. No, well, but hey, you guys, don''t be too surprised, okay?��


    What''s with all the preamble?


    ��Since a while ago, I''ve been hearing the voices of my deceased friends. They''ve been calling out to me from all directions. Well, no need to be concerned, I''m probably just hearing things because of my age. I''ve gotten used to this kind of thing since the incident with Verxina��


    A chill passed through everyone else in the party.


    You should have reported such ult phenomena at the earliest opportunity.


    ��S, Souya, I just heard the barking of the dog I used to keep��


    ��O, O, Onii-chan, I just heard the voice of my deceased mother��


    ��What��s this, everyone? Please calm yourselves down. I''ve also been hearing the whispers of my deceased mother, but I''ve been able to shrug them off by assuming that I''m just hearing things��


    ��Alright, let''s all just calm down��


    There was mass panic.


    ��Onii-chan��


    ��What is it, Ea?��


    ��Eh? What?��


    Thinking that I had been called, I turned back towards the voice. There was nothing but darkness before my eyes, and the voice of my real sister came from behind me.


    ��Yeah, I must be tired as well��


    It feels like I''m losing my mind in this darkness.


    I heard giggling.


    Lys was tittering with an oddly seductive look on her face. ������������ Scary!


    ��Get in line. Everyone line up in the order we had decided on beforehand��


    It''s in times like this that the leader has to get it together.


    I took the lead, with Shuna grabbing my shoulder from behind, Ea grabbing his shoulder, followed by Rana, Lys, and finally Otou-san.


    Just in case, I checked to make sure everyone was present.


    Other than Lys'' smile, there were no problems.


    No, I get the feeling that it could be a pretty serious problem in and of itself.


    ��We''re leaving��


    As if we were pretending to be a train, the party was off. We must have looked like a bunch of moronic advanced adventurers.


    Following the map disyed on my sses and the ropes, I made my way back. It was fine when we were exploring, but the return journey was definitely scary.


    On top of that����


    ����I "saw" something out of the corner of my eye.


    A little distance away, in the darkness, there stood a girl all alone.


    She was a young girl with short ck hair. She had strong-willed and unyielding eyes, and a petite, thin body. For a ghost or phantom, she seemed strangely full of life.


    What stood out even more to me was her attire.


    A white sleeveless top and denim hot pants. Over those, she wore arge jacket with its sleeves rolled up.


    That jacket looked familiar to me. It had a simple design with no pockets and was chocte-colored. The jacket had a smooth-looking texture. It looked like the one I bought a long time ago.


    And she was leaning her weight on a single modern-looking crutch. From the crutch the young girl had to the clothes she was wearing, she was clearly not from the alternate world.


    What''s going on here?


    Did a foreigner die on this floor in the past?


    And what''s with this strange sense of d��j�� vu?


    Is she someone I know? But I have no memory of her at all.


    It''s bothering me.


    I feel strangely drawn to this girl.


    ��Team member Souya��


    ��Souya!��


    I snapped out of it when Yukikaze and Shuna called out to me.


    The party was quite a distance from the ropes.


    ��Did anyone see her?��


    The ce I pointed to, there was darkness.


    There was only darkness.


    ����������������


    Oh shit. I''ve messed up. Everyone in the party has gone silent.


    ��Okay, let''s switch ces��


    ��I��m counting on you��


    I handed my sses to Ea and switched positions with her.


    With her in the lead, we marched off in a line with Shuna, me, Rana, Lys, then Otou-san behind her.


    From that point to the portal, nothing happened. It was almost anticlimactic.


    However, the fact that we were able to return safely today without losing anyone was a great harvest.


    But there was just one thing.


    The girl I saw in the darkness.


    Even after I had returned to the outside, the memory of her stayed with me and haunted me for quite some time.


    [1] This is a children��s song that��s meant to let them practice the 50 sounds in the Japanesenguage. And yeah, what you read there isn��t the whole song.


    Woah, it went from curious to scary ult stuff and then to WTF territory! That��s Souya��s sister, isn��t it? Is this an effect of the floor or the hat the Faceless King gave him? What a way to kick off the volume, huh? Stay tuned!!!

 Chapter 178: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs I

    <h4>Chapter 178: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs I</h4>


    ��185th day��


    ��UUOOOOOOoooooooooo!��


    The crowd roared with excitement.


    I had tried to scare them a little, but it had the opposite effect on the bloodthirsty adventurers.


    But if I had to face them as and when they popped up, it would interfere with my daily life and adventures. There''s a limit to my restraint as well.


    Whether it''s my fault or not, more adventurers getting injured means fewer people exploring the dungeon, which in turn reduces the country''s revenue.


    Even if it''s only a small amount at first, it could be the start of a downward spiral.


    That''s why this project was conceived.


    I had been sat in a chairbeled with the somewhat perplexing name of "merchandise seat" and watched the lines from afar.


    This was a corner of dvain-sama''s dormitory.


    This project was originally conceived by my person-in-charge, and I was able to borrow the clericaldies through her connections.


    Before I knew it, there��s even a participation gift thrown in. Moreover, it��s the pouch designed by Ea.


    Ea��s pouch is different from the pouches provided by the Guild. The inside of her pouch has many small partitions that make taking items out a breeze, making it highly regarded.


    Or rather, it''s so sought after that supply can��t keep up with demand at all.


    For there to be a line just for a single pouch, is it because of the elven brand, I wonder?


    ��UUOOOOOOoooooooooo!��


    Before I knew it, the prizes have be quite impressive. The merchantpany must be behind this. What a shrewd bunch.


    ��Oh, Evetta-chan��


    ��Stop using ��-chan����


    My person-in-charge, who had be smaller recently, stood beside me.


    I patted myp to signify, "Come here,e here," but she ignored me.


    ��How was the 45th floor?��


    I checked the surroundings just in case.


    There was no one in sight, no one listening.


    ��It was dark and there was nothing there. Also, I started having hallucinations. I think I must be tired��


    ��What did you see?��


    I found myself staring at Evetta-chan. Be it her appearance, attire, or atmosphere, the girl I saw in the dungeon had nothing inmon with her. Neither did she have anything inmon with the other clericaldies, my wife, my sister, or any of the women from the alternate world standing in line.


    In other words, as I thought, she''s������


    ��I believe it''s a girl from the world I��m from��


    ��You know, on that floof�D�D�D�D�Dfloor of stars��������


    Evetta-chan spoke in a faltering manner, correcting her lisp as she exined.


    The following is a summary of what she told me.


    Apparently, on that floor of stars, people see and hear apparitions of the people they''ve lost.


    Once, an adventurer who was obsessed with the pursuit of fame made it to that floor with a horrific number of deaths on his hands. His adventures had been gruesome. He had shackled others using wealth and violence, and had no regard for their lives.


    What awaited him on the floor of stars was the sight of all the deaths he had amassed up till that point.


    The man went insane and disappeared into the darkness.


    He apparently never returned to the surface again.


    The one person that my party has lost is Irvin, but he died outside the dungeon, so rather than being a casualty of adventuring, he died after fulfilling his search for fame.


    From the fact that no one heard his voice, it seems that everyone in the party has taken my ount of his death as truth.


    In terms of other people who have been lost, well, as I''ve heard from my party members, it''s close rtions.


    For Rana and Ea, it was their mothers. For Otou-san, it was his old friends.


    For Shuna, it was a dog����how cute of him.


    Hmmm������������it''s strange.


    It only boggles my mind more. Who''s the girl that I saw? I''m all alone in the world, almost as if born from the crotch of a tree. I don''t have a single rtive.


    I can barely remember my parents, who I had argued with a shit ton. They''re long gone, but I don''t even think of them as family.


    Who is she really?


    My first love or something?


    That''s weird, my first love should have blonde ited hair. She should be taller than that as well.


    To begin with, she was 2D.


    I have no idea.


    No clue at all.


    Even though I know absolutely nothing, my frustration grows.


    ��Souya, what''s the matter? Are you alright?��


    ��Oh, my memory is just a little jumbled��


    Evetta-chan felt my forehead.


    ��You don''t seem to have a fever��


    Even after bing a child, she''s still protective of me, and that''s so incredibly endearing.


    Isn''t it fine? I was only going to put her on myp. After all, our rtionship has been returning to the way it was before.


    In the end,


    The mysterious girl I saw on the 45th floor remained a mystery. Since I couldn''t figure it out, I had no choice but to give up.


    And then, the tournament started for the adventurers.


    Since I had no interest in that sort of thing, I went over to help the clericaldies.


    It was just before noon.


    ��Souya, I��m here-nya��


    With perfect timing, the storekeeper of the "A Respite From Adventuring" store herself arrived.


    She was a beastkin with blonde hair and cat ears, and she was wearing a waitress outfit that looked like an old-fashioned nurse''s uniform. It was Tyutyu, who had been dressing more conservativelytely.


    ��Thanks foring. Sorry for making you deliver it here��


    ��It''s no problem-nya. The young master of the Zavua store also wanted to try doing deliveries, so he helped out and gave me some money-nya��


    That guy, he must be trying to expand the business.


    I hope he doesn''t overwhelm and put a strain on the store though.


    ��Souya, it smells delicious��


    Evetta-chan tugged at my sleeve with gusto.


    Attracted by the smell, the clericaldies came over as well.


    Tyutyu was holding tworge metal containers by their handles. These containers were designed to keep food hot, and could keep broth nice and hot for about an hour.


    Tyutyu gave me a cloth soaked with alcohol so that I could sterilize my hands. Then I started to prepare lunch.


    First, I separated the containers.


    The containers had a threeyered structure, simr to a multiyered lunch box, with bread in the topyer, sausages in the middleyer, and several sauces in the bottomyer.


    The bread were hot-dog buns made by Rutsuko-san. They were fluffy and chewy. Moreover, they were quite generous in size.


    Using the tongs inside theyer with the bread, I ced a sausage into the opening in the middle of each of the hot-dog buns.


    The sausages were masterpieces handmade by Ea and an acquaintance of hers from the Beastkin Forest. To make them easier to eat, cuts had been made across the entire sausage, and then they had been deep-fried briefly to make them crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.


    Last but not least, the sauces.


    After much deliberation and research, Tyutyu and I had managed to narrow down the selection of sauces to just three after very reluctantly dropping many alternatives.


    I mean, these hot-dogs are meant for delivery after all.


    ��Evetta-chan, there are three types of sauces. Which one do you want? This dark sauce is a mixture of ground meat and beans simmered for a long time and spicy seasonings. It''s luxurious because you��re adding more meat on top of meat.


    This yellow one is a mixture of stewed cabbage, carrots, and leeks, and a spicy and vinegary sauce called mustard. It��s delicious when eaten with ketchup, so you can add that too if you want.


    This red one is cheese and tomato sauce. I carefully stir-fried some elven garlic, which doesn''t have a strong odor, in olive oil, and then added coarsely cut tomatoes, and mixed them together. As a finishing touch, I added some fried onions and cheese. It''s very child-friendly, so I rmend it��


    ��Hmm��


    Evetta-chan tilted her head in an adorable manner.


    ��Hmm��


    Thedies also struggled with the choice.


    ��Just give me all of them!��


    ��Alright~��


    Fufu, Evetta-chan, I had anticipated that answer. That''s why I put ingredients that''ll help your breasts grow bigger in all three sauces!


    I made all three kinds of hot-dogs and handed them to Evetta-chan.


    She tried her best to hold all three of them in her small hands and took bites out of each one in turn.


    ��Souya, they''re delicious!��


    ��No no, they''re nothing special��


    Her smile sure is dazzling. I liked her cool look from before though.


    Evetta-chan ate the hot-dogs greedily until her cheeks were all������Ah, she choked.


    I handed her a cup of tea.


    There were also a water bottle and cups on the side of the container.


    ��Gulp, gulp��


    She downed it in one go.


    ��It��s sweet potato tea with milk. Isn''t it sweet?��


    ��It��s sweet~!��


    She likes it, it seems.


    The sweet potatoes I had used were actually grown by the Demon King underground. They taste exactly like the sweet potatoes from my world.


    ��Souya, I want all of them as well��


    dvain-sama had joined the crowd nonchntly.


    I��m borrowing her property for the day, so I can''t really refuse her, but this is bad.


    Behind her, her kin were starting to line up one after another.


    The way the people here eat, do I have enough, I wonder?


    ��Souya, don��t worry-nya��


    ��Tyutyu, will everything be okay?��


    ��I knew it would end up like this, so I called for help in advance-nya��


    ��As expected of you, Storekeeper��


    ��It''s nothing special-nya��


    For the time being, I handed all three kinds of hot-dogs to dvain-sama.


    The god of war bit into them with gusto and then offered her impressions.


    ��Delicious. And you can eat them with one hand, so they��re idealbat rations��


    The generously-sized hot-dogs that were meant to satisfy adventurers'' appetites were finished off in about three bites.


    ��Souya, give me one more with the yellow sauce. Add plenty of that sauce you call ketchup as well��


    ��������Got it��


    After gobbling all of them up, she ordered a fourth one.


    Herpetitive spirit kindled, Evetta-chan ate her hot-dogs as quickly as she could. Then she choked again and dvain-sama wiped her mouth for her.


    Somehow, it was quite the beautiful sight.


    But Okaa-sama, if you don''t leave soon, the line won''t move.


    ��Mmm, oh no. Come, Evetta. We can eat over there��


    After taking the fourth hot-dog, Okaa-sama left the line with Evetta-chan under her arm.


    ��Give me the one with the yellow sauce! With lots of ketchup!��


    ��Alright��


    Next, it was the kin''s turn, and they came at me hungrily.


    I served the starved beasts. Beside me, Tyutyu worked steadily to serve the clericaldies.


    Hmm, no matter how I look at it, there''s not enough.


    At a quick nce, there are less than 30 servings left. I don''t even want to imagine what would happen if I had no food for the starved kin.


    I mean, don''t you guys have your own lunch?


    Go eat over there, for crying out loud.


    As I grew anxious, help arrived sooner than expected.


    ��It''s been a while since I''ve been here. This ce still reeks as badly of sweat as ever��


    ��It''s also been a while since I''ve been here. This ce stillcks a feminine touch as much as ever��


    It was the king of elves and the king of adventurers.


    And the guards of those two were carrying containers of hot-dogs.


    ��Isn��t that Melm and Lemuria? What a surprise to see you two here��


    With Evetta-chan still under her arm, dvain-sama headed towards them.


    ��Long time no see. dvain-sama. You��re as beautiful as ever��


    ��No need for the lip service, Lemuria��


    ����������������


    The king of elves nonchntly tried to flee.


    ��There you go again, my former kin who ran away on his own. I''d like to have a word with you, so let''s talk inside��


    ����������������


    I''ve never seen Melm look as distressed as he did then. Honestly, it serves him right.


    ��Also, Lemuria, I''ve heard a lot of rumors about your womanizing ways. Join us inside��


    ����������������


    Good, go.


    Go and get yelled at.


    The two kings were led into the dormitory by the god of war. The kings'' guards stayed behind, and one of them came up to me.


    ��Souya-dono��


    ��Oh, sorry about this, captain of the guard��


    The captain of the guard is a short, dog-eared beastkin. He looks weak, but I''ve heard that he''s incredibly strong.


    To make the captain of the guard carry stuff for him, what a terrible king.


    He put the container down, and the other guards followed suit and put the containers they were carrying down as well.


    ��Hey, foreigner��


    The one who had called out to me in a prickly voice was one of the king of elves'' guards.


    He had the beauty of elves, long hair, and wore beautiful ceremonial armor. He was armed with a sword and a narrow shield, which was unusual for elves.


    Rumor has it that he''s a master swordsman.


    He and I have a slightlyplicated rtionship. He''s the elder brother of my wife and sister, or in other words, my brother-inw.


    ��The dark one��


    For some reason, the captain of the guard and my brother-inw spoke in unison.


    ��?��


    What the heck? I wondered before realizing that they were talking about the hot-dog sauce.


    ��Oh, yeah, got it. I''ll make them right away��


    ��Wait, I''ll have the red one after all��


    They spoke in unison again.


    The beastkin and the elf stared at each other. The tension between the two was palpable.


    ��Back off, beastkin��


    ��I don''t need to do anything you say, elf��


    Sparks flew����


    The two of them went to the back of the line. The rest of the kings'' guards followed suit.


    I collected myself and got back to making hot-dogs.


    I wonder why I''m still making food even after bing an advanced adventurer. Well, it''s very typical of me, I suppose.


    A little distance away, the tournament was underway.


    Everyone ate their hot-dogs as they watched.


    Maybe they were hungry, or maybe they just couldn''t concentrate, but a lot of the battles were ratherckluster.


    After everyone had been served their hot-dogs, together with Tyutyu, I checked to see how much of the sauces remained.


    ��Hmmm, that was unexpected-nya. The most popr one was the dark sauce-nya��


    ��Yeah, that''s unexpected��


    The dark sauce had been the first to run out, followed by the yellow sauce, and the only one that hadn''t run out was the red sauce.


    Should I try to improve the red one, I wonder?


    ��Maybe they didn''t like the onions?��


    ��Yeah, I think it''s delicious though-nya��


    ��I like it too, but������maybe it''s because of what''s happening around us?��


    ��Oh, that''s definitely a factor-nya. When there''s a fight going on nearby, you''d want something more stimting-nya. The red sauce tastes too mild for how it looks-nya��


    ��But there must be something non-spicy. After all, it''s for children to eat as well��


    ��Let''s leave them as is for now-nya. Next time, I''ll let the children of the me religion try it and ask them what they think-nya��


    ��Please do. Because the opinions of those who eat the food are very important��


    ��I know-nya. I''ll handle the cleanup, so you should go have some too, Souya-nya��


    ��Sorry, I''ll leave it to you��


    Tyutyu kissed me on the ear.


    It''s something of a greeting that she''s been giving me a lot oftely.


    Leaving the cleanup to her, I went back to my chair with a hot-dog topped with the red sauce and a cup of sweet potato tea with milk in each hand.


    ��Itadakimasu��


    I ate all by myself.


    As I bit into it, the sausage''s juices burst out inside my mouth. The taste of the hot-dog bun that doesn''t sh with the taste of the meat was really nostalgic. While it was soft and fluffy, its surface was crispy and crunchy.


    These two things alone would have been enough to satisfy me.


    However, a product that''s sold for money won''t sell on its simplicity alone. It needs to be mboyant.


    And the sauce for that mboyance����


    ��Hmmm��


    I think it''s delicious. It''s one of the sauces that survived a rigorous selection process, so it can''t possibly taste bad.


    The acidity of the tomatoes blends well with the cheese to create a delicious vor. The vor the garlic delivers is also good, as are the onions that have been added. If I had to pick out one thing toin about, it would be that it''s too mild, I guess.


    ���D�D�D�D�DHey��


    I guess it needs to have a kick to it. There are some people who don''t like that though, so I''ll need to exercise some restraint.


    ��Hey!��


    I heard someone call out to me, so I quickly turned towards the voice.


    ��Souya! Did you save some for me?��


    ��No, I didn''t. Maybe next time��


    ��What?!��


    While yelling, Shuna sent his opponent flying.


    Hmm? Opponent?


    ��Good grief. Even after bing kings, they''re still a pair of unruly boys��


    dvain-sama returned with Evetta-chan riding piggyback.


    ��Umm, Okaa-sama��


    ��Hmm? If you can''t finish it, shall I eat half for you?��


    No, I''m not giving you my hot-dog. You sure can eat as well, huh?


    ��That''s not it. Why is Shuna fighting?��


    ��On my authority, I had him entered into the intermediate adventurer tournament. If they lose to him, then they aren''t at the level of advanced adventurers yet. It''ll save you and those who want to fight you some trouble. And in the first ce, if the leader loses, it''ll be a problem for the whole party. Am I wrong?��


    ��No, thank you for being so considerate��


    Indeed, when the leader is disgraced, the entire party is disgraced.


    We already have a man here who bears the disgrace of having attempted to abduct a child, but that is that and this is this.


    But there''s one thing that concerns me.


    ��Umm, Okaa-sama, supposing Shuna makes it all the way through the tournament, won''t I have to fight against him?��


    ��Yeah, you will. Is there a problem?��


    ��Eh, well, a problem, you say������


    A problem����it seems to me like there is one.


    When Souya has a feeling like that, you just know that Shuna is going to win the tournament, isn��t it? Well, Shuna vs Souya might be fun now that he��s so much better than he was before.


    Still, for a tournament to spring up just because of the massive number of people wanting to challenge Souya, our MC sure has grown, hasn��t he?


    Well, we��re off to an interesting start, and we��ll be seeing several more returning characters in this volume, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 179: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs II

    <h4>Chapter 179: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs II</h4>


    Everyone was watching the fighting with hot-dogs in one hand.


    ��This is good. Yup, it''s delicious��


    ��That''s right. It''s easy to eat and delicious. It''s also surprisingly filling. It can also be eaten as a quick snack between training sessions��


    ��You guys should also take note of this drink. It''s sweet, which helps to relieve fatigue. After working the body hard, having something sweet can soothe the flesh at its core. It''s also in liquid form, making it easy to ingest. This means that it��s easily absorbed. You will see a tremendous difference in your fatigue levels the next day depending on whether or not you drink this��


    ��Ohh~��


    dvain''s kin all nodded, impressed.


    As one, they turned to stare at me.


    Hey, don''t give me that urging look.


    ��G, got it. I''ll bring some for you guys again in future��


    Oh-ho-ho-ho, they went as their stares were reced by broad grins.


    ��While you''re at it, you might as well bring the pork squares you cooked before. It''s something that just popped into my head, but won''t putting those pork squares in this bread be delicious as well?��


    ��I''d like some udon. Our god''s udon is delicious, but I want to eat the authentic udon made by you��


    ��Then make ramen too. Recently, a delicious ramen store opened nearby, and I heard that the owner learned how to cook it from you. Why didn''t you let us taste-test it?!��


    ��Alright, alright��


    I gave them a vague response.


    The warriors here are all foodies for some reason. Or maybe they''re just gluttons.


    And then,


    Cheers erupted, and I watched as the winner raised his wooden sword into the air.


    ������������My bad feeling hade true.


    He withdrew to the back for now, leaving the arena empty. There was no sign of any other participants either.


    This means that����


    ��Souya! Souya! You''re up!��


    Evetta-chan bounced up and down as she called out to me. I stuffed thest bite of my hot-dog into my mouth and downed it with the sweet drink.


    Well, I guess it''s time for me to fight.


    ��Good luck! Don''t lose, alright?!��


    ��Well, I''ll be fine, I think��


    I''m more or less an advanced adventurer after all.


    I handed my cane-sword to Evetta-chan and picked up a wooden sword instead. I gave it a few test swings to see how it felt.


    It''s light, but hard enough to break bones. It��s made by gluing several pieces of wood together so that there wouldn''t be any splinters when it broke.


    But if you get hit in a bad spot, it can kill you.


    Without the possibility of death hanging over them, people won''t improve. That��s the philosophy of the Velsvain school.


    I stood in the middle of the arena and waited for my opponent.


    ��First up is your first opponent, munch, munch������nom, nom��


    The clericaldy made the announcement while eating a hot-dog. She was a dark-skinned, dog-like beastkin. It made for a somewhat perplexing sight.


    ��Umm, please wee the representative of greenhorn adventurers, Ariyanja of Metesunus!��


    She stretched her hand out����


    ����������������


    ����but there was no one there.


    ��Huh? Hey, someone~? Bring Ariyanja-or-whatever-his-name-is-san here~!��


    For a while, there was much murmuring among the crowd.


    After about five minutes.


    ��Thank you for waiting~!��


    An exhausted-looking adventurer was dragged in by several clericaldies.


    He was a male Hemu, about five years older than me. He wore leather armor, a round shield on his back, and a longsword on his hip. A very typical swordsman adventurer.


    He was in terrible shape, so I asked thedies a question.


    ��Umm, what happened to him?��


    ��He exhausted himself during the preliminary tournament and was out cold in the back. Please wait a moment��


    The threedies stood him up, removed his weapon, and put a wooden sword in his hand in exchange.


    ��Alright then, begin!��


    As soon as thedies moved away from him, the adventurer slumped to the ground like a beached octopus.


    He showed no signs of getting up.


    ��We have a winner! Souya, the foreigner!��


    ����������������


    The spectators and I were speechless, but I had won the first match.


    Well, I didn''t do a single thing though.


    ��Alright, let''s move on to the next one~ Munch, munch��


    As before, she presided over the proceedings casually as she munched on a hot-dog.


    ��Ketchup is all well and good, but Souya-san, why aren''t you selling this mustard-or-whatever-it��s-called that''s in this yellow sauce at the store?��


    ��If I remember correctly, it''s sold on a limited basis at the specialty seasonings store next to the "A Respite From Adventuring" store. There just isn''t that much of it, you see? Most of it goes into the making of the yellow sauce��


    ��I see~, after this is over, I''ll go buy it all up immediately~��


    ��Please don''t buy it all up��


    There will be a line of resellers again. However, as Melm doesn''t sell anything to those kinds of people when he''s manning the store, there shouldn''t be a problem. There''s no problem, right?


    ��Hey, how long are you going to make me wait?��


    As thedy and I chatted, we got yelled at by a rather angry beastkin.


    ��Ah, okay~. From the Beastkin Forest, Ogu�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��No need to give my name! If I beat this guy, everyone will know who I am!��


    The beastkin charged at me all of a sudden.


    He was massive, about two meters tall, and his footsteps thundered as he closed in on me. He had thick body hair, w marks on his left cheek, and arms and legs as thick as a bear��s. Actually, he just might be a bear beastkin.


    ��Umm, please use a wooden sword inste�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��UUUOOOooooo!��


    Ignoring thedy, the beastkin raised his two-handed axe above his head. The power behind his swing was enough to cleave me in half. But it was too easily telegraphed. I could probably avoid it even if I was half asleep.


    As I got ready to counter his attack suitably����


    ��Listen to me��


    ����a threatening voice made me shudder.


    Thedy''s back fist mmed into the beastkin''s face. His massive form spun around three times before mming into the wall. dvain-sama''s kin got out of the way without issue, but about four adventurers who weren''t paying enough attention got embroiled in it.


    ��Is he alive~?��


    ��He��s alive~��


    When the hot-dogdy asked, one of thedies who had gone over to check on the beastkin answered.


    People often overlook this, but there''s no way that the people responsible for managing adventurers are weaker than adventurers. With sufficient numbers, they can defeat even advanced adventurers.


    ��I see~��


    I heard a click of the tongue. I decided to pretend I didn''t hear it.


    After two wins by default, it was time for the third match.


    ��Alright, next up, we have Shuna of Azorido. What a surprise, it''s a match between members of the same party~��


    BOOOOoooooo. There was a lot of booing from the crowd.


    It was mostly from those who had lost to Shuna.


    ��Yeah, yeah, small fry who lost should shut up~��


    They quieted down when thedy red at them.


    After seeing that earlier blow, no one could do anything but shut up.


    ��Hey, Souya. Somehow, things ended up like this��


    ��Yeah~��


    Shuna muttered as he fiddled with the wooden sword in his hand.


    ��Remember when you stopped that duel between me and Irvin?��


    ��Yeah~��


    It felt like a long time ago.


    ��As you''re the leader and I''m a member of the party, I''ve been putting it off, but to tell you the truth�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Hey, Shuna��


    ��What?��


    The conversation was heading in a bad direction, so I changed the subject.


    ��Why not let me look good for this match?��


    ��Got it. I''ll fight with everything I''ve got��


    He was totally raring to go.


    ��Begin!��


    Thedy gave the signal, and the fight started immediately.


    Shuna shed at me head-on. It was a very direct attack, which was very typical of him. I thought about avoiding it, but it was three times faster than I expected, so I went for a block instead.


    The wooden swords creaked as they shed together.


    If I hadn''t put my arm behind it as quickly as I did, my wooden sword would have been broken in a single blow.


    From there, a flurry of attacks was unleashed.


    Sharp, fast, and heavy, the swordsmanship he disyed was simple yet effective.


    Because of its simplicity, it was the fastest, and even though I could read his attacks, my body couldn''t keep up as I tried to avoid them.


    This is really bad.


    I''ve been forced onto the defensive from the start and have no way to reverse the situation.


    At this rate, my wooden sword will get broken easily. If I''m bare-handed, it��ll be even worse for me. It''s toote to regret it now, but I really should have countered his first attack.


    When the situation is this bad, there''s nothing I can do but to take a gamble. I''m not very good when the odds are against me though.


    ��Urgh��


    I blocked an overhead sh on purpose.


    Naturally, my wooden sword broke easily. The force behind the sh dampened by half, I took it on the shoulder and threw a front kick.


    It was an awkward kick, but it was difficult to avoid as it was aimed at the midline of the body.


    I say "difficult to avoid", but that''s just what I thought.


    He avoided it.


    Shuna jumped up andnded with bent knees on my outstretched leg.


    This guy, is he Ushiwakamaru[1] or something?


    ��Uwaa��


    I avoided a thrust from his wooden sword by bending over backward.


    For the second time in my life, I did something resembling a backflip. The momentum was stronger than I had expected, so I nearly lost my bnce when Inded on my heels. My pointy hat hade off and fell to the ground a distance away.


    Shuna never misses an opening, even if it''s only as wide as a hair''s breadth.


    And because he never fails to seize an opening, that''s the one ce where I can read him.


    I pped my hands together in front of my throat.


    I could feel the heat generated by the friction of the wood as it slid across my palms. Thanks to the extensive amount of time I had spent swinging a sword in the alternate world, the skin of my palms had grown thicker.


    I stopped the wooden sword cold.


    ��Tch��


    Shuna clicked his tongue.


    I''m no fool. I''m not going to let go so easily.


    ��Now, Shuna��


    ��What?��


    I kept my voice down so that I wouldn''t be overheard.


    ��As a sign of respect for me, your leader, how about letting me win?��


    ��Don''t be absurd. As a sign of respect, I''ll beat you down with everything I''ve got��


    That''s what I thought he''d say.


    It''s still fine up to the part where I stopped his wooden sword, but I''m not confident that I can defeat Shuna barehanded from that point on. I really don''t want it to be a slugfest like the time between Irvin and Shuna where both sides got hurt.


    Hmmm, what to do, what should I do?


    ��Ah��


    I''ll be damned.


    Isn''t it amazingly simple?


    ��Shuna��


    ��What now?��


    I discussed it with him secretly once more.


    ��I''ll leave an opening at an appropriate timing, so I��m counting on you to deliver a nice blow that looks painful but actually isn''t��


    ��Huh?��


    ��I''m telling you that I''m letting you win��


    It had slipped my mind.


    I had been caught up in the heat of the moment and had fought unnecessarily.


    I honestly don''t care if I win or lose here. That''s the kind of person I am. Or rather, when it''s against a party member, I care even less about who wins or loses. I''ll concede victory as much as needed.


    ��Souya, are you serious?��


    ��Of course. You can have the win��


    And then,


    I felt the rush of wind as Shuna threw a spinning back kick at me.


    ��What?!��


    I just managed to avoid it. If it had hit me squarely, my lower jaw would have been shattered.


    ��H, hey! Shuna!��


    ��You''re pissing me off������ I''ve never been more pissed off with you than I am right now!!!��


    Shuna was shaking with anger. Veins and muscles popped out on the hand that held the wooden sword.


    Did I mess up somehow? Is winning or losing a fight really that important? I know I��ve made him angry, but I don''t understand the root of the problem.


    I��ve never had any friends that I could fight with before����


    ��Shuna, I''m sorry for what I�D�D�D�D�D�DUwaa!��


    The wooden sword was thrust at me.


    I dodged it by the skin of my teeth again. If it hadnded, the thrust would have ruined my eyeball.


    ��You����.that''s too much, isn''t it?!��


    ��Shut up! Just die once!��


    In a frenzy, Shuna yelled and swung his wooden sword at me. To top it off, all of his swings were filled with killing intent. Some of them I needed to avoid with all my might or I would have suffered a mortal blow.


    I was forced onto the defensive again, this time facing an even greater disadvantage.


    I had messed things uppletely.


    For some reason, I heard cheers from around me.


    Most of them were cheers for Shuna by the kin, but all sorts of abusive words were being hurled at me as well.


    With the way things are going, I know better than to even think about defeating Shuna unscathed.


    I have no choice but to face him with everything I have as well.


    How did ite to this? Will my adventuring time be cut short again because of a stupid event like this?


    ��Shuna, don''t think badly of me, alright?��


    ��That''s the thing that pisses me off the most! Souya! That hubris of yours!��


    I have a hard time understanding the feelings of a young boy.


    When I raised my fists and switched gears����


    ��Oh, it''s already started��


    ��We''rete, huh?��


    ��It''s because you spent so much time buying fruit��


    ��Well, they don''t sell these kinds of fruit over there. I''ve been craving sour thingstely��


    Amidst the raucous cheering, I picked up the voices of people I knew.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two figures.


    One was a dark-skinned elf.


    She had her hood up, but since we lived together, I could recognize her no matter what she wore.


    The other was a silver-haired beastkin with strikingly white skin.


    She was taller than the young elf, but still in the petite category. She was also baby-faced. Her loose and fluffy hair was cut in a short bob hairstyle and she had rabbit ears on the top of her head. I could also see a short, cute-looking tail.


    Last I saw her, she wore the revealing clothes typical of beastkin despite the cold climate, but she was wearing a modest gray one-piece dress with a jacket on top instead.


    And her belly was�D�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Huh? Shisho(master)?��


    That''s right, that rabbit beastkin is Shuna''s swordsmanship teacher. She''s also the original owner of the sword he holds so dear.


    It was Regure the Graceful.


    ��Shi������������gah��


    It was a touching reunion, but Shuna''s eyes rolled back into his head.


    That Regure had a round, protruding belly.


    In other words, she was pregnant.


    I witnessed the instant a young boy''s heart shattered into a million pieces.


    How would it feel to reunite with a woman who''s older, cute, sexy, strong, the object of your admiration, and the person who entrusted her sword to you, only to find her pregnant with someone else''s child?


    I''ve never experienced anything like that before, but I would imagine that most young boys would probably go all white like Shuna did.


    ��Alright, Shuna��


    As the leader of the party, I should put him out of his misery.


    I clenched both fists together and raised them up����


    ��Go take a nap��


    ����and then brought them down on Shuna''s head, knocking him out.


    But it''s a painful victory.


    [1] Ushiwakamaru(ţ����) is the childhood name of Minamoto no Yoshitsune(Դ�x�U). Yeah, that super famous general who defeated Benkei and made him his retainer. He��s considered one of the greatest and the most popr warriors of his era, and one of the most famous samurai fighters in the history of Japan.


    ��With sufficient numbers, they can defeat even advanced adventurers�� You talking about the time when they beat you up for trying to abduct Evetta-chan, Souya?


    Urgh, I don��t want to use ��Master�� in ce of Shisho because it would ovep with what they call the barkeeper�� If you guys hate it, let me know and I��ll think of something.


    When Souya met Regure back in volume 3, there were so manyments about how Shuna would react if only he knew�� Well��


    Anyway, what is Regure doing in Lemuria? And it��s actually been a while since we��ve seen Maria, isn��t it? More antics to follow, so stay tuned!

 Chapter 180: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs III

    <h4>Chapter 180: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs III</h4>


    ��And so, once my belly started to grow, His Majesty, the beardy, and even the princess started to fuss over me. All day long. Everywhere I went, maids stuck to me like glue. I got so sick of it that I asked Maria to help me escape��


    The reason for Regure''s unannounced visit was something like marriage blues.


    ��Well, I don''t mind letting you stay, but I trust you''ve left word for His Majesty?��


    Even His Majesty won��t be able to make it to Lemuria in just a few days. Wait, he''s not going to actuallye, is he? He''s not going to cross time and space with the power of his muscles, is he? It''s scary how he just might do it though.


    ��Of course. I left him a note saying that I was running off to have an affair with his vassal��


    ��Please no!��


    It''s noughing matter.


    I''m the only one it could be, isn''t it?


    ��What''s the matter, why are you using polite speech when talking to me? We''ve slept together, haven''t we~? No need to be so reserved��


    Regure pulled her chair closer and wrapped her arms around my arm.


    I''m seriously troubled here.


    ��Hmm, so Onii-chan''s been messing around with other women, huh?��


    ��Souya, when did this happen?��


    My sister and Lanseal gave me cold looks from across the table.


    ��This person is the mistress of someone I know��


    The exnation would go a lot more smoothly if Rana was here, but she was away attending a gathering of female magicians called the "Sorceresses Conference" or something today.


    ��Don''t be such a stranger. I mean, this baby in my belly, there''s a possibility that it''s yours too, isn''t there?��


    ��Nope! No chance whatsoever!��


    For reasons beyond my control, I''ve touched her buttocks and breasts, but there''s no way in hell anyone''s going to get pregnant from that!


    ��Hmmmm��������


    The looks my sister and Lanseal were giving me grew colder.


    ��Lanseal, I''ve figured out what Onii-chan''s preferences are��


    ��Ea, as a matter of fact, so have I��


    ��It��s petite and cute girls, right?��


    ��You''re right. Ever since Evetta became smaller, he''s been oddly affectionate towards her as well��


    ��Woah, I had forgotten about that. It''s that bad, huh?��


    ��It��s that bad, yes��


    You two, why are you treating me like a lolicon?


    ��He''s also so close to Tyutyu��


    ��Ea, who��s Tyutyu?��


    ��Eh, you don''t know her, Lanseal? Come to think of it������ Oh, I see. The two of you never had a chance to meet. You always keep an odd distance from anything rted to adventuring after all. She''s the storekeeper of the "A Respite From Adventuring" store. A blonde-haired beastkin��


    ��Is she a cat-beastkin by any chance? I think I remember hearing that one of the women my father had rtions with had a cat beastkin daughter with blonde hair��


    ��That��s the one��


    ��I''ve noticed that hees home with an unknown scent every now and then, but����so that''s what''s been going on, huh?��


    Ignoring the scary intuition of the woman who just said that����


    ��Regure-san, I''ll prepare a room for you��


    ��That''s so formal, just call me Regure��


    ��Well then, Regure, my home is small and humblepared to what you''re used to at the castle, but I''ll show you as much hospitality as I can��


    ��You don''t have to fuss over me, just take it easy��


    ��In that case, Regure-sama��


    Even though Regure had just said to take it easy, Lanseal bowed her head respectfully


    ��Though the rtionship between Souya and yourself is still unclear, please let me know if there��s anything you need during your stay. I��ll be happy to be of service to you��


    ��Like I said, just take it easy, Lanseal-san��


    Lanseal may be an illegitimate child, but she''s still the daughter of the king of this country. It''s troublesome in a lot of ways, so I won''t even try to exin. I don''t want this to turn into an international incident.


    Oh.


    I forgot.


    We don''t have a guest room.


    Someone will have to give up their room.


    She''s pregnant, so I don''t want to make her climb up and down too many stairs, which means����


    ��Ea, do you mind sharing your room with Maria for a while?��


    I''ll give her Maria''s room.


    ��It''s okay with me. I mean, she''s basically never in her own room anyway. She always sleeps in either my room, Lanseal''s room, or Onee-chan''s room. In fact, she''s taking a nap in my room right now��


    ��I see��


    There had been no point in giving her a room for herself.


    Well, she gets lonely easily after all. It can''t be helped.


    ��Aren''t you tired, Regure? There''s the time difference too, so you should get some rest��


    ��I''m fine. But I''m hungry. Give me something light to eat before dinner��


    ��Lanseal, I��m counting on you��


    I''ve been leaving all of the household meals to hertely.


    ��Oh dear, this is troubling. I usually go out to buy the ingredients for dinner a bitter in the day, so there''s nothing much avable right now��


    ��Oh, Lanseal, there��s ��that��, isn��t there? The stuff I made while trying out various things��


    ��But those are meant to go with drinks or as a garnish for a main dish��


    ��Ehh, I think it''s a good idea though��


    ��What��s ��that����


    I see, I don��t understand.


    ��Souya, it''s pickles. When Ea saw me making them, she also tried her hand at making some��


    ��I tried pickling all sorts of stuff. Chicken eggs, beans, tomatoes, dried fish, green vegetables, carrots, and I''ve even tried adding curry vor to them��


    ��When did this happen?��


    I kinda want to try them.


    ��What''s this "pickles" that you''re talking about?��


    Regure also seemed interested.


    ��It��s made by pickling food in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, fragrant herbs, and a seasoning made from garlic and devil''s little fingers(red peppers). It''s sour, keeps for a long time, and is good for relieving fatigue��


    ��Hmm������I want to eat that. I really, really want to eat that��


    So the thing about pregnant women loving sour food isn''t just an urban legend, huh?


    ��Souya-saaaaaan��


    A strange cylindrical object stuck its head out from the stairs leading to the basement behind me.


    ��Pregnant women shouldn''t eat fish. There''s mercury in them��


    ��Do the fish in the alternate world have mercury in them as well?��


    ��Yes, they do. Mercury in fish isn''t purely a result of industrial pollution. Mercury also bio-umtes through the food chain��


    ��Yeah, yeah��


    ��Please listen to Makinaaaaaaa��


    I turned to Lanseal, who hade back from getting the pickles.


    ��It seems that fish is bad. Apparently, it''s not good for the child in the belly��


    ��Is that so? Got it. I''ll watch out for that as well��


    Hmm? Eh?


    When are you going to watch out for that? Not now, right?


    Right?


    ��Souya, is that one of Tortch''s henchmen or something?��


    ��Rather than a henchman��...well, she''s something like a descendant of his��


    Regure is acquainted with Tortch too?


    Then it''s alright, I thought, and motioned for Makina toe out.


    ��Nice to meet you! Makina is a Makina Unit Full-Spec, a sixth-generation Artificial Intelligence for space exploration, modified on-site for the alternate world. Makina is a multi-functional unit capable of tactical and strategic support, reconnaissance, cooking, and housekeeping!��


    By "Full-Spec", I assume she means that she''s fully repaired?


    I can''t tell what''s changed from before though.


    ��I don''t quite understand, but I''ll be in your care��


    Regure is the kind of woman who doesn''t sweat the details.


    Since she''s carrying His Majesty''s child, she must take after him in some way.


    Lanseal arranged the pickled ingredients on a small te.


    Regure immediately began eating them.


    ��Mmm, these yellow ones are nice and tangy. I can''t stop eating the bean ones��


    Regure was scooping the pickled beans into her mouth. Her spoon showed no signs of stopping.


    ��What about the egg ones?��


    ��Give me a second��


    At Ea''s behest, I peeled the eggs with my bare hands.


    ��It needs a little bit more salt, but it''s delicious��


    ��Want to try it with mayonnaise?��


    ��What''s this "mayonnaise"?��


    ��Fufun~, I don''t know where it came from, but it''s a condiment you can only find in this region. In other words, it''s a world first��


    Ea boasted proudly.


    Mayonnaise had be a condiment invented in Lemuria. I hope I don''t get into trouble for this in future.


    Ea took out a jar of mayonnaise and spread some over the pickled eggs.


    ��Well, just give it a try. Fufufun~, it''s really delicious��


    My sister had a mischievous look on her face


    A bit skeptical, Regure took a bite of the egg.


    Then she gave her impressions.


    ��Delicious! This is delicious! It''s five times better than the food at the castle!��


    It''s because there''s not much tasty food on the left continent. Thend is too barren, and the foodstuffs that are imported in are all preserved foods.


    ��What''s this, Souya? Isn''t this supervish? What part of this is humble?!��


    ��That''s right, Onii-chan. If this is humble, then the food in Lemuria''s royal castle is no better than pig food��


    ��Ea, that''s too much of an exaggeration. Even though we''ve had two cooks quit because of Souya, calling it pig food is too much��


    That''s right, Lanseal. They quit. Saying that they had lost confidence in their skills.


    Also, one of the cooks who quit opened a ramen stall.


    ��But you know������


    While saying how delicious the pickles were, Regure gobbled them up with gusto.


    ��Regure, eat in moderation, or you''re going to spoil your dinner��


    ��It''s fine. There''s three of us, so there''s still plenty of space for more��


    She stuffed her cheeks full with pickled vegetables that resembled spinach.


    ��Eh, three of you?��


    She swallowed then answered.


    ��I''m having twins��


    ��I, I see��


    This makes it all the harder to exin to Shuna.


    In case you forgot, His Majesty only has two vassals left, Regure and Souya. So when Regure says that she��s gonna go have an affair with his vassal��yeah, it can only be Souya. It sure would be interesting if His Majesty came, wouldn��t it?


    It��s a short and simple chapter this time. Except Lanseal has finally learned the existence of Tyutyu. This isn��t going to turn out well, is it? Well, stay tuned!

 Chapter 181: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs IV

    <h4>Chapter 181: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs IV</h4>


    I went shopping for ingredients for dinner with Lanseal and Regure.


    In a good mood because Regure had loved her pickles, Ea stayed home to make even more pickles.


    ��Souya, what''s written on that?��


    ��Oh, this is������


    From beside me, Lanseal peeked at the note I was reading.


    She couldn''t read it as it was written in Japanese.


    ��I got Makina to list down foods that are good for pregnant women''s health��


    ��I''m interested in that too��


    ��I''m fine with just eating pickles��


    Lanseal was more enthusiastic about it than the woman who was actually pregnant.


    ��Pickles are loaded with sugar, so it''s not good to eat too much of them. First off, we''ll need some green and yellow vegetables��


    The rmendations in the note included radishes, spinach, edamame, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and Japanese mustard spinach.


    ��There are some vegetables that were freshly picked this morning at Tyutyu''s store, so I''ll ask her to share some with us. After that����is there a ce that sells mushrooms, I wonder?��


    The people of this city don''t eat mushrooms very often.


    They used to buy them from Heures Forest, but trade had evaporated with the worsening of rtions with the elves. They can''t be bought through normal channels.


    ��Souya, if you''re looking for mushrooms, Melm-sama''s ce sells them��


    ��He added more products without permission again, huh?��


    Or rather, that store is owned by me and the Zavua merchantpany.


    Melm is just someone we��re employing as the storekeeper. At first, he was no more than a salesman, but he was doing so well that we had no choice but to promote him.


    But I''ll have to warn him before he gets carried away.


    If a problem arises as a result of him introducing some strange products, it''d be me and the merchantpany who would be held ountable after all.


    ��Souya, what''s next? What''s next on the list?��


    ��Next is red meat. I guess we can get that at Tyutyu''s store too��


    Lanseal was pressing me hard.


    ��What else?��


    ��Whole wheat flour. Beastkin bread should be fine��


    ��I don''t like that stuff��


    ��It''s good for the babies, so just bear with it��


    I ignored Regure''s opinion.


    ��Walnuts too. Oh, Melm had brought some over before��


    I had made snacks that went well with alcohol using the walnuts and miso. Those guys should have kept a supply of them in the store for their own use.


    ��Hmmm��������������


    We can get most of what we need at Tyutyu''s store.


    In other words, I''ll be introducing Tyutyu and Lanseal to each other.


    No, Lanseal must have met her before at Melm''s store�D�D�D�D�DI guess not. I''ve seen them both in that miso & seasonings store several times, so I think they must have at least seen each other before, but something tells me that it''s a bad idea for me to be the one introducing them to each other. I have a feeling that it''s a bad idea.


    I have no idea why it may be a bad idea.


    But I have a bad feeling about it.


    I also have this feeling that having a pregnant Regure there might prove problematic.


    ��You know, Regure, aren''t you tired? You should go home and rest��


    ��I''m not tired! I''ve rested more than enough in Ashtalia''s castle. I have energy in abundance��


    As expected from a descendant of Vindoobunikuru. She''s energetic even when pregnant.


    While I struggled with various things in my mind, we arrived at the store.


    On a narrow street near the river that ran along the city walls stood the "A Respite From Adventuring" store.


    It was a small, low-key, hole-in-the-wall kind of restaurant.


    To its left was a seasoning store that sold a variety of unusual products.


    To its right was a noodle manufactory that had recently started to bake bread as well.


    I thought about checking out the seasonings first, but������


    ��GI-NYAAAAaaaaaa!��


    A scream rang out.


    Turning in the direction it hade from, I found Tyutyu, stunned stiff with her tail sticking up. She almost dropped the tray of ramen in her hands, but Rutsuko-san caught it just in time�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Tyutyu-san, what������������Kahwa!��


    In the end, Rutsuko-san dropped it too.


    The broth sshed onto the Gunmerry underneath����


    ��HOTTTttttt!��


    The little one in armor screamed and thrashed about. The other Gunmerrys surrounded the suffering Gunmerry and poked him with sticks.


    The peaceful store had turned into a scene of disaster in an instant.


    What on earth could be the cause of all this?


    ����������������


    Without needing to look all that closely,


    I could tell that Tyutyu and Rutsuko-san''s eyes were on Regure. To be precise, they were looking at Regure''s belly.


    ��Both of you seem to have misunderstood something, but the child isn��t mine, alright?��


    ��Souya! That''s terrible-nya! Face the music like a man-nya!��


    ��Souya-san! Responsibility! Take responsibility! Or rather, you cheated?!��


    What a terrible misunderstanding.


    ��This person is�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    My eyes met Regure''s. She had a devious look on her face, as if she had just thought of something.


    She rubbed up against me, hugged my arm, and whispered.


    ��D?e?a?r��


    Stop it!


    ��NOOOooooooo-nyaaaa! The mistress position got filled-nyaaaa!��


    ��Eh, Tyutyu-san, what do you mean by "mistress position"?��


    The misunderstanding got even worse.


    ��Calm down. You two over there��


    At times like this, the most dependable person is Lanseal.


    ��I''m the one who��s Souya''s mistress��


    You just wanted to make that im, huh?


    ��Then who''s that rabbit person over there-nya?��


    ��Tyutyu, this person is my dear friend''s very special person. I have nothing to do with the babies in her belly��


    ��There you go again~ There''s no need to be shy��


    ��I��m not being shy!��


    Regure waspletely ying around.


    Two old men watched us as they drank.


    ��Melm, this scene is just like the ones in the past, isn''t it?��


    ��Yeah, Lemuria. It certainly is��


    ��Back then, I was loved by too many people. In a way, that was a sign that I was destined to be a king��


    ��All the women who flocked to you were attracted to your money and fame. It was different for me��


    ��All you had to offer was a pretty face, wasn''t it? How many women did you havesting rtionships with? I''d bet nonested more than three days��


    ��That''s the fault of those women who lost confidence in themselves because of my attractiveness��


    ��For better or worse, you haven''t changed a bit, huh?��


    ��And you''ve changed far too much��


    Not even dogs can stomach(No one cares to hear) the boasting of old men.


    ��But Lemuria, are you sure you want to give Lanseal to this man?��


    ��������I don''t remember giving my approval for any such thing��


    I felt a strange killing intent.


    Leaving that aside.


    ��Ah~ Tyutyu, Rutsuko-san, this is Regure. I''ll say it again, but she''s the mistress of a dear friend of mine��


    ��Hmmm��������


    They both looked at me with suspicion in their eyes.


    Whyyyy?


    Behind them, the Gunmerry that had ramen dropped on him was dragged into the store by Dogfuru and disappeared from view.


    ��By the way, Souya, who''s this maid-nya?��


    ��Eh, you don''t know her, Tyutyu? She shops at the store next door every now and then��


    ��Nya vaguely recognize her face and her scent-nya��


    Quite unusually, Tyutyu appeared rather ill-tempered.


    ��Yes, I vaguely recognize her face and scent as well��


    Lanseal had a disagreeable expression on her face to match.


    They both looked at each other testily.


    Wha, what''s going on?


    For some reason, Rutsuko-san had a horrifyingly cold look in her eyes.


    When Tyutyu took a step forward, Lanseal undauntedly took a step forward as well.


    ��Tyutyu-nya. Nice to meet you-nya��


    ��I''m Lanseal. It''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance��


    A firm handshake.


    The sounds of muscles straining.


    Sharp res at each other.


    ��I had heard so much about the only daughter of King Lemuria, so I had wondered what you��d be like, but you sure fall short of my expectations-nya��


    ��Hmmmmmmmmmm, and what exactly is it about me that fell short of your expectations?��


    ��Everything I thought you''d be, you fell short of��


    Huh, Tyutyu has a lot more arm strength than I thought.


    No, this isn''t the time for that. Eh? Is this going to be a bloodbath?


    ��The way you speak shows your poor upbringing, you realize?��


    ��Huhhhh? Something like this is obviously all on purpose-nya. Nya can speak normally anytime Nya feels like it��


    That''s right~.


    Her manner of speech bes normal only when she''s seriously angry, and it''s really scary.


    ��You stooped so far just to appeal to men?! What a petty mind you have!��


    ��If you think that making an effort to be liked is petty, then you don''t understand people-nya! You''re ignorant of the ways of the world-nya! You''re so miniature garden(��ͥ)-nya!��


    ��Did you perhaps mean to say "sheltered(�����)" instead?!��


    The war has begun.


    This is not good.


    I''m supposed to stop them, right? The two old men are just drinking while going, "Good grief." Rutsuko-san is looking at me with the eyes of a Cocytus[1], and the dog and little ones are of no help in this situation.


    It''s dangerous, but I have no choice but to stop them.


    ��Souya. Hey, Souya��


    ��Regure, I''m sorry, but not now��


    I can''t spare Regure any attention right now.


    ��I��d love to leave it forter, but������ugh, I''m about to throw up. Where''s the toilet?��


    ��Wha?!��


    Regure''s face was ashen.


    Is this because she ate too many pickles, or is it morning sickness, I wonder?


    ��Here, let me help you look after her��


    ��You can''t trust Lemuria. I''ll do it��


    ��Don''t the two of youy a single finger on her��


    As if I can entrust her to the top two most untrustworthy men when ites to problems with women.


    ��There''s a toilet at the back of the store. Bear with it until I can get you there��


    I tried to lend Regure my shoulder, but she brushed me off lightly.


    ��I can go by myself��


    ��Nya will show you the way-nya��


    Led by Tyutyu, Regure made her way to the back of the store and disappeared from view.


    Come to think of it, the back of the store is where the guards of the kings usually wait.


    These two who are drinking way before the sun has set are still kings in the end. So there are guards on standby at the back of the store just in case.


    It''s a bit of a sorry sight to have guards on standby in front of the toilet. But as can be expected, they can''t be positioned at the front of the store, so they''ll just have to put up with it.


    ��So, Souya, is the child in her belly really not yours?��


    ��It��s not��


    King Lemuria voiced his vulgar suspicions.


    Melm spoke up with a predatory look in his eyes.


    ��What a beautiful beastkin. And that silver hair as well. That''s not something you see often��


    Indeed, silver-haired beastkin are rtively rare. There seems to be some weird scarcity value associated with them.


    Hmmm������������might this be bad? No no no, even though she''s pregnant, it''s hard to imagine anything bad happening to Regure.


    I''ve seen her fight on the battlefield. She''s a fearsome warrior who''s a match for a thousand. I canb through the entirety of Lemuria and I still won''t find anyone who canpare to her.


    There shouldn''t be anyone, but������


    ��Souya, it''s not that I don''t trust you, but����are you really sure?! Do you really have nothing to do with the babies in Regure-san''s belly?��


    ��Like I said, I have nothing to do with them��


    Lanseal was suspecting me again.


    ��Souya, even if you have children with other women, I''m more than willing to take care of them, you know? One of these days, Rana is going to have one anyway, so I had always nned to be your children''s wet nurse. I won''t be angry, so please tell me the truth��


    ��I told you, they��re really not mine��


    Just how untrustworthy am I?


    I''m not someone who ys around with women that much, am I?


    ��Souya-san, do you know the Japanese word ��Sincerity��?��


    ��I know it��


    The woman from my hometown had been giving me cold looks for some time now.


    ��You know, I''ve always wondered about the marriages here in the alternate world. They''re wrong, aren''t they? Even if the elves practice polygamy, you shouldn''t follow suit, Souya-san. You should love only one woman! Just one!��


    ��Well, you know what they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"��


    ��That is that! This is this!��


    Whoaa, she''s not listening.


    Rather than trying to argue, I should just let her say her piece.


    ��Don''t you love Rana-san?!��


    ��������������I love her��


    What kind of question is that, Rutsuko-san?


    ��I can''t hear you!��


    ��I LOVE HER!��


    Why do I have to proim my love loudly in public like this?


    ��Though I''ve cut ties with her, as her father, this is still a disgusting thing to witness��


    ��You shut the hell up for all eternity��


    Melm is thest person I want to hear anything from.


    ��By the way, hey��


    Unusually calmly, King Lemuria interjected.


    ��Haven''t they been gone for a little too long?��


    Setting aside Regure, it was odd that Tyutyu hadn''t returned yet.


    I had a bad feeling and broke out in a cold sweat.


    I ran.


    I ducked into the alleyway between the stores and made my way to the back.


    ��Wha������


    What greeted me was something out of aedy skit. The guards of the two kings were all lying on the ground in heaps.


    I put my finger to the neck of one of the guards.


    He''s not dead, but someone has knocked him clean out.


    ��H, help-nyaa��


    ��Are you okay?!��


    Tyutyu had been pinned under two elves. I kicked them out of the way unceremoniously and freed her.


    I took a quick look around as she got up, but������������my bad feeling hade true.


    ��Souya, Regure-san has been abducted-nya��


    ��Gah��


    My eyes rolled back into my head just like Shuna''s had.


    [1] I love this gag so much, but it��s not even an actual creature this time lol.


    The Cocytus river has been said to be one of the rivers that surrounded Hades. Cocytus, along with the other rivers rted to the underworld, was amon topic for ancient authors, having been mentioned by Virgil, Homer, Cicero, Aeschylus, Apuleius, and to, among others. And in Dante��s Inferno, Cocytus is the ninth and lowest circle of the underworld. Yeah, it��s really more of a ce than a being.


    That said, given all the references to Overlord as well as the fact that Rutsuko-san is supposedly giving cold looks, the author is probably referencing the Cocytus from that series here.


    Well, that��s a surprise twist. Though the callback to Shuna was hrious. I bet you expected this arc to just be the usualical slice-of-life arc, didn��t you? If anything happens to Regure and her babies, Souya��s gonna be in a lot of trouble! To find out what happens, stay tuned!

 Chapter 182: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs V

    <h4>Chapter 182: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs V</h4>


    ��Hey! Wake up! Who the heck did this? Characteristics! How many of them were there? What''s their purpose?��


    I asked while pping my brother-inw repeatedly. However, he only groaned and didn''t regain consciousness. I tossed him aside and grabbed the captain of the guard by the chest.


    ��Wake up! Wake up and exin!��


    I shook him like a rag doll, but he too remained unconscious.


    The two leaders of the kings'' guards are in such a state. The opponent or opponents must be very skilled. And how on earth did they manage to neutralize Regure and abduct her?


    Could it be that there��s someone of His Majesty''s level lurking in this city?


    That thought sent a chill down my spine.


    If anything happens to Regure here, Lemuria will be destroyed by the armies of the Myriad Kings.


    ��Yukikaze, you know Regure''s location, right?!��


    ��Team member Souya, no tracer was attached to Regure-sama. She''s untraceable, indeed��


    ��Why didn��t you attach a tracer to her?!��


    ��It''s because you never ordered Yukikaze to, indeed��


    ��I mean, there''s no way I could have known that Regure would get abducted, right?��


    ��Even if you ask Yukikaze that...... Team member Souya, calm down. There are other ways to track her��


    ��Like what?��


    What?


    If there''s a way, hurry up, hurry up.


    ��Souya, are you talking to thatntern again-nya? You''re really weird-nya��


    Tyutyu poked Yukikaze with a curious look.


    ��Tyutyu-sama, please lend us your beloved dog��


    ��Barfuru-sama? That''s fine-nya. Barfuru-sama~,e here-nya��


    When she called for him, therge gray dog appeared.


    He opened the back door of the store with his paw and closed it securely with his snout.


    His long fur was lustrous because Tyutyu groomed him whenever she had time. He had a wolf-like face, sharp eyes, long fangs, and a long tail.


    I hate this dog with all my heart.


    I hate him from the very core of my soul.


    It''s because I was put through a terrible ordeal by an enormous asshole with the same name.


    ��Dog-sama, please follow this scent��


    Yukikaze''s pod opened and an arm holding a piece of cloth extended out.


    Barfuru turned to Tyutyu questioningly.


    ��Please-nya. I''ll give you nicer leftovers for dinner-nya��


    ��Barfu��


    With a nod, he sniffed the piece of cloth Yukikaze was holding.


    ��Hey, Yukikaze, when did you get Regure''s scent��


    ��Yukikaze took it when collecting some of her body fluids to assess her health��


    ��That��s great��


    If you were going to do that, attach the tracer while you were at it.


    ��Barfu��


    Barfuru dashed off, and I ran after him.


    Weaving through the narrow alleyways, I followed the tail that kept disappearing around corners.


    I heard the tolling of a bell.


    The sky grew reddish.


    Darkness crept over the earth.


    Deeper and deeper into the alleyways I went.


    As if plunging into the depths of gloom.


    I could hear the dog''s ws scraping the ground and my own ragged breathing. I lowered myself to the ground, as if I were a rat, and raced onward faster and faster.


    Is that mutt Barfuru messing with me? When he turns a corner, he throws in strange feints sometimes. What''s more, not once has he looked back, and he''s running as fast as he can.


    Oh well, I''ll y along.


    The wind grew thicker around me and I held my pointy hat down with one hand.


    I focused my awareness and extended my senses out sharply and narrowly in front of me.


    If I can grasp Barfuru''s every move, I can easily read which direction he will turn.


    He turned right, then left without any tricks.


    Then he feinted to the right and turned left instead.


    After that, he made me think he was feinting to the right, then turned right.


    This much is easy. The movements of animals are much quicker than those of humans, but they��re also much more straightforward, making them easier to read.


    If I can read the course he is taking, even if I can''t match him in pure speed, I can make up the difference in the corners.


    Like a fool, I got all serious and chased after Barfuru.


    Along the way, I got so absorbed in the chase that I almost forgot about my purpose.


    As I continued this ridiculous walking of the dog����


    ��Ah��


    ����I had arrived at the destination before I knew it.


    In a strange coincidence, I found myself at the corner of the warehouse district I had blown up in the past.


    ��Barfu��


    Barfuru was in front of one of the warehouses, sniffing it carefully to make sure it was the right one.


    ��Barfu��


    He barked again, saying "It''s here, dumbass," then kicked his back legs at me and left.


    You stupid dog.


    I''ll get you back for this one day.


    Regardless of my grudge against Barfuru, Regure is more important right now.


    I closed my eyes and let my senses expand in the darkness. Gas-like presences appeared in my mind.


    Onerge presence carrying two presences.


    There were smaller presences moving around that one. They were small, vague, and it was hard to tell exactly how many there were because they kept moving.


    I didn��t feel any hostility.


    But just in case, I held my cane-sword at the ready so that I could draw it at any time.


    ��������������Alright��


    It was troublesome after all, so I cut apart the wall and broke into the warehouse.


    I hit the ground through a shower of wood chips and dust. I rolled once and went to one knee. I sheathed the de of my cane-sword and got ready to sh all enemies with the next iai-draw.


    The enemies were����


    ��Souya, what are you doing?��


    The enemies that had abducted Regure were children.


    Six beastkin children.


    ��Oh, it''s the king��


    Among them was a young beastkin girl I had met before.


    If I''m not mistaken, she''s the one who often hung out with that fatso����


    ��Mikyuu, right? Eh, what are you doing?��


    ��Work~��


    Work, she says����


    ��Apparently, if they bring me here, they''ll get paid��


    ��Paid?��


    Did Regure end up here because she went along with the children so that they could earn some pocket money?


    ��Oh, I almost forgot. I got pissed off when a disagreeable elf tried to shoo these cute kids away, so I sent him flying. After that, the people standing around also attacked me for some reason. They''re probably not dead, right?��


    ��So you''re the culprit, huh?��


    I always knew she was strong, but I never expected her to wipe out all of the kings'' guards, even if she had taken them by surprise. What''s more, while she''s pregnant.


    ��Hey hey, why is there a hole in the wall?��


    ��No idea. Did the kids do it?��


    Then, coarse voices rang out.


    Adventurers who looked like ruffians appeared. They were a pair of men, one who looked like a swordsman and the other a magician.


    ��G, geh! Why is the foreigner here?!��


    ��Hey! You kids! What the hell did you bring him here for?!��


    The pair of them eximed when they saw my face.


    Have we met before? I have no memory of these guys. Well, if I have no memory of them, then they''re probably no one worth remembering. In the first ce, I forget men''s faces rather easily.


    ��We''ve brought her here~ Pay us the money~��


    Mikyuu stepped forward and held out both her hands. The other children also put their hands out in the same manner.


    ��Aah, money. Did I promise that?��


    ��No idea. I don''t remember anything about that��


    The two menughed heartily.


    Eximing one second, thenughing the next, what a busy bunch these two are.


    ��Ehh, you promised~ You said that you''d give us money if we brought her here~��


    ��You did~��


    Said the other children in unison as they crowded the two men.


    ��Shut the hell up! Out of the way, out of the way!��


    Brandishing a sheathed longsword, the swordsman-esque man sent the children scurrying. The girls screamed and fled to a corner of the warehouse.


    Changing his attitudepletely, the magician-esque man bowed and scraped as he approached me.


    ��Hey there, Mister foreigner. For five gold coins, could you pretend to have not seen any of this?��


    ��What are you guys nning to do with that silver-haired pregnant woman over there?��


    Killing small fry is easy, but if I don''t uncover and eliminate the person or persons behind this, there will be no end to it.


    Especially if they��re the vicious sort.


    ��Well, there''s a gentleman who has a liking for silver-haired beastkin, you see? Oh, if I recall, you also have one by your side, right? Would you be so kind as to let us have the pregnant one?��


    Wow, my ability to endure sure has improved.


    I can''t believe I''m able to endure the urge to send these scumbags flying at the speed of sound.


    ��Well, I guess. But first, pay the children��


    ��Eh?��


    ��Money. Pay them the money you promised��


    ��No no no, why should I give any money to dirty kids like them?��


    ��Then pay me��


    Since I wasn''t getting anywhere with that, I moved the conversation forward in a constructive manner.


    ��Eh? Oh, of course, right away!��


    ��It��s 6 gold coins, right?��


    ��Ehh, that��s a bit��������


    ��I''ll refrain from asking how much you guys are getting paid for this��


    It''s definitely not chump change like 6 gold coins.


    ��W, well, in that case, it can''t be helped��


    The man reluctantly took out the gold coins. I epted them then called the children over.


    ��One gold coin each, alright?��


    ��King-sama, gold coins are no good~��


    ��No good?��


    Mikyuu and the rest of the children nodded.


    ��Anyone with gold coins will be killed by those who want to steal them~��


    ��������������I see��


    Hearing the words "be killed" from the mouths of children was hard to bear. I had gotten used to it and had almost forgotten about it, but this is the alternate world. It''s impossible to expect the same level of safety and reason as in Japan.


    ��Then, how about one copper coin each?��


    ��Really?! You��re giving us that much?!��


    With a hard-to-describe look on my face, I fished out some copper coins from my purse and handed them out to the children.


    ��Be careful on your way back. Don''t take any detours, got it?��


    ��Yes~!��


    I waved to the children as they left.


    Regure also waved to them from beside me. Somehow, she had the look of a mother.


    ��Alright then, Mister, hand us that woman��


    ��Tell me who hired you and who��s behind it all. Also, tell me the names of every adventurer that you know of who takes on or has taken on jobs like this��


    ��Y, you can''t be serious. If we do that, our lives will be in danger��


    ��The moment you guys got involved in the enving of beastkin, it was already over for you��


    very is ouwed in Lemuria.


    At best, offenders face the confiscation of their property and exile. If they didn''t have property that could be confiscated, they paid for it with their lives.


    ��Enving? Have you misunderstood something, Mister? It''s not against thew to keep as many beastkin as one likes as pets. They can be lured in with money and food. If that doesn''t work, they can be trained using drugs and magic. Lemuria''s prohibition on very is merely for show��


    ��Souya, you don''t get it, do you?��


    Regure took a step forward.


    It seems that she has run out of patience. Considering her condition, I wish she would just leave it to me though.


    ��These brain-dead fools won''t understand without pain��


    ��Huhhh? Hey, beastkin, don''t think we can''t hurt you. The kid in your belly is all�D�D�D�D�D��


    The swordsman-esque man who tried to intimidate her wasunched off the ground.


    Regure''s uppercut had struck the man in the jaw, I think.


    To be honest, I hadn''t been able to see it clearly either.


    The only thing I could see clearly is the man''s body sticking through the high ceiling of the warehouse. It��s a scene straight out of a gag manga.


    It''s not funny at all when seeing it in real life though.


    ��Huh?��


    The remaining man had no idea what had happened.


    The only other person I know who can pull off a feat like this is dvain-sama.


    Well, maybe Rana can do it too.


    ��Regure, you also don''t get it��


    She certainly showed off her impressive arm strength. But because she''s too strong, there''s no fear.


    With a flick of my finger, I flipped a gold coin at the man.


    Itnded nicely on his forehead. Before it fell off, I drew my cane-sword.


    A third-rate adventurer probably wouldn''t even see the sh of the de.


    I slid the de back into the cane and repeated myself.


    ��I''ll say it again. Tell me who you work for, and tell me the names of everyone who does this kind of work��


    ��Gasp��


    The man realized then that the gold coin on his forehead had been cut in half.


    ��Ohh, I managed to do it. That was just a fluke. Next time, I might end up slicing off your nose. Then your forehead, and finally your head. There are five more coins. Do you want to help me with my "practice"?��


    ��Eeek��


    The man''s fingers came away with blood on them.


    ������������Oops.


    It seems that I''ve actually messed up and cut his forehead too.


    I''m still not as good as Otou-san. That person can cleanly cut in two any coin thrown into the air.


    Thinking that I��d do better next time, I flipped a gold coin again.


    This time, itnded on the man''s eye. I readied my cane-sword����


    ��I''ll talk! I''ll tell you everything!��


    Rather easily, I got the man to spill everything.


    ��So, who''s that?��


    After the man told us everything he knew, Regure rewarded him with a good smack.


    It was the first time I had ever seen a human being get sent hurtling in a horizontal spin. The momentum didn''t die out even after he hit the ground, and he tumbled across the warehouse and disappeared off into the distance.


    It looked like something out of a fighting game.


    ��I don''t know. Advanced adventurers tend to be pretty secretive, and I think that the people of the Guild are probably the only ones who would know��


    Unfortunately, what I had learned is that the person behind this pair is an advanced adventurer.


    But the name doesn��t ring a bell.


    Or rather, the names of the other advanced adventurers are generally not known to the public. In fact, I just might be the most well-known advanced adventurer at the moment.


    ��There''s no other way. Let''s storm his ce and crush him��


    ��Come again?��


    ��Don''t worry, it''ll be fine��


    ��Eh, is this some kind of joke?��


    What the heck is this pregnant woman saying?


    ��I''m telling you, it''ll be fine. I don''t know anything about advanced adventurers, but he can''t amount to much if he uses third-rate guys like those two. We''ll be done before dinner��


    ��������������You must be kidding��


    ��Let''s go. If you''re noting, I''ll do it alone��


    ��No, I''ll go out with you, but������


    I found myself going on a hunt for an advanced adventurer with Regure.


    On top of that, ording to her, we would be done before dinner.


    And it felt like she just might pull it off.


    I love the way Souya intimidates the guy lol. Especially the part where he messed up. It��s almost like he forgot his purpose then and just wanted to get it right next time.


    And yeah, did you expect that the one who beat up all the guards would be Regure lol?


    But the opponent this time is a fellow advanced adventurer! What trouble is Souya going to get himself into? Or rather, what kind of trouble is Regure going to drag him into lol. Stay tuned!

 Chapter 183: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs VI

    <h4>Chapter 183: A Gathering Of Wolves, A Bunch Of Dogs VI</h4>


    Advanced adventurer Cordis Avarak.


    Also known as Avarak, the disheartened.


    I don''t know the story behind his nickname nor who gave it to him. But this is the name used to hire the third-rate adventurers from earlier. In other words, it''s a name with an established reputation.


    Regure and I moved to a district in the southern part of Lemuria.


    This whole area is a bedroommunity[1] for the wealthy. Amid the rows of immactely white mansions, one particrlyrge mansion caught my eye.


    In all likelihood, that was Avarak''s residence.


    High walls surrounded thepound, and two guards manned its sturdy entrance gate. They were well-built Hemus, but didn''t have the air of adventurers. They felt more like soldiers������no, mercenaries specializing inbat.


    ��Regure, any ideas?��


    ��Let��s crush them head-on. Anyone who gets in our way will be silenced with my fists and cut down with your sword��


    ��I''m begging you, please think of the babies in your belly��


    I can''t believe this muscle-brained pregnant woman.


    The children she''s going to give birth to are going to have such a hard time ahead of them.


    ��I am thinking of them. With children on the way, it''d be too much if I killed. That''s why I''m holding back and using just my fists��


    ��That''s not what I meant at all~��


    If you''re determined to do this, then go fully armed, for crying out loud. At the very least, that would ease my mind somewhat.


    ��Oh, I forgot something important��


    ��What?��


    I hope there''s some semnce of logic andmon sense in her next words.


    I''m pretty sure that nothing of the sort is going toe out of her mouth though.


    ��Disguises. It''d be bad for you afterward if we act too conspicuously in a ce like this, right?��


    ��Regure, in a lot of ways, it''s toote��


    The two guards had already gotten a good look at our faces.


    ��Hey! You two! I don''t recognize your faces. Whose mansion do you�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s the mansion of a third-rate asshole who exploits children, right?��


    Regure''s fist ripped through the air. It was a left jab that looked like it could wrest the world into her hands.


    The guard was knocked clean out by the blow to his chin. The other guard, I beat over the head with my cane.


    ��This is just ridiculous.��


    In a sense, this is just like His Majesty''s woman though.


    ��Hey, Souya. Let''s get a move on, beat that asshole up, and then go home for dinner. It''s gonna be delicious, right?��


    ��It''ll be delicious! My sister and Lanseal''s cooking is more delicious than mine!��


    If it''s just cooking rice, Rana is also good at it, and if it''s just boiling pasta and making pasta aglio olio, Maria is also great at it.


    I was getting hungry too. Along with my appetite, my anger also grew.


    ��Regure, if things get dicey, use this��


    I tossed the cane-sword to Regure. She caught it between two fingers.


    ��And what about you?��


    ��I��ll use this��


    I drew my main weapon from my hip and swung it downwards from an overhead stance.


    After a moment of silence, the gate slid off diagonally and fell to the ground. There was a loud crash. I felt the presences inside stirring.


    ��Souya, how about giving that sword to the babies in my belly?��


    ��I''m not giving it to them. It''s already promised to another��


    Regure regarded my katana with a keen eye.


    ��Tsk, I''ll give up, but I wonder what my kids will do? They''ll probably be just like me~��


    ��Yeah, yeah��


    I just wanted to get things over with, so I didn''t take her teasing seriously.


    Taking a deep breath, I shouted at the top of my lungs.


    Probably helped along by the sound of the gate being destroyed, the footsteps of people could be hearding from the inside of the mansion


    ��What the hell?!��


    There were twenty of them in total.


    About ten of them were dressed like adventurers and the other half had the same mercenary air as the guards.


    Of course, they were all fully armed.


    ��You����if I recall correctly, you''re the one from the foreignnds��


    ��Yeah, there''s no doubt about it!��


    ��You asshole, I''ll pay you back for what you did to my knee!��


    ��You son of a bitch! You''ll pay for what you did to my corbone!��


    ��Your woman attacked me from behind!��


    For some reason, they all had grudges against me. Without needing to look all that closely, I could see that about a third of the enemies bore injuries.


    Have we met before? It''s no use. I can''t remember them at all.


    ��What the hell are you doing here, jackass?! You stupid bastard!��


    ��I came to meet with����no, to defeat Avarak, the disheartened��


    ��HUHHHHhhh?!��


    As one, they mocked me.


    ��You blubbering jackass. There''s a difference between being a fool and being aplete moron, you dolt. Do you really think you can win against this many people, you nitwit?��


    I was made much of by men with more bluster than bite.


    Well, rather than trying to argue with such people, it''s better to just beat them up and be done with it.


    ��Regure, stay out of this��


    ��If you take too long, I''ll join in��


    ��I''ll make it quick then��


    I flipped the katana around, turning the back of the katana towards them.


    In homage to the Unfettered Shogun[2], I struck them with the back of my katana.


    I had knocked them all out without asking for Avarak''s whereabouts.


    ��What should I do now��������


    ��Souya, let''s go. I''m sure he''lle out if we make a big enough scene��


    ��That''s so very haphazard though��


    The words prudence and nning don''t seem to be in Regure''s vocabry.


    ��Before that������


    Regure went through the bodies of the fallen men.


    ��My belly is heavy, so I''ll settle for the lighter stuff��


    She limited what she stole to gold coins and rings.


    ��Regure, that��s a bit������


    ��Plunder everything from the enemy. That''s the way of life for a woman of a Myriad King��


    Wow, we''ve got a barbarian here.


    This is all going to be med on me though.


    For now, I left the men at the entrance and entered the grounds.


    Across the courtyard stood a white, squarish, two-story building. The surface of the building was all smooth, and I wondered if it was actually made of concrete.


    On the manicured grass of the courtyard, there were lines of golden statues of nude women. They were all modeled after beastkin women, and for some reason, I had the feeling that they resembled someone I knew.


    They were in extremely poor taste.


    I didn''t feel like staying long, so I moved on quickly.


    I kicked down the door of the mansion and went in.


    The maid inside screamed when she saw me.


    ��Excuse me, where is Mister Avarak?��


    ��O, on the second floor��


    I had found his whereabouts rtively easily.


    But the inside of the mansion was also filled with gold-gilded items. My eyes hurt.


    Is this guy an oil tycoon or something?


    And then����


    ��Regureee, leave the furnishings alone��


    ��Ehhh��


    ��Don��t you ��Ehhh�� me��


    Regure took things out from her jacket pockets and put them back.


    In the briefest of moments I had looked away, she had stolen candlesticks, cups, quills, vases, even gs and tes that had been hung on the wall.


    How on earth did you fit all that in your pockets?


    ��No stealing. They''ll impensation from me afterward, so don''t make matters moreplicated for me��


    ��Booo��


    The pregnant woman reacted like a child.


    She sure is free-spirited. Did Shuna fall in love with her because she''s like this?


    Just in case, I checked for presences around me.


    There were two upstairs, one very weak and one very strong. The stronger one������it might just be my imagination, but I felt like I recognized it from somewhere.


    Well, I''m not going to get anywhere unless I go upstairs and see for myself.


    I took the lead, keeping Regure behind me.


    I went up the stairs to the second floor.


    Just in case, I checked for traps once I reached the hallway, but there were none. Not only that, there were no additional guards.


    Feeling a tad disappointed, I moved closer to the presences until I was one door away from Avarak.


    Regure may look down on him, but he''s still an advanced adventurer. There''s no harm in being cautious.


    Disregarding my trepidation����


    ��Oraaa!��


    ����Regure kicked down the door with a cute yell.


    Your Majesty, Your Majesty, can you hear me? I''m pleading with you right now with the voice of my heart.


    Your woman is messed up! Please keep her on a tight leash and never let her out of your sight ever again!


    ��Who are you people?��


    The spacious room was filled with vulgar precious metals. A fat, middle-aged man stood in the middle of it. He had no hair on his head and his skin hung loose, making him look like a sea lion.


    He seemed unfazed by the appearance of unexpected visitors, but to all appearances, he was just a stinking lump of fat. He didn''t look like an adventurer, let alone an advanced adventurer.


    ��We''re here to kick your ass. It was the work of the hooligans you hired, but I can''t stand those who exploit children��


    ��Children? What are you talking about?��


    ��You''re probably the one who ordered them to do it, you third-rate��


    ��I have no idea what you''re talking about��


    They were just talking past each other, so I stepped in.


    ��Avarak, we were victimized by a couple of down-and-out adventurers you hired��


    ��Who are you?��


    ��I''m Souya, an advanced adventurer just like you��


    ��So you��re the foreigner, huh��������


    Seeing his scrunched-up face, I realized that there was something wrong with the man''s eyes. Perhaps he was nearsighted, or maybe it was because of his age, but he didn''t seem to be able to see the two of us very well.


    ��Wait, the woman with you, is she a silver-haired beastkin by any chance?��


    ��Yeah, she is. So what?��


    ��Oo, oooh��


    Straining his eyes, the man looked at Regure.


    ��Please,e closer��


    ��I refuse. You''re creepy��


    Regure''s eyes were full of scorn. She was full of vitality, and was even carrying new lives. His ugliness must have seemed very unpleasant to her.


    ��You''re with child, huh?��


    Regure clicked her tongue instead of answering.


    ��If the child in your belly is also silver-haired, I''ll keep both of you as pets together. If not, I''ll have you give birth again��


    ��Souya, you heard what he said��


    Regure had gone beyond anger and had reached the point of being fed up.


    This guy is yet another who''s bound by obsession.


    I don''t know the story behind it, but I''m sure it''s something that even dogs can''t stomach(no one cares to hear about).


    ��We''vee here to ask you forpensation��


    ��Silver, once more, it��s genuine silver. A mouthful of Rmir''s blood is a panacea that cures all ills. Even this disease-swollen body of mine will once again be fit for the glories of adventuring�D�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    The man babbled on and on.


    He''s not listening to me. Or rather, there really aren''t any decent people among old adventurers, huh?


    ��Well? Souya, well?!��


    Regure punched me in my ribs.


    Alright, alright, I get it.


    I can''t afford to leave someone with a grudge alone. That said, there''s no need to kill him. If I expose his disgraceful appearance to the world, Avarak''s reputation will probably be ruined.


    A thing of the past with a reputation built on falsehoods.


    In reality, he''s just a lump of meat and fat.


    There may be some who are motivated by money, but those people can be motivated by money from other sources as well. I''ve anticipated that and have made my move ordingly.


    ��How about you apany us to the main street?��


    That''s the ce with the most people.


    There just happens to be a gold-glided chain hanging on the wall too.


    ��What are you people talking about? Hey, you''re up. Get to work��


    In response to the man''smand, a young woman emerged from the adjacent room.


    ��Though she''s a thin-blooded fake, she''s horned and as such, her strength is genuine. It should be a cinch for her to restrain you and make you obey��


    The young woman he had summoned was petite, had short silver hair, and�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Ah��


    It was a face I recognized.


    When Nanassy and I made eye contact, we raised our voices at the same time.


    ��What, Souya? Do you know her?��


    ��Well, sorta��


    I still haven''t collected my dues from the apprentice hero.


    I had figured that the time was not yet right. Besides, there are times when it''s better to let a debt remain a debt. This is a perfect example of that.


    ��Nanassy, what kind of rtionship do you have with Avarak?��


    Nanassy answered my question without hesitation.


    ��He''s my first employer��


    ��What about now?��


    ��Having bought me, Arcane is now my master��


    ��Is there any reason for you to defend him?��


    ��Money, and I do more or less owe him��


    ��If you fight me here, I''ll demand morepensation from Arcane than he can possibly pay��


    ��That''s a problem��


    ��Then what will you do?��


    ��Avarak-sama, it''s been a pleasure working for you��


    Nanassy bowed her head and then headed for the door.


    She''s a simple person. Though shecks emotions and reason, she''s really quick on the uptake.


    ��Verxina!��


    ��Avarak-sama, I''m Nanassy now. You never once got my name right��


    Nanassy walked out of the room coolly.


    The hell, just how popr was Lanseal''s mother?


    ��Now, Avarak, the disheartened, shall we go for a walk?��


    I did what I had to.


    I won''t say that it felt good doing it, but I didn''t make it this far by being soft. Besides, my misdeeds had begun with the act of dragging adventurers through the streets.


    No matter who I''m dealing with, that one thing will never change.


    [1] I used ��bedroommunity�� because the original words there were literally ��bed town��, but if you��re not familiar with the term, it means muter town��.


    [2] I��ve actually exined this back in volume 4, but it��s been a while, so I��ll put it here again.


    The Unfettered Shogun (����󷻽�܊) (Abarenb�� Sh��gun) is a Japanese television program on the TV Asahiwork. Set in the eighteenth century, it showed fictitious events in the life of Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa sh��gun, who went after rogue councilors and daimy�� who were abusing their power. As ismon for shows of this genre, the moral is loosely "rewarding good and punishing evil".


    Wasn��t Maria good at making Napolitan, not pasta aglio olio? Hmm, weird�� Maybe she improved��


    Well, that wasn��t what I expected when I learned that Souya was going up against another advanced adventurer, but I guess that��s actually pretty realistic, isn��t it?


    And lol, here��s another victim of Verxina��s charms. However, from what Avarak said, was Rmir a silver-haired beastkin? If you forgot, Regure is a descendant of the child between Lyridias and Ardi but her lineage has Rmir��s blood mixed in as well. Come to think of it, we��ve also learned a bit about Rmir in thest volume from ��Garving��, didn��t we? Yeah, the author has been slowly drip-feeding us info about the members of Vindoobunikuru�� But would that also mean that Verxina was from Rmir��s lineage as well?


    And well, with that ��walking of the dog��, that��s it for this arc! It��s nice how things went a full circle and Souya is chaining someone up and dragging him through the streets again. Last time, he was almost shipped off to the center continent to be executed, but what repercussions will there be this time? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 184: That Which Achieved Success And Refuses To Step Aside I

    <h4>Chapter 184: That Which Achieved Sess And Refuses To Step Aside I</h4>


    ��186th day��


    ��Okay~��


    The children replied cheerfully.


    We decided to hold the second hot-dog fair at the me religion''s dining hall. The line queuing up in front of Tyutyu and Rutsuko-san was made up of adults involved with the me religion, while the line in front of me was made up of children.


    Many of these children are the orphans of adventurers.


    The me religion takes them in and raises them to adulthood.


    Some of them be official members of the me religion, but most choose to follow in their parents'' footsteps and be adventurers themselves. Not a few of them ironically cause the same situation to ur.


    But that is that, and this is this, and I''m not so arrogant as to feel pity for the futures of others.


    ��The dark sauce is meat and beans, and it''s pretty spicy. The yellow sauce is full of vegetables, and it''s tangy and spicy. The red sauce is mild and full of vor. It''s easy to eat, so I rmend it for you all��


    ��The dark one~��


    ��Tch��


    It got off to a bad start.


    After that, I took the children''s orders one after another.


    I tried to subtly steer them towards the red sauce, but when I took a look when it was over�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��There''s leftover red sauce again, huh?��


    ��Yeah-nya��


    There was even more red sauce left over than that time at dvain-sama''s dormitory. I didn''t do anything stingy like limiting each person to one hot-dog. I had prepared four portions for each person, but even so, there was some left over. There had been no repeat customers for the red sauce.


    To top it off, there was red sauce left over even when there were only children.


    Why?? I''ve even made it less spicy so that it''s more kid-friendly����


    ��As I thought, Onii-chan is "that", isn''t he?��


    ��Yeah, I agree��


    My sister and Lanseal were eating hot-dogs a short distance away.


    ��Ea, what do you mean by "that"?��


    Rana asked her sister with hot-dogs in both hands. For the record, one had the dark sauce and the other had the yellow.


    ��Well~, Onee-chan, I was just thinking that Onii-chan sure likes kids~��


    Hey, Ea. I can tell what you''re implying with that statement.


    ��I just assumed he didn''t hate children when he brought Maria back with him��


    ��What did you say? I''m not a child, you know? Rana, I want a bite of that one with the dark sauce��


    ��It''s a bit spicy though. Are you sure?��


    ��I should be fine if it''s just one bite��


    Maria took a bite of Rana''s hot-dog. Though she did only take one bite, it was a big one.


    ��Woah, it''s got a grown-up taste to it!��


    She had a pained look on her face and hurriedly washed it down with some sweet potato tea with milk. It was a very child-like reaction. But the children of the me religion had eaten it without any trouble.


    Why?? Do the people of this city have weird taste buds or something?


    ��Souya, these hot dogs are pretty delicious. Especially those with the yellow sauce��


    Regure was on her sixth hot-dog. Moreover, all of them had been with either the dark or yellow sauce.


    ��You know, that''s not very good for the babies in your belly������


    ��Hey, aren''t you misunderstanding something?��


    ��Eh?��


    She was giving me a look of heartfelt astonishment.


    ��Do you think that you can raise children with only good things? No, you can''t. Be it sour, sweet, bitter, or painful, it''s only after they''ve experienced it all that they can finally mature as a person. Do you think that they can be great people by only eating tepid food while they''re still in the belly?��


    ��Ummm, well��������


    What to do?


    It''s because I get where Regure ising from that I don''t get it. Is this good prenatal care? Am I the one in the wrong?


    ��Dear me, well well, what a splendid little one you have there. Could it be twins?��


    Seeing Regure''s belly, the priestess of the me religion eximed joyfully.


    ��Hmm? Oh, you''ve got a good eye��


    ��I can tell. I''ve helped hundreds of people with their pregnancies��


    The old priestess was as experienced in life as she looked.


    ��So, are they Souya-san''s?��


    ��Ack��


    Priestess-sama, I can''t help but choke at those words.


    ��What do you think, Lanseal?��


    ��I suspect so��


    ��Enough, you all. As the first wife, I''ll raise the children no matter whose they are��


    Rana puffed out her big chest and proimed smugly.


    Umm, aren''t you going to trust me?


    ��Priestess-sama, she''s my friend''s wife. I have nothing to do with�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��There you go again~ Don''t say stuff like that~��


    Regure caught hold of and wrapped herself around my arm.


    Stop it!!! There''s quite a lot of people watching!!!


    ��Oh my, I guess we''ll just have to leave it at that��


    The priestess had an impish smile on her face.


    This is bad. That''s the face of an olddy who fully intends to gossip about this to all sorts of people.


    ��Priestess-sama, I''m telling the truth��


    When I shook Regure off and tried to move towards the priestess����


    ��Oops, I''m sorry��


    ����I bumped into someone who suddenly appeared in front of me.


    It was a woman with a hood hiding her face. I caught a glimpse of blonde hair. She had big breasts. It might just be my imagination, but the shape of her lips seemed familiar to me.


    No, no way.


    I must have been mistaken.


    ��Are you the one who made the sauces for the bread?��


    ��Huh? Oh, yes��


    Her voice made my heart skip a beat.


    It had a sexiness that was different from that of any other woman I had ever met.


    ��The dark sauce and the yellow sauce were both delicious. Both of them had unusual vors that were quite novel. The red sauce was also delicious, but I felt let down because it wasn''t spicy despite its color. The people of this region love stimting vors, so they may not like it very much��


    ��I see��


    As I thought, it''s not stimting enough, huh? Maybe I should add a small amount of chili peppers.


    ��Now, if you''ll excuse me��


    ��Thank you very much��


    We moved past each other smoothly.


    I found myself gawking a little at her cloaked back. I felt like I knew her, but I couldn''t quite ce her. It was the same kind of feeling I had experienced inside the dungeon the other day.


    ��Souya-san, may I have a word with you?��


    ��Huh, alright��


    Beckoned by the priestess, I stepped out of the dining hall.


    ��I heard that you took care of our children yesterday, so I wanted to thank you��


    ��No, not at all��


    It''s not like I had tried to keep it a secret, so I knew she would probably hear about it sooner orter. This is also one of the reasons why I treated everyone to hot-dogs here at the me religion''s temple today.


    ��In addition to that, a man believed to be the advanced adventurer Cordis was found in chainsst night, was he not?��


    ��Yeah, that happened��


    Well, this is something that only I and a few others know about though.


    ��What''s more, he was found in front of a troublesome ce like the military police station��


    ��I know, right?��


    Currently, Avarak is in the custody of the military police.


    If he was found by the people of the Adventurers'' Guild first, the state he was in would likely have been covered up. I made it harder for them to do that by cing another organization in between.


    If he has any "shame" as an advanced adventurer, no, as a person, he must want to hide the fact that he was defeated so badly and had his disgraceful appearance exposed by the likes of me.


    And then, there''s the unidentified person who had strung him up.


    The middle-aged policeman who doesn''t do any work hates trouble, so he''ll probably hold off and ask the king for his opinion.


    And that''s when the Guild will make their move.


    But the person in question, Avarak, would probably refuse their help.


    The one thing I hadn''t been able to figure out was who Avarak would turn to for help.


    My guess is that it''s the me religion.


    The priestess knows a lot of people. Even if he doesn''t have a direct connection to her, he likely has a way to contact her.


    ��Because of that, there are some people who are waiting to speak with you. Would you spare them a moment of your time?��


    ��Of course��


    It appeared that I was right.


    I waved to everyone and excused myself. The pregnant woman had a face like she had realized what was going on.


    ��Leave it to me��


    I put on the most intimidating frown I could muster to dissuade Regure.


    I''m begging you, just leave it to me.


    Following the priestess, I stepped out into the hallway and walked until we came to arge door.


    ��Do I need to leave my weapons with you or something?��


    ��Why would I ask that of you?��


    ��Well, I just thought you might��


    Which means that she''s neutral in this, huh? I was thinking that I would have to at least leave my katana with her though.


    ��I''ll be outside, so please call if anything happens��


    ��Okay��


    I left the priestess behind and entered the room.


    Inside, I found the barkeeper.


    ��I''m here as the witness. I''m neither friend nor foe��


    ��Is that so?��


    If he''s neither friend nor foe, then he''s an enemy, isn''t he?


    The room had been divided into two by a thick drop curtain that concealed the appearances of those in the back of the room.


    There were five presences.


    All of their presences were simr to Avarak''s. In other words, their individual fighting strength was practically nonexistent.


    When a person bes this weak, they lose all sorts of emotions.


    ��Foreigner, let''s cut to the chase. You know what this is about, don''t you?��


    ��The matter of the advanced adventurer who was bloated with flesh and greed being strung up, I presume?��


    ��������������That''s right��


    Is he trying to intimidate me? I can sense a hint of empty bravado in his voice.


    ��And? What''s the problem with that?��


    ��He was suffering from an illness. To show no respect for such a person�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��If you believe that sloth and obsession are illnesses, then you''re absolutely right��


    ��Youuu, urgh��


    The old man choked and coughed a few times.


    I found myself giving the barkeeper an emotionless stare.


    ��Don''t say it��


    Was written on the pained look he returned me. I was also finding this troublesome, so I moved the conversation along.


    ��So, what do you want from me? Let''s get this over with quickly. If we don''t, your old body will give up the ghost and croak��


    ��Even though you''re an advanced adventurer, you besmirched the reputation of one of our own. This is a serious transgression��


    ��Isn''t it not a transgression to use children to abduct people?��


    ��There is no truth to that��


    ��There are those who were hired by Avarak��


    ��You have no proof��


    ��You want me to bring in witnesses?��


    ��There are "no longer" any witnesses��


    In other words, you''ve eliminated them.


    ��What about their testimony then?��


    I had Yukikaze y back the testimony I recorded yesterday.


    ��Ah, it''s Avarak! It''s the advanced adventurer known as Avarak, the disheartened! He''s obsessed with silver-haired beastkin and has promised me 100 gold pieces for each one I bring him!��


    I stopped the yback.


    ��So, how about that?��


    ��It''s a fake. It''s not proof��


    That''s the way you''re going to y it, huh? I guess it''s no surprise though.


    These guys don''t actually care about the truth surrounding Avarak. I also have no expectations of finding any trace of decency in their hearts. What they do have is at most the desire for self-preservation and fame. They''re nothing but flesh, fat, and rotted brains.


    ��So, what do you suggest?��


    What do you want, dear advanced adventurer seniors?


    ��Half of your wealth. And you will help us with our work. Once you''ve done that, we''ll forget about what you did to Avarak��


    ��Haha, I refuse��


    I just had tough a little.


    ��Are you going to ignore our generosity in making such apromise?��


    ��You''ve got it all wrong. One of your people abducted someone I care about. I was very lucky to get her back, but depending on how things yed out, I could have lost my life. So, how about that?!��


    My tone naturally grew more forceful.


    ��It��s just a mere beastkin woman��


    ��Hmmm��


    Through the curtain, I projected a mental image of me lopping the old man''s head off.


    In other words, killing intent.


    ��Hey, Souya��


    The barkeeper gave me a warning. If he hadn''t stopped me, I would have turned it into reality.


    ��Dear elders of Ringusunova. As the witness, may I offer my opinion?��


    ��������������You may��


    The voice of the intimidated old man irritated me.


    What a small fry he is.


    ��It''s true that Souya has shown no respect to and exposed an advanced adventurer. However, as an adventurer myself, I find Avarak''s deeds reprehensible. To do things like hiring ruffians to abduct people������if that were to be exposed to the public, it would truly bring down the reputation of advanced adventurers��


    ��There''s no proof��


    ��But the rumors continue to persist��


    ��That''s something that money can easily solve��


    You��ve gone senile, haven��t you?


    ��And Souya can use that method just as easily as you. When falsehoods are set against each other, it''s the ones that sound more interesting that remain. Rumors of Souya''s misdeeds have already spread far and wide. At this point, adding one more piece of infamy to the pile won��t make any difference. However, for you elders, the mere mention of your name is detrimental to you. May I suggest that you demonstrate your caliber here for the sake of your junior?��


    ��You expect me to forgive the person who humiliated Avarak?! Without any kind ofpensation whatsoever?!��


    ��Yes, Souya has already suffered damages��


    ��Don''t be ridiculous. There''s a world of difference in importance between one of us and amon adventurer of no particr value!��


    ��The importance of a person is not immutable��


    That''s a surprise.


    Master is taking my side. Is he really a neutral party? Even though he''s the fluffy bread Oyaji[1]?


    ��Rasta, you cur! You can''t speak to us like that, not when you owe us so much!��


    ��It''s because I owe you all a great debt of gratitude that I cannot let you continue to disgrace yourselves. Please, demonstrate your graciousness��


    ��In the end, you share the same blood as Lemuria, I see. You can''t be trusted��


    It seems that the old man has even cut him off.


    It''s said that after achieving sess, retiring is������the way of something or other. I don''t remember the saying exactly, but it says that it''s not right for those who have achieved sess to stay in their positions.[2]


    The old people in front of me don''t understand this at all.


    I think we''re done here.


    ��Master, I have no intention of taking any more of this nonsense�D�D�D�D�D��


    I ced my hand on the handle of my katana,


    ��?��


    Something felt wrong.


    A note had somehow been tucked in between the scabbard and my belt without my noticing.


    Not knowing what to make of it, I scanned the words written on it.


    ��Before you lose your cool, read this out loud. You can always cut them down after that, right?��


    I read the note out loud, the whole time wondering what the heck was going on.


    ��Linjeff Erusu Bradolph. Elvar Shriamu. Montanto Gararo Ledereez. Joniel Vahl Ledereez. Wyclis Lievia��������


    When I reached thest name, I realized what was going on.


    ��Cordis Avarak��


    So, these are the names of these guys, huh?


    At the end of the note were the words, "You ought to be pretty good at deceiving people with words. Do a good job of it."


    Suppressing the urge to burst out of the room, I opened my mouth.


    ��I know who you all are. But I don''t give a damn about your reputation, it''s no better than dog food to me. Listen closely, don��t get in the way of my adventures. Don��t mess with other adventures. Don��t let me witness any of your misdeeds. I won''t make any petty threats. However, don''t forget that I know who you all are��


    I slid my katana back into its scabbard.


    It was a superbly refined technique. The barkeeper saw it, but the old man hadn''t even perceived the instant I had drawn it.


    The cut curtain dropped, revealing the appearances of the old adventurers.


    There were five old men.


    Some of them were arguably middle-aged, but those who couldn''t do anything but cling to their positions deserved to be called old.


    ��What are you going to do?��


    ����������������


    I red at one of them. Somehow, I had the feeling that this was the person who had been speaking to me.


    ��What are you going to do?!��


    ��Tch��


    Even old men have their pride, it seems. Even though they''re intimidated, they''re trying their hardest to hide it.


    Well, no matter. Crushing people like these is nothing to be proud of.


    ��Master, let''s go��


    ��Y, yeah��


    Together with the barkeeper, I exited the room, leaving the rotted humans behind.


    In the hallway, I found the priestess with a smile on her face. However, her smile seemed more sinister than usual.


    ��Souya-san, fufufu, fufu��


    She poked my shoulder with a finger and twisted it about.


    ��W, what?��


    ��No, it��s nothing. I was just thinking that you��re the kind of man who gets things done when you have to is all����


    What the heck?


    The barkeeper let out a deep sigh.


    ��Souya, did you really have to throw out a bluff like that? My head hurts��


    ��Did I do something wrong?��


    ��No, you didn''t. And it''s because you didn''t that it''s a problem. If you were at fault, you would have gotten a beating and that would have been the end of it. Besides, even though they''re like this now, they used to be pretty good adventurers��


    ��Ras-boy, that was so long ago that I can also say that I used to be a beauty, you know?��


    ��Priestess-sama, you''re a beauty even now��


    ��Oh my, ohohohoho��


    The priestessughed with real joy.


    Looking at this person, I can clearly see just how hideous those adventurers earlier were. I wonder if aging well is something that''s really difficult to do.


    ��After that, Souya, from now on�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Oh! Sorry, Master! Later!��


    I ignored the barkeeper and ran down the hallway. I raced through the dining hall. I passed by the sacred mes.


    I emerged onto the street outside.


    It was just past noon, so the street was crowded.


    I used all my senses to search, but quite naturally, I couldn''t find her. She might have left a long time ago. Even so, I couldn''t stop myself from shouting.


    ��ZENOBIAaaaaa!!��


    I knew how ridiculous my actions were.


    Several people gave me strange looks.


    But I was happy.


    I couldn''t hold it back.


    The fact that a party member who I had thought had disappeared had appeared before me, if only briefly. The fact that it was no phantom, but the real thing. Simply getting to know that she was once again in this city.


    It all simply made me really, really happy.


    [1] Oyaji is an affectionate term for old man/father. It��d be something like ��pops��, ��old boy�� and so on. Doesn��t apply here, but it��s also one way the members of the Yakuza can address the head of their group.


    [2] The saying is ���������ˤ�����ε��ʤꡱ, which means, ��After one has achieved sess, the way of heaven(proper thing to do) is not to stay in that position forever, but to retire as soon as possible(and make way for others).�� This saying is from the ��Tao Te Ching(���ԽU)��, a famous treatise said to be written by Lao Tzu(����). The title of the treatise itself can be tranted in many ways, and is a wordy in and of itself, so I won��t waste too much time on it, but it is a 2 part 81 chapter treatise on morality and is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism.


    What a touching end to the chapter��I was also so happy to see Zenobia again, if only briefly. And����it��s time for a long exnation!


    But do you remember me mentioning in the afterword of chp 173 that there was an interesting reference to the Faceless King in vol 4? It��s in vol 4 that the name ��Faceless King�� shows up for the first time, and when Souya heard it, he thought this, ��I don''t know this Faceless King, but I do know one of his spies��, which meant that he had caught on to the hint Zenobia had actually left him and realized that her employer was the Faceless King.


    Think about it, the Faceless King created the Abaddon because he was concerned about Elysium��s beasts and wanted a way to counter them. Zenobia and the other faceless spies like her were keeping tabs on all those who had the potential to be beasts. It lines up, doesn��t it? The Faceless King had to stand guard inside the dungeon, so he established awork of spies outside to keep an eye on what he feared.


    There��s the way he introduced himself too, ��I am no one. Hence I��m called the��Faceless King����, which is a bit simr to Zenobia��s line, isn��t it? And yes, his name can also be taken as the King of Faceless/the Faceless�� King, which will still have the same effect of meaning that he��s the head honcho of all the faceless spies.


    Did you even think for a second that the woman who had bumped into Souya might be Zenobia? It��s such a great twist, isn��t it? I love this development so much. Well, I��ve said a ton already, so I��ll just say, stay tuned!

 Chapter 185: That Which Achieved Success And Refuses To Step Aside II

    <h4>Chapter 185: That Which Achieved Sess And Refuses To Step Aside II</h4>


    ��On another note, go talk to Shuna��


    ��Ehhh��


    ��Don��t you ��Ehhh�� me��


    Regure made a face like a child. It was not the kind of face one would expect from a woman with lives in her belly.


    ��What if Shuna never recovers?��


    ��No way, it''s just a woman like me getting pregnant��


    ��Then go see him. Go see him and exin��


    ��Well, that''s������


    ��What?��


    She had an awkward look on her face.


    ��You know, that guy Shuna, he passed out after catching only a nce of me, right?��


    ��Right��


    I had knocked him out.


    ��So, you know, how about we y it off as a hallucination or something, and then I can reunite with him again after I''ve given birth?��


    ��I see������ That obviously won''t cut it!��


    ��Ehhh��


    And stop trying to get out of it with that childish reaction.


    ��So, Rana, how''s Shuna been doingtely?��


    ��Well, in a nutshell��������������


    Rana had been to dvain-sama''s dormitory for training yesterday and earlier today.


    ��Terrible��


    ��Terrible?��


    ��Yeah, it��s really terrible��


    ��It��s terrible, huh?��


    Shuna.


    Somehow, I feel bad for you. Truly, I feel bad for you.


    ��Souya, I want to eat that��


    ��Later��


    Dragging along Regure, who pestered me to buy her something to eat, I arrived at dvain-sama''s dormitory.


    Today as well, I was greeted by the sight of strong men and super strong women training.


    Looking around, I found Shuna right away.


    In the same spot where we had previously fought, he was crossing des with his brethren, who were charging at him one by one.


    As soon as he blocked the de of one, he would block the de of the next, and the next, and so on without a break.


    Though Shuna was sweating profusely, there was no sign of fatigue on his face.


    Even in a training exercise where a momentarypse in judgment could result in serious injury, he was showing off swordsmanship that was calm, pure, and even refreshing.


    ��Hmm, immature. And stiff. You''re stiff, Shuna. You should be more flexible, dancing like a feather and unleashing your de like the surge of a tidal wave in a storm. That''s weird, I never taught you such stiff swordsmanship. Who''s the one who taught my Shuna such weird sword techniques?��


    Regure''s words made me break out in a cold sweat.


    That was because the god who had taught him those sword techniques herself had walked up next to me.


    ��Hmmm, beastkin girl whom I saw not too long ago, do you have a problem with our Velsvain sword techniques?��


    dvain-sama looked to be on the verge of losing her temper.


    Well, that''s only natural, I suppose.


    ��Velsvainnn~? Ahh, oh crap������������no way, it''s His Majesty''s��������


    Regure face went white.


    Could it be that His Majesty, or rather, the royal line of Ashtalia, is aware that they have dvain''s blood running through them?


    ��Something about you has been bothering me, but������������could it be?!��


    ��Tsk��


    Even Regure couldn''t help but take a step back when dvain-sama red at her.


    ��That baby in your belly, is it Souya''s?��


    ��Ack��


    I choked.


    My throat hurts.


    ��dvain-sama, he says it''s not, in a manner of speaking��


    The helping hand that Rana provided was so very nuanced.


    ��What do you mean by "in a manner of speaking", Souya? I never thought of you as the kind of man who would flee from your responsibilities after getting a woman pregnant��


    ��Like I''ve said a million times, it''s not mine!��


    ��You men are all like that! The mere mention of the words "responsibility" and mitment", and you lot flee like rats. Furthermore, you men alwaysin about how women stop paying attention to you after they''ve had children��


    Okaa-sama~, please believe meeeeee.


    Also, did something happen between you and your husband when you had your daughters?


    ��Umm, the babies in my belly are the children of a warrior from a farawaynd��


    Overwhelmed by her pressure, Regure exined herself.


    ��They''re not Souya''s?��


    ��Probably not��


    ��Hey, say it with certainty��


    I retorted Regure, who had tilted her head when answering.


    I''ve really not done anything with you, okay? You can get pregnant all you want, but I have nothing to do with it, got it?


    At any rate, I fervently assured Okaa-sama that there was not a drop, not even a molecule of gic material between Regure and me.


    She half-believed me.


    Why?


    The trust that I''ve built up so far, is this all it amounts to?


    Behind me, Shuna''s training came to an end. After wiping off his sweat and getting some water, he gave me a refreshing smile that radiated killing intent.


    Yup, we''ve got another one here who has misunderstood.


    ��Shuna, calm down��


    ��Souya!��


    For some reason, my name echoed loudly in the air.


    The two youths who had shouted at the same time turned to stare at each other.


    One a swordsman with long red hair, the other a knight with close-cropped blonde hair.


    Come to think of it, they''re probably about the same age.


    ��You still need something from Souya?!��


    ��Yeah, I do!��


    When Shuna yelled at him, Arcane yelled back. Behind him stood a quiet Nanassy.


    ��I''m first!��


    ��What the hell, asshole!��


    Ohh,e to think of it, Shuna doesn''t have any friends of his age and gender, does he?


    ��Hey, don''t you know what kind of ce this is?! It''s where marital skills are honed!��


    ��So what?! You little shit!��


    ��We''ll fight to decide who goes first!��


    ��I''ll take that challenge!��


    You guys get along so well.


    ��If you''ve got that much bluster, you''re alright with using real weapons, right?!��


    ��Oh yeah! Of course!��


    Both of you are being really loud.


    ��Listen up, Nanassy. Stay out of this. Even if it looks dangerous for me, do not interfere!��


    ����������������


    Nanassy replied Arcane with silence.


    ��Answer me~��


    ��I refuse��


    ��Follow my orders��


    ��There are orders that I''ll follow and those that I won''t. "Do not interfere" is one of those that I won''t��


    ��Hey, Souya!��


    ��What?��


    Arcane turned to me


    ��Hold back Nanassy. Be sure to hold her back! Not that I��ll lose, but if it looks like I��m about to, she��ll jump in!��


    ��Alright, alright��


    That said, how am I supposed to hold her back?


    ��Hey, get this pregnantdy something to sit on��


    ��Got it!��


    At Okaa-sama''smand, the kin brought over a bench right away.


    Regure sat down, and I naturally ended up sitting down beside her. Next, Rana sat down beside me, and for some reason, Nanassy sat on myp. She had taken to me.


    ��Hey, Souya��


    ��What now?��


    Regure had a mischievous look on her face again.


    ��Somehow, it looks like I''m also one of your women, doesn''t it?��


    ��You''re not��


    ��Dear, I don''t particrly mind if you have other women�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��Rana, she alone is definitely out of the question��


    I''m in a situation where I have flowers, Regure, Nanassy, and Rana, on both hands and on myp.


    Regure is being needlessly flirty with me. It''s troubling.


    Going with the flow, Rana has clung to my arm and pressed her breasts against me. What bliss.


    Nanassy is unmoved.


    ��A warrior must maintain a heart of steel and be ready to fight in any situation! Shuna, concentrate!��


    ��Y, yes��


    Shuna got flustered when Okaa-sama yelled at him.


    ��Pffft��


    Arcane sniggered.


    ��That knight there! You''re facing my kin! This is no time to beughing!��


    ��Y, yes��


    But he quickly deted.


    Okaa-sama raised her voice even louder.


    ��Starting now! My kin, Shuna, and����������e to think of it, who the heck are you?��


    ��I''m Arcane. An apprentice representative hero of Elysium��


    ��Ohh, aren''t you a full-fledged knight then? Shuna, it''s time for you to show off the results of your training! With the aim of tearing him to pieces, kill him!��


    ��UUOOOOOooooo!��


    All of the kin, Shuna included, howled.


    ��Eh, hang on��


    I felt a little bit bad for Arcane. He looked like a kitten that had wandered into enemy territory.


    ��Begin!��


    Shuna attacked at the sound of Okaa-sama''s voice. Arcane was intimidated, but he diverted the thrust of the longsword cleanly by making his shield "go with the flow".


    If Shuna had put a little bit more weight into the blow, he would have lost his bnce, leaving a fatal opening.


    His intimidated expression and the shield technique he just used give off the impression that he''s just a small fry, but isn''t Arcane doing somewhat decent? That''s not a technique that can be mastered in a day or two.


    ��Hmm, aren''t you kinda weak?��


    Arcane provoked Shuna with his natural way of speaking. Ever the hothead, Shuna fell for it magnificently.


    He shed at Arcane wildly.


    ��Ahhh, that��s bad��


    Regure had her head in her hands.


    ��Hey there, god. Are you the one who trained Shuna in swordsmanship?��


    ��That��s right��


    Okaa-sama answered without taking her eyes off Shuna.


    ��Isn''t itpletely no good? He''s regressed. When I taught him, his movements were much more fluid and light��


    ��You''re Shuna''s teacher?��


    ��That��s right!��


    Regure was indignant. So from Regure''s perspective, Shuna has gotten weaker, huh?


    Be that as it may, Rana''s boobs are fabulous.


    ��You''ve drilled into him a wonderful foundation. Youbined the ancient beastkin sword techniques with your own unique style of swordy. However, perhaps it''s because of your deftness, but you amodated Shuna too much when he was young��


    Wild swings rained down onto the shield.


    Huh, that''s weird?


    I couldn��t help but think that. His momentum wasn''t slowing. It kept increasing. The pattern on the longsword''s de turned red, and the sharpness and the weight of the shes reached a climax.


    Arcane was slowly being pushed back, shield and all.


    ��Behold, he may not have been blessed with arge physique, but he''s growing every day. His physical strength is now far beyond that of an ordinary swordsman��s��


    His shield not enough, Arcane drew his sword as well to meet Shuna''s de.


    Sword and shield.


    Even with those two, the longsword couldn''t be stopped.


    ��Nanassy, hey, stay where you are��


    ��Arcane is in danger��


    I put one arm around the restless Nanassy to stop her.


    ��Look, that''s not good, you know?��


    ��What do you mean by "not good"?��


    It seems that she really doesn''t get it.


    ��If a man wants to do something, let him do it. Failure is part and parcel of growth��


    ��I''ll be troubled if he gets hurt or dies��


    ��Is he such a weakling?��


    He seems to be the rather tough type. Also, I can smell the stench of a man who has lived a dirty life. He''s the type to live a long life.


    ��That''s not true. Arcane is a great guy��


    ��Then believe in him. A man who has a woman that believes in him bes twice as strong��


    ��Is that so������I see. ������������I see, so that''s how it is��


    She nodded wistfully.


    Quite surprisingly, I had gotten through to her.


    Reduced to a single shield, Arcane was leftpletely on the defensive.


    Shuna was on the verge of winning.


    He should be, but for some reason, he couldn''t grab victory.


    A bad feeling welled up within me.


    Arcane curled his body into a small ball and hid himself behind his shield. The longsword slowly carved the metal armor of the shield to shreds.


    This is����could it be����


    ��Shu�D�D�D�D��


    Without thinking, I started to raise my voice, but Okaa-sama stopped me.


    Shuna bent his upper body and, from apact stance, he delivered a thrust.


    Arcane met it head-on with his shield.


    The tip of the longsword pierced through the shield and the de went in about halfway.


    This was exactly what Arcane had been aiming for.


    He had opened up the gap between his body and the shield beforehand.


    The shield was flung aside. Impaled deep into the shield, Shuna''s longsword was also sent flying through the air.


    Before it even hit the ground, Arcane drove his fist into Shuna��s midsection.


    It hit him right in the sr plexus.


    It was a blow that turned the tide.


    Arcane followed up with more punches in rapid session. I could hear the short bursts of exhtion that came with each blow. Blood sprayed from Shuna''s mouth and nose.


    This guy Arcane, he''s far better at hand-to-handbat than fighting with a sword. And he''s constantly aiming for vital spots in a vicious manner.


    I''ll have to stop this as soon as possible�D�D�D�D�D�D�D


    ��Souya, if you interfere with a duel a second time, I won''t let you go scot-free��


    ��But��������


    Shuna is now getting beat up one-sidedly.


    The fight is already settled.


    ��Have faith. In your party members, in my training, and in the hard work Shuna has put in��


    ��I������understand��


    That''s easier said than done.


    It''s hard for me to force myself to ept it.


    I looked at Regure, and for some reason, she looked impressed.


    Shuna was knocked to the ground. Arcane took the mount position then rained fists down without mercy.


    After struggling for a while, Shuna��s resistance ceased.


    It looked like Arcane had also confirmed it.


    Without a doubt.


    Shuna had been knocked out.


    ��Now, how did things get soplicated? Oh well��


    Shaking the blood from his fists, Arcane����


    ��It''s a shame��


    ����left an opening.


    Shuna had definitely lost consciousness.


    However, the hours upon hours of training dvain-sama had made him go through had built up in him the ability to wake instantly from such an unconscious state.


    Shuna grabbed Arcane''s fist with both hands and wrapped both legs around his arm.


    Both their bodies spun around.


    Arcane''s back hit the ground. At his side, Shuna had taken his arm.


    It was a cross armbar.


    He had locked it in perfectly.


    His arm hyperextended, Arcane tried to flip his body over, but Shuna''s legs prevented him from doing so.


    ��Urrghhh!��


    Arcane is trying to bear the pain, but since he has no way of escaping, there''s no point in enduring it.


    Since this is not a deathmatch, all that''s left is to������


    ��I, I��ve lost!��


    Arcane admitted defeat.


    I like that kind of quick judgment. If he had refused to give in for no good reason and got himself injured, it would have affected his adventuring. Those who can''t act rationally and intelligently to a certain extent won''t be able to hold their own as adventurers, much less serve as a leader.


    ��The duel is over!��


    At Okaa-sama''s words, the two of them dropped their battle stance.


    Nanassy leaped to Arcane''s side.


    Shuna wiped the blood from his mouth and turned to look at me.


    ��Souya! You''re next!��


    ��There''s no way I''m gonna do it!��


    For crying out loud, cut it out, both you teacher and disciple.


    Oh, Arcane��s appearance was a bit unexpected, wasn��t it? What��s he doing there? To repay Souya? But it did result in an interesting duel, didn��t it? Shuna��s gotten stronger too, huh? Well, will he and Souya end up fighting again? Or will we get to see the long-overdue conversation between Shuna and Regure? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 186: That Which Achieved Success And Refuses To Step Aside III

    <h4>Chapter 186: That Which Achieved Sess And Refuses To Step Aside III</h4>


    Shuna, Rana, Regure, and I went to the dining hall of the dormitory.


    For some reason, Okaa-sama came along.


    ��Shuna, first of all, let me clear up the misunderstanding. I have! Nothing! Not one bit! To do with the babies in your teacher''s belly!��


    ��������������Really?��


    ��REALLY!��


    I screamed.


    Trust! Where''s your trust in the leader of your party?


    ��Uh, Shuna, long time no see. You sure have gotten stronger��


    ��������It''s been a long time��


    When Regure, who was in a cold sweat, greeted him, the sulking Shuna returned the greeting brusquely.


    ��You know, the babies, uhh����.��


    ��No, don''t worry about it. I''m not a child anymore��


    ��Ah, that''s right. Here, to celebrate our reunion. Come here, I''ve missed you��


    Regure spread her arms.


    Shuna didn''t approach her, but calmly remained where he was.


    ��No, like I said, I''m not a child anymore. Things like that are��������


    ��Oh, right, that''s true! It must be embarrassing! ������������Hahaha, of course~��


    ����������������


    A heavy silence fell between teacher and disciple.


    The free-spirited Regure was sweating profusely and I found myself thinking that she got what she deserved.


    ��Your name is Regure, right? So, whose children are they? I get the feeling that their father is someone I know, hmm?��


    Reading the mood, Okaa-sama changed the subject.


    ��Souya, hey��


    ��Huh?��


    Regure came up to me and whispered.


    ��Can this god be trusted? Does she talk too much?��


    ��It''s fine. I guarantee it��


    It might be dangerous in another sense though.


    ��So suspicious��


    ��I agree, Shuna-san��


    Shuna and Rana were looking at Regure and me with suspicion in their eyes.


    Rana, believe me please~~


    ��The father of my babies is a king from the distant left continent. ������������Souya, is it really�D�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s fine. Okaa�D�D�Ddvain-sama is not the kind of god who divulges people''s secrets easily��


    ��Well, I''ll say it then����the father''s name is Ra Dainsleif Riog Ashtalia��


    ��Ashtalia!��


    Okaa-sama yelled out suddenly, startling me.


    ��Could it be that you''ve won the favor of a Myriad King?��


    ��Well, yeah��


    Could it be that Okaa-sama knows about the connection between Ashtalia and L?


    ��My senses sure have dulled. I can''t believe I didn''t realize it right away when I had the feeling that something was off��


    Ah, that means she totally knows about it.


    ��dvain-sama, who is this Ashtalia person?��


    ��Shuna, it''s no wonder you don''t know of him��


    Okaa-sama answered Shuna''s question.


    ��Ashtalia is one of the Myriad Kings on the left continent. He��s one who has my blood in his veins��


    ��Huh?��


    Regure and Shuna, who didn''t know the whole story, eximed.


    ��Then are you, ahem, could it be that you��re His Majesty''s������ancestor-sama?��


    ��In your belly flows the blood of my daughter��


    Regure abruptly changed her attitude towards her.


    ��I won''t go into the details. It would be detrimental to your king. So do not speak of this lightly. But what a strange and wonderful coincidence this is. To think that after all these centuries, I would cross paths with my daughters again��


    ��dvain-sama, that means that!��


    Shuna posed a question to Okaa-sama with a serious look on his face.


    ��They''re really not Souya''s then?��


    ��Shuna, when the same punchline is used a second time, it isn��t funny anymore��


    Just how suspicious of me are all of you?


    I could build a tower out of all your suspicions. If I made a parfait out of them, it''d be enormous!


    ��There''s no doubt. I can sense my blood. But I can also sense another strong blood. Hmm������������Regure, you have the blood of a hero, do you not?��


    ��Well, you could say that, I suppose��


    ��What?! Shisho, seriously?!��


    ��Y, yeah. It''s nothing that great though��


    ��Amazing. So I was taught swordsmanship and given a sword by someone like that��


    Shuna''s eyes turned into sparkling objects.


    ��Oh no, it''s not that big of a deal��


    ��My teacher is an amazing person after all��


    ��Urghh��


    Regure wilted under Shuna''s glittering gaze. Somehow, I could imagine what the two of them were like in the past.


    ��Shuna, umm������


    With a pained look on her face, Regure squeezed out her words.


    ��I''m not that great of a person. I''ve been meaning to tell you this for a while now, but now is as good a time as any. Or rather, if I don''t say it now, I think I never will. Shuna, listen to me. This will be the second time I''ve conceived a child��


    ��What?!��


    Shuna and I both eximed.


    I don''t know why, but I had raised my voice as well.


    ��I had a kid once when I was about the same age as you are now, Shuna��


    ��W, whose child was it?!��


    That was what Shuna was concerned about.


    I wasn��t particrly concerned, but I was curious.


    ��Hmm~ I forgot. He was just a normal guy you could find anywhere. He was kind to beastkin, weak, and had a good heart for a Hemu. And������he was a normal, weak man who died��


    Though she said that she had forgotten, she ended up saying a whole lot about him.


    Well, I guess it would be tactless to pry.


    ��The man died, but I survived with a kid in my belly. I nearly died during childbirth, but I did fine afterward. Yeah, well, what can I say? I was happy��


    The smile Regure had at the recollection froze in an instant.


    ��Well, that didn''tst long though. The kid suddenly caught a fever and didn''tst three days. I was so surprised. His body that was as hot as fire had turned as cold as iron all of a sudden.


    I was more shocked than sad.


    I had always prided myself on being a strong creature, so I hadn''t expected that a kid whose blood was half my own could die so easily. To be honest, I couldn''t understand it.


    I burned his body to ashes so that he could be free, and then the wish to die arose.


    I randomly stowed away on a ship, unthinkingly looked out over the ocean at night, and found myself drawn into the water.


    And the ce I washed up on was the Azorido archipgo. Your ind, Shuna. The first time we met was right after I had failed to die. Every single day, you brought food to the me who had no will to live. What a silly child, I thought to myself��


    Despite her words, Regure''s expression was filled with gratitude.


    ��And then, the piratesnded on the ind, I defeated them, you pestered me about the sword, I taught you, and then entrusted the sword to you. I decided then that I would try to live on. And that if I could, I would try to give birth to and raise a child who��s as strong and upright as you. Shuna, I''m really grateful to you. And while we''re on the subject, I have a favor to ask you��


    ��Eh? What is it? If it''s within my power, I��ll do anything��


    Shuna was a little teary-eyed. Rana had tears in the corners of her eyes as well.


    As for me����well, not even dogs can stomach(no one cares to hear) my feelings.


    ��I want to name one of my newborn children after you��


    ��Absolutely not��


    ��Huh?��


    Regure��s face twitched, as if to say, "Seriously?"


    ��Ehhh, I felt like the story I was telling had a pretty good vibe, and you seemed to be feeling pretty good about it too, isn''t it?��


    ��Yes, Shisho. I''m very happy to have learned about your past. However, please don''t name your child after me!��


    To have your first love name the child they had with someone else after you would be one hell of a punishment. If it had happened to me, I''d be unable to get out of bed for six months.


    ��Ehhh, I figured it''s pretty convenient since it would work for both boys and girls though��


    ��Please absolutely do not use my name!��


    Her reason for wanting to do it is far too trivial.


    He''s your only disciple, so show some consideration for him, won''t you?


    ��Are you trying to decide on the names of your children?��


    ��Well, it''s a custom in Ashtalia for the woman who gives birth to the child to name it, and I''m not good at stuff like that��


    Okaa-sama wordlessly elbowed me in the ribs.


    Yes, I got it. It''s hard to say it yourself, isn''t it?


    I cleared my throat and suggested some names.


    ��Regure, how about "L" and "Lumidia"��


    ��L? ������������L, huh? L sounds good! Something about it just feels right. But Lumidia is no good. It gives me the creeps��


    Okaa-sama took it out on me by elbowing me again.


    It hurts, so please stop that. And just what kind of intuition does Regure have anyway?


    ��Oh, I suppose "Souya" would work, huh?��


    ��No!��


    Don''t rekindle their suspicions!


    Just in case and just to be safe, I had Rana stay over with Regure, both to keep an eye on her and to make sure she didn''t cause any more trouble.


    Despite how she is, she''s still a pregnant woman after all. There are times when a woman''s touch is needed.


    Or at least, that''s the pretext.


    Please don''t start any more trouble.


    I''ve had enough of not being able to go on adventures again and again and again.


    ��So, what did you twoe here for?��


    On the training grounds, Arcane was resting with his head on Nanassy''sp.


    ��You asshole! I even went out of my way toe here!��


    ��You mustn''t move yet��


    Arcane tried to sit up, but was pushed back down by Nanassy, who then mped his head between her inner thighs to hold him in ce.


    ��Hey, Nanassy, you''re asking me to have a conversation like this?��


    ��Yeah, you haven''t recovered yet. You still feel feverish��


    They''re such a funny duo.


    ��By the way, what''s with that red-haired''s longsword? Look at what it did to the shield of a knight of Elysium. It''s totally wrecked��


    ��That��s a secret��


    It''s a sword used a long time ago by a knight of Elysium like you.


    ��Tch, well, it doesn''t matter, I suppose��


    ��So, why are you here?��


    The conversation isn��t going anywhere.


    ��I don''t like it, but I owe you one. So I thought I should tell you this one thing. Because I won''t be able to repay you if you die��


    ��You''re weirdly conscientious when ites to certain things, huh?��


    ��Piss off��


    What a strange guy. I don''t quite get him.


    ��And, what did you want to tell me?��


    ��Right now, a representative hero of Elysium is here in Lemuria. He''s looking into the whereabouts of the lost sacred sword and is investigating the monster that Varner-sama sacrificed his life to defeat��


    My heart skipped a beat at the sudden revtion.


    ��Also, he''s looking for the King of Beasts��


    The King of Beasts, you said?


    Dun, dun, dunnnnn!!! It��s been a while, but Elysium is getting involved again! Another representative hero is here. And the things he��s looking into are quite interesting, isn��t it?


    By the way, I know the ��not even dogs can stomach(no one cares to hear)�� is getting old. It was still fine back in the arc that had ��dogs�� in the title, but it sticks out like a sore thumb outside of it. ����Wait a minute���� (In case you didn��t get it, yes, the author purposely made this part stick out. As the adage ��show, don��t tell�� goes, the author is ��showing�� something, but well, this is one of those that you��ll only get when youe back to it afterward)


    This is the ��in case you forgot�� section. About Regure��s reaction to the names and Souyamenting on her intuition, this is in reference to Lumidia being at loggerheads with L, whose blood runs in Regure��s babies. And despite not knowing any of that, Regure liked the L name and hated the Lumidia name, which is incredibly intuitive of her. Also, the sword Regure passed down to Shuna belonged to Ardi, who was a knight of Elysium as well as Regure��s ancestor. Hence, it isn��t exactly wrong to say that Regure has the blood of a hero, though Ardi has been said so far to simply be a knight that served the representative heroes, as all the noble knights share the same blood(and thus, the curse as well). And well, he may not technically be a hero in the Elysium sense, but he is a part of Vindoobunikuru after all.


    Well well well, did you maybe think that this was going to be a ��respite�� volume after thest one was so action-packed and the Regure abduction incident was so easily resolved? Hehehe, things are heating up! What kind of person is this representative hero? Stay tuned!

 Chapter 187: That Which Achieved Success And Refuses To Step Aside IV

    <h4>Chapter 187: That Which Achieved Sess And Refuses To Step Aside IV</h4>


    In ancient times.


    Shortly after the era of the gods had ended and the history of humans had begun.


    There was a king who ruled over the beastkin.


    His name was Ra Guzuri Duin Oruosuouru, the King of Beasts.


    In every world, man and beast have always been at odds with each other, the only difference being who the victors and losers are.


    And this time, humans were the losers.


    As they were being wiped out, their king at the time prayed to the gods and gained the power to destroy the beasts.


    Malignance, the power to alter substances through human prayer. The king put a curse on silver that made it burn the flesh of beastkin.


    And then, he killed the King of Beasts, oppressed the beastkin, and created the world that exists today.


    That''s the story of the beasts and the silver coins that I first heard.


    History is often riddled with falsehoods.


    ording to the king of adventurers, the real beastkin had the physique of giants.


    Humans were absolutely no match for them.


    In order to ovee them, those who wouldter be called heroes resorted to using a horrific power.


    They drank the cursed blood, became a different kind of beast, and wiped out the old beastkin.


    Ra Guzuri Duin Oruosuouru.


    In truth, that��s not the name of the King of Beasts.


    It''s the name of the great King of Hemu, the founding king of Elysium.


    He made his cursed and unclean name the King of Beasts'', and assumed a false name for himself.


    Very few people know this true name.


    Even fewer have survived after reciting this true name.


    This is, as I understand it, the true story of the beasts and the silver coins.


    I believe that this story ended with an internal struggle within Elysium.


    After the old beastkin had been wiped out, the king who was drowning in his unfathomable power brought about disaster and was assassinated by the princes. That''s about it in a nutshell.


    And those princes were also cursed.


    The fact that the curse lingers in the blood and has been passed down through the generations by those called heroes only remains in oral stories that have been neatly hidden from the world.


    However, there''s one thing I cannot figure out.


    Who is the real King of Beasts?


    No, did the King of Beasts even exist?


    Is it not possible that he��s no more than a contrivance used to hide the king''s evil deeds?


    In the first ce, what��s the "Abominable Blood" and what��s its "curse"?


    If the truth has not beenpletely reduced to ashes, then someone must have inherited the curse.


    For example,


    That''s right,


    The heroes of Elysium.


    Representative hero, Khius Logret Londahl.


    Also known as Khius, the indestructible.


    He��s the representative hero of the Fourth Pope, whose position is currently vacant.


    The person who had appointed him as the representative hero was the representative hero of the First Pope, the person known as the First Hero and also the hero that Zamonss had described as terrifying.


    Despite the difficulty in finding anything about Khius�� origins, the stories of his glorious deeds are very simple, and I managed to collect a lot of anecdotes about him in a very short time.


    At any rate, he��s bold,passionate, and has beenuded as a heroic hero by many people, regardless of whether they��re friend or foe.


    It''s said that he once carried a wounded old man on his back on a march, that he generously shares his wealth with themon people, that he bought an entire ind for his innumerable adopted children, that he may or may not have a hundred mistresses, and that he never fails to present gifts to histe wife''s tombstone.


    He''s also famous for his martial prowess, most notably, the duel he had with His Majesty''s father, the former king of Ashtalia.


    The result was a hard-fought draw.


    It was a draw with injuries to both sides, but the former king of Ashtalia sumbed to the wounds he suffered in that duel.


    After that, Khius became the only person to have survived crossing swords with the younger His Majesty. He was what made the name of His Majesty Dainsleif renowned throughout Elysium and among the Myriad Kings.


    What can I say.......


    Simr to His Majesty, he''s a hero who "acts like one".


    There''s a world of difference between him and Varner, the beast hunter.


    Well, in a way, that guy is a creature that rotted from all the dirty work that was foisted on him. The more I looked into him, the more I felt a little bad for him. It''s really just a little though.


    ording to Arcane,


    That hero, Khius-sama, expressed a desire to meet with me.


    The reason he gave is simple. I''m the only survivor and witness of the Varner incident.


    Even though King Lemuria had sent them a report, he said, "I won''t know unless I actually talk to him!" in all seriousness and came directly to this country.


    This hero is the type I have trouble with.


    Dealing with greedy and dishonest people is easy. I know very well what they''re thinking in their heart of hearts. There are many who mistakenly believe that dealing with the opposite kind of people is easier, but people with passion and convictions can sometimes ignore all reason, logic, and profit, and juste at you.


    Those who are willing to give up their lives to get at you are the worst.


    It might have been different in the past, but right now, I would much rather not have to deal with such people at all.


    How should I fight it������������if possible, I''d love to stay clear of him, but he probably isn''t that easy to deal with.


    As I agonized and fretted, I made my way to the meeting ce.


    A short distance from dvain-sama''s dormitory, in a vacant lot along the outer wall, stood a solitary ramen stall.


    Though it was a food stall, it was different from the other stallsmonly seen throughout Lemuria.


    First of all, it had a triangr-shaped roof.


    And a noren curtain. [1]


    Instead of a paperntern, there was arge redntern hanging there. Naturally, the word "Ramen" was written on it.


    It had seats, though it couldn''t amodate more than five people.


    There was a cramped but functional cooking area.


    Its broth gave off an aroma that was different from those of the other ramen stalls in this city.


    This is a ramen stall that I��m managing, and it has the look and feel of a traditional Japanese ramen stall.


    Doing business discreetly in a secluded spot like this is the stall-keeper''s own wish.


    From what I hear, even the discerning kin of dvain-sama frequentlye here to eat.


    I''ve also heard that a certain group consisting of a pair of famous former adventurers and an active adventurer often drops by after a night of drinking as well.


    Today, there was already one customer when I arrived.


    ��Hi, stall-keeper��


    ��Ooh! Boss!��


    The Hemu stall-keeper in charge of this stall used to be a cook at Lemuria''s royal castle. He had gotten down on his hands and knees and begged me to teach him how to cook, so I left him in charge of this stall.


    He has a very diligent personality, and after I had taught him the basics, he had figured everything else out by himself.


    To be honest, there''s already nothing more I can teach him.


    ��Perfect timing, Boss. This customer here likes your ramen so much that he''s already had five bowls��


    ��Well, thank you��


    I responded casually and took a seat as well.


    Therge man next to me lifted his bowl of ramen, gulped down the broth, and����


    ��Stall-keeper, one more��


    ��Coming right up!��


    ����ordered his sixth bowl.


    He ate as well as one would expect from a man of his size.


    He looked like a towering boulder with stubble, and was probably in histe thirties. He was bent over in his seat at the moment, but he must be at least two meters tall when standing. His arms and legs were as thick as logs. His chest was thick with muscle. Even the flesh on his face seemed thick. Be it his eyes, nose, or eyebrows, he just looked thick overall. [2]


    His hand was so big that it made the ramen spork look like a teaspoon.


    As for his attire, he didn''t look like a knight at all, perhaps because he was trying to be incognito.


    He had on a cheap hemp shirt and pants. The great-sword at his side was impressive, but he looked like someone more at home with an axe.


    How about changing careers from being a knight to a lumberjack?


    While running his fingers through his short blonde hair, the man turned leisurely to look at me.


    ��I hear that Arcane has been causing trouble for you��


    ��Indeed he has, quite a bit at that��


    The bitterness in my voice was palpable.


    ��He''s got a lot of talent, but he''s still young. He probably messes up a fair bit��


    ��Luckily, my party didn''t suffer any casualties, but if we had������well, you get the idea��


    ��If a hero dies because of a grudge, then that''s simply his lot��


    A hero just like you did indeed die because of a grudge.


    ��I��m Khius��


    A burly hand was held out to me.


    I suppressed theplicated feelings I had and responded.


    ��I��m Souya��


    We exchanged a short, firm handshake.


    I looked into Khius'' eyes. They were the eyes of a huge predator. He looked calm at the moment, but he seemed like the type that would be impossible to stop once he went on a rampage.


    This guy, he''s strong


    He''s someone who''s purely strong.


    Can he be defeated using schemes and tricks, I wonder?


    ��You sir, have the eyes of a hunter��


    It appears that my killing intent had leaked out.


    I''ll gloss over it as best as I can.


    ��A hunter, you say? It must be because I''ve hunted all kinds of beasts as an adventurer��


    ��Hmm, for example?��


    ��Well, my first was a pig��


    ��A dungeon pig? The pigs here in Lemuria sure are big and tasty��


    ��I''ve also hunted winged snakes and I''ve even hunted a dragon-tortoise together with my party��


    ��Snakes, huh? They don''t taste bad, but I definitely prefer pork over them. So, how did the dragon-tortoise taste?��


    How did it taste? That''s what you''re interested in?


    ��It was too fishy to eat��


    ��I suppose bigger doesn''t always mean tastier��


    ��Also, frogs��


    Actually, I''ve tried eating a frog from the dungeon behind my party members'' backs. It was delicious, its taste simr to that of high-quality chicken. Because I was afraid my sister would find out and cut ties with me, I never ate it again though.


    ��Frogs, huh? They''re very tasty��


    ��You''ve eaten frogs before?��


    Even though you''re a knight?


    A hero?


    ��Yeah, in a battle against the Myriad Kings, we had our supply lines cut off, you see? We were running out of food, so I went into a nearby forest where I gotpletely lost. It was then that I ran into a mysterious elf. She told me that I could take as many frogs as I wanted, so I took back as many as I could. The soldiers also loved them, and I can still remember the taste to this day��


    ��A forest on the left continent������


    What''s more, for there to be an elf there����.. Could it be that it''s the forbidden forest near Ashtalia? For a hero of Elysium to be able to enter that forest, this guy sure is different from the other heroes. Is it because his nature is simr to that of the Myriad Kings?


    ��Here you go, thank you for waiting��


    The sixth bowl of ramen was ced before him.


    It was soy sauce ramen made with ingredients from the alternate world.


    The noodles were straight and thin, and the ingredients were simple, just two thin slices of pork chashu, thinly sliced leeks, and a choice selection of boiled vegetables.


    This stall was the only one that served soy sauce ramen as pork ramen was the mostmon type of ramen served in Lemuria.


    Without missing a beat, Khius slurped up the noodles and drank the broth with gusto.


    ��Mmm������delicious! So, stall-keeper, I''ve been going around all the ces that sell this ramen that''s all the rage in this country, but your ramen ispletely different. Especially this broth. Its taste is as clear as the morning dew, and it has a deliciousness that seeps into the body. The noodles are also thin and easy to eat. This is a wonderful delicacy. What exactly makes it different? I''m a tight-lipped guy, so how about enlightening me a little?��


    A troubled look came over the stall-keeper''s face and he left it up to me.


    ��It��s a secret��


    Obviously.


    ��Come on, just a little is fine. I''m not going to steal the secret and sell it elsewhere. It''s purely out of personal curiosity��


    Well, I certainly can''t see a hero of Elysium changing careers and opening a ramen store.


    ��The stock is different��


    ��What do you mean by ��stock��?��


    ��It��s the bones��


    ��Now that you mention it, I''ve heard that the other ramen stores use pig bones to make their broth��


    ��This broth is made using bird bones��


    ��Which bird exactly?��


    ��Stall-keeper, give me one order of ��that�� from the secret menu��


    ��Coming right up��


    He brought out one of the items on the secret menu. It was a seasoned chicken egg.


    ��It''s the bipedal bird thatid this egg��


    ��A bipedal bird, huh��������������


    Khius raised one of his thick eyebrows, but he ate the boiled egg in one bite.


    ��Woah, it''s kind of syrupy inside. What''s with this egg?��


    ��It''s called a half-boiled egg. The egg isn''t cooked all the way through, but removed from the boiling water when it''s half done, and then immersed overnight in the elves'' secret seasoning��


    ��Not cooked all the way through? Won''t that upset the stomach?��


    ��Unlike chocho eggs, these eggs can be eaten raw��


    ��Raw, you say? I''m not in the habit of eating bipedal birds, but to think that they could be eaten in this way��������


    It seems that the people of the center continent really don''t eat bipedal birds.


    This is apparently because of the Minerva sister gods, one of whom I''m contracted with, but I haven''t paid it any mind and have been eating them freely. I haven''t received anyints from the god herself, so maybe it''s just a misunderstanding on the part of the followers.


    ��Stall-keeper, give me one more of those eggs��


    ��I''m sorry, dear customer. The boiled egg is something that some people really look forward to, and if I don''t leave some for them, well, please understand������


    He''s talking about a certain group of three drunks, isn''t he?


    ��It can''t be helped then. This delicious ramen is enough to help me get over the disappointment��


    What an understanding hero he is.


    ��And? Bones can''t be the only thing, right?��


    What''s more, he''s very perceptive.


    ��The elven seasoning in which the eggs are immersed is the key to this broth''s vor. It''s called soy sauce and it��s made from the clear liquid of miso��


    ��Hmm, I have no clue what you''re talking about. But it''s delicious, so it''s all good��


    Well, that''s not all there is to it, but I''ll keep the rest a secret.


    For a while, I watched as the hero ate his ramen.


    Well, he looks like he''s enjoying the ramen. I wonder who taught him to slurp up the noodles.


    ��When an elf girl taught me this vulgar way of eating that makes a lot of noise, I was skeptical, but I tried it anyway, and it''s truly wonderful. It makes the aroma and taste fill my nose and mouth. Because of all the air also sucked in, the hot broth can also be enjoyed without any difficulty. It''s very practical. Though it''s vulgar after all��


    And what kind of elf girl is that? I do hope it''s not one who dresses lightly like beastkin women.


    Back to the topic, the hero had finished off his ramen like he was at a snack bar.


    ��Alright, I''ve had enough without feeling overfull. Stall-keeper, how much?��


    ��Yes, thank you very much. That''s 20 copper coins in total��


    ��Keep the change��


    Arge hand set a handful of gold coins down casually. It was enough to buy the entire stall.


    ��Wait, dear customer, I can''t ept this much!��


    ��It''s one thing if it tastes bad, but despite how I look, I''m a man of position, so I have to pay a fair price for delicious food. My reputation would be ruined if it spread that I had filled my stomach on the cheap��


    ��R, right. If you put it like that, then I''ll dly ept it��


    ��I appreciate it. I''lle eat here again��


    After thanking the stall-keeper, Khius got up from his seat.


    I walked away from the stall with him.


    Walking beside him, I felt keenly that he was as huge as I thought he would be. He could probably send me flying above the roofs of the surrounding buildings with a single kick.


    ��Souya, let''s go somewhere else��


    Now, what will the hero have to say?


    Or will I have to fight him right off the bat?


    [1] A noren curtain is a traditional Japanese curtain or Japanese fabric divider of many sizes, cloths, colors, and designs. It��s typically used to divide rooms, or hung in doorways or windows. And while we��re on the subject, Japanese food stalls have a traditional look. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. (illus courtesy of vectorstock)


    [2] I think it��s pretty obvious that thick doesn��t work so well as an adjective for several of the things mentioned. It��s sorta a joke by the author and it does work fine in Japanese because thick as an adjective also means ��bigrge�� or ��muscr�� in thatnguage. Also, the author is trying to draw a link to His Majesty, the one other character the author has done this to.


    This representative hero is very different from Varner, isn��t he? Can you believe the author just spent about 90% of a chapter letting us get to know him? What does he know though and what does he really want with Souya? We��ll find out next time, so stay tuned!


    Though I must say, the First Hero has been brought up again, huh? He has actually been periodically appearing all the time in small mentions throughout the story, but not as clearly as recently. And one thing not mentioned above is that Zamonss didn��t only describe him as terrifying back in volume 3, but has also said that Souya is a lot like him��

 Chapter 188: That Which Achieved Success And Refuses To Step Aside V

    <h4>Chapter 188: That Which Achieved Sess And Refuses To Step Aside V</h4>


    ��Now, I don''t like long, boring preambles, so I''ll ask you inly and simply��


    We had relocated to an even more secluded spot along the outer walls.


    It waste at night, and the moons were floating bewitchingly in the sky. The twinkling stars looked ominous to me.


    ��The person who hunted down the representative hero of the Second Pope, Varner Kalbezzo, was it you?��


    ��You must be joking��


    There''s no proof. So long as that baldy doesn''t sell me out, the truth will never be exposed.


    Even if he does, I''ve taken a few precautions. At worst, I''ll take the baldy down with me.


    ��In that case, does this look familiar to you?��


    ���D�D�D�D�D�D!!��


    My survival instincts made my body move on its own.


    A sh of silver in the dark night.


    An iai-draw of the cane-sword.


    A sh with such godly speed that it surpassed even my own senses.


    It''s the culmination of the ultimate techniques I''ve acquired in this world.


    If it were unleashed against an ordinary opponent, they would likely die without even realizing that they had been shed.


    It should be enough to kill him.


    If it couldn��t, then it would mean that I was facing an opponent I had no chance against.


    My cane-sword was blocked by a hair-covered hand.


    Rather than flesh, it gave off the sensation of thick rubber. I could feel the de bite into it ever so slightly, but even a hundred more shes would not be enough for my de to reach bone.


    ��Instead of being frightened or cowering back, you unleashed your de, huh? As I suspected, you''ve fought "beasts" before, haven''t you?��


    Half of Khius'' face and one arm had turned beast-like.


    His fur was gray and his fingernails had turned w-like. He had a round, ck nose and round ears.


    No matter how I looked at it, he was a bear.


    And one deserving of the adjective "ferocious" at that.


    ��Your appearance is not that of a hero. Nor of a beast, and certainly not of a man��


    ��Be at ease. How can I im to be a hero if I cannot tame my own darkness? I have the beast inside me restrained��


    The bear-like hand let go of the de and I put some distance between us.


    I tossed away my cane and ced my hand on my main weapon at my hip.


    ��Stay your de. I have no intention of fighting this night��


    ��You expect me to trust you?��


    ��Then do as you please. Your reaction is proof enough. But what I don''t understand is your level of skill. Your swordsmanship can be said to be impressive. It''s more than enough to kill people. But it''s not enough to y beasts��


    Now you��ve gone and said it.


    Don''t you realize that you''re trampling on my pride with those words?


    ��Then, shall we see if you''re right?��


    ��No. I''ve already said that I have no intention of fighting this night. A hero never goes back on his word��


    ��What proof is there that you''re not two-faced?��


    ��My reputation and heroism are proof��


    ��Such things don''t matter to me��


    ��That enmity you have������do you have a grudge against Elysium? What''s the reason behind it?��


    ��Oh,e on, why would I tell you anything?��


    Only a fool would tell his enemy about himself.


    ��If there''s a good reason behind the killing of a hero, I would very much be interested in hearing it��


    ��I didn''t kill any hero��


    What a transparent lie, if I do say so myself. Even so, there''s no way I can admit to it.


    ��I see, then let''s talk under the assumption that you weren''t the one who killed him��


    ��Come again?��


    What the heck is this guy saying?


    ��The reason why Varner was killed. Was it a grudge? An act of folly?��


    What should I do here?


    There''s no benefit to be gained by brushing him off with silence.


    Rather than killing him using Wild Hunt, there''s more to be gained by talking to him.


    ��Under the assumption that this is all conjecture on my part, I''ll answer��


    ��That��s fine with me��


    What a difficult opponent to deal with. He crushes underfoot all of my logical arguments with just his intuition. It''s like I''m dealing with His Majesty.


    No, it''s not the same. This guy is an enemy.


    ��He self-destructed because of his own grudges, his own foolishness, and his own scheming. You call that guy a hero? Don''t make meugh. He betrayed hisrades like a rat, snapped at others like a stray dog, and in the end, he turned into a beast after throwing a hissy fit about all he resented. He was no better than a street thug. Dead drunks that you can find anywhere are a hundred times better than him��


    ��Then, Varner and������������sorry, I''m drawing a nk. The abandoned son of Gasim, his name�D�D�D�D��


    ��It''s Irvin! Irvin, the dragon scale!��


    Is this guy trying to provoke me?!


    ��Right, it''s Irvin Foz Gasim. The monster that the two of them are said to have given their lives to defeat, that''s Varner after he turned into a beast, am I right?��


    ��That��s right!��


    ��Did you help?��


    ��I didn''t. Irvin did it all. By himself! Putting his own life on the line!��


    ��I see��


    Khius'' beast-like features subsided and he reverted to human form.


    He wasn''t kidding. Amazingly, he really has full control over it.


    ��The next thing I want to ask you about is the matter of Sanperie Godoru. I can imagine what happened to some extent, but did he lose his life because he got caught up in Varner''s scheme?��


    ��No idea. But I''m pretty sure you''re right��


    ��How did he die?��


    ��He turned into a half-beast much like you, and was defeated by the father of adventurers��


    ��Half-beast, huh��������������


    Khius put his hand to his chin and appeared to be pondering something.


    ��Considering the conflict between the Godoru family and the Second Pope, that makes sense. But that''s exactly why I can''t ept it��


    ��Huh?��


    ��How was Luxgaru involved in all this? What connection is there between this and his violent actions?��


    ��No idea��


    I don''t know anything about the state of affairs between the Popes.


    And I know even less about the state of affairs among the knights.


    ��I don''t get it. It''s all the more puzzling because you''re not lying. Luxgaru is a knight who made his way up on merit. He should have been able to anticipate Varner''s antics. If so, there''s only one exnation. ������������Was it Luxgaru who set Sanperie up?��


    ��No, like I told you, I have no idea��


    After all this time, why do you care about a guy who got himself decapitated?


    ��Don''t just say that you have no idea. Think it over. The misdeeds of a clever man are parts of arger scheme. The important question is, who is this scheme meant to ensnare? Listen to me, Souya. Luxgaru was assigned to Varner on my orders. That''s because Varner''s childish madness brings disgrace to Elysium. I''ve never been wrong about a man in my life. I entrusted Luxgaru with this task because I believed he could handle it without issue. And yet�D�D�D�D�D��


    ��I guess your instincts about him were simply wrong��


    ����������������


    Don''t go quiet all of a sudden. It''s scary.


    Or rather, where does your confidencee from? You had better not be blinded by your ego.


    ��I was wrong, huh������it''s possible. Heroes are people too, and I''m just a person. We all make mistakes in judgment at least once in our lives. If I had simply misjudged him, then it''s fine. But what if I had not been wrong about him?��


    ��No, like I told you��������


    I have�D�D�D�D


    ��Luxgaru had a grand ambition. I can see him disregarding my orders if he found something rted to that��


    ��What''s this ambition of his?��


    The word "ambition" makes me just a little bit more intrigued about this knight called Luxgaru. He''s the guy who turned his de on me and diedughing. Come to think of it, was it right after that incident that Lys showed up?


    ��It''s to bring salvation to our blood. Luxgaru had a dream of saving the very foundations of Elysium��


    That guy,


    That knightpanion that went insane had said this before he died.


    ��Somethinges to mind, doesn''t it?��


    ��No��


    I''ll deny it for now.


    Even if I''ve discovered the truth, there''s no reason for me to tell it to him.


    ��Hmm, I see. I see, I understand now��


    ��I still have no idea what''s going on though��


    The hero-sama epted it all by himself.


    ��I''m saying that you''re a man who can be trusted��


    ��Huhhh?��


    There''s got to be a limit to how misguided you can be. I''m a suspect in Varner''s murder, you know?


    This hero, is he a few cards short of a full deck?


    ��Everything starts with trust. That''s how human rtionships(kankei) work��


    ��It��d be nice if no one fell for schemes(kankei) though��[1]


    ��Hmm?��


    It seems that sarcasm involving homonyms is lost on the people of the alternate world.


    ��Now that I know you can be trusted, I have a favor to ask of you, Souya��


    ��I refuse. That said, I get the feeling that you''re going to force me to do it anyway. I refuse, but I''ll at least listen to what you have to say��


    This hero is just a pain in the ass all around.


    And as I thought, he''s really simr to His Majesty. I have trouble with him. He''s the type of person I hate the most to have as an enemy.


    ��In two days, a magistrate of the St. Lyridias Order will arrive in this city of Lemuria for a visit��


    ��������A magistrate��


    I''ve heard many bad rumors about them.


    Like how they abuse their authority to conduct something simr to witch hunts in various regions.


    ��Would you do me the favor of assassinating that magistrate?��


    ��������������Huh?��


    No, wait.


    Huh?


    [1] I must say, this is very well-crafted. Too bad it doesn��t trante so well. Anyway��


    Rtionship(�v�S) and scheme(��Ӌ) can be pronounced the exact same way in Japanese. In other words, Khius could very well be saying, ��Everything starts with trust. That''s how human schemes work��, which would still be 100% true. Souya is pointing that out by making a sarcasticment about falling for schemes.


    That ending lol. It��s really one of the few times Souya ispletely flummoxed. Like he said, evil and greedy guys are easy for him, but it��s these kinds of people he has trouble with. But I don��t think I can me him for being confused there. Why is an upstanding hero of Elysium asking someone to assassinate a magistrate of St. Lyridias??!! We��ve heard about the internal conflict within Elysium several times now, but it��s this bad? And is Khius the good guy here or��? So many questions! And if you��ve noticed, there��s one important fact that the author highlighted there. Something about the timing in which a certain person appeared�� Well, stay tuned!

 Chapter 189: That Which Achieved Success And Refuses To Step Aside VI

    <h4>Chapter 189: That Which Achieved Sess And Refuses To Step Aside VI</h4>


    ��187th day��


    ��There''s no way I can, isn''t it? I turned him down��


    I responded to King Lemuria with a note of exasperation in my voice.


    It was a little before noon, and we were at his usual table in front of Tyutyu''s store.


    Quite unusually, there was no sign of Melm, and the king was sipping his weak drink alone. It was just right, so I discussed with him what had happened the previous night.


    ��For a hero to personally request the assassination of a magistrate������Souya, that''s very amusing��


    ��It''s not funny to me��


    I hadn''t expected to run into this big of a problem when I still had no clue as to how to clear the floor. What the heck is going on with my life?


    What''s more, after I had refused him, that Khius guy had said, "Let''s revisit this another time," and then disappeared. He hadpletely ignored my refusal.


    ��In the first ce, why would he want one of his own assassinated?��


    ��It''s simple. The stronger andrger an organization bes, the more it��s your own people, rather than external enemies, that get in the way��


    That makes sense. But I get the feeling that it doesn''t end there.


    ��What about corruption?��


    ��That''s part of it. There''s also the movements of the ck elf''s new Vindoobunikuru army. The day when the reach of the center continent is pushed off the left continent is near. And when that happens, the center continent will likely be the site of the decisive battle. As for the magistrate''s visit, I was only informed of it yesterday. It''s all too sudden��


    There must be a reason for such a sudden visit to an allied country.


    The original role of the ��magistrates�� was to manage the knight orders during times of war.


    However, weakened through generations of hereditary session, the influence of each knight order is now practically non-existent. What remains is only empty authority and the grisly duties that are performed to maintain and protect that authority.


    The torture of ves, persecution of beastkin, and religious conversion of the godless that these people are carrying out in various ces are essentially meaningless, and are only meant to show that they��re fulfilling their duties.


    And a part of this declining country that''s bing more and more corrupt are the people known as ��magistrates��.


    Such people areing to Lemuria.


    If that''s the case����


    ��Does this mean that Elysium is facing imminent defeat?��


    They intend to flee to thisnd, don''t they?


    ��You can never know the oue of a battle until it begins. However, there are many among the Popes and those close to them, the nobles, the merchants, the magistrates, and so on, who value their wealth. It''s a fact of life that when there''s a fire, you''ll see many rats running away. Speaking of safe ces outside of the center continent, there''s the archipgo to their east, which is under their thumb. And then there''s this country. Despite everything, I''m still someone who gained the throne on the authority of the Wanderer King. I have every reason to protect and safeguard their wealth��


    The Wanderer King, I believe that''s the nickname of the Fifth Pope.


    I''ve heard that he''s an entric who''s roaming the world while hiding his identity.


    But more importantly����


    ��I wonder what the fattened pigs from the center continent taste like?��


    ��I''m not so sure about that. Though I''m pretty sure that the things they hold dear must taste delicious��


    King Lemuria put on a wicked smile.


    Yup, as I thought, this baldy can��t be trusted. In a way, Khius might be more trustworthy than him.


    ��Khius and the magistrate''s sudden visit. I thought for sure that it was you who was behind them, King Lemuria��


    ��That''s not the case this time. I have no connections to Khius, and I don''t even know what he looks like��


    I have my doubts.


    But not knowing what others look like is a normal thing in the alternate world. You can''t tell what a person looks like from poems or rumors. Humans are vain creatures, and King Lemuria himself is a young man with luxurious hair in all his portraits.


    ��Putting that aside, Souya, I wanted to show off something to you��


    ��Huh?��


    It better not be another young woman. I''ll tattle on you to Lanseal.


    ��Hey, Rutsuko-kun~! Is that thing ready~?��


    ���D�D�D�D�D�D�D�DYes~��


    In an ingratiating voice, the baldy called out to Rutsuko-san.


    Hey, if you''re aiming for her, you better stake your life on it.


    ��Thank you for waiting��


    Rutsuko-san set food down on our table.


    ��This is��������


    ��How''s that? This has to be an unusual thing, even for you��


    The contrast of yellow and red.


    Chicken pf topped with a fluffy yellow omelet.


    ��There''s more to the surprise��


    King Lemuria smugly produced a knife and cut through the omelet. Runny egg yolk spilled out and covered the chicken pf.


    It was a delicious-looking omu-rice(Japanese omelet rice).


    ��And that''s not the end of it��


    He poured a sauce from a ss. The sauce was brownish, resembling curry. But its aroma������


    ��Rutsuko-san, when did you make demi-ce sauce?��


    ��It''s not made in this store though. I simply got the me religion to share some of what they made with us��


    ��Eh, the me religion?��


    Now I''m even more curious when they made such a thing.


    ��Remember when we made the ramen together, Souya-san?��


    ��Yeah, I do��


    ��But we ended up not using much of the ingredients, isn''t that right?��


    ��Indeed��


    The pork bones and the other ingredients were leftovers from the Adventurers'' Guild. Even after using some of the vegetables and meat to make the broth, there was still a lot left over.


    ��After that, it was my turn to get the same request, so I re-created demi-ce sauce. I only had a vague idea of how it''s made, but I guess you never know unless you give things a try��


    ��That''s proof that you''re a capable woman, Rutsuko-kun��


    ��No no, I''m not that great��


    Rutsuko-san easily shrugged off the old man''s praises.


    That��s the response of a capable woman.


    ��And then, the chicken pf is made with the red sauce for the hot-dogs, with more ketchup added. I think it turned out pretty delicious. Please give it a try��


    So there''s this way of using the red sauce, huh?


    ��Well then, itadakimasu��


    With a spoon in hand, I took a scoop of the omu-rice and put it into my mouth.


    The soft and fluffy egg melted in my mouth. It also mixed with the sauce and coated the chicken pf. I could feel the individual grains of rice in my mouth. The small pieces of chicken and the green peppers that had been cut into tiny pieces went hand in hand and did a line dance with the egg-coated ingredients.


    And then, there was its taste.


    The sourness of the tomato sauce, the subtle mildness of the cheese, and the concentrated vor of the demi-ce sauce.


    How could it possibly taste bad?


    There��s no way it would.


    ��De! Deli������������deliciousssss!��


    Its taste makes me yearn to be a kid again and jump up and down.


    In front of this omu-rice, even an old man returns to being a bug-catching boy.


    Omu-rice, a slightly more fancy dinner than usual.


    That''s right.


    Let''s have omu-rice today.


    ��Rutsuko-san, it''s unbelievably delicious��


    ��No no, you''re exaggerating��


    ��Souya, you''ve had enough of a taste, right?��


    ��Eh?��


    King Lemuria snatched the te and spoon from me.


    ��Mmm, Rutsuko-kun, the eggs are much fluffier than before. Mm-hmm, you''ve really improved. Mmm��


    A grown man well into his years snatched away other people''s omu-rice and then proceeded to eat it with gusto. He was scarfing it down so quickly that I was put off.


    It made me want to shout, "Everyone in the Kingdom of Lemuria! Here is your king!"


    The person who heard the voice of my heart was����


    ��What''s this delicious-smelling aroma?��


    ����a hero of Elysium.


    ��Oh, fancy meeting you here, Souya. Are you having ate breakfast? Let me join you��


    Khius unceremoniously took a seat at our table.


    While gobbling up the omu-rice, King Lemuria gave Khius a piercing look.


    Undaunted, Khius asked genially.


    ��Good sir, what''s that dish called?��


    ��It''s called Omu-rice. To take an interest in it, you really have a good eye��


    He had made a good first impression.


    ��The waitress over there, I''ll have������������three of this omu-rice��


    ��Rutsuko-kun, three for me as well. I want pickled root vegetables and edamame as side dishes too��


    ��Alright~,ing right up?��


    With a swish of her skirt, Rutsuko-san disappeared into the kitchen.


    And for some reason����


    ��What are you guys doing?��


    ����two Gunmerrys came up and stood on either side of me.


    ����������������


    They remained silent, exuding a subtle murderous air.


    Unaffected, King Lemuria made some small talk.


    ��You look like a top-notch swordsman������no, you''re a knight, aren''t you? Despite your habit of keeping your back perfectly straight, you leave no openings. In addition, that imposing physique and air about you����you''re no ordinary person. Why have youe to this country?��


    I wasn''t sure if I should say something, but I decided to keep my mouth shut.


    ��I��m here for sightseeing. I''m the third son of a noble family, you see? I''ve left the family affairs to my elder brothers and have been going around enjoying the pleasures this world has to offer. As you''ve astutely observed, I��m indeed a knight, but that''s all thanks to the robust body my mother gave me. That, and having a good teacher. To eat any and all delicious food without distinction. That''s the reason why I��m a knight��


    I don''t know what the heck is going on here, but Khius had lied through his teeth.


    No, maybe he can say it so confidently because it''s the truth? He sure seems used to this.


    ��If you''re from a noble family, then you must be from Elysium��


    ��That''s right��


    King Lemuria seemed to have caught on to something.


    ��However, eating only delicious food will poison your body. Eating equal amounts of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy foods is what''s best for your health. It''s easy to miss this when one is as young and spirited as you are��


    ��Oh, that''s great advice. By the way, good sir, you have an air about you. A vitality that belies your advanced years. A fighting spirit that makes me think that you''ve seen many battles. All these are things no ordinary person possesses��


    Khius put on a thin smile.


    King Lemuria returned him a simrly thin smile.


    Have these two really not met each other before?


    ��Why, I''m just a retired adventurer. I''m now living out the rest of my life infort, as you can see��


    ��Ohh, an adventurer, huh? Won''t you share a story of your adventures with me? My kids are always begging me for stories��


    ��Kids, you say? How old are they?��


    Not all tales of adventure are about glory. When one gets to be the king of adventurers, they will likely have all sorts of stories, some bitter and some sweet. And some age-restricted ones as well.


    In response to King Lemuria''s question,


    ��My youngest is an infant and my oldest is probably twenty-two��


    ��That''s quite an age gap between them��


    ��I got my first kid when I was 14. Since then������������how many were there? I remember the celebration we threw for the eighth one, but there must have been at least four or five more after that. Including the kids my women brought along, all of whom I''ve adopted, I''ve long lost count of the total number��


    ��That''s quite gant of you��


    Khius has so many children that King Lemuria looks a bit put off. Come to think of it, I��ve also heard talk that King Lemuria may or may not have more illegitimate children.


    It feels like there will be a dispute over the session of the throne. I hope I don''t get dragged into it.


    ��Speaking of children, there��s this interesting little anecdote��


    In a hushed voice, King Lemuria pulled out the weapon at his hip, scabbard and all.


    ��Good sir, that''s quite an unusual weapon. It looks like Souya''s��


    ��This sword is called a katana, and it was forged by a dwarf using techniques from foreignnds. For some strange reason, the children of this city call it the "King''s Sword". They say that if someone gets their hands on the "genuine" katana, they will be the king of this country��


    ��That''s certainly interesting. Then with you and Souya here, that means that we''ve got two kings at this table, does it not?��


    King Lemuria grinned. He loosened the katana from the scabbard and drew it out a little to let him have a glimpse of its de.


    Khius'' gaze became as sharp as any weapon.


    ��Oh-ho, how interesting. It''s a de that embodies chaos. It''s as if the taint of humans was gathered and encased in the steel. And maybe that''s what gives it its sharpness��


    Looking at the Damascus steel katana, the hero gave his impressions.


    ��This is but a copy. Souya, let him see yours��


    Just as he had done, I loosened my katana from the scabbard and exposed a length of its de.


    ��What the heck is this?��


    The hero scrunched up his face when heid eyes on the demonic katana.


    That''s only natural. This is a one-off weapon that every cksmith in Lemuria and even the dwarf who had forged it had given up on replicating.


    The reason for this is L��s w, which was used as a material for this katana. I��ve let it drink too much blood.


    The w has assimted the metal covering it as well as the blood it had been exposed to, altered its nature, and reformed itself into a single de.


    The hamon pattern on the de is red and turbulent.


    It looks a lot like Damascus steel, but that��s a mixture of metal and metal, and this is a mixture of living things and metal.


    There''s nothing more ominous than that.


    Furthermore, its red hamon���� Watching it, it''s clear that it moves. At times, it even seems to pulsate like a heartbeat.


    This katana here is the ultimate in demonic swords, and haspletely be a work beyond human ability.


    ��How very interesting��


    I ignored the hero''s outstretched hand and slipped the demonic katana back into its scabbard.


    This thing gives off a strange "air" that mesmerizes people. I try to be careful with it and not draw it unless absolutely necessary.


    ��How do our katanas measure up in your discerning eyes, Knight-dono��


    ��Hmm, they''re deadly des. A king''s weapon��������������


    Khius suddenly went deep into thought.


    ��No, I have no words��


    In response to the king, he said something odd, then seemed to have some reservations.


    I''ll leave it at that for now.


    ��So, good sir, this king''s katana or whatever, where is it?��


    ��Now, who can say where it is? Some say that it''s in the hands of a dragon, some say that it lies in an abandoned city far to the north, and some say that it''s waiting somewhere in this city for the��True King����


    ��I see, the true king, huh?��


    Khius appeared impressed.


    ��Oh, that''s right, Knight-dono. If you would like to have a replica of the katana, you can buy it from the cksmith run by the country. You should buy some as souvenirs for your children��


    ��Thank you for that. I''ll definitely buy some to take home��


    A replica that only imitates the shape of the katana. It''s apparently quite popr. I''ve even heard that there are ns to give it the royal seal in the near future. Don''t tell me, has he been going around promoting its sales like he just did? As I thought, this baldy sure is shrewd.


    ��Good sir, may I ask you onest thing?��


    ��What is it?��


    Khius posed a question to King Lemuria.


    ��What is a true king to you?��


    ��Hohoho. That''s a peculiar question. In this old man''s humble opinion, a true king is a person who studies, trains, devises ns, and never lets opportunities slip through their fingers. And they must not let themselves get carried away because of their good fortune. Neither can they let their good fortune go to waste. In addition�D�D�D�D�D��


    In addition?


    ��They must be the kind of person who can''t pass up a good woman��


    In your case, you chase after them instead.


    ��Those are some pretty wise words��


    It��s obvious that Khius was only being polite. It appears that those words had not resonated with him.


    Sensing this, King Lemuria asked him back the same question.


    ��Then I''ll pose the same question to you. What is a king?��


    ��Someone strong. The strength of martial arts, the strength of men, the strength of courage, the strength of wisdom, the strength of family and friends. Someone strong enough to crush all those��


    It''s truly sinct.


    It''s just����how do I say this����


    ��You������������are you really from Elysium? Are you sure you��re not someone who serves the Myriad Kings of the left continent?��


    King Lemuria was wondering the same thing as I was.


    ��I��m an Elysium man born and bred��


    It''s from the horse''s mouth, so I guess we were wrong. I have my doubts though.


    ��So��


    Khius and King Lemuria opened their mouths at the exact same time.


    What about you? said the looks the two of them gave me.


    ��No no no��


    Why are you asking an ordinary person what a king is? is what I want to say, but I doubt that��ll fly.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Rutsuko-san setting six tes of omu-rice on a tray at the back of the store.


    The two Gunmerrys eased up and went over to help.


    Just why did these guys stick to my side?


    Because of them, I was unable to find a good moment to escape.


    It can''t be helped. I''ll just answer suitably.


    ��To be honest, I have no idea what makes a king. But there is one thing that makes me think of a person as being king-like��


    ��Quit beating around the bush and just say it��


    King Lemuria rushed me.


    The faces of those advanced adventurers came to mind.


    ��It''s someone who has achieved sess and refuses to step aside��


    ��Hmm?��


    Perhaps the trantion magic of the alternate world was acting up, but the two of them didn''t seem to understand my words very well.


    ��There''s a saying that states that it''s better for the world if those who have achieved sess don''t stay in their positions forever, but instead retire as quickly as possible��


    ��������������Hmmm~��


    They both struck the same pose and contemted my words.


    Did I say something weird? I had tried my best to grasp its meaning from what I could only vaguely remember. The response is pretty bad though. Be more impressed, you two.


    ��Here you go, six omu-rices and an assortment of pickled vegetables. These drinks are on the house. We managed to procure some good tea leaves today, you see?��


    Rutsuko-sanid out the dishes.


    ��Umu, I��ve been waiting for them!��


    King Lemuria was the first to leap at it.


    ��Right when I was getting hungry from all the weird talk!��


    Khius followed suit.


    As if they didn''t care one whit about what I had said, the two of them started to gobble up the omu-rice.


    Hmm��what a long chapter of not much happening lol. We did get to learn a lot more about all three, I guess. After all the jam-packed chapters we��ve hadtely, it��s good to have a breather, I suppose. And we��ll have the titr arc starting next time, so stay tuned!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!